From the horses mouth
#1
[html]

Ooc. [WC: # || Points: #]


Butterflies flew in the arctic female's stomach as both excitement and nervous jitters fought for her attention as she slid through the tall grass. Her lithe body moved with a hunter's grace while her ears twitched and swiveled atop her head. Kiara had volunteered for this job, knowing full well what she was going to run into. By rising her head a little she could see them standing tall and proud as the dotted the Inferni boarder. Wolf skulls atop long polls, warning all those of wolf origins to stay away. Kiara's ears flicked back momentarily as she gazed into the empty sockets of the nearest skull. Her nerves began to get the better of her and she almost turned around.


Bravely, Kiara continued forward, her mind on her mission. She had two goals in mind and the least important was the one she wanted to accomplish most. It seemed like forever since Kiara had last met Vesper, although she could still clearly remember their first adventure on the beach. Seeing Vesper again was one of the main reasons why Kiara had offered to go to Inferni in the first place. Even so, she still had serious business to attend to. Noah's mother was missing, and if she was lucky, some of the coyotes in Inferni might have seen her. Plus there were those ridiculous rumors that Kiara wanted to put a stop to completely. Inferni attacking New Dawn was just preposterous, although Vesper might know who started those rumors.


Kiara stopped a good three wolf lengths away from the boarder and stood exactly between two of the wolf skulls. It took all of her concentration and will power not to look at them, although her fur bristled as she imagined them looking at her. Shaking her head, Kiara pushed the ludicrous thought out her mind. Focus. Raising her snow muzzle, the arctic wolf called out to the coyotes of Inferni, asking for an audience. Hopefully, Vesper would be the one to answer.


<style type="text/css">
.Riogift002 b {font-weight:bold; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size:11px; color:#848462; letter-spacing:1px; }
.Riogift002ooc {font-style:italic; padding:0px; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size:11px; color:#b0a68a; text-align:right;}
.Riogift002 p {text-indent:0px; padding:5px 15px; margin:0px;}
.Riogift002 {margin:0 auto; width:380px; background-color:#fae9cc; background-image:url(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v121/ ... ift002.jpg); background-position:bottom center; background-repeat:no-repeat; border:1px solid #b0a68a; padding: 0px 0px 200px 0px; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size:11px; color:#A0522D; letter-spacing:.3px; word-spacing:.8px; line-height:12px; text-align:justify;}
</style>
table by alli

[/html]
#2
[html]
I was going to wait, but I wanted/needed Vesper posts, haha. Others are still free to join in. Also, this is a long ramble about burds so only last three paragraphs are important. +547
and his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming

and the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor

“Tell ’um weasel, got run,” the young female raven was shouting from the top of the tree, her wings spread in elaborate, almost canine gestures as she told the tale. “Threw rocks, Broken-claws rocks at eyes, Scout bark like ’um ’yote. Weasel run off, crap self, all good!”

There were odd croaks and chortles from some of the other birds present, or at least those who could comprehend the High Speech the juvenile, Skel, shouted with. Vesper added her own canine laughter, her tail twitching with mirth as she sat on the thick branch of the smoky-barked tree. She could hear Broken-claws launch into a rowdy rendition of some nonsense song about mulberry bushes, while Stark shifted his claws on her shoulder and ran a beak through her short-cropped hair, quiet and amused. She wondered if he was just as proud of the little band of birds as she was, though he probably already knew the capabilities of his own kind. As a new Falconer, Ves still had a lot to learn, though she was absolutely fascinated each time she visited them.

“Then I guess we don’t have to take care of you anymore, do we?” the tawny coywolf teased Skel, who was strutting around happily on her branch.

The fluffy raven squawked. “Nope!”

Stark might have smiled had he lips instead of a beak. “Cat eating girl with that attitude,” he informed her. Skel shrieked a rude comeback in the bird dialect, flying down to a closer branch. The gist of her cawing seemed to be “bring it, old man,” but Vesper wasn’t paying attention to them anymore: her eyes were on an iridescent, swift shape wingings its way through the bushes, bursting into the forest ruins.

