The eye of the beholder

For @Etienne and @Bulletproof if you want to join !
 + Misc. skill > stylist

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It was a vibrant green with the sweetest pink border. With all the carefulness she could muster, Pia gently tugged at the small leaf. She didn’t want to hurt the plants or disturb the beautiful landscape they provided — but it was greater than herself, that need she had of taking a little souvenir. Just a little something to keep, and to show Bulletproof when he’d catch up.

The pair hadn’t really separated, but Pia had taken it upon herself to act as their scout while her companion would take the rear guard. Leaving the valley behind meant retreating from the wolves living there — and neither of them wanted to be caught off guard if, for one reason or another, those strangers decided to track and pursue them.

But right now, Pia wasn’t really thinking of such dangerous things. All she cared about were the leaves-flowers, as she didn’t know what else to call them. She put the leaf of aeonium she had taken in the thick of her fur, right on her thorax, and kept her nose close to the ground to look for another fine specimen. She was taking her sweet time, inspecting each and every plant and each and every leaf, not in any hurry to find another place or even to look for food. There was fresh water here and no immediate danger in sight, leading her to a false sense of security and giving her the audacity to leave the logistics of their survival on the shoulders of her partner.

There ! A sprig of crassula — a perfect new addition to her coat. And there: a cluster of small sedum that looked so much like a rosebud. Little by little, a greenish heart was blooming and growing right where she had put that first succulent leaf — and then, she saw it. The most perfect sempervivum, with the most perfect shade of red. Oh, Bull would be so pretty with it.

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  Misc. skill > Stylist

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Etienne wasn't the most keen observer of his surroundings, often too caught up in his own fantasies or thoughts. Today, however, his bright pink eyes watched the wolf decorate herself with rapt attention. She painted herself with flowers in a way that fascinated him. It was truly incredible. Without realising it he was already approaching her, small, dainty paws stomping over the foliage in his haste to get to her. “ Excusez-moi! Mademoiselle?” the pale prince panted, only just realising how unfit his current form was. No matter. He had more important things to worry about.

“The colours in your fur. How did you do this? I must know,” he insisted, big bright pink eyes looking at her intently. A visually loud Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. projecting from his gaze. If there were ways to make him stand out from the crowd then he must know how. Not that he needed any help. His radiant beauty was as striking as the sun, after all. But adding a little more colour to the perfect canvas of his body would only work to highlight his handsomeness, non?
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+ Misc. skill > stylist

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Soft hues of cream and milk; a blush in his eyes, silvery feathers drawn on his back. A gentle appearance with a singing voice that matches — for he had greeted her with a song, as far as she understood. A string of melodious notes (words ?) at her ear, calling out to her; if this wasn’t singing, then she didn’t know what was.
Was that a custom here ? Greeting strangers with unintelligible syllables, like a mysterious poem ? Oh, wasn’t that so delightful ! She would be sure to remember it, for her next encounter.

A gentle smile is already drawn on Pia’s face before he even finishes his inquiry. She doesn’t even think to stop for a second to wonder who he is, or where he comes from, or if he means any harm — she just takes it all in stride and allows herself to match his energy.
“Have you ever eaten pearls ?” Her reply comes readily, as if it all made perfect sense. “Some people say we’re not supposed to eat them, but I heard they do wonders for the fur. In the long term.” Myth or fact, nobody knew, but this was a trick Pia had heard in another life: pearls could make your hair glossy and shiny, strong and healthy, vibrant and colourful. This was all the advice she could give, for her own peculiar greys must have been a blessing of whichever divinity had brought her here.

“Oh !” she exclaims, as if she had just realised she might have misunderstood his question. “But if you’re looking for something less permanent, well, there are colours everywhere ! You just have to know how to take them !” Everywhere meant flowers, leaves, pebbles, berries, feathers, even some sticks — anything she could pick up. Eager to give a demonstration, she reaches for one of the smaller succulents she had taken for herself, and takes a step closer to her new friend — she wants to gauge the texture of his fur, see how it would hold.

“May I ?” Not without permission, of course.

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Eat pearls? Etienne began to wonder just who on earth this woman was. Clearly there was something wrong with her if she thought eating jewelry was safe. “Eat them? You must be joking,” the prince exclaimed, brows rising so high they could have touched his ears. “That's preposterous. Surely you would choke?” he pointed out, lifting a paw and gesticulating wildly at her in disbelief. The more he thought about it the more animated he became. It sounded like the beauty trends that Lumierans followed which sometimes led to fatalities. The pursuit of beauty was dangerous indeed.

If it wasn't for the curious way she painted her fur Etienne would have written her off as a lunatic and pretended that he had something else to do. “You may,” he granted her permission with a regal nod. If she was indeed as effective as a stylist as her fur suggested then maybe she could teach him how to decorate himself. He intended to observe her technique so that he could learn as much as possible. “I am granting you permission to touch my royal person. It is a rare honour,” he explained, rosy gaze watching her expectantly.

misc skill: stylist
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