RP:Hiding A Monster
Secret Cove
The torch set into the stone wall remains unlit, suggesting whoever travels here often does not need much light to see. Wandering this pebble strewn path around its bend will reveal the high rock walls of a smaller cove, its passage to the open sea far more dangerous to navigate in high tide. And yet, anchored to the east, there is a ship of black sails and efficiently stocked for war. A tall center mast topped with a Jolly Roger nearly reaches the sharp points of the damp cavern roof, rocking impossibly close to impact each time a lazy wave lurches the mahogany vessel higher. A camp site has developed near the shore, where wooden containers and stacked boxes appear to be a private supply, locked and trapped. Mermaid laughter, sounding from the rocks to the south, will echo the cave if you try to get into them.
Valrae had made her own fire. Naturally, so the flames were the typical warm beach fire hues. Her hair was a wind tossed mess of damp waves, shining dark honey and gold in the wavering light. She wore her bathing suit top, a series of cleverly designed straps of dark material, and a long high waisted skirt of sheer white over the bottoms. Her usual beach attire. The witch sat with her bottom on a burgundy and sapphire patterned towel and her feet in the sand. Her toes and their shining rings were covering in sand up to her calves. Her knees were drawn up, the thin material of her skirt bunched near her upper thighs, with a sketch pad resting on them. Charcoal, pencils, and few other mediums rested on the towel beside her with her bag. Her fingers were dark with the coal, some of it had smeared over her golden brow, as she stared pensively at the image of a carefully shaded image of a winged man. Val huffed a sigh, resigned to the fact that her image of Irenic would be just as able to answer all her question as the actual man himself, and sat the pad aside. Why did he leave her? Was it because she'd told him she loved him? And if that were the case, why did he say if back if he didn't really mean it?
Irenic followed Valrae enough in the past week to know she would be here and he felt his heart start to ache in missing her, but he would settle for this… Watching her from one of the higher ledges opposite side of the cove, even a large boulder was up there with him to mask him further. Those mismatched eyes take in the sight of her golden hair as he admires her work for a time, but just the scent of her would make it better, maybe. He dared and placed a clawed human hand on the edge of the ledge. A beak slowly peeps out in the dancing light from the fire and his heightened sensed from his monstrous switch help in his attempts… The sea, and not like he's smelled it from nature, the she carried it was something else entirely… It was home for his heart, but he leaned a little too close and a smaller pebble fell and echoed it's arrival below, and off to the side of where he was. He quickly shifted himself back behind the boulder to completely hide himself even if there isn't a way up to his ledge without wings. He does not want her to see him like this.
Valrae had felt the prickling sensation of been watched moments before the sound that the falling pebble made. Her shoulders and back had stiffened, the hand that she had rested on the towel clinching. The sensation was becoming familiar to her now. In the days that slipped by she'd been alone in a way that was new and strangely uncomfortable since her time spent in prison and yet somehow... She felt anything but alone. The sound of the falling pebble had her jolting and turning her head quickly. Because she couldn't see much farther than the circular glow of her fire's light, she stood. Her skirt righted itself and swayed down to her ankles as she walked slowly toward the place Irenic was hiding.
Irenic felt as stone as the boulder he was pressed against as he felt his heart thud viciously in his chest cavity. Those perfect hearing ears can hear her nearing him, but he was not ready for her to see him like this; not before he tries to find a cure for whatever happened. He spots another pebble next to his crouched position and he quickly flicked it toward the cove entrance in hopes to draw her over there. He felt stick to his stomach with how she must feel, but he cant stop watching her especially when she draws it reminds him of the times they have spent together and she used to sketch him. He was always amazed at her talent and he regrets never getting her to give him one of her sketches. He closely listens for her footsteps and if she took the bait to check outside the cove he would quickly hop down to steal a sketch from her book and duck around the bend of the cove on the opposite end.
Valrae paused mid slightly frightened study of the first sound with her heart leaping to her throat as the other pebble clattered to the ground. She jolted, turned with the flash of her golden hair and decided to explore this new option. Taking the bait gave him just enough time to steal away from her, sketch in tow. The witch finally convinced herself she was being paranoid and that she was chasing phantom sounds and made her way back over to her towel. Val sat, digging her toes in the sad and resting her elbows on her knees as she watched the sea. For a long while, she watched and silently demanded answers from what ever higher power might listen. It wasn't until she grew tired and started packing away her things that she noticed her sketch was missing…
Irenic would wait a long while until he could hear her getting settled once more while he looks a long while at his new possession, for he did not wait it because it looked like how he used to look, but because it was drawn by his love's hand. He started to see the skies gradually lighten before those new talon feet took him in the opposite direction she was and out of the cove a least until there was skies. He looked off looking like an over-sized dove of sorts for he knew the change would be painful as always and it immediately induced sleep shortly after. He has no idea how to explain to her what happened for he doesn’t even understand and the more time passes the more anxiety he acquires over being able to come clean. Possibly a feather or two were dropped…