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 Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:03 pm
No. They were stuck and making the most of the situation they had been placed in. Thus, was what she herself was doing. Training the body, working the mind and attempting to make alliences with other creatures for future uses.
Stopping suddenly, a annoyed scowl crossing her face. What Aki saw before her was a barren lands. This wasn't fire at all! Tensing and flexing musles to calm herself down, the autumn pelted roguelander pondered her next move.
Birds, snakes and even a couple lions spoke of fiery lands here. I don't see any such thing. Only sand and desert. This doesn't hold up to my expectations at all.
Pushing a harsh breath of air out of her, Aki turned away. Disappointment and sharpened annoyance ruffling her features.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:17 pm
The Nergui, to Moto'Seide and those sentinels with her, had practically vanished from the earth. Every now and then, a messenger would bring back news from home. They seemed to be making their own kind of progress there, but it was a ticking time bomb. Seide did not rest well.
They'd spent the last three days scouring a desert landscape. The small dunes had felt good under her paws, but they were no where near the expanse of sandy fire that homeland had. No, most of this was covered in rock and desert shrub. It was more home than the rest of the savannah, but it was not home.
They would remain here for a few days longer; it brightened moral to see familiar forms. Perhaps it was time to send some home.
Head lifting, she caught a smell on the wind. There was a lioness, or a young male, coming her general direction. They did not seem in a hurry, nor did the footsteps appear to be threatening.
Still, Seide walked a little ways out in hopes of diverting the lioness away from where the other sentinels were taking a rest in the shade of a dune.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:36 pm
Thoughts muddled with annoyance and discontent at the situation she was now placed in, Aki let her eyes unfocus. This trick generally made it easier to catch sight of movement or strange objects. Her reasoning was simply to make the trip worthwhile in some way. Shining scrapes of human made items, perhaps something to hunt or in the best case, another creature to gather information from.
And fate did smile upon her, for soon she noticed a creature in the distance, vaguely lion shaped. Ears perking as a tight smile appeared on her face.
Flicking now focused emerald eyes around the lands, she caught sight of no others. Even the skies were clear of creatures that could be considered familiars. Now, she just had to take care around the bushes. Snakes. They were sly basards and their bite was less than desireable. Mapping out her route, Aki nodded to herself in reassurance. It would be better to meet them then avoid them.
Moving forward in the direction of the character. Aki again let her eyes slip unfocused, her tail limply dropping to the ground, nearly dragging. If she allowed herself to look unthreatening perhaps this stranger would approach her.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:56 pm
Moto'Seide's mouth thinned into a line. Eyes narrowing, she watched the lioness move closer.
A quick scan of the sands revealed no one else. She was tired of having to look, and tired of having it always be for no reason.
"Halt," she called out when she had enough.
"I mean no harm, but I ask that you do not come further." The Sentinels were testy, and they did not need fresh blood to peck away at with their questions or with their claws. Most could contain themselves, but even her tension was abnormally high.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 11:20 pm
Her body haulted before she could even reconsider, the command startling her. However, once her mind caught up with her body's reactions a bit of annoyance rushed through her. It wasn't every day she had someone tell her what to do, nor did she like the feeling. Perhaps this was due to her being alone or the leader when in a group. Whatever the case, she felt words bubble inside her like bile, readying to be launched.
Taking a quick breath in, she swallowed those words as rationality kicked in. With no idea where she was and no supporters in case of an emergency, what would she do if she were attacked?
The fire in her blood boiled, letting her know exactly what she'd do.
Considering her situation for a moment, Aki decided to speak up. Questions were flooding her head. Perhaps the stranger would know something. That, and speaking generally calmed her down.
"Are these your lands to which you are protecting? If not, why must I stop my journey?"
Deciding to start off slow to test the attitude of the lioness, she awaited reply. Eyes ready to read her body language as ears perked forward.
