Tandem nodded at first, not saying a thing, only shrugging afterwards. Just being close to somebody friendly warmed the crow these days, making his poor heart ache. But it was too nice of a thing to refuse; something he rarely got anymore.
"Oh, thank you," he murmured almost shyly, wings ruffling again nervously as he wasn't quite sure how to respond to such a compliment. Or one at all.
"My name is Tandem," he responded promptly though, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his beak again, "and what's yours?"
The smile was returned, quite subtle, hard to see due to the fact that normally his mouth could not be seen at all. And under most circumstances, he preferred to avoid letting others see his teeth.
Still, it was a motion he had almost perfected.
"Heikaro. But, Heika is fine" his head tilted, just a little more. Black eyes burning against the smaller creature for a moment. As if trying to read something written in disappearing ink.
That smile of his grew slightly wider, eyes lighting up some. "That's a very pretty name, I like it," he complimented, speaking softly.
But his feathers ruffled again uneasily as Heika pointed out something that he hoped wasn't obvious. "I am a crow after all," Tandem commented with a halfhearted smile this time, glancing away.
It was true though. This whole time of the year felt odd to the crow, and it made him feel tense and awkward. He spent so much time hating the rut, and now he was part of it. It just seemed strange to him, upsetting.
"Thank you, I'm touched" it was genuine, there were not many who had any sort of pathos to touch him. But there were qualities he looked for.
Crow or not...
"I used to look at birds and wonder why they didn't fly away. If they could go anywhere. I stopped doing that after someone asked the same of me." the tension wasn't something that Heika was a stranger to.
Quietly he moved closer, hesitantly grooming the soft feathers. Astoundingly gentle despite the sharpness of his teeth.
"Even crows deserve joy"
Nothing in the world deserved to be sad simply because of what life they had been born into.
"Sometimes not even birds have a place they could fly to," the crow explained, looking off into the sky longingly. "No matter how much they wished they did."
He couldn't supress a sigh, unable to vent the tension in his chest, the strain on his heart. Even as Heika started grooming him, it made his heart beat fast, bringing its constant ache to his attention. He appreciated the gesture and subconsciously moved into it regardless, wanting and needing the affection more than ever.
"Sometimes, we just need to make a change. Dis-may. Like distant maytime flowers. Things get better." he looked upwards through his lashes, through the leaves and branches at the sky. "There's always a place. Sometimes we just cannot see it yet."
He paused in his grooming to simply nuzzle between the crow-deer's shoulders, a reassuring motion, before he continued.
"Eventually the may showers pass. And the flowers come back again"
Pausing briefly, he took a deep breath, trying desperately to stable himself. It has been too long, he shouldn't be feeling like this still. Much too long.
Sighing softly again, Tandem moved into that gentle nuzzle, tipping his head around to run his beak through the buck's fur in return.
"Mm, you're right," the crow eventually replied with a nod, "thank you."
He was silent for a long time, eyes closing at the touch, it was all quite relaxing. Then again, he was a laid back creature by nature. Eventually, he did speak again; "But then, Don't mistake lack of sadness for happiness, avoiding others by fear of getting hurt isn't a good strategy." he should have taken that advice himself.
Then again, Heika often gave advice which he could benefit from listening to.
"Being sad isn't a weakness. And being constantly joyous isn't a strength" his voice had dropped to a subtle whisper. Perhaps speaking to himself as well.
He ruffled his feathers again, shifting to face the larger male somewhat in order to return the gestures, gently grooming at his neck. "Hmm.. that is very true. It's just easy to lose sight of it sometimes. Too easy." He spoke with a nod.
It amazed him how Heika seemed to know him or read his mind; he did indeed fear getting hurt again. That's all that has happened to him everytime he allowed himself to open up to someone it seemed. Then again, he kept doing it. Maybe he truly was an emotional masochist.
"Some say the blind see the most. I wonder if it's true." a soft sort of purring started in his chest, lasting for but a moment. "When I close my eyes, all I can see are things I would rather forget" an ear flicked.
