[IC] When the Roar Falls ~ PopeAlessandros x Raafling

[PopeAlessandros]

Viltez can feel his tail twitch slightly under his shirt in the back. 'He can't mean they drowned can he? I mean, he almost looked a little giddy at the thought of people being unable to reach the bottom. Maybe he can? That's most likely it, He must be one of those men who do very well under water. We've had a few come through town who work in the ocean, and they can go pretty deep!' The fire crackles gently behind him as he takes a few more bites of the sweet mixture on his plate and listens to his guest talk about his homeland. In his mind grows a picture of the island, and on it a grand shrine. Almost as if seeing the passage of time it dims and crumbles gradually and he can almost feel his heart drop at the thought of such a thing happening. 'He's obviously sad about it. It must have been an important place at some point to the people up river'

At the man's question Viltez chews his lip a bit. 'I haven't traveled far from the village, but I can ell him what I have seen I suppose. Plus the stories, and the maps. . . .' He takes a moment to gather his thoughts. 'He doesn't need to know it all though. I guess I'll go with the important stuff' Taking a breath he smiles and sips down some tea before he begins.

“Well, directly around this village I know of only one shrine, but it's really small, and it's more of a traveler shrine to the forest god. It's about half a mile out of town, through the woods to the south, towards the lake. East of here it's all rolling hills until the town a good thirty miles away, but I've heard that there are some farms for sheep and cows between here and there, but they are away from the main road. After that is the ocean, but that's a way away.” He stops to think for a moment, chewing on another mouthful of his quickly chilling dinner. “To the north and west are the mountain, but to the north there's the Havardo cave. A lot of young couples go there. . .” A faint blush touches his cheeks and with a cough he quickly moves on. “And, um, west, yes, there is a thick forest between us and the mountains, but along the way there is an old stone structure no one really knows the use of. OH!” He snaps his fingers remembering one last detail. “Also to the west is the tallest tree in these parts.”

He chuckles slightly. “Apparently a lot of people have carved their names into it over the years and now it's practically a test of love to climb up and find a place to carve you and your sweetheart's name, heh.” Bringing his fingers up he slowly cleans them off of the last remnants of the drizzle and stands. “That's all I can think of for now.” Turning his back he goes tot he sink and pumps a little water over his sticky dish. “I mean I haven't seen most of this myself. I don't leave the village much. . . .”His last comment is quite, but loud enough for his guest to hear.

[Merule]

Autharyx nodded thoughtfully as he took it all in with a serious expression on his face. It was hard to figure out from the descriptions alone, but it didn't sound as if there was either a dragon or a spirit being honoured in these parts nowadays. He wasn't sure if he had been expecting that. It had been difficult to gauge the passing of time without humans checking in occasionally, but surely not all of them could have been forgotten? Surely dragons would object to being forgotten. Well, he hadn't, but then it had taken him quite a long time before he realised that people had stopped coming. In the beginning he hadn't even minded all that much. Humans could be a chore to interact with, and they were always so... pushy. They would want their business done within weeks, and they needed more looking after than seemed appropriate for such insignificant creatures. It was only when some of his tapestries had started to decay that he had wondered when the ever diminishing trickle of visitors had dried completely. He wondered if the same had happened to others of his kind.

Following Viltez' example, he carefully licked his fingers clean after finishing his meal in exactly the same time as the human had. The entirety of his human disguise had been done by carefully observing and copying humans he'd seen, and he knew there was plenty he would still need to mimic.

"Do you mean you come from this village?" he asked, surprise evident in his voice. "You do not seem at all like the rest..." he trailed off awkwardly, unsure how to continue from there without insulting the rest of the villagers.

"Then I suppose you cannot really tell me about travel over land, can you?" he quickly continued. "I've only ever travelled over water, until I decided to... get out in the world a bit more."

