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Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jul 29, 2018 20:59:22 GMT -5
Xsabaskis bowed her head slightly and said, “Of course. You’re welcome. ...Although Taakeyrr and my father know now as well. Possibly more of the island.” She sighed and explained, “I did keep it secret from everyone, even them - “ she nodded toward the other two dilophosaurs “ - at first. Partly because you asked, and you did heal my sister...and partly because of the obvious; the fewer animals who know a secret, the harder for that secret to get shared with animals it shouldn’t. ….When you….” She huffed. “When we couldn’t stop Muuri in time...she was saying you were corrupted, or a sower, and I - I knew she wasn’t in her right mind, but I got angry, I couldn’t let her….” She growled. “I blurted it out.”Kopi nodded. “I figured you’d tell them at some point, but you never know.” He placed a paw against Xsabaskis’s leg. “If I was in your position, I would have yelled it out, too. I understand being angry like that. I know word's travelling around the island now. Some animals commented on it during the storm. I can only imagine how everyone will take the news.” Taakeyrr had said that she had used her powers on Kopi. Kopi didn’t realize that she did that. Kopi didn’t know how she was able to spy on him, but it did mean that she knew that Kopi was innocent. Xsabaskis grunted in acknowledgement, looking at the stones in the river for a moment. “...If you don’t want to talk about this, stop me, but...the cat-sower said they already knew you were the healer. They baited Muuri to think you were a sower, specifically. ...Do you know how they find out?”A shiver rolled down Kopi’s spine, chilling the air around him as well. He backed away from Xsabaskis. The ground where Kopi stepped on grew a thin sheet of frost. He attempted to take a step forward, but the ice was slippery. Kopi didn’t want to risk slipping, even if he was a ghost. The chill breeze was enough to wake up Tash. She stretched and opened her eyes. Her attention quickly settled on Kopi. “One of them tried to corrupt me,” Kopi said. “The night after the thorns destroyed the woods. The songbirds ate some of the berries that the bushes produced and got sick - now that I think about it, I wonder what would have happened if I ate a berry. A couple dinosaurs were wondering if the birds were corrupted and I told them that they were sick, which they were. I simply said that I was friends with the healer. That was enough for the dinosaurs, thank goodness for that, but…” Kopi laid down on the frosted ground. The ice spread farther and grew thicker. “I didn’t know a sower overheard. They pinned me down to the ground, which was why my back hurt for so long. I wish I got a good look of the animal.” The frost had moved on to the river as his voice grew as cold as the surroundings. “They told me to kill the healer and tried to corrupt me. Thankfully, my powers prevented me from getting corrupted and I got away before the animal could hurt me. Still, the thought of getting corrupted…” He looked up at Taakeyrr. “Taak, I’m so sorry you had to go through that. I know I couldn’t understand what you went through, but know that I never wanted anyone to get corrupted. Nobody should have to experience it. “I should have said something after that sower got to me. If the sowers knew, then everybody else should have known. That way, nobody could accuse me. I wanted everyone to know that I was safe to be around, that nobody should be afraid of me.” Kopi’s voice was breaking. “You, Tash, Taak, Sae, Svar, Julaine, Mochi, Beech, Kohimu, Muuri, everyone! But I never knew who was listening.” Now Kopi couldn’t stop his voice from quivering. He stood back up, sending another chill wind through the tunnel. It was strong enough to make Tash shiver. At this point, even Kopi was shaking. “I never knew if there was a sower watching. I never knew if a corrupted animal was watching. I didn’t even realize Muuri was corrupted until it was too late. I don’t even want to know what would happen if I ran into another sower. Nobody came after me, but I knew they were planning something. I knew they wanted me dead.” He began to walk alongside the river. He knew if he wasn’t careful, he would slip and fall on the ice. That was exactly what happened. Kopi slipped and fell into the river. As soon as he made contact with the water, it turned into ice. Tash cried to call out his name but the shock of what Kopi just said froze the words in her throat. She flew off of Sae to where Kopi fell in the river. Just as she got there, Kopi climbed back out of the water. Large chunks of ice were carried away by the current. Kopi sighed. Frost poured out of his mouth. “I guess they got their wish.” I think I broke Kopi. ( Tiger )
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Post by Coaster on Jul 29, 2018 22:07:25 GMT -5
It hurt. Even in death, Genevieve could not be free from the shackles of pain her physical body remembered--but somehow, this was even worse, thoroughly eviscerating every scrap of her body until she lost all sense of place, shattered bits and pieces diffusing throughout the torrential wave until it crashed into a rocky floor--oddly, that being the moment the pain's intensity began to dwindle. And meanwhile, the brine did nothing to the incorporeal magenta onesie, which drew the strewn-about cat fragments like a magnet toward itself until Genevieve was forcibly reassembled within the garment; at this point, it was beginning to feel not unlike a straitjacket. But no sooner was she recognizable in the process of recomposition than she heard the familiar, snarling voice of a ghostly dog-thing; she hissed in shock and turned tail, fleeing towards what she assumed to be the darkest and twistiest of the side passages. Though she had escaped before, she was now aware of the torture that could be inflicted even on her ghostly form, and her pursuer had no more distractions to divert her elsewhere. Unaware of the other ghost's experience of running through solid surfaces without disorientation--as well as her advantage in pure speed--it wasn't long before Genevieve nearly ran into the thylacine face-first, tumbling over (and likely partially through) herself as she scrambled in vain to turn around and perhaps get in a retaliatory swipe at the thylacine's face in the process, but was seemingly held in place, partially aloft, by an invisible force on the scruff of her neck where it touched the onesie. fraidy-cat Genevieve finally finds out salt hurts now, gets chased by Beech ( Shinko), and presumably gets caught summarily.
