Beginning Again (Cont.) }{ {Meeting a Night Elf}

[Reixou]

{(Previously at/Continued from unlimitedfrp.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=lake&action=display&thread=1544&page=1)}


Stepping back into the path, he smiled. "Unfortunately, it is not only those who choose to create light instead of darkness that can do this. But Night Elves do have an innate ability to sense the presence of others of their kind, especially when you've been around more of them." Pausing, then looking her in the eye, he spoke. "I can teach you how to manipulate the moonlight, if you like."

[Summerchika]

Watching as Reixou smiled mischievously and then disappeared into the darkness off of the pathway ahead, Ainutsa felt something click in her mind. The power he was demonstrating felt right. It had been easy for her to camouflage herself in the forest. When travelers had stumbled upon her resting place one night, it had been only too easy for her to sneak around the edges of their fire lit camp.

Grinning as Reixou stepped back onto the path, she listened to his explanation. She would have to meet more Night Elves if she were to sense them, but how was she to do that? Where was she to find them? She decided to ask that question later, for Reixou's next offer found Ainutsa quite excited again.

"Oh, I would like that very much." she replied, nodding eagerly. "I think I have used the night camouflaging before, too, but I am unsure if that was because I used the power, or if I know the forest really well. Can you please teach me that power as well?"

In the midst of this, she noticed the large tree trunk past Reixou that made the pathway curve to the right. That was the entrance to her resting place. It was a little ways down the path yet. She wondered if it would be enough time to learn how to manipulate the moonlight or not.

"Would it be easier to learn here, or sitting down in the resting place?" she decided to ask Reixou since he was the one teaching.

[Reixou]

He smiled at her enthusiasm.

"Well, I can teach you as we go, and you can experiment with it while we rest." He moved to walk beside her again.

"First, hold out your hand. Feel the moonlight. As a Night Elf, it'll come almost naturally." He did so as he instructed her to do, not quite harnessing it into visual fibers yet. Savoring the tingling feeling as the moonlight poured across his palm, he watched as she did the same.

[Summerchika]

Walking along the path again, slowly so she could concentrate on what she was doing, she held out her hand as per Reixou's instructions and example. She willed herself to feel the moonlight. Reixou was correct; it did come easily.

The feeling of moonlight on her hand was almost tangible. It felt almost warm to her, an almost reassuring feeling. Now, it tickled her fingers. But she remembered the day she had buried her grandmother and how the moon had bathed her make shift grave. That day, it had felt comforting and reassuring, a welcome feeling after that emotionally taxing day.

"I remember this feeling." she told Reixou softly, smiling a little as the moonlight tingled her palm. She looked at Reixou's palm, noting how the moonlight added a purple shade to his red skin. Then she looked up at him, awaiting his next instruction.

[Reixou]

He smiled. "Good. Now...see if you can manipulate it. Think about keeping it there, instead of allowing it to flow. It will gather..." He demonstrated, forming a writhing light over each finger.

"Feel the energy; and allow it to collect. Coax it into staying. It cannot be forced, but instead, it will choose to stay. Much like love, you cannot make it do what it does not want to do."

[Summerchika]

Trying to do as Reixou explained, Ainutsa found it difficult to manipulate the moonlight. She closed her eyes, trusting her feet to find solid ground without her eyes, and focused on the energy she felt from the moonlight.

She was familiar with the process that Reixou was describing. She used a similar process when interacting with the earth and forest around her. Those powers had come to her through practice when she was very small, two or three, and traveling with her adoptive parents. She continued the practice and refining with her grandmother who always surprised Ainutsa with her vast knowledge of things.

Now, Ainutsa felt the energy begin to gather, but it was difficult to make it stay. It seemed to want very much to flow. Eyebrows furrowed in concentration, Ainutsa tried coaxing the moonlight to stay with her. She gently whispered to it in her mind, as if it were a small animal.

