Lost at sea, time and space

Julian let Claire go, clearing the table himself. The bird and her brother were obviously otherwise occupied, so he took advantage of it to head outside and rest on the chairs on the verandah. She'd work her feelings out, even if it required a bit of prodding from his end.

He whacked at the falcon, tugging on her feathers again. "Don't chew me." He frowned at her, though he still listened. I know that's what logic dictates, but my instincts haven't been wrong before. She doesn't want to be noticed by Ice either, we're all keeping low. But until I fix my orb, and you find yours, we're stuck here.

Killian gave a sigh, trying to brush off his annoyance. He'd make it up to his sister when she returned. Unsure what to do with himself, his shadows bounced towards Claire's room, curious about the humming, and he reluctantly followed them. She wanted to relax, the shadows should be leaving her alone. "COme back here, you cheeky things."

Hesitant to disturb her, he gave a quiet shrug. "Just rounding up the young ones," he murmured, not mentioned the quiet giggle she'd made. He'd interrupted her quiet time, so he didn't move any further forward. "Sorry for them disturbing you, they haven't learned manners yet." He aimed a stern eye towards them, and the young shadows simply squeaked and hid behind Claire as much as they could. They knew that he wasn't really angry with them.

He hesitated, and gave in when Alkira wandered in to make herself comfortable. "I suppose I'm staying then," he said dryly. Spotting the chair in her room, he took it, stretching his legs out. The shadows bounced around Claire, eager to get to know her now that they'd been given the go ahead. Killian watched her carefully, wondering what she'd been doing. "What were you doing?"

Killian studied the device curiously, then did what she said, listening. He'd never really been a music person, though his captain adored it, and her singing wasn't too bad to listen to. Still, whoever was singing this song was easy to listen to as well. Taking them out, he handed it back to her. "It's nice," he said, unsure what else to say. Watching her as she brushed her hair, he got up, taking the brush and sitting next to her to do it himself. He knew that he shouldn't be encouraging whatever this was, but it just felt right. Humming an old song that his captain often hummed, he got all the tangles out, and braided her hair back into the plait he'd seen her having all the time. Following his instincts, he kissed her cheek softly, no longer questioning. He cared for her now, no matter how much it was going to hurt when he left.

[center]Looking quite surprised when he stood and sat next to her, she wordlessly let him have the brush and sat still as Killian ran it through her thick hair. Unusually shy Claire fiddled with a shirt sleeve, careful fingers split and braided her hair into the usual plait she wore it in that kept it out of her face. Eyes cast down at her shirt sleeve the soft lips brushing against her cheek made her go bright red and look at the man in surprise. Confused as to the feelings that responded to the kiss, Claire swallowed and lightly brushed fingers over the scruff on his jaw. The cold voice demanded that she end whatever was happening, to jerk up her walls and block him out to keep herself safe from pain. Electing to ignore the voice tonne selfish and let herself enjoy this, whatever this was turning into, to continue. [/centre]

He tilted his head a little, unconsciously leaning into her touch lightly. He'd let his hand rest on the bed, not touching her as he waited for her response. He shouldn't be doing this, it was only going to hurt her, but he didn't want to stop. He was comfortable around her, and that was a feeling he rarely got. Unsure what to do now, he stayed still, studying her eyes curiously.

Watching him she finally spoke "we shouldn't be doing this, letting this happen but, I want to anyway" Claire's voice was quiet and shy, her hand dropped from his face and her eyes also flicked down. Her hands rested neatly in her lap, she wasn't used to being this shy around someone. She wasn't used to wanting to be around anyone, he was comfortable to be around she felt safe here with him. Awaiting his reply and feeling surprisingly nervous she was expecting him to go and stop whatever was going on between them

"I know." That didn't make him want to stop. He wanted to stay with her, even if he knew he had to go back. "I don't want to go," he murmured, trying to work out what to say. His shadows picked up on his nervousness and flocked to him, clustering around him to try and comfort him a little. Alkira didn't move, quite happy snoozing near Cynder.

Her gaze switched to his hands, reaching out she took one of his hands in one of her smaller ones. Lacing her fingers with his Claire murmured "I wish you could" watching his shadows flock to him in an attempt to comfort him, Claire dragged her eyes up to meet his gaze. Her own shadows had ceased their play and had settled down watching the pair of them while the dragon groomed itself with a forked tongue. Staring at his familiar features the nagging returned, she knew him from somewhere other than the books and meeting him those months ago. However unable to place it the nagging was shelved, wanting to hug him but fearful of being rejected Claire comforted herself with the fact that the orb of his was broken and would take a while to fix. Selfish perhaps but it was a small ray of sunshine for her.

