Rules All event rules posted in the main hub apply. Be polite and respectful to everyone. You may only win one free and one paid Soquili/Familiar per month! (If you're uncertain if you've reached the quota please check here) You may co-own a Soquili prize, but the prize will count as both your and your co-owner’s Soquili freebie for the event. You may gift a specific person your prize, but the prize will count as both your and the other person’s Soquili or Familiar freebie for the event. You may NOT proxy for anyone. Please be aware that those running the game might have to make a call on something they didn't go over in the rules. Please respect the host's ruling. Late entries will not be accepted. No exceptions! All other usual Soquili rules apply. Feel free to PM me if there are any questions!
Polar Bears aren't actually white: Polar bears actually have black skin and hollow, colourless hair. Their hollow fur reflects light and traps the sun’s heat to help keep them warm.
A female polar bear will have an average of five litters of cubs in her life time. Two-thirds of polar bear litters are twins!
Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2019 6:02 pm
The Rules!
The rules of this are simple. You will write a story about nature. It can be fact or fiction, but it must be a story surrounding it. This will be judged so put your heart into it and perhaps you'll walk-er run away with one of the lovely prizes above. The two walkers do not have to be related unless you and other winner wish them to be. Prizes will be given to 1st and 2nd place entries.
Username: Summer Raaven Preference List Male, Female Your Tale:
The atmosphere is not a perfume, it has no taste of the distillation, it is odorless, It is for my mouth forever, I am in love with it,
I often find myself surrounded by nature, unassumingly connected to the subtle sounds of the morning's call, to the sight of the moon's light eliminating the darkness. Barefoot, I feel the grass beneath my toes - and it brings me closer to myself. I am reminded of a simpler time, a time of child laughter and the ever-present chirping of crickets: my birthplace. Trees as tall as the highest building cascaded the viewpoint from my backyard, but they were everything to me. They were what separated my understanding of the human world, and nature. The day started the way it always did - breakfast at the table, but there was never a lack of uniqueness. On Monday I'd see a rabbit, happily eating my mother's flowers, until she or the dog chased them away. On Tuesday, perhaps a deer, weaving in and out of the sky-scrapper trees, freezing in it's tracks the moment it knew we were there. The birds; oh they were aplenty. Every feather a different color, every peep and chirp a new sound, changing as rapidly as the seasons themselves. It was a beautiful time; a happy time. And it's gone.
Childhood does not last forever, and unlike the lily-pads in my father's pond, it will not come back every summer. All I have are my memories; of the sight, the smell, the sound, the taste, the touch, of it all. Gone are the days where the skies were so dark, and the rain so heavy, that the trees began to look like they were dancing. Gone are the days where, the morning after the storm, the mud caked my skin so tight, I looked like the creature of the forest. Gone are the boundless weeds in the slope near my house, where you could hide for days and no one would be able to see you. We grow up, and leave behind the simplicity of it all because we must.
We are born into a world where some of the first things we are taught are the sounds of animals. We are taught to listen to those sounds, understand those sounds, and connect to those sounds. "Cow goes Moooo", is one of the most basic of childhood delicacies, and yet, it matters not, when we grow up. I wish for a moment in my life where I stand at the foot of a farm, look at a cow, and moo at it - connecting to the creature that walks the earth far, far more valiantly than any of us. It may not understand the complexities of life, but it's there. It relies on the flies, the bees, the grass, the trees. It takes no joy in the technology we have invented, for it cannot, and for that, am I jealous. It's life is not one of confusion, stress, pain...simply because it just is. Nature, just is. The trees, the sun, all of it exists in a world that humans have forgotten is there.
I often find myself surrounded by nature, unassumingly connected to the smell of trash clustered along the highway. This isn't real, this is man-made, and yet it's what my nature has become. I have left behind the childhood wonders of a life beyond human contact, to a life where it is inescapable. The park - which is ironically the only true part of nature in the area - is full of people clinging to their fast food bags, munching on garbage as their children play on the swings. I don't see anyone stopping to smell the roses, I don't see anyone admiring the ponds filled with newly born turtles. I just see food; trash upon trash. By now, social media has done enough to make people aware of the part they play in restoring nature, but I cannot help it - it's all I see. It's like we don't care how much trash we throw away.
Occasionally I'll see a family, walking up to the trees, the flowers, the stones, to take pictures - and I know those pictures will be beautiful. I envy those people, if even for a brief moment, they're delighting in the beauty of what surrounds them without a care. People often ask why I let my dog stop and sniff. Why? Why is that a question? Life isn't - or shouldn't - be about constantly moving.
My dog knows more about nature than we do.