Opening her eyes, she beheld her palm next to Reixou's. Both hands were alive with a shining, writhing light. She continued to try and coax it with her mind, but she found that her power over the moonlight was diminishing as she watched it on her palm.

"Oh..." Stopping, she watched it fade, sad to see it go away. Noticing her necklace was warmer than her skin was, she touched it with her unlit hand, frowning and hoping that it would not get in the way like it had done in the past.

Looking up from her palm, she looked at Reixou with a half smile. "It is more difficult than it looks. Does it come naturally to most Night Elves?" she asked, wondering if she was making it more difficult than it really was.

[Reixou]

He grinned sheepishly. "I'm afraid I probably make it look easy...I've been doing it for many years."

Stopping for a moment, he took her hand, and piled energy upon it. The moonlight pooled like fog, then as Reixou cupped his hand, it formed into a tangible mass. He slowly closed his hand above it and it molded itself into the small figurine of a lily.

"You may never be able to do this...and even I cannot make it permanent." He released it, and the light dissipated.

[Summerchika]

Turning to face Reixou as he took her hand, she felt the energy pile onto it. She made sure to catalog the feeling of the energy as Reixou made it form on her hand. Perhaps it would help her when she tried do manipulate it next.

What appeared on Ainutsa's hand made her gasp in pleasant surprise. Its small, delicate shape perfectly resembled a lily except for this one glowed like the moon. Ainutsa had the sudden, unreasonable urge to smell it, but Reixou released the moonlight before she acted on that urge, luckily.

As it disappeared, Ainutsa looked up at Reixou. "That was absolutely gorgeous!" she exclaimed. "Thank you for showing me that." Pausing she looked down at her palm that had once held the lily. "I hope that I will be able to do that someday. I will make sure to practice."

Grinning, she looked around at where they were and saw that they had stopped at the base of the tree that was the entrance to the resting place. Placing the hand that had not held the lily on the trunk of the tree, she told Reixou, "We are here."

Pausing before she opened the entrance, she looked back up at Reixou. "Do Night Elves have an affinity for the forest as well?" she asked, honestly wondering.

[Reixou]

Again, he smiled. "Nature, in general. Animals, plants, natural things."

I can tell she has a strong affection for this forest. Perhaps she has the ability to manipulate it as well.

As they entered the resting place, Reixou continued on a slightly different topic. "I've always had a certain connection with water. I can manipulate it, to an extent. Not like I can manipulate moonlight, but I can create small waves; I used to use it to propel my canoe when I was younger."

He looked around. The place was small, but sufficient. It was just enough room for a couple people to stop to rest. He could tell she was a very resourceful person. Reaching a hand outside to catch a small amount of moonlight, he formed a sphere in one hand and held it to look around.

"Do you happen to have a glass container...?" He asked, focusing on the light to concentrate it into a sphere.

[Summerchika]

Following Reixou into the small circle of trees that made up her resting place, she listened to his answer. Imagining a young Reixou making small waves in a lake made Ainutsa smile. "That must have been really fun. Was it for sport?" she asked. She had seen people race across Lonea Lake before. She wondered if it was a pastime elsewhere.

"A glass container...?" she asked. Thinking back to her grandmother's cottage in a different, more secluded part of the forest, she saw in her mind's eye the shelves that held the cups from which that they had used to drink. But she had left everything in the cottage the way it was when her grandmother had died. She had no more reason to live there; living there only reminded her that her grandmother was no longer alive.

Shaking her head in sorrow, she said, "No, I am sorry. I left those things at my grandmother's cottage years ago. There was no use for them out here. They would shatter too easily." Suddenly recognizing what he was planning to do, Ainutsa continued, "As for light..."

Reaching her hands above her head to the branches that were so closely interwoven, she connected herself with the trees around her. She let her hair fall behind her as she looked between her reaching hands. She slowly let her arms fall open to the side and as she did so, the branches of the trees moved, revealing a full view of the night sky above them and letting in the full light of the moon.

