Spirits of the Earth

OOC: Covering the shoooooore -cough- songs's stuck in my head ><

IC:

    Narron made his way to Ewelani's hut. He hoped she was there, but if not, he could always ask around. The man looked down at the small basket in his arms. It was full of beads he had traded with men from the main land along with shells. Things that he knew she  liked. Among these offerings was a curious, round glass that could make small things appear larger, and large things looks distorted. A sailor had traded it for some fish the day before, but Narron had no use for it, so he decided he might as well see if the young woman did.

He hadn't had much time to visit her, lately, which was a shame. He liked watching others work, and Ewe was skilled with her fingers in a way he was not. Plus, he was hoping to trade some of the goods in his arms for some new jewelry.  His was always being passed around, borrowed, or traded; the man had little use for such things outside of his poi dancing. There were only a few pieces he kept over the years. One of which was the necklace he wore around his neck, a gift that had been passed down to him from his mother.

The man brushed his bangs out of his face as he stood outside her hut.
"Ewelani, are you home?"

((I don't think I know it! *feels sheltered* xP))


Ewelani was sitting in the cool dimness of her hut, cross-legged on a grass mat. She had been out in the forests all morning, and a large basket of flowers sat beside her, giving off a gentle aroma into the air. She hummed quietly to herself as she worked at weaving blossoms into a new mat - a purely frivolous item, as the flowers would surely die in a few days - but one that amused her enough for now.

Until the call came from outside her hut, that was. Her face brightened as she looked up towards the door. She set her flowers aside and straightened up as she replied.
"Narron, is that you? Come in!"

The man smiled at the sound of her voice and quietly entered the young woman's hut. He pulled his wings close into his body so as not to knock over anything.
"I brought gifts and was hoping we could trade," he explained as he walked over towards the youth and gently pressed his face against hers.
As he settled himself down next to her to show her what he had brought, his dark brown eyes curiously examined the mat.

The hut smelled like the sweet meadow, which was a nice contrast to the usual smell of the salt of the ocean.
"It's pretty," he complimented as he carefully set his basket in front of him.
The man pulled out the round shaped glass and held it out for Ewelani to test out.
"Look what a sailor from the main land gave me."

Ewe grinned cheerfully as Narron entered, raising herself up as they greeted each other. "Gifts? What have you brought?!" she couldn't keep the curiosity out of her voice as she answered, peering at his basket impatiently. "Thank you..." she was absent minded as she accepted the compliment, eyeing the strange object that Narron was now holding.

"Ooh!" She took it from him eagerly and turned it over in her hands, tracing the edge of the glass carefully. "What is it? What does it- oh!" She had noticed how the basket behind the glass suddenly loomed large, at odds with it's actual size. She jumped and laughed, examining the item more closely.

"What is this thing? How does it work?" She held it up in front of her face, laughing as it distorted the image of Narron. "Your face looks huge from here!"

The man smiled at his friend's curiosity. He was always amused by her immense energy; she never seemed to run out of steam. Laughing, he shyly brushed the glass away so that Ewelani couldn't make fun of his face any more.
"He called it a... ah..." Narron paused to think of the name in Common.
"Something 'glass'.... 'My-gee-fly'...."Mag..Mag...neh?"
The man let out a flustered sigh as he scratched the back of his head. It was at the tip of his tongue, he knew it! If only there was someone to remind him.

"I forgot," he admitted, "I'll have to ask another one, some other time. Though I do know that it makes really small things look big; that's what they use it for, on the mainland. People who use their hands  to make things, like you do, use it there. Or those that study how life works. I don't think we have a word for it."
Narron paused, wondering what it should be called. Their  culture was largely ignorant of most things from the rest of the world.
"Maybe you ought to name it, Ewe," he suggested.

"A my-gee-fly glass? Mah-gee-fly?" Ewe tested out the strange syllables, gazing at the implement in amazement. "I wonder what that means. I've never heard of a word like that before." She twisted the glass over absent-mindedly, and gasped as she saw through it again.

"Look! Now it is making things small ... and far away!" She laughed in delight, turning the glass over and over to see the different effects. "It's like it's magic!"

She stopped for long enough to pay attention to what he was saying. "That sounds useful! It would make all the little beads look bigger so you could thread them more easily. How clever of them!"

"Maybe I could name it after you, because you discovered it. A Narron-glass!" she suggested, giggling. "Or perhaps you should name it after me, so that you will think of me when you use it." She smiled up at him, offering the glass back.

"Eeeehhh?!" Narron blushed furiously at the suggestion of naming the device after him in alarm. He wildly shook his large hands in protest.
"N-n-n-no, that's not it!" he stuttered, "It's just that I don't have any use for such a thing, but it's really interesting, right? So you should keep it. It's a waste on me. Use it for threading. That's why it's a gift. I'm giving it to you."

The man was horribly embarrassed. Name it after him? He couldn't imagine such a thing! It wasn't like he discovered it or would use it or anything like that. His name wouldn't do it good at all. Maybe Ewe's would, though, or something like Making-Big glass or Giant-Small glass or something of the like. He turned his attention back towards the basket full of shells and beads. Subconsciously, his fingers began to play with the pendents on his leather cord.

"Anyway, I came here to trade the things in this basket for some jewelry, if you have some. I'm going to poi dance next week with some of the others."
The man grinned, the light in his eyes flickering in glee at the thought of it.
"It's going to be so much fun," he said as he sat with a straighter posture.

"For me?!" Ewe's eyes shined as she took the glass back, excited. She laughed at his blushes and held the glass to her chest. "Oh thank you Narron! I can't wait to use it. And, maybe something like, Big-Small Glass will work for now, if you don't think I should name it after you. Your name is prettier than that, though." She teased him gently,  experimenting by holding various objects underneath the glass to see how they changed.

"Oh! Yes I have some jewellery around. I bet I have some that will look perfect when you do your dancing... but you have to let me come and watch!" She leaned over to see what was in his basket, curious.

"What do you have there?"

Narron nodded shyly. He was surprised that Ewe had tried to use a name similar to one that he was thinking of, though he didn't bother to say so out loud. His smile brightened as she mentioned that she might have some that he could use.  
"Of course," he replied.
It was a big party- everybody was welcomed.
Narron pushed the basket towards Ewelani so that she could examine it's contents better.
"Just some shells from the beach and beads some main landers traded with. Nothing special," he humbly said.

The man leaned back as he tilted his head up so that he was using his arms to support himself.  He was a little restless; he liked being outside, under the sun or moon. He could stretch his wings more easier that way, or at least move. Narron was only in his hut for sleeping or eating for the most part.
"Is that a fair trade, or do you want something else?" he asked, quite seriously.
If she wanted a different price, he'd try his  best to match it, so long as it was equal.

"Ooh, they're so pretty." Ewe picked through the items in the basket eagerly, picking some up to examine more closely. "I like these shells!" She seperated some pinky shells, spreading them out on her palm to admire them. "They would look beautiful in a necklace, don't you think?"

She placed them back into the basket and stood up, stretching before she crossed over to the corner of her hut. "No, they're a very fair trade, I like them a lot."

Smiling warmly, she returned to Narron, bringing with her a small wooden hamper. "I have some things in here that might be good for you." She dug through the hamper, quickly retrieving a short necklace. It was made of small white shells interwoven with bright malachite and turquoise stones, the colours gleaming dimly in the hut.

"It looks a lot better in the sun - or by the fire," she handed it over to Narron as she spoke. "What do you think? I think it'd suit you well... you can look at it outside if you like, and I can bring the box outside too."

Narron gave a shy smile as Ewe admired the shells.
He nodded as the young woman asked him about them looking beautiful in a necklace. Personally, he thought most did just fine as he didn't really care about the making of such things, but if she said these were nice, then they were.
"Great," he exclaimed as Ewe brought over the familiar wooden hamper.
His eyes widened a little in surprise at the sight of the shell necklace with the beautiful blue, white, and green colors.
"It's amazing," he said, awe struck. "Thank you."

Narron accepted the piece gingerly, as if it would fall and break if he handled it otherwise. The man supposed she was right it would suit him well. It nicely contrasted his flame like tattoos and seemed that it would catch the light of the flickering flames, but wasn't too loose or bulky. He nodded as if a bit dazed at her suggestion.
"Sure," he replied as he carefully got to his feet and moved his way out of the hut.

Once outside, the man stretched out his sea gull colored wings as he held the piece up to the sun light. He couldn't help but to enjoy the breeze that passed by, suddenly getting the urge to go flying.
After this, he promised himself as he waited for Ewe to join him.
Maybe I could bring her along, he thought, If I fly low enough.
"You're right about it looking better in the sun," Narron commented.

Ewe grinned and bounced a little where she sat, flattered and excited as he complimented her work. Seeing him holding it even she was impressed at how well it looked as if it would suit him.
"It shouldn't get in the way whilst you dance," she explained as he looked at it. "I made sure not to make it too long, for that reason."

Pulling the box of jewellery behind her she followed him outside, blinking in the sudden sunlight. She had been sitting indoors for a while now, working away, and had forgotten that the sun would have risen by now.
"Oh, good. It should have the same effect with the fire when you're dancing too - even better, because the fire will be so bright when it's dark." Her eyes shone as she pictured the scene, and she felt around inside the hamper for some more strands.

