It's me again! Beware! Hahaha!
Rrissa: :Quit scaring your readers.:
Fireblade: *shuts up* You know, I've been thinking. If I'm a Hawkbrother, shouldn't I have bondbirds? Meet Churr and Kell. They're kestrels. Churr is female and the larger of the two, Kell is male, and he's very smart. They're nestmates, and wanted to stay together. So now I have kestrels! Yee!
Have pie, reviewers! Dutch Chocolate, today!
Cerulean Sky: The surge of blood-lust was actually from Kree when he caught his dinner.
Vreader: Thankees!
Darkfyre: I don't think so...I want my muse still in one piece when I get him back. Then he'll still be able to WRITE the thing.
Well, you can bloody him up a little...just don't piss him off TOO much, or he'll burst into flames. Long story.
Kierseth: Once you see how much he eats, that may change. (J/k!) Kree is a cutie, isn't he?
Kell: :Not Kree! Me! Churr, too! Not Kree!:
Blade: *pets bondbird*
Kyalia: Action is coming! It's just taking a while! I need to establish the characters first.
Senashenta: O.O what a long review! I mailed you 'bout that. And shish! Don't say ANYTHING about red-eyes and gold-eyes! SHUSH! More readers lurk everywhere...even though that's a good thing. Hmmmm. :P
Katsiebee: Thankees!
Fergiaj: Liluye is 17. I said it in the first chappie-or maybe I didn't. Oh well. And she was allowed to leave because there are a LOT of people on ONE farm. Too many mouths to feed...and Liluye always wanted adventure, (Havens help her.)
Muse responsible: Rrissa!
Onto the story! And I'm making up the Company-horsie specialists. You know, like the Skybolts. She asks for directions in the first town, Riverrun. This is the first town she's stopped in-she got the hawk furniture from a Tanner's Guild. The Guildmaster's hobby is rehabilitating raptors. (Sound like anyone we know? :P) He drooled over Kree, but it wasn't that funny, so I skipped it. And this sidenote has gone on waaaay too long.
------------------------------------------
I paused at the edge of Riverrun. [I don't know where the Company bases are...and I need a horse, if I want to get into the Sunhawks or Wendell's Wanderers...Wanderers is my preference. I'm babbling again.]
:Bondmate think-think-think, I bored!:
:What sounds better to you, Kree, Idra's Sunhawks or Wendell's Wanderers?:
Kree considered for a long moment. :Wanderers see world, yes?:
I realized the name had to mean something. According to my limited research, the Sunhawks had an established base-whereas the Wanderers wandered. Hence the name. I supposed they had to have a main station somewhere, but most of the time, they were on the move.
:The Wanderers don't seem to stay in one place too long. Except their place where they recruit and train, anyway.:
:Goodgood. Join Wanderers, see world, you have humans, yes?:
:Right. Now come down here-let's make a good first impression, and maybe we won't end up sleeping on the edge of town. I need a bath.:
I held out my arm and Kree dove-at the last minute backwinging and settling down.
I braced the staff on my shoulders, and Kree stepped daintily up, turning so we both faced the same way.
"Okay, bird, if we meet trouble, you go for the eyes and I'll whack them with my stick."
Kree nodded-very odd-looking, on a bird.
I strolled into town, acting as if having a bondbird larger than an ordinary eagle sitting on my shoulder was as common as leading a horse.
Heads swiveled as I walked past. Kree looked around with sharp-eyed interest. :You hear them, bondmate?:
:Hear who?: I spoke in Mindspeech-it probably wouldn't do to be seen talking to a bird. Even if that bird was Kree.
:Hear people, all sides. They say, 'fear-curious-impressed.':
:Whatever.:
A little girl ran up to me and said, wide-eyed, "Can I pet your bird?"
"His name is Kree."
The girl reached up and scratched Kree's chest. Kree ducked his head so she could scratch his crest, closing his eyes in bliss.
