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 Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 8:22 pm
"Matteo, are you sure this is the right way? It's getting dark, and Iryl doesn't - "
"Of course I am. I'm the one with superb vision, remember? Besides, you're the foreigner, 'Archer Girl'. While I've lived on these isles since before you were -"
"Alright, alright! Just..would you please hurry? We need to find him. I haven't seen him since last autumn when I went on my hunting trip. I'm really getting worried."
"Uncle Matt?" a timid voice whimpered. It was very uncharacteristic of its owner. "Where we going 'gain?"
The cattaur pygmie sighed and paused, hanging his head in dispair. "Aww, Iryl, I just told you a few minutes ago!"
"Me know, but..." the cervitaur girl's purple-blue eyes glistened with tears, even in the dark. "But makes me feel better..." she mumbled.
Matteo turned toward the child, looking pained. As an infant, he had been able to carry her in times of needed comfort, but now that she was his physical age, he was no longer capable of such a thing. It was another reason why he was beginning to hate his eternal youth. "We're going to find Fritzi, Iryl."
"But...but why?"
"Because he's lost."
"Lost?"
"Yes! Lost! We can't find him! Like when you get lost and we spend night and day looking for you! Only he didn't do it on purpose!" As his voice rose to shouts, Matteo fell silent, immediately regreting his words as he witnessed the child's wide eyes begin to overflow. Iryl burst into tears.
Wasibru, however, taking up the rear, assessed the situation and took control. "There there," she whispered, kneeling to take Iryl up in her own strong arms. Since Lyco still had her bow, there was no need for her arrows nor her quiver, and she found Iryl to be quite light. "Uncle Matt didn't mean it. He's just worried we won't find Uncle Fitzi. But I'm sure we will!" she added swiftly as the child in her arms began to squirm.
"Not only that, but we might even have a new playmate for you, Iryl," Matteo continued, calmed now, though looking as though he carried a burden of worry far too large for a child. His young face was etched with worry, regret, and sorrow. "Natalie told me Libby was supposed to be there too. And with the egg we found in the meadow." He glanced at the child with an attempted smile. "Since Natalie's a harpy, she recognized it as harpy egg, and she said it's to hatch soon."
Wasibru found herself feeling pity for the poor pygmie. He may have acted arrogant at times with his knowledge, but inside, he probably really wasn't much more than a kid. There had been a time when Lyco and Leila had said he had seemed as if he were one of them; just an ordinary carefree child. But in truth, it seemed all the troubles of their awkward herd rested on his narrow shoulders. Fritzi, even as the sole adult, would never be one to take charge of things. He was just too gentle and patient for that, and let the children do as they wished, acting more as a friend than a guardian or parent. Still, to Iyrl, he was like a father, and hearing he was missing brought her great distress.
"Iryl, look. Remember these bushes?" Wasibru asked her cheerfully, leaning forward so Iryl could see them even in the shadows. "They're the berry bushes around Fritzi's home in the heart of the forest. Remember? We're just about - "
"Here," Matteo finished, staring grimly down at a small, isolated clearing surrounded by tall pine trees.
The centaurette stared in disbelief. "No...Matteo, this is wrong...he's not...he's not here..."
"No. And niether is Libby. Or the egg," he told them in a sullen voice, picking his way amoung the pine needles that carpeted the forest floor. A gibbon moon had already risen high overhead. "But this is it for sure. Wherever they are, it's not here."
Iryl began to wail again, and Wasibru had to rock her until she was too sleepy to cry anymore. The huntress and the pygmie stood there in silence, niether sure of what to say or do. They were tired, hungry, and stuck in the middle of the woods.
It had always been a safe haven before, where their whole herd gathered to sleep together at Fritzi's warm invitation. But now it seemed cold and unwelcoming. Matteo didn't even have the heart to start a fire.
