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11:24pm May 28 2012 (last edited on 11:33pm May 28 2012)
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Normal User
Posts: 109
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Rules: (Please read them I make a point of doing so on other Role Plays so I expect the same from my peers.) 1. If you haven’t seen my other topic (Literate Role Play Request, please look at that first.) 2. Start off with one character. 3. Nothing out of the ordinary please, Mary/Gary Sues. You are a literate RPer; understand that 4. Minimum 2-3 paragraphs for normal posts but have a good starting post. I don’t expect you to keep up with my length every time but give me something to work with. 5. Try to post once a day or every other day if you join, if you don’t you will be left behind and not allowed to join again. 6. If you know you can’t post for a while either have your character disappear that way he can integrate them into to RP again later (Makes fun twists :D) 7. If you have any questions DON’T POST ON HERE. Post on my other topic PLEASE. This is for RP posts ONLY. Seriously if you can’t follow this rule I’ll assume you cant follow any of the others. Or Rmail me if you have a question. 8. Feel free to kill off your character and add a new one later on in the RP if you choose to do so… 9. This is a medieval timed role play, feel free to have magic. 10. As I said any questions just mail me :) ((Btw if anyone wants my horse once we get out of the country they are welcome to it but it’s my characters until her magic is restored.)) Wind whipped along the paths between buildings, ripping anything loose that it could, snatching at hair, and stinging eyes of those it touched. It was a foul wind, acrid in taste and felt like fingers dragging along your skin. It was a wind that tasted of death, despair, and hunger… Kacela curled her delicate hands over her nose, trying not to gag. Her sensitive nose seemed to burn but she held back the cough that tickled her throat.
This land was dying. It was so obvious now, the great oaks that surrounded the capitol literally withering in size as the magic that had created them was sucked back out through their roots. No one knew what had happened but the magic of this land had run out, or the source had simply moved elsewhere. No matter what had happened it had happened quite fast in the past year. A year ago this land was lush with people and the magic they used. The city and all those around it were a mecca of trade, commerce, and life. But then, despite the normal weather conditions anything planted started to wither in the fields, trees started dying. No one could figure it out until the mages who ruled and kept peace in the land started losing control of their magic. Spells went astray and did more hurt then good or simply did not work at all. That is when they realized what had happened. For no explainable reason the magic had run out, vanished, and what was left in the currents that the people of this land drew from were dangerously low and some dead altogether. From that realization came a panic, a panic of what was going to happen. This country was backed up against a large crescent of mountains, it was almost a gigantic valley in which had shown all who lived here an easy life with cool summers and shorter mild winters. And also for as long as anyone could remember a plethora of magic to be used. Few bothered to brave the paths of the mountains and even fewer returned. None ever that had reached the other side were seen again. That left the Eastern border from which the first settlers came. The eastern border held a long wide plain that were mostly uninhabited from it was hard to grow food let alone make any profit or life for yourself. The long waving grasses and the wildlife it held were the only things that seemed to survive out there. But they came to an abrupt end, smacking sharply up against a large line of trees. The Untold Forest. That is what everyone called it since no one knew really what was in it, where it ended, or what was on the other side. And until now very few dared to try its paths, for the magic was wildly rampant in there, which told for the massive trees that started a couple hundred feet in the air, but you could see quickly within the woods they shot up so high they disappeared in the mist that shrouded the forests. Trunks could take 10 to 15 minutes to walk around and the ground was sparse of plant life which was covered in a dense la
yer of needles, dead leaves of every size, and soft moss creating a cushion for those who walked there. No one knew what really lived there and no one had ever bothered to try and find out. The panic of losing their magic and the land around them caused at first a huge migration. People decided to brave the forest or mountains and many left, packing up everything they could and leaving town. Kacela had not heard of one person returning yet. Everyone assumed this was the end and she was fearing herself it truly was. Creatures and those who had stayed that were more associated with magic were now getting sick. And you could easily tell every which way you looked that the magic was gone. The forests seemed eerily empty of wildlife and despite the usual exuberance of rain the valley got nothing grew anymore. Everything was grey, black, and rotting. Kacela was not affected… yet. She was not human but many did not know that. This place was favored by the human population, though many practiced magic and had creatures that were out of the ordinary, those who were not human were not easily trusted, though they did exist. In this form Kacela blended in for the most part. She was tall, a little over six feet with a willowy frame. Her hair streamed far past her waist in a waterfall of silky blue black, interestingly enough never tangling. She was quite beautiful, but her angular and exotic face had a steely glance within it, and her startling warm gold eyes contrasted with her skin, which stayed an alabaster pale. She always wore pastel and greyer clothes by preference in the city, but stuck to black wherever else. Right now she had donned a simple elvish style dress in grey and her most sturdy cloak in almost matching pale green-grey. Clasped at the front with the one item that meant something to her; the silver brooch was in the shape of a simple leaf, and faced with silver crystal. It was the only thing she had on her when she awoke, alone in the middle of nowhere, with no idea who she was. No family, very few friends of which she had no idea where they were now. Kacela always found it hard to trust people they were not her kind and many had an instinct to fear her without even knowing it. The only beings she trusted were wolves… Their kind sung out to her, embraced her. She could understand them, find them, and control them as she pleased though more often they did her bidding willfully as she was kind to those she was related with. But even they were gone. The only creatures she felt at home with she could no longer find, but she had stopped searching. Those who had continued to try and use magic had started getting very sick, probably because they were drawing on their own life force since the nodes they once used were dried husks. Kacela had seen several people wither away from the use and had decided to close off from magic. She had stopped letting her mind wander, closing off the mental mindways that she had used to look for danger and wolves to converse with. Her connection to the eyes and ears of wolves was lost. No longer could she talk from a distance or see through their eyes and ears, it was too dangerous to try anymore, and she doubted any had stayed anyways. And also she had stopped… changing. Her fists curled as she could feel the wild beast within her twist, wanting out, wanting to rage its frustrations on the world around them. She had not been her true self for many months now and it was wearing on her. But if she changed she would get sick and wither away like the land around her, so this was the price for now. But at heart this delicate woman was not human, she was mostly a wolf, dangerous, incredibly strong, and had an attitude to match. She must leave soon; she needed to let herself out before she hurt someone… She bent down fingers tracing the stone watering trough, now dry. The cobbled streets were quiet as no one was awake this early, but also many of the houses were boarded shut and empty. Her small elegant home was not far from here. She had made quite a living when the city was thriving; she did everything from carry messages to retrieving “lost” items or even people. Much of her business was done in secret, by referral only. Her clientele had been a wide pool before everyone had left and she made herself a small home here within the city and out among the forest in several locations. So far very few people had guessed what she was, but everyone who met her never warmed to her past business. Not that it mattered