:Don't fall, silly bird.:
:Won't fall! Not-bright!: came Kree's indignant thought. I stifled a chuckle.
Suddenly, a woman dodged out of the crowd and snatched her child. Kree drooped slightly.
Another person, this time a full-grown man, came forward. "How long did it take you to train it, milady? It's not even wearing jesses-where's its hood?"
Kree roused himself, his crest rising. I fixed the man with a cool stare. "I did not train Kree-he came to me of his own accord. He wears no jesses because he needs no jesses-and his hood is inside my pack, where it stays unless he needs to sleep in the day."
The man gawked at me, lost for words.
:Think you could show off a bit, Kree?:
Kree reached over and nibbled on my nose. The man half-reached, probably afraid I was going to lose an eye-then stopped, dumbfounded, as Kree gently bit my nose.
:...that's not what I thought you were going to do, but it's fine.:
Kree's mindvoice, full of contempt, came back to me. :Silly man-thinks you caught, trained me. Friendliness better.:
Kree moved his head away from mine. I looked back at the man. "Can you tell me where I can buy a horse, food, and a map?" I asked.
A few minutes later, I strolled into the Inn of the Dancing Cat. People fell silent as they caught sight of Kree.
Politely, I asked the innkeeper, "I'd like a room for two nights, please. My friend here-" I nodded to Kree-"will need a stump to sit on."
The innkeeper blinked. Several times. "Ah-ma'am-there are mews belonging to the Lord-"
I cut in, firmly. "A stump, please. Or a block of firewood."
The innkeeper gave up and showed me to a room-casting slightly anxious looks at Kree.
[This could get complicated...]
:Stupid man. Thinks I attack.:
I snorted.
About half a candlemark later, I toweled myself dry. After a long, hot bath, I felt much better.
Kree was sitting on a block of firewood, preening.
I pulled on my cleanest clothes and set the basket with the dirty ones by the door.
Pausing, I glanced at Kree. "Will you stay, Kree?"
:Close in here. No sky. I come.:
I strapped on my arm-gauntlet and held it steady. Kree nudged a last feather into place, and hopped onto it.
I took the back stairs, wanting to avoid people. Unfortunately, I ran into a chambermaid, who screamed at the sight of Kree.
[Thank the gods that Kree isn't a panicky bird...] I thought as I skirted the maid and stepped outside.
:Your arm hurt. I fly.:
Surprised, I launched Kree.
A woman, who had been leaning on the fence, called lazily, "So the rumors are true."
"What rumors?"
"Rumors of a wild hawk that sits as calmly as a watchdog on your shoulder or arm. Of course, I see now that the mistress is not seven feet tall, does not breathe fire, and has no sign whatsoever of claws and fangs."
I stood at a loss for words.
The woman tilted her head like a bird at me. "I'm Lord Nadoc's falconer. Impressive bird, by the way. How will you get him back without any jesses?"
:This woman clever-wise. I come, bondmate.:
I waited until I heard the rush of wings, then held out my arm.
Kree landed on it again.
A few bystanders clapped, and the woman raised an eyebrow.
"Care to take a drink with me?"
"Only if it's out here. Kree's uncomfortable indoors."
"Hey, get some drinks, will you?" yelled the woman at a man standing near the door of the inn.
"As you wish, milady."
This was apparently a joke of long standing, as the woman laughed ruefully. "Rory, you know damn well that I am no lady."
"A friend?" I asked her.
"My cousin, actually. He's my assistant-my family has served as Lord Nadoc's falconers for three generations."
I wandered over to the fence and leaned my arm on it. Kree bobbed his head, focusing in on the woman.
"What is your name, anyway?" I asked her.
"Helia. Yours?" She held out a hand.
"Liluye." I started to reach for her hand-but realized that my right arm was occupied.
Helia laughed uproariously.
"Have a drink."
I accepted a tankard from Rory. Looking for a place to sit down, I saw a rickety bench sitting near the wall of the inn, and sat very carefully.
