Welcome to Gaia! ::

Please ONLY post your RP responses here. If ya got any questions please post them in the main shop thread.

-You may update till closing date...
-IF you do update leave us a note please! :3

::RP Response::

It was simply too cold to go out today.

Rolling around under her warmest blanket, the human rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling of her home. Heaving a weary sigh she rose, quickly throwing on some warm layers of clothing and grabbing a piece of fruit to eat. Her stomach rumbled. Shivering, she set out away from the village and into the forest, oiled leather bag at her side. Today she was harvesting whatever nuts she coud find in season... others had already headed into the woods to gather what fruit they could find. Fall and then winter were closing in on them, and soon such food would be almost nonexistent.

As she set her sights on a large clump of walnuts high in a tree, something caught her attention. From the corner of her eye she spotted movement in the trees; a flash of glowing red like fire and then it was gone. Interest piqued, she set her gaze on where it had paused, creeping carefully around one trunk after another.

She could hear a soft rapping sound.

Peering around the base of a large tree, she was surprised when a bright orange egg came into view. By the way it was moving ever-so-slightly, it appeared that it was nearly ready to hatch. Why would someone abandon a beautiful egg such as this?

She took it into her hands with some effort and was startled when she realized it was not a normal egg. Not believing what she had felt, she ran her hand several more times across the surface. What kind of adahy laid a furry egg? Her fingers stroked the long, puffed out plumage, gently cradling the egg in her arms like a baby. It must be fate that had left such a beautiful thing here... perhaps adahy grew furrier in the cold months? She had so little experience with them, she just wasn't sure. Most humans were lucky enough to only see one from afar... how lucky she must be!

Tucking the still rumbling egg away close under her arm, she hurried back towards her village to show her find. As she left the spot she had found it, a mournful wail came from someplace deep in the forest.

She would never know the egg's story.


::Character development::

Who's entering: Capricorn Sunchai
Egg Name: Angha (Persian for pheonix - <3 her colors)
Personality: Intelligent, but rather quiet and laid back. Angha will gladly take the back seat of a conversation of her own will, but if forced into a position where she is expected to remain silent, things can get a little crazy. She's a free spirit and doesn't like being told what she can and cannot do. This attitude likely came from her childhood away from a 'traditional' rearing by her mother and father (or, well, her father, at least). Though she's set in her ways, perhaps a gentle, guiding hand can help correct some of her more erratic behavior. Around meeker di'taki she's relaxed and gentle, offering a way for them to hide behind her fiery personality. She doesn't appreciate the regular adahy because of how they shun her kind anyways.

History: Tragic. It wasn't on purpose that she was left behind as an egg. Not long after her egg had entered this world, Angha's mother took off to find food for herself and to return to what was apparently more pressing business. Of course her mother cared, of course; like all females, however, she just had things to do. This left Rapture, her father, to care and protect the egg that he had fathered. Stuck on his own without his temporary mate or other company, the male waited and waited for his offspring to hatch. Why they had even chosen to hatch the little thing outside of the safety of the hatchery was beyond him, as well as why he had let himself be talked into watching it himself.

Until he noticed it. The way the feathers seemed to puff more and grow larger than normal, the almost furry aspect his precious egg took on. Had those been there when it was laid? Little by little he realized that what would have been a wonderful thing was more and more corrupted. Why? Why, after watching so carefully over his offspring as it grew did it have to become di'taki? The female he had taken as his mate for the season had done a deal with a demon, it seemed. What a fool he'd been. He cursed many things under his breath, maternal instinct fighting against what he knew was taboo. Gently nosing the egg so it rolled, he went as fast as he could through the woods, farther from his territory than he had been in a long while. He didn't stop until he found the perfect place. It felt safe, welcoming.

And there he hid her. Between two gnarled, ancient roots he tucked the gently moving egg away from sight. He'd come for her later, he knew he would... under his breath he promised the egg he'd return, and bounded back away through the forest.

Not too far off, a human stirred from their slumber...

::RP Response::
Misa had gladly volunteered to collect moss while the others went fruit and berry picking. No one else like the slimy job of peeling it from the trees, but she'd take any task that allowed her to wander in the forest.

