[html]ooc: All welcome! c: It's currently somewhere between late morning and early afternoon, set at Drifter Bay on...whatever date is most convenient. xD (Hover for translations.)Word Count: 483
It was a fine day for a revelry, or it would be, were it not raining quite so heavily. Hell, even with the rain, it was still a nice day, except for the fact that he had no company, save for Breixo, and he didn't count, anyway. Gazing mournfully out over the beach from beneath the ledge they'd taken shelter under, Drakien considered breaking open one of his flasks, but he had so few left and it really wasn't worth it, anyway. Slumping against his pack, he sighed, glancing over the thrown-together campsite, and then looked up at Breixo, who glared down at him disdainfully, obviously unhappy about being trapped out in the rain. Drakien muttered something uncomplimentary in Russian, and got a snort in return, before Briexo's snout slowly lowered and he began 'lip'ing Drakien's shoulder. The young wolf allowed it for a long moment, until it seemed Breixo was aiming for an attack, as the maw opened and he barely managed to get away in time before blunt teeth sank into his shoulder. "Perestanʹ, Breixo! YA ne schastlivyee ob etom, chem vy!" He hissed, baring his teeth and laying his ears back with a snarl. The heavy metal rings in the edges of his appendages clinked together softly as he did so, and Breixo neighed softly, his head bending lower and nudging Drakien's bags, which laid against the very back wall to avoid the wetness as much as possible.
Drakien blinked, and Breixo nudged them again, snorting impatiently, before lifting the one which held his small lute and other instruments, wrapped in many layers of cloth and carried as carefully as he could manage, as he didn't have cases for them. "Budʹte ostorozhny s temi!" He moved forward, catching the instruments just as Breixo dropped them, and then seemed to realize what his bone-headed horse wanted. Blinking suspiciously, he set the bags down, and then had to stop Breixo from out-right trampling them, muttering darkly under his breath. "Khorosho, khorosho, ya ponyal! Muzyka, vy khotite, muzyka!" He moved to sort through the bags, and then pulled out his reed pipe, as it was the easiest to play and didn't require any vocal accompaniment, as all music seemed to, at least to his ears. Shaking his head ruefully at Breixo as the horse immediately settled in to listen--he'd been around the Romani too long, Drakien thought with an amused little grin--he sat himself down and began to play, first a few warm-up tunes and then the first, beautifully haunting melody he'd ever heard. He had to admit it sounded better when the rest of the sindhi played, but the song was familiar and it warmed his heart, sitting here on this windy, rainy night, in the company of a horse who was probably just as lonely as he was.
Maybe Terra wasn't as clever as she thought she was, wandering back into the very place where she'd fought with the flowery male. True, it was her encounter with him that gave her the idea for hiding her scent. He might still be around though, and not being a fighter Terra had no wish to repeat it. Those cuts had hurt, despite how shallow they were. She was very lucky he hadn't decided to use her as his next toy, slicing her open and poking around her insides. The very thought made her shiver.
This was also the place where she'd found the brand new luperci though. She'd learned a lot about transferring and how they changed from that encounter, though she hadn't informed him just how new she was to it. Terra had been shifting for a few months now, but her knowledge of the abilities and how it happened was still empty to her. Terra was aware it was a disease now, but the transfer and history of it was still completely unknown.
Both of these thoughts were pushed aside though as Terra pranced through the snow, enjoying the patterns she formed as she moved. It was a nice day, the snow crisp and deep, trails of rabbits and deer crisscrossing over the top. Terra's own tracks appeared behind her, a new shape that she wasn't used to seeing, as she'd chosen to move in optime today. Pleased by the beauty around her Terra's ears only twitched slightly as the first sounds of music reached her. It was a little bit longer before she fully realized what she was hearing.
This music was different from the flute playing that Soran had done. While her music had held Terra still, captivated by the beauty and sorrow, this was an entirely different sound. It sounded like the rain had come to life, stroking and singing through the air. Lightly Terra leaped through the air, dancing to it's music. Swirling and moving she became a whirlwind across the ground, moving with the beat of the rain. The drops swirled around her, becoming part of the dance as she moved closer and closer to the source. Eyes closed Terra listened, her whole heart captivated by the pattern of this moment, already knowing where each tree, each bump was by some instinct that Terra didn't fully understand but embraced. Her body never stopped swaying, moving with bright flashes of fiery red.
