[PRP] Musical Menagerie [Shikoba & Jay]

[medigel]

His blood still burned and his body still ached, but the giant was content nevertheless, happy even. Fights always banished or lessened the dark clouds over his head regardless of wins or losses. His latest spar left Shik a bit bruised, but as he stretched his legs and sat against the fallen tree he looked as relaxed as if he had awakened from a nap. Fresh gauze was wrapped about his wrists and torso - he'd been meaning to change those on his ankles as well, but that would wait.

Violence was what allowed him to be free, but music was what was cathartic to that ever-conflicting soul of his. If he didn't calm himself soon he might very well go on an accidental bloodlust and challenge everything in sight. Frankly, the Weeping Forest had contenders even he didn't feel wold be healthy to challenge, not weakened as he was. From the cloth about his waist Shikoba produced a wooden flute about two handstands long, the wind-strewn leaves carved within seeming to come alive under the dappled sunlight.

Silence at first. Then he gently put the instrument to his lips and began a simple melody, no particular keys being observed.  

[Syusaki]

Her necklaces jingled slightly as Jay leaned forward, sprawled on the dirt as she worked to undo the bandages around her forearms. The white strands of cloth unraveled, forming a twirling pattern as it grew into a pile. Once the bandages were undone, Jay flexed her hands to relish the feel of bare arms. She smiled softly and picked up a pair of fresh bandages. The horsewoman slowly wrapped it around one arm. She tugged it tightly before tying it up and proceeded to cover her other arm, but midway through the process she heard something.

She paused, curiously raising her head and looking around for the noise. No, it wasn’t just noise. It was music. Jay’s interest was immediately piqued. The bandage still half-wrapped around her arm, she picked up the dirtied bandages and stood up. Jay tilted her head slightly before moving in the direction of the music, which sounded like a flute. It took her a few minutes to discover the source of the music—another war horseman. She treaded carefully so as not to startle him suddenly. Silently, Jay kneeled in front of Shikoba and remained in a kneeling position, listening to him play with wide eyes. Normally, she would have spoken up by now, but she didn’t want to stop the song.  

[medigel]

His eyes followed her movements as he played. A woman kneeling in front of him? Had Shik not been brought to his inner zen, he might have made a less than prudent comment. But his playing did not falter until, not long after his audience had taken a seat, he finished with a low note. Somewhere in the vicinity a four-note coo answered.

He vaguely recalled the horseman's face but for the life of him no name accompanied it. "Did you need something?" Shikoba asked her, letting the flute rest on his chest.

Syusaki

 

[Syusaki]

And Jay would have gladly smacked him across the face if he had made such a comment. She continued to intently stare at the other war horseman as he continued to play, much to her delight. Jay wouldn’t have wanted her arrival to disturb him to the point of stopping his flute playing. She slowly smile when she heard a coo reply to his note. Jay revealed a toothy grin as she parted her lips to imitate the call.

“Nope! I just wanted to listen to your music. I like music,” she answered plainly, finally relaxing and flopping to the ground on her stomach.

Jay was so mature. “You and me. We’re from the same clan, what’s your name?”  

[medigel]

Her flopping was met with a raised brow - but then, the executioner saw all things with an eye for battle. Exposure of her wings and back, and little maneuverability to defend it unless she was double jointed in the arms. One motion with his spear and he could have her speared thr-

The four note all resounded again, followed by a happy twitter. It was closer now.

"Shikoba," he answered after a pause to gather himself once more, letting the flute fall from his chest to his lap. "I see it isn't only music you have a calling for, War-Sister. Birdsong is hard to imitate." He glanced upwards at nothing in particular. "Catori sounds impressed. She normally keeps to herself."

Syusaki

OTL Sorry for the wait and shortness of post. Shik is terribly against padding.

 

[Syusaki]

Had this been a battle Jay might have chastised herself for such lazy behavior, but they were in the sanctuary. There was no nod of understanding to signal some sort of spar. She saw no need to be careful.

She lifted her head when she heard a bird reply to her twittering. When Jay found nothing after a cursory glance she plopped her head back down, chin resting on her arms. “I’m Jay.” Lips curled into a pleased grin at the compliment. “Thank you, War-Brother. I have always had a knack for imitation, but vocal imitation is my favorite and specialty.”

She tilted her head to the side, burying it into the crook of her arms. “Catori? Is she the one who answered?” Again, Jay smiled and instead of chirping, whistled.

[[ No problem! <3 ]]  

[medigel]

"Well met then, Jay." It was little wonder why she was named such, given the vivid blue plumage of her wings. "And that she is," he added, shifting his eyes to the left as rustling from a nearby tree was heard. A small head peaked out from the leaves of the growing tree, sticking her hollowed out tongue at Jay before against chirping the same four musical tones. "The spirit shows herself," Shik said with a little smile. "I think she isn't pleased to know someone can mimic her voice so well. Catori believes herself to be empress of music, you see; she could match the haughtiest of airs from Conquest."