She stopped on the forest path to breathe in the cool morning air. The woods smelled of damp leaves and moldy undergrowth. She loved it. The small creatures' scurrying sounds and birds chirping to each other was so much nicer to listen to than the females barking orders to the youngsters around the village.

Her half-filled bag of moss hung on her shoulder. She gazed around, deciding which direction to go next to look for more harvest-able moss. A flash of movement caught her eye. Looking through the trees still glistening with dew, Misa thought she saw an animal moving. She was naturally curious. It'd always been her dream to catch a glimpse of an Adahy that she heard about in stories.

“Well,” Misa said, “that's as good a direction as any to go in.” Cautiously making her way in the direction of the elusive animal, Misa stopped to collect moss along the way and add it to her bag. Going further, she stopped where she thought she'd seen movement among the bushes. A peach colored feather clinging to a branch told her that she had indeed seen something. Misa was no tracker, but she could tell that the feather had come from the recent animal passing and not dropped earlier by some bird. Plucking the feather from the branch, Misa noticed the damp earth beneath the bramble still showed outlines of paw prints. Her eyes followed the direction in which they appeared to go. Another peach-colored feather waved gaily from a branch further through the trees.

Misa made her way to the second feather. Cautiously taking the feather, she added it to the first one in her tunic pocket. A third feather hung from a similar branch, while a fourth lay on the ground further on. Misa looked around, wondering if the one of the boys from the village was playing a trick on her. She could just imagine one of them waiting to jump out at her. Oh well, she thought. She did want the feathers, even if nothing mysterious was waiting at the end.

Striding forward, caution gone, Misa plucked the third feather from the branch as she passed it. Reaching the fourth feather, she knelt down, bracing herself for the hoopla that was bound to explode from some nearby bush. Picking up the feather, she waited. Nothing happened.

Peering under the bushes around her, she wondered what new game the boys had dreamed up. Only a cluster of pale golden feather tips laying under one of the bushes peeked back at her. They looked a bit different than the ones she'd already collected. Reaching under the bush, Misa wrapped her fingers around the feathers, but when she tried to pull them to her, they wouldn't budge. Thinking they might still be attached to an animal, she quickly drew her hand back. Nothing moved to indicate she'd disturbed an animal so Misa pushed back the branches for a closer look, revealing a large leaf-covered mound. Brushing the leaves away, she discovered the tips were attached to a large egg covered with shorter, denser cinnamon colored feathers with pale golden stripes. Astonished, she sat back and simply looked at it. The only animal that she knew of that could be born from an egg this large was an Adahy. Reaching out to caress the egg, she wondered, was this really happening? Could she really have found an egg of the animal she'd hoped to simply catch a glimpse of someday?

Suddenly realizing that the parents might be nearby, Misa glanced around wondering if they would harm her if they caught her by the egg. Nothing seemed to move in the forest around her, save for a few birds fluttering above. Then she remembered the feathers that had led her here. The Adahy were more than just wild animals. The stories told by the elders said they made agreements with her people. Could one of them really have meant for her to find and care for this egg?

Looking around her, Misa searched for any signs of an Adahy that might have led her here. Speaking aloud to the forest, she said, “I am honored that you chose me to care for this egg.” Pausing, she listened, hoping for a response to let her know that she was correct in assuming that this egg was hers to care for. “I promise that I will take the best care of it and love it always.”

Misa gathered the egg into her arms. It was going to be a long, tiring walk back, but she knew of a small hidden grove where she could hide the egg and be able to take care of it every day. She didn't dare take it back to the village. Misa was sure one of the elders would claim it as their right to raise the egg and it would be taken from her. She believed she had been chosen by the Adahy to care for the egg and she was going to make sure the egg stayed with her.



::Character development::

Who's entering: Cricket2008
Egg Name: KIMI (Native American Algonquin name meaning "secret" )
Personality: She has a curious nature, but she's a bit shy since she was always told to stay hidden and not be seen. Despite her shyness, she is very protective of the human that has raised her. Being raised by a lone human she doesn't know the ways of the Adahy or Di'Taki. As an animal of the forest, she is self-sufficient and able to take care of herself.
History:
The egg was proof that she’d done a bad thing. She wondered if she would be cursed forever. She remembered the night with a wicked smile. She had no regrets.

