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| Seek and Descry (hiatus); PRIVATE - Sequel to Hide and Seek | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 11 2010, 08:50 AM (1,389 Views) | |
| Cookie Dough | Dec 1 2010, 10:47 PM Post #16 |
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Death to Babies
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It was strange for everyone to be together, but it was a warm atmosphere. Everyone was just happy to be together, stress was, temporarily, gone. "When it comes to the humans, we're safe this year. It seems they have a festival every fifty years, and so this year they are all tied up in festivities. I spotted two on the very outskirts, but no more, and they were looking for plants for medicines..." Snow nodded, then continued gnawing on the remains of her meal. Luna smiled, "I'm so relieved!" Snow snorted, "This brings me to my next point..." She set down the meat, "Your kids are pampered and spoiled, far beyond what they need. I understand that you want them to not have to go through any hardship, but if they were on their own, they wouldn't be able to wipe their own ass..." "Our kids are well adjusted, we've made sure to not spoil them too much, they could handle themselves!" Luna growled, "They shouldn't need to know the things we know, nothing is going to happen that would change that!" "Oh? Tiyree gets everything she wants and obsesses over pretty things and other useless trinkets, Eirian is so engrossed in his books he would never be able to actually hunt a goat, or run from danger, Miiyena is just as involved in her art, Kale and Delise are both complete flirts that do nothing other than talk about meaningless nonsense. Talia may know her way around a bow and how to hunt, but she has never had the need to push herself, same with Leo. What's worse is Leo is losing control more often! Even Aplin, he is smart and kind, but he knows nothing of what it's really like. All of your children look great when given the tools, but they cannot support themselves at all, and they cannot be the future of Abeo, not like this!" Snow growled back, obviously she had been thinking on this for a while. Luna was upset, but she held herself well, "Our children are that repulsive to you, really? There is nothing wrong with specializing, they will always have Abeo! They are all intelligent, they will be able to run Abeo just fine! You helped raise them, how could you say that about them?" "I helped as much as I could, but the human festivities offers a chance to test your theory. If your children are really all that great, a couple months in the wilderness with nothing but their skins will be nothing!" Snow looked at Lazriel, he was more grounded than Luna nowadays... Luna was silent then, and she left, angrily. "Lazriel... Just think about it, it would be a safe place, the caves Luna and Hard-Blood stayed at. Some food, enclosed, I would be watching to make sure they didn't get too beat up... I'm only thinking of what would be good for them, if they never get a taste of nature, they could be in trouble in the future. I love those kids as if they were my own, just think about it, before it gets to cold and all..." Snow left the room, returning to her's. ((just an idea, i think it wuld b fun, if u dont like it thats all good)) |
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| Oop | Dec 3 2010, 04:19 PM Post #17 |
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so they scream
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The following day, Talia awoke early, ready to pester Eirian about completing the new bowstrings so that she could test them out. However, to her surprise, her father sat away from a small fire, twisting a ring around his finger. "Good morning, Talia," he said, smiling softly. Surprised, she asked, "How did you know?" Surely he hadn't seen her. He glanced at her, and then away. "You don't have to see the world with your eyes. Come here." She obeyed, going to him and sitting beside him. "Close your eyes. Listen to the fire, feel the warmth. Taste the draft of wind. Smell the dirt. Feel the pebbles. There is more to this world than meets the eye, Talia." Talia swiped her hands gently across the ground, trying to sense what she knew her father must sense. But she couldn't. Not seeing, but feeling, smelling, hearing, and tasting frustrated her. She felt vulnerable with her eyes closed, and wondered if that's how her father felt on a constant basis - vulnerable, weak, afraid. She cracked an eyelid and slid her gaze over to him. No, she decided, he probably didn't feel as defenseless as she did. After all the things he'd been through, his eyesight was likely the least of his losses. Not that it wasn't a huge disadvantage, but compared to the horrors of his past, he was stronger than any of them gave him credit for. "You don't see it, do you?" he asked, startling her out of her contemplative thoughts. She opened her eyes, but kept her gaze downcast, embarrassed. Her beloved father had tried to show her something - something important (because Lazriel did not indulge frivolous things), something that would bring her closer to understanding him - and she remained blind. "No," she answered softly. He extended his hand to her, and she took it, sparing a moment of warrior's admiration for the feel of calloused hands on calloused hands. He frowned, leaning back and closing his eyes, obviously thinking. His eyebrows pulled together, and he breathed slowly through his nose. He stayed like that so long that Talia nearly thought he'd fallen asleep. Yet, his eyes opened again, and though his frown didn't disappear, it lightened