Discontinued 18+ Ilmea's Lament Island Girls

[Fina Drago]

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"It's really more than just the feet, anywhere can scrape against sharp rock, especially the knees and- oh nevermind." There was clearly no convincing the nudist, so best to stop trying before it turned into nagging. Ruby didn't make things any clearer, either. "Pitons... still don't know what those are though." Whatever they were, clearly they were not necessary, however. With the vibe rope that Vina created, the crimson feline was quick to assemble a proper hook that quickly flew up and got secured in place. And of course she left her with the naked one... "I'm pretty sure that out of us all, she would be the one capable of getting up there without any tools... after seeing her almost literally fly with her masteries..."

With the praise about how useful Fina's abilities were, the feline looked a bit to the side as she scratched the back of her head, slight embarrassment running through her thoughts, only for it to flare up when the sudden hug arrived. "Aah, it's fine, really! As long as you don't need any tools for the long-term..." But watching Vina try to throw the gem-like weapon and miss the mark, well... it was a good reminder that a healer didn't have to have the same characteristics as someone who fought at the front lines.

"I guess... if the goal is to get up, it doesn't even really need to be a hook..." Forming something more akin to a short spear in her hand, Fina fixated on one of the trees at the top and threw the implement at full strength. Naturally, it got pretty firmly embedded in the trunk, poking out the other side. Still in range of her ability tho, several longer protrusions appeared on that exposed bit, so when she tugged at the rope, it would get properly lodged in the tree.

"I think that's secure enough... um, you first. I'll catch you if you fall... just... scream if you do." After all, she didn't want to have to be looking up... that'd be... much more compromising than when she was looking at Vina face to face. Either way, she'd wait for the vixen to go after Ruby and then climb up herself. Once finally where they wanted to be, her golden eyes rested at the assortment of objects Ruby already uncovered. "Is that... a nest?"

@Crimson Ruby @Vina Skysong

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby waited patiently for the two girls to get to the top, taking a moment to make sure everything was safe--

When Fina pointed out the nest, she nodded.

"It is... But there isn't really anything in there?" Ruby frowned a bit, resting a hand on the nest and looking around. There was no signs of anything, not even of egg shells, or anything of the sorts. Only scattered golden feathers.

"Hmm..." Her eyes narrowed as she noticed a rather bulky branch, with a tip of a rope poking out of the nest, and she reached it, plucking it out and blinking when noticing it happened to be some sort of... wood craft? A very crude totem, perhaps? It had a 'Y' shape, with ropes tied around it to secure fangs and a rune with a strange clawed crimson pawprint on it.

Spoiler: Small Totem

Ruby's ears twitched, grabbing a golden feather that seemed to be in the best conditions, and she turned to look at the two girls, approaching and handing it to @Fina Drago. "Fina, you have a certain knack for these things, don't you? Like that piece of wood you showed me when we went to those floating islands?" She recalled it, wondering if her friend would find such a crude totem to be something akin to that.

Swaying her tails, she turned to look at @Vina Skysong, offering one of the golden feathers.

"Do you know what is this one, Vina?"

(You guys can make something up, alternatively, feel free to lemme do it)

 

[Vina Skysong]

Pitons are like spikes that you hammer into whatever you want to climb so you've got handholds where you can use them.

Vina wasn't a climber herself, but it was popular enough back home that she did know a little bit about it. Of course, their combined creation of a hook with a rope meant they didn't really need to bother with pitons. At the suggestion that she could just fly her way up she smirked.

But reaching the peak alone wouldn't be as fun as doing it together, would it~?

She chuckled as Fina was embarrassed by the hug, then waited for the arms master to impale one of the trees and then offered for her to go first. The vixen grabbed the rope and nodded, smiling at her friend over her shoulder.

Sure thing Fina~ I trust you.

With that, she began the ascent, her nimbleness and slender frame at least somewhat compensating for her lack of strength compared to the other two. At least she wasn't carrying anything to drag her down... of course, that also meant that if Fina looked up she'd catch glimpses of Vina's nether regions whenever her tail wasn't obscuring the view.

Once they were all at the top she turned her attention to the same thing the other two were already inspecting, an abandoned nest. Stepping forward Vina crouched at the edge, azure gaze sweeping across the empty circle.

Whoever this belongs to isn't home at the time. (She frowned.) There's something strange about it.

The totem made her frown deepen, the druidess feeling like she'd seen something like it before but unable to recall. As Ruby offered her the golden feather she took it, holding it up in the air and listening as a breeze brushed against the soft surface.

