A sulk had fidgeted onto her lips as her eyes looked down at the ground. The browns of the swamp began to fade into vibrant greens and pale golds as grass sprang forth to rustle. Stalks tickled against her stomach and still she did not smile. Heat, humid -- Breach stilled as the acha's voice rippled into her consciousness.
"It's an adventure, all right," a rueful chuckle bubbled up from her throat, "but I don't know about fine. Why the desert? Hot endless sand..." she shuddered already missing the crash of the chilly ocean waters as it soaked into the sun-warmed sand. There was heat and sand but water and shade offered relief. As far as she knew the desert held no respite.
Teeth began to worry at her bottom lip, eyes furtive, "Why did you leave the desert? Wasn't it your home?" She couldn't say she understood. She'd left the swamp for her dreams and found that the oceanside was her home. She journeyed back, of course, for she still had roots in the world of her birth but if she ever had to choose... The ocean was where she was meant to be.
Jun D
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 12:24 am
Watch Me made a strange delighted sort of whine sound that sounded something like ‘eeeeeeeeeei’ at the mere thought of more puppies to coddle. “I think we would both be pleased,” he agreed as he looked over her dogs as they ran around, as if assessing which one would make the best father.
As the journey began, Watch Me talked constantly about his troupe and how excited he was and how he had been born to have sand beneath his hooves some day. Eventually he started running out of a breath and was grateful when Rouge slowed the pace.
“So, Ochre, tell me about the desert, if you please. I have heard a lot.”Probably everything. “But I must know more.”
sheepcakes
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Kinu
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 1:23 am
Rolling Mist had raised his head as Red-Stained Blossom began to speak. Listening closely he found his body suddenly energized and a feeling of excitement washed over him. He was really doing it. He was going to see the desert. He had a great curiosity for many things in this world. Matope had so many treasures he had never seen in his time and he had decided to remedy the situation instead of merely excusing it or staying well within his comfort zone. As the party began to move out he followed closely to the group but not so close as to attract too much attention to himself. Being on the move introductions would be even more difficult for him. As the landscape changed and the ground opened up onto lush plains he smiled. Rouge's excitement was like wildfire to his senses and her energy radiated. He couldn't get enough of the beautiful grasses and rolling hills. His eyes darting to take in as much as possible.
The sound of a voice startled him out of his dreamy observations and he blinked his wide eyes in surprise. Who? Wha? He mused in silence. His gaze finally landing upon the Kin addressing him. Oh! They were talking to him! What a nice surprise. Mist smiled warmly at the Kio beside him and nodded quite animatedly. His head swung about to gesture towards the plains before it landed back on his current companion and the expression seated there upon his features was one of absolute delight. He was already having the time of his life and they weren't even terribly far into their journey.
Jun D
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 11:51 am
This time around, they're a little more prepared for what will happen. The trek takes longer, this time: their destination is farther away, and they have to stop for the night more than a few times. And while it won't be the end of the world if they dally a little, the group must keep to Rouge's timetable somehow. She's the only thing that's keeping them from collapsing, right now, and anyone who steps too far away, or begins to linger a little too long to marvel at the new sights, begins to feel the ache quickly. To be safe, they must travel with Rouge.
The group is joined by a few curious kiokote as they pass through the plains, although many of them balk at the sight of the deserts, once they get to that border.
But Rouge knows where she's going, and she's definitely an acha who's actually been to the desert before. So they don't dally long in the plains: instead, they keep heading west.
For her, and for any other acha who have ever lived in the desert, the orange grains of sand, gleaming in the heat, are something of a relief to see. They're in the desert. The landscape is studded with cacti and pillowy dunes, and they occasionally encounter a cheerful, friendly acha, who will look at the unfamiliar bodies of some of these strangers and take note of them. The expedition is definitely set to become the topic of some heated gossip, and achas are wonderful at spreading it.
The group knows that they're looking for an obelisk, this time, if only because - well, that's what the last one had been. This one is the red-pink of layered sand, but it looks just as smooth and glossy as the other two they've encountered so far. Achas who are native to the desert may recognize it as a landmark. It's always just been a very tall, very mysterious tower, though, whose alien height stands in proud defiance to the lengthy erosion of wind and sand.
The tower is cradled between two mountainous dunes, but the area around it is surprisingly flat. The sand groans with possibility as they approach. What are they doing here? As they spread out they see a number of rocks, scattered around the obelisk in a pattern that seems quite symmetrical.
It's been about a week, but they have arrived at last.
OOC
Welcome to the claiming of the third obelisk!
If you have not already posted in the thread thus far, feel free to join in at this point. Your kin has been sticking to the side of the group. As in previous obelisk threads, however you may bring one kin only to this thread, unless you are Jun D. They should be a kin of any species who resides in the swamp, or an acha who has never left the desert, who has met up with this expedition along the way.
At this point, your kin should explore the obelisk and figure out what needs to be done. If you are doing something that you think might merit a response, please tag your action in bold green font. You can do this as frequently as you'd like, and do not necessarily need to wait for other players, but please wait for the GMs to respond to your previous post before making a new one.
