[P] My heart still thumps as I bleed, and all your friends come sniffing.
SOSU WORD COUNT - 444 OOC - for ezra - sailing corank. 

Aelin approached the Avalon, admiring the boat once again. It rocked gently in the frigid waters, the gentle noise of the water hitting the side of the vessel almost relaxing. There was a dusting of snow on the ground she walked over, the breeze lifting the flakes off the ground in little whirls and sending them flying through the air.  The gangplank creaked as she moved up it, but it felt stable under her feet. Once on the boat Aelin looked around, then went to the starboard side of the ship. There was a good breeze today, but with the season being what it was she was unsure if anybody was around to take it out.

Resolving to find her someone to refresh her memory on the methods to sail, the bobtailed female sat down near the mast of the ship and practiced tying and untying various styles of knots on the end of the ropes. She checked the ropes for sign of weakness, footsteps carrying her to the bow of the vessel as her inspections drew her attentions to different areas. Aelin wanted to familiarize herself with all the parts, and mentally she sifted through her memories to her trip over her. This boat was much prettier, and larger then that one, and wasn’t full of unwashed, stinking bodies.

Shuddering to herself, the wolf shook off thoughts of sea-sick Luperci and ran her hands over the smooth wooden railings and looked to the horizon, the wind carrying the ocean spray up and into her face. Breathing in deeply, she reveled in the crisp, damp mist that smelled of ice and salt. It was a scent like no other, and invigorated her deep within her core. It smelled of adventure and freedom, and a toothy grin flashed across her features. Maybe if she waited around long enough, someone else would be drawn to the scent of another around the docks. She was sure by the dirt upon the deck that the vessel had fallen into disuse over the winter, which made sense.

Well, while she was here she might as well continue her inspection and make sure things weren’t decaying or rotting. Grasping a broom Aelin began to work clearing the planks of dirt and natural debri, making her way from the front of the deck to the back. It was slow work, but after a few hours the planks were swept and things looked much neater. Taking a break from sweeping, the wold climbed up the netting to start to check the state of the knots and ropes at the top, seabreeze picking up and sending the white tendrils of her hair flying.
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Ooc here
After quite literally tearing the room apart and putting it back together, Ezra leaned against the door with his hands bracing his face and a long, tense sigh slipping from his maw.

“You sure ya'gots it?” Arrows tune moved, unsteadily, trying to consider the fact that Ezra might have to go back out into neutral lands for one simple thing.

A quiet nod moved through him, rattling the stray hairs that slipped from the cord at the back of his head. He recalled specifically putting that tool within the fur in the Wyvern church. If it fell out? No, it couldn't have, the fur was tied tightly. He wondered if the stranger he'd met out there might have seen it and made off with it? There was no telling.

Hell, it could be lost to the water.

All at once, Ezra reanimated, “It's on the ship!” Recalling the thunk that came after he'd packed his goods within, he was given hope, “I heard something fall on the ground, but couldn't figure out what it was. I took it for the ship creaking,” Chuckling, he massaged the place between his brows, “I'm terribly sorry to have wasted your day like this, Arrow.”

“D'aw, no pra'lem, jus' go make sure it dhere,” The pale Collie waved him off, “I'll be dun here'n finish up m'stuff.”

“You're a treasure, my friend,” He laughed and made quick work of himself out of the door. Quickly paced steps brought him down the hall, up the stairs and out of the door. The black of his cloak billowed as he broke into a sprint for the stable.

In no time at all, Fantasy was dressed and the two of them head out of the Fort to Strega's Bay, where the Avalon was docked. Hopefully, no one had it in them to take the ship for the day, so he could be sure that the knife was where it had fallen or, at least, so no one might accidentally trade the fundamental instrument of Ezra's work.

The masts of the Avalon proved tall and inviting in the dock of the Bay and Ezra breathed, yet another, sigh of relief for the day. Pushing the heavy draft mare through the snow, they ate up the distance to the dock until it's wooden planks and creaking hull were in full view.

Slipping down from the mare, he chose to tie her off to make sure she was safe. He still wasn't completely sure of the area, and the horse might catch her foot in a hole, effectively bringing a swift end to herself. With that out of the way, he jogged up the docks and carried himself swiftly up the plank, still jogging as his paws met the deck.

A fast wave was offered the Aelin, the wolf woman who decorated the netting, as he slipped into the place he'd stored his items. There, resting lazily against the wood, the hoof knife sat. It had been waiting for him the whole time. Finally, the tension left his shoulders and he moved with a new found relaxation back onto the deck of the boat.

“My apologies for passing so quickly, my lady,” Pinched between his fingers, he shook the knife lightly before tucking it away into the waist of his pants. It dawned on him, suddenly, what it was she might be doing up there, “Is there something amiss?” He had finished his great search of the day, and his energy was recently renewed. If there was any work needing doing on the vessel, well, he'd be more than willing to help! After all, he owed it to the Cavalier's to aid them with the ship that he'd been allowed passenger on many times before.

SOSU WORD COUNT - 455 ooc: two aelin posts in one day awww yis. 

Looking down curiously, she spotted a familiar face. “ Oh, Hello Ezra! “ The wolf chirped in a cheerful tone, releasing one hand from the safety of the netting to shyly wave at the handsome Luperci below her. The wind buffeted her lithe form just then and with a squeak of surprise Aelin clutched back at the net, trying her best to look smooth and not at all the clumsy fool she felt all the way up here. Her hair came free from its bun and flew wildly, and how quickly the firehearts courage hurled itself from her gut when her vision was blocked by her long strands. “ Crap. “ She breathed quietly, blindly reaching with one foot to find her way down. Rung by rung, she made her way down until it was a safe distance – then she dropped the rest of the way, landing heavily on the pads of her feet.