The danger of the night had excited her. Running through the woods under the full moon, her pale green hide looked ghostly with her peach-pink feathers bobbing behind her. She'd felt a wild abandon as she'd sought the place of the secret rendezvous. She didn't know if he'd be there, but she had to take the chance. Tonight would be the only night she'd be able to slip away and not be noticed.

She'd arrived at the hidden grove and thought she was alone, thought she'd missed him. Then he stepped from the shadows, his wild golden feathers gleaming bright in the moonlight against his blood red body. She looked up at his deformed horns feeling a bit weak in the knees. They excited her in a way she didn't understand.

Yes, it'd been a night to remember. Not one that she'd ever regret despite the consequences. Several weeks later, she realized her wild night's romp had produced an egg. She'd never heard of what an Adahy/Di'Taki mating would produce. The two species were forbidden to even speak to each other. Which of course, had made the rendezvous that much more exciting, she remembered with a hint of a grin.

She knew she wouldn't be able to have the egg in the hatchery. If it turned out to be cursed, they'd make her abandon it. She'd have to bear it in secret. This was her first egg and Di'taki or not, she couldn't bear the thought of never seeing the child or not knowing whether or not it was being cared for.

So here she was. Laying in wait for the human that often came along the small path through the woods.

::RP Response:: Several hours had passed since Trei’a had been seen. The Adahy female had departed hours ago for the Hatchery, but apparently did not arrive. Upon hearing this news, her mate left their home to search for her. Engrossed by a multitude of fear, De’ren began searching the forest without a moment of pause. The pads of his feet sunk into the damp ground of the morning soil, feathers held high as a warning to any who passed him.

Minutes seem to soar on hours’ wings, until finally De’ren found what he sought. Sad, golden eyes fell to the corpse of his mate… her beautiful sepia feathers broken and strewn across the forest floor. Blood engulfed the area where the pregnant Trei’a lay, her body broken and tattered. De’ren dropped to the ground, his heart descending into sorrow. His mate had been pregnant… they were going to raise a family together… now that dream was over. It was thrown and strewn across the depths of shaded undergrowth.

After moments of despair had passed, De’ren forced his body to move, though the action was one of reluctance. He approached his mutilated Trei’a and stared down upon her. Leaning forward, he rested his maw against hers, and closed his eyes. Her soul had been a beautiful one, he thought. Opening his yellow eyes, he peered closer to her body, his stomach weak with disgust. Strange colors crossed his vision, as well as dark, rotten smells. Her body had apparently been there for hours, he realized with a pang of guilt. The thought quickly dispersed as he found himself staring at a blood-covered oval shape. With a paw, he nudged it.

Crack. The sound echoed in the morning light. Below De’ren lay the opened egg of his unborn child. “What?” he queried, aloud. He searched further where his mate’s entrails lay, as well as beneath her torn limbs and where her lovely tail had been. Sure enough, the male found was he was looking for. Two eggs lay side by side; one a shimmering white with pale gold and brown patterns decorating its smooth surface, the other… A growl of disappointment escaped De’ren maw. The other egg was furred, its phoenix-colored shell dappled with dried blood.

De’ren reached forward with his jaws and picked up the undamaged Adahy egg and held it gently. With a last look toward his beautiful mate, he sped off toward the Hatchery, hoping to find a female who would take the egg there.

Meanwhile, a tribe’s gathering party had been assembled. It was still the early afternoon and the women of the tribe felt the need to arrange a feast in honor of a prosperous year. Opiya, a young girl of sixteen had offered to take her mother’s place in the party while she planned the banquet. For the day, she had been assigned to search for herbs and garnishes that were only found on the forest’s floor. She, of course, readily agreed to the assignment. Her younger sister, however, was less keen to let her go… without her, that is.

“You have to let me go, Opi!” Bala cried with envy. “You have to. Mom’s busy all day, she won’t care.” The girl was six and stubborn, and Opiya did not see a way out of this argument. “You may come with me, but you must promise to behave and stay with me at all times,” she responded quietly, to Bala’s glee.

