(M) The Darkness Is Coming IC (Tats & Kicks)

[Tatsuke]

Aroura was walking along the forest floor. She hummed quietly to herself as the birds sang their songs. It wasnt until movement caught her eye and she went to investigate. She laughed at seeing a bunny near a bush. She knelt down and put a hand towards it. The rabbit didnt flee as most animals didnt when elves were around. They seemed more relaxed around them.

She began to hum again as she got up and started moving on. Letting the rabbit eat in peace. "What to do today," she thought out loud,'the darkness seems to be getting rather close...we really should fight it and get rid of such evil that causes us to loose so much forest..' Shaking her head she decided to put this thought out of her mind and look into it later.

[Kicks]

You poor thing, you. Dimitri thought to himself. How did this happen? I hope it wasn't one of those snakes, again.
Lightly he wrapped the damaged wing in dry grass and the juices from the root of a plant.

It was a bird he had found, waddling around and trying to flap its wings. One of its wings he had immediately noticed wasn't working as well as the other one. He was assuming it had been picked at by a snake, or by a bigger predator. Birds were always the weaker of prey, and he felt terrible about it.

He had taken his time, coaxing the bird and crooning at it to settle it down. For now, it had worked. But birds were easily spooked creatures. He knew this and so he had set out on trying to find its nest. He knew it had to be close to where he had found the bird because birds didn't hop around like that unless they were close to their nest.

In his hands, the bird started tweeting loudly the closer he got to its nest. It tried to spread its wings again to take off. Dimitri gently held its wings together to keep it from further injuring itself. Instead of it flying up to its nest, he spread his wings and reached up to it. He carefully put the bird back in its nest, for a moment just taking his time to smile at it.

"You'll be okay." Dimitri promised the bird, "I will be back to check on you."

He lifted himself away from the nest and dropped back down to the ground. With a mistake of timing his landing, his feet slipped out from under him and he landed on his back with a light "thump" against the forest bristles and fallen leaves.

[Tatsuke]

Aroura looked around, things had suddenly seemed quiet where she was all of a sudden. She looked around her trying to figure out why the birds had stopped their songs. She shivered a little, before starting to walk a little faster. 'Something isnt right here...' she thought to herself.

Moving along a little further she was able to feel a little safer. She shivered a little before looking to the sky, it seemed to still be daylight. She listened and smiled,'awesome a river! She hurried to it, feeling hungry she figured she might as well stop and get a few fish. She dug out her dagger from her waist pouch, and started to walk into the water. She staid still at the center of it, waist deep. Waiting for the silver signs of fish.

[Kicks]

Now, there were many things he could have done from where he was laying on the ground. He could have chosen to start cursing because of the pain of having tripped. He could have chosen to roll over and get back up off the ground. And while those things had rolled across Dimitri's mind in those brief seconds of tripping, adrenaline rushed moments, that wasn't what he had chosen to do.

Dimitri began to laugh at his own clumsiness. This was not the first time he had miscalculated his feet and landing time. Naturally, fairies were supposed to be graceful. They were supposed to have great timing and essence of countenance. But Dimitri sometimes had his mind on other things than landing correctly.

His laughing had risen up in climax, filling the air briefly and then falling back into place with soft chortles.

It had been days since he had laughed. Since a darkness had presented itself into the forest, he had much more dawning things on his mind than enjoying the moments of laughter. Now, however, he decided to take the few moments to look back up at the bird he had guided home. It was silent, but at least it was home. That was the best he could wish for it.

[Tatsuke]

She growled not having any luck at catching the fish that swam by. 'Guess I'm not hungry after all...' she grumbled a little before coming out of the water and laid on the grass. She looked up to the sky. Curious of what else she could find to eat, but more of snack on. She thought she had heard something of a laugh from far off in the forest. She wasnt any where near it. She lifted herself up with her elbows looking towards she was sure the laugh had come from, 'Who could that be?' she was sure no fairy would be around here, or so she had thought.

"What the hell? Why not?" she thought out loud and started to head towards where she thought she had heard the laughing come from. She gripped her bow slightly tighter just in case there were things within the forest that might get in her way.

Little did she know she was being followed, something indeed was keeping its presence unknown. And working hard to keep hidden. Blue eyes watched and waited, going from shadow to shadow. Moving swift but keeping to the tree cover.

It seemed like it took hours of zigzagging through the forest of trees before she was sure she had noticed what appeared to be a fairy. She sighed slightly more out of relief that it was fairy and not human. She relaxed her grip on the bow and slowly emerged from the shadows,"are you alright?" Her hazel eyes showing concern for the fairy.

