Now Found [PV] - page 1 - Grounds

4 Apr 2024, 04:47

⋖ 26/Mar/2024 @ before sunrise | ENGLISH [#715380] | FRENCH [#b654a9] ⋗
INTERACTIONS @Pericles Dralt | MENTIONING Marshal Mozor
───•─•────────────────────────────────────•─•───

The time was finally fast approaching. Months--nay, years--of preparation and countless incantation repetitions would lead to this final test of resolve. It had almost begun to seem like she would never reach this point; like the storm would remain far off on some unseen horizon, intangible but ever present. But there was no denying the crack of light that woke her from her restless slumber, sending the entirety of the Nundu Niche into high contrast of white on black. Nor could one turn a deaf ear to the thunderous rumbling across the hills. An electrical storm had been predicted, and the approaching Spring season had delivered.

Heart hammering against her chest—was that the second rhythm underlying it?—Evelynn threw off her covers and launched herself from the confines of her four-poster. Nerves or excitement aside, she didn't stop to interpret the tightness in her throat as hands dove into her trunk. Barely even wincing as the edge of the lid scraped carelessly across bandaged fingers, she pulled a small box from the dark recesses of her belongings. Inside, the vial of ingredients she had painstakingly prepared in the years previously.

For most, or so she would have assumed at least, it was likely the death's-head hawkmoth chrysalis or the dew that had caused the most trouble. The former had been easily obtainable online during the summer holidays. The latter had simply been collected from the field on her property before the sun had risen, then kept in a cool dark place to leave nothing to chance before its time would come to being added to the phial. No, for Evelynn, it was the Mandrake leaf that had given her the greatest difficulty. One month was all that was theoretically needed to prepare that ingredient. It had taken her four.

The first mistake had been simple user error. She couldn't remember exactly what had happened, whether it had been a day too soon in pulling out the leaf, or if she had accidentally spat it out in her sleep, but it had to be discarded. The second, idiot Marshal had naively fished it from her mouth but days before the full moon, ruining what would have been a perfectly marinated specimen. The third and fourth attempts had both concluded with overcast and rainy nights when the time had come to bottle the leaf. By the fifth, Evelynn half expected to taste mandrake on her tongue for the rest of her days and had gotten so used to having the leaf tucked away into her cheek.

She'd almost forgotten to harvest it when the proper night had finally come. But harvest it she did, slipping the saliva-coated leaf into a glass phial by the light of the moon before adding a single auburn strand of hair plucked right then from her own head, the silver teaspoon of dew that had been absent from sunlight and the touch of human feet for seven days and then some, and finally the Death's-head hawkmoth chrysalis. Stoppered, it had been carefully stowed in a small box within her trunk ever since, not once concerned that she had in some way obfuscated her chances and prepared the concoction erroneously.

With the box clutched tight against her breast, her form silhouetted in the window with every flash of light, trepidation crept through her now. For the life of her, she couldn't quite will her feet to take her from the dorm. What if she had muddled her chances? What if the transformation resulted in some grotesque abomination? What if she let fear into her heart and lost control? Or worse still, what if nothing happened at all, despite all steps taken and executed correctly?

As though able to sense her hesitation, a low hoot sounded from the mound of ruffling feathers on the stand beside her. Evelynn cast an affectionate glance Janus' way. Pale as a ghost in the light of the storm, the barn owl shuffled closer to her. The soft touch of feathers as she ran her fingers through them afforded her a small measure of comfort, but not quite as much as she might have liked. "I need you to do something," she whispered, and making a snap decision, turned to the nightstand by her bed. Half a moment later, a hastily scribbled note had been tied to Janus' outstretched leg and the window cracked just wide enough for him to shuffle through. And like that, the spirit had taken wing, headed for Gryffindor's sister tower and an equally pale target.

Evelynn stood by the window until the barn owl was out of sight before retreating. Although not initially planning to bother changing into anything notable, she changed her mind. It wasn't everyday that one met their faunal alter-ego, and something about the effort of investment and the ritualistic nature of the preparation and that which was yet to come guided her to seek a certain level of formality. Plus, the extra minutes allowed her a moment to steady her racing heart.

By the time she emerged from her dormitory, she had slipped into a floor-length dress that had been enchanted to reflect the skies. Billowing clouds drifted dynamically around her figure as she swept through the halls. Every now and again, the portraits and stonework along the corridors would be cast into stark relief by the light of lightning as it streaked across her corset and skirts. The clicking of heels echoing upon the floors offered a sense of finality, each step counting down to the moment of enlightenment. In one hand, she held the box that contained the phial; in her other, her gleaming black polished wand.

"Aberto." At the command of the spell, the doors of the Small Hall arced inwards to reveal the turbulent darkness beyond the castle's entrance. Pausing just within, Evelynn cast her gaze skywards, irises mirroring the gray above. Despite the wind that whipped at the fabric around her feet, only a few whisps of auburn hair danced in its pull. The rest had been carefully nestled into an elegant knot at the back of her neck, held in place by another enchanted device, a comb of vanity she'd acquired for one ball or another. The form of an avian overhead caught her attention, and she followed its path for some time before losing it beyond the walls of the courtyard. Whether it was Janus or another, however, she couldn't tell from her vantage point. With one final steadying breath, she pushed off, the clicks of her heels once more heralding her approach.

The professor was already there, waiting for her at the previously agreed upon location on the grounds. Waves lapped against stone and sand, the usually mirrored lake as restless as she felt. Over the horizon, the sky was just starting to show signs of waking, the sun not yet arisen. No words needed to be exchanged as Evelynn closed the distance. She received little more than a nod to proceed, fatigue still evident in the professor's bleary gaze. The Gryffindor nodded in turn. Less to her supervisor, however, but rather more to herself, to assure herself that she could move forward. To remind herself that everything had been for this moment. To eliminate the option to squander this opportunity.

There was no turning back now.

And yet she did turn back to some degree, head swiveling back over her shoulder to see if there was anyone other than just the two of them. It had been a long shot, she knew, sending Janus to the Ravenclaw tower with a cryptic note that had merely read:

Grounds by tree, now. E
She didn't know if Janus would be able to deliver it. Nor whether the recipient would even be awake at such an hour to receive the notice. Granted, when given a mission, the barn owl--who was as pale as this morn's target--could be incessant in its dedication to completing its task. But even if the torn piece of paper even made it to the right hands, there was the question of whether the message would be understood, or if he'd even show. Part of her, the part that veiled the buried anxiety that nothing would come of this event, wished he wouldn't. To spare her the shame should nothing happen. But the part that led her gaze to search, staying her form from proceeding with the task quite yet, needed the reassurance of his presence.

───•─•────────────────────────────────────•─•───
STA | 10‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ STR | 2‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ EVA | 15‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ WIS | 15‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ARC | 10‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‎ ‎ ACC | 13
keen eye fearless impartial wandmaker

Last edited by Evelynn Decipio on 8 Apr 2024, 04:02, edited 2 times in total.

ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ: Owen Lochridge | Margarethe Fransson | Dottie Dunlot [comc professor]

Pericles Dralt

Auror-in-Training, I

2 029 990

8 Apr 2024, 00:14

@Evelynn Decipio
┏
┓
Jarred awake by a nightmare he couldn't recall, unable to fall back asleep, Pericles had taken to a book nook built against a dorm window. With any luck, the dry contents of Moste Potente Potions combined with the soothing sounds of a storm would do the trick. The intention was dashed when an owl alighted the sill. Startled at the sight, it took two insistent taps against the pane to spur him into action, hastily opening it with a whispered "Well hello there, lovely bird." Peri had a soft spot for barn owls, given their elegantly framed faces and eerily wise black eyes. Were it not for a chance encounter with his Siamese, or the needy nature of his tarantula, he wagered he would have acquired one of these particularly pretty birds for school instead. She seemed to be all business, too, taking off once he'd untied the delivery before he had the chance to rummage around for owl treats. It surprised him all the less when he spotted that signature. The person behind that artfully lined "E" was one of the most methodical souls he knew, so when he interpreted the urgency of her message, he leapt down from the nook with a quickness.

Either his incidental prying paid off, or Evelynn Decipio was looking to fight him over it. Pericles wasn't particularly worried about which was in store. He spent so long lost to stressors, grief, studies and experiments. Lately he had been wholly absorbed with becoming an animagus, but once he accomplished it, his focus shifted. Connecting with the eagle afforded him a literal bird's eye view of life. Loss and trauma had driven him into a self-appointed state of hermitage, an unhealthy method of avoiding further pain. Yet through the detachment his alter form offered, he witnessed the world through a simpler lens, one which frequently reminded him there was still good to be found. He began reaching out where he would have formerly passed others by, unseeing. Eve was no exception. Pericles had witnessed that same mask he once wore plastered on her face. He had reached out when he chased her into that snowy night, and now, it looked like she was actually reaching back. Or calling him out to a duel.

Pericles opted for a thick coat and the pinstripe getup he'd grown attached to, tied his boots and snatched his satchel. With the window left open a crack in his wake, he took to his winged form, tasting the energy in the air as he glided into the storm. The bird announced its arrival with a distinctive chirp before shifting back on site. Once Peri laid eyes on Eve's ensemble, he couldn't help feeling underdressed. She looked like a cloudburst personified. With eyebrows arched high, he did a quick once-over of her enchanted dress, seeking her equally stormy eyes while coming closer. Between the professor present and the turbulent weather, the pieces finally fell into place. "I'm here." What would have been stating the obvious was made meaningful through tone: firm, dutiful, what he really said was that he was prepared to help in any way necessary.
┗ ┛

{ 𝔗𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔰 𝔞 𝔟𝔬𝔶: 𝔞 𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔶 𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔤𝔢, 𝔢𝔫𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔟𝔬𝔶. 𝔗𝔥𝔢𝔶 𝔰𝔞𝔶 𝔥𝔢 𝔴𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔶 𝔣𝔞𝔯 𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔩𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔰𝔢𝔞. }

(iNPC: Madhup Hexum)

Evelynn Decipio

Adult, I

2 181 1 425

8 Apr 2024, 02:40

⋖ 26/Mar/2024 @ before sunrise | ENGLISH [#715380] | FRENCH [#b654a9] ⋗
INTERACTIONS @Pericles Dralt | MENTIONING n/a
───•─•────────────────────────────────────•─•───

Just when she thought that perhaps her summons would go unanswered, a ghostly eagle descended from on high. Only moments later, Evelynn was holding the gaze of what was becoming a rather familiar pair of eyes. The arching of his brows did not go entirely unnoticed, nor could she suppress the creep of heat that climbed her neck to redden her ears. Not recently having been one to make a show of anything, the way he looked her over left her only too acutely aware of just how ostentatious she must have appeared. A small breath released with relief, internally grateful that he said nothing on it. At the affirmation of his presence—both physical and psychoemotional—Evelynn could only swallow the swell of nervous flutters that had begun anew with his apparition. There had been a certain comfort in the waiting, a procrastinating reprieve that allowed her to delay the final facing. His arrival put that excuse to rest. She simply nodded one last time and turned her attention forward, grip tightening on her wand.

She moved ahead a few paces into a clear area before lowering to gingerly placed the box she had been carrying upon the ground. A moment of hesitation gripped her, fingers on the verge of plying upon the lid. One breath. Another. Lips pulled in over her teeth and pressed together, creases etching lightly on her brow. She had to resist the urge to glance back over her shoulder for additional reassurance, instead boring her sights into the box as though trying to visualize the contents within. Of course, she would see nothing until she finally bid the vessel open, and when she did, she breathed a sigh of relief. By the flash of a well-timed arc of lightning, the liquid in the phial was clear and unmistakable. Crimson. And just enough for a mouthful.

With support at her back and a touch more confidence than she'd had on rousing, Evelynn stood, the phial poised between two fingers. Wand tip moved to heart, then, with practiced articulation, she recited, "Amato animo animato animagus." Clear and leveled, she spoke the incantation just as she had every morning and every nightfall every day since the completion of the immature potion.

She thought she had grown accustomed to the odd sensation in the chest after such an incantation, the feeling of a second rhythm, not unlike palpitations, but different. This time, however, the double beating of the heart was stronger than ever, almost enough to provoke a fit of coughing. It was all she could do just to swig the potion and force it down, willfully denying herself from sputtering or allowing the contents to return the way it was intended to go down. If that was all it had been, facing the rest of the transformation without complication may have been a success. The overbearing palpitations did not subside, however, nor were they the only feeling with which to contend.

Only moments after swallowing the contents of the potion, a searing wave raked through her at the exact moment that a roar of bared teeth and the sensation of swiping claws filled her head. It was like every nerve had been lit on fire, senses heightening to berate her with stimuli at an accelerating rate. Still caught in transition and unable to process the new and conflicting information, Evelynn was left in a state of sensory overload. Instead of allowing herself to simply exist in the moment and ride the flow of the transformation, her mind rebelled. In its attempt to comprehend what was happening, she began to lose her mental footing, the equilibrium of control shifting from beneath her. For all the months of preparation and years of theory... she wasn't ready. She likely couldn't ever have been fully ready.

Fear swept through the wake of fire and chaos, feeding rapidly back into itself the more she tried to suppress it. Although the ritual was well known to be uncomfortable and frightening, it was always cautioned to avoid panicking, that once started, the process could not be undone and fear could end in catastrophe. That was all well and good in theory, but in practice, control had slipped from slender fingers the moment the shocking vision of teeth had sent her wand to fall to the grass below. In the moments of transformation and beyond, consciousness blurred. She could see nothing but the vision of a large cat. Feel nothing, but the searing heat. Strange smells and unfamiliar smells accosted her, strongly overpowering. The roar grew louder, a rumbling thunder that reverberated in her head, deafening her to all else.

