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 Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:14 am
Tousled's Territory Quote: Location: At the feet of the Above the Above Mountains, near Sparkle River. Description: Closer to the mountains, the giant trees of Noctua grow a little further apart than usual, making this area not a very coveted place. However, for Tousled it is just perfect, since mountains means more streams and rocks, and more streams and rocks means greater chance to find things to make jewellery out of. The strangest things can come tumbling down the mountainside, or be carried on the currents... Tousled nests in the thickly entwined branches of an old and very bushy willow tree, where she surrounds herself with her creations, both finished and unfinished. It doesn't look much from the outside, but sometimes when a heavy storm rocks the ancient branches, one can hear the tinkle of trinkets. On the inside, it looks like a very creative hurricane dumped everything colorful and/or shiny that it could find in this secluded spot for safekeeping. Resident(s): Tousled, Tuft Visitors: Generally no one, except by invitation. 
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:17 am
Quote: Part I – The Sentinel Player: Pearlyblue Name: Tousled Nicknames: Ruffled, Tufty, Tassel (due to her habit of mumbling when introducing herself) Species: Sentinel of Noctua Age: Young adult Hatch Date: 06/12/200? Type: Deep Woods Task: Crafter Personality: Tousled gets her name directly from her appearance. Having been hassled about her rebellious feathers all through her fledgling stage by fussy Minders and other respectable adults, Tousled has grown very shy and self-conscious about the way she looks. Unbeknown to most, she can be quite witty, but she always tries to make herself as invisible as possible and rarely speaks above a whisper or a hushed murmur - the only exception being when she talks to her companion, Tuft, and possibly also Moult, with whom she feels a tentative sort of kinship. She prefers being left alone to work on creating beautiful jewellery - even though she never wears them herself since that might attract attention - but if she gets any sort of indication that a Bard might be performing somewhere, she is sure to be there. Tousled has an unspoken crush on every Bard, ever. Also, she hates being startled, since that makes her fluff up and look even worse, and will give proof of quite an unsuspected temper if ever given enough reason. History: As long as Tousled has had feathers, they have never agreed with her or each other about anything, pointing any way they like no matter how often or how carefully they are preened, giving her a permanently unkempt appearance. Unable to do much about her own looks Tousled turned her unfortunately vain nature towards creativity, honing her will into fine craftsmanship by making lots and lots of pretty adornments, that she never ended up wearing anyway. Once this skill of hers was found out, the path to her future was clear. In her heart of hearts, Tousled always really wanted to be a Bard, but lacked that crucial element of self-confidence to truly attempt the task. She was hatched from an abandoned egg. Territory: A fairly small area close to the mountains where the chance of finding pretty shiny and/or colourful rocks and the like is slightly greater. Mate: None Companions: Yes Images:  Part II – Companions Name: Tuft Species: Parus Age: Adult Speech Ability: 3 Skill: Nigh unparalleled at finding shiny things, Tuft is of great help to Tousled in gathering the elements of her craft. He also doesn’t seem to mind one bit being the frequent object of Tousled’s misplaced vanity, but he is also a very good listener (if not much of a conversationalist) and is actually quite a lot more clever than he appears. He is Tousled’s best friend.
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Posted: Mon Dec 10, 2007 7:18 am
Tousled's RPs
Active: A Crafter's Retreat (w/Giftwrapped-Brightling, Annchen-Birch) Tousled is interrupted in her work by a really charming lady bard - and Birch shows up again, somehow...Closed: As the Storm Recedes (w/Silvercanon-Frostbane, Jaeger-Moult, Kiara Adachi-Eva, Mirokarosu-Ila) Saved Moult!The Meeting Place (w/Annchen-Birch) Fraternizing with the Bard, methinks.Birds of a Feather... (w/Moult-Jaeger) Bonding with Moult, getting adopted... Angst and cuteness!Graduation Ceremony (w/almost everyone) Meeting up with Birch again, watching former fledglings graduate.The Longest Night (w/almost everyone) Getting into trouble along with Birch, having the time of her life.Too Close For Comfort (w/Whirlwind-Mogami, Craneberry-Annchen) A terrible storm shakes all of Noctua, and Tousled tries to play hero - naturally getting herself wounded.The Crownleaf Theater: Home of the Brigadier's Bards (w/many) Where the bards go, Tousled follows, and this time she meets Chase.
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 10:02 am
Fjord drifted cautiously into the unfamiliar territory of Tousled. The trees were much more spread out than the young aberrant was used to, but at the same time the spot below the mountains held a certain charm that he found attractive.
