The Wild Series: Reign of Ashes (Main Page/Pridelands)

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"RAIYA!" 

The wolf in question made some fort of yelping noise as she was jolted awake. She bolted upright, with no idea where she was or what was going on. Bleary eyed she looked around, books falling off of her back. 

"Huh?! Wha-!?" Raiya stumbled forward and fell face first off of the counter-top she had been sleeping on. She let out another yelp upon hitting the ground, before shooting back up, now wide awake. She darted across the debris strewn ground and out the small bookstore's doorway to spot the large bear looking desperate. 

"What?! What?! What's going on?!"

(XD)

Thalak startled as the crashing sounds coming from inside of the den. Briefly, the grizzly wondered if he needed to go inside and make sure everything was okay in there, but Raiya's appearance in front of him put a stop to that thought.

"Shades in the forest of West Ridge!" the bear immediately reported, "Three wolves! They took Moonpelt!"

"WHAT?!" Raiya's fur along her back bristled with a mixture of terror and anger, her eyes as wide as the bear's. With her ears flat, the young wolf barked frantically. "Take me to where you saw him!" 

Without waiting for the directions she just asked for, the she-wolf sprinted off towards the West Ridge, a fire in her eyes.

Without missing a beat, Thalak was running at Raiya's side, pulling ahead to lead her to where Moonpelt was taken.

---

"He was right there," Thalak explained, standing next to the stream and pointing to the spot where the white wolf had been before he was abducted. He then moved his large paw to the trees on the other side of the bank. "The Shades came from there and approached him. Moonpelt launched into a long run-on story, I don't even know what about, but he acted as if they were friends rather than enemies. I'm not even sure he knew what they were. Then he mentioned Drellan, and that was the reason why they took him. They knocked him out and took him back the way they came. They're going to let Agathar interrogate him for information."

Raiya's pained expression hardened as the bear continued, her brow furrowed and her lips pulling back into a snarl as he went on. The young wolf paced around the area, trying to pick up the direction of the trail. The odd, charred scent of the shades filled her nose and she shook her head. "Which way did they go?"

Ruki wrote:((I feel like Moony's mum should show up somehow to help Najmah along, not sure though))

((Ooh, Moonpelt's mom should come and help Najm-- oh, wait you mean adoptive mom don't you?   

T'Sone: Ooh! Is it my turn yet?!  ))

Jaystep wrote:

Ruki wrote:((I feel like Moony's mum should show up somehow to help Najmah along, not sure though))

((Ooh, Moonpelt's mom should come and help Najm-- oh, wait you mean adoptive mom don't you?   

T'Sone: Ooh! Is it my turn yet?!  ))

((Velyria: *whacks T'Sone over the head with a rolling pin* No. My baby.))

From the brush a slender wolf emerged from out of the swamps. She was a chestnut brown with a cream colored belly and her tail and muzzle was dusted with silver from her age. She sniffed at the direction of the grey wolf that had rested at the trees nearby. Her head tilted and ears perked up. She didn't smell like one of her own, but didn't smell of the shadows haunting the swamps.

The older wolf padded delicately over a fallen log, tail stretched out long and paws spread out to gain better traction on the mossy surface. She prowled the trail to the newcomer with the grace and elegance of her pack.

"Excuse me," she called out calmly. "Are you lost, child?"

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale simply stared down at Finnican, doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes. The smallest flicker of humor sparkled in the falcon's eyes, but he denied it. "Sure. Take your time." 

Even as he spoke, the falcon spread his wings and started gracefully into the sky, showing off just a tiny bit.

Finnican pulled his head out of the snow in time to see Kale take off. He puffed out his cheeks, a sliver of jealousy piercing his heart.

I'm sure I was good at flying to! he mentally protested.

But, seeing the grace of Kale's flight filled him with determination. Finnican got back to his talons and, after picturing Kale fly into the air, the amnesic falcon spread his wings once more and successfully took off. ...A lot less gracefully... But he was in the air this time, so ha! Take that Kale!

As Finnican circled the area close to the ground, a little wobbly in his flight, he grinned proudly to himself.

Kale was just happy Finnican was finally flying, catching a glimpse of the falcon's grinning. Whoo-hoo you did something a one year old can do, and your worse at it too.


Frowning internally, the Peregrine looked back to make sure Finnican could follow before starting off into the sky above the mountains.

(Finnican: W-Well! At least I know when to use "you're" instead of "your", Kale, so ha! *blows raspberry at Kale* )

As Finnican began to gain altitude, he caught a glimpse of the cave entrance that was half buried in the snow. His mind brought back the image of the hawk skull, as well as the scorch marks and ash inside the cave. His grin faded as the dread seeped back into his system and he hurried after Kale.

"Um..." he started quietly as he pulled up to the side of the other falcon, "That cave I woke up in... I found weird things in it..."

(Kale: I was tired, fluff-head!  )

Kale looked down towards the cave after Fin's comment, watching the entrance closely as he flew by. He was quiet, having worked out the origins of the cave already during their previous conversation. "Try not to think about it.... there's a lot more weird in your future."

(Yes the hatchlings had playdates XD And omg, the porcupine!  I just saw that!)

Just as Nykoru was touching the shed skin, Syrune landed outside the hollow entrance, not seeing the mysterious substance over the other bird's shoulder. "... Have you seen your sister? It's time for us to...."

Even as Syrune was speaking she trailed off, seeing the distant shade of Ambyra flitting over the trees. "Oh. Nevermind. She's on her way... let's go." 

Without giving him a chance to answer, she lifted off the tree branch and glided out towards Ambyra, entrusting that Nykoru would follow.

"Hey!" Ambyra approached with a kindly smile, curving to come to Syrune's side. "Sorry, I got a bit distracted... there was a wolf by that huge tree over the hill... she looked a bit familiar."

"A wolf?" Syrune questioned, only half paying attention, her eyes on the horizon. 

"Yeah... she seemed lost." Ambyra noted, her gaze drifting towards the tree.

"Hmph. Not our problem. Wolves can fend for themselves just fine. We need to be on the lookout for Shades, there's no doubt they'll be after us by now."

(XD They're just like leaving Nykoru behind, lol. I think Syrune is low-key upset.)

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"RAIYA!" 

The wolf in question made some fort of yelping noise as she was jolted awake. She bolted upright, with no idea where she was or what was going on. Bleary eyed she looked around, books falling off of her back. 

"Huh?! Wha-!?" Raiya stumbled forward and fell face first off of the counter-top she had been sleeping on. She let out another yelp upon hitting the ground, before shooting back up, now wide awake. She darted across the debris strewn ground and out the small bookstore's doorway to spot the large bear looking desperate. 

"What?! What?! What's going on?!"

(XD)

Thalak startled as the crashing sounds coming from inside of the den. Briefly, the grizzly wondered if he needed to go inside and make sure everything was okay in there, but Raiya's appearance in front of him put a stop to that thought.

"Shades in the forest of West Ridge!" the bear immediately reported, "Three wolves! They took Moonpelt!"

"WHAT?!" Raiya's fur along her back bristled with a mixture of terror and anger, her eyes as wide as the bear's. With her ears flat, the young wolf barked frantically. "Take me to where you saw him!" 

Without waiting for the directions she just asked for, the she-wolf sprinted off towards the West Ridge, a fire in her eyes.

Without missing a beat, Thalak was running at Raiya's side, pulling ahead to lead her to where Moonpelt was taken.

---

"He was right there," Thalak explained, standing next to the stream and pointing to the spot where the white wolf had been before he was abducted. He then moved his large paw to the trees on the other side of the bank. "The Shades came from there and approached him. Moonpelt launched into a long run-on story, I don't even know what about, but he acted as if they were friends rather than enemies. I'm not even sure he knew what they were. Then he mentioned Drellan, and that was the reason why they took him. They knocked him out and took him back the way they came. They're going to let Agathar interrogate him for information."

Raiya's pained expression hardened as the bear continued, her brow furrowed and her lips pulling back into a snarl as he went on. The young wolf paced around the area, trying to pick up the direction of the trail. The odd, charred scent of the shades filled her nose and she shook her head. "Which way did they go?"

Thalak pointed once more to where he saw the shades depart.
"Unless they had a quicker way of getting down the cliff rather than running all the way around it, they're probably still in the region," he assessed, "But they've probably gone a ways by now, and even if we could catch up to them..."

