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 Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2016 6:13 am
Hidden Guilt stood, uncomfortable, at the fringes of the hustle and bustle of the market. Not the type to yell or call out, he was mostly, relying on the large pile of colored rocks to advertise that there was an opportunity to get tokens from him. By his hooves, curled up and sleeping soundly despite the noise, was a small lamb. Every once in a while, Hidden Guilt would look down at her and look so uncomfortable it almost seemed like pain. Choosing to approach this buck leaves him looking simultaneously irritated and relieved...
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2016 10:09 am
When you manage, under the weight of Hidden Guilt's awkward stare, to ask what exactly it is that he's asking people to do for tokens, he glares at you. He probably should have done a better job of advertising exactly what he was looking for, but that would have required just yelling at people and as much as he was hoping this would work, it was hard to override his nature. "This isn't about tokens; this is about this lamb. Unless you're interested in raising her, I'd suggest you move along."If you stick around, you find out that he found this lamb while traveling, abandoned or lost--it didn't matter. He felt bad, but it was clear that he wasn't parent material, so he was looking for a new adoptive parent. CONTESTHidden Guilt is looking for an adoptive parent for this totoma lamb (a helpless bundle of fur and limbs). All he asks is for you to actually be interested in raising her and for a lesson. Tell Hidden Guilt what the most important lesson you have to teach to this lamb and he'll choose from there. Judging will be based on both the effort put into the entry and the actual lesson. The lesson can take the form of a story, an art piece with some explanation, a poem, or anything else--feel free to be creative as a long as it reasonably expresses the lesson. You have until December 29th, 2016 at 11:59 PM EST to enter. PRIZES 1 Morphy Box 1 Thy Bag 1 Totoma Lamb PARTICIPATIONUpon completing and submitting your entry, you can claim 5 tokens from this booth!
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Posted: Tue Dec 27, 2016 10:13 am
ENTRY FORMTo enter please use this form... [b]Kin:[/b] [kin name here]
[b]Preference List:[/b] [your preferences for prizes here; you must list all available prizes]
[b]Entry:[/b]
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 10:31 am
Kin: FlawedPreference List: lamb, box, bag Entry: Flawed approached and listened to Hidden Guilt, a thoughtful look on his face a moment as he looked down to the sleeping lamb for a long moment, before he looked back up to the intimidating Totoma. "I think the most important lesson I can think of, to impart on another is...it's not how others see you...but how you see you. It's a hard lesson I'm still having to remind myself of often, but...it's an important one." Flawed struggled with it often enough thanks to his scars, and the reactions of others, so really it was the best lesson he had to share.
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:06 pm
Kin: Streams of Silver Preference List: Totoma Lamb, Thy Bag, Morphy Box Entry: Followed this day only by her muskie, and not by relatives, Streams of Silver had been drawn in by the quiet of this corner of the festival grounds– this buck seemed to be warding many kin away with his soft words. In times such as these, such quiet spaces were a rarity– and such rarities often turned the expectations of such celebrations on their heads– or offered a little respite from the games and competitions that abounded.
She could do with a change of pace– the doe had been pushing herself all the further since the strange dream and vision the MotherFather had graced her with, leaving her shaken and with a need to prove herself– not to others, but to herself. Maybe this buck would have something of interest– or something that could help.
As she approached, she saw a tiny shape at his hooves– likely the reason that so many kin would approach and hurriedly leave. When he spoke up for the next approaching cluster of kin, she couldn't help but feel her expression soften. He wasn't peddling tokens– of course he'd be ignored in a place such as this. No, he was looking for an act of compassion– a parent for a foal in need of guidance and love.
She was quick to step forward.
"I am willing," she said, not hesitating in the least. Certainly, she wasn't the most familiar with the raising of Totoma foals, but two of her adopted grandchildren had sired children by Totoma, and the tribe would overcome her particular little challenges as they'd done so for each new foal raised by the strange little family– with love, patience, tolerance, and a great deal of cleverness.
"I will teach this foal the meaning of strength," the doe said, striding up. A bold statement, coming from a doe such as her! She had always been small, and dainty– and a lifetime of rigorous discipline and hunting had done little to change that fact– it had only made her body look sleeker. Still, if she was to prove herself to this buck– and to earn the right to help shape this foal's life– this was no time for modesty, and now was the time to challenge any preconceptions he may have about her ability.
"Your people value hardiness and acts of bravery, and your physical prowess is unmatched by any other kin. This foal will need to grow up mindful of that, in the swamp. Her strength will be such that she may have difficulty playing with other foals without holding back– and she will surely find that she is ill-suited for many pastimes here in the swamp, and will have to strive harder for smaller successes than her herdsmates. I will strive to teach her the lesson that others are not weak, simply for failing to excel as she does, and that she is not clumsy or slow simply because she is built for sturdiness and surety. 'A fish may never climb a tree, but you will never find a better swimmer'." The doe paced gently, drawing breath as she took a moment to consider how to continue.