anymore. She straightened and moved quickly down between the eerie houses, once so full of life. Her footsteps were silent, and she kept her cloak firmly pulled around her and hood low over her face, to block out the scent and sight of her dying home. She reached her doorway and slipped inside. It was simple, elegant furniture with a warm comfortable feeling to the entire place. Everything was clean and stored away ready for her to leave. She planned to travel with supplies and on horseback until she came into an area that had magic, which she was hoping would be the edge of the plains. There she would ditch her supplies and her horse and go on like she normally would or give them to a lucky traveler. She usually traveled quite sparsely, since when she was able to change she lived off the land itself without need of supplies. She threw her cloak and dress to the floor, slipping on travel gear all in black. Black leather pants, knee high black boots, long sleeved black shirt that was so thin it felt like air upon her, but kept her warm when she needed it. She assumed it was made out of a special spider silk. Over that went a black leather corset, gauntlets, gloves, and various small knives hidden expertly among her clothing. A simple belt she slung around her waist carrying s small pouch of money and some small treasures. Back went on the cloak and brooch. Some of her clients had said she looked like death riding in this outfit, be she always snorted. The outfit was intended for practicality, not intimidation. She grabbed her newly purchased items (saddlebags) and she slowly looked around her house for the last time. Maybe she would see it again, most likely not. She quickly went out the back door to a small stable that was wedged in behind the cram of houses in the city. That’s where her horse, Trav was housed at the moment. She had bought the beast a few weeks ago from a man leaving and trying to sell most of his stock. The stallion had not sold mostly because his massive appearance and he looked like he ate a lot. Fortunately he ate as delicately as a spring mare and his large black frame stayed full and heavy. He was built for long treks and war. Plus she hoped no one would try to rob her if they thought they might get killed by the horse before even getting to her. He was sweet to her, but not two days ago a man had run stumbling and bleeding from him when trying for her saddle on a late ride in the forest. He was smart enough to know who owned him. He was tacked and ready to go, and she slung the balanced saddle bags over his rump. “Time to go big guy…” She said softly, her voice clear and melodic as her eyes. Her heart seized for a small second, at leaving her home behind but this was what she had to do to survive. Slowly she mounted and his hooves seemed to sound a small clear ring of hope on the cobblestones as she made her way away from her home and through the city… (( You will find out more about her background and what her other form is once we progress ;)
Her picture: http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp272/westbrooke1025/wolfpack.png
Trav's picture: http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp272/westbrooke1025/LeadStallion.jpg ))
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12:41am May 30 2012
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Normal User
Posts: 5,542
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The wind was unbearable now, the dust flicked up and the tree particles that were withering away all flew up and were pelting some people. The sun wasn't helping either and now with the magic withering, there wasn't much anybody could do. The magic was being sucked out of teh people as well and it was leaving them dried and nothing more than a husk. Feline icy blue eyes watched as humans began to walk toward the Forest. They were never going to get there by the looks of some. There were very few who could still control their magic and for those who hadn't any left, they were slowly dying. It was painful to watch people just wither away like that, but it's hopefully something that would get better.
The small little nubs of ears on his jet black hair twitched slightly. He could feel his own magic slipping away, even though he hadn't relied on the magic much. He couldn't help but still feel affected slightly by it. He blinked once and his eyes went to normal human brown. He walked around the small house he had and gather up what he could into a brown suitcase. There wasn't much, but he wanted to take what he could. He grabbed his suitcase and stepped out the window into the sun.
Sebastian made his way into the small crowds of people that were heading out. He would be traveling on foot, but he was fine with that. His eyes flickered between people and he could tell many of them were going to need help getting to where they needed to get. He sighed and looked around, noticing a girl with a black horse. She didn't smell completely human, or human for that matter, but maybe it was his imagination. He pulled the black hood up of his cloak and hid his little ears and shielded himself from the sun and debris. This was going to be a long journey and he could already feel it. The way the land seemed to just die as he stepped was saddening. He lived here for so long only for this to happen. He shook his head and knew he had to travel in toward the back. Humans weren't very trusting to those hwo weren't human.
The small heels on his shoes sent dust up and that wasn't going to help anybody. His pants already getting coated in the dust people in front of him were throwing up. He watched as an elderly couple walked proudly and hand in hand. It was saddening him more because he knew they weren't going to make it. It seemed like the elders were always the first to go.
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9:34am May 30 2012
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Normal User
Posts: 109
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Kacela followed the small crowd on the main road for a while, not liking the amount of people leaving this early. She hated a crowd... Fortunately once they reached the city limits maybe were starting to veer off, taking their own paths towards the mountains or the Untold Forest. On horseback it would be at least 2 days ride. It would be double that for those walking. There would be travelers on the road constantly for a while, not near as many now but there would always be one or two within sight.
Kacela almost wished she traveled in a group, it would make her less a target for muggers. She could handle them easily, especially with Trav, but it made her more susceptible to changing... She needed to keep a hold on the beast because more stress at this point might force her into shifting. The price to stay healthy was wearing on her, and she was amazed more people did not go magic-less like her. It hadn't taken her long before she had gotten every fire-proof or water-proof spell purged from every item in her house and wardrobe and she think it helped keep her from getting sick. But she kept a few un-activated spells for drying and waterproofing for when she was in a new area just in case, they weren't harmful if never used and quite expensive to throw away. Her nose twitched as the raised dust, tickled past her nose, drawing pictures of the wind on the pathway. The less people... the less dust! She hoped many went their own ways soon. But also with the small breeze came a odor of...cat? She met very few unhumans in this land but she had always steered clear of them, scared that the more associated with them she became, the less she would be able to fit in among the humans. She turned her head to the right eyeing a small cloaked figure directly from the shadow of her hood, wondering if he hid a small kitten under his hood or himself was part feline?
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4:33pm May 30 2012 (last edited on 4:49pm May 30 2012)
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Normal User
Posts: 733
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A sound rang out through the fog of despair that had settled over the land. Though the wind was strong, snatching at whatever was within its reach, a thick blanket seemed to have enclosed the capitol, and it was smothering Shinno. Each breath she drew scraped her lungs raw, sending her into fits of coughing. It was during one of these fits that she so feared that a sound escaped her lips, a soft, eerie cry that floated into the air and wreathed around her head, shielding her momentarily from the wind. Her coughing paused and her ragged breathing became steadier. She looked down to her feet, her dark, matted silver and black hair falling around her face. It was short, only reaching to her shoulders, and though the strands of hair were fine and soft, she had a lot of it. The cloud of wispy hair that surrounded her pale, heart shaped face was very like the black feather at her feet.