I don't know it by name, but it's from a big bird which isn't often seen. Because of its golden feathers people sometimes say that seeing it brings you good fortune.

Closing her eyes she ran her hand across the feather, fingers gently exploring its shape and texture. While the surface was soft it was also stiff, and the feather was large enough that it had to be one of the flight feathers. Her Beast Arts did allow her to learn quite a lot about animals just by studying them, but even so she obtained only limited knowledge of this bird.

This feather has been here for a while. I... don't think it's magical, so either the rumours are wrong or it gives you luck in a different way.

@Crimson Ruby @Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

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"Just because there's nothing in there doesn't mean it can't be around the island." The feline pointed out briefly after Ruby's own comments. As far as she understood, it wasn't like birds actually spent that much time in their nests unless they had eggs or young. WHatever bird this might have belonged to, it could have been out there, hunting for prey to fill its belly. Or at least that seemed like a sensible assumption to her.

The small totem that one of them managed to dig up, on the other hand... she had no clue. "Um... do I..?" Fina stammered a little when she was addressed as if she was some sort of expert on these things. "That key before... just a thing I found at random. And I only figure out how to use it after asking other people and randomly trying out things, so... nothing more than dumb luck." It seemed that her friends truly overestimated her ability in this specific regard. In truth, she had absolutely no idea what it might have been.

"Maybe it's just something the bird picked up? Like how certain birds like picking up shiny things and hoarding them in their nests." That was about the only thing that occured to her in regards to it.

@Crimson Ruby @Vina Skysong

 

[Crimson Ruby]

"A big bird that brings good luck... Possibly just hoarding shiny things around and hoarding on their nests." Ruby nodded, pondering about what her friends' opinions and guesses, and her gaze turned to @Vina Skysong. "You are right, there is something off about it. But I can't pinpoint what. Maybe it is the lack of eggs in the nest? Why it would have one set up here?" She wondered before considering the most obvious conclusion:

"Considering it brings good luck, maybe it was hunted down, but all the way up here?" She frowned, looking at @Fina Drago and the tothem she had offered.

"It would explain the totem, but Fina has a good point, the bird could've just snatched it..." Ruby sighed, looking around and eventually shrugging.

"Well. That does tell us two things: There is a golden big bird, and there are inhabitants in this island. Unless the bird made the totem, which would be... Intriguing." She chuckled, finally turning her attention to the landscape beneath them, and the horizon that only an isolated island could offer, with the sea going impossibly far.

"We did come here to have a better view of everything, so if you want to try and find more clues, I am down. But maybe we will find out about everything as we explode the island further." Ruby crossed her arms, turning to look at the surroundings once again, trying to study the shape of the island, and finally pulling out a parchment from her User Interface, where she began to roughly sketch the 'shape' of the island they were in.

 

[Vina Skysong]

Many birds do like to make their nests in high-up places...

While she'd felt that there was something off about the nest Vina still couldn't put her finger on it. Carefully placing the feather back in the nest she stood up, then looked at the skies above. Clear blue, with the occasional white cloud, but nothing that looked like gold, real or otherwise.

If it was nearby we should be able to spot it unless it's somewhere on the ground. (She frowned.) It's big enough that it could travel far on its wings.

The idea that the totem was simply something the bird had picked up was plausible, although Vina did have some doubts. While the totem was interesting to them it wasn't shiny or otherwise really remarkable, and it wasn't like the nest was filled with similar strange objects. Aside from the totem and the feathers the nest was lacking in much of anything.

Now that we're up here I'd say we first get a good look of the island from above before we continue exploring~ That said... Fina, Ruby, if you heard of a golden bird which brought fortune to those who saw it, would you try to find it?

@Crimson Ruby @Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

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The feline closed her eyes and groaned. The idea that this island was inhabited by some form of intelligent life after all, did not mesh well with her. "Maybe the totem was carried here by the bird all the way from the mainland, who knows. I'd prefer if there were no locals to run into, for my part. I doubt they would welcome us with open arms." Especially as she recalled some real-life history, especially portraying to colonization, a chill moved down her spine. This was hardly good news for them...

"Well, you two can take the shape of the island in. I'm not really good with those things. Gonna get lost either way without a map." Though it seemed that Ruby was already trying to create one, which was good. So it was really more about the fact that Fina had no way to really help with that. They were both beastfolk, too, so it was likely that the other girl already possessed any enhanced senses that Fina could have potentially offered. Alas, nothing for her to do but wait. In the meantime, Vina proposed a question.