When he got the chance, he offered more soft little grooming motions, allowing the other deer to take over in between his own motions. Give and take. Things were best that way, usually.
What is it that you see?" he found himself asking before thinking, clamping his beak shut once he realized that. "That is.. if you don't mind. I'm sorry." Frowning as he spoke; he didn't want to accidentally offend his new friend.
Regardless, he continued to carefully groom the buck's fur, easing his eyes shut as he found even doing this was comforting in a way.
"Snow. Starlight. Innocent things, oceans. Me, before I found my strength. I'd like to forget myself, that old self." he said simply, laughing very softly under his breath at the other's quickly closing beak.
He was not at all offended, no, it was harder than that to upset him.
His tongue slipped from his mouth, running gently over his lips.
"Ahh, one of those then? I understand," Dismay nodded, nuzzling into the buck's fur now with an almost contented sigh. There were many things he would like to forget too.
But he perked up at the mention of snow, only to ruffle his feathers and shrink down a little. "Yes. I loved winter."
"It's one of my favorite things. Like little falling stars" he seemed to zone out for a moment, as if thinking deeply or seeing something that was not quite real.
"Loved?...I suppose winter isn't the same here really" he admitted, the weather so rarely changed.
"I've learned since then though. Nowadays, I protect the things that make me truly happy.
A nod was given, and nothing more, if the crow didn't want to go on about it, Heika wouldn't ask.
The time while Tandem thought passed quite quietly, save for the calling of birds and far away drone of frogs and insects going about their short lives.
"Perhaps" a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, eyes closing in a calm, but happy manner. "In the end, were there any other options?" he didn't think so. In the end, one either made themselves happy, or died trying to do so.
"Sometimes we have things that make us happy. It simply takes us a while to see it" he couldn't remember whom had told him that in the first place. Someone from a long time ago maybe. But, it seemed fitting now.
With a gentle sigh, Tandem nodded his head. He did so for no reason really; perhaps he was merely answering a question to himself, one that he wasn't particularly fond of.
"Unfortunately, it's not until it's gone that you realize how happy it made you. I've seen that far too many times." Then again, maybe that just meant that the crow spent far too much time around death throughout his lifetime. One could say it came with the territory.
"Perhaps it is true that the blind see the most. For they never know when something is gone, or close." he resumed his soft grooming, as if attempting to distract from whatever thoughts had caused the other to seem so sad once again.
"Or perhaps it simply means, that we should appreciate what we have knowing that someday, that thing will be gone" he didn't pretend to know the answer.
For a long while, the crow didn't speak up. Instead he remained in silence, listening to everything Heika had to say in great detail, trying not to allow himself to become too distracted by the larger male's grooming as tempting as it was.
"It was a tough lesson to learn, but I think I finally understand that I should cherish what I have everyday, to give it all the love possible because.. there's no promise it will be there tomorrow."
"Lessons that come easily are lessons easily forgotten" he tilted his head to carefully, so carefully, groom behind the feathers upon Tandem's head. His tail flicked behind him gently, shifting his weight to a more comfortable position.
"Like birds. Everything can fly away at any moment's notice. Some things are able to be chased. Other things, not so much. If something wants, really wants, to fly away. It will." That was a lesson he himself had learned quite harshly.
"You have a good heart though, it's a good trait" better than his own by a long shot.
"Then maybe.. all I need to do is stretch out my wings again," he commented with a subtle smile. While maybe not as intended, Tandem found a bit of hope in that statement. Something he could try for. A goal.
He was a stubborn thing who needed something to fight for anyway.
"I can say the same for you, Heika," he insisted, nuzzling into the buck's neck again thankfully, "you are kind and give good advice." He appreciated it greatly.
A smile, a happy-sad sort of expression. "Perhaps, then, fly away, Crow of May. Find the things that make you happy" flowers, a sign of hope. Like noah's dove bringing back olive branches. They say he had let off a crow first, and that the crow had never come back.
Perhaps the crow had been the most intelligent of the two birds.
