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Fion halted his course toward the wagon, as a gigantic swan flapped into his path. He bit back a cry of amazement; so the legends were true!
"What do you think you're doing.." the girl cried, the rest of her speech drowned out by the rustling of the horse-like creatures. Fionn stiffened at her tone, the high elf in him deeply offended.
Staring down his patrician nose, he leveled a cool glare toward the girl, sparing an uneasy glance toward her rather large feathery friend.
"Good day, m'lady," he said, his voice cultured and smooth as a freshwater pearl. "Might I inquire as to who you are?"
Suddenly, one of the horse-creatures spooked, running straight towards him. Cursing, the girl swooped over, hauling Fionn behind her. "They call me Sammy, but I need to know about you, and how you got here!" Her evil swan fluttered angrily, liking nothing more than to rip Fionn's elven head right off.
If looks could kill, Fionn was sure that this, this impertinent creature would surely have been dead about three seconds ago. Not only did she allow her beasts to control her, she presumed to think him some trespasser!
Fionn broke her grasp and landed nimbly on his feet, the silver robe around his graceful shoulders flying back to reveal two wicked-looking silver whips. Placing his hands on them, he leveled a significant glare at the irate swan, before shouting- goddess of light, she had him shouting-
"Controll your beasts, Madame, or I shall do it for you!"
Conn's BLOOD, he thought, why did he allways let his pride get the better of him? Sweeping his cloak foward to hide the offensive- yet expensive- whips, he gave the girl and her swan a deep bow.
Straightening, he gave them a long, speculative look, as if deciding how much information to give...
"Please accept my apology," he said, sounding less than apologetic, "but you startled me. My name if Fionn Ailill, and I have come here for a-" stopping himself, he continued tersley-warily, "I have come here for my own reasons. But I mean no harm"
Sammy stared at the man, he seemed very odd to her. First threatening her, then begging her forgiveness. Harder she clutched Zodiac's wing joint, and Zodiac tensed his muscles, once Zodiac's anger got boiling it was difficult to bring it back down.
Fionn glared at the large swan, barely noticing the pull at his leg. Impatiently, he looked down, startled to find a small hatchling, now snapping playfully at the tassel on his boot.
A rare smile lit his angular face; Fionn knelt down beside the small creature, reaching out a hand to gently stroke his soft underbelly. The fluffy little thing gave a high pitched chortle, almost as if it were giggling.
"Maybey you should name the little one," came a voice. Fionn looked up, his face set in a mixture of shock and panic, as if he were caught running naked through the streets.
"Na-what?" he demanded, shocked. Suddenly the hatchling at his feet chirped happily, fluttering his wings as if exited, showing off a chubby underbelly as pale and green as fresh spring grass.
Laughing, Fionn picked the little fluff-ball up, and, gazing at it speculatively, pronounced, "Odhran ought to do it!"
Chortling, the small swan, nameless no longer, wriggled out of the man's grasp. It waddled joyfully for a few seconds, until a loud grumble pierced the air.
Stratled, the man looked down at Odhran, smiling as the tiny thing let out a not-so-tiny quack. Clearly, the wee bugger was hungry!
"Hold on, lad," Fionn murmured, reaching around to forage through his pack. Impatient, Odhran hopped up and down, flapping his wings till he rose a couple of inches off the ground. Startled, he let out a chirp and plopped onto his rear, looking up at the larger swan near him questioningly.
 Baroness von Mraowl · Wed Jul 05, 2006 @ 05:47am · 0 Comments |
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Fionn raised a shaking hand to wipe the sweat off his brow. Six days of hiking in this blasted forest, and he still had a ways to go! Of course, this was better than back home.....better than-
"No!" he shouted. He would not be sucked into his memories; they could prove lethal at a time like this, when he needed to be on constant alert. He had seen very little forest life, traveling only by day and keeping his campfire roaring at night. What he did see, or at least sense, were the eyes. They constantly watched, waited, for him to let his guard down. Waiting to tear at his still living flesh with their rows of teeth and sharp claws...
Fionn grimaced, adjusting his pack for what seemed like the hundredth time. It was amazing how such a simple thing as a forest could give even he, an elven noble, the fright. Sighing, he trudged onward, praying to gods he no longer believed in that he would reach the end of the forest soon...
Fionn yawned slowly, stretching his sinewy arms above his head. He thanked the Nameless Ones for his safe transit through the forest. And what a beautiful land it revealed!
Crisp, afternoon sunlight glittered across a huge lake, crystal waters forming a shining curtain of glass, a curtain that reflected the bright blue skies overhead. The valley was fringed by tall, glacial mountains...ageless sentinels, sent to protect this small slice of heaven.
Though, if the rumors his clansmen spoke of had any truth, the pristine valley was not the only thing those mountains were guarding.
Glancing once more at the position of the sun, Fionn trudged foward; he still had at least another day's hike ahead of him....oh to have a sturdy pair of wings!
Suddenly, a sound from behind! Starteld, Fionn leapt into the air, turning as he did so, and landed in a half-crouch, unsheathing his trusted rapier with the ease of someone long-skilled in such feats. He watched the forest with narrowed, grey eyes, their inky, oil-slicked depths swirling in agitation. Whatever it was that made that noise, it was big...and it was coming his way!
Breathing deeply, he held his rapier in front of him, preparing to face whatever foe about to emerge...
Fionn stayed seated long after the strange hoard had passed him, having leapt out of the way before being trampled by the team of...
"What WERE those things, anyway?" he muttered to himself, standing. Briskly wiping the dust from his camel-coloured leather breeches, he muttered a few curses at the wagon, for that was indeed what it was.
Giving himself a final once over- first impressions were everything- he peered, cautiously, over toward what looked like a young girl and a VERY large swan.
"Let's see," he muttered to himself,"Hair: silvery and in a braid down my back. Clothes: a little sweaty, but otherwise impressive. Sword: safely tucked into the walking stick...
"Ears-" Fionn raised a slender hand to his head, making sure the tips of his highly pointed ears were covered. "Covered by aforementioned hair. Right! Everything's set!" Nervously giving the patch that covered his left eye a final tweak, he began to stroll towards the wagon. "Time to meet the natives..."
Baroness von Mraowl · Fri Jun 30, 2006 @ 12:53am · 0 Comments |
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