"Strength is not just physical. Each of us have our own strengths– areas where we, as individuals, excel– and others where we are challenged more than others. I will vie to show her a more openminded view of strength, so that she may appreciate the beauty in our home's diversity, and so that she will feel loved and welcomed here."
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 2:32 pm
Kin: MirewoodPreference List: Lamb, Box, Bag Entry: Mirewood had been slowly passing between booths and unsure of herself, or which booths to enter into; but this one caught her attention almost immediately. The tiny lamb, curled up against such a harsh and tough looking totoma was something she had rarely ever gotten to see, and she knew well the stories of valor and interesting experiences that affected their naming. She tilted her head, and then spoke, a soft, barely-whisper among the loud rabble of the booths. "I am willing," she said quietly, and then looked down at the fuzzy little life, squinting to see her a little bit better. Her lessons were not of toughness, valor, or boasting, however. Mire had learned a lot being in the swamp alone with her dragon and her wolf, and the biggest lesson to her was inside, not outside. She was uncertain herself whether this was something befitting such a proud and noble race as the totoma, but she concluded she would be willing to try her best for something so small and tender. "My lesson is of the soul," she started, and raised her head, closing her eyes to reach her center while she spoke, to better describe the feeling. "You can travel anywhere, and fight many things to protect something. You can go far, far away, like the acha from the desert to the swamp, and still remember something vitally important to surviving. It's not about how tough the hooves are, or how sharp the teeth, or how strong you can kick. The thing that gives most strength, whether they realize this or not, is their home. Their family, and love, is what keeps us all going, like a big circle. The whole point of fighting and being strong, is to protect who and what you love. The core of that is almost always family and friends, and a sense of where home truly is. Any distance cannot change that; as the acha who have moved from the desert and are bound to the swamp now know. To be strong, you have to understand who you are and where you come from. You have to look inside yourself and ask if the kin standing next to you is worth dying for." She opened her eyes and then looked down again while she considered herself. "I've lived alone a long time, but I still remember my mother and father, and I still remember all of my friends even if they live relatively far from me. With the exception of Jester who likes to bother me on a regular daily basis now...." She rolled her eyes. "And get into trouble. But at the bottom of it all, it's friends that continually bother you that you can know for certain love you. That's family and home," she said with a soft smile. "I would do my best to teach her that, and watch her grow and choose her own path once grown, no matter if it's physical strength or spiritual."
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 2:37 pm
Kin: Corrosive Preference List: Lamb, Box, Bag Entry: Corrosive paused, looking over the totoma buck and the feeling of uncertainly before approaching. Well, it seemed Tracks wasn't the only one who had a tendency to find small lambs. "Survival of course, is there any thing else that should be taught?" The doe seemed amused at the question. She looked over the small foal, intrigue. "I can teach her what is edible and what is not. My sister teachers our hunters to work as a group to bring down large prey. Perhaps she'll find a place there, at the very least, have some education on how to trap or catch small fish, small prey, if a carcass can be scavanger from or not." Corrosive hummed slightly. "She won't be the first totoma we have raised from a foal. They are sturdy little things, curious, but learn well. I will teach her how to mark what is hers, how and where to cache extra food for the winter. What creatures have a dangerous bite and which are merely unpleasant." The doe shrugged. "Survival is what we do."
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 4:31 pm
Kin: Death Brings Change Preference List: Lamb, Box, Bag Entry: Seeing as there was a lull in participants at his booth, Death found a chance to sneak away. It was a good thing, too, as he was rewarded by finding a curious Totoma with a little lamb. "A lesson to teach the little one?" Well, what would he teach someone? Someone small and impressionable, "Death, I suppose. All things have an end as well as a beginning. To turn your eyes from it is to ignore nature itself. "But more than that, it is the understanding that when one thing passes and fades, another takes its place. Change cannot come without a price. A new little lamb, with such an understanding, would have peace with the world. They would have nothing to fear and nothing to hate." Pausing, the Zikwa chuckled, "Or so I would hope."
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Eco-friendly Shapeshifter
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 4:43 pm
Kin: Smoke and Mud
Preference List: lamb > box > bag
Entry:
"There is no shame," Smoke and Mud said quietly, "in failure. Sometimes you will try your best and you will still fail. And sometimes you will not have the strength to try again. But whatever happens, you will still get up and you will still move forward, even if the path you choose is not the same as it once was.
"Failing is not a weakness or something to be ashamed of. It is simply how it goes sometimes."
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Posted: Wed Dec 28, 2016 5:33 pm
Kin: Empty Nest Preference List: Lamb, Box, Bag Entry: The Kiokote’s approach was awkward, stilted, as if she was still deciding whether she even wanted to be there or not. But she did want to be, desperately, drawn in by the small bundle, her gaze wide-eyed and locked on to that tiny form, watching every intake of breath as if it was the most precious and awe-inspiring thing in the world. It took a long time for her to tear her gaze away towards the adult Totoma but even then it spent more time on his hooves, her nerves obvious in the way she kept shifting and her flank twitched. If she was more like her mother, this would be easy. Peep would simply wander in and say the right thing. Everything Peep said was the right thing. “I, a lesson, of course, there are many things,” she stumbled over her words. Of course there was many things. Empty Nest was a good Mother, she cared for and raised foals, just none off them her own. She knew how to encourage, how to sing them to sleep, how to warn them gently about the dangers of the world and help them grow into it. And then they did grow and they left and her heart was empty with their leaving. Just as empty as her belly; useless and unused, no matter how she tried, it would never swell like the mothers that came to The Den. “But my lesson is love. Unconditional, though pain and loss. Family is not blood, it is bonds. If you teach someone how to love, the rest will come. It is a simple lesson but I think it is a good one.”