significantly. "Talia?" "Yes, Da?" she asked, squeezing his hand gently He smiled very faintly, but it did not last but a moment. "You and your siblings are spoiled." His bluntness left her speechless. When she began to protest, though, he lifted a hand to silence her. "I realized long ago that we did not push any of you enough, but your mother and I-" of course he meant Luna- "had gone through so much that we could barely restrain ourselves from protecting you. Think about all the things you have in life, but have not worked for. Even your archery. After all, who made your first bow? Eirian has been indulged with an ever-growing library, yet who writes or finds the books he reads? Miiya paints beautifully, but who makes the paint? "All of you are incapable of surviving on your own, and it's a problem. If you can't keep yourselves alive, what do you plan to do when you rule Abeo?" Though his admonishment hurt, Talia understood. Her cheeks burned with shame. Still, Lazriel said it was a problem, which meant it needed to be corrected. Her father didn't leave problems unattended, and neither would she. Straightening her shoulders, she looked up to him. "What are we supposed to do, then, Da, to fix it?" Now he smiled, patting the smooth back of her hand, so different from his own scarred ones. The differences between their childhoods stood stark and blatant before her, and she now felt foolish for not realizing it before. "Well, I can't take credit: Snow came up with it, really." Dread pooled in Talia's stomach, but also the stirrings of determination. If Snow had proposed a plan, it meant it would not be easy to complete. It would be brutal and hard and a struggle. But Talia, ever seeking to please both her father and Snow, would do nearly anything. But she said nothing, just let her father continue. "Now, this information can't leak, okay? We want to send you all out for the winter. No Abeo. No pampering. Just the eight of you and your wits. Snow has said that the humans don't pose a threat this winter, and so it seems an opportune time." Talia could hardly breathe, the leaden dread pooled in her stomach suddenly turned to butterflies of excitement. All of them? On their own?! It sounded like... like fun! Of course, she knew Eirian, Miiya, Ti, and Kale would hate it, but she and Leo had even spoken of such things before, and that her parents approved of it... It just seemed unreal! She immediately launched to her knees, hugging Lazriel tightly. "Of course, Da! I'll go tell Leo!" Before he could say anything else, Talia had leaped to her feet, changed to her leopard form, and raced off to find Leo to tell him the good news! Lazriel sighed, dreading telling Luna what he had decided after she'd left the previous night. He couldn't change his mind now, after seeing Talia so excited (and after she left so quickly to tell the others). Still, he couldn't help but smile. They may be excited now, but once they got out there -- no weapons, no food, no anything -- they may reevaluate the glory of life in the wilderness. Their excitement, in fact, simply proved that they needed the experience all the more. Lazriel felt justified in his decision, despite anything that Luna might say (though he believed that, after speaking with her, she would see reason; after all, they were his children, too, and he only wanted the best for them as well). ((Not great, but there you have it. I don't know what my deal is with scenes with Laz and Talia. I just love Lazriel even more now that he's not my main character.)) Edited by Oop, Dec 3 2010, 08:46 PM.
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| Cookie Dough | Dec 3 2010, 07:38 PM Post #18 |
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Death to Babies
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Lol Leo was face-down on his mat, dead asleep and drooling. He slept like a sloppy teenager, at least, when he didn't have his horrible nightmares. Upon hearing his loud sister he groaned and wiped the drool off his face with his blanket. "Sleeping..." He turned his face towards the wall, swatting at the air with his hand to wave her away. Luna padded in, shaking off her snow-covered fur. She'd slept outside, probably right in the front, but she still had a light dusting of snow and dirt. She changed back and frowned at him, sitting beside him, "Lazriel... I don't like this... I didn't want them to have to go through any of this..." She looked over to Lazriel, a face that admitted being wrong. She knew their children were spoiled and disconnected from their roots, they had no struggles... "I just... What if something happens?" She reached out her hand and slid her fingers between his, "How is it so easy for you to know what to do all the time? I'm so jealous..." She sighed, trying to keep her composure, she was good at holding in her emotions to most people, but she was sure Lazriel would be able to see right through her, he always did. To combat this she smiled at him, "I'm going to go to the library..." She stood, kissed him and left. |
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| Oop | Dec 3 2010, 09:03 PM Post #19 |
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so they scream
