It wasn't long before they did open their eyes, much to Tellis' surprise as he had only just leaned against the wall to wait and clean his wings. His eyes widened as he watched them move, slowly pulling his wing back in as he met their eyes. The last thing he wanted to do was scare the creature, and they looked to be in shock at the sight of his wings.
"Are you alright?" He asked slowly, breaking the silence as best he could. Who knew if they could talk, or if they even understood him, but he spoke anyway. He studied them while waiting for an answer, almost amazed at just how blue the being's eyes were, almost the color of the sea he loved to fly over, as well as how pale their skin was. Both things he hadn't noticed before and both things that he had never seen before.
Icarus swallowed and quickly inhaled.
“Are they real?”, he asked referring to the wings of the being. “What would say are the measurements of the wingspan? Are the feathers naturally coloured like that? Is this a dream?”
He started with a streamline of the first questions that came to mind. Who knew how long he’d have to admire such wings. Even if it was all imagination, he’d surely have something to whittle away his time with after this. The stinging on his back was slowly fading as he felt more elated and inspired.
“Rather- Who are you? What are you? Where am I?” He corrected himself with another set of questions. “Am I asking too many questions?”
With his last question, his throat had gone completely dry. As a result, he doubled over, coughing.
“Could I have some water?”
Tellis was startled by the number of questions, and he paused for a second, then smiled gently. "I can talk about my wings later," He started gently, shaking his head, "As for everything else, my name is Tellis, I am a Scere, and you are on the island my kind calls home. You are not asking too many questions."
He seemed more at ease as the being talked, though his concern quickly returned when the being started to cough. Instantly, he nodded, replying quickly, "I can get you water. Er…stay here, please. Moving will only hurt your wounds."
With that, he turned and slipped out of the room, returning a few long minutes later with a clay cup of water and a stack of the same pale-tan clothes he was wearing. He seemed nervous to approach the being, but he did so anyway, making sure his wings were still tucked flush against his back. "Here you are. Can I ask you questions now?"
Icarus quickly took the water and swallowed a huge mouthful.
A Scere? An island? So there are more beings with wings? Do they all have wings? How did I get here?
He took another swig of water. Tellis, as they had named themselves, was being seemingly cautious. Icarus was too caught up in the beauty of their wings though to care. He’d lose nothing over this. Tellis also made it seem like there’d be more time banked for talking about the wings, so he stopped his questions. It annoyed Icarus that Tellis was trying so hard to tuck in their wings though.
“I suppose my own questions can wait.”
Tellis wondered how it was possible for this being to ask so many questions so soon after waking up, but it did amuse him. If he was allowed to care for this being, he would definitely do so. But right now, he just needed to figure out what it was and how to make sure it got better.
Gently, he smiled, pulling over the chair that had been left in the room. He stayed about a wingslength away from the bed, sitting down smoothly. The only downside to sitting was how he had to shift his wings to lean back on the chair, leaving them more visible to the being.
"What type of creature are you? Do you have a name? And how did you find this place?"
Icarus cracked a smile at hearing ‘type of creature’. He attempted to choke back a laugh, and winced as it strained his injuries again.
“Type of creature … I am a Human, and I go by the name of Icarus.”
He took another sip of water. He brightened up a bit more, seeing that Tellis had shifted his wings slightly further into view. Had they not designed chairs better suited for wings? Was it uncomfortable to sit like that? How did they sleep? Did they sleep?
“And I … don’t know how or why I’m here. I was with my father and brother … and I- what was I doing?” He trailed off in thought. “Maybe trying a new invention? That doesn’t seem quite right though … I think it’s safe to say I can’t answer that right now.”
"Human," He repeated, thinking for a moment. Apollo had warned them of the human's desire to conquer the world, but this one didn't seem able to do anything like that. Maybe they were safe? Icarus, as they had called themselves seemed more curious than dangerous, and they didn't seem to know how they got here. "Well, I suppose two answers are better than three. We can figure out how you got here together."
Tellis was already more than curious about figuring out more about humans, including how they got around without wings. Did they walk everywhere? That was inefficient, but he didn't know what else they would do. He could figure that out later.
"I found you out on the shore of our island a while ago, and you were injured. Are you feeling better at all? Do you have any questions for me?"
(Sorry for the wait. Busy with the holidays.)
“I’ll be well enough, soon enough. Or perhaps it’s the high of inspiration that’s keeping me going at the moment,”
Icarus brightened another shade, hearing Tellis would likely answer some questions now. He shifted himself further upright and leaned a bit closer.
