The Great Random Chat Thread

Ya. All those stupid poachers and people with no value for life. They all do suck.

...Sorry, I don't mean to sound so harsh...

Doesn't sound very harsh to me. It's true.

*nods* Good.

Yes!! It's Friday!! And the end of the term!! I am so happy!!!!!!!!! I can sleep in until noon and I'm free from homework!

Rinka: *holding up a list* Actually, you have quite a few-

*glares*

Rinka: ... *hides list behind back* Y-Yup! No homework! None! Hehe...

*cheers*

Rinka: ... *quietly throws list in the fireplace*

Question for you guys! When i say "campfire", what immediately pops into your head?

Umm, A Minecraft Campfire XD is that kinda sad? That I immediately think of Minecraft?

Lol! No, I don't think it's sad at all!

Dire Wolves and Wargs

Very near the beginning, the mother of all wolves gave birth to to a litter of only two pups, both large males. She named them Fenrir and Cinerius. The two brother wolves soon became rivals for prey and many other things. Soon the time came when they went to look for mates. Cinerius found a beautiful white she-wolf in a pack in the high North lands. He took her as his mate and they traveled to the great northwest land. Fenrir, still unable to find a mate of his own, tracked down his brother, jealous and seeking evil. He found Cinerius and his mate asleep in the hollow of a tree in the Great West Forests, on their way to the Northwest Land. Overcome with jealousy and anger, Fenrir murdered the white she-wolf in her sleep. Cinerius awoke to find Fenrir crouched over his dead mate's body, and, taken by rage and sorrow, attacked Fenrir. The two of them battled long and hard, all across the west land, to where the sky met the earth. There, Fenrir tried to trick Cinerius into falling into a deem chasm, and Cinerius outsmarted him. Fenrir plunged into the chasm himself, falling into Tartarus. Cinerius, exhausted, backtracked to where the earth met the sky, and there, he fell asleep, and was taken to the Sky Realms. There, he mated with the spirit of his deceased beloved one, (he himself part spirit now too), and produced a special new race of wolves. The Dire Wolves were part spirit, and they pass through where the sky touches the earth, coming into the Earth Realm. They are the Guardians of Peace, mystical beings that war with the evil Wargs and fight to stop the dreaded Werewolves. Meanwhile, in tartarus, Fenrir had found a mate of his own. The Female Hellhound Alpha. They produced a race of black wolves, Guardians of Night and producers of chaos, hunting man and beast and bringing death and darkness wherever they went. As time passed, the two warring brother races began to dwindle and fade, until only a handful of each remained. In a final battle on the edge of earth and sea, the last two Wargs and the last two Dire Wolves faced each other. They came to a truce and an agreement, they would each possess an ordinary wolf, and end the battles in order to rekindle the races of both species. They would live on as shapeshifters, coming out only on the full moons to make war, when the Dire Wolves were stronger but the Wargs had the Werewolves on their side.

Both Dire Wolves and Wargs are shapeshifters. They are the ancestors of the last true dire wolves and wargs, trapped inside the bodies of normal wolves. On the full moon, the Dire Wolves and Wargs take over, and the wolves bodies grow in size, some of both species can be as big as horses. The Dire Wolves and the Wargs, although both possessing normal wolves, are enemies, and are at war when they come out on the full moon.

XD So why do you ask?

Whoa! That's amazing! If that were a story, I would definitely read it! How'd you come up with it?

Oh. And funny you should mention Hellhounds If The Wild RP had still been in progress, I had an idea that involved those! I would've shared it with Jay and asked him for permission to use the idea in RP, but now... Oh well. Anyway, so yes, why? XD

I honestly have no idea how I came up with it XD I've sort of had the idea for a while, and then, quite some time ago, I just wrote it all down and it sort of just came together.

Huh! Well, this is a very good idea! I think, if you wanted to, you should make a RP thread based on this! Or write a book/story if you wanted to fly solo

Hmmm. Maybe. I'm not very good at writing books XD the one that I have been working on for like six years now still isn't past the second chapter. X.x Maybe I'll make an RP thing for it, eventually if I can work out some more details and write more backstory.

That's okay! XD Alrighty then! Oh! What's the book you've been working on about? If you don't mind me asking. I'm just curious, lol!

Nah, you're cool

It's about a land habitated by squirrels, and focuses on three squirrels making a journey to stop a war, return peace, and establish unity among the thee different nations of squirrels. XD it's a bit odd, maybe not an original idea, but I started it forever ago and just wish I could finish it.

Huh! Interesting. Well, for once, the prey get the spotlight! I bet they will be eternally grateful towards you

Haha yupp XD

Would you feel like reviewing the part of the story I have so far?

Sure! I'd love to! ^.^

Yay!
Ummm, how shall I give it to you? XD

Um...you could either post it here or pm me? XD Right now, I gtg, so I'll get back to you later. ttyl!