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((This is really short.)) He smiled when Luna sat next to him. "It's not that it's easy, it's just that, being useless at just about everything now, I have a lot of time to think." When Luna left, he stood and went to wake Eirian to tell him the decision. --- Uncharacteristically, Talia bounded around Leo's sleeping mat, unable to spend the energy she'd suddenly acquired faster than it replenished itself. She attempted to make noise, trying to get Leo conscious. When it reaped a minimal response, she pounced on her brother, pinning his arms to the ground while she licked the exposed side of his face with her rough feline tongue. "Leo! Leo! You'll never believe what we get to do!" She jumped off of her brother, landing silently beside him. She placed her large front paws on his back and began kneading it. "Get up! Don't make me use my claws, because you know I will," she threatened. When she was sure her brother was awake, she told him what her father had told her: that they would be spending the winter on their own. |
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| Cookie Dough | Dec 3 2010, 10:41 PM Post #20 |
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Death to Babies
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He growled, rubbing his head as he sat up, "What is up with you?" He listened, patiently. "That's great news, when are we going?" He rubbed his eyes, yawning. "Wait... All of us?" He sighed, "Snow wont make this easy, I love it!" He stood and grasped her paw, shaking it until she turned human again, then dragged her out, excitedly. Soon they were all together, the complainers hunting for their parents (so everyone but Talia and Leo, basically). Tiyree was at the front of the crowd, sniffing out their mom first, knowing she would be easier to sway, "Ma! Don't send us away!" She was always the best at crying as if she was in physical pain, it was almost disturbing how real it sounded. "Don't you love us? How can you d-do this!?" She grabbed Luna's hands, now on her knees. Leo growled, "You brat, shut up!" Delise snorted, "Leo you're wild, unlike us! You belong out there! Ma this is dumb! We'll never be in the wild, not living in the wild I mean! This is silly!" She whined, irritated. Luna was holding her composure, well, "Stop it..." Though her quick exit out of the crowd was easy to deduce. She ran inside her and Lazriel's room, closing the door behind her. This was hard enough for her, and there they were, praying on her vulnerability! Her biggest soft spot was for them, she knew Lazriel would be able to handle them, at least better than her... However, she didn't have to hope. Snow shouted from down the hall, her tail puffed and curled, angrily, "You ungrateful little brats! You would use your own mother's compassion against her? Her love for you? Are you kidding me? We are leaving tonight, don't bother packing, you get the skin on your back, no more. I hope you can learn a lesson or two, and appreciate your advantages!" She pushed the crowd away from the door, "Leave her alone, go bother your father!" She didn't mean it, but that was all Delise and Tiyree heard, immediately seeking out their father to cry to him. Miiyena grumbled over it, but she was not like her siblings, she tried to use gentle persuasion, not direct crying and whining, she wasn't that low... |
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| Oop | Dec 6 2010, 08:38 AM Post #21 |
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so they scream
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Talia and Leo watched as Delise and Tiyree clung to Lazriel, their tears so exorbitant that they ran down their faces and dripped from his shoulders. He patted them consolingly, but said nothing as they begged him to revoke his decision. However, Talia could see that their display did no more than strengthen his resolve. It proved to him that they were not ready to become the leaders that Abeo needed, and he seemed perfectly aware of this. He was especially disappointed in Delise, whom, by right, was the sibling with the greatest claim to leadership. However, Aplin had equal claim. Leopards' inheritance went through the sons. For wolves, females held the favored positions. Still, Lazriel was disappointed in his children. His eyes wandered around the room, unseeing but knowing, until he found Talia and Leo. He would have to count on them to teach their brothers and sisters what it truly meant to be free. Living in Abeo offered them the freedom of choice, but not wild freedom. "You have today to prepare. Be ready by sunup tomorrow. Snow will take you to the destination. I suggest you spend the day resting. You'll need it." With that, Lazriel gently pried his two daughters away, locked eyes with each of the others, and then stood, going to comfort Luna. His disappointment showed in the rigidness of his stance, and the manner of his exit. Talia felt her cheeks flush with shame, and when she looked to Eirian and Aplin, they had similar embarrassed looks. Eirian went to her, then, and took her hand. "Talia." He looked to Leo. "Leo. I hate to say this, but you're going to have to help us survive. You two are our only hope." Having heard this, Aplin stepped forward and took Leo's hand. Seeing that, Talia took Leo's other hand. Eirian extended a hand to Miiya. Aplin did the same for Kale, who groaned and stepped forward, taking the proffered hand. He reached for Tiyree's hand. When they were all linked, Aplin began a very familiar prayer to Eyasha - one that their father had said with them all every night as children. Eirian joined in, and then Talia. Kale grudgingly added his voice to the prayer, and even after they'd finished, they stood like that. Talia had never felt more connected to her family than at that moment. They were all so different. Maybe this was just what they needed to come together, to connect. Maybe this would make them the people they were supposed to be. She smiled softly, blinking away the tears in her eyes. ((Eh, suckage and a slight bit of godmodding. Sorry about that.)) |
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| Cookie Dough | Dec 6 2010, 06:16 PM Post #22 |