Writing a total of 500 words at any point in this thread will qualify you for a legendary credit. The GMs will be around until approximately 3 PM PST, or 6 PM EST.
"Bear and Blue are my only boys, the rest are girls. Bear is Baby and Kisses's son. Blue is Rainbow's son, though I'm not sure who the father is. Rainbow and Ribcage had pups together, I gave one to a pretty green and pink doe, she was building a hunting pack and hoped to have one of every predatory pet." Ochre tells Watch Me. "Actually, most of my pack is related. Bee isn't, and Badger. Badger is actually my newest, I got her from the doe I gave one of Ranbow's pups to. A spectral hound that I think she named Spectre, he is a very pretty blue and I was very tempted to keep him for myself, but she seemed like such a sweet doe and it just seemed right to give him to her. Ochre pauses a moment to catch her breath, only then realizing how much talking she was doing. She gives a sheepish smile and waits quietly while to see what the buck will say.
Ochre nods in agreement as Red-stained Blossom talks, the elder's words pulling her mind back to that journey. It's been many seasons between then and now, but hearing her friend and traveling companion speak brings it all back. She doesn't hear Watch Me's question at first, distracted by Red-stained Blossom calling for Mirage. Excitedly, Ochre starts hopping up on her hind legs, trying to get a look over the crowd for her friend.
She doesn't see him though, or doesn't think she does. There's a good bit of caramel in the crowd, but the only way to be sure would be to wander off and search, and Watch Me had asked about the desert, it would be rude to leave. So Ochre told him all she remembered, the sand dunes stretching for days and the cacti of various types, how she'd met Mirage as a kid, and tried her best to describe everything to her blind friend, painting on his hide as she did. How she'd met Red-stained Blossom while out looking for pigments one day, being fascinated by how the doe painted, and how it had inspired her to try mixing blood with ochre for her next project.
Before she knew it, they were at the desert, and probably a good thing as Ochre had started to run out of details to tell Watch Me. "Thank you for walking with me, and listening to me, it was a pleasure. I'll wander back over in a bit, but I really do need to see if Mirage is here, Red-stained Blossom called to him so he must be, right? When I find him I'll bring him over so you can meet him too." Ochre says, nodding before heading into the crowd, eyes wide open and calling Mirage's name. So focused on the hope that he's here, she only gives the obelisk a quick glance, time to look after she knows if her friend has come or not.
Ruriska
Mika_Yumi
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 12:40 pm
The obelisk was a sight to behold as she took in the rose tinted beast of a landmark. It made her forget the want for the sea, as she moved towards it. Hooves sunk into the shifting sand and she paused as the line of stones rise up like a row of plants.
To the south of it, stones rested and she found herself drawn to them. The middle one -- she tilted her head -- it almost looks like a sand dog. She eyed the many canines that had traveled with them before looking to the other stones. Breach counted five smaller ones on the side and then moved towards the center one in the line.
The doe bent down and touched her nose to the edge of the center stone of the left group. Why so many...
anemosagkelos
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 12:46 pm
anemosagkelos
The doe bent down and touched her nose to the edge of the center stone of the left group.
The center stone on the left side is warm to the touch. Nothing out of the ordinary seems to happen as her nose touches it, however.
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 12:53 pm
Underneath had slipped from her dam and friends sights to join the expedition, the cool tone doe hanging off on the sides of the group. She had heard from Scrape about the expedition into the plains. Her dam had not been born in the desert but Rill and Sheltered had and spoke of the sand and the heat.
Conquest had talked about a volunteer to leave, before the winter months set and she had spoken slightly to her brother before leaving and traveling by herself to the point and followed.
She was going to be in so much trouble when she got back, but right now. It was totally worth it.
Ochre had little interest in what the stones were for, at the moment in any case. But climbing on one might give her a height advantage, a way to better scan the crowd for Mirage. She climbs up onto the left most stone on the right side, taking a brief moment to note that directly on its left is a slightly larger stone with a weird marking, before looking over the group of kin.
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 1:09 pm
sheepcakes
She climbs up onto the left most stone on the right side
She does get a better view of the crowd from here. Anyone watching will note that nothing out of the ordinary happens, though.
thyPOPE Crew
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Pigxels
Ghost
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 1:43 pm
Jester only motioned toward the perky acha doe with his nose. "Well Red-stained Blossom, of course. She's so excited for this caper," he said thoughtfully. "If she's not afraid, I dare say I'm not."
The trip was relatively enjoyable along the way, given all the sights and sounds and smells. Outcry even finally seemed to loosen up his uncomfortable demeanor enough to sniff a bunch of things along the way, and flicked his ears at every sound instead of flattening them against his head, like a right crab. Jester smiled at him widely and made sure to stay close, keeping pace with Unforgotten all the while. Before long, the lovely breeze of the plains had vanished, and they set foot into the soft, warm familiar sand of home. Not long had gone by since his entrapment in the swamp, but... it felt good to be here again, as if he'd been gone for years. The obelisk hovered high above him, and he looked down at the stones curiously while one lovely doe stood atop and took a gander around their surroundings. The symbol was curious. He squinted at it, unfamiliar with any sort of writing or symbols... But the little shape looked exactly like the wind-swept sand dogs that many kin had brought around with them on the trip.
