curious (wary) exploration

Juraquille · Nov 21, 2018

Honey gold eyes were wide as his gaze swept the peaceful, tucked away corner framed by full bushes and healthy trees.

Varuna honestly couldn't say he'd ever seen such lush, well-maintained greenery in one place before, and it showed in the utterly awed look that fluttered across his features. The expression was oddly genuine, open, and it took the boy a few moments to remember to inject it with just the right amount of naive innocence to hide the darker thoughts beneath it.

The Academy grounds were so, so beautiful to him because he'd spent most of his childhood locked away in a lab, and then his teen years on the run or on the streets.

Biting back the sardonic scoff that such a thought nearly had him making, the blonde bounded towards one of the bushes, eyes locking onto a butterfly that was lazing on a leaf. Sure, his short attention span was a ruse meant to keep people from thinking twice about him, but Varuna was absolutely entranced by the serenity of this moment and couldn't help himself. With a wide grin, he darted forward and startled the butterfly into flight, only to bark out a quiet laugh as he began a merry chase after the colorful thing while it waltzed almost playfully in the air. The teen had meant to explore the Academy after a day dedicated to settling into his new lodgings, yet he hadn't felt so light-hearted in quite some time—if ever, really.

That's why, in this moment, his senses weren't quite as attuned as they usually were to his surroundings, particularly to any newcomers—potential threats—that could invade his little bubble privacy.

Su. · Nov 25, 2018

Hallways entwined, their winding, narrow pathways only seemed to lead to the next corridor. Starlight Academy was an enigma and Raella was lost. Again. Sighing, she continued to stroll at a leisurely pace, her gaze sweeping the vicinity from left to right in an attempt to make sense of her surroundings but to no avail. Raella thought it was in her best interest to explore the new school, however, little did she know she'd find herself adrift with no means of return. After a long bout of wandering aimlessly, light filtered in at the end of what felt like a dark tunnel like an oasis at a dessert. Not wasting any time, Raella took off in that direction, eager to see what lay beyond the building and much to her delight, it was a garden.

Spruces and evergreens furnished the area, giving it a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. Glancing around, it wasn't long before she spotted a blond-haired student chasing a butterfly. Resisting the urge to chuckle out loud, she quickly weaved together an illusion, concealing herself for the time being to watch as he frolicked about. Flaxen fringe curtained orange eyes, complimenting the man's pale complexion. So much so that Raella would gladly admit that this guy was pretty dang good looking. Not that she was interested though; relationships weren't exactly her thing. Besides, the competition for him would be too overwhelming. That being said, a little messing around and some friendly banter would do no harm.

Silently approaching him from behind, she released the threads of magic hiding her presence and extended her wings to its full length, sending a small gust of wind towards the other. Placing both hands gently on his shoulder, she pressed her body against his back, before leaning in close to his hear and whispering "boo."

A quick flap of her wings was all it took for her to jump a few paces behind. Locking her gaze onto him, she let her lips tilt upwards into an amused smirk.

"So what brings you here, pretty boy?"

Hi! I assumed this would be in a garden but do correct me if i'm wrong!!

Wolfie · Nov 25, 2018

Corey wandered around the grounds as he so often did. He rather enjoyed just being outside, inhaling the fresh air and taking in the scenery. After spending years in the facility, being outside was somewhat of a luxury that he was prepared to get as often as he could. The warm sun and greens were a welcoming change from the harsh lights and clinical whites that he had become so accustomed to. The academy had felt like home, a safe haven, ever since he first set foot on the island. Everything about the place just seemed so inviting: the people, the wonder. One of the things Corey also loved about being outdoors was the birds. So often, he had dreamed of being able to be one, only having to flap his wings and be out of the situation he was in. He had said as much to Ireneus when admiring his thunderbird companion.

Walking along, he spotted another winged beauty. This time, not a bird but a girl talking to another guy. Corey liked to meet new people and listen to all of their stories and with his new found role, becoming popular with more people had more perks too. That wasn't at the forefront of his mind, though. Being sociable was something that he enjoyed, even if he wasn't the best at it.

He began to approach the pair but then considered maybe that they were having a more personal conversation. It would be rude to just intrude and they both looked older than him. In the trees above them, Corey spotted a bird perched on a branch. His thought process led to the idea that he was there to observe the bird unless the conversation wasn't meant to be private. Climbing a nearby tree that vaguely overlooked the duo, Corey watched the bird construct its nest in the adjacent tree.

Juraquille · Dec 6, 2018

Had it been years ago, Varuna would have been a snarling mess, particularly with his wolf's sensitivity to strangers at his unprotected back. It was the years under his caretaker's kind guidance that allowed the blonde a modicum of control over such violent reactions. Regardless, the boy was still so utterly blindsided by the contact that he lost control over his ability and shifted into his wolf form, the honey-colored wolf no bigger than a large dog. Instead of snapping and lunging at the woman as he once would have, however, Varuna merely scampered into the bushes with a frightened yelp and a good helping of uncoordinated flailing of canine limbs.

Heart racing as the adrenaline combined with the sudden influx of scents and sounds that his wolf form's enhanced senses picked up, Varuna whined, body plastering itself to the ground while his ears flattened themselves to his skull. Tail curling beneath him, the wolf shimmied forward until a black, wet nose was peeking through the bottom of the bush, then a bit more until golden eyes could watch the woman warily.

He was still pretty spooked, so it was difficult to fight against his instincts to hide, run away, but Varuna was a stubborn one and whined once more. The vocalization was very clearly fearful and startled, but curious almost, one of his ears twitching before flattening again not only in response to the woman's innocuous yet teasing question, but also picking up the presence of another stranger not far off.

((Yeah, the garden is fine~!))

Su. · Dec 7, 2018

At the background, Raella vaguely picked up the presence of yet another person whom she planned to talk to later. After all, meeting new people was always a joy.

As Vanura abruptly shifted into wolf form and retreated away from her, Raella took a surprised step backwards. She had not intended for the other to react so badly to her little scare. A sense of guilt and a slight regret began to plague her, lightly snapping within the confinements of her chest. Feeling the need to apologize, she was about to approach him when he let out a sharp whine, not once but twice. Ah, she definitely messed up this time. Halting all advances, she backed away once more, ensuring she kept her distance from the other this time. Folding her wings neatly behind her back to appear less intimidating, she bent down to meet the gaze of the wolf beneath the bushes who's stare seemed to bore into her soul. Making sure her tone contained no sign of hostility and her voice was kept at a higher and more approachable pitch, she proceeded to address Varuna.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean any harm. Are you alright? I could leave if you'd like."

This was definitely not her day. At this point she could only hope the other would not harbor some odd hatred of grudge against her for playing around too much. Even worse if he decided to spread rumors. However, based on her observation before she scared him, he definitely didn't seem like the type to do something so foul.

Wolfie · Dec 8, 2018

Corey was surprised when the boy suddenly turned into a wolf. Was he some kind of werewolf? He did not look like the usual monstrous beasts from the movies but if he was, it was his first encounter with a werewolf. There were so many beings on the island that took his breath away, being only the fragments of stories and fairytales before arriving.

He thought it best to stay out of the way for the minute since he already seemed startled by the girl's presence. It would probably make things worse if he just suddenly jumped down. Instead, he leant against the trunk, an eye still kept on the adjacent birds but he began to practise his powers. A thin stream of water snaked in between his fingers and then circled up his arm. Whilst Corey had begun to get the hang of his abilities, he found small exercises little and often improved his accuracy.

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curious (wary) exploration

Juraquille

Sleepy...

Su.

a singing birb

Wolfie

Always Watching