Hazardous Portraiture

[Whim]

"Risky? Hardly," the boy gave a haughty reply. In moments the bird had shifted from enthusiastic to rational and doubtful. A bit of a killjoy. "I do feel much better now. I bet I could call forth a sabercat right here. Or even that hydra we saw, if you fancy!"

The boy held out the tome and began to sing a verse. As the spell went on Pension heard a ghostly howls resound throughout the jungle. Something was happening. A cacophony of chirps, snarls, and roars answered back...

[Ice]

Pension just looked at the boy as he spoke. Now this persona was no fighter. So he would not argue with the boy. He would just watch and observe him. " Okay I understand" he said softly. He then watched carefully as the boy started to cast his spell.

As he listened  he heard the calls of the jungle creatures. It was rather odd to him. Maybe the demon was wrong but he would find out in few moments. Then of course he would probably be proved wrong. That he was just tired was all.

[Whim]

Ewan and Pension sat in silence, hugging the warmth of the fire. No animals answered the summons.

"Told you it was just some nonsense!" the boy huffed, kicking a stone into the firepit (and accidently scuffing dust and smoke toward the poor bird.) "Daemons are always trying to just get everyone riled. They the eat your feelings-- I mean, feed on emotion."

"If the deal worked like you asked. I'd have had the strength to make a giant sabercat my pet." The boy yawned and jammed several of the spiny fruits onto a long stick, beginning to roast them.

Still, the jungle continued to sing...

[Ice]

Pension was intently listing to the sounds around him. As an animal like creature it was almost calming to hear the sounds of the wild. Though he then heard the sound of his friends voice.

He listened to him talking. As the stone caused some dust to get in his face the bird sneezed a couple of times. Though he made no remark about it. " Well the good thing is that you were right. Sorry I doubted you." He said with a soft smile. As the darkness closed in he smiled . Maybe he truly was just tired. Stupid him for being paranoid like that.

Or was he really right after all?

[Whim]

Ewan pulled his stick from the fire and yanked one of the charred fruits off the stick, juggling it between his hands (it was far too hot). The boy thrust the stick in Pension's direction and ate his messily. "Whelp. You picked a good fruit to draw."

"And I don't know very much about phoenixes. Phoenices? Are they sapient or just big fiery beasts?" he mumbled between bites, rudely licking juice from his fingers.

On the very periphery of his far superior vision Pension might have seen the shadows move. Maybe it was just the fire? But a then a twig cracked! Or did it...? The boy noticed none of this, though he was not of a species so attuned to the movement of predators.

[Ice]

Pension could not help but laugh to himself when the boy juggled the very hot fruit.he was a bit more careful when he took his own fruit from him.  " I'm glad I did. Thank you for fixing it. " He said with a smile. He really did not mind the boys messy eating. Though he was a bit more mannered in his way of eating. The bird had seen worse eating habits though.

" Well phinoxes are birds of fire obviously. The can come back from Bing killed by rising from their our ashes. Some are sepiant others aren't. " He said softly to him. He too was enjoying his meal.

He then paused as a movement caught his sensitive eyes. There might have been something here. Hum well he wasn't going to say anything just yet. He would just watch and wait for whatever happened next.

[Whim]

"Those bits I've heard," Ewan blushed, wiping juice from his face. He used to be well mannered, anyway. "Was more wondering its going to try and incinerate us. Some birds can be territorial, you know."

And then a great shape leapt from the shadows toward the pair. It was a canine of some sort, thick and muscular, with thin fur and a wide snout. It landed on Ewan who screamed, "Help! OFF! Get it-" of course the wild dog was licking and tussling with the boy as it would a pack-mate.

[Ice]

Pension knew that other birds were territorial. He had been in a city that held other types of anthro creatures. They weren't that much different from animals. As he started to respond to the boy he saw whatever moved before leaping from the jungle.

He stood quickly when he saw it land on the boy. He was fully ready to defend him when he realized that it wasn't attacking him. It was licking the boy. Well that was really strange. " I think he wants to be your friend for some reason." Pension said in a very confused voice. He wasn't sure about what was going on right now.

[Whim]

The wild-dog fell back on its haunches, tongue lolling, and Ewan struggled to his feet. Packs of those were known to bring down sabercats and bigger. He was pale from the shock, and flecked spittle from his face with a sour expression. "Its the spell I cast; meant to command animals. I've not- I've not managed it in a long time."

"Might just be luck." The boy hesitantly extended a hang for the beast to sniff. He could feel its thoughts mingling his own, and catch occasional whiffs of scent. "...sit,"

[Ice]

Pension just watched both the boy and the dog creature. He heard what was said. It was then that his persona switched. He was back to his calm collected self. The one that the boy had first met. The bird had so many personas rattling around in his head that it was rare that he ever showed the same one twice in the same day.

" Probably is luck. Like you say before. Demons just feed on emotions. " He said to him. He then frowned. He did not quite believe his own words. The bird man knew that there was something going on here. he just decided to keep it to himself for now.

[Whim]

Ewan gave a nod and took a seat on the log beside Pension. "You want the first watch or the second? I suppose the dog could even help."