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 11:32 pm
"These lands are unclaimed." Or what small prides made their home on them were of so little consequence that the sentinel group could readily wipe them out. The Legate's eyes flicked briefly towards their surrounding area.
"But you are venturing towards danger." It was firm, cool, and held a tone that did not waver. It was all the lioness needed to know, and it was all Seide felt the need to explain. Anything further was irrelevant.
The lioness' tail swayed behind her as she let her eyes slide down the auburn lioness and back up. They searched for wounds, for tension, for signs of bruising and trauma. Her momentary companion lacked all of these. She was healthy, especially for a rogue. Healthy rogues raised Seide's suspicions.
"I advise another route."
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 11:55 pm
Her lip twitched as the stranger finished her statement. Not a single detail was given as to why the autumn pelted lioness shouldn't continue on her path. No, she was just warned there was danger. Didn't this lioness understand that saying something like that caused curiousity to breed?
"Well then, all the better! I need a little excitement while I search for fire."
Taking to steps forward, Aki stopped suddenly, looking up at the stranger. She wasn't stupid, she just wanted to push her luck a little. Perhaps she could get her curious. Anything to make Aki's time standing there worth it. Maybe letting her think on the word fire would get something out of her.
Glancing over the body of the companion, she could tell one thing definitely. She could fight and shared the ability to lead. How she did that, Aki could only guess.
"Perhaps you know about it? Fire. A whole land of it."
The lioness was bound to know something. It seemed everyone she asked had a bit of knowledge on it. Nothing substantial, however. This alone made her ever eager to see it.
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 12:14 am
There was no response from the Legate. She remained stoic as the lioness took her steps forwards. The muscles in the red-pelted lioness began to tighten, her claws teased at the edges of her paws, ready to be unleashed if necessary.
Getting into a fight with a rogue was not on her list of things to do. The Legate stepped aside, opening the pathway to the stranger.
"Very well." Perhaps the sentinels needed someone to chase around. Moto'Seide frowned momentarily at her own thought.
"Hm." Seide considered it, a smile twitching at the edge of her lips. Moto'Seide had seen the smokes of fire, in the plains and in the trees; she had seen blackened roots, but there were no -- "I know fire," she eventually decided. She surveyed the lioness more carefully. She was perhaps a curious rogue, but she could also be Nergui.
"What do you want to know about the Land of Fire?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 1:07 am
Progress!
As silence passed, Aki almost felt like an accomplishent was had. Even when the stranger had tensed, she felt she had won a small victory. In her eyes she had gotten a fairly 'normal' reaction from her. But of course, that victory was just a ruse.
Staring dumbfounded as her companion moved aside allowing her passage Aki did all she could to hide her shock. Of course, that had failed horribly as she realized her mouth was now hanging agap.
Closing her mouth slowly and cocking her head at the lioness she gave her a confused, but disgusted look. Why the hell would she give up so easily if she wanted me out? What a push-over!
Biding her time before taking her leave she was rewarded yet again with more conversation. This time the stranger was asking her, her own questions. Smirking, she felt that bubble of accomplishment fill her again. So the mention of fire did interest her.
Taking a deep breath, Aki squared herself up with the other lioness.
"Well, to be honest. Not much. Bits and pieces have been scattered about the lands. It intrigues me though." Pausing and pondering how to stitch together her information she bobbed her head back and forth. Sentances stringing in her head and processing. After a moment of stillness she began.
"I have heard the lands are on fire. In a literal manner." Stopping for a moment she quickly added, "I can't truly believe that for myself thought! I will admit it being one of the reasons I am on a journey to them. However, as fasinating as that is, the thing that interests me most is how powerful many paint them to be. To gain alliances with them would be most beneficial to me. That... and I hear that something evil has spread onto their lands. This... is curious to me." Stopping Aki make a small awkward, almost childish smile. Yeah, she was showing a little bit o her cub-like personality. It didn't matter.
