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 Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 2:37 am
(( Well I really loved FP's idea for Brychan's Captain Quest. To make things simpler, I'm going to post it here ICly before proceeding OOCly x)FP "Donner and the other members of the Artali Isjaki herd have been around for almost a year now. Some of them are getting a little antsy, especially Dasher. Dasher in particular hasn't been as careful as Donner would like and has been spotted by an Outrider of the Firebringer herd. Lord Fell, being nervous since the appearance of Bryce the Fallen, has decided to send out an Outrider (Brychan) to investigate the rumors of this mysterious herd."
To call Fell Lore a worrier would, essentially, be like calling a dandelion a tree. He simply wasn't one to worry. He conducted all his lordly duties in complete calm, and even at times of emergencies, his mind would work its way through the confusion and ultimately his calm thinking would prevail, and he would come up with a strategy.
Today was not a day for the Lord to begin to worry, but recently with the appearance of Bryce, the Fallen stag, Fell had been taking extra precautions around the herd. It was better to be too prepared than to be under prepared. He knew this well. It was how he always worked, although know, it was doubly true.
Only the previous day, he had received reports from one of his Outriders of a sighting of a strange deer rather close to the herd. It had been a strange looking deer, although it did not strike Fell to be a member of the Fallen by the Outrider's descriptions. Still, with precautions in mind, Fell had decided to take care and have one of his Outriders investigate this alleged sighting.
It had taken the Lord maybe two moments to decide who to send. Brychan, he remembered, was a fine fighter and well able to defend himself if the need arose. He was strong and not lacking in heart. The starry pelted stag would be a good choice to send on such an investigation. Earlier in the morning, Fell had taken the time to send a runner to summon Brychan to the Home Oak. Now it was just a matter of time.
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:42 pm
When recieving the summons, Brychan didn't waste any time and immediately went into action. The starry pelted stag swiftly made his way to the home oak. For a summons from the lord was not to be taken lightly. He had to wonder what it was about, as any stag would. Did it have to do with the recent episode with the Fallen deer, Bryce?
Ascending the hill, Brychan was soon visible and then standing at the Home Oak. It didn't take him long to spot Fell Lore, and he trotted briskly to meet him. "You summoned me, my Lord?" he asked with a bow of his antlered head. Even if there were moments that Brychan disagreed with the Lord, he did hold the upmost respect for him.
Ears flagged forward again when he stood tall once more. A look of determined curiousity on his face as he awaited Fell Lore's explanation for wanting him here.
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:27 am
"Ah, Brychan, there you are," Fell looked almost relieved that the Outrider stag had made it to the Home Oak so soon. A matter such as his was best to be taken care of early. The Lord already had high regards for Brychan, who was undoubtedly one of the most courageous and talented Outriders to have come through the herd. Very loyal and reliable, though Fell knew Brychan disagreed with him in certain aspects. Of course, it was rare to find an Outrider within the ranks that agreed with everything any Lord ever did, so it wasn't a surprise that there was something the starry pelted stag did not quite agree with.
"It is nothing grave, I am sure," He began. It wouldn't do to instill a sense of nervousness within the herd. "But recently, there have been rumors and reports of sightings of strange looking deer nearby. It is suspected that these deer have been living near our herd for quite some time now, though no one is sure. By the descriptions I have been given, they do not sound much like members of the Fallen," He added, emphasizing the point. "However, I do believe that it is in the best interest of the herd for such rumors to be investigated, and the truth to be brought back."
Fell paused as some movement caught his eye - the silhouette of some younglings already up and about and frolicking in the meadows below. "I thought I might send you, Brychan, to investigate these matters. You are one of my most trusted and reliable Outriders, so I thought it fitting."
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:02 am
Brychan listened intently as the Lord spoke of rumors, new deer, and going to investigate them. It was an interesting prospect, and well... he was quite eager to do something of real use to the herd. The stag nodded thoughtfully, "I believe I've heard of some of these rumors, myself" having recalled tellings of very strange deer, but it had been awhile since they had been brought up with him.
Brychan also glanced in the direction of the playful younglings, a light smile coming to his face as he thought of his own children who were already growing so big. His daughters especially so... Tempest grew more beautiful each time he saw her... although he hadn't seen his other daughter in some time.
Looking back to Fell Lore, he nodded... surprised at the compliment. He was one of the Lord's most trusted and reliable Outriders? "It is a great honor, sir... I will do my best." His hinds had been asking him for storys of his Outrider adventures, this would certainly be something to tell them.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 12:59 am
((Mm, I'm actually not sure that there would be any point in a post with Fell. He's pretty much summed up the mission. I guess the part where Brychan goes out to investigate could begin.))