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"RAIYA!" 

The wolf in question made some fort of yelping noise as she was jolted awake. She bolted upright, with no idea where she was or what was going on. Bleary eyed she looked around, books falling off of her back. 

"Huh?! Wha-!?" Raiya stumbled forward and fell face first off of the counter-top she had been sleeping on. She let out another yelp upon hitting the ground, before shooting back up, now wide awake. She darted across the debris strewn ground and out the small bookstore's doorway to spot the large bear looking desperate. 

"What?! What?! What's going on?!"

(XD)

Thalak startled as the crashing sounds coming from inside of the den. Briefly, the grizzly wondered if he needed to go inside and make sure everything was okay in there, but Raiya's appearance in front of him put a stop to that thought.

"Shades in the forest of West Ridge!" the bear immediately reported, "Three wolves! They took Moonpelt!"

"WHAT?!" Raiya's fur along her back bristled with a mixture of terror and anger, her eyes as wide as the bear's. With her ears flat, the young wolf barked frantically. "Take me to where you saw him!" 

Without waiting for the directions she just asked for, the she-wolf sprinted off towards the West Ridge, a fire in her eyes.

Without missing a beat, Thalak was running at Raiya's side, pulling ahead to lead her to where Moonpelt was taken.

---

"He was right there," Thalak explained, standing next to the stream and pointing to the spot where the white wolf had been before he was abducted. He then moved his large paw to the trees on the other side of the bank. "The Shades came from there and approached him. Moonpelt launched into a long run-on story, I don't even know what about, but he acted as if they were friends rather than enemies. I'm not even sure he knew what they were. Then he mentioned Drellan, and that was the reason why they took him. They knocked him out and took him back the way they came. They're going to let Agathar interrogate him for information."

Raiya's pained expression hardened as the bear continued, her brow furrowed and her lips pulling back into a snarl as he went on. The young wolf paced around the area, trying to pick up the direction of the trail. The odd, charred scent of the shades filled her nose and she shook her head. "Which way did they go?"

Thalak pointed once more to where he saw the shades depart.
"Unless they had a quicker way of getting down the cliff rather than running all the way around it, they're probably still in the region," he assessed, "But they've probably gone a ways by now, and even if we could catch up to them..."

"We will catch up with them!" Raiya interrupted, already starting off in the direction Thalak indicated.

Ruki wrote:From the brush a slender wolf emerged from out of the swamps. She was a chestnut brown with a cream colored belly and her tail and muzzle was dusted with silver from her age. She sniffed at the direction of the grey wolf that had rested at the trees nearby. Her head tilted and ears perked up. She didn't smell like one of her own, but didn't smell of the shadows haunting the swamps.

The older wolf padded delicately over a fallen log, tail stretched out long and paws spread out to gain better traction on the mossy surface. She prowled the trail to the newcomer with the grace and elegance of her pack.

"Excuse me," she called out calmly. "Are you lost, child?"

The she-wolf's ears twisted toward the sound of approaching pawsteps before she turned her head to look at the newcomer. At first sight of the other wolf, she immediately felt apprehension towards her, shown by her flattening ears and bristling fur. She watched the older wolf carefully, instinctively preparing to defend herself. But then, the strangest thing happened.

As the blue-eyed she-wolf watched the graceful movements of the older she-wolf, and then recognized the lack of hostility on her face, an image flashed through her head. A different she-wolf, in place of the newcomer, was looking down on her. Her crimson gaze was warm, her features gentle. Her soft gray fur billowed in the cold wind, snowflakes dancing across her figure, and the ground behind her was so white it seemed to glow. With a blink, the image was gone. The blue-eyed she-wolf was once again in the humid swamp, facing the older chestnut she-wolf.

"Excuse me, are you lost, child?"

By the time the question was asked, the fur along the blue-eyed she-wolf's back had lain flat. The previous apprehension had faded.

"...I...think so," she hesitantly replied, "Where am I?"

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale simply stared down at Finnican, doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes. The smallest flicker of humor sparkled in the falcon's eyes, but he denied it. "Sure. Take your time." 

Even as he spoke, the falcon spread his wings and started gracefully into the sky, showing off just a tiny bit.

Finnican pulled his head out of the snow in time to see Kale take off. He puffed out his cheeks, a sliver of jealousy piercing his heart.

I'm sure I was good at flying to! he mentally protested.

But, seeing the grace of Kale's flight filled him with determination. Finnican got back to his talons and, after picturing Kale fly into the air, the amnesic falcon spread his wings once more and successfully took off. ...A lot less gracefully... But he was in the air this time, so ha! Take that Kale!

As Finnican circled the area close to the ground, a little wobbly in his flight, he grinned proudly to himself.

Kale was just happy Finnican was finally flying, catching a glimpse of the falcon's grinning. Whoo-hoo you did something a one year old can do, and your worse at it too.


Frowning internally, the Peregrine looked back to make sure Finnican could follow before starting off into the sky above the mountains.

(Finnican: W-Well! At least I know when to use "you're" instead of "your", Kale, so ha! *blows raspberry at Kale* )

As Finnican began to gain altitude, he caught a glimpse of the cave entrance that was half buried in the snow. His mind brought back the image of the hawk skull, as well as the scorch marks and ash inside the cave. His grin faded as the dread seeped back into his system and he hurried after Kale.

"Um..." he started quietly as he pulled up to the side of the other falcon, "That cave I woke up in... I found weird things in it..."

(Kale: I was tired, fluff-head!  )

Kale looked down towards the cave after Fin's comment, watching the entrance closely as he flew by. He was quiet, having worked out the origins of the cave already during their previous conversation. "Try not to think about it.... there's a lot more weird in your future."

()

Finnican did not like the sound of that.

"R...Really?" he asked softly. Then he let out a nervous chuckle. "What makes you say that?" he asked louder, "Can you see the future?"

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale simply stared down at Finnican, doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes. The smallest flicker of humor sparkled in the falcon's eyes, but he denied it. "Sure. Take your time." 

Even as he spoke, the falcon spread his wings and started gracefully into the sky, showing off just a tiny bit.

Finnican pulled his head out of the snow in time to see Kale take off. He puffed out his cheeks, a sliver of jealousy piercing his heart.

I'm sure I was good at flying to! he mentally protested.

But, seeing the grace of Kale's flight filled him with determination. Finnican got back to his talons and, after picturing Kale fly into the air, the amnesic falcon spread his wings once more and successfully took off. ...A lot less gracefully... But he was in the air this time, so ha! Take that Kale!

As Finnican circled the area close to the ground, a little wobbly in his flight, he grinned proudly to himself.

Kale was just happy Finnican was finally flying, catching a glimpse of the falcon's grinning. Whoo-hoo you did something a one year old can do, and your worse at it too.


Frowning internally, the Peregrine looked back to make sure Finnican could follow before starting off into the sky above the mountains.

(Finnican: W-Well! At least I know when to use "you're" instead of "your", Kale, so ha! *blows raspberry at Kale* )

As Finnican began to gain altitude, he caught a glimpse of the cave entrance that was half buried in the snow. His mind brought back the image of the hawk skull, as well as the scorch marks and ash inside the cave. His grin faded as the dread seeped back into his system and he hurried after Kale.

"Um..." he started quietly as he pulled up to the side of the other falcon, "That cave I woke up in... I found weird things in it..."

(Kale: I was tired, fluff-head!  )

Kale looked down towards the cave after Fin's comment, watching the entrance closely as he flew by. He was quiet, having worked out the origins of the cave already during their previous conversation. "Try not to think about it.... there's a lot more weird in your future."

()

Finnican did not like the sound of that.

"R...Really?" he asked softly. Then he let out a nervous chuckle. "What makes you say that?" he asked louder, "Can you see the future?"

Kale paused for a moment. turning to look into Finnican's eyes with a serious look. "Yes. I can... would you like to know yours?"

Jaystep wrote:(Yes the hatchlings had playdates XD And omg, the porcupine!  I just saw that!)

Just as Nykoru was touching the shed skin, Syrune landed outside the hollow entrance, not seeing the mysterious substance over the other bird's shoulder. "... Have you seen your sister? It's time for us to...."

Even as Syrune was speaking she trailed off, seeing the distant shade of Ambyra flitting over the trees. "Oh. Nevermind. She's on her way... let's go." 

