RP:Communication Is Everything

Summary: After a few months of uncomfortable tension and awkwardness, Lanara seeks out Meri, in hopes that they can communicate and repair their friendship. The two open up about the conversation months prior that caused things to sour, and vow to try and talk things out rather than make assumptions in the future. Also, Lana learns that Meri and Magik have gotten engaged!

Lanara comes to the realization that Meri and her haven’t had an actual conversation in several months, and she’s determined to put an end to this silence and hopefully fix their friendship. She feels compelled to see the psion in this moment, and so she hurriedly throws on a pair of jeans, a fitted crimson sweater, and a pink jacket that is more designed for fashion than function. Lana steps out into the late afternoon, already feeling the chill that invades the thin coat, and she looks around the property of her home. Meri and Magik said they lived nearby and she could probably pick up her scent, right? She -does- need to use her wolf senses more, and so Lana wanders around for the next hour or so, until she nears the presumed area where she believes Meri to be living. Is that a treehouse?! The witch crosses her arms and considers her options, because she doesn’t want to climb up and just waltz on into someone’s home, if it happens to be the wrong house! Should she whistle? Not knowing quite what else to do, Lana tucks two fingers between her lips and unleashes a shrill whistle, hoping that the lycan will hear her call and signify she’s at the right place.

Approaching the treehouse, one would assume at first glance that this could not possibly be the place that Magik has spent the last several years living. Meri herself has only spent the last eight months out in this space, having moved in quite quickly after she and Magik made things official. From the outside, it had a very run-down appearance. Inside was a whole different matter, except not everyone had the ability to pass the shadow-laden door that only the very curious would discover. Magik was more private than his personality might let on, a detail that Meri did not mind because this home security measure kept their family quite safe. Lanara would not be able to surprise the household by making her way inside even if she wanted, not without the man of the house first altering the wards and spells he placed on his home. There was one big clue that signaled that this was in fact probably their home for at the base of the tree, just next to a set of stairs that winds up the tree, is a newly built stable that is large enough to house both of Meri’s horses. The shrill whistle that Lanara releases is not immediately answered. It is written off as one of the forest elves passing through and calling out to one of their companions. Unseen to Lanara as this occurs from within the treehouse, the black wolf named Ohtar and her own lycan senses alert her that whomever let that whistle loose has not passed through the area and it dawns on Meri that the scent is familiar. It will take a moment, but Meri emerges from the shadowed entrance to survey the scene. From the balcony of the treehouse, Meri can spot Lanara and a smile pulls at her red lips. “Lanara, Hello. I will come down.” And without further adieu, Meri steps off the balcony. It might seem like a long drop for some, but the telekinetically inclined woman has her ways and she hits the earth with a silent landing rather than a hard thud. “How are you doing today?”

Lanara is just noticing the stables that are beside the tree, and although she had only met Cadence once before, she’s fairly sure it’s Meri’s horse, as she peeks inside. She doesn’t have any sugar cubes in her possession, but she speaks softly to the pair of horses, before she slowly backs away and looks up at the treetops. Meri is standing on the balcony and peers down at her, before she literally steps off and lands gently on the ground. It’s a rather high drop that most would sustain an injury from, but the woman stands there, right as rain, with a smile on her lips. Lanara returns the smile, as it’s good to see her friend, “I’m sorry for just dropping by, but I know it’s been awhile since we’ve really talked, or had time for just the two of us. I was hoping we could clear up a few things?” She pauses, before answering Meri’s question, “I’m doing well, honestly. The werewolf life isn’t so bad, but I don’t like eating so much meat all the time.” She rarely ate meat in general, save for a high holiday, and hunting is still not coming easily to the animal empath. “How are you doing? How is Fleur?” Lana tucks her hair behind her ears, unsure if they should keep chatting before the tree or maybe take a stroll through the forest. It’s rare to see the woman without an animal companion, but it seems that she has arrived completely on her own. A glance is offered to the newly built stables and Lana lifts a hand and points, “Did you get a second horse or does that one belong to Magik?”

