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 Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:08 pm
 The doe stumbled out of the swamp towards the gathering of kin, her legs shaky and her teeth chattering with the cold. The dark tips of her hair were encased in ice and the tuft of her tail glittered with frost. Mud was frozen into her leg-fur all the way up to her pink knees, and the blunted bumps of her backspines were sheathed with caps of ice. She had fallen through the ice on a half-frozen stream a few miles back and the chill of the water underneath had shocked her to the bone, sending her mind reeling. Her eyes cast about wildly, for help, unsure of who to settle on. "P-please," she muttered, a shiver running through her causing the icicles in her hair to rattle together. She wasn't sure what she was asking, or from whom she was asking it. She wasn't even sure where she was, really. The dreams had driven her northward, pulling at the scraps of her already tattered mind, and she wasn't sure if she were awake or dreaming even now -- the soft whiteness of the snow blurred the edges of everything, and her frozen muscles moved slowly, as if through some invisible barrier.
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 2:15 pm
She had done it. Left her companions in the care of her almost-daughter, and followed the dreams north. And nothing but cold, and death, and violent, bloody dreams had come from it. She had been beginning to doubt why she was here, this far north, so far away from where she usually roamed. But as she saw the knot of cold, sluggish kin walking about listlessly, she knew it was, at least partially, to help.
Silver glanced at the scene unfolding in front of her, hesitant to join the crush of kin before her as she watched them grow closer. She was small, wouldn't be of too much use to warm the others, and she generally did not like getting so close... but then she caught sight of the ice-encrusted doe. Black hair, probably unkempt at the best of times, was frozen into twisted, tangled icicles, and blunted backspines held a crust of ice to a chilled back. Her fur, too, seemed to be waterlogged, and she watched as the smears of mud grew whiter with freezing... the doe couldn't help herself as she strode forwards, pressing a cold-looking flank against the doe's.
"Let's walk you over to that fallen tree over there," she suggested lightly, half-steering the chattering doe to the place she'd mentioned. It provided no shelter to the wind on the one side... she frowned, leading the poor, shivering thing to the other side, seeing a drift of snow that had piled up, given refuge from the cold breeze.
"Of course." She shook her head. "Maybe one of the trees over there would provide a little solace from this awful wind?"
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:15 pm
 Lost in thought, Smoldering Reverie didn't notice the buck approaching the group at first. She was also slightly separated from the gathering, still unsure of her place, too used to and too comfortable in her solitude to feel at ease as part of a group. It wasn't until he spoke that Ember had become aware of his presence. Turning her head slowly, she was met by the sight of a black buck with flickering patterns coursing along his side. He seemed lost, surrounded by the swirling buffeting snow. A song bird fluttered around him and if she hadn't been separated from the group slightly, she wouldn't have heard him from where he was standing, his voice so soft.
"Well met," Ember intoned softly. Her words were said evenly, and there was still something of warmth and a steadily burning coal in her voice despite the frigid cold that swirled around them. She pulled herself gracefully from her seating position. She pushed her front hooves forward, clearing some of the snow that had built around her tiny enclosed space while she sat. Forging forward, Ember took several small steps towards the buck before taking a balanced leap, closing the last few lengths between them. Despite this, Ember kept some distance, never one to simply approach somekin and immediately enter their space and breathe their air. No, she never had that kind of familiarity with people immediately. It was not in her nature. If not for the dreams that plagued her while she slept, she might not have approached this buck at all, but it seemed as if the swamp, the Motherfather, was pushing all the swamp children together and drawing them to each other; Ember was never one to ignore the calls and urges of the swamp.
(Addressed at Flickering)
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Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 10:21 pm
"It could be a hard task," Motes agreed, and sighed wistfully. "You've got the right idea, though - younger fellows like us should be on the outside on bitter nights like this." After a quick, careful look around, he eases himself down against the open side of an older kimeti, putting the heat of himself and the cheetah draped around his shoulders to good use.
After a beat, he said, "My name is Motes-In-Moonlight. What's yours?" He hoped the buck would be talkative, or want a story, or anything - talking kept his mind off the cold, he'd found, so he tried to keep himself occupied as long as he could of late.
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 1:20 am
"If we've got to sit around, at least we'll be of some use while we do." A small smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. This fellow was nice, and helpful to boot.
"I'm To Be Humbled. Good to meet you, Motes-In-Moonlight." He paused, unsure of how to continue. Motes seemed like a smart buck, perhaps he'd know how else they could help.
"I'm not sure what else to do with my time. It's hard enough finding shelter during rough patches of the day, but these nights..." Trailing off, he glanced up at the sky. "They're slow nights. I feel as if they're wasted, though splitting up would be dangerous."
Humble shifted again, his ears back as he tried to get comfortable. "It doesn't help that most nights are quiet ones, either. Not many care for talking when they're freezing."
