Down to Earth

Posted Nov 24, 2021, 2:04:44 PM UTC

11.Draw or write about how your character would peacefully resolve this fight without coming to blows.


After six more loosed arrows, the boar finally locked eyes with Lyra.  Knowing her time for stealth attacks was up, Lyra attempted to race through the treetops to escape the sight of her opponent.  This time, however, she wasn’t as lucky.  The creature was more intelligent than Lyra had given credit for, and it had learned her tricks.  As she started to get out of the eyesight of the great beast, she heard it give a great roar from behind her.  Suddenly, a large branch from a nearby tree smacked her out of the air, sending her tumbling to the ground.

Fortunately, the grass beneath her reacted quickly and created a bed for her to land on, at least slightly cushioning the high fall.  She stood, dusted herself off, and glared at the tree that had the gall to try to hurt her.  How rude.  The earth is supposed to listen to her.

There wasn’t enough time to properly admonish the traitorous plant, however, as she heard the hoofsteps of the boar beginning to approach.  Well, since this thing also seemed to have control over the earth as she did, she couldn’t rely on her powers to help her fight anymore.  And fighting up close with a monster that emitted deadly poison was probably a bad idea.  And hiding in the trees probably wasn’t going to work again.  

Only one option, then.  Time to pray that she can take it out from a range without letting it get too close.  Lyra picked up her bow and nocked an arrow, aiming towards where the sound was coming from.

WAIT.  DO NOT HARM HIM.

Lyra stopped.  She knew this feeling of voices in her head.  The plants were trying to talk to her.  I hear you.  I’m listening, she thought.  Why shouldn’t I?

YOU CAN HEAR US.  THE OTHERS COULD NOT.  YOU CAN HELP.

Why? Lyra thought back. What’s going on?

Before she could be answered, Lyra caught sight of the beast charging at her.  Almost a moment too late, she managed to roll out of the way from another charge, the horns of the beast just barely grazing her shoulder.  Well, she might as well listen to what her friends have to say.  Her bow stayed at the ready, just in case, but she prepared herself to dodge and fight on the defensive, at least for a little while.

As she played keepaway with the boar, the plants put images into her head.  A baby spore boar snuggled against its mother.  A group of heavily armed humans killing the mother and taking the baby.  An older boar, muzzled and chained, locked in a cage with many other exotic beasts in similar cages nearby.  A man with a well-oiled mustache striking them with a whip.  The boar being paraded in front of a small crowd and sold to the highest bidder.  Poisoning the person who now ‘owned’ it and escaping into Faedin’s forests.  Attacking anything that walked on two legs and got too close.

Goddamn it.  This creature was scared, not vicious.  Of course it would think that every humanoid that came near would be an enemy.  Damn it, she should have known better.  Fighting the boar was not the way to go.  But no way he was going to listen to her talk now.  At least...not without help.

And so she spoke to the plants around her.  Can he understand you?  Can you translate for us?  

YES.  PLEASE TALK TO HIM.  RESOLVE THIS PEACEFULLY.

Lyra nodded.  She’d need to act fast - it would be a pretty touch-and-go situation, and she’d probably only have one shot at this.  As the boar attempted to charge her again, Lyra stomped on the ground, and the earth beneath the boar’s feet turned to a sticky mud.  The boar roared and struggled against its trappings - it probably wouldn’t hold him for very long.  

I am not your enemy, Lyra quickly thought.  The plants have spoken to me and I understand now.  You wanted to hurt the ones who hurt you and your friends, correct?  You hurt my friends, so I wanted to hurt you.  But now, I want to talk.  And I *should* have talked to you first.  For that, I am sorry.  She stood in front of the stunned beast, dropped her bow on the ground, and commanded the mud beneath the boar’s feet to turn back to solid ground.

Lyra’s risk proved to pay off, as the boar did not immediately charge her upon its release.  As it stared at her, a mixture of anger, fear, and curiosity in its eyes, an image of herself was planted in Lyra’s head.  Of her true self, the skinny little changeling Lyric.

Ah.  Yes.  Of course a beast from Faedin would be able to see through her. She dropped Lyra’s illusion, hoping that by speaking to the beast without a mask, she could earn its trust. Yes, I create illusions to look like other people.  Like you, I know that not all two-legged folk can be trusted.  And it is not fair that I know your story and you do not know mine.

She proceeded to tell the story of her birth fae family giving her up to rescue a human child.  Of her adoptive family and the way that she was treated with them.  Learning how to shift and scaring them off.  Living as many different people in order to survive - the mortals wouldn’t be very pleased with a fae among them, even one as young as she.

This story seemed to satisfy the boar well enough, as it sat and listened raptly to the story.  For as big as this boar was, it really was still a child, wasn’t it?  He wasn’t actually that scary, he just needed a place where he wouldn’t get spooked by people and accidentally hurt them.  Wait...

I know of a place where you can go, Lyric suddenly thought. On my home plane, there is a forest that I live on the outskirts of. The deeper you go, the less two-legged creatures tread.  There, you can be assured you won’t be recaptured and you won’t accidentally harm anyone.  People stay out for good reason - there are many dangerous things that live in those woods.  But you’ve proven you can take care of yourself.

The boar snorted.  An image of the behemoth fighting and easily besting many other beasts, both during its time in captivity and its time freed, planted itself in Lyric’s head.  He seemed offended - of course he could take care of himself. 

Lyric smiled.  Excellent.  Tonight, I will have the trees lead your way to the portal.  Everyone around it should be asleep by then.  I’ll open it myself and take you to my forest.  And if anyone comes to bother you, there will be hell to pay.

Clearly still fearful, the boar gently pawed at the ground.  It gave a small squeal (the boar can squeal?  How adorable!) and the image of the man with the oily mustache appeared in Lyric’s mind.  He had used one of the portals to take the poor thing here in the first place, and it seemed the boar was afraid that if he left, the man would find him again.

Lyric chuckled darkly as her smile turned to a wicked grin.  Oh, my dear.  Him?  Don’t you worry about him.  I’ll take care of that one myself.




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  • The Wrong Root
  • Poison and Apples
  • Preparing to Battle the Spore Boar

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