The feather was a warning. The cry had been the catch that had caused her to spare a second glance, but now she had viewed the actual warning had come. As Shinno bent and reached for the feather, the wind began to pick up again, the protection of the escaped note of magic fading now. A sharp twinge ran up the length of her spindly arm as her gentle fingertips brushed the fine edging of the dark feather, the sharp ends of the tiny quills pricking her slightly. This feather was full of magic, and it was probably the last of the store of energy that had once lain hidden, like a sleeping monster, inside of Shinno since she had entered the capitol. That magic was gone now, withered away like the great oaks that shielded the capitol of this land. The feather warned her that she was running out of time. Shinno had always looked up the great oaks, imagining how it would feel to grip their velvety branches as she alighted on one.
Most humans couldn’t fly, but Shinno could. Then again she wasn’t human, and that showed through more often than she would like. Her cold demeanor had scared more than a few men and women away, at least those that dared to approach her. Yet Shinno was hardly a being of ice, in fact the opposite was true. And she blazed at times, when angered, a warm breeze was said to whip around her, lifting her dark silky hair and singing the ends of it, causing them to smoke. She had always imagined the scene to be rather amusing, whenever she thought about it, but apparently humans didn’t take kindly to fire.
Shinno had grown up with fire, learning to base her life off of it. In a way, life itself was like a fire. It flickered and burned brightly for an untold amount of time, and just as quickly as it ignited, it would sputter out, the last embers carried on by the breeze of time.
Her delicate fingers closed softly around the feather, and she pulled it closer to her, holding it up to the base of her neck, the slight curve of her small, seemingly frail body shielding it from the wind that tore at it. The sharp ribbons of air were struggling to reach under her fine-threaded silver jacket that was wrapped around her shoulder. She worked quickly, her fingers grappling with the elegant braided leather necklace knot. The necklace was too short for her to be able to see what she was doing, but she knew the exact texture and hues of brown that made up the piece of artwork she struggled with. Shinno’s sigh of relief as the knot was undone was snatched violently away from her by the raging breeze. She quickly tucked the main quill of the dark feather into a gap between the twists of leather to secure it while she finished retying the necklace firmly around the sharp end of the quill, pulling on it slightly to make sure it would hold.
Satisfied with her work, the lone creature on the pale gray cobbled streets stood, wrapping her jacket tightly around her shoulders. She was of a small frame, standing only 4”7,’ roughly the same size as her true form as a phoenix. Phoenixes were often quite docile by nature unless provoked, and despite her cool attitude towards humans, Shinno really was usually more laid-back and quiet. That was surprising, considering that she had spent most of her life on the run, one might expect her to be more of a hot-head. Shinno had been born melanistic, an increased amount of dark pigmentation causing her feathers to be much darker than a normal phoenix’s. This was of course, just a mutation, but the other fire-birds of her flock had seen it as a curse, viewing her black feathers with distain. Shinno had fled, tired of how everyone treated her like an outsider. Several phoenixes had pursued her, wanting to capture her because they thought she was up to something with her magic, which had shown itself to be rather powerful. Shinno knew they were not very likely to listen to her, as her opinion had never been of much importance to the other birds in the first place, so she had hidden herself among the humans, many of which who also wielded magic, blending in quite easily. No matter how much time she had spent in her human form, concealing herself with her own brand of magic, she could never douse the longing she felt to be able to fly again. She had retained a strong connection to birds and fire, her eerie, melodic singing often attracting the little brown finches that dwelled in the capitol city.
Her time as a human was drawing to a close, and the girl knew that as soon as her magic wore off, the others would pick up her trail again. She sensed there was more to it than her flock just wanting to keep an eye on her, but there was no real way to tell that didn’t involve letting herself be captured by the phoenixes she had worked so hard at keeping away from the past eight years.
Shinno was still cradling the black feather in one hand when she made the inevitable decision to leave. She had no set home, so that wasn’t the issue, but she found her heart tugging uncomfortable towards the gray, withering walls of the capitol city as she walked towards the exit which was guarded by two of the dying oaks. Her small, calloused bare feet paused for a second in the shrinking shadows of one of the trees. Her hair was tucked behind her nearly frozen ears, the wind still swirling it around as easily as it would pick up dead leaves, but as she turned her head to look back for the last time at the city, it came undone. The flying strands obscured her last view of the pastel stone walls and buildings that had shielded her for the better part of her life. She felt no sadness, there were no tears at the moment of departure, Shinno hated water and just about anything liquid anyway, just an emptiness that she had a feeling would never be filled.
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8:56pm May 30 2012 (last edited on 10:49am May 31 2012)
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Normal User
Posts: 109
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(( Feel free ot go ahead and start replying you two we don't need to wait for everyone to join they can always pop in :) ))
Kacela now had caught the scent of several non-humans, but could not pick out among the thinning travelers on the road. She glanced over her shoulder at the vanishing walls of her home, feeling remorse at the loss of its beauty more than her need to leave. She was at heart a scarily violent creature, but she loved the true beauty of nature unbound and even the beauty of it tamed. To see it so lifeless depressed her immensely. She hoped this trip went quickly and without disturbances. She didn't think she could take negative confrontations without ripping someone's throat out. Her wolven instincts were clogging her throat in an effort to get out, and she felt queasy half the time keeping them from appearing. She was worried she would start shifting involuntarily if she let her guard down. It would be a long couple of days...
As her thoughts wandered like Trav's hoof beats sending trails of dust on the road, her human shaped ears twitched as a rumbling sound reached them. 'Horses, and humans.. at least 15-20 of them...' She pulled her hood down over her eyes, shadowing her face and made sure her cloak was spread out behind her, covering her saddle bags. There had been rumors of magic-less men, bandits staying in the country and praying on those who they thought had enough goods to be worthwhile. Some were killed and some just stranded with no choice yet to continue and hope they got help. The group gained quickly behind her the men talking among themselves, trotting along. They made an impressive dust cloud behind them, choking anyone in their wake. The riders passed her without comment though she could see glances they threw at her. Her gut feeling tingled in alarm. 'Those men will be trouble down the road if I stay on this path for much longer...' Sitting back in her saddle Trav stopped immediately at the command. He was certainly well trained and she wondered how he would do in battle. The dust swirled around her and Trav, creating a halo of grey that gave them a ethereal yet creepy look to them. A lone man on the opposite side of the road glanced at her and put his head down, increasing his speed away from her. She didn't blame him. At night she would be even creepier to some, for her golden eyes reflected almost any light at night, and sometimes she swore they glowed when she was high on emotion... The dust cloud lingered and she looked up at the grey sky still keeping her mount motionless to let the group of surly men get far enough ahead. 'It looks like rain... not that it will do the plant life good but it will at least settle this dust for a while...'
