Private The Bear and the Dove

[Arbok]

"A young woman should not travel alone!"

Someone had said that once and maybe they meant well but that someone had probably never met Arbok.
At first glance you might confuse her with an Orkin due to her size but she was as Human as they came mostly. Though as she slowly made her way back North, her time scoping out the Free Cities done and with not much to report but a strange encounter with a talking squirrel that she hoped had not left him chasing fancies her heart was warm with the thoughts of returning and seeing all those she left at the Monastery once again.

Still Astenvale was still weeks away at a fair clip and at least travelling alone she would not be subject to much bother. As she was still in the South of Ilica she decided to go offroad and travel in as straight a line as she could to Rockhaven. Yep, a nice breezy and easy journey to do some thinking and self reflection, maybe she would trail the rivers and learn to... fish?

She could already fish but not with a rod, the idea was fun in an ironic sort of way.

Smiling to herself she almost missed the motion in the leaves of a tree just ahead.
It looked like someone was, no it was impossible, unlikely even.

Craning her neck as she travelled closer Arbok knew that she was not in fact seeing things.
There was a woman in the tree, hanging by a branch that looked to be caught on her surprisingly resilient cuff.

She was easily almost six feet off the ground and Arbok found that she could not help but wonder what on earth she thought she was doing but instead of asking why she simply said.

"Hi, um. You look stuck, do you want any help?"
Being almost seven foot tall herself this was not particularly high for her but she knew that accidents, even small ones like a twisted ankle could proove very difficult on the road.
Worse it could open you up to all sorts of trouble.
Like Manticores.

She cast an eye upward, it did not look like there were any Manticores in the sky.

@Dove

 

[Dove]

Fear does some pretty great things.

She knows the Elum would probably never let her live it down. If they bothered to come find at her all. But there was a lesson here to be learned. Her pride was a little sore right now though- so it was pretty hard to learn the lesson and truly appreciate what it was trying to educate her- which was please exercise a little bravery. Please.

She was near the edge of a cliff. Ever the skittish thing- her trust had grown enough to allow her moments of contemplation. Foolish mistake. Because all it took was a few mischevious Deva to walk up to her, give her a spook- and she had jumped so damn hard that she lost her balance and fell off the cliff.

Now- thankfully, she could fly. Somewhat. The wagon got a good giggle out of watching her flutter down like an anxious chicken. But, these robes were specifically designed to be both loose, and tough.

So here she was. Suspended. Watching a GIANT approach her. She trembled, quivering, feathers falling to the ground. She wiggled to the left. To the right. Still suspended.

.. She squeaked. Because what else do you do here?

"Y.. Yes please."

Please don't eat her.

 

[Arbok]

Dropping her backpack with a clatter Arbok stretched out her arms as she approached the suspended woman.
"Okie dokie!"

With big arms she reached up and paused wondering where to get purchase on the small winged one. She did not want to take the wings, they looked fragile and pretty but very fragile so she opted to reach for the waist and lift, hoping that she might unhook the poor thing from the tree.

"Up we go."
It was surprisingly easy to lift her, she knew that birds had hollow bones but she was lighter than Roki and that boy was a twig. Holding her aloft in her arms it was almost comically easy for her to simply move the bird aside and take a look to make sure that she was clear of the tree. She did not want to risk ruining her clothes or scraping her wings. They took up a lot of space after all. Arbok tried not to stare, she had never seen a winged person before but she was not really one to judge, many had never seen the like of her before either.

"Are you okay?"
Her voice was etched with concern as she inspect her companion for injury, nothing seemed to be broken that she could see, no bleeding really, some redness where her hands were scraped but that was about it. In her haste to make sure the poor thing was not hurt she had quite forgotten to put her down.

@Dove

 

[Dove]

Dove looked, well- like you had just cupped a bird and started to move it around. A comical, very entertaining endeavor reserved for high quality moving images. Her movements were stiffed, the poor thing absolutely paralyzed as she was so effortlessly lifted up into the air, white feathers following her wake as she is unhooked from the tree, and then, well, stared, as she was suspended in the air, staring into Arbok like she had just witnessed the woman kick a bunch of chickens and was expecting similar treatment.

She was stiff, eyes wide, floofed. Unhappy. Not moisturized in her own zone.

There is a moment of silence left to the air. One that was paralyzing in it's own embarrassing right. After a moment, Dove would make only one, very simple request.

".. Could you put me down please?"