Kree remained calmly on my arm.
"Can I have a look at him? What's his name? Where'd you get him?" Helia asked.
Kree stepped very carefully to my knee, not squeezing at all with his talons, lest he draw blood.
:Tell hawk-woman she look at me. No tell about Tayledras-no tell, no tell! They come trapping, they will!: Kree was most anxious.
:Don't worry.:
Aloud, I said, "His name's Kree. I found him-or, rather, he found me- pretty deep in the Pelagiris."
Helia was afire with interest. "An easy journey?"
A flood of information spilled into my mind, accompanied with created images of me fighting odd-looking things and getting wounded.
Following Kree's lead, I said, "Not at all easy. There are all sorts of uncanny things in there-I can't begin to say how many times I nearly died. Half the rumors you hear about the Pelagiris are true-and the other half are actually underestimations of things in there."
Helia looked disappointed.
"It's not a journey I would recommend. I don't know what I was thinking, going in there," I added, sending to Kree, :Good?:
:Bright like sun, bondmate, this keep clever away, stupid go, stupid die.:
"Ah well. It was worth a shot."
"Only the brave or the foolhardy go into the Pelagiris-and only the wizards, heroes, and stupidly lucky get out. I'm the stupidly lucky one."
Helia sighed.
Turning the topic away from the Pelagiris and Kree's origin, I said, "Is there anywhere around here that I could buy a horse?"
Several candlemarks later, I had a nondescript bay gelding whom I called Chester in the stable, a full belly, and practically no money left.
Kree had finally decided to sleep in a tree outside the village-this put him a bit far away for my comfort, but we had agreed that it was better than scaring chambermaids.
I rolled into the first real bed I had had in days, yawned, and fell asleep.
-----------------------------------------
That chappie was REALLY long! Really REALLY long!
It was fun to write, though.
Review! Give your opinions! Anything from flames to asking the color of Kree's feathers to requests for making Liluye shaych to asking her to be Chosen are welcome!
~Fireblade K'Chona
Rrissa: :Quit scaring your readers.:
Fireblade: *shuts up* You know, I've been thinking. If I'm a Hawkbrother, shouldn't I have bondbirds? Meet Churr and Kell. They're kestrels. Churr is female and the larger of the two, Kell is male, and he's very smart. They're nestmates, and wanted to stay together. So now I have kestrels! Yee!
Have pie, reviewers! Dutch Chocolate, today!
Cerulean Sky: The surge of blood-lust was actually from Kree when he caught his dinner.
Vreader: Thankees!
Darkfyre: I don't think so...I want my muse still in one piece when I get him back. Then he'll still be able to WRITE the thing.
Well, you can bloody him up a little...just don't piss him off TOO much, or he'll burst into flames. Long story.
Kierseth: Once you see how much he eats, that may change. (J/k!) Kree is a cutie, isn't he?
Kell: :Not Kree! Me! Churr, too! Not Kree!:
Blade: *pets bondbird*
Kyalia: Action is coming! It's just taking a while! I need to establish the characters first.
Senashenta: O.O what a long review! I mailed you 'bout that. And shish! Don't say ANYTHING about red-eyes and gold-eyes! SHUSH! More readers lurk everywhere...even though that's a good thing. Hmmmm. :P
Katsiebee: Thankees!
Fergiaj: Liluye is 17. I said it in the first chappie-or maybe I didn't. Oh well. And she was allowed to leave because there are a LOT of people on ONE farm. Too many mouths to feed...and Liluye always wanted adventure, (Havens help her.)
Muse responsible: Rrissa!
Onto the story! And I'm making up the Company-horsie specialists. You know, like the Skybolts. She asks for directions in the first town, Riverrun. This is the first town she's stopped in-she got the hawk furniture from a Tanner's Guild. The Guildmaster's hobby is rehabilitating raptors. (Sound like anyone we know? :P) He drooled over Kree, but it wasn't that funny, so I skipped it. And this sidenote has gone on waaaay too long.
