[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]Alistair nodded his head. Hunting was something he could do in great amounts even alone, given sufficient time and the right amount of luck. " Got it, " the leopard responded, rosetted tail curling in an ' s ' shape behind him.
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[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]Oh, look at that, it was his time to shine. " I can do that, " Alistair chimed in, ears angling forwards as he looked to Alejandro.
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[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]" You're ...? Alright, then. Are you okay? " Alistair knew that whilst some were happy to carry children, and whilst some saw it as a wondrous blessing, not everybody was comfortable with pregnancy, and he wanted to make sure that Beta was okay with this. She looked awfully small to him, and he was obviously concerned, despite not knowing her.
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]( lmao it's fine they're both blond prettyboys from da so it's fine ^w^ )
Alistair was simply not interested in such things, but courtesy had him nodding all the same, rather baffled by Iceshattered's phrasing but deciding not to pry, even if he was vaguely aware that he had somewhat reddened beneath his fur, now he was aware he was being scrutinised. Part of him rather wished this conversation was over, but it was rude to just run away from a stranger, and he doubted that, should the likes of Morrigan see him, he would not be spared ridicule for his cowardice.
" Yes, I'll have to do that, " he decided with another meek nod, licking the lip he'd just chewed to oblivion with a small frown. He doubted he'd get out completely intact if he went alone to Iceshattered's home, however, for some reason. Again, he flushed as the other male continued, deciding this really wasn't the place for him, but was still impossibly rooted to the spot simply because of society's expectations. " Ah, well, good. " the leopard mumbled, hollowing his cheeks a little bashfully and hoping the chat would move on.
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[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]On hearing his name and task, Alistair nodded his head. It was an ideal plan, and would likely get them more food in a shorter space of time — they were losing seconds constantly, and he was more than happy to assist. " Got it, " spoke the leopard in a rushed post, nodding his head.
/i'll make the raid thread when i have time owo
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]" Congrats to those promoted! And, uh, sorry if you got knocked down. That sucks. " Alistair chirped, ears twitching.
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]Alistair stepped forwards as Alejandro did, picking his way easily into the rapids and eventually leaving the ground behind, pushing off and circling round until he was able to see those learning how to swim, listening to Alejandro as he idly moved back and forth through the water. It was bloody freezing, of course it was, but the leopard knew the cold well, and so was fine after a while, limbs working the current and fighting against it to keep himself in one position, legs pulling in lazy, languid strokes.
When it became apparent he was to guide people, Alistair let the current drag him back to the bank, toes touching the ground. " Alright, come on, it's not that cold, " the leopard spoke with a grin.
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]Now, Alistair couldn't entirely recall whether he'd encountered Balthazar or not, but that didn't matter — he was there to introduce himself, as Illya had, and he approached to halt beside the aforementioned male, nodding once and offering a smile. " Oh, hello. I'm Alistair, pleased to meet you. "
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[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]They were getting louder.
Alistair's performance first slipped as he was dragging a deer across the ground, a strange winter kill he'd taken advantage of whilst searching for rabbits. About ten metres from camp, a muscle in his jaw spasmed and he released the carcass, head throbbing and vision blurring as he stumbled, legs clicking, only to catch himself a second later, shaking himself out and resuming his task with a vengeance.
The second time, he was busy trying to secure a fourth rabbit to a stick he'd found; he was meaning to take them all back hanging from the piece of wood, rather than trying to fit them all into his mouth, and his limb twitched, kicking out and forcing him to lose his balance, a low groan escaping him as he slammed his jaw on the earth, body teetering sideways due to the sudden loss of balance. Again, like before, he recovered quickly, and he went on to finish the job with only a slight tremble, movements rushed as he hurried to gather the stick in his maw and bring his kills back to camp.
The third, fourth and fifth times were remarkably similar, whilst walking, a sudden screaming in his ears caused him to flinch, and his legs buckled beneath him, sending him crashing down, sprawled in a heap on the floor. Throughout the day, a headache had been getting progressively worse, and the background whispers were getting ever louder, until he was able to make out a pattern, a beat, a rhythm, and this time, it was a lot harder to recover.