Without giving him a chance to answer, she lifted off the tree branch and glided out towards Ambyra, entrusting that Nykoru would follow.

"Hey!" Ambyra approached with a kindly smile, curving to come to Syrune's side. "Sorry, I got a bit distracted... there was a wolf by that huge tree over the hill... she looked a bit familiar."

"A wolf?" Syrune questioned, only half paying attention, her eyes on the horizon. 

"Yeah... she seemed lost." Ambyra noted, her gaze drifting towards the tree.

"Hmph. Not our problem. Wolves can fend for themselves just fine. We need to be on the lookout for Shades, there's no doubt they'll be after us by now."

(XD They're just like leaving Nykoru behind, lol. I think Syrune is low-key upset.)

(Aaw, cute! XD And yay! You got the reference! )

Nykoru flinched at Syrune's sudden arrival, his heart momentarily stopping in his chest. The shed skin in talon, he turned his head towards his adoptive mother. Before he even had the chance to open his beak, she had left to join his sister.

"..."

Hey, I found this...

The young falhawk sighed through his beak and tried to ignore the pang in his heart as he looked back down at the shed skin. Should he take it with him to show the other two or leave it? It was evidence that something had been in their temporary shelter during the short time they were away, but whatever had left it behind was gone now, and they would not be returning. So did it even matter that the girls knew about this? Would they even listen to him, or would they look at him oddly for carrying around such a strange...thing. Or would they just ignore him?
It made sense to leave it and just forget about it, but...of all the places for this skin to be left behind, why in the place the trio had spent the previous night.

Nykoru felt dumb, and slightly paranoid, for doing so, but he took the skin carefully out of his talons and exited the hollow. Seeing the girls in the distance, he took to the air and flew after them as fast as he could so as not to be left completely behind. He couldn't help but feel a little resentful that they had gone on ahead without waiting for him.

(XD Poor Nyko! )

Wildwing wrote:

Ruki wrote:From the brush a slender wolf emerged from out of the swamps. She was a chestnut brown with a cream colored belly and her tail and muzzle was dusted with silver from her age. She sniffed at the direction of the grey wolf that had rested at the trees nearby. Her head tilted and ears perked up. She didn't smell like one of her own, but didn't smell of the shadows haunting the swamps.

The older wolf padded delicately over a fallen log, tail stretched out long and paws spread out to gain better traction on the mossy surface. She prowled the trail to the newcomer with the grace and elegance of her pack.

"Excuse me," she called out calmly. "Are you lost, child?"

The she-wolf's ears twisted toward the sound of approaching pawsteps before she turned her head to look at the newcomer. At first sight of the other wolf, she immediately felt apprehension towards her, shown by her flattening ears and bristling fur. She watched the older wolf carefully, instinctively preparing to defend herself. But then, the strangest thing happened.

As the blue-eyed she-wolf watched the graceful movements of the older she-wolf, and then recognized the lack of hostility on her face, an image flashed through her head. A different she-wolf, in place of the newcomer, was looking down on her. Her crimson gaze was warm, her features gentle. Her soft gray fur billowed in the cold wind, snowflakes dancing across her figure, and the ground behind her was so white it seemed to glow. With a blink, the image was gone. The blue-eyed she-wolf was once again in the humid swamp, facing the older chestnut she-wolf.

"Excuse me, are you lost, child?"

By the time the question was asked, the fur along the blue-eyed she-wolf's back had lain flat. The previous apprehension had faded.

"...I...think so," she hesitantly replied, "Where am I?"

The older wolf smiled softly, she couldn't help but to be amused at the initial reaction of the newcomer, it reminded her of her own daughter.

"We call this place the Muckwaters," she started, her tail flicking at a fly that started buzzing around her hind quarters. "And you just so happened to find yourself in the middle of my territory. I am Alpha Velyria, great-granddaughter of pack matron Heira." The older wolf had a queenly aura and stood straight upon speaking her title. She shuffled on her paws, not carrying for the squishy dirt in between her toes. "You don't seem like you're a shadow-walker. And you look like you haven't had a good meal in quite sometime." Velyria smiled, starting to head off into the swamp. "Come child, there is a warm den and a good meal and fresh water back at my camp."

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:(Yes the hatchlings had playdates XD And omg, the porcupine!  I just saw that!)

Just as Nykoru was touching the shed skin, Syrune landed outside the hollow entrance, not seeing the mysterious substance over the other bird's shoulder. "... Have you seen your sister? It's time for us to...."

Even as Syrune was speaking she trailed off, seeing the distant shade of Ambyra flitting over the trees. "Oh. Nevermind. She's on her way... let's go." 

Without giving him a chance to answer, she lifted off the tree branch and glided out towards Ambyra, entrusting that Nykoru would follow.

"Hey!" Ambyra approached with a kindly smile, curving to come to Syrune's side. "Sorry, I got a bit distracted... there was a wolf by that huge tree over the hill... she looked a bit familiar."

"A wolf?" Syrune questioned, only half paying attention, her eyes on the horizon. 

"Yeah... she seemed lost." Ambyra noted, her gaze drifting towards the tree.

"Hmph. Not our problem. Wolves can fend for themselves just fine. We need to be on the lookout for Shades, there's no doubt they'll be after us by now."

(XD They're just like leaving Nykoru behind, lol. I think Syrune is low-key upset.)

(Aaw, cute! XD And yay! You got the reference! )

Nykoru flinched at Syrune's sudden arrival, his heart momentarily stopping in his chest. The shed skin in talon, he turned his head towards his adoptive mother. Before he even had the chance to open his beak, she had left to join his sister.

"..."

Hey, I found this...

The young falhawk sighed through his beak and tried to ignore the pang in his heart as he looked back down at the shed skin. Should he take it with him to show the other two or leave it? It was evidence that something had been in their temporary shelter during the short time they were away, but whatever had left it behind was gone now, and they would not be returning. So did it even matter that the girls knew about this? Would they even listen to him, or would they look at him oddly for carrying around such a strange...thing. Or would they just ignore him?
It made sense to leave it and just forget about it, but...of all the places for this skin to be left behind, why in the place the trio had spent the previous night.

Nykoru felt dumb, and slightly paranoid, for doing so, but he took the skin carefully out of his talons and exited the hollow. Seeing the girls in the distance, he took to the air and flew after them as fast as he could so as not to be left completely behind. He couldn't help but feel a little resentful that they had gone on ahead without waiting for him.

(XD Poor Nyko! )

(I'm sure they'll hug it out eventually XD)

Ambyra was the first to notice her brother falling in line behind them, nodding towards him to Syrune. The Red-tail gave Nykoru a small smile at his arrival, opening her beak to ask him about his hunt when she broke off, seeing what was in his talons. 

"Wh-" 

Before Syrune could ask, Ambyra was already on it. 
"What the heck is in your talons? Snake skin?" Ambyra questioned, raising a brow in confusion. Why in the world is he carrying that?


"Where did you find that?" Syrune asked, equally puzzled.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"RAIYA!" 

The wolf in question made some fort of yelping noise as she was jolted awake. She bolted upright, with no idea where she was or what was going on. Bleary eyed she looked around, books falling off of her back. 

"Huh?! Wha-!?" Raiya stumbled forward and fell face first off of the counter-top she had been sleeping on. She let out another yelp upon hitting the ground, before shooting back up, now wide awake. She darted across the debris strewn ground and out the small bookstore's doorway to spot the large bear looking desperate. 

"What?! What?! What's going on?!"

(XD)

Thalak startled as the crashing sounds coming from inside of the den. Briefly, the grizzly wondered if he needed to go inside and make sure everything was okay in there, but Raiya's appearance in front of him put a stop to that thought.

"Shades in the forest of West Ridge!" the bear immediately reported, "Three wolves! They took Moonpelt!"

"WHAT?!" Raiya's fur along her back bristled with a mixture of terror and anger, her eyes as wide as the bear's. With her ears flat, the young wolf barked frantically. "Take me to where you saw him!" 

Without waiting for the directions she just asked for, the she-wolf sprinted off towards the West Ridge, a fire in her eyes.

Without missing a beat, Thalak was running at Raiya's side, pulling ahead to lead her to where Moonpelt was taken.

