"...That's okay. You don't have to replace it. Just know that you are not alone now, either," Sabine said. Her attachment to her village was certainly strong. Sabine knew there was no way that she would simply forget, but at the same time it saddened her that she was so fixated on it. It meant that it was difficult to convince her to make the most of her situation.
It was then that Janius returned to camp in his human form. He looked slightly fatigued, had some blood on his skin, and had some small wooden splinters in his fingernails, but his anger was completely dissipated. If anything, he just looked worried. He made it his first priority to find Kaleeth. He found them in the river rather quickly and approached the three. "Kaleeth, I'm sorry that I ran off, I couldn't focus. Are you alright?"
Muttonhawk Member
Let Slip the Corgis of War
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Dear Mr Curly,
I have done little travelling lately because I have been so dreadfully weary. Can it be true as the old Ecclesiastes said; that all things lead to weariness? Surely not. Perhaps the opposite is true: that all nothings lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that I am worn out from something I haven't yet done and the more I don't do it, the more exhausted I become. How strange. Could it be something I haven't realised? Perhaps it's something I haven't said? Something I haven't finished! It must be very large and true whatever it is and a lively struggle in the doing but I look forward to it immensely. I know I need it. First, however, I must curl up in my chair and sleep deeply with the duck. Perhaps I'll dream of this thing and wake up refreshed and do it. My fond wishes to you Mr. Curly, and to all Curly Flat.
Yours sleepily,
Vasco Pyjama
xxx
P.S. Not having breakfast can make you weary. That's for sure!
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G'night!
Sabine had to look aside and consider the words to answer Kaleeth. To her it seemed obvious, but as soon as she thought about it, it took some time to properly describe it. "Because...well, if we're sisters, there will always be someone nearby who doesn't think you are a monster. I have a sister like that, a blood sister. There were times where we both needed forgive one another. She isn't even a lycan." Sabine raised her look to Kaleeth's eyes again, she was just speaking from her mind, but now a proper explanation was crystalising in her mind. "So, if you did something wrong, and you didn't want to, I'll still be there and help you. Also, you will belong, no matter what happens. I accept you, so you can accept yourself, and you can have hope to keep going. Before finding the pack, I was alone and I hated myself. I found belonging in the pack, and I would have died without it. I want you to have it too."
"No, not like sister where...not like being in blood, but still...sister as in family." Sabine licked her lips quickly, struggling to explain, "Like, Ahnasha is my sister, but she's not...my sister. It's like..." Sabine looked in random directions and exhaled unevenly, trying to find the word. "Adopted," Sabine said abruptly, "Like if parents adopt an orphan, but where it is sisters. Anyone can do that."
Sabine angled her head down and to one side, hoping the meaning was clear. "So...can I be your sister?" Sabine asked again, this time with more reluctance, but more out of anxiety of communication.
Sabine angled her head down and to one side, hoping the meaning was clear. "So...can I be your sister?" Sabine asked again, this time with more reluctance, but more out of anxiety of communication.
By the time the few days passed before their mission, Shiva's anticipation had built to the point of advantage and disadvantage. She hadn't been assigned to any mission as high-profile as this in her life. She needed to focus once they were underway. As a result of this, Shiva slept lightly, and the little noise that Shuo made as he got up was enough to keep her awake until her alarm went off. This time, she didn't need to tap into military discipline to find the energy to get up. It all came naturally.
Breakfast was light, as was the rest of the morning routine. Shiva flew through with enough time to equip herself at a leisurely pace, if she could have relaxed enough to slow down. Even with the speed and nerves, Shiva clipped herself into her combat armour with all the right steps. Her medium combat armour was standard issue for masulu ground troops who weren't mech pilots. It sported a shield system that was simple and effective, but wasn't such a feature as to restrict movement too much, or to encourage complacency. Most other shielding systems required training with cybernetic interfaces, something that Shiva's neutrium forcing body did not accept in any viable fashion. The rest of her was covered in medical supplies, plasma batteries, a stun, smoke and high explosive grenades for good measure. A magnet held a short, but heavy looking plasma weapon to the small of her back, her rebuffer. Nestled on her hip was a similar placement for her custodian plasma pistol. The relatively simple set up made Shiva crack a small smile of pity to Shuo, who was halfway through donning his complicated looking exosuit by the time that Shiva had even started. Well, he was ArmSpecWar, he was probably used to making himself a walking tank.
