Rendezvous then I'm through with you

Colibri Haki · 08-16-2012, 07:27 PM

[html]

At the stables, raining outside. tl;dr: Coli finds a feral donkey and doesn't know what it is, haha~
WC: 927

Colibri adjusted the heavy leather cloak about her shoulders, making sure it stayed on as she began her ambling walk toward the communal herb garden. The warm summer air had suddenly cooled, as the sky went grey with clouds the breeze was carrying in. It would rain soon. If it rained, she obviously didn't have to carry water to the garden, so she was simply hoping to do some quick weeding before the storm rolled in. Beneath the cloak, her arms were wrapped protectively around her pregnant belly, feeling how far the secret bump had progressed. She was past halfway, by Saul's calculation, and while the symptoms of nausea and nosebleeds were largely gone, the weight gain was becoming difficult to conceal. Her only consolation was knowing that her sister was with child as well, so she was not the only one without control over her body's changes.

Just then she felt the cold splash of a raindrop on her nose. A quick glance skyward confirmed it; the storm was starting already, and she was far from her house. She pulled the fur-lined hood over her ears just as a rumble of thunder sounded. The skies abruptly opened up, and the torrential downpour began.

She was protected by her cloak, and the garden was just ahead; might as well swing by there before hobbling back to her home. There were already puddles forming, so she would not have to come water the garden for several days after this. Raising her eyes, she froze, spotting something that shouldn't be there. There was an animal silhouette visible through the curtain of rain. Coli adjusted her hood, peering through the drizzle at the hazy grey shape.

It was big, too stocky to be a deer, but a similar frame with four legs and a long face. She realized it was probably a horse, and curled back her lip in annoyance. One of the Vináttan horses must have gotten out of the barn, and now it was grazing on the herb garden she had worked so hard to protect from drought, insects, catastrophic puppy damage, et al. She approached cautiously, the muddy ground squelching beneath her paw pads. The creature raised its head to regard her, flicking a pair of surprisingly long ears to listen to her footsteps. Coli didn't know much about horses, they mostly made her very nervous with their size and their stone-like hooves, but she had never seen one with ears that long. It was like the difference between a wolf and a coyote.

The animal did not move as she drew closer. It seemed to be huddled in one place, unhappy about being wet. They were out in a clearing without any shelter, and it apparently was caught in the rainstorm the same way she had been. Coli glanced down at the garden, and caught her breath in a displeased hiss, noticing some very distinct crop marks in the plants. If she shooed the dumb beast away, it would just come back later and devour the rest. She needed to get it back to the barn. Eying it suspiciously, Coli reached out her hand, intending to touch it on the muzzle like she had Alder's horse. She was particularly wary that the thing could bit her; it was not wearing any kind of halter that would make this easier.

The long-eared horse seemed relieved by the gesture, butting his damp muzzle against her trembling fingers. She knew she should not be afraid of equines, nature intended for horses to fear wolves and not the other way around, but it would be so easy to be trampled beneath a creature of that height and weight. This one seemed smaller than most, though. Compared to Hawthorn, it would be a baby. This thought relieved her a little, and she took a few tentative steps toward the village, wondering how she would get it to follow her. She needn't have worried; the tame beast was happy to trot after her, nudging her with its long face from time to time. It seemed to trust that she would lead it from the rain.

They walked in relative silence, broken only by the splash of paws and hooves through puddles, or the rumble of thunder. Coli had never actually visited the stables before, and why should she? Horses were not her idea of a good companion. This one clearly belonged to someone, though, and she couldn't do much else in this storm. The heavy rain began to slack off as they passed through the grove of pine trees, sheltered by the canopy of aromatic needles. She considered going to her house to wait out the rain, but this horse thing would only eat the flowers she had there, too, and those were more important to her. She stole a few curious glances at it, wondering who it belonged to. Maybe one of the newcomers? It wasn't one of Saul's...