"Though the last time I made a friend with this spell I got him killed protecting me," the boy's voice grew sad. Though the bird had gone from cheery, to thoughtful, to analytical... hardly the best sympathetic ear.

The giant dog trotted after the boy obediently. He thrust its snout alarmingly close to Pension's face, snuffling loudly.

[Ice]

Pension thought for a brief second then looked back to the boy. " I'll take the first watch if you don't care. Hehe maybe it could." He said softly. He then heard what does was said to him. That made him kind of said. Even with his many personas he could still feel sorry for others.

" I'm sorry to hear that." He said softly. He would have patted the boy but he wasn't sure if that was appropriate. Or if the dog would let him.  Pension did not move when the dog got close to his face. He just allowed him to smell of him now.

[Whim]

"Just wake me when you're feeling sleepy." The boy gave Pension a smile and laid against his pack, using it as a make-shift pillow. The jungle was clammy and humid this time of year. The fire kept the chill at bay, though he felt filthy and over-exposed, "Wish we had a proper tent or something; haven't got a thing in the village not woven outta grass or animal skin."

The beat took a liking to the peafowl and went from curious sniffing to slobbering over the meticulously groomed artist, laying its head expectantly in Pension's lap.

"Hey! Off him!" Ewan snapped, though the dog didn't seem to listen. "Sorry. I'll try and break the spell..."

[Ice]

Pension smiled slightly. He wasn't real certain what he could do to make things more comfortable. He really had not brought much with him. Though being that he was mostly an animal he didn't feel much cold . His feathers kept him warm. " Okay I will. I wish we did too. I do have a couple of small blankets in my pack if you would like to use them. I don't get cold myself. At least not very often." He said to the boy softly.

He turned his attention to the beast who was now slobbering all over him. While it really didn't bother him he did kind of nervously laugh. " Heh it seemed he's friendly. There's no need to be sorry. " Pension said gently putting him hand on the dogs head. He did not mind overly friendly animals. It did not bother him much.

[Whim]

Ewan cracked a rueful smile. "Well he smells awful and I don't fancy being coated in slobber myself." And the stupid thing was compelled to be loyal; he'd hate to have it die protecting them...

His eyes lit up at Pension's offer, greedily accepting the blanket. "Thanks! And uh, you sure you don't mind? Both the blanket and first watch that is." Wrapping himself in the garment he laid back down, eyes drifting from the crackling fire to the misty skies above. The wild dog settled in as well, collapsing around Pension's feet. Was it affectionate or merely enthralled? The latter made it seem less cute.

The boy yawned, "So you've been all over Le'ranna right? What else have you seen and painted?"

[Ice]

Pension kind of smiled at the boy. " Your right about the smell. My father's dogs were big on licking others. By the way if you want to break the spell you can.  " He said to him with a slight laugh. h e would not want the dog to get hurt either.

" Your welcome. I don't mind at all." He said softly. The sound of something moving not far away made him kind of glance at the jungle ahead of them. He listing very carefully. Whatever it was it was growling in the distance. It made the bird feel kind of tense. Though he knew that he should probably just listen for the moment.

He glance at the boy when he asked his question. " Yeah I have been to quite a few places. I have painted many things. Trolls and some other creatures were hard but I managed. " He said with a smile.

[Whim]

(Sorry for the delay. Had some personal stuff to tend to and one thing just lead to another. I'll be posting more consistently now!)

"How'd you sketch a troll without being eaten? Don't look like the type to go around thrashing monsters into submission. No offense."

The boy stifled a yawn, sleep setting in as he listened to the bird. "...I'll shoo him off tomorrow..." He was feeling very lazy after the long day's hike. Ewan tuned out the growling in the distance. The dog, however, like Pension grew tense from whatever stirred in the jungle...

[Ice]

(( It's alright. I understand.))

Pension smiled at the boys question now. "Well to be honest I hid and did it while he was sleeping. After all I could really get away without waking him up. " He said softly. Though pension did have to Waite quite a while for the troll to get up and move away from him. But he was a patient bird most of the time. At least this persona was.

He continued to listing to the growling. It was a low rumbling sound that seemed to vibrate the very air. It was a sound that he had never heard before. " Sounds good to me." He said to the boy with a slight smile on his face now.

[Whim]

Ewan drifted to sleep as Pension told tales of the various beasts and monster he'd drawn. Not to say they weren't fun stories, of course, that his particular incarnation of the bird was not particularly animated! that and the day was long. And so the peafowl and dog were left sitting in silence by the fire, which waned in the cool mist.

That's when they heard. A loud stomp. A loud stomp followed by the sound of branches parting, and birds fleeing, as something very big came their way from the north. It let forth a low bellow like a crocodile.

Ewan's spell had definitely called more than a friendly dog to keep watch.

[Ice]

Pension stopped talking when He noticed that the boy was sleeping . He frown as he soon heard the crashing sound of the creature approaching. He stood up when he heard the loud growl. He was ready to defend them if he had to.

That's when his other persona took over. This was a darker more sinister persona . One who was a loner who hated dealing with others. Though he knew it would not be wise to leave his guide to be eaten.  So he chose to stand there and awaits whatever was conning for them.