|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 9:44 pm
... well, almost.
Call it for sentimental reasons, but Basil has decided to visit someone he hasn't seen in years. Since he was a fledgling, in fact. The idea to visit this sole person before he leaves is an impulsive one, something the young wildtype isn't especially well known for... but he needs to speak with someone. Someone who knew him for what he was, as he felt he knew himself. A person he feels he can speak to simply, plainly, without fear of rejection. His estranged childhood friend (and distant cousin), Feverfew.
Musings aside, Basil is currently appreciating the enveloping comfort provided by the trees of the familiar Minder's enclave. Having landed nearby to where he's been informed his old friend now resides, Basil anxiously awaits a reply to his greeting. The friendly voice of reason.
Now if only someone would talk him out of this..
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 1:20 pm
Oh, how the nights were busy! Fluff here, fluff there, feed, preen, stop bickering! That was what life had become for Feverfew and he wouldn’t have it any other way. The Wildtype was almost constantly busy tending to the little ones, including his current little charge, an adorable young Deep Woods by the name of Mistletoe. The Minder was preoccupied with helping Darkfall separate an argumentative Mist and his chosen target, a younger Ghost, when he heard a hoot that sounded very familiar… Yet almost foreign.
“I’ve got this, Fe.’” Darkfall mumbled as she ushered the Mist into her nest for “time out” and settled over him. He certainly was an unhappy camper, but her point had gotten across, which was noted with his whining about how he would leave the other fledgling alone if she would let him go play.
“Right, I’ll be back in two shakes of a skurri’s tail.” And with that, Feverfew hooted a response to Basil’s call and bustled towards the vaguely familiar Wildtype that lurked at the edges of the Enclave. He studied his visitor for a moment before a sudden wave of recognition washed over him. This Wildtype was not just any visitor, but his cousin! It had been nearly ages since he had seen his fledglinghood friend.
“Baz? Bazzy? Gosh, it’s been seasons! How ya’ been?” Feverfew hadn’t heard much, but whispers were buzzing about the family. He was aware that Basil had split up with Bushfire, but was completely oblivious to any other factors, with the exception of his family’s displeasure.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 6:42 pm
As Feverfew flies over to meet him, Basil gives his old playmate and confidant a quick once over before responding to the warm greeting. “Ah, I'm alright.” he lies. “... well... at least, I've been better.” His cousin's use of the old pet-name may have been cause for some playful banter under different circumstances, but tonight it does little more then deepen Basil's foreboding mood.
“Um, do you have a few moments you could spare me?” he asks, hoping to get straight to the point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 6:48 pm
Feverfew's rather cheery mood toned down as Basil spoke. His posture, his tone... All of it reminded the Minder of a very unhappy charge and he couldn't help but to fear something bad must of happened. Of course it would be silly to think otherwise if their own family was really shunning him.
The large Wildtype smiled warmly and gave his cousin a nod. While seasons were between them, his cousin was the closest friend he had as a fledgling and he wouldn't just shove off all that time as if it had never happened. Regardless of what happened, his old friend deserved time.
"Of course... Something troubling you, Basil?" He asked quietly, but not unfriendly. There was a hint of concern to the Minder's voice as he preened his chest feathers rather attentively and carefully.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:50 pm
“It's more someone then something, rather.” he confesses, further frustrating himself at his own vague answer. His resolve that only minutes before had been so sure, is already beginning to thin.
“I mean, something has come up. I'll be leaving the woods for a while, right now actually... but I need someone to deliver a message for me.”
Deep down, Basil knows that what he is about to ask isn't fair. Not to Fi or Fever... but to his mind, the alternatives are sure to result in painful consequences. This way, things should at least go back to normal.
“Umm... has my mother ever mentioned to you where I've been for the last while?” he starts, slowly working himself up to it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 8:11 am
Fever listened carefully to every word his cousin spoke and with each one his heart sank a little more. He abandoned preening at Basil's final question and felt completely oblivious to whatever was troubling his friend.
