Alpha Interviews - Jackie: Meeting in the Middle (SP-RP15/16)
Quote from Mae on August 10, 2023, 11:54 amKratos listened behind himself and smiled out of sight of Jackie. He walked on, til he reached the base of the hill, when then he stopped.
"The water level is rising." He said, looking gravely east. "Go scout the pond and outlet. Then return and report. I want to know how high it is and how fast it is moving."
Kratos listened behind himself and smiled out of sight of Jackie. He walked on, til he reached the base of the hill, when then he stopped.
"The water level is rising." He said, looking gravely east. "Go scout the pond and outlet. Then return and report. I want to know how high it is and how fast it is moving."
Quote from Indy on August 10, 2023, 2:25 pmJackie tilted her head to the command, watching as Kratos did at the vantage of the hill. She had supposed then, the title 'scout', was self-explanatory enough - yet what further did it mean? To what end did she inspect the water level? Though she could have voiced the question, there was intrigue enough in following the direction of what Kratos asked her. Often anyways, she learned best by doing than by being told.
She took one more sweeping look of the vantage, then retreated from the base of the hill. She jogged east towards the lake, where only an hour prior she had hunted the deer. Though some memory served of its conditions, it was not to the specificity Kratos requested. To what end she could require more detail, however, she was uncertain.
She arrived where the river ran into the pond. She approached slowly. The water moved rapidly, allowing for no stillness to settle on the surface. She could discern the water moved rapidly into pond, but by how much? She peered below the surface of the water, but the distortion of the movement did not allow for her to peer easily beneath it. Instead, she removed her shoes and stuck a foot tentatively beneath the surface. Though the outflow might threaten to send her within its depths if she were not careful, it was not a large enough stream that she was terribly concerned.
Underfoot, it was easier to feel the growth of the plants which had grown above the water, until only recently. The growth went further than her foot could reach, thus leaving her something of an impasse. Should she jump in? She thought she could out swim the current if she needed to the next shoreline - for the lake was not so massive as to be impassable - yet there was hesitation to do so with the lightning so close at hand. She tasted the air, sensing the water and electricity.
She had time... yes, she was certain of it. She removed her outer layers of clothing for the second time that day, placing it upon the shore, then embraced the ice-cold water without regard for the next thought. The current pushed her back, although the shore was not terribly deep, so she stood upon it up to her knees and felt the growth beneath her toes. The sensation, though unpleasant, had a certain depth in tactile information that could not help but delight. She waded further until she reached the silty depths, then peered back to the shore. It appeared the water had encroached upon four feet of land already.
Rather than fight the current, she allowed it to push her where it may - swimming further into the lake until her feet could not catch the bottom. She assumed the lake was draining perhaps in the field, but the current would inform her better than her eyes could
Jackie tilted her head to the command, watching as Kratos did at the vantage of the hill. She had supposed then, the title 'scout', was self-explanatory enough - yet what further did it mean? To what end did she inspect the water level? Though she could have voiced the question, there was intrigue enough in following the direction of what Kratos asked her. Often anyways, she learned best by doing than by being told.
She took one more sweeping look of the vantage, then retreated from the base of the hill. She jogged east towards the lake, where only an hour prior she had hunted the deer. Though some memory served of its conditions, it was not to the specificity Kratos requested. To what end she could require more detail, however, she was uncertain.
She arrived where the river ran into the pond. She approached slowly. The water moved rapidly, allowing for no stillness to settle on the surface. She could discern the water moved rapidly into pond, but by how much? She peered below the surface of the water, but the distortion of the movement did not allow for her to peer easily beneath it. Instead, she removed her shoes and stuck a foot tentatively beneath the surface. Though the outflow might threaten to send her within its depths if she were not careful, it was not a large enough stream that she was terribly concerned.
Underfoot, it was easier to feel the growth of the plants which had grown above the water, until only recently. The growth went further than her foot could reach, thus leaving her something of an impasse. Should she jump in? She thought she could out swim the current if she needed to the next shoreline - for the lake was not so massive as to be impassable - yet there was hesitation to do so with the lightning so close at hand. She tasted the air, sensing the water and electricity.
She had time... yes, she was certain of it. She removed her outer layers of clothing for the second time that day, placing it upon the shore, then embraced the ice-cold water without regard for the next thought. The current pushed her back, although the shore was not terribly deep, so she stood upon it up to her knees and felt the growth beneath her toes. The sensation, though unpleasant, had a certain depth in tactile information that could not help but delight. She waded further until she reached the silty depths, then peered back to the shore. It appeared the water had encroached upon four feet of land already.