A sigh of relief exited her lungs, and with a shake of her coat Aelin came back to the present. “ Sorry - I felt like the wind was going to blow me right off, it’s a bit wild up there with nothing to block the gusts. “ Came her sheepish admission, bobtail twitching behind her in uncertainty. What a land lubber she must look like! “ To answer your question, though, nothing is amiss. I was just .. checking on things, you know. Cleaning up dirt here and there, seeing how the ropes were holding up. Knots and all that. “ Curiously she looked at the pick in his hands and nodded her understanding. “ Leave something behind? You did make for the cabin rather swiftly. “ Aelin drawled, glancing over the side of the boat. The roaring of the waves against the beach filled any silence there might be between them, and the shrill shrieks of seagulls rang out across the surf.

“ I uh, I’m actually interested in becoming part of the crew, actually. “ False confidence was present in her voice, and it was with equally false bravado that she charged forward. “ I came over here on a boat, and it wasn’t so bad.. This one is much nicer, though it has been some time since I arrived in this area and I could use a refresher on the upkeep and whatever else a vessel such as this requires. She appears to also made from different materials, higher quality ones at that. I’m interested in the patch job, and how it was sealed. “ Once the floodgates opened, Aelin could hardly keep the words from pouring out of her mouth, and she managed to click her jaws shut with an earnest look cast in his direction.
avatar by the awesome pabs 
Ooc here
Her charming greeting was met with his own wave and the concern he had not but a moment ago turned into a grin. It was short lived, however, as a gust pushed passed her and she looked as if she might lose her grip. Pale feet put himself below her in a hurry, arms turned out to prepare to catch her should she take to the wind, not that his back would appreciate the gesture, but surely Aelin's would if she fell. Relief poured from him in a huff of mist as she gripped the netting tightly, bringing herself closer to the ground, "Careful, now," His mouth seemed to say without his mind's prompting.

Ezra's hand was offered out for her to take if she wanted as she jumped down, that concern returning to his features until she was finally settled, “That it is!” He agreed, his winded tone releasing as he exhaled the tension from himself. With herself firmly planted on the deck, his hand came to his chest to still his heart for a moment while listening intently to what she had to say.

“Ah, I see,” He nodded as she explained herself, looking up into the shrouds she had attached herself to when he'd first come in. When her question came to him, marbled gaze returned to her with a short laugh, “I did yes,” He plucked the tool out of his waistband to give her a look at it before putting it back, “For hooves on the horses,” Rather than let her wonder, he explained what it was for, but it seemed she had much greater interests than simply tending to the surface of the Avalon.

“Are you?” A cant of his found her with adoring curiosity. The man was a sailor at heart, but that life he long ago abandoned for settling down up north. Of course, the trips on the Avalon itself let his heart fly fancy free with the wind in the sails and the waves that rocked the ship in the Loch.

“Well, let us waste no time!” Walking over to the shroud and gripping the rope there, he allowed it to support him, “How patches and repairs are done depend on where the ship is at,” His other arm reached out into the lock, the wind rustling the fabric of his shirt more gently than it did the higher shrouds, “On the water, you use Oakum to seal loose timbers. Oakum is old rope that has unspun, but still should be kept because it can be pounded into gaps on the hull or deck. There should be additional timber below deck for quick patch jobs above the waterline, where it is the water meets the hull, the bottom of the boat,” Unsure of exactly where her knowledge started and ended, he was sure to describe the lot of it.

His hand dropped and his pale paw stamped on the deck's surface, “Once at port, or dock, the real repairs can start. Timber is fitted properly with pitch resin, usually from Pine. It's terribly flammable, though, so fires must be contained on board, if not discouraged altogether. What next.”

A knuckle came to his lip as he considered what she had asked before, “Ah!” Back on track, he released the shroud and began to count on his hands the duties that sailors often carried, “Keeping watch for other ships or boats, for shallow waters or stony croppings, and navigating is an important duty all done by the Crow's nest. The platform at the top of this mast,” He gestured upward as he continued counting, “Handling sails, cleaning the decks, dropping anchor are crucial things to know, as well. It would not do harm to learn a compass and memorize the Map the other Sailors use for the loch, to know which way your going with nothing but water surrounds you, and to know which areas to avoid and safe paths to take.”

With the bare essentials uttered from him in rapid fire, he took a breath and clasped his hands, “Any of those things you might like to try today, or maybe any more questions? I used to sail, years ago as it were, but I cannot forget what my father's legacy had taught me.”

wc - 295

The male was concise and too the point, Aelin would give him that. It was true, he wasted no time in jumping into the detailed explanation she only had dared hope would arise from poking her nose around, and a genuine smile lit up her features as she listened just as intently as he spoke. “ Pounded into the gaps? I had no idea you could use old rope for that. “ Aelin interjected, bob-tail twitching behind her in excitement.

“ I know all about pitch resin actually, I’m a bit of a woodworker myself. It’s pretty time intensive to get the amount needed for repairs I imagine though. “ The wolf hybrid said, eyes sweeping the deck for anything else she wanted to ask about. He continued on, speaking of the Sailors duties and she paid attention, marking each point in her mind to be scrawled down later. The map and compass was an interesting point, and not one she had much experience in. She would have to track down, Isaac was it? And pick his brains on the subject matter. This task Aelin made sure was at the top of her mental list.

“ If you have the time, I would like to be shown where this map and compass is. I don’t have experience navigating so much, just the more maintenance side of things. “ Aelin knew how to read and write, but she had never even seen a compass nor a map. It hadn’t been necessary when she had been back home, as she had never shown interest in being a sailor. Her family hadn’t know the call of the kelpies and other water fae folk had lured her to the sea, and she had been enamored with it ever since.
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