Wings of Wonder: Ongoing

[voidtreckermods]

"We do not apologise for acting to protect our own. But Hemla has given you their trust, and we will pay back on the debt of any harm given.

You say you are here to help - then do. We will lend out resources needed, but expect to see results. Help at the farm, help us investigate - help in whatever way your talents provide.

'Give, get back' -- this is the way of our people. Every person has a purpose, a place, a skill. In return, speak to us your cost.

If you truly have the power to help, then you will be respected. We would expect the same rules to be applied to us."

Despite rough beginnings, relations between the Voidtreckers and the sali people are neutral. They do not fully trust the Voidtreckers, will not allow mindless entry into the East village (Nossofh as they call it -- 'Home'), and visits inside the commune building in the South will be limited. However, appointments with the sage can be made for those who have some skill with crystals, magics, and energies. Those who have spoken with the Forever One on the arrival island may also be granted access, if they wish to speak.

They will have tasks for the Voidtreckers to do, jobs that are necessary. Sali will be doing the same, and will be working within the same spaces at them. They will not stop Voidtreckers from setting up camps and give permission for them to settle on the centre island, under Helma's - the Forever One - protection.

While there may be some tensions, the sali will not attack the Voidtreckers. But now, plans must be made how to proceed, as the skies from the south bleed red...

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WINGS OF WONDER: ONGOING

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A TL;DR notes version of event/prompts: (click to show)

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EVENT BASICS:

Contact with the sali has been made, and relations have come out neutral. The North and East bridges have been fixed by Voidtreckers, with materials sent to the South too by them.

Ongoing runs through N8 to N11, when the finale also starts. The following is a TL;DR for what will be going on at the islands, at the time.

NORTH: Fixing the aircraft found on top of the mountain, finding missing sali in the woods, dead and alive. Helping to transport goods to the aircraft so it can be fixed, and also spruced up/modified. Also still good for fighting characters.

EAST: This is where you send characters who would want to work on designs, magical crafting and so forth. They won't be in close contact with the rest of the Voidtreckers, but is good for nerds. Voidtreckers who help here will be allowed to ride mounts to the central island if they leave, as the sali recognise they will be too exhausted otherwise. And so you guys can still have threads with other people.

SOUTH: Birds will be mainly coming from this direction, so fighters can still do patrols. Mainly needs those willing to do labour, rear animals, skin dead animals and so forth. Characters can also get involved with repairing clothes, washing and cleaning, if they can't last long doing land work.

WEST: The Reds that went this way will have found out that going through the interior or around will not get them far, and more birds showing up makes the area more dangerous. On N8, there is an operation shared with the Voidtreckers that they are doing a mass transport of goods from the West, to take North. Help fighting off the birds they attract is needed. From then on, it's better advised to stick to the other islands. Reds who like to just fight will be good in the South as patrol.

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[ TASKS ]

WORK TO DO. There is much to be done. Buildings need to be fixed, places need restored after the storms. But more than that the general needs of life don't stop. Farms need tending, animals need caring for. There are jobs for anyone willing to work.

The different islands need the following:

NORTH ISLAND: Fighters, those willing to labour and repair, and those willing to search are needed.
EAST ISLAND: Those with experience in magic and energy, crafting (making designs, modifying; blueprinting is involved) are needed.
SOUTH ISLAND: Fighters, those willing to help out with farm work, meat skinning, clearing up the surrounding farm area. Also those who can push back the birds.
WEST ISLAND: Fighters, during N8. There is help needed to protect the sali as they transfer materials and the Forever One stationed there, and to rebuild the bridge. Otherwise, the island will be deserted while plans are made by N9.
CENTRAL/ARRIVAL ISLAND: There isn't much that's needed but for birds to be taken down who might hover over, or get attracted by activity. Those who can supply Hemla with energy are appreciated. The sali here will act as communicators to other sali for Voidtreckers who don't want to make long journeys.

Voidtreckers should decide what will be a better use of their skills, and move accordingly. While faster methods may be found over time, initially, using those who can flight and walking are the only options. The North and East bridges have been patched up, and the South Island has materials for the bridge. West's bridge will be fixed by morning of N8.