Shiva boarded the Hummingbird behind Shuo feeling smaller than ever, but seeing her squadmates bending their heads down in the human-sized confines of the ship made her grateful for her below-average height. Given how Shuo wasn't so strict, and they had been sharing a room along with a dirophyd, Shiva has loosened up a little as well. "Well, you know what they say, no plan survives first contact. At least we'll be prepared...sir."
Breakfast was light, as was the rest of the morning routine. Shiva flew through with enough time to equip herself at a leisurely pace, if she could have relaxed enough to slow down. Even with the speed and nerves, Shiva clipped herself into her combat armour with all the right steps. Her medium combat armour was standard issue for masulu ground troops who weren't mech pilots. It sported a shield system that was simple and effective, but wasn't such a feature as to restrict movement too much, or to encourage complacency. Most other shielding systems required training with cybernetic interfaces, something that Shiva's neutrium forcing body did not accept in any viable fashion. The rest of her was covered in medical supplies, plasma batteries, a stun, smoke and high explosive grenades for good measure. A magnet held a short, but heavy looking plasma weapon to the small of her back, her rebuffer. Nestled on her hip was a similar placement for her custodian plasma pistol. The relatively simple set up made Shiva crack a small smile of pity to Shuo, who was halfway through donning his complicated looking exosuit by the time that Shiva had even started. Well, he was ArmSpecWar, he was probably used to making himself a walking tank.
Shiva boarded the Hummingbird behind Shuo feeling smaller than ever, but seeing her squadmates bending their heads down in the human-sized confines of the ship made her grateful for her below-average height. Given how Shuo wasn't so strict, and they had been sharing a room along with a dirophyd, Shiva has loosened up a little as well. "Well, you know what they say, no plan survives first contact. At least we'll be prepared...sir."
Unfortunately, Kaleeth appeared as though she would be unshakable in her mood. Sabine wished that she could do more than help her clean off, but all there was consisted of being there to comfort her. Placing a hand on Kaleeth's shoulder, Sabine nodded to one side, encouraging her to do as Meesei said.
"I think you are a nice person, Kaleeth. I don't think you are a monster," Sabine said, trying her best.
Sabine looked away momentarily. Whenever it was others comforting her, it was always someone dear to her. Her sister, some of the coven witches, pack members. Sabine couldn't help but think that her words would carry more weight if Kaleeth was more familiar with her. Sabine really wanted to help, though. Even though it seemed a little clumsy asking it, Sabine did anyway, "Kaleeth, do you...have a sister? Can I be your sister?" Such a gesture was implicit among members of the pack, but by Kaleeth's nature, she didn't have that. Sabine hoped that accepting her properly might help her accept herself.
"I think you are a nice person, Kaleeth. I don't think you are a monster," Sabine said, trying her best.
Sabine looked away momentarily. Whenever it was others comforting her, it was always someone dear to her. Her sister, some of the coven witches, pack members. Sabine couldn't help but think that her words would carry more weight if Kaleeth was more familiar with her. Sabine really wanted to help, though. Even though it seemed a little clumsy asking it, Sabine did anyway, "Kaleeth, do you...have a sister? Can I be your sister?" Such a gesture was implicit among members of the pack, but by Kaleeth's nature, she didn't have that. Sabine hoped that accepting her properly might help her accept herself.
What Meesei mentioned was just about what Sabine was trying to get across. She knew how Kaleeth felt and didn't want her to be in the same situation as she was. Sabine did not let go yet. "Kaleeth, please. Let us keep helping you. You don't have to be scared."
