[Pris]

Small, shimmering droplets of water flew through the air as Pris flicked the dark blue tip of his soaking tail. With wings outspread for balance, the small Tarin stood flank deep in the salty tide, enjoying the feeling of water in his fur and sand under his paws. It was a spectacular sensation, the way he felt just then, immersed silently in the riotous world that was the shore of the place where he made his home. Most Tarin preferred to live in Zephyr, nearer to Demeter's shrine, the great tree. Pris felt no such compunction, as his matron's love went with him wherever he went, as it did with all Tarin.

No, he did not live in the forest; he lived in Santorini, the once lost city, turned luscious tropical oasis. He'd first made his way there about a year before, and he'd simply never left. Well, not for long, anyways. He always found his way back here, to this sandy shore. Blinking his deep blue eyes, Pris turned away from the sea and began to pad slowly back up the beach, wings folding back to his sides as he left the water, their weight no longer needed. Once above the tide line, he lay down on the sands, stretching out languidly in the warmth of a brilliant sunset. Yes, his was the life.

[Narian]

Narian stood beneath the shade of a, deep green, broad-leafed tree, and watched the days spectacular Amen. The colours in the sky reflected in the expanse of ocean, and setting it ablaze with shimmering hues too numerous and varied to catalogue. The ocean here seemed endless, and its rhythmic lapping against the sure, a steady breathing which soothed the soul.

The hulking Pyralis had stayed many hours, allowing the sounds, sights and scents of the beach to fill him, washing away all thought and relaxing muscles he had not known were tensed. Still, some part of him realised that he could never make his home here. As spectacular a place as it was, there was a part of him that craved the harshness of rock, the extreme of elements which required all the senses and wit to survive in. For now though, this moment could have stretched on endlessly.

It was then his sharp charcoal eyes spied the movement emerging from the water, and a moment after, he noted its colours. The wolf, doubtless a Tarin, seemed to have been painted by the ocean and the colours of the sunset, so striking was his pelt. Of course, the wolf’s colours made a vivid contrast on the sand.

Emerging from his shady retreat, Narian moved with a warrior’s grace, his movements fluid. The sand still held the heat of day, and it was pleasing between his pads, despite his size he did not sink too deeply, making sure to distribute his weight. He covered the ground quickly, but slowed a respectful distance from the other male, not wishing to crowd or alarm.

Of course, as Narian approached, he realised he had nothing to say to the colourfully plumed male. Still his eyes examined the other quickly, before he nodded politely.

”Hello, I am Narian. It has been a long time since I have seen a Tarin outside of a forest.”

As he spoke, his mind flowed back to the forests where his old pack had pushed through and met the wrath of a pack of Tarin, it had been a hard fight. He turned his head to the sea, which was quickly turning a startlingly bright orange.

”Although, this is certainly one of the most awe inspiring beaches I have seen. A place to draw out even the most hermetic of creatures.”

His tone was even, with the hint of a rasp that put one in mind of a tongue drawn across parched rock.

[Pris]

Pris lay for what seemed like an eternity in the sand, his eyes narrowed against the harsh glare shining off of the water. The sunset, he had been told in the past, seemed to mimic him, as though it were trying to capture his beauty. In his own modest mind, it was the other way around. The setting sun had always been so glorious, he told himself once, and therefore it had nothing to do with himself. A small part of him did like the idea, though. He was about to roll over so his other side could catch the waning rays, when he heard the rustling of paws in the sand, and a voice.

Turning his head in the direction of what seemed a heinous disturbance of such a wondrous moment, he discovered a large white Pyralis. And he was the one out of place? He watched the other male’s charcoal eyes for a moment, eyes not quite as dark as his own, then spoke. “Indeed… It is an inspiring locale,” he agreed as he climbed smoothly to his feet, shaking the sand from his vivid fur along the way. “My name, sickeningly gaudy though it may seem, is Prismatic Saint. I prefer Pris, if there is no difference to you.” His voice was soft, like a bell with a muffled clapper, and rather high in pitch, to match his singing alto.
 

[Narian]

If the hulking Pyralis found the Terin’s name odd, he gave no sign of it. Instead he merely nodded in acknowledgement of the others introduction before taking in, the now standing creature, before him. There was no doubt the other male was ostentatiously coloured, but Narian’s trained eyes were far more interested in how gracefully and smoothly the Tarin rose from his prone position. Of course this other was no enemy, but deep set habits can be hard to relinquish.