They were singing to him.
Alistair decided to try and ignore them, however, and continued on his way. It was day three, and the sudden bodily failures were getting worse and worse, and far more frequent — he was understandably concerned, but has yet to embarrass himself in complete view of anyone, and so took it upon himself to say nothing, because explaining the punishments of being a Warden to anybody who didn't quite understand was ... very difficult. Becoming a Warden didn't save anyone, really, other than those you fought for.
The fifteenth fuck up, however, occurred in camp, and Alistair hadn't even felt it coming — it was accompanied by a delayed shriek, one audible likely only to him, and he stumbled, going down hard with a low grunt of agony, feeling the press of his sword against his side and the weight of his shield on his back, pinning him to the ground, even more than before.
A soft sound of exertion escaped him, and he coughed, swiping his tongue along his lower lip and tasting blood. " Oh, no, not now! " he mumbled, sounding only somewhat panicked and attempting to struggle to his feet.
: mobile, sorry for any mistakes!
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[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]: my vocabulary has been condensed into about 6 words though, so
not much muse here
it'll all disappear soon, trust me
Alistair's chest heaved as if he'd been running for hours, but he allowed himself to be helped up, locking out his legs and glancing at Dorian, well aware he was flushed with embarrassment though unable to bring himself to care about that, wholly concerned about the connotations of the issues he now faced. It was slow and debilitating, and the longer he resisted it, the more it would gnaw away at him, making him appear more like walking death than a living creature. At first, it'd take away the fat that built up, then it would cause his muscles to waste away; his eyes would appear sunken and hollow, and he would tremble, uncontrollably. His fur would dull, maybe fall out, definitely lose its golden pigment, and his teeth would lose their strength and sharpness.
His temperament would then alter, quite drastically. The calm friendliness would dissipate, replaced by violent mood swings and a constant sense of uneasiness. He knew he would experience random and uncalled for bouts of anger, and would find ridiculous things hilarious, but would be claimed, for the most part, by unfair rage and confusion. As this whole ordeal progressed, though, he would wind up completely devoid of emotion, containing only a hollow determination when it came to his tasks. His humanity would, ultimately, slip away, leaving him as a desperate she'll of what he once was.
As the singing increased in volume, he knew he'd lose his grip on reality. Between the voices and what was physically touchable, Alistair would not be able to discern, and talking to himself would become a regular occurrence. At this point, one would have to lock him away to prevent him from getting to the Deep Roads, but by that point, if he was indeed still alive and had not yet fled on order of the Calling, would anybody refuse him the right to die? Alistair wasn't certain, but he knew the stages of unwinding well, and was completely aware of his future. He just hadn't anticipated it so soon; Duncan had never seemed unwell, and he was positive it wasn't meant to come on this quickly.
Then again, he thought, it affected everybody differently, and he wasn't always known for his remarkably good fortune.
" Ah, yes, well, everybody falls from time to time, right? I'm fine now, anyway. Thanks. " he spoke, voice hurried and clipped in an attempt to brush off the situation.
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]: have faith, it'll go soon
Alistair exhaled, slowly, puffing out his cheeks but not countering Dorian, likely because he wasn't certain that the other male's comment was entirely false. He did feel somewhat weaker than he had before his small stumble, but would he find himself unable to rise again? Perhaps, he conceded, but did not admit that, remaining silent and thoughtful until he was given something he could answer.