"If it would bring you luck just by virtue of you seeing it... I guess there wouldn't be that much harm in trying to find it. Better than how those sorts of legends usually go, anyway." Things like eating mermaid meat to attain immortality, for example. The exceedingly rare and mythical creature in question usually had to suffer for someone to gain the benefit. Even in this case, she could imagine someone trying to put the bird into a cage just so others could easily come and look at it for their share of luck.

@Crimson Ruby @Vina Skysong

 

[Crimson Ruby]

"It depends a lot on the 'locals'. But you are right, we need to be careful whenever we find them. Because the totem indicates that may be the case..." She crossed her arms, and then turned to @Vina Skysong as she spoke about the bird once again.

"You are talking to an explorer, Vina." Ruby chuckled, shrugging faintly and swaying her tails. "If there is an unique golden bird that brings fortune, I would love to try and find it, even if the latter is a lie. Besides..." She made a journal materialize on her hand, shaking it softly for emphasis.

"It is part of my job to map out everything, and to detail any native creature of this island that I find." She nodded, taking a glance to @Fina Drago as she voiced her opinion.

"Well, if everyone is up to it, there is no reason to not try and find the bird." Ruby clasped her hands, making the journal dematerialize and taking a good look around. "Besides, trying to find something should help us to explore this island with a bit more of attention." She nodded, approaching the edge of the top they were on, and analyzing the surroundings.

 

[Vina Skysong]

I don't think there'll be locals, but we might not be alone here for the whole trip...

Vina did have a suspicion about the totem, but she wasn't going to voice it just yet. It was nothing more than a suspicion, after all, and a bit of a far-fetched one at that. Better to not have the three of them worry about something which would end up being nothing more than a figment of her imagination.

I usually just wander wherever the wind goes, so it's a good thing we've got Ruby here as an experienced explorer~

With Fina and Ruby giving practically the same answer, and the one that Vina was expecting, the vixen nodded and smiled. Her tail swayed from side to side behind her as she looked out over the island before them, feeling the wind brush against her bare skin and play with her ground-length silver-white hair.

Most people would want to see it if they could, and adventurous types like us would also go looking for it. (She hesitated.) But there might also be those who'd want to do more than just see it.

She once more looked out over the skies, failing to spot any golden figures that would betray the presence of the large avian that all three of them were curious about. Ruby's suggestion of trying to find it made sense given that all three of them were interested in it, but...

Sure, let's look around. I don't think we'll find our golden friend on the island, but more feathers would be a good sign~

@Crimson Ruby @Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

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'And you still won't consider wearing any clothes at all...' Was frankly the first thing that came to Fina's mind as the three agreed that there might indeed be some form of intelligent life they could run into. But at this point, the feline was convinced that even if they ran into pirates and the like, the silver vixen would only enjoy being ogled and possibly verbally assaulted with sexual remarks.

"With a bit of luck, the trail of this golden bird will lead through a more pleasant areas than the peak of a stony hill. We also have to safely get down from here, but..." She eyed Vina with a somewhat piercing look as she remembered the glider incident from the floating islands. "...I'm guessing that won't be much of an issue." As long as it won't be another near-heartattack.

"And just to reiterate, I have absolutely no experience with tracking things. Exploring sounds fun, but I shouldn't be relied on with... anything, really." This was Ruby's arena. She wasn't entirely sure about Vina, but the vixen didn't exactly come across as an experienced, or even recreational tracker, either. So the team leader was probably decided by default.

@Crimson Ruby @Vina Skysong

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby continued looking on the surroundings while @Vina Skysong and @Fina Drago continued to talk about their plans, with a feeling that she was really going to have to take responsibility over the exploration. Which was fine, she was the explorer over there, but the silver cat's pessimism prompted a narrow gaze from the crimson cat, that crossed her arms as she turned to face her.

"I will be relying on you, Fina, I am very sorry." Her tone didn't show any hint of apology.

"Tracking something that has golden feathers can't be that hard. It is a very catchy thing." She pointed out, then looking at Vina.

"And we have someone that is very in touch with nature around here too, so we have some advantage being surrounded by it." Ruby's tails swayed, and she finally turned around to get closer to the edge of the peak, peeking back at the two girls.

"Going down will probably be tough, but I can do it just fine. Either of you will need help on it? We could try our luck going down to the opposite direction we came from, since I don't remember seeing any golden feather on our way to here." She suggested, waiting for her group's opinion.

 

[Vina Skysong]

Vina tilted her head as Fina looked at her, the vixen needing a moment or two to remember the incident that her feline friend was probably thinking of. Smiling mischievously Vina winked, then shook her head and nodded towards the vine ropes they'd used to ascend.

