Post by EbonyPatriot on May 12, 2011 16:03:38 GMT -5
OOC: Here we go, the start of the sequel role-play to "Come Out of the Darkness and Find Out Who You Are." More information can be found here: 0aaab0.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=RPdiscuss&action=display&thread=1658&page=1
Tazer is currently in Sokuyôn's land; EbonyPatriot is a few miles away.
BIC: Once Nebula’s stride had been graceful and proud, but with one paw splayed and one crippled, a shuffle is the best she can manage. Once, her beautiful coat of silver-tipped mahogany had been the envy of all the females in the pride; now the fur is ragged, barely growing back, particulary at her throat. Once, she had danced and sang of beauty (her own, of course), now she whimpers at her state and snarls at the thought of the beast that had nearly killed her: Vetus.
And she scans constantly for Vetus’s cubs: the sooner she kills them, the sooner Vetus will have to accept her as his mate. She was somewhat surprised ripping out his previous mate’s throat and mauling his cubs hadn’t helped sooner, but ah well.
Nebula suddenly stops and lies down, careful to avoid harming her injured hind leg as she sprawls, fore legs under her and hind legs to the side. She examines her splayed left forepaw. A powerful bite has broken the toes, spreading them far beyond her beautiful normal state. But it’s the claws that bothers her- the tendons are intact; however, so badly had the toes healed that she cannot retract her claws. They’re dulling fast- still sharper than a wolf’s would be, but not by much.
Hissing, Nebula lets her paw slap down, snarling at the pain and blaming this, as ever, for Vetus. With a sigh, she closes her golden eyes.
A low growl makes her snap them again. Two wolverines snarl at her, not ten feet away. Nebula’s head shoots up, her ears flatten. Strong as Cave Lions are, even they fear the aggression of the wolverine, a beast able to fight off grizzlies.
The half-grown male stalks towards her, every tooth bared, head lowered and jaw framed by his white chest.
“Kapvik, let me handle this,” snaps the tan-pawed full-grown female, not taking her eyes off Nebula. “Just grab Waahkuuhtaan and get out of here.”
Ears still flattened and still glancing at Nebula, the half-grown Kapivk disappears into the ground and drags out another kit, this one perhaps a month old. The female kit kicks her tan paws in a protest- or rather, a temper tantrum. “But Kapviiiiiiiikkkk! Why do I have to go? I never get to do anything fun-“
Kapvik scowls, but knows better then to open his mouth to reply. Besides, the young Wolverine has his paws full; he isn’t tall or strong to carry Waahkuuhtaan but instead has to drag her by her nape, her hindquarters dragging the ground. The adult female flicks one ear in their direction but doesn’t move.
Waahkuuhtaan sulks, her ploy to trick Kapvik foiled. Her sulk however, lasts less than half a minute before starting again. “Please Kapvik? Oh come on! Please please please…”
“Ah,” stutters Nebula, still half-up. She wants to flee, but fears revealing her shuffle- why, even getting up would should her weakness. Better to lie still and play cool. Using her best patronizing tone, the gray-tan Cave Lion says, “What beautiful kits you have. How well the brother cares for his little sister.” A rush of nostalgia sweeps through her- she misses those days when she could put the lower-ranking Cave Lions in their place.
“Kapvik is a good brother,” agrees the tan-pawed female, letting her hackles drop only a little. “But neither of them are really mine. I raised Kapvik, yes; but Waahkuuhtaan’s my sister’s.”
Nebula’s whiskers twitch, the only sign of her slight embarrassment at her mistake. “So…I suppose they’re only half-siblings.”
“Yes, same sire. Now then, get off of my land.” The hackles twitch up again, but that is the only change in the Wolverine.
“Is the male your mate? Oh no, he would be your sister’s wouldn’t he?” Nebula sure hopes this sounded casual. How did the tan-pawed’s sister convince a male to leave his mate and pick her?
“I suppose,” snarls the female. “It’s not really your business, is it?”
