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 Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 8:33 pm
It had been a long, long night. Clover had been released from the constant care of the medics a few nights ago, and now found herself home once more, and being coddled and pampered by her flock, which obviously had been missing her. Her ears still rang and buzzed on occasion, which she thought was strange. The majority of her aches and bruises had faded, though she still found extended periods of activity strenuous, but whatever seemed to have happened to her ears was not going away. The medics had been unable to explain it, and had suggested she keep to a quiet environment for a while. Of course, she'd rebutted them immediately, claiming that her workplace was her home, and that she'd been around he chatter of parus forever, and would do worse without it, thank you very much.
Eventually the parus lost interest in their master, and she sent them almost all away, carrying out errands and reporting the reasons for the delays in her performances and the like to those who'd been expecting them. The seed stores were still adequate, though the berries and fruits were all but completely gone. It seemed the birds had not been starving without her. She had been glad to see only a small handful had been killed in the storm as well. Few losses right now made it easier to repair. A large branch had broken from one of her main trees, taking a favored perch with it, but there was nothing as could be done there. She had sent a few of the birds off to look for any good crafters to see about repairs to the more minor damage.
Now finding herself alone, she strode out onto one of the wide performance platforms and peered upwards into the canopy. A faint whisper in the back of her mind crescendoed into a whirring buzz, and she ducked away from the open space after a moment, eartufts flattened and face turned down in a slight scowl. The noise left as quick as it came, and she shook her head to clear her ears. A stiff breeze caught her as she slipped under a low branch, and she fluffed her feathers against it. "Quite enough of cold and wind and rain lately, if you ask me." She muttered.
Realizing she was tired, and bored with the silence, she made her way towards her sleeping hollow. Usually a swarm of parus would follow her, fighting and squawking to get a warm spot beside her, but tonight she found the place empty. It was sort of sad, in a distant way, though she let herself think little of it, instead hunkering down towards the back of the deep hole, fluffing and puffing to warm herself as she drifted towards a light slumber.
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2008 11:22 pm
The storm had passed and life was moving. Sentinels where making arrangements to fix the damages to their homes or finding new territories in the situations that showed that their homes where no longer safe or, for some, no longer standing. Hunters, Gatherers, and all those with the duties to do similar jobs to help out the clan where working hard, or as hard as they could considering that they were not use to hunting for more than just themselves. Bards where still conversing, stringing songs and stories as they hunted, making time for quick chat between their rounds and dropping off their catches and there was a general sense of something closer as the entire whole of the clan worked to rebuild itself. The older Sentinels where calling the storm an act of fate, some blaming it on the increase of aberrants and others on superstition.
Sly felt in his element. Hunter was what he did and a cause to overwork was just want he liked. It also made him feel that, in these times, he was more of an asset to the clan and there would be a stronger realization on how dedicated he took his profession. Hope sprung eternal in his hope to be an Elite and be considered for more, though during his work, it had not been the only thing on his mind.
Due to more parties hunting and more around the areas around the territories, Sly had to move further out to make the larger and more successful catches, resulting in longer trips. He had returned after one and feeling he could splurge some time, went to see if Clover was free, check on her condition, and make sure Chase wasn’t guarding her. Sly was eager for Chase to make a move.
Upon his visit, he found Clover gone and was told she was able to go home. Just as concerned, they asked that, if he was going that way, to tell them her condition if he had the time. Sly said he wouldn’t have, but as he flew off, debating if he should go hunting again or go home, he decided to check up on her. Just, to see if she made it home and if she needed to return to the Medics.
Knowing the way, he flew to her territory. It was altered from when he saw it last, changed from the storm, and the trees that surrounded her territory showed signs of damage. Maybe it wasn’t safe for her to stay here. Wondering this, he found her tree and noticed movement, a colored figure moving into the confines of the tree. Flying down, he landed and called out. “Hello? Clover?” He called out, his voice normal but wondering if he should not be loud in case she was getting the rest she needed.
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2008 7:39 pm
Just as her wing lifted to permit her head to slip tiredly under, a voice drifted past Clover, and she stopped. "Mmm?" She mumbled, not near loud enough to be heard from Sly's distance, but a sign that she wasn't going to fall asleep just yet. Her movements reversed, and as the voice filtered through her mind a bit more, began to speed up. "Sly?" She questioned, louder this time.