Don't worry, we can climb down if you want. It's not like we're in any hurry, after all... That said, do both of you prefer climbing over flying?

That question was aimed more at Ruby than Fina. The lavender-haired arms master's gaze made it clear she didn't remember that incident fondly, so Vina assumed she wouldn't want to make use of the druidess's air magic if she could avoid it. Ruby, however, might be all too happy to give it a try, especially if she was given the choice beforehand.

That's not true Fina, we can rely on you for lots of things. (She pointed at herself.) I'm good with magic and Ruby's a skilled and fast explorer, but you're the strongest of us. Not to mention your Arcanamancy is really useful~

She nodded as Ruby pointed out that her Nature Magic could help as well. Plants weren't that good at tracking the movements of birds, but the winds should be helpful there. Looking over the edge as well she scanned the untamed forest that spread out from the plateau they were standing on in every direction.

I agree with going in the other direction this time. We need to explore this island anyway~ But if neither of you wants to fly I'm sure Fina can get me down safely~

@Crimson Ruby @Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

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"Well, I do suppose that if the feathers are more concentrated toward one side, it might mean the bird flies that way more often..." Of course, she had absolutely nothing to back that claim up aside from her own logic. If a bird took flight, it seemed like the time when it would lose feathers most often. Whether that was actually true at all, she had no idea. At least they had no other clues, so it wasn't necessarily like she might have been guiding them completely astray.

Her eyes then wandered to Vina, who had mischievously suggested that the feline would be the one to get her down if they weren't using wind magic. "You can use your magic yourself if you want..." She could already imagine the level of taunting she would receive otherwise. Although she had a feeling that Ruby would have no trouble using the winds to descend without any problems. Not that Fina necessarily had any problems with it... she was just a bit too afraid of it somehow failing.

@Crimson Ruby @Vina Skysong

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby looked at @Vina Skysong and her tail swayed back and forth excitedly, it was certainly wagging. "Flying sounds amazing... I want to give it a shot." Her lips went up in a smile, but @Fina Drago didn't seem too fond to the idea, and for a moment she wondered why. Could it be that the fellow cat had fear of height? Climbing down would be equally complicated to her then...

But a firm nod came from Vina's statement. "She is right, Fina. You are the strongest of us all, raw power and everything. Vina is our heart, I am our legs, aaaand..." She approached the girl from behind, resting her hands on her biceps and squeezing them softly. "You are our muscles~" She then stepped away, casting a grin to the vixen.

"So Vina, about this flying, how does that work?" She inquired, gesturing with her thumb at the direction Fina suggested. "Like Fina said, that side looks much more concentrated, so it may be our first guess."

 

[Vina Skysong]

Vina chuckled light-heartedly as Fina pointed out that the vixen could use magic to fly herself down, even if her feline friend refused the offer. Ruby, on the other hand, seemed to be all too happy to accept Vina's invitation, the druidess nodding as the redhead expressed that desire.

Sounds good~ Don't worry, I've had lots of time to practise it.

Using Aeromancy to fly was mostly a matter of power, with little complexity involved. Given that Vina was an experienced sky druidess and all three of them were fairly lightweight she didn't think carrying all three of them would pose much of a challenge, as long as they didn't travel too far.

Hoping that Fina would change her mind Vina quickly answered Ruby's question, walking towards the edge of the plateau the nest was built on to look at the forest that spread out across the land below them.

There's two ways for us to fly. The first is that I pick us up with the winds and carry us to where we want to go. That one's easy~ (She looked back at the others.) I can also cast a spell so each of us can fly with our own will for a while. That one's a bit trickier, but a lot more fun~ That said, if Fina really doesn't want to fly I'm guessing I should just use the first method to get myself and Ruby down while Fina shows off her muscles~

@Crimson Ruby @Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

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Fina's eyes followed Ruby as the fellow feline moved about until she disappeared from the girl's peripheral vision, body jolting a little bit as her arms were suddenly grabbed. "Muscles, huh..." Ruby probably felt it herself in that moment, but Fina's body wasn't exactly comparable to the bodybuilders one could see on TV. In fact, her body seemed rather average, all things considered. At least in the muscle department, as she still possessed that otherworldly sense of perfect beauty that came with most Starcalled.