”It has been my experience that our names our parents choose are a reflection of how they see us, or hope we will become.”

For another moment Narian watched as the sun sunk lower, The ocean’s brilliant orange now interspersed with flecks of the deepest azure. Finally practicality won through all the artistic dreaming and he turned back to the Tarin.

”I am new to these lands. Would you be able to give me some idea of what lies in each direction?”

[Pris]

Pris nodded. Demeter only knows how "saintly" his parents thought him to be, what with his timidness and his distaste for killing. Unlike his malicious uncle, and sometimes even his father, Pris hunted only to eat - never for sport. His mother had been more protective of him than of his sisters, what with his size and his disposition. Now that he looked back at his childhood, he felt certain that his parents tought he wouldn't live to adult hood. Which, while depressing, didn't really bother him unduly. As for the Prismatic part, well, at least that fit who and what he was.

As the other asked about the nearby geography, Pris had to resist laughing. "You saw the mountains on your way in, no? The ones that ring this island are called Sympeglades. Directly west from here lies the well-weathered Dicte Cape, birthplace of Zeus. The cape borders the Nereus Lagoon to the north. To the north lie the Ouranos Atrium and the Niobes Loss..." His voice trailed off as he thought for a moment. "I don't know what is beyond that to the North, or the Northwest. I traveled the Southern coast to reach to place, this... Sanctuary."
 

[Narian]

As Pris spoke, Narian paid careful attention, knowing the terrain was an enormous advantage, and once he had recovered from his Journey to reach here he would take a more protracted aerial view of the various territories. From the impression the smaller Tarin gave, the terrain was quite varied.

”Wonderful sanctuary, amazing fortress or spectacular prison.”

Narian said in a low voice. A look of annoyance flashed across his face, but only for an instant, he had not meant to speak out loud, but since he had he decided to qualify his thought.

”The journey to reach here is not an easy one, nor free of dangers. I spent five days and nights in the air before reaching these islands, a difficult place to enter, or escape from, it depends upon your perspective.”

He looked out once more at the seemingly expanse of liquid fire.

”Navigation is not an easy thing when you have no land reference and clouds cover the stars.”

Deciding that he had soliloquised enough he asked another question of the colourful Tarin.

”How long have you lived here?”

[Pris]

Pris grinned softly at Narian's contemplation of the island's nature. "I like to think of it as a fortified paradise stronghold... An avari can easily make a home here. There is food aplenty, fresh water, shelter. More medicinal plants than I have ever bother to learn about. And, of course, it's captivating... The small Tarin's eyes took on a dreamy quality as he imagined living out his entire life in the wonderful place he currently called home. But his already near-black eyes darkened a bit more as he came back to the present. He didn't like the idea, however, of living that life alone. He'd have to find somebody of his own, like his sisters had... Which meant leaving Santorini to wander. Which he didn't really feel like doing.

How long had he been there? At least six moons, if he properly recalled. Maybe it was seven? "I've lived here long enough to know this island like my own four paws... Before that I had been denning in the lagoon," he answered as he sat down, facing the ocean once more as he settled comfortably back on his haunches.

[Narian]

”I do not scent the markers of clan territory anywhere near here. Do you live alone?”

Unfortunately for those that spoke to Narian, they soon learned of his directness. The white Pyralis was not a wolf who danced around the information he desired. Narian wasn’t sure, but he suspected that this Tarin was an immigrant also, not native to these islands, but obviously that was something he couldn’t know for sure without asking.

A breeze blew across his fur then, ruffling the course guard hairs of on his back, and bringing with it the scents of salt and warm sand, with it also came a cooler chill, a warning that evening would not be kept at bay forever. The sun, lowering quickly into the horizon had gone the colour of blood, and it turned the white Pyralis into a crimson demon.

”Do you prefer your own company? If so then I will not intrude upon you any longer. I really only intended to get a better idea of the lay of these lands, which you have helped me do.”

[Pris]

Did he live alone? Well, not really... There were hundreds fo birds, large and small, which one could almost call decent company. There was the wind which sometimes sounded like voices as it blew through the mountain ring. The sun and the moon, the stars. One was never truely alone. "There are no others with me; to my knowledge, this island is unclaimed," he replied with a slow nod.