How he'd interpreted the notion out of the same melody being played was a mystery. The minipet certainly hadn't made an expression showing her disgruntled opinion of the blue-winged horseman.

Syusaki

 

[Syusaki]

“Heeeee.” She grinned, the smile disappearing for a moment as Jay followed his gaze toward a nearby tree. Her ears perked up when she heard rustling; then her eyes lit up when she spotted a tiny head among the leaves. The warrior laughed, waving a thin arm at the bird as it stuck its tongue at her. Playfully, Jay stuck her tongue out at Catori. “Tsk tsk. It’s not good to have haughty airs, even though she is a cutie patootie.” She threw Shikoba a mischievous grin. “Especially when you’ve got a mimicker as good as me.”

She opened her mouth to add on, but then stopped. Her mouth closed for a second before an idea struck her. “Is your hobby music?” Because the flute didn’t imply that at all. “It’s mine, too! I mean, among other things, but I like making music! I like it a lot!”  

[medigel]

The retaliatory sticking out of her tongue drew Catori out of hiding, and with a few flaps of her wings the wind flute alighted onto Shikoba's shoulder, black eyes boring into Jay. "You could say so, yes," he answered with amusement, lightly brushing a finger over the minipet's head. "I was not interested in it at first but my mentor, Orithia, was a firm believer in finding a calming, non-violent activity to balance out training. 'One cannot be all fire and expect to live unscathed,' she'd say. 'Fire does nothing but consume, and it will eat what you feed it even if it is your whole being. Find something that does not inherently destroy, but rather gives, that you may live and remember something more than the handle of a weapon and the taste of blood.'"

Shik paused in remembrance, the smile fading. "She used to carve miniature wooden animals."

Catori tweeted softly, breaking his somber mood with a single note. "Have you always been able to mimic so well?" he asked, acting as though he hadn't just slipped into memory. "And is it only birdsong you can copy?"

Syusaki

 

[Syusaki]

Lips curled into a silent smile as the minipet made itself comfortable on the horseman’s shoulder. It stared at Jay and she gladly stared back, wordlessly engaging a staring contest with the creature. “Mmhm. Mmhm.” She nodded her head and made filler sounds to tell him she was listening, but her eyes never strayed from Catori’s. The horsewoman seemed interested at the mention of his mentor. Orithia? Ooh okay. She raised a hand in agreement. “Yes! I think so too!” To emphasize her agreement, she nodded her head vigorously. She parted her lips to let out a low whistle. “Wow~ That sounds really wise and stuff.”

She sucked in air and finally broke eye contact with Catori. “Mini wood animals! Oh oh oh that sounds really cute do you have any because I want to see them.” Her mouth formed an ‘o’ as she rolled onto her back. “Ummm for a long time yeah.” Jay leaned back to throw him a grin and let out what sounded like a witch’s cackle, then opened her jaws wider for a lion’s roar.  

[medigel]

Catori hadn't been the only one staring; Shik joined in once he realized how much attention Jay was paying to the wind bird, blinking once at the witch's cackle and starting at the lion's roar - it was hard to stay put with such a loud sound in one's face after all.

Catori, on her part, trembled and ruffled her wings in a disapproving manner, shrieking a high, off-pitch note in response to the tricks this strange horsemen pulled against her. Again his ear was assaulted, again Shik winced.

"Tone it down," he grumbled, most of the praise he had to say drowned out by the ringing in his ears. "It's a useful trick, though. Unique." He paused to stick a finger in one ear and make sure it was in working order. "As for the animals . . . yes, I have a few back in the tent, assuming they weren't added to the fire while I was gone. Come." Shik gestured with the flute for her to follow as he began the winding way back to the center of War's section.

Jay reminded him a bit of the ghoul who had given him the fruit basket: a bit air-headed, but with good intentions.

"I don't remember your face well. What is your rank?"

Syusaki

 

[Syusaki]

Jay broke into laughter when she realized she had startled both of them, but mostly Catori. “Was I too sudden? Should I have warned you first?” She poked out her tongue, secretly pleased with the results when she noticed Shikoba’s wince. Her voice wasn’t naturally high-pitched and grating, but it was easy for her to change that. Shrieking and squeals seemed to fit her personality more.

More laughter and she waved at him. “Okay, okay. I won’t do something like that again unless I really need to,” she promised him. “Animals?” He caught her attention with the word. The horsewoman was back on her stomach in a flash. She pushed herself back up, the tails on her skirt rustling as she stood up to her full 5’2” height. “Animals? More animals? Yay! You know, I should call mine over too so we can have a party.” Jay looked away for a moment as she brought two fingers to her mouth and whistled a small series of notes. There was nothing at first, but there was still nothing. Maybe they were just late.