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Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 10:04 pm
Evisule picked her way carefully through the underbrush, having to go even slower now because of the dim light. She carried Reyamet in her arms, and although he was normally snoozing when it began to get dark, at the moment he was wide awake. After all, he wouldn't want to miss out on an adventure. Pausing to catch her breath, the cervitaur smiled down at the cattaur in her arms.
Rey grinned brightly back. "Evi, le's go tha' way!" He pointed in a random direction.
"You do know what we're trying to find, don't you, Rey?" The newest addition to the tiny "herd" caught up and rested with Evisule.
Rey shook his head happily.
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "You can tell him, Evi, obviously he wasn't paying attention when we started out this afternoon. Hoolies knows if we'll ever find it, anyway."
The cervitaur smiled. Although she seemed annoyed, Evi was sure that Mirala loved being in the company of the adult and baby taurs. When Neri had brought the teen to them in the morning, the human had said that the centaur had been lonely, and could probably use a family. It was around the afternoon, a while after Neri had disappeared, that Evi had decided that her growing group could use a place to live. "Well, Rey, sweetie, we're trying to find a home of some sorts. When we get there, it'll probably be little more than a shelter, but together, we'll turn it into a special place just for us."
"Jus' for us?" he asked, and Evi nodded. "Yay!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands.
Shaking her head, Mirala couldn't help but smile. "It's 'yay' all right, but it's kinda not so easy to see as it was before, Evi. Maybe we should stop now?"
Evisule nodded, and Mirala could see the adult's disappointment, just for a second, before she hid it from the "younger siblings". "You're right, Mirala. Let's try and find someplace to sleep, just for tonight, then."
Mirala grinned. "Let me go ahead, Evi. You've got your hands full, there."
Rey blinked, barely realizing she was talking about him.
The cervi nodded again. "Okay, but don't go too far, Mira. Stay in my sight."
Already trotting ahead, Mirala waved her hand to signal she heard. After a few moments, the group came upon some pine trees. Beyond it seemed to be a clearing. Happy, Mira rushed through them, only to see another small group occupying it. "Oh, I'm sorry," she started as she blushed, "Is this your clearing? We can leave-"
Just then, Evi came through, holding a happy cub whose hands and mouth were full of berries. "Mira, there's some wonderful berry bushes over-" She stopped as her eyes were attracted to the most colorful one there, and she recognized her. "Iryl?!" Her eyes drifted. "Matteo?!" She grinned. "Well, hi there! What are you two doing so deep in the forest?" She looked to the last one with orange hair. "Oh, I'm sorry! My name is Evisule, and this is Reyamet and Mirala!" She gestured to the taurs under her care.
Mira blinked. "You know them?"
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 10:02 am
Matteo's ear twitched, and Wasibru looked up. Someone was close. The cattaur pygmie frowned and leapt down from a rotting log, his bells jingling along after him as he peered into the darkness. Suddenly, a yellow-gold centaur emerged, and then upon realizing the clearing was occupied, started an apology and blushed in embaressment.
He raised an eyebrow in confusion, tilting his head as he looked up at her. "We...?" As far as he could tell, the female was alone.
However, the answer soon presented itself in the form of an adult cervi and an infant cattaur. At first he thougt it was Fritzi, but soon noticed the absence of antlers. In the moonlight, the cervitaur was clearly not Fritzi. In fact, she was a female.
"EVIII!!!" Iryl screamed happily. Sometime during the commotion, she must have woken. Squirming and giggling, Wasibru took the hint and put the child down, where she ran to the female cervi with open arms.
"Heh..." Matteo chuckled, shaking his head. "She always was a light sleeper..." With a small wave, he smiled in greeting. "Thanks a lot, Evisule. Now she's going to be up all night."
Wasibru walked over, smiling politely. "You know these taur, Matteo?" she asked him, leaning over to see him better. Being taller still felt awkward. "They seem very nice, but...don't you think we should invite them to stay first?"
"Oh...of course," Matteo agreed sheepishly, feeling ashamed he hadn't thought to do so before. "Evi, your friend...er, Mirala? She seems to think this is our clearing. Um, but truth be told, we only came here in search of a friend. Remember our favorite shy male cervi?"
