High Places

Avira seemed to continually find himself gravitating towards those places where the space between himself and the ground was greatest. Perhaps it was his raven nature showing through.

Ignis and Caterva had decided it was much too cold out to bother coming anywhere near where he was intending to go, so he was alone on the terrace outside the huge tower.

The sun had long since set, and he watched the stars as they twinkled to life in the sky.

He'd have gone to the roof, but his last encounter up there had been less than pleasant. Or rather.... It was something he didn't want to think very hard about right now. So instead he was here, the wind tugging at his hair as usual.

Sharifa had been sitting on the roof of the Astronomy Tower, watching as the sun set as she enjoyed the warm feeling that still stung a little, which had been a while ago now, and was now watching as the moon rose.

Altair was sleeping quietly back in her room, having gone for a very long fly previously, and this left Sharifa alone with her thoughts

she was leaning back against the slanted roof, arms crossed behind her head when she heard footsteps.

light, barely able to hear them but definitely there.

she sat upright again, and leaned over the edge, right into what turned out to be the White-ette, Avira.

Salaam Avira *grins* i'm surprised to see you without you cats! also, what brings you up here Beautiful? you're putting the moon and start to shame

she chuckled quietly and then flipped over, still clinging to the roof edge, as she lowered herself down onto the walkways below to face Avira properly

Avira flushed momentarily as he was addressed as 'beautiful'. He had no idea (lie, he did) why that affected him so badly, but he never seemed to be able to handle it.

He inclined his head to Sharifa anyway, ignoring the second compliment. He would just have to keep his composure by blocking out her words it seemed.

It took a moment (which he used to compose himself), for Avira to realize he'd been asked a question.

"....Can't sleep." he answered.

A half-truthful answer, to be entirely honest. Yes he'd been unable to sleep, but...he never could, in new places. Especially ones where he was expected not to hide away, and was surrounded by other vampires.

she chuckled, at the colour in his cheeks

he's so easy to teas

ya can't sleep? why's that? i'm imagining, through the constant scent of slight caution and a mild anxiety, that you're not happy about being around others and it makes it impossible for you to sleep. you're gonna have to eventually. you don't want your senses to dull....lack of sleep does taht. and yes, you've probably trained yourself to last a while with intense senses no matter how tired.....but eventually, you will need rest. trust me on this

she she spoke, her tone slightly concerned, she brushed some of the hair out of his eyes and tucked it behind his ear before leaning back against the wall and looking over the ground

Avira decided against commenting. Her concern was admirable, but there was intense dislike for how she seemed to believe she knew, or even understood, him. He detested that.

However he let it pass. She had been kind to him, and even given him a gift. And while he disliked the hand touching his hair as well, he also let that slide. It was better to make allies than enemies, and he would rather not be disliked overall.

Despite his profession, Avira was not particularly interested in making enemies.

He remained silent instead, watching the stars as they shone high above. He remembered a story his mother had once told him, that stars were actually souls of the deceased shining down on you. Naturally when stars had been scientifically explained away, she had scoffed and said that it just meant there was a lot more than one soul hanging on to that rock.

The memory made a spasm of pain shoot through his chest and he lowered his eyes in silence.

she smiled

you know, you're very interesting. though you hide your emotions, it's easy enough to scent them out...for me at least. don't know about others. your scent changes frequently, subtly and all that jazz. though you keep your face as blank as a rock, deep down you appear to be a very complex individual. it's annoying how i can't understand you though......*pouts which slowly turns into a grin* for example, like this she walked over to Avira again, and traced a finger down the side of his face appears to get a reaction out of you and gives you color. just as calling you 'Beautiful' or 'my love' appears to get reactions out of you. however, you hide it all behind a mask...why?

she grinned. she was in a playful mood and wanted to mess around. she'd make it up to him later

Avira decided he wanted to hurt somehting, sooner than later, and he should find a new job. Quickly. There had to be bounties somewhere in the surrounding area. Or he could travel some, that would work.

She was still doing it, thinking she could work him out. It made his stomach twist in anger, and Avira was glad he was long since conditioned for self-control. He was glad she had mentioned the scents though. It simply meant he had to twist his scent a little to hide his emotions. An easy task.

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish." he said evenly. "But I don't quite understand what you're getting at."

she grinned at the scent change in his scents, now not giving anything away

like i said...you're complex....*sighs and backs off again* forgiveness....i'm mearly speaking my thoughts is all. sorry if i seem prying, but i'm curious. and as to what i'm getting at, is that you really really should relax. you'll find it works better for you as a hunter as well. i've found that with a relaxed demeanor, you get the jump on targets as they wouldn't suspect ya. also, the stress of being internally tense all of the time will break you. i guess, to put it simple, i'm worried about you

she sighed again, and pushed a hand through her hair, expecting to be blown off by the stoic White-ette, and resigned herself a little, leaning back against the wall and crossing her arms over her chest in an almost defensive manor

Avira stared out at the forest beneath, quietly watching the scenery below them. It was....nice, he supposed, to have someone worrying about him. But altogether unnecessary. It would be rude to say so aloud however, so he spoke differently.

"Your concern is noted." he murmured. "However I am neither tense nor stressed. I have always been this way. I apologize for making you worry, but I assure you there is no need to be concerned."