It wasn't merely in her head, however. As Evelynn fought to make sense of an overwhelming environment, the transformation continued. Quite literally, the witch slowly vanished, mind and form giving way to the creature that had sought to release itself for some time. Though unaware, she had doubled over, palms barely catching her upon the ground. The fabric that billowed to drape her shifted and withdrew, limbs growing to fill it out. Her spine lengthened, muscles building. Claws grew from her nails and her face elongated, sharp and dangerous looking teeth erupting from the developing muzzle. No longer confined to thought alone, the deeply agitated growling joined the rumbling of thunder, growing in pitch and ferocity as the transformation progressed.

By its completion, growling had given way to the high-pitched warning scream of a mature mountain lion in the spot where Evelynn had previously been standing. Thick auburn fur rippled over corded muscle, the cougar appearing larger with the way hackles rose as she spun on her spot to face the two strangers nearby. Agitation and danger enveloped her behaviour, and they were the only obvious sources. Teeth bared themselves at professor and Ravenclaw alike, ears flattened against a thick neck housing power enough to fell an elk. Pushed to fight or flight, she had very clearly settled on the former, and there was no hesitation in the way hind claws dug into the ground for traction. Launching forward, front paws—claws fully unsheathed—swatted at the air, the wild cat comfortably running a few strides on hind legs alone.

ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ: Owen Lochridge | Margarethe Fransson | Dottie Dunlot [comc professor]

Pericles Dralt

Auror-in-Training, I

2 029 990

9 Apr 2024, 07:29

@Evelynn Decipio
┏
┓
As self-appointed director of a club called the League of Aspirant Animagi, to say Pericles had jitters over attending the only animagus ritual he had witnessed (besides his own) would be an understatement. While there was comfort in the presence of a professor, he felt a sense of responsibility for what was about to unfold, more so as Eve had invited him. It was no small honor, and no small stressor. Peri joined her as she moved into the clearing while running a mental inventory of what he had in his bag. A heavy blanket, a spare set of clothing, the checklist seemed almost moot in the moment now that this exact opportunity arose. Yet at the reveal of the bloodred potion, he started to suspect the most he could do was be supportive, and present. "It's perfect." A statement as congratulatory as it was reassuring. She had put in the work with her potion, its hue identical to his own successful brew. Now for the moment of truth.

Engrossed in the spectacle, Pericles silenced as the swill was swallowed down and the incantation recited, his own heart picking up pace. As Eve fell, he crouched with her. He knew the mind-numbing pain she was subjected to, the ache of it still fresh in his memories, and thought better than to reach out when she was already overwhelmed. What he wasn't privy to was the primal snarl echoing in her head, likely drowning his heartening murmur. "Don't fight it. You're strong enough to wait this pain out." The transformation was a terrible, beautiful thing. It would be slow the first time around, every grueling shift in anatomy drawn out for a morbid display he couldn't bear to look away from, though the elongation of flesh and bones made his own innards twist. He had the good sense to create some space between them as fangs and claws came into the equation. Peri's mind tried to race ahead to the outcome, analyzing the familiar catlike curve of her canines, marveling in the blood-tinted auburn coat that came to the surface. A rattling growl melded with rumbling thunder, her final form illuminated by a streak of lightning. In those precious first moments, the eagle cracked a rare wide grin.

Relief flooded him. He felt like he could move again. abnormally chatty as the empathetic jitters still ran their course, surging with adrenaline and breathless when he spoke. "You've done it! Oh she is stunning-" was all he managed before the great cat screamed and spun about. The bird operated on reflex alone, mind giving way to the whiteout of shock as she swiped. A split second slower, and the four razor-thin claw marks in the fabric of his cloak could have easily been on the soft skin of his stomach. Unlike their last meeting near this very tree, it was his turn to slip. Pericles sucked a sharp gasp of pain as his tailbone hit the dirt. His fingers plunged into the sleeve of his coat, curling around the hilt of his wand, but not yet drawing. The moment had been a blur. He gave a harsh bark of "Wait!" aimed more for the professor in their wake than the snarling animal a mere five feet away. He would Petrificus her himself if he had to. They could mend a mauling, replenish blood if it came to it. What they couldn't do was pull a girl back from a botched animagus transformation, and if she lost herself to the lioness, he would have never outraced the guilt. "Eve?!" Pericles almost didn't recognize his own voice, high and soft as concern clashed with apprehension. His silver eyes were round as coins as they searched for a sign of her in those wild grays.

┗ ┛

(iNPC: Madhup Hexum)

Evelynn Decipio

Adult, I

2 181 1 425

12 Apr 2024, 03:48

Claws, intended to strike at nothing more than air, hardly even met resistance even as they tore through cloth. Fibers parted with a hiss, like a crowd giving way for the passage of a queen. What had started as little more than a warning to create some distance had resulted in closer contact than intended, a testament to the inexperience of just how swift this form could move. While distance had been created, one of the bipedals had fallen. The exposure of his belly fed the predatory inclinations of the cat, form crouching and claws biting into earth in preparation to spring. As hind quarters found their footing, shifting back and forth for greatest purchase, he shouted.

While it should have been enough to keep the attention on to him, movement from the side had caught that feline's attention. Silver saucers shifted just in time to see the second upright creature pull a switch from somewhere hidden. It was a thin thing, void of twigs or leaves, but something about it stirred some vague recognition. Danger flashed repeatedly at the back of the cat's mind, giving pause to her continued aggression even as focus was returned to the smaller, more vulnerable of the two. Were it not for the next word spoken, she likely would have taken her chances to snatch up the offspring and make off swifter than the mother could retaliate.

Eve.

The young one squalled again, but this time there was meaning behind the sound. The word stopped her in her tracks, a moment of silence breaking through the throaty growl. Immediate recognition still eluded the the puma, but it had served its purpose. The call roused something—someone—within the large cat's mind, a second conscience scratching at its surface for a hold. The alarm of danger continued to sound, and opportunity had long since slipped by, the elder holding its stick forward. A force from elsewhere drove the feline into motion. With a powerful release of coiled hindquarters, it launched itself to the side, another feral snarl ripping at the air.

Wand and box remained on the ground where once a girl had been standing.

Flee.

Large padded paws propelled the cougar across the grounds, its gait uneven, occasionally interspersed with bursts of stride that covered several yards in a single bound. There would be cover in the woods. It was dark with heavy foliage, and many trees that could be climbed. Hiding would come easily and if the two-leggeds followed, she would have the advantage. Wind rippled across her fur, barely felt beneath its thick coverage. The rain, as well, hardly touched her, rolling off in little beads as she cut a path through the storm. Her way was easily to trace, even without the periodic flashes of lightning. And the smells...Too many to count, or track, but growing thicker the closer she got to the woods.

Fear departed in the absence of any immediate threat and the two lanky creatures already forgotten, her pace slowed, nose lofted and mouth slightly ajar to scent the air. One smell in particular stood out stronger than the rest, urging her to pad along after its trail. She wound through trees and shouldered her way silently through underbrush, eventually coming out into a small clearing. At its center, a rabbit reached low, drinking from a shallow creek. Pupils dilated, the environment brightening and bringing with it details previously ignored. Instinct led the cougar to crouch, haunches coiling once again.

