[META ORP] To New Horizons - FINALE page 22

[Soldier of Song]

One Angry Shot doesn't give herself a chance to stand back and take the plains in full. She appreciates it in her own way, moment by moment -- the breeze on her back, the tall grass she slides easily through thanks to the flat expanse that makes her almost feel as though she has her front leg back, and, most impressively, the view that seems to stretch on forever. She understands that kiokote, Fool, a little better now, she thinks.

What she doesn't understand is what they're meant to do here. Fury never stops moving, easily parting from the loose group of strangers to approach the obelisk with perfunctory fearlessness. She has no idea what this thing is, so she circles it, the grass now a little more of a pain to wade through as she pulls through the snarled green and nearly right on top of a flat stone in the ground.

It's here that Fury pauses to stare down at it, the etching on it like a cheetah in mid-leap, perhaps, or sprinting full-tilt as she could remember her mother's familiar doing -- before it became a skull around her waist. Not knowing what else to do, Fury pulls herself onto the stone, as though claiming it as hers while finally taking a moment to stop and take in the obelisk in full.

 

[thyPOPE]

Soldier of Song

Not knowing what else to do, Fury pulls herself onto the stone, as though claiming it as hers while finally taking a moment to stop and take in the obelisk in full.

Funnily enough, the thick grass helps Fury climb more securely. She scales the stone easily enough, but even at the top, she sees nothing new on the obelisk. The etching is a little more clear from here, but other than that, her new vantage point only shows her more grass.  

[thyPOPE]

"See anything?" First to Strike called to the acha doe.

He wasn't sure that she would - he'd never had weird dreams after spending time here. And yet he'd never traveled out of the swamp once he'd set foot in it, and still felt fine afterward. So something had to have changed. "Stay here," he told his bear, and then he charged at the obelisk headfirst. He didn't have horns like a kimeti but he knew enough to stop just as he hit the obelisk, and at least he might get a reaction out of that thing.

Right?

Soldier of Song

 

[Soldier of Song]

Hearing someone call out, Fury turned to see if she was the one so addressed, and sure enough, saw a kiokote looking right at her. "Grass. Another stone," she nodded over to it, a little ways across from her. Perhaps, this being a kiokote, he might know more about this area -- but, watching him charge it, she wasn't so sure after all. Even she, usually so quick to dive headfirst into things, didn't think they could do anything to the massive monument.

Still standing on the stone closest to the obelisk, she eyed it more expectantly now. Actually, her first though had been ramming into it as well, more comfortable with forcing things into motion through brawn than with brain. Maybe she would join him.

thyPOPE

 

[thyPOPE]

thyPOPE

"Stay here," he told his bear, and then he charged at the obelisk headfirst. He didn't have horns like a kimeti but he knew enough to stop just as he hit the obelisk, and at least he might get a reaction out of that thing.

Unfortunately, First to Strike was wrong. The tall grass in the area hindered his progress, making it difficult for him to run. That was really the only mercy: it meant that he couldn't run quickly enough to really injure himself. Nevertheless, the only new insight that he gained was a lot of pain.  

[Amorpheous]

Never Misses had spent the journey soaking in the Boderlands then the Plains. She hadn't accepted the invitation because of First to Strike, at least not him as a companion or friend. She accepted, partially, because of home and partially because of memories of adventures and seasons crusading on the plains as heroes--in that way First to Strike was part of her motivation, but because of his role in her story, a important character not a driving force.

She mostly kept to herself during the journey, occasionally helping those who started falling behind and making small talk. She was a Kiokote from the Plains so she knew more than many of these Swamp born kin what they would see, what awaited them. The days passed uneventfully; she kept an eye on First to Strike, but left him to his own devices.

She couldn't hold her tongue when he headbutted the obelisk though. Snorting she bumped Grumble with her nose, keeping still so that the small creature could climb onto her head (clinging with his paws and claws to her hair). She raised him up above the grass so that he could actually see more than the tall stalks--it had to be distressing to be so utterly without view of the world around him. She called out, "If all problems were so easily solved with a headbutt, you might actually be useful! Alas, I think you've done nothing except jostle that brain of yours even more; careful, lest all of it goes!"

