revivalproject | [OPEN] The Lore Of The Highlands

WHO: Reeve Tuesti, Open
WHERE: Temba
WHAT: Shadow Hauntings
WHEN: During The Storm
WARNINGS: CW: Big, predatory dog, eyes in the darkness

I. The Cat-sìth | Early Storm Days

There wasn't much to account for the first time let himself go outside into the fog. It was actually a strange thing for him, where he hadn't noticed it the first day at all. He'd been inside, and his unique forms of magic didn't really seem to linger in his mind or awareness except when he was actively using it to reach for and control Mini. Given he'd been so busy with working on getting logs into the storage room he'd taken for himself in the Ampitheater, he'd gotten tired and just settled into a cot by the door and slept. So passed the first day of the storm. And so it was that Reeve didn't end up finding out their problem until he walked outside on the second day.

Even then it had taken a moment for him to process. Fog wasn't, in and of itself, a problem after all. Weather could be like that. It wasn't until there was a strike of crimson lightning that Reeve realized something was wrong. Even then it was mostly because the flash of lightning cast a new shadow from Reeve's body, and it was behaving weirdly.

Mostly because it was behaving. The shadow swirled and swirled until brilliant crimson eyes were staring out at him from the fog. Cat eyes. Cat eyes at the level of a dog's head. The form stepped forward, hissing, bearing teeth that were as stunningly white as the spot on its chest.

"Cat-sìth," Reeve said in shock. How could he not understand what this was with a single sight? It was a story that had shaped him as a child, what had led him to making the original Cait Sith. A fairy-cat, one that stole the souls of the dead. Which, of course, meant Reeve should be safe, provided he didn't die.

That wasn't good though. Okay, how to deal with this... Reeve was frozen in place as he thought and the shadow continued to grow. To split. To spread. And soon Reeve was being surrounded by scores of felien eyes.

"A man goes out in heavy rain with nothing to protect him from it. His hair doesn’t get wet. How does he do that?" Reeve asks. The feline creatures pause in their advance on him, instead looking at each other.

They couldn't resist riddles after all. And, with them distracted, Reeve turned and fled. Maybe he wasn't dead, maybe no one was particularly weak to the soul stealing (he hoped), but Reeve rememebered what his power was. Inspire, after all, was a soul magic. He was perhaps at too great a risk.

II. The Cù-sìth | Late Storm Days

Fairy-Cats were hardly the most threatening of the fae that stories were told of when Reeve was a child. They were so easily held back, so easily driven aside with riddles and attention and even cold temperatures. So Reeve had come to be prepared for the cats, and was more willing to go into the thick fog. It's not easy, of course, but he has the maps memorized so with carefully counted paces, he can more easily find his way in the fog. Sure, it wasn't perfect, you couldn't walk in a straight line for any distance without points of reference, but he could try.

The flash of lightning wasn't enough to make him jump, he was used to the ghostly felines arriving. The growling made him stop though. Made him freeze and look back over his shoulder. What he found made his blood go cold.

A massive, shaggy creature like a dog, but the size of a small cow. Its coat was a dark shade of green, and its bared teeth yellow against the color. The creature's eyes were a bloody crimson and shining, and as it snarled those eyes were narrowed.

The terror was too much. This creature was one Reeve knew, and was as dangerous to the living as the cat-sìth were to souls. Reeve knew the stories said the creature had a bark that was low and menacing and carried impossible distances. One bark could reach miles, even over the waters of the sea. And to hear three of them would be to die from terror of the sound alone.

"Fuck," Reeve said, and he started running. Even though there was silence behind him, that didn't keep him from running. He was too terrified to stop. the hounds were said to be silent hunters, and all he could do was run. He needed shelter and to find a way to plug his ears, and he needed it now.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Celty waited, watching as the cat-sìth retreated, and it wasn't until they had all vanished from sight that her posture relaxed in what could have been an exhausted sigh. It was hard to find even a headless being imposing when she adopted such human expressions, regardless of having no face.

She reached over to pat Shooter on the side before replacing her helmet, and only then did she glance back at Reeve. She'd felt his trembling and heard his frightened sounds, so she wasn't sure how else to reassure him other than to do nothing.

"What are you?" he whispered when he finally found his voice.

Death, he thought, he feared. His death.

She upraised her hands, not necessarily in uncertainty, but she looked down at them as though trying to figure out how to answer that. What was she indeed? Celty knew what she was supposed to be but wondered if that were even applicable. She was incomplete.

Her next gesture was a question, an offer. Did he want to leave on his own? Or did he still trust her to take him somewhere safe?

Pantomime, sadly, wasn't Reeve's native tongue at all.

"Forgive me, but I've no certainty as to what you are saying."

The Black Rider applied her hand to the front of her helmet in an unmistakable facepalm. Never mind. He'd just have to catch on as they went, and hopefully he realized that he should hang on as Shooter began to turn to start trotting down the street. At least Celty kept him at a walking pace until Reeve seemed secured enough to go faster. She didn't want to linger in case the cats had second thoughts.

The riding was so weird, and the way the horse moved was something Reeve wasn't very familiar with. It was just so broad, and long.

"If it was a chocobo this would be easier," he mumbled mostly to himself. Then realized that was rude. "Uh, my name is Reeve."

A chocobo... She recalled them from their trip offworld. Strange creatures, yet somehow not as strange as an ostrich. Riding them seemed even stranger, really. Celty gave a decisive shake of her head at that. It would have to be either four legs or two wheels. Giant birds, out of the question.

Reeve. She recalled the name, and to the belated introduction, gave him a nod.

"You have a problem with chocobos?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. That seems silly to him. His world had made good use of them.

Calling it a problem was a bit extreme, and Celty once again shook her head. Maybe being unable to speak was a good thing sometimes. It saved her the trouble of talking about riding giant birds.

She eventually pointed as the shape of the fountain could just be made out through the fog ahead of them. Familiar territory, which meant shelter was close.

Ah, the fountain, and Reeve sighed in relief. Then he's relaxing a little.

"One of the buildings here should be properly safe."

He sighed for the both of them. Celty nodded, her thoughts along the same lines as what he'd voiced. She walked Shooter along the side where the welcome center was, still keeping a lookout for anything strange. Finally, they came to a stop.

"I suppose this is where we part ways. I thank you for your help," he said, sliding down awkwardly.

Good news: he doesn't face plant. There you have it. He's actually standing.

Celty watched as he made it off of her mount. It wasn't the smoothest transition, but at least he was on his feet.

At his thanks she nodded, glad that they could round off on a better note than their initial meeting. That was really all she could ask for. She'd have to find him later and try to explain things once this had all blown over.

"Are you going to be staying out here?"

If she really was another He Row, he should be polite to her.

An excellent question, really. Celty paused at that before she pointed at herself and gestured in a vague loop around. She then pointed at the welcome center, hoping her message came across. If anyone else was stuck out here, she wanted to make sure she could bring them to safety too. At least she could do so faster.

It took him a little time to fathom what she meant but at last Reeve nodded.

"You're going to try and round other people up? I will see that if it is not already, the space is comfortable enough for use. And thank you."

Celty gave him a nod once he worked it out, and once more for the thanks. She stroked the side of her horse's neck before giving it a pat as she wheeled Shooter around. Then off they bounded into the mists once more.

Well, that was weird. And Reeve went inside. He'd see her another time perhaps.

[OPEN] The Lore Of The Highlands

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