middaeg | Through the woods we ran

Entry tags:

Through the woods we ran

Who: Keith

galrad and you!
When: Any time between May 6th and 14th. Boy trains a lot and is building a shack!
Where: Beyond the city walls, past the slums and towards the wilds and the forest
What: Keith's way of working out his thoughts has always been through combat- maybe that's the Galra in him. Come spar with him, learn a little basic swordsmanship, or ask him what the hell he's doing building a shack out in the woods!
Warnings: None for now

I. Sparring

[ Keith's way of working out his thoughts had always been through combat. Maybe that was the Galra in him, but there was something about the focus of having a sword in his hand, the burn of his muscles put through a harsh workout- it all helped him to settle his mind. Back in the desert, on nights he couldn't sleep, thought he was going crazy searching for nothing more than a feeling, he would head out into the dunes, and either speed through them on his hoverbike until the wind bit through skin and bone, cut hard enough, deep enough to forget, or, like now, he'd look to put himself through his paces. It had been the same in the Castle of Lions, even more convenient because of the provided pre-programmed training bot. If it had tried to kill him on one occasion, well- what was an attempted murder between constant companions? Besides, Keith had never exactly gone easy on the poor thing... It had kind of seemed only fair, after the fact.

Now, though, Keith was trying to balance all of the information that had been provided to him since his arrival. Witches. Monsters. The infection spreading across the land, the part that the locals hoped they had to play... Wasn't the task of saving their own universe enough? Was it selfish of Keith to still wish to go home, to let them deal with their own problems?

Could he forgive himself if he did?

No one had tried to stop him when he had passed through the gates. Maybe no one dared, or maybe they hoped he'd do something- die, take out a few shade creatures, he didn't really know. All Keith knew was that he had thinking to do, and the best way to do it was with the steel blade strapped to his back, as far into the woods as he dared where he hoped for silence. For peace.

Cutting at trees weren't the ideal enemies, but they were better than nothing. Keith started with a few warm-up stretches, a few practice swings to get himself accustomed to the blade he had coaxed one of the local blacksmiths into allowing him to borrow. It wasn't anything like his bayard; customized in every way to his body; from the grip of the hilt to the weight to maximize the power of his swing. Nor was it like his Blade of Marmora, heavy with purpose but lithe and deadly sharp.

Keith settled on his target; a rotting stump in the middle of the clearing he had chosen for his practice space. Blowing out a slow, steadying breath, Keith readjusted his hold on the sword. And then, he lunged.

II. Home Sweet... Shack?

[ City living had never been to Keith's tastes. He could tolerate it- he'd had to endure it on more than one planet, on more than one occasion- but if he had a preference? He'd take being alone in the desert any day.

It was kind of the Coven to house them, no matter how temporarily- but that was the thing, Keith wanted to make it as temporary as he could.

He wasn't any stranger to roughing it; to making due with whatever he could. He wasn't even averse to sleeping on the streets i he had to- but beyond the wall was something almost familiar. The wild and untamed landscape beyond the wall, beyond the slums where the presence of people and monsters alike began to thin and the danger of the blight became more apparent. He was looking for a patch of uninfected land. Maybe if he got lucky, the bones of an existing structure that he could build off of.

Apparently it was Keith's lucky day.

He'd hiking through areas around the city for a couple of days, looking for the right spot. Kosmo at his side and sword strapped to his back (just in case). Radiating outwards slowly, not wanting to be too far from the city itself. The signs of population had thinned to almost nothing, only the occasional mossy lump of man made wood or rusted hunk of something poking from the ferns to mark human presence. He was following along a gentle stream when he found it.

It didn't look like much, it didn't look very good at all really, but it had four walls (well, three- but he could work on that!) was next to a water source, far enough away from any cwyld infection that he wouldn't have to worry so much about Kosmo, had enough of a clearing that if Keith put his mind to it he could start tilling the land, plant some fruit trees and vegetables- yeah. This could work.