There he was, just off a few trees away. She spotted him as she turned around and came back halfway out from her shelter. "You can come down." She yawned, gesturing for him to do so, and gave a brisk shake, clacking her beak to rouse a little more. After the movement, she ended with her face turned in a small smile. Oddly it seemed, she was growing fond of that dark, scowling bird. She wasn't sure what made her so, but sh did enjoy him being around.
"Come for pleasure or business?" She quipped, her tone half-joking. She knew it was unusual for the shadow to do anything outside his usual routine, especially if it was on another's behalf. And it was unusual for herself to solicit visitors outside of her working hours, at least, without herself being the instigator of the event. But tonight she welcomed the familiar face, for one reason or another.
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2008 9:32 pm
Sly turned when he spotted Clover, noting he had been at the wrong tree. Turning, his eartufts rose to show he had seen her and that he heard her call out. She seemed generally perplexed that he was here, and Sly wondered if he was being too aggravating by another visit after leaving the Medics. She probably wanted her own time and did not want to entertain, though Sly would make it a point to not cause her any annoyance. A check in to see her condition was what he was after. The quip about business or pleasure perplexed him. Business was a pleasure, was it not?
Lifting up, Sly swooped down and then up to grab at the platform Clover was upon, pulling his wings close once he was secure on the branch. He took little time in looking her over, before giving an approving smile. “You look well.” He said. More specifically, he was stating on how she didn’t look like she would fall from her perch. Clover still looked tired though. “I hope I didn’t’ wake you. “ He said, his voice back to a gentleman’s tone. Sly’s eyes took a quick view. She looked like she had been sleeping and looking about, no one else seemed about. Sly was on his guard with Chase stating he would cause him trouble, and though the little mus-for-brains was still a novice, even he could cause him trouble.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 6:38 pm
Clover noticed when Slywas looking at her. That was odd. Usually she really didn't take note when anyone watched her. Ah well. It probably was because she was used to splitting her attention between each of the multitudes of parus. With only Sly here, her full attention could be on him."No, you didn't wake me." She smiled. He'd been close to waking her, and if he'd come a moment later he would have, but not just yet. "And thank you. I feel much better. I've had to send everyone away from her for a while though. They have other duties, errands to run and supplies to restock, and until the last bits of this mess from the storm settles, I'm afraid we can't do much in the way of drills or training. And I need to get a few things fixed around here, obviously." She motioned with a wing at the damaged trees and platforms. "I presume your lot fared well." It was less of a question as a statement. She knew Sly would have designed his home to stand any event, even one as unforseen as the storm.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 7:10 pm
“Yes, a lot of our normal business seems to have changed, but it’s for the best. With determination and our best efforts, we are sure to get back to where we were before, a few branches aside.” He said, waving to the forest about them. Her territory had taken on a good blunt of the damage from the storm, but after hunting and flying to deliver goods, he had seen that it wasn’t just her area. It seemed many homes where snapped, stripped, or uprooted! They would be fixed as best they could and with the spring rain, it would bring new foliage and plants to cover up the mess to look natural once more.
At the mention of his territory, he brushed it aside with a small gesture. “My territory has not been spared, sad to say. A sister tree that was part of my home and a favorite resting spot had been snapped. It’s resting and I have yet to try and see if it’s safe as a perch as it’s only holding on by half of it’s sprouted parts and trunk, but I don’t see it being of much use now. A lot of debris from the river also washed onto the ground below and brought a good deal of debris with it. I’m waiting for it all to dry at this point. Still, these things have a tendency to fix themselves and I’m hardly ever home at this point with all the errands that are demanded. I have yet to see Dayga.” He said, his pet of little importance to him. Still, with all the serpe went through, it proved to endure a lot of things, especially in Sly’s care.