[PopeAlessandros]

Glancing over his shoulder he smiles at the sight of his visitor licking his fingers clean. 'Funny, I've never been sure if that was odd for me to do, but I guess not' Walking over he scoops up Aryx's plate and goes to stand. However his body freezes at the question about originating in this village. A faint sound makes it out of his throat but then he bites down on his lip and turns away. 'I don't know how to answer him. I don't want to lie, but. . .' His mind buzzes as he makes his way back to the sink and rises the dish. He almost doesn't hear what the man says next, so lost in his fretting, but the oddness of what is said causes him to pause. Setting the plate in the sink he turns to look at Aryx. Confusion is evident on his face as he looks hard at the man. 'It's strange, but from what he said earlier is sounded as if he lived near that lake for a long time. Not specifically, but just a feeling I got. But now, if the only travel he's done is over water, then it sounds like he's a sailor'

His eyes travel over the smooth skin and slightly worn finery. 'He looks to be rich, sort of, but definitely not anything like the over seas merchants that have passed through over the years. And he doesn't have the skin of one who has spent a life at sea. And if he did travel on the sea, he most certainly wouldn't be talking about 'Getting out into the world more' seeing as the sea can take you to more of the world more quickly than over land' He drops his eyes, realizing he's being rather rude by staring. Instead he turns back to the sink and finishes rinsing the dishes. 'Honestly it sounds like that lake is the extent of his travels, but somehow that sounds very odd. I mean, I myself have not left this village since my father left, but I seem to know more about these lands despite the fact that I wasn’t born here' Shaking his head with a sigh he places the dishes on a wooden drying rack and chides himself for over thinking things. Under his shirt he can feel his tail twitch slightly but he ignores it as he turns back to the man.

“I was not born here, but I have lived most my life here.” He decides to answer Aryx's questions as honestly as possible, and ignore his own wild musings. “I've always been. . .Different, but the people here don't seem to mind when I act a little odd. Everyone else who lives here now was born here, and you could say, that's given them all a rather close nit range of emotions and reactions to things, being so close and all, but I guess since I spent my younger years somewhere else I don't have that innate community knee jerk reactions like the rest, heh.” Looking down he leans back against the sink and scuffs his foot against the floor.

“Travel over land is definitely different from water. Depending one what water your talking about, there is definitely more to see, and it's a lot slower.” His eyes come up shyly, wondering if the man will be able to ease his mind's wonderings about him, or if the act of asking such things would be considered rude. Coughing he moves back to the other side of the table and takes a seat. Picking up the teapot he tops off his cup and waits quietly should Aryx have any more questions.

[Merule]

When Viltez turned around to stare at him, Autharyx knew he had to have said something wrong. He quickly went through his own words in his mind, looking for anything that might have cause the reaction, even as he tried not to fidget. The other's eyes were roaming over his clothes again, and if he'd known the scrutiny they would attract he might have swallowed his pride and gone with peasant's clothes after all. Probably. The inspection went on for a few more seconds, and then the half-breed dropped his eyes and went back to washing up without a word.

Autharyx felt himself bristle at the insult. So not only did his words merit another close examination, but then this mortal decided he wasn't even worth the effort of explaining himself? Surely this was not normal amongst humans, or he would have noticed something of the sort in the market place. But then... this man wasn't human, was he? He smoothed over his irritated expression when the other turned back to him, and instead tried to see if he could figure out whether his different nature would be common knowledge or not. What he heard was not all that helpful, really.

So he was 'different' and people didn't mind when he acted 'odd'. That could mean all sorts of things, but in this case it could well mean that the humans were aware of his nature, whatever that might be. He knew the mortals had duller senses than he did, and it had taken him a while to figure out what he thought the man was, but they had years to figure him out. Surely one couldn't hide something like this for that long?

"Time is of no consideration," he said when Viltez had seated himself again. "And it is good that there is much to see, though I must admit I find it hard to believe that there will be more to experience than the infinite variations my river and lake have to offer." This was to be a holiday of sorts after all, after which he would gladly return to the comfort of his own territory. Which had plenty to offer, thank you very much. He tilted his head slightly as he shifted his attention to Viltez.

"It makes sense they would see you are, as you say, 'different'," Autharyx said, carefully talking around the issue as Viltez had done. "I had not expected to hear that people do not mind. I thought that... humans as a whole didn't have such an open mind in things." Not in his experience at least. Even when he was well known to the people of the lake, they had rejoiced in placing the blame for all sorts of misfortune on those they perceived to be even slightly 'different'.

