Elijah was more or less, well, bored. The heat above land was excruciating. Summer had finally come to settle over Lake Hylia, but who knew it'd be so... hot. Wait no, forget that, it made total sense. Yet the moment Elijah transformed into human form he just... wasn't feeling it. The sun beat down on the lake without a single cloud of relief in sight, and it had hardly passed midday. At first he had tried to wait it out, slumbering under the shaded oaks and pines along the shore, blankets piled beneath him. It didn't work. It was too sweaty. Too humid. Sure, he liked water. But not when it was boiling. His pale skin didn't deserve this kind of treatment. And so he slipped beneath the waves, and without a single word, into his eel form. The water was his home, and in his home he craved entertainment. The countless patches of seaweed and sunken rocks provided hiding and swimming practice, but soon, even that became dull. No... what he craved was deviousness. His thin formed slipped back and forth between the rocks, carving out their own path into a rather deep outcropping. His pupils bounced back and forth, searching for a target above the waters. 'Where could I find someone to... aha.' A pair of feet. Shin-deep. Perhaps a child. He might have felt some sort of guilt for what he was about to do, seeing as playing tricks on children had that effect on him, but as an eel, he could only process so much emotion. But he could process a plan. The outcropping was made of solid rock, connected to the rest of the shore. On the edge it hung outwards, and although you might think it shallow below, it fell into a deep hole of water. Circling himself around, he silently crept forward, suddenly darting forward in an attempt to grab a foot in his mouth. Not in a malicious way, just for a little... dunking. --- ooc (Move your mouse to reveal the content) ooc (open) ooc (close) @AsheKryssaean ily and i wrote this so fast but so slow im so sorry
Feru was enjoying one of Hyrules hottest days she had known, and she had known many. It didn't bother her as much as it did the larger Hylian of the region, she had lived outside most if her life. And as far as extreme weather Feru decided she would much rather be a little overheated than caught in the snow. Yes, this was not so bad. Besides, she had just reached lake Hylia and a quick swim would take care of any discomfort from the heat quite nicely. Feru decided it would be nice to rest at the side of the lake, she had been travelling all day. She found a very nice spot shaded by some maple trees. Even better this was not one of the sandy shores but a rocky outcropping touching the edge of the lake. She removed her pack and set it in top of her Deku leaf on the rock next to her. Sitting down she dipped her legs into the water, which felt far more refreshing than she expected. That settled things, then. She would have to go for a swim after some food. She turned back to her pack... and suddenly found herself submerged in the cold water of the lake. Shocked by the sudden change Feru floated, unmoving, for about a second or two before her instincts kicked in. Cursing inwardly at herself she drew her knife and did not immediately go for the surface, instead pulling her limbs in close. Trying to see underwater was difficult but she expected to see the recognizable form of maybe a Zora. The lake was usually relatively safe but she assumed she had run afoul of the one Zora outlaw preying on lone travellers. But there was no Zora. Instead she caught sight of a very long, serpentine, blurry shape. A giant snake? Of course, it must have mistaken her for common prey. Feru relaxed significantly. This was something she could deal with using her language of the fauna. Or at least a minimum of force to drive it away. She focused her energy and reached out to the massive snake with her mind. She felt the familiar connection but something was off. Its mind didn't feel like that of a simple animal. She hoped it wasn't sick or corrupted somehow. Or a monster, that would ruin her chance fending it off with words alone. <I am not food! I bite back! Leave me be. > It was a simple message but snakes were not mentally complex, and she did not want to risk confusing it.
