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Post by Nadia on Aug 28, 2021 12:16:53 GMT -6
It's a good thing the lotine's hearing is decent. It hears the rustling of grass, and its head snaps up from the resting position; it glances around, left to right to left again, seeking the source of the noise. It daren't make a sound. In fact, it looks too frightened and disorientated from its nap to move...
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Post by Evainmoire on Aug 29, 2021 3:36:38 GMT -6
It was fortunate the lotine's sense had registered the nightshade's movement, for it also allowed the lepus to become aware of its presence and location. The grass around the rocks was quite tall, though certainly not so much as to hide the lotine's raised head. Taller still was the lepus, who laborously rose to his feet as to find better overview of the scene before him. The suddenness of the motion caused a grimace of pain, but time was not a favourable factor at that time. The nightshade could not reach the lotine first, she must not.
Leaned upon the shovel for support, his eyes scanned the grass. There was the lotine, visible only by head and clearly alarmed. There was the nightshade, hidden among the grass but causing a disturbance of motion as to betray her location. The parting of grass was drawing closer and closer to the lotine, though the serpent had yet not made any warning calls. Indeed, he was not even quite certain she could.
Regardless, violence wouldn't do. The lepus reached out a hand to make a small motion through the air, the luminescence of the white of the fur pulsing lightly. Within the tall grass, just before the serpent's path, there was a sudden array of dazzling lights.
|22| Summer: 22 Morelle: 7 (2/5) / 4 (2/5)
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Post by Nadia on Aug 29, 2021 7:13:41 GMT -6
The lotine is poised and ready to move, and then-- what? It shrinks back in surprise when bright lights appear, startled. It has impeded the movement of the nightshade, but to what end? It begins to nose a path through the grass to an escape route...
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Post by Evainmoire on Aug 29, 2021 11:09:17 GMT -6
The lights were harmless, but where he knew the lotine to be a creature of intelligence, the nightshade wasn't as likely to make the distinction. It was intimidation through bluff alone. As fortunes would have had it, it was also enough. The nightshade produced a hiss and recoiled backwards, revealing herself for the first time in physical form. Both serpent heads stared towards the lights in combination of trepidation and fury, and although there was a lashing towards them, she was quick to back down.
The lepus kept his hand outstretched, to guide the lights along. They were made to move, to approach the serpent and further cause her to retreat back within her previous seclusion. Thus, the immediate threat to the lotine was resolved, though the longer standing issue of remaining within the nightshade's territory could yet resurface it. The mammalian looked towards the lotine, giving a small beckoning motion towards himself, as if to invite it to safety, while the spell kept the serpent at bay.
|23| Summer: 23 Morelle: 7 (3/5) / 4 (3/5)
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Post by Nadia on Aug 29, 2021 11:53:01 GMT -6
The lotine watches. This person, they are controlling the lights - the lights that saved it from becoming another creature's lunch. It cannot help feeling more secure on their side. It sidles forward, inch by inch, to come close to you. Its mind doesn't look entirely made up, but it's a good sign...
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Post by Evainmoire on Aug 29, 2021 12:32:38 GMT -6
For his part, the lepus didn't make any sudden movements. He would have been hard pressed to do so even under more standard set of circumstances, as the nature of the mammalian was calm and collected. As such, he understood the lotine's own trepidation as it was as likely confused to be within the garden as he was of seeing it. Somehow it had found its way within. The how and the why, while curious notions, weren't really here nor there within the moment. Once it was beckoned close enough, his free hand motioned towards the copse of trees behind him, where sunlight would make a finer place of rest. It would have also taken it outside of the nightshade's realm, for the grass there was well-maintained, to signal the unimpeded care it had received.
The nightshade was not a creature easily pacified. She did not make the connection between lights and lepus, but sought to find a way around them best as possible. The lepus' attention might have been divided, but the spell was simple, its guidance requiring a mere passing focus. Where she moved, the dazzle of flickering points of light would adjust accordingly, thus once more blocking her path.
|24| Summer: 24 Morelle: 7 (4/5) / 4 (4/5)
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Post by Nadia on Sept 1, 2021 13:30:24 GMT -6
The lotine looks beyond you, to the patch of sunlight. Ah. It appears to understand; it ambles towards the warmth of the rays, but not before glancing at you with something akin to gratitude. It might just stick around, after all.
[Congratulations, you have successfully tamed the creature!]
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 1, 2021 13:52:34 GMT -6
Thus, the dramatic situation had been resolved. The lotine no longer inhabited the nightshade's boundaries, and it was quite safe to release the spell. Soundless, the small sparkling dots of luminescence ceased, disappearing to thin air, as the lepus lowered his arm. He would yet have to address the lotine, in some form or fashion, to determine its intents and purpose within the garden, but there was no rush. In truth, by letting the lotine be, he may very well acquire the same answers without further action. Should it decide to leave, it suggests the garden was merely a point to pass by. If it remains, he will have to ensure an amiable acquaintance is made with Lune, lest other conflicts arise.