But why..

Caught somewhere in between propulsion and hesitation, the cat burst from the bush with as much grace and subtlety as a hound chasing after a fox. Heard long before she could reach her quarry, the rabbit had plenty of time to dart away in a zig-zag of panic before diving into the safety of its burrow. Yowling a brief complaint, she meandered up to the burrow to sniff at it for good measure before turning back to the creek. It smelled clean and earthy, the gentle trickle over rocks and branches a familiar, soothing sound. Not so unlike the sound of water lapping against rock and stone. Thirst tugged at her then, and she lowered herself to the water's surface to sate it. Grey eyes peered back up at her from her reflection as she lapped at the water. Eyes that she knew. Evelynn's eyes.

Her eyes.

Evelynn blinked, droplets of water falling back to the water below as she lifted her head enough for a better look. So too did the mountain lion in the reflection of the water's surface, its image slightly distorted by dripping and the gentle rippling of water as the creek continued to flow. She tilted her head to the right. And then the left. The cat in the water did the same. Auburn fur covered much of its face but for portions of black and sandy white across its muzzle. A black dot discolored the fur just beneath its left eye, just like the mark she bore. It was several seconds further yet before memory awakened enough to remind her what she had been doing. She had been on the verge of completing the animagus ritual. Which could only mean one thing.

She had done it.

Rising suddenly from her crouch, she wandered midway into the creek, gaze still directed down towards the water, circling. It wasn't exactly ideal, but without a mirror, it was the only real way she'd be able to get a good look at herself. A muted sort of contentment rose in her as she meandered up the creek, enthralled by the ease with which she moved. Minutes ticked by without a thought. If left to her own devices, hours would easily pass as well, except for the sudden realization: she hadn't been alone. Wheeling back around in a spray of diamond droplets, Evelynn bounded back the direction from which she'd come.

She had forgotten about Pericles.

ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ: Owen Lochridge | Margarethe Fransson | Dottie Dunlot [comc professor]

Pericles Dralt

Auror-in-Training, I

2 029 990

16 Apr 2024, 07:02

@Evelynn Decipio
┏
┓
It would have been wretched irony if one of Peri' first attempts at reintegrating into society had led to disembowelment. The empathetic elation he'd felt was traded for a mental whiteout of shock, left lying in the dirt with wide eyes and a fist clenched around his wand. He didn't want to draw it, but so help him, he was ready to as a last resort. First he'd have a go at reaching her. When the Ravenclaw witnessed that glimmer of recognition, he felt hope. "You still in there?" His typically tranquil voice was strained with worry, pleading with his eyes, not to be spared but to be heard. He wouldn't have time to get through to her. The professor wasn't about to risk student violence, taking aim, and Eve- even while reduced to an animalistic thought process- recognized the threat. Just when he was wondering if he was going to be the butt of fate's least funny joke, the great cat tore off with an angry yowl. Pericles scrambled to his feet. His gaze had hardened, voice terse when he barked "I've got her." This was precisely the reaction he'd feared a wand would inspire, and although the professor had made the right choice in taking precautions, it wasn't his well-fare he was worried over. The lioness was headed for the forest. Hissing an expletive under his breath, Peri snatched Eve's wand from the grass before transforming.

His own introduction to the animagus state had been wholly different. There was no primal race through the wilderness: Pericles had retained his mind, though the first shift had taken its toll, leaving the eagle looking like it had been hit by a car. He had only been able to sit and stare from the spot where he had first turned, overwhelmed by new sensations. Vision had been the most jarring sense of all. He had gone from a far-sighted human, who wore glasses when reading, to a creature referenced for its acute eyes. It had taken days to acclimate, weeks to refine his flying, yet the practice paid off in this exact moment. As the lioness darted through the trees, the bird coasted overhead like an unorthodox guardian angel, high enough to not be noticed and near enough to keep a close watch. His wings were silent as he glided through the branches, alighting one once his quarry came to a stop. The forest was home to all manner of predators. Pericles was determined to prevent Eve from falling prey to something bigger and bitier than herself, looking out for acromantula snares in the canvas while he went, though it seemed the lioness had eyes for prey of her own. Hunched on its perch, the eagle watched intently as the hare was stalked. Relief (narrowly) outweighed his curiosity. Pericles had not experienced the temptation to eat while in animal form, though he couldn't help wondering what it would have been like. For Eve's sake, he supposed, it was better off that the attempt was unsuccessful.

As the great cat prowled the ground with speed and strength, the eagle followed in silence and grace. They traversed through darkness, illuminated by the occasional streak of lightning until the storm started to fade. The duo remained blessedly unbothered in this shallow section of forest. Pericles treated his post as sentinel with dedication, dismissive towards the passage of time. Yet when she moved to treat herself to a drink from the pond, she seemed to recognize herself, and he felt a fresh bolt of hope surge through his patience. It was the first sign he'd seen of human intelligence, made all the more likely in the way she doubled back towards the lake. Coasting closer to Eve- albeit too high to be reached, just in case- the bird revealed itself by loosing a few inquisitive chirps. They carried the connotation of his far earlier question:
You still in there?
┗ ┛

(iNPC: Madhup Hexum)

Evelynn Decipio

Adult, I

2 181 1 425

17 Apr 2024, 20:33

Paws pounded silently over packed earth as she raced back through the forest, ducking her head now and then to shoulder her way through underbrush. Every now and then, a slight pull at her pelt would indicate the loss of a pinch of fur, but overall it was quite nice how easily she slipped through tangles of twigs that she would have avoided as a human, lest they snag and catch at her clothing. Her pace was significantly faster, as well. She would have to get used to it. More than once, she skid to a stop, seeing some landmark or other that she hadn't expected to see for some time yet, then having to double back. Not recalling how she had gotten to the creek in the first place, her path back towards the lake was not a linear one, often deviating one direction or another as she tried to find her way. While some parts of the forest were familiar to her, she had generally avoided it, knowing exactly the sort of creatures--and beings--who had made it their home. It did not bode well for her sense of direction. Eventually, she had the sense to try navigating less like she might have previously, and more like she ought to now.

A low growl rumbled in her throat as she shifted tactics. Rather than continue down the little game trail she had found herself on, she loped over to a nearby tree. If cougars were like housecats, they would have scent glands in their paws. Claws unsheathed, she stretched up on her hind legs digging them into the trunk of her new arboreal scratching post. Deep grooves cut their way through its skin, rending the wood beneath until sap seeped like sanguine amber. There was something surprisingly cathartic about the action, how the tree yielded beneath the might of her raking while also offering anchorage to stretch her limber form. Relaxation and an outlet. She would have to investigate this more fully another time. For now, though, she needed to find her way back out of the woods. After thoroughly clawing at the tree, she simply held it within her grip, inhaling with mouth slightly open the way she had seen cats scent something. She would study it for nearly a minute, dissecting the different aromas and subtle tastes on the air, then move on to another tree and do it again. By the third repetition, she was fairly confident she had identified her own scent, keeping its memory close in mind while she returned to the forest floor and followed its trail to find the remnants of her previous trek.