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Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 1:04 pm
She arrived as if borne by a gust of snow, perhaps swirled up in the winds at one location and deposited lightly at the edge of the circle of kin. There she stood, steadfast despite the cold, apparently unfazed by the winds and the snowflakes that brushed against her fur, warm brown eyes thoughtful and a touch distant, betraying an occupied mind. She was different from her mother- Edge was a doe who cared little for why things were happening and more for what happened, and what would be done about the happenings. She marched to her own will and nothing else's. Marshdove on the other hand was more drawn to the whys, to the rhythm to which the Motherfather's will unfurled. She had felt the draw to her kin that night as well as the nights before, a draw that was neither instinct nor her own decision, perhaps more Her suggestion than anything else, and so she had followed it and let the gusts blow her to her brethren. Now here, she drew nearer with soft steps, aiming for a group of conversing kin, but perhaps the cold had dulled her senses more than she realized, or perhaps the Motherfather's influence had eased her guard, for suddenly there was a brush of fur on fur at her shoulder. Taken by surprise, but not startled, she turned to find herself almost shoulder to shoulder with a buck. In the swirling snow and shadows, his pale fur had made him nearly invisible, another reason she had gotten so close without noticing him. "Excuse me," she said, taking a step back and dipping her head in apology, "I hadn't realized you were there". (Addressing Winter Is Coming) Meanwhile, another doe had made her way to the circle of kin as well. This one was no stranger to cold, in the first moons of her life cold was all she knew, and though this winter was colder than all others she had seen, she bore it better than most. It was not the cold that had driven her to journey north, nor was it the cold that brought her into the huddle of kin this bitter night. No, it has been her dreams, dreams of cold and foreboding, of high reaches and whistling winds and the sense of something forthcoming, the whispers of the Motherfather and her own curiosity, that is what has driven her here on this night. So she draws up to the edge of the group, beside a blue and black doe the colors of the night, and a long fernfrond tail the likes of which she has never seen before. The doe has a similar look about her though, a self-confidence that comes only from surviving on ones own, and it draws Mint closer. "Good evening."(Addressing Carries the Night)
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 11:49 am
Suddenly there was a strange shining presence next to Broken Bird, speaking to her and ushering her toward...something. Bird wasn't sure if she was awake or dreaming, still -- the silvery doe shone in the whiteness of the snow, almost metallic, gleaming strangely -- like a rock encased in ice. The cold felt like it had gone all the way to her bones now, chilling her from the inside out, and another shiver racked Bird's body. The doe was speaking to her but she couldn't quite comprehend the words, although she could hear them -- her very brain felt frozen, trapped in a sheath of ice and snow. She blinked once, slowly, and the movement hurt. "C-cold," she stuttered, the effort of speech causing a deep ache to start in her jaw. Her teeth chattered. "Wh...where is the sun?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 11:58 am
 Coldfang recoiled, snarling, and his wings flared, flapping ominously until Last Frost whapped him soundly with her tail. The snake made an odd gurgling hiss and then twined around his kimeti more firmly, lodging his head underneath her body and glaring gloomily at the buck and his cheetah. The large, intimidating, many-toothed snake was, for all intents and purposes, pouting.
"Coldfang is not fond at all of the cold, and I suppose the frost has shortened everyone’s tempers. Is that a…cheetah? I have never actually met one in person. It is a pleasure to meet you, I am Last Frost,” the doe said placidly, an odd sight with her companion so coiled and occasionally grumbling from beneath her. “Where did you come from, before here?” The thought of before here seems odd to Last Frost now, as though the world outside this clearing with its many huddled bodies has ceased to exist.
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 12:53 pm
He had heard the salutations of others - his ears were far sharper than his eyes - but no shapes came near and so he stood still, unsure. How was one to engage with others? A problem he had never been able to puzzle out. The dreams had brought him here, but no further. And then a collection of flame marks approached - it spoke, she was a doe, he guessed dark-pelted with flame-coloured patterns across her front. She reminded of his naming dream, he could not help but feel her favourable, even just for that alone. "Thank you," he said, earnest. Now what? He strove, but lapsed into silence. Beside him, Darkling fluttered and trilled a few clear notes, as if in apology for its owner's reticience.(For Smoldering Reverie! Thank you!)
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 12:58 pm
 The adverse reaction of the serpent did not seem to startle or rattle the red buck. Behind his back, however, the cat lowered its head, mouth quivering in a yowl of dislike. The buck let his attention waver, head turning to the cheetah. "Be nice, cat," he told it and then turned his head once more toward the doe. "Yes, cat is a cheetah. He doesn't like the cold either." For a moment, his mind began to wonder, but then he realized she was still speaking. He wasn't entirely sure if she was pleased to meet him or his cheetah but decided it best for him to answer. "His name is Guide," his brows furrowed in thought, "--he does quite a lot of following -- and my name is Travels in Circles. We're happy to see you." He nodded his head; that was an almost straight to the point introduction. That was always a hard question to answer. "In the swamp, I think. There was a pond or a bush, or maybe that was before." He paused and then smiled slowly, "At one point, before here, I came from a sac but that was a rather long time ago." That was a good answer he thought. (And it suited him perfectly, vague and telling of nothing.)