[PopeAlessandros]

'I was right. There is something off here' Keeping his eyes down he listens quietly, practically feeling the offense the man had taken about what he said about travel over water. 'He's lived by that lake, for a long time at least, and has traveled the river. However that river, while long, doesn't exactly have as much to offer as he seems to think' Biting his lip Viltez chides himself yet again. 'That's a very close minded way of thinking of things. If he really loves the river and lake as much as it seems, then it's rude to judge him for that. Even if I think he's wrong' His eyes dart back up when Aryx shifts the focus from travel, to Viltez himself. His heart beat quickens slightly even as he tells himself that everything is alright. This man can't have guessed in one day what he's successfully hidden from an entire village for years.

He swallows hard, his body tensing. 'It's obvious, he can tell something. Maybe the villagers just got use to me. Am I really that obviously different from them?' His tail twitches again and his heart jumps, He tries desperately to will it to stay still and stands up slowly. Moving back he steps to the side of the fireplace, his eyes downcast. The small niche is big enough, and dark enough, for him to feel a little safer. He takes a steadying breath and looks to his guest. 'I don't want to lie. . . Even if it is to a stranger. It's clear he knows something, but how? What should I do? Will he tell them, will I be driven out. Will I have to be alone?' Letting out a faint whine he stamps down on his panic and at last manages to pull out a reply for the man. “One has no chance to mind what one does not know.” His eyes shine out of the darkness, catching the firelight reflecting around the room.

[Merule]

Even with his limited experience in the ways of mortals, Autharyx can see that the conversation has quickly taken a turn for the worse. The energy in the air doesn't feel threatening though, more like the other is... afraid? While Autharyx tries to think back if he said anything that could be interpreted as either a challenge or a threat, his host is quick to put some space between the two of them as he retreats into a corner. Autharyx cocked his head in a curious manner as he looks into the two bright spots that mark Viltez' eyes.

"Than it is very fortunate most humans have the senses of a deaf and blind mayfly," he finally answered, keeping everything about his pose non-confrontational. He had been planning to masquerade as an ignorant human, but he supposed he could adjust his plans a little. He wasn't quite ready to announce his true nature to just any mortal, human or not, but it would be nice if he could drop at least a little bit of the supposed ignorance.

"My line has tended to the shrine for generations," he said by manner of explanations. "Most people seem to have forgotten the ways of old, but some have longer memories. Be ensured that I have no intention of speaking about that which it is not my place to speak about."

[PopeAlessandros]

Viltez listens to the man's words carefully, his eyes traveling over his face, trying to read him. 'I am usually so good at reading those around me, but there is just something so different about him. Something I can't put my finger on' At his final sentence he locks his gaze on the other man's eyes and looks as deep as he can, seeking out the truth behind his words. He is silent for a time, simply trying to figure out what to do, his eyes unblinking. 'He is sincere, I can tell that much, but what do his words really mean? It sounds as if he would not tell any of what I not wish known to anyone' His head cocks slightly, a faint idea trying to make it's way to the front of his mind. 'He is from a distant place. Not too distant, but far enough away that even if he told folk there, it would have no affect on me here. And even if it did, those here know me, and even if they heard such rumors, I doubt they would believe them'

With a faint sound Viltez looks down as his tail begins uncoiling from his waist. Still beneath the shirt he glances back at his guest and the fireplace flares, showing his nervous face for a moment before the shadows take it again. Then he speaks. His voice is low, barely loud enough for the Aryx to hear. “My life hear depends on those around me not knowing what I am. I love them all very much, but I fear they would not accept me if they knew. . .” Biting his lip the blade at the end of his tail slips out from beneath his shirt behind him and he swallows hard. “You are an honest man, and since you say you will not speak of this, I will believe you.” Slowly his tail snakes out against the wall, away from the fireplace until it reaches the light.

Sliding out into the light of the flickering flames it curls, curving forward like a man rolling his stiff joints before coming down to settle across Viltez's shoulders. The blade crosses his chest, hooking behind the opposite shoulder so a stretch of the long fury tail settles like a necklace across his chest. Chewing his lip slightly, his eyes on Aryx the whole time his tail did it's own thing, Viltez hums softly. “If you find this strange, or disturbing, I can put it away.” He says lamely, unsure of what to do now that his most guarded secret is out in the open before a perfect stranger.

[Merule]

Autharyx met his gaze without flinching, confident that the Viltez would be able to see the truth in his words. He was not lying, after all, and even the small deception of his form was more of an omission than an outright lie. What was the point of lying when you could keep close to the truth without getting into trouble? Viltez was taking his time deciding on his next move, but Autharyx was nothing if not patient. He just sat quietly, watching the other man mull over his words until he'd made a decision.