 

[Arbok]

Wow those wings really were cool.
"Huh? Oh, right, heh, sorry!"

Gently but with some haste Arbok let her little captive down.
"I've never met anyone with wings before. I was a bit mesmerised, they're lovely."
It was a full three seconds before she realised she was staring at them again, her hands on her hips.

"My names Arbok." She corrected, placing a hand on her chest and then gesturing to her rescued.
"Squire of Astenvale Monastery and your humble saviour today."
She let out a little laugh to herself at her own self aggrandising title.

"What's your name, and how did you get stuck up that tree?"
It was curious to think that one who could fly might be stuck up a tree but then again, even when on four legs sometimes she lost her balance. It could not be all that different could it?

@Dove

 

[Dove]

Cosmo apologies in advance for the one sentence of shitposting they're doing but they cannot help themselves because despite being a bear, Arbok backwards is Kobra and there is something delightfully ironic about that. Perhaps Arbok can turn into a snake. Perhaps that is why Dove is afraid of her right now.

But really, there's a plethora of reasons why that could be- correct?

She blinked at the towering woman, not quite sure what to make of the situation. Honestly, she was only a few heartskip's away from a full dash in the other direction- until the Astenvale Monastery was mentioned.

Wait- Astenvale- isn't that the monastery that Roki was a part of? So- was she.. Did she? Really, there was only one way to get those answers.

".. My name is Dove. I fell from the cliff. Way up there." she pointed up the mountainside. "Up there- is the Wagon, and I need to get back to it." Because the Road waits for no one- and every moment spent here, was a moment that the Wagon could leave without her. And right now- that was a bit of a terrifying premise for her.

".. If you are from Astenvale- then, do you know Roki? Are you a knight? Could- could you possibly help me back up there?" she asked.

 

[Arbok]

She looked up to see if she could spot the wagon, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"I don't see it..."
She could not see much of anything up on the ledge.

"Wait, Roki?"
All her massive attention went to Dove.
"You know Roki? Thin guy, green skin, cute but in a *not cute* way?"
It wasn't impossible, the got around, travelled far and the knights often had their favourite squires with them.

That was a bizarre thing.
"Uh yeah I can help you get there, I'm on my way myself as it happens."
Really bizarre.

@Dove

 

[Dove]

"Yes.. Roki. He is a squire. He uses magic. He is the squire of- I think his name is Lefelen?" She frowned. She tapped her chin, her eyes lit up. "He has hair that is the color of plums when opened!" she explained, referring to the purple nature of his hair. She didn't really understand the 'cute comment'. And how that pertained to Roki. But, whatever, it seems like they were talking about the same person.

She nodded. "Thank you. This isn't.. I'm a stranger to this land. I have never travelled, and my wings are not- the strongest."

She glanced up. "It would not make the journey."

She focused back, kind of wafing a bit- Uh- where.. which way did they go?

 

[Arbok]

Well that was wild.
"YES! That's him, wow. That's amazing running into you."

She took a step back and hoisted her backpack up, loosened the straps so they would fit her better.
"So you guys met recently? Was he traveling south? I heard he had a tournament to go to, is he back already?"
Slinging it about her she then undid the front of her shirt and the side seam as well. Her eyes went up the side of the cliff.
It was not a short climb but she was confident.
"You'll have to tell me all about it. I bet his sister would like to hear it too once we get you there."
Next she kicked off her shoes and hung them on her belt, which she also loosened, revealing that her slacks were at least a whole size too big for her.

"Don't worry about your wings, I'll get you up there and we'll catch them, just hold on okay, and don't freak out. Roki's not the only one with a bit of magic."
It was in fact the ENTIRETY of her magical ability but it was still something.

The next instant Arbok had shed her human form and was now a brown bear, still wearing her clothes, and backpack which now fitted her new shape rather snuggly.
Typically she would prep someone a bit more before she changed in front of them but Dove looked to have all her belongings left with the wagon train so she needed to get her back up that cliff fast.

@Dove

 

[Dove]

Dove nodded slowly, frowning a bit. "We met underneath chaotic circumstances. Apparently, a group of brigands had set up a camp near the town I was currently staying at- and they raided the cart that they were using to travel. Some of the members were unprepared." she explained, her eyebrows furrowing as the woman kicked off her shoes. She was no stranger to nature herself- but that seemed.. unwise? And why was she.. undoing her clothes?? Dove flushed a bit- what had Roki told this woman?

