Quote:
Aspects of personality: Nel is the type of person that is wary of all things until she knows she likes them, and then goes over the top in her love – much like a child who discovers a new favorite food and eats themselves sick. This means friendship is slow to be earned, but once someone has it Nel will cherish them like family. However, this also means that if someone earns her ire it is very hard to change her mind about them. Like the lantern she was Nel seeks to guide and light the way for those she cares about, but for those she hates, she is more like the will-o-wisp and will not hesitate in leading them to their doom.
PROMPT
Prompt: It wasn’t there. This thought ran through Nella’s mind for the thirteenth time as she stared at the polished whorls of wood in the dresser, the small cushion that she slept on moved slightly off to the side. The little golden band with a purple gem, the treasured present from Dan that she wore as a belt, it hadn’t been under her cushion. She always put it under her cushion before going to sleep, but for some reason she hadn’t done that last night.
“Nella? Are you there?”
Nel looked over and saw Dan leaning on the door frame, a long length of wood in one hand and the black sash that signaled that he was blind for the time being tied over his eyes. Recently the two had been charged by a bear while hiking, and even though Nel had lessened the rebound from the powerful spell used to stop the bear from killing them Dan had still been rendered blind for a few days.
“Nel?”
“I’m here!” she piped up, coming out of her memories of the incident.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, not mentioning the missing band. Though he put up a strong front, these times of blindness were hard on Dan and she didn’t want him to feel guilty about not being able to help.
Smiling with a small “Okay then,” Dan headed back into the hall, using the length of wood to guide his way.
Giving a sigh Nel slid her cushion back to where it had been and gave one last look around at the dresser. No.... it wasn’t here. Descending from the dresser using the handles on the drawers, she headed to the door and out of the room.
Nel figured she would start with the kitchen – she loved the smells that were in there and the cook was a very nice lady, making it a place she visited often. Just before going in she stopped, overhearing a conversation that was going on inside.
“I can’t find my shell bracelet,” the cook was saying to her assistant. “I set it on the window sill like I always do while working with bread but when I went back over it was gone. Not on the grass outside the window, but not on the floor in here either. Where could it be?” she said, clearly distressed. Wait, she’s missing something too? It could be a coincidence, but she was starting to get suspicious.
Deciding to forego the kitchen for now she instead turned for the entrance to the courtyard, coming out into swaying grass and a slight breeze, some trees and a small pond on the other end. Progress through the grass was slow due to her height, but she continued doggedly until she made it to the large stone under the trees that she and Dan would sit on together. Deflating a bit when she saw her band wasn’t there, she nonetheless climbed up, sitting down and resting from her long trek. Then, she noticed some near her. A chip of glass...?
“Caw!”
Nel gave a start, looking around wildly to see where the sound had come from.
“CAW!”
There, she saw it! A black bird highlighted with white, one that was diving right towards her...!
Giving a terrified shriek and diving out of the way, Nel saw at the last minute that the bird was not heading for her, but the glass besides her. It was taking it, no, stealing it! Quite suddenly she was determined to not let this bird go, and her pointed fingers grabbed its tail feathers before it was able to leave. Unfortunately, she was rather light as an excito and with a startled squeak she found herself being carried away by the raucous bird. Clutching to the tail she saw the bird flying over the trees, over the wall, and out of her home. It was too late to let go now, as she didn’t want to take the chance that she would either be dashed against the ground or float away with the wind. After a flight time that seemed entirely too long, the bird settled down in a nest in a pine tree, dropping off the piece of glass and preparing to take off again.
“Oh no you DON’T!” she yelled, now just plain old mad. Bracing herself against the side of the nest as she continued to hold the tail, the bird gave an irritated squawk as it strained against the pull while trying to fly away. Eventually it did get away, Nel falling back into the nest with a cry and a now detached tail feather. Upon landing she heard stuff clinking together; confused, she turned over and gave a gasp of joy. Her band! She had found it! Polishing the purple stone reverently for a moment with one of her sleeves, she slid it back around her waist and patted it contentedly. Looking over to the rest of the nest she saw a haphazard collection of knickknacks, including the cook’s braided shell bracelet, which she went and picked up. Stuffing the feather into the side of her band, Nel waited with the bracelet in hand to execute the plan that was forming in her mind.
A few minutes later the bird returned once more, and quick as a flash Nel scrambled up onto its back, yanking the shell bracelet’s cord into its beak.
“SCRAWWWWK!” The bird was not happy with this development, and it bucked and flapped in an attempt to throw Nel off, but she clung on like a limpet.
“That is ENOUGH,” she said, yanking its head back with the bracelet, it giving a strangled squawk. She brought her face up to the bird’s eye. “You will be taking me home. GOT IT?” At first the bird just grumbled, but with another yank of the bracelet it took off with a loud “CAW!”
A few days later Nel sat on the dresser, watching Dan as he slowly took off the sash from around his eyes. He gave a wince at the bright candle light, but soon enough he was smiling, glad to have regained his eyesight. The cook had been ecstatic to discover her shell bracelet in the kitchen, and at this moment Nel was playing with the bird feather, thinking of the experience. It had been a hectic flight, the bird trying to get her off at every turn, but she had still somehow managed to guide it back to her home. Looking back to Dan, she voiced the question she had been waiting to ask.
“What kind of feather is this?”
Picking up the feather in his hands, Dan examined it then said, “It’s a magpie’s tail feather, and quite pretty. Do you want to keep it?” he asked, holding it out to her.
Thinking for a few moments, she eventually did reach out and take it back. “Yes, I want to keep it.”
Even it was just an annoying bird that had stolen her band, it still had given her the chance to fly, and that was something to be remembered.
