Who: Kai and Marcus
When: Anesus 1, around 1 am
Where: The castle courtyard
Kai couldn’t remember the last time she’d been irked to be under the light of a full moon that wasn’t her own. Had she ever been so? She was inclined to say no, she had not. But then, never before had she had to put up with being confined to a single shape while out of familiar territory. Back home, when she knew a full moon would be rising the next night, all she had to do was make sure it caught her in her favored animal form. Then the night would pass as usual, and that would be that.
When: Anesus 1, around 1 am
Where: The castle courtyard
Kai couldn’t remember the last time she’d been irked to be under the light of a full moon that wasn’t her own. Had she ever been so? She was inclined to say no, she had not. But then, never before had she had to put up with being confined to a single shape while out of familiar territory. Back home, when she knew a full moon would be rising the next night, all she had to do was make sure it caught her in her favored animal form. Then the night would pass as usual, and that would be that.
But now, here she was, far removed from pack and packmates, and stuck in human shape for the night. Of course, rationally she was quite sure it was for the best, since there were all kinds of humans and Vrykolas around who wouldn’t understand animal body language or the feral language of her natural form, and it would probably have been a bad thing if no one could understand her during her first night in this strange new place.
Physically, however she felt awkward and uncomfortable wearing fur and hide that was dead and stitched together, rather than her natural own. One one hand, a fur-lined vest and hide shorts didn't feel like nearly enough of a pelt, and the night air was just chill enough to be noticeably uncomfortable. On the other, though, wearing anything more than what she had on now would have felt utterly confining.
Having failed to establish any kind of rapport with the other Zalaron Lykos who had made the "pilgrimage" to the compound with her, Kai had managed to wander away from them once the mind-bogglingly large gates had been opened and a veritable flood of people had began passing through it in both directions. Bewildered by the myriad sounds, scents, and movements, Kai had mostly just moved with the crowd at that point, trusting in the little inside voice that repeated everything will work out, everything will work out.
She'd trotted along on the long walk to the "castle" where they supposedly all had to live now...and then suddenly balked when she at last got to where her simpler eyes could actually see the massive structure and realize that was IT and not just some strange cliff or plateau. The tall, thick walls had been curious and bizarre, but in coming from a tribe who lived in trees and reserved stone construction for the most important of meeting-places, the sheer size of the castle sent her poor little Lykos mind absolutely reeling.
All she could do was stand there in the courtyard, eyes wide and mouth parted in awe, and forgetting all else for the moment--including that with everyone else trying to get in, she'd probably just turned herself into an obstacle.
Physically, however she felt awkward and uncomfortable wearing fur and hide that was dead and stitched together, rather than her natural own. One one hand, a fur-lined vest and hide shorts didn't feel like nearly enough of a pelt, and the night air was just chill enough to be noticeably uncomfortable. On the other, though, wearing anything more than what she had on now would have felt utterly confining.
Having failed to establish any kind of rapport with the other Zalaron Lykos who had made the "pilgrimage" to the compound with her, Kai had managed to wander away from them once the mind-bogglingly large gates had been opened and a veritable flood of people had began passing through it in both directions. Bewildered by the myriad sounds, scents, and movements, Kai had mostly just moved with the crowd at that point, trusting in the little inside voice that repeated everything will work out, everything will work out.
She'd trotted along on the long walk to the "castle" where they supposedly all had to live now...and then suddenly balked when she at last got to where her simpler eyes could actually see the massive structure and realize that was IT and not just some strange cliff or plateau. The tall, thick walls had been curious and bizarre, but in coming from a tribe who lived in trees and reserved stone construction for the most important of meeting-places, the sheer size of the castle sent her poor little Lykos mind absolutely reeling.
All she could do was stand there in the courtyard, eyes wide and mouth parted in awe, and forgetting all else for the moment--including that with everyone else trying to get in, she'd probably just turned herself into an obstacle.
Marcus trudged along with the crowd, loaded-down pack on his back, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. He'd long since stopped trying to squint in order to see where he was going, because he knew already that there was no point. His vision was even worse at night than during the day, no matter how full the moon was. He wasn't overly perturbed, though it was irritating. This was a simple fact of his life, and he'd become used to it.
Normally, he'd been asleep for hours at this time back home in Sodiensel. Their days began early, their schedule dictated by the weather and the tides. Certainly, his mother could influence it to a degree, but still they kept a routine of sorts. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been up this late, and he was bleary-eyed with tiredness. Which didn't help his vision issues, either. Marcus muffled a yawn behind one hand, not paying all that much attention to the others that milled around him. He'd been wildly curious about the other species-- still was-- but he'd prefer to indulge his curiosity when it wasn't the middle of the night.
He was cold, as well, and he shivered beneath his layers of shirts as he passed through the gates. Looking around, he got an impression of the hugeness of the place, though he could not make out any of its detail. He'd do better with that during the day. To him everything looked dark, and not very well-lit, and as he took the next steps forward, he ran directly into somebody who'd stopped walking. "Sorry," he said as he tried to make out who or what it was.
Normally, he'd been asleep for hours at this time back home in Sodiensel. Their days began early, their schedule dictated by the weather and the tides. Certainly, his mother could influence it to a degree, but still they kept a routine of sorts. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been up this late, and he was bleary-eyed with tiredness. Which didn't help his vision issues, either. Marcus muffled a yawn behind one hand, not paying all that much attention to the others that milled around him. He'd been wildly curious about the other species-- still was-- but he'd prefer to indulge his curiosity when it wasn't the middle of the night.
He was cold, as well, and he shivered beneath his layers of shirts as he passed through the gates. Looking around, he got an impression of the hugeness of the place, though he could not make out any of its detail. He'd do better with that during the day. To him everything looked dark, and not very well-lit, and as he took the next steps forward, he ran directly into somebody who'd stopped walking. "Sorry," he said as he tried to make out who or what it was.
Kai's distracted mind was not allowed to remain so for long. She was unaware of the handful of people who alertly moved around her, passing by on either side, struggling with her astonishment at the castle's scale, but when someone walked into her--she noticed.
The young Lykos stumbled forward a step with a startled yelp, her satchel nearly sliding off her shoulder as she spread her arms for balance, but she recovered quickly and wheeled around with hackles bristling (pathetic though her human-form equivalent of them was) in surprise. She was braced to either fight or flee, more expecting the latter when she discovered how much taller than her her "assailant" was, and looked up at the young man warily.
His immediate apology made her pause and she cocked her head, relaxing slightly. "Sss...s'okay?" she returned carefully, hoisting her satchel back up and sniffing curiously. Strange and foreign scents assailed her from every direction, but his nearness made his easy to pick out. He smelled...well...all she could tell was "not Lykos".
The thought, rather than bother her, made her brighten. No Lykos would know what to do about a building like this--but a different race would! "Yeah, s'okay!" she repeated, this time amiably, hoping her tone sounded friendly. "I was just staring. You know, at the...'castle'. It's big."
The young Lykos stumbled forward a step with a startled yelp, her satchel nearly sliding off her shoulder as she spread her arms for balance, but she recovered quickly and wheeled around with hackles bristling (pathetic though her human-form equivalent of them was) in surprise. She was braced to either fight or flee, more expecting the latter when she discovered how much taller than her her "assailant" was, and looked up at the young man warily.
