|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 7:35 am
Wretch unfurled her translucent wings slowly, letting the sun warm them and dry the glimmering bit of dew from them. She'd slept well the night before, having found a comfortable patch of soft, tall grass that afforded her enough cover while sleeping to remain unnoticed except, perhaps, by air. She wasn't afraid of anything that might come across her while she slumbered, of course, but she preferred not to be disturbed. Typically she preferred the night for prowling and hunting and slept during the day, but she'd had an exhausting last few days and decided some sunshine would do her good. She enjoyed the warmth on her dark fur.
It was early still, the sun only just breaching the horizon. She stood slowly, taking her time and letting her eyes adjust to the light, stretching and listening to the sounds of the smaller animals and birds around her waking to the day. She enjoyed the different sounds in the day in comparison to the night. Sometimes she enjoyed the different perspective of changing her waking routine.
She stoop at the top of a hill that looked down over a valley, trees at her back. Her predatory eyes scanned the area, looking for some fun.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 4:00 pm
He'd waited too long.
The guilt that churned within his gut was unspoken, but those glowing red eyes held exhaustion and frustration within them. A small part of Milosh had told himself he'd missed her. . . Surely, she had returned north, and might very well be waiting for his return. Surely, if he went back, she would be there and all would be well.
Ah, but . . . it hadn't been well. The mare had left to return to her homelands. Not only would it be safer, but she had grown tired of the constant cold, the snows, and the constant migrating with the great caribou herds. Additionally, two-leggers were growing in near constant population, and found kalona meat savory, and their thick coats a prize. Ah, he should have gone, but the territory had been his lands. . . She had left in the fall with promise to return the following spring or summer. When she had not, Milosh had waited. . . Usha had been a competent mare, petite though she had been. Why she had ever traveled into the snowy wasteland of the north, he never knew, but it had been there she had stayed. His family herd had found her, had taken her in, given her pelts to wear, and questioned her motives. She had been a peculiar thing, so tiny, so naked compared to the large boned, thick-furred kalona of the north. . . . but she had adjusted. She learned to fish, learned to hunt within the snows, and provided particularly competant when it came to hunting from the wing! Her smaller size gave her a great advantage, and she truly had learned to thrive in the harshest of conditions.
She'd earned his respect, and the respect of his herd and family. . . .
Ah, so why was this time different? She had left a few times before -- to travel, to stretch her wings. Sometimes she sounded wistful, other times bitter, about her Kawani. . . but every now and then, he wondered if her comments about seeing the green grasses in summer, or the burning colours of fall, were hints that she wished him to go with. He never had asked, and she never pushed, but now he wondered. . . .
Oh, but he was a fool. Had Usha been lured back by her homelands? Was this some trick to get him to travel? She did have quite a mischievous streak when feeling particularly in a mood. . . Had she been wounded? Had she grown ill? Had she . . . No.
Not that.
So it was, the stallion, after waiting two seasons longer than he should have, he went after her. The trip wasn't as long as he'd thought, but long enough. A few months journey by wing. . .but never had he known just how expansive the Kawani was! He'd been wandering for months, trying to find this homeland of hers. All he had were vague concepts, and finding her trail would be near impossible. But maybe. . . just maybe. . . Someone would know of her. He would not stop until he found her, or found word of where she traveled.
He would find Usha. . . and then he would tell her well and truly what she meant to him. He was not a young thing, and Usha had been. But . . . those of the north had to stick together. She was one of their own, and Milosh was going to take her back. It would be easy. . . Everything could go back as it was meant to, and all would be well.
So it was, the gruff, old kalona picked his way through the grasslands. His thick, shaggy coat was almost too thick for the lands. Even the cool nights or frost-kissed mornings brought him little relief. Ah, but it mattered little. Most creatures stayed out of his way, and while he'd heard rumors of some great Kalona war to the north, or of skinwalkers, Milosh was not afraid. He had handled many beasts up in the northlands, and was not concerned. Nothing could bring him down, or so his arrogance and pride reminded him. Nothing.
So it was, he walked freely, with little concern over where or what lands. Lesser's did not seem to mess with him, thankfully, and as for other kalona. . . they remained painfully elusive.
Fatal Irony Sorry for the novel! I'm trying to figure him out/his motives/etc. xD He's Keiran's dad so . . I had to figure out where/what/how/why that happened, lawl, and why he wasn't around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2014 5:47 am
Uta No worries! I'm still working out Wretch too, but that just makes me write less XD She doesn't have any IC kids or anything though
Her pace as she walked was slow, meandering. She wasn't on the prowl for food or walking with any purpose other than to ponder her life choices. Wretch shook her head at such a notion. She was fairly young, after all, yet she felt so old and almost desolate. She needed something to shake up her life, some sort of driving purpose. That was what initially attracted her to the Great Herd in the first place, a purpose.