Keeping silent for several seconds, she recounted what she had said. Ears perking she quickly blurted out, "OH! And they are giants. Nearly as large as elephants! Amazing don't you agree?"
And there it was. Why she was interested for the most part. What information she had on them and the general reason why she wanted to head there. She wasn't going to let her know everythng though.
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Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 9:36 am
The confused, disgusted look was apparently as ineffective at creating a rise in Seide as the rest of their conversation. She waited, as a mother might wait out a child, for her companion to recompose herself. It happened quickly, as was the speed of the auburn one's tongue.
Moto'Seide let her temporary companion give her entire spiel. At first, she was uncertain as to what lands were being spoken of. The last few descriptions, however, made the answer quite clear.
Unlike other Firekin, who may have playfully encouraged strange rumors, Seide found no amusement in their perpetration.
"They are not on fire," she corrected first. "There is nothing in the Moutoujamii to burn." If a Nergui, the rogue was not well informed. Moto'Seide knew the Nergui had knowledge of where the Firekin were located and may even have known that they were being followed by sentinels. It was still possible this 'rogue' was a scout, though it was becoming increasingly unlikely.
"There is nothing curious about war," she pointed out bluntly. Moto'Seide was learning things about 'war'. It was not glorious battles thrown on top of one another; valiancy was not so cut into stone. The time before war was fear, frustration, sweat, and tension. "And I am not an elephant."
Large, yes. Moto'Seide's bulk overshadowed several of the blood-born Firekin males. But an elephant could still crush her with ease.
"The land is roughly northeast of here. It is desert. You will know it by the tall dunes." The Legate's ears swiveled forwards, settling on the orangey lioness as though asking whether she had any other rumors to expel. "I assume you have heard of our aptitude in battle. That," the hint of a smile at the corner of her stern muzzle, "Is true."
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:18 pm
Expecting to get a strange reaction or additional vague rumors for her to ponder, the lioness was taken off-guard when her companion spoke. She was correcting her information as if she knew exactly what it was she was she quested for! Excitement overflowed as all her featured perked up further. Even the need to defend herself from looking like an idiot disappeared as the intense need to learn filled her.
The quest for fire might finally be over. That thought made her smile slightly, softening her delicate features.
"Is that the proper name of the pride; The Moutoujamii?" Her voice was full of curiosity, eyes alight, nearly begging for more information.
This lioness was becoming more and more curious. The amount of knowledge she seemed to wield was something Aki envied and more than once her mind told her to make an alliance or contact with her. There was more to learn however. Never would the autumn colored lioness align herself with someone that crossed her moral boundaries. Her companion needed to show her true nature, then she would make her decision.
That next clipped reply made Aki's mouth form a thin line, jaw clenching. There was something to the way she said that, that made her believe she stood by those words. Like she had gone through war or perhaps was. Blinking a couple times and readying herself to speak, she was cut off by another reply.
Burning feeling of embarrassment rushed over her, face faltering as more facts were thrown her way. She wasn't stupid, in fact the idea of most of the rumors she had gathered being real were nearly amusing. However, she felt incredibly lucky to be speaking with someone who seemed rather informed.
This was the real deal! She was from the lands of fire. Yet...
"If your lands are further away, why are you here." Pausing for a moment she added, "It isn't wrong to assume you are of those lands?"
Emerald eyes rested on the lioness's face, her own mimicking the slight curl of a smile.
"Oh have I ever."
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:43 pm
"I am Firekin," she confirmed. Seide's head rose as she said it, ears perked forwards in pride. "But, I would have you respect that I will keep my reasons for being here to myself."
With as nosy as this young lioness was, Moto'Seide had little doubt she would find out soon. It was surprising, in fact, that she did not already know.
"Your coat is skeptical." Seide was looking at the yellow's that adorned the female's body. There was red, she clearly had a look of fire, but in battle so much yellow could easily be confused.
"Are you looking for stories or to join?" She had sent many north already. Perhaps she would send one more.
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