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 6:29 am
(( Um... okay. o_o; ))
Being sent off by the Lord, Brychan was soon seen bounding off. Down the hill of the the home oak, through the meadow and past where the hinds were grazing and then over the ridge where the Outrides stood. Since Fell Lore had given him a general location where these strange deer had been seen.. that was the direction he went. The starry pelted stag soon disappearing into the forest and beginning his trek to places unknown.
This was the first time the stag had ventured away from his herd. Although he knew he shouldn't worry.. he just hoped everything would be fine while he was gone. If anything.. he would have stories to tell to his hinds and children when he got back.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 12:42 pm
It had been nearly a year since the reindeer had broken free of Man. During the early stages, they clumped together, but now they tended to spread out more, as was their natural inclination. Donner was not happy with it… the land was still relatively unexplored and he didn’t want to take the risk of losing one of his herd just because they were wandering on their own.
Anlach was coming fast; already, the scent was heavy on the air, making Donner more irritable than normal. Last year, he had approached Sesilida, but had been turned down. The memory certainly didn’t help his current annoyance. Snorting, he rubbed his antlers against a convenient branch, trying to scrape off more of the itchy velvet. Anlach was a sensitive time for all deer, but especially a small herd like his. On the bright side, it meant they were congregating in a proper herd again…
But, on the down side, it meant that the thread of predators was larger than ever. Especially with the sightings of that white wolf, the Ghost Wolf. The thought jarred Donner out of his daydream---which mostly concerned a certain white cow---and reminded him that he had to be vigilant. The bull reindeer stopped in his tracks as the wind shifted and brought a very different scent to his nose.
It wasn’t familiar… but, it was certainly deer. His eyes narrowed and he tossed his antlers, wondering if this was one of those cursed deer that he had heard about. If it was… well, it wouldn’t be undead for long. It would be truly dead.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 2:16 pm
It took a little over a week for Brychan to make the trek. The deer that had been spotted must have wandered far or they'd moved a lot since then. Either way... he followed the tracks... very odd tracks... of what appeared to be different deer. Occasionally coming across a scent mark as well. He could tell he was getting closer... especially when Donner picked up his scent on the wind.
The starry pelted stag tread carefully through the underbrush, for he didn't know what these deer were like. Ears were alert and his blue gaze roved around, looking for signs of these deer. He could smell them.. just not quite see them yet. Although he thought he heard something jingle in the distance. The Outrider stood stock still.. for the sound was foreign to him. It could be man.. it could be the deer... hell it could be anything.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:39 pm
The scent was getting stronger. It was definitely another deer. Donner could tell that much, but it certainly wasn’t any of the herla from his herd. In his mind, that was enough proof of this newcomer’s depravity. No doubt, it was some sort of rogue deer, coming in hopes of charming one of the cows away. Donner snorted at the stupidity of that; none of the cows would fall for such a stupid trick… well, except for Dasher’s daughters, and that was only because they weren’t old enough to know better.
He set off at a fast trot, making the bells around his neck ring more. Whatever was out there, it was very close now… for the second time in several minutes, he was stopped in his tracks, this time because he actually saw the shape of the intruder, a black deer. Type thing. It certainly wasn’t a reindeer! It was far more finely boned, from what Donner could see, and it lacked the thick fur that was so common to the reindeer. Still, those antlers warranted some respect.
“What are you doing here?” he asked gruffly, in his deeply accented voice.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:50 pm
Brychan started at the voice, although having heard what seemed to be hoofsteps. He didn't know what to expect really. Muscles tensed and Brychan seemed to be prepaired to fight if it was nessecary. However, blue eyes widened slightly at the sight of the deer before him. He was smaller.. but well muscled and solid. Certainly not an unworthy adversary.
"I could ask you the same thing" was Brychan's reply... looking Donner up and down. The deer had thick fur, and antlers like he had never seen before. Plus that thing around his neck.. that's where the weird ringing was coming from. "Who are you? Or more appropriately... what are you? You're neither red deer, fallow or roe."
Then another voice came from not to far away.. someone had seen the movement and heard voices. "Hey Donny! What's going on? You're not being all paranoid and scaring the Lera again are you? I swear I... Oh." It was Dasher, having come through the bushes and seeing the both of them, stopped in his tracks.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:08 pm
Donner eyed the black deer up and down warily, still wondering what it----he, since it smelled male and sounded male as well----was doing in this territory. He snorted at the question and pawed at the ground, causing a small shower of dirt. What was he? What kind of question was that?! Wasn’t it perfectly clear what he was?