So Keith began to transfer supplies in and out of the city, bartering labor to borrow tools, salvaging whatever scrap he could find in the rougher parts of the city that might have been able to find a use for.

Maybe you found him dragging a long rusted looking sheet of tin out towards the woods, or perhaps you were drawn by the hammering of an axe against a tree- but Keith wasn't about to say no to an extra pair of hands helping him in his endeavor. Because really, the shack needed some work.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ At some point, Sonia had to venture out past the gates. She was more than capable of taking care of herself, of that she had no doubt; the thought of wandering in a dangerous area in a place she's incredibly unfamiliar with is enough to put her edge, however, as she heads out into the forest.

It's not much long after that she hears the sound of a sword striking something. She heads over with a little more speed, coming into the clearing and seeing Keith striking the stump. She relaxes once she realizes there's no danger, and announces her presence. ]

What is that you're doing? Practicing?

[ The weight of the sword in his hands was heavier than either of the blades he had become accustomed (spoiled) by. That was all right, though. Keith was experienced enough that such adjustments could still be made. And besides, that was part of why he was here practicing. If his bayard wasn't going to respond to him any time soon he didn't want to have to count on having to defend himself with just his Marmoran dagger. Sharp and effective, sure, but close range.

Keith was a swordsman, a fighter. A blade like this in his hands was what made him most comfortable.

He slowed in his motions as she approached, pushing his hair back out of his face and nodding in greeting to her as he swung his sword in a spinning arc against his hand, catching it tightly in his palm. ]

Something like that, yeah. They say you can't have too much, right? [ He tilted his head at her, before looking around. Almost as if looking to see if she was really alone or not. ]

You know, I've heard they advise against us refugees taking a walk in the woods. [ He said it to her in a slightly teasing tone, clearly not taking his own advice and knowing it. Maybe he was wrong in his assessment, but she didn't seem to carry herself like any of the locals she had encountered. So he made an educated guess, sure that she would correct him if his assessment was wrong. ]

[There was much to explore, both city and the wilds that lay beyond. He left Jasper in her stable and instead traveled by foot, slowly taking it all in his sword a comforting weight on his hip.

Eventually, he made his way out past the gates, only inciting the barest murmur from the guards. Out here, he was sharper, more alert, his hand now idly resting upon the hilt of his sword.

He hears Keith before he sees him, the thunk of steel biting into rotting wood. Coming up to the clearing, he watches a young man pull a sword free from a stump, watches him swing the blade back into a guard stance. Intriguing.]

They don't fight back, do they? [His tone is light, amused.]

[ Despite the fact that the other was right; a stump wasn't a real opponent, and not a very good one to work against in more than motion, Keith had worked up a comfortable sweat all the same, his muscles feeling loose and comfortable in the burn that began at the start of a good workout.

Wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his free hand, Keith pulled the sword from the rotting wood and turned to regard the other properly, pointing the tip of his sword to the ground, a gesture of friendliness. As friendly as one could get holding a weighty steel blade, anyway. ]

It's not the best opponent I've ever had to practice with. [ He admits with a wry smile, a roll of his shoulders in an easy shrug. ] It was all I had to start, but what about you?

[ Don't think he hadn't noticed the sword at your side, Symon. ]

Want to have a go? [ He didn't smirk, just smiled, friendly. Wasn't looking for a real fight, just a better challenge than a stump. ]

Edited 2019-05-16 21:56 (UTC)

Well, one makes due with what one has. [There's a smile now to match his tone, but his eyes are measuring on the other man, watching his firm, easy stance, the way the sword appears to be an extension of his arm.

That small smile deepens, touching his eyes now. Like Keith, all of Symon's sparring partners had been inanimate objects, which in the end of the day were no replacement for the real, living breathing thing. In Korvosa, he had always been kept busy and now here in this strange world, there was no outlet for his restless energy.

