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 Posted: Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:07 pm
New Wolf looked over his shoulder and bit back the urge to swear. *Snow Racer!* he sent with all the angry force he had left in him. The night had been long already and still was not half over.
The small white pup bounded over to him. "Yeah dad?" He asked, eagerly.
New wolf raised a hoof to bash his son across the ears with, then stared at his hoof. Disgusted he set it back down. He was not Two Spear. Two spear at least had hands. High Ones bless. *Send, pup. Send. We are in unfamiliar territory.*
"And when we were home it was, send pup send the trolls'll hear you." Snow Racer complained. He was full grown, even the chief said so, so why did New Wolf keep treating him like an awkward cub?
*Well, it was good advice then, and it still is now. Who knows what's out here, could be worse then trolls. We have to be alert.* New Wolf replied.
"Owl pellets, there aint nothing worse then trolls, and even if there were, we'd smell it."
*If you hadn't noticed, something odd happened to us, yes, cub? Who says our sense of smell is as good as it used to be?* He gestured in the tall grass with his hooves. Tall grass. It was a wonderful sight, but he was too exhausted to appreciate the thaw much. They had made it to the forest nearly a moon ago and still they were alone. Alone, and hungry. High Ones be .... He wouldn't curse them, even in his thoughts, but he was an over ripe dream berry if he knew how to shoot a bow and arrow this way. He was four legged now, like a wolf or a tall deer, but without the means of sharp teeth or daggered horns. A few rabbits did little to fill the belly, and while they could run faster now then they had before, that meant they were that much hungrier. He had made sure his cub got the Alpha's share of every kill, but even that was slim pickings at best.
"Odd? We haven't always looked like hornless short deer?" Snow Racer asked, then gave a squeak as New Wolf bounded after him. He scrabbled away, and dodged around, fleeing his father, laughing. He could hear New Wolf laughing mentally as well. They hadn't run like this in what felt like forever to Snow Wolf. He remembered his sire saying that the only consolation to this form was the running. Nearly swift as a wolf, New Wolf had said. Whatever a wolf was. Snow Racer didn't care, he just wanted to run. That was something he couldn't freely do in the frozen mountains. Run. He never knew when he might stumble across a trap or some other hidden....
*DANGER* New wolf sent as soon as he scented the air. He was proud to see Snow Racer skid to a halt immediately as the cub slunk back to him.
"Father?" Snow Racer whispered.
New Wolf sighed inwardly. Still wasn't sending, but at least he was being quiet. Palace curse it all, why didn't the Go Backs send more, that his son was so out of practice at it. His mate, High ones help her rest, was as much to blame as any, but now was not the time. *Blood.* he sent. *Don't recognize the smell of beast. Stay hidden, I'll investigate.*
Snow Racer looked up at his father eagerly, expectantly.
*No cub, stay back. If I am attacked I need to know some one is behind me. Especially if it is a trap. I will send when it's safe. I'll send faster if I need help. Find a weapon, quietly. Even if you have to hold the blasted thing in your teeth.* He reached back to his own weapon up over his shoulder and pulled it free with his own teeth. Puckernuts, this was not a good way to fight. He slipped into the underbrush, dagger ready, slipping off to investigate the blood smell.
New Wolf came across a clearing where another small dear, like what he and his son had become was attacking... a small dear. Not like them. It had a rack of horns like the tall dear, and a small white tail, and soft brown fur. Where it wasn't red with blood. The attacking small deer was swift and strong, and it's prey was all but dead. New Wolf studied the other as it finished the kill without need of weapon's or wolf's teeth.
The other had red tipped black hair, the likes of which New Wolf had never before seen. His pointed ears were red as well, but that could well have been blood. even with his eyes, the distance was too great to tell for sure, just past how far an arrow could fly. A chain of troll forged bright metal was around the other's neck, laced in with thick black leather. On his flank was something that looked more like the dream images New Wolf had seen of Timmorn then like any other wolf he had ever been sent an image of, but still was more wolf then he himself was at the moment. Snow Racer had described the image that had appeared on his own flank to New Wolf, and New Wolf had seen his son when they changed forms. Then this one was like them. But how to approach.
The other small deer saved New Wolf the trouble, which was just as well, Go Back reared, New Wolf was always more of a fighter and a lover then a talker.