Drakien tapped his foot lightly to the beat, and Breixo shifted closer and closer as he played, making the Luperci boy eye the horse warily, though he didn't halt his tune. It was an old song, really, something the troop had called "World of Stone", and its haunting melody sounded better when echoing through the ancient buildings of the human race, caused a shiver up his spine when he thought of the spirits that must reside there. Here, in the more natural marshes and woodlands of Drifter Bay, it was merely a song, something that might inspire a revelry, and soon enough, it had.
Breixo was the one who noticed the dancing coyote first, and he snorted and whinnied, stretching his neck out from under the cliff's ledge to look at her before retreating, his very being shuddering; he hated getting wet. The movement was enough to get Drakien's attention, though, and he slowed for a moment, watching the woman dance before a grin crossed his face and he began playing faster, transforming the gentle melody into a fast-paced, blood-pumping melody that was meant to be danced to. He'd done it himself, several times, spinning and running around the fire until his feet ached and then collapsing in a heap with the others.
He only caught flashes of the mysterious dancer, and soon had to move out into the rain to see her, though by that time she'd come close enough for Breixo, who remained under the ledge, to watch as well. Drakien didn't mind a little rain, and let it soak through his shirt and pants, doing a little dance himself as he stood in place. He noticed her eyes were closed, but that was alright, too; it showed true appreciation in the music, or perhaps real understanding. She seemed to be lost in her own world as she danced. If there had been any other musician there, he would have dropped the pipe and run out there to dance with her, but it was awkward, to dance with no music, so he just kicked his legs and spun slowly in place, keeping one eye on her and the other on the placement of his fingers as he played.
The song was a short one, and he somewhat regretted that it would soon end, but he wanted to speak to the one who'd shown such joy in his music. Perhaps it was familiar to her; maybe she'd know a piece of her own. He'd never know if he didn't stop playing, and soon enough, he did, pausing a moment to catch his breath. Though he preferred the pipe for many things, dancing whilst playing wasn't one of them; he didn't have enough breath in his body for that.
The song picked up pace, surprising Terra for a moment. She opened her eyes to see a wolf, blowing into a pipe. Realizing he was the musician Terra flashed him a smile, and picked up her own pace. It became a whirlwind contest, her steps pacing and matching the flash of his music. Again and again she spun, a dance not born out of knowledge, but the pure thrill of the noise and the spirit that sang through her soul. Terra had never danced before, having only heard music in the coyotes' call and the playing of Soran's flute. It was all so new, and yet more wonderful than she'd ever imagined.
As she watched him danced Terra laughed, a clear sound that echoed through the woods. It must be difficult, to play and dance at the same time, but this stranger was doing exactly that. Her eyes closed again, listening to the song and the rain. She didn't feel the dampness, completely captured in the moment of the dance. She moved and spun and twisted as the song twisted faster and faster keeping up the pace. At last the song stopped, and breathless she turned to face him.
What was that? It was wonderful! Terra shook her head, droplets splattering from her long mane. Still now, it hung in a damp curtain around her body. She didn't wear any clothes, just the bright fur that stood out against the darkness around them. Smiling she breathed in, taking a deep whiff of the stranger before her. Terra didn't know where the dance had come from, a deeper place that she'd never seen before. She was glad to have experienced it, her tail wagging fiercely.
After a moment, it was easy to deduce she didn't know the actual steps, but was merely rejoicing in the noise; and Drakien found that even more wonderful than if she'd been one of his, if she'd learned the steps by heart and had simply leaped to join in out of knowing. It was a wonderful feeling, knowing someone actually enjoyed his song, and he had to fight a grin in order to keep playing through, though soon enough the song was over and he could pant and smile as much as he wanted. It had been a wonderful performance, as much as she lacked experience in the knowledge of the dance itself, and he gestured for her to come under the ledge, out from the rain, as he made his way back there himself.
His wild grin came back full force at her question, and he offered his cloak to her for her to warm up as he explained, "Songs of my homeland. Is great music, yes?" He shook himself a bit, and then stripped off his wet shirt, hanging it to dry on a rock that was, luckily enough, still under the ledge. Breixo snorted at him, and he moved to lean back against the back wall, looking at her curiously. "You dance, very well. Have practiced?" He asked curiously, shaking himself again to get rid of the water still clinging to his mane and fur. Breixo whinnied unhappily, backing up as far as he could, as the water splattered him, but refused to go back out into the rain, and simply bared his teeth in retaliation.
