Blow the Man Down (open)

[Lynx]

A jaunty whistle broke through the morning stillness. Something moved in the tall grasses. It was not a stealthy movement of the hunting beast but rather a swaying sort of motion. The sun shone down on honey colored wood as it bobbed over the plains. Emerging from the stretch of tall wispy grass, the traveler ceased his whistling. He looked decidedly odd, a small, smooth boat carried on his strong shoulders. His bare arms held it steady, his loose pants brushing against his legs. His feet were clad with thin, moccasin-like shoes. With a grunt, he lifted the boat off of his head. The young looking man squinted at the bright light, his bright blueberry eyes looking around. Clear area, a good place to lunch. Running a hand back through his fine sandy brown hair, he flipped his hat off of his belt. It was green and pointed. As the sun hit the red feather in it, he grinned. The phoenix feather was just as bright as the day he got it. As he placed the cap on his head, the feather shone with gold light.

Whistling tunelessly once more, he placed the boat carefully on the ground. Clearing a small patch, he gathered some grass and took a few chunks of wood out from the small stow area in his boat. In no time he had a small, smokeless fire going. Too bad he didn't really have any meat to put on it. That didn't bother Damien one bit. A small breeze blew over his shirtless torso, but it didn't bother him. Pulling an apple out of his pack, he stuck it on his pike. It was a long pole of unbreakable wood with a rounded spike on the end. Good weapon, but also a very good roasting tool. Roasted apples....a nice light lunch.

[micaylah]

Kia smiled as she felt the morning sun shining down on her. A glorious day indeed for traveling. She had been walking for the better part of a week avoiding the villages for a while. She was tired and needed a rest, just for a while. A strange sound carried to her ears upon the gently blowing wind. Kia smiled. It was nice. It had a calming, soothing quality to it and it seemed to beckon her closer. She turned toward the sound and began to walk slowly. She could see smoke from a fire, rising from within a stand of tall grass. Cautiously she made her way through the grass. Curiosity had gotten her into a lot of trouble in the past but she couldn’t help herself. She parted the grass and peered through. Her eyes landed on a man. A shirtless man wearing a pointed green hat with a red feather was roasting an apple on a stick. Kia gripped her staff a little tighter as she rested against it just watching. Her clothes blended in to the grass surrounding her though her dark brown hair stood out in contrast to it. She crouched down a little ready to flee if need arose.

[Lynx]

His keen ears, used to hearing the slight changes of wind that meant a hurricane, heard the rustle of grass. Someone was walking up on him. Or something. His deep blue eyes searched the surrounding grass, his whistling never ceasing. Pulling the end of the stick out of the fire, he tapped his hands against the apple. The juice coated the edges, the inside feeling slightly mushy but not mealy. Perfect. Pulling it off, he held the pike-like spear in one hand. Closing his eyes, he savored the aroma of the apple. Quite delicious, and a treat in this treeless land. "You know," he drawled with a slight accent, "I am not going to bite you. I am no Amarok!" A deep, mellow laugh rumbled from his bare chest. He could see the grass-woman's dark hair, though her body blended well with the grass. His sharp eyes could distinguish her outline once he knew where to look, though. "Heck, I'd even share a bit of my apple!" he said merrily, leaning against the back of his skiff.

[micaylah]

Kia rose cautiously as she parted the grass with the wooden staff and stepped into the small clearing. She eyed the man curiously. “What is it you do to make that sound?” she asked moving closer to him. The large pack shifted precariously on her back so she dropped it to the ground with a thud. She moved closer to the fire and lowered herself to sit cross-legged across from him. The fire separated them and she watched him with the apple. “It is nice of you to offer me a part of your apple but I cannot accept it unless you would share with me.” She pulled the pack to her and took out a tightly wrapped hide. Her fingers made quick work of the knots securing it and within seconds she was holding a chunk of venison within her hand. She held it to him cautiously in offering.

[Lynx]

This woman reminded him of a doe. A pretty little deer that lost its way. Out of the forest, there was no way a deer could know what to do. So she stalked in the grass, desperately searching for something or someone to alleviate her confusion. Ah so the deer came closer. Trust was not something woodland creatures easily gave. Yet this was not so much trust. The deer still wanted to run. "Whistling?" he asked, cocking his head and raising an eyebrow in a quizzical manner. He had never met anyone who didn't know how to whistle. "Well, you just purse your lips and blow," he explained. Scratching his head, he took that back. "Wait, it's not that simple. I guess it's just something you learn how to do." Odd, a woman that didn't know how to whistle. She was a deer, though. Deer probably didn't whistle. "Throw it on the fire then!" he laughed, gesturing with a hand. Whipping out his knife from inside his pants, he caught it by the tip. It was a pretty little trick. Deftly slicing the apple in two, he tossed half to the woman, assuming she would catch it.