That drop that Meri just took was indeed high, many would indeed sustain injuries. There were some perks to being a psion, in Meri’s opinion, just like being a witch offered Lanara an edge of her own. Lanara’s want to talk is met with an accepting nod. “Of course,” Meri affirms, presuming that there was something in particular that the witch wanted to address. The lycan woman would keep her answers to Lanara’s questions to the point so that the other woman had ample chance to clear up whatever issues she wanted to. There was a smile when Lanara assured her that life as a werewolf wasn’t so bad. It was something that Meri struggled to adjust to at first, but the way Meri was bitten was very violent and had almost brought about her death. Meri also did not have much in the way of guidance after being bitten, she has had to navigate life as a werewolf largely by herself. “Fleur is doing good. So am I. We’re both quite happy these days. Both Magik and Mirshann seem to adore Fleur and it’s really nice to see.” Mention of the second horse as Meri moving a few feet away from the stairs so that she can come to stand in front of the stables entrance. It gave her the chance to inspect both of her beloved companions. “We’ve had a second horse for years, Storm just belonged to Callum so you probably never saw him much. I guess when Callum decided to divorce me, he also pretty much left the lands entirely. The horse and the dogs were left behind, so I spoke with Magik and we took them in. It’d be kind of weird for that horse to be Magik’s and the guy doesn't really need a horse.” Meri does not speak in depth on Magik’s own abilities though. She knew the male preferred to keep a few surprises up his sleeve. “So it’s Fleur’s. She obviously can’t ride on her own quite yet, but we’re working on it and teaching her.” As Meri talks about the two horses, both of them move to the front of the stable to greet the blonde woman, as she has always been the one to do much of the caring for them. Feeding. Brushing. Tending to their hooves. “How are you and Tiber enjoying the Kelay-Sage area? Settling in well enough?”

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara moves with Meri to the entrance to the stables, happy to hear that both she and Fleur are doing well, and that Magik and Mirshann fit wonderfully into their family. It’s refreshing to see her friend's content, and she comments, “I’m really happy for you Meri… You deserve to be happy and loved, as does Fleur. It sounds like Magik and his daughter are a blessing! How old is Mirshann? Is her mother involved in her life, or…?” A hand is lifted and held outwards, so that the horses can inhale her scent, and hopefully not shy away. Since being turned, Lana has had some minor difficulties gaining the trust of felines and equines, as they sense the predator in her before the animal empaths abilities activate. It takes some more coaxing and a ton of treats to strange animals, but seeing as Storm and Cadence are used to Meri’s scent, perhaps they won’t entirely loathe the witch. “They are both so beautiful! If Fleur ever wants riding lessons, please let me know! We have a few ponies at the sanctuary that would love to stretch their legs and have some company. It’s awful that Callum just -left- his family and pets behind, but I think you and Fleur are better off…” She knows that Meri must be aware of her nuptials by this point, as it was announced as the Snowflake Soiree a week prior. “Tiber gifted me a horse after we eloped, a black mare that I’ve named Sansa. Maybe we can go on a nice ride together, sometime?” After the invitation leaves her lips, she waits a beat for an answer, before answering about things on her end. “Tiber and I are doing great! We love living in this area, because it’s central to just about all the places we frequent. The Pack is coming along, but of course there were more downs than ups the past eight months. I think we are turning a new leaf, at least I -hope- that’s the case. This one girl, Corrine? She’s just awful and always meddling in my life and trying to break Tiber and I up, and is the reason we had to do everything in silence. She even tried to kill me on three separate occasions.” Lana isn’t a fan of the redhead, that’s for sure!

(Post 2 of 2) Lanara stands there with her hand still outstretched, but if the horses don’t come nearer, she won’t force any affections on them. However, if Storm or Cadence do come close, she will soothingly run her hand repeatedly down their nose. It’s therapeutic and gives her the strength to steer the conversation towards less comfortable territory. “I know that things have been strained between us the past few months, and I know it’s because both of our lives have sort of gone in opposite directions, at warp speed.” Meri had gotten divorced and had to find a new place to raise her daughter, and a short while later entered a relationship with Magik. Meanwhile, Lanara had to rid herself of a deadly curse and thus had to learn to live her days as a lycan, while sustaining Pack drama and planning a wedding. It had been exhausting on both women! “It seems that we’ve missed some serious moments in each other's lives, because in the past we did everything together, or at least we met up directly afterwards to keep each other in the loop.” Time hadn’t been fair to the once best friends, but it’s obvious that the distance is upsetting Lana. “The last time we truly spoke is when I told you that I was dying and I felt like… You didn’t care. You just accepted what I said, and I know people all grieve differently, but I guess expected you to cry? Or tell me that you would miss me? That you love me like a sister? Something! But instead… There was just silence, and it just really hurt me.” She inhales and looks away, before continuing, “So, that’s why I’ve been a bit more distant than time allowed. Because I felt like this friendship meant more to me, than it does to you. I’m hoping we can talk about all of this, and that maybe we can make up for lost time and get back on track.”

