Lost and Found - Printable Version

Sair

The feeling had grown stronger in Sair over their journey, seeming to drag them closer to Orion whenever they veered the wrong way. Drag wasn't quite the right word, they found, seeing as it had been more like the gentle correction of a warm hand in their mind that nudged them onwards. It didn't matter really if it had been forceful, though; Sair was just excited to meet yet another unique creature. They were all so fascinating! What made them all so different?
The gift they had been carrying all this time sat uncomfortably in their mouth, the ribbon slowly untying and getting increasingly damp as they walked. Though apologetic to whoever would be receiving the thing, they did suppose what was inside mattered most. Why it was wrapped was a mystery to the foal, but the interest in meeting the creature from their vision kept them from finding out.
Sair made his way slowly to the center of the cave, eyes darting and ears twitching, on the lookout for any sign of the purple bird. Mostly purple, but also kind of blue? The lack of description Sair could find for the being is what kept him on this path, even if it meant darting through Ursa again.

"Speaking." Thinking. Doing.
OOC: I was going to wait to post until the 24th, but alas I work and don't want to miss the deadline

We don't know how to accept we're just a product of a chance /
And less like gods but more like plants

Sair

Nothing.
Whoever it was, Sair was beginning to worry they didn't want to be found. Perhaps an early conclusion to most, considering the size of the cave, but they were still just a foal.
Sair huffed and grumbled through the ribbon still occupying his mouth, spitting it out to try and wipe some of the moisture away. Picking it back up defeated the entire purpose, but they also weren't going to just leave it on the ground and hope it was found. They wanted to meet the bird! Was that so much to ask after all the snow they had been trekking through?
Prone to tantrums as young ones often are, Sair found themself kicking a stone, chasing it across the cave for a while until they began to realize they were enjoying themselves. This little chase had carried them a fair distance across the cave, closer to a towering structure covered in gems, though not as fancy as the one where they had been born.
Back to the task at hand, Sair perused the base of the structure, not yet willing to brave the stairs in their search.

"Speaking." Thinking. Doing.
OOC:

We don't know how to accept we're just a product of a chance /
And less like gods but more like plants

The Lost Gifts - 3 Kings

The groggy "Hwuh?" was not very well-suited to the beautiful grace of the Kings. A moment later, the voice cleared its throat; a brief and distant argument ("What is th--not AGAIN with this," "It's a gesture of kindness," was interrupted by another call. "Here. This way!"

Three gifts--one very small indeed--lay packaged in hues of white, gold, red and green. These were tagged, both physically and with that same magical designation that the lost gift had been. And beside them stood a puzzled-looking bird, one that swirled like an galaxy of violet shot through with gleaming stars. "I think these are for--you," the bird said, looking to the Gembounds. "-And is that for me?" Their voice, unified, was almost hopeful. They'd been here in the quiet dark for so long they'd almost forgotten what company was like.

They tugged open their gift, after a quiet thank you to the Gembounds for its delivery. Within was a large, red, snuggly cloak, of sorts: the kind one would stick their head through a hole in the top and then just... go to sleep on the couch. It looked exceedingly comfortable, and came with a hood lined in white faux fur.

Strangely enough, each of the Gembounds got their own: all matched dark red, all very soft and warm and fitted to their bodies, with a hole for their head and a gap for their legs. Sair's looked rather like a big horse blanket; October's, like a little bird coat. And Eleanora's, like a snuggly hooded blanket. Each gift also came with a single candy cane--though October might find its a little... large.

The Three Kings considered. "I can offer another gift, too," they decided. "Maybe two. The first... a little touch of magic; the second, a story. If you wish it." Then they settled in, pushing their way into the hooded cloak (which looked rather out of place on the ethereal bird, but it did look very comfy) to tell their tale to those who wanted to hear it...

This is one of six Lost Gifts threads in the Holiday 2023 event! Characters who posted in the original Three Kings' lost gift thread may post here to react, and then post in Update Me to claim their rewards!

Gembounds may learn one of the following spells, best-suited to their moral alignment:

Eternal Wing
Low Intensity Transformation. Gain ethereal golden feathered wings that shimmer with the gleam of wisdom. While they cannot grant the ability of flight, there is promise in their beauty; stay loyal to that which blessed this power unto you, and they may grow yet.
This spell is suited for those who are Good or Selfless in nature.

Spectral Wing
Low Intensity Transformation. Gain ethereal blue-white wispy wings that glow with the ambiance of balance. While they cannot grant the ability of flight, there is promise in their grace; stay loyal to that which bestowed this power unto you, and they may grow yet.
This spell is suited for those who are more Neutral in nature.

Haunted Wing
Low Intensity Transformation. Gain ethereal red bat-like wings that swirl with the black aura of chaos. While they cannot grant the ability of flight, there is promise in their finesse; stay loyal to that which granted this power unto you, and they may grow yet.
This spell is suited to those who are Selfish or Chaotic in nature.