His immediate apology made her pause and she cocked her head, relaxing slightly. "Sss...s'okay?" she returned carefully, hoisting her satchel back up and sniffing curiously. Strange and foreign scents assailed her from every direction, but his nearness made his easy to pick out. He smelled...well...all she could tell was "not Lykos".
The thought, rather than bother her, made her brighten. No Lykos would know what to do about a building like this--but a different race would! "Yeah, s'okay!" she repeated, this time amiably, hoping her tone sounded friendly. "I was just staring. You know, at the...'castle'. It's big."
There was something a little different about her, but it was too dark for Marcus to be able to figure out what it was. Maybe she was one of the other species, he thought. He didn't really want to ask, because might that not be considered rude? He was pretty easygoing, but he didn't want to start off on the wrong foot right away. He couldn't really discern anything different about her scent, but something about her wasn't exactly... Hm. That was going to bother him now.
Big he could get behind, because even with his diminished eyesight he could tell that. More than big, it was immense. He was used to the vastness of the sea near his home, but he'd never seen a structure of this size. It was hard to believe that he was going to live there... him and countless others.
"I haven't ever seen anything like it," Marcus said cheerfully enough. He shifted his pack, which was very heavy, with a sigh. "I see this huge... thing up ahead," he mused. "Wonder what color it is?" Once he'd said that, he realized it would sound strange. As much as he didn't like mentioning his low vision, maybe he'd better in this instance. "By the way, sorry again for running into you. I don't see very well, so..." His voice trailed off, and he squinted at the girl again, trying to make something of her out in the dimness.
Big he could get behind, because even with his diminished eyesight he could tell that. More than big, it was immense. He was used to the vastness of the sea near his home, but he'd never seen a structure of this size. It was hard to believe that he was going to live there... him and countless others.
"I haven't ever seen anything like it," Marcus said cheerfully enough. He shifted his pack, which was very heavy, with a sigh. "I see this huge... thing up ahead," he mused. "Wonder what color it is?" Once he'd said that, he realized it would sound strange. As much as he didn't like mentioning his low vision, maybe he'd better in this instance. "By the way, sorry again for running into you. I don't see very well, so..." His voice trailed off, and he squinted at the girl again, trying to make something of her out in the dimness.
Though Kai had hoped the other boy would be more familiar with "castles" than she was, his statement to the contrary didn't upset her as much as it might. In fact, she very much missed her tail at this moment--it wanted to wag very rapidly for the friendly response it got out of the taller boy, even if he couldn't serve the purpose she'd hoped.
She almost took his color-query as one directed at her and started to turn, to look again at the building in curiosity, wondering why he would ask such a thing, but his continued speaking brought her right back to focus on him. At his explanation, she tilted her head again, considering it, then smiled. In fact, his apparent willingness to converse led her practically to babble. Not in a hyperactive manner, mind--she was just very eager to keep him talking and maybe keep him around with her, if he would, since he still wasn't a Lykos and would still be some degree more familiar with this kind of thing than she was.
"Oh? Well, that's okay! Me neither, depending. I could see that castle better if it were moving. When I was just walking up like this, following everybody else, I thought it was, you know, a mountainside or something! My pack builds our homes in trees, so I've never seen anything like this before, either." Kai tilted her head the opposite direction, then leaned in more closely, taking a more friendly and inquisitive sniff. "Maybe we can go look around together, bad eyes both of us?"
She almost took his color-query as one directed at her and started to turn, to look again at the building in curiosity, wondering why he would ask such a thing, but his continued speaking brought her right back to focus on him. At his explanation, she tilted her head again, considering it, then smiled. In fact, his apparent willingness to converse led her practically to babble. Not in a hyperactive manner, mind--she was just very eager to keep him talking and maybe keep him around with her, if he would, since he still wasn't a Lykos and would still be some degree more familiar with this kind of thing than she was.
"Oh? Well, that's okay! Me neither, depending. I could see that castle better if it were moving. When I was just walking up like this, following everybody else, I thought it was, you know, a mountainside or something! My pack builds our homes in trees, so I've never seen anything like this before, either." Kai tilted her head the opposite direction, then leaned in more closely, taking a more friendly and inquisitive sniff. "Maybe we can go look around together, bad eyes both of us?"
Marcus smiled, his blue eyes locked on the pale oval that was her face. His gaze looked a little vacant, as it tended to when he was unable to make out the details he needed to in order to see something (or someone) clearly. She seemed very nice, her tone of voice friendly, and even though he wasn't sure which of the other two species she was, she didn't seem to be about to attack or anything of the sort. He hadn't really expected that here, but then wasn't this about the unexpected?
He wasn't in any hurry to go running off now that he'd (literally) run into someone who was friendly and could undoubtedly see better than he could. "I could see it if it was daylight," he commented. "Maybe not all the details, but better than now." It hadn't occurred to him that they'd be arriving at the compound in the middle of the night; it definitely put him at a disadvantage right away.
Pack. Wouldn't that mean she was a Lykos, then? He didn't think Vrykolas ran in packs, though he didn't know for sure. He knew a little bit about the other species, but not enough to be certain of his ideas about them. "Our houses are more... spread-out, I guess," he said, already subconsciously missing the muted roar of the ocean that he could hear from his family's front porch. When she said maybe they could go look around, Marcus' smile widened. "Sure," he said, probably sounding too chipper about it. It was such a relief not to be completely alone here, though. He couldn't help it.
"I'm Marcus," he told her, extending a pale hand in her direction for her to shake, if she wished to.
He wasn't in any hurry to go running off now that he'd (literally) run into someone who was friendly and could undoubtedly see better than he could. "I could see it if it was daylight," he commented. "Maybe not all the details, but better than now." It hadn't occurred to him that they'd be arriving at the compound in the middle of the night; it definitely put him at a disadvantage right away.
Pack. Wouldn't that mean she was a Lykos, then? He didn't think Vrykolas ran in packs, though he didn't know for sure. He knew a little bit about the other species, but not enough to be certain of his ideas about them. "Our houses are more... spread-out, I guess," he said, already subconsciously missing the muted roar of the ocean that he could hear from his family's front porch. When she said maybe they could go look around, Marcus' smile widened. "Sure," he said, probably sounding too chipper about it. It was such a relief not to be completely alone here, though. He couldn't help it.
"I'm Marcus," he told her, extending a pale hand in her direction for her to shake, if she wished to.
Perhaps it was a good thing Kai was without her tail. She might have needed a minute to chase it had it still existed! Didn't she always say things would work out? And right when she really needed it to, right when she was lost and alone and far away from her home and pack, things were working out nice and fast and she'd hardly even just got here! And with somebody who wasn't even Lykos! (And everybody back home had been so insistent she find the other Lykos just as soon as she arrived and make sure she stuck with them more than not.)
"Hi, Marcus!" she repeated happily, practically barking her test of his name. When he held his hand out, she paused for a moment, eying the proffered paw curiously. Handshakes were not a Lykos gesture, nor had she been forewarned of them, so she had absolutely no idea what its purpose was.