(Post 1 of 2) Meri :: Both Storm and Kadence would indeed make their way forward. Horses were intelligent animals who had a keen intuition on who would be friendly toward them or not. They would stay and linger, seeking the affection of both women while the two discuss family matters. Meri does not have much to say on Mirshann, it was more Magik’s story to tell than it was hers. “Mirshann is older, Magik views her as a teenager still but I see her as a young woman.” There is a light smile at the offer for riding lessons for Fleur, “I would not mind coming out to the sanctuary to visit with the horses and ponies, but I think a bulk of her lessons will come from me.” Many things had indeed transpired in the lives of the two women. The divorce was rough, but thankfully Meri has always had a space within her Art Gallery that functioned as an apartment. It would not have been the first time she and Fleur lived there, as the divorce was not the first break up that she and Callum had. It was just the final one. The way that Lanara talks about Corrine has Meri lifting a brow. “Corrine. I am not sure the name rings a bell. But I assume that she is the one that caused a scene at your housewarming party?” That was the first time that Meri had any introduction to this new pack of Lanara’s, the names were still a blur and unfamiliar to Meri. Mention that Corrine tried to kill Lanara on three separate occasions only further perplexes Meri. “She tried to kill you and she’s still part of your pack…?” The confusion is evident in Meri’s tone, but the woman has never been able to get into any sort of pack mentality. There is likely some dynamic in this that she does not understand.

(Post 2 of 2) As the conversation takes a more serious turn, the horses give distance between Lanara and Meri. They were still limited in how far they could move away from them, they were still within plain sight…just had their rumps to the women and were not making obvious attempts at seeking affection anymore. Just like when Lanara told Meri that she was dying, the woman is silent for a moment to process everything that Lanara has just said. The silence is not as lengthy, she is mostly trying to gather her thoughts. “I feel bad that my actions caused you to feel like I did not value your friendship. My perception of that day is different from yours. I did not feel like I was silent the entire time. I was trying to process everything that you were telling me. You had been gone for nearly a year and upon your return, you were suffering from a death curse? I recall being unwilling to accept that your death would be permanent, if it came to that. I have always known that we are two very different women, so I would not expect you to react or handle things the same way that I would respond to them. But again, I am sorry for causing you upset.”

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara smiles and nods when Meri mentions Mirshann being a young woman, and how she plans on teaching Fleur to ride a horse, but will visit the sanctuary. “Anytime, even if we’re closed, you know you are always welcome.” Venin may feel otherwise, but that grump of a greeter disliked everyone, except handsome men. It’s a wonder why she still retains employment, but she does have a way with animals. The mention of Corrine has Lana’s smile fading and she shakes her head, “So, the Pack that I speak of, it’s not necessarily a wolf pack that you would think. We call ourselves the Amber Lunation, and sure, Tiber is the Alpha and as his wife, I’ve become Luna. We are sort of just helping the others to get acclimated to the world, both as wolves, and as individuals.” She’s hesitant to go into too many details, but she trusts Meri to keep her confidence, “Unlike you and I… Tiber and the others? They weren’t bitten. They were abducted from orphanages, the streets, broken homes… And they were kept in a laboratory and experimented on. The sick scientist claimed he was creating a cure for lycanthropy, when in truth, he was playing God and ruining the lives of so many. We’re talking in the hundreds! And when the subjects grew up or rejected the serum, they were killed. So… Most of the members aren’t socialized, never had a childhood, and they know little to nothing about the real world.” She shrugs and watches the horses, admiring their beauty, “I didn’t want to forgive and forget what Corrine did, but we all have a dark side, and she happened to mate with Nick.” The Backstreet Bard that had stalked Lanara for years. “He was there for me in the past, he saved my life, and so Tiber and I decided to give them a second chance.” She pauses, “They live separately from the Pack, they are treated as inferior and bear the Omega label, and I’ve been very cautious around them. It will be a while until she regains our trust.” It’s clearly complicated, but Lana had been honest, and it seems that even though becoming a wolf had hardened her heart a tad, she’s still the same deep down around those she loves.

(Post 2 of 2) As Meri speaks, the witch listens, her teary gaze drying upon hearing that the psion hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings. There is a long pause after she finishes, as Lana tries to gather her own thoughts on the matter, “I think that I tend to react quickly and that I’m not afraid to wear my heart on my sleeve. My emotions are easy to read and I am very reassuring if I feel that someone needs comfort, because it’s in the nature of a Witch to heal those in need. Plus… I went so many years being an empath, that I sort of relied on the feelings of others, to teach me what I should be feeling. Since I only have that ability with animals now, I’m sort of on my own to figure things out.” It’s why she’s a bit bipolar in most situations. “You think before you speak, and you don’t react based on emotion. I envy that about you, actually, because I cannot train myself to -not- lash out or overthink.” Lana realizes that it was all about a simple misunderstanding, “I’m sorry that I didn’t talk to you in that moment, or the next day. We went so many months without really talking…” She drops her gaze and bows her head, feeling terrible, and wondering what Meri must think of her now. Will she even want to repair their friendship?