To get a better view, Never Misses climbed onto the same stone the Acha with the Totoma horns was standing on.

thyPOPE

Soldier of Song

 

[Amorpheous]

Amorpheous

To get a better view, Never Misses climbed onto the same stone the Acha with the Totoma horns was standing on.

The view isn't much better from on top of the stone. These stones are smaller than the ones that surrounded the Obelisk in the Swamp. Never Misses fits, but it's a squeeze. Certainly no other kin could join her and Fury without the three all falling to the ground.  

[Amorpheous]

ANNOUNCEMENT

The RP team needs to sleep! While the thread will remain open for general exploration and mingling, please do not attempt any actions because no one will be around to give you a response.

An announcement will be made in here when the RP staff is online again.  

[Ruriska]

Evolve was enjoying the plains. It was nice here, the weather was pleasant and the grass felt good brushing against her belly. The urge to run was ever present but they had a job to do, interacting with the strange obelisk and she turned her focus to the task.

She watched the others first, the Acha climbing and the Kiokote whose great input was charging at the large rock. It reminded her so much of her brother that she nearly burst out laughing. She reigned in the sound before it escape as more than a grunt.

Evolve circled around to the furthest stone and inspected the carving of what seemed to be a running cheetah, legs and tail curled.  

[NymiiNym]

"I'm Little Lady." She had abruptly grown lost taking in the sights around her, curiously watching as, slowly, their environment changed with each step, reminding her that soon she'd, hopefully, be touching a world she had never dreamed of entering. It was when they finally reached a still that her eyes cleared from their haze, head raising to glance about her. A familiar voice called out, head snapping to see the kiokote she had been speaking to earlier. Her eyes trailed to the obelisk and then back towards the male.

"I'll come." She called back, deciding, for once, to be brave. Trailing after First to Strike, pausing when he [o]literally charged at a disk. Her head snapped back as she slowed to stand beside the bear familiar, eyes dragging to few the other stones while First to Strike figured out their own course of action.

"What about running around them?" She called out to the open air, unsure what else to offer. Her eyes drew towards the faint figures of the further stones, nose scrunching up. There weren't many. Maybe each stone needed one kin to do something near it? Ooooh, she was never good at puzzles!

thyPOPE

 

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Great. Another one. But she wasn't alone- not yet- and this didn't quite match the one in her dream. Half Truth was safe for now. She couldn't explain why the obelisks caused such dread in her, but they were anathema as far as she was concerned. Maybe it was because they were so alien and strange- so far beyond what kin could do that she couldn't find herself trusting them. Perhaps it was the dreams that led her to a sort of paranoia- and who knew, maybe she was misinterpreting.

But Rose was here and she would be brave. She couldn't let Rose see her cowering because of some rocks. And this one was... different than the one before. It seemed like it was sleeping. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad after all.  

[Soldier of Song]

More unsteady than she would have liked on her three hooves, Fury nonetheless shifted to make more room for Never Misses, almost wanting to snort in amusement at her comment to the other kiokote. Almost. She only gave the other doe a quick, stone-faced glance, before sweeping her gaze to observe the other kin now exploring as well. Not the most pro-active bunch, but it was easy to look down on others when standing on a mysterious stone.

Hearing a kimeti doe at least offer a course of action, Fury answered her. "The grass would make that difficult. You're welcome to try." If it sounded a bit sarcastic, Fury hadn't meant it. Any action would be a help at this point. Actually, considering what was carved onto the stone, that seemed a good guess. She looked down again, pondering the pose etched under their hooves.


Amorpheous


Yushika

 

[Amorpheous]

ANNOUNCEMENT

You may now resume interacting with the puzzle!  

[Amorpheous]

sheepcakes[i][/i]

He chooses the stone with Cheetah mid run, tail outstretched for balance, feet come together before springing forward, and leans against it, pushing to see if it will move.

The grass, in all its thickness and height, helps him gain purchase against the ground, but despite bracing his shoulder scale against the stone and giving it a mighty push, the stone does not budge.