"I have some anklets and bracelets in the same style too, if you'd like them. That way you have a full set." She offered, adding shyly,
"I'm glad you like them. I thought of you when I was creating them."

"Is that so?" Narron asked as Ewe's eyes lit up passionately when seemed to be engulfed in scene she was painting inside her head. He smiled,  as he stuck out his chest a little, finding her giddiness rubbing off on him. Now he was even more excited for the performance, not just because he got to dance, but now because he got to show off Ewe's incredible creations.

He stooped down to get a better look at the other pieces she was offering him. He gave a broad, almost silly grin. She had made a full set with him in mind? A full set? It flustered him a bit to think that someone had him in their thoughts. He wasn't that important of a person.   He didn't deserve such kindness, yet he couldn't help but feeling proud and delighted at the same time. The villagers meant the world to him- they were his world- so to think that someone valued him enough to do so filled his heart with happiness and gratitude.
"You're amazing," he said with a  small laugh as he spontaneously bear hugged the girl and kissed her on the fore head.
"Thank you."  

He drew back and began to put on the necklace. Ewe had worked so hard, after all. It was only fitting he try it on.

"Oh, yeah!" Ewe laughed to see Narron's pride and pleasure in her creations. Nothing made her happier than to create items for her fellow villagers and see their delight as they received their personalised items. Knowing that Narron would wear her jewellery in front of everyone made her feel a little giddy.

"I hope they're okay! I-"
Her words were cut off by the hug that Narron bestowed upon her. She giggled as he kissed her forehead, her cheeks turning pink in embarassment.

"It looks good." Still blushing she stepped back to admire the necklace on Narron, pleased with the fit. "What do you think?"

"Do you think so?" Narron quietly asked.
He shook his head as the blushing Ewe asked him for his opinion, again.
"You fret too much, Ewelani," he said as he rubbed a turquoise bead between his fingers. The necklace fit comfortably with enough room so as not to scratch up against his skin or choke him, but also small enough so as not to prove a disturbance.  The man  crouched down to put on a bracelet as he made circles with his wrists. He pulled his wings in so that they wouldn't hit the girl in the face.

"I like it a lot. All of them. I'm really surprised," he confessed.
Granted, he was an easy man to please. Still, he usually  never kept most jewelry for a very long period of time, yet he had a feeling that this was a set he wanted to treasure for as long as he lived.
 "You're sure you had me in mind when you were making these?"

"I do think so. I know you don't wear jewellery that much, but I think it suits you."
Ewe smiled as Narron asked her opinion, and watched with a critical eye as he put on the rest of the set. As an artist, she was used to never feeling like her creations were quite finished, or quite as perfect as they could be, but she did like this set. The colours were nicely complementary, and she'd loved the shells, little white things that curled in on themselves.

"Maybe, maybe not," she teased in answer to his last question. She couldn't quite tell what his reaction was to the idea, whether he was flattered or not.

"Yes, I'm sure." She shrugged then and admitted the truth. "You don't mind, do you?"

Narron sheepishly shook his head.
"No, not at all!" he admitted, not wishing to have offend her.
The man rose to his feet and playfully tugged at a strand of aquamarine hair as he looked down into her big, bright eyes.
"I'm honored," he explained, "Really, thank you."

The man hesitated before bringing up another suggestion. He might as well ask now; after all, their business was done. All there was now was to test out how well he could move with the jewelry on, and what was a better way to do that then this? It was so beautiful out.
"Would... you like to go for a flight with me?" he asked, "I'm strong, I won't drop you."
He frowned.
"That is if you're down with your work," he quickly added, "You were busy before with that mat, weren't you? If you don't want to come, I understand."

"Flying?!" Ewe's eyes widened. "A flight with you? Are you serious?"
She clapped her hands, jigging on the spot.
"I would love to! Oh! How exciting! I'm not busy at all, not really."
She had always been disappointed at her lack of wings, only able to imagine the wonders of flying. The child in her couldn't resist the prospect of seeing the world from a whole new angle, and she found herself barely able to contain her excitement, even as she considered the logistics.

"That would be wonderful Narron! But are you sure you will be able to carry me? What if I'm too heavy... you might hurt yourself!" She frowned in concern.

Narron smiled happily at her excitement and nodded when she said she wasn't busy. If she wasn't working, then that was fine.
"All right, then," he said.
The man shook his head when Ewe contemplated her weight.
"No worries," he replied.
The fisher man had spent his entire life flying, on boats, or trading with the men from the main land. He was used to lifting and hauling heavy burdens. The young woman, who was only a few inches shorter than him and weighed considerably less, was nothing compared to that.

He wasn't worried about the remainder of the contents of the hamper being stolen, either, so he promptly walked up to her and wrapped his arms tightly, but gently, around her waist. Their bodies were pressed close enough that he could hear her heart beat.
"Wrap your arms around my neck. Hold on tight, okay?" he instructed Ewelani before lifting off into the clear, blue sky.

Flying with other people was tricky, and Narron didn't like to do it often because he couldn't move as well or fast, which made avoiding obstacles a bit difficult. He shot straight up with the girl. The sound of his wings beating was loud against the sound of the wind, which violently tousled their hair. Narron was glad that he braided his, though he regretted not putting on a bandanna that day because of his bangs.
He stopped once they reached a high enough altitude that the entire village was within their sight, and they could see the breathtaking scenery of the island and ocean that sprawled all around them.

"Are you okay?" he asked, "Which way do you want to go?"

Ewe took a deep breath as Narron wrapped his arms around her, and clung onto his shoulders tightly. She couldn't repress a little shriek as they took off and closed her eyes tightly. She could feel Narron's wings beating against her arms, the warmth of his body against hers, and the wind ruffling through her short hair.

As they slowed she opened her eyes cautiously, gasping as she saw the village spread out below them. "Oh! Oh it's beautiful!" She kept a tight hold on Narron's shoulders as she peered down carefully, amazed to take in the scenery below them.

"Oh this is amazing... what's that?" Unable to let go, she gestured with her foot towards a spot halfway up the mountain, where the trees seemed to clear. She could see a bright flashing of water that she'd never seen when scrambling through the forests.

"Narron, what's there?"

Narron laughed as he overlooked the village fondly.
Her wonder lust was rather nostalgic as he remembered the first time he had worn the same face.
"Hmm?" he asked when she inquired about a certain location.
He carefully tilted his head to look towards where her foot was pointed towards. It took him a moment to realize that she was talking about a particularly bright pool. The man frowned as he tried to recall what was there. He knew he had been there before, at one point, but it it had been months ago, hasn't it? Well, now was a good time to refresh his memory.
"I don't know," he admitted.

Checking again to see that Ewe was secure, he flew up towards the pool. Narron started the flight relatively slow, but began to steadily pick up speed as they continued. He was cautious not to go too fast, least the girl got nausea. The man had learned the hard way on that one. Still, the man loved the rush, and was enjoying himself. It was a couple of miles away, so it took them a while to get there. The landscaped swept past them in a wonderful blur of colors and shapes. The ocean seemed to dazzle more and the pool shone brighter as they approached it until it was almost blinding.

Once they arrived at the clearing, Narron skillfully landed on the ground and didn't let go of Ewe until he shook out his wings before folding them back in.
He  gave her a broad grin before his brown eyes were drawn to their surroundings.
It was a queer but beautiful place, as if it had sprung from a dream. The clear, blue pool was surrounded in a field of green grass and beautiful flowers that were scattered everywhere, in the trees, bushes, and grass.

Braver now, Ewe gazed below them as Narron resumed flying, awed by the colours and shapes flashing by. She was amazed by the new perspective she gained on the island - scenes she had only seen on foot were now spread out below her like a living map, showing whole new sides of familiar sights.

She held her breath as they landed, feeling the gently bump of the ground beneath her feet. It was a few moments until she could gather the courage to let go of Narron and step away, but when she did she was quickly distracted.

"Oh!" She let out a delighted squeal as she looked around the clearing they were in. The pool was wide and deep, fed by a splashing stream that ran out of the trees and formed a miniature waterfall as it fed into the pool's basin.

"Oh it's beautiful," Ewe breathed, looking around them in awe. She ran lightly over to the pool, inspecting it in glee before she turned on her heel and skipped back over to Narron. She threw her arms back around his neck, kissing his cheek impulsively.
"Thank you for bringing me here!"

Narron smiled as he watched Ewe run around towards the pool. It was lovelier than he had remembered it being. The man wondered why he didn't come up here often, as it seemed quite serene and blissful. He could even practice poi here, and make his dances even more of a surprise for the performances. There weren't a lot of hiding places on the island, so secrets were hard to keep. His brown eyes glazed at the water, enchanted by its beauty. He began to approach it, though his journey was cut short when Ewe attacked him with a hug.