"Haha, I wouldn't always call myself kind" he admitted, shifting his head as Tandem nuzzled into his neck to return the gesture in the closest thing to a hug he could manage without the proper limbs.
"I'm glad my words have done you well though"
And he meant it.
"Don't confuse kindness with blunt reality" but he smiled, showing that he did appreciate the words, and the thought behind them. Allowing himself to slowly slip from the other's 'grasp' to lay on the ground.
His ankles would not allow him to stand for so long.
"There's something about you that makes me feel as though you should be happy.
That thought does not cross my mind often" he went on.
"No. Not everyone" but he didn't build upon the statement, merely turned his head to yawn. He was not a beast with high energy. "But then, when it comes to most. I don't care much for their happiness. You're an exception of course" he assured, as if it were the most natural thing in the world to think that way.
Tandem simply shrugged, looking over at the larger male at first. "Maybe not everyone, but most. Those who throw away their chances certainly don't deserve them." Along with those who ruin the happiness of others.
"...I am" but it sounded as though he were not quite certain, as though he were debating what happiness was silently. Eventually however, it seemed to pass, and his gaze settled itself upon Tandem once more.
"You can pull happiness from even the darkest of places, if you try hard enough" his tail rippled, lifting at the base and creating a wave like effect down to the tip until it settled once more.
"Even the smallest salmon swims upstream. Even the weakest chess piece can become a queen" his eyes seemed to burn, black but bright, like dying stars.
"Yes, even something insignificant can become great"
He isn't useless if he's staying next to her ♥ You can't imagine how Nat-Nat is happy about that, even she can't tell it (:
But don't feel obligate to always stay with her. She'll understand if Tandem wants to go with someone else <3
Ffff. He'd be happy to hear that too. He tries, bless his little heart. XD
But fff. Nobody's forcing him to stay there, it doesn't feel right to leave her alone. :c <3
Ahh yes. I see her.<3
Tandem's just been sleeping for the most part these past few days because he's in so much pain, so sorry for him being generally unresponsive. D:
It's okay, don't worry about it.<3
But yes, it was still nice having her around even if he couldn't see her. How long is she going to be in this state anyway?
Nat-Nat looked at the little crow. She was frowning, and didn't hide her expression. A worried expression. Tandem was hurted almost the whole time she saw him, and she rarely saw him so injured. She sighed, then said : • Who did it, Tandem ? And don't tell me it's nothing. It is something. • She didn't support it anymore. Tandem was too fragile. So much of wounds were too bad for him. Of course, Nat-Nat didn't think he was powerless. No. But he was fragile. And she was pretty upset to see her friend in this state, everytime - or almost. She licked his wounds, trying to clean them, patient. He had been here when she was hurted, trying to clean her wounds as much as he could. So she would be here for him too.
Tandem nodded at first, not
"Oh, thank you," he murmured almost shyly, wings ruffling again nervously as he wasn't quite sure how to respond to such a compliment. Or one at all.
"My name is Tandem," he responded promptly though, a subtle smile tugging at the corners of his beak again, "and what's yours?"
Edit: OH, HELLO NEW PAGE~
Art by Anjali. ♥
The smile was returned, quite
Still, it was a motion he had almost perfected.
"Heikaro. But, Heika is fine" his head tilted, just a little more. Black eyes burning against the smaller creature for a moment. As if trying to read something written in disappearing ink.
"You seem quite..." a pause, another slow blink.
"Melancholy"
That smile of his grew
But his feathers ruffled again uneasily as Heika pointed out something that he hoped wasn't obvious. "I am a crow after all," Tandem commented with a halfhearted smile this time, glancing away.
It was true though. This whole time of the year felt odd to the crow, and it made him feel tense and awkward. He spent so much time hating the rut, and now he was part of it. It just seemed strange to him, upsetting.
Art by Anjali. ♥
"Thank you, I'm touched" it
Crow or not...
"I used to look at birds and wonder why they didn't fly away. If they could go anywhere. I stopped doing that after someone asked the same of me." the tension wasn't something that Heika was a stranger to.
Quietly he moved closer, hesitantly grooming the soft feathers. Astoundingly gentle despite the sharpness of his teeth.