Nebula cocks her head to one side. “But if your sister doesn’t even like this mate, why would you raise Kapvik? You see, that shows a kind heart and well, surely such a kind heart wouldn’t drive a crippled Cave Lioness away,” says Nebula, drawing a long face and glad to have to someone to pity her. “See? My hind leg’s broken and my forepaw’s-“
“You got here well enough,” dryly replies the tan-pawed, her snarl growing louder. “You can leave well enough.”
Nebula’s temper snaps. Teeth bared, ears flattened, she lowers her head. “I’m crippled and you-”
“Auntie Sokuyôn!” Both whirl around to see Waahkuuhtaan scuttling towards them, with Kapvik quick on her heels. No longer is Kapvik snarling; instead his dark eyes are wide terror.
Nebula’s eyes too, quickly switch to terror. For following them the young Wolverines are three more adults: a female and two males. The pale male and mud-brown female are of no particular interest as they run shoulder to shoulder, both with their ears back and eyes nervous. It’s the third male with such fire and, was that, excitement in his eyes: huge, with a dark, near black coat and unusually golden streaks one either side.
“Auntie Sokuyôn, Kapvik wouldn’t listen to me. So when he went to get Belladonna and Balatro, I got Daddy!” says Waahkuuhtaan, clearly proud of her cleverness.
Sokuyôn growls and grabs Waahkuuhtaan by the scruff of the neck. Still eyeing Nebula she backs away. With a snarl Kapvik follows Sokuyôn.
The male stalks forward. Nebula, confused and still snarling, has gotten to her paws, eyeing the three beasts. When had so many Wolverines tolerated each other? “I-I take it you’re the sire of, uh, those kits. They’re uh.” She clears her throat. “Both nice.”
“Indeed. Both came from excellent females. Kapvik has Ferrum’s size, unfortunately, but also her swiftness. Waahkuuhtaan has her mother’s mellow temperament and my size. I have high expectations for both,” says the dark brown-and-gold male, curious eyes on Nebula. “My name is Tazer. Perhaps you’ve heard of me, Cave Lion.”
“Vaguely,” replies Nebula, settling her hindquarters down and hoping the Wolverine can’t hear her heart pounding. Tazer, with a pack of Wolverines at his heels, set to kill all Wolves and Bears to free the way for Wolverines to rule. True, he had never mentioned Cave Lions, but should he view these cats too as being in the way…
“For too long, Wolverines have had to live alone. There isn’t enough food to support a pack, not with those wretched Bears and Wolves devouring everything. And they call us gluttons! That’s why-“
“Oh you think you have it so bad?!” interrupts Nebula. During this speech, her thoughts had returned to Sokuyôn. How dare she be so condescending! “Look at my paws! Vetus did this to me!”
Tazer’s face suddenly snaps out of the snarl it had been set in. “Vetus you say? A Cave Lion?”
“No, a Musk-Oxen. Of course a Cave Lion!” snaps Nebula. “Vetus is the leader of the pride. Has been ever since he overthrew my father. Dad got to be in charge for fifteen months and lost his place when I was only a year and a half old. Dad and Mom had to raise the other litters by themselves. I’m not making that mistake. So-“
“Vetus was with the Troodon EbonyPatriot,” continues Tazer. The Wolverine’s teeth are bared and his eyes gleam. Nebula squirms a bit. “Do you know where they are?”
“No. I don’t even know what a Troodon is,” snarls Nebula, her tail lashing, torn between her anger and fear.
“They’re a type of dinosaur with razor teeth, hence the name, and thick fur. Now then, this EbonyPatriot means to kill me- and I, EbonyPatriot. That Troodon dares to side with the Wolves and Bears. I nearly killed him before but-“
“Blah blah your needs,” hisses Nebula. “Vetus-“
The Wolverine, his temper gone, doesn’t utter a snarl but launches himself at the Cave Lion. With a screech Nebula springs to her back- but not fact enough to escape a slash to her cheek. The Wolverine ducks beneath her kicking hind legs and grabs the slowed injured hind paw in his jaws.
Nebula screeches again and Tazer recovers his patience enough to step back. “If you don’t want your paw re-broken-“
Nebula gets to her paws and leaps at the Wolverine, only to collapse, her injured foot unable to support her.