He drew his sword with an easy, gesture. Unlike Keith's blade, this one was his, through and through. It wasn't a flashy weapon, no jewel at the pommel, the hilt wrapped in dark leather, supple and faintly sweat stained. But there was no mistaking its quality, the edges keen as winter's bite; simple but perfect.

He flicked the blade up in salute, and then down, into a similar position.]

Why, I would like nothing more. Do we go until someone yields? Or when blood is first drawn?

[ Keith would have loved to have had his own blade- either of them. But they didn't react here in the same way they once had. He had been told that it wasn't impossible for him to find a way to unlock their reactions through magic, but so far Keith hadn't managed anything but a headache when he'd tried. That didn't mean he was going to stop trying, but for now, he'd make do with what the locals were willing to offer him. He had to keep himself in top shape somehow.

Keith's stance became a little less relaxed with the drawing of the other's sword; readying himself for the oncoming exchange. Excitement rippled through him, and he couldn't help but grin. This was what he'd been looking for for a couple of days now. An opponent to match him, to go toe to toe with without anything on the line. To have a fight not to the death but for practice and just a little bit for fun.

He drew his sword up in his hand, preference towards a one-handed style obvious, but far from a weakness. ]

I won't go easy on you. [ Keith warned, though he expected that that was what the other was looking for just as much as he was, squaring his footing to prepare for attack. ] How about we start with first blood, take a pause, and see how we feel after that?

[ Because if Keith had his way he'd go until he couldn't stand any longer, and that probably wasn't the best idea in a forest like this. ]

There would be no point if you did. [Symon's voice is low and soft, and there's a blaze in eyes, a fire kindled in his bright eyes.] And the rules of engagement sound good to me.

[There's a smile across Symon's face, wide and handsome, and there's no warning as he flows into action, leonine and predatory. He wields his longsword one handed, and the weapon seems like an extension of his arms. His steps are firm and sure, and the blade flicks out like chain-lightning, a clashing, brutal attack.]

[ Keith agrees with that assessment. It would have been one thing if he was teaching someone, then sure, there was a place for a lighter hand. But Symon was no amateur; one glance at the other's sword could attest to that.

Keith was ready when Symon struck out, catching the other's blade with his own and twisting to knock it back, raining a blow of his own down, grin turning back to a snarl as he devoted himself to the motions of the fray. Every blow Symon threw, Keith matched, countered with one of his own. The clash of steel on steel exhilarating and calming all at once. This was what Keith had wanted for days, now. And by their current initial exchange?

Neither of them were about to go down easy. ]

[The clash of swords sent vibrations up though Symon's palms and up his arms. There was not denying the strength of the other man, and his skill. Symon braced himself, not budging an inch, returning each blow. The sounds of steel on steel rang through the clearing, both men utterly focused on their fight.

There was a moment's pause, and Symon circled around, his chest barely starting to rise and fall, breath coming harder, his cheeks flushing, sweat beading at his neck. His smile snapped out, quick like wildfire, and he rushed towards Keith, though the move was a lightning quick feint, sword dropping and switching to his left hand, attacking from the side instead.]

[ The first few blows had been measuring; not child's play, but an assessment. Symon was just as skilled as Keith was, and it was thrilling. Keith was quick, his footsteps light and sure and he danced back from the other's onslaught, losing ground, but purposefully so. Sometimes you had to surrender something, to gain it. Symon circled him, and Keith's footwork kept up, giving no quarter, refusing to show the other an opening if he could help it.

