WC: 1236
Well, it was certainly like all other days out here in the Barrens. The lands scorched beyond current repair, water was so deep in the ground that no pant could reach it before burning up. It was here that a golden colored Buck trotted, saddle bags strapped to his sides within reach of pulling free. There was on girth strap under his belly with these. He had treated the leather he found in the Ruins to be stiff and fitted to his body. Shaking his head, darker colored hair clung to him as he went. It wasn't that Oleander cared that his mane was a mess. He was out here hunting for something. Something that was hidden from the world it seemed.
Having missed his chance to follow those of the Wanderlust, word had come to him too late... Then again he had sent a many of the messengers away as he hunted for his own treasure in other places. He did kick himself for not taking up the opportunity to go and perhaps find objects that would be added to his ever growing collection. But that trail had closed to him, he did find himself going it alone.
"If I were something new and shiny, where would I be?" He muttered to himself as he searched the horizon for anything that was out of the norm.
The only thing was, everything out here was the norm and it was annoying him to no end. Flopping hos rump onto the hot ground, he soon stood again as if something had struck him. That was smarts! Served him right for the most part, flopping down on something that could cook a meally worm in seconds.
So preoccupied with his own thoughts, Oleander almost missed something streaking across the sands. This something was a strange creature that was almost half his own size. Squinting through the heat, something flashed in its mouth that made him see specks of light for a few seconds. Eyes growing wide, that creature had something shiny and he wanted it!
"Hey, hey you! Wait a minute!" Oleander shouted as the creature stopped, head tilting to one side before it took off again.
Grumbling, Oleander started after it. The Critter was fast on its two feet, long toes keeping it from sinking too far into the patches of sand that popped up here and there. The critter stopped and leaped off a small over hang before turning directions and headed another direction. Oleander stopped where he had seen it last, sides heaving as sweat rolled off him in waves. Shoot! He had lost it. Kicking at the sand beneath his hooves, the buck looked around trying to find where the thing had gone.
"Darned heat, if it weren't for that, I would have been faster." Oleander grumbled slightly, he knew he had the ability to endure all this, but it seemed like a waste of energy. "So where did it go? It vanished at this rise."
It wasn't like there were any tracks as the ground here was like stone. The sands blew over this area, but never touching the area he would have liked it to. Turning away, Oleander snorted sand from his nose, shaking his hide. He would need a cool bath when he returned to Homewood.
"Creature! Keep whatever it is that you were carrying. I didn't want it anyways.." Oleander shouted as he started walking away.
His hope was that the thing, bird he assumed would come back out and he would turn and tackle it. Ears flicking to listen to whatever was behind him, the sounds of claws against the hardened ground caught his attention. Had the thing come back? Turning his head ever so slightly, Oleander looked back at the teal and sand colored bird critter. This was something new, perhaps one of those new creatures that had been revived by a Vivfy.
Turning quick, Oleander crouched ready to pounce if it came closer. The Bird like creature slowly stepped closer, head tilting as it watched Oleander. With eyes blinking, feather adorned leathery wings fluttered at its sides. It showed that it was not a bird that could really fly, its strengths were in its powerful legs and claws. Most importantly, it still had the shiny object in its beak, whatever it was.
"There you are. Where had you gotten off to?" he asked as if knowing the creature.
The bird only tilted its head the other direction, ever watching Oleander as it came ever a little closer. Even its sides were heaving ever so slightly as its plumage was astray from the running. Oleander straightened himself up after a moment having an idea. If this place was as warm to it as it was him. Then maybe he could win this bird over by cooling the area around him for a little while?
Closing his eyes, Oleander called on the feeling of cold, thinking of ice and winter times. Times when the snow would fall and even crisp mountain peaks. The air around him started to cool, it leached out slightly, a foot or so around him. Opening his eyes again now that the sun's rays weren't so harsh, the cool air around him would last for a little while at least until the heat would pour in again. Perhaps long enough to get this bird closer to him and away from this heat?
The bird had retreated when the golden buck almost seemed to glow and the air around him cooled. Neck stretching out until its beak could 'touch' the coolness, the bird almost rushed forwards and into the cool patch of air. Oleander almost leaped out of his own skin as it came over and curled up under him. Well it was one way to win something over, just the bird was not asleep, just soaking in the coolness.
"You like this cool air, huh?" He asked it as the bird only looked up at him, "If you come with me, I can take you to a cooler place, what do you think? This cool air won't last forever."
The bird just looked up at him as he spoke. It seemed that this appealed to the Bird's interests as it nodded, slowly coming out from under Oleander's belly and looked up at him. It seemed that he was waiting to be lead from this desolate land. Almost forgetting what it was holding, the bird set the golfball sized stone down on the ground. It was clear in places, while others held flecks of color. It looked like something from the Others, only this wasn't a very smooth stone.
Oleander looked down at the stone as the bird dropped it at his hooves. Was this stone for him? Without really asking, he picked it up and placed it in his pack for safe keeping. He would seek more about this when they were out of the barrens. Already the cool bubble was starting to fade. Looking around, Oleander had a general idea of where home was, it was just a matter of getting back there.
"Come on then, lets get out of here before the two of us bake." Oleander said as he started off, the bird keeping pace beside him in an easy lope. seems he had someone to share the thrill of shiny things with... At least this is what he hoped...