[ ARRIVAL ISLAND ]

ON ARRIVAL ISLAND. Five sali will come on N7 to fix up the broken buildings here, using the cuttings of the long grass, and drying them out with their own talents. They will accept help in doing this, and will offer to show a few Voidtreckers what to do, but will expect them to fix up the rest themselves, unless they offer services for help. A few of the buildings may make a good resting point, with an enclosure to keep off the wind and a cooking hole to sit around, but Voidtreckers will find their attentions split between the islands. Still, the centre island is only of important as a crossing point, and for the Forever One that stays there.

There will not be too much activity here over the next few days. Voidtreckers are welcomed to camp here, and sali will also come through here, helping to move the leftover overgrowth, moving through the two areas. The South and West bridges still need fixing (while the East and North bridges have been taken care of).

FOREVER ONE: HEMLA. Two sali stay after the rebuilding on N7, to take care and help Hemla. Hemla is distracted, attempting to work on the energy problem for Voidtreckers, and keep the island safe. But the Forever One will take time for anyone who wishes to speak to them, and will accept help and energy.

By the morning of N8, they will have a request. The sali will explain it to any Voidtreckers who come through the island, holding out clear white crystal stones. Hemla is attempting to harmonise their energy and the world's, at least with a middleman in the form of stone. They warn there will be possible side-effects, and ask Voidtreckers to only take one at a time, and to bring it back later.

Through days N8-10, these crystals will have a variety of effects, lessening over time. Those with magical skills/who use energy are asked to take one. They will need to supply Hemla some power, and then after carry it on them. The possible side-effects are:

- Dizziness
- Exhaustion
- Confusion
- Weakness

They don't last more than a day but it might be best they find a buddy to watch over them whilst it does.

[ EAST ISLAND ]

EAST VILLAGE/NOSSOFH. It is still a treck to reach the East Village, especially for those who don't have any way to fly or cover large distances; and for those that do, they will arrive exhausted.

The village is still very wary of the newcomers, and those that arrive are stopped and questioned. Those with legitimate business are allowed in and as the days go on more individual sali will be willing to exchange information or help. There are sali who will roam out with Voidtreckers to fight the birds, and those wishing to patrol the East Island will be told to help in the North or South - the sali of the island can cover the vital areas.

The two main areas of interest within the village are:

( SAGE'S HOUSE ) The invitation to help the energy weavers comes during the call on the SCAs on the morning of N8. Within the village is the sage's house, the largest building that sits in the centre, legs supporting where it has be built out over the hill. Voidtreckers are welcomed here if they ask, and those wishing to learn means of purifying the infected sali, and to help with their crystal research are best suited to come this way.

Those needed: magical experts, those strong of mind, volunteers with energy.

They will work amongst the sages, the sages in training, and the Forever Ones. In truth, these people are all one and the same, and Voidtreckers that come here will figure out quick. The Forever Ones sit, completely stone, while the sages are in various states, with limbs crystallising. They rarely speak, though the less-formed may do so with the Voidtreckers if inclined. However, those training are the ones that provide the needs of the more experienced, as well as speaking.

Working here will be difficult, exhausting on the mind and body. The sages-in-training will communicate and explain, but much of the work is done through telepathy, and crystal work - tools that will be difficult on the Voidtreckers. But it is good for the Voidtreckers to be here, so that their reactions to the crystals can be documented, as well as a way to keep them safe during their stay, and also their companions.

( CRAFTING SMITHIES ) While the Sage House works on energy and modifying crystals, for those with experience building, designing, modifying, they will find their talents more useful in supporting the creation of prototype weapons that the salis have planned.

A request for help in this will come on the third day (N8), through the hacked SCA channel. Anyone who believes they can help make efficient blueprints - and even make them better - are asked to come on down, and those with experience crafting. The plan is to make an equivalent of air cannons and air megaphones, using a mix of air and power gems. There is sure to be a lot of backfires, especially for the Voidtreckers. The sali will also be taking crystals adjusted by the sages that will hopefully allow the Voidtreckers to use the weapons being made too.

Suggestions from the Voidtreckers will be listened to, and there are other gems around, ones that can be made for specific functions.

[ SOUTH ISLAND ]

STATE OF THE FARM. The South Island is a mess. There is a large clean-up operation in place and Voidtreckers that can help clean up and haul debris will be welcomed.

As well as the storm damage there are quite a lot of animals that have been killed, even by the storm directly or as a result of them turning and attacking the sali or Voidtreckers. The Sali are not ones to waste resources and so there is a drive to skin the animals and preserve the meat as quickly as possible. Any Voidtreckers who are willing to help will be paid in portions of meat.