Looking about, he turned back to look at her. “If .. you need any help with your territory, just ask. Are you doing well for food?” He wondered if she was capable of flying for long periods and strain herself with the riggors of hunting and gathering. Especially since a lot of Sentinels where stripping areas of berries, nuts, and various other goods in the pursuit to bring back the reserves that was lost in the storm. Sly didn’t know for sure, but it looked like the Matron looked troubled to him.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 7:26 pm
Clover nodded, knowing well Sly would not be worried for his serpe. She was more surprised (nicely so, she had to add) that he was concerned about her having enough to eat. "Oh, no, for now I'm fine. It's kind of you to worry though. No, even with everyone who was stuch here for the storm eatingtheir way throughsome of my stores, I still have plenty to hold over for...maybe a full moon if I ration it correctly. Once my crew gets back we can start building up again. It would be a shame to feast well now, then starve when winter comes." She cocked her head slightly, then added, "Are you well off? I mean...while you're here, would you like to eat?"
She sat calmly while she waited on his reply. The quiet was nice, but Clover had an itching feeling that a little noise would be better. It seemed that more often when things were quiether ears would...ah, there it came. The usual building ring. It didn't surpriseher as much now, though she wishedshe knew what was making the noise. It was almost like some errant bard was stalking her, ringing his bells fervently whenever he thought things were too quiet...or just at random.She sighed, looking around. Maybe Sly heard ittoo, but he seemed not to. A moment later it was gone, and she flicked her eartufts and refocused on the shadow, worried she may have missed his reply in her distraction.
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Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:03 pm
Worried? …maybe partially. It would do him no good to invest his time in Clover when she would up and die and it would be even more damaging to the clan to have someone of her caliber die on them. If there was anything they needed, it was people to train others for the benefit of their group. Sly was pretty much assured at this point that Clover was indeed a teacher of a very high status. Maybe sporting some years of experience, she was now training others. Despite Sly being very appreciative of the teacher he had, he wondered how he would have turned out if Clover had been teaching him. Then again, would things be different now? He probably would only be able to think of her as a teacher and speaking on these terms would be less comfortable and oddly enough, that’s how things where. Comfortable. True, Sly would feel even better if he could discard his gentleman’s persona but he was so use to putting up fake facades that he hardly felt himself tired by it. It all came very easily to him and at least with Clover, he could insult the bards, artisans, and make quips about nibbling companions without someone rushing to the first higher up to tell.
At the mention of food, he shook his head. True, he had been out a lot, but he wasn’t about to bother her much. “Oh no. I’m fine. I find if I eat too much, I become tired to easily and sluggish in my work. I’ll eat later on.” …if he had the time. “I haven’t been feeling that hungry anyways.” Not with what he had seen a few days back. Fog’s mother was still in his mind and the thought made him ill and he felt the sour taste of guilt and worry for his own parents despite everything. Feelings where a thing you just couldn’t stomp out or strangle. Thinking of family, he looked back up to Clover.
“How are you friend’s and family? Are they all doing well after the storm?” He wondered who Clover associated with and where she came from, be it family or Minder.
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Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 5:30 am
Clover stretched while Sly chatted, efficiently preening her wing as she did so. "If you're sure then. I'm sure you've had little trouble hunting then?" She looked up at the sound of a parus settling in the branches above. It was Sharp, and he hopped back and forth on his branch, seeing Clover was well and up. For a moment Clover was tempted to call him down, but then waved him away. The little thing seemed to understand what she wanted, and made a beeline for her storage trees to find a meal for himself.
"It would seem they're doing fine. My family lives aways deeper into the deepwoods, and their trees are rather sturdy. You know that wide swath of pines? They're not in those, but around the Maples on the lee-side. The Pines took some damage, but nothing too bad. As for my friends, they're fine as well. One, a youngranger, was caught out by the border. She and a few others found what could be Spectre shells in the shelter they took up in. I believe a group of elites are looking into it, though I'm sure you know how reliable second-hand information can be."
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Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 8:04 pm
Sly settled, letting his limbs rest as he listened. He wasn’t so much asking her if everyone was safe but to know if there where any more lives taken. He wanted to know how much the storm had taken from them all, as a whole group, and if there was a serious danger to their clan. Despite not being in any high position, he still felt a sense of duty to be worried and paranoid enough for everyone. It seemed that everyone else was care free on the matter when it concerned the future of their group, but Sly seemed to always look in that direction. What could happen? How could things change? How could he change it for the better or what mishaps could lead things downhill? It was a rather destructive way of thinking too, seeing as only some things where in his control, but he did work well with the ones that where in his grasp.