When Symon rushed to attack him, Keith dove forward to meet him, elbow drawn back, sword tip pointed viciously forward. He, of course, wouldn't literally skewer the other, but the intention had been to force the other to block, or catch a sword to his shoulder. Instead, he found himself on the defensive, narrowly managing to twist his wrist and point his sword tip down, narrowly catching the other's sword- and not well. It bounced his blade back, and Keith had to take a step back again, giving up more ground. He snarled though, twisting to free his blade, his wrist. Lashing out he delivered a series of quick, heavy blows not intended to win, but to tire, to gain back ground he had lost, push the other back. ]

[The sound of steel shivered through the forest as the men continued to clash, their movement both aggressive and fluid, all at once. Symon pressed his advantage as Keith stepped back, but was forced to pause as the young man responded in kind hard, brutal blows that he had to brace himself to stop, block. There was a fierce light in his eyes, bright, a raw, barely contained energy. Sweat clung to his temples, his pale skin was flushed with exertion, but there was no signs of him stopping.

Indeed, he seemed to quicken, the blade flashing, flickering out like lightning, looking for any opening that would be presented to him. His breath rasped out past his teeth, but he didn't yield a single step.]

[ Lux has always been a busy-body—and being in a new, drastically different place hardly changes that. It's her own way of working through things, letting her work sweep her up until she's worn herself out physically and mentally. So it's a natural shift here as well, because there is so much she has been grappling with since she arrived here (different worlds existing, and being somehow welcomed in a place where her existence isn't a crime).

But after a while, even the most adept social chameleons have to go back to their roots, back to what they know, and the solitude of the woods has always been a safe haven for her. The trees never judged or feared her as she worked out how to use her gift; so hopefully here, she could find the same solace to truly be herself.

Maybe that would will her magic back. Maybe that was the piece of the puzzle that she was missing.

Lux hears him before she sees him, and instinct causes her to tense up. It's all right. She was still close enough to the city that she wouldn't be in any immediate danger. Logic gives strength to her curiosity, and following the sound of steel colliding with wood, she finds Keith in the middle of a clearing. Lux might not know him, but she recognizes him. He was there in the house of mirrors, wasn't he?

Stepping out, she makes no secret of her approach. Sneaking up on him like this is just asking to get hurt. ]

I didn't think I would find anyone else out here.

[ Keith swung, hacking through the rotted stump and sending splinters into the air, whirling away in a dramatic roll, before pausing, in a kneel, sword flung out to his side to catch his breath. He heard her then, steps approaching- was aware, but unafraid. Launching onto his feet in a dramatic leap, coming down hard again on the stump and shearing away more of the soft wood.

Pulling the blade again from the stump, Keith turned to face Lux, sword in a relaxed position at his side. ]

I've seen some people, some monsters- but not very many. [He admit with a shrug, catching his breath and wiping his sleeve along his brow again. ] Still better than the city, though. Quieter. I'll take this over that any day.

[ Watching him take a more relaxed stance, Lux makes her way over. Some people just didn't do well in big cities, it seems, and while there's a part of her that could understand that, it always comes as a surprise whenever she meets someone who feels that way.

Glancing over her shoulder, an understanding smile spreads across her lips. ]

After everything that's happened over the last few days, I think I would have to agree.

[ Turning her attention back to Keith, she offers him a quiet shrug. ]

Are you here on your own? You don't mind if I join you, do you?

Even without everything that's happened I'd still choose out here. [ Keith admitted with a laugh, a roll of his shoulders in an easy shrug. ]

Well, I'm not completely alone. [ He gestured with a thumb towards where Kosmo was sleeping beneath a shady tree, the wolf not even so much as glancing up. If Keith wasn't worried, Kosmo wasn't either. ] But I'm certainly not against a little company. Just trying to get some training in- it's always helped me clear my mind.

[Toby's not entirely resigned to living here indefinitely yet, so she's been sleeping in the crowns of several different trees, making nests so she can be more comfortable in the cool weather. Not building, not yet.

Living in the city is just not a good option for her. She's always lived in a valley with no more than a hundred of her people, and it's deeply concerning being surrounded with a great press of small soft-skinned aliens who brush up against each other often. If they brush up against her they can be cut, and they don't heal as quickly as her people. She needs to not have to worry about that continuously.