The man took in a sharp breath as she kissed him, alarmed. He blushed and placed his hands on her hips, not knowing exactly how to react to such a sweet gesture and words.
"No problem," he sheepishly replied before grabbing her hand, "Come."
He walked towards the pool and gingerly stepped his foot in it. The water was cool and pleasant. Encouraged, the man began to wade in it until the water almost reached his hips, causing his breeches to sag and brush against his skin. He didn't want to go swimming and get his wings too wet. If that happened, he wouldn't be able to fly away from the pool for a while until they dried a bit. Not that he really minded... it was a beautiful place, and he was with a good friend.

As the man looked down at the bottom of the pool, he remembered another reason why it was so special.
"Ewelani, look," he said as he bent over to pull something out of the sand.
He held up his palm to display colorful rocks. They were pebbles with ever changing colors and were shiny. The man had remembered being told that they reacted to heat and cold. In the water, they had been a greenish blue, but in the palm of his hand they began to turn purple.

Ewe followed as Narron pulled her over to the pool, stepping into the shallows carefully. As she waded in, gasping as the cool water hit her skin, her long sarong began to drag in the current. Letting go of Narron's hand she stopped and untied it, leaving her standing in the cotton shorts she always wore for swimming. More comfortable now, she hurried after Narron in the water to stand beside him, although at this depth the water rose above her hips.

She was about to duck under the water when Narron spoke, drawing her attention to the pebbles in his hand.

"Wow... amazing!" She took one of the pebbles from his hand, marvelling as it turned a deep purple in her palm. "How are they changing colour?"

"They react to heat," he explained, "I don't know how."
Actually, these pebbles were really rare on the islands. He figured this was the only pool that had them, though Narron didn't doubt that there would have been more.
The man placed three into his pocket before skipping one of the remainders across the surface of the pool. He smiled.
"I bet they don't have these on the main continent," he said.  He didn't really need the pebbles, but it would be an interesting thing to show and amuse the main continent customers. He liked interacting with them, though their language was a bit difficult to catch on for the fisherman.

He watched the stone sink into the water. For a short, brief moment, all was still until he suddenly stooped so that his arms were in the water, turned around, and  splashed his friend with a small wave of water. He really had no reason for doing so other than to get a reaction.

"Clever..." Ewe examined her pebble a little closer as Narron explained what they did, fascinated by the effect their body heat had on them. She threw it onto the banks of the pool carefully, making sure it landed by her sarong to take home later. It would be fun to keep it around  her hut and play with it from time to time - and she bet that the village children would be just as amazed.

Turning back to Narron, she was caught off guard as a wall of water hit her, catching her squarely in the face.
"Noo!" she squealed, laughing as the cold water dripped down her skin, bringing her out in goose-pimples. "Not fair!"

Reacting quickly she retaliated, splashing a wave back at Narron. As soon as her arms were out of the water she stuck her tongue out, then turned around and dove headfirst into the cool water.

It was a couple of minutes before she resurfaced at the other end of the pool, treading water and laughing.

Narron laughed as the girl splashed him back and quickly dove into the clear water.
Watching her swim, the man was tempted to dive in and swim, too. Reluctant, he flew towards the other end of the pool, touching the water so that his hands skidded against the surface, making a trail. He got there just when Ewe popped her head out.

For the hell of it, he swooped down to hoist her from underneath the shoulders and lift her an inch or two above the water before letting her go in the middle of the pool. It was a game children often played in the ocean or clear waters like this. Narron normally wasn't the one to initiate such games, but today was different. He hadn't had the time to fool around like this in a while, and it was nice.

"Let me go!" Ewe shrieked and laughed as she found herself being lifted out of the water and through the air. "It's not fair, you can fly!" She struggled in Narron's arms as he paused, but regretted it as she found herself falling back into the water.

She let herself sink down before kicking off the sandy bottom of the pool, and bursting up through the surface. Her hair had come loose from the bunches she normally kept it in, and fell around her shoulders in wet tangles. She shook it back, laughing, and reached up her hands to Narron, inviting him in.

"Come swim with me!"

Narron laughed cheerfully as the girl protested his antics.
"I suppose not," he agreed as he hovered over the water, waiting for her to return again. The pool's water was rather clear and beautiful; though he knew she had reached the bottom of the pool, it didn't look that far off from the surface, as if he could step in and still be waist high in water. As she finally resurfaced and asked him to join her, the man hesitated.

Should he? The water looked wonderful. And he was the responsible one. He had to be. Right?
"All right," Narron replied, his tone unsure.
I'm going to regret this.
The man folded in his wings and plummeted into the water a few feet away from Ewe, causing waves to engulf whatever was surrounding him. The man shot towards the bottom of the pool, his legs kicking furiously. He was a powerful swimmer- he had to be. With giant wings, one had to be strong if they didn't want to drown because of the weight. He stayed at the bottom of the pool for a few moments, enjoying the soft sand and the marvel of the beautifully colored stones. He picked one up to find it turn a strange orange.

After a few moments, he made his way back towards the surface and gasped for air. His bangs were plastered to his face,  and he pushed them back with the palm of his hand. Narron turned to Ewe with a shy grin.
"Okay, I'm in," he said.
He had been defeated, but the man was happy to be.

Ewelani found herself propelled backwards by Narron's waves and clung to the side of the pool, laughing until they subsided. As he surfaced she swam over slowly, grinning at his new appearance.
"See! It's great in here!" she rolled over onto her back, letting herself drift alongside him.

"Don't worry, we'll dry you off afterwards." Back to treading water, she took Narron's hand to reassure him, having noticed his uncertainty.

A second later though, she let go and took a deep breath before diving under the surface. Swimming behind Narron she tugged him down, ducking him under the water playfully. Mindful of his wings, she let go as soon as he was under and spiralled away from him.

The man silently nodded when Ewelani praised the water. He shook his head as Ewe took his hand in hers, a little embarressed his fussing was that obvious.
"Okay," he agreed, though he didn't exactly knowhow they'd dry them off. He figured he'd just shake the water off and let them dry in the sun, but he left that matter at that. The man watched as his friend dunked under the water and exclaimed in alarm when she dragged him under with him.

His cheeks puffed out, full of air, the man  looked around them. The pool had to be magical; it was way bigger in the inside than it appeared on the outside. At the very least it was startengly deep, like a small clear and beautiful lake. Narron wondered why he had never noticed it before. Eagerly, he gestured towards the other side of the pool, challenging his friend for a race.

Ewe had got distracted by unusual weeds on the pool's floor, playing with them after she had dunked Narron under the water. But she quickly noticed that he had stayed below the surface, and looked over with questioning eyes. At his challenge her eyes lit up and she gave the thumbs up, keen for a race. Nodding, she held up three fingers, dropping them one after the other: Three... two... one!

With that she pushed herself off from the bottom, propelling herself through the water. She didn't bother to look back at Narron, instead focusing her sights on the far bank. She knew she was nimble in the water, but whether Narron's power would overrule her agility, was a bet still to be won.

She soon reached the side of the pool and pulled herself up to the surface, gasping as she broke through to the air above. Shaking water from her eyes she turned round to look for Narron.



((OOC: Feel free to have him beat her, or not. Up to you!))

Narron had reached the other side of the pool a couple of seconds before the young woman and was already perched on the side of the pool with a victorious grin on his face.
"I win," he smirked, "Though you're still very good."
It was true; Ewe was much more agile in the water. He was faster and stronger only because of his work as a fishermen and his constant work in the ocean.  However, he was misrable with turns, though the race had thankfully been in his favor, as it had only been to one side.  The man knew his friend would have probably won if it had been different.

He slipped into the water.
"Want to try again?" he teased as he tugged at a strand of her hair.

Ewe shook her head as she saw Narron on the bank, giving him a pout of mock-disappointment. She wasn't terribly surprised though; with his superior strength, Narron had probably been able to power through the water. There had to be some way to redress the balance...

As she thought, Narron slipped into the water beside her and challenged her again. She grinned mischievously.
"Okay. But not just a straight race this time... how about we see who can collect.... twenty of those stones the fastest? Picking them up one at a time!"
This was a race she thought she could win - surely she would be able to turn around in the water much faster than Narron, who would be encumbered by his wings.

"How about it?" She mimicked his action by reaching out to play with a strand of his hair, balancing herself with her other hand on his shoulder.

"Okay," Narron agreed with a nod.
It was only fair that she got to challenge him, too. Besides, he liked this competition. Twenty stones, huh? Should be easy to pick up with his large hands. Of  course, he knew where she was playing at. Ewe was quick, that was for sure.
The man bashfully turned his head away and gave an embarrassed laugh as she mocked his movements.

He pulled back so that he had room to kick off. The man stared into the depths of the water, choosing a spot where he could cultivate the amount of pebbles needed as quickly as possible. Once it was found- a small patch of clear sand surrounded by sea weed- the man began the count down.
"Three... two... one... go!"

With that, he splashed into the water, making a bee line for the bottom of the pool.

As the countdown ended, Ewe took a deep breath and ducked under the water, shrewd eyes searching out a collection of pebbles. Paddling furiously, she was soon at the bottom of the pool and seizing a pebble. Lithe and nimble, it was easy for her to double up and kick off against the sand, pushing straight up to the surface. She gasped as she came up, dropping the pebble onto the grass as she prepared to take another breath.