Still snarling, Tazer continues. “Well, I didn’t succeed. I had more pressing concerns. But now I intend to finish it.”
Nebula glares. “Vetus-”
“Is one of the Troodon’s allies- him and his lynx daughter.”
“Lynx daughter?” repeats Nebula.
“Yes. Vetus adopted her.”
Nebula screeches in rage. “Why that miserable killer! Wouldn’t have cubs with me but willing to adopt a little whelp of a pest? Rrrr that- Look what he did to me!! Just because I killed that common mate of his, he tried to maul me; than ran off to find his cubs. It’s not fair!”
“Did he find these cubs?” asks Tazer without much interest, his head to one side as he thinks.
“No. Neither have I,” admits Nebula.
“Well…perhaps a Cave Lion would be a worthy ally,” says Tazer finally. “I’ll have to see. Come with me and meet the Storm-Stalkers, my finest allies.” With that the Wolverine starts away. Balatro and Belladonna, still staring at Nebula, turn and follow as Tazer snaps at them.
“You mean, join you?” Nebula considers. With a pack of Wolverines at her heels they could find the cubs in no time. Then, with that lynx out of the picture as well, the mourning Vetus would have to take a mate. And what better female than herself? “I’ll do you the favor. My name’s Nebulosus. It means mist or fog, just like Nebula. Nebula’s my nickname.”
“Very well, Nebula,” says Tazer, glancing over his shoulder.
With that, Nebula follows the Tazer’s bushy tail, a near skip in her shuffling stride.
_
A lone bald eagle circles in the iron-gray sky, the spring foliage beneath him lashing in the thunderstorm. The eagle’s yellow eyes focus on the black form shivering under a pine tree below, illuminating with ever lessening lighting. The eagle dives and perches at eye-level with the black-and-silver-and-white animal. The bird ruffles his plumage.
“Sitka,” says the Troodon, eyes wide and forepaws at his chest. “I shouldn’t be back.”
“Oh EbonyPatriot,” sighs Sitka. “Remember how brave you were when we first met, speaking proudly of Balto and asking me who you could find? Now if you had your way, you’d still be hiding,” says Sitka softly, head to one side.
EbonyPatriot hisses. “Well can you blame me? Tazer almost killed me.”
“Your scars have healed, Troodon,” whispers Sitka. “They don’t show under your spring coat. Even your ankle’s better.”
“Except in the rain. You know, like now,” snaps the Troodon, mane bristling and stomping a white-tipped foot, showing the killer claw. EbonyPatriot averts his gaze. “Sorry Sitka. It’s just that, well, I’m scared. What if Tazer succeeds this time?”
“Do you think he will?”
“Well, no, I’ve never thought so. But I can’t stop thinking about it: what if he does? What if-”
“Moreover, EbonyPatriot, what about your friends?”
EbonyPatriot’s lips draw up in a snarl. “What about them?”
“Are you really going to let them face Tazer alone?”
“Of course not. But what good will it do? They’ll hate me; you know that as well as I do, Sitka. I abandoned them and avoided them. They’ll want nothing to with me.” With that confession, the Troodon whimpers, eyes closed and head turned.
“Perhaps they’ll be angry, yes,” says the Eagle, his eyes as soft as an eagle’s fierce gaze can ever go. “But EbonyPatriot, for them to forgive you, you must let them- and forgive them for what you blame as their failure to help you. You both have an enemy to face.”
EbonyPatriot sighs and smiles slightly, the tip of his tail wagging. “You’re a lot chattier than before.”
“Hey, I haven’t talked like this in months,” smiles Sitka. “Now then, I must find Kenai.”
“Sitka, one more thing…will I find them again? You know, Ken’ichi, Nikiski, Twinscar, Savik, Kamali, Vetus, Sollew, Tanana, Tyonek, Kirchy, Nutik, Nertuark, Kenai, Nadine, Kimba, Koda, Sioul, Rex, Truttle…” The Troodon’s voice trails off. Each name brings back a memory.
“Perhaps,” replies Sitka gently. With that the Eagle flies off.
