Personality: The epitome of a considerate gentleman with a brilliant mind and tender heart. Many will overlook him because of his smaller build and his soft-spoken nature making him seem shy-but he's not. Dusty just doesn't feel the need to 'throw' himself at others. He also has a very subtle, biting humor that's hard to catch at first. Relationships: Fling with Sora Breeding: Stormflower / Closed / Closed
PZMJNP Dusty awoke to a horrible boom sound, louder than anything he'd heard before. Even underground it was frightening, he could've swore he felt the earth move. It was immediately followed by heavy rain and more crashing sounds. Lightning. Thunder. He'd heard of these phenomenon but had never actually witnessed himself. Despite the danger, he couldn't resist getting a peek of this fascinating unknown. He made his way up to the top entrance of the burrow and cautiously exited, almost instantly getting soaked. Wow, this looked even worse than it sounded.
'Oh no, Buzz!' he thought, remembering the buck who was letting him crash here while he traveled this area. 'I hope he didn't go too far away.' Dusty looked around but it was really hard to see with the rain pelting his eyes and grasses whipping wildly about. He worried that his new friend and others in the area would have a hard time finding their way in this chaos. "Over here!" he shouted, hoping anyone nearby would be able to follow his voice to safety. "BURROW HERE!" he shouted again, with more volume. He'd keep this up for as long as he could stand until it became too dangerous. No rabbit deserved to be lost in a storm.
PZMJNP Dusty was still calling out and keeping watch for nearby rabbits, soaked to the bone. That's when he saw the most incredible thing he'd ever witnessed. Light somehow shot from the sky and attacked a tree that was between his position and the river. The light won, sending the tree to the ground in flames. He was simultaneously thrilled to behold such an unforgettable spectacle and also thoroughly frightened. If lightning could do that to something as strong and giant as a tree, what could it do to a rabbit? Almost in sync to his thoughts a horrible scream followed from that direction. Instantly, he found himself torn between diving to safety or helping the owner of the scream. If the situation was reversed, he'd hope someone would come to his aid.
PZMJNP Dusty was relieved to see his new friend and a couple others make it to safety. He hoped his shouts had been of some help. After a few dry minutes, Buzz announced his plan and took off in the blink of an eye. 'Well, okay then.' he thought 'It's now or never.' and followed suit. It wasn't hard to guess which path his large friend had taken as the tree was a literal straight shot ahead. Dusty wasn't the most athletic rabbit around by any stretch of the imagination, but he was full of adrenaline and made it to the tree quickly.
PZMJNP Dusty was surprised to see a number of rabbits here. Had they all come to help, or had they heard the saying that lightning never struck the same place twice? Even if it was true, he wouldn't want to stay out in the open like this. Not while the sky was still throwing down lightning and thunder. The tension in the air was so thick he could feel it and darkness had come swiftly. It was now a lot harder to see except around the sections of tree that were still in flames despite the rain. Buzz asked for his help searching the tree so he followed and kept his eyes and ears open for anything amiss.
PZMJNP Dusty followed a bit behind, trying to methodically search as best as he could. In the places where it looked like there was an opening underneath he'd poke his head in and call out "Hello? Anyone in there?" and listen for a few moments before continuing on. This was taking him longer and causing him to fall farther behind but he wanted to be absolutely sure he wasn't missing anything. If he was doing this, he might as well give it his all. The path he was following was mostly cleared but even still he found himself stepping on bits of hot bark since he had his eyes peeled on the tree more so than the ground in front of him.
PZMJNP A fruitless search left Dusty feeling confused. Surely they'd heard someone in trouble but he found no signs of anyone. Had he not been thorough enough? A weeping doe in the center of a group answered that question, more than likely she'd been the source and was already rescued. 'Great!' he thought...but then why is everyone still hanging around? There must be more going on than meets the eyes. He spotted the buck that they originally came with and motioned Buzz to follow. That would be the quickest way to get the scoop. They hurried over just in time to hear a brown doe shout "I found a trace of one of the kits!" and disappear into the grass with their new friend. Upon hearing that, it wasn't hard to put two and two together. The crying doe had lost her kits.