By the time the pair arrived at the shelter of the stables, Coli was exhausted and cold. Despite the heavy cloak, her teeth were chattering, and she immediately found a bench where she could sit and rest her swollen ankles. The long-eared horse clopped fearlessly inside, braying loudly at the scent of horses. The loud noise made Coli flinch, and she made a face at the beast, silently willing it to find its own stall and go to sleep. She wanted to nap as well, and if no one was here, she might just find an empty stall and do so.

Table by Alli!

[/html]

Niernan Stormbringer · 08-17-2012, 03:41 PM

[html]

Hope ya don't mind a Nier and Ciaran. / 520. 5 pts + 5

The rain had caught him unawares as he returned from running the borders, the tell-tale rumble of thunder only just preceding the torrential downpour of the grey rain. The route he had taken for his patrol left him on the opposite side of the packlands from his house and he was already soaked through. Ciaran fared no better, the bedraggled cat looking more and more like the kitten that he still was, all his long fur now plastered to his skinny body, his whiskers drooping and his tail twitching madly. He knew that the sooner he found shelter the better as the cat would only get angrier and angrier until he was dry and warm. So when the stable loomed through the rain he crowed quietly in triumph, aware that Darcy would probably enjoy some company in this type of weather, while also fulfilling his and Ciarans need to get warm.

He found the stable door already slightly ajar and ducked inside, the tight opening squeezing a little of the moisture that weighed down his canvas shorts. As soon as they were in the wooden building Ciaran dismounted Niernans shoulder with a soggy thud and dashed straight to Darcy's stall where he began the long process of washing himself. Nier dropped to all fours, an odd thing to do in his two legged form, and shook his body violently, just as he would do in either of his four legged forms to rid himself of excess water. It was only when he straightened up that he noticed he had company. His cyan eyes fell on the bedraggled form before him and he cocked his head to the side, confused to see the horse wary Colibri here. He was about to ask why she was in the stable when a short legged but long eared and faced animal caught his attention as it moved around the main stable area.

Niernans main priority was his packmate and he set about getting her comfortable, dry and warm first. he offered his paw to her seated form, clearly seeing the exhaustion and cold that wracked her frail body. Coli, why don't you go and curl up with Darcy and Ciaran? I promise Darce will be good, he's only little and he'd probably appreciate the cuddles what with this thunder and all. He'll be nice and warm too. He paused for a moment, a small smile flitting onto his muzzle, I'll deal with your friend here, get him settled in a stall. He offered. He would find out why she had been out in this weather afterward, maybe he'd get the chance to have a nice conversation with her, teach her a little about horses, or she could tell him about her plants, he always enjoyed hearing her talk about her plants. That was one of the only times she brightened enough to lose her shyness and show what an intelligent and kind wolf she was. He hoped she'd take up his offer of a warm stall, he didn't want to see her suffer and he didn't know the other horses as well as he knew Darcy.

Colibri Haki · 08-17-2012, 06:45 PM

[html]

of course not! <3 hee, cat and donkey, it's like shrek!
WC: 522

The rain was drumming against the roof of the stables, a rhythm interspersed every now and then with a crack of thunder. Coli would wait out the inclement weather here in relative dryness, though her cloak was heavy with rainwater, dripping quietly on the bench she sat upon. Her footpaws were caked with thick mud, turning her pale cream fur into a rich brown like the rest of her pelt. Too tired to clean herself up just yet, Coli let her eyes wander, looking around this building she had never entered before.

There were many stalls lining the building's walls, but not many horses as far as she could tell. That was a relief, they wouldn't stampede or anything. She heard a few curious whinnies answering the loud braying call, but none of them matched the volume of the long-eared one that was ambling about, exploring. Without the rain distorting it, she could see more clearly that it had thicker, shaggier fur than the horses, hanging off its stocky frame in damp ropes. The mane and tail hair was thinner and shorter in comparison, though the long neck and face looked about the same. It was also male, as she could now clearly see.

