(2022-07-20) For the Love of an Owl

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Author:	Alli
Summary:	Larawen, Velrin, and Celaven run into each other in Auberdine, where Larawen is attempting to tame and befriend an owl.
Rating:	T for Teen

[Larawen]: We'll never know what she would have said about Erannah's. She worked up the courage to ask her once. But apparently she just… walked past as though she weren't there. Or so she said. Perhaps she exaggerated.

Larawen flicks a half-hopeful glance at Velrin.

Velrin gives Larawen a pitied look, "My mother… she wasn't one for words…"

[Larawen]: Mine either. *She smiles crookedly.*

Velrin smirks, "Well I suppose that is something we have in common."

[Larawen]: It seems we have a great deal in common. You're a Sentinel, aren't you?

[Velrin]: I am. A captain of a younger company based in Teldrassil.

Larawen nods, inclining her head so deeply it's almost a bow.

[Larawen]: I've been a guard stationed in Astranaar for… centuries now. But I'm trying to… develop new skills.

Larawen casts another despondent glance out into the rain, presumably after her missing owl.

Celaven walks up to the inn in Auberdine, and pauses when he hears a familiar voice.

[Velrin]: Oh? What sort?

Larawen does start when she spots Celaven, but she doesn't jump THAT high.

[Larawen]: Celaven.

[Celaven]: Velrin? Larawen? I did not know you were acquainted.

[Larawen]: We've just met.

Velrin 's ears twitch and she turns to see Celaven. She blushes bright purple.

[Larawen]: I was about to tell her my news, that I'm undergoing beast mastery training with the Sentinels now. I am… not good at it.

Larawen sighs at Celaven.

[Velrin]: O-oh! Hello there… I um… I didn't expect to run into you… *she quickly tries to fix her hair*

[Celaven]: Oh? What sort of animal are you training? *Celaven brushes the rain off his own hair as he walks into the building.*

Larawen glances at Velrin. She does not seem surprised by this reaction to her brother. Almost as though she has seen it. A lot.

[Larawen]: Well, it was an owl. It may have to be something new, next. If he does not return.

[Celaven]: I have heard patience is important in training creatures. Perhaps it will yet return? *He turns to Velrin* I don't recall if I mentioned this to you, but Larawen is my sister.

Larawen nods.

[Velrin]: O-oh… um… *she moves her hands up to her face nervously* How is it that I have stumbled upon your entire family…

[Larawen]: Have you? I rarely do.

Larawen gives her brother a slanted smile.

Celaven smiles back at Larawen and smooths his dampened tunic, he turns back to Velrin. "Happy accident, I suppose. Assuming you like our family."

Larawen arches a brow at that assumption.

Velrin blushes even brighter and coughs "W-well um… they seem nice so far…"

Velrin is a complete mess.

[Larawen]: I take it you've not met my mother?

Celaven chuckles. "She does seem to have lightened up a bit, Larawen, since she's fallen in love. She even answered my letters once or twice."

[Larawen]: How nice for you.

Velrin nods slightly, "She… she seemed nice enough when I spoke to her…"

Larawen lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

[Larawen]: The last time I spoke with her, I had just painted someone she despised. I suppose things went better than they could have.

Celaven blinks. "Really? Who was it?"

[Larawen]: A Grand Magistrix. From… the old times.

Larawen speaks as someone young enough that the War of the Ancients is Mists of History type stuff.

[Larawen]: I did not know this, at the time. I simply liked her face.

Velrin blinks.

Celaven raises his eyebrows, and glances to Velrin, as if in solidarity with those who are even younger than that.

[Celaven]: I didn't know any of them were still alive. And not imprisoned, at least.

[Larawen]: Nor did I.

[Larawen]: I have not seen her since she sat for me. *Her expression goes a bit odd.*

[Celaven]: Do you… hope to see her again?

Larawen considers the question.

Velrin shuffles in place, unsure if she wants to stand closer to Celaven or not.

Larawen finally says, "I suppose not."

[Celaven]: A reasonable response, I suppose. They were dangerous people.

Larawen lapses into another of her long silences, clearly trying to string some words together to frame a thought.

[Larawen]: Have you ever stood at the edge of a cliff, looking down, and suddenly wanted to leap? Not from an urge to self-destruct, just… a sudden… pull? Inexplicable.

Celaven shifts a little closer to both of them. "Like a feeling of vertigo?"

[Larawen]: Perhaps. Speaking to her was like that. It was not… a good feeling, but… feeling something, I suppose, was… nice.

Velrin takes a deep breath and focuses on the question, "I… I think I understand…"

Larawen nods gratefully to Velrin, and exhales.

Larawen looks deeply relieved not to have to make more words about it.

[Velrin]: I feel something similar when I am about to release the string of my bow, after taking aim.