The whole endeavour had taken only a second or two... she couldn't help but smile as she dove down again, loving both the challenge to her ability and the confidence that she would win.

Narron grabbed a handful before turning to go for the surface. It was a bit difficult and it costed him several seconds, but once the man had turned around, he swam as fast as he could towards the surface and placed his pebbles in his own separate pile. He quickly counted how many he had; four. Narron quickly turned to see that Ewe had only one so far; he was in the lead.  

Narron took a deep breath and dived in, again, determined to grab more.

Surfacing with her second pebble, Ewelani raised an eyebrow to note how many stones Narron had already. Surely he hadn't managed to pick up that many so quickly! Smiling to herself, she turned again, more determined now to retrieve all twenty stones before her friend.


It didn't take long for her to have accomplished the task, focused as she was on collecting the pebbles... and a little something extra. Gasping as she brought her last stone to the banks, Ewe looked around, pleased to note that Narron had not yet completed his pile.
She pulled herself up onto the grassy edge of the pool, swinging her legs in the water as she waited, tossing a stone from one hand to the other.

Narron resurfaced the water a few seconds after Ewe had returned with hers. He had made far less trips than her, but they took longer, and it had costed him dearly in the long run. The man dropped the final few pebbles in his pile before pulling himself out of the water to sit next to the girl.
"Ah, you won," he said  with a broad grin, as he took in several deep breathes of air.
He tilted his head down as he rubbed out a grain of sand that had somehow came too close to his eyes.

Narron turned to the pile of stones, and skipped two across the surface of the pool.  He picked one up and laid back, using one arm to cradle his head while the other held the small stone up in the light and twirled it in his fingers.

Thanks to the warm sun, Ewelani's hair and clothes were already beginning to dry out as Narron pulled himself out of the water next to her. She smiled over, reaching out to rearrange a feather on his wings that was out of place, as he rubbed his eyes.

"I did win... but I got you a present to make up for it," her tone turned from sympathetic to bright as she spoke, holding her hand out towards him. In her palm was a small pinky stone, somehow formed into a perfect heart shape.

"You did?" he asked, surprised as he brought himself up right. The man gingerly took the stone out of the girl's hands. It was pink and in a curious curvy shape; he had never seen the likes of it before.
"Whoa. It's beautiful. Thank you!" he said, his eyes wide in curiosity. The man traced it's figure gently with a finger. It was so smooth.
 "How did you manage to find this?"

Ewe smiled as Narron admired the stone.
"It was tucked away in a little pocket of weeds at the bottom. I don't know how it got shaped like that though... I suppose the current did it." She reached over to touch the stone's curves as Narron held it, remembering something she had been told long ago.

"They have that shape on the mainland. They call it a love heart... I suppose it's meant to look like a person's heart?" She shrugged at the comparison, then carried on.

"But they use it to show love and affection. Isn't that nice?" She beamed over at Narron.

As Ewe explained where she found the stone and her musings on how it obtained it's shape, Narron let out his wings, being careful not to hit her. He ruffled out his feathers in one motion to get the water out of them to dry. He looked a little silly, all the more so when his eyes widened at  his friend's explanation of the stone's significance.
"I didn't know that," he muttered, nodding at her question, "It's an interesting idea."
 The people on the main land had queer notions when it came to such things. He didn't really understand the point of marriage, and people's hearts certainly didn't look that way.

But love and affection? He understood that, on many levels. But if Ewe was giving him such a dear gift, than he had to give her something in return. But what? Narron took in a deep breath and hugged her close.
"It's no fair, Ewelani," he shyly said, "You gave me such a lovely gift. But I wasn't as lucky as you; I don't have any pretty heart stones to give in return."
He sheepishly smiled as he looked over towards his pile of rocks.
"I didn't find any love stones. I wonder if there are more?"
The man's attention turned back towards the pool, seriously considering diving in, again.

Ewelani lapsed into thoughtful silence as Narron spoke, her thoughts along much the same lines as his. The mainland's ideas of love were very different to those on Yoreiq, that was for sure. The idea of tying onself to one other person - for ever - was almost unheard of on the isles, although she had heard many tales from the traders about their sweethearts back home. Somewhat unusually, Ewe had not yet entered into a relationship of any kind, but she had been entertained by their stories.

"Aw," she giggled as Narron pulled her into a hug and patted him on the back.
"You don't need to give me anything! I just thought it'd be nice to give you."

"I know," Narron bluntly replied as he pulled back so he could look at her.
"But I want to."
Ewelani was pretty. She was kind, sweet, and generous. The young woman possessed many of the qualities their people admired. It was true that the Yoreiq people had a different perception of love than the main landers did, but it still existed. Romance was still there in some forms as were relations. They were ways of expressing love and happiness, something to be shared.

Narron had had both in his life time, but he wondered if she had even touched either. Yes, he loved her dearly. They were good friends, after all. But there was something else there, too. He had started to realize it earlier, but it was only now was he willing to start facing it, slowly.
He coughed, suddenly finding his throat was rather dry.
"Though, Ewelani," he started to ask bashfully, "Why'd you give the stone to me?"

Ewe smiled brightly as Narron spoke, settling back beside him on the banks. Still musing to herself, she pulled up some long strands of water reeds and took to plaiting them as they sat in companionable quiet. She always found it easy to amuse herself, and never sat still for long even when she was calm and quiet, like now.

It was only a moment later that she was distracted from her game by Narron speaking again. Turning towards him, she looked up curiously. Why had she given it to him? It seemed like an odd question.

"Because I wanted you to have it, of course!" She reached out for his hand, squeezing it playfully. "I saw it and thought of you. And you know I have love and affection for you."

Narron nodded at her answer.
"I do," he replied, honestly, his face growing a little hot. He wondered how she meant it, though he was too bashful to ask. Perhaps he didn't need to; just this was enough.
"I love you, too," he said, putting a hand over hers.
He became silent as he with drawn his hands to rub the back of his neck. He suddenly became very interested in staring out into the water and felt a bit awkward in the situation he was in. He couldn't go swimming again because he didn't want to get his wings wet, but he didn't want to sit down like this and do nothing, either. Like Ewe, he had a tendency to be restless, but he was even more so, now. He knew it was because of the exchange they just had, but he said nothing more to continue it in that direction and instead admired the stone with a thin smile.

"You dooo?" Ewe laughed and questioned him playfully. She noticed his sudden withdrawal and wondered for a moment what had caused it, though she was never one to think too deeply into others' motivations.

"What would I do without you Narron?" Moving suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a giggly kiss on his cheek. As she pulled away she rose to stand on her tiptoes at the edge of the pool before diving in gracefully.

She was under water for a minute before she surfaced, beaming, and swam over to where Narron sat, bobbing in the water at his feet.

Narron laughed when she teased him, feeling horribly embarrassed.
"Yes," he admitted.
He gave a shout of surprise when she wrapped her arms around his neck, though he quickly wrapped an arm around her tiny waist.  
"Plenty," he retorted  to her question as she kissed him before slipping off into the water. There were many on the islands who could do the things he did.

Surprised, he rubbed where her lips had touched him for a  couple of seconds as he watched her have her fun in the water. He couldn't help but to smile at her bubbly nature and bent over some so that he could talk to her better.
"You're such a  child," he teased as he reached over to tap her on the  forehead.

Feeling the water streaming down her skin, Ewe stretched luxuriously. She smiled as Narron tapped and teased her, sticking her tongue out.

"It's fun this way!" she retorted, and paddled closer to him, reaching up to rest her arms on his knees.
"Think how strange it would be if I was all serious and sensible, like the mainland people. You wouldn't recognise me!"

She laughed merrily and took to tracing patterns on his skin, with the drips that rolled off her fingers. A moment later she looked up again, eyes a little concerned.

"And then you wouldn't like me!"

"Uhuh," Narron replied doubtfully, wrinkling his nose at the thought. It was true that he probably wouldn't recognize the young woman if she had completely shifted her character. Still, "serious and sensible" sounded an awfully like a description of the man, though he didn't think he acted like the main landers. He certainly wasn't strange.
Was he?

The man kept such thoughts to himself as he watched her trace the fiery patterns of his tattoos on his left side. Her cool  and light touch gave him ripples of pleasant  shivers with every swirl and spike she  traced. He smiled at her concerned question and simply placed a large hand over hers.
"I think you should stay yourself," he straightforwardly replied.
"If being serious and sensible becomes part of who you are, then that's okay," he continued as he gently pushed some of her stray hair behind her ear.
"I'll always like you."

Ewe smiled sweetly as her hand was covered by Narron's, in turn placing her other hand on top. Narron's reassurances made her relaxed and grateful, a warm feeling bubbling in her heart.

"Maybe if I ever give in and grow up. I suppose I'll have to, someday," she said light-heartedly. As he moved her hair she stood on tip-toes, her light body bobbing easily as she moved in towards his touch.

"You're so sweet, Narron... I'll always like you too." She stretched to replicate his movement, stroking back his thick fringe.

"You're one of my favourite people." She told him this quite unabashed, but found herself wondering as the strange, 'bubbly' feeling returned in her heart when she touched him.