Was he sick? " Well, I mean, that depends on how you look at it, doesn't it? Some would say yes, I'm sick, and others would say no. It's not exactly something you can cure, either. I'd not call it an illness, either, because it isn't going to kill me. Well — not firsthand, anyway. It'll set up the circumstances, I mean, but it won't actually end my life. Of course, the longer I resist it, the worse it'll become, and by the end, some would argue that it has killed me, but I'm an eternal optimist, so ... "
He was also an eternal rambler, from the looks of it. Alistair broke off for a moment, taking a few, short seconds to breathe, before continuing. " You look like a smart man — maybe you'll understand. Thing is, I'm a Warden. An exiled Warden, but a Warden nonetheless. And being a Grey Warden means I'm going to die. I mean, we all die, eventually, but not in the way I'm probably going to die. This is ... my little Warden sense telling me my time is running out. Slowly, and I probably still have a while, but I'm dying nonetheless, and prematurely I suppose. It's nothing to worry about, mind. "
Alistair wasn't against letting people know,'per se. It was what he was, and he was unafraid of others understanding, so long as they didn't see it as something fun. He'd not recommend guzzling darkspawn blood to anyone. Grimacing, the leopard shifted, then decided that wasn't smart, and one leg buckled again, leaving him half-on the ground and half-still standing.
: no, it's not weird
i see it, too XD
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]Somewhat pleased that he didn't have to explain what a Warden was, how one became a Warden, why he had chosen to become a Warden, what being a Warden entailed, etcetera, Alistair shrugged, idly. He hadn't expected to meet one? " Well, we pop up everywhere. Chances are you've met plenty of Wardens between Blights, and you just never knew. We don't always run around screaming it out, because we aren't meant to actively hunt recognition. It's sort of like being a Templar, only worse, and with darkspawn. And broodmothers. You do not want to meet a broodmother. "
The African leopard gnawed on his lower lip thoughtfully. " No, no, not unworthy. Perfectly- " he groaned- " fine. It's not like I'm about to lose my footing any time soon, is it? I can still serve the clan just as well. " he felt pretty ridiculous, leaning on Dorian considering he'd always been confident in his ability to ... well ... stand. He was not prideful enough to refuse the aid, however, and used the lion to find his feet again, exhaling in another sigh.
At the final comments, Alistair laughed. " No ... I'm not very good at ... wooing — I can't even woo a rock without getting all flustered — and I don't think I'd like to do either of the other things. I'm happy here. "
: see it's going already
then again, this is rushed
i see the hearts from origin whenever i roleplay alistair, so
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[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]There was, he told himself with a groan, dragging himself to his feet and spitting out a glob of bloodied saliva, an alternate universe in which he was not in this predicament, and was likely very healthy and happy with himself. In this alternate universe, nothing ever went wrong for Alistair, and he was completely and utterly content with everything that happened. Perhaps he had many friends, a stable duty, perhaps a family — he didn't know, really, but the point was, in this other world, in another life, Alistair was not, at this very moment in time, coughing up blood in camp, shielded from view by a stray building.
It was a lovely thought, really, but it didn't help this-universe Alistair in the slightest. If he hadn't become a Warden, chances were he'd be a Templar, and he didn't particularly like that outcome, either. In fact, he quite hated the idea — he'd loved his job as a Warden, though had despised the whole 'Chantry Dream'. Truth was, he'd thought that Warden recruitment had saved his life, and despite the fact it was now killing him, slowly, he still held that belief, fanatically so.
But it was not nice to cough up blood like he was diseased, so Alistair was not feeling the love for his job at the moment. Once the hacking abated, however, he wiped the back of his arm across his lips and forced himself into a stronger standing position, exhaling in a whoosh.
: where is my muse
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]Alistair laughed at that, a genuine laugh, and he glanced at Apollo. " No, you were right the first time. I'm dying. Nothing serious, though. Don't worry. " the leopard had learned to brush it off because he'd known this was inevitable from the start. " A bit of blood never stopped me! I'm fine. "
Shaking himself out, Alistair offered a smile. " I'm Alistair, by the way. Nice to meet you ..? " he trailed off, searching for a name.
rip my muse
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]" No, well, nobody wants to meet a broodmother. Some of them talk. Heck, some darkspawn talk. It's terrifying, let me tell you. All ... flabby and huge, churning out darkspawn ... eugh. " he shuddered in mock-disgust — as terrible as they were, they no longer made him squirm. He was perfectly used to their disgusting selves, though it didn't make them any less ... less. There were few words that could describe a broodmother, really — he wasn't sure language did their ... masses justice.