She stopped as she noticed something up ahead. It was a dark stain on the otherwise bright landscape. She was a ways off, but she saw the tell-tale silhouette of kalona wings. Would this newcomer be as disappointing to her as the frilly male she had met recently? She hoped not, but intended to find out.
She approached slowly, watching what turned out was another male closely, studying his movements. She was surprised at the sheer bulk of him - he was massive! He moved with the grace and confidence of a hunter and she knew this was a true kalona before her, not a half-breed kalona impostor like the one she had met. The hint of a smile passed across her face. She moved at an angle to him, to intercept him in a peaceful manner. She definitely didn't want to appear threatening to this hulking male. She figured if he decided he wanted a fight she could probably get away, but she would rather it not come to that.
As she neared she made sure to catch his eye, trying to read his reaction to her approach as she did so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 1:30 pm
Milosh did notice the movement of the stranger, and his red gaze caught her own. He did slow his walk, and then stop, ears alert, and tail giving a small, lazy flick behind him. He took one, good, long look at Wretch, but otherwise kept his body language relaxed and unconcerned. She was not at all the mare he was looking for, but she did look true to the breed. Still, from what he'd discovered, there were many tainted bloods within the Kawani, many whom looked like a pure, but had the blood line of many lesser breeds. Pity for them. . . but rumor had it the blood in the Kawani had always been a bit diluted.
Still, it was no concern of Milosh's. Not. . . not yet. All he needed to do was find Usha and then they could return to the northern lands. . .
So it was, the black and red stallion gave a small grunt in acknowledgement to the stranger. She looked young, small, and thin like many within the Kawani. These southern breeds were wispy and seemingly frail, though he was old enough not to take them for granted, or assume them weak. Even as he was confident in his age, experience, and size, he didn't know what this mare's intentions were. Kalona were as varied in temperament and personality as they were in color, and his glowing, red gaze watched her curiously. "Mare," he finally spoke in acknowledgement. It was neither a greeting nor a warning, simply a statement of existence, which was more than many in the Kawani received from the likes of Milosh. His accent was as thick as his coat, but he had learned Kawani from Usha, and his own native language was possibly derived from it. "What is it you seek?" Since it was clear she was staring at him.
Either she wished to speak, wished to warn or threaten, wished a better look, or wished nothing of him. Either way mattered little to Milosh.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 3:29 pm
The mare was glad he didn't display any open aggression towards her. From the way he sized her up and the regal way he carried himself she reasonably guessed he was a pure blood, or at least hoped he was. As he was looking at her, sizing her up, she was doing the same to him, trying to determine where he might have come from, for clearly he was not native to the kawani lands, which was also evident by his heavy accent.
His question caught her off guard and she glanced back the way she'd come, as if trying to decipher her own meandering path. She met his gaze once more with the reply, "I am not seeking, though it seems that you are. You walk with purpose and your eyes are distant. Though I suppose you're wondering more about why I've approached you today." She paused, not really sure why herself, beyond simple boredom and curiosity. She shrugged, her tail lazily swishing behind her. She shifted her wings on her back, settling them against her flank.
She knew that her assessment was a lie, she WAS seeking something, but she wasn't about to tell a stranger about her desire for companionship and purpose. She thought maybe she could just use a little adventure.
"You aren't native here. Where are you from? Why are you here?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 11:11 am
The stallion was a bit surprised that the mare could read him so freely, especially given they'd only just met. Still, Milosh wasn't hiding his purpose or intention for navigating down into the foreign lands; he had nothing to hide, and only Usha to find. Still, faced with another of his kind, he began to doubt whether the name would mean anything to this blue coated stranger. The chances of someone knowing the name of the mare he'd lost, or at least knowing her appearance, was slim.
Still, he couldn't read minds, so he would have to ask. "I have my own reasons for being here," he explained, weighing how much he should tell the stranger, and how much he wanted her to know. His business was his own, and he didn't feel the need to explain himself to anyone. "Though I do hail from lands far north of here. With luck and some time, I will return to them sooner than later." At least, that was his intention. He'd lived in the snowy wastelands and tundra all his life; while the Kawani was far warmer and greener and, as Usha had said, was picturesque. . . . He was only here for her.
And he desperately wanted her back! Such a fool he had been. "For the moment, I'm but passing through." There. That was all this mare needed to know, and pride wasn't going to let him further explain. He still didn't know who she was, and she hadn't even given him a reason for her approach. If she was seeking entertainment, or amusement, she was barking up the wrong tree. So it was, the stallion continued his walk -- whether Wretch chose to follow was up to her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:01 pm
The mare could tell there was something he was holding back from saying, but what was that to her? They all had their secrets. She shrugged it off and accepted his explanation without comment. "What is it like where you're from," she asked instead, falling into line beside him. She didn't care that she wasn't invited along - he hadn't expressly forbidden her to follow. Even if he'd done so she would have followed anyway. She alone commanded where she went and what she did.