---

"He was right there," Thalak explained, standing next to the stream and pointing to the spot where the white wolf had been before he was abducted. He then moved his large paw to the trees on the other side of the bank. "The Shades came from there and approached him. Moonpelt launched into a long run-on story, I don't even know what about, but he acted as if they were friends rather than enemies. I'm not even sure he knew what they were. Then he mentioned Drellan, and that was the reason why they took him. They knocked him out and took him back the way they came. They're going to let Agathar interrogate him for information."

Raiya's pained expression hardened as the bear continued, her brow furrowed and her lips pulling back into a snarl as he went on. The young wolf paced around the area, trying to pick up the direction of the trail. The odd, charred scent of the shades filled her nose and she shook her head. "Which way did they go?"

Thalak pointed once more to where he saw the shades depart.
"Unless they had a quicker way of getting down the cliff rather than running all the way around it, they're probably still in the region," he assessed, "But they've probably gone a ways by now, and even if we could catch up to them..."

"We will catch up with them!" Raiya interrupted, already starting off in the direction Thalak indicated.

Thalak bristled, but as he took off after Raiya, he wondered why he was even surprised.

He also wondered if he and Raiya were a match against the shades. If they were three normal wolves, then the answer would be yes. But, as they were going up against creatures of dark magic and fire...
An idea formed in the grizzly's head, and he continued sending glances up and around as he ran alongside Raiya, searching for any animal that happened to be in the area that could be called on as an ally or a messenger.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale simply stared down at Finnican, doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes. The smallest flicker of humor sparkled in the falcon's eyes, but he denied it. "Sure. Take your time." 

Even as he spoke, the falcon spread his wings and started gracefully into the sky, showing off just a tiny bit.

Finnican pulled his head out of the snow in time to see Kale take off. He puffed out his cheeks, a sliver of jealousy piercing his heart.

I'm sure I was good at flying to! he mentally protested.

But, seeing the grace of Kale's flight filled him with determination. Finnican got back to his talons and, after picturing Kale fly into the air, the amnesic falcon spread his wings once more and successfully took off. ...A lot less gracefully... But he was in the air this time, so ha! Take that Kale!

As Finnican circled the area close to the ground, a little wobbly in his flight, he grinned proudly to himself.

Kale was just happy Finnican was finally flying, catching a glimpse of the falcon's grinning. Whoo-hoo you did something a one year old can do, and your worse at it too.


Frowning internally, the Peregrine looked back to make sure Finnican could follow before starting off into the sky above the mountains.

(Finnican: W-Well! At least I know when to use "you're" instead of "your", Kale, so ha! *blows raspberry at Kale* )

As Finnican began to gain altitude, he caught a glimpse of the cave entrance that was half buried in the snow. His mind brought back the image of the hawk skull, as well as the scorch marks and ash inside the cave. His grin faded as the dread seeped back into his system and he hurried after Kale.

"Um..." he started quietly as he pulled up to the side of the other falcon, "That cave I woke up in... I found weird things in it..."

(Kale: I was tired, fluff-head!  )

Kale looked down towards the cave after Fin's comment, watching the entrance closely as he flew by. He was quiet, having worked out the origins of the cave already during their previous conversation. "Try not to think about it.... there's a lot more weird in your future."

()

Finnican did not like the sound of that.

"R...Really?" he asked softly. Then he let out a nervous chuckle. "What makes you say that?" he asked louder, "Can you see the future?"

Kale paused for a moment. turning to look into Finnican's eyes with a serious look. "Yes. I can... would you like to know yours?"

Finnican froze, his flight pattern wobbling violently for a split second. Luckily, he regained control before he could start falling out of the sky. He looked to Kale, first in shock, then in excitement.

"Whoa, really?! Then what's my future? Dude, I gotta know!"

Ruki wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Ruki wrote:From the brush a slender wolf emerged from out of the swamps. She was a chestnut brown with a cream colored belly and her tail and muzzle was dusted with silver from her age. She sniffed at the direction of the grey wolf that had rested at the trees nearby. Her head tilted and ears perked up. She didn't smell like one of her own, but didn't smell of the shadows haunting the swamps.

The older wolf padded delicately over a fallen log, tail stretched out long and paws spread out to gain better traction on the mossy surface. She prowled the trail to the newcomer with the grace and elegance of her pack.

"Excuse me," she called out calmly. "Are you lost, child?"

The she-wolf's ears twisted toward the sound of approaching pawsteps before she turned her head to look at the newcomer. At first sight of the other wolf, she immediately felt apprehension towards her, shown by her flattening ears and bristling fur. She watched the older wolf carefully, instinctively preparing to defend herself. But then, the strangest thing happened.

As the blue-eyed she-wolf watched the graceful movements of the older she-wolf, and then recognized the lack of hostility on her face, an image flashed through her head. A different she-wolf, in place of the newcomer, was looking down on her. Her crimson gaze was warm, her features gentle. Her soft gray fur billowed in the cold wind, snowflakes dancing across her figure, and the ground behind her was so white it seemed to glow. With a blink, the image was gone. The blue-eyed she-wolf was once again in the humid swamp, facing the older chestnut she-wolf.

"Excuse me, are you lost, child?"

By the time the question was asked, the fur along the blue-eyed she-wolf's back had lain flat. The previous apprehension had faded.

"...I...think so," she hesitantly replied, "Where am I?"

The older wolf smiled softly, she couldn't help but to be amused at the initial reaction of the newcomer, it reminded her of her own daughter.

"We call this place the Muckwaters," she started, her tail flicking at a fly that started buzzing around her hind quarters. "And you just so happened to find yourself in the middle of my territory. I am Alpha Velyria, great-granddaughter of pack matron Heira." The older wolf had a queenly aura and stood straight upon speaking her title. She shuffled on her paws, not carrying for the squishy dirt in between her toes. "You don't seem like you're a shadow-walker. And you look like you haven't had a good meal in quite sometime." Velyria smiled, starting to head off into the swamp. "Come child, there is a warm den and a good meal and fresh water back at my camp."

Alpha... The highest power in a pack, the blue-eyed she-wolf recognized with a slight jolt. At learning that Velyria was an Alpha, the blue-eyed she-wolf's body language subtly changed to show more respect. It was a subconscious move, based on instinct, on her part.

As she listened to Velyria, the blue-eyed she-wolf realized the terms "Muckwaters", "Heira" and "shadow-walker" were unfamiliar to her. All she understood from the explanation was that she was on this Alpha's territory. She had questions of course, but they were forgotten at the mention of food and shelter, prompting her stomach to rumble loudly and her muscles to suddenly feel so tired. She also noticed how dry her throat felt.

"A-Ah... Thank you..." she quietly muttered. She took a hesitant step forward, grimacing as the moist dirt squished through her toes, before following after Velyria.

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale simply stared down at Finnican, doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes. The smallest flicker of humor sparkled in the falcon's eyes, but he denied it. "Sure. Take your time." 

Even as he spoke, the falcon spread his wings and started gracefully into the sky, showing off just a tiny bit.

Finnican pulled his head out of the snow in time to see Kale take off. He puffed out his cheeks, a sliver of jealousy piercing his heart.

I'm sure I was good at flying to! he mentally protested.

But, seeing the grace of Kale's flight filled him with determination. Finnican got back to his talons and, after picturing Kale fly into the air, the amnesic falcon spread his wings once more and successfully took off. ...A lot less gracefully... But he was in the air this time, so ha! Take that Kale!

As Finnican circled the area close to the ground, a little wobbly in his flight, he grinned proudly to himself.

Kale was just happy Finnican was finally flying, catching a glimpse of the falcon's grinning. Whoo-hoo you did something a one year old can do, and your worse at it too.


Frowning internally, the Peregrine looked back to make sure Finnican could follow before starting off into the sky above the mountains.

(Finnican: W-Well! At least I know when to use "you're" instead of "your", Kale, so ha! *blows raspberry at Kale* )

As Finnican began to gain altitude, he caught a glimpse of the cave entrance that was half buried in the snow. His mind brought back the image of the hawk skull, as well as the scorch marks and ash inside the cave. His grin faded as the dread seeped back into his system and he hurried after Kale.

"Um..." he started quietly as he pulled up to the side of the other falcon, "That cave I woke up in... I found weird things in it..."

(Kale: I was tired, fluff-head!  )

Kale looked down towards the cave after Fin's comment, watching the entrance closely as he flew by. He was quiet, having worked out the origins of the cave already during their previous conversation. "Try not to think about it.... there's a lot more weird in your future."

()

Finnican did not like the sound of that.