“I asked you first,” Donner replied, not really caring that it was childish to say this sort of thing. Hmm… well, whoever he was, the newcomer didn’t seem violent. That was a good sign.
His ears swiveled and he turned his head slightly towards Dasher’s voice. “Dash! Stay back… I found this wandering around in our territory.” Or Brychan had found him, depending on how you looked at it. “What are you doing here? I thought you were on patrol on the other side.” Actually, ‘patrol’ was a relatively loose term for what the reindeer did. The outriders more or less were just wandering the fringes of the territory, making sure everything was clear of predators before Anlach.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:59 pm
Well no.. it wasn't perfectly clear... atleast not for Brychan.. otherwise he wouldn't have asked. Brows furrowed at the reindeer as he pawed at the dirt, then demanded that he answer his question. The guy seemed a little aggressive.. if not uptight. However, Brychan didn't feel that he couldn't handle the situation. Then Dasher showed up, and his brows lifted at the reinder that seemed to be this guy's polar opposite.
Dasher rolled his eyes, "I like to visit my family on occasion you know." As far as Dasher was concerned... Donner wasn't the official leader. He then looked to Brychan, "Huh... I've seen deer like them before. Lots of them around."
Brychan then took this moment to intervene, "I'm Brychan.. an Outrider from the FireBringer herd. I was sent here to learn more about a strange kind of deer that was sighted... which I'm assuming, is you."
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:11 pm
“Lots of them,” Donner repeated flatly, clearly no impressed with Dasher’s amazing ability to go out and find other deer, especially deer that Donner felt could be very dangerous. “You’ve seen lots of them. Did it ever occur to you to actually tell anyone about this? Well, besides Dancer.” In all honesty, Donner didn’t think much of the one cow in Dasher’s harem; sure, she was a fellow outrider, but she was… kind of foolish.
So much for hoping to remain secret… clearly, Dasher had been seen in his wanderings. Donner sighed before turning his attention back to Brychan once more. Admittedly, the black deer didn’t look that dangerous, but looks could be deceiving. At least he had answered the question. “I am Donner and this is Dasher from the herd Artali Isjaki. We are reindeer… hardly strange compared to yourself.” In all honesty, he didn’t mean to be insulting. It was simply that he thought these fine-boned, long-legged, thin-furred deer were weird and he was bluntly honest about such things.
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:25 pm
Dasher snorted at Donner, "Because unlike you.. I'm not afraid of everything that breathes. Besides.. who made you leader?" Dasher thought he had as much authority and potential to lead as Donner did. Clearly the two didn't get along.. and well.. judging from Brychan's expression.. he was far from impressed by these strange deer.
Donner's words didn't help the opinion either, and Brychan flared his nostrils indignantly. After all.. reindeer were the foreigners. "Looks hardly matter" was the curt reply as Brychan glanced between the two. Dasher had even shot Donner a glare at his choice of words. "Way to go Mr. Social.." the speedy one muttered sarcasticly.
Dasher looked to Brychan, turning his ears forwards, "Nevermind him.. we're just trying to get along here like every other lera... we're no threat to your or your herd.. that's what you're here to find out, right? Donner's just way too suspicious for our own good."
Brychan lifted a borw, but nodded, "I see... well you're right... I was sent to assess any threat from your... kind. Our herd means no ill will either."
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Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:37 pm
Donner didn’t really consciously think of himself as a ‘leader’. No, he simply told the other members of Artali Isjaki what to do and they usually did what he said. Well, unless the deer he was trying to order around was Blitzen. Or Dasher. Besides, they were going to form a council eventually. When they were more settled into this new land.
“I suppose you fancy yourself a leader then, Dasher. I wonder what that would be like… ‘Oh, sure, go ahead and talk to the strange deer! I’m sure they’re not dangerous! Oh, look! There’s a white wolf! I’m gonna go see what it’s up to! And lookee here, there’s a deer with its bones poking out. How horrid, I must go help it!’,” Donner mocked what he saw as lax protection. Sure, maybe he was a little paranoid, but he thought it was perfectly reasonable with the danger all around them.
Poor Donner was getting it from all sides, wasn’t he? “We don’t mean any harm to your herd, Brychan,” he said, the name forming strangely in his mouth that was far more used to the simple names of his herd. “Not unless your herd threatens us first. And I’m NOT paranoid, Dash. It’s perfectly reasonable to be suspicious of a newcomer.”
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