“Wolf, borders!” the purple-black raven cried.

Her eyes widening, the Centurion reached down into her new, crude leather bag and threw a few late-season berries to the bird before jumping down from her branch to land on the earth. Stark looked down anxiously, beginning to flap in a circle as she contemplated whether or not she should take the time to shift. The additional minutes might mean the wolf could trespass and do damage, but her Optime form also left her more vulnerable to attack. She took precious moments to weigh the pros and cons before a wolfish howl announced the canine’s arrival at the borders, and Vesper realized she didn’t need to worry about an attack after all.

Stomaching her frustration, the Centurion let out a hybrid howl of her own that both let Kiara know she was coming and let any Infernians know they didn’t need to charge in with teeth flashing. She shifted down into her familiar Lupus form then cantered toward the northern boundary, Stark flying after her.

Upon seeing the arctic wolf, Vesper was hit with twin emotions: anger at the female for showing up after she’d warned her away so many times, and joy at seeing a friend again. She let her tail wag, though, and quickly made her way over to Kiara to greet her with a lick and nuzzle.

“What are you doing here, Kiara?” she asked, stepping back and letting her scarred brow lift in reproach. The raven landed on one of the wolf skulls, looking on with beady eyes.


Table by Raze; Code by Tammi

<style type="text/css">
.bluraven-ooc {font-size:0.9em; line-height:1.2em; padding-bottom:3px; font-style:italic; width:90%; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; text-align:right; font-family:georgia;}
.bluraven {margin:0 auto;padding:0; background:#000 url(http://i.imgur.com/xK6vD.png) repeat; width:98%; max-width:700px; color:#e3e9ee; border:#000 1px solid; border-top-left-radius:25px; border-bottom-right-radius:25px; text-align:justify;}
.bluraven .name {text-align:center; color:#fff; font-size:25px; margin:5px; text-shadow: 1px 1px 2px #788c9d; font-family:'Glass Antiqua'; line-height:20px;}
.bluraven .in {margin:15px; padding:7px; font-family:arial;font-size:1em; background:url(http://i.imgur.com/3KIfq.png); border-top-left-radius:15px; border-bottom-right-radius:15px;}
.bluraven p {margin:0;padding:5px;text-indent:30px;}
.bluraven p em{margin:0;padding:0;text-indent:60px}
.bluraven b {color:#e3e9ee; font-family:georgia;}
.bluraven b.npc {font-weight:normal; color:#e3e9ee; font-style:italic;}
.bluraven-credit {text-align:center;font-size:0.9em;font-style:italic;font-family:georgia}</style>

[/html]
#3
[html]
OOC / +000


A familiar broken howl called to her, the voice of her dear friend announcing her approach. Kiara's ears shot up as she listened, her whole body alert and straining to see Vesper's hybrid form. It had been so long since they last met as Vesper had forbidden Kiara from approaching Inferni. Kiara understood why, but it wasn't her first time breaking the rule. It probably wouldn't be her last time either, although the skulls were a fairly powerful deterrent.


The minute Vesper came into sight, Kiara was standing with her tail wagging furiously. She jumped in the air, trying her best not to get too close to the boarders. But watching Vesper approach was painful. Kiara wanted to race forward, to jump to Vesper's side and shower her friend with licks. The arctic wolf ducked down into a play bow, impatience starting to get the better of her. With a wagging tail, Vesper finally made it across the boarder lines and greeted Kiara with a few friendly licks and nuzzles. The snowy female reciprocated with enthusiasm, licking the other and whining happily.


Vesper broke away and began to chide Kiara. White ears wilted downwards in apology, but the smile she sported was clearly not apologetic. I have a good reason to be here. Taking a deep breath, Kiara calmed herself and became more serious. One of the wolves of New Dawn has gone missing. Her name is Deuce and she disappeared after the bad storm. We are asking the neighboring packs if they might know about her. Have you heard anything, or seen anything? There was no blame in Kiara's voice, no suspicion. She didn't believe that Vesper would kidnap a wolf and by proxy, thought the same thing of Inferni.

