The Memories that Haunt You and Me

Draconian · January 14, 2016, 11:51:00 PM

Raizel stared at him for a few moments before she looked away, keeping her face straight though there was the faintest blush on her cheeks before she moved her hand down to drop the feather on the ground. "I... No. It's alright," She smiled and rubbed her throat, though she gazed down at the feather before she gathered her things and shoved them into the bag.

"It should only be a few hours before we get to town," A purse of her lips and she stared at Cadmus, "Are you more comfortable as a human? We won't be around anyone for a while longer if you're... More comfortable as a..." A tilt of her head to mimic his bird like head tilt, "Bird-Cat." She finished lamely, unable to recall what exactly he said he was.

Rhindeer · January 15, 2016, 12:15:33 AM

Cadmus watched the feather flutter to the ground, and felt a small pang of guilt. Maybe...he should have kept that thought to himself? Ugh. He was only teasing, but he'd learned on more than one occasion that his teasing could fall rather...flat. Maybe he'd embarrassed her?

For some reason?

Humans! They were so complicated and hard to read!

He adjusted the cloak around him, glancing down to make sure nothing was exposed when he noticed her staring at him before looking back up at her. "Both forms feel the same," he said, and then frowned and furrowed his brow. "Well...sort of. One is furrier and has extra parts. But they both feel the same in that they're both...me? If that makes sense." He blinked, then decided to try to simplify! "I'm comfortable in both, I mean. Human and gryphon."

...Just to sort of subtly correct her there. Cough.

He rubbed at his head again, unable to keep from just poking at the sore spot even though he shouldn't. "If I was feeling stabler, I could get us there quicker by air..." he mused aloud, still tapping lightly at the bump.

Draconian · January 15, 2016, 12:32:24 AM

"I don't want you to push yourself," Raizel started trying to offer him a friendly smile. "Either way, the sooner we start moving the sooner we can get you dressed and on your way." Clearing her throat she reached up to examine his head with her fingers. "So," she started, beginning to walk towards the little town.

"You're a handsome man. Does that mean you're also a handsome gryphon?"

Rhindeer · January 15, 2016, 01:20:24 AM

...Eh?

That made Cadmus blink several times in surprise, his shoulders jerking as though startled. Maybe it was a silly thing, to feel flustered over such a comment. He knew he wasn't hard on the eyes, and he'd rolled in the hay plenty! But the only people that really just came out and said that were people trying to get in his pants--or people whose pants he was already inside.

The company he kept wasn't exactly usual, either, he supposed, so...was she being intentionally flirty or...?

He tried not to think about the way her fingers tingled against his scalp, or that he loved having his hair played with--in both forms.

"I...suppose that would be the word for it, yes..." he said, trying to keep a straight face even though he kind of wanted to butt his head against her hand and purr. "A viable mate, with good qualities for offspring, yes. Er..."

Why was this more awkward in human form than gryphon? Probably because his range for facial expressions was more limited as a "cat-bird", and right now he was fighting to control that. With a soft clearing of his throat, he gently grabbed her wrist to stop her. "You saw me as a gryphon. What did you think?"

Draconian · January 15, 2016, 10:35:47 AM

Raizel barked out a laugh. Viable traits for offspring. Well, she supposed he wasn't wrong. Still, the wording was hilarious and she just grinned at him for a moment before he pulled her hand away. She hadn't even noticed she'd kept playing with his hair. Her hand dropped to her side and she muttered a quick apology having the good graces to blush slightly and push her hand through her hair.

"I'm sure you'll father handsome bird-cats someday," she stated dead pan, kicking at a rock before smoothing the front of her shirt down. "Nice black feathers and... A wing span... To match your own." Or something. Clearing her throat she smiled and rolled her shoulders. "So. What do you do for a living?"

Rhindeer · January 15, 2016, 10:54:20 AM

Cadmus snorted at her...compliment? He thought that's what that was, at least, and wondered which one of them was the awkward one here, because it was becoming difficult to tell! But he supposed that's what happened when you tried to explain the ways of your species to another.