"R...Really?" he asked softly. Then he let out a nervous chuckle. "What makes you say that?" he asked louder, "Can you see the future?"

Kale paused for a moment. turning to look into Finnican's eyes with a serious look. "Yes. I can... would you like to know yours?"

Finnican froze, his flight pattern wobbling violently for a split second. Luckily, he regained control before he could start falling out of the sky. He looked to Kale, first in shock, then in excitement.

"Whoa, really?! Then what's my future? Dude, I gotta know!"

Kale smiled, a bit mischievously. 
"Oh yeah, I'll tell you." He started, getting a little proud of himself. The falcon kept looking at Finnican, his eyes getting wider as he started egging the other falcon on. 
"Well, first, you start having a very long winded conversation. You try to make the trip to find your sister easier by talking with the other falcon you're flying with. You make lots of jokes and a lot of small talk, to the point that the other falcon get's so annoyed, he abandons you in a snow drift, all alone with no idea where to go."

Kale smiled a bit wider, "I wouldn't want to make that mistake, right? Maybe if we try hard enough we can change destiny, huh? Let's work on that." He finished sarcastically, snorting through his beak and speeding up to get in front of Finnican.

---

(Kale:

  )

(Your Thalak post seems to be an invitation, so I'll wait before replying XD)

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:
(XD)

Thalak startled as the crashing sounds coming from inside of the den. Briefly, the grizzly wondered if he needed to go inside and make sure everything was okay in there, but Raiya's appearance in front of him put a stop to that thought.

"Shades in the forest of West Ridge!" the bear immediately reported, "Three wolves! They took Moonpelt!"

"WHAT?!" Raiya's fur along her back bristled with a mixture of terror and anger, her eyes as wide as the bear's. With her ears flat, the young wolf barked frantically. "Take me to where you saw him!" 

Without waiting for the directions she just asked for, the she-wolf sprinted off towards the West Ridge, a fire in her eyes.

Without missing a beat, Thalak was running at Raiya's side, pulling ahead to lead her to where Moonpelt was taken.

---

"He was right there," Thalak explained, standing next to the stream and pointing to the spot where the white wolf had been before he was abducted. He then moved his large paw to the trees on the other side of the bank. "The Shades came from there and approached him. Moonpelt launched into a long run-on story, I don't even know what about, but he acted as if they were friends rather than enemies. I'm not even sure he knew what they were. Then he mentioned Drellan, and that was the reason why they took him. They knocked him out and took him back the way they came. They're going to let Agathar interrogate him for information."

Raiya's pained expression hardened as the bear continued, her brow furrowed and her lips pulling back into a snarl as he went on. The young wolf paced around the area, trying to pick up the direction of the trail. The odd, charred scent of the shades filled her nose and she shook her head. "Which way did they go?"

Thalak pointed once more to where he saw the shades depart.
"Unless they had a quicker way of getting down the cliff rather than running all the way around it, they're probably still in the region," he assessed, "But they've probably gone a ways by now, and even if we could catch up to them..."

"We will catch up with them!" Raiya interrupted, already starting off in the direction Thalak indicated.

Thalak bristled, but as he took off after Raiya, he wondered why he was even surprised.

He also wondered if he and Raiya were a match against the shades. If they were three normal wolves, then the answer would be yes. But, as they were going up against creatures of dark magic and fire...
An idea formed in the grizzly's head, and he continued sending glances up and around as he ran alongside Raiya, searching for any animal that happened to be in the area that could be called on as an ally or a messenger.

((*flopping awkwardly* I NEED TO BE RELEVANT))

A female King cheetah was sunning herself on a rock when the commotion of the bear and wolf disturbed her. She opened one eye slightly and recognized Raiya, though the bear was unfamiliar to her. She grumbled and stood up, stretching out and letting out a loud yawn. "Raiya!" she called out before the pair ran past her spot. When the others stopped nearby she looked down upon them from her perch, her sea glass-colored eyes narrowed out of exhaustion. She tilted her head when the young she-wolf failed to recognize her. "It's me Raiya..." she let out a sigh when nothing seemed to spark the wolf's memories. "Ruki.. remember? That one time you had me chasing your dumb uncle because of his sled thing. Where are you two going in such a hurry?"

Jaystep wrote:(Your Thalak post seems to be an invitation, so I'll wait before replying XD)

((I stepped it but if it was for someone else just run past the sleepy cheetah and keep going))
((Ruki: Rude...))

Wildwing wrote:

Ruki wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Ruki wrote:From the brush a slender wolf emerged from out of the swamps. She was a chestnut brown with a cream colored belly and her tail and muzzle was dusted with silver from her age. She sniffed at the direction of the grey wolf that had rested at the trees nearby. Her head tilted and ears perked up. She didn't smell like one of her own, but didn't smell of the shadows haunting the swamps.

The older wolf padded delicately over a fallen log, tail stretched out long and paws spread out to gain better traction on the mossy surface. She prowled the trail to the newcomer with the grace and elegance of her pack.

"Excuse me," she called out calmly. "Are you lost, child?"

The she-wolf's ears twisted toward the sound of approaching pawsteps before she turned her head to look at the newcomer. At first sight of the other wolf, she immediately felt apprehension towards her, shown by her flattening ears and bristling fur. She watched the older wolf carefully, instinctively preparing to defend herself. But then, the strangest thing happened.

As the blue-eyed she-wolf watched the graceful movements of the older she-wolf, and then recognized the lack of hostility on her face, an image flashed through her head. A different she-wolf, in place of the newcomer, was looking down on her. Her crimson gaze was warm, her features gentle. Her soft gray fur billowed in the cold wind, snowflakes dancing across her figure, and the ground behind her was so white it seemed to glow. With a blink, the image was gone. The blue-eyed she-wolf was once again in the humid swamp, facing the older chestnut she-wolf.

"Excuse me, are you lost, child?"

By the time the question was asked, the fur along the blue-eyed she-wolf's back had lain flat. The previous apprehension had faded.

"...I...think so," she hesitantly replied, "Where am I?"

The older wolf smiled softly, she couldn't help but to be amused at the initial reaction of the newcomer, it reminded her of her own daughter.

"We call this place the Muckwaters," she started, her tail flicking at a fly that started buzzing around her hind quarters. "And you just so happened to find yourself in the middle of my territory. I am Alpha Velyria, great-granddaughter of pack matron Heira." The older wolf had a queenly aura and stood straight upon speaking her title. She shuffled on her paws, not carrying for the squishy dirt in between her toes. "You don't seem like you're a shadow-walker. And you look like you haven't had a good meal in quite sometime." Velyria smiled, starting to head off into the swamp. "Come child, there is a warm den and a good meal and fresh water back at my camp."

Alpha... The highest power in a pack, the blue-eyed she-wolf recognized with a slight jolt. At learning that Velyria was an Alpha, the blue-eyed she-wolf's body language subtly changed to show more respect. It was a subconscious move, based on instinct, on her part.

As she listened to Velyria, the blue-eyed she-wolf realized the terms "Muckwaters", "Heira" and "shadow-walker" were unfamiliar to her. All she understood from the explanation was that she was on this Alpha's territory. She had questions of course, but they were forgotten at the mention of food and shelter, prompting her stomach to rumble loudly and her muscles to suddenly feel so tired. She also noticed how dry her throat felt.

"A-Ah... Thank you..." she quietly muttered. She took a hesitant step forward, grimacing as the moist dirt squished through her toes, before following after Velyria.

Velyria smiled hearing the younger wolf start walking after her. "Step where I step, child," she called out behind her. "This swamp can be full of nasty surprises if you're not careful." The older wolf cleared a rather large log with a single jump bound and waited for her new companion to do the same. "Where are you from child? Do you have a name?"

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale simply stared down at Finnican, doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes. The smallest flicker of humor sparkled in the falcon's eyes, but he denied it. "Sure. Take your time." 

Even as he spoke, the falcon spread his wings and started gracefully into the sky, showing off just a tiny bit.

Finnican pulled his head out of the snow in time to see Kale take off. He puffed out his cheeks, a sliver of jealousy piercing his heart.

I'm sure I was good at flying to! he mentally protested.

But, seeing the grace of Kale's flight filled him with determination. Finnican got back to his talons and, after picturing Kale fly into the air, the amnesic falcon spread his wings once more and successfully took off. ...A lot less gracefully... But he was in the air this time, so ha! Take that Kale!

