Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Dom stood silent for just a moment. He'd pushed himself that time, his hands feeling a little sore from the movement, his forearms twitched just a little, a bead of sweat rolled from his temple. Every time he played like that he felt like he'd just spilled a bit of his own essence out, leaving him drained. It was always momentary though as the inrush of positivity from the praise filled up what had been spilled and then some, making him feel light. The texture of the atmosphere was charged somehow, and the hooting gave him a hint. Didn't take great senses to know that a heaping helping of love and desire was splashing around.
"I gave it my best shot." he replied easily, though the inflection of his tone put aside any inkling of false modesty. He was proud of his ability, but never presumed to be perfect. He would always strive for perfection, but as any artist he was his own worst critic. He did, however, feel he may have earned his next tipple.
"Would you be so kind as to give a parched man something to slake his thirst?" he asked hopefully.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
At first, the din drove into Kat's ears like twinned pain daggers. All involuntarily her ears laid back against her skull until she schooled herself and started to observe with interest the ebb and flow of the crowd. When the dancing started, she was entranced by the fluidity of it, a feline predator's natural propensity for paying rapt attention to bright, moving objects.
When the dance was complete, she rose to her feet and bowed to Ilona, curling her tail around herself as she went up to congratulate her on her prowess.
The young man Casamir had been talking to, reached out to snag a wooden cup off a folding table that had been placed by the fire. He quickly poured an amount of pale gold liquid from a big stone jug. He handed it to Dominic without any flourish, though he tapped the bard on his shoulder first to give him a chance to orient on his voice. The fact that Dominic was blind had already gone streaking through the camp like a late summer lightning storm.
“Here Strummer, you certainly earned it.”
His voice was still in that stage between child and adult, too, cracking in spots to a deeper bass note. He was positively ablaze with curiosity.
Ilona, meanwhile, had taken Kat’s praise with a good natured “thank you” after extracting herself from Casamir’s arms. She was not unlike Dominic; being her worst critic. She always felt as if there was something she could have expressed better. But, she did not dwell on it overlong. The baby was returned to her arms.
Ilona settled down next to her and Casamir’s caravan. She glanced back at Katerina and lowered her voice just a little. She had a sense that the catgirl was still somewhat unsure and nervous. She had met exactly one Cathian before, which was one more than anyone else had seen.
“You captivate them you know.”
Ilona waved her hand toward the children who had returned to the camp and were clustered in little spots watching Katerina.
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
Post by silverdust on Nov 10, 2011 18:50:01 GMT -5
One of Kat's ears flicked in their direction briefly, though the children either did their best to hide or act casually when she glanced their way. "people like me have not been common on the roads you have travelled?"
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
The strummer took the offered drink, bringing it to his lips but inhaling deeply before taking a sip. Oh it was good stuff, strong, with a caramel aftertaste. He took a sip, revelled in the spice of the drink as it coursed warmly down his throat.
"You're a consciencious soul, aren't you lad?" he said warmly, taking another eager sip. "I'm hoping one day that my other senses will make up for the lack of the fifth." He chuckled and lifted his mouth in a lopsided grin, turning his face to the drinks pourer. "Until then I'll continue to bless folks who pay a second heed to those in need."
He held out his free hand, having rested his lute by his hip and still having his staff laying against one shoulder "Dominic. A pleasure." He rarely was able to return handshakes, but a man should always extend one if he could.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
“I don’t know about conscientious. And you can call me Ramon, Strummer. I must say you have me puzzled. How on earth did you learn to play with no eyes to see?”
There was no cruelty in the question, it was plain from his voice he was eternally inquisitive. At least it was to someone with Dominic’s sense of hearing.
As for Kat, Ilona smiled at her and made gestures with her fingers in front of the baby while speaking.
“I’m afraid not. Casamir is a wonder, but he has had many worries recently with so many of our family lost. He is very driven. We’ve had little time for frivolities.”
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
Dominic [M:123:1420:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cs&thread=382&page=1#14144][b]Let me tell you a story...[/b][0:No encore today][1:You have my attention]
Dom couldn't keep the mirth from his face as the delightful tipple started its work on his mind. He rather expertly, though mostly through luck, clapped the young man on the shoulder.
"Kid. No-one ever learned to play an instrument by challenging it to a staring contest. You need ears and hands, that's all." He knew the boy was inquiring about sheet music, musical theory and the like, but he'd learned simply by lots of trial, lots of error, and lots of listening. His voice remained light as he continued.
"Nope. I just listened to the performers outside my room when I was a boy. Then I asked my mother for a lute one day and she gave it to me. I just poked the thing until it sounded nice, then poked it some more. Like a lady. Touch her soft till she croons to you, then do it faster and more complicated to make her wail." His laugh boomed again, bubbling up from inside his chest.