OOC: you didn't really specify about the tattoos, so call me out if I'm wrong. Also, I thought they were sorta sitting down? But I guess I was wrong; it's cool :P

IC:

"Really?" Narron softly asked as Ewe moved in closer.
He smiled as she went on her toes  in the water to play with his hair and leaned forward  a little so that he could see her better. The man was almost afraid to speak; it was as if his breath was being cruelly snatched away with each passing word and touch.  Narron cupped her face with his hand as his thumb brushed against her lower lip and chin, his eyes seeming to take in every detail of her face, her curves, the tattoos on her skin.

Did she really mean that? One of her favorite people.  Narron didn't know if he would go as so far as to say that he had 'favorites', but Ewe was defiantly one of the few whom he held in a special place for in his heart.  There weren't many people he acted this way with, was open this way with, to whom he would share a "love heart" with. To have her return his sentiments, though he had said nothing, relieved and encouraged the man, in a way. Of course, she didn't say specify what she had meant by 'favorite', but he didn't think it mattered. It was as if a sun had been born in his belly, for those words enough filled his spirit with a sense of radiance and energy. Narron felt as if he could burst into flames at any moment.  

And so,  as his wings twitched and his feathers  rustling in the breeze, the man leaned in close and kissed her gently on the lips.

((You're fine with the tattoos, and whoops, sorry! I guess we're picturing the scene differently? If it helps, I was picturing something like this (//http://static4.depositphotos.com/1018174/458/i/950/depositphotos_4585050-Young-couple-kissing-in-a-swimming-pool.jpg)?))

 
Despite their growing closeness, Ewelani was taken off guard by Narron's soft kiss. As his lips touched hers she felt a tingling run over her body, as if the hair was standing on end. Her mind had barely registered the warmth that this sensation brought before she pulled back, eyes wide and cheeks flushed as she gazed at Narron.

"Oh! You..." she stammered over her words for a moment before giving up; lost for words, for once. She had kissed before, but only with friends and family, never with someone who had touched her so gently and looked at her so intently. She swallowed, suddenly aware of her heart beating fast in her chest.

"You kissed me," she said nonsensically. And she surprised herself, by reaching up to stroke his face, and let her lips meet his again.

OOC: whoops >< Yeah, that was the image in my head, but I thought you were thinking differently and I derped. I fixed my previous post though.

IC:

Narron panted slightly as he drew back, mainly because he had forgotten how to breathe. For the slightest bit of a moment, he was worried that he might have offended Ewe, his heart sinking a little as she looked at him in surprise.
Maybe I shouldn't have had kissed her, he thought, feeling foolish. He gulped in anxiety.
He gave an embarrassed laugh at her statement, drawing his hand back.
"Yeah, I-" he muttered as he dropped eye contact, when, all of a sudden, she reached out and kissed him.
Oh.

Narron grinned as their lips locked. He felt exuberant and carefree, so completely at bliss was he. A hand reached out for her hand and held it tightly as another reached for the back of Ewe's head, her beautiful hair slipping through his fingers. His heart was pumping fast, his blood pounding against his ears. After a while Narron reluctantly drew back to look at Ewe, than to look at his wings, then to look at the water. He didn't want to get his wings wet, but he was impatient. She was in the water and he wanted to join her and be able to kiss her better, right now. Carefully, he slipped into the water, which wasn't so high where Ewe was standing. His wings twitched as he shivered and gasped as he reached out for her tiny waist, the water cold against his skin.

"Hey," he bashfully said as he pressed his forehead against hers. His eyes stared deeply into hers, the sun's light twinkling in his eyes as his mouth expanded into a shy, but happy smile.

Ewe quirked her head to one side as Narron drew back to look around, wondering what he was going to do. She was dimly aware of disappointment, deep in her mind, that he had stopped kissing her. She had been taken by surprise by his  first kiss, but it had quickly started to feel so natural, so obvious, that she was amazed that it had never happened before.

"Hey." She smiled as he slipped into the water beside her. His hand felt warm against her skin where it had been chilled by the cool water. She let herself be pulled towards him, her hands resting on his shoulders.

"Won't your wings get wet?" She touched his feathers gently, her smile mirroring his.

OOC: I don't think making out is quite M rated, but i put it there just in case?

IC:

Narron shrugged at Ewe's question, enjoying the moment. The water felt warmer and more comfortable now that her body was close to his.
"A little," he admitted as he leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, before moving his way down her neck.
"Though when we leave here," he muttered between kisses, "I could take you any where else you want to go on the island. There's so many beautiful hidden places...."
He paused and brought his face back up so that he could look at Ewe properly, as if to question the validity of this statement. The man looked at her for a long moment before leaning in.
"But I think I like this one best," he whispered before kissing her on the lips, again. He was more passionate this time, hungrier as he pulled her in close, his hands moving along her lower back, holding tightly.

(Good idea! At least then we're covered)

Ewe giggled as Narron's lips moved down her neck, the soft touch of his lips sending her skin tingling.
"Mmm, can you get much more hidden than this?" She murmured , gazing over his shoulder at their pretty clearing. "This place feels like it's all ours."

She smiled as he straightened up to look at her, suddenly shy. That shyness melted away as he kissed her again and she moved in towards him. Her hands moved down his strong arms, feeling his muscles beneath her fingers.

Their own hidden place. He liked the sound of that.
Narron chuckled as Ewelani fiery returned his kiss, her touch electrifying his skin as they lightly brushed down his arms. He had been careful to slip the stone deep inside one of his pockets so that he wouldn't lose it. In turn to her touch, he clung onto the young woman tighter as his hands began to explore her curves and caress her hair. The man lost track of time as his body and spirit were surrendered to this moment , to this woman that he loved in a place that they could call their own.  Finally, after what seemed like both a passing moment and yet an eternity, he took his lips away from Ewe's and kissed her again on the neck as he smoothly hoisted her up by her hips and sat her down on the brick of the pool. He happily looked up at her before climbing out of the water himself and plopped himself right next to her as his feathers puffed out, again.

Panting slightly, Narron looked out to observe the captivating scenery that surrounded them before shyly turning towards Ewe, again.
"Beautiful," he couldn't help to say with a bashful chuckle.
 He didn't want to stop kissing her; if he had it his way, he probably would continue to do so until the sun came up the next morning. However, it was beginning to hurt touching her skin, let alone looking at her. He wanted her badly and could feel his hardened member press against his skin, but he kept such thoughts to himself. In any case, he preferred to keep things a slower pace than some of his peers, so he tried to distract himself with thoughts of the other places he could take Ewe. There were so many!

Narron hummed to himself one of the fire dancing songs as he playfully nudged Ewe on the side.
"I'm glad you came here with me," he shyly said. Though, after saying those words, Narron realized he probably should have been a bit more specific about what he meant; he didn't just mean it as a thank you, but rather as him being grateful for the entire afternoon.

Ewe could feel all of her muscles tensing as Narron's hands roamed over her skin, her own fingers trembling as she returned his touches. She had never felt so free with someone before, running her hands over every part of his body, feeling his powerful muscles under her fingertips. It brought on a feeling she had never experienced, one of desperation and hunger, and a very physical longing. She found herself pressing ever closer in to his embrace until he broke away and lifted her up.

Her breathing was shallow, her chest rising and falling rapidly as he climbed up to sit beside her. She shuddered with pleasure, unable to stop the spread of pleasure that was coursing through her veins.

"Me too...." she answered Narron breathily, beaming at him contentedly. "Let's stay here forever." Leaning over, she placed one warm hand on his leg and pressed her lips to his cheek, kissing him so delicately that it was almost teasing.

Narron moaned softly as Ewelani lightly kissed him. She was teasing him, and it wasn't fair.
He smiled at her playful antics and responded by dragging her over slightly and positioning himself so that he sat directly behind her. His arms folded around her waist as he sat her right between his legs, which were planted firmly into the ground.
"Forever is an awfully long time," he said, resting his chin on her shoulder.

The man stared out sleepily towards the pool, the breeze brushing against his skin. It was rather peaceful and he found his mind becoming blank as he submitted to this serenity. Narron hugged Ewe close as he sat there in silence for a few moments. Forever was an awfully long time and he knew she didn't mean it, surely not actually, but he was certainly starting to see its appeal.

Ewe let herself be pulled over closer to Narron, wriggling backwards so that her body was nestled close to his. She sat quietly for a moment, feeling his warm body pressing against her back as she contemplated his words. She had said her piece lightly, almost without thinking about it, but Narron's quiet seriousness had made her think. At first she had thought that he was concerned by her comment, but his calm state reassured her, and she felt herself relaxing as they sat in the warmth.

"Well, you know that time flies when you're having fun." She laughed a little as she spoke, leaning her head backwards onto his shoulder. Turning in towards him she kissed his neck softly, wriggling further backwards in his embrace.