Hiya! Just gotta say awesome little backstory, Wild! I agree with Earth, if it was a book, I would totally read it. Amazing book idea

Thanks Silv!

Ok, here it is XD feel free to criticize/review.

Long ago, before the humans invaded the wild, animals were a somewhat organized and respectable bunch, especially the squirrels. There were three clans of squirrels, the Icebloods, who migrated from the freezing north, who all share thick, light colored fur, the Earthbloods, who migrated from the rocky east, and have thin medium and dark fur, who burrow, and the Treebloods, who came out of the untamed jungles in the south, and live in the trees and forests. These three clans live in a sort of harmony , divided by a great river that gives them all life. To the west is the unformed lands, the boiling sea, and a volcano. Each clan holds a Scroll of the Ancients, a piece of something of great power. There is a legend that if the three scrolls are brought together in the right way, it will create Eden, a place of eternal happiness and abundance. However, there is another legend, that if they are brought together the wrong way, that creation will reverse, splitting the Land down the seams, and all life will perish, leaving death, sadness, pain, and evil to lurk forever. The Enemy is coming to power deep in the unformed lands, and plans to use the scrolls for evil. One day, The scrolls disappear, and the three clans are thrown into Chaos and War, before the day of doom even dawns. Three young squirrels, one from each clan, embark on a quest, to recover the scrolls and stop the Enemy before he can bring about doomsday.


Shadow scanned the area. The aftermath of battle lay before him. Carnage, terror, and anger had surrounded him, and it left sadness, death, and horror in its wake. Cleaning his sword, he sheathed it and limped to his father where he lay against a rock. The rock turned red from the blood out of a gash in his father's neck. “Coal, are you okay?” Shadow asked anxiously. Coal looked up at him, eyes glazed. “Be alright...” he mumbled. “Did we win?” he asked. Shadow nodded earnestly. “They scampered away like we were a pack of hungry foxes.” he smiled weakly. “Good,” his father nodded. “Something though...That nasty squirrel who attacked me...something about revenge...saying we had stolen...stolen...” he drifted off, breath coming in ragged shuddering gasps. “Stolen what, father?” Shadow asked. Please don't die on me, please don't die on me. “Said we had stolen their most prized possession, he did...'The Scroll' he kept screaming at me, 'what did you do with the scroll?'” Coal coughed. “'course, didn't make sense, so I figure he was crazy, you know? But he kept going on, 'you'll pay, taking our scroll!' and 'dirty thieving scum' and all that...I wonder though...” Shadow's eyes began to well with tears... ”Father, come now, don't try to talk. We need to get you to a healer.” he looked around. “Help! We need help, he's wounded!” but there was no one near. The rest of the troops lay dying as well, or tending to others. “No, son, don't bother with me...my time...” his father's words slurred and his eyes drooped, then suddenly, he jumped up, clutching Shadow's arm in an iron grip, staring him in the face, wide-eyed. “THE SCROLLS!” he whispered hoarsely, “YOU HAVE TO FIND THE SCROLLS! IT'S HIM! HIM! SHADOW, YOU MUST GO! GET THE SCROLLS, AND BRING THE OTHERS TOO, ONE FROM EACH CLAN!”
“Journey west, into the fire, where rocks are formed, in peril dire.
Find the Enemy, put him to shame, return the scrolls, to where from they came.”