The stable door creaked open slightly, admitting a dark figure. Blue eyes watched in mild surprise as Niernan Stormbringer emerged from the rain, a very wet Ciaran dislodging from his familiar perch and scampering off into the barn. She drew the cloak more tightly around her shivering body as he shook himself vigorously, spattering water droplets all over. She had not told Niernan (or her other packmates) yet that she was expecting, but she wondered how long it would take him to figure it out despite the cloak hiding her obvious shape. She was obviously heavier and slower than when they had been at the garden together, and her scent had probably changed, though she couldn't discern it herself. It wasn't going to be her secret much longer. She smiled weakly when he noticed her there, feeling very small and embarrassed.

He immediately offered his hand, a friendly gesture to help her to her feet. She hesitated, then accepted, letting her small fingers be enveloped by his warm grip. He seemed to handle the weather better than her, although his cat companion did not. "You got caught by the storm too?" she asked quietly, rising with great effort from the bench. "Who is Darcy? Is... he's a horse? I, um, I don't know... And that's not my friend," she said sourly, directing a grumpy look at the long-eared horse. He had noticed the newcomer and was trotting back over fearlessly to sniff Nier. "He was grazing at the garden, so I brought him back here. Do you know who he belongs to?" She was cold and wet and tired, and it was that thing's fault; she would have just gone back to her house and napped if she didn't have to lead it all the way across Vinátta. Maybe she could have a cross word with his owner for letting it get loose in the first place.

Table by Alli!

[/html]

Niernan Stormbringer · 08-26-2012, 06:33 AM

[html]

Urgh sorry for the wait and the crappost. / 399. 3 pts

He noticed that she hesitated slightly in the taking of his hand, he inwardly cursed himself as he had forgotten her aversion to men. She took his handpaw though, her small, cold fingers curling around his larger, warmer digits. He pulled her gently to her feet, making sure she was steady before letting go. At her question he chuckled, holding out his arms Yeah, just a bit. He winked at her and ruffled his hair a bit, water droplets flying in all directions.

The donkey had noticed the newcomer and had wandered over to say hello, he shoved his nose into Niers palm and the man knuckled the donkey's face and ruffled his ears, he was a friendly fella. Nier nodded, Darcy's a horse, he's my colt. He's only a few months old and doesn't come much higher than my thigh. He's also a big softy, not a bit of fire in him. He smiled at Coli reassuringly, He really would be the best for you to cuddle up to, I'd feel terrible if you caught a chill. Her words about the donkey not being her friend brought a smile to his worried features, Well he seems like a friendly guy. He led the donkey over to an empty stall, stroking the animals face as he closed the stall door. He glanced back over at Coli, He doesn't belong to anyone I know of. He chuckled, thinking of Coli becoming outraged at the donkey in the garden, Good thing you got him out of there then, these guys can go through veggies like no tomorrow.

On the topic of food and the donkeys appetite he made sure to scoop up an armful of hay, tossing it into the stall. He leaned back on the donkeys stall door, listening to the unmistakeable munching of hay when a little white face came into view. Nier watched as Darcy paced nervously, his long face appearing and then disappearing between the slats of his stall, his dark eyes beseeching Niernan. The man moved over to his colt, swinging the stall door open and stepping inside. Ciaran was still using his tongue to clean his fur but Darcy skittered over to press his little piebald body against Niernans legs, the horse taking comfort in the warmth and presence of his friend. He looked up at Coli, This is Darcy, my little baby boy. He said affectionately.

Colibri Haki · 08-28-2012, 03:00 AM

[html]

<333!!
WC: 526

Nier's hand was warm, despite the dampness of his dark fur. He let go once she had risen, and she appreciated the small gesture, particularly because he did not seem to question how much effort it had taken her. Standing was a chore, especially on her weakened ankles, and she looked forward to curling up and napping somewhere warm. Nier shook his wet hair, spattering her with droplets, and she huffed at him, pulling the fur-lined hood of her cloak to shield her face. She longed to take the dripping garment off, but doing so would reveal her shame to a packmate who seemed to genuinely care about her well-being. Instead she focused in on what he was saying to her, trying to keep her tired thoughts from wandering again.