It was true. Avira carried weight on his shoulders, but he wasn't tense at all. Nor particularly stressed. He was an aloof person by nature, his best mask his simple indifference.

she was a little shocked to no get blown off as many tend to, but instead reciving a polite reply.

however, it didn't satisfy her

maintaining her position, she glanced back at Avira

then tell me this....why do you shoulders slump down and in, as though being weighted down, why are your eyes so damn haunted it sends shivers up and down my spine....

she looked away again, fidling with a bit of her gauntlet

Avira said nothing for a long moment.

These were things about himself he could not change, and though they may appear outwardly, few dared to speak about it. Avira supposed he could admire her unwavering personality.

After a long moment, he answered.

"Some weights are better left unspoken and unseen." he said, his voice a bare whisper to be carried by the wind.

Almost as if nature were on his side, or perhaps against him, a strong wind tugged at his hair, the sapphire ribbon he wore standing out starkly against the pale locks.

she saw his lips move, but couldn't hear the words carried off by the breeze that blew through

with his hair being blown about, and the cool and sad expression on his face, he looked as young as a human, and looked just as frail

she sighed again and rubbed her face with her hands

By Allah......the youth today

you remind me of Valora...closed off and stoic, baring a weight on her shoulders she didn't let other help her with...

she couldn't kill her mom instincts off, and went over to the younger, and hugged him with one arm around his shoulders, hoping that the gesture wasn't going to be seen as an attack...

she closed her eyes and braced herself. this kid would need to be pushed a little if he was to get anywhere in life...he can't remain like this forever

Avira did not even move when he was touched. He simply stood there quietly and allowed her to do as she wished.

He didn't mind her presence.

But should she dig any deeper, he would have to set some very harsh boundary lines. He disliked those who tried too hard to get to know him. Hell, he disliked anyone thinking they could. It was best to simply assume you couldn't know him at all, and see where he happened to allow you.

After a few minutes he said;

".....You may let go now. I am not a child."

she chuckled and let go, grinning half heartedly

Avira, you have no idea how much you look, and on occasion, act like one. *chuckles quietly* and don't worry mr anti-social, i shan't dig any deeper. i'm no fool

slowly, her grin came back full strength. she didn't like the dreary atmosphere. never had done. it had been a while since she acted her age, and internally made a face at that fact.

she clapped her hands together

right! i'm done with my serious bit for the next century. just know i'm here should ya ever wanna talk about anything. *Grins properly* neh, mr anti-social. let's do something fun. i feel like feeling free for a bit and forgetting things for a while by leaving them on the ground.

at that, she winked at him and laid her weapons to the side before balancing on the rails of the walkway

then her human shape began melting away, her eyes glowing brightly as she changed into a larger than normal Golden Eagle.

she spread her wings out a little and stretched out, ruffling her feathers before smoothing them out again, and chirruped. the smile never left her eyes as she then flew over to Avira and proceeded to sit on his shoulder, nip at his ear, and then take off again to stop on the rails again

she was encouraging him to transform as well and to go for a fly

Avira gazed at the eagle. He.....did not particularly wish to fly. Nor change his form. But, it seemed he would be being inconsiderate should he say no.

He sighed softly and closed his eyes.

"Just this once..." he murmured.

His form shifted smoothly from humanoid to raven in moments. He fluttered his pure white feathers, averting his royal purple gaze. Yes he knew he was the wrong color, and he didn't like it either.

Sharifa Chirruped in appreciation. he looked lovely

if she could have, she would have grinned, but as it stood, with the Eagle form, it always looked like she scowled, but her eyes contradicted it and showed her grin for her

she spread her wings wide before jumping over the edge. she had decided to free fall for a bit, closing her wings up for a moment before spreading them back out and soaring upwards, calling out happily

she flew around to see if Avira was coming or not, or if he was going to be grumpy and sit on the railing...if he was, she'd push him over the edge so he'd have to fly

she chirruped her version of a chuckle at the thought

Avira did not, as it happened, decide to stay on the ledge. He was in the damned form already. Might as well.

He was a silent flyer, and was quickly beside the other bird of prey. He eyed her quietly, swooping around her to keep moving.

I do not understand her motivation. he thought. It would be easier to simply leave me be and yet she decides to continue to bother me. I don't understand. Nor do I particularly want to.

she could tell that the white raven was hesitant, but she didn't care.

tilting slightly, she let her wing whap him gently as she chirruped again to get his attention

she then gestured towards the beach, and somehow raised an 'eyebrow' at him

she wanted to race, and to get him doing something and maybe tier him out a little so the guy could actually rest

Avira did not like being touched in human form. In avian form it totally threw him off.

In moments, he was gone, like a rocket, towards the beach. He was a fast flyer, he had to be. Because he used this form to......

Avira felt sick. What was he doing using this form like this. As a game. This wasn't a game. He needed to land. Now.

He shifted midair and dropped like a stone to the ground. Or would have, but he was an agile brat, and landed quite easily in the trees below. He darted though, towards the beach, knowing his speed could get him there before Sharifa anyway.

Sharifa swiftly came to the beach, seeing a ticked off looking Avira there already. he must have changed back before reaching the beach and ran there or something as that's the only thing that could beat her in her Eagle form

she landed on a rock and turned back to human and was now sitting on it and fixing her clothes

what happened back there? you just divebombed into the woods. did something happen?

concern laced her voice, but she wasn't too worried as she didn't smell any blood

Avira gave her his usual calm look.

"Nothing. I am simply not fond of flight." he answered.

A lie, though completely undetectable.

He loved flying. His father had been friends with a dragon. He'd ridden around so much as a child, wishing he had his own wings....

But how he had gotten his wings had been a price he never would have paid. And so that form was not for childish races.