There was a few moments where Sabine tried and failed to really think of anything else to say. Noticing the smell of the drying blood on Kaleeth again, Sabine thought it might help to wash it off. It was likely getting uncomfortable and sticky at this point. Sabine pulled away from Kaleeth, then took her hand and began to stand up. "Come," Sabine said insistently, pulling gently in the direction of the river. Both Sabine and Meesei could make quick work of cleaning Kaleeth, and perhaps being in the water might calm her nerves a little.
There was a few moments where Sabine tried and failed to really think of anything else to say. Noticing the smell of the drying blood on Kaleeth again, Sabine thought it might help to wash it off. It was likely getting uncomfortable and sticky at this point. Sabine pulled away from Kaleeth, then took her hand and began to stand up. "Come," Sabine said insistently, pulling gently in the direction of the river. Both Sabine and Meesei could make quick work of cleaning Kaleeth, and perhaps being in the water might calm her nerves a little.
Kaleeth's answer didn't end up being as simple as Sabine suspected, but it did help to convey exactly why she was scared. Sabine rearranged the her next question as a result. "When a wolf or a crocodile eats a person, is it a cannibal?" With this, Sabine lowered her knees such that she was sitting cross-legged and leaning forward. "You don't want to be a cannibal, right? You don't have to."
A second passed, Sabine shifted along the ground to sit beside Kaleeth, then Sabine wrapped her arms around her head and shoulders and hugged her like Meesei would do for Sabine. There wasn't any risk where Kaleeth had already transformed today. Sabine held onto her while speaking quietly near her ear. "I thought your thoughts. What you said, I thought that once, a long time ago. I was scared. You are scared as well. None of us deserve to die, you don't deserve to die. We have to be brave, and do our best not to be monsters. We can, so can you. You are not an animal, you are just scared." There was sincerity enough in Sabine's words that her somewhat monotonous delivery didn't seem to matter. Sabine just hoped that she was helping Kaleeth to calm down and see what was and wasn't true about the situation. Her beast spirit was still something to be respected, but at the same time continually trained and tamed. She couldn't expect to have complete control when her training was nowhere near complete. Nor should she expect that her beast spirit's primal behaviour would define her.
A second passed, Sabine shifted along the ground to sit beside Kaleeth, then Sabine wrapped her arms around her head and shoulders and hugged her like Meesei would do for Sabine. There wasn't any risk where Kaleeth had already transformed today. Sabine held onto her while speaking quietly near her ear. "I thought your thoughts. What you said, I thought that once, a long time ago. I was scared. You are scared as well. None of us deserve to die, you don't deserve to die. We have to be brave, and do our best not to be monsters. We can, so can you. You are not an animal, you are just scared." There was sincerity enough in Sabine's words that her somewhat monotonous delivery didn't seem to matter. Sabine just hoped that she was helping Kaleeth to calm down and see what was and wasn't true about the situation. Her beast spirit was still something to be respected, but at the same time continually trained and tamed. She couldn't expect to have complete control when her training was nowhere near complete. Nor should she expect that her beast spirit's primal behaviour would define her.
Okay, I lied, I'll be up a bit longer. Maybe for one more post, seeing as we're doing dialogue posts.
Sabine maintained her beady-eyed look, hiding her thoughts. The only thing that broke her stare was to glance at Meesei as she joined them. The addition of Meesei's comforting words helped turn Sabine's suspicions into a confirmed context. Kaleeth killed while in her beast form. Sabine would have found it less normal if Kaleeth didn't feel the way she did. With those last details, the anger that Kaleeth displayed was something that Sabine could see right through.
Though she tried, Sabine couldn't find any statements that would solve any of Kaleeth's woes just by saying them. Instead, Sabine thought of the questions that she asked herself in this situation once she had time to think, or at least similarly worded forms. Some of the answers might be seen as redundant or obvious, but it was to start a thought process. "Kaleeth, did you want to kill that highwayman?"
Though she tried, Sabine couldn't find any statements that would solve any of Kaleeth's woes just by saying them. Instead, Sabine thought of the questions that she asked herself in this situation once she had time to think, or at least similarly worded forms. Some of the answers might be seen as redundant or obvious, but it was to start a thought process. "Kaleeth, did you want to kill that highwayman?"
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