So she made a Lykos assumption of it. Considering the sniffing she'd given him, investigative without encroaching on his personal area, she figured it was an invitation for a closer "look". Happily and without hesitation, she bumped her nose right up against his palm (almost a kind of nuzzle but not quite), getting a nice clear whiff of him and filing his scent away to memory.
"I'm Kai!" she beamed as she leaned back again, the bump-and-sniff taking all of a heartbeat. Thankfully, though, she did not attempt to hold her hand up to his face. She assumed the offered hand had been a specifically human-or-Vrykolas-to-Lykos (but not vice versa) greeting. "So, let's keep following the crowd and see where it goes, huh?" she invited eagerly, taking a few steps back to coax her new companion into walking.
"Hi, Marcus!" she repeated happily, practically barking her test of his name. When he held his hand out, she paused for a moment, eying the proffered paw curiously. Handshakes were not a Lykos gesture, nor had she been forewarned of them, so she had absolutely no idea what its purpose was.
So she made a Lykos assumption of it. Considering the sniffing she'd given him, investigative without encroaching on his personal area, she figured it was an invitation for a closer "look". Happily and without hesitation, she bumped her nose right up against his palm (almost a kind of nuzzle but not quite), getting a nice clear whiff of him and filing his scent away to memory.
"I'm Kai!" she beamed as she leaned back again, the bump-and-sniff taking all of a heartbeat. Thankfully, though, she did not attempt to hold her hand up to his face. She assumed the offered hand had been a specifically human-or-Vrykolas-to-Lykos (but not vice versa) greeting. "So, let's keep following the crowd and see where it goes, huh?" she invited eagerly, taking a few steps back to coax her new companion into walking.
Marcus had been advised to be cautious. Careful to whom he spoke, watchful of the other species. He'd never been around anyone who wasn't human like himself. Cautious wasn't really something he understood, though. He'd never been able to get through his head that anyone might want to hurt him, or might have bad intentions. So he didn't let it bother him that he was talking to a Lykos. She was so nice. And enthusiastic.
"Hi," he returned, then puzzlement washed over his face as she smelled of his hand. What was that about? He hadn't thought of the fact that greeting customs were likely different with her species. It was instinctive to him to offer a hand when meeting someone. His family, both his parents and their Partners and their families, had been insistent on manners, and that was how he'd been taught. Marcus was hardly ever at a loss for words, and his next were, "What do I smell like? Not bad, I hope." Then he had to snicker at himself; she might think he was completely weird for asking a question like that.
"Okay," he said amiably when Kai asked if he wanted to keep following the crowd. "I guess we're supposed to go inside." That made sense. It was the middle of the night (it felt later than it was to him since he wasn't the least bit nocturnal), and they'd need to find somewhere to sleep, right? Marcus began walking with the flow of the crowd again, this time with a companion.
"Hi," he returned, then puzzlement washed over his face as she smelled of his hand. What was that about? He hadn't thought of the fact that greeting customs were likely different with her species. It was instinctive to him to offer a hand when meeting someone. His family, both his parents and their Partners and their families, had been insistent on manners, and that was how he'd been taught. Marcus was hardly ever at a loss for words, and his next were, "What do I smell like? Not bad, I hope." Then he had to snicker at himself; she might think he was completely weird for asking a question like that.
"Okay," he said amiably when Kai asked if he wanted to keep following the crowd. "I guess we're supposed to go inside." That made sense. It was the middle of the night (it felt later than it was to him since he wasn't the least bit nocturnal), and they'd need to find somewhere to sleep, right? Marcus began walking with the flow of the crowd again, this time with a companion.
Marcus' cheerful query regarding himself and the snicker that followed earned yet another bright smile from the smaller Lykos, though the question lightly surprised her. She considered it quickly as they moved with the other arrivals towards the castle doors, which appeared to have been propped open. For the moment, though, Kai didn't make note of them, being focused on Marcus instead.
"Well, you smell like you, of course! And nobody else. I'll always be able to recognize or find you now," she informed the other brightly, though she then reconsidered. "Well, maybe not so much until I get used to this place. I've never smelled so many smells or heard so many other people all at once, except maybe at the tribal meets, but even then--oh!"
Finally stepping inside the castle neatly broke Kai away from her over-eager rambling. All the strange, foreign scents she'd just been speaking of now hit her in concentrated form--the scents of a building that had been lived in by a great many different people over several years. The sounds suddenly changed, too, as voices as the other sounds of moving people now had heavy stone walls and square room corners to echo off of. So too did the turquoise moonlight give way to warm torchlight, briefly confusing her eyes.
Feeling very small all over again, Kai released a short, surprised chuff, and stepped a little nearer the already-comforting presence of Marcus. "Wow," she murmured. "It's sure big on the inside, too."
"Well, you smell like you, of course! And nobody else. I'll always be able to recognize or find you now," she informed the other brightly, though she then reconsidered. "Well, maybe not so much until I get used to this place. I've never smelled so many smells or heard so many other people all at once, except maybe at the tribal meets, but even then--oh!"
Finally stepping inside the castle neatly broke Kai away from her over-eager rambling. All the strange, foreign scents she'd just been speaking of now hit her in concentrated form--the scents of a building that had been lived in by a great many different people over several years. The sounds suddenly changed, too, as voices as the other sounds of moving people now had heavy stone walls and square room corners to echo off of. So too did the turquoise moonlight give way to warm torchlight, briefly confusing her eyes.
Feeling very small all over again, Kai released a short, surprised chuff, and stepped a little nearer the already-comforting presence of Marcus. "Wow," she murmured. "It's sure big on the inside, too."
"Like me," Marcus said. "Okay, I can live with that." He was on the verge of asking her what him smelled like, but he decided not to. What if he smelled overly sweaty, or as if he hadn't washed? He had, but he didn't want to take the risk of that. Plus, he could see how a line of questioning like that could stretch out into infinity. He was also curious about her saying she smelled so many different scents. Being human, he didn't find smell to be anything all that special; in a crowd like this, he couldn't pick out much of anything except the aroma of the torches and the low, humid scent of a mass of others in a small area.
Once inside, they caught a break from the chilly night air, even though it wasn't exactly warm in here. He couldn't imagine having to regulate the temperature for such a massive place as this with nothing to work with but the windows and the fireplaces. Marcus lifted one hand to rub at his eyes, hoping that somehow the action would help him to see his surroundings better. Of course, it didn't, and he huffed out a sigh of mild exasperation. The people all around them were vague forms, their features indiscernable, and the torches he could see seemed to have halos around them.
He turned his eyes back to Kai when she spoke, noticing that she'd stepped closer to him. "It's gigantic," he agreed. Her presence was comforting to him, too, even though they'd just met. He was a stranger in a strange land, he thought melodramatically, and a practically blind stranger, at that. Of course, most of these people were new here, most of them eighteen, and hopefully they'd both find other people with whom they had things in common, too. "Where d'you think we should go first?" he inquired.
Once inside, they caught a break from the chilly night air, even though it wasn't exactly warm in here. He couldn't imagine having to regulate the temperature for such a massive place as this with nothing to work with but the windows and the fireplaces. Marcus lifted one hand to rub at his eyes, hoping that somehow the action would help him to see his surroundings better. Of course, it didn't, and he huffed out a sigh of mild exasperation. The people all around them were vague forms, their features indiscernable, and the torches he could see seemed to have halos around them.