The two of them set off toward Lake Ha’tama, where the trees grew thick and dense. The shaded darkness of the forest favored the types of herbs the Elders had requested. Opiya, cautious as always, kept a sharp eye on her little sister. Bala was overwhelmed with happiness at the opportunity to explore, and so far she had regarded her sister’s mind well. Approximately two hours had passed, however, and Bala was growing impatient with her sister’s pace.

“May we please hurry, Opi? We’re still an hour away from the lake! Please?” Bala begged, a sneaky grin creeping onto her face. Opiya shook her head and smiled. “No, Bala. We must move slowly in order not to miss an opportunity at finding what we’re looking for,” her sister replied. Bala merely sniffed with disappointment and kicked a small rock. The familiar smell of water entered her senses immediately and Bala’s skin prickled with the plot that formed in her head.

“I’ll just meet you there,” she shouted, running off into the darkness. Opiya glanced upward to see her sister disappear. “Bala, no!” she screamed, hopelessly running after her, but the girl was gone.

After a minute or two of dashing between the trees, Bala came to a halt. Her chest pounded with the beating of her heart as she stood still, legs drowning in a pool of bloody mud. “Ow!” she yelled, picking a soft brown feather out of the neck of her dress. The stench of blood entered her nostrils suddenly and Bala wretched, her stomach coming up to her throat. Dry-heaving, the small girl muddled her way through the liquid ground. Whimpering and sobbing, Bala finally reached a harder surface of the forest floor and dropped to her knees. Spittle and bile dripped from her mouth as she continued vomiting.

A movement in the forest caused her to scream violently and lurch forward. Her foot caught a branch sticking out of the soil and Bala came falling back to the ground. She reached forward, trying to brace herself with eyes closed, but failed miserably. Opening her black eyes, she found her hands wrapped around the most beautiful thing her six-year-old eyes had ever seen.

A soft, furred egg of orange and gold quivered in her hands as the ground vibrated beneath her. Bala pulled herself up, clenching the egg gently. Her black eyes scanned the area fearfully. Something was nearing her. Something large.

Gray eyes peered out of the darkness and a snort dripped down Bala’s neck. The little girl froze with panic, unmoving in her stance. Another breath came sinking down upon her momentarily and finally she turned to face her onlooker. Her nose brushed the creature’s in facing her. It seemed like a thousand silver orbs were staring down at her, though the fear was gone once she realized what was before her.

“This isn’t mine,” Bala explained, holding the fiery egg up to the feathered creature before her. The Elder Di’Taki tilted her head and studied the egg in the human child’s hands. She had already calculated the mess a few feet away and knew that a mere human could not have done so much damage to an adult Adahy.

“Do you want it?” Bala asked suddenly. The Elder stepped back, surprised at the girl’s question. The egg was beautiful… something any human would have envied to own. But here she was, a tiny child, offering her a gift of life… a baby Di’Taki. The female leaned forward and took the egg with her giant maw, and the girl’s hands dropped to her sides. The Elder bowed to her in gratitude and turned, walking off into the distance.

::Character development::
Who's entering: Aatuin

Egg Name: Renlore

Personality: Renlore is a creature who appreciates life more than anything. She loves her adoptive mother, as well as all the other Di'Taki she knows. Unlike others of her species, she does not hate the Adahy... for her mother informed her that her parents had been Adahy.

Renlore is also very confident and comfortable with herself. She tries to spread her warmth and happiness wherever she goes, though most find her intrusive. Over time, as she grows older, this aspect of her slowly dies. Her warmth turns to wisdom and her happiness turns to silence.

History: As in the story, Renlore's mother was killed (most likely by a Di'Taki.) Her father finds the body of her mother, along with three eggs. One is broken, while the other is an Adahy egg. He sees the mutated form of Renlore's egg and leaves her there to die. Luckily, she is found by a passing Di'Taki Elder. The female takes her in and raises her as her own, for she was not beautiful enough to be chosen by a Di'Taki male to breed with. Her wish for a baby comes true with Renlore. She tries her best to raise her with the knowledge of the difference between blind hatred and rightful disgust. As a result, Renlore grows up with more of an interest in the Adahy rather than a hatred.