“Could I … touch your wings? Hhhmmm … Too invasive? Does everyone here have wings? Sizes? Shapes? Colours? What about overall physicality’s of the ‘Scere’? Could I see your eye’s a bit closer?” Icarus lined up the first questions that came to mind that moment.
(All ok!)
Tellis listened to the string of questions Icarus asked, hiding a tiny smile that came with the curiosity. "I suppose you could see my eyes, but touching my wings may have to wait…it's considered rude to touch a Scere's wings until you have earned their trust. I'm also unsure of how fast humans heal, I don't want you to injure yourself further because you were to see my wings, even with " He didn't get up quite yet, thinking over the rest of the questions first, "As for everything else…yes, all Scere have wings, they vary in size slightly, but all seem to follow the same shape. As for color, they're all colorful and every set is unique. I'm not sure what you mean by physicality."
Slowly, he stood up, once again neatly tucking his wings behind him. Yes, he had agreed to let Icarus see his eyes, but he was still going to be cautious around the human.
Icarus liked the implication that there’d be more time to look at such beautiful wings.
Icarus was also very delighted to hear that there was a lot of individuality between the wings. Perhaps there’d be resemblance to a birds wings? Could they have more than a single pair of wings?
“I haven’t seen my own injuries so I couldn’t say how long it’ll take to heal. The severity of injuries will affect the length of recovery time and requirements.”
Icarus made a small declaration to himself that he’d get that chance to further inspect the wings. He might not make such a great invention, but he’d learn a lot about the structure. If there was enough semblance to a birds wings, it’d be even better. Trying to get a bird to sit still for studying was too tiring, and these wings were on a much larger scale.
“Could I take a look at your eyes right now?”
"Your back seemed quite burned, but seeing that you are the first human I've seen, I couldn't tell you how severe your injuries were."
Tellis stepped closer, asking a few questions of his own as he stopped as close to the bed as he was comfortable. It wasn't right next to it, but he was close enough that his eyes would be much more visible. "How does your kind get around without wings? How do you stay warm at night without wings to hold in heat? Do all humans have eyes as strangely colored as yours?"
Icarus was quite curious, but so was he. Hopefully, with the help of the healers, he would be able to move Icarus out of the healer's building to somewhere that they would both be able to learn about the other species. There were hundreds of questions he already had, including how human anatomy worked without wings. It had to be much less complex, and even with his limited guesses, he figured they would have different muscles in their back.
“Hhhmmm … if my back is burned quite a bit it’ll probably scar. Proper healing might take a few weeks,”
Icarus leaned himself forwards, seeing Tellis actively keeping his distance. He winced as his burns were agitated again. But he pressed on, leaning as much as he could. He took a breath.
Tellis had such beautiful eyes, equal to the wings. A richer colour than anything Icarus had ever seen. Any amounts of riches, fine honey, and gold he could ever hope to have, would ever create such a perfect colour.
“To answer your questions, we walk. We’ve also invented other forms of transportation, like boats and carts. They make transport time and moving materials more efficient,” Icarus leaned back a little. “And we’ll use fire to retain heat. Or layerings of cloths and fabrics. As for our eyes, they are all different. Similar to your wings, I’d assume. Though, our eyes only come in shades of blues, greens, and browns, or a combination of those colours.”
Locking eyes with the other, Tellis studied Icarus' sea-blue eyes. They were almost the exact color of the waves he saw when flying around on patrol, and they were absolutely stunning. He was sure he could study them all day, trying to recreate the color in some way, even if it wouldn't come anywhere near the exact match to his eyes.
"Our wings aren't limited in color, but that is a good comparison. Do humans need to eat as we do? If so, what do you eat?"
Tellis leaned back as well when he saw that the other was finished looking at his eyes, now even more curious about humans. Did they really only rely on things like blankets and fire for warmth? That seemed inefficient, and what happened if they needed to move? They couldn't easily bring everything with them.
(Sorry for the wait again. My replies might a bit sporadic for the next few days, I’ve got a lot of work to get done with in a couple of weeks.)
Icarus shifted to sit more comfortably.
Tellis really seemed to know nothing about humans. He’d have thought there was more to why he was being cautious, but it only seemed like Tellis was just making sure there was no danger. Perhaps they, the ‘Scere’, did not teach about humans. Was it that impossible to end up here? Tellis certainly knew of mankind’s existence though.
Icarus knew there’d be no point in trying to be cautious with him- it was only a waste of time and energy. He was injured, and the best he could do, was to invent. He didn’t invent to harm or kill either. Inventing was for dreaming, and for living.
“Well … yes. All humans must eat, or we’ll die after a period of time from starvation. Most of the time we eat animal meats, mixed with breads and fruits. We also have to drink water everyday or we’ll die, even faster than death by starvation.”