"I didn't know you were into horses. I thought that was just Saul's thing..." she mused aloud, peering suspiciously at the long-eared creature and how easily Niernan befriended him, leading him to a stall. "I guess you really like having pets. Does Bran dislike Darcy, too?" she finally concluded, tilting her head as she considered it. Companion animals were still a bit beyond her comprehension -- while Nier and Ciaran were obviously friends and could communicate to some degree, horses were more like heavy ugly deer that stomped on wolves with their boulder hooves. That was her distorted perception, anyway, having only met her first horse quite recently, when winter faded into spring. She crinkled her nose at the long-eared thing as it was safely locked behind the stall door, making the herb garden officially safe again. "Are you sure he doesn't belong to anyone? He's awfully tame for a wild horse, he followed me the whole way here..." she admitted with a frown, knowing she could never have caught a stallion that didn't want to be captured. It could have been worse. It could have also been a lot better, though, with sunshine and no horses and her garden intact.

Niernan moved to a different stall door, where the sounds of clattering hooves set Coli's ears back apprehensively. Still she followed at a safe distance, and when the door swung open she caught her first glimpse of a foal. Its proportions were unmistakeably childlike, with wide dark eyes and long spindly legs just like a fawn. Nier had told the truth about its size, and that was the most off-putting part about horses in general, ranking them as high as bears or mountain lions in Coli's skewed list of dangerous creatures. Despite herself, she felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, as she watched the little one scamper over and press itself against his caregiver. She did like baby things, especially now that she could not get maternity off her mind. Nier glanced up and caught her gazing fondly at the foal, and Coli quickly looked away, adopting a surly frown to mask her enamored smile. "Darcy looks nicer than the one I found," she mumbled, rubbing her arms together beneath her cloak. She was still soaked and chilly, and his previous offer of cuddling with the baby horse was rather tempting...

Table by Alli!

[/html]

Niernan Stormbringer · 09-06-2012, 11:14 AM

[html]

Schemy Nier is schemy. So sorry for the wait. Muse ran away. / 543

Nier grinned sheepishly as Coli shielded herself from the droplets that rained from his hair. He eyed the cloak that she wore, it was a beautiful garment and it seemed to have shielded her from the worst of the rain, but she was still wet, and if the shivers he was experiencing were anything, she would be cold too. He really did want to get her warm and dry, there was no hope of getting back to a house as the rain was still pounding down outside. Her quiet voice came again, floating across the stable as he put the donkey away, he chuckled lowly before he answered, I like horses just as much as I like every other animal out there. Saul gave Darcy to me and there was no way I'd turn him down. That colt is the prettiest horse I've ever seen. He paused for a moment, thinking over his next answer, I like having companions, I guess you could call 'em pets, but I wouldn't ever dare call Ciaran my pet. He laughed as the cat meowed from Darcy's stall "You better bloody not." The cats voice holding the Irish tones he had picked up from Niernan. See, he's a law unto himself. Though I suppose Grace's little menagerie could be considered pets. I like having a full house." He shrugged, not entirely sure why he surrounded himself with animals. He slid the bolt home on the stall door and paused, thinking over Brans involvement with the horses, he turned to face the cloaked woman, "I don't think Bran has met Darce yet, I don't think he's even been to the stables. But I bet he'd be fine with my colt, as he's gonna grow up to be a useful animal as well as a companion."

