"Well, let's hope that the situation we perceive is true then." Zahira said in a hushed tone to both her companions. She gave the young 'apprentice' a reassuring smile. Though her eyes too, still darted from one place to another, suspicious about every hill, every stone, that might hide a monster of sorts. Well, as long as Melinda is safe...
A hint of embarrassment lighted up on Shirin's face, for she hadn't really wanted to make the confrontation go this way, but she quickly shrugged the feelings off. "Yes, let's." she said then, resolutely. "I thought that mental powers... telepathy and the sorts, were very important as well, and I couldn't practice that without a partner. So... I suppose we could start with that. At least, it's something that really has my interest..." Perhaps it would turn out to be foolish.. but all she thought about now was the things she might learn, not the things - personal things - it might reveal.
Zahira was nervous, perhaps it was fear for monstrous beings that might be out there, perhaps it was that she doubted her own abilities too much. Whatever it was, she didn't show it on the outside, and after a quick breath she asked, softly as to not cast an echo across the frozen plain that would alert anything there, to Jenika "You see anything out of the ordinary?"
"I understand you, because you and I are... probably more alike than you might think... my life's been complicated, and... You really are the first person that decided to help me. But I would like to know then: why? Why did you decide to help me, even though you could have chosen not to?" Shirin asked, she didn't quite understand some things. Couldn't Whitney just have chosen to avoid her?
"I... I'm still trying to get used to the idea of... this all, and oddly... you're the first person in ages I can just normally talk to, even though it's not about normal things... Someone who doesn't judge me by how I look or how social I am. Or am I wrong?" Shirin asked, trying to get at least that out before her words would make her emotions burst out. She had her gaze fixed upon Whitney's pendant, falling just between the girl's gentle curves... damn it! She tried to focus... she focused so hard, remembering every link in the chain, every angle of the crystal. And then she felt something in her hand, something cold and smooth. Surprised by the ease she had conjured the necklace, she brought her hand in front of her. Grasping onto the chain, she let gravity pull the crystal down so that it hung there for Whitney to see. "I believe this is yours?" she said with a slim smile. For now her thoughts too seemed to be focused more on her newest feat than on Whitney's physical presence.
"I'm..." Shirin breathed in deeply the sterile air of the room "... feeling fine." There was confidence in her voice, glad that she had not disappointed Whitney. She studied the girl thoroughly now, not intensely her figure as to be drawn into pure desire, but with the goal to find something on the girl she might be capable of duplicating using conjuration.
"Okay." Shirin said and nodded, with no more than half the confidence she had stepped out of the door with. She knew however, that this was her chance to at least impress Whitney a little, instead of making herself look pathetic. She tried with all her might to force the staff into being without closing her eyes. Luckily she could normally muster a fair amount of concentration if needed, but whether it would be enough? Don't doubt, just... do it for HER! Something in her mind seemed to whisper, but at that moment she wasn't sure whether it was herself, the mysterious voice that was her mentor, or just a figment of her imagination that acted weird. All she saw was the pendant she wanted to change into a staff and the image - the beautiful, beautiful image - of Whitney in the background.
Zahira was warm and comfortable, except for the icy wind blowing across her face of course. It felt as if her nose wasn't there and her ears were freezing off... She painfully blinked against the cold stream of air to see if there was anything prowling around.
perception: [dice]20[/dice]
ooc: Any bonuses for friendly-aligned terrain?
Shirin allowed a smile as she took the necklace that had been hidden, partially underneath her shirt, partially covered by her hair, from her neck "I have. I also practiced conjuration... and uh... aquakinesis (wasn't it?) a bit already. The other possibilities I know only by name, not by practice." She let her eyes probe the room for a bit "Did you... conjure this all?" If so, she was very impressed.
Zahira smiled at Jenika's modesty. Modesty was one of the most important traits for a Senator to have, and so far Jenika proved not just by skill but also by heart to be an Azorius. Another important trait was being able to judge well, but Jenika would learn that later, and it would be a painstaking process, as it had been for Zahira in the past. She knew this, for she started to more and more vividly remember the teachings of her oldest master, the wizard of the coast the commoners had called him.
Zahira gave Wynn an approving smile, she was quite confident that this would work out well. At the same time though, she realized that she was appointed to Wynn for her defense against any big threats that the wilderness that lay beyond the city held and that might cross their path.
She approached one of the horses a bit nervously, for since she had lost her memories she had not ridden a horse, but old experience took over when her fingers closed around the reins. A moment later, with the gracious movements of a professional (for her oldest mentor had learned her how to ride a horse) she was seated in the saddle.
Shirin let the aura pass through her, fill her, yet not subdue her into mental frenzy. For some reason she felt somewhat confident, and this confidence made her not succumb under Whitney's presence.
Without doubt, Whitney had sensed Shirin's presence as well, and in a focused state as this, Shirin actually thought about this and kept her thoughts on low profile, for she knew Whitney could read them if the girl wanted.
She took a deep breath to steady her and walked towards where the trace of magic in the air went; to Whitney.
Shirin sighed, not really sure what the best choice was, but certainly she shouldn't waste more time... On an impulse she just put the pendant safely around her neck and grasped some fitting clothes from the drawer after glancing over the options. Dumping the sweaty clothes she had woke up with in a pile in the corner, something she wouldn't normally do, she stood in front of the mirror putting on the fresh clothes. Into the mirror she stared, trying to look through her own eyes, into the depths of her mind to find those secrets locked within...
No time, no time, damn it... she rushed downstairs...
Zahira nodded "I'd prefer mobility and safety. I promised my daughter I'd return home in one piece, and I wish to keep that promise. Also, I'm still feeling a little shaky, it's better for me, and for you two as well, to conserve energy for whatever we might encounter in that frozen place than to waste it on the journey to it."
perception: [dice]20[/dice]
ooc: Any bonuses for friendly-aligned terrain?
ooc: pun partly intended
She approached one of the horses a bit nervously, for since she had lost her memories she had not ridden a horse, but old experience took over when her fingers closed around the reins. A moment later, with the gracious movements of a professional (for her oldest mentor had learned her how to ride a horse) she was seated in the saddle.
Without doubt, Whitney had sensed Shirin's presence as well, and in a focused state as this, Shirin actually thought about this and kept her thoughts on low profile, for she knew Whitney could read them if the girl wanted.
She took a deep breath to steady her and walked towards where the trace of magic in the air went; to Whitney.
No time, no time, damn it... she rushed downstairs...