He also felt a bit worried ever since that trip with Fog, the teacher, and happening upon her now deceased mother. He would never get the way a Sentinel’s body looked when it passed away out of his mind and it seemed to fester and rot in his mind just as the body did now. “That is good. I was just worried. We happened upon a Sentinel a few days ago. A teacher named Fog, her mother, passed away during the storm.” He said, his voice laced with an unused mourning. A second of silence passed before he looked up and returned to something that would normally intrigue him from the very start. “Spectre eggs you say? Were exactly at? I wonder if it’s all gossip, seeing as we have that little fledgling in our group.”
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 11:19 am
Clover bowed her head solemnly, quietly mourning for the unknown families that might have lost someone in the storm. "It is always a sorrow when friends or family leave this world, though I suppose it is our job to continue on." She said after a fashion, flicking her head as if to rid herself of gloomy thoughts. After all, if those who died lived as real Sentinels, for and by the clan, they would want their passing lingered over as little as possible. It was not good for the clan, especially with so many repairs to be made, to dwell long on those matters they could not change.
"As to the eggs, I've only heard a little. Something about there being shards in the shelter my friend, the ranger ended up in, but not much more." She commented, trying to recall what she'd heard through the grapevine about the area near the site of the eggs. She'd rarely gone half as far from her home as that before, but she did know that some stories and rumors had spread back to her own area. "I don't think anyone is really sure they're Spectre eggs anyway. It's good that there are some who might be looking into it, but do you really think that could be what it is? I mean, Spectres haven't been seen in ages. At least, other than that one..." She trailed off after a while, vaguely wondering what would happen if there were more Spectres about. Maybe when the parus she'd sent off returend some would have heard something interesting.
As if in response to her thoughts, several more parus came flying in, perching in the branches around the tree Clover and Sly were on. A few chattered to themselves, and one seemed to have taken a shine to Sly, and was bobbing up and down each time the shadow made any sort of move. A few were making signs of hunger, reminding the mist that Sly had declined to eat. She certainly would be hungry though, if she'd been flying all night. "Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" She asked again, a glimmer of concern in her eyes. "It's really no trouble.." She shuffled a bit, hoping that he would agree this time.
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Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 8:36 pm
Sly had been fishing for info from the Elite. He was connected, though only though his own special way. Gossip floated and it wasn’t hard to pick up chatter. He often found reliable bits of information when he prodded, but with all the commotion from the storm and all that was put on his plate, he hadn’t been at his best to keep up with it and had obviously missed out on prime information. He would have to drag himself out of his little ho-hum mood and investigate on this matter.
Still, Clover seemed just as uninformed and he let it go, for now. He wondered if he should tell her about what he had in mind about the Spectres. How much of a treat he actually felt they were and what plans he already had now in the works to make the entire populace of Noctua wary of them. All of them. To be alert. Though it was rumors, he felt it should be taken as proof.
“I would take it as the truth. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Just because we don’t see them, doesn’t mean the Specters aren’t hiding. They had to come from some place and I heard they liked the cold. They could be hiding somewhere where the rangers haven’t spotted them. There are plenty of places that we haven’t investigates or patrolled all that often. If he had more rangers, we would be better off, but so few of them have to cover such a wide area. If we already found a hatchling, it’s proof there was a family out there to make it. I think our clan is being too lax in feeling safe, with the Brigadier around to make them feel sheltered, that they do not see any treats anymore. It’s why we have so many bards and artisans now. They just don’t feel it’s important to worry and the parents are slowly thinking the same. It’s downright terrible.” It made Sly worry. It always did.
He looked up at the chirping of birds, wincing at their ruckus. Noisy. He didn’t like it. He liked it even less when he watched one bob up and down, watching him and entertaining himself by mocking his movements. Damn companions. His eyes tore when Clover offered him food and he noted her expression. Worry. He didn’t like it that she kept looking like that. Here she was the one broken from the storm. Was he looking that moody?
“I guess, a little, but tell me where it is. You shouldn’t be moving up and down all around.” He said, fluttering a bit to stretch his wings and feel ready for at least a little movement. Tasks occupied his mind.
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