He turned his eyes back to Kai when she spoke, noticing that she'd stepped closer to him. "It's gigantic," he agreed. Her presence was comforting to him, too, even though they'd just met. He was a stranger in a strange land, he thought melodramatically, and a practically blind stranger, at that. Of course, most of these people were new here, most of them eighteen, and hopefully they'd both find other people with whom they had things in common, too. "Where d'you think we should go first?" he inquired.
Kai glanced around uncertainly, wondering the same thing. The sounds around them were so many and varied, she couldn't pick out anything in specific, and the flow of other bodies spelled out paths of movement she wasn't completely sure how to interpret. One would think there would have been some official greeting to this place, if the three races were supposed to live together and get along. Instead, they'd just been ushered through the gates and, well, it rather gave new meaning to the idea of the blind leading the blind.
The Lykos shuffled her bare feet on the floor as she tried to recall what little--very little--guidance she and the other Lykos she'd traveled with had been given. "I think we're supposed to find our rooms? I wasn't told much, so I guess we just keep moving with the crowd," she mused, stepping to continue just that. "You'd think someone would be really telling us what we're supposed to do! Although," she tilted her head, a thought occurring to her, "it must not be horribly difficult to figure out, or else we would be told, right?"
The theory made sense to her. But even if it was wrong, she and Marcus would just keep looking and sniffing around until they did figure things out, of course!
The Lykos shuffled her bare feet on the floor as she tried to recall what little--very little--guidance she and the other Lykos she'd traveled with had been given. "I think we're supposed to find our rooms? I wasn't told much, so I guess we just keep moving with the crowd," she mused, stepping to continue just that. "You'd think someone would be really telling us what we're supposed to do! Although," she tilted her head, a thought occurring to her, "it must not be horribly difficult to figure out, or else we would be told, right?"
The theory made sense to her. But even if it was wrong, she and Marcus would just keep looking and sniffing around until they did figure things out, of course!
Marcus had never been in the midst of this many people before. It was enough to make anyone anxious, even a laid-back kinda guy such as himself. More and more others crowded in, the effect being to move himself and Kai farther along so they wouldn't be trampled. "Rooms, yeah," he said, nodding his head. "That's what I was thinking. If there's something we should do besides find where we're going to be staying, they'd tell us."
He hoped. What if this was some kind of initial test and they'd failed? No, that couldn't be it, he thought. Surely they-- the faceless, nameless they who were in charge of this place-- wouldn't start out with something like that before they'd even gotten settled. The naive idealist in him refused to believe that.
Marcus hadn't noticed that Kai was barefoot, because he couldn't really see her feet clearly. However, he couldn't miss the fact that someone had just stepped on his foot as they tried to get by him, because he could feel that. "Ow," he mumbled, casting a blurry glare in the direction in which they'd vanished, whoever they'd been. "Maybe we should go that way," he told her, tilting his head to the left and flexing his toes inside his shoe. "I just got stepped on, so maybe we shouldn't keep standing here."
He hoped. What if this was some kind of initial test and they'd failed? No, that couldn't be it, he thought. Surely they-- the faceless, nameless they who were in charge of this place-- wouldn't start out with something like that before they'd even gotten settled. The naive idealist in him refused to believe that.
Marcus hadn't noticed that Kai was barefoot, because he couldn't really see her feet clearly. However, he couldn't miss the fact that someone had just stepped on his foot as they tried to get by him, because he could feel that. "Ow," he mumbled, casting a blurry glare in the direction in which they'd vanished, whoever they'd been. "Maybe we should go that way," he told her, tilting his head to the left and flexing his toes inside his shoe. "I just got stepped on, so maybe we shouldn't keep standing here."
The additional press of bodies further confused Kai's ability to keep track of how everyone around them was moving, so the announcement that Marcus had been trod upon was both a surprise (for having been too distracted by the mass to notice who had done the trodding) and not (for in such a crowd, such collisions were but inevitable). Nevertheless, that it had happened at all still earned a growl both frustrated and even a little insulted.
"Right, right, keep moving," she agreed, heading the way he had nodded and following the continued flow of people.
Doing so finally brought the accidentally-met pair to the staircases, where the stream of people milled about and then diverged. One flight of steps went up and another went down, but despite a prodigious amount of sniffing and straining her ears, Kai could not tell if there was anything specifically determining who went in what direction. Even so, lest any more stepping-upon occur, taking Marcus' suggestion well to heart, Kai did not want to linger longer than necessary.
"Looks like we go up or go down from here," she observed for him. "Ah, I lived in a tree before this, so I vote up. Is up okay?"
"Right, right, keep moving," she agreed, heading the way he had nodded and following the continued flow of people.
Doing so finally brought the accidentally-met pair to the staircases, where the stream of people milled about and then diverged. One flight of steps went up and another went down, but despite a prodigious amount of sniffing and straining her ears, Kai could not tell if there was anything specifically determining who went in what direction. Even so, lest any more stepping-upon occur, taking Marcus' suggestion well to heart, Kai did not want to linger longer than necessary.
"Looks like we go up or go down from here," she observed for him. "Ah, I lived in a tree before this, so I vote up. Is up okay?"
What an odd sound she'd just made. Marcus hadn't quite heard anything like it before, and he blinked at the back of her head as she moved on in the direction he'd chosen. It was almost like an animal sound. That was kinda what Lykos were if he understood right, though. They had a form that was completely animal. He thought that was very intriguing, and he wondered if they went running about in their animal forms for everyone to see. So much to learn.
He was actually relieved to get to the staircases where the crowd diverged; he could hear the faint echoes of voices coming from both below them and above. "Up's fine," he said agreeably, and he grasped the railing to begin hauling himself up the stairs. "A tree?" he asked then, distracted by her words. "Really? Wasn't that sort of uncomfortable?" He couldn't imagine how anyone would live in a tree. How would you sleep without falling out? Or did she have some kind of a house built in it? He waited for her answer, turning his head occasionally to squint at her, as if that might help his comprehension.
He was actually relieved to get to the staircases where the crowd diverged; he could hear the faint echoes of voices coming from both below them and above. "Up's fine," he said agreeably, and he grasped the railing to begin hauling himself up the stairs. "A tree?" he asked then, distracted by her words. "Really? Wasn't that sort of uncomfortable?" He couldn't imagine how anyone would live in a tree. How would you sleep without falling out? Or did she have some kind of a house built in it? He waited for her answer, turning his head occasionally to squint at her, as if that might help his comprehension.
Kai glanced at her companion as they began climbing, ears metaphorically pricked. "Uncomfortable?" she repeated with a blink, honestly surprised by the query. "Oh, definitely not! And it's way better than the way most of the other tribes build, too--they dig their buildings halfway into the ground. I bet they all picked the stairs going down," she briefly observed. "But my tribe, the Zalaron, we build up into the trees, instead. My pack climbs up and down with our claws, and it keeps us away from anything that can only go on the ground underneath."