The leg slipped quickly from his somewhat-soft mouth, but the momentum of the yank had already finished what he planned. He quickly reeled his head around, facing his current victim, the rest of his body still moving from his former action. Again, his pupils drifted over the human, taking in as much information as he could as an eel. Short. Thin. The first feeling that came into his mind was 'hatchling', but he quickly threw that out for a better term. 'Child. You're human. Not just an eel, Elijah. Help her.' A primitive sort of guilt flooded his senses as he swam forward, although just as swiftly leaving his body as he watched her take out something. Something that reflected sun. A knife. <I am not food! I bite back! Leave me be. > Elijah stopped in his tracks (Tracks? He doesn't have legs...). He could definitely hear something, and he was almost completely sure that something had come from the child. 'Food..? Does she think I want to eat her? I don't want that.' He nudged his body forward, slowly yet surely. He tried with all his might to send back a message, but didn't know how. He really tried too, pushing all his might into thinking a few words, but all went unheard to the other, for he did not have her power. 'No eat. No fight. I am Elijah.' He swam even closer, unaware of what danger he might be in. 'I have food. Do you want some? Can you hear me.' No answer. There wouldn't be one. He stopped, realizing he wasn't getting a response. Perhaps... she couldn't breath? He dived under her, trying to keep to a reasonable speed as to not scare her, planning to nudge the ball of a child upwards to the surface. --- ooc (Move your mouse to reveal the content) ooc (open) ooc (close) elijah's gonna get stabbed and i don't regret it. DO IT.
Elijah? Feru found it difficult to process the response she received. It wasn't because she couldn't understand the message, quite the opposite. Snakes generally communicated in very simple thoughts and feelings, but these words were shockingly clear. Especially claiming a name like Elijah, it sounded eloquent and... human. She couldn't wrap her mind around it, possibly because she needed air to think. She was reminded of this as the creature swam beneath her in a slow, non threatening manner. Taking its cue from the gentle nudge it gave her Feru broke the surface and pulled herself back up onto the rocks. She looked back in time to catch a glimpse at what she was dealing with. It seemed to be an eel? That didn't make much sense either. She didn't have any prior experience talking to eels but she couldn't imagine any were named Elijah. Of course there was a very simple solution to the question rolling around in her head. <What are you?>
He watched her softly (well... as softly as a nine foot eel could) climb back onto the rock, proud she had somehow understood him. His tail flicked as he kept himself afloat, eyes alight just below the surface. Again, there it was again. That nagging feeling at the back of his skull. You must see, in his eel form he was much more prone to think just as the beast he had become. Yet somehow that conflicted with what he actually was, a human. Even this, to him, was confusing and he tried to keep it simple emotion wise when it came to his eel form. And yet somehow he had reduced to being worried for the child he was playing a prank on. 'Stupid and unnecessary,' said his eel mind. 'Mae,' he really thought. <What are you?> Whoops. He'd gotten sidetracked. He backed the rest of his body deeper so the light couldn't hit it, the water was becoming too warm. <An eel.> His mother would have slapped him for that one. Or at least, he thinks she would. Oh man if he was human... he wished he could grin as an eel. <I told you. I am Elijah. Or I think I told you. Not many people speak to me, even as an eel. It's... harder to think as an eel.> He tried making sense of what he said. Maybe it would be easier to be in human form so he could actually speak like a human being. But he was afraid. What he saw was a child, one being surprising brave and who also happened to hold a knife. Perhaps not the best choice to let her know a teenage- young man-eel pulled her into the water. What was she.... ten? <I live here. Benefit of breathing water.>
Just an eel? She was almost sure she caught a sense of amusement with Elijah's answer. She couldn't puzzle out what might be so funny, or how she could even pick up on his mental tone so well. Elijah went on to explain how it was hard to think as an eel. That made even less sense and she cocked her head to the side in confusion. She realized she still had her knife in hand and decided she should put that away. This eel named Elijah was not trying to hurt her. It could have easily followed up its attack right after pulling her in but instead had urged her back to the surface. Feru relaxed her body and turned her side slightly to the eel. <Were you someone's animal companion? Did they change you with magic? Your words are very clear.> Feru asked, her best guess being that Elijah had been someone's pet. A skilled mage could possibly improve the mental capacity of a favorite pet. Feru wondered how long Elijah had lived here in the lake. She had no idea how long eels even lived, this was the first she had even spoken to. <And why did you pull me into the lake?> she added as an afterthought.