------------------------------------------
I paused at the edge of Riverrun. [I don't know where the Company bases are...and I need a horse, if I want to get into the Sunhawks or Wendell's Wanderers...Wanderers is my preference. I'm babbling again.]
:Bondmate think-think-think, I bored!:
:What sounds better to you, Kree, Idra's Sunhawks or Wendell's Wanderers?:
Kree considered for a long moment. :Wanderers see world, yes?:
I realized the name had to mean something. According to my limited research, the Sunhawks had an established base-whereas the Wanderers wandered. Hence the name. I supposed they had to have a main station somewhere, but most of the time, they were on the move.
:The Wanderers don't seem to stay in one place too long. Except their place where they recruit and train, anyway.:
:Goodgood. Join Wanderers, see world, you have humans, yes?:
:Right. Now come down here-let's make a good first impression, and maybe we won't end up sleeping on the edge of town. I need a bath.:
I held out my arm and Kree dove-at the last minute backwinging and settling down.
I braced the staff on my shoulders, and Kree stepped daintily up, turning so we both faced the same way.
"Okay, bird, if we meet trouble, you go for the eyes and I'll whack them with my stick."
Kree nodded-very odd-looking, on a bird.
I strolled into town, acting as if having a bondbird larger than an ordinary eagle sitting on my shoulder was as common as leading a horse.
Heads swiveled as I walked past. Kree looked around with sharp-eyed interest. :You hear them, bondmate?:
:Hear who?: I spoke in Mindspeech-it probably wouldn't do to be seen talking to a bird. Even if that bird was Kree.
:Hear people, all sides. They say, 'fear-curious-impressed.':
:Whatever.:
A little girl ran up to me and said, wide-eyed, "Can I pet your bird?"
"His name is Kree."
The girl reached up and scratched Kree's chest. Kree ducked his head so she could scratch his crest, closing his eyes in bliss.
:Don't fall, silly bird.:
:Won't fall! Not-bright!: came Kree's indignant thought. I stifled a chuckle.
Suddenly, a woman dodged out of the crowd and snatched her child. Kree drooped slightly.
Another person, this time a full-grown man, came forward. "How long did it take you to train it, milady? It's not even wearing jesses-where's its hood?"
Kree roused himself, his crest rising. I fixed the man with a cool stare. "I did not train Kree-he came to me of his own accord. He wears no jesses because he needs no jesses-and his hood is inside my pack, where it stays unless he needs to sleep in the day."
The man gawked at me, lost for words.
:Think you could show off a bit, Kree?:
Kree reached over and nibbled on my nose. The man half-reached, probably afraid I was going to lose an eye-then stopped, dumbfounded, as Kree gently bit my nose.
:...that's not what I thought you were going to do, but it's fine.:
Kree's mindvoice, full of contempt, came back to me. :Silly man-thinks you caught, trained me. Friendliness better.:
Kree moved his head away from mine. I looked back at the man. "Can you tell me where I can buy a horse, food, and a map?" I asked.
A few minutes later, I strolled into the Inn of the Dancing Cat. People fell silent as they caught sight of Kree.
Politely, I asked the innkeeper, "I'd like a room for two nights, please. My friend here-" I nodded to Kree-"will need a stump to sit on."
The innkeeper blinked. Several times. "Ah-ma'am-there are mews belonging to the Lord-"
I cut in, firmly. "A stump, please. Or a block of firewood."
The innkeeper gave up and showed me to a room-casting slightly anxious looks at Kree.
[This could get complicated...]
:Stupid man. Thinks I attack.:
I snorted.
About half a candlemark later, I toweled myself dry. After a long, hot bath, I felt much better.
Kree was sitting on a block of firewood, preening.
I pulled on my cleanest clothes and set the basket with the dirty ones by the door.
Pausing, I glanced at Kree. "Will you stay, Kree?"