Drakien waved a hand dismissively, and turned back to the coyote, running a hand through his mane and shaking out more water. It was still raining fairly hard out there, and he hoped it didn't get so bad they were stranded; though he had nowhere to be, the woman beside him no doubt had a pack to return to.
She followed him out of the rain, glad to get out of it now that the moment of wild abandon had passed. There was a horse inside, making Terra's stomach growl hungrily. She didn't understand using horses, though she had learned to respect that other people liked them and to not try and eat them. They might be food for her, but they were companions for others, as odd as that choice was. Accepting the cloak Terra burrowed in, wrapping it around herself. It was nice and dry, warming her body up.
His way of speaking was strangely choppy. Terra cocked her head as she listened, trying to grasp his words. Yes, very good. It was gorgeous, like watching the moon rise. Terra had few experiences to help her describe how the music had made her feel, still young and feral. She had plenty of experience fighting to survive, and following her instincts. Enjoying herself outside of trickery was an entirely new thing for her though.
The stranger shook himself, and Terra backed away from the spray. She was already wet enough without him splattering her. The horse's reaction was amusing though, and she playfully bared her teeth back at it. I've never done that before, actually. It's all new-the music, the movement, everything! Terra looked back out at the rain, watching it fall. It was beautiful to behold, though not as entrancing as it had been before. The male stood beside her, now stripped of the shirt that had covered his dark fur. Where did you learn that?
Drakien smiled warmly as she burrowed into his cloak, glad that she'd accepted it; he didn't want her to freeze to death, as the rain was quite cold. He, himself, moved over to Breixo and stole the woolen blanket off his back, making the poor Vanner protest the treatment. His grin widened when she bared her teeth playfully at his horse, and Breixo stomped his feet, breathing harshly and rolling his eyes. Drakien murmured a few soothing words to him, and then wrapped the blanket around his own shoulders, settling beside her and stretching his legs out. After a moment of eyeing the stranger warily, Breixo circled around behind them, laying down to lend his own warmth and causing his Luperci master to lean back against his creamy side.
Drakien's eyes danced as she complimented the music, feeling proud of himself and his heritage. "Yes, yes! Often played under rising moon, too." He added, thinking of the moonlit dancing and the bonfires that had colored his days in the past. Those that were held at night were especially fun, though of course they'd played in return for food during winter, when things got rough and foraging, hunting and rummaging weren't enough to get by. His gaze went far-off and distant as he thought back to those days, and he was only brought out of his contemplation by her words.
He smiled at her again, and nodded; she seemed rather young, so it didn't really surprise him that she hadn't heard gypsy music before. She probably hadn't even heard of the Romani, a theory which was proven when she questioned him a moment later. His grin returned full force, and he gestured grandly toward the east, explaining, "I come from a people, the Romani. We play our music always, and travel much. I learn many things there." He explained. Nodding toward the colorful fur cloak she had wrapped around her, he added, "They give me that as present, for service done to caravan. Not born gypsy, you see, but made one." He nodded, as his broken English made perfect sense to him.
The horse responded in like, stamping it's feet and making a general ruckus. Grinning she watched the foreigner return and settle on the ground. After a few moments the horse joined them, curling up behind it's master. Heat radiated off the horse, and the small cave was warmed up a little from the heat of the bodies cramming together. It hadn't increased much, with Terra and the musician being much smaller than the horse.
He lit up as he spoke about the music and the place that he'd come from. Terra could feel his delight, and mimicked it with her tail wagging. It sounded wonderful, listening to the music play as the moon soared into the sky. Terra wasn't very creative except when it came to tricking people, meeting with endless cleverness there. The image she grasped was many musicians playing the pipe, with other canines moving the way she had. It was under a full moon, with coyotes howling in the background.
Always traveling and moving seemed a bit tiring to Terra. She wished for the usual things a pack creature wished for: security, and the knowledge that the land she travels is her own. While wanderlust did run in her veins, Terra clung to her pack with a fierce loyalty that would be hard to match. Still, the things he must have seen! Terra's ears trained completely on him, only occasionally flicking to the side to see what was out there. She didn't know what he meant by being made a gypsy. ]Is it like being turned into a luperci?