In the time it took for Kai to provide her answer, the two of them reached the top of the stairs. From there, a small hallway branched to the right, while a wider one went left. The flow of people all went the latter direction, so Kai moved that way as well with little hesitation. She glimpsed a wide entranceway into a large room of some sort (the sitting room, yet unknown to her) but the crowd's movement instead brought them to the main upstairs hall with all its off-branching corridors. The crowd thinned again here, as people scattered in search of rooms yet unclaimed.
"Here we are, I guess," she remarked, then went back to the other topic as she started down this final corridor as well, trusting Marcus would keep following. "So what did you live in before?"
In the time it took for Kai to provide her answer, the two of them reached the top of the stairs. From there, a small hallway branched to the right, while a wider one went left. The flow of people all went the latter direction, so Kai moved that way as well with little hesitation. She glimpsed a wide entranceway into a large room of some sort (the sitting room, yet unknown to her) but the crowd's movement instead brought them to the main upstairs hall with all its off-branching corridors. The crowd thinned again here, as people scattered in search of rooms yet unclaimed.
"Here we are, I guess," she remarked, then went back to the other topic as she started down this final corridor as well, trusting Marcus would keep following. "So what did you live in before?"
Oh. They lived in the trees in their animal forms, then. That made more sense. Marcus felt a little bit foolish because he didn't know any of this stuff, but he couldn't be the only one, he thought. "I bet it's nice up there," he said idly. "Wind blowing up high would sound different than it would on the ground." Auditory stimuli was important to him, since his vision was poor. Hearing and touch were his main ways of processing the world. One of his favorite things to do ever was to sit near the ocean and listen to the waves; he could do it for hours and not become bored. Eyes closed, a faint smile on his lips, just savoring the tiny changes in the sound as the tides shifted.
Marcus was following Kai, and he reached out to take hold of one of the straps dangling from her pack. It was a light grip, and hopefully it wouldn't annoy her to have him do that, but it was really the only way he could be certain of not being separated from her. If he'd known her better, he might've reached for her hand or arm, but even though he had limited knowledge of girls of his own species (besides those he was related to or as good as) and certainly none of hers, he knew it wouldn't be a good idea to touch someone he didn't know well like that.
"We had houses not far from the sea," he told her as they traversed the corridor in search of rooms. "Built aboveground, but not tall. Kinda spread out." He didn't know if she'd get the concept of human houses any more than he had the trees utilized by her tribe, but she'd asked, so he answered.
Marcus was following Kai, and he reached out to take hold of one of the straps dangling from her pack. It was a light grip, and hopefully it wouldn't annoy her to have him do that, but it was really the only way he could be certain of not being separated from her. If he'd known her better, he might've reached for her hand or arm, but even though he had limited knowledge of girls of his own species (besides those he was related to or as good as) and certainly none of hers, he knew it wouldn't be a good idea to touch someone he didn't know well like that.
"We had houses not far from the sea," he told her as they traversed the corridor in search of rooms. "Built aboveground, but not tall. Kinda spread out." He didn't know if she'd get the concept of human houses any more than he had the trees utilized by her tribe, but she'd asked, so he answered.
The small Lykos hardly even noticed the handhold that was made of her satchel. As the clustering of people around her and Marcus thinned out, it became easier to pick out voices from the multitude, though scents remained thick and bewildering. The layering of fresh scents over old told her nothing, but grasped snippets of conversation did at least identify that people were snagging open rooms as they were found--or, in the case of one sudden shout that caught her ears, defending rooms which had already been claimed.
Well, that at least made immediate sense to her. Territorial spats were definitely something a Lykos could sympathize with!
But despite her attempted eavesdropping, she still paid attention to Marcus when he answered her question, and glanced back with wide, interested eyes. "Wow, I've only ever heard of the sea. Until I got sent here, only place I'd ever been was the forests. Water all the way to the horizon...I can't even imagine! Oh, hey!"
As they had continued down the hall, Kai had peeked down each corridor they passed in search of open doors--and doors in the plural, at that, so she and Marcus could have rooms close to each other. It wasn't even a conscious decision on her part. There were two of them, so she looked for two open doors, and bypassed any corridor that did not offer her that number--which appeared to be most of them. But at last she'd found what she'd sought, although she'd had to go nearly to the end of the long hallway to do it. Though she did not know it, she'd brought Marcus all the way to Block 11, but it looked like the hike had paid off: having left the crowd they'd come up with mostly milling in the first section of the hall, two doors stood open and unattended in this far corner.
"There, I think I've found some!" she told Marcus gleefully. "Quick, you pick first."
Well, that at least made immediate sense to her. Territorial spats were definitely something a Lykos could sympathize with!
But despite her attempted eavesdropping, she still paid attention to Marcus when he answered her question, and glanced back with wide, interested eyes. "Wow, I've only ever heard of the sea. Until I got sent here, only place I'd ever been was the forests. Water all the way to the horizon...I can't even imagine! Oh, hey!"
As they had continued down the hall, Kai had peeked down each corridor they passed in search of open doors--and doors in the plural, at that, so she and Marcus could have rooms close to each other. It wasn't even a conscious decision on her part. There were two of them, so she looked for two open doors, and bypassed any corridor that did not offer her that number--which appeared to be most of them. But at last she'd found what she'd sought, although she'd had to go nearly to the end of the long hallway to do it. Though she did not know it, she'd brought Marcus all the way to Block 11, but it looked like the hike had paid off: having left the crowd they'd come up with mostly milling in the first section of the hall, two doors stood open and unattended in this far corner.
"There, I think I've found some!" she told Marcus gleefully. "Quick, you pick first."
Marcus was relieved to get away from the press of the crowd, because all the voices and the fact of being jostled at every turn had started to become annoying. It wasn't anything he would have said out loud, but being surrounded by such a mob made him feel more vulnerable than he might've ordinarily here in a new place with which he wasn't familiar. He was glad to know that they were apparently doing what they should be doing, finding rooms in which to settle, since that was what seemed to be going on right now. He, too, found it odd that they hadn't gotten any instructions.
"I've never really seen a forest," Marcus told her in return. "I mean, we have trees, but they're usually spread out." He'd read about forests (he was able to read for short periods of time in bright light, since the majority of his vision problems were with distances), so thick and green and endless that one could become lost in them, and it had fired his imagination. He'd always hoped to experience one someday.
He was distracted by Kai's exclamation; he'd been following along with her holding to her satchel, trusting that she was leading them in the right direction. "Yes, before that mob makes it down here," he said, a smile on his face but his tone rueful. He let go of the strap he'd been holding and walked over to one of the doors, glancing at its surface and brushing his fingers over the raised letter applied to the center of it. '3'. "This one, I guess," he said, not really caring which he ended up with. They were likely all the same anyway. Marcus shrugged off his pack and set it down at the foot of the bed, a sigh of relief escaping at being divested of its heavy weight. He was skinny and not all that accustomed to physical labor, so carrying it all that way hadn't been a picnic, exactly.
"I've never really seen a forest," Marcus told her in return. "I mean, we have trees, but they're usually spread out." He'd read about forests (he was able to read for short periods of time in bright light, since the majority of his vision problems were with distances), so thick and green and endless that one could become lost in them, and it had fired his imagination. He'd always hoped to experience one someday.
