A girl and her Raptor! [Open]

[snowyvalemaiden]

Characters: Xue'Kol and you.
Setting: Floor Seventy Three
Format: Prose but I can do either.
Summary: Venturing into the comfort of the snowy floor, riding a raptor and eating a nice meal next to a cozy fire!
Warnings: None atm.

It had been... an eventful couple of months since she had ventured into this floor. But considering what had been occuring recently, she was pretty sure she needed some liesure time. And what's better than a loyal and close friend and good food in this lovely winter wonderland?! Swimming of course, but surprisingly enough, she wasn't in the mood for that today and she felt that she hasn't been too fair to Sweetfang as far as outtings went anyways.

After all their time here in the tower, Sweetfang had finally grown large enough to be a battle companion and a mount, much like it would be tradition back in her world. So first things first, she'd go out for a ride through the snow filled forrest and the ruins with him. Testing reflexes, speed, endurance and frankly, just to have tons of fun. Many cheers and laughs were had that afternoon between the two, anyone who passed by could see that their bond was strong and endearing.

After all the fun however, it was time for a well earned meal and some cozy time. Much like she would do back home, Xue cleared an area to camp and made a large, cozy fire for them to take comfort in. In addition, she had brought her day's hunt with them so they could have a nice, warm and satisfying meal. She divided the meat from the animal into sections that she could skewer with some vegetable she'd gathered and set them on the fire. The rest of the meat would be used on a thick stew she set on a pot with assorted seasonings and vegetables and let it cook.

Of course she also gave Sweetfang a large portion of the creature to feast on while the cooked meals were cooking for which he was more than grateful as he tore into the flesh and bone. Xue laid back against him and let out a relaxed sigh. If  it wasn't for the fact that she knew all too well where she was, this would feel incredibly like home right now... She misses it for sure.

Comments

[savedbyasong]

Shion rarely came to this floor, but he was doing some exploring today. This floor interested him because it was like nothing he had seen before. Something from a story.

He avoided the castle itself, it held too many memories from Dark World. But he was determined not to let Ganondorf and Richtofen ruin this place for him.

He wandered until he saw the monster, he didn't see Xue'Kol at first, just the raptor, he held up his EMR and began backing off, hoping the creature didn't chase him.

[snowyvalemaiden]

"Oi'! Ain't even gonna be sayin' hello ta an' ol' friend cutie?" came the familiar, heavy accented voice from the troll female who looked over from the side of the large fire.

"Ey' Shion, how goes it mon."

[savedbyasong]

His eyes flickered to the voice and his face relaxed into a smile. "Xue'kol... is this your friend?" He eyes the creature again.

[snowdriftassassin]

"Ey'! Nice seein' ya." she greeted as she motioned him over.

At his question, Xue'Kol laughed and nodded. "Aye, I be surprised ya don't recognize Sweetfang. 'Course he was just a hatchling when I be arrivin' here mah first time mon. But aftah all dis time, he be a grown raptor now." she said as she rubbed his side.

[savedbyasong]

"That's Sweetfang?" The last time Shion had seen him he had been a tiny thing. "He's grown."

[snowdriftassassin]

Xue chuckled, "Aye, dat he be. Venomhide's tend ta grow real fast due to how harsh der habitats are. Considerin' how long we been in dis here place, he grew ratha healthy don'tcha tink?"

Sweetfang took a moment from his feast to look up at Shion. Recognizing the male, he acknowledged him before turning back to feasting.

[savedbyasong]

"He did." Shion had no idea how large they usually were, he didn't think these creatures had ever existed in his world. Or if they had it had been so long ago the records had been lost.

[snowdriftassassin]

"C'mon now, he don't be bitin' joo. He woulda shown aggreshion if he didn't like ya mon. Besides, maybe ya want sum 'a da food I be cookin'. My treat?" she asked with a playful wink.

[savedbyasong]

Shion smiled and edged closer, relieved when the creature made no move towards him. "Hello Sweetfang," he smiled and his smile grew at the mention of food.

"What are you making?"

[snowyvalemaiden]

Sweetfang, of course acknowledged him by looking over and making an odd, hissy cooing sound before going back to his food. Oddly enough, Azerothian dinosaurs, especially those that became mounts or companions or both, were incredibly smart.

Xue pointed at the meat that was roasting with vegetables on the sticks, and at the covered pot which was simmering on a smaller fire.

"Yer choice of roasted kabobs or stew mon." she replied happily now that Shion was more at ease.

[savedbyasong]

He moved to sit near and smiled, "It really is a feast." He smiled, "I'll have whatever you have to spare."

[snowyvalemaiden]

"Oh nonsense mon! Dat no be how friends be treated were I be comin' from! Jus' take yer pick an' dig in! Anyting ya be wantin' is free for all in dis here party."

Xue chuckled and grabbed one of the larger kabobs, chomping onto it happily before motioning for him to have at it.

