Break is thinking likewise. After a similar investigation, he allows himself two sips -- one to swish around in his mouth and ease the lingering tastes of grody saltwater and blood, and the next because the first one doesn't quite rid him of the feeling of thorns in his throat. After that, he replaces the cap, the dog nosing his hand toward it when he fumbles and drops it into his lap.
"...where are we going?" he asks, at length. He's been so preoccupied with getting away from the water and from those awful rocks that he hasn't questioned what there even is to go to. Better ground, the boy had said earlier, but what is there other than that...?
A good question, with no immediately clear answer. Away from the sharp rocks had been the main priority. The boy looks more intently up and down the coastline, at the forest behind them. Surely he can find some hint in the terrain.
"The cliffs start shrinking on the left," he says after a while. "Maybe there's a river or something down that way."
Or something meaning people, especially if there is in fact a river.
There was never any way they were ever going to sort themselves out without more walking and moving. Still, faced with the prospect of this, Break is massively disappointed that he can't just roll over where he is and sleep for a century. If they really have to do a lot of walking, is he even capable of it, at this point? What's going to happen later if they don't find anyone? He's going to have to rely on a child to take care of him, apparently, because he's certainly in no shape to be taking care of the child, which is just dreadful --
I can carry you, comes a voice, into both of their minds.
"Ah?"
If need be, I can carry you, it says again, and the black dog lifts its head proudly, indicating where the voice is coming from. I am here because you are here. I've pulled you from the sea. If the going on land is too much, I can grow large enough to carry you both.
"...ah," Break says again, because what else can he say? A little hesitantly, he lifts a hand, and his omen puts his nose into his palm. If it can really do such things...perhaps it will be alright after all.
The omen's first words cause the boy to look around, startled. He can't have missed someone else being here. But then who spoke?
Then the dog lifts his head as the voice continues, and the boy realizes that there's no sound to this voice. It comes from no direction, there's no vibration to it. His eyes widen. The dog is speaking directly into their minds? Saying it can...shapeshift to grow larger?
Why not? says a part of him, you were a squid a few hours ago. However ridiculous it sounds, there's clearly magic involved here. He doesn't know if that's the sensible part of his mind, or something reckless within him. Regardless, he can't just accept this without saying anything.
Yes! answers the omen immediately, another toss of his head making it clear that he's definitely the one speaking. I am terribly helpful, you know.
The dog sounds so pleased with himself Break can't help but laugh a little, a breathless little chuckle that escapes him softly. He's been burned before by creatures he had a certain soul connection with, but to be fair, the one that really did him dirty didn't bother to lie about the horrible things they would do -- only the fact that it wasn't actually supposed to work, and honestly Break rather deserved what he got for falling for it. This omen feels a lot more like his second Chain, crafted explicitly for him, and with no sense of bloodthirstiness about him at all.
"Sure. Why not. After all, I was -- somehow in the ocean in the first place," Break says, unknowingly echoing the boy's thoughts, in a way. "You can speak this well, then."
When it suits me, the omen answers, and puts his head beneath Break's hand again. See, he is so solid and sturdy, even if he is made of smoke and shadow. All will be well.
The dog's self-assured self-promotion gets a small laugh from the boy as well. He could be more skeptical, but in someplace entirely new, and given the evidence, maybe that's actually the more foolish choice.
Carefully, he reaches out to put a hand on the omen's shoulder.
Baltus accepts the touch easily. He is much more open than Break, and much less skittish. If blind men and children can take comfort simply in his solidity, that's a grand thing indeed, and he is entirely happy to sit here and be dog-shaped and tangible.
An emotional support omen, you might say.
He will wait patiently while Break rests a little while longer, and then urge them both in the direction of people. The Wakers will greet them properly at the boardwalk, and there will be no further need to worry about robes or fresh water or food. It will take a long time to forget the unkindness of the rocks and the sea, but the end of today's road for Break at least will be a bed beneath a roof with two companions from his own world at his side.
He'll wonder about the boy, though, in the days that come after.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2021-09-30 04:29 am (UTC)"...where are we going?" he asks, at length. He's been so preoccupied with getting away from the water and from those awful rocks that he hasn't questioned what there even is to go to. Better ground, the boy had said earlier, but what is there other than that...?
no subject
Date: 2021-10-05 08:07 pm (UTC)"The cliffs start shrinking on the left," he says after a while. "Maybe there's a river or something down that way."
Or something meaning people, especially if there is in fact a river.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-11 01:00 pm (UTC)I can carry you, comes a voice, into both of their minds.
"Ah?"
If need be, I can carry you, it says again, and the black dog lifts its head proudly, indicating where the voice is coming from. I am here because you are here. I've pulled you from the sea. If the going on land is too much, I can grow large enough to carry you both.
"...ah," Break says again, because what else can he say? A little hesitantly, he lifts a hand, and his omen puts his nose into his palm. If it can really do such things...perhaps it will be alright after all.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-15 07:27 pm (UTC)Then the dog lifts his head as the voice continues, and the boy realizes that there's no sound to this voice. It comes from no direction, there's no vibration to it. His eyes widen. The dog is speaking directly into their minds? Saying it can...shapeshift to grow larger?
Why not? says a part of him, you were a squid a few hours ago. However ridiculous it sounds, there's clearly magic involved here. He doesn't know if that's the sensible part of his mind, or something reckless within him. Regardless, he can't just accept this without saying anything.
"...You can...do that?"
no subject
Date: 2021-10-15 11:15 pm (UTC)The dog sounds so pleased with himself Break can't help but laugh a little, a breathless little chuckle that escapes him softly. He's been burned before by creatures he had a certain soul connection with, but to be fair, the one that really did him dirty didn't bother to lie about the horrible things they would do -- only the fact that it wasn't actually supposed to work, and honestly Break rather deserved what he got for falling for it. This omen feels a lot more like his second Chain, crafted explicitly for him, and with no sense of bloodthirstiness about him at all.
"Sure. Why not. After all, I was -- somehow in the ocean in the first place," Break says, unknowingly echoing the boy's thoughts, in a way. "You can speak this well, then."
When it suits me, the omen answers, and puts his head beneath Break's hand again. See, he is so solid and sturdy, even if he is made of smoke and shadow. All will be well.
no subject
Date: 2021-10-22 09:35 pm (UTC)Carefully, he reaches out to put a hand on the omen's shoulder.
Let's wrap here, to make room for newer shenanigans?
Date: 2021-11-04 02:29 am (UTC)An emotional support omen, you might say.
He will wait patiently while Break rests a little while longer, and then urge them both in the direction of people. The Wakers will greet them properly at the boardwalk, and there will be no further need to worry about robes or fresh water or food. It will take a long time to forget the unkindness of the rocks and the sea, but the end of today's road for Break at least will be a bed beneath a roof with two companions from his own world at his side.
He'll wonder about the boy, though, in the days that come after.