The fact that Tiber and Lanara decided to give both Nick and Corrine second chances was in the end no business of Meri’s. It was her place to hold concern that more trouble might be caused, yet not her place to hold any amount of judgment for their choices. It was their pack/family. So in the end Meri just nodded her head in acceptance of their decisions for their own family, as this is what Meri would hope that Lanara would do when it comes to any decisions that Meri and Magik made for their own family. Everyone was entitled to live their own lives and make the choices they felt that were best for them. Meri instead focuses on the conversation about their past misunderstanding. “I know, it has never been anything that I have held against you or faulted you for. Like I said, we’re two different women and there is nothing wrong with that. The world would be a boring place if we all reacted in the same way, held the same values, and the same opinions. It might be considerably more peaceful, but it would be lacking in color and it would be flat in emotions. For our friendship to work, we both need to move forward with the understanding of our differences. I may not be the best at displaying my emotions, but in my perception I did try to show you that I valued you by inviting you to things. Granted, we learned that a hunt was not something that you found enjoyment in, even as a lycan…You still had the chance to meet Magikrios during that hunt. We also attended your housewarming party.” Meri offers up a tentative smile, not sure what else to say to assure Lanara. As they are both in agreement, the two definitely have different communication styles.

Lanara smiles when Meri states that she invited her along to hunt, so that could meet Magik, as well as help out with the Adventurer’s Guild. Even though she disliked harming animals, she had liked feeling included amongst her friends, and she wonders why she couldn’t see that in the past. “Talking to you really is helping me to understand… I guess I’m someone who beats a dead horse.” She motions to the horses and apologizes, “No offense, guys!” Back to Meri, she continues, “I’m one that has to endlessly talk about how I feel, why I feel that way, and get to the bottom of every little emotion… And you are more the type that would rather show how you feel, rather than discuss it at every angle.” They had been friends for many years and this is the first ‘almost fight’ that they’ve ever had, but it’s good that they’ve had this talk, so they can move forward. Lana steps a little nearer to the psion, “Let’s make a pact that in the future if either of us are feeling that something is amiss, that we bring it up right away, so that we don’t go so long without talking again. I missed you!” If Meri allows it, Lana will give her a brief hug, because she knows that she’s not into long bits of affection, but the moment calls for an embrace. Once they break away, the witch offers her friend stamp of approval,“Soooo. You and Magik are getting even more serious, I take it? I like him! He’s a little on the quiet side from the few times I’ve met him, but he’s polite, and you said that he’s wonderful with Fleur. Those are important qualities.” The witch wonders if Magik will one day propose to Meri, and if they will give Fleur a little sibling. She doesn’t say any of this aloud, though, because she doesn’t want to overstep.

If the horses had understood the phrase ‘beat a horse dead’ they did not react, or at least their reaction was not a visible one. Maybe a slight twitch of the ears, but really they seemed mostly content to snack out of their respective feed bags. They each had their face almost fully into their own bag. Meri issues a smile and nods her head in agreement with Lanara. Lanara was correct about Meri’s aversion to things like hugs, but given the spirit of their conversation this was not going to be something that Meri would fight Lanara on. Besides, the only audience they had currently were the two horses in the stall that they were standing near. “That seems like a very sensible request, so I can definitely agree to that request.” Shifting the subject away from any tensions in their friendship and to Meri’s relationship causes the woman to relax just a bit. A brief smile flashes across her lips. At least one answer to Lanara’s wondering is visible for on a certain finger there is a black diamond engagement ring. It seems that Magik knows Meri’s tastes well. Meri takes a moment to bring Lanara up to speed. “Honestly, Magik and I have been pretty serious about our relationship from the start. We were friends for a while before we decided that we wanted more. I think the fact that we were friends first made a lot of the big decisions in our relationship easier. We were living together by the time that you met him in Frostmaw and we’ve actually been engaged for a few months now.” It’s at this point that Meri lifts her hand so that Lanara can get a better glimpse of the black-stoned engagement ring. It’s neither too simple, yet it’s also not exactly the most ornate ring. This is of course not a statement of Magik’s financial standing. The man is quite well off. Meri is just not the sort to want something extravagant.

