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When Asher gave Renyu the news of his vacation, Renyu was elated, but not for the reasons he was probably expecting. While he was gone, she had gotten into contact with the Avali Expeditionary Force and its rescue ship; they’d be arriving within two days. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect, it would give Renyu the time and help she needed to prepare…
She had been gathering her things, collecting them into the Avali cargo container they had salvaged from her ship. Some stuff she came to this planet with, others she obtained while she had been living here. There was just one thing she needed to bring back with her… the biggest hurdle was yet to be overcome: getting approval from the AEF to bring it. The Avali Adventure Corps were a section of the AEF, so she already had the credentials required to make the calls she needed. After explaining her situation, they were curious but informed her they would deliberate and update her on their decision when the ship arrived via the on-board ambassador. He had been giving her trouble once he learned of the request she made, but thankfully could not overrule his superiors.
The ship was requested to stay for a maximum of two days, but could leave early if Renyu deemed she was ready. Asher had been making sure she didn’t lose track of any of her things and at one point inquired how she’d get to the ship.
“I can ask one of my guys to fly you over from the elevator,” he offered.
“That won’t be necessary, they’ll come directly to me.”
“Come to— Wha- What do you mean? We don’t have a landing strip.”
“Avali interstellar transport is more than capable of atmospheric travel and VTOL, remember? I’ve told you plenty about them.”
“Oh.” He clasped his claws together, looking down, “I’m uh, not used to seeing space ships become air ships.”
Renyu stepped over and leaned against his side, nuzzling his chest, “Silly wicker.”
The days flew by, and every hour closer Renyu got, she became more excited, more apprehensive; hopeful and worried. Asher could tell she had a lot of mixed emotions, reassuring her that it was good for her to go home, and that he’d be alright once she was gone, often picking her up effortlessly to hug her or carry her somewhere to cuddle the anxiety out of her. The thought of leaving Asher behind sent her mind reeling at points, but she kept herself in check—she had things to do.
And when the day came her makeshift radio called in to inform her that they had locked in on the tag she had from her neural implants, she was pacing back and forth inside the house as she waited. They had done a small orbital survey to determine where to land, and they had chosen a clearing about a mile away from home. Asher had called the elevator station to let them know of the ship’s impending arrival and not to worry about it; the administrator had apparently encountered Avali in the past and knew obstructing their business wouldn’t be the best idea, promising he’d notify his crew.
Sounds like a distant thunderclap echoed through the house, but the sky was clear. Her rescuers were entering the atmosphere and getting closer. “Come on, Asher! They’re here, we shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
“And here I was hoping to ghost them and keep you here forever.” Asher had already put on his jacket as he spoke, speed walking to the front door. The crate was already in the bed of the truck, so all he had to do was drive. Opening the passenger side door, he held out a hand, helping Renyu climb into the seat. She had gotten better at using one arm to get around, but now wasn’t the time to risk messing up and accepted the help she was given.
After Asher started the engine, he began to look around, “So, where are we head—oh.” The ship could be seen over the trees, hovering just enough above the ground to be visible. “Well, shit, you weren’t lying.”
“Would I ever lie to you?”
“Only to gain a tactical advantage.” He began driving them toward the very visible landmark.
“You wound me.”
“I’m not the one who said they never played chess in their life.”
As the ship came into clear view, they observed the bottom of the ship jutting out, then begin to lower down to the ground. It was a hydraulic cargo/boarding platform, and five figures were descending to greet them. Asher decided it was a better idea to park a reasonable distance away after seeing the size of the ship; he didn’t want proximity to it to damage the truck if they took off into orbit after they picked up Renyu.
Once parked, Asher worked on getting the crate out, and Renyu watched the first Avali she’d seen in over a year walk her way. The two leading the pack looked more serious than the three following behind: one was clad in armor carrying a Firelance rifle, likely an individual from a military pack accompanying the vessel; the other donned in a trench coat sporting the Avali Illuminate colors, his eyes covered with an orange visor—most definitely the ambassador, and he was waving her over.
Renyu looked back at Asher, who had hefted the crate up in his arms; she knew he could handle it on his own and strolled over to the ambassador. Renyu hadn’t spoken in her own language much at all since she’d been here, but 47 Avalonian years couldn’t be forgotten that easily.