As Finnican circled the area close to the ground, a little wobbly in his flight, he grinned proudly to himself.

Kale was just happy Finnican was finally flying, catching a glimpse of the falcon's grinning. Whoo-hoo you did something a one year old can do, and your worse at it too.


Frowning internally, the Peregrine looked back to make sure Finnican could follow before starting off into the sky above the mountains.

(Finnican: W-Well! At least I know when to use "you're" instead of "your", Kale, so ha! *blows raspberry at Kale* )

As Finnican began to gain altitude, he caught a glimpse of the cave entrance that was half buried in the snow. His mind brought back the image of the hawk skull, as well as the scorch marks and ash inside the cave. His grin faded as the dread seeped back into his system and he hurried after Kale.

"Um..." he started quietly as he pulled up to the side of the other falcon, "That cave I woke up in... I found weird things in it..."

(Kale: I was tired, fluff-head!  )

Kale looked down towards the cave after Fin's comment, watching the entrance closely as he flew by. He was quiet, having worked out the origins of the cave already during their previous conversation. "Try not to think about it.... there's a lot more weird in your future."

()

Finnican did not like the sound of that.

"R...Really?" he asked softly. Then he let out a nervous chuckle. "What makes you say that?" he asked louder, "Can you see the future?"

Kale paused for a moment. turning to look into Finnican's eyes with a serious look. "Yes. I can... would you like to know yours?"

Finnican froze, his flight pattern wobbling violently for a split second. Luckily, he regained control before he could start falling out of the sky. He looked to Kale, first in shock, then in excitement.

"Whoa, really?! Then what's my future? Dude, I gotta know!"

Kale smiled, a bit mischievously. 
"Oh yeah, I'll tell you." He started, getting a little proud of himself. The falcon kept looking at Finnican, his eyes getting wider as he started egging the other falcon on. 
"Well, first, you start having a very long winded conversation. You try to make the trip to find your sister easier by talking with the other falcon you're flying with. You make lots of jokes and a lot of small talk, to the point that the other falcon get's so annoyed, he abandons you in a snow drift, all alone with no idea where to go."

Kale smiled a bit wider, "I wouldn't want to make that mistake, right? Maybe if we try hard enough we can change destiny, huh? Let's work on that." He finished sarcastically, snorting through his beak and speeding up to get in front of Finnican.

---

(Kale:

  )

Everyone except Fin: OOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!

Finnican: ...

---

That was not at all what Finnican expected. He stared at Kale in confusion as the other falcon spoke, trying to figure out with where he was going with this "divination". He was still left in puzzlement even after Kale sped ahead. Then, after rethinking the words he heard, he got it.

"Hey!" he whined, much like a hatchling would as he flew after Kale, "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Jaystep wrote:(Your Thalak post seems to be an invitation, so I'll wait before replying XD)

That was in deed! I wanted to give someone/multiple someones the chance of jumping if they wanted to! XD)

Ruki wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:
(XD)

Thalak startled as the crashing sounds coming from inside of the den. Briefly, the grizzly wondered if he needed to go inside and make sure everything was okay in there, but Raiya's appearance in front of him put a stop to that thought.

"Shades in the forest of West Ridge!" the bear immediately reported, "Three wolves! They took Moonpelt!"

"WHAT?!" Raiya's fur along her back bristled with a mixture of terror and anger, her eyes as wide as the bear's. With her ears flat, the young wolf barked frantically. "Take me to where you saw him!" 

Without waiting for the directions she just asked for, the she-wolf sprinted off towards the West Ridge, a fire in her eyes.

Without missing a beat, Thalak was running at Raiya's side, pulling ahead to lead her to where Moonpelt was taken.

---

"He was right there," Thalak explained, standing next to the stream and pointing to the spot where the white wolf had been before he was abducted. He then moved his large paw to the trees on the other side of the bank. "The Shades came from there and approached him. Moonpelt launched into a long run-on story, I don't even know what about, but he acted as if they were friends rather than enemies. I'm not even sure he knew what they were. Then he mentioned Drellan, and that was the reason why they took him. They knocked him out and took him back the way they came. They're going to let Agathar interrogate him for information."

Raiya's pained expression hardened as the bear continued, her brow furrowed and her lips pulling back into a snarl as he went on. The young wolf paced around the area, trying to pick up the direction of the trail. The odd, charred scent of the shades filled her nose and she shook her head. "Which way did they go?"

Thalak pointed once more to where he saw the shades depart.
"Unless they had a quicker way of getting down the cliff rather than running all the way around it, they're probably still in the region," he assessed, "But they've probably gone a ways by now, and even if we could catch up to them..."

"We will catch up with them!" Raiya interrupted, already starting off in the direction Thalak indicated.

Thalak bristled, but as he took off after Raiya, he wondered why he was even surprised.

He also wondered if he and Raiya were a match against the shades. If they were three normal wolves, then the answer would be yes. But, as they were going up against creatures of dark magic and fire...
An idea formed in the grizzly's head, and he continued sending glances up and around as he ran alongside Raiya, searching for any animal that happened to be in the area that could be called on as an ally or a messenger.

((*flopping awkwardly* I NEED TO BE RELEVANT))

A female King cheetah was sunning herself on a rock when the commotion of the bear and wolf disturbed her. She opened one eye slightly and recognized Raiya, though the bear was unfamiliar to her. She grumbled and stood up, stretching out and letting out a loud yawn. "Raiya!" she called out before the pair ran past her spot. When the others stopped nearby she looked down upon them from her perch, her sea glass-colored eyes narrowed out of exhaustion. She tilted her head when the young she-wolf failed to recognize her. "It's me Raiya..." she let out a sigh when nothing seemed to spark the wolf's memories. "Ruki.. remember? That one time you had me chasing your dumb uncle because of his sled thing. Where are you two going in such a hurry?"

(LE GASP! Ruki! You're a cheetah?!?!)

Thank goodness! Thalak breathed in relief at the sight of the cheetah. He skidded to a stop to quickly explain the situation.
"Moonpelt was taken by shades and we're tracking them down. We need all the allies we can get. Will you help us?"

((N-no! I am 100% human!))

Ruki let out a sigh. She knew deep down that this white wolf was a burden and was probably better off being lost to the shades. She also knew deep down that Raiya loved her "uncle" dearly and would do practically anything for him. "Fine." she hopped down from her perch and stood in front of the bear and wolf, her long slender body was built for speed and she could cover way more ground than those two combined. "What's up first, boss?"

Ruki wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Ruki wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Ruki wrote:From the brush a slender wolf emerged from out of the swamps. She was a chestnut brown with a cream colored belly and her tail and muzzle was dusted with silver from her age. She sniffed at the direction of the grey wolf that had rested at the trees nearby. Her head tilted and ears perked up. She didn't smell like one of her own, but didn't smell of the shadows haunting the swamps.

The older wolf padded delicately over a fallen log, tail stretched out long and paws spread out to gain better traction on the mossy surface. She prowled the trail to the newcomer with the grace and elegance of her pack.

"Excuse me," she called out calmly. "Are you lost, child?"

The she-wolf's ears twisted toward the sound of approaching pawsteps before she turned her head to look at the newcomer. At first sight of the other wolf, she immediately felt apprehension towards her, shown by her flattening ears and bristling fur. She watched the older wolf carefully, instinctively preparing to defend herself. But then, the strangest thing happened.

As the blue-eyed she-wolf watched the graceful movements of the older she-wolf, and then recognized the lack of hostility on her face, an image flashed through her head. A different she-wolf, in place of the newcomer, was looking down on her. Her crimson gaze was warm, her features gentle. Her soft gray fur billowed in the cold wind, snowflakes dancing across her figure, and the ground behind her was so white it seemed to glow. With a blink, the image was gone. The blue-eyed she-wolf was once again in the humid swamp, facing the older chestnut she-wolf.

"Excuse me, are you lost, child?"

By the time the question was asked, the fur along the blue-eyed she-wolf's back had lain flat. The previous apprehension had faded.

"...I...think so," she hesitantly replied, "Where am I?"

The older wolf smiled softly, she couldn't help but to be amused at the initial reaction of the newcomer, it reminded her of her own daughter.