His wolf's blood had been longing for a pack for a while before he met up with the Romani, and even if they traveled often, they were something of a pack. The lands they traveled were their own, in as much as the lands belonged to everyone; they could come to the borders of any pack they came across, enter any city, and be met with welcome arms, as they often had the best merchandise to trade along the routes they took; those routes were their own, and they camped in the same spots every time they came around, so that the land was truly familiar, truly their own. It wasn't conventional pack life, but the caravan had been a pack, in its own right.
Much more than the small family he'd lived with before, anyway.
At her question, he let out a startled laugh, choking down a nearly maniacal cackle. "Ah, mercy! No, not like Luperci." He shook his head, and then cast about for some explanation that would make more sense than what he'd said before. "See...You share blood to make Luperci, yes? To make Romani, you share secrets. Little secrets first, to see if they are worth trust, you see? And then share big secrets, and they become Romani. It is...a style of life, as much as heritage. If you become Romani, and are not born Romani, you choose who you are. If you are born Romani, you have background in family--in caravan." He paused, recalling how integrated he could have become into their lifestyles, how much he'd chosen not to do, and then looked at her curiously. "You understand now?"
Her ears flattened as he laughed at her question. Terra was just trying to understand. She didn't know much about luperci, and nothing about gypsies. She hadn't known that she was wrong. Her head dropped a little before perking back up as he explained. So you made luperci with blood. That explained why she was a luperci and her mother wasn't. She had her father's blood. Making one by sharing blood sounded painful, and Terra decided not to turn anyone. She didn't know how much blood it would take to turn someone, and didn't want to end up woozy afterwards.
Becoming a gypsy by sharing secrets sounded a lot more fun. It was something she understood as well, carrying secrets of her own. All tricksters did, whether they were secrets about where their dens were or how their tricks were accomplished. These weren't secrets meant to be shared with anyone but their family though as others could use it against them. The tricks were the edge the coyotes held on the world, keeping them a step ahead of death where they lacked strength and size.
Terra nodded her head at his words. So you tell me secrets, I can become a gypsy? It made perfect sense to her, not that she wished to become one. Leaving her pack would be too sorrowful, too painful for her to carry. She'd rather just stick around and live on the land she had come to know, with those that accepted her. Do you know many secrets? Again Terra's expression changed, this time holding the hidden veil of secrecy across her face. It changed her, making her look older and mysterious. At times like this questions asked almost always had a ready answer, despite her age. That was the power of the secrets she held.
He felt bad after the fact, when his laugh made her look so...down-trodden. He attempted a smile to make up for it, trying to convey that he wasn't being mean; her question had merely startled him, and the surprise had made him react in perhaps not the best way. As he gave his explanation, though, she perked up, and had possibly learned a secret already, as she had a sudden look of understanding in her eyes. He leaned back against the horse as he spoke, and when he was finished, watched her take it in. He grinned again when she asked her question, and nodded, shrugging a shoulder elegantly.
"Only works if want to be a gypsy." He explained, reaching out to rummage in his bags for a moment before coming up with his bandana. He used it to tie back his mane, as the wet mop was beginning to get in the way while it dried. "But yes, if wished, I could share secrets, and we be gypsy together." He grinned a bit, feeling a little pang of loneliness at the thought. Even if she'd wanted to--and something in her expression belied the fact that she didn't, really, but was only curious--it would be nothing like home. There had been so many of them then, and so many secrets between them all that no one really knew everything, no one but the Elders, and he'd never made it that far. Still, it made him smile that she was at least curious.
At her second question, he raised his eyebrows, and countered, "Do you?" As her expression had gone suddenly wise and mysterious, and he knew better than to trust that. Admitting the number of secrets he knew was admitting he knew secrets at all, and though he'd told her the Romani were made with secrets, he hadn't actually told her anything about how it was done. There were rituals, too, other tests that made you prove your mettle, and the secrets were really only a veil that hid the deeper meaning behind what was the Romani. They were a society that would never turn on each other, and yet constantly spied on one another, forever contradictory.