Coal fell to the ground, completely limp. “Coal!? Coal!? Father??” Shadow shook him gently, then looked up to those gathered around. “He's dead...” His own shock stared him back in the face. “HE'S DEAD!!!” Shadow screamed, leaping up. He ran all the way back to the camp.
The Iceblood encampment on the North bank of the frozen river was deserted except for the infirmary and the nurses who tended to those who had been injured, and the commander of Shadow's regiment. The rest of those who had been in the battle were still limping this way. Shadow ran up to the commander, Muscle. “Sir, the enemy has fled back east into that rocky wasteland they call home. We suffered great casualties and losses, I and a dozen others are the only ones still able to stand unaided.”
Muscle sighed and nodded slowly. “That was a victory where there never should have been a battle...” he said sadly. “Too many losses...”
Shadow shared Muscle's thoughts. To him this seemed a pointless war. What did they fight for? A strip of grass at the river fork? He scoffed. All squirrels deserved that. Why, there was even three sections made by the river! And yet the three clans had become greedy. They each wanted it all. There was no order, each ruthless leader would send wave after wave of soldiers, to slaughter each other, staining the once-revered Great Fork's fields with the three clans' blood. And because of what? Each clan blamed the others for the missing scrolls of the ancients, which were supposed to keep peace between the clans. Shadow shook his head. “If all of us want the scrolls so bad, for peace, why do we cause such war and unrest for it?” he wondered out loud.
“Greed.” Muscle answered. “They want to each be at the top.” he sighed. “I learned a long time ago that you can't fight for everything you want. You have to share. Negotiate. Now I find myself leading these blasted battles, doing exactly what I had pledged not to.” He lowered himself onto a stump. “I ask myself the same question, Shadow. Why?”
Shadow nodded solemnly, wandering away. He went to his tent, pulled his sack of meager belongings from under his pillow, and sat down, pulling a sheet of parchment and a stick of charcoal out. The sight of it brought back the heart wrenching memory of his father's death. How long? Minutes? Hours? He tried not to think about it. The scrolls, that's what his father had said to him, in that last moment. He wrote down his father's last words in a wobbly scrawl. 'A prophecy?' He asked himself. West, the fire. Clearly that meant the unformed lands...and the others? The other clans? Was he supposed to make some sort of treaty? He sighed heavily and rolled the parchment up, stuffing it back into his bag. One thing's for sure, he thought, I'm not staying here. He slung the pack over his shoulder and slipped out of the tent into the gathering darkness. Commander Muscle was still crouched on the stump where Shadow had left him. Shadow turned and fled, south, across the river, darting into the thin scraggly trees for some little bit of cover. He tore off his regiment's color garments, rolled them up, and stuffed them under a rotting log, then set out west, staying on the south shore of the river. Technically, he was in neutral territory, and he could claim to be seeking refuge in Great Fork. He hurried. That's what I am doing now. No more war. I won't fight anymore. I'll negotiate. He smiled, remembering Muscle's words along with his Father's. The scrolls. He had to find the scrolls.


Flame had been walking all morning, and now all afternoon. His feet dragged, his tail drooped, and his head throbbed from the heat. He was glad for the darkness when it came, but swarms of bugs launched out of the gathering dusk and attacked him, covering him with itchy bites amidst the sweat and dust in his fur. He fell to his knees beside a trickle of what used to be a stream, longing to drink the water but knowing he must not. He crawled beneath a scraggly leafless bush, and forced down the last of the warm, bitter tasting water from his canteen. “Should have been prepared...stupid desert...” he muttered to himself. Now he was stuck in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but a few biscuit crumbs to eat, and oh, now he had run out of water! Flame sighed. Why had he run away? Oh yes, the scrolls. And his family. And that nagging feeling, that prickle at the base of his spine, that need to do something, something great. He gazed at the sluggish trickle of water, thinking back.

The night before he had set out on this devilish and gruesome journey, Flame had been sitting quietly, just thinking, on his back porch, when without a sound, his older brother appeared beside him. Flame had jumped slightly and asked what his brother was doing, but he was silent, until after a moment or so, he tilted his head to the sky, softly uttering, “You know you must leave, Flame,”.
Flame's heart had skipped a beat, and he felt his inner thoughts and feeling click into place. It was wrong for him to be here, now, sitting and letting the war rage around between the different Clans of Squirrels. He had been worrying about himself, just staying here, doing meaningless things all day.
“Follow the urge deep within, Flame. It is a call you cannot ignore.
Journey west, into the fire, where rocks are formed, in peril dire.
Find the Enemy, put him to shame, return the scrolls, to where from they came.
You must follow the urge, and return the scrolls. That is your part in stopping the war. There is an Enemy, but you will have Allies. Do not fear the call of the Truth within you.”
Flame shivered, and accepted it. He turned to reply but his brother wasn't there anymore. He was packed and gone half a mile before he realized it hadn't been his brother's voice.

