The Patter of Tiny Feet

[Faith Augustin]

19th Zi'da 716

"I have to go back to camp", she announced as they started to make their way to gather some herbs and fungus for her, and possible alchemical reagents for him. She stood, stock still and looked down in apparent total seriousness "I forgot my high heels." She smiled at him in pleasure at what she considered to be a highly funny joke and slipped her arm into his. "Make sure you don't get cold. It's nippy out. I suppose that will make things harder to find." But it was beautiful, too, there was no doubting it and Faith pulled herself close to him and leaned her head against his shoulder. "But it will be nice to get out of camp, just for a short while. Just us." That was good, important and needed as far as she was concerned. He'd been tense since the situation with Sintih (who had dropped the right to 'Mister' the moment he posed a threat to Padraig) and it would be good for the two of them to just be alone for a short while. Even if it was rummaging in the snow for apparently random things, she thought with a smile.

"What sort of things are we expecting to look out for?" Her expression was more relaxed, as was her stance and everything about her, really, than it had been since they left. "I'd like to look for some herbs. I know it sounds strange, but things that can survive in these temperatures are often the most tasty." She grinned and bumped her arm against him. "Besides, it's nice. Even if we don't find anything, it's nice, isn't it?" Arm in arm, she was quite content to wander (as long as she was clear which way the camp was!) and every now and then she picked an apparently random tree (it was) and knelt next to it, scraping away the snow, looking for fungus, bugs and other interesting things.

"Lots of people have died here", it didn't seem to strike her as a morbid subject, Faith just spoke it matter of factly and looked around "A lot of them haven't moved on. Something over there, I think. They each have a... like a weight or an anchor that holds them down to this world. There are a lot of them over there. But some here too." Lifting her free hand she gently touched the face of the man in front of her. Of course, he wasn't there as far as Padraig was concerned and she appeared to make a stroking motion in mid air. "I'm starting to learn about them more. There's a lot of them here, Padraig. Something happened, I think. Shall we go look?" If it was in any way morbid, she blatantly had no idea whatsoever and instead just found the whole idea fascinating.

And then, there was that ever so slight mewling noise, like the weak wail of a newborn baby. Faith looked at Padraig and her expression changed to one of concern. "Did you hear that? It sounded like a baby. Elsie sounds like that when she's so tired that she needs to have been asleep a break ago, but she refuses to give in. Whatever happened might have been recent. There might be survivors. We should...", she looked at him and tried to gauge his reaction to the prospect of rescuing a newborn from a massacre. That would be intense, Faith considered, but if there was a tiny person there, they had to help. "We should go see?"

Mod Note

In this thread Faith is using the ability "See the Dead" from her Zuuda Blessing. It is the sixth ability in "Favored" and allows the following:

► Show Spoiler

This ability can be a mixed one for the novice Zuuda. When a Zuuda unlocks this power, their eyes open to the spirits of the dead and those the dead have touched around them, permanently. Many souls choose not to go with Vri at the end of their lives, remaining on Idalos to languish and grow Empty, or rail against their fate. A Zuuda can see all these unquiet spirit at all times. While this ability does not allow the Zuuda to touch or interact with ectoplasm, the dead do know when they are being observed and often surround a Zuuda begging for help or assistance in finishing whatever unfinished designs they’ve left incomplete. This can be an aggravating reality for a Zuuda who can only escape the dead by moving themselves out of the range of their Anchor. Most dead Anchor to only one item, place, or person. It is only the Wisp that truly defies this law with three anchors. A Zuuda can immediately identify anchors at sight, noting the corona of ectoplasm that often crown such things. Additionally, a Zuuda needs no candle to see in the darkness. The abyss holds no terror for them. A Zuuda gains complete sight in the darkness with this ability.

Faith is still learning about this ability. Obviously (in case I forget or don't post this for review) I'd appreciate knowledges in it, if it's appropriate to gain them in the Reviewer's opinion.