Larawen nods, her eyes lighting up.

Larawen touches the tip of her nose and points to Velrin.

Celaven furrows his brow slightly, but nods as if he understands.

[Celaven]: So, what brings you both to Auberdine?

[Larawen]: Training.

Larawen looks to Velrin, not having answered for her.

[Velrin]: Just guard duty… *she sighs and stretches* I still haven't been fully turned out by the colonel.

Larawen nods in full understanding.

[Larawen]: I always liked guard duty. Do you?

[Velrin]: I… used to…

[Velrin]: These days it only makes me restless.

Celaven nods at Velrin. "Ah yes, your service here continues. Do you have a plan for where to go next yet?"

Larawen peers at Velrin searchingly.

Velrin 's ears droop, "Not really… I've been a bit at a loss recently… I suppose I can always go back to the Plaguelands."

Larawen frowns a little.

[Celaven]: From what I hear, they can always use people there. Though I suppose there's also Outland, these days.

Larawen frowns even more.

Velrin 's hands twitch and move closer to her weapons subconsciously, "Outland… disagrees with me…"

[Larawen]: Could one be farther from home?

Larawen shakes her head ruefully.

Velrin 's eyes tear up a little and she chuckles, "You have no idea…"

Larawen peers at Velrin searchingly.

Celaven looks curiously at Velrin as well. "Where is home for you?"

Velrin glances down at the floor and tugs on a small white gold pendant around her neck. She looks like she is about to speak but no words are making it out.

Larawen waits. She seems to understand this feeling quite well.

Celaven waits patiently, giving Velrin a chance to think.

Larawen leans back against the doorframe, her fingertips idly exploring the texture of the wood behind her.

Velrin looks up finally. A couple of tears have rolled down her cheeks, "Well the rest of my sisters in my regiment are from here actually. From Darkshore."

[Celaven]: But you are not? *Celaven asks gently. Then he shakes his head, and says* I apologize, you do not have to speak of something that distresses you, of course.

Larawen just watches Velrin's face carefully.

[Celaven]: I admit I do not have a strong pull to a particular place. Even when we remained isolated, I did not like to remain in one place.

Velrin 's eyes look distant. She sniffles. "Wherever the goddess deigns to shine her light can be our home, no?"

Larawen shrugs noncommittally, but smiles a little.

[Larawen]: Astranaar feels like my home.

[Celaven]: Of course, *Celaven smiles* and where we build connections to others.

[Larawen]: People come and go. Astranaar remains.

Velrin smiles back at Celaven, seeming to lighten up a little at his words.

Larawen looks out into the rain, but not broodingly; she's scanning the skies, searching.

Larawen sighs resignedly and turns back to the others.

Velrin peeks her head outside as well. She turns to Larawen, "Umm… Sister, if you don't mind I can try something."

[Celaven]: Still no owl? Perhaps it is waiting out the rain..

[Larawen]: Oh?

Larawen peers at Velrin searchingly.

Larawen gives Celaven a nod.

Velrin turns out towards the rain and cups her hands in front of her face. She whistles through them letting out a loud melodic owl call.

Celaven claps his hands together in delight. But very softly, so as to not startle away any potential returning owls.

After a few moments, a sodden owl comes flapping into the inn, scattering rain droplets from its wings, and settles on the counter.

[Larawen]: Owl! You return.

Celaven peers at the owl. "Is it the right one, Larawen?"

[Larawen]: He must have been nearby.

[Larawen]: I really must learn to do that.

[Celaven]: Perhaps hiding under an awning somewhere.

Larawen simply addresses the creature as Uthul… or… 'owl.'

Larawen frowns with disappointment at Uthul.

Velrin smiles at the bird, "There you are!" she says, speaking to it as if it were a child. She reaches a hand out, offering it as a perch.

[Celaven]: Can you do many different birds, Velrin, or only owls? It was most impressive, and so useful.

Larawen 's supposed companion makes low oo-oo-oo sounds at Velrin and alights on her forearm to preen.

Larawen sighs at Velrin.

[Velrin]: My father taught me a few of them, but the owl one is the only one I'm really any good at anymore.

Velrin smiles at Owl and takes out a piece of dried meat for him

Larawen tries to make an owl sound. It probably doesn't sound terrible to most people's ears, but Uthul swivels his head toward her with such a fierce suddenness he is almost certainly offended.

Uthul takes the meat from Velrin, and is pacified.

[Larawen]: I… may have to try another animal.

Larawen sighs at Uthul.

Celaven glances to Larawen. "Is there another animal you'd prefer?"

[Velrin]: But owls are such lovely creatures. *she reaches a hand to stroke Uthul*

[Larawen]: That was my thought.

Larawen stares Uthul down.

The owl pointedly turns his head allll the way around so he's looking 180 degrees away from Larawen.