All at once, it hits me. I am a pebble, no more clinging to the earth as the birds in the sky; I am a pebble, my place is not set, like my ancestors, the stone; I am a pebble, and like my brothers and sisters, I can go wherever life takes me. I am not bound to this life that I've given myself. The world is vast, and I am no bigger in comparison than the tiny pebble beneath my feet. I can go anywhere, do anything, and I can become a part of nature like I once was. I envision a world where my footsteps can be heard tramping alongside the wondrously booming screams of a waterfall. I envision a world where I have nothing on my person, save for the sand I use to cover myself in the desert heat. I envision a world where, calloused beyond repair, my hands can climbs those trees from my childhood memories. To feel nature, to truly feel it, once again - that is my dream. I don't want to live among it, I want to be within it. Like my transcendentalist fathers before me, I am forever one with nature, and yet, I am not. The girl from my memories - she's the one who will forever be connected. The adult, the real-world, working adult, knows the realty of a dream such as this. I cannot go back to a simpler time like they could, for the world is different now. The world is forever changed.
Can I be that pebble?
I will go to the bank by the wood and become undisguised and naked, I am mad for it to be in contact with me. ~ Song of Myself, Walt Whitman
Username: Fatal Irony Preference List Male, Female Your Tale:
It's been years since I've stepped foot in this place. Strange, considering I'd spent just about every summer here growing up. I always enjoyed those trips to Grandpa's marina, fishing off the docks and then walking down the street to the small beach that was mostly hidden from the road. It was such a long drive to get up here from where we lived, but every summer it was worth it. Ludington is a small town full of farms and little to do when you're a bored teenager, but we always managed to entertain ourselves. A short drive into town brought us to another beach, larger and more populated. This was the public beach and though it was usually busier than our private beach it was never too crowded to enjoy. The sand was soft and light as we raced each other to the water, which was clear enough to see straight to the bottom even in the deeper parts. Smooth rocks lined the bottom of the lake floor that shifted under our feet as we waded out. There was a sandbar that made it so the water was no more than 5 feet deep until fairly far out. This is Lake Michigan, a Great Lake so large we can't see the other side, even after going out on the boat and driving for many miles. From the middle of the lake you can't see any shore whatsoever and had to rely on a compass and your own navigation skills. The public beach also had one more prominent feature that attracted people to it. Starting from the beach and going out into the lake was a long cement pathway lined with huge rocks and at its end was the North Breakwater Lighthouse. It was a popular place for young lovers to walk out to and spend time watching the waves crash against the structure. It's such a familiar sight to me. My parents came here when they were dating, having met at my Grandfather's marina. The lighthouse is not why I came here, however. I've come for the beach and the pleasantly warm waters of Lake Michigan. The air is fresh and clean and the sky seems to stretch on forever in all directions. I close my eyes and listen to the rhythmic flow of the water as it tumbles and crashes upon itself over and over, the waves sliding across the sand to lap at my feet. I sink into the shifting sand a little and open my eyes to watch my feet disappear below me. Even though there is the background noise of the other humans out on the beach today the wind in my ears keeps it to a low whisper and I am able to be taken away by the overwhelming sense of peace I feel. Despite the season there is a familiar bite of frost on the air, as there nearly always is in Michigan. I've missed that the most since moving to Maryland nine years ago. I've returned to my home state many times over the years, but the last time I've been here in Ludington was when we buried my grandpa. He'd sold his marina several years before as his health declined. Grandma has passed three years before him, and after his passing the house was cleaned out and sold. There was little reason to venture this far north into Michigan anymore, but this trip I felt the need to try to reclaim some small piece of my childhood. So here I stand with my feet buried in the sand, feeling the water wash over my legs, and listening to the wind as it danced along the waters and tugged at my clothes and hair.
Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 12:08 pm
Username: nekofayre Preference Listmale, female Your Tale:
Bran was life was a easy one. He hunted, stalked and lived a life with a purpose to be a great white shadow in this arctic wonderland that had become his home so long ago. How long he thought too long. it all started with a night like this one it was either real hot or cold. His mother and father were great shadows and had come together for one purpose to create a more of their kind and scare all those around them that no one would think of challenging them. After a while his father left. Soon after that his mother chased him and his siblings off. He didn't remember how long ago it was only the story he heard from a traveling Bard he caught once with the hopes of eating said Bard or at least killing....