He let her take his hand, curling his fingers around hers to hold her. "Me too." He tugged her closer, wanting to hug her, so he did, slipping his arm around her shoulders hesitantly. "The orb will take a while to fix, at least." That was a comforting thought, he was stuck here until the orb was fixed. "If Mel doesn't have hers, I'm staying anyway. She needs me too." She wouldn't like it at first, but he didn't want to leave her alone. Spotting a tendril of hair that had already escaped, he tucked it behind her ear, keeping his gaze trained on her just in case he did something she didn't like.

Finding herself being tugged closer she leaned into him when an arm was slipped about her shoulders. Accepting the contact she smiled slightly when an escaped lock of hair was tucked behind an ear, "okay, I suppose we just take it day by day then" she could cope with that, it was a plan that worked. One of her arms slipped around his torso seemingly content to cuddle with him. Humming quietly the tune soon took the form of her current favourite song, she could live in the moment she'd been doing that for quite a long time now. She'd likely continue to live in the moment once he was gone a way to cope, pushing that to the side for now she just made herself comfortable there

Returning to the farmhouse empty clawed the falcon landed on the porch near the man who'd first found her here can you guide me to where you found me? he knew his land well, she hadn't been able to find the right spot and that was the reason why she turned to the stockman. He'd surely remember where he'd set the trap meant for the stupid cat, the falcon carefully made its way over to him and hopped up onto his shoulder. She kept quiet about the row with her brother and her worry for him, she did not wish to see him hurt but that was where he was headed folllwing foolish instincts

Julian glanced up from his book, eyeing the falcon. "Of course. Now?" It wasn't too dark yet, and the horses knew their way around the property. Slipping the bookmark into the book, he got to his feet, stroking her back lightly as he'd got into the habit of doing. "It won't take too long to get there. Is there something you've lost?" It wouldn't hurt to leave Claire and Killian alone, either.

Now would be perfect, blinking her eyes she didn't protest the gentle stroke of her back feathers. talons firmly but carefully gripped the mans shoulder, keeping her rooted there at his question the bird was silent until he had mounted a horse yes, the item that brought me all this way from where I was in the timeline, finding it will be the key to fixing my brothers and sending him back righting a feather that had become out of place she didn't add that this sudden desire to find it was to try and keep her brother safe. Glancing at the male who was taking her back to where she'd been wounded and trapped she kept her thoughts to herself and turned her gaze towards the place where the sun was almost fully gone from the sky

He considered her a moment, turning the horse's head for the road he'd put the cat trap on. "What about you? Are you not going to go back with him?" Her wording was strange, and he puzzled over it, trying to understand. "Why the sudden urge to find it, feathers? Haven't been so eager before." He'd picked up on some tension between Claire and the bird, but hadn't quite worked out the reasoning to it yet.

Hopping down she perched on the saddles horn and looked out over the landscape i will naturally be going with him, we do not belong in this time and the sooner we are back in place the sooner the timeline can return to normal Melissa explained quietly, flicking her tail somewhat dismissively she again turned her thoughts towards being human again. It did feel like she'd never be on two feet again but she continued to rely on her logic. This time the logic was a little stressed and desperate but it was logic still, she didn't understand how others so easily relied upon their emotions, emotions were foolish and did nothing except her in the way.

He scratched her back as he guided the horse steadily. "I understand that, but what if he wants to stay here? With her? What will you do?" He wasn't looking to upset her, only asking for the logical side of things. He'd picked up that she liked logic, so he was trying, though he often followed his gut as well. "And what about you? Do you want to go back?"

He gave a quiet sigh. "You seem very sure of yourself feathers. Make sure you're not setting yourself up for disappointment then." Growing silent, he guided the horse up the steep slope, thinking through a few things. "He's all you've got, isn't he?" he finally murmured. "You don't want to lose him. I can understand that." Finally at the corner, he pulled the horse to a stop. "I hid the trap over there."

Of course he was, he always had been the only thing she'd ever had worth staying alive for. It was te sake of her brother that kept her coming back after every hunt and keep herself well prepared so she would survive them. She didn't reply to the Stockmans words instead letting the silence answer for her. When he told her where he'd left the trap the bird took to the air and flew the short distance to where she'd hidden the orb. Digging it up from the base of a straggly tree it was hard work with a beak and claws that weren't designed for digging. Hot and dirty by the time she found it again she touched her claws to it and gripped it, a spark of energy knocked her unconscious for a few seconds. Finding herself on the ground a human once again and harshly gripping the orb of misfortune, Melissa slowly stood feeling incredibly sore. Walking the short distance back she found Julian on the horse waiting for her "found it" her voice was hoarse from a lack of use Melissa not stopping to think of the mans possible reactions to a random woman showing up with a strange golden orb in her left hand.