When he finally did move, Autharyx perked up and watched with attention. He didn't know what to look for at first, but than his shirt moved oddly. His words did not help clear things up , but Autharyx nodded in reassurance anyway.

"You have my word I will not speak of this," he said, perhaps unnecessarily repetitive. Still, it was the word of a dragon and it was rarely given this freely. "You won't need to- ah," he interrupted himself when a shadow on the wall suddenly resolved itself in a stretch of tail. He watched in fascination, eyes trained on the appendage like a cat's on a moving toy. When the curved blade at the end caught the firelight, his mouth quirked into a quick little smile. It didn't even occur to him to feel afraid of the wicked-looking natural weapon, as was clear by the look of fascination on his face.

"There is no need for that," Autharyx said eventually, dragging his eyes away from where he'd tucked the blade to meet Viltez' eyes again. "Disturbing is the last word I would pick to describe you," he continued in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. "It's... fascinating to say the least. Do you simply keep it hidden under your clothing? Wouldn't that be terribly uncomfortable?" He couldn't imagine keeping a part of himself folded up like that. Sure, he'd squeezed into a smaller form for this little excursion, but it was different if you used a glamour.

[PopeAlessandros]

The look on Aryx's face does wonders for settling Viltez's nerves, but he remains motionless and listens carefully to his voice. During the small silence where the stranger stares at his shoulder he shifts ever so slightly in the shadows. 'Well, at least he finds it interesting and not frightening' He swallows hard, chewing his tongue for a moment even though Aryx seems to accept this obviously bizarre revelation that his host has a fifth appendage. However a faint smile makes it's way to his lips when the man begins asking questions. Question he now can answer fully, and honestly. He nods his head, moving out of the shadows. His tail quiver, unhooking from his shoulder to wriggle back and forth behind him like a snake traveling through water.

“Yeah, I wrap it around my waist. For a long time it was very uncomfortable, but now it's lost most of the discomfort and is just,” Suddenly his tail cracks a few times and he giggles slightly. “It just gets stiff now and I need to work it a bit before trying to sleep or anything.” Eyes wide Viltez sit down in front of the table and pulls his tea to him to take a sip. “So, you could tell? Something about your shrine and family or something? Are you mystical or something? I bet having a family like yours must be amazing.” His voice trails off and he glances down to his cup. “I mean, I'm not all that interesting. I'm just a half breed who was dumped here by my father as a child and has grown up hiding what I really am from all the people I cave come to care about outside my family, which I'm not even sure it still alive. . .” With a sight he looks back up at Aryx his eyes wide and questioning.

Deep inside he can feel a warmth setting in that has nothing to do with the fire at his back. 'He hasn't really even bat an eye at this. It makes me happy in a way I have never felt before. Being myself around someone. . .It feels so strange, and I know I should try and curb this feeling. He's not going to be around forever after all, but I just can't help letting my little rays of light flicker and dance in my heart'

[Merule]

In truth, Autharyx really didn't feel like talking about himself, as he did not like to lie outright. But he could see that Viltez was curious, and he supposed it would serve him well to make him comfortable. He was delighted that the half breed would share this with him already and the last thing he wanted to do was to somehow push him away again.

"It's nothing special," he said modestly, "Just a certain... aura around you that is simple to spot if you know what to look for. Most people don't, I guess, but I've grown up learning to sense some of the power that makes up this world." He looked off into the middle distance for a bit, rifling through his thoughts for a story that would satisfy the other. He'd rather it wasn't an outright lie, either.

"I am the last of my family living at the lake, which is why I left," he finally settled on. It was true enough, in it's own way. "I grew up caring for the shrine. Even though there are still remnants of something 'mystical', as you call it, it's glory days were before this lifetime. Once upon a time it was a place of power and wonder, but the times have changed and it would be remiss of me not to change with them." Even though his words seemed negative on the surface, there was no trace of sadness in his tone. If you lived long enough, there was no denying that everything changed. This might be a change he hadn't been expecting, but that didn't mean it was particularly bad. It just meant he had to put in a bit more of an effort to find his way in the world.