(All ok! I understand!)
Tellis seemed concerned but relieved at what he learned about Icarus' diet. Human diets seemed close enough to that of the Scere, but the next issue was figuring out if Icarus needed more water than what he had been given earlier. The last thing he wanted was for him to die just from lack of water or food.
"How much food do you need to eat daily? And how much water?"
He tipped his head to the side in curiosity as he studied the human, lining up his next questions mentally. Or at least he was until there was a knock on the door to the room they were in. Seconds later, another Scere came in, this one seeming more like a healer just from their kind and gentle manner. They had the same skin and eye color as Tellis, but their wings were colored bright gold and shades of pink, the colors spotted throughout the set of gray wings. Like Tellis though, they kept their wings tucked neatly away while they walked over.
"How are you feeling?" They asked gently when they neared Icarus, frowning slightly when they saw him sitting. They shook their head, motioning for him to lay back down, "Don't aggravate your wounds, I don't want to have to wrap them again today because you moved."
“Well, the amounts of food vary, also depending on age and activity throughout the day. You wouldn’t need as much food as a manual labour worker, if you were just making clothes. Water intake also varies. In places where dehydration can take a hold faster, especially in areas that are hotter and sunnier, more water is needed-“ he paused for a breath- “I think several times the amount of water I just drank would be a good minimum for a single day.”
He stopped and turned to the door. He face went blank as he processed another burst of admiration and disappointment. Yet another Scere, yet another pair of beautiful wings. Though, their wings were hidden behind their back as best as possible. Icarus could see the differing colours, so he took what he could see. He was banking on Tellis and getting to examine the wings closer.
“I am in amazement of the ‘Scere’,” Icarus answered, full well knowing that did not answer the question. “Or perhaps on an emotional high …”
Icarus mumbled in defeat, lying back down. He muscles were stiffened from him trying not to move them. He grit his teeth, groaning in pain as he smoothed himself out. He knew there’d be no inventing unless he let his back heal, or he’d be chased after.
The healer nodded in approval when Icarus laid down, turning to talk to Tellis. "Keep them resting while you're here. If they need anything to help with the pain let me know, or if they need anything in general."
Tellis nodded, turning away from Icarus for a second to speak, essentially leaving his wings on display, "I'll do my best. As for anything…maybe food for now? And water? They seem to eat the same as us. I'm not sure how long I can stay before I have to figure out what to tell everyone."
The other nodded, then slipped out of the room, leaving the two of them alone again. Tellis turned back to face Icarus, "Do you have any more questions for me? Any that are easy enough that I can answer before I have to leave that is?" He had many, many questions for Icarus, but right now, he assumed healing was the best option for him. And busying himself with moving around and asking questions didn't seem very beneficial to healing.
Icarus studied his hand laid out in front of him. There was no pair of sticks, or bits of metal, or scraps of paper to fiddle with. If he couldn’t sit up, there wouldn’t even be any drawing or writing.
It was then, he realized. He was stuck here and he would get bored. Very bored. He didn’t know how he got here, or how to get out of here. Wherever ‘here’ was. He couldn’t invent a way out either, or at least not until he was better. But he knew he couldn’t let that kind of thinking get to the best of him. So, the best he could do, was learn as much as possible, and invent what he could.
“I … don’t think so. Most of my questions will be more complicated,” he said. “But, is there by any chance a way out of here? And what is going to happen to me?”
"Well….I can try to arrange for you to stay at my house, but I can't make any promises," He said, thinking through how he could possibly get the healers to let Icarus out of here, "As for the second question, right now, I'm sure we're just going to help you heal and then try to get you home if you would like to leave."
Tellis went silent, then shrugged, continuing as he glanced around, "Whether they'll let you leave or not, I'm sure you'll be stuck laying down until you are healed enough to move around though."
There wasn't much of a chance that Icarus would be able to leave, but if he was, then Tellis would most likely be in charge of taking care of him. He was quite happy to do so if it meant he could ask more questions and learn more about humans. Even if it meant he was going to get an equal number of questions from Icarus about his own kind.
(I’m going to be out of town for the New Years, so I’ll be completely inactive until late Friday or Saturday btw.)
“So there’s the chance I’m never going to leave this island …?” Icarus asked, quietly this time.
He didn’t really think there’d be much he’d miss. He didn’t think there was much to his life other than inventing anyways. But he wouldn’t have any tools, or the scrolls and scrolls he’d spent days on, or his family. There was plenty of inspiration, but how could he be motivated without the things he needed. He might not even be able to make the tools he’d need.