"We call this place the Muckwaters," she started, her tail flicking at a fly that started buzzing around her hind quarters. "And you just so happened to find yourself in the middle of my territory. I am Alpha Velyria, great-granddaughter of pack matron Heira." The older wolf had a queenly aura and stood straight upon speaking her title. She shuffled on her paws, not carrying for the squishy dirt in between her toes. "You don't seem like you're a shadow-walker. And you look like you haven't had a good meal in quite sometime." Velyria smiled, starting to head off into the swamp. "Come child, there is a warm den and a good meal and fresh water back at my camp."

Alpha... The highest power in a pack, the blue-eyed she-wolf recognized with a slight jolt. At learning that Velyria was an Alpha, the blue-eyed she-wolf's body language subtly changed to show more respect. It was a subconscious move, based on instinct, on her part.

As she listened to Velyria, the blue-eyed she-wolf realized the terms "Muckwaters", "Heira" and "shadow-walker" were unfamiliar to her. All she understood from the explanation was that she was on this Alpha's territory. She had questions of course, but they were forgotten at the mention of food and shelter, prompting her stomach to rumble loudly and her muscles to suddenly feel so tired. She also noticed how dry her throat felt.

"A-Ah... Thank you..." she quietly muttered. She took a hesitant step forward, grimacing as the moist dirt squished through her toes, before following after Velyria.

Velyria smiled hearing the younger wolf start walking after her. "Step where I step, child," she called out behind her. "This swamp can be full of nasty surprises if you're not careful." The older wolf cleared a rather large log with a single jump bound and waited for her new companion to do the same. "Where are you from child? Do you have a name?"

The blue-eyed she-wolf wondered what Velyria meant by 'nasty surprises', but seeing as she had no reason to do otherwise, she obeyed the alpha. She stopped for a moment behind the log, examining it before leaping over it as well. Her paws scraped over the wood, not painfully, but she successfully landed beside Velyria.

"I..." the she-wolf started, taking a moment to ponder the question. "...I...don't... I don't know," she finally replied, drawing a blank, "I think there was snow?... A mountain?... But I don't... And my name...it's..."
She stopped and thought hard.
What is my name? I know I have one, but...why can't I... ...I do have a name, right?...

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:(Yes the hatchlings had playdates XD And omg, the porcupine!  I just saw that!)

Just as Nykoru was touching the shed skin, Syrune landed outside the hollow entrance, not seeing the mysterious substance over the other bird's shoulder. "... Have you seen your sister? It's time for us to...."

Even as Syrune was speaking she trailed off, seeing the distant shade of Ambyra flitting over the trees. "Oh. Nevermind. She's on her way... let's go." 

Without giving him a chance to answer, she lifted off the tree branch and glided out towards Ambyra, entrusting that Nykoru would follow.

"Hey!" Ambyra approached with a kindly smile, curving to come to Syrune's side. "Sorry, I got a bit distracted... there was a wolf by that huge tree over the hill... she looked a bit familiar."

"A wolf?" Syrune questioned, only half paying attention, her eyes on the horizon. 

"Yeah... she seemed lost." Ambyra noted, her gaze drifting towards the tree.

"Hmph. Not our problem. Wolves can fend for themselves just fine. We need to be on the lookout for Shades, there's no doubt they'll be after us by now."

(XD They're just like leaving Nykoru behind, lol. I think Syrune is low-key upset.)

(Aaw, cute! XD And yay! You got the reference! )

Nykoru flinched at Syrune's sudden arrival, his heart momentarily stopping in his chest. The shed skin in talon, he turned his head towards his adoptive mother. Before he even had the chance to open his beak, she had left to join his sister.

"..."

Hey, I found this...

The young falhawk sighed through his beak and tried to ignore the pang in his heart as he looked back down at the shed skin. Should he take it with him to show the other two or leave it? It was evidence that something had been in their temporary shelter during the short time they were away, but whatever had left it behind was gone now, and they would not be returning. So did it even matter that the girls knew about this? Would they even listen to him, or would they look at him oddly for carrying around such a strange...thing. Or would they just ignore him?
It made sense to leave it and just forget about it, but...of all the places for this skin to be left behind, why in the place the trio had spent the previous night.

Nykoru felt dumb, and slightly paranoid, for doing so, but he took the skin carefully out of his talons and exited the hollow. Seeing the girls in the distance, he took to the air and flew after them as fast as he could so as not to be left completely behind. He couldn't help but feel a little resentful that they had gone on ahead without waiting for him.

(XD Poor Nyko! )

(I'm sure they'll hug it out eventually XD)

Ambyra was the first to notice her brother falling in line behind them, nodding towards him to Syrune. The Red-tail gave Nykoru a small smile at his arrival, opening her beak to ask him about his hunt when she broke off, seeing what was in his talons. 

"Wh-" 

Before Syrune could ask, Ambyra was already on it. 
"What the heck is in your talons? Snake skin?" Ambyra questioned, raising a brow in confusion. Why in the world is he carrying that?


"Where did you find that?" Syrune asked, equally puzzled.

Oh hey, they acknowledged me. That's a relief, Nykoru thought, only somewhat sarcastically. But the odd looks they were giving him were making him second guess his decision to bring the skin. Then, as soon as he recognized his feelings of insecurity, he silently chastised himself to quit being such a juvenile before getting right to the point.

"It was in the hollow," the young falhawk informed, bringing the skin forward to give the two a better view of it, "I honestly don't know what it is. I want to say it is snake skin, but something doesn't feel right about this."

Nykoru then held it towards Syrune, inviting her to take it and examine it for herself.

Wildwing wrote:

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

SilverstarWarrior wrote:

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:Silence chuckled as they continued to walk along, many thoughts coming to his mind but only one escaping his jaws. "You know what? I'm glad you found me, Jury. This sounds like it's going to be quite the adventure."

[Hmm, should we have something happen? xD I feel like they could probably just walk and talk about random stuff for a while longer but idk how to make it seem like they're making progress...?

Oh and Silv, do you wanna RP a bit of Manik and Ninx as well?

xD Hahaha ohmagoodness Villi... #siryoku #theyjustgotshipped]

Ooh! I have an idea! Mind if I jump in with a temporary character? Ps, Im on my way home from work, so ill be able to rp in a little bit)

[What do you have in mind? xD I'm up for it!]

Two words: Side Quest )

Somewhere near Silence and Juryoku, a muffled voice cried for help, responding to the sounds of the two wolves talking. Though in the surrounding land covered in snow, no body could be seen...

[If video games have taught me anything, it's that sometimes side quests have the best hidden weapons and loot lol]

Silence, in the quiet moment after his words, stopped suddenly. "Wait! do you hear that?" He asked, sniffing the cold wind and catching a very faint scent, looking over at Jury and tilting his head.

Jury angled her ears towards the noise, going silent as she listened and casting a look to Silence that said she heard it too. She immediately stepped closer to where she thought she thought she heard it from, listening intently before facing the larger wolf again. "I don't hear anything else. Any ideas?"

As the words left Jury's muzzle, the voice sounded again, coming a few feet from the black wolf's left.

"Please!" the muffled voice of a female wolf cried, "I'm in a snow drift! Everything's covered except my head, and I can't get out! Help!"

Silence looked quickly over towards the noise, and took a few steps before stopping. If this wolf was in a snow drift, he didn't want to fall in and get stuck as well. They needed a plan. "We hear you!" he called out. "We'll help, just a moment!"

"Oh thank goodness!" the she-wolf breathed in relief, "The snow is firmer on my left!" she pointed with her brown, sunstreaked muzzle, "If you're careful, you won't fall in from there!"

Reposting for Silv and Eco! )

Wildwing wrote:

Ruki wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Ruki wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Ruki wrote:From the brush a slender wolf emerged from out of the swamps. She was a chestnut brown with a cream colored belly and her tail and muzzle was dusted with silver from her age. She sniffed at the direction of the grey wolf that had rested at the trees nearby. Her head tilted and ears perked up. She didn't smell like one of her own, but didn't smell of the shadows haunting the swamps.

The older wolf padded delicately over a fallen log, tail stretched out long and paws spread out to gain better traction on the mossy surface. She prowled the trail to the newcomer with the grace and elegance of her pack.

"Excuse me," she called out calmly. "Are you lost, child?"

The she-wolf's ears twisted toward the sound of approaching pawsteps before she turned her head to look at the newcomer. At first sight of the other wolf, she immediately felt apprehension towards her, shown by her flattening ears and bristling fur. She watched the older wolf carefully, instinctively preparing to defend herself. But then, the strangest thing happened.