"To be honest, I hand't expected to find someone like you," he said earnestly, turning his dark eyes to Viltez'. "I've grown up... somewhat estranged due to my circumstances, and it does me well to find someone with a broader view of the world. You can be assured that I find you very interesting indeed." He cocked his head slightly, eyes drawn to the prehensile appendage that was his tail.

"I haven't met anyone even remotely like you. Do your people hail from the wilds around here, or do you come from further away?" He wasn't sure if it was polite to question his host like that, but he was rather curious about it all. And since he'd answered a few questions of his own, it was only fair to get to ask some in return.

[PopeAlessandros]

'Wow, that place sounds like it's amazing. He doesn't seem upset about it going down hill though. I wonder if it gave him this opportunity to leave his family's generation job and see a bit more of the world' His tail wags back and forth happily as Aryx talks about the shrine and island. To him it sounds so beautiful, even if the picture in his mind is vague and shadowy. Having never seen anything like it the best he can come up with, he feels, is a shameful representation of the place his guest seems to love so much. His tail snaps slightly as a faint blush rushes to his cheeks. “I'm not interesting.” he mumbles to himself when Aryx turns his attention back to Viltez.

Turning his head he grips his tea lightly with both hands when asked about where he'd come from. 'I suppose, he's told me so much about himself, it's only right I respond in kind' Taking a deep steadying breath, calming his heart which he hadn't noticed had begun to beat rapidly he begins quietly. “I do not come from the woods around here. I come from a rather far of place I don't remember all that well. The reason I am so different from those around here is because of the war.” His eyes dart up to Aryx's for an instant then back down to his tea. “I. . .My father was a Beastwalker. I can remember him, but just barely. I was twelve when he dropped me off on the outskirts of town. Beastwalkers and human had a war, when I was younger, and not humans and Beastwalkers have so much bad blood between them.”

With a sigh he drinks down his tea and pushes himself to his feet. His head hangs down as he moves over to the sink to wash his dish. Raising his voice a bit to be heard from the kitchen area he continues. “I remember a great forest. He trees were three times as big as the ones around here. Inside was where the other Beastwalkers lived, and a few miles away was a human town. We didn't go to either place. . . Well, I didn't. Papa would go off on occasion when we needed something we couldn't make or find.” Setting the cup on the wooden rack he returns to the table and sits down. Holding his arms atop the hard wood he settles his head down on them. “One time he came back and we had to go. We traveled for over a week, barely resting, until at last we came near this town. He said it would be safe for me, and that if I could just “Be human” I would be okay. He gave me my first long shirt.” He smiles, looking up at Aryx and giving his sleeve a tug. His tail comes down and slips around his waist loosely.

“I just had to keep it wrapped up tight and even if someone saw it I could pass it off as a belt, as long as they didn't get too good a look.” He chuckles lightly, his tail coming back out. Of it's own free will the tail begins moving towards Viltez's guest when the young man returns his gaze tot he table. It stops withing arms reach and waves slowly back and forth. “It was rough at first, but eventually I found jobs here, and built my own home. I've had a few close calls, but after finding out about the wars my vigilance wen-. . .” The shadow of his tail on the table stops him cold and his eyes dart up to watch his tail wave back and forth in front of his visitor. A battle begins inside his mind. 'Should I pull it back? Am I being rude? Maybe he's curious. . .I don't suppose it would hurt if he touched it. But am I assuming too much?' His tail continues to wag slightly while he watches to see what happens.

[Merule]

Autharyx didn't bother to hide his interest as Viltex started to tell about his past. He wanted to ask so many questions, but he didn't want to risk getting his cover blown. Better just to wait and see what the other would tell out of his own volition, than let something drop that would make it painfully obvious he hadn't lived amongst humans in his life. There were plenty of points he could imagine it could go wrong on. The parent thing for example. Sure, he had some vague memories from when he'd just hatched, but overall his species was a solitary one. Eggs were guarded ferociously, but once they hatched they had to carve out a life for themselves. And he'd never even met his sire, so he couldn't even begin to imagine what it would have to be like to live with a father.

Still, he made an effort to try and picture the life he must have lived. The trees he was familiar with were squat, gnarled things overhanging the water, but he'd seen the larger forests from afar. He had walked through something similar on his way to the village, though nothing quit as impressive as Viltez was describing. How small he must have felt, just a young mortal with trees towering above him in every direction. Or perhaps it had been normal to him, and he felt big once he left the confines of the woods. Autharyx might feel quite insignificant at the moment, but that might only be because he remembered what it was like to be a dragon. He still was a dragon, of course, but still. It was different on two legs.