The Bard had said that all Bears on the earth had come from one spot the Bard had searched for it. There was a great battle that took place against two sides, brothers had been on either one. A great ice lord from the north whom was known as the Bear a great man with one eye and magic. Who had planned on destroying the world and catching a witch to help him do so. The other brother was a man with white-silver hair, blue eyes and wore all white clothes. The witch was a great beauty she was powerful. But she didn't know it. The Bard explained everything about how the witch had woken the Bear and the Brother needed her help to put her asleep. There was a tree in the forest that the Bear slepted at all someone had to do was go and wake him then the war would come again and destory everything. Of course the bear would reward the one that woke him with power.
Bran had listened then he had Killed Bard as soon as the Bard finished the tail. Bard thought then looked for the tree where the Bear slepted he would not have anyone inferring with his plans. NO he was the great shadow here. This icy wonderland was his and everything in it. He left after eating to look for the tree.
I must find him, if he is real... Wake him and eat him too....get his power....This was his icy playground after all.
nekoFayre
Skilled Camper
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~Spazzy_the_Wolfie~
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Posted: Mon Jul 15, 2019 6:57 pm
Username: ~Spazzy_the_Wolfie~ Preference List Female, Male Your Tale:
Two bears, solid ice.
Brother and sister, they chose to take on life together right from the beginning. Unstoppable, unbreakable. Nothing could come between them. They struck off on their own when they came of age, but not before ensuring that their bellies would be full that evening. One distracted their mother as the other snatched the family’s latest kill right from under her nose, the duo fleeing together into the night to the sound of their furious mother behind them, huffs and thunderous steps that eventually grew distant as she gave up the chase. Her loss, their gain. It was always brother and sister against the world, never mother and children. The world was a cold and cruel place, and they would face it together, just the two of them.
Two bears, weight on the ice.
That first theft was one of many. Meals were stolen, mostly, to ensure that they lived to see another day. Hunting and stealing, the two of them made sure that they would survive and thrive. However, as the years passed by and the siblings aged, the brother became greedy. Too greedy. They could steal things from others… and, as the sister would come to learn the hard way, they could steal from each other. Minor occurrences at first, but they became more and more frequent as seasons came and went. Meals that were meant to be shared soon became meals meant for him. Only him. Not her, not them, him. A rift began to form between the two. The sister tolerated the behavior at first, sure that her brother would fall back to his old ways if given some time. It was survival of the fittest, and they were meant to be in this battle together, weren’t they? All of this would pass, surely. This was just a simple phase, one of life's many tests…
Two bears, unstable ice.
Well, the sister's patience was certainly being tested, that was sure. It became clear that this was a phase that the brother would never outgrow, and his attitude became worse and worse with the passing of time. Spring, summer, fall, winter. Seasons passed by in the arctic once more. The brother's stealing continued, now accompanied by snapping teeth and rude remarks aimed at the sibling he had once been so close to. Cold, cold, cold. Warmth could no longer be found. Limits were tested, limits were pushed, and the sister’s patience was wearing thin. Spring would arrive soon, and with it, changes.
Two bears, cracks in the ice.
“Oh dear, sister. You should really get some meat on those bones of yours before winter comes around again.” The brother taunted his sister that morning as he approached. There was no resistance on the sister's part, chest heaving from the effort of her hunt, as her brother reached for the fallen seal, her claws digging into the ice below as he pulled the kill towards himself. She didn't bother speaking, instead choosing to stand by silently, patiently, catching her breath. White fur turned red as the brother dug into the stolen meal, and the sister's claws dug into the ice even more, testing the surface. There was a small pause in the brother's actions - a moment of thought - before he resumed tearing at the meat before him. He pulled away a messy scrap, a small little thing, and with a careless motion he tossed it at his sister's feet. “Hah! There! That should help. Enjoy.” He laid upon the ice with a flop, draping a paw over the seal as he resumed dining, no further attention paid to his sibling. So cold, so cruel. The sister remained quiet, beginning to circle around her sibling, the only sounds in these early morning hours being the lazy sloshing of arctic waters against the ice… and the messy noises of her brother feasting. So very, very greedy.
This meal would be the last thing shared between them.
“You should be wary of the ice, brother. I believe the coming of spring has made it fragile and weak.” Rearing back, the sister landed down on the ice with a loud boom and a crack, continuing her attack quickly. Another split in the ice. And another.
She could change like her brother had. She could adapt. In fact, she would survive and thrive. She would make sure of it. The world was a cold and cruel place, and it was clear to her now that she was meant to face it one way, and one way only: alone.
Ice once solid was now weakened by the warmth of spring and the sister's relentless attacks, unstable and wobbling beneath the brother. Caught off guard, he could do nothing but cry out in surprise and look to his sibling.
One bear, broken ice.
Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2019 7:37 pm
Username: dawns_aura Preference List male, female Your Tale:
You may have heard the story... The old woman who lived alone and wanted a child but could never have one but who found a bear she claimed as a son. Who was the best hunter in the village, bringing home the most, the best prey for his mother. And the other hunters in the village grew resentful and threatened the woman, saying they would kill her son. She was so distraught by this she shooed her son away but told him not to go so far that she couldn't find him. And he stuck around, still hunting and providing for his mother.... The story they tell has a happy ending, with the mother and her bear-son's relationship being lauded as something so good and pure. This is something those who survived want you to believe. The true story is somewhat different. I should know. I was there.
I was the bear.
The truth was the village had grown in size and in greed. They were killing anything and everything with no thought for the consequences. And it wasn't just the animals like me. They were killing their own kind. I.... happened to see when they nearly threw the old woman out of her home. She wasn't useful to the village anymore, and it would have been better for them if she just happened to die.
I had recently lost my family, I was alone. Just like she was. And for the moment, my heart was moved with pity for the old gal. So I showed up and saved her. She called me son, and I made sure she had food to eat. So she would survive and fatten up.
I realised that as long as I took care of her, and by extension the other member of the village, I was securing my future. I was safe from being at the wrong end of their spears and if I was careful, I would have an endless supply of food.
Well, to cut a long story short, eventually they turned on me. Though very few lived to regret it.
And the old woman? She was the most delicious morsel of them all.
Username: SwordOfTheDarkOnes Preference List Male, Female Your Tale:
Stop me if you heard of the bears who pulled the sun and the moon. No? Okay, sit right there a listen.
Once long ago, before humans walked and Soquili roamed. The higher powers that be created the forces of nature. The celestial bodies we all know as the Sun and the Moon were the first two they made. It was up for heavy debate on who would move these grand bodies. So. They all looked to Mother Nature.
The Mother had crafted her beasts and such long ago in her dreams. She hadn't yet created any of them due to the Earth being so new. So she thought and thought. It would have to be a beast of grand stature. A Elephant?
No. They would fright at the sight of a mouse. The celestial bodies would fall from the sky. Okay, a creature of size....as well as a protector. A wolf perhaps?
No. Wolves like their packs and very few would listen. She wanted her wolves to remain feral as was their nature. Size, Ferocity....Wits. The beast would need wits. A fox! They were on the small size but they had the ferocity to compensate.
Wait....no. Foxes were known for their tricks. The last thing she needed was the Moon to vanish as a joke! She hummed then blinked. She knew who to put in charge of them.
A bear. They were perfect. Fierce, Smart...and Big. So. The Mother created her first two bears from the stars. Bright and filled with white light. Brother and Sister. The Brother was all the muscle, so she tasked him to pull the Heavy Sun. The Sister was all the wits, so she tasked her to pull the Gentle Moon. These two grand bears pull the celestial bodies to this day. Its said that every bear of white. Could very well be their descendant.
So, those with a good head on their shoulders know to respect these amazing beasts. Others...might not be so smart.
The siblings both looked at one another then back to the fox familiar they had upside down in their trap.
"Really?" the brother asked gruffly.
"You're trying to smooth talk us?" the sister hissed at him.
The fox laughed weakly. "Hey...a fox can try, but really...it was to stall for time." he curled up in time for the eagle to swoop down and pick him up. The two took off to the sounds of some angry bears.
Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2019 12:07 am
After lots of reading and some discussing we have come to a conclusion!
The winner of the Male Polar Bear is Summer Raaven! Moxxiie Colored, take to General Certing
The writing was very descriptive and visually appealing. The reader was able to mentally feel like they were there. It is reflective on life and nature, getting you to consider your own life. You are the pebble.
Summer Raaven
2nd Place, the Female Polar Bear, goes to Spazzy!!! Moxxiie Colored, take to General Certing
Well written, as if in chapters, starting with spring, ending with winter. This tells the story of two siblings who have always been there for each other. As time goes on, the two start to drift apart, where one is taking advantage of the other. One eventually gets fed up and takes a stand. There is no clear indication on the ending -- does a sibling die? does a sibling head off on its own? This leaves the reader to wonder!
~Spazzy_the_Wolfie~
and we have a 3rd prize!
Now you have every right to pass on this, as it is a mystery prize, but dawns_aura is the winner of this lovely Sloth Bear Walker colored by elfstar89 - goes to general certing!
This is a classic story of nature vs. nurturer and the age old question of "does nurture overcome nature?". This is a story/legend/telltale of a woman who wanted kids, but raised a bear. In the end the humans turned on the bear and the bear ate the woman that had raised him.
dawns_aura
Thank you to everyone else that entered, we wish we had more pets to give out but sadly we do not.