"Perhaps someone with a sand dog should... stand on it? Or allow a hound to stand on it, instead? Maybe it's a stepping stone," he pitched.
CascadingRayn
sheepcakes
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 1:57 pm
"Well, it is hot," Rogue cheerfully replied, as if oblivious to her distress at the thought, "so hot! Even I had thought I might die once or twice, when I hunted too far. But it's beautiful, every grain of sand, and I never thought to leave it - till those dreams started coming! All that green - and so many colours! An artist like I could never resist."
She began to bound farther when the pale blades start to thin, singing back to the doe as she left, "It was my home, and I love it still, every grain! But so is the Swamp, and I love it, every leaf. As it turns out, home is where the heart is, and my heart goes where it may!"
Tender did not notice the change as such, anxiously watching the buck till he smiled - then, she suddenly realised the nature of his silence, and returned his smile with much enthusiasm.
"I'd never thought I would have such a chance," she confided, "to see the desert with my own eyes! Mama says I am as much an Acha as a Kiokote, but Papa does not feel so. I don't know, but I know I have Mama's blood in me, and I would like to see the desert."
When the grass gave way to sand, and the red desert unfurled, endless, before them, Tender was not disappointed. Her gasp of surprise at the glittering landscape, however, was completely eclipsed by Rouge's shattering squeal.
"Here we are!" she cried, "here we are, isn't it beautiful?! We'll be at the obelisk in no time, come on!" she dashes to the front of the pack, lightly swatting the pair of conversing Acha on the rumps with her tail as she slipt through the fold.
As it turned out, it took about a week, all told.
"I haven't seen you in a while, old thing," she sang at the obelisk as she tirelessly pranced about it, "and the Swampmother's dream doesn't count. Let's see if we can get you to light up."
She scampered over to Ochre and nosed about her hooves.
"Does it feel any different? Maybe if we all jump up and down on these."
At Jester's suggestion, she bounded over to the center stone instead, squinting dubiously at the carving, "We could try that. KISSES!!"
The obedient sand dog padded over and perched upon the centre stone at his owner's instruction.
EDITanemosagkelos
EDITI K i n u I
EDITsheepcakes
EDITPigxels
EDITCascadingRayn
Just letting you know Rouge passed by!
Jun D Crew
Shoujo Shounen
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 2:01 pm
Jun D
She scampered over to Ochre and nosed about her hooves.
Even if she touches the stone that Ochre's standing on by accident - it's still warm to the touch - nothing strange seems to happen.
Jun D
The obedient sand dog padded over and perched upon the centre stone at his owner's instruction.
It's a little troublesome for the dog to climb up onto the stone on entirely his own efforts, but nothing out of the ordinary seems to happen.
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 2:04 pm
Beauty Past Compare thought he said yes. Or, perhaps, that the quiet rustle was, "yes" and the buck's gaze seemed to fall away, distant and starry-eyed, and though Beauty was also susceptible to nostalgia, she did feel slightly offended that her feminine charm wasn't quite working as intended. Through the plains, she trilled a chirpy farewell, and continued to run as daintily as possible in the pack.
The daintiness faded off quite soon, especially when her hooves ran into sand. Hot, hot sand. And her, in her shame of being an Acha, but also incredibly annoyed, thought inwardly:
"Why is it so hot"
As she melted into a puddle in day and froze up again into a round ball at night, Beauty Past Compare found her fondness for nostalgia fading rather rapidly, and instead wishing dearly for the shade of some brush. Or mud. Or something that wasn't sand. When they'd finally encountered the obelisk, she stared at it with a judgmental eye, though her mouth smiled and she said, "Ah!" like she was delighted. The jiggling acha was not going to admit she didn't belong here. She belonged everywhere. She could be a jewel of the desert too.
As gracefully as she could handle while being completely out of her depth, she scuttled towards the very center stone of the group on the right, and plopped upon it as if she'd meant to, instead of stumbling towards the closest point of rest that wasn't searing sand.
She couldn't tell whether the stone in itself was actually cooler than the sand, but she stayed seated anyway.
OOC Note: confirmed Singing Sand's IC actions with thyPOPE and was permitted to include them in my reply. 8D
Maxx D Crew
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Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2016 2:10 pm
Maxx D
As gracefully as she could handle while being completely out of her depth, she scuttled towards the very center stone of the group on the right, and plopped upon it as if she'd meant to, instead of stumbling towards the closest point of rest that wasn't searing sand.
It wasn't much cooler than the sand, but it was, technically, cooler. It was still very much warm.
Still, nothing out of the ordinary happened as she was beginning to climb upon the center stone on the right, and nothing else seemed to happen as she settled atop it, either.