“[Thank you for coming all this way, Ambassador],” she spoke in Avali Core. Asher wouldn’t be able to hear until he got closer, as Avali speech was much quieter than that of a species that relied more on sight than hearing. Her words were flowy, almost lightly musical and separated by clicks and chitters. “[Though I apologize you had to use so many resources for only one survivor.]”
“[Nonsense],” he waved a hand, dismissing her apology, “[It looks good for us to rescue our own, and to be honest, some of our crew were excited to be doing something outside Avali Space for once.]”
Asher caught up to her, hefting the crate the whole way before placing it down next to the group of raptors, three of which moved in to pick it up, only to find it heavier than they were expecting. Asher placed a fist to his mouth, clearing his throat to stifling a chuckle before directing his attention to Renyu. “So, do you head off now? Is there some sort of procedure you have to follow?”
“No, but I do need to discuss a few things first,” she gestured to the ambassador, “This is… Sorry, I should let you introduce yourself.”
“Jasko, Ambassador for the Avali Illuminate. A ‘middleman’, as you’d call it, between our race and all others.” His English was perfect, but not very casual. He looked Asher up and down, sizing him up, not smiling or even holding out a hand to shake. “You must be Asher Sterling, the human-raised native of this planet. I do apologize, I don’t know much of the Wickerbeast race, but I’m well acquainted with humans.”
“Oh, you know of me?” Asher’s eyebrows rose.
“Your companion speaks highly of you.”
It was a good thing he wasn’t human, otherwise the fur wouldn’t be covering the light blush he had. “I see… So, uh, the discussing you need to do?”
“Right,” Jasko’s ears turned to Renyu before his head did, code switching immediately, “[Your request to bring him was approved, despite my misgivings. You do realize how much his presence will complicate things, yes?]”
Renyu let out a breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding, placing her hand to her mouth, looking back at Asher, then back at Jasko. She composed herself, nodding, “[Yes, and I don’t care how complicated it is. Whatever obstacles I face will be nothing compared to what I’ve been through already.]”
Jasko gave her a disapproving look, tilting his head back to look down on her, “[Were it my prerogative, he’d be staying here. But you knew this, otherwise you wouldn’t have bypassed my authority by contacting my superiors before informing me of your request.]”
Renyu furrowed her brow—her frustration with this bureaucratic son of a bitch no longer needing to be curbed, she suddenly grabbed Jasko’s coat with her one hand, pulling him down till his forehead was on hers and hissed at him with bared teeth, “[I. Do. Not. Care. I have lost EVERYTHING. If not for him, I would be dead, or worse, insane!]” She shook him back and forth, gripping his clothes harder, her voice just barely refraining from being a yell, “[I want you to tell me you would survive losing your entire pack, and then losing the only thing left keeping you sane! Maybe then I might even start CONSIDERING your prerogative. Ambassador or not, you're an Avali like the rest of us, and you’re most definitely not pack broken!]”
She shoved him back, her feathers flared. A familiar clawed hand gently grabbed her shoulder, and she was startled from her anger to find Asher pulling her back. Her focus no longer on Jasko, she saw the guard next to him had their rifle trained on her.
Asher waved at the guard, keeping himself between the gun and Renyu, “Whoa whoa whoa, she wasn’t going to hurt him, I think. You’ve got a gun aimed at an unarmed amputee!”
Staggering at first, Jasko regained his balance, huffed, and straightened out his clothing. He raised a hand to the guard, a silent command, and the guard lowered their weapon. Jasko continued his conversation in English, “As much as I oppose to the order, it’s still an order.” He motioned for the three Avali that had been watching in stunned silence to bring the crate to the platform and nodded to the guard to follow them, then faced the wickerbeast.
“Asher Sterling, with the authoritative permission of the Avali Expeditionary Force, you’ve been granted the choice to accompany Renyu of Pack Kosente to Avali Space as a permanent surrogate pack member, attaining limited rights of the name Kosente until you are proven to be a stable member of Avali society, in which case you will have full Avali rights.
“Do not mistake my… altercation with Renyu as the opinion of our superiors—despite my objections, they are very curious of your relationship, specifically how you were able to keep her from suffering the absolute worst of pack loss permanently. A social experiment sponsored by the Illuminate, you might say.” Jasko began to walk away, not looking at either of them, “You have twenty-four hours to decide, and another twenty-four to pack your things and leave. Before you begin, I’ve been ordered to give you a courtesy tour of our ship as a thank-you regardless of what you do.”