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4:06pm May 31 2012
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Normal User
Posts: 733
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Shinno blinked rapidly, trying to clear the dust from her eyes. Now that she was on open ground, the wind was much stronger, whipping her hair into a monochrome cloud of misery, as it just about obscured her vision completely. It wouldn't stay tucked behind her small ears on a regular day, and there was no way it would stick now, not with this crazy wind tearing up the ground.... If anything, the wind didn't seem to fit. It was so wild and untamed in a place that was shriveled and deadened.
Ahead of her, a steady stream of people wove their way through the well-worn paths that would take them away from here and into either the mountains or the untold forest. Some faded footprints were still visible on the bare ground, their owners long gone, dead, or well on their way to what they hoped would be a better place than the one they were leaving. Hoped. How did these human do it? How did they keep moving when nearly everything had been taken from them? It was taking all of Shinno's self-control not to just release her grip on the last of the magic that still hid her true form, and brave whatever decided to seek her out.
Absently, her head tilted up towards the sky, the breeze carrying bits of dirt and sand that scraped her face painfully. Thunderheads were beginning to gather, and with any luck it would rain, maybe long enough for her to reach her chosen path without being seen. Once she was out of reach of the land's last, dying drops of magic, she didn't know how long her own would hold and conceal her.
Quite a distance ahead of her, Shinno could just make out the wispy form of a large dust cloud. A large group of travelers? She didn't think so, they were probably all on horseback. Maybe they were raiders, looking to rob the citizens fleeing the dreary grey city. Whoever they were, they weren't of much concern to her. The only thing she needed was her feather, other than that she would give anything up, although not without pulling a few tricks first. Phoenixes didn't take kindly to nest raiders, and they wouldn't take kindly to human crooks either. Shinno was about to turn away when a scent caught her attention. It was that of an animal, and it wasn't livestock of any sort, it smelled more like a carnivore, and it was coming from the direction of the dust cloud. Was something pursuing them? Shinno's sense of smell wasn't that great, at least compared to some, but her vision made up for her lack of other senses. It was her sharpest ability. Squinting, she thought she could see a large, lone dark shape moving slowly after the large dust cloud.
Carefully, she started to move forward, slowly, wary at first, but then she started moving faster, running lightly because she carried no belongings. She was bent over, trying to make herself as small as possible.
Something cold dropped onto her nose, and Shinno skidded to a halt, glancing up. Several more cold droplets found their way to her already cold skin, making her shiver. It was starting to sprinkle, and that meant she needed to head for the forest as soon as possible. But she was also curious of the shape in front of her. Perhaps she should wait, and see if her target was headed for the untold forest as well? She might be able to sneak up on them then. Already a small plan was beginning to form in her head, and she began to move forward again, but this time she had a real purpose. She brushed her hair out of her face, not really noticing when it came flying back. Still, she made a mental note to cut it the first chance she got, as it was really starting to get on her nerves, and in the way of her new prey.
((Lol, this should be funny when Shinno realizes that Kacela is on horseback.))
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9:42pm May 31 2012
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Normal User
Posts: 109
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Kacela urged Trav forward to a walk with a nudge of her heels, she hadn't realized her hand had been gripping the long knife strapped in her belt so tightly her knuckles shown white. She released it, flexing her hand. The knife was built sturdily though, so she didn't do any damage to the black leather hilt. It was not like her to be so tense. But it was also not like her to not change every couple of days and especially not for weeks...
She felt a few drops hit the top of her hood. Good. Rain washed away tracks and smells and would hide her traveling from others. It was not long before she would leave the main track. She knew of a old pathway that had once been a riverbed, long dried up now. Few knew of it for she had never seen any other tracks other than animal on it. It was well hidden until you actually stepped upon it, and even then the pathway usually was knee high in soft grass. She assumed now it would be barren of the soft foliage... The raindrops became more frequent, and she thanked the gods she had soaked it a couple of weeks ago in a water-proofing solution after she had dispelled all her cantrips. It would be a long journey if she made it a wet one... Trav shook his head as the increasingly frequent drops splattered onto his muscled neck and head. She still smelled the feline and another sent on the wind. Bird? It smelled more like charred bird feathers and metal than anything else. Unusual. She had never sought out others that were not humans. She found them unreliable as anything, business or friend. She had once tried to friend a girl who carried hawk wings on her back but before she could really get to know her the girl had snubbed her off saying she "only associated with humans". Ironic really. The smell came from behind her but the rain was filling the air with water. Whichever she hoped the men or anyone wishing bad things upon her could not find her. She could handle anyone who cam eat her, she was positive of that in every way. he only worry was if they would survive if they provoked her enough. She knew she would chase them even if they ran away once she got mad enough. She was a beast at heart, her calm wolf-like exterior was just an act just like one of the true kind did, wolves were malicious when provoked, fighting till the death and wearing down anything that crossed it. At least the Alpha's were in packs she had met. She still remembered waking up her whole body throbbing in pain. It had felt like someone had picked her up like a rag and twisted her, wringing the energy out. She was completely naked, other than the brooch clutched in her hand so tight it had cut her. A large pack of wolves had stood around her and she had no idea who she was or how she had gotten there. But somehow she knew she was safe with them... Her mouth twisted at that thought and cut the memory off. She hoped the pack was still alive and wondered if she would ever run with the pack again. 'Well they weren't stupid, they knew when to abandon a territory. They probably headed into the mountains.' Trav obediently plodded on, this oversized hooves kicking up less dust as the rain drizzled down and the wind finally started to die.
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4:36pm Jun 1 2012
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Normal User
Posts: 733
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Shinno curled her hand into a fist around the edge of her cloak, but released it with a yelp as if she had just been singed. A small cloud of steam arose from her hand as the rain spattered it, cooling the hot flesh. She paused in her slow, sloshing stride to examine her hand more carefully. She cursed silently as she notice the tips of several dark feathers protruding from the skin covering her knuckles. It appeared that the further she traveled from the near-deserted city, the more her last drops of her magic began to burn away--literally, revealing the monster within. If you could call a phoenix a monster that is. Shinno stood close to the same height as a bird as she did know, and she sported a beautiful tail of dark glossy feathers. She couldn't really see how she could be viewed physically as a monster.
Shinno resisted saying aloud the curse word that came to mind as she realized her target had gotten much further ahead of her, and because of the chill rain, she could no longer see the dust cloud kicked up by what she assumed was a large, dark coated horse. Right now she needed to keep her mouth shut and keep moving. If her prey wasn't completely human, then she wasn't sure what it would pick up on, whether it had sharp enough hearing or scent identification to recognize that it was being tailed, even this far back. Shinno had spent most of her time ignoring and staying away from anything that didn't seem completely human, as she knew that other phoenixes possessed the ability to conceal themselves with magic as well. Besides, she'd never exactly been social.