It always sounded weird.

"Ahh, well, I'm not in a hurry in that regard," he said. "Especially with my job. I'm a--"

He froze, mouth still open with the words he'd nearly spoken, before his brain caught up with his mouth and sent danger signals blaring. Riiiiight! Maybe his head was more addled than he thought--or he'd gotten way too comfortable with her--because if she knew he was in cahoots with those guys she'd cut down?

"A..." Shit.

"I'm in between jobs."

Nailed it!

Draconian · January 15, 2016, 10:59:07 AM

"Yeah. No making babies when you can't take care of yourself." She gave him a look, followed by a smirk before Raizel flexed her hands and continued along. Though she gave him a look over, examining his features and simply... Looking.

"So. If you're actually a gryphon, if you got a human pregnant would she give birth to a human baby or a strange chicken-beast with claws?" The tone was amusement but she cast him a look, as if trying to get under his skin.

Rhindeer · January 15, 2016, 11:10:20 AM

Cadmus came to a stop at that question, as Raizel made him think about things he...had thought about before, but hadn't really been in a hurry to test out.

"I...don't actually know," he admitted, brow furrowed before he started to walk again, falling in beside her. "I don't...think so? I don't think it would be anything like that. When I'm human, I'm human. It's...not...it wouldn't be like..." He cleared his throat, his cheeks darkening despite himself, dammit.

"If you're implying what humans called bestiality...?"

Draconian · January 15, 2016, 12:22:41 PM

A grin.

Raizel smiled at him, pleased with herself to get him so flustered.

"Maybe," a tilt of her head to look at him, a sly grin on her face. "I'm just trying to fill the silence. Feel free to change the subject from your..." She eyed him up and down, giving his feet a look, "strange... Ness." Not that she could really talk, but he didn't need to know that.

"So. How does a man that turns into a giant scary Lion-Eagle get himself into so much trouble?" A smile over her shoulder, "did you let your guard down?"

Rhindeer · January 15, 2016, 12:48:21 PM

"Gryphon," Cadmus corrected yet again, passing a hand over his face as though he could wipe away his blush. At least they'd moved on from that subject! It was awkward. And it wasn't the first time he'd had to field this sort of question!

At least she wasn't one of the strange ones, the ones that actually seemed interested in...doing things...when he was a gryphon. Yeesh.

"And you could say that, yes," he said, realizing he still hadn't come up with a cover story, because he was a terrible liar, especially around someone who had saved his life. It felt wrong--odd, considering the jobs he picked up. He looked over at her. "Ah, but we've been talking an awfully lot about me. What about you? What brought you all the way out here, so far from human towns?"

Draconian · January 15, 2016, 01:55:44 PM

A smile. Raizel gave a little smile when he corrected her again, getting perhaps a little too much enjoyment out of annoying him with the wrong name of what he was. Still she went quiet and sobered up quickly enough when he asked his own question about her.

Too bad he wasn't so self absorbed to notice she kept all the attention on him.

"I was looking for something," she said quietly, tucking some of her hair behind her ear. "I didn't find it, but I found you and I've always been a sucker for damsels in distress." There was a pause and she rubbed her arm, "besides, crowds make me nervous. I prefer bears and moose over crowds."

Rhindeer · January 17, 2016, 09:48:57 PM

Damsels in distress? Cadmus lifted his eyebrows at her, an amused tilt to the corners of his mouth, because that was the first time he'd been called a damsel. First time he'd been rescued, actually. With an amused little snort, he scratched at the side of his neck, along part of the raised scar stretching across his throat.

"Ahh. Not much of an extrovert, then?" he asked. "I understand that. Cities are...suffocating." Too many bodies and smells and sounds and sights. It got overstimulating fast, and he still felt awkward, like he didn't fit in. He apparently had no issues blending in when he visited, but he'd never had issues faking confidence even when he felt insecure. Like any animal, you hid your weaknesses, your injuries, and bluffed like hell.

With a little shrug of his shoulders, he glanced around the area. "What were you looking for, if you don't mind my asking? I may have seen something in my travels."