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Death to Babies
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((It's fine I hope it's alright if I skip ahead >.<))Everyone ended up praying, they all knew the prayer. Leo smirked, "Don't worry, we'll be alright... Let's go rest- he's right, we will need it..." The day was spent very drolly, comprised of sleeping, eating, and some light reading. The morning came much too early, though. Snow growled, waking each of them and directing them to wait outside. She walked out with Talia and Leo, having woken them last. Tiyree was practically dancing as she shivered, "It's so cold!" She rarely went without clothing. Just getting there proved difficult. Snow bounded over rocky mountainsides, as good as any conditioned cat. Leo took his place behind Delise and Tiyree, nipping at their heels when they stopped. Delise was not having so much trouble, but Tiyree neither had the cat-adaptability to rock-climbing, nor the stubbornness of a wolf to scale the mountainside. Even Miya, as she slipped and slid across the icy rocks and unaccustomed terrain, never said a word, she was not one to complain, even if it was hard on her. She stuck next to Kale and Aplin, leaning against one of them occasionally to keep herself from falling. By the time they were back on flat ground on the side of the mountain, even Leo was panting, especially having to mush Tiyree up every step of the way. Snow sighed and sat, "Take a break, we've been climbing and moving for a few hours. It's only natural for anyone to be tired if you're not scaling mountains all the time... Ten minutes, do what you want..." Tiyree laid on her back, rolling in the snow, whimpering. Miiyena laid down as well, licking her paws to warm them. Delise was panting and pacing, digging around for some water. Leo stayed standing, anyone that knew how to run knew laying down was the worst if it was only for a short break. Getting back up would kill them. "You're going to regret laying down... Talia, there was a little bit of an overhang around the corner, let's go..." He walked over to the cave, then jumped and broke off an icicle, chewing it up before heading back to the group. Delise had followed suit and broken off some ice, then followed him back out. Leo didn't know how 'wild' he was, but he could scavenge just fine, at least for water. Delise was smart to mimic him, Ti and Miya might have tried if they weren't dead-beat. |
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| Oop | Dec 6 2010, 07:12 PM Post #23 |
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so they scream
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At first, Talia's excitement alone made the climb enjoyable. However, by their first break, her legs had started to burn. She didn't utter one word of complaint, but she'd never actually scaled a mountain like this. Well, not in the winter, anyway, when the snow made each step seem like a lack of progress. She'd never really utilized her claws until she found herself losing traction (and footing) on ice. While Leo stuck with Delise and Tiyree, Talia tried to help Eirian, although, despite the constant undertone of grumbling pouring from his mouth, he climbed rather well. And then Talia remembered all the time that he used to spend racing with their father. It had been a while since her brother had done so, but Eirian was not as out of shape as expected. He kept up rather well when he didn't get distracted, although, by the end of the first hour, she could tell that his leg muscles were screaming. Kale seemed to make the trip bearable by constantly pestering Aplin, trying to get a rise out of his stoic brother. "Watch your footing here, Aplin!" Kale would say, and then bump into the smaller male, causing Aplin to skid across the ice, his claws desperately scratching for hold. Luckily, he had the snow leopard feature of large front paws and retractable claws, allowing him to withstand Kale's battering without too much trouble. Kale himself, being more wolflike to begin with, simply had the natural strength to push through. Like Eirian, he showed no noticeable signs of fatigue until a while into their trip. Unlike Eirian, he was too busy trying to aggravate Aplin to complain (although the biggest accomplishment he got was a short snarl and a low growl of warning from the smaller hybrid male after what had to be the twentieth shove of the day). "Stop it, Kale. This isn't a place to fool around. He could seriously fall," Eirian finally said, swiftly putting himself between his two younger brothers. Although Eirian didn't receive special treatment, all of the group sort of looked out for him. It wasn't that he was incapable of doing things, but that they knew of his importance (the only male heir of the pure leopards from Lazriel's line) and, sometimes, his absentmindedness. He was one of the oldest of the eight of them, but they treated him like one of the youngest. Sometimes he noticed and it bothered him, but other times he didn't notice. Now was one of those times, as Kale refrained from hitting him. Aplin he could trust to at least use his claws properly and not go tumbling down the mountain. Eirian probably forgot he had claws until this morning. When it came time to rest, most of the group - with the exclusion of Delise, Kale, and Tiyree - followed Leo's lead as to finding water. Aplin, being the caretaker he was, carried several icicles to his sisters, but none to Kale, though the other brother simply smirked, knowing he'd succeeded in getting under Aplin's fur after all. He stood and went to get his own. Edited by Oop, Dec 11 2010, 11:30 AM.