Sighing, EbonyPatriot leaves the shelter of the pine, favoring his left foot. Through a lull in the storm he howls out a hello.
Tazer is currently in Sokuyôn's land; EbonyPatriot is a few miles away.
BIC: Once Nebula’s stride had been graceful and proud, but with one paw splayed and one crippled, a shuffle is the best she can manage. Once, her beautiful coat of silver-tipped mahogany had been the envy of all the females in the pride; now the fur is ragged, barely growing back, particulary at her throat. Once, she had danced and sang of beauty (her own, of course), now she whimpers at her state and snarls at the thought of the beast that had nearly killed her: Vetus.
And she scans constantly for Vetus’s cubs: the sooner she kills them, the sooner Vetus will have to accept her as his mate. She was somewhat surprised ripping out his previous mate’s throat and mauling his cubs hadn’t helped sooner, but ah well.
Nebula suddenly stops and lies down, careful to avoid harming her injured hind leg as she sprawls, fore legs under her and hind legs to the side. She examines her splayed left forepaw. A powerful bite has broken the toes, spreading them far beyond her beautiful normal state. But it’s the claws that bothers her- the tendons are intact; however, so badly had the toes healed that she cannot retract her claws. They’re dulling fast- still sharper than a wolf’s would be, but not by much.
Hissing, Nebula lets her paw slap down, snarling at the pain and blaming this, as ever, for Vetus. With a sigh, she closes her golden eyes.
A low growl makes her snap them again. Two wolverines snarl at her, not ten feet away. Nebula’s head shoots up, her ears flatten. Strong as Cave Lions are, even they fear the aggression of the wolverine, a beast able to fight off grizzlies.
The half-grown male stalks towards her, every tooth bared, head lowered and jaw framed by his white chest.
“Kapvik, let me handle this,” snaps the tan-pawed full-grown female, not taking her eyes off Nebula. “Just grab Waahkuuhtaan and get out of here.”
Ears still flattened and still glancing at Nebula, the half-grown Kapivk disappears into the ground and drags out another kit, this one perhaps a month old. The female kit kicks her tan paws in a protest- or rather, a temper tantrum. “But Kapviiiiiiiikkkk! Why do I have to go? I never get to do anything fun-“
Kapvik scowls, but knows better then to open his mouth to reply. Besides, the young Wolverine has his paws full; he isn’t tall or strong to carry Waahkuuhtaan but instead has to drag her by her nape, her hindquarters dragging the ground. The adult female flicks one ear in their direction but doesn’t move.
Waahkuuhtaan sulks, her ploy to trick Kapvik foiled. Her sulk however, lasts less than half a minute before starting again. “Please Kapvik? Oh come on! Please please please…”
“Ah,” stutters Nebula, still half-up. She wants to flee, but fears revealing her shuffle- why, even getting up would should her weakness. Better to lie still and play cool. Using her best patronizing tone, the gray-tan Cave Lion says, “What beautiful kits you have. How well the brother cares for his little sister.” A rush of nostalgia sweeps through her- she misses those days when she could put the lower-ranking Cave Lions in their place.
“Kapvik is a good brother,” agrees the tan-pawed female, letting her hackles drop only a little. “But neither of them are really mine. I raised Kapvik, yes; but Waahkuuhtaan’s my sister’s.”
Nebula’s whiskers twitch, the only sign of her slight embarrassment at her mistake. “So…I suppose they’re only half-siblings.”
“Yes, same sire. Now then, get off of my land.” The hackles twitch up again, but that is the only change in the Wolverine.
“Is the male your mate? Oh no, he would be your sister’s wouldn’t he?” Nebula sure hopes this sounded casual. How did the tan-pawed’s sister convince a male to leave his mate and pick her?
“I suppose,” snarls the female. “It’s not really your business, is it?”
Nebula cocks her head to one side. “But if your sister doesn’t even like this mate, why would you raise Kapvik? You see, that shows a kind heart and well, surely such a kind heart wouldn’t drive a crippled Cave Lioness away,” says Nebula, drawing a long face and glad to have to someone to pity her. “See? My hind leg’s broken and my forepaw’s-“
“You got here well enough,” dryly replies the tan-pawed, her snarl growing louder. “You can leave well enough.”