"The story I will tell you... is one that takes place far from here. In many worlds, there is no roof overhead of rock and stone: but an open sky, air that goes on forever. There is a sun, a ball of light and fire that is like your orbs, but huge and warm and bright. And when it goes away at night, you can see into the black of nothing, with a thousand thousand distant suns shining like little white spots: the stars. Sometimes there is the glow of an aurora, like my wings now: green or pink or purple, ribbons of energy high in this air.

But this world had no stars: at night, the sky was only black. It was said that many centuries ago, a man had stolen the stars from the sky, and hoarded them for his family. Another family had sworn to hunt them down, and retrieve the stolen stars to return them to the sky.

This story is of two enemies. A hunter, who had pursued his prey as his family had before him, for generations: and the father of the final, hunted family, always struggling to protect his kin. The hunted were always on the move: one running, hiding, covering their tracks each day. And the hunter pursuing, following and tracking. The hunted man did not know where his ancestors had put the stars: only that their sin, their crime, had left him hunted forever.

The father and his youngest child, barely newly born, were the last of the star-thief's family line. His mate had died to illness, and he himself was growing sick, and he knew there would be no one left to care for the child. He had not the strength to run anymore. So one cold morning, he gathered his child and he set out to meet his hunter.

He found him on the plains to the west, frozen over with frost, and he fell to his knees before the hunter. 'It has been so long since your blood began to hunt my kind, that we no longer remember the theft of the stars, or what was done with them. But I am the last: myself, and my child, and I am dying. Take me if you must but I beg you, spare the child. Save them.'

The hunter cocked his head. '...It has been so long that I do not remember the stars' theft, either. My people have been following you, but we have killed none of you for many years, because we... I no longer know the purpose of this cruelty. Whatever your people did, and why they did it... They must have long since paid the price. But your child will be a burden. The winter is cold, and we are lost on this tundra in the dark.' He thought about this for a very long time, and finally said, 'Never mind. I will help you. My camp is this way. Come.'

The father shook his head. 'I am too weak to travel. But if you promise you will care for the child... I will show you the way, so that you may escape the tundra, and your people--and my child--will all survive.'

The hunter bundled up the child, and set out for his camp: but with the stars long stolen, the night was too dark to find his way. Yet as he trudged onward, a light ignited in the heavens high above: a single star to light his way. And then another, and another, until the sky was filled with them. They shone and twinkled, returned to the sky to light the hunter's way. Whatever the father's family had once stolen--whatever selfishness they had embraced--he released it now, each shining star proof of his love for his child.

The hunter was true to his word: the child was saved, and adopted, and loved. And they were told, when they came of age, that their father had been a hero: that he had found, in the depths of his love, the very stars in the sky and given them back to the sky to save his child's life."

"I like the part with the hunters." [An exasperated sigh...] "Alnitak..."

Sair

It seemed Sair would never be alone in the caves. They weren't quite sure how they felt about the idea yet, but so far it seemed to be a good thing as the commotion of the others that had joined them was what woke the Three Kings. They wondered for a while why one gift would go to three separate kings, whatever they were, but seeing the singular being with three voices answered their unvoiced questions rather quickly.
The gift was given with no fuss and opened easily with the tearing of paper, revealing a very soft-looking fabric. It wasn't until the Three Kings put it on that they understood what it was, and they wondered (a very common thing it seemed) how such a thing was made.
The last thing Sair had expected upon delivering the package was to get a gift in return, let alone two and a story!
In a blur of black and white, the foal dove into their blanket, using the floor and whatever wall-like surface was nearest to them to shove it the rest of the way on. It was a little big, but that just meant more growing room for the upcoming cycles.
"Thank you!" they mumbled through their candy cane, sitting politely to listen to the story. There was no way to hide the twinkle of excitement in their eyes as they looked around the room and across the gembounds they had met today, hoping they would also stay to listen.

"Speaking." Thinking. Doing.
OOC:

We don't know how to accept we're just a product of a chance /
And less like gods but more like plants

Ellie's mouth curved into an "o" shape as the Three Kings appeared, marveling at their beauty. They reminded her of the night sky over Let and the auroras that sometimes shimmered above the Vaa. She was so taken by its swirling galaxy of a body that she almost didn't notice the packages, until they were pointed out.

"For us? From who?" She reached for her own, tearing open the wrapping and pulling out a wondrously bright red blanket, not too different from the one the Kings received. She cooed with delight as she tried to unfold it, only to realize that it was more like an oversized shirt then a blanket. A little confused at fist, she pulled it over her head and found herself sinking into how comfortable it was. It was long and warm and she could imagine how perfect this would be for snuggling with Lilith during the colder time of year. A smile warmed her face as she picked at the wrapping of the candy cane. She wasn't sure what this was either, but from the smell, it seemed like it might be food.

She sat down as the bird offered a story, slowly eating her candy cane (quite delicious, and reminded her strongly of Adam's favorite peppermint tea!). When it was over, she hummed softly. "That was a lovely story! We had many stories like that in our village, about the stars and where they came from. I have not heard that one, though."