The noise and vibration of an axe hitting her current tree wake her from a nap, and she thrusts her head on her long neck out where it can be seen from the ground. Toby's voice is low and guttural.]

Excuse me.

[ Keith's hoping the stay is short, personally, but if he's gotta stay at all then he's at least going to make the best use of his time as he can, and he's certainly not comfortable living in the crowded conditions of the city for more than a few days if he can help it. Thus: Shack in the woods.

Perfect compromise, right?

Besides, he'd walked through the slums. Seen the faces of the people pushed out; sick, infected, starving or worse. Maybe he couldn't do a lot, but maybe he could also do something, even if it was just hunting with Kosmo, sharing the game that he caught. Foraging herbs and whatever else he could find to ease their suffering. At his heart, Keith would always root for the underdog. He was one himself, after all.

If Keith had seen her in the boughs of the tree, he most certainly wouldn't have started cutting it down. He'd tried to be attentive of such things, but he wasn't perfect- and honestly, hadn't really been looking for a many-spiked alien creature.

At the trill of her voice Keith jerked back, blinking in surprise as he looked up and caught sight of her head, clutching his axe a little tighter. First looking on edge, half expecting a fight- and then, just kind of guilty.

Aliens weren't exactly a new thing to Keith, so her appearance didn't startle her so much as her existence in the tree itself. ]

Holy- Hey! Sorry, I didn't see you up there... [ He called up, dropping the axe to the ground by his boot, and rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. ] Are you okay? I didn't... hurt you somehow did I? [ For all he knew she was a part of the tree okay. Weirder things had happened to him. ]

I'm fine, thank you. A moment. I'm going to come down.

[She pulls her head back out of sight, and after another second or so can be seen out on one of the branches heavy enough to support her weight. Humans tend to flinch when she just jumps out of trees to land near them, so instead she drops off the branch, swings by one hand onto the trunk, and just scales it down like it's a wide ladder, her claws and the short blades on her ankles biting into the wood.

Then she's on the ground, where she just doesn't move as fast or fluidly but is still quite tall. She has one of the watches strapped to her heavy tail, near the end.]

Are you building something, or is this for firewood?

[ When she hit the forest floor, Keith took her in. She was impressive, to say the least- but he didn't seem afraid of her, giving her a friendly smile once she's in front of him. ]

Sorry again for the disturbance. [ He brought a hand up, rubbing the back of his head and laughing awkwardly. ] I'm fixing up a shack- trying to make it look less like a, uh. Well. A pile of wet wood and into something a little more livable and homey.

City life isn't really for me, not if I can help it anyway.

It's well. [She considers what he says, her head tilted.]

I feel much the same. Would you mind a word of advice? I understand only so much of - [what's the word] - carpentry but I know trees. Perhaps we could help each other. I have need of bark, and stripping too much kills the tree. But if it's felled, that doesn't matter.

Hey, I'm open to anything. I'm not much of a carpenter myself- kind of just figuring it out as I go. I'll take all the advice I can get. [ Keith chuckled a little, tilting his head to look towards the tree he'd been hacking at as she spoke, before smiling a little more. ]

I didn't catch your name, I'm Keith by the way. But yeah, I think we can help each other a lot. Bark's a nice look, but it's a little more rustic than I'm going for, especially for reinforcing the support structure. [ He looked back towards her, holding out his hand for her to shake. ] It's nice to meet you.

All right, then. [She tries a smile, though it kind of looks weird. Hork-Bajir don't have very expressive faces]

Toby. Toby Hamee. [She looks down at his hand, then extends hers. It's long-fingered and narrow, almost apelike, with short claws that are each heavily curved. She shakes hands very carefully, happier to let her fingers be grasped than the other way around.] Thank you.