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| Cookie Dough | Dec 6 2010, 07:54 PM Post #24 |
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Death to Babies
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Tiyree gratefully took the icicle, crunching on it and whimpering- it was cold. Miiyena was really having a hard time, however, she stood and whimpered before eating her icicle as well, "Thanks, Aplin..." When Snow came back she simply snorted, "Let's go..." She then walked away from them. The group moved with her, but Tiyree whimpered and heaved a sigh. Leo immediately went to her and yanked on her tail. That got her up and he mushed her to the group. Leo went to Talia, "I'm glad I'm in good shape, I'd be dead if I weren't..." Snow stopped and turned, "Alright, this trip is not just wild, but I will give you challenges too. Being in such a place luck is hard to come by, so I'll act like your luck. If you do well, you'll be helped, if not, maybe you'll be hurt, maybe not... So, here is a good opportunity. If everyone can get to the top of this cliff side before me- I'll walk- then I will let you sleep the first night inside the cave and not in the snow like I was originally planning. Remember though, everyone..." Snow slowly walked up the side, a pace that the fit members would be able to beat with some effort, but not a horrible pace. Leo growled, "That's not going to happen..." He jumped on a rock, growling at Tiyree to follow, but, obviously, not making an attempt at Snow's challenge. Delise snorted, making an effort to keep ahead of Snow, "Come on- I don't want to sleep outside!" She grunted as she had to struggle, her muscles already hating her. Miiyena went beside Eirian now, wanting better company than Kale and Aplin's stupid game... She was already breathing hard and drooling from effort. "This... This... this sucks..." Edited by Cookie Dough, Dec 6 2010, 07:55 PM.
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| Oop | Dec 11 2010, 12:31 PM Post #25 |
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so they scream
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When the group got back on its feet, Talia stayed in the back. Each step she took, the snow seemed to become thicker, and though it didn't slow her like some of the others (particularly those of her siblings not gifted with the large paws of the snow leopard), she was trying to figure the best way to shove through it. A quick glance at Eirian, however, made the best method obvious. Of course he would already have it figured out. His long body stretched out, each step longer than his usual stride. Talia copied him, and found herself sinking into the snow much less than before. Eirian looked back at her and noticed her copying him. He grinned. "Weight distribution," he said simply, and Talia understood. Taking small steps caused the snow to cave, and then crumble in a chain reaction to the closely placed paws. Like this, even if one paw sank, the others would not. Although the stretching was annoying at first, it saved a lot of effort in a short amount of time. "We shouldn't overexert ourselves now just to sleep in a cave. Who knows when our next meal will be? Our pace should match the slowest person's, and we should stay together." It wouldn't be fair to ask one person to completely drain him or herself just to keep up. If this test was about survival, then they needed to make sure that everyone had a chance. Eirian did not enjoy the trip. In fact, he had set himself upon hating it. His place was in a library, not in a cave. And while the mountains should have felt more like home, they really felt very hostile and foreboding. He could think of better ways to test his ingenuity. However, for Miiya, who seemed to be struggling so much more than himself, he put on a somewhat tense smile. Even if it wasn't convincing, maybe she would appreciate the gesture. "Perhaps the top of the mountain will be beautiful enough to inspire you to paint something magnificent. Not that all of your work isn't magnificent already, but maybe we can hang it in the den for Ma and Da." Eventually, frustrated, Aplin snapped at Kale, his teeth barely catching the tip of Kale's ear. The younger brother yelped with surprise and glared at his brother, and although he wanted to strike back, he'd never seen Aplin so frustrated. Although he really never used his abilities, Aplin, as all of them, had been trained in some form of self-defense, and being much more disciplined than Kale, knew how to use it much more effectively. His mild temper often deceived others into believing he could not fight very well, and though he didn't excel like Talia or Leo, mistaking him as incapable could be very dangerous. Kale knew this, and finally left his older brother alone, thoroughly admonished by the stinging pain in his left ear, though he continued to glare balefully. He dropped back next to Talia and Leo, muttering to himself. "Should've known better," Talia told him with a grin. Kale growled, annoyed at her teasing, but said nothing else. She looked over to Leo, still grinning. At least the trip wouldn't be completely without amusement, although if Kale and Aplin butted heads the whole time, it would be incredibly frustrating. But she could always count on Leo to be a good companion. |
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| Cookie Dough | Dec 11 2010, 05:53 PM Post #26 |
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Death to Babies