PZMJNP Within the span of a short couple minutes, three more rabbits followed the original two into the tunnel. Dusty waited anxiously for Buzz to return. This whole situation was miserable. So many rabbits out here in danger, himself included. It was noble, but beyond worrisome. He'd never been in this kind of position before. The previous adrenaline was now wearing off and turning into frayed nerves. His urge to be underground had never been stronger. He also wasn't sure if everyone running into the same tunnel was the best way to find the kits. Spreading out made more sense to him. At this point he was tiring quickly and would probably just go along with whatever Buzz suggested. Secretly he was longing for the burrow, especially given the amount of rabbits that were already searching. This made him feel a flush of shame but it was true.
PZMJNP Dusty had sunk deep in reflection and so didn't notice that someone was approaching him. All of a sudden, he was startled by a new spotted doe standing next to him asking about what was going on. Happy to get out of his own head for a minute, he tried to hide his surprise and addressed her politely. "Oh, hello. Well, unfortunately some kits got spooked and ran away from their mother." he cleared his throat before continuing. "We think they went into the grasses here based on a tiny path someone found." He held her gaze, ready to answer any more questions she may have.
PZMJNP Dusty was pretty sure the doe was finding his discomfort amusing. That expression couldn't be in reference to the situation with the kits. 'Yeah, I look like an idiot just standing here.' he thought abashedly 'And surely this cute doe thinks so too.' Out loud he went on "Yeah...there's already six rabbits on that trail. My friend Buzz over there is trying to inform the rest." another gulp "We have a burrow up ahead, not too far, if you're in need?" he asked but was then interrupted by a scream from the direction of the tree.
PZMJNP That scream sent chills through Dusty's spine, affirming his belief that it was stupidly dangerous to remain here any longer. He'd been soaked for too long now and felt close to the shivering point. Not to mention it had grown rapidly darker and pretty soon he wouldn't be able to see at all. It was time to call it. The doe looked nearly unphased by the scream they'd just heard and pretty calm about the whole situation in general. She must have nerves of stone. When hearing her plan to leave and the reasons why, he had to respect her logic. He was reaching the same conclusion as well but judging by the state of his fur and hers she'd come to that decision a LOT quicker. An interesting lady, to be sure.
"Well, goodbye and good luck. Perhaps we'll meet again." he bade her farewell and headed in the direction he'd seen Buzz running, towards the scream of course. There were predators that liked to hunt at night, owls, coyotes, just what this evening needed! Dusty felt inclined to tell his friend he'd be heading back to avoid any worries of whereabouts but then after that, he was out of here. His mind was made up. When he caught up he saw Buzz tossing a bloody branch aside and speaking to the rabbit he pulled it from. He listened to the conversation that followed and was relieved to hear the destination. By the looks of it they'd be helping someone so at least this venture wasn't an entire waste.
PZMJNP Dusty followed without interjecting anything. He was exhausted and ready for this nightmare to be over. Firefly was the name of this new buck if he'd heard correctly, but he didn't try to introduce himself. The guy had enough to focus on without bugging him with pleasantries and he couldn't imagine the pain he must be in. There'd be time for all that later in safe, dry conditions. He was doubtful they'd be seeing any signs of the kits with it being as dark as it was, but he was still willing to try. Buzz appeared to be scouring the ground so he focused his efforts on the grasses instead. Every once in a while standing tall on his hind legs to get a better look around into other sections of tunnels they weren't going in.
Absolutiones It was a lovely summer day, warm, but not unbearably so, especially under the shade provided by the ever so kind grove of fruit trees that towered above Sage. Said buck nibbled thoughtfully on one of the fallen apples, debating whether or not it would make a good offering for another spirit. Usually he left glittering treasures he had found specifically for the occasion, but he wanted to explore other options. Apples had a little sheen to them, and they were very tasty, so maybe they would suffice. Then again, there was the question of whether or not spirits even had any desire for food. He'd say it was worth a shot, but a spirit's wrath was no joking matter. Hrm. What a predicament.
PZMJNP Dusty was a young buck with an insatiable hunger for knowledge. Even as a kit, he preferred learning over playing. Adults and especially elders of his warren were relentlessly pestered with questions until he reached physical maturity and it became perceived as rude instead of cute. His methods for learning altered to studying rabbits mostly from afar or in targeted conversation. He also started travelling to widen what he knew by analyzing any new or interesting objects he came across.