He started to let his eyes close, then jerked back awake. Need to find clean water...safe water... He shoved off the ground, stumbling forwards, and continued into the dusk. His dry throat ached, and as the last of the sun's light disappeared, the night's chill turned his sweat cold and he began to shiver. Great, now I'll die of hypothermia before I even starve, or die of thirst, or even get to be eaten by wild animals! Di I mention, Stupid Desert??! He mentally kicked himself, unable to physically because of sheer exhaustion. Finally he stumbled into a cleft in two rocks and lay down. Death, please come quickly. He silently wished, and fell off to sleep.
When he awoke, he was somewhat surprised to still be alive, but even more surprised to smell toasting walnuts and still even more surprised to see someone toasting them. She was golden brown, with gentle tufts of pure gold around her ears and a bushy red-gold tail. She turned around to face him revealing startling blue-green eyes. “Oh, good you're awake!” she exclaimed.
“Uh....umm.....” his mouth dropped open.
“Well? Are you hungry?” she asked, popping a roasted walnut in her mouth and offering him one on the end of a neatly sharpened stick. “Well, take it, before it gets cold!” she scolded.
He fumbled with it, pricking his finger on the stick, and held it to his nose, then tasted it. “Uh...thanks...” he croaked in his dry-throat, just-woke-up voice, and placed it in his mouth, chewing and swallowing.
“You're welcome.” she said, smiling. “You know, you're lucky I found you when I did. Thought you were dead at first, but then you started muttering something about a chicken in your sleep, so I thought I'd at least feed you. And of course, water.” she pointed to a canteen near a small pile of sticks. “Spring fresh, one day ago.”
Flame raised himself to a sitting position and picked up the canteen. It was cool in his hand. He quickly opened it and took a small sip as he had learned to do after being dehydrated. It magnificent. He gave in to the desire and drained the whole thing in an instant, wiping his mouth with the back of his paw.
“Thank you.” he said finally, regaining his voice. “Again, you're welcome.” she tossed him three more walnuts and he managed to catch two, eating them quickly, then brushing the third free of dust and eating it slower. He looked around, trying to recollect the fuzzy memories of the previous night. His pack was there, where he had dropped it next to him as he collapsed the night before, and mentally smacked himself as he realized he had left his canteen by the bush at the stream. The female squirrel had built a fire out of perfectly dry pieces of wood, no doubt collected from the surrounding area, there was plenty of dead dried out trees, and had roasted walnuts for breakfast. He looked to where her pack lay, four canteens, he had no doubt all full, were strapped to the sides, and the top was open, revealing a bag half full of raw walnuts. Flame blushed. Rescued by someone who knew how to prepare, and a girl at that! How embarrassing... he stretched his stiff legs and arms, slowly turned his head from side to side, and struggled to stand, shaking the tiredness and exhaustion from his body. The female stood as well, chewed and swallowed her last roasted walnut, and stuck out a slightly ash-smeared paw. “Jade.” she said.
“Uh, Flame.” he answered, shaking the paw unsteadily. “So, when did you get here?” he asked, uncomfortable about being watched while asleep.
“Oh, an hour before dawn.” she answered casually, beginning to pack up her things. “I had to go back and get all my supplies, I was just scouting. You're lucky those scorpions didn't get you.” she jerked her head and for the first time Flame noticed two dead scorpions beside the fire. “They apparently liked how warm you were, but I figured you wouldn't like them and there would be some pain if you woke up, so I took care of them quickly and then returned with all this.” she kicked dirt onto the fire, gathered the remaining sticks, and tied them onto the back of her back. “You're welcome.” she said, then ran off, chasing her morning shadow. “Hey, wait!” Flame called, grabbing up his things. He gave one last glance at the dead scorpions before running after her. “I need directions!”
She turned around, grinning at him. “Directions? A man, asking for directions? Strange indeed...” Flame blushed and nodded sheepishly. “Where could I find water...?” he began, then realized he had no canteen. “And can I borrow, er, use, a canteen?” he looked at the ground. “I'm lost too, and out of food...”
“Well then, sir, I suggest you follow! And I will show you.” she laughed and ran off again. Flame followed, shaking his head.


Jade glanced behind her at the squirrel that had been following her since early that morning. He had been more than a liability so far, drinking a whole canteen in one setting, asking for more food, and constantly pestering her for answers to his questions. She had thought, oh, a few bits of food, some water, and a paw in the right direction, and he'll scamper of right quick and find his own way to where he belongs. But no. He had followed for the whole morning, and now as she stopped and sat down on a rock, pulling out a biscuit to nibble on, he looked at her expectantly, like she should share wit him. She sighed inwardly and broke off a piece, passing it to him. He thanked her and ate it slowly, clearly savoring the bit of food. She pointed to a slight rise in the dry, rocky terrain ahead.
“Gully beyond that. Safe, clean water. Runs to the Great Fork.” she took a last bite of biscuit before wrapping it carefully back up in a leaf and packing into her pack. She ran off before he could say anything. Looking back as she ran, she saw him sitting there, looking hopeless, before slowly standing and heading for the rise she had pointed out. He stopped and picked up something, then headed on. Good, he found the canteen I left him. Let's hope he uses it wisely. She headed on, slowing to a jog, until the ground started to slope down and she entered a wide, shallow basin with a crag of rocks making a wall on one side. Jade walked over to the rocks and climbed into a hollow space between them where the blunt spires cast a deep shadow. She closed her eyes, resting in the shade, waiting for the hottest part of the day to pass. Eventually she drifted off but awoke soon to find the shadows shifted and the afternoon sun approaching the horizon. She climbed out of the rocks, sipped on a canteen, and followed the sinking sun as it cast a red glare upon the monotonous landscape.