FARMING, GARDENING. Here nature seems to have won the war. Many of the buildings look like they have been left to the wild for decades and not just a week or so. Buildings need fixed, plants need cut back and brought under control. Weeds need to be removed so that the plants for food can be allowed to thrive. Gardening at its most extreme, the first step is to identify which plants should be growing here and which ones are results of the Red Storm.

Many of the animals have escaped because plants burst open fences and gates. Rounding them up is one job, making sure there are enclosures to keep them is another. It's going to be a lot of hard work and of course the farm animals are not the only creatures out here, wild creatures will attack both the farm animals and any one else.

It's hard labour, but the sali will give to those that work with them. They will locate drinks safe for them, share the abundance of food, so they can see what agrees with their diets. They will answer questions about their people and their world during world and during breaks; and as the days go on, they will invite them inside to eat, or will join them at their own camp, bringing meals.

UNWANTED VISITORS. The birds still attack. Every day and night patrols are needed to fend off the constant threat of bird attack. The Sali have fighters stationed here too but there aren't enough, they need help.

The Forever One Enshala works to keep the red shroud from getting too close to the farmland but her power is still weak and so there are gaps in her defences. It is easy to get overwhelmed since the birds often flock together, concentrating on weak points and bringing the storm with them.

Keeping the storm away from the farm is vital, the Sali will share food and resources with any who join them in this constant vigilance.

FOREVER ONE: ENSHALA. There is a Forever One here, but unlike central island's welcoming Hemla, they will only speak to Voidtreckers depending on the subject. They will accept donations in energy, but otherwise they work hard to try and keep the island safe, to push back the red storms they return again through the days, birds carrying it on their wings.

[ NORTH ISLAND ]

NORTHERN. The sali will explain an expedition was taking place, to investigate the North Island in general. The group must have been assaulted by the red storm - the birds - while travelling, and crashed, scattering the survivors with the infliction of red storm.

MISSING. Help is needed to locate the still-missing sali, both dead and alive. Any Voidtreckers who offer to help will be asked their methods- the Sali want no harm coming to their own. They will hand out blow darts with sleeping powder laced bark stems and they will be asked to either bind or leave behind any powerful weapons. Especially powerful weapons that the Sali don't recognise like guns.

The sali will set up a small camp by the woods, where sali can be brought, dead or alive, to be transported by cart. There will also be one above on the mountain, trained sali using air-crystals to push back the lingering red storm from the site.

AIRSHIP, SUPPLIES. Hearing that the ship is still on ground, the Sali are keen to fix it up. Its state is no problem, and they believe it's the answer to meeting the birds head on. Initially on N7 to halfway through N8, materials will need to be transported by climbing gear and going through the forest.

However, they will then have access to carrier airships. With a crate/carrying space on the bottom, and a space on top for two people two sit, only so much material can be lifted up at a time. Voidtreckers will not be able to immediately, but by N9, and by being a familiar face, those who want to fly the ships can*. These can also be used to transport anyone from the upper mountain, to down.

Once the metal and materials are at the air ship, it's going to be all hands on deck to fix it together.

(* some of the mini-ships have a prototype attached that allows the air gems to be activated by the sound of music. singing, guitar playing - there's even an alboka and taepyeongso-esque instruments already attached on some, acting as a steeing wheel. )

[ WEST ISLAND ]

WESTERN. The Reds find that their attempts to infiltrate the mountain from the inside will not go far, with dead ends and the red shroud finding ways in. More birds come from the south and even west, spreading the shroud farther around the mountain.

Another method must be found. Fortunately however, it will not be an entirely useless endeavour, as help is needed - one that promises a fight.

TRANSPORT. The sali in the enclosure and those who come from the village to help need aid bringing supplies from the enclosures, and also extra of the metal trees (from the White Forest), repair equipment, to take to the North island.

This island is still circled by birds, so those gathering and packing supplies onto transport air carriers - small boxy airships with a lower crate area and an upper navigating section, no bigger than cars - will need fighters to take down the birds as they follow after them.

Bow and arrows can be exchanged, as the salis know how to operate the air carriers. They are also transporting the Forever One of the West Island, so the cargo is fairly precious to the sali.

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OOC NOTES

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NOTES: OOC info is here, map is here, info about powers/magic here. Ask questions here, submit shenanigans here, submit rewards here.

Ongoing starts on N8 and goes until around morning-noon of N11. Finale goes up on 21st September (later N11-N12).