"He tended to like being isolated from most other taur 'till we found him. And also it was often too warm anywhere else for him as a winter taur, so he made his home here in the heart of the forest. Eventually, though, he pretty much invited everyone to stay."
"I'm sure if he was here right now, he'd have insisted on it, so why don't you spend the night? It's too dark now for anyone to go wandering around." He stared sternly at Iryl, clinging to Evi's long legs. "That means you, Iryl."
She merely giggled and stuck out her tounge at him. "You no tell me what to do, Uncle Matt. I big girl now!"
It was the wrong thing to say to the pygmie. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then shut it and at the same time flicked his tail, so that it jingled angrily for him. Crossing his arms, he pouted, stalking away into the shadows.
Wasibru guessed that whatever he had been about to say would not have been appropriate for a child's innocent ears, and silently she thanked him for leaving it unsaid.
It was easy to see why he might have been offended by Iryl's thoughtless, innocent comment. She didn't bother to go after him, though. He had probably only just gone to collect some berries for supper. With his supurb cat vision, he'd probably be better at it that herself or Iyrl.
"Now, Iyrl, we already talked about this," she told the child soothingly. "Matteo is special, remember? He only looks your age. He's actually a grown-up, though, so you have to listen to him. He's smarter than you or me. If you don't treat him like a grown-up, you'll hurt his feelings. Or his pride, rather..."
Iryl nodded, already sensing she had said something wrong at the sharp sound of the bells. Sorry for her words, she clung even more tightly to Evi's forelegs. "Me sorry," she murmured. "Will Matt come back?"
"Yes, he'll be fine. Don't worry," Wasibru answered, smiling warmly. You tell him sorry then, okay? But for now why don't you top pestering Ms. um...Evisule?" Righting herself, the centaur teen looked up to face the cervi adult.
"I'm so sorry about all of this," she apologized. "It's been hard on all of us since Fritzi's been gone. Most of all Matteo. He's had to take on so much, and he's become somewhat cranky as of late." She spread her arms helplessly, shrugging. "It's very nice to meet you. I only wish it were under better circumstances. I'm Wasibru, though I'm undersand you've already met Iryl and Matteo."
"I had left on a small hunting trip to improve my skills last autumn, and I haven't seen Fritzi since. We thought he'd be here as he used to be every evening, but I can't imagine what would have happened to him. As far as we know, Matteo and Iryl saw him last, and he was fine then. But now Matt blames himself for Fritzi's disappearance." She sighed, glancing down.
"Oh...you've got quite a diverse herd, I see," she noted, brightening. "Just like us! A female cervi, a female centaur...aww, and isn't he just the cutest thing...?!" Noticing the infant kit in Evi's arms for the first time, Wasibru postively glowed with adoration. "Where'd you find him?"
Iryl looked up curiously, wondering what might possibly be the 'cutest thing'. She had been certain it was her, up until a few moments ago. Of course, from her viewpoint, it was vitually impossible to see just exactly what Wasibru was goggling and cooing over.
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Posted: Tue May 29, 2007 1:46 pm
Evi grinned and patted Iryl's head as the little one clung to her legs. "Thank you, Matteo, I appreciate the offer. What do you say, you two? Wanna stay?"
Rey grinned and nodded, trying to hide a yawn. "Wanna stay! Wanna stay!"
Mira nodded as well. "I'd say it's as good a place as any to stay the night."
Smiling, Evisule replied to the pygmy, "I guess we're staying, then." She frowned as he stalked away, and Wasibru talked with Iryl. "Is Fritzi the cervitaur this place belongs to?" she asked. "Maybe... maybe in the morning, we could all go out as a group and look for him? I mean, if it would make Matteo feel better, and you don't mind my little family coming along..." She smiled shyly. "If Fritzi's so important, it might be a good idea to find him as soon as possible."
Rey blinked as the bright-orange-haired teen admired him. After realizing he was being complimented, he giggled happily, and reached out a hand to touch her hair.