The lone figure hurried forward, her stride as smooth as the surface of a lake. The only sound that came from her was her faint breathing, which had not yet deepened. As a phoenix, Shinno had needed a massive set of lungs to keep her wings working, and she suspected that she may have still retained that physical trait as a human, because she had never found herself short of breath.
Her hair was plastered uncomfortably to her head, and it was so wet that the rain that fell on it just ran right off, sending cold, trickling streams down her shoulders and back. her silky gray jacket was light and airy, and offered little to no protection from the onslaught of raindrops buffeting her. At least the wind had died some, making moving forward just a little easier, even though she was finding it hard to see through the rain. All she could see now of her target was a dark smudge against the brown and grey colors of death and decay that made up the land.
((I'm not sure if I'll be able to post tomorrow, because I'm gonna bee pretty tied up, so I didn't have Shinno get any closer to Kacela, so if need be I can just jump back in.))
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12:44am Jun 2 2012
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(I think i may need to drop out of this one... You two post like... crazy fast. I mean, we may be on a different time zone, but yeah.. It's kind of hard for me to keep up with you two.. Sorry.)
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1:09am Jun 2 2012 (last edited on 10:54am Jun 2 2012)
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(( Aw thats too bad. It had been almost 2 days since you posted so I figure you were just busy and would catch up but I guess not. Well another time then. I am guessing this is a 1x1 right now. If you know any literate RPers feel free to ask them to join :) Guiven I'll add my post to this! Though its going to be kinda short, you can only talk about walking along the road for so long so your charrie better do something! XD))
Kacela liked the rain, it cleared the road of travelers who weren't so prepared and headed for shelter along the sides of the road. Sadly no amount of rain would brighten up this forest, it would just continue to east away at the dust and rock until the plants were whisked away and the trees themselves fell down with a mighty roar. She imagined this place would become a far different landscape in the next few years. If she ever came back she suspected it to have died to a endless waste, a dangerous sucking vortex many would have to cross to get to the mountains. The Dead Land... She had heard a couple of people start calling it that and it seemed to fit this rotten surroundings. Usually rain brought on a chorus of frogs, bugs, and birds. They used to almost celebrate the rain, chirping and croaking to their fullest extent as they reveled in the newfound water. Now... silence. Silence reigned and other than the plodding of Trav's hoofs and the creak of leather beneath her. She again was saddened. 'You always notice the little things in the end...' A prickled suddenly ran up her back and she stiffened. Someone was watching her, she could feel their eyes on her back, but the rain had closed out many of the scents of the road and its occupants. She pulled her hood slightly forward and continued on, hoping the watcher would dissipate like the rest of the land...
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6:52pm Jun 2 2012
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((Aww Ru, I'm sorry, I thought you were busy too. I'll have my charrie do something this time, assuming you don't mind if I bring in a bit of lightning. xD ))
Shinno shook her head as the rain continued to fall in sheets over her, soaking her frail, virtually frozen body. The wind had died, but the grey clouds overhead were tumbling and growing darker like the deep water of the ocean. She had made little headway in catching her target, and she wished that she had the advantage of her wings keeping her aloft in the stormy sky. She wouldn't have to worry about the wind, and she could easily catch the horse if she put some muscle into it. Almost as if she didn't know what she was doing, Shinno raised one of her hands to her face, cherishing the feel of the little flight feather tips against her skin. They were warm and dry, seeming to repel the rain. Her other hand held tight to the feather hanging from the braided leather necklace resting on her collarbone.
Just as she bean to start pulling a little ahead in her fairly evenly-paced stride, a pale blue streak of lightning flashed across the sky right in front of her face, followed closely by a huge clap of thunder. Startled, Shinno released the feather around her neck, and jumped back, instinctively covering her face. The next thing she knew, she was growing warm, and something soft was pressed against her face. Was she dead? Her eyes blinked open, and she found a wall of dark feathers pressed against her, just as she realized how elongated her face had become. 'Oh, that's nice. Apparently most of my magic wore off when I released that feather', Shinno thought to herself, a little frustrated. All over a little bit of lightning. She felt weak and dizzy, but then she realized that the spell hadn't broken, and that it was draining her of her energy. Quickly, she muttered a few words under her breath in the tongue of birds, and then she slumped a little to her left, bringing a pale, skinny, scaly leg and foot over to prop herself up, midnight black talons digging into the softened dirt.
'I can fly again'. The realization hit her as the rain that hit her feathers evaporated into small clouds of steam. Her feathers were naturally water-proof, so the weight of the water wouldn't weigh her down. Quickly, she whipped out her wings, each at least seven feet across. Her flight feathers stretched out all the way, and she felt more powerful than ever now that she was back to her true form, although she knew it would be smart to hide herself again as soon as possible so any remaining pursuers didn't pick up her trail. Shinno flapped strongly for a little while, trying to pump blood into her wings. When she was ready, she gave a little leap, followed closely by several powerful strokes which sent her airborne. She continued to flap to gain altitude, but she stayed low, only about twenty feet of the sodden ground.
The rain restricted her apparently now sharpened vision, but she was still able to zoom in to look more closely at her target. A dark form rode along on a huge black horse, her hood pulled up over her face. Shinno wove expertly through the sheets of raindrops, steam rising from her glossy feathered body. Soon she was right above her target, flying in wide arcs, circling lower and lower. About eight feet from the dark figure, she tucked in her huge wings, like dark sails, and pitched forward, speeding towards her prey. She opened her wings at the last second to slow her descent, but she still crashed straight into the hindquarters of the giant beast who was the steed of what Shinno now realized was a girl. A girl that smelled of wolves.