Now, this tree is a hardwood. It's dense enough that you'll have difficulty working with it, and it grew slowly. For a small project you would be better off with a softwood like one of the pines. [Her people build platforms in trees to make it easier and more comfortable to live in them, since Earth trees are much smaller and less convenient than the trees on the homeworld.] Pine trunks may be easier to split into planks, if you want any of those.

[ Keith doesn't hesitate in take her clawed hand, giving it a brief shake, before dropping his hand back down. ] It's a pleasure, Toby.

[ He listened as she gave her instruction on the tree, and Keith put his hand against the trunk, before huffing out an amused breath. ] That explains why it was so hard to hack through. I'm not exactly... I grew up in the desert, the trees there were stumpy and weathered, if there were any trees at all. Got any suggestions on a better tree? I'd say it's not exactly a small project- but not huge either. I'm not building a home from the ground up just. Replacing some of the worse off parts.

[ Drawing his hand away from the tree he turned to smile to her, rubbing his cheek for a moment, before asking: ]

If you don't mind me asking, what do you need the bark for?

[Not as firm a handshake and fewer pumps than America used. She'll remember this.]

Understandable. My people are from a heavily forested world, with trees far larger and taller than here. Nothing of the memory was genetic, and the trees of Earth are more fragile. We learned anew.

[Toby nods, an odd and graceful gesture considering her neck.] Where are you settling? The time and effort to carry wood is also going to be a factor.

My diet is mostly bark, actually. That's part of why I'd prefer to live out here.

[The thing about being discouraged from going outside the wall, as a new arrival? You can't really discourage Hiccup from anything he sets his mind to, and you can't really stop him either, when he and Toothless can just fly over the wall, massive as it is. He ventures out with caution, always, aware now that the Cwyld is even more dangerous for dragons - and who knows how it might affect a dragon like Toothless - but he ventures out nonetheless, never content to remain where it's safe and easy.

He and Toothless are out for an afternoon flight, after some magic lessons at the Coven (which bore the hell out of his poor restless dragon, thus the excursion, like a treat for being so well-behaved), when Toothless' ear fins perk up at the sound of an axe hitting wood catches his attention. Thunk, thunk. It's rhythmic, and just the sound takes him back to Berk, where construction was always going on somewhere. This distance from the wall, he wonders who it is - but that question is swiftly answered when they touch down several yards from Keith, Hiccup swinging out of the saddle.]

Working on something?

[ By the time Hiccup and Toothless had shown up Keith had worked up a pretty good sweat, his jacket discarded and his shirt from the Coven barely buttoned, sleeves rolled up to his elbows as he cut the tree he'd downed into more manageable pieces for planing and processing. At the shuddering woosh of wings on the air he looked up, wiping the sweat off his brow with the back of his leather-wrapped hand, catching sight of the black blur of a night fury, before Hiccup and his dragon came to land.

Quirking his lips in a smile, Keith buried the axe into the log he was chopping, and strode over to greet the other. ]

Something, yeah. Found a place in the woods to call a temporary home, but it's a real fixer upper. [ He laughed, something a little sarcastic, because boy was fixer upper an understatement. ] Still, as far as locations go? I think it's the best in the forest. Want to go have a look?

[ He gestured towards a path in the undergrowth, leading off and back towards the stream he'd first followed, the shack itself.

Kosmo, who had been asleep in the shade not far off from where Keith was working perked up at the dragon and his rider's arrival, yawning and stretching, before getting up onto his paws and loping idly over to toothless, cocking his head at the dragon, before sinking down onto his front haunches, a gesture of play. Looking for something to do, clearly. It was kind of boring for him to just hang out and listen to Keith chop wood all day after all. ]

Edited 2019-05-19 08:45 (UTC)

This far out? I'm gonna guess 'fixer upper' is being kind to it. [Hiccup laughs. He's been out this way a couple times, and from the air, the only abandoned houses he's seen have been - ramshackle, to put it lightly. Barely recognizable as dwellings in a lot of cases. Still, he does have to give it to Keith, it's nice out here, away from the sounds of the city.] Yeah, I'd love to see it!