"No... I haven't seen much of the family lately. I've been rather busy... But I have gathered that there is something making them uncomfortable. That's about all. Last I heard, you and Bushfire separated..." His voice trailed off and he felt guilty for not sticking nearer to Basil. Any decent friend would, but here he had been scarce in his cousin's life since graduation. Perhaps he could make up for it, now, although Basil's behavior certainly made him feel a looming shadow over the visit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:09 am
Fever's mention of Bushfire draws an uncomfortable look from Basil, the loathsome memory of his most recent encounter with his ex-mate is still quite fresh. Even a day or so later, the hateful things she had said still eat away at him; her threats, combined with the looming threat of a wrathful Seeker, plague his poor mind with the despairing thoughts of the near future. There's nothing for it now, better to at least confide in someone he trusts, then for them to find out from someone he doesn't. Nodding once in response, he continues on. “That's well enough, I suppose. I haven't been on the best of terms with her or father since then. I don't think she's been much inclined to speak of anything regarding me...” he confesses, confirming Fever's deduction.
“... I'd found another mate since then...” he says, pausing a moment to anxiously preen at tidy feathers in little need of the attention. He can't quite bring himself to say it yet. That she's a mist. Basil feels ashamed, for both his cowardice and his stalling.“... and the chirop I last sent mother never came back, if that's any indication.” Almost there, just a little more now and he'll spit it out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 8:28 pm
It had been ages since Feverfew had spoken to Basil's mother and a missing chirop certainly was a good indication that things were certainly not settling well with her. The Minder couldn't help but wonder just what had led to the separation of Basil and Brushfire, not that it really was any of his business...
And he couldn't help but to wonder more about the new Wildtype his cousin had taken as a mate, because he would obviously settle with one of their own type. He entering a crosstype relationship never even occurred to Fever as he stood still and silent for a moment. The female Basil had taken must of been from a more muddled bloodline than they.
"If you're happy... Though it is unfortunate that the family isn't taking well to your change in mates. I know they had high hopes for you and her. I find it odd that your mother would just sever ties like that..."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:36 pm
Maybe he could just... not say anything, let him believe what was no doubt an inaccurate assumption. Fever really hadn't heard anything crucial yet, if he could just leave it that way now... why couldn't this be any easier, like he'd originally thought it would?
... No, somehow that feels like it would defeat the purpose. He's got to do it like this. This one last thing, and he can't leave knowing he's betraying yet another's trust. Fever might never forgive him for that. “I was happy... but, I should tell you. I didn't pursue the relationship in the belief that they'd approve of it. I guess, I knew from the beginning what I was doing... well, I knew...” Basil's ear-tufts droop back in apprehension, held rigidly in their awkward angle as the would-be fugitive mentally prepares himself. “I think I've done just about the worst thing I possibly could have to them... Fi, her name's Fiercefire. She's a Mist.”
Why why why am I doing this?!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:23 pm
Feverfew had his beak open already, as though he were about to speak and dish out some spiel that he had given time and again to the younger sentinels that he often saw at the enclave, but his words caught in his throat and only a soft hiss escaped him as he tried to wrap his mind around what his cousin had just admitted to him. A Mist!?
"Bazzy, really?" He couldn't help but to appear shocked and his eartufts had lifted, showing his obvious alarm.
"How? Why-er, I mean, no wonder!" He really had no idea how to respond to his oldest friend. This had to be some sort of ill joke, but Basil's unhappiness was far too real to be faked.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:45 am
Basil stands perfectly still under the disbelieving stare of his cousin, while something that feels none too dissimilar to fear holds him in place. What he's going to say next isn't likely to evoke any better response... but there's no turning back now.
“Uh'huh...” Basil confirms, allowing himself a low breath before continuing. “I know!... but, things were already getting so bad back home. I didn't have anyone I could speak to anymore, not without them looking at me like... as though I... uh... oh, never mind." he trails off into a sulk. "I'm sick of having to explain myself... I'm sorry, Fever. I must be terribly confusing to you right now...” The excuses aren't going to explain much anyhow. They haven't made much the same sense they used to, not since before his last unwelcome visit from the past.