He hadn't even realized her knife was still out. This child could have sliced him and he wouldn't even had noticed there was danger in the first place. Man. He needed to work on that. <Were you someone's animal companion? Did they change you with magic? Your words are very clear.> He visibly stiffened when this was mentioned, his once flowing body ridged, but only for a moment. Struggling, he focused on answering in a calm way, however that may be possible through his own mind. <Companion. That sounds nice.> Sadly, there was no way keeping the out the tense tone of his thoughts. He did want to remember his life, but not that part excessively. 'This is what you get Elijah. Please refrain from dumping your sob story on a ten year old girl.' <Perhaps I just happen to be the world's smartest eel?> He whined, adding the next part quickly, <Perhaps I should just... Wait, the real question is why is a child wielding a weapon? And acting so fearless? I pulled you in the lake because that's my nature, why did you proclaim to bite back?>
Feru could tell she had unsettled the animal, but she was not sure why. Perhaps this eels owner had passed or had not treated it well? Or maybe it had been touched by magic and found the results to be unpleasant. Despite how clear its thoughts were Feru found it harder to understand. Was it being intentionally evasive? When Elijah asked why she, a child to his eyes, was armed and unafraid, Feru was reminded not many knew Kokiri. She supposed if the average adult was unfamiliar with her race Elijah was even less likely to know of the Kokiri. It also occurred to her that it was impolite not to introduce oneself. How many months or years had it been since her last trip beyond the forest? <I am Feru, and I am not a Hylian child. I am of the Kokiri people. We do not die of old age. Our father is a great tree in the heart of the forest. And I mistook you for a giant snake trying to eat me when I first saw you. I thought to warn you off with the threat of a 'bite'.> Feru shrugged and looked over as her rat companion, Piquee, emerged sleepily from her pack. The rodent regarded her for a moment before sitting on his haunches and grooming himself. He looked at the water briefly and then yawned. If he had spotted Elijah beneath the surface the rat was not concerned. That was not surprising since he could clearly see Feru was relaxed if completely soaked. <Oh. Do you only eat fresh prey? I have some cooked food. Were you ever given cooked meat?>
He listened to her words carefully, racking his small mind for comprehension. 'Kokiri?' Perhaps he had forgotten them too after he had been taking. It sounded familiar, like something stuck on the tip of his tongue. Nevertheless, he realized his mistake. The child in front of him was probably not a child at all, and he could have toooootally let her swim up herself. <My bad. Perhaps someday I will travel to this forest so I can meet more old-children like you.> He paused. <Depends on what time you're referring to, before or after I was stuck in a tank.> Again, he was conflicted on what to do. With his newfound knowledge of the person (Feru, Feru is her name) sitting in front of him, he felt like it'd be more beneficial to change now. At first what had stopped him was guilt, now it was more of embarrassment he hadn't already done so. Besides, it had been days since his last meal, not many travelers were quick to offer food like this. He did eat fish and other small aquatic animals but... cooked meat... Plus, what better opportunity to get free food than off of someone you just dunked in a lake. He would really prefer to stay in this form but... he could think, talk, and eat cooked food soooo much better in his other. He shook off the thoughts quickly, taking a moment before shaking off yet another thing; his eel form. He forced his eel body upwards toward the rock, trying to picture his human form as best he could so he may muster up the energy to change. Sure, it'd gotten easier since his first time, but he still needed to practice. However he'd gotten lucky. He changed mid-jump, and instead of a flopping fish landing on the rock, a single arm did instead, pulling along another arm and a head. He forcefully smiled, trying to pull up his weight, "Food sounds lovely." Never forget your manners Elijah. "Please."
Old children? Feru could not help but to giggle at that. But then she had to pause, now utterly bewildered. Elijah spoke of visiting Kokiri Forest possibly. She was almost sure eels were not amphibious but again this was the first she had met. At least she knew now that Elijah had been kept in a tank. She was about to ask how he meant to travel overland to the forest when something unexpected happened. Feru had noticed as she got older that fewer things surprised her, and the things that did grew further and further apart. Elijah the eel suddenly transforming into Elijah the human.... that was immediately near the top of her mental 'most surprising events' list. She even startled a bit as Elijah pulled himself up onto the rock, and Piquee jumped to her shoulder to glare at the boy, teeth bared. Reflexively, Feru reached up to gently pet the agitated rat, reassuring him that Elijah was not an enemy. She scooted herself backward a bit to make room for the boy. It took her another moment to realize he had spoken to her, verbally. Unable to find her own voice at first Feru simply patted the stone next to her, indicating for Elijah to sit with her. Unable to tear her eyes away from him Feru fumbled in her pack until she found what she was looking for by feel. The rabbit, freshly cooked earlier today, and mushrooms from the forest, were presented to the eel/human. Feru was still in shock but managed to finally find her voice, almost forgetting to speak with words and not her mind. Would the language of the fauna even work as it had before? "H-help yourself." She said and stared at Elijah. Was he a person with the mind of an eel or an eel with the body of a person? Feru had suspected the involvement of magic but she had never imagined anything like this. "I... have so many questions." She hoping Elijah might volunteer his story, but after a few moments he seemed reluctant to do so. "I'm sorry, if you don't want to talk about it that's fine. But could you at least tell me, are you really an eel that became human? Or were you human to begin with?"