“Yeahhh. Like, I think I’ve seen your face a couple times, but I never got your name until now! I’m a warrior!” She happily ruffled her feathers. “What about you?”  

[medigel]

"I don't react well to sudden noises." They were usually accompanied by some sort of physical reaction, and it was only because of music's tempering calm that Shik had not done more than start - a downside he now made note of. Blunted weapons would do his clan no good after all.

Catori, for her part, gave Jay a baleful, beady look. At best she cocked her head inquisitively at her trills, yet even that had a hint of suspicion. Probably the crude horseman's call for more plebes. Joy.

"Shikoba Len. Executioner," he said, an inner brow briefly quirking at their stark height difference. But it was a non-issue really - Shik knew how little size mattered, having been beaten by someone even shorter than Jay in combat. "I am unsure 'party' is the best word for any occasion we have here, but so long as they don't leave droppings in my tent, your creatures are welcome."

The wind bird raised her head imperiously in complete disagreement.

"Warrior, hmm. Do you know Zelda? Tan skin, grey hair, forever angry at something?"

Syusaki

I fail at remembering what rps I've replied to OTL

 

[Syusaki]

“Really now?” Jay hummed. “That’s a real shame. You should fix that because sudden noises are important too even though I imagine a lot of people don’t like them too so I think you should try to tolerate them more in the future.” Somehow she had managed to say all of that in one breath.

The bird did not appear to respond to Jay’s calls, which left the horsewoman disappointed. She hummed again, but this time with a twinge of disappointment. The warrior chose to ignore the minipet for now, especially when the other horseman’s introduction piqued her interest. She clasped her hands together. “An executioner! Just like Senga! Do you know Senga, then? He is a tiny horseman, oh but he’s a bit taller than me, and he wears a white wolf pelt on his head.” Jay made a motion that imitated the pelt, but it was just waving gestures over her head.

She frowned. “So it’s not a party?” The horsewoman began to gradually deflate at the revelation, but then she bounced back to her usual self when she realized her minipets had arrived at last. “Yayyyy! My cutie patooties are here~” It was a trio consisting of a war treat, war vaisel, and poms war, but without a doubt she would give anything to make the band grow.

“Ahhh. Mmm. Zelda?” She brought a finger to her lips as she thought. “I’ve seen her a few times, but can’t say I’ve talked with her often.”  

[medigel]

This time an actual eyebrow was raised as he paused to take in the exuberant horseman's words, feeling like a rock caught in the pull of a babbling brook. He also might or might not have cause the distinct air about Catori that suggested ditching present company and going off flying somewhere.

But then Catori remembered Jay could fly too, and a long-suffering note was hooted. The songbird took wing, gliding on ahead of them to the arboreal abodes just ahead. Three was a crowd. Six? Beneath her. She would wait for them at home, if only because she did not know what these strangers would do there. The silence before they came would also be nice.

"I'm not surprised. She isn't a very chatty woman," Shik commented with some amusement as their group swelled with feathers, fur, and bright painted markings. His lips pressed together in thought at the mention of Senga. "Mm . . . The wolf? I've seen him around but have not had the chance to formally meet him." This would have to be remedied; he hadn't known a second executioner had lived through the tragedy.

Technically there were three, but Shikoba was no fan of the prissy Xiomara and in fact preferred pretending she didn't exist.

Careful not to step on the mini pets if any of the trio got overexciteable, the horsemen steered Jay to a dusty-brown tent near the fringes of camp, by a growing sapling upon which Catori was perched. She stared the group down as Shik lifted the tent flap and invited them in. Beyond stretch of cloth and hay-grass passing for a bed and a small wooden shelf housing several weapons, the only defining characteristics of Shikoba's home at the moment was a skinned piggies tanned enough to be considered a welcome rug - well, assuming the visitor didn't pierce their feet on its horns - and a woven chest by the weapons rack.

Shik strode towards the bed, lifted the blanket, and produced a bag two fists tall and two fists wide. "Here." He offered Jay the bag. Within laid five carved animals of various wood stock and grain: a jaguar in mid-prowl, its coat dappled by black spots from the work of a small, dextrous bush; a crane with its wings spread, its feathers rendered in a way that made it seem more delicate than its material actually was; a coiled snake with brilliant scales against dark wood, its tongue flicking out to taste the air for its next prey; a doe sniffing the invisible ground before her, ears pricked for any sign of danger; and a snarling bear with a paint job reminiscent of the markings Shikoba bore himself.

"There were others, but they were either lost to the explosion or broken in its aftermath."