[Padraig]

It amazed him that Faith could find a place of teasing, of lightheartedness, near a camp armed for an upcoming battle and after the events of the past several trials. But it pleased him that she was so resilient, even if she didn't tend to give herself credit for it. In spite of the fact that Padraig's overall mood had been better, far better, he grinned a little. "Those shoes did tend to add an element of danger to the outing, didn't they?" he said when she slipped her arm through his. "I'm plenty warm, and so are you."

He didn't have to ask, he knew she was warm enough. Since the visit from the Immortal Famula, she'd developed a sudden knack for it. Among other things. "It is." Nice to get out of the camp, away from the others, he meant. Though he was just as watchful of her out here as he had been back at camp, he was more relaxed here out in the open. He'd been content to let her do her work while watching, but with so many others milling around her, it wasn't easy.

So what were they looking for then? Herbs would be nice. Mushrooms, moss. Though he wasn't interested in them for cooking. Poisons, chemistry, alchemy maybe.

He frowned thoughtfully though when she mentioned the dead, their presence, their number, and reached out to touch something that he didn't see. Padraig had never dismissed the spirit world. He'd only prefer that that the spirits minded their thing, while he minded his. If he was honest, this newfound ability of hers unnerved him a little, even if she didn't seem bothered. In fact she seemed to simply accept it as, well, what it was. But from the moment she'd told him about the one standing in the corner of their room back at the inn, and he'd begun to wonder how long she'd been there and had she been watching them through the night? Well, it was going to take some getting used to was all.

If there were more where she was wanting to look? He was torn, really. But then what she heard, he also did. Sure enough, it sounded like a crying baby. Not that he had any experience with them. But he'd heard and seen them often enough. Their mothers brought them into the apothecary with runny noses and fevers. Many of them wailed. But in spite of his usual awkwardness regarding the topic of children, he could no more leave an abandoned or orphaned one to the mercy of the elements than Faith could. "Yes," he said. "Let's go look."

[Faith Augustin]

"I hated them." It was no surprise, he was well aware of her feelings towards said footwear. "I had to practice at walking on them, too. Honestly, women's fashion was created by disillusioned but incredibly skilled torturers who decided that the usual techniques just aren't sadistic enough and they needed something really vile. So they invented eight inch heels and corsets." She stopped and looked at him then, standing still and gazing up at him with an intense and earnest expression and very genuine delight in her eyes. "This, all of this? This even at it's worst is better, isn't it? I mean. I know it's difficult and you're tired because you're pretending to sleep again, which is fooling no one, so we might as well stay awake together. But, Padraig, last time we walked through the woods, talking about high heeled shoes, everything was against us. Neither of us was free to say what we wanted to, to feel what we already felt. Now, we're here and I'm able to tell you how I feel, you to tell me. Plus, we're both much better at fighting and equipped, so those bandits wouldn't bother us either." She stood on tip toes and kissed him, arms wrapping around the back of his neck as she did, a deeper and more passionate embrace than they could share in the camp, even if it seemed unlikely there was anyone around. "Now, we're both free and making choices", she whispered, resting her forehead against his as she stole another quick kiss and then she took his arm again, tugging him with gentle determination. "Come on, jobs to do. Mushrooms to find and cobwebs to clear."

In the rummaging around for supplies of interest, Faith uncovered a few things, each of which she carefully wrapped and put in the bag she had with her. Each one, she showed him, asked if he knew what it was, or said it if she did. Foraging around in the cold, crisp air and just being together the two of them was a good way to spend a break, she knew. It would do them both good.

That the dead unnerved him, she knew. She didn't really know why and she hadn't considered what it might be. "It's like, I think they're playing out the same thing, over and over again you know. And in the way that I can now see them, they can see me and it's strange to them. I think that's what I'm learning to do. Not for me to stop seeing them, I can't. But to stop drawing their attention to me. They don't really seem to notice you or anyone else. I think I'm calling to them, somehow. That's how it feels, anyhow." She grinned at him and was about to say something quippy when they heard the noise.