Before the brightly painted bard delved too deep into the territory, he gave a hoot to let Tousled know that a visitor had arrived. He worried that his presence might make her uncomfortable, as they had not known eachother long, nor had they had much of a proper introduction.
He also feared that she might not be home and that he had made the flight from his own home for nothing.
The bard perched in one of these trees that Tousled called her own and his bells jangled soundly as he did so. Clutched in one paw was a surprise for the ruffled Tousled, but he crouched over it to conceal it from prying eyes.
Crow poked her head from behind her owner's wings and wiggled her little nose. "Tou-home, hope, yes?" She inquired. She was about to speak again when her soft voice was cut off by the louder Pica, Feather.
"Oi, ya, ya, hope Tou-Tou-Tou be home!" The pica stated, much to Fjord's distress.
He enver went without the pair, for he feared the disappearance of either. Sometimes, however, the pica tended to be a little noisier than he liked.
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 11:51 am
Tousled was sitting inside her willow, experimenting with a fine, grey mud that she had found down by the Sparkle River earlier in the night, when the quiet hailing hoot reached her, shortly followed by the well-known jangle of Bard-bells.
For a brief moment she thought it might be Birch, and quickly put the experiment away before she realised that the voice hadn't been quite right. She called out in reply while still trying to place the voice - she knew what most of the Bards sounded like by heart, and she knew she recognised this one - just not quite from where.
It must be a customer, she thought, hopping out to greet the visitor in person.
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2008 3:06 pm
Fjord listened closely and felt a tremendous amount of relief upon Tousled's reply.
He shuffled on the perch for a moment before he lifted into the air once more. Feather was close behind, but had fallen silent. His dark eyes watched Fjord and their surroundings carefully. While it might of looked like he was on alert for danger, he was really just looking for shiny things. Mountains and water meant shiny.
The young bard delved deeper into Tousled's territory and towards the willow in which he was sure her response had come from. He landed lightly on one of the sturdier branches, but kept a respectable distance from the entrance.
"Tousled?" He called quietly. "May I have a word with you, for a moment, please?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:15 am
Tousled saw the bright aberrant long before he saw her: His light-colored plumage almost shone whenever a stray beam of moonlight spilled down in the path of his flight, whereas the little Deep Woods herself was very well camouflaged indeed against the dark - and yes, tousled - entrance into her willow.
Now she recognised that voice: This could be no other than Fjord, friend of Birch and member of the Brigadier's Bards. It was not like she wasn't happy to see him here, but a certain shyness kept her still and silent as he approached. Tousled hadn't had much opportunity to get to know this bard, and wasn't at all sure of what he thought about her - much less of what errand might bring him to this remote part of the woods - and wasn't at all sure how to hail him.
As the pale sentinel landed in her tree and quietly called out to her, she couldn't very well postpone her greeting any longer. Shaking herself a little to make sure that he could see her - in case he hadn't already, but she knew that she was good at blending in with her surroundings - she answered him in an equally subdued voice:
"Why yes, of course, Fjord. Is it about the Bards?" In an attempt to compensate for her earlier silence, she added by way of underscoring her non-agressiveness: "Would you like to come inside?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:34 pm
Fjord was somewhat shy around the female that he hardly knew, but his voice and posture did not betray his feelings. A bard was an actor of sorts and it was something he had tuned finely, unless Sly was around.
"Thank you kindly for the offer, Miss Tousled, but the evening is so lovely and the moon so light and friendly this eve that I would rather stay out and enjoy the breeze."
He spread his wings and gave her a friendly nod and bow. He hoped dearly that she did not take offense at his decline. She did seem somewhat sensetive at times and the last thing he wanted to do was to offend the lady sentinel that his most admired idol had feelings for.
"I have brought you something, a task was given to me to deliver it."
He repositioned himself and stepped back, then used his Will to lift the specified item from near his talons. He held the still warm parus high, revealing hte brightly painted, pink prey.
As he did this, he simultaneously cleared his throat. A light, beautiful songvoice left him as he relayed the message he was to deliver along with the parus.
"If I was a hunter I’d send you a bunny
But I can’t hunt rabbits and kill them with “funny”
This poor little fellow was joked to death
And laughed itself pink with its dying breath
So take this fine snack, and in the end
Know that I am always your most faithful friend"
He watched her closely with his orange eyes, but cheer never left his expression.
"Tis from your anonymous admirer, Birch."
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:36 pm
Tousled's talons dug into the bark. Her feathers fluffed and unfluffed as emotions rode her up and down.
