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Post by Buggy on May 20, 2015 3:34:57 GMT
Omaron wasn't sure how to reply. Gale's questions were making him rather uncomfortable. "I wasn't ever owned by anyone. Slavery has been illegal in Veliath for at least 80 years now, and Veliath is a country, not a person. Did they make you fight?"
He had to get home.
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Post by Unokins on May 20, 2015 3:40:48 GMT
Never owned? Illegal? Slavery? What was this man talking about? Was he mistaken? Maybe they did mess his head up, and he thought all of this was just some sort of dream. Or maybe... Maybe he didn't. What if Omaron came from a land where monsters like Gale didn't have to run or fight or be in danger a lot. But that was exactly why he was heading towards the ocean.
No slavery, Gale said, shaking his head. Not people. Monsters. Maybe Veliath is across ocean? I don't know. The last thought of a quiet musing, more like a faint whisper or a feeling than solid words.
At the last question, Gale held his arms out. Motioned to the scars lining his chest and legs, to the ones that ran down his back in all too perfect vertical lines. Use your stupid head. He scoffed.
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Post by Buggy on May 20, 2015 3:47:45 GMT
Omaron eyed the scars, and his stomach clenched. He'd noticed the scars, but that was when Gale hadn't been speaking. He let the silence sit for a moment as he turned this new horrible information over in his head.
"You're not a monster. You're a person. And maybe Veliath is across the ocean." Not that he could remember coming across an ocean, or really how he'd joined the Kiltar at all.
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Post by Unokins on May 20, 2015 3:58:11 GMT
The surly expression dropped from Gale's face, confusion replacing it. No. No. Am monster. You, too.
What else could he have been? All his time, it was monster this, monster that. No, Omaron was just saying that because he was a big baby, and probably didn't want to think himself of something poor. But they were monsters. Outcasts from the Kiltar society. Marked by their looks, and shunned into the darkest holes they could dig.
Kiltar and monsters. That's it. Not Kiltar, so monsters. Simple, simple logic. And the big baby couldn't get that through his head. Gale sighed. What want is across the ocean. He still didn't know what that was. But he knew he needed it like his body needed food and water. A thought crossed him. How get here in the first place?
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Post by Buggy on May 20, 2015 4:17:11 GMT
"No, neither of us are," Omaron said sternly. "The Kiltar don't get to decide who you are; where I'm from, everyone is a person. Generally speaking." Unless you had a run-in with the Rusgar, but that didn't really happen in Veliath. "As for how I got here, I don't know. I just... got here." He ran a hand through his hair, feeling very tired all of a sudden. "I was walking outside, and I turned and my home was just gone. The Kiltar were there instead. I... well. I suppose I should just count myself fortunate that I look so much like them."
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Post by Unokins on May 20, 2015 4:25:29 GMT
Gale nodded. Fortunate indeed. Had he even looked partially like Gale or Rook, he was sure the man wouldn't have escaped intact, if at all.
Maybe they muddled your head, Gale suggested, ears twitching. It had happened when Gale was younger. Defenseless. Days and weeks going by and not being able to remember where he was or what had happened or, at times, even who he himself was. He still had trouble recalling at times. Maybe you been here longer than thinking.
Gale's ears twitched again. There. He heard it. Animal. Prey. And he had skipped breakfast. He licked his lips, hesitating slightly.
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Post by Buggy on May 20, 2015 4:36:53 GMT
"No they did not." Omaron sniffed. "They thought I was one of them, so I allowed them to continue thinking so. It still wasn't WONDERFUL, especially as I was obviously no one important, but I left without being stopped at the very least." Not that they wouldn't have stopped him if they had seen him sprinting out into the woods as though a pack of hounds were on his heels. Still, he hadn't been a prisoner.
He paused, watching Gale. "What is it?"
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Post by Unokins on May 20, 2015 4:43:42 GMT
That would have helped. Would have helped a lot. He didn't know how Omaron did it. A monster running around Kiltar society, tricking them all? It was kind of funny, thinking of their reaction had they figured out. Horror, disgust. Having made polite conversation with something so beneath them. Having treated Omaron like a person instead of a monster. Picturing their faces was hilarious.
I hear lunch, Gale said, straightening up. Wait. And he was off through the trees, bounding towards the rustling. Rook stopped when it heard Gale bounce off. And it headed back to Omaron's side, looking up at him curiously.