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11:25pm Jun 2 2012 (last edited on 11:35pm Jun 2 2012)
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(( I hope my reaction was alright :D I live on a breeding (horse) farm and I know Stallions usually don't just run when spooked, especially trained ones. They just attack by instinct. Let me know if I ever go too much I don't mind editing, I haven't RPed in years till maybe earlier this week. lol ))
She hated her hood most right at that moment, blinding her view, and also she hated the rain and thunder. Kacela had been walking quite calmly when the blast of lightning struck the ground not far from behind her. The resounding crack rung painfully in her ears and the ground seemed to shiver with the electricity of it. She snarled as her skin felt like something was crawling over it, hairs standing straight up all along her skin. Trav lost it for a second, his full 18 hand frame rearing up, massive hooves slashing the air. An amusing thought flashed through her mind. 'I must look quite majestic, horse rearing, great head held high, its rider shrouded upon its back with a halo of lightning in the background.... Anyone close enough to see would be scared witless!' The thought was short lived as Trav's front hooves slammed into the ground. She tightened her rains quickly speaking soothing words to her mount. Fortunately he wasn't a stupid skittish horse. "Woah Trav, boy, calm down... Shh..." He did not bolt or rear but kept his ground, standing steadily. His skin shed rain droplets almost faster than the rain itself it was shivering with fright so badly. Poor guy probably didn't even know what had happened just that it was loud, bright, and made his hair tingle painfully. She commended him for not bolting... She let him stand there for a moment, focusing on calming him down. Her mistake. She heard the large movement of air a second too late, as something hit Trav's hindquarters dead on. The horse, already spooked, let out a half scream half squeal of anger. Now there was something physical to blame this danger on according to him. 'I think this man didn't know what he was selling me when I bought him...' But she was already reacting, hands drawing two of her longer knives. Trav's massive body curled around, pivoting dangerously fast, his head snapped around teeth barred to grab whatever landed on him. But the pivot threw whatever had thrown it off. The great bird smelling of char and spice tumbled off. Kacela felt her brooch tighten to her throat. 'Crap' The things claws had grabbed onto her cloak instead of Trav (thankfully) but the momentum of the creature falling pulled her off her mount, who was still pissed and searching for his target. She hit the ground hard, which knocked the breath clean out of her. The brooch still pulled at her windpipe preventing her from regaining composure. It took all of a finger flick to undo it, and she let out a snarl, bloodcurdling, loud, and very very angry. It didn't take even a stupid person to realize it was a snarl of a beast much more dangerous than a human. At the same moment she was free, Trav's hoof slammed into the ground next to her head. She didn't think he was trying to hurt her, he was just trying to get at something and she needed to get out of the way. She skillfully rolled away from the pissed off stallion, popping up to her feet, knives in hand. The rain was now soaking into long hair and leathers, and she was coated with mud on her. 'For the love of all the gods this creature better have a good reason or I will purposely tie them to a tree a leave them for dead if I haven't already killed them by tearing out their thro- woah Kace calm down. Calm down. Don't let your emotions get the better of you.' She faced the creature who she hoped hadn't totally damaged her cloak. One way or another she was getting it back. (( Btw your fun to RP with, I like people who have their characters take initiative and do the unexpected. lol Its refreshing. I'm not sure what your charrie was trying to accomplish tho lmao ))
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11:36pm Jun 2 2012
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((sorry, just replying to your both. I was busy studying for the SAT that i finished up today, which was pretty much why i didn't post but then i realized you two were posting very long replies to each other and didn't exactly know where Sebastian would come in with it. And once I would finish reading one post, another would pop up a little while after. I'll rp with you guys another time, maybe over summer. I still have 2 weeks of school, so yeah. Oh wait! 3 weeks... I'm going to Los Angeles the week I get out of school. So then, maybe we can rp on something. Sorry you guys. <3 Have fun with this, maybe I'll lurk around here.))
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2:18pm Jun 3 2012
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((I'd like to able to RP with you over the summer Ru sometime, that sounds nice. Thank you Shifter, I'm quite enjoying this so far as well, your posts contain plenty of detail for me to work with. I think Trav's reaction was fairly accurate, based on what I know about horses, which is probably a considerable amount less than you if you live on a farm, lol. I guess Shinno was just planning to dive bomb Kacela, but it didn't exactly work out.))
Shinno hovered just out of reach of the extremely angered stallion, even if he were to rear up again. Okay, maybe 'extremely angered' was an understatement, but still.... Her dark wings swept up and down, creating a soft breeze that fluttered her feathers, and she imagined she must look rather intimidating, a large dark figure hanging in the air silhouetted against a dark grey sky. The horse appeared to be stamping around in a rage, searching for whatever had ran into him. He was a mammoth beast, but there was grace in his angered movements, and Shinno figured that he might actually be rather gently be nature. She flinched involuntarily as the stallion's broad hoof slammed the ground next to his rider's head. The girl had fallen when Shinno bounced back from the collision. Her body ached, it felt like she had been run over with a wagon, but apart from a view bent and broken feathers, which she vowed to fix later, nothing was broken or seriously in need of attention.
Her head snapped up to look at the girl, who had given quite the snarl earlier, proving that she was anything but human. She looked pretty pissed off, the back of her cloak torn slightly in the places where Shinno's talons had snagged it. She was tall, and she looked like she was ready to kill. The phoenix had noticed the flash of knives earlier, before the girl fell, and that made her wary. As possible plans of action began to swirl through her head now that she faced her target, the silver horn crest that came up from her beak began to grow hot, and a warm, reddish tinge appeared on her face. It had ignited! Shinno's crest was where most of her flame magic usually gathered, making it one of the most dangerous places to attack because while one of it's purposes was to shield her eyes and face, she could launch fireballs from it if needed. What surprised her was that she still had enough magic left for it to work, especially since she hadn't called on it. Her agitation must have been what set it off.
The only problem: now she couldn't use her dark, cloud shadowed surroundings to sneak up on her prey.
Unsure of what to do, she absently started to circle the scene, keeping a close eye on her target. The horse could prove to be a problem, depending on his level of intelligence. Considering that he was as pissed off as he was and hadn't attacked his rider yet, she could judge that he was probably ranked on the high end of the intelligence scale. She was mad at herself for losing control earlier in flight. She hadn't been in the air for ages it seemed, but still, mistakes like that were major to her, especially when it came to her surviving or not. She had meant to slam into the girl's back and knock her off, but she had misjudged the speed of her dive, and she had fallen down to far by the time she spread her wings, leading her to fly headlong into the horses hindquarters, which had felt like the equivalent of running into a stone wall to her light frame.
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3:03pm Jun 3 2012
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((Ruru I totally understand, I hated SATs... But if you'd like later in the summer when you have time feel free to pop in here or we can start up another RP :)
Guiven what does you character exactly look like now? Just wondering not sure if she was half human/half bird or she was fully a pheonix or fully a human at times. And shes all black except for the flamed crest right?? ))
Kacela kept her stance ready, two long knives steady in her hands. She was trained in every way possible for hand to hand combat. She had purposely learned every dirty trick in the book and every knife move there was to increase her dexterity and flexibility in a fight. It had been a long time since she'd lost a fight... The stallion snorted, facing Kacela and the strange animal beyond her. The massive horse pawed the ground, his head bobbing in agitation. Thankfully he did not run but stayed near to Kacela as possible. The creature started to circle her which moved her closer to her cloak. It took all of a half second for her to grab the brooch, half buried in the mud. She would grab the cloak later. A spark of light caught her attention, as the bird's crest alighted in a unearthly flame. 'A phoenix? A black phoenix? Unusual... What in gods name does it want with me? Annoying little tuft of feathers doesn't have enough decency to travel on its own means but try and steal from others. Things like this made me sick.' But she already had her advantage. The creature was one who fed on magic, the fire itself was magical and very dangerous. But fortunately for her, magic was in short supply. Giving that if she was able to evade any fire attacks for several minutes she was sure its defensis would weaken considerably. She was pissed. She had gone from being clean, dry, and well on her way to being muddied, wet, with torn equipment in less than 30 seconds. "What do you want, bird? If you are looking for my supplies or horse you will find them very hard to obtain even if you can get through me, you'll still have to fight my horse, and right now this land isn't exactly friendly to your magical defense." She spit the words at the figure now clearly defined by its own flame. Kacela had plenty of throwing knives hidden about her frame. The bird would find her aim deadly which she had practiced for years to get. Her knives rarely ever missed... Trav stayed behind her, thankfully smart enough not to lunge at the figure. He knew his place but his quiet rumblings told that he was still agitated and would love to blame something for all his discomfort. She thanked the gods the talons of the phoenix had not left a mark on his blue-black hide.