He knew she was watching him closely, and in all honestly he wanted to giggle. As childish as it seemed, it been a while since one of his little schemes had gotten such a reaction from someone. A long, long time. Once he had his arms in place, he hauled himself all the way up onto the rock, his mind slowly kicking back into it's normal processing speed. Maybe now he'd be less of an idiot. Or at least feel like it. Once on top of the rock his eyes fell upon the animal on her shoulder, his hunger suddenly making itself known even further. Surely she didn't mean to- hey he didn't judge. Food was food. And then she pet it. '...Oh.' Hopefully she hadn't seen a trace of what he'd assumed on his face. Hopefully. He took the seat next to her quickly, sending a quick smile before plopping down, still half soaked. He had left his shirt on shore that day, trading the material for his scrawny bare torso (it was simply... too hot), but at least he still wore pants. Wet pants. Much better than wet shirt somehow. Taking the food from her hands, he reminded himself, once again, to use his manners. "Thanks." ...Good enough. The question came soon after (well... less of a question and more confusion, but it would become a question soon). He expected it, but felt himself pause at the thought of sharing what he remembered. It couldn't be that much harm and yet... he hadn't told anyone what had happened to him in the long years he'd been kept. Even his own mind couldn't relay the information back to him. He grabbed the ends of his hair, which was now drying into long strands that fell to his lower back, and rang them out. He tried to focus on the puddle forming from his drying hair and pants when Feru changed up the question. He made a choice. "Human. I was human first." Pulling a band of fabric from his wrist, he continued, "I don't... really remember much." Too much pausing, he didn't want to seem like he was scared. He pulled the strands of hair and tied them up into his normal bun, keeping them out of his face so he could eat. "I was taken and turned. I had a family and stuff, but seems like they didn't care enough to find me." He snorted before taking a bite out of the cooked rabbit. He knew he was being vague but felt as if he shouldn't dump all his troubles on a stranger... even though he took her food. Perhaps she did deserve context.
Both the Kokiri and the rat noticed the flash of hunger in Elijah's eyes. Feru made no indication she had noticed as it faded quickly but Piquee bristled and hissed. <Calm down, he's not an enemy.> she communicated to Piquee, who was not so easily reassured. <It wants to eat Piquee.> the rat informed her simply of what she already knew. <Lots of things want to eat you, Piquee. I will not let them. And look it- he, likes cooked rabbit over fresh rat.> Piquee remained alert but he seemed satisfied Elijah had chosen the rabbit as his meal. Free to focus on Elijah again Feru smiled and nodded acknowledging his thanks. She also considered what he said, and wondered about what he did not say. "Taken and turned..." she repeated. "Who would do such a thing, and why?" Feru knew people were strange and did awful things to each other; but Elijah's situation was beyond her. She had never heard of quite such a thing and she could not even guess at why someone would do that. She decided she had been far more disconnected from the world than she thought. How many more people were out there in Elijah's kind of situation? She also noticed he looked a bit bitter, talking about his family and how they seemed to not care what happened to him. She wondered if she should try to reassure him. Admittedly she did not always understand people. People were generally much more complex mentally and emotionally than the company she usually kept. "Maybe your family can't find you? Have you tried searching for them?" As the words left her mouth she supposed they were not reassuring at all but made her sound judgemental, maybe. "Mmmm, maybe. Do you need help finding them or... do you... not want to find them?" Feru was becoming less and less sure of herself. She lived fairly simply most days, but Elijah's situation was anything but.