*THIS IS MY KILL!* The other screamed mentally, warning him away. The black and red tail swished in anger.
New Wolf wanted to send calming words, but knew none. What words were there to signal a lack of interest in fighting, did such words exist? *I am not here to still your kill, I came to investigate a blood sent I could not identify from a distance, then found another similar to myself and my cub. I did not mean to intrude on your hunt.*
*Another, like you and your cub! I am unlike any! I am alone! An Out caste!*
New Wolf threw back his shoulders and stepped into the clearing. He was enough Go Back to not run from a challange, but there was something else too, tugging him towards uncommon caution.
The black small deer studied him a moment then narrowed his eyes. *If I give you a small part of the kill, you'll leave the rest to me?*
New Wolf nodded. *Though I would give that small share to my cub, yes. We would not steal your kill, and would be thankful for the sharing.*
The black small deer studied him again then nodded. Suddenly he tensed again. *Do you burn your meat?*
New Wolf knew that some Go Backs did, but that most likened it too much to the trolls, and refused. *We prefer it raw. Do you burn yours?*
*Hate fire.* He responded. Which was answer enough for New Wolf.
*cub, come. Cautious and quiet.* New Wolf sent.
Snow Racer was more Go Back then New Wolf could ever be and he burst through the trees. "Is it food? It smells like food!"
New Wolf cuffed his sun across the ears with his hoof then returned the dagger to it's sheath. *What part of that was cautious and quiet.*
*I said I would share,* The black small dear pointed out with a silent snarl.
*He needs the practice,* New Wolf responded flatly. The snarl fell away.
"Quiet and cautious is booooooring." Snow Racer complained.
And he wonders why I see him as a cub New wolf thought with a sigh. *Snow Racer, we are going to get a small share of his meat, what ever he gives us, you will thank him, and ask for, nor try to take none more, understood cub?*
Snow Racer glanced past his sire to the Black small deer. "Is your sire like this too?" He asked, looking for some one to understand.
The black small deer shrugged. "Don't know who my sire is. Mother either for that matter." His voice was thick and rough, even to his own ears. He could not recall the last time he used it to form words.
Snow Racer sagged. He knew lots of cubs and adults like that back home, though his memory of them was fading. "Thank you for the food," he said softly.
The black small deer nodded and ripped off a haunch with his teeth, a hoof on either side of the beast to keep it down. A toss of his head sent the leg flying towards Snow Racer. He then grabbed another ankle from his prey and ripped that as well, tossing it to New Wolf. *The rest is mine.* he sent. two haunches, both flanks, and the neck. A decent meal.
New Wolf nodded his head. *Thank you, this is more then we have eaten in a sitting in a moon. Can we share our stories?*
*I am not much of a story teller,* The black one responded, ripping into his meal with a vigor that New Wolf and Snow Racer happily matched.
*Neither am I,* Snow Racer sent because his mouth was full. It wasn't from politeness. It was from experience with Chut, who was a cub when Snow Racer was whelped. Chut liked to take food out of the mouths of anyone stupid enough to open up while chewing. After too many fights with the trolls, Chut had few teeth of his own and preferred to steel partially chewed food from others. Snow Racer was one of the few ones younger then Chut who didn't have to shut up when he was eating, because unlike many of the cubs, he COULD send. He just didn't like to.
*Nor am I* New Moon sent regretfully. His head was filled with stories, but none he knew how to tell. *Lock send?* He suggested. The dark one shook his head.
*No.*
*Alright then, the basics. I am New Wolf, this is my cub Snow Racer, formerly of the Go Backs, looking for the legendary Wolf Riders.*
*Dad had a dream about them.* Snow racer put in helpfully.
*Several, actually,* New Wolf clarified. *Perhaps a side effect of being so close to the palace. I am unsure.*
*Palace?* The black one asked. *Go Backs? Snow? Wolf Riders?* The last was sent with slightly less confusion, and something akin to longing.
*The palace is the lost dwelling of the high ones. The owl pellet goat mucking trolls have it. We go backs war with them constantly to try and get it back. We can feel it's pull, feel it calling to us. Leaving it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, but we had to.*
*He says that the spirits of the dead elves told him about the Wolfriders and ever since he's wanted to meet them. Even took the name New Wolf as his tribe name.* Snow racer put in.