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:30 pm
 Life's ears flattened against her head as wind blew snow into her face. Her hair crackled in cold air, having been damped by the snow and then refreezing. While not a stranger to the cooler months, this was by far, the coldest time she could ever remember. "So many sudden changes in our world.." she murmurs to herself, eyes half closed against the wind. First the Flood, which she barely survived, and now this. She looked behind her. Bud walked next to his sister Sunny, the two young adults baring each other up in the fierce weather. Life's eyes stung with tears. Her heart ached for the suffering of her children catching up to her and to all the others who were off on their own or with their fathers. She hoped those who weren't with her were safe where ever they were.  Bud walked side to side with his newest sister, Sunny. This was his first winter, as it was hers, and he had no idea that the cold months were so harsh. To hear their mother speak of it, this winter was unlike any she had ever encountered. He hoped it would not become a common thing. He shivered and his breath puffed out in steam clouds. He saw their mother stop and wait for them to catch up. Bud squared his shoulders and trudged forward. If Life could bare this weather and keep pushing forward then so would he, and he'd drag Sunny with him no matter what. "We're coming.." he called to her. He turned to his sister. Sunny's hair struck him across the nose, frozen just like Life's. He nudged the dark curls behind her ear and and spoke into it. "Come on Sunny, I'm sure we'll find a place to rest soon." Sunny nodded. She'd just met her brother Bud only a day ago, but she'd already memorized his smell. "This is all my fault.." she moaned inwardly, her head hung low as she and Bud dug their hooves into the ground and rushed to catch up. "If I hadn't run off after that stupid foxbun..."Sunny's glowing white eyes were sightless, but her sense of smell and hearing keen. In her youth, she'd spent hours learning the sounds and smells of everything. But her favorite thing above all other things, was the feeling of the foxbun. She loved the feeling of the soft fur on her nose and legs and she wanted one as a companion desperately. Just before the harsh weather had set in, Sunny had gone dashing off after a foxbun she had been playing games with in hope to continue the fun. But after awhile, she'd realized she'd become lost. Nothing smelled the familiar and the air was heavy with the sound of impending snow. Even though it felt like forever, in half a day, she was found by her mother and her new brother, New Life. It had been snowing for a couple hours by then and the encroaching darkness was making everything colder. Now here they were, trudging up snowy, slick hills and baring the cold weather to find some shelter to rest in before continuing back to the part of the swamp they called home. The fur around her legs was heavy with ice and impeding her steps. "I'm such a burden.." she whimpered inwardly. Once her children had caught up, the family kept going together until Life stopped. Bud paused behind her and feeling her brother stopping, Sunny stopped too. The group of summer time colored kimeti saw the group of other kin huddled together. Bud took the lead, and the three of them approached the group. "E..excuse us.." Bud's teeth chattered as he spoke, "Is there room for my family and I here to rest..?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 6:35 pm
“Indeed.” Carries the Night replied to Mint’s greeting, with a very distinct air of amusement. That fernfrond tail flicked idly as if it had a mind all of its own. Her gaze slid from the female to study the wealth of newcomers to the group and then moved back. “Though perhaps they would not all agree that this evening is particularly good.”
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:02 pm
 
Skylights comes up behind a trio of Kimeti, two does with pretty hair and a buck with unusual horns. Hearing them ask to join the group Skylights clears her throat. "Yes. My pet and I would like to huddle in too. If there's room, that is." While waiting for an answer Skylights turns to the other three. "Is your bit of swamp just as snow clogged as here? I can tell you that every inch of swamp we've been through looks much the same. And if snow hasn't yet reached it, it's still freezing cold."
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Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:16 pm
Motes grinned. "If you're awake both days and nights, when is it that you sleep?" With a chuckle, he continued, "No matter. The best we can do is aid our fellow kin in what they may need, and offer what warmth we can in the cold and lonely night, in both nearness and companionship."
Sighing theatrically, he continued, "It's just such a shame more don't try talking! it's good for keeping one occupied enough to not feel, well, some of the cold, at least. Matter of fact," he said, turning his head to look at the cheetah on his back, "some nights the only person I have to talk to is the ol' Matron here -" The cheetah chirped in response, knowing her friend was addressing her. He looks back at Humble with a sad grin - "and she's not much for conversation."
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Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 3:44 am
Humble blinked, looking quite worn down and hollow. "Sleep? Oh, no... Only when I have to." He shuddered, rubbing the bridge of his nose against one bent knee.
"Sleep when it's this cold is more danger than it's worth." His eyes seemed... distant. As if he was recalling a memory. "Much bigger chance you'll never wake up. No, if I sleep during this mess, it's purely out of necessity or by accident."
A soft growl started up from a branch above, turning into a dull purr as Down A Notch hopped down next to her master. It seemed she no longer valued her solitude over warmth. Snuggling up next to him, she continued her purr, without so much as acknowledging Motes and his cheetah. What a jerk.
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