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Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 7:04 am
Kin: Hold On to Me Preference List: Lamb,Box,bag Entry:Hold listened carefully to the lambs dilema, how sad to be alone in this festive season and although Hidden Guilt knew he was not the right one to raise the lost lamb he was spending a great deal of time trying to do the right thing and for that Hold had to give him a lot of credit. Many would have just passed the tiny creature off to the first Kin that showed an interest. "I think...the best lesson that I learned as a youth was actually a lesson learned from a song. The song told us to always be humble and kind, it is sometimes hard to keep this lesson in mid as we walk through life..when we do great things it can be hard not to brag and when others are unkind it can be hard to be kind in turn and yet if everyone spent some time working on this lesson then the swamp would be a better place to live in. Yes I believe this is one of hte most important lesson I would teach this young lamb. Would you like to hear the song?" Humble and Kind
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Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 3:45 pm
Kin: Imposing Preference List: Lamb, Box, Bag Entry:The large totoma was shy to approach Hidden Guilt and this lamb. He was struck by their story, and doing his best not to get emotional in front of them. Imposing was not one to be comfortable showing weakness, especially before other totoma. But he so desperately wanted to help this lamb, and just as desperately longed for a family to call his own. Doing his best to stay strong, he finally approached the pair and introduced himself. He kneeled down before the little lamb, delivering the message directly. " An open heart,
An open mind,
Makes you merry,
Keeps you kind," Imposing bowed his head and cleared his throat. "I wasn't so lucky to know that as a lamb. I learned it from another buck, not too long ago," he explained, a soft laugh escaping his throat. "I think no matter what kind of kin you grow into... If you are open to change, you will be the best kin you can be."
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Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 5:51 pm
Kin: Star Singer Preference List: Lamb, Box, Bag Entry: Prancing over hearing the rumor of a lost lamb, Star Singer smiled bright at the serious watcher. "Greeting! Im Star Singer, and I brought you.... these!"  They are the stars above, at night - you can navigate by them. I can teach the little one to read the stars, so never again shall they be lost! The leaves wont last that long, but the lessons can last forever!"
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Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 6:14 pm
Kin: Blood of Mine Preference List: Totoma Lamb, Morphy Box, Thy Bag Entry:Blood of Mine was always drawn in by babies. She couldn’t help herself. Younglings were love and hope, tiny life waiting to happen, an undeniably bright spot in the world waiting to become its own complicated web. There was something wonderful about them.
The fact that this lamb had been abandoned nearly broke her heart, but that Hidden Guilt was helping find the lamb a loving home helped. She was sure that the proper home would be found – and if she could be the proper home, she would be delighted.
The question of the ‘most important lesson’ was… well, a complicated one. Blood of Mine turned her soft glance to the sleeping doe, a gentle smile growing on her face as she thought – and chose to share some of her process aloud. “You hope to teach them all they need to know, to teach them both strength and how to be soft in the face of harshness, hope and kindness, and how to stand up for themselves… How to find joy. How to process grief, and accept the harder lessons that come beyond your own teaching…”
She was rambling. She wasn’t getting to the point. She was tempted to touch a gentle nose to the doe’s forehead, but she pulled back and shook herself. Focus. Blood of Mine looked back at Hidden Guilt and took a breath, eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly as she considered her answer again. “I think that perhaps the most important lesson a parent can teach a child, any child, is love, and all that it carries with it. Patience, care, protection… love.” That was the best that she could offer. And she truly believed that whichever parent found the lamb, it would be their offer as well.
She was sure, however, that the right home would be found, whoever was chosen to be parent.
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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2017 10:10 pm
Perhaps it was a surprise for a Totoma to choose a dainty doe with impractical hair and whisper-soft words to raise another Totoma, but Hidden Guilt had seen enough of strength and skill for a lifetime. Those things, this lamb could learn from anyone, but from a caretaker, Hidden Guilt hoped that she would learn the integrity of character that he had watched others willfully violate for gain or out of simple impulsiveness. He wanted her to become someone that he could look upon and not find repulsive.
He did not smile when he gently nudged the lamb awake; it was too hard. He spoke solemnly to Mirewood ",She's yours to protect now. Yours to teach. Yours to raise. Yours to shape into a doe worth dying for."Congratulations Kuro and Mika, we will be certing these to you soon!Thank you to everyone for entering! I really enjoyed reading everyone's entries and I really wish that I could have given more lambs out!
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