Lanara hugs Meri and is relieved that their friendship is back on solid ground, a genuine smile on her face as she pulls back from the embrace. The next lines that leave Meri’s lips have Lana’s eyes widening and her lips parting, because she’s ecstatic for her friend. “Oh my Goddess! You and Magik are -engaged- to be married?!” To say Lana is excited is an understatement, because she’s entirely too caught up in love, sparkles, anything pink, and girl talk. She gently takes Meri’s hand and gives it a squeeze, her gaze drawn to the black diamond that adorns her ring finger, “It’s beautiful, Meri! Congratulations!!! I’m so happy for you and Magik and Fleur!” Lana squeals and admires the ring, “It’s definitely your style and it seems like he really knows you.” This marriage makes sense to her, and though she doesn’t outright say it, she thinks that Magik is a much better catch than Callum. Not that there was anything wrong with Cal, but their love didn’t seem equal, and Meri was more of a badass than him. It was a strange pairing, and Fleur deserved a father that would be present in her life. “I want -all- the details! How did he propose? Were you surprised? Have you picked a date? Oh my gosh! I’m so happy for you!” Lana gives Meri a quick one armed hug and releases her hand from the excited grasp, “Seriously. I am -thrilled- for you both!” She takes a second to catch her breath, “Being friends first definitely makes all the difference! Tiber and I were off and on friends for years, we had some pretty intense fights, but eventually, we got to where we are today.” The horses continue to happily keep their muzzles in their feed bags, and Lana watches them, “Will you remain in Sage, or do you guys plan on moving? Any talk of adding a sibling for Fleur?”

Dwelling on her past relationship was not something that Meri was keen on doing anymore, so it is for the better that Callum is not outright spoken of. Their relationship had its good points, but in the end the things that had brought them together were not enough to keep them together. It hurt for a while but Magik had managed to convince Meri that he was worth trying the whole marriage thing one more time. Lanara’s enthusiasm about wanting all of the details earns her a slight smirk. “Of course I was surprised. As for how, we agreed to have a weekend to ourselves away from the kids. They stayed out here in Kelay.” Mirshaan, of course, is old enough to look after Fleur while Magik and Meri had their get away. “And we went out to my place in Cenril. He proposed over dinner. Obviously I said yes…” Lanara has just hit Meri with a whole slew of questions and the blonde is doing her best to answer them all. “We have not set a date yet but we’re not exactly rushed, there have been several important matters that we have been dealing with.” The invasion of Xalious. Xicotl. Matters for both the Adventurer’s Guild and the Ranger’s Guild. “But we’re in agreement that we’d prefer to have a very small and private wedding rather than something extravagant. We’re definitely not going to move away from Kelay-Sage. Magik has lived here for far too long and fancies himself as the Guardian of Kelay-Sage. So we’ll have this home in here in the forests where we will spend most of our time.” As they have been. “And then my home in Cenril. I don’t need to be out there full time anyway to paint, I have already hired someone to help run the shop. As for kids…? If it happens then it happens. We’re open to it but we’re not rushing anything.” Meri gaze flits up to the sky, all this talk of Magik and Fleur reminding that she ought to consider the time. “You know, Magik will be home in another hour or so. I ought to think about heading back in to start thinking about what I want to feed the household for dinner. But I am very glad that you dropped in and that we were able to talk.”

Lanara beams at Meri when she hears that Magik had truly surprised her with the proposal, because some women -know- it’s coming, as most men drop hints to learn about their desired style of ring or test the waters to see if the women will definitely say yes. The psion is practically glowing as she speaks of her betrothed and describes how he popped the question, that they tend to reside in Sage Forest, and that kids are a possibility! Lana doesn’t interrupt, but she nods her head enthusiastically and smiles all the while that her friend is talking. At the conclusion, she pipes in, “I’m really happy for you and Magik! I know you want something on a smaller scale and intimate, but if you need any help planning the wedding, please let me know. I tend to have a flair for hosting events and can maybe give you some pointers or recommend a caterer or decorator.” After all, Lana has planned -three- weddings for herself, only one of which actually involved the exchanging of vows. She should be a professional wedding planner at this point! The witch trails her gaze upwards when Meri peers at the sky, and a few droplets of rain fall onto her face, as a shower is as likely to come as is nightfall. It is getting late and Lana also has to head back home and prepare dinner, as Tiber should be getting home soon, too. “Alright! I’ll get going… It was good to talk to you, too. I’m sure we’ll meet up soon enough, considering we’re practically neighbors!” Lana offers a parting wave to the horses and makes her way through the forest, the rain remaining a light drizzle until she safely remains at home.