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Post by Shinko on Jul 29, 2018 22:27:36 GMT -5
Beech snarled as the ghostly cat lunging with a wide, gaping jaw. She recoiled from the claw-swipe, but was surprised when the cat was abruptly yanked up and back by the nape of her neck, seemingly by nothing at all. At first Beech just snarled, suspecting a trick, but after a moment of the cat thrashing in vain Beech decided it was probably not something the sower wanted to be happening. “Sower-cat,” the thylacine growled, trying to remember all the questions she wanted to ask at once. “What is your problem? Why are you lot ruining our island? If you mess up this place we have nowhere to go, don’t you understand that? And what's the point of the shadow-corruption?” ( Coaster) Onsie causing problems for Gen again! Beech tries to question her, but we’ll see if that actually gets her anywhere.
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Post by Tiger on Jul 29, 2018 22:28:00 GMT -5
Driftstone barely managed to restrain himself from squawking when he felt the loose feather pull away from his skin - it didn’t hurt, he would have preened it off soon enough, but he certainly hadn’t intended for the kaprosuchus to assist with that! Still, he was not about to ruin what he quickly realized was an intimidation tactic, and he managed to turn a startled noise into a chitter as he glared them down. Sunfire’s raptors seemed uneasy with that, looked back and forth between each other with wide eyes and keeping an even more cautious distance from the kaprosuchus. When Shadowstep fell a few paces back, however, Driftstone craned his neck and whispered something to his mate. Shadowstep quickened his pace to walk alongside Quicksnap’s head and said in a quiet but conversational tone, “Driftstone says he forgives you for that because it was a loose feather and because he appreciates dramatic gestures in the name of intimidating enemies. I told him that perhaps he had poked you with a claw and that helped inspire it - he says he was very careful but I know that he would apologize if he found he was mistaken.” ------- Kopi...suddenly began casting ice. Xasbaskis froze, a chill going down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold coming off of Kopi. She remembered suddenly the blasts of cold Beech could cast - but she hadn’t realized it could have an emotional source. The story Kopi told was...quite frankly, horrifying. Not just the attack by the sower, the fear of corruption - distantly, she was surprised to hear the healer’s power could resist corruption - but the quieter horror of waiting,of knowing the sowers knew who he was, of knowing there could be sowers anywhere, that corrupted animals could show up at any time - and Spirit, Kopi had to go seek those corrupted animals out and risk his life to heal them… Only to be taken by surprise by one at the last moment. I don’t even want to know what would happen if I ran into another sower. Nobody came after me, but I knew they were planning something. I knew they wanted me dead.”Kopi started suddenly to continue along the river. Xsabaskis took a small step after him, and jumped when he fell into the river. Tash darted into the air, startling her again; by the time Xsabaskis moved forward to try and retrieve Kopi from the river, somehow, the cunicanine was pulling himself onto shore. Xsabaskis paid the chunk of ice floating down the river little mind. She stared at Kopi; the cold was coming out in a cloud from his mouth. “I guess they got their wish.”Xsabaskis forced herself to take a deep breath in, and let it back out, before she stepped forward, head low, carefully in case Kopi showed sign of wanting more space. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I wish I could fix this. ...Like you said to Taakeyrr, nobody should have to go through this. Especially not you, when you did so much to help everyone on the island.” She hesitated, glanced at her sister and father - but they didn’t seem to know what to say. What did you say to make something better, something you couldn’t fix? “If it helps...they didn’t get everything they wanted. Maybe...the healing powers are gone. But...you’re back. You’re here. They wouldn’t have wanted that. And - it’s like when you reminded Taakeyrr she didn’t need powers to fight the sowers, and…” She tilted her head back and forth, trying to figure out how to phrase what she was feeling. “...And. That’s. ...That’s maybe the kind of power we need even more than guardian magic. ...Faith we can fight no matter what.” Raptor shenanigans~ ( Shinko) (if you need more to work with, let me know and I’ll elaborate on it tomorrow =) ) Xsabaskis is a little freaked by Kopi’s ice-display and also by how horrifying his last days must have been after the sowers identified him. She tries to assist by pointing out that him being back is something the sowers wouldn’t have wanted, powers or no, and that Kopi’s faith in the island’s ability to fight the sowers and win might be more powerful than his actual magical abilities ( Rabbit ♠)
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Post by Coaster on Jul 29, 2018 22:54:18 GMT -5
One moment of thrashing was all Genevieve could muster before the instinctual response of being carried overrode her panic, and she hung paralyzed for the incoming interrogation. “Sower-cat,” the thylacine growled. “What is your problem? Why are you lot ruining our island? If you mess up this place we have nowhere to go, don’t you understand that? And what's the point of the shadow-corruption?”Genevieve hissed, not wanting to indulge her so easily, but lacking any recourse and likely to end up in a worse position if she did not cooperate, she tried to spin it as she had with the haggis. "On the contrary: you lot are the murderers; we merely serve to remind you of the truth that Naelus tries to take away. The strong afford no mercy to the weak; the weak adapt to become strong; those who cannot keep up have no place--everyone on this island, and those who have yet to find it--and are eliminated. I'm sure you understand these few basics among our Mother's tenets, or has the island's haze addled you into thinking your kind deserves to last forever in this taxidermy puppet pageant of long-dead history? Have you already forgotten your true forms after seeing them up close for the first time?" ( Shinko) Genevieve thinks Beech is stupid and should read some Darwin.
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Post by Shinko on Jul 29, 2018 23:06:42 GMT -5
Beech blinked, frowning. “You use a lot of big words. My mama used to say that sometimes people use big words to try to sound smarter than they are, because big words scare people who don’t understand what they mean.” Whatever strange force was holding the cat up seemed to be wearing off, as the cat was slowly descending again. Hurriedly Beech growled, “What’s so wrong with being alive?” ( Coaster) Alas, spinning of things might have worked if Beech had understood half of what Genevieve said. Sorry Gen, your locquaciousness is wasted on the thyla.
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Post by Coaster on Jul 29, 2018 23:21:26 GMT -5
It was too much for Genevieve to hope her lecture would not be wasted on the uninitiated youngling, but she at least expected to be understood, and the response befuddled her. “You use a lot of big words. My mama used to say that sometimes people use big words to try to sound smarter than they are, because big words scare people who don’t understand what they mean. ...What’s so wrong with being alive?”Genevieve rolled her eyes and leaned forward to look the thylacine squarely in the eye, as the threatening atmosphere had faded along with the tugging sensation on her neck. "Allow me to communicate in a way you should understand: ahem;" she lowered her voice to a thick, mocking, almost apelike series of grunts. " We. Broken. Only. Can. Be. Here. It would only be proper for us to... disappear.As she uttered the last phrase, she darted her head downward and the rest of her body followed, directly through the tunnel floor and in a random direction from there, hoping to escape while the dog-thing was surprised. Genevieve tries to give Beech ( Shinko) a simpler lecture but then darts off abruptly.