October's beak fell open at the sight of the Three Kings, its tongue lolling slightly. They were... utterly beautiful! It could barely manage a single thought, faced with their splendid plumage, shot through with swirls of nebulae and glittering stars. If birds could kneel, the young fledgling would have fallen to its knees right there in the middle of the ruins.

"muh- Me? For me?" Its voice cracked as if overwhelmed with emotion. In truth, October wasn't sure what what it was feeling, only that it was feeling a lot. It had hardly done anything except followed the horse. But it could not possibly refuse these kings. It staggered forward on thin, wobbly legs and ripped open the wrapping paper with its beak, almost reverently. "Y-yes, that is--CAW--for you." It had even managed to put together an entire sentence for the occasion. It's got your name on it, it would have added, but its mouth was dry and it didn't think it could manage another full sentence.

The cloak was so soft and cozy that October wanted to melt. It was like being surrounded by fire, except... gentler. It made a soft burbling sound as it snuggled into its gift and began nibbling at the disproportionately large candy cane, and cocked its head to look up at the Three Kings with wide, adoring eyes...

Something tugged at its heart as the Three Kings described their sky, sun, and stars. It found itself struck suddenly by a yearning so powerful it was as if the floor had been tugged out from underneath it, and it was all at once falling and soaring. Its soft golden eyes blinked once, twice, and filled up with warm liquid. It blinked a third time and found droplets rolling down its feathered cheeks. What was happening? It clacked its beak softly and burrowed more snugly into its festive cloak. The liquid stopped appearing as the story progressed, but the ending had its eyes welling up again.

It didn't know how to name the longing that threatened to rip their chest apart, or why exactly it felt what it did. It searched vainly for an explanation to everything happening--everything it had never experienced before--and came up with nothing, apart from--

I love you. It wanted to say this to the Three Kings. I love you for telling me this story. I love you for these gifts. I love you for being so beautiful. I love you for the sky on your feathers and the stars in your voice and the sun in your eyes. I want to stay with you forever and fly into the sky together. If it had the words, it was sure it would have. But it hardly had the vocabulary to even think these thoughts; they were more intense feelings than anything.

It opened and closed its beak a few times, lost for words, and then scooted as close to this giant, ethereal bird as it dared. A quiet burble escaped its throat, and then a few more precious words it managed to scraped together (it would simply have to learn more, it thought fiercely, even though it had never considered it important before, because how could it be satisfied by what paltry few it had when the Three Kings knew so many?): "Cawww--n I stay with you?" it asked, golden eyes pleading. But it was dissatisfied; that didn't feel like it conveyed everything it felt. "I--I love you," it tried again. Better. It still wanted more. "Caw---caw--- can I be-- friends with you?"

It really couldn't think of other words. But it still looked up at the Three Kings hopefully, a crumb of peppermint candy stuck to the side of its beak.

They were being thanked--ahh, but this gift was not theirs. And indeed, the second of them was asking from whom these gifts had come. "From Naskital, we believe." There was a moment's pensive thought. "Long have we searched for a way to free ourselves from this place-... Naskital comes and goes at will. We do not know the source of this magic, but it is hard to be jealous of it. He uses it only... in generosity. Gifts, to others, granted in selflessness." They sighed softly at the thought; it was nice (for two thirds of them, anyway) to imagine such goodness streaking through the stars.

The galaxy-streaked feathers shifted as the Kings regarded Eleanora. "Stories-... You hold ones of your own?" Realization, then; she was not from this place. "How did you come to be here?" came an urgent, demanding question (was it a way out?!) and then--more softly--"May we hear one of your stories?"

This thought was interrupted, of course, by October... by a sudden declaration of love. The Kings again responded in a surprised, split voice. The first, taken aback, sharp: "-What?" and then the three, together--"You may stay with us. We would welcome... friends."

Sair

Sair listened intently, taking in the story with wide-eyed interest. They imagined it- stars, littering the sky which stretched endlessly above unlike the finite start and end of the cave ceilings. Sure, some of them looked endless or starry with fungi, but a truly endless space? What a thought! Would they ever get the chance to see such a thing?

"I want more stories too!" The foal looked to Eleanora, gently pressing their nose against the other's arm before adding in a sheepish "Please?"

Sair's mind swam with questions and possibilities; They wanted to meet the gift-giver, see the sky, make friends. And practice with their gift! Wings like Juggernaut? Like Fulgur? Like the Three Kings or the other bird among their group? Or would they be entirely unique?

"If you find a way, could others come to see the skies too? Have you seen them?" They looked between the Kings and Eleanora. Sair was unsure why the Three Kings worded such an adventure as if it were an escape, but it mattered not for the moment. This story, this idea, this tale of love and things unseen by their eyes- Sair wanted to witness it all!

"Speaking." Thinking. Doing.
OOC:

We don't know how to accept we're just a product of a chance /
And less like gods but more like plants