Two full days passed since she had left Flame, and Jade drew ever nearer to her destination. The Great Fork Island, She thought longingly. A safe haven, it was said to be, a place where those seeking peace from the war could take refuge. There was fighting to claim the three parcels of land that surrounded Great Fork, and right now, the Icebloods held two of the parcels. The east one, the largest, had been taken only last month from Jade's own clan, the Earthbloods, by the ruthless thick furred squirrels of the cold north. Now, Jade had set out from her home to try and find peace in the Great Fork Island refuge. Her mother was taking her two younger sisters back east, where the old tribe might be at peace, and Jade's older brother had left to fight in the war. Jade followed neither, she had a destiny of her own now. She thought back to the words her mother had said the night they had parted ways.
“Journey west, into the fire, where rocks are formed, into peril dire.
Find the Enemy, put him to shame, return the scrolls, to where from they came.”
It had sounded like a prophecy, and Jade knew that those words were not her mother's. It hadn't been her voice. No, Jade knew that it was for her. She had been chosen. A journey. It sounded simple enough, she journeyed through the desert all the time. Now she just needed to go into the most feared and dangerous place in all the Land. That's why she needed supplies. And the Great Fork Island refuge was a good place to do that, plus it gave her a cover. She could avoid having to explain why a single young female squirrel was wandering through the desert. Plenty of people were heading to the Great Fork. She would blend right in, and after she got her supplies, she would head west. Into the fire. She began to run, eyes on the ground, the sun beating relentlessly down.


Shadow had plenty of time to think, walking beside the half frozen river, noting how the temperature warmed and the water flowed more freely the further south he went. He began to wonder how he would cross back over when he got to Great Fork, but decided there were probably bridges, or a ferry, or something. He tried not to think about what would happen if the army came after him. A deserter, they would call him. Say he deserved punishment. But he knew why he was leaving. He had to fulfill his father's dying wish. He had to find the scrolls. He had to bring peace to this warring land. Shadow silently vowed that nobody would stop him from his quest.
He took off his cloak and stuffed it into his pack as the weather warmed and the last chunks of ice sunk into the river, melting away. As the way became a path, the path became well-trodden. Shadow noticed others, far ahead and off to both sides, moving slowly but definitely in the same direction. So It's true...he thought, there are so many...I never knew there would be such large groups, heading for the Island. At least they're on my side. Kind of. He kept his eyes on the path and focused on one step after the other, not wanting to socialize for fear of being recognized. Three days passed , and the scattered refugees began to merge into a caravan of silent hope, trudging to a place away from war and evil and greed, desperate for peace, love, and happiness. Shadow felt a stir of pride, knowing that so many agreed. This has to be right, He decided, as he moved with the refugees towards the distant dream of Great Fork Island.

Shadow yawned and stretched, blinking in the bright glow of early morning sun that seemed to fill the area with new hope and new happiness. He sat up, rubbed the sleep from his eyes, and pulled some raspberries off a nearby bush. The food was so plentiful! Shadow couldn't believe his eyes as he found grove after grove of abundant food-bearing trees, bushes, even small plants that were edible! So this is what it's like. Great Fork. He was happy to be almost to the Island, but it made him think. This was a plentiful place, overflowing with abundance of food, shelter, riches. Should he be fighting for it after all? No. The war is because they want it all. Not to share. To hoard. That's why I'm going. I want peace, happiness, fairness. Not greed and war. He gathered some acorns from beneath the oak tree whose roots he had slept among the night before, and stowed them in his pack before setting off again on the now familiar path by the river. Other squirrels were packing and taking to the path as well, and Shadow soon found himself in the midst of a chattering procession of squirrels both young and old, heading for a shining promise on the horizon. He now gladly joined in the talk, feeling much safer so far from that icy wasteland where he had faced the horrors of war.
“Do you think the water is really sweet?” a young squirrel asked, eyes shining.
“Maybe so,” the squirrel's mother replied, smiling.
“I can't wait to taste it! And the acorns too! Uncle says they're made of gold!”. Shadow smiled at the young squirrel's enthusiasm. “I wouldn't want to bite a gold acorn,” he said. “No juicy, rich center.” he said, making a face, “But I do hope there are plenty of regular ones.” The young squirrel nodded earnestly.
“And berries too.” he said solemnly. Shadow smiled and nodded, pulling out five of the acorns he had gathered that morning.
“Here, you take these. They aren't from Great Fork, but they're still good.” he said, handing the excited youngster the acorns.
“Thank you, Thank you, sir!” he said, holding them as if they were made of glass. “I'll be sure to eat 'em specially, for you sir.” he said, and Shadow nodded, smiling.
“You do that.” he told him as the squirrel scampered back to his mother.
Shadow quickened his pace, eager to make the most of the day. The sun rose in the sky, and his long fur began to make him uncomfortable in the heat, but he stayed to the shade given by the riverside trees, pausing once to fill a canteen with water from where a small clear creek joined the river. He took a drink of the cool crystal water, giving a sigh of relief before resuming the trek with renewed energy. The river widened, and he heard a shout from up ahead as someone spotted the other fork of the river coming out of the south. Shadow began to run now, energized by the prospect of Great Fork and a peaceful resting place. He passed several groups, but began to slow as something appeared on the horizon. Great Fork? But what were those funny clouds? No, not clouds, smoke! Something was on fire! Shadow's heart skipped a beat and he began to hear faint cries from the direction of the Fork.
Someone had set Great Fork ablaze.