Nier shook his head at Coli's question, I don't recall any of the new lot mentioning a donkey companion, nor do I recall anybody else picking him up from a trader or anything like that. He must have escaped from somewhere. He stroked the donkeys face affectionately, sure that he and this fella could become friends quickly. He smiled as Coli frowned, the expression endearing on her face. He moved quickly to settle Darcy, aware of movement behind him as Coli followed him at a distance. After the horse had pressed his little body against Niers legs, and Nier had introduced Coli to the colt he looked up to see an affectionate smile abruptly disappear from her face. He smiled to himself, having felt that he had caught her actually feeling something more than fear and dislike for an equine. He chuckled at Coli's statement, Darcy's plenty nice, as nice as your donkey friend over there, but I suppose Darce is littler and cuter. At his name the colt buried himself further into Niernans legs, rubbing his nose against the mans shorts, begging for attention. Nier smoothed his face with one handpaw, while he beckoned Coli with the other, Here, you can pet him, he'd like that. His voice was quiet and calm, his whole body relaxed, knowing that if he was tense the colt and Coli would pick up on it and his plan to get Coli to come closer would go awry.

Colibri Haki · 09-18-2012, 07:57 PM

[html]

WC: 519

Saul had given Niernan the horse as a gift. Coli quietly filed away the information, finding it rather sweet. Grace, though... Nier had mentioned his girl when they last met, and from the sound of what he'd said, they were living together already. Coli had been far too distracted by her condition to ever follow through and introduce herself to her packmate, which invoked a twinge of guilt. Nier had promised Coli that she would like his Grace. "She keeps animals too?" she asked curiously, her voice soft. She should really stop by their house sometime... she kept meaning to, but now wasn't a good time. Soon she would have puppies to take care of, a looming future she was not looking forward to.

"'Donkey'... is that a kind of horse, or something different?" she asked hesitantly, frowning as she revealed her ignorance. All these livestock animals were unknown to her. It wasn't the first time Niernan had to explain the intricacies of domesticated species versus their wild counterparts; his Ciaran was not the same as a bobcat, and this 'donkey' was evidently not the same as a horse. Still, the word sort of fit. Donkey was an awkward, funny-sounding name, and that was certainly what she was looking at. She wondered vaguely if he had a call name like 'Darcy', or if he was just called donkey all his life. Someone must have owned him, because he wasn't skittish around Luperci at all.

Nier was stroking the animal in question's face as he spoke, his lilting accent carrying over the drumming of raindrops on the roof above them. "So he really doesn't have an owner... oh no," Coli said with a grimace, staring with widening eyes as her ears dropped flat. "That doesn't mean... he's not mine now, is he?" She glanced back to Nier with an expression of horror. She didn't want a pet that would eat her garden. Coli didn't know the first thing about taking care of hoofed things, either. Could she just leave him here in the stables, did they have a packmate that tended to the barn? She certainly wouldn't be caught riding on top of it! She pursed her lips, trying to think of her options. She couldn't just release it, so it had to stay...

She shuffled into the stall, swallowing nervously. The colt was rubbing its face on Nier's clothing, pressing its little body in between his legs. Soon the wolf would topple over, she thought with vague amusement. Darcy certainly did look nice and harmless, as the Stormbringer assured her. Even the cat was unruffled by the baby horse, calmly remaining nearby. "Sorry I don't have any catnip for you," she murmured with a smile at Ciaran, seeing the cat diligently grooming himself clean. The undignified sight of Ciaran on catnip had been priceless, and Nier had managed to capture it in a sketch so they could always be reminded of the silliness. She readjusted her cloak, outstretching her arm to approach the foal, Darcy. Her blue eyes narrowed warily, ready to jump back if it showed its teeth.

Table by Alli!

[/html]

Niernan Stormbringer · 10-02-2012, 05:13 PM

[html]

SO SORRRRRYYYY!!! I am a complete moron and you have permission to kick me as much as you like for being so late. So... to make up for it I give you looong post Smile

/ 790. 7 pts

Coli's soft voice wavered across the gap between them, curiosity evident in her tone. He smiled and shot a grin over his shoulder, Yeah, she keeps animals too. At the moment we have more than we can handle. He chuckled and shook his head, Nah, I'm joking, we can handle them. But it's a bit of a shock, going from living with one cat to two cats, two quoll pups and two pheasants. I can't take a step in the house without tripping over something.