[savedbyasong]

Shion took a kabob as well and bit into it. "It's delicious." He smiled, "You're a good cook."

[warriorscribe]

Enoch was not normally on this floor. It was too cold for him, and he seemed to have forgotten his cloak. At first, he appears to be exploring the ruins, strange as it is without preparation like a cloak. He straightens up from a crouch on the floor as he hears someone approaching and turns...

...to see a familiar face, an acquaintance, riding something entirely unfamiliar and dangerous-looking.

"What..."

[snowyvalemaiden]

It's not hard for Xue to pick up sounds and such since trolls have enhanced hearing, but it was Sweetfang who first caught the scent and turned right as the person noticed them.

Xue smiled once she saw who it was and waved right as Sweetfang stopped a bit of a distance away.

"Ey'! How goes it?!"

[warriorscribe]

"Ah...pleasant enough given the cold. I felt I shouldn't let it deter me from exploring this place."

That and in the twistier parts of the ruins it was fairly easy to lose his stalker retrieval unit for a bit.

[snowyvalemaiden]

Xue chuckled, "Aye it be. It still boggles me ta see full structures in dis place on different floors. I mean, I be thrown inta dimensional pockets before, but not a whole towah full a dem!"

"It be nice though, I be lovin' da atmosphere."

[warriorscribe]

"I do like some of these floors that Riki's made for us, though...it could do without others."

Like the floor inside some unknown creature. If Riki shows himself this month, he's going to ask about that.

[snowyvalemaiden]

"Aye, dey be a breath a' fresh air compared ta da more sinistah and deadly floors. Almost like takin' vacations mon."

She smiled warmly, looking him over and nodding.

"It be nice seein' odas looking to enjoy demselves even durin' our predicament, yeah? Fightin' back da hopelessness some 'ave been succumbin' to."

[warriorscribe]

Enoch seemed to look somewhere past Xue and her raptor for a moment, at that. Succumbing to hopelessness? Hadn't he done that? Hadn't many people done that? And yet...here they were with more of a fighting chance than ever.

"I think we're more resilient than that...certainly, we all have our moments of despair, but I don't feel as if anyone has truly given up."

[snowdriftassassin]

Xue nodded, "Dat be wat I hope. I been seein' some sad messages as of late, but der have been more inspiring an' spirited ones dan evah before. I be tinkin' people be finally ready ta stand up an' not git pushed around mon."

[warriorscribe]

Ever since the talk of giving up first appeared in response to the pain and despair on the network, talk of sadness as if it was weak or passive irked him. He'd spent several months in some form of emotional pain, and it didn't mean he ever stopped looking for an opening. Everyone who had ever expressed their pain on the network bounced back. It certainly wasn't weakness, not as far as he was concerned. This tower was full of strong people, people he had faith in.

"But I don't think the sad ones are an indicator of giving up or being pushed around at all. It's only natural for pain to come after an injury. Even the one who outright said she was giving up, she's only barely a woman. She only sought the comfort of her mother for a time. I've seen her out and about again on occasion.

"The problem isn't being ready...we simply haven't had a chance. But one is coming, I can feel it. With our hosts showing they fear us...an opening is bound to come, and I'm certain many of us will take it. This tower seems to attract strong people."

[snowyvalemaiden]

"Nah mon, it ain't 'bout bein weak at all. Don't be gettin' it wrong, wat I be meanin' is dat dose dat show it only be makin' demselves targets for dose dat are lookin' ta 'urt odas."

Shruggin, Xue looked over the side before turning back to him.

"Dose dat be lookin ta 'urt usually nevah target strong ones, dey go for dose dat already be broken, or close ta it. Dey go fer dose dat are shakin', cryin', or simply not carin' 'bout wat be happening. Dat's all I be sayin, dat I be hopin' dem learn from dose dat are risin' up an' hopefully, dey too will pick demselves up."

[warriorscribe]

"Oh...as Ganon did when he called everyone who had been controlled by Jason weak..."

For those like Ganon to prey on the grieving and hurt...it would be better if they didn't show it in such an open place, but...

"They...go to the network because they're reaching out for help, or apologizing for wrongs they've done under whatever influence is active that month... If only there was someplace safe they could go, someone they could reach out to quietly, who they knew wouldn't manipulate or hurt them... Not everyone is lucky enough to have good friends or family here."

[snowdriftassassin]

"Aye, jus' like dat mon. An' even worse."

She knew of Ganon well enough. After all, as a mercenary she had managed to be in plenty of his meetings. It was always pertinent that an assassin knew as much about what was going on as they could in order to do their work better and especially if there were sides. A mercenary never chose one side or the other, only usually the one that fit their interests the most.

So knowing about both major groups that had formed over time was part of her job. Not that anyone knew anyways.

"But doin' so, while it be helpful if dey connect wit da rite person also be puttin' dem at more risks. It be a double edged blade mon. It can be both good an' bad mojo, so 'opefully dey be havin' luck on dey side."