Flame looked up to the hot dry sky, trying to judge how much daylight he had left to bear through. He was holed up in a shallow cave he had been lucky to find near the stream. He picked up the canteen Jade had left for him, thankful he hadn't missed it there lying in the dirt, and took a long grateful drink of the cooling liquid from the clear running stream. Flame walked down to the stream, dipping his feet into the cool flow. Several slightly stunted trees grew close to the bank, and tall reeds and grasses grew in quiet clumps near the flow of water. Farther downstream, the flow thinned, sinking into the loose rocky ground, but upstream, where the water bubbled up from an oasis, the water was safe to drink, and many plants grew around it, drinking it up. Flame refilled the canteen, then walked back to the cave, and sat down beside his small pack. He slipped the canteen inside it and lay back against the earthen back wall of the cave, closing his eyes for a small nap, waiting for the sun to go down so he could set out once more.
He awoke just at twilight, and, recalling the way Jade had gone, packed his belongings and followed the stream. He kept in the gully even after the stream dried up, heading towards the setting sun, west. As it slipped below the horizon and the night began to cool, Flame pushed on a little harder, the crunch of small pebbles under his feet and his labored breathing the only sounds that interrupted the trek, aside from the sound of crickets, the occasional hoot of a desert owl, and once the distant howl of a coyote or jackal. Flame wasn't sure, but he pushed harder, having no desire to meet it and find out. As the night wore on, an array of twinkling stars spread like icing across the black night sky, and a perfect crescent moon rose low in the sky, casting a milky glow across the landscape and giving long eerie shadows. The stars seemed far and cold, no warmth could pierce the black veil of night in this barren place. Flame shivered involuntarily as he looked to the skies, taking a drink of water. He continued on through the night, though the cold soon flowed through everything, chilling him to the bone and forcing a quicker pace to stay warm. Only just before dawn did he rest against a stunted tree on the edge of the gully, closing his eyes and relaxing until the morning sun peeped up, spreading pink and orange light across the ground. Flame stretched and drank from the canteen, soothing his dry throat, and headed away from the sunrise, eager to make distance before the heat of the day turned beauty into torture.
The stream bubbled back up in a short stretch, and a few small trees spread their branches, making some shade. Although it was still morning, he stopped, refilling his canteen and relaxing in the shade. He hadn't gotten full rest the night before, and so he closed his eyes for a nap, letting the gurgle of the stream soothe him.
He hadn't meant to drift off, and when he awoke in the late afternoon, drenched with sweat despite the half-shade he still rested in, he was surprised. Flame quickly jumped up and stretched, gathering his canteen and dumping the now-stale contents for a fresh fill in the stream. He glanced at the sinking sun, and shouldered his pack, glancing around. Flame adjusted the straps some, then headed towards the sunset, veering slightly north when the stream dried up anyway, and he knew he had to be getting off track. Great Fork, his temporary destination, was more north, and he could have even stayed in the edge of his forest homeland all the way there. However, the direct northern detour he had foolishly taken at the start of his journey had left him too far East and stranded in the desert. Flame sighed, seeing a smudge of greenish forest off in the west, but didn't go for it, instead going north-west. As the sun finally slipped below the horizon, Flame was quite surprised to see another reddish glow ahead of him, and it grew larger as he kept going. Puzzled, he quickened his pace, and a wave of fear and surprise washed through him as he recognized the red glare as a fire. It wasn't very big, but as he came even nearer, he could see smoldering ruins around the main blaze, and massive cloud of black smoke hung over the whole thing. Shouts and screams drifted to him as he now ran headlong towards the chaos. Teams with water buckets were bringing as much water as possible for the river, while many others cowered on the opposite bank in terrified huddles. Flame pushed through the whimpering, often screaming crowds of terrified squirrels. He had to wade a foot into the river to get a view of the chaos and saw that Great Fork was burning to the ground.
Flame choked on his fear and shock, staggering back into the edge of the crowd and falling the the muddy ground. Great Fork, the place where everyone was supposed to be safe. The place where he had hoped to feel a stronger pull for his journey. The place that all refugees talked of and headed for. Great Fork. Flame felt cold tears roll down his face, his feet touching the muddy edge of the water. He could feel the raging heat of the last dying flames from here, and the wails and screams of the refugees behind him dyed away in his ears to be replaced by the cold, sad thudding of his own heart. He felt no tug now, only pain and sorrow and loss. He looked away from the charred, smoldering remains of his last hope of safety, and fell to the muddy ground, sobbing.