Evi smiled at the cub in her arms. "My human friend gave him to me. She just came out of nowhere, told me he was my new brother, his name's Reyamet, and I could take care of him if I wanted to. And of course I wanted to, I love little kids." She mussed up his hair, and he burst out into another fit of giggles as he continued reaching for Wasibru. "Would you like to hold him?" She then noticed Iryl looking up, and lay down on the ground so that the child could see the baby. "Rey, meet Iryl."
After staring at the colorful taur for a while, Rey laughed. "Iyl!" he exclaimed. "Iyl play! Flowers!"
Mirala blinked. "You two know each other too? Gosh, I hope that I know lots of taurs someday too."
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Posted: Sat Jun 02, 2007 4:14 pm
A young cervitaur wondered through the darkening forest. Beside him padded on wolven paws his 'sister' a young wolftaur. She might have been older by a month but she still acted like the yougner of the two. He held his arm around her arm, leading her away from scary noises for her lack of hearing. His cloven hooves made gentle clicks on the rocks as sometimes there was a rock on the path they were treading.
His ears picked up the soudns of taurs talking. So he turned his direction and his dark blue hooves padded towards the voices. His green eyes searching for movements around them.
Bright innocent looking blue eyes shone out int eh darkenss as the young orange wolftaur looked forewards and occastionally around them. She was worried about where they were and the fact she couldn't smell a thing through the dark smells of the forest. She sniffed in hard and then cleared her nose. Her tail wagged nervously behind her. Her arm was linked with Tarik because he was bigger then her and stronger and smarter even though she was the slightly older one. She let him lead her through the darkness. Though he could hear the voices she couldn't, she could see slight wisps of movement that he couldn't, but she couldn't see them clear enough yet. So she just let him lead her.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:03 pm
Rey's ears perked up at the sounds of steps. Sure he heard something, the blue cattaur leapt out of Evisule's arms and to the edge of the clearing. "Hello? Who's dere?" he called.
"Rey?" Evi called worriedly, not hearing the other taurs when he did. "What's wrong?"
Rey turned his head to look at the others behind him, his body still facing toward the steps. Smiling sweetly, he replied, "Nothing, Evi! I hear taurs!" He pointed in the cervi and wolftaur's direction.
Mirala blinked. "Hey, Evi, does Rey seem a bit... larger to you?"
Evi nodded distractedly as she went over to stand next to the cattaur. "Of course, Mira, he is a child now." Hearing the steps as well now, the cervitaur picked up Rey and faced whoever was coming.
Frowning, Mirala muttered to herself, "When did that happen?"
As the taur came closer, Rey laughed happily. "Tark! Vena!" he yelled, recognizing them from the flower field, even though they were now teens. "Flowers play!"
Evi smiled. "Is that where you met all these kids, Rey? You made friends with Iryl and these two when you disappeared that one time, didn't you?"
Giggling, Reyamet nodded.
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:18 pm
Tarik turned his head to teh voice of Rey, then young cattaur that he and Vena had met before. He walked into the clearing leading Vena until a smile spread across his face as he bent down onto his knees to hug the cild cattaur. "Rey, you've grown since we say you last!" Though Tarik didn't realize that he was much taller then before, only as he was hugging the childtaur did he realize that he was on his knees to reach the young taur.
Carefully looking over his shoulder he saw how much his sister Vena had grown. She was deffinatly more woman-like as Tawa said, then she was before. His green eyes shone brightly as he looked at Iryl, his friend had grown as well, just like Vena. He looked at her bright colors and noticed how pretty they were, he felt his cheeks grow warm. Then shaking his head slightly he stood back up and smiled. "Wow, did everyone grow suddenly or something. Last time we saw one anotehr we were all...short?" He said in a teasing voice.