Summer time had started, so he traveled to Sunset Acres to see if the fruit grove was producing anything yet. He was doing his best to inspect the trees and take mental notes on them when he saw something even more interesting. There was a buck up ahead foraging for fallen apples with THE strangest dye job he'd ever seen. The detail was shocking, he'd never come across anything like it. He usually never approached rabbits first but he couldn't resist the urge this time. He was currently behind the rabbit's location. It would be impolite to approach from that direction so he made a wide arc around the trees, pretending to stop and look at things along the way. Now positioned in front of the buck, he casually hopped towards him and stopped a respectful distance away before saying, "Greetings, stranger."
Absolutiones Sage had been so deep in his thoughts, he hadn't even noticed the other rabbit until they spoke. Without even considering the other rabbit, he blurted out what he had been thinking about. "Do you think a spirit would appreciate an apple as an offering? Of course they would, right? I mean, who doesn't like apples?" The buck nodded to himself. The answer was obvious, he was just hadn't been seeing it.
Then he seemed to come to his senses. "Oh, my apologies, I was just thinking out loud. Is there something I can help you with?" he replied cordially.
PZMJNP Dusty had definitely made the right decision coming over here. The very first thing out of the buck's mouth was fascinating, just like the intricate patterns that adorned his fur. This caused him to smirk widely with satisfaction, knowing that he was sure to learn something new by the end of this conversation. "Well, I like apples. Foxes don't. As for a spirit... I'm afraid I've never heard of one of those." he paused a few beats before continuing on to the rabbit's next question. "No need to apologize, that's the most interesting thing I've heard all day. I'm here to study the trees and thought I may as well introduce myself. Dusty's the name." He didn't bring up the buck's dyejob yet, not wanting to seem rude or like a stalker.
Absolutiones Sage was taken aback for a moment. This poor soul had never even heard of spirits? How unfortunate. Truly a travesty! How could he hope to avoid angering them if he didn't even know they existed? Well, at least he seemed willing enough to learn.
"Well, Dusty, you've come to the right place!" he announced with a pleased expression. "My name is Sage and I would love to tell you all about the trees and the magnificent spirits than inhabit them!" Without even waiting for Dusty's reply, Sage continued on, turning around and abandoning his apple with a flourish. He looked up at the tree and placed a single paw on its base. "You see, a spirit is a powerful entity that most rabbits, not even myself, can see while they are awake. Even though we can't see them, they're everywhere, in everything! In trees, in the soil, in the rivers, all things! They use their power to shape the world around us. They're usually benevolent and kind, but if you disrespect them, there will be consequences, and trust me, you do not want to meet a spirit's wrath, it isn't pretty." Just the thought of it sent a shudder down Sage's spine.
He recovered quickly and continued to ramble, "I like to leave them offerings to repay them for all they've given me, including guidance."
PZMJNP 'Well, he's eager to share' Dusty mused while holding back a grin. That worked just fine for him, being more of a listener than a talker by nature anyway. He grabbed an apple and nibbled on it as he followed Sage, listening carefully to every word he said. The things the buck was saying were very strange and unique. The only thing vaguely similar he'd heard before was the belief of reincarnation, but he didn't think that's what this buck meant. Quickly, questions formed which he tucked away for when Sage finished his commentary.
The explanations were pretty out there, to say the least. This left him wondering if this rabbit was more on the crazy side or the intelligent visionary side. It was too early to tell, although he seemed a nice enough fellow. He would need to phrase his questions tactfully so as not to ruffle him and stop the flow of sharing. "Wow, you seem to know a lot about this! Are these spirits you're referring to the deceased souls of rabbits and other creatures, or something else? You mentioned not seeing while awake-does that mean you see them in your dreams?" he fired off his first couple of questions at Sage, making sure to keep his expression amiably curious instead of skeptical.
Absolutiones Sage looked back at Dusty, unable to hold back his pleased expression. It was so nice to find someone who was willing to listen without immediately dismissing him as some kind of crazy. He gave a slight nod. Of course he knew. It was all part of the job. "Well, you see, each thing has a spirit of its own, even you and I," he explained. "The spirits that inhabit them are their own, no one else's. When their bodies die, the spirit passes on into the sky where they can watch over and protect us." The buck paused to gesture up toward the open sky. "At night, you can see the marks they've left to remind us."