*And the Wolfriders?* The black one asked.
*I am no story teller,* New Wolf warned. *But the spirits told me in dreams that we had been one, once. The Go Backs and the Wolfriders had been one tribe, united, then became two. Two Spear led the Go backs to the frozen tundra, land of the tall deer. The other chief kept her Wolf Riders to the leafy green. My cub and I, we were meant to be Wolfriders, I can sense it. And the markings that appeared when we took these odd forms seems to prove it. You?*
*Blood Hunt. I don't remeber much more then my name. And the White tails,* he nodded at the other small deer he was devouring. white tails, New Wolf preferred that name. kept the prey separate from the hunters. *taste good,* Blood Hunt finished.
New Wolf nodded. *Would you come with us, to find the Wolfrider's pack?*
Blood Hunt hesitated then nodded. *It might be nice... to be part of a pack. But I hunt alone!*
New Wolf nodded. *As you wish. The skins?"
Blood hunt narrowed his eyes before wiping his face in the grass to clear it of the remnants of his meal. "You figured out how to make clothes without hands?" Blood hunt asked, a touch of bitter humor in his voice.
*Ah... no.* New wolf admitted.
"Then we leave it for the black wings. Carrion feeders who eat abandoned corpses." Blood hunt nodded towards the circling birds. *in exchange,* he continued, switching to sending, as though suspecting the big birds could hear and understand him, *they are tasty themselves. Feathers are annoying but,* He shrugged. *The scream real good as they die. Not like white tails.* He licked his still blood stained lips then bounded off, leaving New Wolf and Snow racer to follow, all three scenting for wolves, when none of them could remeber ever having smelled one in their lives.
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Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2008 6:27 pm
::songs filled her heart and head, unexpressed by her mouth. Too long in the caves had taught her a silence that ran contrary to her true self. But better alive and silent then singing and dead, she thought. She picked her way through the caves, finding the wind freshest down the right tunnel, and following it. Troll dung she hated the caves. She wanted to be free in a place of green growing. She could almost picture it. She glanced back at the packs she had slung over herself. perhaps the things she stole from the trolls was making her escape slower, but she needed food and drink. There was nothing to hunt down in these caves, and she doubted she even remembered how. She remembered little of her life before the caves. At least, without dream berries she remembered little. With them... she wasn't exactly subtle or quiet. So the wineskin was untouched. for now. A breeze brought her attention back and she looked forward, sliding towards it as silently as she could. She blinked as the quality of light changed. Diffuse moonlight over... wait, high ones bless. MOONLIGHT! Two moons tipped her head up and looked at the sight for which she was named. Mother moon was cradling child moon in her crescent. Tears sprang to Two Moon's eyes as she steeped onto the grass and into the forest. For the first time in more turns then she could remember, she was out of the bat dung infested caves. All caution and fear left her as she sprang into a gallop. Clearly this was why the high ones gave her this new form. to run across the grass in the moonlight! It felt WONDERFUL!
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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:22 pm
Two moons trod through the forest, looking every which way. The packs still weighed her down, and she toyed with leaving some of them behind. Here in the woods, water was plentiful, and if the berries she found were not enough, the grass was edible, if not palatable. Still, she kept them just in case.
----------------------------------------------------------
*Do you smell that?* New Wolf asked, suddenly, stopping.
Blood hunt and Snow Racer stopped and sniffed.
"It smells like us!" Snow Racer said happily.
*Quiet* Both of the older males sent forcefully.
_______________________________
Two Moons looked up, hearing the sending. *Hello?* She sent, hardly daring to hope. Trolls could not send... could these be....
_________________________________
The males exchanged looks, then New Wolf Sent back tentitivly. *Who are you?*
"I'll find out!" Snow Racer cried, running towards her.
*Wait* New Wolf called after him.
________________________
Two Moons blinked, then smiled at the pony who came racing to her. "Why hello," she said softly.
"You are like us!" Snow racer cried happily, circling her in a small dance.
"And you are like me," She said softly.
New Wolf and Blood Hunt approached cautiously. *we should exchange tales* New Wolf said.
Two moons nodded once. *Lock send?*
with evident relief, New Wolf nodded, and they settle din to share their adventures.