"I'm really only passing through these parts myself, though where I'm going I really don't know." She still felt half a stranger to these lands, even after all this time since the Great Herd broke apart. Maybe she would always feel a stranger here. "I confess I still am not completely familiar with these lands. I migrated in with the Kalona herd that passed through some time ago; perhaps you heard it mentioned?" She imagined the great kalona invasion was news that spread far and wide at the time. "I've wandered since it's dissolution. If you're looking for something perhaps I can help?"
She couldn't place why she was being so helpful. Was she really this desperate for friendship? She suddenly felt very pathetic. What had she fallen to? Still, she couldn't bring herself to leave the stallion just yet. At the very least maybe they could find some prey. Hunting was always more fun with a companion.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Mar 21, 2015 2:11 pm
Milosh listened to the smaller mare chatter, patient, even if he had not been seeking out companionship or conversation. Though he was currently roaming alone, he was not an aloof individual and, if he were completely honest, found the companionship amusing enough. She was one of the first pure kalona's had had met in these lands, and it was possible -- doubtful --but possible she might give him a hint on where his Usha might be. So many in these parts were either beneath him -- beasts that were clearly born of tainted and impure blood -- or worse, were pure, but of such a haughty mind and young age, they felt that he were nothing but some threat. There were many fools in the kawani, in the world even, and Milosh was not one to suffer them.
She was younger than him, younger than Usha even, but perhaps the blue mare had been sent his way for a reason or purpose. Perhaps she might yet be of use to him. "I come from the Northlands," he finally explained. "It's a vast wasteland of snow and tundra, if you have not heard of it, and it is nothing at all like the Kawani." That was explanation enough. He was no story-teller, and he was not here to entertain. He was on a mission to find Usha, and that was his quest alone.
"I've only heard of this herd in passing, since my arrival to these lands. As it stands, it means little to me, and my attention has been focused less on gossip and more on pressing matters." He wasn't trying to be rude, simply honest. He didn't much care what kalona herds roamed the Kawani, though he knew them few and far between. Usha had never mentioned some Great Herd, so it's arrival or dissolution meant little to him. "What I am looking for is a mare, by name of Usha. If that means nothing to you, than I fear you shall be of little help to me."
Milosh would not drive Wretch away -- she could do as she pleased, so long as she did not get in his way. Still, he was not without some manners, and he did inclined his head. "I appreciate the offer all the same. There are few kalona out there who would extend such an offer, even to their pure kin." He gave a small snort at the thought -- many kalona in these southern parts were peculiar. Proud though they were, some were downright monsters; what was strength without cunning? What was pride when there were none to share in it? Up in the Northlands, the kalona herds were close-knit out of necessity; those who were cast out or alone did not tend to make it long.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2015 12:11 pm
She was silently glad he didn't immediately send her away - or try to, as she would not be ordered around. While she wouldn't trust anyone outright of course, she had come to learn that the kalona of the kawani lands were far more unpredictable and dangerous than those that come from outside it. She was finding the company of the hulking kalona far preferable to some of those she's met that did not come from the Great Herd. She began to wonder idly what was happening in the kawani lands that was making their kind so misguided. She made a mental note to try to find out.
"I don't mind the snow, though it makes game more scarce. But then again, I do enjoy a challenge." The mare had always been clever enough to be fed throughout the winter - she had never known starvation (though an empty belly was common enough) and she liked to attribute that to her own cunning and resourcefulness. "I come from outside the kawani lands as well. I'm not sure they are to my liking." Though she had no choice but to remain and make the best of it.
"The Great Herd really only impacted those here, but at least you've heard of it. I wouldn't discount rumors so swiftly if I were you, especially since you are looking for someone. Rumors are often the best way to go about finding what you seek. I do not know this Usha, but I have allies spread out far and wide. Perhaps they have heard something?"
She could sense this Usha was someone important to the stallion and she couldn't bring herself to abandon him in an unfamiliar land to try to find her. Maybe it was because he was the first pure kalona she had met - pure in blood and pure in spirit - and she couldn't tear herself away just yet. Besides, she had nothing better to do. Going on a quest with a kalona she could possibly learn from was far more interesting than wandering and dealing with the ignorant fools that pervaded the lands.
"There are precious few useful kalona in the lands, but I know a fair amount of them. I also can point you into lands that are more friendly to our kind, and which areas best to avoid." She cringed, thinking of the skinwalker she had spotted recently. She took wing before it caught wind of her, but that was still closer than she would ever want to get. "There are some dangerous areas that are best avoided or flown over. I also can point you to good and sometimes concealed water sources. Do you have any leads on how to find this Usha?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
