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 Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 12:26 pm
 Returning from the flat expanse of his desires, as if called from the outskirts by the humid Swamp, Night Heron kept watch over a barren stream. Here Heron cursed the strangeness enveloping his home. Shadowed by the Maire and the canopy only two burning eyes and a matching gem was seen, like the hungry features of a feral beast.
So many moon cycles alone and far from his heart had left deep creases beneath the Buck's eyes, weakened his bones and tested his spirit. Sleepless travels had once brought him visions in the stars - hoards of cranes and lonely mountains the most prominent. The wind in those flat lands carried a lively scent laced with something dangerous, something he dared not pursue, as if the Mother herself held out a hand in pleading, 'do not wander'. He had seen the Mare of Legend, felt her touch like a cool spring breeze as she gave the Mother's gift to his daughter, beheld the longing which spanned across the Marsh and felt a great loss. Night Heron had lost his magic.
No longer did the skies stretch, whispering secrets of before-birth and objects fallen from the stars. No longer could he wander, sight failing despite a mere 4 seasons lived. He could not sense his Mother and her true son, and why was he suddenly so tired? Perhaps this sinking failure, hanging like a bat in his chest, was what brought him to the home of his brothers. This Buck was sick for the swamp, yet returning had yet to return his magic. What was this danger?
He mumbled to himself, a sound both inviting and terrifying.
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:37 pm
 Heralded-Nightsong was pacing the edge of the swamp. For about a moon cycle he had quite certainly felt the...wrong... that had enveloped the swamp. He was nearly certain he had felt it before this, but he could not remember. Those memories of long ago seemed fuzzy and insignificant compared to the topsy-turny feelings he got. He could even look out into the flat-lands, a feat he had never done before, whether from fear or habit, he did not know. He almost wanted to taste the outside; to run through the flatlands as if there was nothing stopping him. The old legends prevented him, but he could not remember why, exactly. His tribe was splitting down the middle on whom to believe, a wizened doe who dreamed, or a young buck who saw. It was then he saw the glowing triad, two orbs hanging above a third, as if out of no where. Could this be? He edged closer. Suddenly, mumbles. Heralded-Nightsong jumped backward, almost into the barren flatlands, breathing so deeply that the world started spinning.
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:21 pm
The older buck was aware of a new presence as he had been long enough to feel the heartbeat of his brothers and sisters. There was no intent in this new arrival and the savage worries and glorious tales spun from his tongue like a phantom web. Heron held out his neck, long and elegant, denying the fear his thoughts.
"...It's the return of the old ones, a shifting of days. That which was once obscured will be seen and we will behold the mire with new eyes..." He continued on, now pacing, head tossing about like a braying steed. While his movements were quick and filled with eager intention, his face still held a somber look. Flashes of light fell through scattered leaves, casting a sun-drenched glow over Heron's path. Suddenly, he turned, taking in the buck who so resembled the sky he adored.
"And what say you, child of the sky?" Came that slow yet erratic voice, eyes washed over with a steadily encroaching blindness.
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 4:10 pm
Night had heard the eerie prophecy, and Night had heard the question, he just couldn't move. The return of the old ones? Either this kimeti was crazy, or the cloudy, glowing eyes meant something. And did he just call Night a child of the sky? He was a child of Crane; they all were!
"Um, ah, well...that can't be good?" he managed to stammer out. The shifting of the swamp was really getting to him. He couldn't remember when he had last stopped walking to rest, or to eat, or to drink. There was the small chance he was finally hallucinating, or finally dead.
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Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 6:54 pm
The braying Kimeti lowered his head, softly shaking 'no'. He grumbled as he surveyed the younger buck, drawing nearer to him with a youthful energy in his step. His eyes flashed in tandem with his gem as he made his way out of the light and deeper into the shadows of the canopy. "There will be three." He imagined aloud, and it was now obvious he was speaking more to himself than his companion.
"The first will bow to these changes and bring about the age of the old ones, and they will be good. The second - well, they will do little more than wait." Clearly the ramblings of a delusional creature, these prophecies held high merit in the old hermit's mind. "And the third - the third will lose all hope, they will take to the flesh of their brothers and the good Mother will be their only salvation...where will you be when her grace cleans the Mire?" Those wild and hazy eyes once again met the stranger.
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Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 4:48 pm
"Where will I be when...what?" Night was getting braver now, but more confused. This aged kimeti was clearly prophesizing, but to whom? And for what purpose?
"Okay, so the first will be good, the second just wait, and the third..." Night ended slowly; the prophecy was fading in his memory like it hadn't existed. He grasped for it, but it was like trying to catch the silt at the bottom of a moor. He could only remember something about the good Mother...
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 12:11 am
The older buck, barren of sympathy, merely scoffed at the star-coated Kimeti. "When Mother wakes, of course." He barked, still tossing in a wild circle, tilting his head to view the sun as it passed in yellow-gold threads through thick leaves. "You are quick to forget... you will be the second."