He was distracted by Kai's exclamation; he'd been following along with her holding to her satchel, trusting that she was leading them in the right direction. "Yes, before that mob makes it down here," he said, a smile on his face but his tone rueful. He let go of the strap he'd been holding and walked over to one of the doors, glancing at its surface and brushing his fingers over the raised letter applied to the center of it. '3'. "This one, I guess," he said, not really caring which he ended up with. They were likely all the same anyway. Marcus shrugged off his pack and set it down at the foot of the bed, a sigh of relief escaping at being divested of its heavy weight. He was skinny and not all that accustomed to physical labor, so carrying it all that way hadn't been a picnic, exactly.
Kai watched Marcus just long enough to see him drop his pack, then scampered directly across the hall to the other open door. The plate on the door was engraved '4', though she could not read it. The Lykos hesitated for just a moment at the strong scents of a previous occupant, but then pranced right on in and peered curiously at all the strange furnishings. The bed was easily recognized, despite its odd construction, but the tall wooden thing with the doors (also known as a wardrobe) served a purpose unknown to her.
Then, as she sniffed her way over to the short, standing structure in the corner that smelled vaguely of water and something flower-y, movement caught her eye and she looked up, only to jump back with a yelp of surprise. Her own startled face gaped back at her, though she had no idea what it was doing there. She knew what she looked like, from the reflection she saw at streams when she went to drink or just splash around a while, but the concept of a mirror was entirely unknown to her. With an equal mix of curiosity and caution, she carefully approached it until she could reach out and poke at it with a fingertip. Kai found its cold, hard surface utterly bewildering. What sort of magic put hard water up on the wall like this?
Oh, but she had a window! Kai hadn't yet even thought about the consequences of having to live inside such thick layers of stone, but she didn't need to be aware of them to appreciate a view outside. It wasn't quite a treehouse room, but she was sure it would do just fine!
As she peered out at the moon and the ground below with delight, leaning on the sill to do so, Kai's hand came down on some sort of small object. Surprised, she picked it up and squinted at it. It was flat, cold, hard, and had strange notches at one end. Some sort of artistic carving, forgotten by the room's last occupant? But what was it supposed to be of?
She closed an eager fist around it quite without thinking, but was disappointed when she looked around some more and no further trinkets presented themselves. Oh well!
"Hey, Marcus!" she called, tossing her little pack onto her new bed and trotting back across the hall to the boy's chosen room. She leaned on his doorframe and held her discovery out at him so he could come and take a close look at it. "Look at this weird little thing I found! What do you think it's supposed to be?"
A Lykos, of course, wouldn't recognize anything technological--not even something as simple as a key.
Then, as she sniffed her way over to the short, standing structure in the corner that smelled vaguely of water and something flower-y, movement caught her eye and she looked up, only to jump back with a yelp of surprise. Her own startled face gaped back at her, though she had no idea what it was doing there. She knew what she looked like, from the reflection she saw at streams when she went to drink or just splash around a while, but the concept of a mirror was entirely unknown to her. With an equal mix of curiosity and caution, she carefully approached it until she could reach out and poke at it with a fingertip. Kai found its cold, hard surface utterly bewildering. What sort of magic put hard water up on the wall like this?
Oh, but she had a window! Kai hadn't yet even thought about the consequences of having to live inside such thick layers of stone, but she didn't need to be aware of them to appreciate a view outside. It wasn't quite a treehouse room, but she was sure it would do just fine!
As she peered out at the moon and the ground below with delight, leaning on the sill to do so, Kai's hand came down on some sort of small object. Surprised, she picked it up and squinted at it. It was flat, cold, hard, and had strange notches at one end. Some sort of artistic carving, forgotten by the room's last occupant? But what was it supposed to be of?
She closed an eager fist around it quite without thinking, but was disappointed when she looked around some more and no further trinkets presented themselves. Oh well!
"Hey, Marcus!" she called, tossing her little pack onto her new bed and trotting back across the hall to the boy's chosen room. She leaned on his doorframe and held her discovery out at him so he could come and take a close look at it. "Look at this weird little thing I found! What do you think it's supposed to be?"
A Lykos, of course, wouldn't recognize anything technological--not even something as simple as a key.
Marcus had been exploring his own room with a combination of his limited vision and his fingers. The bed, upon which he sat and then bounced lightly in an experimental fashion. It didn't seem a lot different from his bed at home, and it seemed to have sufficient blankets and pillows. After a few seconds' struggle with the temptation to just sink down to a horizontal position for a nap, he got up again and began making his way around the square room. He patted the latch that held the wardrobe closed, squinted at it and then pushed it open, wrinkling his nose at the faint odor from the former occupant's clothing. He decided to leave one of the doors to it open to air out.
Next he crossed to the little table that held a water basin and had a mirror hung above it. It was always a little unnerving to see himself reflected in a mirror in very dim light, because he looked like a pale and blurry ghost. He knew he'd have to put his nose to the glass to see himself more clearly in this lighting, so he didn't bother. He couldn't have said that he was particularly vain, and he didn't feel the need to really see what he looked like right then. Probably like anyone who'd walked what had felt like miles with a pack on their back.
Next was the window with its wide stone sill. Marcus was glad to have one, because he couldn't imagine the utter lack of light in the basement rooms. Once he'd thought about it a little, he'd been glad that Kai had chosen to go up the stairs rather than down them, because he'd hate to live in the basement, where there wouldn't be any natural light because it was underground. He was gazing out at nothing in particular when he heard Kai at his door once again.
Turning, he made his way over to her. Once he realized she had her hand extended to him, he took the small, hard object she was holding into his own hand. The shape of it was familiar, and he used the fingers of both hands to explore all of its tiny ridges and curves. "I think it's a key," he said, handing it back to her, not even thinking that she might not know what that meant. "That's what it feels like, anyway." He probably had one too; he'd have to look for it later.
Next he crossed to the little table that held a water basin and had a mirror hung above it. It was always a little unnerving to see himself reflected in a mirror in very dim light, because he looked like a pale and blurry ghost. He knew he'd have to put his nose to the glass to see himself more clearly in this lighting, so he didn't bother. He couldn't have said that he was particularly vain, and he didn't feel the need to really see what he looked like right then. Probably like anyone who'd walked what had felt like miles with a pack on their back.
Next was the window with its wide stone sill. Marcus was glad to have one, because he couldn't imagine the utter lack of light in the basement rooms. Once he'd thought about it a little, he'd been glad that Kai had chosen to go up the stairs rather than down them, because he'd hate to live in the basement, where there wouldn't be any natural light because it was underground. He was gazing out at nothing in particular when he heard Kai at his door once again.
Turning, he made his way over to her. Once he realized she had her hand extended to him, he took the small, hard object she was holding into his own hand. The shape of it was familiar, and he used the fingers of both hands to explore all of its tiny ridges and curves. "I think it's a key," he said, handing it back to her, not even thinking that she might not know what that meant. "That's what it feels like, anyway." He probably had one too; he'd have to look for it later.
"A...key?" Kai tasted the word curiously as Marcus handed the object back, turning it around and over in her hands in mimicry of what she'd seen him to do examine it. She wondered if the texture of it had told him something that wasn't plainly obvious to her. She didn't even know what the material it was made of was. Some kind of stone?