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Post by Liou on Jul 30, 2018 4:53:42 GMT -5
Would Svar have preferred it if they'd completely ignored the death of his best friend, then? Renpi suppressed a deep growl, an anger much too large for her small self to contain. No, this was just the way sunbirds did everything, even mourning - above everyone else. She was used to that. She could do the growling later. She could suggest where to put his feathers on a better day. Renpi watched the drooping firebird sternly and slammed herself down next to him. "I just got struck by lightning and swept by a tidal wave, and I am fine," she said, an increasing rumble in her throat. "I will stay right here, and I will be fine, and if your misfortune shows up, I will fight it." She thumped her tail against the ground for emphasis. "And if we encounter the sowers, I will fight them and remove them from this world, and if the other animals mind the funeral, I will fight them - reasonably." Her standing ear swivelled towards Mochi when they hopped around. Something was off in the rabbit's breath but they had not said whether they were all right and Renpi couldn't do anything about it and Renpi did not like it one bit. "Mochi brings great luck," she assured Svar again. "They came just when I needed." She hoped that the luck applied to Mochi themself as well, and that it would be amplified with every mention. "Did you say this happened with your friend Elena before? Then you've just been struck on an old wound. If it happened that fast, in such an outburst while you were threatened, it's like the heat of battle too. My companions brought much guilt from their battles." Renpi dug into her memories, seeking deaths of cherished humans, companions lost in battle, funeral rites, and the wise things that had been said afterwards. The memory that rose was entirely the wrong one. "My companion was not only a friend," she whined with a hiccup, "she was the only one big and old enough to be like a mother or an aunt. The others made fun of her for it because our kind don't have mothers, and we don't get looked after or comforted, but no one really minded when she did it. She always knew when we needed her even though we were too proud to ask." Renpi raised her head towards the impostor-stars on the ceiling and let out a mournful yip. "She was called Bia and she was the strongest! One day, she'd become battle-thralled. That's what happens when we summon our greatest divine strength, while surrendering our mind to the heat of battle. The most difficult is returning to our usual selves. Bia had already dispatched her foes, but none of our humans could go near her, and my wounded siblings were too wary. I went to appease her body and help her spirit return. When she woke up, she'd nearly killed me. I didn't see her face or hear her howl, but they told me it was the worst. They did their best to heal me, but after a while, the wounds forced me to regenerate early." The pup squeezed her eyes shut. "And then I didn't see her at all, because she stayed shut in a storage room and refused to come out for a year. She was afraid to come near us." Renpi thumped down her tail again. "I'd chosen to go to her while she was dangerous, and I'd chosen her to be worthy of my trust, and I didn't want her to stay cloistered in there forever! I just wanted to see her again. That's why I took that risk in the first place! I still want to see her again." Renpi hopped onto her feet and showed her flank. Even in her tender new puppy fur, the long scar that she always bore had already reappeared. At first glance, it seemed to be made of several bites, for there was no way Renpi would have survived otherwise. But the marks formed a single scar. A huge, vicious bite that could have crushed her entirely. "It's all I've left of her now. The other ones healed." Trembling, she fought to contain the memory and return her focus to the present. "And you're not gonna stay down here either," she told Svar through her teeth. "You're gonna get out. And do the funeral. For Kohimu. But you have to let Kohimu's partner join in. The really really big old taniwha in the sea. Te Tai. That's the most important part of the funeral. I will tell him if you cannot." She turned towards the depths of the cave, sniffing the air. "And you're gonna finish what Kohimu started. He wouldn't have stayed here. He was a taniwha. He would have needed to go down there and see what the Spirit meant us to see." Renpuppy is not intimidated by Celestial 's misfortune and is ready to fight all the things. She is worried about Mochi, Shinko, but they're acting uninjured and she doesn't know what to do for them. D: She thinks of Svar's situation and guilt and oops, a piece of backstory leaks out, from that time a dear friend nearly killed her, and dealt with the guilt afterwards. Renpi gets a hold of herself and insists on the funeral which must involve Te Tai, tag Thorn just for the mention, and insists on checking out the heart of the island because Kohimu would have wanted to, duh.
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Post by Celestial on Jul 30, 2018 6:00:35 GMT -5