“I suppose there’s really not much I can do right now, but heal. So, I’ll leave it to you.”
Icarus was feeling a tinge of doubt about trusting the mysterious Scere so quickly. Not that he cared though. This could all just be a dream, and Icarus felt no danger at that.
(All ok, I’m going to be extremely busy because of New Years so I won’t be active much)
“It’s a small chance…but I don’t think lying to you would be right.” His voice was noticeably softer as he broke the news, “I cannot guarantee that you’ll be able to leave now that you found this island, but if you are desperate to get home, I will try to find a way for you to do so.”
Tellis stood from his chair, stretching out his wings fully both because his back was stiff and because he figured it would leave Icarus with enough to think about while he was healing. It was impressive to see just how far his wings stretched, easily touching the walls on either end of the room. Then, he slowly pulled them back in, offering a tiny hopeful smile to the other.
“Is there anything you would like to help pass the time while you’re healing? The healer will be back with food soon, and I have to leave shortly, but the least I can do for you right now is leave you with something to do.”
(I’m backk. School will be starting back up tomorrow though. RIP.)
Icarus felt his jaw go slightly slack. He wanted to cry from happiness. If he’d keep imagining this place a bit longer- or better, if this really was real and Tellis was telling the truth, he’d never run out of inspiration.
Seeing Tellis’ full wing span, he was taken aback even more. The wings were so beautiful, no invention he’d ever make would match up to them. They were the embodiment of beauty. At least in his eyes. How much could they do? How powerful were they? What happens when they are injured? Can a ‘Scere’ have their wings removed? Did they fly similar to a bird’s? He could get a step closer to understanding bird’s flight, especially on this scale.
He blinked, bringing himself back after zoning out.
“Perfect timing.” he said, flat out. “Perhaps there is something I can fiddle with … ? Take apart and put back together? Sculpt or draw with?”
Icarus was overflowing, and no matter what, he needed to create before this feeling was lost.
“I’m an inventor, you see. And I need to create something quickly.”
(Same school is gonna be my end lmao)
He paused, thinking over the different options he could bring to entertain Icarus. Tapping his fingers on his leg, he nodded, offering a few options. "I could bring you clay if you'd like to sculpt, or maybe I can snatch a roll of parchment and something to draw with…any particular favorite? If neither of those work, I can try to find something else?"
Tellis looked to the human, not surprised to hear that he was an inventor. From the number of questions he had asked, he was either an inventor or held an occupation close to that.
Moving his chair back to where it was placed originally, he occupied himself with little things, like making sure his wings were flush against his back to pass the time. It was a sign of respect between the Scere people and their culture. He knew Icarus wouldn't know the formalities of his culture, and how little things like wings position were important, but he still wanted to respect the new guest either way.
"The only specification is that you don't move too much while creating what you'd like, alright?"
“Of course, of course. No moving …”
Icarus felt the glimmer in his eye return though, as another surge of happiness passed. There could be something for him to do.
“Something to draw with would be amazing!”
He needed to burn those wings into his memory. Sculpting with clay would do him no good right now. If a condition was to not move, that would not help him out at all. Contorting into strange positions was key in viewing one’s sculpture at the right angle. Crafting many many feathers would also be difficult without his tools.
Drawing these magnificent wings could let him invent so much more in the world of flight. So much art could be made. He could be famous! If he sculpted a ‘Scere’, it would be renowned. A winged being- never dreamed of before. He’d been known as more than an inventor, and he could get solid pay from commissioning.
His mind raced with another round of far-fetched dreams. He could hardly wait.
"I'll be back with drawing supplies in a few minutes," He said calmly once he had his answer.
Really, it wouldn't probably take him longer than that to find what he needed, but even if it did, he was going to try to hurry. The last thing he wanted was to make the island's guest wait.
Tellis offered a polite smile before he left, fanning his wings out slightly once he left the room and had closed the simple wooden door behind him. His gait was smooth and soon he was out of the building, spreading his wings and flying to the only place he knew would have a guaranteed supply of paper. The island's library.
It was a larger building, built in the same simple style as many of the other buildings were, with the main difference being the large open side of the building that was perfect for flying into. Tellis did just that too, settling down on the ground with one final flap of his wings. He tucked them to the side when he finished, making his way through the rows and rows of records, maneuvering around the few other Scere in the building.
Being a member of the island's scouts, he wasn't questioned when he walked into the small storage room, grabbing a thick roll of parchment and a simple and well-designed writing utensil similar to a pencil. It wasn't unusual for him to stop by and grab some anyway, seeing as it was used whenever the island's guardsmen met.