"It sounds like you've been on your own for quite some time," he finally said carefully. Twelve, that was young for a human, right? He was pretty sure they tended to place special meaning on the decades they had lived, so it made sense for that to be a significant portion of their lives. As he tried to figure it out, his gaze was drawn by the tail that was waving in front of his face. At the moment it was hard to imagine anyone could mistake it for a belt, alive as it looked flicking this way and that. The fur looked like it would feel soft to the touch, and Autharyx' hands were itching to reach out where they lay on the table.

"Still, you seem to have done well... for yourself... with the..." He couldn't quite help himself. The next time the tail passed by, he moved his hand forward over the table to his fingertips traced the underside of the tail where it passed over them.

"Er... with the house and the job and all," he finished sheepishly, glancing at the other to see if he was being particularly impolite.

[PopeAlessandros]

Viltez nods vaguely. He has been alone a long time, but it never really bothers him. 'I'm just grateful to be living' Living this way has brought him to a contentment he can enjoy openly, and even having to hide himself from those he's grown to trust over the years he can not claim to have had a bad life. His attention shifts from his own swaying tail to his guest. 'He's watching it too. Sometimes I wish I had a little more control when it has a chance to relax, but I guess if I was forced to sit still most of the hours in a day, I would not want to listen tot he one giving me that order all day when it was recreation time' Suddenly his flesh jumps at the feeling of Aryx's fingers. It's only a light brush, but the feeling of someone else touching the sensitive appendage is enough to send a chill up his spine.

A faint rumble rolls in his chest and his tail slips forward to wrap around his visitor's hand gently. “I can't complain. My life is good enough. Not fantastic, but I feel grateful for what I have. . .” His words seem distant as he watches his tail flack back and forth a few times across the back of Aryx's wrist. With a sudden shock he realizes that the wayward appendage is being far to exploartive as it begins slipping up the other man's sleeve and with a glare he grits his teeth and forces his tail to let him go and wander somewhere else. Glancing up at Aryx he chuckles uncomfortable and murmurs an apology.

“So sorry, it really has a mind of it's own when I'm not thinking about it.” Swatting it away as it begins trying to brush against his cheek he smiles at his visitor. “Did it feel weird for you? I mean, a lot of people have pets with tails and all, but I’ve never felt anything quite like my tail. It's smooth, but fluffy. . .” He shrugs with a sigh. “I guess if I had to pick one discontentment it would be having to hive from everyone. Having to strain myself every day with the fear of being discovered. . . .” His smile widens. “However having you here, for however short the time may be, I feel is more than enough to quell that feeling for quite some time. . .”

[Merule]

Atharyx' mouth curled up in a surpised smile when the flexible taile curled around his wrist. It was indeed as soft as he'd imagined and the drag of it against the sensitive skin of his wrist is quite novel. Nothing about his true form was quite as delicate. He hadn't missed the small sound Viltez has made when he touched it, and was just about to push his fingers through the fur again when the other retracted it with what seemed like an effort. He put his hands back down and tried not to look too disappointed.

"Not weird, no," he answered, eyes still flicking to the tail occasionally. Hereally hadn't seen anything like it before, either on a human-shaped being or otherwise.

"It's rather fascinating actually. So it just reacts acts without your intent? I can't imagine what that must be like," he mused. In his true form his body served more as an extension of his will than anything, and before he'd spend some time in a human body it hadn't even occured to him it could be differrent. In spite of his surperior nature, though, he already knew he wasn't exempt from it. The first time he'd sneezed had been quite a revalation...

"I'd be happy to stay for some small time," he said, "if you'll have me that is." He'd been slightly worried about finding a host in the human world, unsure about the customs as he was. But by the time he'd decided to go out into the world there hadn't been any human guests he could have asked. At least now he wouldn't have to attempt to bribe someone for a place to stay like some lowlife nobody.

[PopeAlessandros]

Viltez smiles in relief. 'I'm so glad he's not freaked out by it. I mean, it was practically trying the snake inside his clothes' His smile widens and he shrugs at the man's last statement. “I have no problem with you staying as long as you need to. The place is big enough for two, especially since you don't seem to have much in the way of belongings, and tomorrow I can but some more stuff if the couch proves too hard tonight.” He pauses for a moment then adds, “Actually I was wondering if you'd like to take the bed. I find the bench comfortable enough and wouldn't mind letting you take the more comfortable surface, heh.” He coughs lightly and looks towards his room briefly.

