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Post by No-Sting on Aug 31, 2014 18:01:38 GMT 1
OOC: This thread takes place one day after the first arrival of elves at Beacon Call Holt. This is a closed thread (for now) for No-Sting and Badger only. Elves in Beacon Call at this time are: Badger, Goldenbraid, Juniper, Keleero, No-Sting, Panaetha, Rokuta, Silverthorn, Sunset, Swift-Wind, Vareesi IC:Most of the others had gone to sleep. No-Sting had gone outside the mountain, through the narrow twisting passage that Keleero had reshaped the previous exit into, and now stood staring up at the stars. It was a clear night, which meant a cold night. Bitter cold. But No-Sting stood her ground, steeling herself for going out into the forest. Rokuta's nets were bringing in fish and the others had hunted as well, but there had been no big kill. They weren't starving, but No-Sting's stomach was growling. Oddspot pawed at the ground, impatient to get going. She gave the work-in-progress out door shelter a quick glance and her ears twitched, like she'd heard something - maybe a mouse or squirrel. OOC: Tag Badger - feel free to catch No-Sting about to go out alone or have her be heading back to the mountain.
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Post by Badger on Aug 31, 2014 18:33:46 GMT 1
Resisting the cold, Badger had been having a walk -- a little exploring nearby the cave had never hurt anyone. There was more than just simple patrolling too, Badger was most at home during the time of nightfall and dawn, any twilight time, when there was not much of other tribe members around. She shook her head a little.
*Is this even a tribe?* she wondered silently, watching the unfamiliar stars with certain sadness in her eyes. What were they even? A silly little group of lost elves of different heritages and backgrounds. Even if couple of elves knew each other, that meant nothing for her.
"Hmm?" she mused out loud, when she noticed someone at the exit of the cave. She hastened her steps a little, curious to see who was up at this time -- Badger had thought, maybe hoped, that all the rest of the elves would have been sleeping already.
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Post by No-Sting on Aug 31, 2014 20:40:54 GMT 1
Oddspot gave a soft mew as she spotted Badger, the sort of noise all lynx of the Tuft Ear Clan made when kin was approaching and they wanted their bond to know of it.
No-Sting tore her eyes away from the sky and found herself looking at the elf she least of all wanted to be caught alone with.
Not that she disliked Badge. Oh no, far from it. She seemed a good sort of elf; hardworking, not too tall and without any strange magic. She was also very pretty, which was the problem in its essence.
No-Sting knew she was being ridicilous. They were lost High Ones knew where, caught in the middle of winter without any supplies stored up, and all she could think of was how pretty one of the strangers was? She felt like a half-grown kit on the first day of spring, all tongue-tied and confused. It didn't help that she figured Badger was a lot older than her. No-Sting was no kitten, but she was far from an elder, and though she didn't know Badger's exact age there was hints in her personality that spoke of more years lived than No-Sting had seen.
"Ah. Eh. Good evening to you, Badger." That came out just as stilted and nervous as No-Sting had feared it would. She tried to erase the uneasiness by laughing, which probably made the whole thing worse. "Have you been scouting? Oddspot and I were thinking about going for a bit of a hunt. If we're lucky, we might catch wind of something bigger than the squirrels we've made do with." She wasn't the tracker or scout that Swift-Wind was, but she knew her way around this kind of forest and they did need food.
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Post by Badger on Sept 1, 2014 7:45:58 GMT 1
Badger smiled a little. At the least the elf at the cave entrance was not someone who might scold her for going out alone. Waving a little greeting at the cave entrance, she said "Good evening to you too, No-Sting."
The fisher felt like there was a hint of nervousness in the air, but she did not let it bother her. Instead, she offered her hand for Oddspot to sniff, if the lynx wanted to. The wolfrider, naturally, was not familiar with the feline kind, and was still missing her own wolf-friend. Still, she had figured that it never was a bad thing to try to be friendly with the other animals the odd 'tribe' had as their friends and bond beasts.
"I had a little walk, trying to get accustomed to the surroundings." she then explained to the dark-skinned female. "...But what would be that something bigger than a squirrel?" she then asked about No-Sting's plans to hunt. By all means, Badger did not want to judge the elf shorter than herself, but she doubted that the tuft-ear could catch anything much bigger than a squirrel. Well, maybe a hare, but they did not offer much meat either.
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Post by No-Sting on Sept 2, 2014 23:00:14 GMT 1
Oddspot recognized the gesture Badger was offering her and leaned forward to sniff the out-stretched hand. She gave the hand a headbutt just in case. She might not have the concept of magic that her bond did, but she did know they were lost and more elves were always good to help you hunt and keep warm.