If their previous statements had fired him up with anger, these ones were the paralysing grip of icy water. Svar could only listen, his beak slightly open, first as Mochi told him his feet bring luck and then that they were not going to abandon him. This was followed by Renpi telling him that she would fight anything that came to hurt him, though in her current state, that threat did not carry as much weight as she probably wanted. Then, to his surprise, the Sha spoke of a friend who had also turned on her. "I'm...sorry, Renpi," Svar's silver eyes went wide. Despite all that the big Sha- Bia- had done to Renpi, did she really carry her no ill will? That she really did still consider the bigger one her friend, even though she had hurt her. "If you forgive her...maybe Kohimu will also forgive me." Renpi continued to speak, mentioning Te Tai. All thoughts of forgiveness drained out of the firebird, replaced by the cold chill of fear. Of course. He would still have to tell the older taniwha what happened. If they were to hold a funeral, he would have no choice. Even after she finished speaking, however, one point did stick with him above all else: there was still so much to do. Too much to grieve, even if it threatened to consume him. After a while, Svar closed his eyes. "Yes, you're right. You're both right," he spoke softly, barely audible over the whispers of the cave. "I have no doubt in my mind that misfortune follows me: my whole life has been proof. But nothing bad has happened to me around you yet, Mochi, so I will believe you. And I am grateful that despite everything, you want to stay by my side," slowly, he opened his eyes and shifted his gaze to Renpi. "That goes for you too. We might have our differences but I am still happy you're here. Thank you, both of you." His crest drooped. "Kohimu...before he...what happened, we spoke about, well, dead friends. I told him about Elena," he turned to look pointedly at Renpi again. "We said that telling stories about the dead helps them live on. I never realised how prophetic it was." Slowly, he began to stand up. "Kohimu is gone. I wish I had time to grieve and sit and talk but there is still so much to do. I have to get him to forgive me, or at least send him away properly. I have to deal with Te Tai, explain to him so hopefully he does not kill me. I have to find my way through this cave and to the Heart, to see what it is the Spirit wants of us all. If I was still a servant of my god, he would not have wanted me to mourn over some personal grief. Even if Svarog is gone, I will hold true to his philosophy. So that is what I must do now." The firebird closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and stretched himself out to his full height. He shook the last of his tears out of his plumage. The grief had not gone away, far from it. Instead, it had burrowed its way deep into his body, leaving an empty hole. Perhaps he could fill it, perhaps he would not. Maybe he would even die before he was able to. But he had to continue, for all those who had died, for those still alive. After all, there was no turning back, not now. His heart was set on this. His eyes came to rest on Mochi. "Maybe later we can talk. But I fear if we do it now, we will never go anywhere. If the Spirit wishes us to see the heart of the island then we must go. Perhaps the rest of the sowers and their leader will be there too. If that is the case, it is more important than ever that I be there," he looked between the two creatures who were with him. "And I would be happy if you went with me, whether for protection or to bring good luck. Or both. In return, I will try to do for you what I can. Nobody else will die like Kohimu." As Svar spoke, his tone was complete change from the grieving wails of before. Now it had gone completely flat, focused. There was a task ahead: once he completed it, only then could he weep. "Let's go." He took a step forward. Svar listens to Mochi( Shinko) and Renpi( Liou) and together, they prove to be enough of a shock to his system to snap him out of the grief, at least for now. He is filled with a grim determination to see this through to the end and get things done with Kohimu's funeral, Te Tai and the Heart and the Spirit. It is, after all, what his god would have wanted of his servant. He does hope that Mochi and Renpi will come with him. Standing up, the firebird begins walking through the cave and towards the centre.
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Post by Shinko on Jul 30, 2018 7:11:23 GMT -5
Beech’s ears flattened at Genevieve’s obviously mocking tone, and she was about to bite the cat- or at least find out if one ghost could bite another- when Genevieve abruptly turned and fled. Beech called out a furious objection, briefly sticking her head into the rocks at her feet to follow, but just as quickly realized it was pointless. The stone underfoot was entirely solid and dark, and there was no telling where the cat would dart off to. “Disappear, huh?” Beech growled, pulling her head back up. “I don’t think so.” Remembering the message the Spirit had given them earlier, Beech turned her nose further down the tunnel, and started forwards. She’d have to apologize to Xsabaskis at some point for not really learning anything useful from the sower-cat. * * * Quicksnap flashed a grin in Shadowstep’s direction. “He didn’t poke me, and I appreciate it, but that feather was tickling my nose as he climbed up my back. That was where I got the idea.” Tilting his head so that the feather was in reach for Shadowstep to grab, the kaprosochus added, “You can give it back to him with my apologies for not first getting permission, if you like.” ( Coaster) Beech is annoyed that Genevieve got away, but since ghosts leave no scent she can’t really try to track her down in the tunnels and instead decides to try to head to where the spirit was asking them to go. ( Tiger) \ o / Moar raptor (and croc) shenanigans! Liou Celestial No reply with Mochi since Svar’s post felt like a pretty good stopping point for that interaction. You can assume they’re limping along behind the other two.