[He follows Keith at an easy pace, letting Toothless bound along as he pleases - the dragon shows much more interest in leaping after Kosmo like a playful cat, 'smiling' a big gummy smile and barking out a sound of greeting to the wolf. One good thing about the friends he's made here, Toothless gets to socialize with their companions; he's gotten along well so far with both Kosmo and with Newt's Greg, which is good - he's not used to being the only dragon around.]

No criticism from me, but did the witches give you the whole disapproving talk about living outside the wall?

Are you insulting my new home away from home before even seeing it? Careful, you won't get an invitation. [ Keith teased, chuckling a bit before moving to collect his tools, grabbing some of the smaller planks he had already planed. ]

Since you're here, you might as well give me a hand hauling this stuff over. Unless it's too heavy for you. [ You noodle. ]

Oh yeah, they didn't think much of my idea not to take one of their newly evacuated houses. ...I get that we're an unexpected crisis, but I think kicking people out of their own homes was a pretty classless thing to do in order to provide for us. I'd rather just find something on my own than take up on that kind of "charity".

[ He started off in the direction of his new found shack. It wasn't far from where he was working, it couldn't be after all. He didn't exactly have a horse or anything else to help him haul heavier stuff to the home. Really, all they had to do was walk through a large boulder bordering a slight hill, and it was there, nestled near the stream and underneath the shade of thick grown trees, a two level rotting former home. Old, but not ancient. Mossy but recoverable, the wood not so rotted away that he'd have to start from scratch. ]

There she is. Home sweet home. [ Keith gestured to it with a fond smile, before pulling the wood to the stack he'd already worked on, waving the other to follow him inside. ] Come on.

You know, I think I'll live without one. [He jokes right back. Hiccup is already moving to grab some of the wood before Keith asks; it's automatic, the reaction. Back on Berk, if you walked by someone doing construction, you stopped to help if you could. It's a different situation these days than it was six years ago, when most houses were brand new due to being lit on fire on a regular basis, but old habits die hard.

Despite his more slender physique, this is a familiar arena, and he doesn't seem to have much trouble carrying a reasonable amount of wood. (It's no crazy feat of strength, but you know.)] I know what you mean. It's- I don't like the thought. It's crowded back in my village, but I'd never dream of kicking someone out of their home to house someone else. I don't think I'll be staying in the Haven at all, out of principle. Besides, too much potential for property damage, and you know, we need to make a good impression if I don't want them to ban Toothless on sight. [He casts a glance back at his very large and very heavy lizard.

Once they reach the place Keith has picked out, Hiccup laughs, despite himself, shifting the bundle of wood on his shoulder before setting it down on the grass.] Gods. That's, um. She definitely needs some fixing up.

Decent frame, though, assuming the wood is still good. You're going to need bigger logs than this if you want to reinforce that second floor, though.

[ A rumble of laughter escaped Keith at the other's quip, and he shook his head. ] Your loss then, it's going to be pretty awesome when it's done.

[ Keith hummed in agreement. There wasn't much he could say that hadn't already been said between them on the circumstances in the Haven. It wasn't right how they were handling things. Maybe if instead, people had invited them into their homes, instead of kicking others out... but then perhaps there wouldn't have been enough space-

There had to have been a better solution. An arena transformed, a new section built for them beyond the wall, anything else. He sighed, shaking his head. ] What's done is done, I guess- but I'm not going to condone it.

You have any luck finding somewhere else to stay yet?

[ Keith asked it as he smiled, setting down the timber he was carrying to wave the other to follow him inside. ] The structural frame inside is fine, the wood is solid and still dry. The roof seems to have held up well- although it still definitely needs to be replaced. The only issue, is... ah..

[ Leading the way inside, it was easy to see what Keith was talking about without him even gesturing at it.