The teenaged wolftaur padded forewards and also gave Rey a hug. Though she didn't say anything. Though when Tarik mentioned growing she looked at herself, she was deffinately taller then before. She looked at Tarik, he was now probably a head taller then her. She looked at Iryl, she was also taller and prettier. Vena's blue eyes shone with happiness as she meet her friend, though a little uncertainty as she saw the other taurs she hadn't seen before.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:26 am
Wasibru grinned at Reyamet's enthusiasm, cheered up just by watching him. "Yes, actually, this used to be Fritzi's home for the longest time. And as far as some of us are concerned, it still is. And it will be when he comes back to claim it for himself," the centaurette said with more confidence than she felt. Fritzi will come back, she thought quietly. He has to.
At Evisule's comforting offer, Wasibru suddenly felt grateful she and her friends had managed to find their way here, to the heart of the forest, and meet them. The thought of going to search for Friti gave her new hope. At least they would be doing something instead of waiting around helplessly for him. But for now, it was as Matteo said. Best no one go wandering off at this time of night.
"That's a wonderful idea, Evisule. In fact, it would make me feel a whole lot better too. And Iryl's just been aching to see him again." She smiled wearily. "Matteo's missed him too, though he's not the sort to admit it. We're all worried. If only we knew he was alright...but nothing to do about it now, I suppose..." She bent to begin gathering the scented pine needles that littered the forest floor, hoping to use them as bedding for their new guests. As she did so, she felt a little tug on her hair and looked up. It was Reyamet. She laughed.
"So, you like my hair, do you, Rey?" she cooed at him. "Well, I like yours too. Wanna trade?"
As the cervi adult began to explain the kit's sudden appearance, Wasibru's grass-green eyes brightened and shone at the mention at the word, 'human'. "Humans?!" she exclaimed in a bare whisper. "Humans live here?! On the Cein Isles?! Why didn't anyone ever tell me?!" Her voice wasn't one filled with fear; oh, no. Far from it, in fact. It held the excitment of a crazed fangirl who had discovered her idol happned to live next door.
"Oh my goodness! You have to tell me all about her! Is she tall? Does she look like us? Does she walk on two legs? Is she balanced? Where did she get this sweet child?" Wasibru chattered on happily as she collected the necessary pine needles for 6 beds, spaced out in a circle. "I'd LOVE to hold him!"
She looked up at Mirala curiously and giggled. "Who know each other? I'm afraid I'm as lost as you are, Mirala. I only know Iryl and Matteo here. Though from what I hard of Iryl's wandering, I'm guessing she's met and befriended a good number of taur already." She winked. "But now we know each other, right?"
Iryl, though not as young as she used to be, was just as innocently sweet as ever. From her Uncle Matt, she learned never to hold a grudge. From Wasibru, Uncle Fritzi, and most of all Lyco, she learned to never be jealous. Not that Lyco had ever given her an actual lesson or lecture, but she was a smart child and by watching him and his ways, she was certain he was trying to teach her through his actions. And that lesson she figured he was trying to teach her was to be happy with hersef and not be jealous of anyone else no matter what.
So it was this thinking that caused Iryl to forget the indirect insult of her not being as cute as the new kit. She smiled at him playfully as he tried to say her name, and shook her head. "Iryl," she repeated for him. "Play is good! Um...Flowers?" Then it all came back to her. She had seen the little kit before. In the meadow, a while back. She had forgotten, having been ditracted by butterflies and Fisk and his game to gather new things. "REY!" she cried, hugging him. "You remembered me!"
And suddenly Iryl felt herself feel bigger - taller - her arms longer as they reached out to embrace the little kit. "Missed you," she told him softly.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:30 pm
Glancing up, Iryl blinked, her pink and blue ears swerving, just as Wasibru's were. Someone else approached. Two sets of legs. Only while the huntress centaurette could only identify them as belonging to a woftaur and a cervi, Iryl recognized the pair as even more friends.
"Hey, you guys!" she called, waving enthusiastically after Rey had confirmed the newcomer's identities. "It's so good to see you again! What are you doing out so late? And so deep in the woods!"