Terra noted a small pang of something cross his face before he continued smiling at her. Being gypsies together sounded nice, but Terra would still rather just take the secrets and remain a pack member. Even though she was an accomplished liar, Terra didn't push herself. She didn't feel like attacking the stranger for his secrets. Something about him stopped her from doing that. Instead she moved over so she was leaning on the horse too, a short distance from him.
His answer was so similar to the way the older pack members spoke it made Terra laugh. I hold as many secrets as you, stranger. Share the night with me? Secrets, and stories, and a strange music that lead her to dance. It was a strong bond for Terra, as strong as any other she might share. To spend the night together would make that even more powerful, making the wolf one she would claim as her own if they ever met again.
Drakien let the blanket fall from his shoulders, feeling dry enough, and simply leaned back against Breixo, stretching his legs out in front of him and crossing his arms behind his head. At her admission, he barked another laugh, his eyes sparkling with something--a kinship, perhaps. That was it; there was something here between them, not quite the familiarity of the caravan, but something all the same. They each held their own secrets, and if she were anything like him, she was just as unwilling to share without some commitment, herself. He'd taken an oath when he took on his chosen heritage and joined the caravan; he'd rather have his tongue cut out than spread those secrets around without knowing for sure that they would be kept. And she, being Coyote, being Trickster, surely felt the same way.
Her question startled him, and he wasn't sure what she meant for a moment, but figured it couldn't mean more than sharing this small alcove beneath the cliffs, out of the rain. She seemed only a little too young for anything else, though she was indeed rather pretty; especially while she danced in the rain, drawn to the music the way he'd once been as a boy. "We will be going nowhere in this storm." He pointed out with a little grin, and as though to agree with him, there was a flash of lightning and a far-off clap of thunder. He stretched again, and then looked at her appraisingly. "Perhaps I teach you the music, no?" For what else would they do with the night, if not at the very least play?
Terra grinned as the lightning struck, emphasizing the other's words. They call you Storm-Speaker where you come from? Coyotes with that title were known to have a knack for knowing what weather would come, much like his declaration of the storm trapping them together. Her words were mocking, laughing at the storm and what had brought them together. The storm was the perfect backdrop for them, two keepers of secrets together in a small cave.
Her ears perked at his words. Terra glanced down at the pipe, feeling a little shy now. She didn't know much about music beyond what she had sung with her family when she was still just a pup. It seemed beyond her somehow, something that she wouldn't be able to touch, to understand. Do you really think I could? Terra felt shy approaching it, almost feeling that there was a wall dividing her from where the beautiful sounds originated.
Drakien smiled secretively at her teasing question, wiggling his eyebrows in a way that said, "they may have, they may not have." He had worn many hats around the caravan, claimed many titles, but few of them held relations to storms; unless you counted the calming of skittish horses under thunder. With a little shake of his head, he promised himself he'd share no more secrets unless he made a truthful commitment, and then focused on Terra and her question.
"The pipe, it is simple." He promised, and held it out in his hand. It was about the length of his forearm, with nine holes on top and one on the bottom, but after letting her examine it for a moment he took it and carefully broke it in half. The instrument wasn't actually broken, but had been carved in two parts which could come apart and together at will, thanks to some clever scratching away at the insides. He handed her the part, now the back hole with only for holes for her to learn, and smiled earnestly. "This method we use, teach children. Blow, one, two, three, four, then, one, three, four, two,, then two, four, three, one. Learn patterns and how sound together, yes? Always keep thumb covering hole on bottom for those." He demonstrated what he meant on the second piece, which wasn't really good for playing on its own but had all the holes so he could show her the finger movements. "Then, learn five Go one, two, three, four," And he took his thumb away from the hole at the back and said, Five."
"Now you try, put five in where pattern fits." He instructed. The musical method had also been used to teach the children their numbers, and sometimes other basic things, as it was quite useful. He didn't focus on that part, though, only relaying what he'd recalled from his own lessons, sitting among much smaller Luperci, those who'd only just shifted, and learning to play.
The wolf promised the pipe was simple, passing it over for her to examine. It was a smooth wood, full of holes. Terra ran her hands over it, even lifting it up and looking clear through to the other side where he sat. She passed it back to him, and gasped as he promptly broke the pipe in two. Desolate she stared at it. Now she never would learn how to play it. The lower half was passed to her, and Terra ran her hands across, this time discovering the interlocking parts that allowed it to separate. It was like a riddle, twisting and turning together. Terra smiled at the discovery, hands dancing across the parts. She could use this information for her games and tricks.