Letting her arms fall the rest of the way to her sides, wondered if Reixou would want food or sleep. In thanks for being so kind and sharing, she was determined to make Reixou as comfortable as possible. She decided that a comfortable place to sit was a good start.

"I am sorry I do not have an elevated place to sit. I can find a log for you if you would like. Or the earth will make itself comfortable for you... If it likes you." she amended, making a face. She knew of the earth's attitude from experience. "If you are not comfortable, I can put a word in with the earth for you. We normally get along well." she offered, still standing.

[Reixou]

"No, it was just for fun." He replied, reminiscing.

As she waived the tree branches away with a graceful dismissal, Reixou smiled. "So, you control the forest." He released the orb of light, then brightened the moonlight coming through the hole. It danced and reflected off of her hair, illuminating her face as she peered at the night sky.

He looked around. It was nothing more than an enclosed clearing, covered in thick branches; but Reixou did not really need any more than the ground under his feet to survive a night alone. Sitting, in order to seem as if he were tired, he rested his palm on one side of his jaw.

"I can teach you how to use the camouflage later. You must be tired," He looked up at her, lowering his hand back into his lap.

[Summerchika]

As the moonlight illuminated the clearing more than it should have, Ainutsa realized that Reixou had brightened the clearing. "That is beautiful." she whispered, loving the effect it had on her surroundings.

"Should I be tired?" she asked, sitting down as well. By her request, the earth softened and grew soft plants underneath her to cushion her seat. It was surprisingly comfortable; the earth knew how to accommodate. She hoped it had done similar for Reixou. She asked silently for the earth to make itself comfortable for him.

Explaining her question, she was honestly curious about his answer, she added, "I was asked by a human in town if I slept at night. I was unsure of the Elven norm, but here in the forest, I am strengthened. I do rest and I will sleep when I need to, but the forest supplies most of my energy when I am weak."

"If you are tired though, I can prepare a comfortable place for you to sleep." she continued, noticing his tired position. "There is also food that I have stored here, if you are . Most anything, besides the glass, that you need, I can find. The trees keep most of my supplies hidden. They are loyal friends." She offered these things, hoping she could help him in some way as he was helping her.

For the first time that night, she talked openly. It was a genuinely nice feeling to have someone to whom she could speak openly.

[Reixou]

Reixou sat up straight, then shook his head. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" He let his disposition return to his normal state. Fully aware, and alert. "No, truth is, I don't sleep. And no, it's not normal for a Night Elf to not sleep at all." He averted his gaze, looking around at the trees.

"Please don't be concerned about it, it's not something you need to worry yourself about." He fidgeted a bit with his sleeve.

[Summerchika]

"It is not normal?" she repeated, frowning. Wanting to find a reason, she thought aloud. "I suppose it could have something to do with how I was raised..." Or my childhood...There it was again. The answers seemed to be tied to the past that she wanted very much to avoid.

Still frowning and pondering, she looked up at Reixou, slightly hopeful. "You do not sleep either?" she asked. Perhaps he would have a similar reason for not sleeping. Perhaps her lack of necessity for sleep was not tied to her past at all.

Noticing Reixou's slight odd behavior, Ainutsa became a bit worried. "Anything I have is open for your use. There is plenty." she insisted. "You do not have to hold back." She smiled at Reixou, trying to hide the worry in her eyes. She hadn't scared him, had she? Had she offended him somehow? Was he not feeling well?

[Reixou]

"No....I don't need anything." He spoke softly, and tried to convey the point as delicately as possible. "I'm sure you sleep, or rest, sometimes. I'm sure you eat, as well. I don't...at all." Reixou looked up, meeting her gaze.

"It's part of why I'm different than you, than all other Night Elves. Part of why I have red skin..." She's going to be afraid....She won't trust me.....

His eyes glistened, but he held back the tears, hoping that she didn't see the sadness he hid in his past.