As if suddenly remembering something he turns back to his guest with a rather bashful grin. “Oh, yeah, my tail. . . .” It comes forward to wag a few times in front of his face before dropping down to the floor to slither about the table legs. He chuckles lightly. “It, um, I think it's because I don't work with it enough. I don't really have time, or even a reason to get more control of it. I mean, it does what I need it to during the day which is sit still and remain tight.” He gestures vaguely behind him towards the wall. “And I guess it at least works to my benefit. I found out on accident that it can hold my weight!”

Shifting slightly he get a little bit of a far away look in his eyes. “I was in the forest a few years ago, looking for a lost pet for one of the village girls. A pack of wild dogs use to plague the area and while I was searching I came across them. I couldn't out run them, so I climbed the first tree I could and got fairly high up before a branch gave out under my fingers.” Behind him his tail rises, lashing back and forth in an agitated manner. “I thought I was going to fall and break my neck, or if not that the dogs were going to maul me. But then snap!” His tail lashes out to the side, the blade making a slicing sound in th air but stopping before striking anything. “It unraveled in an instant and locked around a branch, the blade cutting into the bark. I managed to shift around and get my feet on a branch after dangling for a few seconds and it automatically wrapped a few times around the branch it had caught. Like it was making sure I didn't fall again.”

The tail drifts back down tot he floor and begins scraping gently against the stones at the base of the fireplace. Viltez lets out a sigh and re-focuses on his Aryx. “It was incredible, and it's actually very comforting to know it can help me when I'm in danger.” His soft smile fades and his brows crease in worry. “However it makes me a bit more paranoid. It coming out that time was completely involuntary, and I guess it was responding to my fear. I. . . .If something scared me enough and any of the villagers are around. . . .” He shudders lightly, his whole body tensing for a moment. After a second he relaxes and smiles once more at the other man. “Sorry, I'm being a little too paranoid, heh.” Unclasping his fingers he begins painting little invisible designs on the table.

[Merule]

Autharyx paused thoughtfully when Viltez offered the bed. He was pretty sure he didn't much care whether he slept on the couch or the bed, but it might be impolite to reject the offer. It had never even crossed his mind to let any of his human guests anywhere near the place he used to rest. In fact, he much preferred they had no idea where he was when they weren't doing their trading. It was a little disconcerting to be trusted this easily. Not that he was planning to hurt the human, but still...

"I would be glad to accept the offer," he eventually said, hoping he didn't misread anything. It seemed to him that Viltez seemed slightly nervous about his presence in the house, but he didn't quiet dare to ask. Thankfully, the other men kept talking before Autharyx would have had to fill up the silence, and he listened with rapt attention. As the tail swept back and forth, his eyes were drawn to the shine of the blade at the tip. He'd assumed it was a weapon of sorts, but Viltez hadn't described it as such yet.

"That is indeed a fascinating story," Autharyx said earnestly when the other was finished. "And even though it was involuntary, it is still a part of you, right?" He tilted his head as his eyes flicked to the tail once again. "If you were to close your eyes it would not know where to move, and if you do not wish harm on anyone, it would probably not react." He set his hand on the table, palm facing upwards in much the same position as when he'd touched the tail last. He felt slightly silly about doing so, but if he could tempt the appendage into coming back he would count it as a win.

[PopeAlessandros]

Smiling wide when Aryx accepts the offer of the bed, Viltez settling more comfortably against the table. 'He thought hard about that, I'm glad he seems comfortable here. I wonder what he's seen that makes me less than weird. He find it more fascinating than freaky. I never thought anyone would be okay with this. . . .' He nods slowly at the other man's question, still showing signs of worry on his face. With a shrug he murmurs, “I couldn't see the branch though. I guess a part of my mind could have remembered it was there, but does that mean it makes more use of my mind than I do?” The tail comes up to peek over the table as he speaks, the blade cutting slightly into the wood as the tip presses into the surface. “I don't know though. I've never had all that much control over it save for keeping it wrapped. I. . .I don't know if it works to my will or not.”