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Leo was heavy, so only his muscle helped him power through the snow. Weight distribution didn't work for him, so he moved like Snow, but didn't think about her strange muscle placement. She hopped through snow like a hare, he could only do it so many times before finding himself too tired to keep jumping. Miiya was panting so hard, her struggling breaths sounded like wheezing. She simply nodded to Eirian, "Hn..." Ti was getting better, she had stopped trying to get out of working, but she was mimicking Talia and Eirian. She was small enough to be able to stay on top of the snow enough. Delise was light and had large paws. She was tired, but making her way up was not as difficult as it was for the full-wolves. Once they were at, yet another, top, Snow snorted at them. "I only offered because sleeping outside when a storm is coming will be a rude awakening. You'll want to take my opportunities in the future..." She looked back at them, she was right to have them come. "From here on out there is no more climbing, the ground will be flat..." Leo licked his chops, sighing, "I've never been worked so hard to make me drool like this..." He looked at Miiya before walking beside her, "You don't look so good..." She shook her head, Tiyree was the smallest, she could get away with having very little muscle, but Miiya was heavier, and much taller. Not only did her small paws make her sink, but her length worked against her, and no muscle to pull herself out of the snow. She was drooling heavily, and shaking. Leo let her lean against him, it was flat here, she could rest a little... After three hours, Snow finally pointed them into a cave, "This is it..." The relief on everyone's face was clear. They were happy to be out of the wind, the cave was fairly warm and smelled of food and water. Snow growled and mushed them all through, "Don't look so relieved, you're sleeping outside. Everything in here is mine, keep moving!" She led them to a huge area, surrounded by mountain on all sides, like someone had just scooped a hole into the mountain. It kept going past where they could see, especially with the snowfall, even though it was light right now. "If you keep going you'll find a climbable mountainside. Goats, hares, foxes, birds, rats, and a couple deer are in the area. You can hunt over there and get water from this frozen stream, you just have to break the ice to get to the water. You are to stay inside the basin at all times, alright? I still have responsibility for you. Oh, and be wary of bears, I don't think there are any here, but there have been before, it is just uncommon. They're very mean, so don't go picking fights. I'm going to go eat, I suggest you rest for tomorrow. You wont just be existing out here, I'm going to give you stuff to do... So rest up!" She trotted away and back to the cave. Miiya was the first to flop, right on her side, panting heavily. It was very cold, and she was feeling it, but she couldn't have cared less. Ti laid down too, whimpering about the cold. "We should dig and make a little area for us to sleep in, the ground is warmer than the snow. We should all sleep together as well... A few of us can dig, anyone that is too tired can rest, no use if you pass out... Anyone who isn't too tired and doesn't want to dig should go get some river ice cubes for us to chew on..." He sniffed the ground before starting to dig, Delise joining him. Digging was a dog's passion, even a wolf-dog, so they looked happy digging, even though they were both ready to sleep. He glanced at Talia, "We can do more tomorrow once we've rested, we're in no condition to do much..." ((Bleghghghghg, soz)) Edited by Cookie Dough, Dec 11 2010, 05:57 PM.
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| Oop | Dec 15 2010, 08:56 PM Post #27 |
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so they scream
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((A small bit of godmodding. I didn't even realize I'd done it until it was too late. Sorry.)) By the time they reached their destination, Talia was panting heavily, her lungs burning as much from the frigid air as her legs burned from the climb. Her muscles quivered, but she did not allow herself to sit down. If she did, she would not get back up. She needed water. "We should go in shifts, Leo, so we're not all so tired at once. I'm going to get water. Who's coming with me?" Talia didn't think it wise to roam around in unfamiliar places by oneself. Kale stepped forward, volunteering. She had expected Aplin to come with her, honestly, but he had already set to work helping Leo, despite the slight bit of froth at his mouth from the climb. "Miiya. Come with us. You can keep resting when we get back." If she came and got water now, then she could probably be the first to rest in their makeshift shelter and spend the rest of the day and night resting without interruption. She also insisted because Kale was with her, and between the two of them, they could help Miiya and keep her from harm. Kale (when he applied himself), with his wolf-like build, was only second to Leo in strength. Talia nudged her sister until she wearily stood and glared at Kale until, with a roll of his eyes, he helped her to the stream, where Talia managed to break the ice for them to drink thirstily, though the biting water numbed her tongue, mouth, and throat while sending chills up and down her body. When they got more settled, it would probably be a good idea to heat the water before drinking it. However, as it was, Talia could not complain. Kale, surprisingly, also kept his mouth shut. "Your turn," Talia said, returning. (It also shocked her to see Eirian helping, as well. He had more stamina that anyone could have guessed for locking himself away in the library constantly.) Kale guided Miiya to the fairly large den they'd managed to make so far as Talia immediately began to work on expanding it. With a grumble, Kale also began digging, which was much more effective than Talia's attempts. Being a wolf, he was more naturally adept at it. Aplin, looking exhausted, quickly led the way toward the stream. Eirian followed him closely. "Get over here and help if you're not going for water," Talia chastised her sisters. If they were going to survive this thing, they would all have to learn to pitch in. ((Wow. That sucked. Totally uninspired.)) |
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| Cookie Dough | Dec 16 2010, 01:53 AM Post #28 |
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Death to Babies