Jade had run each day from before dawn until noon, then rested the afternoon through, starting again in the late afternoon as the heat wore off. She would then run deep into the night, stopping only to get enough rest before waking again at the first sliver of light in the east. A full cycle of this passed, and as Jade awoke from her noonday rest, she slowed to a steady walk, knowing she must be coming closer.
A few buzzards circled in the distance, but as she came to a wide stream, she walked halfway down the gently sloping bank, and stayed in the partial coolness, following downstream, for this became the southern river of Great Fork. Jade stopped to refill her canteen, and took a long drink of the cool clean water. The stream grew wider and she was able to walk on a flat stretch of now grass-patched ground next to the river. Jade somewhat enjoyed this part of the journey, and green forests began to edge up to the river from the south and southwest. Birdsong drifted to the river, and it became a tame and peaceful place. Jade began to notice a path worn into the grass, and occasionally, a few other refugees would appear ahead or behind her on the path. They talked of Great Fork, at least in the few snippets that she caught while trying to avoid most others. Jade was on a mission of her own, she wouldn't be bogged down by the simple wishes of those around her. Besides, she was going on a mission so that they wouldn't have just a single hope of Great Fork. However, eventually Jade grew more comfortable as the lines of Refugees became unavoidable, and she accepted that she would try to fit in. She engaged lightly in some conversation, and as it became late afternoon, and the river curved to the west some, Jade began to get excited. She knew that Great Fork would be in sight soon, and that meant she would be on her journey by the next day.
Jade plodded along with the rest of the squirrels who were headed to Great Fork. She found herself surprised that there were so many, and as she looked around at the hopeful yet weary faces, she realized how terrible the War really was. Jade shook her head silently to herself and quickened her pace. The sooner she was on her journey, the faster the War could end.
As the sun grew ever closer to the horizon, Jade began to see smudges of what looked like smoke in the distance. She frowned. That was where Great Fork was....were they burning something? The other squirrels around her began to notice as well, and started murmuring uneasily. Jade stiffened as she caught the smell of smoke on the wind. It was definitely smoke, and it smelled like wood burning. Jade's mind raced as she started to run, and, bursting into a wide glade that ran down to the riverbank, what was happening became real. Tall orange flames were hungrily devouring the wooden shacks of Great Fork, scorching the surrounding area and sending billowing clouds of smoke into the air. The hundred or so refugees that had been living there were now huddled on the muddy riverbank, a cacophony of confusion, grief, and terror as their once-home was burned before their eyes. Mixed cries of alarm echoed from the arriving refugees as they came into the open and saw what was happening.
Jade rushed to the riverbank, squinting across into the inferno. As she looked closer, she saw that only about a third of the huts were on fire, and on the east side, where some of the official buildings were made of brick, a group of ten or so male squirrels were shouting, passing buckets of water from the river and dousing the flames as they spread, keeping the east side from catching. Jade tossed off her pack and cloak, leaping into the river and swimming across with powerful strokes. She climbed out quickly near where the squirrels were getting water from, and, shaking her fur, looked to the nearest one, a tall black squirrel with an odd cream colored belly. “Can I help?” She asked quickly, looking around again.
The male nodded. “See that house over there?” he asked, pointing to a large wooden hut with a domed roof. Jade nodded. “The fire is catching on the roof, and we can't get the water up there. We need more water to be put on the surrounding buildings to keep it back!” Jade nodded vigorously, and, taking the bucket the black squirrel handed her, she hurriedly scooped a bucketful of water, and quickly lugged it to where three other squirrels were beating the fire back from the domed building. She yelled something that nobody heard over the chaos, and as two moved aside, threw the contents of the bucket in an arc across the flames, causing a great hissing cloud of steam and smoke to erupt. The flames retreated angrily, and as Jade sprinted back to get more water, the three squirrels knocked the burning shell of a house back away, which flared up quickly and then burned back, widening the gap between the fire and the domed building. Two of them rushed to the river with buckets of their own, and Jade returned with them, splashing water in an arc around the building, creating a smoldering wall between themselves and the worst of the blaze. As other squirrels fought the fire in different places, it slowly lessened in intensity, and though a good two thirds of Great Fork was either still burning or just skeletons glowing in the twilight, several buildings had been saved from the efforts of the group of squirrels and as Jade now backed away, she felt proud that they had managed to do something useful.
Now the crowd of refugees, huddled cowering on the opposite bank, were murmuring and some even cried aloud. A wave of grief seemed to sweep through the place as the loss truly struck them. Many wailed aloud and Jade noticed a familiar squirrel even lying sobbing on the ground at he river's edge. She realized after a moment that it was the squirrel she had helped in the desert. Flame, that's what his name had been. Jade slowly waded back into the river and swam back across, climbing out near the red squirrel and moving slowly to his side. Jade touched a gentle hand to the squirrel's head, whispering comfortingly. “Hey now, it's okay, it's alright...don't cry now. You're safe...just don't cry...” she tried to calm him down. Slowly he seemed to calm, and as he looked up slowly, a hint of recognition crossed his face. He sniffled a bit, then wiped his eyes. “Jade?” he asked, recalling the female's name from the day not so long ago when she had helped him survive the desert.
Jade nodded. “Flame...I didn't think I would ever meet you again,” she smiled slightly. “Although these aren’t ideal circumstances,” she frowned.
Flame nodded, sitting up and staring at the smoldering ruins. Jade sat quietly beside him, watching as the last rays of the sun dim as it slipped below the horizon. Nobody approached the burned shell of Great Fork, though Jade di notice the black squirrel kicking at a piece of wood on the edge of the fire then walking away, going to sit by the river. Nobody seemed sure of what to do now, everyone just fell into shocked silence.
Flame began to rock slowly back and forth, muttering something under his breath. Jade looked around sadly, feeling sympathy for all the refugees that had been robbed of their homes. She looked up as a squirrel emerged from the river, and was surprised to see the black squirrel from earlier. “Just...thanks,” he said, looking at her as he stepped from the water. “Most others didn't have the guts to try and help.” he nodded sharply, and trotted a ways off to a sack of sorts that was sitting next to a rock. He picked up the sack and clutched it to his side, looking around, then walked slowly back to sit a bit away from Jade, not saying anything. Jade glanced over before looking around to where her own bag was sitting a ways behind her. She leaned back and snagged it, pulling it to her and propping it up behind her, leaning back on it.
After a moment, the black squirrel spoke again. “My name is Shadow, by the way,” he said, turning to look at Jade. “What's your's?”
Jade smiled slightly at him. “Jade. My name is Jade, and this is Flame,” she gestured to where Flame was still muttering and rocking back and forth.
Shadow nodded. “You two...know each other?” he asked, in an odd sort of way.
Jade found herself blushing for some reason. “Uh, n-no, not really...Um, we met once a few days ago. He was dying in the desert and I gave him some food. It was a surprise meeting him again, here.” she said, looking away and at Flame.
Shadow nodded slowly, then sighed. “What do we do now?” he asked. “What does anybody do?”
Jade shrugged, and then lay back on her pack. “I don't know,” she answered simply, and nobody said anything else, the three new acquaintances nodding off to sleep where they were, too exhausted to be bothered about beds or the chilly night.