It wasn't about serving? Alistair's entire life had revolved around just that, ironically enough — it was not his only trait, nor his only desire, but everywhere he went, there was always someone more important telling him to serve. To now be told that it wasn't about that was oddly refreshing, but the manner in which it was presented to him was cause for amusement. " Yes, well, if you mutilate me like that, then I'll just have to inchworm my way through my daily duties. " he responded dryly, though it was hardly a serious statement. Ish. Much. " I'm too young to retire! I've got my whole life ahead of me- or I would have, had the voices not started singing. "
Alistair again puffed out his cheeks, then, shaking his head. " I'd not woo a rock, not really. I'm not much of a wooer, actually. I'd not know where to start. A rock'd be even harder than a person! " well ... yes, that was the point of a rock, but- " How would you compliment a rock? ‘You're lovely and ... um ... Stony? Hard? Rough?’ I don't know! " and he was rambling again. " At least you can comment on a person's ... eyes, or their fur, or something. "
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]He grinned sheepishly. " Dying, something to worry about? Never! It's all in a day's work. " and there was nothing like humour to disguise abject terror. The leopard nodded as he was given a name, before again laughing st the suggestions. " Maker, no! Corruption. Or- err, that sounded a little evil. It's ... um ... how do I put this ... " he trailed off, scratching his chin in a mockery of thought. " Nope, corruption. That's the only word I can think of. It's lovely, really. Comes with voices and everything. "
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]Insane? " You know, that would make a lot of sense. I think you're onto something. " Alistair responded, before hopping to his paws with a little more life than beforehand. A walk? Providing he didn't keel over, he'd love to go for a walk. " You want an explanation, do you? Alright. Long or short? "
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]Was it the blood or the coughing that led Morrigan to find him in the otherwise empty house, alternating between dunking his muzzle into a bucket of water (from which he took large draughts) and then shaking himself out in an attempt to stop the urge to throw up. He was not having a good day, needless to say, but only an hour earlier, he had felt just fine, and expected that he would feel fine again in an hour to come. Still, for now, he was going through hell, and it was not fun.
He and Morrigan had never been close likely because neither of them had allowed themselves to become friends, animosity spiking between them almost immediately. It was more his then-childishness and his now-stubbornness that continued to fuel their old rivalry, but it had become far mellower, now. Alistair could not find it in him to actively hate her, and rather just felt an odd amusement and a grating annoyance that came with their strange relationship.
On hearing her voice at the door, the leopard grumbled and turned towards her. His sword and shield were discarded in the corner, and instead, he had a blanket tugged over his head and shoulders. " Whaaaaat? " he practically whined, water dripping from his chin.
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]Alistair's foggy eyes swept Morrigan at her first words, and he snorted, drawing the blanket tighter around his cranium. " Whatever I look like, I bet I feel worse. " the leopard grunted, running his tongue over his lips and watching her come closer, eyeing the bottle she slid over to him and taking it after only a moment's hesitation. " What, do I drink it? It looks ... greasy. "
The male sniffed at the bottle, opening it up with a claw and glancing at her again. " You're staying? I'm touched. Are you here to make fun of my pathetic-ness? " he droned, again sniffing at the bottle.
RUSHED IM SO SORRY
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
[align=center][fancypost bgcolor=; border: 0px; width: 400px; text-align: justify; font-size: 8pt]" You're a little ray of sunshine, " Alistair said, his words directed at Apollo. The male was still feeling a little wobbly, but he'd yet to suddenly lose his composure and collapse any time soon — or so he hoped — and so felt confident enough to make his way over, sword and shield strapped to his flank and back respectively. " Oh, and, ah, welcome, miss! I'm Alistair. "
[/fancypost]
[size=1px][color=transparent] #lyriumshield