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Post by Thorn on Jul 30, 2018 8:07:40 GMT -5
It was a struggle to keep moving in this weather, unaccustomed to flight as he was. After fighting to clear the clifftop, Te Tai landed among the Hollow Hills and continued on foot. He didn't have a clue where Kohimu had been. Not in the water, surely- nothing would have been able to take him down in his element, of this Te Tai was confident! Maybe the Highwind Woods, where it all began? That seemed a likely place for sowers to be hiding out. The taniwha snapped his jaws and flexed his new claws, weaving his way between the hills. Where exactly were the Highwind Woods? He'd only ever glimpsed them from the ocean, on the opposite site of the island to his usual haunt. Which made them this way! Where were those stupid chattering birds? If Te Tai disliked anything more strongly than cats, it was birds, with their feathers and their shrill voices and their gossip. However, that latter annoyance would have been exceedingly useful- surely one of them must have seen what happened? And if one of them saw it, all the birds would know about it. Kohimu was a taniwha, he wouldn't have gone down without a fight! It must have attracted attention, but where were those dratted birds? Were all of them hiding from the weather? He would have thought them more persistent than that. There they were, that sound was unmistakable. They were shrieking about....the ocean? Way up here? The wave overtook him and Te Tai was dragged unwilling back towards the sea. *** Te Tai was exceedingly glad he'd maintained his gills. They made it easier to remain calm- all these years with Kohimu had made him far too susceptible to concern! The taniwha felt a jolt of sorrow as it dawned on him that his emotions were now entirely his own, and would remain that way forever. But there was very little time to linger on this, for he was struggling to right himself, tumbling and disoriented in the unnatural wall of water. Do the sowers think they can keep me from my revenge? I shall kill them!Then came a familiar song, a familiar light. Relieved to receive guidance at last, the lizard-like taniwha paddled towards the light, the new fins on the backs of his new legs cutting sharply through the water. Not quite what he was used to, but sacrifices needed to be made, and in many other respects this form suited him much better for the task ahead. The light didn't last and, as Te Tai pulled himself upward into the darkness, he murmured uneasily. There were many other creatures here- small furry ones, strange translucent ones, and here he was stuck with them. There were echoes of unfamiliar voices and, as his eyes adjusted, unfamiliar lights too. Any one of these creatures could be responsible. His eyes flicked from animal to animal- some he knew, some he did not know, but none did he wish to speak with at present. The Spirit's voice came to him once more: My little ones, the time has come for you to learn the truth. Travel the tunnels until you come to the heart of the island, and there I will show you the true nature of the war you have been made to fight.He hissed. This is why you have brought us here, great Spirit? Very well. If I-His thoughts were interrupted by the screech of some annoying bird. Te Tai put down his head and hurried forward into the tunnels. Hadn't there been enough suffering? Why did the Spirit allow birds here? So many creatures in this cave would do little more than huddle together, helpless and scared. Of course he, Te Tai, would find the island's heart, whatever that might be, and he would discover the nature of this war. And then use that information to personally kill the sowers, who would know what they had done; and suffer knowing they had brought this on themselves, and would never be forgiven by any entity in this life or the next. Thorn plays catch-up! Te Tai makes it over the clifftop, only to get washed away by the massive wave (thankfully, he can still breathe underwater!) He reaches the Whispering Cave with the others, recovers fairly quickly, and scurries away to continue his revenge-quest as well as the Spirit's request, because he is not fond of the high pitched scream of Celestial's Svar (I needed a way to get him away from any current interactions, since it would be difficult to justify him being near an existing group the whole time, and this was an excellent motivation for him to escape!) I didn't specify what tunnel he's in. He's in....some tunnel...it doesn't matter unless you want to late-round interact with him, in which case, assume he's in yours!
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Post by Reiqua on Jul 30, 2018 8:32:03 GMT -5
Breathing. Why had he never realised before just how awesome it was to be able to breathe! With all his strength he pulled himself up further onto the rocks and away from the water. Terrible, scary water. He didn't like it. Yira breathed some more, enjoying the sensation of the pure air in his lungs. There were other animals around here. Lots of them. Some were talking to each other, some looked really scared and worried, some were wandering off into the caves, or running. Yira supposed he should go and introduce himself to someone, but he hesitated a moment. What would Guni say? She would not want him to go and talk to others he didn't know. She would tell him it was too dangerous... But as he stood there thinking about all this another sensation struck him. Cold. He was wet and cold. Mind-numbingly cold. In fact, he was shuddering so violently with the cold that he could barely stand upright on the slippery rock. He needed to find someone who could help him. Shakily he took a few steps, then saw something that looked vaguely familiar... something silvery... was that Dara? Eagerly he took a few more steps towards the spot where the silvery blobs were solidifying into a vaguely octopus-like shape. He hoped some of the animals over there might be able to help him get warm and dry... Yira is here. And cold and wet. He sees Dara ( Liou) and hopes someone friendly might help him get warm and dry. Please note though that I won't be able to post again this round, so feel free to notice him if so inclined, but there's unlikely to be a response I'm afraid :/