He had sent her a gift. Birch had sent her a gift. And a poem. A poem of his own composition, even - and it seemed made especially for her. He couldn't possibly be thinking about the fact that it was mating season right now, but she hardly cared. She had never gotten anything for any mating season before, from any male, and the thought made her feel both giddy and a little bit embarrassed.
But it was the phrase "Know that I am always your most faithful friend" that really got to her: She was so moved by it that it felt as though her heart expanded and contracted at the same time, which was quite painful but in an oddly beautiful way.
What could she say? What could she do? She looked up at Fjord, shining yellow eyes meeting cheerful orange ones, and she promptly erupted into a strangely hiccupy, but most heartfelt little laugh. It was quite embarrassing to make such a... naked... sound in the presence of someone she barely even knew, but there was nothing she could do to hold it back.
"Oh," she half-whispered, half-whimpered between peals of the hiccup-laughter. "Oh thank you, Fjord. Thank you very... very much."
Finally gaining a little bit of control on herself, she took a deep breath and fluttered over to the branch where Fjord was sitting, giving him an unusually bright smile after briefly inspecting the dead parus. "It's very pretty." she murmured, her little voice still a bit shaky with emotion. "I love it." She almost asked why the Wildtype hadn't showed up to give it to her in person, but decided against it. It was so not important, anyway - he probably had some other committment somewhere. "Tell Birch... Thank him from me. Tell him his poem was... really great. I appreciate this. Would you tell him that for me?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:54 pm
Fjord gave Tousled another sweeping bow and rose as he replied. "Most certainly, Miss Tousled, I am sure he will love to hear that you liked it."
He said nothing of her embarassment, as he did not want to point such things out. Instead, he let her revel in the joy that Birch's little present brought. To see her joy helped ease his own shy feelings and he felt somewhat more comfortable around the young, ruffled crafter.
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Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 4:29 am
Looking down at the dead, pink parus, Tousled committed Birch's poem to heart, repeating it inside her head until she felt that she knew it. Then she looked up again, fluffing up a little as she remembered her manners.
"Oh, and thank you, Fjord, for flying all the way out here to bring me this! You should have something for your trouble... Can I get you a mouse, or perhaps some berries?"
The brightly painted parus named Tuft chose this moment to come fluttering out of her willow, and perched smoothly on the top of her head. "Hello!" he trilled at Fjord and his companions. Tousled shook her head and the little bird flew over to a nearby branch instead, making quick woodpecker-noises at the crafter.
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Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 5:48 am
Up to this moment, Feather had been rather quiet, as Fjord had asked him to. At the appearance of Tuft, he seemed to have forgoten the earlier bribe with berries and shiny bits. He hopped along the perch, then lifted himself with a flurry of his dark and painted wings to perch next to the parus. He immitated the woodpecker noises, but at Tuft, instead of the sentinels.
"A rather kind offer, Tousled... Though I'd rather not make a nuisance of myself... Oh, alright, maybe just a few berries, please?" He made his decision after a very brief internal argument. He did not want to seem like he wanted to leave, which wasn't the case. He was just one who did not like to intrude.
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:32 am
Tuft seemed quite amused that the larger bird had imitated him, and turned his bright, black little eyes on Feather. Then, in quick succession, he twittered out the sounds of a dry twig snapping, the mating call of some less intelligent species of bird, another woodpecker-taptot and finished it off with a remarkably good replication of Tousled's previous greeting-hoot. Then he puffed his chest out and preened a wing, watching the pica with keen interest and a competitive attitude about him.
Tousled ignored the antics of the little bird and sent Fjord another smile. "Absolutely! It's no trouble at all, it's the least I can do." She half unfolded her wings and squeezed the pink parus a little tighter in her claws. Glancing down at her gift, her smile again took on that sentimental brightness from before, and for a moment she forgot that Fjord was even there. She whispered to herself:
"I can't believe he gave me something. I've never gotten anything for..." Suddenly her whole body stiffened and her ear tufts shot up almost as if she had been struck by lightning. This pink hue... a couple of feathers... many of them... and some sparkly stones, mainly white ones? Red? No, green, for spring, or maybe...
Yes! Creativity surged through her. She could turn this beautiful emotion into a piece of jewellery. Suddenly remembering Fjord's presence, she turned a somewhat distant look on him and let out a tiny laugh of excitement. "Ber-berries, right?" She mumbled breathlessly. "I'll get some for you!"
With that, she swooped off the branch and disappeared into her willow, a faint jingle of trinkets the only sign of her whereabouts.
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