Wasibru could only smile helplessly. She may have met one or two of the pair once before, but it was difficult for her to tell as it was quite dark out and she could hardly see her hand in front of her face. She marveled instead at Iryl's ability to detect her friends. And it seemed Rey shared the same gift.
Iryl trotted over to greet them, not far behind Reyamet. "Isn't it funny? I hardly recognized him myself..." Her blue-lilac eyes twinkled in the dim light as she made out the vague shadowy forms of Vena and Tarik. Somehow they seemed different. Bigger. But Iryl knew that couldn't be it, because she was still about their height. Maybe it was just the shadows that made them seem taller.
Poor Vena, she thought, reaching out to take their hands, I wonder how well she can manage reading lips in the dark...if only I could see their faces. "G-grow?" Iryl stammered, feeling her way around. It seemed her best bet in the growing darkness was sound and touch.
"Umm, maybe it's just the shadows, Tarik," she suggested, reconizing her fellow cervi's voice. It was nice having a male cervi around. His somewhat deeper, warmer voice almost sounded to her like Fitzi's for a moment. But she quicky shook her head and persuaded herself she was only imagining things.
Wasibru took a few steps forward, her sharp awareness quickly picking up on the fact that Vena couldn't hear as well as most taur. She noted Tarik's motions toward her, and thought it sweet of the cervi to care for the wolftaur female. She couldn't help wondering if they were perhaps a couple, but said nothing. All Wasibru did was wave, though she couldn't be sure it was visible. She wasn't sure if other taur could see any better without light than centaur could.
The bright female cervi shifted her purple hooves on the pine-needle carpet of the forest floor uneasily. She reached around, hoping to find her way back the way she came. Being in the dark withot anyone near made her afraid, but it wasn't as if she was going to tell anyone.
What if I'm going the wrong way? Iryl began to panic. What if I'm going to get lost like Fritzi did, and they never find me? What if I - "Oof...!" Stumbling over the rotten log Matteo had been resting on earlier, the usually nimble-footed Iryl tripped over her dainty purple hooves and found herself pressed up against someone.
"Oops! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'll...uh..." She tried to step backward immdiately, blushing profusely in the dark, but her hind leg had fallen through a particularly rotten part of the log and had caught her with its splintered edges. Imagining that some hungry predator had sneaked up and snagged her leg in its jaws, she screamed, clinging to the figure she had previously fallen on. It had never occured to her that there was only one taur present at such a height who bore such a broad chest. Shutting her eyes, she her breathing quickened, certain that the thing was going to eat her soon, or rip off her limb. Iryl's grip tightened around Tarik.
"Iryl?! Wasibru cried, recognizing Iryl's voice when she screamed, but unable to locate the cervi girl herself. "Iryl, what's the matter?! What's wrong?!" If only she had her bow and quiver of arrows... Without them, the huntress felt as defenceless as her colorful companion.
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 6:25 pm
Tarik grabbed Iryl as quickly as he could. His arms wrapped around her torso as he carefully brought her to her feet. "Careful girl." He smiled. Not that anyone could see. "We were just walking around and came to see you guys here. Correction, hear you guys here, so we deicded to come over." He then felt a gentle hand placed upon his shoulder, by the carefullness he knew it to be Vena. She was jsut making sure he was there. "I think we should sleep son. I can barely see my shoulder." He didn't want to push them into letting htem stay, but if Iryl fell this easily then he and Vena would ahve a hell of a time trying to get anywhere. He realized jsut then, Iryl was still clinging to him harder, as if she was, afraid of something.
When she screamed Tarik tightened his grip on her. "It's ok." He whispered into her ear. Then he knew she was probably stuck and he'd have to help her get her free, if it was her hoof, then there was no non-awkward way to do this. He waited to make sure she was ok, then he'd tell her what he was going to do.
Vena used Tarik as a marking for were the root was, then carefully she stepped over it, then removed her hand from Tarik's shoulder, only to find a tree and sit down infront of it. She didn't mention anything, she wasn't sure if any of them had talked ot her or about her, but in her mind she knew she wasn't going anywhere until morning. Unknowing that her brother had already mentioned that she and him were going to stay here because of the darkness around them.