"Even crows deserve joy"
Nothing in the world deserved to be sad simply because of what life they had been born into.
"Sometimes not even birds
He couldn't supress a sigh, unable to vent the tension in his chest, the strain on his heart. Even as Heika started grooming him, it made his heart beat fast, bringing its constant ache to his attention. He appreciated the gesture and subconsciously moved into it regardless, wanting and needing the affection more than ever.
"Not for the crow named Dismay.."
Art by Anjali. ♥
"Sometimes, we just need to
He paused in his grooming to simply nuzzle between the crow-deer's shoulders, a reassuring motion, before he continued.
"Eventually the may showers pass. And the flowers come back again"
Pausing briefly, he took a
Sighing softly again, Tandem moved into that gentle nuzzle, tipping his head around to run his beak through the buck's fur in return.
"Mm, you're right," the crow eventually replied with a nod, "thank you."
Art by Anjali. ♥
He was silent for a long
Then again, Heika often gave advice which he could benefit from listening to.
"Being sad isn't a weakness. And being constantly joyous isn't a strength" his voice had dropped to a subtle whisper. Perhaps speaking to himself as well.
He ruffled his feathers
It amazed him how Heika seemed to know him or read his mind; he did indeed fear getting hurt again. That's all that has happened to him everytime he allowed himself to open up to someone it seemed. Then again, he kept doing it. Maybe he truly was an emotional masochist.
Art by Anjali. ♥
"Some say the blind see the
When he got the chance, he offered more soft little grooming motions, allowing the other deer to take over in between his own motions. Give and take. Things were best that way, usually.
What is it that you see?" he
Regardless, he continued to carefully groom the buck's fur, easing his eyes shut as he found even doing this was comforting in a way.
Art by Anjali. ♥
"Snow. Starlight. Innocent
He was not at all offended, no, it was harder than that to upset him.
His tongue slipped from his mouth, running gently over his lips.
"Have you ever seen snow?"
"Ahh, one of those then? I
But he perked up at the mention of snow, only to ruffle his feathers and shrink down a little. "Yes. I loved winter."
Art by Anjali. ♥
"It's one of my favorite
"Loved?...I suppose winter isn't the same here really" he admitted, the weather so rarely changed.
"I've learned since then though. Nowadays, I protect the things that make me truly happy.
There are so few of them."
"I just associate it with
"Same here."
He paused, thinking again.
"Then maybe... we should find new things to make us happy."
Art by Anjali. ♥
A nod was given, and nothing
The time while Tandem thought passed quite quietly, save for the calling of birds and far away drone of frogs and insects going about their short lives.
"Perhaps" a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, eyes closing in a calm, but happy manner. "In the end, were there any other options?" he didn't think so. In the end, one either made themselves happy, or died trying to do so.
"Sometimes we have things that make us happy. It simply takes us a while to see it" he couldn't remember whom had told him that in the first place. Someone from a long time ago maybe. But, it seemed fitting now.
With a gentle sigh, Tandem
"Unfortunately, it's not until it's gone that you realize how happy it made you. I've seen that far too many times." Then again, maybe that just meant that the crow spent far too much time around death throughout his lifetime. One could say it came with the territory.
Art by Anjali. ♥
"Perhaps it is true that the
"Or perhaps it simply means, that we should appreciate what we have knowing that someday, that thing will be gone" he didn't pretend to know the answer.
He didn't pretend to know many things.
For a long while, the crow
"It was a tough lesson to learn, but I think I finally understand that I should cherish what I have everyday, to give it all the love possible because.. there's no promise it will be there tomorrow."
If only he could learn to let go.
Art by Anjali. ♥
"Lessons that come easily are
"Like birds. Everything can fly away at any moment's notice. Some things are able to be chased. Other things, not so much. If something wants, really wants, to fly away. It will." That was a lesson he himself had learned quite harshly.
"You have a good heart though, it's a good trait" better than his own by a long shot.
"Then maybe.. all I need to
He was a stubborn thing who needed something to fight for anyway.