Renyu felt the grip on her shoulder loosen, and she turned around to find Asher look absolutely dumbfounded. His gaze followed Jasko, mouth agape, and Renyu gently grasped his thumb claw, squeezing it with a smile on her face. “You always told me you wanted to leave Osova… I want to repay you for everything you’ve done for me by giving you that chance. And… to be honest, I don’t know how long I could last without you right now. You’re all I’ve got at this point.”
He could only look down at her, still unable to speak. She had no way of knowing what was going on in his head, but could tell it was a lot. Looking him in the eye, she told him what she had been wanting to tell him for weeks, “Asher, I’m going home, and you’re coming with me.”
Jasko’s voice called from a short distance away, waving them over with a hand on his hips, “Come, I’d prefer not to stay out in this environment longer than I have to.”
Asher, whipped his head to Jasko, finally speaking, “Holy— oh fuck, okay, we’re coming!”
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When Asher gave Renyu the news of his vacation, Renyu was elated, but not for the reasons he was probably expecting. While he was gone, she had gotten into contact with the Avali Expeditionary Force and its rescue ship; they’d be arriving within two days. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect, it would give Renyu the time and help she needed to prepare…
She had been gathering her things, collecting them into the Avali cargo container they had salvaged from her ship. Some stuff she came to this planet with, others she obtained while she had been living here. There was just one thing she needed to bring back with her… the biggest hurdle was yet to be overcome: getting approval from the AEF to bring it. The Avali Adventure Corps were a section of the AEF, so she already had the credentials required to make the calls she needed. After explaining her situation, they were curious but informed her they would deliberate and update her on their decision when the ship arrived via the on-board ambassador. He had been giving her trouble once he learned of the request she made, but thankfully could not overrule his superiors.
The ship was requested to stay for a maximum of two days, but could leave early if Renyu deemed she was ready. Asher had been making sure she didn’t lose track of any of her things and at one point inquired how she’d get to the ship.
“I can ask one of my guys to fly you over from the elevator,” he offered.
“That won’t be necessary, they’ll come directly to me.”
“Come to— Wha- What do you mean? We don’t have a landing strip.”
“Avali interstellar transport is more than capable of atmospheric travel and VTOL, remember? I’ve told you plenty about them.”
“Oh.” He clasped his claws together, looking down, “I’m uh, not used to seeing space ships become air ships.”
Renyu stepped over and leaned against his side, nuzzling his chest, “Silly wicker.”
The days flew by, and every hour closer Renyu got, she became more excited, more apprehensive; hopeful and worried. Asher could tell she had a lot of mixed emotions, reassuring her that it was good for her to go home, and that he’d be alright once she was gone, often picking her up effortlessly to hug her or carry her somewhere to cuddle the anxiety out of her. The thought of leaving Asher behind sent her mind reeling at points, but she kept herself in check—she had things to do.
And when the day came her makeshift radio called in to inform her that they had locked in on the tag she had from her neural implants, she was pacing back and forth inside the house as she waited. They had done a small orbital survey to determine where to land, and they had chosen a clearing about a mile away from home. Asher had called the elevator station to let them know of the ship’s impending arrival and not to worry about it; the administrator had apparently encountered Avali in the past and knew obstructing their business wouldn’t be the best idea, promising he’d notify his crew.
Sounds like a distant thunderclap echoed through the house, but the sky was clear. Her rescuers were entering the atmosphere and getting closer. “Come on, Asher! They’re here, we shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
“And here I was hoping to ghost them and keep you here forever.” Asher had already put on his jacket as he spoke, speed walking to the front door. The crate was already in the bed of the truck, so all he had to do was drive. Opening the passenger side door, he held out a hand, helping Renyu climb into the seat. She had gotten better at using one arm to get around, but now wasn’t the time to risk messing up and accepted the help she was given.
After Asher started the engine, he began to look around, “So, where are we head—oh.” The ship could be seen over the trees, hovering just enough above the ground to be visible. “Well, shit, you weren’t lying.”
“Would I ever lie to you?”
“Only to gain a tactical advantage.” He began driving them toward the very visible landmark.
“You wound me.”
“I’m not the one who said they never played chess in their life.”