Well, it was certainly like all other days out here in the Barrens. The lands scorched beyond current repair, water was so deep in the ground that no pant could reach it before burning up. It was here that a golden colored Buck trotted, saddle bags strapped to his sides within reach of pulling free. There was on girth strap under his belly with these. He had treated the leather he found in the Ruins to be stiff and fitted to his body. Shaking his head, darker colored hair clung to him as he went. It wasn't that Oleander cared that his mane was a mess. He was out here hunting for something. Something that was hidden from the world it seemed. Having missed his chance to follow those of the Wanderlust, word had come to him too late... Then again he had sent a many of the messengers away as he hunted for his own treasure in other places. He did kick himself for not taking up the opportunity to go and perhaps find objects that would be added to his ever growing collection. But that trail had closed to him, he did find himself going it alone.
"If I were something new and shiny, where would I be?" He muttered to himself as he searched the horizon for anything that was out of the norm.
The only thing was, everything out here was the norm and it was annoying him to no end. Flopping hos rump onto the hot ground, he soon stood again as if something had struck him. That was smarts! Served him right for the most part, flopping down on something that could cook a meally worm in seconds.
So preoccupied with his own thoughts, Oleander almost missed something streaking across the sands. This something was a strange creature that was almost half his own size. Squinting through the heat, something flashed in its mouth that made him see specks of light for a few seconds. Eyes growing wide, that creature had something shiny and he wanted it!
"Hey, hey you! Wait a minute!" Oleander shouted as the creature stopped, head tilting to one side before it took off again.
Grumbling, Oleander started after it. The Critter was fast on its two feet, long toes keeping it from sinking too far into the patches of sand that popped up here and there. The critter stopped and leaped off a small over hang before turning directions and headed another direction. Oleander stopped where he had seen it last, sides heaving as sweat rolled off him in waves. Shoot! He had lost it. Kicking at the sand beneath his hooves, the buck looked around trying to find where the thing had gone.
"Darned heat, if it weren't for that, I would have been faster." Oleander grumbled slightly, he knew he had the ability to endure all this, but it seemed like a waste of energy. "So where did it go? It vanished at this rise."
It wasn't like there were any tracks as the ground here was like stone. The sands blew over this area, but never touching the area he would have liked it to. Turning away, Oleander snorted sand from his nose, shaking his hide. He would need a cool bath when he returned to Homewood.
"Creature! Keep whatever it is that you were carrying. I didn't want it anyways.." Oleander shouted as he started walking away.
His hope was that the thing, bird he assumed would come back out and he would turn and tackle it. Ears flicking to listen to whatever was behind him, the sounds of claws against the hardened ground caught his attention. Had the thing come back? Turning his head ever so slightly, Oleander looked back at the teal and sand colored bird critter. This was something new, perhaps one of those new creatures that had been revived by a Vivfy.
Turning quick, Oleander crouched ready to pounce if it came closer. The Bird like creature slowly stepped closer, head tilting as it watched Oleander. With eyes blinking, feather adorned leathery wings fluttered at its sides. It showed that it was not a bird that could really fly, its strengths were in its powerful legs and claws. Most importantly, it still had the shiny object in its beak, whatever it was.
"There you are. Where had you gotten off to?" he asked as if knowing the creature.
The bird only tilted its head the other direction, ever watching Oleander as it came ever a little closer. Even its sides were heaving ever so slightly as its plumage was astray from the running. Oleander straightened himself up after a moment having an idea. If this place was as warm to it as it was him. Then maybe he could win this bird over by cooling the area around him for a little while?
Closing his eyes, Oleander called on the feeling of cold, thinking of ice and winter times. Times when the snow would fall and even crisp mountain peaks. The air around him started to cool, it leached out slightly, a foot or so around him. Opening his eyes again now that the sun's rays weren't so harsh, the cool air around him would last for a little while at least until the heat would pour in again. Perhaps long enough to get this bird closer to him and away from this heat?
The bird had retreated when the golden buck almost seemed to glow and the air around him cooled. Neck stretching out until its beak could 'touch' the coolness, the bird almost rushed forwards and into the cool patch of air. Oleander almost leaped out of his own skin as it came over and curled up under him. Well it was one way to win something over, just the bird was not asleep, just soaking in the coolness.
"You like this cool air, huh?" He asked it as the bird only looked up at him, "If you come with me, I can take you to a cooler place, what do you think? This cool air won't last forever."
The bird just looked up at him as he spoke. It seemed that this appealed to the Bird's interests as it nodded, slowly coming out from under Oleander's belly and looked up at him. It seemed that he was waiting to be lead from this desolate land. Almost forgetting what it was holding, the bird set the golfball sized stone down on the ground. It was clear in places, while others held flecks of color. It looked like something from the Others, only this wasn't a very smooth stone.
Oleander looked down at the stone as the bird dropped it at his hooves. Was this stone for him? Without really asking, he picked it up and placed it in his pack for safe keeping. He would seek more about this when they were out of the barrens. Already the cool bubble was starting to fade. Looking around, Oleander had a general idea of where home was, it was just a matter of getting back there.
"Come on then, lets get out of here before the two of us bake." Oleander said as he started off, the bird keeping pace beside him in an easy lope. seems he had someone to share the thrill of shiny things with... At least this is what he hoped...