Love, like Hope, has too few letters for a word so powerful.
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
Post by silverdust on Nov 10, 2011 21:41:05 GMT -5
"Your family, they have been lost?" Kat's smooth brow furrowed slightly, and a note of concern crept into her voice. She didn't remember having a family beyond the Thieves Collective, but she couldn't imagine losing them; it had been hard enough to leave them behind to come to Wistvale.
Last Edit: Nov 10, 2011 22:06:15 GMT -5 by silverdust
Ilona nodded. The baby had stopped cooing in her lap, a tiny fist was curled up next to one visible ear.
She would not normally speak of family business to outsiders; however she was and had been apprehensive for the past several hours. Casamir had stopped talking and instead growled like a wounded bear since the incident earlier in the day. She blessed Dominic and Katerina’s presence for the distraction they had created. Casamir would be yanking Mina up and dragging her back by her ear otherwise. Not, that he didn’t have a reason.
Ilona did not believe in coincidence. Surely these two had been placed upon the road in their time of need.
Ilona pointed toward the young teenagers still gathered about the fire.
“Do you see something missing Katerina? I do not expect you to, honestly. So. I will tell you outright. We have only teenage boys here. Look.”
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
Post by silverdust on Nov 11, 2011 20:04:13 GMT -5
Kat glanced at the children again. Of the group that were over approximately eleven years of age, none were female, this was true. Kat's eyes narrowed slightly as she considered the implications, and her ears flicked back, then forward again, the tip of her tail starting to twitch. "How long as this been happening for?"
“The first; several weeks past as we left the Southern Sands to find our way here. The last; just some hours past on the road. Little Philana was the only teenage girl left to the family. Casamir has been infuriated, helpless, and frustrated since it began, as you might imagine. While we are, for the most part wanderers, we rarely go off alone. Rasia, the first of us to disappear, could have run off with a young man. It is not unheard of, naturally. But, while one might be explained away? Two is a pattern, and six? Well, six is… Evil.”
Ilona said the last word with emphasis.
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
Post by silverdust on Nov 11, 2011 23:07:25 GMT -5
"And they disappear when they are alone? What do the last people to see them say about them? Has anyone journeyed with you since not too long before that first time?" Kat leaned forward, the tip of her tail twitching faster... she did enjoy a good mystery, and young girls disappearing was just... wrong.
She stopped and, before Ilona could answer, asked, "you said that the last disappeared just some hours past while you were on the road... can you show me where?"
Last Edit: Nov 12, 2011 8:56:51 GMT -5 by silverdust
Ilona looked nervous for the first time. She hesitated on the questions, her gaze going back through the camp and to Casamir. He was speaking to some of the older men, and had been since the dance ended. Ilona sighed and shoved hair off her face.
"No, Kat. I cannot show you where. Casamir will be so very angry with me for even mentioning it. He does not wish us to appear weak. But, yes, to your first question. It seems all is fine as we separate for sleep. Casamir is not foolish, we have the dogs for guards and not many can get past their quick noses and warning barks. However, come morning when it is time to start the trek again one is gone. As to the others; we have taken on no new people since the before the Sands. I wish I knew more."
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”
silverdust [M:0:0:][D3v:http://rpgmenagerie.com/index.cgi?board=ci&action=display&thread=314]Mess with the panther, and you get the dagger in your throat.
Post by silverdust on Nov 12, 2011 10:00:52 GMT -5
Kat moved closer so that they could speak more quietly. "I do hate to bombard you with questions, but... do they disappear regularly? Not every time, I am assuming, but, say, one a week, every week? Something not so different to that?
"Your dogs, too. Would they make noise for someone they are used to? What if these young ladies are enticed to walk off on their own, to somewhere outside the camp?"
She entered the caravan behind her and when she returned the baby had obviously been put down for the night. Ilona spent a few minutes in a quick survey of the immediate area and then motioned for Kat to follow her.
“Yes. They have disappeared regularly. One girl every week for six weeks, as I mentioned earlier Rasia was not so surprising, and as result we assumed she was sparking with a young man. However, the next week we lost another. Casamir was not so nonchalant after that, he increased the guards at night and we sent runners back to see if anyone else had similar things occur. The runners returned with no real information and the next week another was lost…”
Ilona stopped in her recitation of the events. Her eyes were on her husband a few paces away.
“…after that Casamir was… untouchable and well… tonight is the first time I’ve seen him relax since. He is probably beating himself up for that even as we speak. However, I will tell him of your suggestion Kat. Deceit, does seem to be the only possibility left.”
Eternity
“Put some clothes on, you weird, yellow-eyed, table-dancing, werewolf-training, cryptic, stare-me-right-in-the-eyes-and-don't-even-blink wench.”