This log gives more of an indication of what's going on, to let you play out going ons, or imply them in the background and focus on what you want for Ongoing. Consider putting in Island locations than team colours into headers.

Remember to let us know anything your character does/might want do under shennanigans! Any conversations you want to handwave with the sali or Forever Ones can also be brought up here for discussion. Actual threads can be requested here.

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Comments

lan jingyi | purple | west & north

[jingyeets]

west: travel west young man

He holds position as his dragon form, watching and ready to throw himself skyward as interference as soon as the small airship are ready to fly to the North island. With the Forever One on board one, he only considers for long enough to consent to wearing a harness around his neck and behind his forelegs, a rigged sort of means to keep others on his back no matter what kind of aerial maneuvers he might need to make.

Are you the debatably lucky one mounting up on a dragon right before doing escort work? Or maybe you're speaking with him, or asking for help hauling supplies to the aircraft. Jingyi is your oversized guy!

"It would be really convenient if there was a dragon sized bow..."

north: the cold never bothered me anyway (cw: situational nonsexual nudity)

Is it cold? Sure, but he's a Lan, his sense of cold is broken unless convenient for complaining. Jingyi's flying over to get back to the airship repair field, or any of the other areas where supplies need to be moved. In the process, sharp eyed, he spies either a camo spider or a walking mountain bear coming up quietly behind a fellow Voidtrecker.

He lets gravity take over, falling faster than he can fly, calling out, "Move! Run forward, now!"

Jingyi pulls his flight on at the last moment, dissolving into a sheen of silver that coalesces into his humanoid form to land as he reaches up and summons his sword from the qiankun pouch attached to the SCA strapped around one horn. Clothes are a luxury for someone who isn't immediately bringing his sword around to block the forward slash of the creature looking for a Voidtrecker meal.

north: voices on the wind calling me home (evening)

He could probably go humanoid. Human? Whatever. Jingyi is tired and leery, using his body as a blockade between the forest and the encampment with the sali, Voidtreckers, and the Forever One rescued from the West. He needs to sleep, but he's twitchy, a shiver that travels down his spine and sets the blue fur along it standing up then falling back down into place.

He may also need reminding to eat, since he's ben riding enough adrenaline to not notice part of his ongoing crash is lack of fuel. If there's any clue for that, it's the growling rumble one might hear next to him: coming from his stomach rather than his throat.

wildcard

Hit me up with your own starter, or a comment with a location + random word in subject and I'll make us a starter!

north, naked and afraid edition

[deferences]

Fighting monsters is something he can do, is something he's used to doing, so often enough that it's quite easy to fall into the meticulousness of it; hacking, slashing and perhaps using his guqin in places where necessary, he can focus entirely on that rather than the ugly feelings lingering from losing his uncle and sister all in the same platform day.

Sometimes though, even the best of fighters have creatures get the jump on them, but he's thankfully got a quick enough reaction time, it takes little effort for him to leap forward, pivot on the ball of his left foot, shift his right side and narrowly avoid a large claw coming down right where he'd been standing moments ago. “Jingyi, you—!” Sizhui hesitates, fingers tightening around his sword-hilt while he shoves himself further backward, widened eyes watching again as another claw pierces the earth inches away from his feet.

As the oversized spider comes for another strike is when Jingyi's sword catches it, just a few seconds faster than his own that he'd raised in preparation to defend himself, which is something he's immediately forgoing to instead suddenly notice: his best friend is stark naked, going toe-to-toe with this foreign beastie. “You're naked,” he sighs emphatically, even though it also makes him half-smirk, something he didn't realize he needed until now. Nevertheless, his attention is right back on the task at hand, the end of his sword coming up and slicing through some webbing the spider shoots Jingyi's way, effectively derailing its attempt at rendering him motionless.

[jingyeets]

Falling into the cadence of fighting takes no thought, only the reality; Sizhui sighs over his state of no-dress, and Jingyi wheels away on the balls of his feet, tail held low and lifting as balance when he snorts, lips pressed into a frown. He leaps forward following the assist from Sizhui cutting through the burst of webbing, the contorted form of the spider starting to even out as he brought his sword to bear on one of its joints, cutting through and slamming his hilt down on the leg that flies toward his belly.

"I was flying!"