"Erm.. there was injuries- and I am a healer. I was able to help Roki and his knight heal and deal with the brigands." She left the other details out. No need to share about the mental health treatments she did on Roki.

"If.. you are injured, you know- I can heal you, without the need to remove you-" and then suddenly she was a BEAR.

The gesture completely caught Dove off guard, and she literally hopped backwards, flapping her wings erratically, white feathers falling in a cascade around her. Because for one, she had never seen a bear before. And two- its a BEAR. What was she exactly supposed to do here? How was the bear going to help her get up the cliff?

"I.. Um.. Arbok!?" she gasped.

 

[Arbok]

Oh hey, she didn't run away.

Good stuff, time to do... The Act!

Arbok had cultivated The Act with Gruki's help. It was a series of motions that were designed to show people that she was still herself and not like, a different being just because she changed form.

A sit, her wide backside flopped down under her short legs with a dump sound. Then she scratched her nose and gave a little crooning sound ending with a nod to answer Dove's question.

Unfortunately she could not speak like this so she needed to rely on interpretation and expression so gently in easy plodding steps she made her way over to Dove and lay down on her stomach. Looking back at her she tossed her head upwards towards her back hoping the instructions would be clear enough. Changing to bear was easy, to human was harder, took a bit longer and she did not wish to waste time.

@Dove

 

[Dove]

The 'Act'. Worked. Kind of.

She had never- ever seen something like what she was supposed to see right now, at this exact moment, taking a step back to watch Arbok emote their intentions, which was to.. Ride her?

Surely she was interpreting this correctly, right?

Is this real? Did she get slipped story water again? How the hell was she going to explain it to the wagon?

And yet- she STILL climbed on the bear's back. And just.. gestured, nervously at them. Because in this process, she too forgot she was not transformed, and could still talk to her.

 

[Arbok]

Lurching up on all fours Arbok stood and readied herself for the climb at Dove's direction.

The cliff was high but not too steep so she gave a mighty huff to psyche herself up and galloped forth to the easiest part of the slope and (hoping that Dove was holding on tight) began to mount the slope in dynamic lopes.
Claw bit into earth for purchase as she scrambled upwards at a brave pace scraping dust and stone beneath her.

Up up and then down, sliding as the earth gave way she gritted her teeth and vaulted up the last few feet to a ledge where the top was in sight. She could smell the trees, feel the breeze from the top. One final pounce upward she hauled herself and Dove upwards to the top edge of the cliff.

Out of breath, her body expanded wide as she gulped in deep breaths under her precious cargo which she turned her long neck to check on.

@Dove

 

[Dove]

If you were beneath these two, you probably would have thought there was a late winter snow with how many white feathers were falling to the earth beneath her. A variety of very strange, very odd squawking, noises of great unhappiness could be heard from the bear- as she continued to hold onto the bear for dear life. Yes- she may or may not have forgotten that she has wings, and let's be real, if something were to happen here, she was most likely going to survive with no issues. But you see, while doves are often noted for their intelligence, as are pigeons- they are not inherently prided for their wisdom.

This was such a moment.

So really, the members of the Wagon peered over the cliff, trying to see what was going on with Dove. Did she live? Did she fly down? Rumors had it, that the healer had wings and just chose to stay near the wagon. Others believed her wings were clipped. No one was really sure- but the answer to Dove's survival was found when the bear heaved over the cliff, bearing a white- very fluffed bird.

She didn't even cast a single spell, and she had looked like she had her entire winter coat of feathers.

So, as Arbok went to check on the woman, she let go.

And both disoriented and trembling, fell right off the damn bear without a word.

 

[Arbok]

For a moment Arbok just stood gathering her breath, now came the actual hard part.

Changing back to human form was always harder, like pulling water up from a well, that first moment of breaking surface tension. She focused and felt her bones become smaller, her organs rearrange themselves, her snout shrink and her fur vanish.

When she was done she did not stand but eased herself down into a sitting position.
"Whew, there, hey. The wagon's still here. That's good."

The sweat from her brow made her long hair cling in threads to her face. Her arms and legs ached as she tightened up her clothes again.
"Are you okay? You've lost a few feathers there, is that, normal?"

She had heard of molting naturally but also that it happened when birds were stressed sometimes, though she had never seen it before and all she knew of them were from what books had said and some of the libraries texts were over a hundred years old, probably needed updating.

Her face, more concerned with Dove than herself wore an expression of genuine concern.

@Dove