[Closed] I watch the ripples change their size

[spiritwalks]

Who: Vyng spiritwalks and Obi-Wan jedies
What: A lowkey lakeside jaunt
When: Sometime toward the end of April
Where: Salt Lake in Trenchwood

Content Warnings: Listed in subject lines when applicable



[As they make their decent toward the shores of the Salt Lake, Cloudpiercer raises his body upward. With a mighty whoosh! whoosh! whoosh! of his wings to slow down, his talons spread out, and he seamlessly glides into a landing. The transition is as natural and smooth as any wild animal's touch-down onto solid ground. Vyng doesn't "steer" or give any vocal commands, instead trusting the thunderbird to act autonomously.

Once Cloudpiercer settles down and tucks his wings back against his sides, Vyng gently releases the tuft of feathers at the back of his friend's neck.

"Thanks, buddy," he murmurs, sharing his gratitude through their spiritual connection. Cloudpiercer clicks his beak in acknowledgment — fully aware he's doing his druid companion a solid, but glad to help regardless.

Only then does Vyng look back at Obi-Wan with a rakish grin.]

Enjoy the ride?

Comments

[spiritwalks]

I'm always learning something new. [A beat.] I also have a terrible memory, so make of that what you will.

[jedies]

A constant cycle of learning, is it?

That's something to be jealous of.

[spiritwalks]

Is it, though? Is it.

[He's skeptical as hell, but there's also a hint of laughter in Vyng's words.]

My old tutors didn't seem to think so.

[jedies]

Well, perhaps they needed to redefine their ideas of learning.

[spiritwalks]

That is a very generous way of looking at it, hahah...

[Vyng's pretty sure the problem was he was a garbage student who couldn't retain useful info to save his life. Never mind that he was mostly interested in zoology and botany anyway. But those subjects are fun, so he doesn't count them.

Still, he doesn't argue either. Instead, he points his thumb toward the shimmering water.]

Wanna know the craziest thing about this lake? When it's not under full moonlight, it turns cold and black. It can't sustain any life at all. It's practically poison for the body.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan is nothing if not generous. he glances at the lake, following vyng's hand. ]

A perfect metaphor for the cycle of life and death. We return from what we come from. We have a saying among the Jedi. How we're luminous beings, not crude matter that makes up our bodies.

[spiritwalks]

Our bodies are but a temporary vessel for one's spiritual essence, it's true.

[jedies]

[ huh. ]

Do you have a similar philosophy? Among your people?

[spiritwalks]

We do. It's the basis for many Druidic practices and rituals.

[jedies]

What are those like?

[spiritwalks]

It depends on the branch.

Shapeshifting is one example. That's the act of reaching out to another's essence and swapping forms with them. But there's others too. Spirit walking, where you leave your body in the material plane to visit other realms. Forging a spiritual connections, too, so you can see and feel through another's eyes — even across far distances.

[jedies]

Fascinating. Our talents branch out in various ways, but we've never managed anything like that.

[spiritwalks]

To be fair, those abilities are pretty rare among Druids too. Aspiring shapeshifters usually go through a rite of passage. But few survive it, and fewer succeed.

[jedies]

Did you know anyone else with those abilities?

[spiritwalks]

[His expression grows wistful.]

My mother. She formed a communal relationship polar bears.

[He also recently learned of a long-lost half sister who'd managed to commune with the cobra. Vyng wishes he could have met her. Maybe they could have sorted through their family baggage together. But sadly, it wasn't meant to be.]

[jedies]

Polar bears?

[ he's unfamiliar with that animal. ]

[spiritwalks]

Yeah. Beautiful creatures. Hyper carnivores, not to be trifled with. They're native to my homeland.

[He uses his omni to pull up a size comparison.]

Check out that massive paw-to-body ratio. They're so heavy, they need huge paws to carry their weight while they navigate deep snow and thin ice.

[jedies]

That fur . . . It's transparent?

[ it's not really white, is it? ]

[spiritwalks]

It's pretty deceptive, actually.

[jedies]

Of course. It evolved to adapt to the ice, I assume.

[spiritwalks]

Got it in one. Their color changes depending on the lighting.

[jedies]

Fascinating.

[spiritwalks]

It is, isn't it.

My mom always had a gorgeous coat.

[jedies]

I can imagine.

Did you shift as well?

[spiritwalks]

[A pause.]

Yeah. I did. Into polar bears, and other creatures too.

[An understated answer for someone once considered a legendary shapeshifter in his old world. But he may as well be talking about a different person at this point. Vyng sacrificed a major part of himself, of his identity, that day at the Summoning Stones. It's a decision he has to live with.]