Either way, she wasn't about to complicate things. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head as she turned to face Vina, who observed the horizon in the direction in which they had to descend. "Just do your thing, I'm gonna assume you won't intentionally drop me or anything." Though if she tried to be mischevious by disabling the light for a brief second or something, she would have a few arcane hammers flying her way soon enough-

@Crimson Ruby @Vina Skysong

 

[Crimson Ruby]

@Fina Drago's jolt almost brought a laughter out of Ruby, that rose her hands apologetically (but not really). Her eyes then darted back to @Vina Skysong, that explained more about how the flying with the wind magic would work, bringing curiosity to Ruby.

"It is a first time, so I think you can get the full control of it. I trust you." Ruby nodded to Vina, not really wishing to go face first into a ground far, far down just because she couldn't correctly handle a flight, something she wasn't used to do at all.

The fact Fina seemed to be suddenly willing to get into the flight with them brought a sparkle of joy to Ruby, that squeezed the fellow cat girl in a faint hug. "Why! You heard the girl, Vina. Just don't intentionally drop us, and we are all good!" She cheered, bracing herself for the flight. "So, whenever you are ready, beauty." Ruby waited for Vina's lead, letting go of Fina.

 

[Vina Skysong]

Vina nodded as Ruby went with the first option. While it might not be as much fun as letting her two friends fly with their own will, it was the easiest method of getting them both down... and possibly the better choice for the first time. Maybe she could let Ruby and Fina experiment with controlled flight another time.

Fina's comment, however, made Vina blink and look at her friend, her usual friendly smile replaced by genuine puzzlement.

Why would I do that?

The entire concept of intentionally hurting her friend (or anyone for that matter) was so alien to her that she had trouble comprehending why Fina would even mention it. Was it meant as a joke, or did Fina actually think that was something Vina might do? The druidess hoped it was the former, because if it was the latter she had to wonder just how her friend saw her...

However, optimistic as she was, she just assumed she'd missed the joking tone in Fina's voice. Her smile returned and she hummed while holding up her hands, attuning herself with the winds that danced through the skies around them and calling them to herself. Feathers and small twigs were picked up from the nest as the winds swirled around the druidess, her obscenely long silver-white hair dancing as well.

Here we go~!

Throwing her hands towards the ground the winds scattered, flowing around their feet and legs to cover the entire plateau. For a moment there was stillness, then Vina threw her hands back up in the air and a powerful upward draft pushed all three of them a dozen meters into the sky, leaving the plateau and its nest behind.

Vina couldn't negate gravity like astramancers could, but when the winds carried you like this there was little difference in sensation. The vixen's smile was brighter than before, joy apparent in her expression and her posture as she spread her limbs and let the winds hold her aloft. The first gust which had lifted them might have been energetic, but now that they were in the air little more than a gentle breeze surrounded them.

How's it~?

@Crimson Ruby @Fina Drago

 

[Fina Drago]

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Hearing Vina's question and her apparent confusion, the feline was quite tempted to remind the vixen that she decided to throw the two of them into a literal ravine, deep enough that the collision with the water at the bottom would have spattered the both of them the same as if they were to fall onto rocks. But given how quickly everything moved on ahead, the words never quite left Fina's mouth.

Instead, they were thrown upward this time. It caused the girl to flail her limbs for a brief moment, an unpleasant feeling rising in her stomach. It was... surprisingly similar to the unpleasant feeling she got whenever she had to drive anywhere with her father. The man did not know how to go slow, and whenever he would drive a road upward into a suddenly descend or flat road, it would make her unwell. Although now quite as much as being tossed this high up...

"Hng-" The fact that she wasn't able to control her movement and remained somewhat suspended for the time being really wasn't doing her much good, as all she could keep thinking about was what would happen if the magic suddenly stopped working and they were to plummet back down onto the ground. They said that cats always landed on their feet, but humans sure didn't. And catgirls were just about half and half.

@Crimson Ruby @Vina Skysong

 

[Crimson Ruby]

Ruby watched the brief exchange between her friends with curiosity, with tails swaying back and forth as she waited for them to reach for a conclusion, and for @Vina Skysong to get them prepared for a flight. Eager for it, Ruby rushed next to @Fina Drago, pulling her closer and getting them together with the vixen before they parted downwards with an amazing magical maneuver.

Feeling the wind rush and brush her face, hair and tails was wonderful, and Ruby tried to let her body flail freely with the whimscal magic her fox friend had unleashed, swirling midair and letting out a hearty laughter.

"How is it? This is amazing!" She beamed with sparkly eyes. Running at unbelievable speeds was refreshing and wonderful, but flying had its own charm that Ruby couldn't contest. She savoured every moment of it, wishing for it to take as long as possible as they went to meet the ground once again...