Obediently Terra moved her hands like he said, covering the holes on the pipe. She blew in, listening to the soft noise it created. It wasn't as smooth and beautiful as what the wolf had made, but it was something Terra had created herself. A broad smile coated her face as she played the notes again and again, not always in the pattern he'd shown her. At his words she removed her thumb from the hole, revealing a fifth note. Playfully Terra's hand danced across the holes, creating a short jittery tune. Her tail wagged in pleasure. It was rough, lacking the rhythm and smoothness that the notes should have if they were actually supposed to connect that way, but it was beautiful to her ears.
Glancing back up at the stranger Terra smiled. She passed the pipe back. Thank you. I believe I owe you something in return now? She smiled, her eyes bright as her tail wagged. I can give you a story, if you'd care to listen. That was really all she had to offer her companion, but the stories contained the tricks and knowledge that her kind had survived with for generations.
The look of devastation that crossed her face mirrored the one that had once settled on his own handsome features, that long-ago night when his tutor, Baba, had broken the pipe he'd watched her craft for hours. It reminded him of many of those lessons, and of crafting his own pipe--this one, in fact--to such minute detail under her instruction that her spirit was always with him when he played. As Terra began fiddling with the sounds she could make, not always following the patterns that would teach her the beginnings of the songs he'd learned, he couldn't help but smile softly and feel as though Baba's spirit was with him now, as well. He could almost feel her heavy, wrinkled hand resting on his shoulder, as she murmured, "Laudă, Drakien," in his ear. It warmed his heart, lifted his spirits, and allowed him to laugh at the jittery tune she played, without feeling heartache and loss.
As she handed the pipe back, he put it back together, his gaze resting fondly on the scratched-up purple wood, from the times the knife had slipped while carving. At her question, or rather, her observation, he looked up, his smile still flowing warm and soft across his face. "No repayment needed, mademoiselle." He purred, and then carefully stowed the pipe away, adding, "But if you feel for sharing simply to share, I am all ears." And, to prove it, he wiggled the appendages atop his head, relaxing against Breixo and settling in for a story. Or perhaps not a story; he had no idea if she would still feel the need to tell him whatever it was she had to say after his assurance. In the mean time, he reached back, carding his fingers through Breixo's mane to soothe the stallion. No doubt his faithful companion had felt Baba too, just then, as he was suddenly calm and reverent, more so than he had ever been before.
It was a wonder, the changes one underwent beyond the eyes of their Elders.
Terra laughed as he wriggled his ears. It was rather funny, watching them move that way. Terra shifted back in her seat, cozy now that she was dry. She looked outside, searching for the right story to tell. It would have to be the right one, to match the stranger's spirit and the beating of nature around them. After all, all the stories were a reflection of their world, made for them to learn from and grow. Terra's eyes shone as a story leaped out to her, reaching from the rain outside.
We didn't always have rain. Terra turned and met the wolf's eyes, measuring his belief and willingness to let her continue. All the water of the world was kept in rivers, and streams and lakes and the wide far ocean. It wasn't distributed evenly though, leaving large barren areas where no animals or plants could go. With no water there, they all died too quickly under the relentless sun. Terra closed her eyes, picturing the heat and the animals turning away.
This wasn't good for Coyote. She loved wandering the world, and didn't like that so much of it was cut off from her. Even worse, the animals being crowded together meant that many of her enemies were nearby as well. Coyote had to constantly fight for her life, pulling trick after trick to escape from Cougar and Bear. At last, frustrated about it, Coyote decided to find someone who could move the water for her, and put it in places where there wasn't any so she could travel.
The enemies of coyotes hadn't changed much with the years. It wasn't an active fighting, unless one counted the fact that bears routinely were grumpy and would kill a coyote for being in the area, or cougars killing them when they decided to steal a kill. At the top of the world there was a special place. Lots of water was kept there. A jealous old man stood watch at the edge, protecting it from any creature thirsty enough to drink there. Coyote knew this, and decided to make the man share his water. That was exactly what Terra did, convincing others to share their meals.