Nebula’s temper snaps. Teeth bared, ears flattened, she lowers her head. “I’m crippled and you-”
“Auntie Sokuyôn!” Both whirl around to see Waahkuuhtaan scuttling towards them, with Kapvik quick on her heels. No longer is Kapvik snarling; instead his dark eyes are wide terror.
Nebula’s eyes too, quickly switch to terror. For following them the young Wolverines are three more adults: a female and two males. The pale male and mud-brown female are of no particular interest as they run shoulder to shoulder, both with their ears back and eyes nervous. It’s the third male with such fire and, was that, excitement in his eyes: huge, with a dark, near black coat and unusually golden streaks one either side.
“Auntie Sokuyôn, Kapvik wouldn’t listen to me. So when he went to get Belladonna and Balatro, I got Daddy!” says Waahkuuhtaan, clearly proud of her cleverness.
Sokuyôn growls and grabs Waahkuuhtaan by the scruff of the neck. Still eyeing Nebula she backs away. With a snarl Kapvik follows Sokuyôn.
The male stalks forward. Nebula, confused and still snarling, has gotten to her paws, eyeing the three beasts. When had so many Wolverines tolerated each other? “I-I take it you’re the sire of, uh, those kits. They’re uh.” She clears her throat. “Both nice.”
“Indeed. Both came from excellent females. Kapvik has Ferrum’s size, unfortunately, but also her swiftness. Waahkuuhtaan has her mother’s mellow temperament and my size. I have high expectations for both,” says the dark brown-and-gold male, curious eyes on Nebula. “My name is Tazer. Perhaps you’ve heard of me, Cave Lion.”
“Vaguely,” replies Nebula, settling her hindquarters down and hoping the Wolverine can’t hear her heart pounding. Tazer, with a pack of Wolverines at his heels, set to kill all Wolves and Bears to free the way for Wolverines to rule. True, he had never mentioned Cave Lions, but should he view these cats too as being in the way…
“For too long, Wolverines have had to live alone. There isn’t enough food to support a pack, not with those wretched Bears and Wolves devouring everything. And they call us gluttons! That’s why-“
“Oh you think you have it so bad?!” interrupts Nebula. During this speech, her thoughts had returned to Sokuyôn. How dare she be so condescending! “Look at my paws! Vetus did this to me!”
Tazer’s face suddenly snaps out of the snarl it had been set in. “Vetus you say? A Cave Lion?”
“No, a Musk-Oxen. Of course a Cave Lion!” snaps Nebula. “Vetus is the leader of the pride. Has been ever since he overthrew my father. Dad got to be in charge for fifteen months and lost his place when I was only a year and a half old. Dad and Mom had to raise the other litters by themselves. I’m not making that mistake. So-“
“Vetus was with the Troodon EbonyPatriot,” continues Tazer. The Wolverine’s teeth are bared and his eyes gleam. Nebula squirms a bit. “Do you know where they are?”
“No. I don’t even know what a Troodon is,” snarls Nebula, her tail lashing, torn between her anger and fear.
“They’re a type of dinosaur with razor teeth, hence the name, and thick fur. Now then, this EbonyPatriot means to kill me- and I, EbonyPatriot. That Troodon dares to side with the Wolves and Bears. I nearly killed him before but-“
“Blah blah your needs,” hisses Nebula. “Vetus-“
The Wolverine, his temper gone, doesn’t utter a snarl but launches himself at the Cave Lion. With a screech Nebula springs to her back- but not fact enough to escape a slash to her cheek. The Wolverine ducks beneath her kicking hind legs and grabs the slowed injured hind paw in his jaws.
Nebula screeches again and Tazer recovers his patience enough to step back. “If you don’t want your paw re-broken-“
Nebula gets to her paws and leaps at the Wolverine, only to collapse, her injured foot unable to support her.
Still snarling, Tazer continues. “Well, I didn’t succeed. I had more pressing concerns. But now I intend to finish it.”