She nodded her head as he agreed that they should go look and there, indeed, was a place where there was death, but it wasn't of any of the races of Idalos. In a small clearing, there was a very strange-looking and very very dead cat-like creature. It was pure white and had, as they drew closer, obviously died in childbirth. There was a lot of blood and there, mewling around and tiny was a few break old kitten. Faith knelt down next to it and looked at Padraig with an earnest expression "Oh look. Look, she's so cold." The kitten, like the mother itself, was pure white and the smaller one was a bundle of fluff. However, they both had four tails, bright blue eyes and long elongated whiskers which ran almost to their back. Faith held out a hand and there was a flash of blue, just a small one, from the kitten's whiskers and Faith made no move. "Padraig, did you see that? Have you counted the tails? Maybe we should take the mother back and see if there are alchemical things in those whiskers? Shhhh, it's alright, that's it... that's it. Oh! Oh look!" She looked up at Padraig in delight as the small mewling thing first sniffed and then started to rub itself against her hand. "Oh, can we keep it? I'll look after it and we can call it something cute and at least it's not a baby person" Picking it up she held the tiny thing in her hand and stroked it gently. She spoke softly, so as not to disturb it "And I'm not asking permission, really, so much as gauging whether you'd be happy to share our space with something so cute. I would hope that you'd check with me before you brought home Mr Spekkle to live. Or a horse, or something. Oh, please, can we?"

Off Topic

I've purposely been vague as to what interesting stuff she found so the reviewer can determine.
The cat is a "Tangura" bought from the point bank. Points bank point deducted.
Also, the thing with the dead people she's talking about is the ability from her Zuuda mark - the favoured ability "see the dead".

[Padraig]

He knew she wasn't fooled when he pretended to sleep, just as he knew when she was awake or restless and attempting to convince him otherwise. But Padraig would continue to do it, so long as the man who'd hurt her remained nearby. And as far as he was concerned, the distance from one end of the camp to the other, wasn't enough.

"It was a different difficulty then, back in the woods that trial," he agreed. "We both had restrictions on us then." Hers seemed more obvious, since she was a slave back then. But he'd felt them just as keenly, though the rules that had bound him had gone unseen.

As they searched for anything useful, he pocketed a few things along the way. Some he might have recognized, some things he didn't. Fungus...mushrooms, seeds or moss dried and scraped from dormant trees. It was a simple pastime that served to distract him from concerns back in camp. Or at least occupy his mind. He was never truly distracted enough not to keep a watchful eye just in case they were being watched or followed themselves.

"Like residue? Or a memory playing itself over time and time again?" he wondered when she mentioned the ghosts again. His particular interest was unique to his own way of thinking. "I wonder if some places are more likely to store those memories than others?" he said. "Something in the ground, the water? Or maybe places where events were particularly dramatic." Due to his own interests, he tended to look always for scientific reason for things, general before anything else. It was something to ponder, nonetheless. It still unnerved him, but didn't seem to bother her much, so long as she could find a way to adjust.

So it was a kitten, and not an infant that they'd heard. The similarities to the cries were uncanny. But the sameness between the cat, the kitten and ordinary cats caught him by surprise. Not the similarities themselves, but where they parted ways? "Four tails..." he said as he dropped on his heels beside Faith. "Why ever would any cat need four of them?" But one was dead and cold, and the other was not. And it was the whiskers, that stole his attention away from the tails. Now that was interesting. "I saw it," he said, and yes he'd like to take what they could back with them.

"It'll be some time before we return home. It won't decompose and smell up the place?" He could only imagine it would. But on the other hand, those whiskers needed investigating, at the least. Maybe just those? Padraig also wondered though, once the mother was dead, once the whiskers were removed, would there be anything left to discover?

But of course she wanted to keep the kitten. He'd been thinking along other lines. It wasn't like Padraig to leave it defenseless out in the weather. But surely there was someone in Welles who might like it. But then he knew her, and it didn't surprise him. At least it wasn't a human baby. They'd already settled that between them after all. He wasn't about to tell her no. And besides, four tails, blue whiskers that sparked and glowed. There might be something to learn, even from a live one.

He smiled and shrugged. "She won't take up much room, I guess. And to her credit, in spite of her appearance, with luck she's not the abomination that Tristan's cat is." Right then, it wasn't exactly what he'd intended to find on this outing. But it pleased him to see Faith so delighted by something. It appeared they had themselves a cat to raise then.