"Is a 'key' something special?" she asked plainly, as she peered at it more closely. "I found it at my window. I think maybe whoever had the room before me forgot it. It reminds me a little of the little bone carvings one of my friends back home would whittle all the time!"
Carvings which had often fallen prey to Kai's sticky fingers, and earned her a cuffed snout more than once because of it. Nevertheless, several of the tiny sculptures had still made it into the lower recesses of Kai's satchel before she'd departed from her pack, along with many other curious objects which had caught her fancy (or at least just her fingers). This key thing would be a neat addition!
"Is a 'key' something special?" she asked plainly, as she peered at it more closely. "I found it at my window. I think maybe whoever had the room before me forgot it. It reminds me a little of the little bone carvings one of my friends back home would whittle all the time!"
Carvings which had often fallen prey to Kai's sticky fingers, and earned her a cuffed snout more than once because of it. Nevertheless, several of the tiny sculptures had still made it into the lower recesses of Kai's satchel before she'd departed from her pack, along with many other curious objects which had caught her fancy (or at least just her fingers). This key thing would be a neat addition!
Marcus had felt of the key like he had mainly because he was used to identifying objects in a tactile way. It was quicker in lighting as poor as what they currently had than if he'd tried to look at it. He would've had to hold it about an inch or so from his eyes to see it, and he didn't like to do things like that if he could avoid it. That made him different, and he didn't like to draw attention to himself in that way.
"Key," Marcus confirmed. Then, when she asked if a key was something special, he realized she didn't know the key's purpose. Which made sense if he thought about it. She'd said she'd lived in a tree, and she would've been climbing it in her animal form (he thought). No place to put a key and no door to unlock. "It's for the door. C'mon, I'll show you."
He exited his room, leaving the door open, and crossed to hers, glancing back once to make sure she was following him. Reaching for her doorknob, he pulled it closed, then put the key in the keyhole, working entirely by feel. "It's so you can lock your room when you go out, so nobody can come in. Then when you come back, you open it again." He turned the key and then the knob, pushing the door open again and withdrawing the key to hand back to her. He'd encountered keys and locks before; while his home hadn't had them, the sprawling building where his father kept all the gear necessary for his fishing industry had.
"Key," Marcus confirmed. Then, when she asked if a key was something special, he realized she didn't know the key's purpose. Which made sense if he thought about it. She'd said she'd lived in a tree, and she would've been climbing it in her animal form (he thought). No place to put a key and no door to unlock. "It's for the door. C'mon, I'll show you."
He exited his room, leaving the door open, and crossed to hers, glancing back once to make sure she was following him. Reaching for her doorknob, he pulled it closed, then put the key in the keyhole, working entirely by feel. "It's so you can lock your room when you go out, so nobody can come in. Then when you come back, you open it again." He turned the key and then the knob, pushing the door open again and withdrawing the key to hand back to her. He'd encountered keys and locks before; while his home hadn't had them, the sprawling building where his father kept all the gear necessary for his fishing industry had.
After a quick glance around his room revealed nothing of readily accessed interest, Kai followed Marcus obediently, practically at heel. His demonstration of the key's use was then met with intense curiosity, bent over with her hands on her knees and her nose just inches from the doorknob as she watched. Doors were nothing strange to her, but in the treehouse constructions of her pack, they could only be locked from the inside with a latchbar, but that was mostly for privacy. The idea that she was supposed to lock people out of her room while she was gone was entirely alien. Such was not a thing one had to worry about while among pack. Pack couldn't, and wouldn't, trespass on pack.
When she considered the territorial squabble she had heard earlier on in the hallway, however, the idea made slightly more sense. There wasn't pack, here. Or at least not yet. Certainly that would change as she met more people! Maybe even Marcus could be pack, even if he wasn't Lykos. She'd just have to wait and see.
She wondered, briefly, if they would all nestle in one room together when she had pack again. Well, really, they'd have too. How else would they share warmth and closeness when it was time to sleep?
"Huh!" was all the comment she could give at first, as Marcus finished his demonstration and returned the key. She eyed the key and then crouched in front of her door, balanced carefully on her bare toes, squinting at the tiny keyhole close-up. Simple though the task was for someone used to it, it took Kai a few tries to jimmy the key into its slot, and a false turn the wrong direction before she finally earned the 'click!' of the unseen lock latching into place.
A subsequent turn of the knob and the following discovery that it failed to turn, being properly locked, was met with a cry of delight. "Wow! Weird magic!"
When she considered the territorial squabble she had heard earlier on in the hallway, however, the idea made slightly more sense. There wasn't pack, here. Or at least not yet. Certainly that would change as she met more people! Maybe even Marcus could be pack, even if he wasn't Lykos. She'd just have to wait and see.
She wondered, briefly, if they would all nestle in one room together when she had pack again. Well, really, they'd have too. How else would they share warmth and closeness when it was time to sleep?
"Huh!" was all the comment she could give at first, as Marcus finished his demonstration and returned the key. She eyed the key and then crouched in front of her door, balanced carefully on her bare toes, squinting at the tiny keyhole close-up. Simple though the task was for someone used to it, it took Kai a few tries to jimmy the key into its slot, and a false turn the wrong direction before she finally earned the 'click!' of the unseen lock latching into place.
A subsequent turn of the knob and the following discovery that it failed to turn, being properly locked, was met with a cry of delight. "Wow! Weird magic!"
Marcus wasn't worried about anyone stealing from him, considering that he couldn't imagine he'd have anything anybody would want. His family wasn't wealthy, and the only things he'd brought with him were basic necessities-- except for maybe the wooden flute he played. He did like the idea that he could lock his door, though he'd most likely have problems remembering to do so. They'd never locked the house doors at home, and it had been the sort of place where they'd felt comfortable going down to the ocean in the middle of the night, if they'd wanted to. Not that many of them ever did. They all got up early.
He watched as the Lykos figured out how to operate the key and lockset, balancing in front of the doorknob to see it up close. He was content to be quiet and let her figure it out herself. There were still echoing footsteps and voices as more people began to move in their direction, seeking rooms in this section of the building, but nobody else had entered their block yet. Not for the first time, he wondered what this new adventure would hold, but he didn't ponder it too much. It was late, and his body hummed with tiredness.
Marcus grinned when Kai called the locking of her door magic. Her enthusiasm for just about everything was refreshing, though he couldn't quite grasp on the word for how she struck him with her bright-eyed winsomeness. Ingenuous would've been apt. "Now can you unlock it again?" he asked, his eyebrows lifting slightly and his expression mischievous.
He watched as the Lykos figured out how to operate the key and lockset, balancing in front of the doorknob to see it up close. He was content to be quiet and let her figure it out herself. There were still echoing footsteps and voices as more people began to move in their direction, seeking rooms in this section of the building, but nobody else had entered their block yet. Not for the first time, he wondered what this new adventure would hold, but he didn't ponder it too much. It was late, and his body hummed with tiredness.
Marcus grinned when Kai called the locking of her door magic. Her enthusiasm for just about everything was refreshing, though he couldn't quite grasp on the word for how she struck him with her bright-eyed winsomeness. Ingenuous would've been apt. "Now can you unlock it again?" he asked, his eyebrows lifting slightly and his expression mischievous.