He was surprisingly comfortable here, working in the warmth of the heavy bodies and hay that surrounded him. The rain pounded on the roof of the stables, as heavy as it was when he dashed into shelter, perhaps heavier. The dampness of his fur barely registered as he busied himself with settling the donkey and talking to Coli, his actions almost automatic. It seemed he had gotten used to being in the stables since Darcy had come into his life, maybe this had been helped a little by Ink. The white furred young male teaching him about his horse and how they should be cared for. The boy had been initially appalled at the 'lack of care' that the horses had been undergoing before he arrived, but now that he had educated Niernan the dark Stormbringer was making a more concerted effort to spend time with his foal.

Nier didn't even look up as Coli's words reached his ears again, her voice quieter than before, her shyness coming through as she revealed her lack of knowledge in animals. He could barely hear her voice over the thunder and the drumming of the rain, but he flicked his ears back and managed to get the gist of the question. Uh... He paused, flicking his eyes skyward for a moment, searching his mental vault of animals. From what I can remember they're in the same family, but they're separate. I think donkey's are like primal horses, like dogs are derived from wolves. He wasn't aware of how that phrasing might smack of wolf supremacy, as he was simply stating known fact from what he learned from scientific books. The animals long face was surprisingly smooth and he nosed against Nier's palm, looking for affection. The explosion of sound from Coli made the Stormbringer jump a little, her shocked and dismayed tones cutting through the hazy warmth building up in the stable. As he words settled into his mind he felt a devious grin spreading across his face, his reply given with a shrug as he walked over to Darcy's stall, his mischief filled blue eyes catching the older wolfs for a second. Well, like I said, he doesn't belong to anyone I know, so why shouldn't he belong to you?

He looked up form comforting his colt, his eyes softening now, Coli, it wouldn't hurt for you to keep the donkey. He'll be stronger'n any horse you could get your hands on. And if he followed you here then he's probably attached himself to you now. He was acutely aware that Coli was worried about her garden, but now that the donkey was in the stable the garden would be safe, and if someone, maybe Ink or himself could train the fella then they could keep him from eating everything in sight. As he fussed Darcy and the little colt pressed itself into his legs he watched Coli. She stepped hesitantly into the stall and he noticed the nervous energy that she exuded, but she couldn't help the little affectionate smile that touched her lips making him smile in return. His smile widened as the earthen hued wolfess spoke to Ciaran, the cat pausing in his washing to look up at Coli. Her words made the cat sit upright and puff out his chest, still a little ashamed of himself when he had been affected by the catnip. He bashfully stuttered his words, his High Speech in danger of slipping with his embarrassment, "That's alright Colibri." He returned to his washing almost immediately, trying to bury his shame, but in the moment that he paused his grey green eyes met her ocean blue. Nier couldn't help the giggles that bubbled out of his mouth, recalling the scene that had given him and Coli so much fun.

While he giggled he noticed that Coli offered her paw to the little horse, her eyes narrowed in suspicion, and her body tense. Despite the fact that Darcy could sense how tense the canine was he still snuffled his hairy nose at her palm. The soft leather of his snout dancing at her palm as he tried to make friends. Nier looked up at his friend, Coli, he really won't hurt you, you can relax.

Colibri Haki · 10-08-2012, 06:33 AM

[html]

you will never be as slow as meeeee~ also asdjasia sandshrew!!
WC: 540

So Grace had a cat of her own... That made perfect sense, cat lovers bonding together. Bran must be even more displeased by it all, Coli thought in amusement. "Ah... even quails and pheasants? She raises birds in the house, isn't that messy?" she asked curiously, mishearing the foreign name. Quails had pups instead of chicks, apparently. Companion birds made even less sense to her than horses or cats, because she did not see them as anything other than ornamental or edible. In some ways, she was old-fashioned.