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Post by Rabbit ♠ on Jul 30, 2018 10:00:32 GMT -5
“I’m sorry,” Xsabaskis said softly. “I wish I could fix this. ...Like you said to Taakeyrr, nobody should have to go through this. Especially not you, when you did so much to help everyone on the island.”“I’m sorry, too, Kopi,” Tash went on. “You shouldn’t have to go through that.” “Everybody stop saying sorry, none of you did anything,” Kopi informed. “That doesn’t mean we didn’t want you to go through that.” Tash landed on the ground and walked to Kopi. Her legs hurt, but she didn’t care about that now. “If I had-” She looked over at the dilophosaurs. Taakeyrr, Soaitsae, Xsabaskis. “If we had known, then we would have helped you through it.” As upset as Kopi was, he couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit. “What would you have done to help me through it?” “I don’t know. Go around you and protect you. Help look for sowers and corrupted animals. Help you feel like you weren’t alone. I understand why you didn't say anything, but you should know we would have helped if we did.” Tash swallowed a lump in her throat. “Was this why you’ve been so scared of everything for most of your life?” Kopi nodded. He wanted to say more, but it felt like the words were caught in his throat. There was a lot more to his paranoia, but the simple answer was yes. That would do for now. “Then I’m sure my teasings didn’t help you feel better, either,” Tash went on. “Tash, no. I know that didn’t mean anything,” Kopi quickly replied. “You didn’t do anything to hurt me, whether attacking or teasing.” He looked at the dilophosaurs. “ None of you did.” The cunicanine smiled. It was a genuine smile. “If anything, all of you made it easier for me. Even if most of you didn’t know I was the healer, you were still there to look out for me.” Tash walked up to Kopi and rubbed her head on his. At first, she went through him, but Kopi made himself solid enough for her to do it. Kopi was still cold, but he was starting to warm back up. The artacat knew Kopi was still hurting. He still needed to talk about what else he went through as the healer. However, he was starting to feel better now. That was all Tash wanted at the moment. Xsabaskis began to speak again, “If it helps...they didn’t get everything they wanted. Maybe...the healing powers are gone. But...you’re back. You’re here. They wouldn’t have wanted that. And - it’s like when you reminded Taakeyrr she didn’t need powers to fight the sowers, and…” She tilted her head back and forth, trying to figure out how to phrase what she was feeling. “...And. That’s. ...That’s maybe the kind of power we need even more than guardian magic. ...Faith we can fight no matter what.”“Oh, I know,” Kopi answered bluntly. Tash snickered a little bit. He was getting back to his old self. “Even if I’m dead, I am still a guardian.” He stamped his paw on the ground in determination. The ice under it cracked. “That’s why I came back. I want to protect the island no matter what. The sowers can’t do anything about me now. "And you're right. We need to keep fighting no matter what." He looked over at Taakeyrr. "That's strong than any kind of power Spirit can give us." Tash smiled, but that faded as she realized something. “What about the guardians? You’re dead and Muuri’s been corrupted.” “That’s true. We did lose two guardian powers.” Kopi looked up at the tunnel ceiling. “I’m sure Spirit will figure something out. Her ways are… questionable, but she’ll do something. And there’s still the Devotee, I believe. They’ll surely do something.” Kopi looked back down the river. The ice chunks that had floated away not long ago were out of sight. The group had been stagnant for a while. It was about time they start moving again. “I think we should keep walking. I’m sure the river will lead us somewhere,” Kopi said. His voice was still quivering and occasionally broke, but he knew that was going to go at some point. The thoughts of what happened to him still lingered in his mind, but he wasn't focused on that now. How he was focused on finding the heart of the island. Kopi's still a little upset, but he's feeling better. Xsabaskis ( Tiger ) and Tash apologize for what Kopi went through. Tash goes on about how they would have helped if they knew. She asks if this was why Kopi was so paranoid for so long, to which Kopi indicates yes. Kopi informs everyone that they made things easier for him by being there for him. Kopi then agrees to what Xsabaskis says about still fighting and how determination is stronger than guardian abilities. Even still, Kopi says that Spirit will do something after losing two guardians in one day. He says he wants to keep walking, hoping to find this heart.