As the blue-eyed she-wolf watched the graceful movements of the older she-wolf, and then recognized the lack of hostility on her face, an image flashed through her head. A different she-wolf, in place of the newcomer, was looking down on her. Her crimson gaze was warm, her features gentle. Her soft gray fur billowed in the cold wind, snowflakes dancing across her figure, and the ground behind her was so white it seemed to glow. With a blink, the image was gone. The blue-eyed she-wolf was once again in the humid swamp, facing the older chestnut she-wolf.

"Excuse me, are you lost, child?"

By the time the question was asked, the fur along the blue-eyed she-wolf's back had lain flat. The previous apprehension had faded.

"...I...think so," she hesitantly replied, "Where am I?"

The older wolf smiled softly, she couldn't help but to be amused at the initial reaction of the newcomer, it reminded her of her own daughter.

"We call this place the Muckwaters," she started, her tail flicking at a fly that started buzzing around her hind quarters. "And you just so happened to find yourself in the middle of my territory. I am Alpha Velyria, great-granddaughter of pack matron Heira." The older wolf had a queenly aura and stood straight upon speaking her title. She shuffled on her paws, not carrying for the squishy dirt in between her toes. "You don't seem like you're a shadow-walker. And you look like you haven't had a good meal in quite sometime." Velyria smiled, starting to head off into the swamp. "Come child, there is a warm den and a good meal and fresh water back at my camp."

Alpha... The highest power in a pack, the blue-eyed she-wolf recognized with a slight jolt. At learning that Velyria was an Alpha, the blue-eyed she-wolf's body language subtly changed to show more respect. It was a subconscious move, based on instinct, on her part.

As she listened to Velyria, the blue-eyed she-wolf realized the terms "Muckwaters", "Heira" and "shadow-walker" were unfamiliar to her. All she understood from the explanation was that she was on this Alpha's territory. She had questions of course, but they were forgotten at the mention of food and shelter, prompting her stomach to rumble loudly and her muscles to suddenly feel so tired. She also noticed how dry her throat felt.

"A-Ah... Thank you..." she quietly muttered. She took a hesitant step forward, grimacing as the moist dirt squished through her toes, before following after Velyria.

Velyria smiled hearing the younger wolf start walking after her. "Step where I step, child," she called out behind her. "This swamp can be full of nasty surprises if you're not careful." The older wolf cleared a rather large log with a single jump bound and waited for her new companion to do the same. "Where are you from child? Do you have a name?"

The blue-eyed she-wolf wondered what Velyria meant by 'nasty surprises', but seeing as she had no reason to do otherwise, she obeyed the alpha. She stopped for a moment behind the log, examining it before leaping over it as well. Her paws scraped over the wood, not painfully, but she successfully landed beside Velyria.

"I..." the she-wolf started, taking a moment to ponder the question. "...I...don't... I don't know," she finally replied, drawing a blank, "I think there was snow?... A mountain?... But I don't... And my name...it's..."
She stopped and thought hard.
What is my name? I know I have one, but...why can't I... ...I do have a name, right?...

"My... then my scouts had reported a bright flash from the swamps I didn't expect to find you..." the older wolf thought hard. She had known cases of memories issues with her pack upon injury but this some something she couldn't simply comprehend. She nodded slowly in understatement. "Well whoever you are you must be far from home, and you don't seem to have a bad flavor thus far."

As the older wolf she continued talking to the younger wolf--explaining the dangers of the murky waters and the tar pits that could swallow an adult elephant within moments. Velyria taught her that the rain that collected in the leaves of plants was safe to drink. As she was pointing out to the young wolf a mushroom that could make you feel full until you could hunt down a decent meal the ground started to rumble with thuds and nearby trees creaked. The older wold chuckled at the younger wolf and smiled slightly. "There there, child, it's nothing to be afraid of." As the older wolf spoke a herd of elephants broke through the dense tree line, shaking off the vines from their mighty tusks as they stomped through the vegetation. 

The elephants marched by peacefully, nodding their heads in respect to the alpha female and her companion. One in particular had symbols drawn on him with mud. They were mostly dabs, stripes, and some swirls that decorated his face and shoulders. He has dark grey skin and his ears were tattered and his legs and thighs were scarred from unruly creatures trying to nibble at his ankles.

"You see those symbols?" Velyria whispered to the younger wolf. "Those are how to tell that he is their king."

The king elephant approached the two wolves and the rest of his herd stopped behind him. He bowed his head to Velyria and in turn she kneeled to him. "Kneel." Velyria whispered to her companion quietly.

"Greetings, Alpha Velyria." the elephant started, his voice boomed throughout the trees. "And... who is your friend here?"

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale simply stared down at Finnican, doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes. The smallest flicker of humor sparkled in the falcon's eyes, but he denied it. "Sure. Take your time." 

Even as he spoke, the falcon spread his wings and started gracefully into the sky, showing off just a tiny bit.

Finnican pulled his head out of the snow in time to see Kale take off. He puffed out his cheeks, a sliver of jealousy piercing his heart.

I'm sure I was good at flying to! he mentally protested.

But, seeing the grace of Kale's flight filled him with determination. Finnican got back to his talons and, after picturing Kale fly into the air, the amnesic falcon spread his wings once more and successfully took off. ...A lot less gracefully... But he was in the air this time, so ha! Take that Kale!

As Finnican circled the area close to the ground, a little wobbly in his flight, he grinned proudly to himself.

Kale was just happy Finnican was finally flying, catching a glimpse of the falcon's grinning. Whoo-hoo you did something a one year old can do, and your worse at it too.


Frowning internally, the Peregrine looked back to make sure Finnican could follow before starting off into the sky above the mountains.

(Finnican: W-Well! At least I know when to use "you're" instead of "your", Kale, so ha! *blows raspberry at Kale* )

As Finnican began to gain altitude, he caught a glimpse of the cave entrance that was half buried in the snow. His mind brought back the image of the hawk skull, as well as the scorch marks and ash inside the cave. His grin faded as the dread seeped back into his system and he hurried after Kale.

"Um..." he started quietly as he pulled up to the side of the other falcon, "That cave I woke up in... I found weird things in it..."

(Kale: I was tired, fluff-head!  )

Kale looked down towards the cave after Fin's comment, watching the entrance closely as he flew by. He was quiet, having worked out the origins of the cave already during their previous conversation. "Try not to think about it.... there's a lot more weird in your future."

()

Finnican did not like the sound of that.

"R...Really?" he asked softly. Then he let out a nervous chuckle. "What makes you say that?" he asked louder, "Can you see the future?"

Kale paused for a moment. turning to look into Finnican's eyes with a serious look. "Yes. I can... would you like to know yours?"

Finnican froze, his flight pattern wobbling violently for a split second. Luckily, he regained control before he could start falling out of the sky. He looked to Kale, first in shock, then in excitement.

"Whoa, really?! Then what's my future? Dude, I gotta know!"

Kale smiled, a bit mischievously. 
"Oh yeah, I'll tell you." He started, getting a little proud of himself. The falcon kept looking at Finnican, his eyes getting wider as he started egging the other falcon on. 
"Well, first, you start having a very long winded conversation. You try to make the trip to find your sister easier by talking with the other falcon you're flying with. You make lots of jokes and a lot of small talk, to the point that the other falcon get's so annoyed, he abandons you in a snow drift, all alone with no idea where to go."

Kale smiled a bit wider, "I wouldn't want to make that mistake, right? Maybe if we try hard enough we can change destiny, huh? Let's work on that." He finished sarcastically, snorting through his beak and speeding up to get in front of Finnican.

---

(Kale:

  )

Everyone except Fin: OOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!

Finnican: ...

---

That was not at all what Finnican expected. He stared at Kale in confusion as the other falcon spoke, trying to figure out with where he was going with this "divination". He was still left in puzzlement even after Kale sped ahead. Then, after rethinking the words he heard, he got it.

"Hey!" he whined, much like a hatchling would as he flew after Kale, "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Kale fought the urge to snicker, opting instead for shaking his head. "It means let's keep this trip focused on the goal. Less chatting and more flying, got it?" 

The falcon set his gaze once more on the snowy horizon, trying to predict the number of days it would take to get to Rinka. If Fin insisted on being friendly, this was going to be a long trip.