As the ship came into clear view, they observed the bottom of the ship jutting out, then begin to lower down to the ground. It was a hydraulic cargo/boarding platform, and five figures were descending to greet them. Asher decided it was a better idea to park a reasonable distance away after seeing the size of the ship; he didn’t want proximity to it to damage the truck if they took off into orbit after they picked up Renyu.
Once parked, Asher worked on getting the crate out, and Renyu watched the first Avali she’d seen in over a year walk her way. The two leading the pack looked more serious than the three following behind: one was clad in armor carrying a Firelance rifle, likely an individual from a military pack accompanying the vessel; the other donned in a trench coat sporting the Avali Illuminate colors, his eyes covered with an orange visor—most definitely the ambassador, and he was waving her over.
Renyu looked back at Asher, who had hefted the crate up in his arms; she knew he could handle it on his own and strolled over to the ambassador. Renyu hadn’t spoken in her own language much at all since she’d been here, but 47 Avalonian years couldn’t be forgotten that easily.
“[Thank you for coming all this way, Ambassador],” she spoke in Avali Core. Asher wouldn’t be able to hear until he got closer, as Avali speech was much quieter than that of a species that relied more on sight than hearing. Her words were flowy, almost lightly musical and separated by clicks and chitters. “[Though I apologize you had to use so many resources for only one survivor.]”
“[Nonsense],” he waved a hand, dismissing her apology, “[It looks good for us to rescue our own, and to be honest, some of our crew were excited to be doing something outside Avali Space for once.]”
Asher caught up to her, hefting the crate the whole way before placing it down next to the group of raptors, three of which moved in to pick it up, only to find it heavier than they were expecting. Asher placed a fist to his mouth, clearing his throat to stifling a chuckle before directing his attention to Renyu. “So, do you head off now? Is there some sort of procedure you have to follow?”
“No, but I do need to discuss a few things first,” she gestured to the ambassador, “This is… Sorry, I should let you introduce yourself.”
“Jasko, Ambassador for the Avali Illuminate. A ‘middleman’, as you’d call it, between our race and all others.” His English was perfect, but not very casual. He looked Asher up and down, sizing him up, not smiling or even holding out a hand to shake. “You must be Asher Sterling, the human-raised native of this planet. I do apologize, I don’t know much of the Wickerbeast race, but I’m well acquainted with humans.”
“Oh, you know of me?” Asher’s eyebrows rose.
“Your companion speaks highly of you.”
It was a good thing he wasn’t human, otherwise the fur wouldn’t be covering the light blush he had. “I see… So, uh, the discussing you need to do?”
“Right,” Jasko’s ears turned to Renyu before his head did, code switching immediately, “[Your request to bring him was approved, despite my misgivings. You do realize how much his presence will complicate things, yes?]”
Renyu let out a breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding, placing her hand to her mouth, looking back at Asher, then back at Jasko. She composed herself, nodding, “[Yes, and I don’t care how complicated it is. Whatever obstacles I face will be nothing compared to what I’ve been through already.]”
Jasko gave her a disapproving look, tilting his head back to look down on her, “[Were it my prerogative, he’d be staying here. But you knew this, otherwise you wouldn’t have bypassed my authority by contacting my superiors before informing me of your request.]”
Renyu furrowed her brow—her frustration with this bureaucratic son of a bitch no longer needing to be curbed, she suddenly grabbed Jasko’s coat with her one hand, pulling him down till his forehead was on hers and hissed at him with bared teeth, “[I. Do. Not. Care. I have lost EVERYTHING. If not for him, I would be dead, or worse, insane!]” She shook him back and forth, gripping his clothes harder, her voice just barely refraining from being a yell, “[I want you to tell me you would survive losing your entire pack, and then losing the only thing left keeping you sane! Maybe then I might even start CONSIDERING your prerogative. Ambassador or not, you're an Avali like the rest of us, and you’re most definitely not pack broken!]”
She shoved him back, her feathers flared. A familiar clawed hand gently grabbed her shoulder, and she was startled from her anger to find Asher pulling her back. Her focus no longer on Jasko, she saw the guard next to him had their rifle trained on her.
Asher waved at the guard, keeping himself between the gun and Renyu, “Whoa whoa whoa, she wasn’t going to hurt him, I think. You’ve got a gun aimed at an unarmed amputee!”