[Celaven]: They do have an endearing tie to the moon. Perhaps he merely needs time to warm up to you.

Larawen lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

[Larawen]: I will try to be patient.

Velrin pets Uthul.

Larawen circles around behind Owl the owl so he is looking at her again. He turns his head 180 degrees away.

Larawen sighs at Uthul.

[Celaven]: Patience and gentleness. *Celaven holds out a hopeful hand to the owl, but doesn't attempt to touch it directly*

Larawen shrugs at Velrin. Who knows?

Owl the owl does not aggressively snub Celaven, but nor does he pay the young man any particular attention.

Larawen rummages around in her bag for a spider leg. Owl's head roooootates back around toward it when she holds it up.

Celaven does not seem disappointed by the lack of response.

[Celaven]: And food, perhaps. I bet food helps.

Owl the owl snaps the spider leg out of Larawen's hand. From the slight flinch Lara does, he may have taken a tiny bit of finger as well.

[Larawen]: I need more training. Clearly.

Celaven carelessly calls a bit of Light to his hand and routes it to Larawen's hand, just in case.

Larawen shoots him a grateful look, and then glances at Velrin, looking a bit embarrassed.

[Velrin]: I am sure all will come in time *Velrin says while still keeping her attention on the bird*

Owl the owl seems content to hang out on Velrin's forearm. Something in the animal's body language toward Lara is like an ex gloating.

[Larawen]: Yes, Owl, I see you have found a better class of Sentinel. Point made.

Velrin nuzzles Uthul's beak with her nose

[Celaven]: Do you have any pets yourself, Velrin?

Owl preens.

Velrin glances over at Celaven, calmer now with the owl, "I have a small cat, but she hates me."

[Larawen]: I considered a cat. But that would be too… *She flushes slightly.*

Larawen shrugs.

Celaven chuckles. "Not a charmer of every animal, then."

[Celaven]: Too what? *Celaven glances at Larawen*

Larawen considers her words.

Velrin looks at Larawen curiously

[Larawen]: …Obvious. *She finally concludes ambiguously.*

[Celaven]: Because we ride cats?

Larawen waves it away. "I prefer flying animals."

[Larawen]: I envy your father, Velrin.

Velrin chuckles "How so?"

[Larawen]: I'd have loved to be a Druid of the Talon. To fly.

[Velrin]: I suppose that now you could still live out that dream. The Circle accepts women now.

[Larawen]: I lack that talent.

[Velrin]: Hmmm

[Larawen]: But I like flying.

Celaven nods. "I have met at least one of them, a young woman druid. I suspect many will find talent now, where they thought they had none."

[Larawen]: Sometimes I sketch from the back of a hippogryph.

[Larawen]: I suppose if I were the bird, I would not have hands free.

[Celaven]: No sketching, indeed. *Celaven smiles*

Larawen rummages in her bag again, and this time pulls out a battered leather journal, its cover droopy and scratched. She quite obviously begins sketching the bird and/or Velrin as the three chat.

[Celaven]: I assume our elusive father cannot fly. *He turns to Velrin* That is the one member of our small family you haven't met."

[Larawen]: Claw, isn't he? *She glances up from her book*

[Celaven]: I think so, yes. I haven't spoken with him in centuries, though.

[Larawen]: Nor I.

Velrin 's ears droop hearing that the others have not spoken with their father.

[Larawen]: We were never close. *Her tone is slightly reassuring.*

[Larawen]: Oh! The rain stopped! *She slams her sketchbook shut.*

[Celaven]: It is not a loss. *Celaven's smile is not quite convincing.*

[Larawen]: I should return to the hunt. *She eyes Owl the owl.* Are you coming, Owl?

Owl actually moves to alight on Larawen's shoulder, but still does not look at her.

Velrin smiles at the bird

[Celaven]: Improvement!

[Larawen]: He knows I will find good meat.

[Larawen]: It was a pleasure speaking with you both. Elune light your path.

[Velrin]: Ishnu dal dieb

[Celaven]: Yours as well, till we meet again.

[Celaven]: And Velrin, you got my message, I hope?

Larawen leaves the inn with the owl still on her shoulder. She does not just vanish into thin air, I promise.

[Velrin]: I did! I-I hope we can meet there soon…

Velrin smiles shyly at Celaven.

Celaven smiles back at her, and brushes his hair behind one ear. "Soon, I hope. I do want to take you up on those stories."

[Celaven]: For now, though, I too must be on my way. It was a delight to see you again.

Velrin blushes "Likewise!"

[Velrin]: I-I mean I was happy to see you again too…

Celaven chuckles. "I understood."

Celaven heads out of the inn, waving once to Velrin as he makes his way to the hippogryph master.

Velrin takes a second to catch her breath after Celaven is out of sight.