Shadow awoke stiff and still tired to the sound of bustling movement, and as he picked himself up from the hard ground and attempted to stretch, realized he had fallen asleep where he was. The refugees had wandered into groups of those who knew each other, just quietly setting up small camps and going to sleep for the night, nobody organizing anything. Shadow looked over to where Jade was curled up next to Flame, the two of them not quite touching. Shado frowned but then shook his head, and poked at Jade. “Hey, wake up. Jade,” he said, shaking her.
Jade awoke and shook her head blearily, looking around. She winced, obviously sore as well, and then rubbed her eyes and crawled to a sitting position. “We fell asleep on the ground didn't we?” she asked, yawning, and then stood, turning about. The fire was completely gone now, only a few piles of ash were still smoking and the blackened skeletons of the few standing houses made jagged silhouettes against the pinkish morning sky. The three buildings that hadn't been burned, two brick ones and the one with the domed roof, now stood alone, for the buildings around had both collapsed and been knocked down trying to put the fire out. Shadow turned his gaze back to this side of the river, where the refugees were wandering around, some talking quietly in groups.

Okay I admit, when you first mentioned this was about squirrels, I had my doubts, but this is actually pretty good! There are quite a few grammar errors that I noticed, but other than that, this story has real potential! I love it so far! I love the setting and how this story takes place in the middle of a war. I love each character and their background. I think I can sort of see each of their personalities, but not quite. I think it would be good if you developed your characters so us readers can know what they're like. Oh! I also loved seeing how they interacted with other characters!
Also, you've got some good descriptions going there! I'd like to see more of that.
So far, this story is really good! If you continued it, I would definitely continue reading it!

Thanks! Like that's....Thanks. It motivates me to write more XD Maybe I will post bits of it as I write, for you to critique.

Cool story, Earth! I agree with Wild, it's good so far. :3

Anyone of you watching Doctor Who tonight?

Just because I was curious-

Average length of Gray Wolf nose-to-tail: 5.25 feet
Average length of Yukon Wolf nose-to-tail: 7.5 feet

Oh! I was curious too! Thanks for sharing that!

>.< People are so irresponsible. My brother got kittens, and they have fleas, and he has barely been bathing them to try to get rid of them. One of them is getting so bad

Oh no! Those poor kitties!! You need to slap some sense into that boy! (Er...not literally!)

Oh! I forgot to reply to your last post Eco! I'm sorry! XD Ya, I hope you do write more of your story! I'd love to read more of it!