As a dragon, he means, and he's already leaping back away from two more legs swiping his way, along with a burst of irritating blood that flecks across his lower abdomen. He's captured the focus of the spider enough that it tries leaping after him, using its remaining good legs, curling its body forward to shoot another burst of silk.

[deferences]

Perfect, that's one limb down and— well, seven, if they amputate all of them? Although that wouldn't be necessary, he imagines taking away some extras certainly won't hurt their chances any. While Jingyi falls back, he shifts away too, planning his next move after Jingyi's followed through with his dismembering and blocking; going for another leg now wouldn't be the worst idea, yet he's not quite at the proper angle for what he wants to do, so he'll have to wait for either the other disciple's next decision or the spider's.

“A likely excuse,” he quips, grinning more proper-like in spite of himself. Sizhui knows, he's just going with the flow, the easy back and forth they can do while handling a monster (that's slowly but surely losing more use of its limbs as they're moving).

It's the creature's movement toward Jingyi, the arcing swing that catches his torso which has Lan Sizhui snapping into action; he about-faces again, pushes the faintest amount of energy into propelling himself forward then he leaps as well, twirling his sword in hand and stabbing downward on its abdomen. Doing so guarantees a landing blow, but keeping his feet steady atop the writhing, screeching arachnid proves more difficult than expected. Still, his balance is enough, he's able to lean, twist and yank, aiming the web-slinging away from Jingyi's direction.

[jingyeets]

"I couldn't have burrowed," he calls back, sassing even while Sizhui ends up stabbing the giant freaking spider through the torso, or whatever that part of a spider even was. Jingyi's footwork takes him off to the side while the spider rears back, trying to jab one limb up at its back, then giving up and promptly collapsing under Sizhui's weight to throw him off that way.

Darting forward, Jingyi's sword intercepts another longer leg, taking it off at a higher joint. It was unfortunately on the opposite side of his first limb-taking, and this blood is still lightly acidic, which Jingyi's skin reacts to by turning bright red. He ignores it, spinning out of the way of a backlashing leg in time that he feels his hair react without being likewise cut.

"I'm not an earth aligned dragon!"

The spider bucks up under Sizhui, looking to throw him off. Jingyi's ready with an arm out for support in catching his friend before he goes too far, should it happen.

[deferences]

Torso, abdomen, either or is close enough when it comes to spider anatomy. Besides, that's not what Sizhui's focused on; it's Jingyi's quick-witted returned cheekiness, even though Sizhui's precariously balanced on the aforementioned body part of said creature while the other Lan disciple shifts aside. He narrowly avoids the leg coming after him at first, but its sharp point does catch him near the shoulder when he isn't able to move aside fast enough. Just a minor scratch, given his layers, although it stings something fierce initially. (Another, smaller problem they can focus on later once this monster is finished—)

Because Sizhui needs to instead worry about holding his balance after the arachnid abruptly drops, knocking him halfway off-balance, just so that he momentarily teeters sideways, yet stops before leaning too far by clenching his hand tighter around his sword-hilt and hanging on. Jingyi handles another leg that spews some acid blood, causing his eyebrows to lift with both surprise and distress, the former because wow, acidic bodily fluids! and the latter because a few droplets are coming right for him after already burning Jingyi.

Most of which thankfully pass by as he twists away, switching hands so he's dangling from his sword off the other side of the spider in Jingyi's direction whenever it trashes. An almost imperceptible amount has landed across his waist on his sash, not anything he'll notice since, again, thank goodness for those robes.

“It'd be incredible if you were and could!” Before it can effectively rattle him loose, Sizhui circles his opposite hand around his sword as well, grips with all his might then pushes and yanks downward once he's shaken off.

An enormous gash is left in the spider's backside and, given his reaction time, he can easily shift so his friend's arm catches him, helping him gain stability much quicker than it would've been if he'd hit the ground. There's a faint smile as Sizhui's righting himself then he adds, “Not that you aren't already incredible, of course, but that sounds pretty amazing too.”

North Evening

[longforgottenpromise]

He has made a visit to the North Island, a long slow visit since flying at all is so difficult.

He's exhausted and not truly sure that anything he was doing was very helpful. But he cannot fight and he knows nothing about fixing air ships, so slowly carrying supplies and helping power crystals is the best he can do.

Also making sure that his friends eat and rest. Those that fight, those that are working so hard on this mission. Jingyi being one of them.

So he has a plate of simple food and a slightly nervous smile as he approached. "Shuǐlóng? Um... I brought you some food if you are hungry."