Narron smiled at her statement as a warm and happy ache grew within him as he watched and felt her make herself comfortable.
"Then it's going too quickly," he replied as he craned his head a bit to kiss her on the lips before burrowing his face in her neck. She smelled sweetly and a little earthly, like of flowers and stone. It was pleasant and soothing and only made him long for her even more. Still, Narron couldn't help but to fret a little. He hoped he wasn't boring her with his rare conversation. Ewe was ever lively and much more outgoing than he ever hoped to be, after all. He made a humming noise as his arms shifted, moving from her waist to her shoulders as he began to rub them, rolling his thumbs in small circles.
"Is this okay?" he asked, making sure that she was all right with this.
If he couldn't entertain Ewelani with his words, than he could make her happy in other ways. At least, he hoped it did; he liked back rubs and found that lots of people seemed to enjoy them. Besides, it gave him an opportunity to keep touching and holding onto her. He found that, despite his previous reluctance, he didn't want to let go. Instead, he wanted any excuse to hold onto her, if not for just one more moment.

"Mm." Ewe stretched, pushing against Narron's fingers as he rubbed her back. The gentle pressure was nice, relaxing the muscles that were tense from swimming. "Yeah it's okay," she smiled lazily as she answered, letting her head roll forward to give him better access to her neck and shoulders.

"I like that, a lot."  As he kept massaging her she found herself pulling up and weaving tiny wildflowers, making a crown of them for something to do with her hands. Even when relaxed and happy, sitting still was never Ewelani's strong suit, and she was always fiddling with something.

OOC: Kind of to think about it, their bone structures (as people as part of a race) would be incredibly different... Children would either have to be born with a normal skeletal structure or have a completely different one to allow for wings (Like Narron). Food for thought (and I know, im rather obsessed with them lol)

IC:

Encouraged by Ewelani's responses, Narron smiled and continued to massage her neck and shoulders. He quickly got absorbed into his work as Ewe seemed to find something to do  with her fingers. Content, the man worked his way down her wingless back. He loved his wings and everything that they allowed him to do, but they also came with their own burden and disadvantages, as well. Not being able to get massages like these, not properly, was always something he was just a little jealous of. After a long while, when he was done, Narron  kissed the young woman  on her shoulder before standing up, as his legs were getting a little cramped from sitting down so long.

He looked down to admire her handiwork.
"May I see it?" he asked, holding out a hand as he stretched out his other arm.

((Yeah, I've thought about that before, it's interesting. I wonder if wings would be a genetic thing, rather than random?))

Lulled into a sense of relaxation by Narron's  massaging, Ewe answered slowly as he spoke to her. She stretched her back, marvelling at the comfort in her muscles. She had fallen into a happy daze as he had worked on her, reflecting back on the events of the day. It seemed so strange, that the day had begun so normally, and now, well, it had taken such a turn! She could never have predicted Narron's kisses or the passionate reaction she had had to them, but now it was all she could think about. What a change a few hours could make.

Instead of giving her creation to Narron, she took his outstretched hand and pulled herself up to stand before him. She held up the crown she had made, a pretty circlet of pink and yellow flowers woven together by their stems. It was delicate, the flowers themselves being the tiny blossoms that grew at the edge of the pool. Mischeivous, she lifted it and placed it on Narron's head, tugging it over his dark hair.

"It suits you." She grinned and patted the top of his head.

"Huh?"
Narron's eyebrows rose in confusion as Ewelani drew herself up and came in near him.  When he figured out what she was doing, he chuckled as he bent his head over to make it easier.
"Does it?" he skeptically asked before peering into the water at his image.
He wrinkled his nose in thought. In truth, it looked a little silly, a man like him with  a rather serious face wearing such a lighthearted thing. The pink color also clashed horribly with the red in his hair and the print on his upper torso, but there was something charming in its silliness.
"Mmm," Narron took it off and gently placed it on the young woman's head, taking extra care to adjust it properly.
"I don't know," he said rather thoughtfully as he plopped himself back down on the ground and laid down with his head in his arms.
"It looks prettier on you."

Ewe giggled as Narron examined his reflection. It was true that the pink colours didn't exactly suit him, but he looked so sweetly confused that she couldn't help but laugh.
"No, perhaps you need something a bit less flowery," she said thoughtfully, unable to switch off her creative mind. Nonetheless she let him place the circlet onto her head, fiddling with it absent-mindedly.

"Maybe I'll have to make you something manlier." She grinned and sat herself down next to him.
"Something that makes you look as strong and clever as you really are."

She reached out to his wings, delicately starting to comb through his feathers as she spoke.

Oh, bother. He really tipped her off, didn't he? Narron watched as that all too familiar spark of light in Ewelani's eyes as her mind tried to conjure up another creation. Her mind just never seemed to sit still. He smiled as she sat down next to him.
No, it never did, but that was good. Narron had a deep respect for those who were hardworking and threw themselves into their crafts. Ewe was one of these people.
"Clever?" he repeated as she sat down next to him, his head turning towards her as he reached out with another arm to  remove a stray petal from her hair.

"I don't really consider myself as such," he admitted, "It's hard for me to pick up the Common language, for example, even though some of the others can do it so easily, like Yaweli."
Yaweli was a fellow fisherman who never really caught as much fish as Narron, but he seemed to have a gift for foreign tongues. He even claimed that he was starting to  learn the tongue of the Thanatos sailors, though Narron didn't really know what that language was. He mused it was because either the sailors spoke to him in Common, or their speech was blurred out in the hum of the crowd.  His wings twitched as her hands stroked his feathers. It felt rather pleasant, though it tickled a little.

"Maybe not," Ewe nodded thoughtfully, thinking of Yaweli, who she knew only casually. It was true that he was supposed to be very gifted at languages. She knew Common pretty well herself, having lived for a time with a father from the mainland, but she tended only to speak it when alone with sailors or traders.

"But I think you are clever in other ways," she continued. "You are such a skilled fisherman, and your dancing is wonderful. And you work so hard to be good at them and pick up as much skill as you can. Not everyone is as dedicated to their passions as you are."

In a way, she was referring to herself, here. She had talents, but they seemed to come naturally and her overactive mind meant that she never really worked at building them. She had often admired Narron's quiet dedication and questioned her own apparent lack of it.

As she spoke and thought she continued with her smoothing of his feathers, stroking them into place gently.

Narron felt his face flush at Ewe's flattery. He was told that he was skilled at what he did many times before, but never quite like this.
"Thank you," Narron gratefully replied to her kind words.
He was quiet for a good moment, not knowing how to carry on the conversation as the girl's hands continued to play with his exposed feathers. It felt nice, though every once in a while he would twitch. As she did so, his eyes quietly watched her, as if asking politely if he could please read her mind. Finally, he let out a sigh as he drew himself up to his knees, facing her.

"I think they're dry enough, now," he said as he placed a hand on her knee.
"Do you want to go now or would you rather stay here for a while longer?" he asked this question quiet seriously, as if it was an important decision. In truth, he kind of wanted to spend just a while longer in this idle and quiet place with her.

Ewe had felt calmed as she groomed Narron's wings, her mind in a rare state of peace. She was still relaxed from his massage, and sitting here in the sun returning the favour was producing a soporific effect on her hyperactive mind.

She smiled fondly as he sat up and touched her, considering his question. Staying here did sound so attractive, in their private little hideaway.
"Let's stay here for a little longer."

She leaned forwards and placed her hands on his shoulders, kissing him softly.

Ewe's soft lips against his rather startled Narron.
"Okay," he murmured with a surprised grin on his face as his arms expertly found their way around her waist.
Her kiss was sweet and inviting, sending a shiver of pleasure down his spine. The man eagerly returned it with a quiet groan before he buried his face in the nape of her neck.
The man gave her a look that seemed to ache as he wrapped around the young woman even tighter.

"Ewe," he said in a pained voice as he kissed her gently on the neck.
"You're too much for me."
Even if she was or she wasn't, he wouldn't really have it any other way.
However, he felt conflicted. Narron wanted to tackle her to the ground and continue where they had left off. So what was preventing him? Of course he knew why.
Keep things at a slower pace, that's the way he was. No, he had told himself that before, but the truth was that was usually with others he didn't know so well; Ewe he had known and had been friends with since... forever. But maybe that was why, Narron thought as he tried to convince himself, that  he had to control himself.

Ewe sighed as Narron's arms slipped around her and he returned her kiss, welcoming the return of their physical contact. She tangled her fingers into his hair as they embraced and gave herself over to the electricity that ran through her as he turned his attention to her neck.

"Me?!" Ewe tried to sound shocked, but her words were belied by a giggle and the shiver that ran through her as Narron's soft lips touched her skin.
"You're the one who's all... " she paused, trying to concentrate. "All wonderful kisses and addictive touches." She closed her eyes dreamily, her body arched in towards him. "No, you are too much, Narron."

She opened her eyes and met his, a spark of daring lighting up her face. Taking his hands in hers she drew backwards slowly, unfolding from her kneeling position. She tugged him down towards her as she settled onto the soft grass before him. Long legs stretched out before her, she released Narron's hands and propped herself up, looking to see if he would follow her lead.

OOC: Another thing- wings probably add on a lot of the overall weight of aperson don't they?

IC:

Narron could feel his face grow hot at her seductive words.
"Oh," he said simply as his eyes widened a little as she laid herself down and pulled him on top of her. It hadn't crossed his mind that she had wanted this. Naturally, he propped himself up by his arms and knees so that he wasn't crushing her body under his. The man took in sharp breathes as he looked down at her. He looked at her longingly, and his body seemed to tremble slightly. Still, his eyebrows narrowed in conflict and the corners of his mouth pursed together.