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Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2007 9:37 pm
Evisule smiled. "Well, actually, Wasibru, our human doesn't really live here. She just shows up at random times."
The cervitaur just stood there, listening, as everyone talked. The fact that she was the only adult there barely regeistered in her mind, but her motherly instinct was always there. Her heart stopped for a moment as Iryl screamed, but she realized that Tarik had her. She couldn't really see anything, but somehow she was sure that Tarik would take care of Iryl and make sure she was safe.
"Yes, we should really all be getting to sleep now," Evi said, hiding a yawn. "Wake me up if anyone needs anything, okay?" She lay down on one of the beds that Wasibru had made. "Rey?"
The child cattaur smiled at Evi, although she couldn't see it, she could hear it in his voice. "I wanna stay with Vena. Please, Evi?"
She nodded. "If it's okay with her, it's okay with me. Good night, everyone!"
Reyamet grinned as he padded over to Vena, able to see in the dark better than his cervitaur or centaur sisters. "Can I stay with you, Vena?" he asked, then remembered Tarik telling him at the field that she couldn't hear words like he could. She had to see them. Since she might not be able to see in the dark very well either, he took her hand and put it to his mouth. If she couldn't hear or see the words, there might be a chance she could feel them. "Vena? Can I stay with you?" To show what he meant in case she still didn't get it, the child cuddled against the teen.
Mirala sighed. She had been so scared when Iryl screamed, and almost screamed herself, but felt a bit calmer when she realized that the cervi teen boy had her. Now she felt a tad jealous, and a twinge of sadness. She loved her little family, but she had always wished for something more... someone more. Someone who would protect her like Tarik protected Iryl. Someone to be her "Prince Charming", her "knight in shining armor".
Shaking her head, she lay down on a bed near Evi, glad that no one could see her frown. Who was she to want a "prince"? It wasn't like she was anything special. At least, not that special. "G'night," she muttered.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:41 am
Vena was somewhat shocked when her hand was taken, but by the size she figured it to be Rey's. She actually felt the words somewhat, the shapes on her hand made words in her head, "Of course you can Rey." She smiled and opening her arms she cuddled the smaller taur and laid down to sleep holding him carefully so he'd be comfortable. "I'm sleep here by a tree and I have Rey with me." She spoke gently telling htem all that the two of them were safe. Then watching Rey Vena started to fall asleep.
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Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 9:52 pm
Iryl wimpered as the arms closed around her torso, but calmed eventually as she realized they were only there to protect her. Tarik's voice broke through the darkness, and she could help smiling a little in embarressment. "I'm sorry Tarik, I didn't mean to - it's just that my leg - " she tried to free her hind leg, only to feel the wood digging into it. She winced.
"Sleep?!" Her blue-lilac eyes widened in fear at the mere suggestion. "But how could we possibly - ?! What about all the things out there...?! And Matteo?!" The panic in her voice was unmistakable now.
"Iryl?" After a moment, Wasibru surmized that there was no immediate danger. Iryl just suddenly seemed to be getting skittish. "Iryl, calm down. We're all here, so there's no way anything could possibly get to you without us knowing. It'd have to get through us first," Wasibru assured the younger teen. "Just stay where you are...Tarik, do you have her?"
Sighing wearily, the orange-haired centaur girl closed her eyes and listened. Someone was breathing very quickly, like prey on the run. She should have known it would take more to get Iryl to settle down. To her, this must have been close to the experience of being buried alive. Darkness pressed in on all sides, and she bumped accidentally into Evisule. "Oh! Excuse me!"
All of a sudden it hit her that here, in Fritzi's place, she was the main authority. Standing tall, she made her voice loud and clear enough for the others to hear. Well, except for the wolftaur teen, but Tarik would let her know.