The entire backside of one wall was collapsing outwards, folding back like the peel of a banana and leaning out into the woods. ]

Three walls and a roof over your head are better than none, right? [ He smiled wryly, glancing back at the other and shrugging. ]

Edited 2019-05-31 21:04 (UTC)

Not yet. I figured Toothless and I would just pitch a tent until I can get something built. The weather's so warm I don't even really need that much unless it rains. [It's a lot warmer than he's used to, actually. Summer on Berk is still a relatively cool affair.] But- yeah, it's... a better option than moving into someone else's stolen house.

[With lumber deposited, Hiccup steps into the shack, touching and appraising the wood. Sure enough, the frame isn't too bad - old, but still fairly sturdy. The roof could use a bit of work just to make sure it's up to code, from what he can see, but- Yeah. It's missing most of an entire wall. Or, not missing, just... leaning. Drastically.

Hiccup has to stifle a laugh.] That's... Well, it gives you room for expanding? Or if you're happy with the size, it's fixable. I've seen worse damage.

[ The shack inside seemed much more spacious than it had from the outside initially- maybe it had sunk a bit backwards into the ground, or perhaps it was just that the outside looked so- sad, but Keith wasn't kidding when he'd said that it at least had potential. ]

Well, if you want to pitch your tent around here it's fairly cwyld free- I checked. [ He had to keep Kosmo safe, after all, and he was sure that Hiccup had the same feelings for Toothless. He'd heard that animals were more susceptible to the disease, and he wasn't about to let it happen to Kosmo if he could help it. ] Allura's not moving in any time soon, and there's plenty of space, you're welcome to it until you find something else, if you want. Safety in numbers too, so I hear.

[Definite potential. Hiccup moves around the place like he's inspected buildings for damage a thousand times in his life, zeroing in on problem spots, periodically knocking his prosthetic foot lightly against the floor as he walks to test the wood for soft or rotten boards.] Allura? Is that your friend? [He steps back a bit to look up into the second floor - which needs a bit of work, but he can already visualize what needs to be done with it. An aside,] You're going to have to replace at least three of those beams, I think.

[A pause as what Keith said sinks in.] Yeah? They do say it's safer out here to live in pairs or groups, which might be good for both of us, with Toothless and Kosmo being here. [He smiles wryly.] Assuming you don't mind roommates! I can at least pull my weight with the reconstruction. It'll be easier to get large pieces of lumber here with a dragon.

Yeah, friend from home. Came in through the mirrors at the same time I did- we did, I guess. [ He gave the other a half-smile, thin and wry, crossing his arms and shrugging his shoulders a little. He watched as the other went around kicking the support beams, not saying much as he let the other do his examinations. ] Yeah? Well, good to know. Probably would like to start with that so that the whole thing doesn't cave in on me as I do the rest. [ He chuckled a little, shaking his head. Yeah, that was absolutely the last thing he needed thanks. ]

If I minded roommates I wouldn't have offered. You won't even come close to the most annoying person I've lived with. [ That award would go to Lance, thank you very much. And even Lance he managed to get along with- some of the time. ] If you want to, I'd be happy to have you and Toothless here. The extra set of hands, wings and paws certainly wouldn't go unappreciated either.

You're lucky to have a friend here. I kind of wish Astrid had shown up with me, but at the same time, it's probably better she's still in the village to take care of things. [Hiccup heads up the old, half-broken ladder, climbing carefully and surprisingly nimbly on his prosthetic foot, to get a better look at the upstairs. Or what's left of it.] I don't think these will collapse out of nowhere, but they won't take any weight either. Surprised they did in the first place; I would have put in another support beam or two.

[Then again, these are the slums. These shacks were probably built by people who didn't have much knowledge or materials to go around.

He flashes a smile.] I'll take you up on the offer, then. Mind if Toothless and I take the loft once I build it up?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Through the woods we ran

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Sparring

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You know the one

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everything I know about this I got off wikipedia and I didn't read that close

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