[Faith Augustin]

"Well, I give up. I've tried it all." She was teasing him, but her expression showed her worry, too. "I've dragged you out in the cold so that we get away from the camp. I've made a joke which was frankly excellent and I've kissed you with my best 'come hither' moves possible, and I don't even know what a hither is or where it is. But nope. You are not relaxing." Kneeling on her heels next to a tree, she looked up at him as she pulled away some bark, revealing some moss for collection. "You are responding with your heart, not your head. We are in a camp full of people, all of whom know what Sintih did. The more tired you get the more your reflexes will be dulled. We agreed to take care of each other. So, I propose a compromise. Since you refuse to be seduced into relaxing, we stop sleeping together." Realising just how that sounded, though, she quickly added "I mean at the same time. Not. Well, I mean I suggest that we stop sleeping at the same time."

Scraping the moss into one of the vials they had brought, she explained further. "I sleep maybe four breaks, we know this. So, whilst I sleep, we're in the tent together and you read. I can sleep on a chicken's lip, the light won't bother me and as long as you're there, I'll be fine. Then, I've got to go and get breakfasts sorted. But after breakfast, there are a few breaks where things are quiet." Of course, he would know that because he'd been her shadow for the last few trials. "So, I propose that, during those breaks, I do what I have to do sitting outside our tent in plain view of all the soldiers and you sleep." She stopped even pretending to be concentrating on what she was doing and looked at him with an earnest expression "Please? I'll be in the tent with you if you'd rather that, or I'll go and sit on the Warden's lap or sit crosslegged in the middle of camp or go and spend time with Kylar. Whatever you want, but Padraig you need to sleep." And she needed to be looking out for him, too, although she didn't think he'd want to hear that so she kept quiet. He knew, anyhow, she was sure.

But on the topic of the dead, she frowned slightly, trying to make sense of her thoughts "They are anchored here, and I can see an anchor, even if the soul isn't apparent. It looks different, it glows, it's heavier somehow. I think that they are replaying something, over and over again. Usually what killed them, I think. It's like the only hope they have left is to try and make it different. But, I think there are nuances I'm not picking up yet. In fact, I'm sure of it. I need to be able to control it more in order to be able to really understand, I think." She shrugged and looked around. "I hope so. It's sad and I'd like to help them, but they've made their choice." And maybe, as she grew to understand it, she might be able to help them, she thought. Maybe.

The kitten, though, pulled her attention and she missed, at first, what he said about the mother cat stinking up the place. "It's a fair point. But it's meat, we could salt it and dry it. In this weather, I could freeze it and try and keep it frozen. Store it in ice, it stops the decomposition process. That's what we do with the meat in work, anyhow." Considering it, she shrugged slightly. "But it might be as well to take out the internal organs and blood and eyes before we do that. I mean, if you want to. Either way, it can be done." She glanced up at him and smiled "Butchering is part of the job. We get whole animals delivered to work. I can do that for you, if you like." Really, it never occurred to Faith that her attitude to death could be considered somewhat morbid ~ and if she had considered it she'd have pointed out that it probably went hand in hand with worshipping the Immortal she did. "What shall we call her?" She held the kitten up with a delighted smile.

[Padraig]

Was he thinking with his heart and not his head? If Padraig was honest, he'd admit that it was some of both. Unlike him though, as a scientist, to allow his heart to overrule logical thinking. But as the man who loved Faith, it made all the sense in the world. "You're right though," he admitted. He could hardly protect her as well as he wanted, if he was fatigued and bleary eyed from lack of sleep. And he'd be no use to the warden either. "Shifts it is then," he agreed. Though how much sleep he actually got, remained to be seen.

Fatigue. The lack of clear thinking. Possibly why when she said what she said regarding the older cat's corpse, he heard what he did. "Surely you don't mean...I mean, Faith, I'm not going to..." Eat cat, he'd have exclaimed, before he paused and realized what she must have actually meant. He grinned a little there, embarrassed to have thought it. At least he hoped he was wrong. "Actually, that's a very good idea," he tried again. "As I understand it, the harvested, preserved organs of once living things are quite useful in the practice of alchemy."