"Of course, it's not common, but it is possible that a spirit may visit you in a dream. They can be very mysterious and don't always identify themselves, though. Whatever they choose to tell you is very important and should not be taken lightly."
PZMJNP "That's a beautiful thought." he remarked appreciatively while looking up at the sky. Living forever, long enough to find the answers to everything was definitely appealing to him. A rabbit's time on this world was short, to be sure. Tragically short sometimes. On many occasions he'd wondered what happens after death but hadn't figured it out yet. A lot of rabbits thought they knew but none of them had proof to back it up. Of course, he didn't have any proof of his own that could disprove any of their theories. That being the case he was always happy to listen and try to keep an open mind. Honestly speaking though he would probably never be able to commit to any of these beliefs... He wasn't even committed to his own thoughts that probably nothing happened after your death aside from decomposition. It was an unromantic idea but the most likely in his opinion.
The dreams Sage mentioned were the closest sounding thing he'd heard to proof so that definitely peeked his interest. "I'll admit I have a hard time believing in things without proof. Is there a way to encourage spirits to talk to you in your dreams? I could be interested in that." His curiosity was at a high. If he could get spirits to talk to him in his dreams like the other buck had that would definitely put him on the path to believing. He continued to work at his apple while waiting for a response. When he finished he would dig a hole and bury it. His mission for the day was to dig in a pawful of areas and bury the centers of different fruits deep in the ground. It was a project he'd been hatching for a while on figuring out how plants grew. They came up from the ground and their roots went really far down, especially on trees, so he suspected that's where it all started.
Absolutiones Sage gave a nod, a mixture of approval and agreement. Of course it was beautiful, he wouldn't believe it if it wasn't. There was no way a life this lovely could turn to just nothing as many had tried to convince him. There was no other explanation for the lights in the sky either. It just had to be the spirits!
"Oh, but of course I wouldn't expect you to. I know just the way, though!" It made him all the more excited to see a rabbit so ready to accept his ideas and actually try them. He rarely got this far with others. "Leaving an offering and talking to them before you sleep is a good way to start. It doesn't have to be anything particular, but they do seem to be rather fond of things that shine or glisten. Bringing pleasant smelling flowers into your burrow is a good way to attract them too. Just remember they wont always identify themselves directly and may appear in various forms before you."
PZMJNP Dusty was still living the travelling dream, soaking in the scenery and as much information as he could. He didn't love the danger this sometimes put him in regarding predators but not once had he regretted his decision to wander. The possibilities were exhilaratingly endless, a fact he cherished. Not only was the travel itself interesting but meeting new rabbits all the time and learning from them had proven extremely worthwhile. A lot of the time he could learn more in one conversation with someone than he could in a whole day of solo exploration. Each new area had residents and they were usually happy to talk about their experiences and direct him to the neatest spots. He tried to do an equal mix of both socializing and studying alone but usually study won out. There was a part of him that missed his old warren but mostly he was just relishing his freedom and discoveries. This was much more exciting and fulfilling than being stuck in one spot.
Today was warm and beautiful with gentle breezes that made it extra enjoyable to be out in the open. Dusty hadn't been terribly far from Meadowsweet so after waking had made his way over here for a late breakfast. It was aptly named for he'd still yet to taste any grass sweeter than what grew here. Best to take advantage and enjoy it while it lasted. The beginning phase of summer was about to pass and the grass would start dying as the heat rose. It was a real shame spring had come and gone so quickly. This place was amazing during that period, packed with deliciously fragrant, lovely flowers everywhere you looked. Most of the flowers that had overrun the field before were now gone, either eaten or vanished in that mysterious way they did. One of the myriad of things he was still trying to figure out the workings of... Mysteries like that didn't seem to matter much to most rabbits but he wanted nothing more than to solve those questions. He craved answers like nice birds did blackberries.