"Taken and turned... Who would so such a thing, and why?" His sister always told him he should be more open, and what better time to fulfill that request like... five years after he'd last seen her face. He waited a moment, letting her finish as well as letting himself come up with a sensible answer. How could he delicately say that he was a wild, huge animal that would have toootally killed a small child like herself if he'd been hungry, as well as describe the woman who had done this to him. He didn't know how to talk about her because he didn't even remember her himself. "I don't... know?" Nice job, Elijah, real load of context there. "I mean- I just don't remember... her? I can remember specks, she was always hovering over me, she was in the room a lot but that's... all really." A thought crossed his mind half way through, not liking his own somber tone. He laughed shortly and held up the cooked rabbit, "Maybe she wanted a nice bowl of eel soup but got sentimental." Oh. He didn't realize he might have sounded like he was super bitter (even though he totally might have been). He didn't... blame his family. He knew they had no way of finding him, and probably didn't even know what happened the night he got taken. Yet it still nagged at him, the irrational blame at the back of his head (what a child). He pushed the thoughts away. "I don't remember them either. I know they exist but nothing else, really." His eyes dimmed at her offer, trying to realize what she was saying. Was she considering to help find them? 'Tough luck,' he wanted to say out loud, 'I don't even remember their faces.' Instead, he settled for an offset smile and a hint of guilt in his eyes. He appreciated the thought but he had long accepted he could never find his family based on what he remembered. "I haven't tried looking because- well- there's nothing I can look for. The only thing I can recall is-" He paused, realizing that perhaps there was one thing. One thing he'd held onto for years. "-one of my sibling's faces. And name actually. Not much help."
A name and a face, and only vague memories of an abductor. Feru tried to smile along with Elijah as he tried to make light of his situation. That was hard, though. His story thus far made her both sad and... angry. Living things were not meant to be kept in cages. That was one of the aspects of society she abhorred the most, but there was little she could do to change the world. One small Kokiri could not do much at all in the grand scheme of things. At least that was how she saw things. But perhaps she could at least help Elijah? "There is one thing you could try. In the towns and cities there are big wooden boards where people post all sorts of things. Usually notices for the town or offers for jobs. We could find someone to draw their likeness. I can read and write Hylian so maybe we could let people know who you are looking for. It... could take a long while before you would get a response, or... um, sometimes there is no response..." Oh how kind of you, Feru, to offer hope then so quickly dash that hope. But I suppose that is the truth of things. Maybe better to make that clear. "But we could also go to many towns and even ask around... I want to help you. I-if you want my help. That is. Someone somewhere must know something, right?" She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. This had to be the most she had said at once in years.
Her offer was a kind one, it felt like she really did wish to help him, without a sense of expecting something in return. He somewhat remembered the board she was speaking off, but then again there probably wasn't a real reason for a well-off family like his to use one. Would that mean that only lower-class people used them- and if so- would they know his family? Would they have been to his hometown? Would he be going to his hometown? He wanted to ask all these questions, but knew Feru would not have the answers. No one did. The gloomy comment slipped through his ears without a second thought, he was thinking too hard of what he wanted to do and what might happen if he accepted her offer. He shifted uncomfortably, "I... I appreciate the offer. I just don't... know if I want to go back?" Realizing what he said, his eyes widened in guilt and he tried to backtrack, waving his hands back and forth. "Wait! No- not like- look I want to find my sister. My brothers. I just feel so free, so alive out here at the lake and..." He turned his head to the sky, a single cloud passing overhead despite the heat and blaring sunlight. "Screw it. You're too kind, Feru." He sighed, "Thank... thank you."
Feru had assumed that Elijah would want to seek out his family but now it seemed that assumption was not entirely accurate. Reconsidering the situation she supposed it made just as much sense that he would be apprehensive about finding his family. She could certainly relate. After all, for her own reasons, she had little desire to reconnect with her own people. Though mostly he seemed uncertain, hesitant. Perhaps he was afraid of what he might find. Or... not find? She smiled and inclined her head in response to the boy's thanks. "It's your choice, of course. I would like to help if I can but I shouldn't pressure you either way. This is... a nice place to call home." She stared out at the lake. I imagine if I were transformed into an eel and lost my memories there would be no better place to live than Lake Hylia.