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4:05pm Jun 3 2012
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((I'll describe Shinno's appearance in my post.))
The phoenix thought about the girl's words, wondering whether or not to take them as an insult. Phoenixes were proud by nature, and took what was said to them very seriously. Shinno's form was completely avian now. Any human traces had been washed away when she released her spell. Her body was about the same length as her human height, give or take an inch or two. Her glossy feathers and talons were all black, but her beak and crest were silver, and her scaly legs were white, which was odd. They used to be a silvery color as well, so maybe small traces of her magical disguise she had retained, as her human skin color had been fairly pale. Shinno watched to girl, still thinking about how she should reply, so as not to agitate her and her steed any further. She was holding knives, and she didn't think those were just for show.
"I am no thief, I have no need for a mount or supplies while I am in this body. My talons and crest will serve as weapons if need be, and I can fly as fast as any horse may run, although I freely admit my stamina may be less than that of a horse such as your own." Shinno fanned her tail out as she banked, flying lower so she didn't seem as threatening towards the girl. "True, my magic is not as strong here, but it is not human magic and it isn't connected to the land. I had free use of it before, and I may have free use of it later once I am far away from here, I'm not sure. I did not learn magic, I was born with it, I'm not sure if humans are the same way." Shinno gently tucked in her wings as she landed on the rain-softened ground, standing a healthy distance back from the very clearly pissed off girl.
"I came here because I was curious of your scent, it smelled odd. You see, I haven't been in this form for what... seven or eight years? I misjudged where I was flying, I meant to fly into you and knock you off your horse without alarming it possibly, but instead I flew into him. Believe me or not as you see fit, but I promise you I am not lying. That would go against my nature and my pride, even if I am practically in exile." Shinno's words were truthful, but despite her calm mask, she was really quite agitated. The girl was making her fidgety, her scent causing Shinno's flame crest to stay burning. But she knew her own stubborn pride would prevent her from making the first move if this came to a fight, which by the looks of things, was all too possible. It all depended now on the wolf-girl in front of her.
"I must ask, whether you answer me or not, what exactly are you?" Shinno cocked her head to the side, her dark violet eyes revealed nothing but curiosity, because she felt little else towards this other creature and her horse. This situation she had gotten herself into certainly was interesting.
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5:18pm Jun 3 2012
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Kacela didn't understand this animal at all. She had read many book on the creatures and societies of magical beings in a search to find those identical or similar to her, she had been successful in some ways but she never had found any creatures that could morph like she did exactly, or commune with wolves as she did. There had always been differences. But she had read up on Phoenix culture. They were a proud race, and took everything pretty seriously and anyone she knew who had met one said they were a polite, though easily angered being. But obviously this twit of a bird had forgotten any sort of manners what so ever.
The wolven girl straightened but kept her eyes locked onto the bird as it landed and he knives ready in her hands. Trav bumped his nose against her back, lipping at her shirt in almost a question of what his role was at the moment. She ignored him, a disgusted look flashing across her face and didn't immediately answer the girls question. "So.." She said her voice purposely cool and dripping in contempt. "Every time you see a traveler, that poses no threat to you, you have no need of their supplies you go a try and knock them down instead of politely approaching them? Phoenix's must not be as civilized as I thought." She was in no mood to be nice to the bird, she was now wet, her cloak torn, and very annoyed. "You expect respect of travelers when you'd rather harm them to get your answers than ask? And just because I smell un-human you automatically assume I would be stupid enough to attack you because you were also not human?" Kacela was assuming much, maybe the bird was insane or not right in the head. She looked fine now, but who knew if she would attack again on a whim. 'I have never met a creature that has been stupid enough to just attack something else out of curiosity without being mad or sick in the head. So either she wants something else or she has a disease I can't see directly.' The woman pushed her hair out of her face, golden eyes almost sparking in her annoyance. They always seemed to get brighter when her emotions were high. "We are both lucky you did not startle me further because we'd both be dead by the end of it." At the second all she wanted was to mount up and leave this creature behind and find somewhere to try off. There were barns every couple of miles closer to the capitol and she could use those to dry her and her packs. "And what you think to find me so willing to tell some strange creature about me after it decided it was fine to try and knock me into the mud?" She snorted. "No. Its called manners and even though I may not be human I have learned to be civil among those who are and aren't." Kacela wasn't in the mood to fight, she just wanted to go dry off and be on her way. She was already under enough strain for the past few weeks, and her mood had not been the best in general. The beast inside her wanted out, badly. Even her dreams had been wearing, consisting of her running with the wolves she knew, leading the pack under moonlight, chasing some unknown prey that had her filled with bloodthirsty excitement. She always woke up at one point in the night from the howls in her dreams, sweating and swearing at herself. The only thing that had kept her sane was the thought that she would be leaving soon. Now this. 'Ugh.' Was all that went through her mind. She wanted to be gone already.
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5:56pm Jun 3 2012
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"Hmmph. Are you asking for my manners? By the way you're talking, you must assume that all phoenixes are very well mannered beings, but you're sadly mistaken on that one. I've never been shown any so-called manners by any phoenix. Perhaps they originate from our pride, I would not know. You're the same as all the others, judging something because they are different from you." Shinno was in a foul mood by now, her frustration that had been gathering for her whole life finally threatening to boil over. Why, why did everyone have to judge her and compare her to everything else, why could nobody see that she was just her, not somebody else. Everyone was different, and that was something that couldn't be helped.