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Miiya whimpered, but followed her siblings, obediently. She greedily chewed on the ice, eager to feel hydrated. She collapsed upon returning, though managed to work up the energy to help dig. Being wolf she was effective, but being tired she worked slowly. Ti followed Eirian and Aplin to chew on some more ice. Leo helped break apart the snow while Talia cleared it, his strait claws working as a pick, while her wide paws shoveled it away. Delise was working to clear it out of the deepening den. Miiya's progress of packing and shaping the sides also helped. By the time Leo and Delise had gone and returned from getting water, they had a significant space. All the siblings worked, alternating in jobs of digging, shoveling out snow into the deepening den, going to get water, and resting, usually have two to each task at a time. By the time the sun began to set, they had a large enough den for them to all sleep in, as well as move around, it was a good size. It was not so big they would lose the heat, nor too small to keep them squished. It had been exhausting to make, and they had a couple ice pillars left for some extra stability. Miiya's artistic talents and Eirian's general knowledge had helped build the perfect size as to be very sturdy, large to more, good for a certain degree of warmth, as well as letting the ice be packed and pillared in certain areas to maintain extra strength to the ceiling, which was also at a good level of thickness so they could walk (in animal forms) without hitting the ceiling, but not too thin so that it would break if stepped on, even if jumped on. As the temperature dropped, all the siblings came to be inside the den, working, mostly, inside the area and stopping their water breaks. It was dark now and the storm had hit. Leo was incredibly grateful for their den, they would have nearly frozen to death out in those winds, the basin seemed to make the wind worse, like a mini tornado. Though the temperature dropped in the den as well, the entrance getting some of the winds inside. When it had become chilly through their fur, even in the den, Delise stated the obvious need for rest. "It's dark, early night, but Snow said we have a big day tomorrow. We have a place to sleep, it's good enough for now! Better than being out in that storm." Leo nodded, "It's even cold in here, we'll have to sleep huddled together for warmth, alright? Kale and Aplin can be on opposite sides," He gave a rolling growl, a wolf laugh, basically. Delise, to support this, laid down on the den floor. Miiya followed and rested her head on Delise's back, Ti curling up in front of Miiya. Leo rested his back against Delise so she could rest her head on his shoulders, but otherwise gestured for Talia to curl up with him. It was freezing, and Leo, for one, just wanted to warm up and rest. His body ached in places he didn't even know existed, and he felt so tired... ((I figure this post is just setting up their new situation, your godmodding is forgiven, I didn't mind. I just hope my time skipping was alright with you ))
Edited by Cookie Dough, Dec 16 2010, 01:54 AM.
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| Oop | Dec 17 2010, 04:49 PM Post #29 |
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so they scream
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((It was perfect.)) By the time they'd agreed to settle down, Talia ached clear down to her bones. By their sluggish movements, she assumed that all of them did. After only one day, they'd been put through more physical labor than they'd ever cumulatively experienced before. Although she didn't look forward to the following day and the way her muscles would burn for days after this, she did feel more than a little pride in their accomplishments. They had already learned a great many things: how to best traverse the snow, how to find water where none seemed obvious, and how to build shelter where none existed (or when they weren't allowed in what did exist). Overall, she thought the day quite successful. She laid in the spot Leo had left open for her. Eirian curled at her back, but Aplin went to Miiya and Ti, curling his longer body around as much of their as possible. Talia understood: Miiya was the weakest, and would need the most protection. While Aplin was still half wolf, he had the coat of a snow leopard, which was thicker and -- with the lack of mud around -- more insulation. If Miiya was weak, she would be coldest easiest. "This is going to be much harder than I anticipated," Eirian said, groaning as he stretched before tucking his limbs in closely to preserve warmth. "You're doing much better than anyone would have guessed, for being cooped up in the library constantly," Talia murmured, arching her neck to lick her brother's head. He purred very lightly at the small grooming. For the leopard, grooming was as much a comfort as it was hygienic, a habit, or simply necessary. "You thought I kept up with Da by a miracle of Eyasha, did you?" he said with feigned indignity. Before she could answer, he kept talking, a slight purr rumbling his words as she continued to lick the top of his head. "Well, I'll have you know that-" here, he yawned- "that I..." And, like that, he was sleeping, still purring under his steady, deep breaths. Talia smiled, and then rested her head on Leo's side. He smelled like outdoors and hard work. She likely smelled the same. She listened, gathering that most of their siblings had dropped off already, before speaking again. "Leo. I'm glad you're here." Because she could not do this by herself. She felt the weight of all of their lives resting on her. She didn't mean to flatter herself, but even the other's knew that she, and Leo, of course, were the only real hope. Kale and Aplin could probably fend for themselves in the wild, but the rest were like measly mice facing a great cat, or a rabbit in the face of a wolf. With Leo here, she could at least let him shoulder some of that burden as well. That, and she simply enjoyed and took comfort in his company. ---- The next morning, Talia would have slept longer, but her legs were cramped. They screamed for movement, yet when she moved them, they screamed in agony. The slightest of twitches hurt, but she quietly forced herself to her feet. Casting about the room, she saw that Aplin was the only other missing, and looking to the opening, she saw that it looked like it had been re-dug recently. The storm must have covered it entirely while they slept. Grunting, she pulled herself out into