ORIGIN - Bleed the Freak

One of the first things that struck Famine about the caves, as one wandered farther and farther from Hydra, was the humidity. No more did the wind sting her eyes - no, instead it clung to her feathers, heavy with moisture.

It was strange. But they would survive. They always did.

Soaring on the wing, she'd feel the warmth bear her higher. That was one thing that hadn't changed, along with the sands down below. But there was so much more.

Famine shifted her gaze mentally, from her eyes to her stone. And she could feel the life. So much more than the desperate scrub and dry grass. Even though it was distant, with her magic weak, plants sang in vibrance.

Dipping her wings, she'd lower herself, skating over dunes covered in sandgrass. It was a foreign sight, but welcome all the same.

She lifted her head as she wandered, exploring the new area, looking at the differences that this cave held over the other caves she had found herself in. For a moment, she took the chance to sniff the air, faintly catching the scent of another, but she wasn't really sure where it was coming from, looking around for a moment with her eyebrows furrowed.

It was about then that she remembered her ability to sense the gems within creatures and would take a breath, closing her eyes for a moment as she felt the familiar hint towards something, however this thing was.... in the sky? Opening her eyes, she looked up just in time to see a bird sour over her and she gasped, her eyes widening. "Woah." She whispered mostly to herself in awe, having not seen such a creature before.

It'd take a moment for Famine, too, to realize she'd just buzzed over another Gembound. A tilt of her wings and she's pitching back around. On the return, she'd stick her legs out, coming to land on the loose sand. She'd shake her wings out, before folding them up.

Truth be told, they'd really only stopped because of curiosity. Famine wasn't exactly one for chit-chat. She'd crane her neck back and forth, looking over the akita.

Well, might as well be some semblance of 'polite'. "Hel-lo," she'd croak.

@Morana

She lifted her head, watching the bird fly around and land a few feet in front of her. Her tail wagged behind her, a gentle wave across her back as she offered a kind and friendly smile, dipping her head in her own greeting. Hello there. You startled me for a moment. She let out a soft chuckle, finding the whole situation rather funny, if only a little bit.

Lifting her head up for a moment, she took a glace across the sky, humming softly in thought. What's it like, flying above everyone? She genuinely asked, turning to look upon the winged creature curiously.

They'd chuckle as well, mostly because Morana started it and Famine isn't exactly sure what else to do. "I hadn't... meant to. Did not see you." At least not at first.

Her own inspection of Morana concludes, and she levels her head. Not a threat. Not right now, at least.

But then there's questions to answer. What is it like to fly? It's hard to explain, when it comes naturally to you. "It feels... like... what I was meant to do. It feels... right. I belong on the wing."

@Morana

She seemed to think for a moment before nodding, it made sense, and though she likely would never really want to fly, the thought of height that high making her wince, she could see how it would be exhilarating to be able to do so.

I'm Morana, by the way. She figured she would offer her name, hoping to at least gain the same knowledge from the other creature. If you don't mind me asking, did you happen to see anything small enough for someone like me to hunt? She grimaced slightly at the question, knowing it was kind of rude to ask, for all she knew they were hunting as well, but in her defense, one of them had the advantage of a birds eye view and it wasn't her.

Their green eyes meet Morana's, and she smiles back, "I am called Famine... At your service." A bow of the head and the shift of the wing punctuates the statement. Even in her own indifference, she sees no reason to be rude.

She tilts her head, thinking for an answer. Famine thought she saw something skittering back a ways. But she gets an idea. Prey lingers where there is food. Plants can be food for some. She'd cast her magic out, reaching for that thrum of green - but she is met with silence.

Deafening silence. The condor appears to freeze, lost in a trance.

@Morana

She flicked her tail back and forth gently as she watched the woman, her eyes crinkling as she smiled. It's wonderful to meet you Famine. She enjoyed meeting others and possibly gaining acquaintances or even friends, it was something she looked forward to in her day to day life. However, as the woman in front of her suddenly seemed to go into a trance, she hesitated, cocking her head to the side. Was the woman going down some sort of nostalgia flashback or did something happen?

Are you alright, ma'am? She asked gently, though a bit concerned, waiting to see. If the woman didn't respond instantly, she would reach out to gently paw at the bird carefully, just a gentle shake to try and get them back to reality.

Morana's voice piping up again is enough to bring Famine back to the present. Shaking her wings off, they nod in gratitude. "It is alright. I attempted to find us somewhere to hunt. My magic simply... did not cooperate. I will try again."

Famine's gaze turns away again, as she channels again. And this time, she would hear it - plants around the edges of the dunes, more than the stray grasses at the two of them's feet. The shade of palms and other seaside trees, a short distance away. That will do.

Settled on a direction, they would extend their wing in that direction. "That direction might prove fruitful. There is green life, food for Lessers. Maybe we will find some there."

@Morana

She was still a bit concerned, her brows furrowed slightly as the woman wrote it off as nothing to worry about. Of course, she wouldn't push the subject, not unless it happened again, but she certainly would keep an eye on the woman for now at least.

Now that the food was found, her ears perked up for a moment and she turned into the direction, nodding for a moment before turning to look up at the bird, a warm smile on her face, gracious for their help. Thank you! She flicked her head in a bit of a offer for them to join, though she didn't want to force the woman to follow if she had other things to do, before bounding off in the direction the woman pointed.

Really all she could do was go off the direction, as she hadn't yet pinpointed the exact location, but she was more or less on track... ish.

@Famine