[micaylah]

Kia’s hand snapped out without so much as a thought as she plucked the apple from the air. She peered at the man, feeling something strange from him. “Nice trick with the knife.” She told him as she took meat and tossed it into the fire. She leaned back as she considered the apple briefly. It smelled really good and it had been a long while since she had tasted one. “I never learned how to do that.” She said referring to the whistling. She tilted her head as she watched him. She smiled as she felt the feelings of someone regarding a docile, meek, mild creature. They made her laugh softly before she let go of the feel of his emotions. She wouldn’t pry unless he gave her cause. “My name is Kia.” She told him as she watched the meat lying in the center of the red, orange and yellow flames dancing on the charring wood. The red embers of burnt wood glowing brightly.

[Lynx]

Poking the meat with a stick, Damien figured it would take a while to cook well enough. The wood would give it good flavor. Hopefully the meat smell wouldn't attract anything bad. Mavan, the giant bugs, didn't have good smell, so they wouldn't show up. Amarok didn't roam during the day. Rocs wouldn't bother with them since they were not running or big enough. They should be safe, not that safety greatly worried the guy who would sail in a storm. "Damien. Damien Swallowtail," he proffered with a grin, "and this here" he continued, stroking the side of the small honey colored boat lovingly, "is the Swallow. My best mate. Seen me through leviathans, krakens - you name it, we've seen it!" His cheery bright blue eyes sparkled with excitement. Life was just so good right now.

[micaylah]

Kia smiled as she listened to him talk. She started to feel more at ease with the man…a little. “I am happy to make your acquaintance Damien Swallowtail.” She turned her attention to the boat. “It looks to be a fine boat but tell me of these leviathans and krakens. I do not know such creatures. I fear I am landlocked. I travel the country but as of yet, my path has not led across any great expanse of water.”

[Lynx]

"Well leviathans," he started, a fiery glint appearing in his boyish eyes, "are the bane of the deep seas. They are masses of muscle and fury, capable of crushing and devouring a whole ship in minutes! The breath out of their mouths can make your hairs fall out, their eyes bore into your soul!" His brilliantly blue eyes were wide and excited. Damien was in his element. Pausing, he poked the meat with his pike, flipping it over. "Krakens, now those are terrible beasties to behold! As many arms as you would ever want to see on a beast, a beak like an eagles, but three times as sharp! Once saw the two water demons fight, too! Tangled about like so many ropes, biting and roaring for all they were worth. Would have stayed, but a storm rose up and I was forced to hunker down in the good ol' Swallow here." Another fond tap on the boat's side showed how much Damien loved the little boat. "Why would anyone not want to be near the water?" he queried, tipping his head so a few locks of bleached brown hair fell over his eyes.

[micaylah]

Kia listened intently, her eyes widening as he told her of the fantastic beasts. A smile spread across her lips as she envisioned the creatures within. He spoke with a passion about life on the water and his boat. She felt that passion and love intensely growing stronger the longer he spoke. She pulled herself from the adventures she played out within her mind, shaking her head slightly. “It is not that I choose not to be near the water.” She grinned at him as her eyes sparkled with the golden flecks. “My path has not yet taken me toward that wondrous adventure.”

[Lynx]

Grinning, he poked the meat again. Nearly done. This woodland woman was turning out to be a rapt audience, much to his pleasure. Damien enjoyed a good listener - some people just loved to talk too much. He attempted to not be one of them. "Ahhh a pity to be sure," he said, shaking his head. The red gold feather glinted brightly in the sun. "The sea is not so far," Damien pointed out, a flicker of excitement making his deep blue eyes glint, "only half a day's walk to the north. A journey there would not be stressful." The sea was his love, but he was not a jealous lover. The young man loved to share the sea with anyone who would see its beauty. Stretching out a well muscled arm, he speared the meat, pulling it out of the fire. "Good thing there are no amaroks about," he muttered cheerfully.