"Rrrg?" The curious sound Kai met the boy's impish expression with was partly animal, but that was only natural for someone who wore her four-legged form more than her others. Marcus' view of the small Lykos was right on the mark. The wild life of a feral Lykos, mixed with Kai's particular rosy view of the world, did indeed combine to make her quite the ingenue!
But understanding followed instantly, bright-eyed and eager, and she determinedly put her nose back to the doorknob. The key was more easily inserted this time, skipping off the lip of the little keyhole only once instead of thrice, though she still then turned it the wrong way: the same direction that had successfully locked it. Though she did not comprehend the correlation between which way she turned the key and locking/unlocking, she was not a Lykos easily dissuaded. Despite not understanding the mechanics behind it, she twisted and jimmied until at last the lock went 'click!' at her again.
With another delighted half-bark, she flung the door open and bounded eagerly inside her room. "I can do door-magic!" she exclaimed, holding the key out like a prize (which was exactly what is was in her eyes). "Thanks, Marcus!"
From there she vaulted onto her bed--and "vault" was the only word that worked for such a lively leap--and scrabbled around until she was sitting with her satchel between her feet, the contents of which she happily started rummaging in. Though the lateness of the hour was taking its toll on Marcus, clearly Kai was suffering no such exhaustion. The awkwardness and discomfort she'd been feeling before Marcus had stumbled into her had been entirely forgotten in the good fortune of meeting him and the excitement of having been taught something so fascinating.
But understanding followed instantly, bright-eyed and eager, and she determinedly put her nose back to the doorknob. The key was more easily inserted this time, skipping off the lip of the little keyhole only once instead of thrice, though she still then turned it the wrong way: the same direction that had successfully locked it. Though she did not comprehend the correlation between which way she turned the key and locking/unlocking, she was not a Lykos easily dissuaded. Despite not understanding the mechanics behind it, she twisted and jimmied until at last the lock went 'click!' at her again.
With another delighted half-bark, she flung the door open and bounded eagerly inside her room. "I can do door-magic!" she exclaimed, holding the key out like a prize (which was exactly what is was in her eyes). "Thanks, Marcus!"
From there she vaulted onto her bed--and "vault" was the only word that worked for such a lively leap--and scrabbled around until she was sitting with her satchel between her feet, the contents of which she happily started rummaging in. Though the lateness of the hour was taking its toll on Marcus, clearly Kai was suffering no such exhaustion. The awkwardness and discomfort she'd been feeling before Marcus had stumbled into her had been entirely forgotten in the good fortune of meeting him and the excitement of having been taught something so fascinating.
She didn't give up. Marcus liked that quality, because it was one that they shared. He could get frustrated and angry (and he did when his expectations overshot his abilities), but he'd keep trying until either he succeeded or circumstances forced him to give way. She seemed to be of the same mind, and she was quicker this time, keeping at it until the lock clicked open.
"You're welcome," he said as she practically sprinted into the room and jumped up on the bed, sending it bouncing madly beneath her and her satchel. He leaned one shoulder against the doorframe, trying to figure out what to do next as he watched the perky girl start rummaging through her things. He yawned widely enough to nearly crack his jaw, and that decided him.
"I'm gonna go and lay down," Marcus told her. "I'm not really used to being up this late." He brushed back the strands of blond hair that had drooped down to hang in his eyes and pushed off from the doorframe. "See you tomorrow, I guess," he said with a smile, squinting at her in a futile attempt to make out her features from across the room.
"You're welcome," he said as she practically sprinted into the room and jumped up on the bed, sending it bouncing madly beneath her and her satchel. He leaned one shoulder against the doorframe, trying to figure out what to do next as he watched the perky girl start rummaging through her things. He yawned widely enough to nearly crack his jaw, and that decided him.
"I'm gonna go and lay down," Marcus told her. "I'm not really used to being up this late." He brushed back the strands of blond hair that had drooped down to hang in his eyes and pushed off from the doorframe. "See you tomorrow, I guess," he said with a smile, squinting at her in a futile attempt to make out her features from across the room.
Kai looked up from her digging, head cocked once again in that manner of hers. "Late?" she wondered aloud, looking over at her window and blinking at the night sky beyond. She, herself, was nocturnal--not to the extreme like a Vrykolas had to be to avoid the sun, but enough that she often napped and dreamt under the sun, rather than the moon.
Well, that did answer one thing: Marcus was human! From what she'd been told, no Vrykolas would be going to bed at night.
Understanding reached, she looked back at him with a bright grin and a nod. "Alright! I might be wearing my fur, though, so don't be afraid if you run into a little red Lykos, okay?" Her tail would have been wagging had she been in possession of it. "Sleep deep and dream of the hunt! Or, um...whatever it is humans like to dream of!" she laughed.
Well, that did answer one thing: Marcus was human! From what she'd been told, no Vrykolas would be going to bed at night.
Understanding reached, she looked back at him with a bright grin and a nod. "Alright! I might be wearing my fur, though, so don't be afraid if you run into a little red Lykos, okay?" Her tail would have been wagging had she been in possession of it. "Sleep deep and dream of the hunt! Or, um...whatever it is humans like to dream of!" she laughed.
"Yeah," Marcus said in answer to her first question. "At home, I usually get up as soon as the sun rises, so this is late for me." Here, his schedule might change, but there'd been no reason for it to before. She didn't seem to mind him taking his leave, and that was good, because he liked her and he wouldn't want to offend.
He smiled when she said not to be afraid of him, his own typically sunny disposition undaunted by the late hour and the strangeness of everything. "Long as you don't try to bite me, we're good," he joked. He was actually quite curious to see a Lykos in their fur, as she'd put it, though he figured he would soon enough. "'Night," he added, nodding to her. He'd most likely dream about the ocean, maybe with the background music of pure, perfect notes from his wooden flute... or he might not dream at all, as worn out as he was. That would remain to be seen.
He smiled when she said not to be afraid of him, his own typically sunny disposition undaunted by the late hour and the strangeness of everything. "Long as you don't try to bite me, we're good," he joked. He was actually quite curious to see a Lykos in their fur, as she'd put it, though he figured he would soon enough. "'Night," he added, nodding to her. He'd most likely dream about the ocean, maybe with the background music of pure, perfect notes from his wooden flute... or he might not dream at all, as worn out as he was. That would remain to be seen.
"Oh, no biting, definitely not," she agreed with sudden solemnity, despite recognizing the good-natured tone of his voice. After all, that might end up with him being Lykos, too, and she wouldn't do that to him--or anyone--unless they wanted it. Which he obviously did not.
She answered his nod with another of her own, then went back to unloading the trinkets of her satchel, leaving the human boy free to depart. She was glad they had met and helped each other out--it was all the good fortune she needed to be satisfied with her arrival to the compound. She didn't know what she'd do when she was done unpacking her things, but she wasn't afraid to find out, either.
She rather thought she was going to like it here.
She answered his nod with another of her own, then went back to unloading the trinkets of her satchel, leaving the human boy free to depart. She was glad they had met and helped each other out--it was all the good fortune she needed to be satisfied with her arrival to the compound. She didn't know what she'd do when she was done unpacking her things, but she wasn't afraid to find out, either.
She rather thought she was going to like it here.