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Post by Tiger on Jul 30, 2018 14:13:47 GMT -5
Shadowstep took the offered feather in his teeth and carefully slotted it between some of his own feathers as best he could. “I will hold onto it,” he said. “You never know when a spare feather will come in useful! And I already lost one thanks to that horrible water, I don’t want to pluck any more!” After a moment’s quiet contemplation, Shadowstep said, “I do hope there are no sowers in this cave. It will be hard to focus on what the Spirit is trying to show or tell us if we also have to watch for animals trying to attack the heart. Or us; that would be distracting, too.” ------- “Oh, I know. Even if I’m dead, I am still a guardian. That’s why I came back. I want to protect the island no matter what. The sowers can’t do anything about me now.”Despite herself, Xsabaskis made a purring sort of snort of amusement. “Let no one say small animals have no fire in them.” Tash brought up the problem of the island being down three guardians, and Kopi affirmed his faith in the Spirit and the remaining guardian. Xsabaskis felt bad for the devotee, even as she admired the animal’s ability to keep themselves hidden.Whoever they were, though, the sowers would probably look for them next. Kopi suggested, in a slightly trembling voice, that they keep moving. It would have been nice to stay a bit longer to make sure Kopi was really ready - but that would almost certainly take a much longer time than they could stay in the cave for, especially while on a task as important as this. “The sooner we find the heart, and this explanation, hopefully the sooner we root out the last sowers. And then we can all have some time.” Just some quick posts to probably end the round (unless Shinko or Rabbit wanna reply) ‘cause I doubt I’ll have another chance to post today. Shadowstep takes Driftstone’s feather back from Quicksnap but keeps it for himself for the time being, and remarks that he hopes no sowers are in the tunnels with them. Good luck, dude. ( Shinko) Xsabaskis is impressed with Kopi, and agrees the group should keep moving forward. ( Rabbit ♠)
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Post by Liou on Jul 30, 2018 15:58:55 GMT -5
It had not been the right day to wander away from the pack. Among flashes of lightning and streaks of illuminated rain, fleeing creatures in the forest caught sight of strange, nebulous silvery streaks. A voice occasionally echoed from them, swiftly swept away by the wind. "Hey, your..." The glowing streak was blown into the trees; a moment later, it flew back past the lemur family. "... your daughter's back in that oooaaaak-" The lemur mother caught sight of several silvery arms pointing towards the next tree. Without pausing to question her eyes, she rushed to reunite with her missing child. Staying tangible was becoming a bit of a strain. If Dara did it intermittently, the wind would catch their mantle and sweep them one way. Then, when they flicked off their ability, they could let their flimsy substance fall back where they had started with little to no air resistance. They should have been sheltering in a hollow tree, clinging as hard as they could. That would have been tiring, though. And they had to admit that floating uncontrollably through the entire forest without being knocked into any obstacles was just a teensy, tiny bit fun. All traces of fun were quickly swept away by the wave. Dara only had a moment to scoff at the ridiculous size of it, and who could possibly have needed that much water, even if they were one of the water-dwelling creatures. The salt submerged them instantly. The octopus felt as though their mantle had been pulled inside out and all their suckers popped. They shrivelled and shrivelled in a vain attempt to escape the omnipresent sting, until their substance burst apart. They remembered nothing of what happened afterwards. The screen of prickles cleared away slowly, like a cactus being pried off them. A cave appeared. Air, that they had not needed. Rocks beneath their scattered substance. And many other animals, all drenched and miraculously alive. Yet again, Dara was unsure whether or not to worry about the raptors. Yellowtail's pack seemed indestructible. Yellowtail herself was a force of nature. But this wave, this ridiculous nightmare of a wave seemed like something that might actually be capable of ending the raptors, something that they could not even fight back. The octopus suppressed a sniffle. Dara slowly oozed around to gather the remaining silvery globs of their substance. They glanced around the cave, catching sight of multiple tufts of feathers as many smaller dinosaurs darted about. Chitters and clicking talons echoed from all directions. The pack was nowhere in sight. They missed their trees, they missed their tools, and they missed the peaceful breathing of sleeping raptors. Their eyes landed on a familiar form. "Yira?" they called. Dara began to ooze towards the joey as fast as they could. After being relentlessly tossed about by the elements, it was a relief to move of their own volition again. "You're all right, Yira? I'm so glad to find you here! After that storm. And you're alone again? That was all very scary, wasn't it? I was alone too, I can't find my raptors." At least, this place was pretty. In an attempt to distract and cheer up the joey, Dara clambered laboriously up the wall, slippping and falling, in hopes of bringing down a pretty, shiny crystal. Instead, their arm got caught in something horribly gooy and sticky. They shook it off disgustedly and glided back down, very disappointed in the Spirit's treacherously-pretty cave. "Shall we find what the Spirit-voice said to look for, Yira? It should be safer than not going anywhere. I'm sorry I can't protect you, but I can at least go ahead and warn you if something dangerous is coming!" They glanced at the rivers flowing down the tunnels. "Maybe I could go a little faster?" Dara prodded the water. No sting. With a delighted somersault, the octopus jumped into the water and sped down the tunnel with a "Wheeeee!" Dara lost the raptors D: Was tossed around a lot during the hurricane, during the wave, found Reiqua 's Yira! Will do their best to keep him safe. Is going down the tunnel-river. \o/
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