"I can say the same for you, Heika," he insisted, nuzzling into the buck's neck again thankfully, "you are kind and give good advice." He appreciated it greatly.
Art by Anjali. ♥
A smile, a happy-sad sort of
Perhaps the crow had been the most intelligent of the two birds.
"Haha, I wouldn't always call myself kind" he admitted, shifting his head as Tandem nuzzled into his neck to return the gesture in the closest thing to a hug he could manage without the proper limbs.
"I'm glad my words have done you well though"
And he meant it.
EDIT::
Couldn't resist
Those words rung in the
Fly away.
He then sighed, squeezing his eyes shut tightly as he moved into the gesture, the makeshift hug, returning it as best as he could.
"You're kinder than most."
Art by Anjali. ♥
"Don't confuse kindness with
His ankles would not allow him to stand for so long.
"There's something about you that makes me feel as though you should be happy.
That thought does not cross my mind often" he went on.
"Sometimes all one needs is
"I would like to think everybody has the right to be happy." And there were very few exceptions to that as far as Tandem was concerned.
Art by Anjali. ♥
"No. Not everyone" but he
Tandem simply shrugged,
"I'd like for you to be happy too."
Art by Anjali. ♥
"...I am" but it sounded as
"You can pull happiness from even the darkest of places, if you try hard enough" his tail rippled, lifting at the base and creating a wave like effect down to the tip until it settled once more.
"Even the smallest salmon swims upstream. Even the weakest chess piece can become a queen" his eyes seemed to burn, black but bright, like dying stars.
"Yes, even something insignificant can become great"
He isn't useless if he's
But don't feel obligate to always stay with her. She'll understand if Tandem wants to go with someone else <3
Avatar & signature by Shimmyshimmy. ♥
Ffff. He'd be happy to hear
But fff. Nobody's forcing him to stay there, it doesn't feel right to leave her alone. :c <3
Art by Anjali. ♥
OMG OMG OMG. I hope his
I hope his body fall near Nat's body ? D8 She wants to be near him, even she's in a very bad status too ;_____;
PFFFFFF D8
Avatar & signature by Shimmyshimmy. ♥
Unfortunately, no. He fell in
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Oh noes... ;____________; -
- Push Nat', trying to awake her - HURRY UP STUPID DOE B(
Her soul & her mind will be next to him, mh ♥
Avatar & signature by Shimmyshimmy. ♥
Baaawh, yah. ;; I hope Nat
I hope Nat wakes up soon too. I feel so bad for her. Dx
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And I feel bad about Tandem
Oh, btw ! Will you use another pictogram to play Tandem's soul ? It's what I did for Nat' ♥
Avatar & signature by Shimmyshimmy. ♥
I'm actually playing it on
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Ah, I was thinking about
Avatar & signature by Shimmyshimmy. ♥
There's a tutorial on how to
Here's the link. n.n
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OHMYMYMYMY 8D Thank youuuu
Thank youuuu SO MUCH <3
/e/ Doesn't work for me, hm~
Avatar & signature by Shimmyshimmy. ♥
Weird. I never have any
I'm sorry. Dx
Art by Anjali. ♥
Aw, there's no problem,
The doe with Tandem right now is Nat's soul. She's wearing the same set than Nat', but with the Orca pelt <3
Avatar & signature by Shimmyshimmy. ♥
Ahh yes. I see her.
Tandem's just been sleeping for the most part these past few days because he's in so much pain, so sorry for him being generally unresponsive. D:
Art by Anjali. ♥
Quote:felt a familiar
I wonder who is it, haha ! ♥ Sorry, I'm not with Nat' in-forest right now <3
Avatar & signature by Shimmyshimmy. ♥
It's okay, don't worry about
But yes, it was still nice having her around even if he couldn't see her. How long is she going to be in this state anyway?
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Until she gets 50 % of her
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Ahh yeah. I think I asked
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(No subject)
LOL. Wtf Han. That is
That is beautiful. LOLLLL
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LOLYAY B)
Nat-Nat looked at the little
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