"Are you sure, Ewe?" Narron asked quickly and quietly, "I love you; it's okay. You don't have to..."
The man's sentence lost it's trail as his mind felt blank and his mouth dry.

((Hum, I guess they would. On that note, I wonder if their bones would be less dense, to enable them to fly? Although if that were the case they'd probably be quite brittle... hmm. ))

Ewe face flushed as she lay beneath Narron, her eyes reflecting the lust that was surprising even her. Her breathing was heavy and ragged as she raised herself up to kiss him when his words trailed off. The taste of his lips, swollen from their kissing, served to assure her of her desire.

"I know I don't have to." She trailed a finger down his chest, touching him ever so lightly. "I want to." Her eyes were wide and sincere, a hint of pleading within them.

OOC: Feel free to black out or fast forward or not.. lol, whatever makes you comfortable. Also, I dunno haha

IC:

      Narron eagerly returned her kiss. In a way, he was surprised by her behavior; this was a side of Ewe that he had never seen before. The man knew that this was a turning point for them; things would never quite be the same after this. It both terrified and allured him as his brown eyes stared deeply into hers. His heart practically skipped a beat as she pulled away to speak. Ewelani had only uttered a few words, but those words and her gentle touch were enough for him to be persuaded and to cast aside his doubts. Narron shifted his weight a bit so that he was able to maintain his balance while he grasped onto her smaller and more delicate  hand.
"All right, then," he agreed before  leaning in to kiss her on the lips, again.

As he did so, Narron squeezed her hand a little before letting his roam across her body. He did so more boldly this time, as he caressed her breasts, her soft belly, and her hips. His hand strayed down towards Ewelani's right thigh as his lips  began to explore her body as well. They trailed a path straight down from her neck, to  just over her heart ,to her belly button, and finally to her left hip. He wanted to lay her with a thousand kisses, if he could. Narron shifted his body so that his face was now pressed against hers. As he smoothly rolled down her cotton shorts, he kissed Ewelani passionately on the lips as he murmured her name in her ear, as if to reassure her that everything would be okay before he entered her with a finger.

Ewe closed her eyes as Narron kissed her again, and sighed as his hands explored her body. Although she was nearly as tall as him, she suddenly felt very small and delicate in his arms, unsure of what was expected of her. She felt safe though, knowing that Narron would never hurt her or make her feel bad, whatever happened. As his lips drifted over her skin she let out a small moan, her skin tingling where they had touched her.

As Narron moved back up to her face, Ewe found herself clinging tightly to him, arms wrapped tightly around him. Her legs parted a little as he pushed away her shorts and she wriggled out of them smoothly. His next move took her by surprise though, and she gasped as his finger entered her. She felt the wave of pleasure rush through her as her muscles contracted around him and she clung closer, a single word on her lips.

"Narron."


OOC: It's completely up to you how you want to take it from here, I'm totally comfortable either way =)

Narron moaned at the mention of his name, gasping as Ewe's fingers dug into his skin. Under normal circumstances, it would have probably hurt, but now it only added to the intense sensation he was feeling. There was something in the way Ewe's body reacted, the way she moaned and reacted positively to his movements that was incredibly satisfying, yet it also turned him on even more. The way she called out his name didn't help much, either. Though she closed her eyes sometimes, his were always watching her face, taking in the moments as they came. As he slipped in a second finger, he began to whisper sweet nothings. Narron called out Ewelani's name and told her she was beautiful. Part of it was because of his own desire, but he found himself also doing it to continually reassure her, if not himself. It was strange how he felt nervous.

After a while when he wasn't able to bear it  much longer, Narron slowly pulled his fingers out, shiny and covered with some blood. He whipped them on his trousers before finally taking his pants and the cloth he wore underneath them off. He shivered in his nakedness and sat up, pulling the young woman into his lap. His eyes staring directly into hers as he removed the wreath of disarranged flowers from her head. Silently, his hands slid down to her hips as his member slipped inside of her.

----

Narron laid underneath Ewe, his arms around her waist as his face was buried in her neck. He was still nude, not having bothered to put his clothes on, yet. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched as the sun finished setting. His chest rose and fell as he panted, his body soaked with sweat and his shoulders still containing marks from where Ewe had accidently scratched him. His hair was mussed and the sharp smell of sex clung to him. The man couldn't wipe off the silly grin that was on his face as he gave Ewe a lazy kiss in the neck.

"I love you," Narron murmured sincerely as he played with  a strand of her hair. He would have said something else, but then his stomach growled loudly. The man couldn't' help but to give an embarrassed laugh as he shifted their weight so that she was beside him.
He scratched the  back of his head as he stared off into the sparkling pool.
"We ought to get you back home," he said, the light sparkling in his eye. Though he said that, he didn't want to take her back. He wanted to fall asleep and hold her in. But he was hungry, and it was getting late... Her moms might start to worry.

OOC: It feels kinda odd writing this while my roomie is blasting the christian music station xD

OOC: I can imagine xD But it was a very classy post!

Ewe lay atop Narron, still holding tight to his arms. She felt overwhelmed and drained, but calm, her mind quietly free from worry or concern. Her hair had come loose of its bunches and was tangled around her face, brushing against Narron's as she lay beside him. She was warm in the last rays of the sun, though her skin was cooling where it was covered in a soft sheen of sweat. Her breathing was slowing as they lay there, with Narron's arms tight around her, and she let her mind wander.

Their lovemaking had brought with it a host of new feelings and experiences. Her nerves had several times got the better of her and left her anxious, deferring to Narron's skill and apparent confidence. The pain had surprised her, dying down as quickly as it had flared and fading into an intense pleasure that had radiated throughout her body. Now that it was over she was unsure of her emotions, knowing only that she never wanted to leave this spot.

It was with a quiet moan that she allowed Narron to shift her to his side.
"I love you too," she murmured in return, kissing his shoulder. She sat up when he spoke again, examining the blood that streaked her thighs.

"I suppose we should... I wish we could stay here."

OOC: Thanks haha. Sorry if this one is so short. >< oh and five page mark woot lol

IC:

   Narron chuckled at Ewe's response.
"Yeah," he murmured as his eyes followed down to where she was looking at. In truth, he was a little daunted at the sight of the blood. He was honored to be Ewelani's first partner and was able to share this experience with  her on both romantic and physical levels. In a way, she had taken one step closer to becoming a Yoreiqi woman, not that she wasn't already. On the other hand, it was a little scary and nerve wracking. With a sigh, the man rose to his feet and grabbed hold of his pants and undergarments. Suddenly becoming aware of his nakedness, Narron turned around so that his back faced Ewe as he stretched out his arms, relieving his sore muscles. He covered his member with his undergarment as he turned around to hold out a hand towards Ewe.
"Let's go bathe, first," he suggested as he pointed towards the pool of shimmering waters.

OOC: Nothing wrong with a short post! And woo-hoo :D

Ewe stood up as Narron held out his hand, smiling as he covered himself up. She had never been shy and now, standing in the afterglow of intimacy, with someone she was so close to, her confidence was just as high as usual. So she stood up nude, not bothering to pick up her shorts, and stepped towards Narron. She was smiling happily as she stretched up to kiss his cheek and squeezed his hand briefly, before nodding in assent to his suggestion.

"Okay." She released his hand and crossed the few feet to the water, now slipping in rather than jumping or diving. She ducked her head under the water, soaking her hair, then just stood in the cool water as she waited for Narron to join her.

Narron smiled affectionately as Ewe rose and pecked him on the cheek. He watched in admiration as she slipped into the water before carefully walking in. Instead of going underwater like she did, Narron waded until the water came up to his knees, which was about where she stood.  
"I can't go in any further than this," he said apologetically as he hugged Ewe by the shoulders, "Not if you want to get back in time for dinner, and I'm hungry. "

He squeezed her gently at this last word before letting go of his embrace. Sex almost always made Narron famished, and this time wasn't any different than the others.  He supposed it was because as the elders say, "a happy man makes a hungry one." He stooped over to wash his face and splash water all over his chest. He looked up to the woman who now towered above him and smiled up at her. Narron reached out for her hips and kissed her on the belly before he rose to his full height.
"You can go swimming for a while, if you'd like," he suggested, a bit shyly.
He wasn't as confident as Ewe was. Nakedness didn't phase him and neither did people washing, but he didn't think very much of staring at them while they did it.

Ewe laughed at Narron's admission, squeezing him back as he hugged her.
"I'm hungry too." She stepped back when he released her and waded deeper into the water, until it reached just below her hips. She giggled as he kissed her belly, reaching down to ruffle his hair at the same time.

"Alright. I'll be quick," she promised as she turned away. Ducking under the surface was soothing. As she felt the cool water washing her body, rinsing away the heat and sweat of the day and their sex, she felt herself relax into her swim. Spiralling down to the bottom of the pool she opened her eyes, gazing through the water as she washed, only occasionally rising for air

It was a few minutes later that she pulled herself out of the water for the last time, lifting herself up onto the bank. Her hair was wet and free of tangles, hanging down around her shoulders, and she looked as fresh-faced as she had that morning. Although she pulled on her shorts, she found herself shivering as her skin dried in the evening air.