<style type="text/css">
.kiaralucia b {font-weight:bold; color:#f6e6a1; letter-spacing:1px; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #f95d11; }
.kiaralucia p {text-indent:0px; padding:5px 16px; margin:0px;}
.kiaralucia {margin:0 auto; width:500px; background-color:#edb255; background-image:url(http://i.imgur.com/jir8i.png); background-position:top center; background-repeat:no-repeat; border:1px solid #000000; padding: 360px 0px 7px 0px; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size:12px; color:#583e2b; text-shadow: 0.1em 0.1em 0.2em #; letter-spacing:.6px; word-spacing:.9x; line-height:13.3px; text-align:justify;}
.kiaralucia p b:before { content: open-quote; }
.kiaralucia p b:after {content: close-quote; }
</style>
[/html]
#4
[html]
+309
and his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming

and the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor

Vesper was a bit hesitant at the affectionate greeting, mostly because she hadn’t been so touchy with anyone in the coyote clan (besides the woman whose scent mingled with her own in her scruffy pale pelt). She was amused at how the two cultures could be so different, and how her mixed blood allowed her to almost understand both words. These tender greetings were sweet and familiar, allowing her to feel more connected with her friends in feral New Dawn, but she couldn’t imagine rubbing all over all her comrades all the time. She’d go crazy in a wolf pack proper; Inferni afforded her a little bit more of the coyote independence she valued.

The white wolf showed brief apology in her lowered ears, but her somber explanation justified her visit, and the Centurion’s ear swiveled forward to take in the news. She frowned and shook her head slightly when she spoke of the missing wolf. “What does she look like?” she asked idly, and thought for a moment before shaking her head. “There haven’t been any New Dawn wolves near here that I’m aware of, and I think I’d be aware of it if they stuck around too long.” Her tone remained lighthearted, even as her thoughts delved into darker waters. She was sure she’d know of any stinking corpses on the territory, too, but she liked to think the clan was too smart to pick a fight with another pack. She shuddered to think of the violence and its consequences, and was glad in this case that she hadn’t any news of this Deuce character.

She took a seat and looked over her friend again, smiling faintly. “How is New Dawn faring after the hurricane?” she asked, knowing that there wouldn’t be many buildings to wreck but perhaps no real shelter against the storms. “And your daughter?”


Table by Raze; Code by Tammi

<style type="text/css">
.bluraven-ooc {font-size:0.9em; line-height:1.2em; padding-bottom:3px; font-style:italic; width:90%; max-width:640px; margin:0 auto; text-align:right; font-family:georgia;}
.bluraven {margin:0 auto;padding:0; background:#000 url(http://i.imgur.com/xK6vD.png) repeat; width:98%; max-width:700px; color:#e3e9ee; border:#000 1px solid; border-top-left-radius:25px; border-bottom-right-radius:25px; text-align:justify;}
.bluraven .name {text-align:center; color:#fff; font-size:25px; margin:5px; text-shadow: 1px 1px 2px #788c9d; font-family:'Glass Antiqua'; line-height:20px;}
.bluraven .in {margin:15px; padding:7px; font-family:arial;font-size:1em; background:url(http://i.imgur.com/3KIfq.png); border-top-left-radius:15px; border-bottom-right-radius:15px;}
.bluraven p {margin:0;padding:5px;text-indent:30px;}
.bluraven p em{margin:0;padding:0;text-indent:60px}
.bluraven b {color:#e3e9ee; font-family:georgia;}
.bluraven b.npc {font-weight:normal; color:#e3e9ee; font-style:italic;}
.bluraven-credit {text-align:center;font-size:0.9em;font-style:italic;font-family:georgia}</style>

[/html]


Forum Jump: