Closed A Tree to Climb PV Jarael Morningstar and Colin McCoire

@Jarael Morningstar

Sitting back in the tree, feeling the bark against her back, munching on her toast, hearing the sounds of nature around her, Bailey felt a slight feeling of homesickness. She had a tree at home she loved doing this in. She would climb up to the top, settle down with a book or two and a snack, and just read.
As the bark began to push into her legs, Bailey took off her sweater and draped it across the branch.
Setting back into a comfortable position, Bailey heard someone climbing up. The girl looked vaguely familiar- and Bailey realized why when she introduced herself as Jarael Morningstar, a first year Ravenclaw.
Bailey responded with a smile, saying “Hello! My name is Bailey. Bailey Glade. I am a second year Ravenclaw- I think I have seen you a few times around the common room. How has school gone so far for you? Is it everything you expected?”
Looking more at Jarael, Bailey noticed that she had fair skin, piercing blue eyes that were beautiful, long brown hair that looked like it would go down to her waist. It was hard to tell though, since Jarael was climbing. As the girl settled down, Bailey smiled at her again, waiting for a response.

Word count: 215 ish

@ Jarael Morningstar

Wow Jarael is super flexible! I should ask is they stretch! Bailey thought as she watched the younger girl climb the tree. As Jarael spotted something, Bailey stood up to climb to the part of the tree to see what was up. Seeing that there was a nest of baby birds with no mommy, Bailey answered Jareal’s question if she had any food for the chicks.
“I do actually…. One minute…. Let me go get it..” Bailey said, swinging down to her bag and pulling out a piece of toast. Putting it in a napkin, Bailey held it in her mouth as she pulled herself up to the branch that the birdies were on. Handing the toast to Jareal, Bailey asked “What is an option? Should we go to the ground to get some worms for them? And where is the mum? Are we scaring her away by being so close to her babies? Should we move?”
After worrying over this for a moment, Bailey decided to go down and get another piece of toast from her bag.
Seeing the chocolate croissants, she called up to Jareal “I also have two chocolate croissants- if you want to eat one that works. I’m afraid the chocolate might make the birdies sick- do you think so?”

Word count: 220 ish

@Jarael Morningstar

She is so sweet and kind Bailey thought about Jarael, watching her tend to the birds. When Jarael commented that the worms might be in the mud on the edge of the lake, Bailey nodded and said “True. Should we go look? Or do you want me to go look?”
When Jareal just went to go get some from the lake, Bailey decided to stay by the birds and pet them and offer comfort.
Picking one up, Bailey sat down by them and stroked them, getting them tiny bits of toast.
As Jareal climbed back up with some worms, she offered one to Bailey.
Taking the offered worm, Bailey tickled the chicks beak with it, trying to get to to eat. As the nibbled, Bailey looked at the trees.
It was a peaceful day, and the trees were swaying in the wind. The grass was also swaying, and the flowers that dotted the lawn were bright and colorful, making it a cheerful sight.
Sighing with contentment, Bailey began to him a song without really thinking about it. The song was “I’m yours” by Jason Mraz, it had been one of her mums favorite songs and it made her smile humming it.

Word count: 205 ish

Attire: Usual weekend kit: Slytherin pride, neck ring, kilt, no shoes, wolf fang necklace, knobby stick. Nothing fancy!

Reducio

Colin had been up with the Sun that morning and had journeyed far on his quest over land and sea! He'd already battled countless undead warriors of the wicked Liche King as they invaded the Woodland Realm beyond his own castle keep of High and Gateless. He sighed as he made his way along the strand. Would the Liche King never die!? He said to himself: "How was it, Colin lad, tha's doughtily fought countless wars against the evil one's wicked realm, and yet he remains unconquered!"

Colin had unbuttoned his plaid shirt to help cool off and he relished the chill waters of the loch on his bare legs and feet as went along. Every now and again, he'd stood to examine some interesting stone or shell. Occasionally, he'd pick one particularly nice one up, look at it closely then pop it into his mouth to taste it. Sometimes he'd slip the stone into his pocket, other times, he'd carefully put it back in the water.

As he came along towards the stretch of shore where the kids from Hogwarts would gather, he poked his stick into the water, now here, now there. Soon he came towards a particular spot under a tree that grew by the water's edge. As he got close to the tree, the water became shallow, only up to his ankles. Colin stood up straight, cocked his head and listened intently. He poked the narrow end of his stick into the water. First, farthest away from the shore; then towards his left; then towards his right; then at last closest to the shore.

Each time he dunked his stick into the water, he'd suddenly whip it up towards the sky and watch as the water droplets cascaded back down into the loch. He laughed merrily! "Oh what gems are ye, that droplets are, catch the morning Sun and fall; adamant, emerald, fair aquamare! Ere ye towards the depths and halls of Manannan down fall!"

He laughed again, and then stood still and silent.

"What is that, o bata mine? What did you taste in the waters of the loch?"

Colin looked around, under the tree, and things of wonder did he see! "No one there, under thee o tree, I see!" He turned away from the land and gazed long over the waters. "No one there, on sea of glas and riabhach!"

"Where, I wonder, are you!?" he cried. He jammed his stick into the muddy floor of the loch and crouched down on hands and knees in the cold water! His shirt and hair got all soaked as well as the hem of his kilt; and he dunked his head all the way in, resting his left ear on the stones at the bottom!

After a minute or two, Colin stood up straight again with a triumphant cry: "Owoooooo! I know a secret no snake should know!" He shook his head and his entire body like a dog! As his long black hair whipped around, falling out of its loose braid, drops of water were thrown in every direction. He grabbed his stick and tapped it upon a rock, cocking his head to one side. "Riddle me this rune, o lakeside tree! The water, the stone, the worm all tell one tale! One tells of raven tail! Another one of --- bread? The third one tells of eagle landing, just here on this rock?" Colin pointed his stick at the tree, then followed its trunk all the way, high up in the air! He leaned his head and shoulders back so far he might have fallen into the water and his hair and shirt nearly dipped into the water again! "I'll riddle that rune, o tree: thou, I think, are that eagle's aerie!" As he said the last words, he pointed his stick right up towards the top of the tree!

"Eagles fly high while snakes creep low --- yet might not this queztalcoatl ascend the heights and converse with noble birds?" he cried. He brought his stick back down and rested his fists upon his hips, but he never took his eyes off the green leaves far above.

Bata is the Gaelic word for stick; while glas and riabhach are words denoting the gruey grey and green of deep waters.

Reducio

The Eagle and the Quetzalcoatl

@Jarael Morningstar || @Bailey Glade

@Jarael Morningstar
@Colin McCoire

As Jarael fed the chicks the worms, Bailey realized that they only had one left. So, Bailey was going to get more. She said “I am going to get more worms now, ok?”
With that, Bailey swung down to the ground. As she was feeling for worms, Bailey heard water splashing and a familiar Scottish lilt. Looking up, Bailey saw Colin!
Standing up, Bailey smiled widely at him and spoke. She said “Hey Colin! How are you doing? We seem to be seeing each other everywhere. I am not complaining though!”
As she waited for Colin to respond, Bailey looked up at Jarael who was still in the tree. She called up “Hey Jararl! Colin is down here. I will be up in a few minutes with the worms! Sorry to make you wait. Do the chicks seem hungry still? Let me know- so I know how many worms I need to find.”
With that Bailey wiped her muddy hands on her pant leg. Turning back to Colin, she smiled again and elaborated. “Jarael found some hungry chicks in a nest so … we have been feeding them to the best of our abilities. Have you ever fed a baby chick before?”

Word count: 205 ish

Colin watched the upper parts of the tree intently as the leaves rustled softly. Something was moving. He heard a familiar voice and he beamed.

She dropped down from the lowest branch and greeted Colin. Colin said: "Bailey Glade! A good and trusted friend --- I knew there was an eagle roosting in this here tree!"

She called up into the tree telling it she'd get more worms, saying something about hungry chicks needing feeding, which got Colin wondering. "What have they got up there?"

Colin really only caught one word of what Bailey said next. But it was a key word! "JARAEL? Is Jarael up there with you? Two eagles in the aerie? Are you her friend, too ---?" Colin paused for a moment, looking into Bailey's eyes for a long moment. His expression turned serious. "--- A lot of kids think she's weird. That's bullocks! It hurts my heart when they laugh at her. I think she's brilliant, and I'm happy she's your friend." And just as quickly, his expression returned to merriment. "And you're saying I can go up, too!? --- I'll help thee; let's get some worms!"

And with that, Colin jammed the end of his bata back into the lakeside mud, got down on hands and knees and began rooting around for worms and other wriggly things. He'd caught a bunch and carefully rinsed them off in the water. "Chicky-chicks eat nice clean worms!" Before too long, Colin stood up straight again, tucking the worms safely into his shirt pocket. He was soaked, and his shirt hung off his narrow shoulders, but he was triumphant! He gave Bailey a toothy grin, showing off all his fangs.

Colin gasped! He covered his mouth with both hands. "Oh crap!" he said, his eyes wide. Maybe she didn't notice? So he laughed to hide his embarrassment. This wasn't going well at all --- and he could feel a blush rising up from his chest and into his face and looked down quickly. He whispered to himself: "There's nothing for it, lad --- we have to them, too. Especially Eyes of Sky!" But then he looked up again at Bailey. "Come on then!" he said as he retrieved his bata, tucked it into its holder on his belt and began to climb the tree.

And with that, Colin scrabbled up the tree, at first limb to limb, but as the trunk narrowed, he hugged that and shinnied up, his fingers and toes finding places to cling to. Until at last he caught sight of something blue like the noontide sky and something black like midnight.

Colin waited for Bailey.

@Jarael Morningstar | @Bailey Glade