Back on path, her pace increased, but it wouldn't be long before she paused her journey for an entirely different reason. The Forbidden Forest always did seem to keep an eerie sort of quiet. Even in the guise of a predator, the woods carried a certain unnerving quality that left Evelynn with the singular desire to leave its vicinity sooner rather than later. Now and then, a branch would break or the breeze would ominously rustle nearby leaves. Sometimes, the low hoot of an owl would echo its way through the forest, seemingly coming from everywhere, yet no where. Other times, the dripping of water from some unknown source would seem amplified beyond reason, as though falling upon a stone mere inches from one's ear. Through it all, however, came the chirps of an avian overhead, its vocalizations distinctly counter to the vaguely intangible sounds that otherwise haunted the woods.

Slowed to a trot, Evelynn peered up, searching for the source of the noise, eyes glowing silver by the reflection of the moon finding the familiarly ethereal form of an eagle. Rationale briefly escaping her as reflex prompted her to call back, she released a chattering series of chirps, not entirely dissimilar to Pericle's. Of course, she immediately cut herself off the second she realized that she could not, in fact, speak and opted to seat herself in the middle of the game trail instead. Head lifted to follow the circling of her airborne guardian, she couldn't help but wonder--yet again--just how long he'd been trailing after her, though that notion was smoothed over by the immediate recognition that if worst came to worst, his bird's eye view would afford her the compass she needed to extract herself from the maze she'd landed herself into.

ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ: Owen Lochridge | Margarethe Fransson | Dottie Dunlot [comc professor]

Pericles Dralt

Auror-in-Training, I

2 029 990

30 Apr 2024, 02:55

@Evelynn Decipio
┏
┓
From Pericles' perspective, the most awe-inspiring aspect of the animagus ability was that those who pursued it couldn't choose their form. It was easy to hope one would become some great animal, regal or mighty, yet will wasn't enough. In the end, whatever shape they achieved would mirror the soul of the person which wore it. The eagle suited him just fine. He craved freedom, and found it in flight. Though his beak and talons were wickedly curved, he seldom used them, largely preferring to play the part of a distant observer. He was a ceaseless, circling watcher with sharp eyes. The bird played to its strengths in order to analyze the cat's. From tree to tree it flitted, quiet as a breeze, discerning what it could from the form Evelynn had taken.

The lioness was a formidable thing. She was also nonnative to Europe, leading him to wonder precisely where, and how, Eve had encountered one. Come to think of it, she had a faint accent he'd never asked about. From what he did know of panthers, they were solitary animals, not inclined to form prides like other big cats. Dignified yet dangerous, elusive yet empowered, she functioned gracefully even while exerting her strength. The eagle watched intently as she carved into a tree, effortlessly rending hard oak. He was reminded of his own close shave with those claws. The raw memory sent a shudder through him in the form of ruffling feathers, leaving the bird briefly puffed. He watched on awhile, trying to tell whether this was some animalistic attempt at claiming territory, or if Eve was in there, marking a path to escape. Only one real way to tell for certain.

They called out to one another, Eve answering in the only way she could. Pericles recognized her return chatter: it was the same sound his Siamese made when she saw a bird beyond the window. He knew precisely what Athena would have done with a bird, and given the circumstances, wasn't about to test if the cougar would pay him the same treatment. Instead the eagle swooped to a branch it deemed safely beyond reach. Its shape shifted in the shadows: tailfeathers replaced by a draping coat, long legs appearing over the edge of the branch, moonlight catching the outline of fair hair. Pericles leaned to look over the edge of the bough, peering over his perch. "Having fun, are we?" That mellow voice lilted with wry humor, though there was an uncharacteristic softness to it, a touch of melancholy. He was worried. Whether Eve was still in there, or had been truly lost to the animal outright, he wanted to get her somewhere safe. The Forest wasn't fit for someone not of right mind. Typically, she was among the few he considered capable, but tonight wasn't typical at all. "Sorry to cut things short, though it's time to come home, Eve." Pericles paused to double-check his pockets, content to find his wand in one and hers in the other. He was ready. He was going to get her back.

Launching himself from the branch, the wizard's shape twisted and condensed, erupting again with a pair of spread wings which cast her into shadow. It would guide her if she followed and pester if she didn't, just close enough to be frustrating yet untouchable. Being a flier came with an impeccable sense of direction. He knew where he was headed, making an effort to lure her along towards Hogwarts. The eagle chirped enticingly, flying fast and low, circling back if ever it lost sight.

┗ ┛

(iNPC: Madhup Hexum)

Evelynn Decipio

Adult, I

2 181 1 425

5 May 2024, 04:19

Seated on her haunches, head hanging low but for the glowing eyes that remained skyward, reflecting the light of the moon towards the heavens, the puma tracked the bird's movement. To her expectation, he swooped low, alighting a nearby branch. Standing, she paced a few strides to one side and then the other, attentive as he shifted to a more recognizable form. Finding little humour in the situation, he would receive no verbal response to his jest, only the restless swishing of a tail suggesting a gradual shift towards ornery agitation. But as he spoke, she cocked her head, catching undertones to the voice that she couldn't recall having heard before. A testament to a heightened sense of hearing, perhaps? She peered up at him, ear flickering now at then to some distance noise before swiveling back. He looked... a bit strange. Grey and desaturated, a bit fuzzy around the edges. Not entirely unlike one of those cam-style horror films. Nostrils flared, a light breeze blowing in from behind the boy, and she lifted her head a touch to scent the air. Immediately, she was struck with images of plump cushions and little biscuits, bay windows and rain pattering against the panes. The sort of environment in which she would find herself enjoying a hot cup of tea. There was comfort in that.

She was still in the midst of appraising him in this new light when he expressed it was time to go, shortly thereafter leaping from the tree to fall seamlessly into flight. At once, the mountain lion was on its feet again, forepaws briefly leaving the ground as though some part of her had considered trying to leap vertically to close the distance. She didn't. But she did give chase. It was easy to keep him in her sights. The white feathers of his belly may as well have been a lit beacon, so bright was he to her against the dark sky. Details were obscured, though, his shape blurred and fluid. It was because of this that she occasionally lost him during a stint beneath the canopy, but he would never allow her out of range for long, continuously circling back to heckle her in the right direction. On one occasion, she dared to try to swat at him in the air. Not seriously, mind, though she wouldn't have been able to deny a certain satisfaction if she'd managed to ground him, even if only for a moment.

Evelynn would catch the smell of the lake, and a veritable army of other mixed scents, shortly before they reached the edge of the forest. Her pace slowed to a trot, her gaze occasionally deviating back over her shoulder as though to confirm that nothing else had also followed the pair of them to from its depths. She halted, ears perked in its direction, eyes peering into a darkness that wasn't nearly as dark as she was accustomed to it being. Nothing moved. Nothing significant, anyway. Signs of life had gradually appeared the nearer they got to the wooded outskirts, birds and critters finding their homes in the safety of bordered grounds. Only once she was certain of their safety did she break the statuesque facade, turning her head back towards the lake. She couldn't see, from here, whether the professor was still there.

The sun was beginning its rise, though, its rays not quite cresting over the horizon where the sky had lightened. Her gaze dropped to the ground below her, looking between her feet. Her paws. Then up to the forest again. In that moment, she felt torn. Within the next hours or so, she would have to turn back. To return to the castle and break her fast and return to the routine she had finally started to put back together again. She would have to shed her hide and stow her claws and don her robes. Part of her didn't want to. The stories that Dralt's grandmother had shared returned to her then. Tales of how animagus had lived one with nature, alongside the plants and the animals and all that Nature's bounty had to offer. How surreal that seemed to her then. To escape to the natural world where the only rule was survival. There were no politics or classes or shadows. She wouldn't have to worry about protecting others, or the guilt that weighed her down, or the worry of not being enough, no matter how much effort or preparation she invested. She could just...be. A shadow of her own against a forbidden backdrop. It would be easier...

But if she did... he would just fly right back in after her. And it was here in this moment of inertia that the keen eyed Eagle might spy something else. The darkness of the forest, shielding of foliage and blurred motion of the feline as she raced from its depths would likely have been enough to obscure those features she took care to hide from view on a daily basis. In the early dawning light of a new day, however, and in the absence of obscurity, they would be on full display. Hidden only by sparse bits of fur that had managed to grow through the scar tissue, Pericles might spy a lichtenburg scar running between her scapula, over her right shoulder and down the length of her limb nearly to her paw. Likewise, smaller, and much less noticeable, were patches of raised red almost fibrous looking scarring almost perfectly hidden within her auburn pelt. As of yet, she hadn't considered their visibility in this form.

A low grumble rumble in the feline's chest, something caught between a growl and a mewl. Peeling her focus back from the vegetation, she returned it towards the lake. And then to the Eagle, feathered or otherwise. It had taken a moment to remember how to even undo what she had done. Teachings instructed that one must merely conjure an image of themselves within the mind, hold it and will the shape to corporealize. Nobody, as far as she could recall at least, had indicated whether there would be discomfort in that transition. Hesitation gripped her, though fear didn't seem to permeate in quite the same way as it had at the start of the ritual. With all the reluctance of her first step onto the train at the end of a school year, Evelynn tried to draw her own image to mind. For all the aspects of the animagus ritual, this might have been the easiest. Having had an interest in fashion and holding the belief that appearance can be as effective a tool as any other skill or device in one's possession, she had spent enough time in front of a mirror to be mistaken for vanity. Painlessly and swiftly, her form would change and twist, mass rising in its center of gravity to return to a bipedal state, fur replaced with satin and finery, paws slimming, and claws receding to too-short nails.

Immediately, she was struck with the feeling of frailty, musculature waning, her natural form, while athletic, doll-like by comparison. Fatigue settled in next. Anxious anticipation of the previous evening coupled with virtually no slumber throughout the entirety of the night prior to a woodland trek left her weary and worn. Gravity seemed to grip at her with a ferocity ne'er before felt, but it was the emotional weight that pulled her down and left her swaying slightly on the spot to rest her back against a tree. Brows pinched, lips crimping, gaze falling to the grass a few feet away. It had occurred to her that she had forgotten Dralt, but it hadn't occurred to her why. In fact, she couldn't recall hardly any of the ritual after the first few agonizing moments. Teeth bit at her lower lip as flashes of memory flitted back into view, brief grimaces flickering across her countenance as remnants of the pain and fear resurfaced. The next thing she could recall was her reflection in the water. Her head rocked back to tap once against the trunk before coming to a rest, eyes peering up towards the moon glinting softly through the canopy of leaves above. When she finally spoke, it was barely more than a whisper and thick with weary trepidation. "...what happened?"

ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ: Owen Lochridge | Margarethe Fransson | Dottie Dunlot [comc professor]

Pericles Dralt

Auror-in-Training, I

2 029 990

5 May 2024, 12:09

@Evelynn Decipio
┏
┓
Pericles was unafraid of cutting things close, using himself as live bait, but eventually felt confident that this was no game of cat and bird. Even when she swatted his way, he gave a taunting squawk with an accusatory beak clack. Cheeky. Experiencing for the first time the elation of roving with another animagus, he allowed himself to forget the urgency of returning to the castle. It was also the first time his grandmother's old druid stories felt less like fantasy. That, or the moment was more like a dream... until he saw her scars from overhead. As if to confirm what he was seeing, the bird turned his head one way then the other, committing the memory between both eyes. Filed away as something to ask about later.

Eve's ghostly guide fluttered into the tree above her. Like a local cryptid, he once again changed from bird to boy, a shadow in the leaves as he leaned down to eye her. His mellow voice rang with that strange sense of humor. Where it was usually restrained, easy to overlook in all his formality, it became pronounced as Peri relaxed. "Blimey, aren't you tired yet?" He wasn't. He struggled against the same lure, and surely could have raced her til sunrise, though the pull waned as he acclimated to being an animagus. It was easier to resist each day. Now, if only he could talk Evelynn back from the appeal of a simpler existence. "Magnificent as it is, they won't let us back in with you looking like that. Paint a clear picture of yourself in your mind." She didn't need any help in that aspect, though it wouldn't stop Pericles from pitching in, dutiful director of the League that he was. Eagles were detail oriented animals, and so was the Ravenclaw. Committing features to memory came naturally to him, so it didn't seem the least bit unnatural to list off the traits of present company. It would have painted a funny picture to anyone who spied them out a window: Peri perched on a bough out of reach, ankles crossed and head downturned, carrying on casually with a puma.

"You have the reddest hair I've ever seen and eyes the color of storm clouds. There's a beauty mark under your left eye. You have more freckles on your left cheek than your right, but only a few... I only keep that in mind on the off chance someone tries to impersonate you. You were wearing a long dress that billowed like the sky...." He hesitated, then added on a Don't panic but you ought to know note: "Really think about your dress. It's crucial for manifesting it back." While he waited, he began digging through his satchel, eventually drawing out a rolled blanket. By the time he finished fiddling with its knots, Peri looked down in time to find Eve returned to human form. He hesitated, flashing a proud smile, before pointing his wand inward. "Arresto Momentum." "...what happened?"" Drifting down to the ground alongside her, Peri stooped to offer out the quilt. "Don't worry. You didn't eat any rabbits, and I'm confident the professor's arm will grow back in no time whatsoever." He spoke using a blend of gentle reassurance and lighthearted sarcasm. The joke was meant to distract from the shallow clawmarks on his coat, which he nudged behind his back, out of sight. With a more admiring tone, Peri went on to congratulate: "Everything went perfectly. You're an animagus, now, and a lethal one at that."

┗ ┛

(iNPC: Madhup Hexum)

Back

┏		┓
	Jarred awake by a nightmare he couldn't recall, unable to fall back asleep, Pericles had taken to a book nook built against a dorm window. With any luck, the dry contents of Moste Potente Potions combined with the soothing sounds of a storm would do the trick. The intention was dashed when an owl alighted the sill. Startled at the sight, it took two insistent taps against the pane to spur him into action, hastily opening it with a whispered "Well hello there, lovely bird." Peri had a soft spot for barn owls, given their elegantly framed faces and eerily wise black eyes. Were it not for a chance encounter with his Siamese, or the needy nature of his tarantula, he wagered he would have acquired one of these particularly pretty birds for school instead. She seemed to be all business, too, taking off once he'd untied the delivery before he had the chance to rummage around for owl treats. It surprised him all the less when he spotted that signature. The person behind that artfully lined "E" was one of the most methodical souls he knew, so when he interpreted the urgency of her message, he leapt down from the nook with a quickness. Either his incidental prying paid off, or Evelynn Decipio was looking to fight him over it. Pericles wasn't particularly worried about which was in store. He spent so long lost to stressors, grief, studies and experiments. Lately he had been wholly absorbed with becoming an animagus, but once he accomplished it, his focus shifted. Connecting with the eagle afforded him a literal bird's eye view of life. Loss and trauma had driven him into a self-appointed state of hermitage, an unhealthy method of avoiding further pain. Yet through the detachment his alter form offered, he witnessed the world through a simpler lens, one which frequently reminded him there was still good to be found. He began reaching out where he would have formerly passed others by, unseeing. Eve was no exception. Pericles had witnessed that same mask he once wore plastered on her face. He had reached out when he chased her into that snowy night, and now, it looked like she was actually reaching back. Or calling him out to a duel. Pericles opted for a thick coat and the pinstripe getup he'd grown attached to, tied his boots and snatched his satchel. With the window left open a crack in his wake, he took to his winged form, tasting the energy in the air as he glided into the storm. The bird announced its arrival with a distinctive chirp before shifting back on site. Once Peri laid eyes on Eve's ensemble, he couldn't help feeling underdressed. She looked like a cloudburst personified. With eyebrows arched high, he did a quick once-over of her enchanted dress, seeking her equally stormy eyes while coming closer. Between the professor present and the turbulent weather, the pieces finally fell into place. "I'm here." What would have been stating the obvious was made meaningful through tone: firm, dutiful, what he really said was that he was prepared to help in any way necessary.
┗		┛

┏		┓
	As self-appointed director of a club called the League of Aspirant Animagi, to say Pericles had jitters over attending the only animagus ritual he had witnessed (besides his own) would be an understatement. While there was comfort in the presence of a professor, he felt a sense of responsibility for what was about to unfold, more so as Eve had invited him. It was no small honor, and no small stressor. Peri joined her as she moved into the clearing while running a mental inventory of what he had in his bag. A heavy blanket, a spare set of clothing, the checklist seemed almost moot in the moment now that this exact opportunity arose. Yet at the reveal of the bloodred potion, he started to suspect the most he could do was be supportive, and present. "It's perfect." A statement as congratulatory as it was reassuring. She had put in the work with her potion, its hue identical to his own successful brew. Now for the moment of truth. Engrossed in the spectacle, Pericles silenced as the swill was swallowed down and the incantation recited, his own heart picking up pace. As Eve fell, he crouched with her. He knew the mind-numbing pain she was subjected to, the ache of it still fresh in his memories, and thought better than to reach out when she was already overwhelmed. What he wasn't privy to was the primal snarl echoing in her head, likely drowning his heartening murmur. "Don't fight it. You're strong enough to wait this pain out." The transformation was a terrible, beautiful thing. It would be slow the first time around, every grueling shift in anatomy drawn out for a morbid display he couldn't bear to look away from, though the elongation of flesh and bones made his own innards twist. He had the good sense to create some space between them as fangs and claws came into the equation. Peri's mind tried to race ahead to the outcome, analyzing the familiar catlike curve of her canines, marveling in the blood-tinted auburn coat that came to the surface. A rattling growl melded with rumbling thunder, her final form illuminated by a streak of lightning. In those precious first moments, the eagle cracked a rare wide grin. Relief flooded him. He felt like he could move again. abnormally chatty as the empathetic jitters still ran their course, surging with adrenaline and breathless when he spoke. "You've done it! Oh she is stunning-" was all he managed before the great cat screamed and spun about. The bird operated on reflex alone, mind giving way to the whiteout of shock as she swiped. A split second slower, and the four razor-thin claw marks in the fabric of his cloak could have easily been on the soft skin of his stomach. Unlike their last meeting near this very tree, it was his turn to slip. Pericles sucked a sharp gasp of pain as his tailbone hit the dirt. His fingers plunged into the sleeve of his coat, curling around the hilt of his wand, but not yet drawing. The moment had been a blur. He gave a harsh bark of "Wait!" aimed more for the professor in their wake than the snarling animal a mere five feet away. He would Petrificus her himself if he had to. They could mend a mauling, replenish blood if it came to it. What they couldn't do was pull a girl back from a botched animagus transformation, and if she lost herself to the lioness, he would have never outraced the guilt. "Eve?!" Pericles almost didn't recognize his own voice, high and soft as concern clashed with apprehension. His silver eyes were round as coins as they searched for a sign of her in those wild grays.
┗		┛

┏		┓
	It would have been wretched irony if one of Peri' first attempts at reintegrating into society had led to disembowelment. The empathetic elation he'd felt was traded for a mental whiteout of shock, left lying in the dirt with wide eyes and a fist clenched around his wand. He didn't want to draw it, but so help him, he was ready to as a last resort. First he'd have a go at reaching her. When the Ravenclaw witnessed that glimmer of recognition, he felt hope. "You still in there?" His typically tranquil voice was strained with worry, pleading with his eyes, not to be spared but to be heard. He wouldn't have time to get through to her. The professor wasn't about to risk student violence, taking aim, and Eve- even while reduced to an animalistic thought process- recognized the threat. Just when he was wondering if he was going to be the butt of fate's least funny joke, the great cat tore off with an angry yowl. Pericles scrambled to his feet. His gaze had hardened, voice terse when he barked "I've got her." This was precisely the reaction he'd feared a wand would inspire, and although the professor had made the right choice in taking precautions, it wasn't his well-fare he was worried over. The lioness was headed for the forest. Hissing an expletive under his breath, Peri snatched Eve's wand from the grass before transforming. His own introduction to the animagus state had been wholly different. There was no primal race through the wilderness: Pericles had retained his mind, though the first shift had taken its toll, leaving the eagle looking like it had been hit by a car. He had only been able to sit and stare from the spot where he had first turned, overwhelmed by new sensations. Vision had been the most jarring sense of all. He had gone from a far-sighted human, who wore glasses when reading, to a creature referenced for its acute eyes. It had taken days to acclimate, weeks to refine his flying, yet the practice paid off in this exact moment. As the lioness darted through the trees, the bird coasted overhead like an unorthodox guardian angel, high enough to not be noticed and near enough to keep a close watch. His wings were silent as he glided through the branches, alighting one once his quarry came to a stop. The forest was home to all manner of predators. Pericles was determined to prevent Eve from falling prey to something bigger and bitier than herself, looking out for acromantula snares in the canvas while he went, though it seemed the lioness had eyes for prey of her own. Hunched on its perch, the eagle watched intently as the hare was stalked. Relief (narrowly) outweighed his curiosity. Pericles had not experienced the temptation to eat while in animal form, though he couldn't help wondering what it would have been like. For Eve's sake, he supposed, it was better off that the attempt was unsuccessful. As the great cat prowled the ground with speed and strength, the eagle followed in silence and grace. They traversed through darkness, illuminated by the occasional streak of lightning until the storm started to fade. The duo remained blessedly unbothered in this shallow section of forest. Pericles treated his post as sentinel with dedication, dismissive towards the passage of time. Yet when she moved to treat herself to a drink from the pond, she seemed to recognize herself, and he felt a fresh bolt of hope surge through his patience. It was the first sign he'd seen of human intelligence, made all the more likely in the way she doubled back towards the lake. Coasting closer to Eve- albeit too high to be reached, just in case- the bird revealed itself by loosing a few inquisitive chirps. They carried the connotation of his far earlier question: You still in there?
┗		┛