Coli listened quietly to the explanation she was offered, Nier's accent carrying over the drumming of the rain. Donkeys and horses were in the same family, meaning they were not the same animal but they could have offspring anyway. Dogs and wolves, now that was a sore subject. Beneath the cloak, Coli's fingers brushed the curve of her belly, unable to hide the worried frown. She was bearing wolfdog pups, and she had no way of knowing which parent they would emulate. Would their hybrid heritage be an issue for them? She knew all about the conflict between wolves and coyotes, having survived the Dahlian-Inferni war and later her own brush with coyote supremacists, but was there prejudice against dogs as well? Her sons and daughters might suffer through no fault of their own, a sobering thought. She shivered, turning her attention back to the topic at hand as Nier spoke again.

"...didn't want a horse," she grumbled stubbornly beneath her breath, but she did see the value in Nier's words. The stray animal had no reason to be attached to her, but if it genuinely did like her, she couldn't very well abandon it. Perhaps she could find a use for it. Provided it stayed away from her plants. "Aniki..." The name sounded right to her, something similar enough to donkey that he might recognize it. She tilted her head, glancing apprehensively at Niernan -- was that acceptable, or should it be something else? "Or, uh, you could come up with something b-better," she backpedaled, deferring to his experience with domestic animals. There must be conventions for naming such things, and she knew so little. Darcy was snuffling at her palm, little nose pressing curiously against her pawpads and making her giggle. The baby horse was quite charming, and she began to relax, if only a little. She had to assume Nier would not thrust her into any dangerous situations on purpose...

Coli spoke offhandedly to the fluffy tomcat, and amazingly he sat up and spoke in response. It was the first time she understood Ciaran. Had he always been fluent? Thinking back, the cat was either drugged, eating, or asleep when they were together, so she really didn't know. She found herself blinking in surprise, strangely proud that he would address her directly and that she actually comprehended his meowing now. Maybe Nier was right, and Ciaran did like her. All this time she heard wolves casually mention speaking to their animals, but a part of her always assumed they were being presumptuous in thinking the creatures ever understood them. "You talk now," she said stupidly, watching the cat's undeniably embarrassed body language. He was like a little person now.

Table by Alli!

[/html]

Niernan Stormbringer · 10-10-2012, 12:57 PM

[html]

Ahah, well... That was a lucky Sandshrew, I had bred one but it went to another player quite a while ago. / 530. 5 pts

Nier's ears flicked around and he felt a small smile pulling at his lips as Coli misheard him. He didn't laugh, not wanting to cause the older wolf discomfort over making a mistake, he simply smiled warmly and politely corrected his friend, it really was an easy mistake to make, especially since the quoll pups were foreign and not many in Nova Scotia would have ever heard of them. She keeps a pair of pheasants, Turnip and Jason. They're not all that messy, we try and keep them outside as much as possible. They help her find the ingredients for dyes and things. Well... He paused, chuckling at the memories of Turnip's frantic searching and Jason's rather stupid demeanour, Turnip tries to bring useful things back, Jason's a little more useless. We don't have quails, I don't think I could manage two more birds, we have quolls. He put more of an intonation on the word, trying to work out whether it was his accent that had twisted the word into sounding like quails, They're little cat like critters, well... More like a cat mixed with a weasel. They're cute little things, I reckon you'd like them Coli. They're quite cuddly.

Nier missed the way that Colibri stroked her belly, the bulge hidden under the voluminous cloak, and the way her face contorted into a worried frown at his words on dogs and wolves, too busy moving about the stable to notice. Yet as she spoke up, her mumbled words almost stolen by a clap of thunder that must have come straight from Thor, he looked over at her. He chuckled at her words, the surliness in her voice unmistakeable. He didn't say anything, knowing that speaking up while she thought over his previous words could break her train of thought, possibly letting her come to abandon the idea of keeping the donkey. He was relieved when she looked up and spoke a name. She spoke again, words tentative and shaky, but Nier shook his head, Aniki sounds good to me, sounds kinda like 'donkey.' He was secretly pleased that she was keeping the animal, knowing very well that she could use him for all manner of tasks.