“We'd been living up north, past the Deep Wood's border, along the Swift Cold. It's a pretty big place... Fi seemed happy with it...” he says hesitantly, again trailing off near the end. Fever hadn't asked, but Basil has his reasons for mentioning it just now... and yet, even this is just more stalling before the real plunge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 10:12 am
Fever continued to study his cousin and confusion was clouding his wide eyes. Basil was right, he was terribly confusing to the Minder, who was still looking for a way to act, but he couldn't seem to come up with anything. He was mildly angry and he could seem to only think of the way their parents had spoken of aberrants and the relationships that led to them, yet seeing Basil in such a state tugged at his heart. His talons gripped at the bark beneath his paws and he sighed.
"Were you happy with it?" He choked out after a moment's hesitation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 1:10 am
“No... well, I mean, it was a decent place... but, the neighbors... we never heard the end of it from them, you know?”
Got to get on with it, now.
Basil is well aware of the conflict he must be raising in Fever, and judging by his reaction thus far, his friend's patience may soon begin to fail. Generations of heart-felt principles aren't just shoved aside at the first sign of an unsightly contradiction. The reaction of Basil's immediate family towards the news was proof enough, he can only assume Fever's side would respond in much the same way. Basil has got to be careful, as he's sure he can't do this without him.
Allowing his eyes to wander around the sheltering trees of the woods, Basil exhales a long, low sigh and finally continues on towards the end. “Now, there's been a certain... incident, I don't think anyone in the family has every really told you about. Please, just believe me when I say there was no other way, but... we... I had to do something terrible... a large part among the reasons I left Bushfire.” Basil pauses to regain his breath. “... but, now she's visited me not long ago. She said she was going to see Fiercefire, said she was going to tell her everything!”
“She said she'd even managed to get a Seeker involved somehow! Blazes!... I've never even told Fi about her... or the children!” he wails, hardly even bothering to contain himself anymore. “I need someone to go talk to Fi, tell her how sorry I am for doing this... I don't think there's going to be many more nights for me here. I've got to leave.” ... and just like that, caution is thrown to the four winds. Basil slouches down against his perch, huddled as he is, fearing to return his cousin's look any longer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 6:51 am
Feverfew had made a name for himself amongst the Enclave for his levelheadedness and his ability to handle the youngsters, despite the fact that he had not been a Minder for very long. He approached nearly every situation with a cool, collected manner and would rationally think things through, then instruct the fledglings in the way he saw fit and so far was known for his fairness.
Any trace of that levelheaded demeanor seemed to evaporate as he gawked at his small, lightly hued cousin.
The young Minder's eyes seemed to be as wide as saucers as he tried to take in and make sense of all the information that Basil had thrown out at him and it was probably a good thing that the meek Crafter was slouched, for he most likely wouldn't of liked the looks that Feverfew was giving him. What was he to say? His cousin not only left Bushfire, but courted a Mist, something about something terrible, with children? ... And a Seeker? This was horrible news indeed and his stomach felt like it was doing flipflops.
He wanted him to do what?
"Talk to her?" He echoed after a rather long and uncomfortable lapse in conversation. His feathers had sleeked and his dark beak had a grave frown tugging at it's edges. The horrible news, which should of been some sort of far fetched tale the bards made up, mingled with Basil's wails... It just all felt like too much for the simple Minder and he had half a mind to chase his cousin from the Enclave territory at that moment.
Yet at the same time he felt compelled to stay and help his cousin with his woes. The whole ordeal was terribly confusing and he mentally cursed the conflict of caring for his friend and the principles his mother and father had instilled in him at an early age.
"It would mean far more coming from your beak." He spoke again, following a second silent lapse.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:45 pm
“... but,” Basil hesitates, searching for a reason to disagree with his cousin. Fever wouldn't help him, and Basil couldn't really blame him... it was quite the selfish plea, after all. “I don't know if... I mean, how can I face her now? She thinks she can trust me, but I don't know if I can bear to tell what I've done. Not yet anyway... maybe, once things have calmed down around here... I don't know! I can't think straight anymore...” he whines. Basil's encounter with Bushfire has left him in a muddled mess of regret and fear, made only worse by an overactive imagination and a guilty conscience.
What Basil is really hoping for, even if it only occurs to him on the sub-conscious level, is for someone to tell him straight what it is that he should do... just, without the difficult... conflict bits.
However, what he is very likely in need of, is a good swift kick in the tail feathers, so to speak. If Basil's cousin should have any notions of getting him to make any sense from this mess, he has only to press a little harder.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