The nightshade seemed to likewise settle, when neither intruder nor lights obstructed her path. There remained an air of suspicion, of unease, and rightfully so. When one could not see danger, it did not necessarily mean the danger had passed. The lepus opted to avoid further distress on the serpent, to allow her to acclimate to having control of the territory once more. As soon as he's to resume work, the nightshade would surely focus much of her attention on him once more.
|25| Summer: 25 Morelle: 8 (0/5) / 5 (0/5)
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Post by Nadia on Sept 2, 2021 12:26:46 GMT -6
Carrot. That is all.
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 3, 2021 2:52:01 GMT -6
To that regard, the lepus had to lower himself down to the ground once more, though laboriously thus. As days came and went, none were quite the same as the other. On some the pain was passing and faint. On others it remained a constant reminder and passenger to the mind. That day it had been somewhere within the twilight of the two. Without effort, it could pass for unnoticed. No sooner was effort exerted, however, that it would remind of its presence.
Once knelt, a hand rubbed the leg to disperse the lingering ache, before work could be resumed. In such process, the ears focused upon the nightshade once more, detecting her movement. It seemed the serpent was making a return to her presumed nest amidst the rocks. This was a good sign, for it meant she had assumed the danger to pass, perhaps even her territory secure, the mammalian's presence not withstanding. To be sure, she was not likely to permit him further intrusion than upon the edges, however.
|26| Summer: 26 Morelle: 8 (1/5) / 5 (1/5)
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 3, 2021 5:05:34 GMT -6
To his fortune, he found little requirement to delve deeper than upon the edges where the serpent tolerated his presence. A state which would raptly change, should there be an erroneous action taken. A classification of such being the lepus taking up a sickle. The grass beyond that point was wild and heavy and not something to simply weed by hand. A hiss sounded from between the rocks, the first he'd heard of sounds from the nightshade, but distinctly clear within its purpose. It was warning, and he considered himself honoured to receive as much.
The lepus' motions were calm, but decisive. Being quick about it, he grasped the grass at the base of the reeds, closest to the roots and made quick, short swiped of the sickle to rend them away. When one handful fell, the next was targeted, once more making quick, short work of the cut, before tossing the stalks to the pile beside. It was his hope the work would be quick and done before the nightshade had made up her mind whether to even allow such.
|27| Summer: 27 Morelle: 8 (2/5) / 5 (2/5)
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 3, 2021 5:38:57 GMT -6
The hiss did not relent, nor would until the work was done. It was only when he finally placed the sickle down that the nightshade calmed, growing quiet once more. A strange curiosity the serpent had not deemed to display her displeasure as openly as she had with the lotine.. Though perhaps the sickle was both irritation and detriment. The one tool a creature of nature would recognize as deadly to itself, whether from instinct or prior experience. Though the hope had been the serpent's demeanor had grown softer around him, the slow attrition of time and company, it was yet to provide evidence of such.
Indeed, it was best to take the gifts where they came. The rest would come with more time.
The lepus arranged the wayward stalks into coherent bundles, tying them up with stronger pieces of the reed. Each bundle was then placed within the wheelbarrow, to be taken to the compost boxes at a later time.
|28| Summer: 28 Morelle: 8 (3/5) / 5 (3/5)
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 3, 2021 6:55:58 GMT -6
There was a passing painful moment where the cloth had to be dragged further along the ground, to continue the work. There was relief to settle into kneeling again, the weight and effort taken off of the leg. Stalks of grass remained in the batch beyond where the lepus had already dealt with the overgrowth, sickle and all. They were shorter and considerably more apart, however, making it a simple enough task to weed them by hand. It was quite the shock when one such root turned up to be a vegetable in place of a weed. The lepus considered the oddity, of finding a carrot among such disarray, but perhaps there had been a seed blown here which had taken root among the rest, despite the oddity.
A fine meal for the equillion and pasha. Finer yet to see if he could extract additional seeds from the stalk, come colder months. In his mind it seemed doubtful the nightshade would find too much enjoyment in either option.
|29| Summer: 29 Morelle: 8 (4/5) / 5 (4/5)
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Post by Evainmoire on Sept 3, 2021 7:44:37 GMT -6
The hissing had long since ceased, ever since the sickle had been placed back within the barrow. The nightshade's gaze was, undoubtedly, still upon him, however. The lepus remained unbothered by the gaze, resolving to continue weeding through the patch of the thicket. Among the overgrown plants he found another of the strange fruits, though this one having almost the look of unripeness to it. Picking it up, the skin felt no less softer than the others, however, denoting to a healthy, proper produce. Quite curious, these.. If ever he had suspicion they might be from a tree, the multitude of the colours thus far suggested otherwise. Certain plants could indeed bear chimeric harvest, though none in such distinct a fashion.
A passing thought considered whether they were a produce of the nightshade, but the chance seemed slim enough. A greater consideration was given the another possibility instead.. Perhaps the nightshade was more active during the dark, where fewer eyes would catch her. The fruit, then, could be a hoard of sorts, assembled from elsewhere in the garden, from a number of different trees.
|30| (counted) Summer: 30 Morelle: 9 (0/5) / 6 (0/5)
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Post by Jack on Sept 3, 2021 16:33:13 GMT -6
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