Coyote walked up to the old man. He knew of Coyote, and grabbed his stick, ready to beat her in case she tried to get close enough to steal his water. "What do you want, Coyote? Don't think you'll be getting any water from me!" Terra's eyes shone as she reached this part, excited for what was to come. Coyote bent her head, pretending to be humble. "Why old man, I would never do such a thing. No, I simply wanted to know if you really could travel all around the world. Badger said you could. I wondered if if was true." The old man straightened, proud of the false praise. "Of course I can. With this much water I can go anywhere I want!"
Coyote grinned. "Really? Let's see." The old man lifted up a huge pouch, containing enough water for the whole world. He began to walk, but just as he passed by Coyote quietly bit a hole in the sack. The old man didn't notice, and walked trailing water behind him. The pouch grew lighter and lighter, until the old man was forced to return to get more. "Did you go all the way around the world?" Coyote asked. The old man shook his head. "I suppose you really can't then." Angry the old man snatched his pouch and began again. He took a different route, only to have it empty just as quickly as the first.
The old man had no idea what was wrong, and returned perplexed. "Did you do it this time?" Coyote asked. Again, the old man was forced to say no. "I suppose you really can't then." The old man shook his fist at Coyote angrily. "I'll show you! I'll keep going until I succeed!" The old man filled the pouch again, and headed out. With the hole Coyote had made though, the water always fell out, creating rain. So the old man tries and tries, varying where he goes to walk all around the world, and Coyote laughs. Grinning Terra faced her companion, waiting for his reaction.
Terra's face was animated as she told the story of how Coyote had made rain, and Drakien sat back and listened, letting his face contort to show his own thoughts. He marveled at the cleverness Coyote must have, to be able to fend off Bear and Cougar even if they encountered each other again and again; it meant she must have a new trick each time, and he took it as a sign of Terra's heritage, perhaps that she never used the same trick twice--or perhaps that she was clever enough to trick them into thinking that. Even behind the story of the rain, he read the hidden messages, the secrets of the Coyote herself, and though he couldn't relate--he was all wolf, he mused--to know that such things were there made the encounter all the more pleasurable.
As Coyote encountered the old man, Drakien brought a hand up to his mouth, wrapping his fingers around his muzzle to hide the rather obnoxious grin growing there. He knew of many gypsies who were just as protective of their spirits as this man seemed to be of his water, and he wondered for a moment whom had told her this story--if, perhaps, the old man Coyote tricked had been a gypsy. As the story went on, it seemed more likely, at least to him, that the man was not simply fooled, but trounced, and thoroughly. Coyote had fooled him at his own game, and Drakien couldn't help but place Baba in the story; she'd have had the girl's hands for such disrespect as even approaching the well, that was for sure.
At the end of it all, Drakien's grin made him look rather foolish, as though he were in on the whole big secret when in reality he wasn't. There was no Coyote blood in his veins, but perhaps there was some gypsy blood in hers, and in all coyotes. He clapped, murmuring quiet words of praise in Russian before raising his eyebrows. "That is not how I learned of the rain." He admitted, and settled back against Breixo again, slowly getting more comfortable. It was growing late; but he was used to staying up all night, so unless she fell asleep on him, he would no doubt continue this exchange until dawn. "Baba's story was...different, much so." He murmured thoughtfully, and then added, "But I see the similarities, no? Perhaps it was Coyote who formed the first caravan, she who loved to travel the world."
Terra grinned as the wolf followed the tale, his expressions changing to keep pace. A smile grew on his face, bigger and bigger, until his tail thumped the horse behind him. She laughed, a musical sound lifting through the air. His expression was priceless, obviously enjoying the trick as much as any coyote would. She dipped her head as he murmured words she could not understand, knowing that it was probably some kind of appreciation from the tone.
Her eyes sparkled as he spoke of his own story from Baba, the similarities between the two. It wouldn't surprise me. Coyotes don't just mate with their own. I'm a half breed myself, after all. Not entirely common, but happens often enough. She loved the idea of the gypsies with their secrets and travel being tied to her, claiming the same ancestor through Coyote and her love of having the world fall at her feet as she traveled. She stretched, slightly stiff from staying still for so long. How about a song? Terra could sing, though she found her own voice rather rough, not being able to fulfill the trills and such that pure coyotes could do.
