the night's shadow. (OPEN)

[jaquael dorian]

It had been hot today. A strange thing for one to speak of in a land where heat is part of the ritual of everyday, however, the heat was so intense, so consuming that part of him had wanted to mention it, simply to see if accepting the truth would make it easier to bare. It had not. Jaquael had continued to treck through the land, on a path that he had taken many times before. Now, normally one would need a well trained guide from the Naoi to treck across the vast dunes of Askaavi, however Jaq had learnt long ago that not all guides could be trusted, after paying his guide and being promptly abanadoned in the center of this harsh landscape, he had vowed to make his own way through the horror that was this place. Honestly, it did not matter to him, being forgotten and remaining independent was something he could deal with and had dealt with for the near entirety of his life. When you were abandoned at a young age, circumstances have a way of forcing this upon you so it becomes all you ever learn.

Slowly the night was creeping in and the black haired man let a small sigh of relief creep out of his airways. A rare cloud cover was within the sky today, which meant that the temperature out in the desert would be pleasently cool. Perhaps he would even go flying. At this thought, Jaquael paused his walking and let his gaze drift longingly to the open sky, oh how he longed to stretch his wings, to dip and dive through the one glamour this land offered that his own home did not. Open sky, it was so rare to find and thus, rarely lusted after. But like a child thrown a silver coin, it is not an oppurtunity than one could easily pass away. A small smile pealed its' way upon his lips, the smile almost looked wry and intuitive, but there was also something peaceful within this look. Something infectious that would make anyone staring at him smile, they would not know why, neither would he, it would simply be that the look of utter peace and longing upon his face would be too much for even the hardest heart to ignore.

Slowly the man knelt, already feeling the change within the temperature coming on. Night fell fast in these deserted regions and though many nocturnal creatures would hazard themselves within these dunes, he knew he had nothing to fear from them, Jaquael always left himself a means of either escape or defense, being a Metamorphi made this so much easier. No longer did he feel hindered by his mere two forms, it was something he had ocmpensated for, something he had become better from. Few could match his morphing skills, it was one of the reasons why the Jhalasi made him their Chief. Something he could be proud of.

His hand raked through the warm sand, he let the particles play upon his palm, rolling between the gaps in his fingers - only, to finally resume the places they had previously been disturbed from. Sand was infinite, like the forest, it could not be destroyed or controlled. Perhaps Askaavi, like the forest of Taravehan was a place of freedom for the Naoi. Nobody could ever truelly know the motives of another race, it was impossible to truelly get inside of their heads. Jaquael perferred to observe, not only was it enlightening, but it was enjoyable also.