Coughing lightly he looks towards the fire. “I don't believe it would harm anybody, it's more timid than that. It. . .Wow, I guess I'm talking about it like another creature that just so happens to be attached to me, huh?” The tail moves further forward, skimming the surface of the table as it makes it's way towards the visitor's open hand. “But that's what it feels like really. It has moods, and seems to do what it wants when I'm not paying enough attention.” The blade presses flat side against Aryx's palm before snaking back up his arm. So use to the feeling of it wandering over things aimlessly Viltez doesn't notice. “I'm so scared in public of it doing something to give me away, I don't really worry much, but after that day I spent a week inside. I was trying to get my confidence of my control over it back. I think that's the only time I actually worked with it after I taught it to stay put after being dropped here. . . .”

[Merule]

Autharyx did not mind it when Viltez looked away. It only meant he was free to focus his attention on the tail that came sneaking back towards him. When the blade pressed to his skin near his wrist, he felt a light involuntary shudder travel up his spine. This tendency of his body to react without his input was still novel enough to intrigue him for now, but he knew it would become old pretty fast. He couldn't even begin to imagine what it may be like if an entire appendage refused to obey your commands...

"If you don't know whether it works to your well or not, wouldn't there be ways to find out? " he asked, watching the props of the tail up his arm with interest. The fur felt soft on his skin, particularly on the delicate pay on the inside of his wrist. He could feel the soft strands pull through his fingers where they lay curled upwards, but he didn't move them just yet, unwilling to risk scaring it off again.

"See how much you can still do blindfolded, for example, or try if you can keep it down when someone throws something at you. " Autharyx might not be familiar with trails such as these, but he did love puzzles in whatever form they presented themselves. And figuring out how this worked was nothing if not a puzzle. As he spoke he could not refrain from seeing how soft it would be- the last time Viltez had pulled away before he had a chance to process the sensation. He slowly brought up his hand to trace the tail winding itself around his arm.

[PopeAlessandros]

Looking thoughtfully into the fire Viltez considers what his visitor is saying. 'I guess I really should work with it more. I'm old enough now, even if I did get thrown out of town I could survive. If my tail could be of use in that survival it's better to know what it can and can't do' Shaking his head lightly he laughs to himself. “I feel like a kid who's never made use of one of his arms. I know I should be doing something with it, but I'm still too afraid to do anything about it.” His voice is low, his eyes falling to the floor as he speaks. Chewing his lips lightly he adds, “And I've never had someone around to help me figure it out.” His tongue darts out to lick his lips. “Maybe, while you're here y-”.

His voice cuts off as a very odd sensation runs through his body. His tail tightens firmly around Aryx's arm, the blade turning so it doesn't cut him as it constricts. A faint noise makes it's way out from between his lips and after a second his head snaps around to stare at the stranger. His eyes are faintly unfocused as his gaze wanders down to the wayward limb clinging to the other man's arm. Spotting his hand raised above the tail Viltez makes the connection quickly. Blinking his eyes rapidly he looks back up at Aryx. “You. . . What did you do?” His tone is confused, no hint of anger, just a vague hint of panic. He doesn't quite know what to make of the new sensation. “I've never felt that before, it was like. . . .Tickling that ran all the way up my spine. . .” He continues to glance back and forth between the slowly relaxing limb and Aryx's face.

[Merule]

As Viltez talks, Autharyx let's himself picture it. It certainly sounded like the other wanted him to stay here. Not only would be have a place to stay, he would also have a person that was interested in his stories about his shrine, and he would have a marvellous puzzle to figure out in the form of this tail and what Viltez could do with it. It sounded like a pretty sweet deal to him, he thought as he carefully ran his fingers over the top of the tail.

Immediately, it tightened around his arm and Viltez snapped his head around faster than he could move his hand away. Autharyx froze, a guilty expression on his face as his hand still hovered in the air over his arm.

"Er. .." he started, "I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just. ... It was right there, " he explained weakly. Thankfully Viltez did not sound particularly angry, or pained. When he asked him what he did, a small frown creased his brow.

"You mean you didn't feel what I did?" He asked, curiosity coming back when it seemed he wasn't going to be in trouble over this.

"I, er, I guess I pet it? " He slowly brought his hand down to show Viltez, fingers threading through the soft fur as he ran his hand over the curve of the tail again.

"Like so. .."