Pris stared out into the blazing sunset a moment longer, but the brightness became too much for his eyes, so he turned his head towards Narian instead. "I am comfortable on my own, but what Avari truely enjoys being alone?" he replied in a slightly philosophical tone. You are more than welcome to stay until morning; the island is large enough for a clan, much less two lone avari. If you found the journey here difficult during the day, I would not recomend that you try it at night. Besides, the thermals do not last long once the sun drops, so it would take a lot of work to get back to the mainland in the night."

[Narian]

The chill grew more intense, not uncomfortable, but certainly noticeable. Narian remained standing though, facing the smaller Tarin, and considered his words. The multi-hued male was right of course, it would be very difficult to navigate on a night like this, and without the thermals, travel would certainly be a lot more difficult. Aside from all of that, Pris was right, what Avari truly enjoyed being alone. Of course the company of one’s self was nice for a time, but they were creatures of clan and family, despite what some would wish others to believe, and Narian found himself warming to the idea of company, however temporary it might be.

”It would certainly break the monotony of my own company for a night. Perhaps I could find us some food before the light disappears completely?”

The white Pyralis had seen very little large game here, and indeed, the expanse of beach seemed to go on for miles. He imagined that the prey here was small and most of lived in either, the sea or the trees. Also, he was willing to wager that a great amount of it would sleep during the evening and might be easily knocked off its perch.

”So where was your home before you found these islands?”

[Pris]

Deep, dark eyes studied his new acquaintance, and Pris decided that he’d finally met a Pyralis who wasn’t as insufferable as the rest. Narian was more intelligent than the few hot-headed fire-breathers that he had previously met, or at least more inclined to behave as such. When Narian mentioned food, the Tarin found that he was famished. He’d been so engrossed in the ocean that day that he’d neglected to feed himself. He nodded, and turned towards the trees. ”That would be wonderful, but let me show you where the more plentiful birds roost. I’d hate to think of someone inadvertently preying on a member of a rare species…” Pris fancied himself as somewhat of an expert on animal life, whereas most Tarin preferred to root around in the dirt.

As for where he’d lived before the islands, there were several months of story there. ”Like I said before, I lived in the lagoon for a while. Before that I stayed in a sea cave near the shoal for a week or so, during a storm, and a small grove of trees not far inland from Eldoris Cove before that. I wandered along the southern coast from my birthplace, Prometheus’ Vault, and I didn’t really stay anywhere for long until I found myself here…” He finished with an airy sigh, his eyes drifting over the seemingly overgrown rainforest. He, quite honestly, had fallen in love with Santorini from the moment he’d set eyes on the island.

[Narian]

Narian, silent once more, listened to the Tarin and once the multi-hued male had finished, the Pyralis turned and watched as the sun dipped finally beneath the horizon, leaving the pair in a twilight gloom. In the darkness Narian’s pelt seemed to glow and the blue of his face seemed to dance and shimmer, as though releasing the day’s light, which it had stored.

”The day is done Pris, and it would appear that there is a full moon to light the night. If I were a poet, I would doubtless use some heavy handed words to describe how wondrous this evening was, but I am not, so I must appreciate it in silence. Although we’re hunting only for birds, the stars are out and are watching our hunt.”

The hulking wolf quieted once more and for a long while he appeared to be somewhere else, travelling perhaps miles in the blink of an eye. Finally though he blinked and gazed once more at Pris.

”Lead on Tarin, show me where the food is.”

[Pris]

Pris chuckled softly to himself as the other went on about the sunset's end. "And as the sun drowns, the brute becomes the poet, and so the world turns round. No offense," he replied in loose verse as he moved with fluid grace through the seemingly senseless tangle of the forest. There was order, though, and if one cared to take the time to walk the path in the opposite direction, at a sedate pace, they would have seen exactly that: a path, well-tended at some time in the distant past. Pris decided that he would try to clean it up a bit, so as to make travel simpler.

As he moved through the dark just as quickly as though it were bright day, the vivid male calculated in his head. They had been on the beach, near the large driftwood tree he’d sighted upon his first arrival to the island, which meant… Yes, they were almost there. A ghost of a smile settled on his muzzle as he began to hear the nighttime calls of a flock of wood doves. Though the birds seemed out of place on the tropical island, Pris could not image how their kind had ended up there, they managed quite well. As they neared the birds’ roost, he slowed to a halt, and with a flick of his tail bade Narian to do the same. If they were to startle the birds away, then the rest would follow, and there would be no prey to be had. Near-black eyes gleamed a ray of moonlight as Pris listened to the sleeping fowl as he began to slowly inch his way forward.