:Close in here. No sky. I come.:
I strapped on my arm-gauntlet and held it steady. Kree nudged a last feather into place, and hopped onto it.
I took the back stairs, wanting to avoid people. Unfortunately, I ran into a chambermaid, who screamed at the sight of Kree.
[Thank the gods that Kree isn't a panicky bird...] I thought as I skirted the maid and stepped outside.
:Your arm hurt. I fly.:
Surprised, I launched Kree.
A woman, who had been leaning on the fence, called lazily, "So the rumors are true."
"What rumors?"
"Rumors of a wild hawk that sits as calmly as a watchdog on your shoulder or arm. Of course, I see now that the mistress is not seven feet tall, does not breathe fire, and has no sign whatsoever of claws and fangs."
I stood at a loss for words.
The woman tilted her head like a bird at me. "I'm Lord Nadoc's falconer. Impressive bird, by the way. How will you get him back without any jesses?"
:This woman clever-wise. I come, bondmate.:
I waited until I heard the rush of wings, then held out my arm.
Kree landed on it again.
A few bystanders clapped, and the woman raised an eyebrow.
"Care to take a drink with me?"
"Only if it's out here. Kree's uncomfortable indoors."
"Hey, get some drinks, will you?" yelled the woman at a man standing near the door of the inn.
"As you wish, milady."
This was apparently a joke of long standing, as the woman laughed ruefully. "Rory, you know damn well that I am no lady."
"A friend?" I asked her.
"My cousin, actually. He's my assistant-my family has served as Lord Nadoc's falconers for three generations."
I wandered over to the fence and leaned my arm on it. Kree bobbed his head, focusing in on the woman.
"What is your name, anyway?" I asked her.
"Helia. Yours?" She held out a hand.
"Liluye." I started to reach for her hand-but realized that my right arm was occupied.
Helia laughed uproariously.
"Have a drink."
I accepted a tankard from Rory. Looking for a place to sit down, I saw a rickety bench sitting near the wall of the inn, and sat very carefully.
Kree remained calmly on my arm.
"Can I have a look at him? What's his name? Where'd you get him?" Helia asked.
Kree stepped very carefully to my knee, not squeezing at all with his talons, lest he draw blood.
:Tell hawk-woman she look at me. No tell about Tayledras-no tell, no tell! They come trapping, they will!: Kree was most anxious.
:Don't worry.:
Aloud, I said, "His name's Kree. I found him-or, rather, he found me- pretty deep in the Pelagiris."
Helia was afire with interest. "An easy journey?"
A flood of information spilled into my mind, accompanied with created images of me fighting odd-looking things and getting wounded.
Following Kree's lead, I said, "Not at all easy. There are all sorts of uncanny things in there-I can't begin to say how many times I nearly died. Half the rumors you hear about the Pelagiris are true-and the other half are actually underestimations of things in there."
Helia looked disappointed.
"It's not a journey I would recommend. I don't know what I was thinking, going in there," I added, sending to Kree, :Good?:
:Bright like sun, bondmate, this keep clever away, stupid go, stupid die.:
"Ah well. It was worth a shot."
"Only the brave or the foolhardy go into the Pelagiris-and only the wizards, heroes, and stupidly lucky get out. I'm the stupidly lucky one."
Helia sighed.
Turning the topic away from the Pelagiris and Kree's origin, I said, "Is there anywhere around here that I could buy a horse?"
Several candlemarks later, I had a nondescript bay gelding whom I called Chester in the stable, a full belly, and practically no money left.
Kree had finally decided to sleep in a tree outside the village-this put him a bit far away for my comfort, but we had agreed that it was better than scaring chambermaids.
I rolled into the first real bed I had had in days, yawned, and fell asleep.
-----------------------------------------
That chappie was REALLY long! Really REALLY long!
It was fun to write, though.
Review! Give your opinions! Anything from flames to asking the color of Kree's feathers to requests for making Liluye shaych to asking her to be Chosen are welcome!
~Fireblade K'Chona