[jingyeets]

Jingyi lifts his head from where it was resting, bringing all two metres of it to Taiki and exhaling softly over his head.

"Xiao Ki?"

Which of course it was him, and he'd already said he had food—for a moment, Jingyi blinks like the words don't have meaning, but it's lagging understanding before he blinks and simply shifts in answer. All the bulk of him silvering and condensing into humanoid form, fumbling for his qiankun pouch.

"Thanks, everyone was cooking? How'd I miss that..."

He shakes his head, summoning the front-closing night-robe first. He'd missed it because he's tired enough he wasn't parsing what he could smell, even if his stomach clearly had been. It growls again as he does up the front of his back-torn sleep-robe from the sali.

[longforgottenpromise]

He nodded with a small smile, understanding how tired Jingyi was and so giving him time to understand what was being said. He lowered his eyes as Jingyi transformed and pulled clothes on and then crouched down, laying out the food that he had brought.

"You are very tired, these crystals really sap energy..."

He's very tired as well, but after sleeping much of the afternoon had felt up for rising and helping to cook. The food is just simple soup, nothing that took too long or too much thinking to prepare.

[jingyeets]

He runs a hand through the loose portion of his hair, after pulling on the shawl-cloak... in all its fur fringed glory.

"You've been helping with the crystal stuff?" Aside from helping Ryo bring a piece to the Forever One, Jingyi has been too busy in other directions. He's less sure how that work is specifically going.

[longforgottenpromise]

"Yes... I can't fight and I'm not very strong so it seemed... The best thing I could do to help."

He's always a little embarrassed at how useless he was at these missions, but at least the crystals were a way he could give back, and it didn't matter if he was exhausted because no one was relying on him to keep them safe.

north: voices on the wind calling me home

[wenyuan]

He's grateful that Jingyi is able to provide some kind of protection for them but he wonders if his friend is taking care of himself. Sizhui arms himself with some of the food that he manages to get and follows along the long body until he reaches the head.

"Jingyi," he calls out softly.

He reaches out to pat where he assumes the shoulder is of his friend.

"Jingyi, have you had anything to eat yet?"

[jingyeets]

Jingyi lifts his head to arc his neck around, responding to Sizhui's voice out of sheer familiarity. Which also means the first thing he says, once he doesn't even pause in shoving his rather large nose into his friend's chest, is, "Why can't food just be thought and then it's eaten. I bet no one has anything like chicken here, we're fighting everything that flies... chickens can sorta fly."

Which is a long way of saying no, but also, have one warm, velvet-soft nose nudging into him, attached to the rest of the two metre head he has in this form.

[wenyuan]

He smiles and chuckles softly when he feels the large, velvety nose push at his chest. His free hand reaches up to pet along the large head in a comforting gesture.

"Only short distances and barely a bit off the ground," he replies.

He reaches for the spoon and spoons up a bit of the food.

"But I have something else here that might tide you over until we do get chicken again. Would you like some?" he asks.

[jingyeets]

He glances down at it, narrowing his eyes. He breathes in, inhaling the scent, but still asks the question that comes to mind.

"What is it?"

[wenyuan]

He pushes the spoon through the soupy sort of gruel, letting Jingyi sniff at it.

"It's better than Xian-ge's zhou, if that's what you're wondering," he chuckles. He offers up a spoonful. "Try it."

north: voices on the wind calling me home (evening)

[calmness]

In developing a friendship with Jingyi, Xichen knows that he should not approach him as a Sect leader. Yet, even a friend would be concerned as a they hear the sound of rumbling that is definitely not a sound of contentment.

He turns from what he's doing, moving a large pallet of items from one spot to the other, and watches the young man turned dragon with brows knit together. "Jingyi, when was the last time you took a moment to rest?" It's late and it's the pot calling the kettle black, given they should both rest for a few hours at least, but there's some habits one cannot easily break.

He's not nagging yet.

[jingyeets]

Jingyi curves his head around to look at Lan Xichen, taking a moment to parse: friend, or elder? Friend he decides; there's a notable lack of the same depressive air that's around the man he firmly sees as Sect Elder. This is the young man who is, well, still sect leader, but also his friend.

It's a work in progress, but after Aquafir, it's at least easier to feel like he was in reasonable grounds of shidi and shixiong, such as it was.