Nebula glares. “Vetus-”
“Is one of the Troodon’s allies- him and his lynx daughter.”
“Lynx daughter?” repeats Nebula.
“Yes. Vetus adopted her.”
Nebula screeches in rage. “Why that miserable killer! Wouldn’t have cubs with me but willing to adopt a little whelp of a pest? Rrrr that- Look what he did to me!! Just because I killed that common mate of his, he tried to maul me; than ran off to find his cubs. It’s not fair!”
“Did he find these cubs?” asks Tazer without much interest, his head to one side as he thinks.
“No. Neither have I,” admits Nebula.
“Well…perhaps a Cave Lion would be a worthy ally,” says Tazer finally. “I’ll have to see. Come with me and meet the Storm-Stalkers, my finest allies.” With that the Wolverine starts away. Balatro and Belladonna, still staring at Nebula, turn and follow as Tazer snaps at them.
“You mean, join you?” Nebula considers. With a pack of Wolverines at her heels they could find the cubs in no time. Then, with that lynx out of the picture as well, the mourning Vetus would have to take a mate. And what better female than herself? “I’ll do you the favor. My name’s Nebulosus. It means mist or fog, just like Nebula. Nebula’s my nickname.”
“Very well, Nebula,” says Tazer, glancing over his shoulder.
With that, Nebula follows the Tazer’s bushy tail, a near skip in her shuffling stride.
_
A lone bald eagle circles in the iron-gray sky, the spring foliage beneath him lashing in the thunderstorm. The eagle’s yellow eyes focus on the black form shivering under a pine tree below, illuminating with ever lessening lighting. The eagle dives and perches at eye-level with the black-and-silver-and-white animal. The bird ruffles his plumage.
“Sitka,” says the Troodon, eyes wide and forepaws at his chest. “I shouldn’t be back.”
“Oh EbonyPatriot,” sighs Sitka. “Remember how brave you were when we first met, speaking proudly of Balto and asking me who you could find? Now if you had your way, you’d still be hiding,” says Sitka softly, head to one side.
EbonyPatriot hisses. “Well can you blame me? Tazer almost killed me.”
“Your scars have healed, Troodon,” whispers Sitka. “They don’t show under your spring coat. Even your ankle’s better.”
“Except in the rain. You know, like now,” snaps the Troodon, mane bristling and stomping a white-tipped foot, showing the killer claw. EbonyPatriot averts his gaze. “Sorry Sitka. It’s just that, well, I’m scared. What if Tazer succeeds this time?”
“Do you think he will?”
“Well, no, I’ve never thought so. But I can’t stop thinking about it: what if he does? What if-”
“Moreover, EbonyPatriot, what about your friends?”
EbonyPatriot’s lips draw up in a snarl. “What about them?”
“Are you really going to let them face Tazer alone?”
“Of course not. But what good will it do? They’ll hate me; you know that as well as I do, Sitka. I abandoned them and avoided them. They’ll want nothing to with me.” With that confession, the Troodon whimpers, eyes closed and head turned.
“Perhaps they’ll be angry, yes,” says the Eagle, his eyes as soft as an eagle’s fierce gaze can ever go. “But EbonyPatriot, for them to forgive you, you must let them- and forgive them for what you blame as their failure to help you. You both have an enemy to face.”
EbonyPatriot sighs and smiles slightly, the tip of his tail wagging. “You’re a lot chattier than before.”
“Hey, I haven’t talked like this in months,” smiles Sitka. “Now then, I must find Kenai.”
“Sitka, one more thing…will I find them again? You know, Ken’ichi, Nikiski, Twinscar, Savik, Kamali, Vetus, Sollew, Tanana, Tyonek, Kirchy, Nutik, Nertuark, Kenai, Nadine, Kimba, Koda, Sioul, Rex, Truttle…” The Troodon’s voice trails off. Each name brings back a memory.
“Perhaps,” replies Sitka gently. With that the Eagle flies off.
Sighing, EbonyPatriot leaves the shelter of the pine, favoring his left foot. Through a lull in the storm he howls out a hello.