"Vena, Tarik, you're more than welcome to stay. Actually, I insist it. No one's going to get anywhere tonight, and with poor Vena as I'm guessing she is, I doubt you'll be able to make it too much farther." She took a deep breath. "If Fritzi were here, I'm certian he'd insist you all stay for the night. And that's a very good idea, Tarik," she added toward the general direction she assumed the male cervi was in. "If we all huddle close, we can stay warm and protected throughout the night. I'll keep watch for as long as I can, so I'll stay on the edge of the circle."
"Maybe I can meet your human later, possibly, Evi?" Wasibru whispered hopefully, bedding down for the night and guiding the others to where she had placed down the fregrant, soft pine-needle bedding. "I mean, whenever she next shows up? If she'll agree to meet me?"
She tucked her long, dapple gray legs under her, but remained sitting upright, determined to keep watch and remain alert. She would stay up all night if necessary. So long as no one thought to light a fire, she would be perfectly fine. However, Wasibru's thoughts drifted to poor, frightened Iryl, who seemed to have a fear of the dark even as a teenager. It was too difficult to locate the girl now though, except by her wimpers.
Wasibru feared that if she tried to reach out to Iryl, the cervi teen would bolt off into the woods, and so she could do nothing but keep watch for danger and night prowlers. It was unlikely anything would attack them this night. Few creatures would risk the dangers of seven more-or-less mature taur.
"Mirala," Wasibru whispered, suddenly aware the other centaurette had not spoken in a while. "Are you near me?" She turned her head at the sullen "G'night," and glanced at the figure that lay on the bed beside Evi. "Mirala, are you alright?" she could sense her peer was upset and wondered just what it was that had made her so. "Would you like to stay up with me? I need someone to keep me company." A thought struck her. "Though, I'm sure you're very tired from your trip, so go ahead and sleep if you'd like," she added quickly.
At the back of her mind, Wasibru's mind quietly went to Iryl's earlier words. Where is Matteo? He's been gone far longer than expected... Though she knew the pygmie would turn up sooner or later. He was a lot more capable than he seemed, and it only served to insult him when they were worried for his sake.
Iryl continued to breath rapidly, trying not to speak so that the others would not sense her fear. But with Tarik so close, she wondered if he might even feel her heart beating through her chest. She couldn't lay down yet; not with her leg stuck. But maybe she could sleep standing, yes? Wasibru and Lycoris did it from time to time. It didn't seem too difficult...just a mite uncomfortable. Though she secretly felt that if she didn't get away soon she was going to explode. Hiding or even being on the run made her more comfortable when she was paniced. That way she knew she made a harder target as prey.
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Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:37 pm
Tarik nodded in the dark, "Your leg, which one? I might be able to get you unstuck." He whispered into her ear just incase Iryl didn't want the rest to know she was stuck. He held her carefully though, he was afraid he might squish her if he held on too tight.
Hearing Wasibru's invitation he smiled, which one couldn't see but it reflected in his voice, "We'd be delighted to stay, plus I think Vena already picked out a spot for herself and Rey." He gave a nice chuckle in his deep voice.
After Tarik said his last sentence Vena closed ehr bright blue eyes fully and fell into a deep sleep, in her arms she craddled Rey as they laid their comfortably, waiting for the day to come.
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Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:27 pm
Rey happily slept in Vena's arms, pleasantly warmed by the heat from her body. He was out in minutes.
Evi laughed, but quietly, since Rey was sleeping. "I'm sure she'd love to meet you, but she shows up quite randomly. She also rarely stays for more than a few minutes... She's very eccentric."
Mirala smiled, although no one would really be able to see it in the dark. "I'm going to sleep for now... Although normally I would stay up with you, you were right in thinking I'm tired. But maybe tomorrow we can go exploring or something? I mean, not far from the others, but to look for... Matteo, was his name?" Her spirits lifted at the thought of a new friend. She admired the other centaur teen for her bravery and taking charge; she knew it must be hard, even though the orange-haired teen and Evisule made it look so easy. Drifting off into dreamland, she hoped that she did get the chance to talk with Wasibru more the next day.
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