A small group of white butterflies with black tips and spots on their wings had been occupying his attention for a while, four of them to be exact. Of all the insects he'd come across they were undoubtedly his favorite. He'd been pleasantly surprised to find them here as they tended to disappear as the flowers did. There were still some flowers left though and the butterflies took turns landing on them. They were so fun to watch, he liked trying to predict the patterns they'd fly in despite usually being wrong. The downside to studying them is it was hard to get a really good look at their bodies. They moved a lot and if you approached them they always scattered. If you stayed still long enough they'd sometimes land very close to you and so that's what Dusty was currently doing. He sprawled out comfortably on his back in the middle of the flowers they were landing on the most and proceeded to enjoy the view. The greenery that grew around the flowers helped obscure him from plain view, never a bad idea as a rabbit. He'd also be aware if any sky predators were approaching which was the biggest problem in this area.
Stormflower Sora was new to the area but had meet several new faces in her travels and one in particular told her about the area called Meadowsweet. It sounded like the perfect place for her to call home. She had grown up and left her home burrow some time ago and had been traveling around but she felt it time to find her own place and make her own burrow. She walked along the path she was given, there should be an open meadow with a tree line leading to a small woods not far that would give her shelter and food if she could find it. Her one downside was directions, she easily got lost and had been wandering around a bit longer than it should've taken for her to get to her destination.
She didn't really mind much though as she was used to traveling and she enjoyed adventures. She would still go on her adventures too but she wanted to have a home to have to come back to and in all honesty she was lonely at times and she thought she would maybe find a friend to travel with now or someone to at least play with and spend time with when she was home. Her thoughts wandered away from her as she stopped walking and stared at the sky. She thought back to her parents and siblings and wondered how they were doing, she would have to arrange a trip to visit after she was good and settled come next spring if possible.
She was snapped out of her thoughts as a gentle breeze tickled her ears and nose and the scent of flowers twirled around her. She inhaled the scent deeply and as she let her breath go she smiled as a couple butterflies flew over her head one hoovering close to her as if bidding her to come play. She giggled and bounced a little on her hind feet and raised her self and surveyed her surroundings. She could see not too far off what looked like a field, that must be the edge of Meadowsweet!! She finally made it! That meant it was time to play. "Wait for me Mr. Butterfly! Im coming too!", she said with a laugh and bounded off after the butterflies.
She slowed a little and let the butterflies enter the field first as she just kept cover in the brush making sure the skies were clear. She couldn't hear or see any predators but she could see some flowers still in bloom. The butterflies found them too, she readied herself and bounded forward after the butterflies. They flitted around her as if to be playing back as they went back to join a couple other butterflies around the flowers in the field. She decided to go see the flowers too and ran after the butterflies, giggling and flapping her ears as if they were her wings. She didnt see the other rabbit observing the butterflies from below in the grass until it was too late. Head first she tumbled into him, with a very loud 'OOF', now upside down herself and dizzy all she could mutter was a muffled. "Sorry, didnt...see...you."
PZMJNP Dusty had gone deep into relaxation mode and was unaware of a nearby rabbit until hearing a giggle right next to him. Before he could move or respond it didn't matter. The doe tripped over him and went face first into the flowers with her body following in a somersault. It hurt a bit but since he wasn't tensed at the time it could've been a lot worse. He was more concerned about her, it looked like she hit her head right into the ground. "Are you alright?" he hopped over and extended a paw, fervently hoping she wasn't concussed. If he'd been more alert for nearby sounds the whole scenario could've been avoided. "No, I'm sorry. I wasn't listening well enough. My fault."
Stormflower Sora laid sprawled on the ground where she landed after the tumble, partly in embarassment and partly because having done a half somersault had her a tad dizzy and seeing stars instead of butterflies. She could feel her face flush as she finally managed to get up and shake the stars away and turn to face the buck that she had disturbed. "Oh Flutter biscuits! No Im sorry, you were enjoying the day in the field and I come barreling in lost in my own world....", she moved closer to him and bowed her head in apology again.
"My, name is Sora by the way. Im new to the area. Is this what's known as Meadowsweet? I was hoping to find a spot to make my burrow around here. Have a place to call home. Ya know?", she said with a smile and small tilt of her head. She really started to look at the buck now and couldn't help but think how attractive he was, which only made her blush again and start to paw at the dirt a little with her front left paw.
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