┏		┓
	From Pericles' perspective, the most awe-inspiring aspect of the animagus ability was that those who pursued it couldn't choose their form. It was easy to hope one would become some great animal, regal or mighty, yet will wasn't enough. In the end, whatever shape they achieved would mirror the soul of the person which wore it. The eagle suited him just fine. He craved freedom, and found it in flight. Though his beak and talons were wickedly curved, he seldom used them, largely preferring to play the part of a distant observer. He was a ceaseless, circling watcher with sharp eyes. The bird played to its strengths in order to analyze the cat's. From tree to tree it flitted, quiet as a breeze, discerning what it could from the form Evelynn had taken. The lioness was a formidable thing. She was also nonnative to Europe, leading him to wonder precisely where, and how, Eve had encountered one. Come to think of it, she had a faint accent he'd never asked about. From what he did know of panthers, they were solitary animals, not inclined to form prides like other big cats. Dignified yet dangerous, elusive yet empowered, she functioned gracefully even while exerting her strength. The eagle watched intently as she carved into a tree, effortlessly rending hard oak. He was reminded of his own close shave with those claws. The raw memory sent a shudder through him in the form of ruffling feathers, leaving the bird briefly puffed. He watched on awhile, trying to tell whether this was some animalistic attempt at claiming territory, or if Eve was in there, marking a path to escape. Only one real way to tell for certain. They called out to one another, Eve answering in the only way she could. Pericles recognized her return chatter: it was the same sound his Siamese made when she saw a bird beyond the window. He knew precisely what Athena would have done with a bird, and given the circumstances, wasn't about to test if the cougar would pay him the same treatment. Instead the eagle swooped to a branch it deemed safely beyond reach. Its shape shifted in the shadows: tailfeathers replaced by a draping coat, long legs appearing over the edge of the branch, moonlight catching the outline of fair hair. Pericles leaned to look over the edge of the bough, peering over his perch. "Having fun, are we?" That mellow voice lilted with wry humor, though there was an uncharacteristic softness to it, a touch of melancholy. He was worried. Whether Eve was still in there, or had been truly lost to the animal outright, he wanted to get her somewhere safe. The Forest wasn't fit for someone not of right mind. Typically, she was among the few he considered capable, but tonight wasn't typical at all. "Sorry to cut things short, though it's time to come home, Eve." Pericles paused to double-check his pockets, content to find his wand in one and hers in the other. He was ready. He was going to get her back. Launching himself from the branch, the wizard's shape twisted and condensed, erupting again with a pair of spread wings which cast her into shadow. It would guide her if she followed and pester if she didn't, just close enough to be frustrating yet untouchable. Being a flier came with an impeccable sense of direction. He knew where he was headed, making an effort to lure her along towards Hogwarts. The eagle chirped enticingly, flying fast and low, circling back if ever it lost sight.
┗		┛

┏		┓
	Pericles was unafraid of cutting things close, using himself as live bait, but eventually felt confident that this was no game of cat and bird. Even when she swatted his way, he gave a taunting squawk with an accusatory beak clack. Cheeky. Experiencing for the first time the elation of roving with another animagus, he allowed himself to forget the urgency of returning to the castle. It was also the first time his grandmother's old druid stories felt less like fantasy. That, or the moment was more like a dream... until he saw her scars from overhead. As if to confirm what he was seeing, the bird turned his head one way then the other, committing the memory between both eyes. Filed away as something to ask about later. Eve's ghostly guide fluttered into the tree above her. Like a local cryptid, he once again changed from bird to boy, a shadow in the leaves as he leaned down to eye her. His mellow voice rang with that strange sense of humor. Where it was usually restrained, easy to overlook in all his formality, it became pronounced as Peri relaxed. "Blimey, aren't you tired yet?" He wasn't. He struggled against the same lure, and surely could have raced her til sunrise, though the pull waned as he acclimated to being an animagus. It was easier to resist each day. Now, if only he could talk Evelynn back from the appeal of a simpler existence. "Magnificent as it is, they won't let us back in with you looking like that. Paint a clear picture of yourself in your mind." She didn't need any help in that aspect, though it wouldn't stop Pericles from pitching in, dutiful director of the League that he was. Eagles were detail oriented animals, and so was the Ravenclaw. Committing features to memory came naturally to him, so it didn't seem the least bit unnatural to list off the traits of present company. It would have painted a funny picture to anyone who spied them out a window: Peri perched on a bough out of reach, ankles crossed and head downturned, carrying on casually with a puma. "You have the reddest hair I've ever seen and eyes the color of storm clouds. There's a beauty mark under your left eye. You have more freckles on your left cheek than your right, but only a few... I only keep that in mind on the off chance someone tries to impersonate you. You were wearing a long dress that billowed like the sky...." He hesitated, then added on a Don't panic but you ought to know note: "Really think about your dress. It's crucial for manifesting it back." While he waited, he began digging through his satchel, eventually drawing out a rolled blanket. By the time he finished fiddling with its knots, Peri looked down in time to find Eve returned to human form. He hesitated, flashing a proud smile, before pointing his wand inward. "Arresto Momentum." "...what happened?"" Drifting down to the ground alongside her, Peri stooped to offer out the quilt. "Don't worry. You didn't eat any rabbits, and I'm confident the professor's arm will grow back in no time whatsoever." He spoke using a blend of gentle reassurance and lighthearted sarcasm. The joke was meant to distract from the shallow clawmarks on his coat, which he nudged behind his back, out of sight. With a more admiring tone, Peri went on to congratulate: "Everything went perfectly. You're an animagus, now, and a lethal one at that."
┗		┛

Now Found PV