Birds of a Feather- Cookies Need Love/DominoFlash

[Cookies Need Love]

Birds have long been the face of Freedom in many lands. To fly is to be free, yet to fly is to be weary and risk-sensitive. Bird-keepers are known as the Freedom Keepers, handling birds being their greatest honour bestowed to them by God. However, with gifts must come responsibility, and with responsibility there are rules. Freedom Keepers are to keep alone, isolated, from those of any other nature. They live to serve the nature of their birds; love only their birds. However, times are changing and with the coming of winds a birds feather will tip the scales.

--------​

"Well." The word came from the mouth of a lanky, tall boy whose brown eyes were currently directed at the wagon wheel stuck in the mud. "This isn't too great a situation, is it Charlotte?" Charlotte was, presumably, the cow currently hooked up to the stuck wagon. Charlotte looked around at the boy and let out a low, morose moo.

"I know, I should've listened to Pa when he warned me 'bout the rains last night," Liam responded as if the cow had been talking. He shook his head this own foolishness before running a tanned hand through his already messy brown locks. He was wearing simply farmer's clothes, for that's exactly what Liam was. A simply farmer trying to head home from the market. But last nights rains had created treachery in the roads and now he found himself thoroughly stuck.

"I don't wanna run home and tell Pa, and leave you all on your own Charlotte. I s'pose I could walk you home, but what might become of the cart while I'm gone?" Liam asked with a sigh. He shook his head once more and continued to stare at the wheel, attempting to think of a solution that would mean he didn't have to leave anything behind.

 

[DominoFlash]

The day had been long but finally the time had come. A lone steed rode valiantly along the cliff top toward the village that reigned below. The dapple stallion looked gargantuan compared to his petite rider. Her short black bob lay concealed under her cow-skin hood, the cloak tale flicking wildly in the wind caused by her horses gallop. Her dainty hands gripped the reins tightly, pulling up to slow the beast into a trot as they neared the town. The cobbled path made his horseshoes clang out and the sudden drop in speed caused her hood to fall and the cloak to calm. It revealed a pixie like face, fair features and wide green eyes; she looked more like a child, with a slender frame to match as well as her tiny height.
"Hush Kain," her soft voice rang out, attempting to quiet the steed as he made a fuss at being closer to civilisation; it seemed that he missed the contact with the other horses here. "Only the day are we here to gain supplies, now quiet yourself," she told him, lifting her green gaze to look through long black lashes. In the clouds soared a large eagle, calling proudly overhead. This was her charge and the reason for her isolation from others. He had been christened with the name Loane and given to her on the day of her graduation as a Peace keeper.
As they rode on Kain sudden reared up, having skidded to a halt as the sudden presentation of a stuck cart in the middle of the path. The pixie girl cried out, losing her grip her reigns and in turn falling to the ground. She rolled for a few moments before stopping, the dust ruining the white tunic and brown skin pants. She had not been aware of the farmer boy and his stuck cart until it was too late. She groaned out, the sound of her Eagle prompting movement from her as he swooped down to investigate, calling to her from a tree near the side of the path.

 

[Cookies Need Love]

Liam had just been trying to shove the wheel out of the mud, leaning his shoulder against it and heaving. He felt it give a little and pushed once more. However at that moment there was the sound of hooves and a cry from a girl. Liam wheeled around to see a slim figure rolling in the dirt while her horse reared. The farmer rushed forward to kneel by the prostrate woman, barely noticing the bird's cry. Sometimes wild animals hung by the road, hoping for a scrap from a wagon to fall.

"Are you all right, miss? I'm mighty sorry if my cart startled your horse," Liam apologized. He looked down at her and finally took in the appearance of the girl. Petite with shirt, dark hair and pretty green eyes. Liam ran a hand through his hair again. It was a habit of his, something he barely noticed when he did it. Such a habit was not great when his hands were already dirty from a hard day's work, but at the moment they were relatively clean. Liam rose to his feet and held out his hand to the girl.

"Come on, miss, you just gotta walk it off," Liam advised sagely. He grinned cheerfully at her, brown eyes sparkling. He did want to talk to her some more, to fit in a little more apologizing. He honestly felt bad that he and Charlotte had caused her to tumble so.

 

[DominoFlash]

Loane called out to the pixie girl once more, his cry far shriller than before at the sight of the male coming towards her. Kain snorted, standing solitary on the side of the road after calming down at his sudden fright - he seemed far more at ease with the situation. However, as all of this happened, the girl remaining on the ground as her head swirled madly. Her large eyes flicked up as she heard his voice, her hands pushing her petite form from the ground. She remained silent, shocked and unsure how to deal with such a chance meeting - she rarely conversed with others save for her order and trade merchants. As quickly as she had looked to him, her eyes fell to her Eagle, who sat calling on the nearby tree; so long as he was safe, things would be alright. She gave a soft breath, immediately pushing herself away as he attempted to help her. She said nothing in protest nor thanks to his apologising, instead she simply rose to her feet, barely reaching his shoulder, and began to brush the dust hand dirt from her clothes. Her dainty hands brushed her bob back into its neatness before shooting a glance to his grinning form.
"I thank you for your concern but I do not need your assistance." Her voice spoke calmly and educated, showing to him that she was of a higher nobility than him - as the presence of her bird should have already stated to him. Without another word she made haste to her steed, swiftly clambering with grace up onto the saddle where she took hold of a leather glove. Her head still wavered, as did her vision, but as she took hold of the reigns in one hand she whistled, becoming Loane to her. The bird flew and rested upon her forearm and the size difference looked as though it would snap her fragile appearance, however she handled him with great care in order to ensure that neither of them got hurt as the prepaid to ride on.