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Posted: Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:38 pm
Life began to take on a simple pattern for the ponies. They learned together how to hunt in these new forms, to frolic, to find the joys in the nights. They found trees to shelter them, and a stream to call their own, in the thickets of the forest. Two Moons became their story teller. She had little memory, but a fantastic gift for the telling. New Wolf's mind was filled with stories that the souls of the dead had spun for him, and would lock send with Two Moons before a howl. Blood Hunt became their chief, because he was the strongest, and Snow Wolf a tracker. They all knew that the pack was too small, however, but the awaited recognition failed to come. So they passed their days in the Now of wolf thought, hunting, howling, eating, sleeping, laughing and playing.
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 5:28 pm
Cutter sent, standing still as he sent his mind. *This is Cutter, Blood of ten chiefs, Calling council. Any Wolfrider please answer.*
"and hope the black snake doesn't," Skywise whispered.
After a long moment there was a tentative sending. *Cutter cutter? The Cutter?*
Cutter blinked and looked back at them. "Anyone remember who that is?"
Skywise shook his head. *Who are you?* He sent to the voice.
*New Wolf, sire to Snow Racer. We were both Go backs who went out to try and find the legendary wolfriders.*
"Even when you're not looking for new elves, you find new elves!" Skywise jokingly complained, clapping him on the back. "Lets go meet our kin."
"And hope they don't burn their food," Cutter said with a chuckle, heading forward.
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:04 pm
(Author's note - This was a point where one RP thread intersected this one, so who she is, and why Skywise is on her back is addressed in another thread.)
Skywise, still on her back, grinned at her. "Shall we?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:09 am
((Had to read everything before I posted xd ))
Caelestra smiled and nodded "Are they not from your pack then? Go Backs... were another tribe.. right?" Trying to get all the information she knew straight.
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:52 am
"We're the Wolfriders. Unfortunately, none of the wolves have been found yet.... Anyway, we're the wolfriders, Timmian gave birth to our first chief while shape changed as a wolf, and he was timmorn yellow eyes, his blood was more wolf then elf, but he was a good leader, or so the howls say. You need a story teller to get more. he was the first. Then down through the lines, I was born during Bearclaw's time, a little before he sired Cutter. Cutter is blood of ten chiefs, and Ember will be our next chief, blood of eleven. But somewhere in all that mess we had two chiefs at once. A sister and a brother. Two Spear, the brother, went mad, and the pack split. those who followed him found a land of white cold. they became the gobacks. Cutter found them on his mad quest after our first holt burned down. They were the third group of elves he found. the first we found, they're the sunfolk. Elves that lived, as near as we could tell at first, like humans, but were more like us when we stayed longer. Leetah is from the sun village. There's also the gliders, some of whom thought they were ruled by Lord Voll, who was kind, but the others knew who really was in charge, the black snake winnowill. Not counting the highones themselves, who were the ageless first comers, we knew of four groups of elves, and for a time, all four tribes shared our pack and holt in some number. That help?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:45 pm
She blinked "A bit. Is it only the four types that you know of? And are you all... cousins of a sort or just the Wolfriders and Go Backs?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 12:49 pm
"We all descended from the high ones, when they came to this world, but no wolfrider will acknowledge kinship with Winowill, nor do most of us want to think of being bound to rayek."
"If you ladies could keep your squirl chatter down back there," cutter said, grinning back at them. "We're getting close."
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 1:17 pm
"Ohh.. I don't think I'd like to meet either with how you describe them.." Shooting Cutter an apologetic look at his comment
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:41 pm
Skywise nodded. "For the best."
"Rayek is genuinely trying to do good," Leetah said softly. "He is just often misguided. More now that he is away from Savah for so long."
Snorts.
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Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 4:18 pm
She blinked and looked between them "Oh." Uncertain who's word to take on that. "He's your friend?" Assuming so since Leetah was the only one to speak nicely about him
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Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 6:21 pm
"We were, and I would like to think we still are," Leetah answered.
*And I'd like to feed him to Dart's Jackles,* skywise sent privately to her. *He'd give the wolves indigestion*
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Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2009 7:45 pm
She mentally chucked and nodded at Leetah "Ah... well in that case... as his friend have you tried smacking him in the head a few times? That might loosen whatever braincells that are causing him to ... be misguided." She grinned "And if it doesn't work its good stress relief for you."
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