Nier again remained silent as Coli and the little foal interacted, his hairy nose tickling her palm and making her giggle. It seemed that as he sniffed and nuzzled at her he gained confidence, taking small steps towards her. He was almost not touching Niernan at all anymore, only a small part of his rump pressed against the Stormbringer's legs. Her words addressed to Ciaran made the cat stop washing again. He looked up from his long chest fur, grey green eyes gazing out from a slightly bedraggled face. The cat nodded in response to Coli's question, "Yes, Niernan has been teaching me how to speak in your tongue. I've taught him a bit of my language too." He shot a look at his wolf companion, a smile touching on his feline lips, as much as a cat could smile. He was very pleased with his ability to talk, now being almost fluent in the wolf tongue after living with Niernan for so long.

Colibri Haki · 10-18-2012, 04:07 AM

[html]

Welp I can't be too jealous, I got my Tepig, Spoink, and Gulpin this month. >D Should probably wrap this one up, yes?
WC: 603

It seemed she was learning a lot about new animals today, first donkeys and now quolls. The dark wolf had a warm smile, pleasant as he shared his education with her. Coli still felt ignorant and simple, just as she had when Eclipse asked why Coli could not read or write... but at least Niernan did not have an ounce of condescension in his makeup. She listened quietly as he regaled her with another glimpse into his home life, the antics of the many creatures he shared his house with. It didn't make much sense to her, but it was intriguing nonetheless. Besides, if this Grace liked a full house, perhaps there would be puppies in their future, and she would love to meet them. There would be quite a few new faces in their pack soon, even if Nier wasn't aware.

The droning of the rain was steady, filling the silence between them as Coli thought about animal ownership. "You don't have to sit on them to make them go... right? Donkeys can pull carts? I met a trader that had a horse wagon..." Amy Sunders had been a bit of an inspiration, a tough female loner who made her way in the world. Coli had tried living on her own for a good long time, and while clearly she had survived, it was not a pleasant experience. Pack life was better suited for her. It was the wagon that caught her interest now, and its concept of division of labor. A single female, no matter how determined, could only carry so much. But think of the work she could accomplish with the garden if this donkey could haul water, till more earth, maybe even move small trees to jump start an orchard...! She could actually landscape instead of simply pulling weeds and and shooing away insects. It could be fortunate after all that she had been roped into all of this, but she knew she would need to discourage the beast from simply eating everything she was trying to grow.

Aniki was officially his name. Coli eyed the long-eared donkey with trepidation, hoping she wouldn't regret this. It wouldn't be an imposition on whatever packmates took care of the stables, would it? She was starting to get the impression that Niernan did a lot of the chores around here. He was certainly spreading himself thin with all these animals and responsibilities. How did he handle it? She blinked, glancing down as she noticed Darcy growing bolder with his success. Finally she settled down on the hay, sweeping the cloak tightly around herself like a blanket before petting the colt outright. She was too tired to remain standing any longer, and it seemed she was in good company on this rainy day; no reason to head back home just yet.

"I've never met an animal as clever as you, Ciaran," she praised softly, genuinely fascinated. "Are you boys teaching Grace's cat to talk as well? And the little quail, quoll, thingies? Goodness, it must be crazy... I mean, uh, in a g-good way," she stammered, trying not to end up insulting her friend after how kind he had been. She scratched behind Darcy's nubby ears, reveling at the softness of his fur. Of all the horses out there, this one wasn't so bad. She didn't mind him so much. Just like Niernan himself, he was a big strapping male but Coli did not feel her usual anxiety when she was around him, not anymore. He was good at keeping her calm, which perhaps translated to his ease with wild animals as well.

Table by Alli!

[/html]

Login




Remember me Lost Password?