Come to think of it. "You said earlier that there must have been a battle in the area at some time past? If there were mages involved, I'd like to pick up some stones to take back with me. Apparently they store the ether for a good long time to come. Also, useful for alchemy." That said, he'd pick up a few small ones wherever she felt best, and drop them into their sack.

As for the kitten's name? Clearly she was enamored by the unusual, mewling creature. He smiled, it was a nice diversion after all. "How about Quattro?" he suggested.

[Faith Augustin]

"You are a grumpy man when you're tired you know." Her eyes watched his face, her hand moving to rest against his cheek "But you are my grumpy man and you are also adorable, so I forgive you. We'll get back to camp, and you can get some sleep. I'll do some obviously much-needed reading on seduction techniques to persuade your... Padraig, what are you?" It might sound a little strange, she realised, so she clarified "I mean, to me? What are you?" No, that wasn't quite helping either. One more go, then, she thought "How do I describe you or introduce you? 'My partner' sounds like we run a shop together. I considered 'romantic interest' but that seems a little strange, 'my lover' is too personal. Should I just stop after 'this is Padraig', and stop adding the 'he's my...' or is there a word?"

As they knelt together at the place where the cat had died giving birth, Faith looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Not going to do what?" She replayed the last few moments in her mind and could think of nothing strange in what she had said. "Just to stop it stinking the place, like you said." What did he think she'd said, she wondered. But she stopped wondering when he spoke about hervesting organs. "Animals, you mean, yes? Not things with souls like ... you mean animals?" Evidently, she considered with a slight sigh, they were neither one of them being clear this trial and as ideas went, this one had not been successful. Although, if they were judging it by the chance to collect some alchemical things, it was far from a failure, and there was the small bundle in her hands. But still, she was frustrated with herself. "It was a frivilous idea to come out here, which has done the opposite of what I intended. I'm sorry."

But just a few more things before they went back, and Faith nodded. "There are a lot of anchors here, yes, things that they have held on to. I think, sometimes, those anchors are things or places of significance to them in life. But with so many, in one place, I can only think that they must have died here. I'll show you." She moved to do that, just pointing out places where there were more anchors than others. Whilst he collected those, she put the kitten down and gently wrapped up the corpse of the mother-cat and the babies. She did it with a gentle care, but not the kind of reverence which would accompany a human, ithecal or any of the sentient races; this was different because it had no soul. But when she was done she stood and smiled at him, having put the stones in the bottomless bag she had was useful, because it meant that they had no weight, and she deposited the dead cat in there too. "Quattro? That's a good name. Quattro she is." She smiled and nodded. Yep. That worked. "I hope she never meets Mistral. But if she does? My money's on her."

[Padraig]

What was he? Padraig pondered that, then he grinned a little in spite of all the concerns pressing down on his shoulders. "You mean besides grumpy?" he teased. So how were they to refer to each other in the company of others. He hadn't really considered it in truth. To him, it simply was. But sooner or later the question would arise, asked by someone else probably. "I don't know. Personally, I'm fond of mine. I am yours, you are mine."

"Just animals, yes," he reassured her, when she questioned him about the organs of once living things. Although he guessed that the organs of particular, more self aware beings, or even immortals which might be viewed as sacrilege, might be very useful indeed in alchemical terms. He'd never consider it though, even should that being have already expired and not by his hand, he'd have viewed it too alike to, well, "It would be too much like grave robbing wouldn't it," he stated dryly, and with a bit of an inward shudder.

"Don't apologize," he said when she worried. "It's not frivolous. The outing has done both of us good. And look," he added with a smile and a glance at the creature in her arms. "We've got us a new family member it seems. And I think you're right. Mistral ought beware should he and Quattro ever cross paths."

But he followed her to where she believed so many must have died, if the sense was only because of the anchors that she could see, and he could not. There was no way of knowing, that he was aware of, if magic had been used here or not in any great amount. But if there had been, then a few stones could prove more useful than ordinary ones in the practice of alchemy. And then, with all the things they'd collected and what would probably be a very hungry kitten; and the shadows growing longer, he suggested that they might want to turn back in the direction of camp.