PROMPT
Quote:
Lantern - Excito or Anhelo
Being a Lantern, you are known for lighting up the darkness, being a beacon of light to those who cannot find their way. Well, now you must be one for yourself! You have misplaced one of your most important items and can't recall what you did with it for the life of you. Your Keeper hasn't seen hide nor hair of it in days. Where could you possibly have left it?
Being a Lantern, you are known for lighting up the darkness, being a beacon of light to those who cannot find their way. Well, now you must be one for yourself! You have misplaced one of your most important items and can't recall what you did with it for the life of you. Your Keeper hasn't seen hide nor hair of it in days. Where could you possibly have left it?
Prompt: It wasn’t there. This thought ran through Nella’s mind for the thirteenth time as she stared at the polished whorls of wood in the dresser, the small cushion that she slept on moved slightly off to the side. The little golden band with a purple gem, the treasured present from Dan that she wore as a belt, it hadn’t been under her cushion. She always put it under her cushion before going to sleep, but for some reason she hadn’t done that last night.
“Nella? Are you there?”
Nel looked over and saw Dan leaning on the door frame, a long length of wood in one hand and the black sash that signaled that he was blind for the time being tied over his eyes. Recently the two had been charged by a bear while hiking, and even though Nel had lessened the rebound from the powerful spell used to stop the bear from killing them Dan had still been rendered blind for a few days.
“Nel?”
“I’m here!” she piped up, coming out of her memories of the incident.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, not mentioning the missing band. Though he put up a strong front, these times of blindness were hard on Dan and she didn’t want him to feel guilty about not being able to help.
Smiling with a small “Okay then,” Dan headed back into the hall, using the length of wood to guide his way.
Giving a sigh Nel slid her cushion back to where it had been and gave one last look around at the dresser. No.... it wasn’t here. Descending from the dresser using the handles on the drawers, she headed to the door and out of the room.
Nel figured she would start with the kitchen – she loved the smells that were in there and the cook was a very nice lady, making it a place she visited often. Just before going in she stopped, overhearing a conversation that was going on inside.
“I can’t find my shell bracelet,” the cook was saying to her assistant. “I set it on the window sill like I always do while working with bread but when I went back over it was gone. Not on the grass outside the window, but not on the floor in here either. Where could it be?” she said, clearly distressed. Wait, she’s missing something too? It could be a coincidence, but she was starting to get suspicious.
Deciding to forego the kitchen for now she instead turned for the entrance to the courtyard, coming out into swaying grass and a slight breeze, some trees and a small pond on the other end. Progress through the grass was slow due to her height, but she continued doggedly until she made it to the large stone under the trees that she and Dan would sit on together. Deflating a bit when she saw her band wasn’t there, she nonetheless climbed up, sitting down and resting from her long trek. Then, she noticed some near her. A chip of glass...?
“Caw!”
Nel gave a start, looking around wildly to see where the sound had come from.
“CAW!”
There, she saw it! A black bird highlighted with white, one that was diving right towards her...!
Giving a terrified shriek and diving out of the way, Nel saw at the last minute that the bird was not heading for her, but the glass besides her. It was taking it, no, stealing it! Quite suddenly she was determined to not let this bird go, and her pointed fingers grabbed its tail feathers before it was able to leave. Unfortunately, she was rather light as an excito and with a startled squeak she found herself being carried away by the raucous bird. Clutching to the tail she saw the bird flying over the trees, over the wall, and out of her home. It was too late to let go now, as she didn’t want to take the chance that she would either be dashed against the ground or float away with the wind. After a flight time that seemed entirely too long, the bird settled down in a nest in a pine tree, dropping off the piece of glass and preparing to take off again.
“Oh no you DON’T!” she yelled, now just plain old mad. Bracing herself against the side of the nest as she continued to hold the tail, the bird gave an irritated squawk as it strained against the pull while trying to fly away. Eventually it did get away, Nel falling back into the nest with a cry and a now detached tail feather. Upon landing she heard stuff clinking together; confused, she turned over and gave a gasp of joy. Her band! She had found it! Polishing the purple stone reverently for a moment with one of her sleeves, she slid it back around her waist and patted it contentedly. Looking over to the rest of the nest she saw a haphazard collection of knickknacks, including the cook’s braided shell bracelet, which she went and picked up. Stuffing the feather into the side of her band, Nel waited with the bracelet in hand to execute the plan that was forming in her mind.
A few minutes later the bird returned once more, and quick as a flash Nel scrambled up onto its back, yanking the shell bracelet’s cord into its beak.
“SCRAWWWWK!” The bird was not happy with this development, and it bucked and flapped in an attempt to throw Nel off, but she clung on like a limpet.
“That is ENOUGH,” she said, yanking its head back with the bracelet, it giving a strangled squawk. She brought her face up to the bird’s eye. “You will be taking me home. GOT IT?” At first the bird just grumbled, but with another yank of the bracelet it took off with a loud “CAW!”
A few days later Nel sat on the dresser, watching Dan as he slowly took off the sash from around his eyes. He gave a wince at the bright candle light, but soon enough he was smiling, glad to have regained his eyesight. The cook had been ecstatic to discover her shell bracelet in the kitchen, and at this moment Nel was playing with the bird feather, thinking of the experience. It had been a hectic flight, the bird trying to get her off at every turn, but she had still somehow managed to guide it back to her home. Looking back to Dan, she voiced the question she had been waiting to ask.
“What kind of feather is this?”
Picking up the feather in his hands, Dan examined it then said, “It’s a magpie’s tail feather, and quite pretty. Do you want to keep it?” he asked, holding it out to her.
Thinking for a few moments, she eventually did reach out and take it back. “Yes, I want to keep it.”
Even it was just an annoying bird that had stolen her band, it still had given her the chance to fly, and that was something to be remembered.