Staggering at first, Jasko regained his balance, huffed, and straightened out his clothing. He raised a hand to the guard, a silent command, and the guard lowered their weapon. Jasko continued his conversation in English, “As much as I oppose to the order, it’s still an order.” He motioned for the three Avali that had been watching in stunned silence to bring the crate to the platform and nodded to the guard to follow them, then faced the wickerbeast.
“Asher Sterling, with the authoritative permission of the Avali Expeditionary Force, you’ve been granted the choice to accompany Renyu of Pack Kosente to Avali Space as a permanent surrogate pack member, attaining limited rights of the name Kosente until you are proven to be a stable member of Avali society, in which case you will have full Avali rights.
“Do not mistake my… altercation with Renyu as the opinion of our superiors—despite my objections, they are very curious of your relationship, specifically how you were able to keep her from suffering the absolute worst of pack loss permanently. A social experiment sponsored by the Illuminate, you might say.” Jasko began to walk away, not looking at either of them, “You have twenty-four hours to decide, and another twenty-four to pack your things and leave. Before you begin, I’ve been ordered to give you a courtesy tour of our ship as a thank-you regardless of what you do.”
Renyu felt the grip on her shoulder loosen, and she turned around to find Asher look absolutely dumbfounded. His gaze followed Jasko, mouth agape, and Renyu gently grasped his thumb claw, squeezing it with a smile on her face. “You always told me you wanted to leave Osova… I want to repay you for everything you’ve done for me by giving you that chance. And… to be honest, I don’t know how long I could last without you right now. You’re all I’ve got at this point.”
He could only look down at her, still unable to speak. She had no way of knowing what was going on in his head, but could tell it was a lot. Looking him in the eye, she told him what she had been wanting to tell him for weeks, “Asher, I’m going home, and you’re coming with me.”
Jasko’s voice called from a short distance away, waving them over with a hand on his hips, “Come, I’d prefer not to stay out in this environment longer than I have to.”
Asher, whipped his head to Jasko, finally speaking, “Holy— oh fuck, okay, we’re coming!”
Posted using PostyBirb
Category Artwork (Digital) / Still Life
Species Avali
Gender Multiple characters
Size 2000 x 1333px
File Size 3.19 MB
Listed in Folders
Such a wholesome and touching moment, and then Anti and Star are just being little gremlins in the back as usual I see.
I needed birds and they're what I had X3
So, I figured I'd make them be what they usually are :3
So, I figured I'd make them be what they usually are :3
Those little stories are so incredibly good. I am envy, in good meaning.
Thank you, Draco~
I always look forward to what you have to say, too c:
I always look forward to what you have to say, too c:
So many space birds! I can only imagine the amount of chirping and chaos!
Such a nice piece, and finally a reunion. Just because one is blood, doesn't mean it's all it's cracked up to be.
Love to see Renyu standing up for Asher like that though; such a sweet lucky pair.
I also like the little point that you made simply showing their physical differences as well, Asher being able to lift the crate himself while it takes three Avali to move it. He must be somewhat physically imposing to them!
Excellent work as always <3
Such a nice piece, and finally a reunion. Just because one is blood, doesn't mean it's all it's cracked up to be.
Love to see Renyu standing up for Asher like that though; such a sweet lucky pair.
I also like the little point that you made simply showing their physical differences as well, Asher being able to lift the crate himself while it takes three Avali to move it. He must be somewhat physically imposing to them!
Excellent work as always <3
Renyu is much more brash than Asher is, but I haven't had the chance to show that off till now. She would kill to keep Asher safe, honestly. She's gotta get her arm fixed though...
And even though Asher is pretty much the smallest a Wickerbeast King can be, he's still much stronger than a human would be after massive amounts of weight training. Wickers are generally built like tanks, so he’s still got some of that in him.
Imagine a guy who could break you like a twig, but he's too gentle to do so and his general demeanor masks the fact that he can, so nobody ever thinks about it till he starts picking up very heavy things.
Thank you for keeping up with my story, Ruhki <3
And even though Asher is pretty much the smallest a Wickerbeast King can be, he's still much stronger than a human would be after massive amounts of weight training. Wickers are generally built like tanks, so he’s still got some of that in him.
Imagine a guy who could break you like a twig, but he's too gentle to do so and his general demeanor masks the fact that he can, so nobody ever thinks about it till he starts picking up very heavy things.
Thank you for keeping up with my story, Ruhki <3
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