Rather than fight the current, she allowed it to push her where it may - swimming further into the lake until her feet could not catch the bottom. She assumed the lake was draining perhaps in the field, but the current would inform her better than her eyes could
Quote from Indy on August 12, 2023, 10:03 pmWater ran down her back as she stood on the shore. She rung out her hair and wiped most of the water from her skin, then carefully dressed in her clothing - jeans snagging on wet-skin. She did not put on her shoes and socks, but instead opted to hold onto them under her arm. Once dressed, she began towards the hill where she had last seen Kratos.
Water ran down her back as she stood on the shore. She rung out her hair and wiped most of the water from her skin, then carefully dressed in her clothing - jeans snagging on wet-skin. She did not put on her shoes and socks, but instead opted to hold onto them under her arm. Once dressed, she began towards the hill where she had last seen Kratos.
Quote from Mae on August 12, 2023, 10:12 pmKratos would be found, sitting at the base of the hill with his elbows on his knees and his fingers gently locked. With his head low and his brow heavy, his golden eyes glinting, he looked watchful. But it would become apparent at her approach that he was, in fact, lost in thought. When Jackie arrived, Kratos lifted his chin and a smile took his lips.
"Well?" He said. "What did you find?"
Kratos would be found, sitting at the base of the hill with his elbows on his knees and his fingers gently locked. With his head low and his brow heavy, his golden eyes glinting, he looked watchful. But it would become apparent at her approach that he was, in fact, lost in thought. When Jackie arrived, Kratos lifted his chin and a smile took his lips.
"Well?" He said. "What did you find?"
Quote from Indy on August 12, 2023, 11:42 pmThe thoughts behind Kratos' eyes intrigued her, yet she before she could voice a question his words were onto the next thought. Still damp to the touch, and dripping in others, she was teeming with much information on the lake.
"It looks like the shore has advanced by about four feet in some places... I can't touch the bottom when I stand in the middle. When I swam down it seemed about three times my height. There's fish in there, although the water wasn't clear enough to see what they were.... the lake is outflowing into the field behind it in uh... little streams... like, a dozen of them, but they all criss-cross over each other. The water hasn't made precise paths yet in the field.. Umm, from the inflow, the water was cold - colder than the lake".
She blinked and refocused on him, "Is that what you wanted to know?"
The thoughts behind Kratos' eyes intrigued her, yet she before she could voice a question his words were onto the next thought. Still damp to the touch, and dripping in others, she was teeming with much information on the lake.
"It looks like the shore has advanced by about four feet in some places... I can't touch the bottom when I stand in the middle. When I swam down it seemed about three times my height. There's fish in there, although the water wasn't clear enough to see what they were.... the lake is outflowing into the field behind it in uh... little streams... like, a dozen of them, but they all criss-cross over each other. The water hasn't made precise paths yet in the field.. Umm, from the inflow, the water was cold - colder than the lake".
She blinked and refocused on him, "Is that what you wanted to know?"
Quote from Mae on August 12, 2023, 11:47 pmKratos' smile did not fade. He stood to his full height and nodded his head.
"Yes, Jackie." He said. "I knew you would be very thorough. And that is what I expect you to do. This territory is your playground. You may investigate every minute crease and corner of it, so long as you do so prudently. The more you know about it, the quicker you will know when anything is amiss. Teach yourself by using all your senses to observe your surroundings. And then, at the next full moon, I will teach you something that you cannot teach yourself."
Kratos' smile did not fade. He stood to his full height and nodded his head.
"Yes, Jackie." He said. "I knew you would be very thorough. And that is what I expect you to do. This territory is your playground. You may investigate every minute crease and corner of it, so long as you do so prudently. The more you know about it, the quicker you will know when anything is amiss. Teach yourself by using all your senses to observe your surroundings. And then, at the next full moon, I will teach you something that you cannot teach yourself."
Quote from Indy on August 16, 2023, 3:31 pmOnce upon a time, she might have detested an assignment to such a seemingly "meaningless" task. But to what end would her talents be better served? The coolness of water against skin, the smell of growth and animal in the earth, the sound of birds, the flow of air, the crackle of lightning - all of it served into some greater meaning she could not explain. Only that now she possessed the senses to detect them, and for that end alone, she could find no greater pleasure with what she knew and what she had.
She turned to the land as Kratos did, only for a seemingly obvious question to bubble to mind. How had she not asked it before? Or had she been told once, and hadn't listened? Yet if she were given a task, she need know the bounds of which to explore it too.
"How far does this territory go?" she asked, turning to the mountains they had spent the summer... even them? Would she trek upon them - in the same place she and Ulric had almost been killed? Suddenly the depth of knowledge, and the extent by which to explore, was a boundless task. A thing without meaning due to its size. Yet was ever she to be held back by such a thing as impossibility?