[Kicks]

Since having tripped over his own feet, Dimitri had calmed down greatly. He had come down from the high of laughter and was now enjoying just the view he was looking up at. Yes, the forest was a beauty! All it held was beautiful! His appreciation for its appearance made him even more sorrowful that whatever it was that had arrived in this forest had been pushing the nature back.

He frowned at the skyline at this thought. What a saddening thing it was. How could something do this? He should be more concerned about it. Maybe he should look into it. His fairy brethren would beg to differ. Look into it?- they would scoff- You're just a fairy! Just leave it alone.

And they would have a great point too. He laughed at this.

But his laughter was cut short when a presence drew near. He sat up quickly and turned his head towards where the presence was approaching. Unfortunately, he noticed it too late to do anything good about it. It was too late to fly away or duck into hiding. He had tensed up, thinking through his options. No hiding. No running. No flyin-

His thoughts were cut off when he realized that it was nothing to fear- as of yet. It was an elf! Elves were hardly his enemy, normally. He relaxed and smiled lightly at the elf.

"Hello!" He lifted himself onto his feet with the assistance of his wings, and glided across the forest floor towards her. "I am alright. Are you alright? Should I be concerned of your presence?"

[Tatsuke]

She shook her head, "Not at all, but its unlike fairies to be on the ground..." She turned her head slightly, "and I am fine, thanks." She watched him wondering how he had gotten on the ground floor of the forest to begin with. Its unlike them to be so clumsy, fairy were known for being light on their feet and excellent fliers. "At least your wings dont seem to be damaged from being on the ground." She then did a small bow, "I am sorry I didnt introduce myself how rude. I am Aroura." She then looked to the fairy, "I am glad that you are alright." She then looked around them, seeming that things here were still alright from what attacked the forest around them.

The creature that had followed her kept the shadows. Far enough to watch, yet close enough that he could hear. He listened a little. He observed them, studied them. Anything that would give him an advantage for when the time came to attack. His nails dug into the tree, wishing it was flesh, the heat of battle always seemed to make them feel more alive.

[Kicks]

Oh good! He didn't have to worry about an attack then! There were several things for him to worry about an attack for. For instance, fairies were not commonly fighters. They would rather talk it out first, maybe find a compromise. Combat was the last resort.

There was also the concern about whatever it was that was attacking the forest. It was so dark. The presence gave him shivers whenever he was on the ground.

And the last being that there were stronger competitors out and about. Everything from wild dogs and cats to snakes!

Dimitri shrunk in size before the elf, turning tiny like his people naturally were. He typically didn't shift into a six-foot fairy, except for when helping the forest animals. Now he was back in his most comfortable form, his wings buzzing behind him to keep him afloat in front of the elf's face.

"I saw a bird!" He announced to the elf, "It needed help. And it was so cute! So I helped it." He chuckled to himself.

Then she was introducing herself and he had realized that he too had yet to introduce himself.
"Dimitri!" He greeted her, "And what is it that you were doing, Aroura?"

[Tatsuke]

"I was trying to fish until I heard you laughter," she said smiling kindly to Dimitri. "Is the bird alright?" She looked for it wondering if it was on the ground, "You didnt accidentally harm it when you fell did you?" her hazel eyes looked back to him when she couldnt find the poor thing on the ground any where. She wondered where else it could have been since the fairy was now in its right size.

The creature getting board decided to head back towards the pack, hoping his information would help in their hunt. It almost wanted to laugh as it ran towards the more quiet part of the forest. This time not caring for his racket as they ran. 'It'll be dinner time soon,' it licked their lips.

[Kicks]

Oh no! He had disturbed an elf in its natural habitat. He should apologize.

Dimitri opened his mouth to do so but became suddenly distracted by the talk of the bird. His eyes lit up and he turned in the air, pointing up towards the bird's nest. It was well above ground level, but not quite fairy level. One could see the nest from the ground if they were looking for it or were pointed in the right direction for it.

"Up there!" He announced, "It is alright. Just a bad wing, is all." He turned again and reached out a hand, poking her nose with that hand.

"Are you hungry? Is that why you were fishing? I have berries and nuts!" Dimitri glanced up towards the sky, his eyes searching the horizon. Unfortunately, he had strayed far from home so he couldn't reach his home to get the berries and nuts. But maybe he would be able to find one. He could practically smell the berries as it was. They had such an intoxicating scent!

"Or not." He added with a nervous laugh, "Such a long ways up, you know... but there are always berry bushes around!"

Were elves as inclined to berries and nuts as fairies were? He had always taken them as carnivores, but now thinking on it he did find it weird that he was offering berries and nuts to an elf.