"O. Ma. Ron." It said.
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Post by Buggy on May 20, 2015 23:24:26 GMT
Omaron crossed his arms across his bare chest as Gale dashed off after who knew what. His reaction to Omaron's story wasn't helping matters at all. If they found him now, what WOULD happen?
Well, let's hope we don't find out. He let out a slow sigh, then looked down at Rook. "That was pretty good," he told it kindly, and patted it on the head. Odd little thing.
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Post by Unokins on May 21, 2015 0:22:06 GMT
Rook's tail thumped the ground as it nuzzled into the petting. Yes, it liked this pale man. Nice words and nice eyes and hands that softly patted instead of harshly thumped. It purred, a guttural sound emitting from its throat as it moved to nuzzle Omaron's side, its horns scratching against his skin just slightly.
"O... maron. Stay?" It looked up again, frustration on its face as battled to get the words out. Such a short time around another who would speak and talk. And Gale was rarer for words than Omaron. It was much easier to make sense of the things when his ears heard it before his mind. "Oma. Omaron. Omaron. Omaron stay Rook Gale." It was looking for confirmation, and its scales shuddered in anticipation.
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Post by Buggy on May 21, 2015 0:45:33 GMT
Omaron's smile faded a little, though he kept patting Rook's head between its horns. Could he really say he was going to stay? For now that was the plan, certainly, but he had to go home sometime, if there was a way to do so. He had a campaign to run, and Escheria...
He shook his head slightly. She was fine. She liked him, she said she needed him, but deep down she was a strong person. He could see that much.
"For now, Rook. I'll stay for now."
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Post by Unokins on May 21, 2015 0:50:46 GMT
Rook face brightened up. He would stay! He said now and stay and even Rook's name! Its tail whacked the ground with more enthusiasm as it cuddled and chirped. "Good, good, good, good," it said, chirping and purring. It liked this one and having this one meant more than just it and Gale. It was a good thing.
Rook's ears perked up then, and it pulled away. "Gale," it said. It looked at Omaron and pointed with its gargantuan hand. "Omaron. Gale." And soon enough, the little child came back, dropping from the trees. In his mouth was a rabbit, squirming feebly. Gale bit down, crunching on it. Blood spurting from its throat, splashing his face and dribbling down his bare chest. The rabbit was still.
"Mm," he said, a short, curt greeting.
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Post by Buggy on May 21, 2015 1:06:33 GMT
Omaron couldn't help but chuckle at Rook's enthusiasm. Maybe he could take these two with him when he went back. But first he'd have to teach Gale about the importance of clothes. And speaking of Gale...
He turned in the direction Rook indicated. "Did you have a good run-- oh. Oh, no, that is--" He clutched a hand to his mouth as Gale crunched the rabbit, his face going a bit paler than usual. He hadn't actually expected Gale to catch anything. In retrospect that seemed foolish, if the boy'd been surviving out here with Rook for all this time. He'd have to be able to catch food.
"Er. Y-yes, lovely. Maybe I should cook that. I think I remember how to... yes..." He patted his pockets absently, trying to keep some semblance of having things under control.
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Post by Unokins on May 21, 2015 1:11:52 GMT
Gale cocked his head, confusion plain on his face Cook? he asked, as he grabbed the rabbit and ripped its throat open. Blood spilled from the opening, and Gale licked his fingers clean of it before tearing into it, all teeth. There was a squishy ripping noise as he pulled some meat from bone and ate. Don't need to cook. It was fine how it was. And making a fire would alert any Kiltar.
Using his fingers, he ripped apart its chest cavity and broke ribs, pulling out some questionable organs and presenting them to Omaron. Eat. Walk lots more. Eat now. They were safe for the time being. And when one was safe, one ate and drank what one could. Because it was scarily easy to become unsafe and for a long, long time.
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Post by Buggy on May 21, 2015 2:12:52 GMT
Omaron took a step back from the offered meat, his stomach in knots. "That's disgusting! I'm not eating raw rabbit! Do you know what sort of parasites it could have?"
Ugh. Just... ugh. He turned away, nose wrinkling. "I'll just find something to start a fire, or something else to eat. I'm not eating bloody rabbit lungs."
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