"I would take the time to explain myself, but this is pointless. You're no different from anyone else I've met like you, and you've obviously proven yourself not to be a threat." Shinno was fed up with the near-repetitive cycle of her life. She turned away from the girl, glancing back over her shoulder. "And I'm not asking for anyone's respect. I learned a long time ago I'm not going to get it. I dive-bombed you because I didn't trust you, you smell of wolves, which have occasionally been known to prey on phoenixes. However, you were also human, so I was curious. I could have aimed for your head, but I didn't, which you should be at least a little greatful for, seeing as you probably could have ducked. An un-human creature could easily pose a threat to me, especially if they're going to be travelling a similar path. I need to get out of here as fast as possible, I don't want set-backs. There's a lot of detail I'm leaving out here, but I don't have the time to go over my whole history and explain thing to you in-depth."
Manners. Really? The mention of such things being even distantly related to phoenixes was absurd to Shinno. She doubted her rant had made much sense to the wolf-girl standing behind her, but she could care less.. Shinno's life had always been incredibly mixed up, so much that her actions probably rarely made sense to others.
Shinno spread her wings, and took off. She stared blankly ahead at the forest she would have to cross. Right now, only her pride kept her from shedding even one tear. If it weren't for the rain, it was possible it might also start a forest fire. Inside of her, a great sadness welled. She was a creature that needed the company of others, but had been denied that just because of a mutation. It wasn't her fault, so why could no one see that?
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6:25pm Jun 3 2012
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Kacela almost had to laugh at the response. No the girl bird knew nothing of manners. Did she expect Kacela to be friendly when she attacked her outright, no warning or even an introduction? "Grateful?" She said the the empty air. "Yes you silly bird I shall be grateful you didn't have enough sense to approach someone in a civilized country like a civilized being but instead knocked me into the cold wet rain and tore my cloak. Just because you are an animal doesn't mean you should act like one..." She shook her head, the folly of some creatures. No wonder the bird was alone, if she acted with hostility towards everyone she met right off the bat she would only be met with the same emotion!
The bird assumed she was judging her because of her form. Stupid. It was like judging someone on their hair color. She judged on actions alone and had always done that. The bird was very confused.. 'Who attacks every person they don't trust? Does she want to kill herself? Maybe she just was never taught correctly?' She banished the questions from her mind. Well the bird had obviously been clueless enough to think she would be just fine with an attack, maybe that was how they all did it. If it was, her dealings with their kind would be nonexistent... A being was only a threat to you if you let it be. Just because there were dangers in the world didn't mean they would all be out to get you. Yes, Kacela was dangerous, but she didn't seek those out to hurt. The folly of those with minds closed and not realizing how their actions affected others! Plus if the phoenix had wanted no set-backs this certainly wasn't the way to go about it... She picked up her cloak from the mud and shook it liberally, letting the majority of the mud wash away with the rain. Trav whickered, bumping her with his large head. "Yes boy we will find a place to dry off and wait out the rain. Luckily I know a place not far from here..." The damage to her cloak seemed easily fixable with an hour or so of repairs, Luckily she had brought some heavy thread just in case something had torn. She secured the cloak around her, fabric heavy on her wet body. She would have to strip and dry her leathers once she found a dry spot. Luckily wolves memorized the land very well. She mounted Trav, and kept her hood down despite the rain. If the daft bird wanted to dive bomb her again she would just attack outright this time. She didn't care for being knocked into the mud. And if she got her hands on the bird she might be burned but phoenix bones were hollow as any birds, and easily broken with her strength. The big stallion was ready to go and when she nudged him forward she let him have his head, the big beast moving into a smooth canter. They moved quickly, cutting across the main road and disappearing into the bushes that hid the entrance to the untraveled road she would follow. The dead streambed was flat and the rain had pushed the dead grass down, making it easy traveling for now. She let her mount continue his fast pace for a mile or so. 'It should be pretty close... Ah! There!' The abandoned barn was in pretty good condition. She slowed Trav to a halt in it, peering into the black depths. No one was home, good. On previous times she came the barn had been filled with lumber, but it was empty now for over a year. It was big, and could easily fit a team of five men and their horses. It was oversized for such the pair of them, but most importantly it was dry! Kacela smiled as she road in the opening, feeling the absence of wind and rain, nose filling with the smell of old sawdust and dirt. She dismounted and faced the doorway and decided that she would stay here until the rains were gone for the day.
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4:55pm Jun 4 2012
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A cold tingle ran through Shinno's whole body as she flew, and for a second her wings jerked uncontrollably. She flapped desperately for a little while, her mind in a panic as she spiraled down closer to the trees, which she had finally reached overhead. The forest stretched on for her whole line of sight, which was about to go black if she didn't get control over herself. Eventually she was able to level out and straighten her wings, but she was left shaking, panting, and... cold. Shinno had never been cold while in a complete avian form before, it seemed so strange, but quite soon she forgot about it, staring ahead with a glazed look. She didn't recall going into a gently sloping descent, but she found herself gliding down to the trees a little while later, so she though she must have just made the decision so automatically that she hadn't really noticed or made it consciously.
'Wait, why did I attack that girl? Who was she, why did she smell funny? What did she look like?' A black haze seemed to descend over Shinno's vision as she flew down, her wings stretched out and stiff like boards. 'Where am I?'
She felt so odd, her stomach churned, and she had the odd feeling that she needed to be looking for something. She didn't feel herself at all, it was as if part of her was missing. "What's going on?" she actually spoke aloud, her voice high and trembling with fright. The screen over her eyes began to thin, and she saw she was gliding just over the trees. The sun was bright. 'Wait, wasn't it raining?' The black phoenix shook her head, trying to clear it of her thoughts so she could focus on landing. Bam, it was dark and raining again. "What the heck?" She tucked in her wings as she hit the first branches, swerving mostly to avoid the worst of them, but a long limb sticking out grazed her left shoulder. 'Huh? I didn't notice that branch there before...'
Her confusion blew every thought from her mind and every vision from her sight. This wasn't normal. She was scared. Had she gotten sick? But what from, her flame crest had ignited before... but why? Why had it ignited? The memory was clouded. There had been a dark figure standing a little ways off, a flash of metal knives.
Her breath left her body in a soft "oof" as her chest slammed into the ground. She lay there panting for some time, mud coating her face, threatening to seep into her eyes. She realized for the first time that she was completely soaked. She was shivering too? Her eyes drifted open and closed, and whenever she thought back to it, she realized that she must have fallen asleep, as there were periods of time that she couldn't remember.
Shifting a little so her face wasn't completely set in the mud, the dark feathered bird looked over to the nearest tree. It had a small cavity in between the roots where they met the trunk. Weakly, she pushed her legs up under her, flopping a little like a dying fish. 'How pathetic I must look right now,' was the only thought that ran through her weary mind. Feathers rustled and bent as she slowly "crawled," if birds can crawl, towards the hollow. She kept going until her crest gently bumped the soggy wood. She remembered curling up into a feathery ball, her back tucked against the damp trunk, and then everything went dark as the sound of rain lulled her into a cold, drizzly, uneasy sleep.
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