Once upon a time, she might have detested an assignment to such a seemingly "meaningless" task. But to what end would her talents be better served? The coolness of water against skin, the smell of growth and animal in the earth, the sound of birds, the flow of air, the crackle of lightning - all of it served into some greater meaning she could not explain. Only that now she possessed the senses to detect them, and for that end alone, she could find no greater pleasure with what she knew and what she had.
She turned to the land as Kratos did, only for a seemingly obvious question to bubble to mind. How had she not asked it before? Or had she been told once, and hadn't listened? Yet if she were given a task, she need know the bounds of which to explore it too.
"How far does this territory go?" she asked, turning to the mountains they had spent the summer... even them? Would she trek upon them - in the same place she and Ulric had almost been killed? Suddenly the depth of knowledge, and the extent by which to explore, was a boundless task. A thing without meaning due to its size. Yet was ever she to be held back by such a thing as impossibility?
Quote from Mae on August 17, 2023, 2:26 pmThat was a smart question. Kratos was ready to answer it, but he did not expect it to come from Jackie. A deliberation was in order.
Kratos knit his brow and slowly looked south.
"The furthest edge of our territory is the Monvac river." He said. "To the west... we claim no land bordering Middlecrest. To the east, our territory ends on the old out-winding road. And north..."
Kratos turned about and looked at the hunch-backed Phantom, glowering out of the black, cloudy blanket that covered it.
"We take all land to the north, for as far as wilderness lies." Kratos said. He looked at Jackie, but he was not smiling.
That was a smart question. Kratos was ready to answer it, but he did not expect it to come from Jackie. A deliberation was in order.
Kratos knit his brow and slowly looked south.
"The furthest edge of our territory is the Monvac river." He said. "To the west... we claim no land bordering Middlecrest. To the east, our territory ends on the old out-winding road. And north..."
Kratos turned about and looked at the hunch-backed Phantom, glowering out of the black, cloudy blanket that covered it.
"We take all land to the north, for as far as wilderness lies." Kratos said. He looked at Jackie, but he was not smiling.
Quote from Indy on August 19, 2023, 5:09 pmJackie followed his gaze with her eyes, while in her mind picturing what she knew of the lay of the land. It's breadth left no shortage of miles for her to cover. By the next full moon, she would not have scratched even the surface of it...
And how deep must the quest go? To learn the native names of the plants and animals she knew only by smell and sound? To feel the weather by the weight of it on her skin? To sense things words would not, could not, tell her? Though she had known of werewolves long, even a year ago she would have doubted the possibility such things were possible.
Now... the world seemed large before her.
She gazed north, to the mountains. In those months they had lived there, she knew they had not gone far. The wilderness had seemed to stretch infinitely, with no sign of the next human civilization in their foliage. Something in those mountains was strange...
Her head tilted, "The mountains... where that flower grows and men take horns by night...." she turned back to him, watching his expression, "Should be fun".
Jackie followed his gaze with her eyes, while in her mind picturing what she knew of the lay of the land. It's breadth left no shortage of miles for her to cover. By the next full moon, she would not have scratched even the surface of it...
And how deep must the quest go? To learn the native names of the plants and animals she knew only by smell and sound? To feel the weather by the weight of it on her skin? To sense things words would not, could not, tell her? Though she had known of werewolves long, even a year ago she would have doubted the possibility such things were possible.
Now... the world seemed large before her.
She gazed north, to the mountains. In those months they had lived there, she knew they had not gone far. The wilderness had seemed to stretch infinitely, with no sign of the next human civilization in their foliage. Something in those mountains was strange...
Her head tilted, "The mountains... where that flower grows and men take horns by night...." she turned back to him, watching his expression, "Should be fun".
Quote from Mae on August 22, 2023, 6:50 pm"Remember what I said." Kratos replied. "And protect even what you do not understand. Protect them from what they do not know."
"This land is not all that we claim... to lay any claim on it by the law of our kind we must claim all that is upon it. All life that dwells here is ours, from the mountains to the riverbank... from the fish and the falcon, to Harvey's reckless band of hunters." Kratos lowered his chin as he spoke, leveling his eyes with Jackie's to ensure she understood the weight of this charge. "Life is precious, Jackie. Once taken it cannot be returned. Be it the life of a deer, or, the life of a child... we must be careful with our charge over it."
"Remember what I said." Kratos replied. "And protect even what you do not understand. Protect them from what they do not know."
"This land is not all that we claim... to lay any claim on it by the law of our kind we must claim all that is upon it. All life that dwells here is ours, from the mountains to the riverbank... from the fish and the falcon, to Harvey's reckless band of hunters." Kratos lowered his chin as he spoke, leveling his eyes with Jackie's to ensure she understood the weight of this charge. "Life is precious, Jackie. Once taken it cannot be returned. Be it the life of a deer, or, the life of a child... we must be careful with our charge over it."