Narron didn't take his time in the water as idly as Ewelani did. As she turned away to do her own thing, he, too, washed away the sex and sweat that still clung to his body. The water felt refreshing, though cold against his skin. Once he was done, he pulled up his undergarments and shook the water out of his hair. Shivering, his body still wet, he  watched as the sun began to hide behind the yonder hills and trees. Narron caught a glimpse on occasion of Ewe's head popping out of the water every now and then, but tried to strictly pay attention to the sky line out of respect.

Narron wasn't completely dry by the time Ewe emerged from the water, but he never the less pulled up his trousers. He reached a hand into his pocket and pulled out the love stone she had graced him with, to make sure it was still there. It felt pleasant to the touch and the man shoved it back deep into his pocket, determined not to lose it. For the first time in hours, he stretched out his wings. The sudden movement made a loud noise as he gave them a warm up flap or two as he waited silently for Ewelani to finish getting dressed. The man made a face as he ran his hand through his damp hair. He really ought to have had tied it back... Narron took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The day had gone by far too quickly.

Narron turned towards Ewelani as he folded his arms across his chest, a thought suddenly occurring to him. He felt foolish for not asking it before.
"Ewe," he asked slowly, unsure of how to continue, "You're okay, are you? I didn't... hurt you too much, did I?"

"Hmm?" Ewe twisted round as Narron spoke, looking at him enquiringly. It took her a moment to realise what he was saying, but when she did she scrambled up from the bank. She picked up her sarong as she did, lifting it from where she had so carelessly dropped it that afternoon. She tied it around her waist quietly, contemplating the question before looking up at Narron.

"Oh, no, of course you didn't." She moved over and laid her hand on his bare chest gently. "I'm fine. You were... lovely. Perfect." She couldn't stop herself from smiling as she reassured him, flattered by his concern and keen to show him that she was okay.

"Oh. Good," Narron replied as his shoulders slumped in relief.
His face grew hot as he grew embarrassed by Ewe's compliment.
"Really, now?" he asked with a chuckle as his arms wrapped around her waist, firmly.
His wings shot out with a sudden noise and he began to flap them, getting a feel for the chilly evening breeze.
"All right, hold on tight," Narron warned the young woman for the second time that afternoon before he took off into the sky.

The island looked different in the light of the setting sun. The lights of the fires were brighter in the dark, their flames sparkling and beautiful, but as they were intensified, so was the shadows in the dense jungles. The island, after all, wasn't a wholly safe place; there still were beasts. Narron's eyes turned towards the harbor. It had seemed that during their afternoon, a couple of ships from the mainland were docked.
"Hey, Ewe. Look at that," he muttered in surprise.

"Really." Ewe smiled and lifted her arms for Narron to hold her, her own hands grasping his shoulders tightly. Cheek to cheek with him, she felt her feet leave the ground as Narron took off and held even more tightly, peeking down at the fast-shrinking clearing below them. She felt a shiver run through her as their pool was swallowed up by the shadows, becoming indistinguishable from the woods around it.

She was distracted by Narron's utterance and twisted around in his arms to look.
"Oh!" She felt her heart quicken at the sight of the ships.
"Ships from the mainland! Let's go!" she urged Narron breathlessly.

"Can we go?"

OOC: Omg, sorry for not posting in forever. this week is the week before finals so there's a lot of stuff to do. On top of social life stuff. Seriously, I'm never in my dorm now. -ahem- anyway, control the ship ppl as you wish.

IC:

Narron hesitated a moment before responding, his expression growing solemn. He didn't think it would be very wise to approach the ships by themselves. Though Narron knew his fair share of merchants and crews by this point, it was tough to determine such things from so high and so far a distance. Besides, some crews were rowdy and rude, which the man didn't much care for.
"Okay," he agreed, making a  mental note to keep the visit short.

As he began to fly down towards the harbor, Narron began to think. The sight of the ships excited him because it meant more opportunities to trade. In truth, it also made him a little embarrassed because he couldn't speak their language quite well. But Ewe was here with him, and  she knew more about their kind than he did.
I wonder when she'll finally make up her mind to go to the main land, he thought.
The idea was both thrilling and rather sad. It was such an adventure and honor to be able to venture out that far into the world; she was the only one he knew that had ever made such a journey. Narron was a little jealous. At the same time, however, imagining a Yoreiq without her was neigh impossible. She was just part of his own little world, after all.
Maybe one day I, too, will sail away, he mused.
However, Narron doubted as much. He liked it here, at home. Besides, judging by sailor's stories, walking around their cities with wings would be too much of a hassle.

His musing abruptly ended as they came in close to the harbor. Some of the sailors who saw them let out some cat calls or friendly waves and shouts of hello. Narron smiled in relief; he recognized this ship.
"I know these people," he said to Ewe, getting excited, "They carry a lot of foreign spices."

 It was one of the more friendlier lots from Serendipity, though their Cook, whom he traded with often, was sour faced and gruff. Still, Narron respected the man greatly because he took his work seriously. One of the more nicer dressed ones, clad in a green uniform with cropped short sky blue colored hair was shouting  over the noise down from the deck to the two of them as he waved, beckoning them to come on deck.
Narron didn't understand half of what he said, but he understood at least the command, so he  nodded at the invitation and settled a few feet away from him. The sailors clumsily scattered backwards to avoid getting hit by his giant wings.

The nicely dressed man came up to clap Narron on the shoulder and the two shook hands.
"Captain Quinn," Narron greeted in heavily accented Common, "It's a pleasure to have you here."
The Captain nodded and replied quite rapidly about the journey being faster than they expected due to the winds. He stood a little shorter than Ewe, though held himself with an air of great confidence.
"And what's your name, Miss? Do you speak Common? I don't believe I've met you before, and I know half the people on this Island," he said in Common as he held out his hands towards the young woman.

OOC: Oops, just to clarify, Ewe hasn't actually lived on the main continent, but had a 'father' who came over from there on an early ship, then went back. So she -wants- to visit, but never has... yet!

Seeing the ships rise up below them, Ewelani felt the familar tingle of excitment in her belly. The sight of those huge vessels always affected her in a way that she couldn't quite explain, though it kept her returning to the docks over and over again, hoping for a new arrival. She held tight to Narron as they descended, a strange sense of vertigo making her dizzy as she looked down. She couldn't stop though, trying hard to make out the insigna on the ship's flag. Was it one she had seen before? It was so hard to tell at this height...

But it didn't look like it, and Narron's excited recognition confirmed the disappointing fact. A spice ship? She had definitely never spoken to such traders before. Still, they looked like a friendly enough bunch, and she looked around keenly as her feet landed on the rough wooden deck.

Some of the sailors looked curiously at Ewe as she broke apart from Narron and gazed around, one heavily bearded man muttering a comment to his companion as they surveyed her. Her natural inclination to enquire, though, was curtailed by Narron's starting to speak. Ewe looked around in amusement, never having heard him speak in Common before. Indeed, she hadn't even known that he could.

"My name is Ewelani," she responded as the Captain adressed her, placing her hands in his outstreched ones. Having learnt at a young age, she spoke Common well, though with an oddly formal register, and with an accent more commonly found on the mainland. "No, Captain, I don't think we have met - although I spend half my life in the port." She smiled. "It's a pleasure."

Narron watched as the Captain beamed and nodded at Ewe's language skills, fascinated by the young woman before him. It was clear wasn't used to the islanders here to speak Common this fluently, and it was rather a relief. Actually, Narron was quite impressed himself, almost jealous. He had been living at the port for quite a long time, as he did make his living here, but he never did achieve her level. Captain Quinn repeated how much it was a pleasure before looking anxiously back at his crew.
"You, there. Boy. Get Tyrin," he ordered before turning apologetically back towards the pair.
"Look, the truth is, we're in a bit of a fix," he explained, his tone suddenly turning  very solemn.
"Trouble," he added when he saw the confused look on Narron's face.

"Some of our men are injured, sick, or both," he continued, " That is why we were so eager to see a friendly face; we're in a desperate need of  help."
Narron frowned as he struggled to comprehend the Captain's words. He didn't quite understand most of them, but he got 'sick'. The fisherman observed the sailor's face. He was exhausted, that was for sure; upon closer inspection, his eyes were sunken, as if he hadn't slept in days. There was something else there, too, a newly harsh and grim look that most of the men seemed to share. Landing had certainly made most optimistic, but it was still present.
"Sick?" repeated Narron in his native tongue to Ewe, a little worried.

He didn't want to catch a foreign illness, nor did he want her to. The man's heart sank a little. Perhaps it had been a bad idea to land on deck? No, of course it wasn't; they needed help! Without meaning to, he found himself protectively standing closer to the woman.
"What happened?" he asked Quinn in Common.
The Captain motioned towards his cabin while extending a hand out towards Ewe.
"Not here," he replied.
"We can leave if you want to," Narron muttered in quick Yoreiqi to his companion.