the brilliant sunlight of the morning. It nearly blinded her, flashing off of every visible surface. She stretched, feeling joints tighten and bones pop as muscles pulled agonizingly taut. Shaking out her coat, she spotted Aplin not too far away. He seemed extremely concentrated. She approached slowly and sat next to him, waiting for him to speak first. She expected something like homesickness afflicting him, or despair, perhaps, for their situation. "Do you smell that?" he finally asked, nose twitching as it sifted the thin, biting air. Talia, surprised, did her best to pick out any odd smells, but she noticed none. She shook her head. "No." Aplin's eyes narrowed as he squinted at something she could not see. "Be ready," he said, before taking off. She immediately jumped to her feet, not sure what he intended, or what he wanted her to do to help. Her brother ran at an angle, and then swung around, making a semi-circle. As he started running straight toward her, she saw what he had smelled: a large white hare. He was shepherding it toward her! She crouched, ready, but the hare took off at an angle, and as she leaped for it, she missed. Baring her fangs in annoyance, she started chasing it, Aplin pulling up next to her. Their strides nearly matched, but just a moment sooner, Talia took a leap and caught the hare in her jaws. Aplin, having had the same idea just milliseconds after her, crashed into her. They toppled to the ground, lost in a haze of snow flurries, laughing. Aplin's laughter was a rare thing, and as his voice, it sounded something between a purr and an amused growl. It was something so unique that she never got used to it. Kale's could be similar, in certain situations, but never quite the perfectly balanced mix that Aplin's was. She dropped the dead hare in front of him. "It's yours," she said, licking the blood from around her mouth. "You caught it," Aplin pointed out. "That makes it your kill." "But I wouldn't have caught it if you hadn't noticed it and send it running to me." "But I--" "How about we share it?" Aplin seemed ready to protest, but nodded, and they spent a few minutes meticulously cleaning the meat from the bones, setting the pelt aside. (If nothing else, they could use it to cover the opening to the den at night.) They waited for the others to wake up as they cleaned the blood off of them, and then began casually grooming each other. ((Tada!)) |
| If you're gonna hit it, hit it until it breaks. | |
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| Cookie Dough | Dec 17 2010, 09:04 PM Post #30 |
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Death to Babies
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Leo awoke when Talia moved. He watched her leave then yawned, pausing to sniff the hare in the distance. His mouth watered. He quickly smelled its blood and heard their laughter outside, grunting as he stood. He slipped outside, "Morning. You guys got a nice early kill, I see!" He swung his head up as if to howl, then let it come back down. It was a wolf thing. It tended to mean congratulations, but most wolves did it without noticing, like an instinctual quirk. He turned to go to the stream, but he came back a couple minutes later, growling. Snow casually jogged behind him, looking at the three of them then at the hole in the ground, "Very smart, you made a den..." She then stuck her head inside and made a horribly shrill barking sound, about five times. She growled and signaled for them all to come outside. She then sat away from them, "Everyday I will have some exercise for you to do, first off. These exercises could last the whole day or a couple hours. And, while I'm sure you're aware I cannot scar you up, that doesn't mean I can't give you bruises the size of your head. Most exercises I will give you an opportunity, and it's your choice whether to try for it. Those are the rules of living out here, I'm your teacher, and this is wild camp... Nice kill by the way, you two, I wouldn't think you would be able to catch a hare out here, they tend to stay closer to the mountains..." She thought for a moment, her tail swishing back and forth, "I think we should run today... See way down there where that boulder is? Well that's going to be our fourth corner. We'll run all the way around to where the mountains start, then go to the boulder and back to the mountains. Past the boulder is not a good area for running, so just stay in the area for this exercise. We'll run it ten times- about five miles, six miles... If any of you beat me, you get the large buck I killed yesterday, I only ate half a leg. Only one of you has to beat me. It's important to know to fight, but running is probably more important, and sometimes you'll need to be able to run from danger, in the wild. So it has purpose. I'll run it ten times, but even if you don't try to beat me, you still have to finish. Once you're done you're done for the day, so then you can go hunting and such. I just request you go hunting and exploring in the outer regions in groups of three, for safety. There are some dangerous places and animals out there, the deer out here are mean, and you don't mess with bears, not even in large groups. Eight of you could take down a bear, but half of you would be dead or severely lamed, so let's not try it. My cave entrance will be the starting point, come to me when you are ready- but hurry, I have better things to do..." She stalked back to her cave. Delise growled, "Eirian and I could beat her.. Right, Brother? She's not terribly fast... Have a whole deer to eat..." She could feel herself drooling. Ti and Miiya looked at each other. "It's too early! I'm so sleepy..." Ti groaned. Miiya sighed, but didn't complain, but she did yawn, nodding slightly, she was very tired. Leo looked at Eirian and Delise, "Let's just get some water first. Can you guys even run for that long? Being a good sprinter and a good cross country runner are two very different things..." Then he went to the stream, he was parched. Though he felt very well rested, it was easier to sleep with his sister next to him. |
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I hope it's alright if I skip ahead >.<))
7:52 PM Jul 10