Think and Blink

[Kasanda [Onora]]

Try as I might, I just couldn't get myself to do it. My ancestors could do it, my father had been able to do it, so why couldn't I? Taking another deep breath, I focused on the other side of the clearing I was working in. Slowly, very slowly, I blinked.

I kept my eyes closed, though, silently hoping and praying that maybe it had worked. Hadn't it always been explained as a rush of excitement, though? I had felt no such rush, to be honest. Biting the inside of my lip, I tasted a metallic drop of blood before opening my eyes.

Groaning, I saw that I was in the exact same place as previous; I hadn't moved. Perhaps I wasn't blinking right... I muttered a curse under my breath, and Cat rubbed against my legs, weaving inbetween them. I swatted him away, and he darted back underneath the shelter of the trees, watching me from his dry spot. There was a light drizzle from the hurricanes, but we were too far inland to be drastically effected.

Jumping up and down to loosen my muscles, rolling my head on my neck, and stretching my arms, I began to repeat the exercise for what surely must have been the hundredth time that day.

[hitome]

<sup>That looks terribly exciting.

I called out, swinging down to a lower branch of the tree I had situated myself on. My legs swung back and forth, the leaves tickling the back of my neck as I leaned forward to peer at the stranger. There was a quite breeze, and it ran over my bare arms, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

Leaning backwards again I pulled out my gloves, pulling them up to my elbows and reaching once more for the steady trunk of my tree. Not that I thought I would fall, but it made me feel safer. At least a little bit safer.

What exactly are you trying to do, may I ask?</sup>

[Kasanda [Onora]]

"I'm trying--" I stopped, twisting around to stare at the unexpected company with narrowed eyes. She couldn't have been a day over... seventeen, I'd say. Cat had taken in interest in her, trotting over towards the tree and sitting at the foot of it, staring straight upward at the girl clad in pink.

"That's really none of your business," I said, blinking once at her.

And enormous rush of blood to the head. That was what I felt. And then I was there. I was across the clearing. I tried to stay up on my feet, and a huge smile had spread across my face as I brushed my thick hair out of my eyes. "I did it," I said slowly, loudly. Cat looked at my previous standing place, then where I was now, his ears flattened in confusion. I turned to the girl.

"Did you see that?!"

[hitome]

<sup>Yeah, pretty cool. How'd you do that? Magic or something? I guess that's what you were trying to do, hu?

I asked, slipping off my tree trunk and down to the earth. I landed in a crouch, using my hand for balance as I reached at for the cat, scratching him quickly under the chin.

Rising I smiled, , poking the nearby rock carefully. It wasn't glowing or anything... yet.

I don't suppose you could teach em how to do that, hu? It doesn't seem to be like one of those things you just learn or anything.</sup>

[Kasanda [Onora]]

Cat trotted after his new friend, making curious noises between a purr and a meow in the back of his throat.

"I, uh, um..." I tried. Great vocabulary I had there. I watched cat for a few moments as he climbed the tree behind the girl as if to get a better view. "Uh... who are you again?"

My eyes widened as Cat crouched down on the branch he was perched upon, narrowing his green eyes thoughtfully. I opened my mouth to say something, but I was too late. Cat threw himself forward, landing peacefully on the girl's shoulder. As if I couldn't embarass myself enough; my cat had to help.

"He, um, sorry..." I mumbled, at a loss for words.

[hitome]

<sup>I'm Unari. Just Unari. And don't worry about him, I like animals.

I replied with a smile, scratching my new friend under the chin. The cat, I mean, not the girl.

What's your name, then?

I added, glancing back at the girl.

And what's his name? He's got to have a name too, right?

I added, again, referring once more to my furry companion. Maybe I should get a cat, it would be good for me, wouldn't it?</sup>

[Kasanda [Onora]]

Cat seemed to enjoy the extra attention, leaning into the scratches and trilling his pleasure. He glared at me a few times as if accusing me of neglect, and I scowled back at him.

"I'm Kasanda," I offered the girl, trying to smile. "Nice to meet you."

I watched Cat begin to play with Unari's hair, batting at it with one paw. "His name is..." This was always a hard one to explain. "He doesn't really have a name. I call him Cat. I haven't really... found one for him yet. It has to be perfect, you know? I'm not about to settle for the wrong name, because he'll be stuck with it for the rest of his life, you know?"

As if expressing his agreement, Cat began to chew on the girl's hair, making odd faces all the while.

"He's also a pain in the butt, so if I ever was to get rid of him, I wouldn't feel guilty," I grumbled under my breath. I knew that was a lie, though. I had been with Cat for the past three years, and couldn't imagine a day without him.

[hitome]

<sup>Cat, eh? I think the fact that his name is so unoriginal makes it original. I mean, who else would just call their cat "Cat"?

I replied watching my hair be slowly devoured. It was quite interesting, actually, if a bit painful.

But, uh, what was that jump disappear thing you just did? Looked like fun.

I added, sitting down on the rock my companion had just recently been occupying. Still wasn't glowing, but I believed it would start anytime now.</sup>

[Kasanda [Onora]]

"Yeah... Yeah, I guess," I agreed with a shrug, watching Cat carefully to make sure he didn't pull any funny moves.

It was sort of nice that the girl was interested in my acheivement, though. I was quite proud of it myself, so I needed to let go of some boasting. "It's called blinking," I explained. "It's um... you... you think and you blink, I guess." I focused a few feet away from me, then closed my eyes for effect.

The only thing was was that this time, I didn't move at all. I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "...And apparently, it doesn't work all the time," I grumbled, blinking hard to try and get the previous effect. Nope. Nothing.

[hitome]

<sup>Maybe it's, like, powered by your willpower. Instead of thinking, you have to want to move or something like that.

I muttered, trying to be helpful. Trying, and probably really failing.</sup>

[Kasanda [Onora]]

I frowned in thought, considering her suggestion for a moment. "That doesn't make any sense, though. Because when I did it last, I wasn't even expecting it. And I certainly didn't need it," I rambled, chewing on a fingernail for a moment before glaring at the habit, letting my hand drop.

"...What are you doing here, anyway?" I asked, putting up a few walls of defense.

[hitome]

<sup>Me? Oh, just exploring. You know, seeing the countryside and all.

I rambled, making large hand motions as my eyes wandered around the place. I wasn't sure what I was looking for, I was just looking and I was satisfied with that.

I guess you were out here practicing. Maybe you're thinking to much. Just feel it.</sup>

[Kasanda [Onora]]

To be perfectly honest, I didn't like the idea of a girl bossing me around or giving me practicing pointers. I knew she meant no harm, but my pride always got in the way. "Maybe later," I mumbled. Cat trilled his agreement, inspecting Unari's ear with his cold nose.

"So... you explore often?"

[Daemon [Naryae]]

<sup>ooc: ((please excuse the fact that this is the wrong account right now))

I screamed as the wet nose stuck itself into my ear. cringing I pushed the cat backward, glaring angrily at him. He wasn't so cute looking now.

Yeah, I guess. I just kind of do whatever I want, I guess.</sup>

[Kasanda [Onora]]

I winced, darting forward and hauling Cat away from Unari. He didn't appear to understand the loss of affection, and craned his neck to stare at the girl, apparently upset with her reaction. I made sure to hold onto him, putting him on one hip while my other arm swung free. Was it just me, or had he put on weight?

"No parents?" I asked lazily, scratching Cat behind the ears. He leaned into the motion, purring loudly.