"Xichen, when was yours?" Not asked sassily, but as a point blank exchange, bringing his nose (velvet soft and warm as it is) to bear, nudging at Lan Xichen's chest. Not much of a nudge, his head's as tall as Xichen when he's in his full form.

He doesn't plan to fail to rest, with it being pointed out, but pfft. If he's going to have to take a shift resting, so can Xichen, and then they're all equally... fairly handling it? Something like that.

[calmness]

The nudging and affection is still something that Xichen is growing used to, though he's more tactile than other members of his own clan himself. It isn't unwelcome, though, as much as a small thing that becomes more expected each time.

He wonders how Jingyi fared so long without the familiar affection he knew well in his own home. "A few hours overdue," he admits easily, "But not as overdue as yours." He's seen how much the younger man has been pushing himself, always willing to help those in need.

"We should both rest." And this is just Xichen speaking, someone who cares and worries for those considered his own.

[jingyeets]

He lasted barely a month before he caved in to asking for help, Xichen, that's exactly how he fared.

Rather than contest a point he's aware of, he snorts, tilting his head side to side so his forelocks swish this way and that.

"Fine, then we both rest." Pulling his head back a touch, Jingyi goes from full dragon to a silvered light, one that condenses down into a humanoid form with his horns still present, and his tail. He's naked as the day he was born, which is more of a belated afterthought of warning that he shrugs off; Xichen's fine, he's sure of it, so without commentary he's now standing there and summoning clothing out of the qiankun pouch attached to his horn by SCA band. "Are we roughing it or not? Have you eaten? I haven't since... ugh, I don't know. I hear there's soup—is there soup?"

[calmness]

It's not that nudity and at least the male body is something that truly shocks Xichen. There is nothing scandalous about the transition from dragon to human not coming with clothes in tact, after all.

Logical, yes, but the fact is that they are still out in public and others could potentially see them. So, forgive the fact that this Sect Leader still lets out a scolding, "Jingyi" over the matter before letting out a sigh and shaking his head.

"There is soup waiting for us and a more comfortable place to sit once you are dressed," Xichen says, turning back toward the camp to gesture along the path they should take. "Would you prefer to rough it?"

Re: lan jingyi | purple | west & north

[nell_of_soulwood]

Nell was definitely not supposed to be where she was. She was supposed to be helping with fixing things and had to admit that her attention was not as focused on what was going on around her as it should have been. Which was why she jumped when she heard a familiar voice telling her to run and turned around just in time to see what she thought of as her dragon drop down and shift to human to attack whatever that scary thing was.

To a naked human form.

Oh dear.

Still beggars couldn't be choosers and he was saving her life, but she just knew her face was bright red with embarrassment. And not just because she'd been foolish enough to just about get herself killed.

[jingyeets]

The bear he drew sword on was, well, large. As if it was partly formed of the trees it'd emerged from, it hulked forward, and only growled into a low sort of rumbling roar when Jingyi took defensive stance, thwarting its unchecked forward movement.

The bear rose up on its hind legs, calling out a challenge. Jingyi stood his ground, tail quirked up behind him, and pulled his lips back from his teeth.

"Not impressed," he said, and as the bear swiped at him, he danced in closer and flicked his sword out, cutting into the softer underskin of the bear's wrist. The bear called out in fury more than pain, swiping at him again.

[nell_of_soulwood]

She knew she shouldn't but she couldn't help herself. It was attacking her dragon. WHo happened to be a naked man right now.

Which she was definitely not thinking about.

As the blood dripped from the bear's wrist onto the ground she pulled with all her might, trying to feed it to the earth. The effort drove her to the knees, her power totally unreliable and not at all willing to behave. Vines sprouted up wildly and wound around Nell.

Running. Running would have been a better idea.

[jingyeets]

Jingyi effectively parried the second strike of claws, grunting as he held what ground he could against the hit: the bear was strong, physically so much muscle packed in that Jingyi was knocked back, heels digging furrows in the earth. He kept his feet, leaping up deftly in a shower of dirt to run the length of the bear's arm, to its objecting roar.

He'd heard something hit ground, but only when he drove his sword down into the thick neck of the wood-bear did he spare a glance to see what it was: exactly what he hoped it wouldn't be.

"Hey! Can you run?!"

She was in a patch of vines now, had those been there? Were those native? Were they entrapping her? He had no idea, and with the bear trying to bash him into a tree in an effort to dislodge him, he didn't have further opportunity in that moment to check.