[Malcolm]

Faith

Knowledge:
Herbalism: Herbs found in snow and cold conditions
Zuuda Blessing: Sensing those who haven't moved on
Pafraig: Often pretends to sleep
Teaching: Explaining different herbs
Deception: Subtle ways to make someone do what you want
Fieldcraft: Keeping meat frozen in snow

Loot: Moss, mushroom, frozen cat meat, and bark.
Injuries: n.a
Fame: n.a
Magic: n.a
Devotion: n.a

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure: 5/5

Padraig

Knowledge:
Faith: Can see the dead
Faith: Dislikes high shoes
Faith: Can tell when you are pretending
Faith: Suggests you stop sleeping together
Faith: Thinks you're a grump when tired
Detection: The sound of a baby crying
Herbalism: Fungi
Herbalism: Moss
Herbalism: Seeds
Surgery: Harvesting organs
Alchemy: Items that store ether

Loot: Moss, mushroom, frozen cat meat, and bark.
Injuries: n.a
Fame: n.a
Magic: n.a
Devotion: n.a

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure: 5/5

Comment: I caught some of the mistakes from posts one and two without looking too closely and found quite a bit. I still recommend reading out loud for sense, or just really making sure you're doing edits before posting. The story was okay, Faith talks a hell of a lot and Padraig barely replies to most of it, something to work on perhaps. Also you requested alchemy knowledges but you weren't using the skills, just talking about them at times or intending to collect items to use for them which I couldn't rightly award. I'm not going to guess what the items were outside of what was mentioned either.

Faith: Every time you put something in brackets you are spoon-feeding the reader, I would try not to overuse this. The character also says a lot without being answered which sometimes means that another player can’t respond the way they may have wanted to, or their unexpected response becomes difficult to unwind your actions to cover.

Paragraph one in post two was ridiculously long, as was the last one in that post. I would have started anew between action and speech.

She stood, stock still
Should be: She stood stock still

Her expression was more relaxed, as was her stance and everything about her, really, than it had been since they left.
Should be: Either use of a semi-colon, rewrite of the sentence (it’s quite awkward), or removal of the word ‘really’ and commas surrounding it.

the most tasty.
Shoulder be: the tastiest.

matter of factly
When used as an adverb should be: matter-of-factly (joined)

There are a lot of them over there. But some here too."
Didn’t need a full stop in the middle.

mid air
Should be: mid-air

There's a lot of them here
As it’s the character’s speech it doesn’t matter, but would usually be, there are.

We should...", she looked at him
Incorrect use of a comma after an ellipsis.

This even at it's worst is better
Should be: its.

Come on, jobs to do. Mushrooms to find and cobwebs to clear.
Didn’t need a full stop.

Not for me to stop seeing them, I can't. But to stop drawing their attention to me.
Same again. Comma instead of a full stop.

quippy
Obsolete word.

looking and very very dead cat
Should be: looking and very, very dead cat

mewling around and tiny was a few break old kitten.
For sense I would always you minutes, hours, days, unless the character is speaking.

to live. Or a horse, or something. Oh, please, can we?
Full stops again.

crosslegged
Should be: Cross-legged.

when he spoke about hervesting organs.
Should be: Harvesting

a frivilous idea to come
Should be: frivolous idea.

Padraig:

Lightheartedness
Should be: light-heartedness

for it. Among other things.
Didn’t need a full stop.

So what were they looking for then? Herbs would be nice. Mushrooms, moss. Though he wasn't interested in them for cooking; poisons, chemistry, alchemy maybe.
Use of semi-colon

If there were more where she was wanting to look?
Should be: wanted.

self aware
Should be: self-aware

the whiskers, that stole
Didn't need a comma.

And besides, four tails, blue whiskers that sparked and glowed.
A little awkward.

company of others.
Should be: others?

But if there had been, then a few stones could prove more useful than ordinary ones in the practice of alchemy.
A little awkward.

Poo poo to your American spelling :p