Not a polite creature, was he? Heron, fat full with his own promises, payed his company little more attention than he thought necessary. Despite his sure fortunetelling, he seemed troubled - which of the three was he?
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 9:02 pm
Night jumped at the sudden increase in volume. Perhaps wondering around in the swamp in such times was not a very wise idea. Night didn't know whether to be offended by the buck's tone or to simply take it as the mad-ramblings they probably were.
Gathering his courage, he asked, "If you know so much, which are you!?"
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Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 9:44 pm
A curious glint overtook those red, milky eyes, replacing what little ability the Buck had to grin. He took a proud stance, arching his neck once more into the stranger. A long, bramble-stung tail made a trail through the leaves, marking the lone Kimeti's path. Two black ears raised and swiveled toward the wind, as if waiting for the answer there - it did not come.
"I will be non of three." He replied, unsure of his place in this great change.
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Posted: Fri May 08, 2009 1:11 pm
"If you aren't any of the three," Night reasoned, "then who's to say anyone else will. I mean, if there are set parameters and then you just go and break them, what's the point?"
Night was getting over his fright by now. Even though the swamp felt...wrong...he still didn't think that listening to some half-mad kimeti in the middle of the swamp was really a good idea.
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Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 6:46 pm
  Lost Light lurked through the swamp until his golden eyes spotted two bucks, one with the pattern of the sky and the other with a glow in his chest. He was intregued so he came closer to the two. He was not sure if their conversation was private so he waited closely hoping one of the two bucks would notice him. Their was plot stirring among the swamp and Lost Light knew it. Many kimeti were venturing out unto the edge of the swamp where lengends of kimeti demons were said to be. The dangers of the edge of the swamp intriuged Lost Light, as did the two bucks conversing with each other. Water who was traveling beside Lost Light saw his companion stop withing hearing distance of the two bucks. Water edged closer to Lost Light and stepped on a twig. Lost Light quickly glanced at Water and then at the two bucks.
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Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 11:59 pm
 Fish Bones plodded along, his head slumped down, his mind so wrapped up in thoughts he hardly heard or saw anything - or anyone - around him. "What is happening? Why do things feel so.. wrong? No.. no, that's not right. It's not wrong, just.. weird.. I think." He isn't aware of speaking aloud as these thoughts, and snippets he has heard, chase themselves around his mind. He's heard whispers of the Old Ones returning, those Legendary Kimeti with unknown magics. Tales of fear and joy and grief he's heard too. Himself, he's experienced none of these, except when these emotions would be expected. He has, however, felt something in the swamp. He can't decide if it is a wrongness, or just something different. Or weird. Or something.
With these thoughts bouncing around in his head, it takes him several minutes to realize he's left the deep swamp and is now on the edge. Stopping, he lifts his head, blinking to clear his eyes. Looking around he sees no one at first, then off to his right, he notices them. Two bucks, both remind him of night, though only one has a starry hide. The other is mostly black, and emits a soft glow. Hesitantly, he turns and sets off toward them.
"Hello!" He calls, even though he is still a dozen or so paces away. He stops after a few paces, just now realizing that maybe he'd interrupted a private conversation. Standing there, he watches the two. Part of him hopes it's an open conversation, but then again he's never been fully comfortable with strangers.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 4:01 am
The call of a nearby buck gave Lost Light the impression that it was okay to join the conversation. As he emerged from the bushes with Water they saw a third buck, this one green and brown with eyes of gold just as his. He approached the three and said, "Hello I'm Lost Light. Have you seen anything, well... strange up here." He was cautious not the seem to abrasive. Lost Light waited for their response as he and Water stood in front of them.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 8:13 pm
Fish Bones turns his head, taking in this new buck. "Um.. uh.. well no.." He stammers, reluctant to admit he hasn't been paying much attention to his surroundings. "That is, not seen. Things feel different, though. The swamp, I mean. Everywhere, things just aren't the same." He turns his attention back to the other two, wondering what they have to say.
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Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 10:48 am
Heron seemed taken aback by the sudden appearance of the two, shuffling his front legs eagerly. He had an audience now - not a proper one, as there were only three, but more Kimeti than he had seen in one place since the great thawing. This made the elder buck anxious and he did little to hide it - whether he was unaware of his constant shuffling or merely aloof had yet to be discovered.
The buck shook his hide, sending off a few brambles, and opened wide his maw. "And you two - lost as all the others, chasing your tail - had you even noticed where you are?" There was humor in his eyes now, a particularly gray humor which accompanied those who preferred laughter at anothers' expense.
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![[.Lady of Shalott.]'s avatar](https://a1cdn.gaiaonline.com/dress-up/avatar/ava/55/bf/58026c5110bf55_flip.png?t=1634154867_6.00_01)