Draconian · January 17, 2016, 10:19:49 PM

What was she looking for?

A long look at Cadmus and she wanted to say something snarky and clever like 'not a new friend,' but she couldn't deny she enjoyed his company. It was almost annoying how not annoying she found him. "I don't know," she stated simply. A truth. "I just..." Raizel looked up at the sky, then back at Cadmus and shrugged, "I know I'm missing something. And I know I'll know it when I see it... Y'know?" A brief glance behind her, to the feather she'd dropped so he'd stop looking at her funny.

Clearing her throat she flashed Cadmus a cocky grin, "I'm good at clearing a crowd though. That old cliche of 'tall dark hooded figure that's obviously carrying a sword.' All I'm missing is a pair of wings in my back and I'd make some sort of fancy angel of death."

Rhindeer · February 01, 2016, 10:04:54 AM

"Considering how you handled those men, I think you've got 'angel of death' already covered," Cadmus with a wry smile.

"You'll just have to work on being ominously vague and cryptic--ah!"

He staggered in mid-step and braced a hand against a tree so he could lift his foot and pick out the sticker that had jabbed its way into the fleshy part between his toes. Wrinkling his nose, he flicked it away and massaged the space, then set his foot back down gingerly. Damn soft human body. Wy couldn't humans have tough pads on their feet, too?

"Is it much farther?" he asked, and would have shifted if he had the energy to do so. He didn't want to complain, but...

Well, his feet bloody well hurt.

Draconian · February 01, 2016, 12:52:07 PM

It felt nice that he wasn't afraid of her, she supposed.

Then he had to and step on a prickle and Raizel got worried and hovered over him, frowning at him the whole time. "I offered you boots," she did, hadn't she? Probably. Maybe. A brief glance forward and she tried to look hopeful but then at his feet.

"Uh... I think so? You'll know we're almost there when you start to hear horses."

Rhindeer · February 01, 2016, 12:55:22 PM

"Did you?" Cadmus asked with a raised eyebrow before looking down at her feet.

"I don't think I'd fit in anything of yours..."

Draconian · February 01, 2016, 12:58:14 PM

"Maybe I just thought I did," Raizel cleared her throat and looked down at his feet, frowning at them, "And then didn't 'cause your feet are bigger than mine." Licking her teeth she looked back at him and sort of shrugged, "Just... Watch where you're going. We'll be in town in no time and you'll have pants and food and a bed." A nod, "Maybe see a doctor for that head, unless your turning into a bird-cat comes with some special healing powers."

Rhindeer · February 01, 2016, 01:44:49 PM

That got a snort out of Cadmus.

"Ah, if only it were that convenient," he said, and let out a low huff. He poked again at the sore spot on his scalp and grimaced. "I should be fine, though. No sense wasting coin when the doctor will only tell me what I already know: rest and take it easy."

But he shifted his eyes away as he said it, because he knew he probably should at least have someone look it over in case it were more serious--but he hated doctors. Hated being poked and prodded and fussed over and examined. But he wasn't about to admit that out loud.

He cursed as he stepped on a sharp stone, and quickly focused on the ground again to watch his step. "I intend to repay you, by the way," he said.

Draconian · February 01, 2016, 02:10:35 PM

Raizel frowned slightly, fluffing her hair and giving him a look when he stepped on something again.

"Repay me?" A sly look over her shoulder, "how do you plan on doing that?" A brief look at his legs and then at his face, "with your body?"

Rhindeer · February 01, 2016, 02:18:31 PM

"PFFFF!"

That was the sound Cadmus made as he just about choked on air, his face going dark with a blush before he hid it via facepalm. Still his shoulders shook silently with repressed, disbelieving laughter that he fought hard to control as he shook his head. Wow. She was really good at that. Really good at carrying on a totally normal conversation and then just throwing stuff like that right into the mix as soon as he'd let his guard down. That had to be a gift.

...Hm.

Slowly, he slid his hand off his face and returned her look with a sidelong one, eyes hooded. "If that's what you'd like," he said. Deadpan.