No Sun in Winter

Lion · January 15, 2015, 10:47:50 PM

After the smoke cleared and the survivors had been pulled from the flames, the people that survived sobbed at their loss. Not only of the homes that were gone, but also from the people that never made it out. Theon stood there, watching the ashes, Lohengrin at his side, before he moved on to help heal the people that needed it. He looked at Ninn. "Will you help me tend to the survivors? The homes that did not burn can house them before the falling night, but their wounds could fester and rot."

visualspice · January 15, 2015, 10:52:24 PM

Nijn gave a nod.
"Of course," she answered, as if there was no questions about it. "I can help well enough, even without the blessing to heal."

Lion · January 15, 2015, 11:01:52 PM

He couldn't help it. He felt himself smile and he nodded to her, a respectful nod and set to work. Jouzan gathered herbs found in the nearby woods. They worked tirelessly, helping heal the burns and mend minor wounds that could heal themselves until the sky began to darken.

When the light faded away and the shelter was shared between the survivors, Theon sat in his room, one of the small buildings that remained standing, and put more kindling into the fire. "Do you know what hunted them?" he asked Ninn. "Who was that that set the fire? It seemed a person did it not?"

visualspice · January 15, 2015, 11:13:56 PM

Ninn sat quietly beside the crackling fire, her.muscles sore and her clothing soaked beneath her coat, in which she shed. She'd been lifting and moving people for the last many an hour, helping those get to shelters who had not the strength to stand. So after a moment of enjoying the coat.being discarded and a good long drink of waters she turned to him and said, "that I do not know. I haven't been here.long, but what did this today did not seem like the beasts I hunt. It's.something different... Something.. more."

Lion · January 15, 2015, 11:18:49 PM

"Something that hunts you," Theon said, looking up at her. "It sent someone off as a distraction. What we chased through the trees, perhaps was a diversion. Perhaps it thought you were in the village. I don't think you interact with people very much, but...perhaps you rubbed someone the wrong way. And I don't think they care who gets hurt in the middle. Do you know how those fire creatures you hunt came to be?"

visualspice · January 16, 2015, 12:06:41 AM

Ninn stared at him for a moment, digesting what he said but only commenting on the one part.
"If I knew that, I wouldn't be here. I've been chasing them for as long as I can remember."

Lion · January 16, 2015, 12:13:32 AM

"Well, that doesn't help anyone. You continue to chase them, you will always be chased in turn," he said and sipped the mug of hot chocolate before him. Rations were scarce, but the people of the village, it seems, had enough to scrounge at least that for him.

"Let me help you, Ninn. I can help you track this man down. If I can make one small difference... If what I see can be changed, I will..." He paused then, wondering if he even believed his own visions were real. He looked at his drink. "I want to help."

visualspice · January 16, 2015, 12:17:20 AM

Ninn raised a brow at him.
"Are you trying to make this your problem?"

Lion · January 16, 2015, 10:51:30 AM

He cut her a look, frowning. "Perhaps it isn't my problem, but look what happened today. It's clear this affects more than you. It wasn't their problem either. I'm already involved. Let me help you. I'm a wanderer here, I have nothing to lose."

"It's true," Jouzan said, fluttering down and walking beside Ninn. "We've been here for months with no direction. It's something at least."

visualspice · January 18, 2015, 11:13:28 PM

Ninn was about to answer his question when she jumped nearly ten feet into the air (or so it felt like it!) when the bird talked as she whirled around to face it and stood defensively.
"What is this!? A talking bird!?"

Lion · January 18, 2015, 11:28:38 PM

Jouzan cawed a laugh and looked at Theon, ruffling his feathers. "I am bird, yes. And you are intelligent enough to understand my speech. Is it really so surprising?" he said and hobbled over beside her. He pecked at her hip. "But you are in one piece, and that, really, is the surprising thing."

Theon shook his head and waved the bird away. "Nevermind him." He sighed. "But he is right. I've been wandering the tundra for many months. I have no direction. This at least, is some purpose."

visualspice · January 18, 2015, 11:37:34 PM

Ninn steeled herself after digesting over what the bird was and glared at Theon.
"You have chosen strangely a purpose. But never the less, help for this sort of chaos is welcome."

Lion · January 18, 2015, 11:50:32 PM

Theon couldn't help it. A boyish grin took him. He didn't question it however. "Good. I am glad," he said with a nod. He fell silent for a moment. "Would you like some more chocolate?'

visualspice · January 22, 2015, 07:49:25 AM

Ninn looked at him funny before shaking her head.
"No purpose... Yet you chose Hyoite?" And despite asking Theon, she gave a skeptical glare at his bird.

Lion · January 22, 2015, 12:04:17 PM

Jouzan returned her skeptical glare and ruffled his feathers again to settle by the warmth of the fire. "Few men choose where the wind takes theM," came Theon's reply as he served Ninn a cup of hot chocolate never the less.

He set it before her, taking a seat beside her. "The first memory I have is waking up on a ship, sailing toward this very continent. There was a man beside me, but he turned into water and melted away.... I don't remember anything before that. I've been wandering ever since I made it to shore, trying to find some reason I came here...or who I am. I suppose it's been so long with no answers, it makes little difference where I point my north now."

visualspice · January 22, 2015, 12:17:08 PM

Ninn wasn't sure how to take that information. Perhaps he was crazy, perhaps not, either way, his intentions were not foul and with a nod, she said to him, "Very well. Perhaps your fate lies in another North."

ANd she took the hot chocolate and sipped it lightly. Not used to such sweet things, she took her time on it and studied him in silence.

"So you remember nothing? Not where you're from... what about your name? Or that bird of yours?"

Lion · January 22, 2015, 12:44:51 PM

"I don't know my name because I remember it," he said with a grin and sipped his own chocolate. "I only know it because people addressed me as such. I don't know where I am from. I know that the ship is across the sea, a land very far away." He returned her studying glances. "Maybe my lack of memories is just a clean slate, to make new memories. But I remain skeptical."

visualspice · January 22, 2015, 12:46:52 PM

Ninn gave him a scrutinizing look.
"Who called you this name.... 'Theon'?"

Lion · January 22, 2015, 12:57:13 PM

"The crew. People spoke to me as if they knew me. When I came to shore, it was a whole different world. I was a stranger in a strange land. I still am. But I've learned to make friends where I may, make acquaintances, connections in some way that could help me. Jouzan is my guide, my eyes in the sky, as he is fond of saying. But he's as lost as I am, unfortunately. He busies himself with getting fatter and fatter!"

Jouzan gave him a derisive look however and cawed indignantly.

visualspice · January 22, 2015, 01:00:58 PM

The woman looked from man to bird.
"Seems like you could take a lesson from Jouzan. It looks like you could afford some extra meat on your bones. The tundra does not take kindly to those with inadequate physiques."