"This forest looks much like the one back home," No-Sting answered Badger's question, feeling more confident now that the conversation looked shape into one about hunting. Hunting was a safe topic. No risk for embarassment. "I suspect there's a few branch-horns out there. Maybe even a marsh-beast." Her belly growled at the mere thought of fresh meat that wasn't a mere mouthful. "Though I wouldn't be fool enough to take on a marsh-beast with just Oddspot and I," she hurried to add, not wanting to look reckless. "A branch-horn is plenty enough when there's just the two of us."
"Eh..." And there she ran out of words. Desperately, she cast about for new ones. "It must be quite different, hunting with wolves. It was a wolf-friend you had left behind, wasn't it?" Ah yes, remind her of loss. Brilliant. No-Sting felt the urge to bang her head against the mountain wall, but resisted at the last minute.
OOC: Using branch-horn for deer and marsh-beast (borrowed from River Twine Holt) for moose/elk. Hope you don't mind that I assumed hwere that Badger has mentioned her bond-friend being left back in her old Holt during the previous day - I can of course edit if you want Badger to have kept that to herself!
Also, I did a quick google search just to make sure, and Lynx to regularly hunt and kill deer on their own. I just wanted to make sure before I had No-Sting say anything about what they were hoping to hunt.
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Post by Badger on Sept 7, 2014 6:41:05 GMT 1
OoC: I suppose the topic of missing bond beasts would have come up during the time, so you are safe there. No need to edit.
~*~
Badger's smile faded just a little bit, when No-Sting mentioned the wolf-bond she was missing. She gulped and nodded, hoping Trotter was alright wherever he was.
"It is different I suppose", she said, feeling a little uneasy. "Wolves hunt in packs. Um, and the tuftcats hunt alone, right?"
After that, the awkward silence fell on them for a little while. Badger wrapped her arms around her body -- the evening was a little chilly, even if she had somewhat good of a resistance to the cold.
"I think any kind of prey would be fine." she then finally muttered, "It does not have to be grand, but admittedly, we all are starving."
Not to mention, a lot of energy went to the hunting, and with the results so small, it felt like there was no use in hunting.
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Post by No-Sting on Sept 8, 2014 0:02:14 GMT 1
No-Sting cursed herself for a fool, but did her best to grab onto the conversation thread Badger was spinning, even if it took her a while to find the words.
"Tuftcats, or well lynx as my tribe call them, do generally hunt alone." She leaned down to give Oddspot an affectionate pat on the head. "The stranger-lynx do so, at least. But the ones that live with us have learned the benefits of working together, at least with an elf friend. And we hunt from the trees, not the ground. You'd be surprise at the advantage that can give you, even over large prey."
No-Sting stretched, for lack of anything better to do than other than stand there dumbly as Badger spoke of prey. "Any prey would be good, yes. Should we perhaps try our luck at a hunt?" Was that too forward? High Ones, she hoped not. "With our different ways of hunting, maybe we could stirr up some prey that we couldn't find just on our own?"
OOC: Any ideas for where we should take this? Do we send them out hunting together or should we have something else happen? Maybe have them run into a bear? Oh, and would you like Trotter to be brought to Beacon Call by the Beacon at some point in the future?
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Post by Badger on Sept 8, 2014 19:17:33 GMT 1
OoC: We can send these two out to hunt, yeah.
And I would really like it if Trotter can make an appearance in the future (after the Gathering in the present timeline).
~*~
A certain shine appeared in Badger's eyes. She was not too good of a huntress, but No-Sting seemed nice to be around, and hunting together they would have a better chance of felling something bigger than a weasel. She clasped her hands together and said: "Oh, I'd like to hunt."
There was a lot of enthusiasm in her voice. No-Sting had intrigued the wolfrider with telling about their hunting tactics in the trees -- Badger was more used to hunting on the ground herself.
She was not even a least bit tired, and the grey-eyed female was already dreaming of a deer or maybe even an elk. That would feed the aching bellies and the pelt could be used for warmth and clothing.
Badger turned towards the forest, "Let's not waste any time."
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Post by No-Sting on Sept 9, 2014 22:17:48 GMT 1
No-Sting gave a curt nod to Badger's words, smiling enthusiasticly. A hunt! A proper hunt! Not that she hadn't been out hunting with her sister and Silverthorn, but that had been mostly fishing and then, with the scare of the strange 'humans' over them there hadn't been much time to hunt.
Already armed with what she had, her steel dagger, No-Sting stood ready, all but jumping in place. Oddspot too was energiced by the moment, shifting her weigth from paw to paw. The kitten was sleeping with Sunset, so food had the time to occupy her mind.
Assuming Badger had all her tools for hunt with her, as she'd turned towards the forest, No-Sting gestured for her to take the lead. "Can't let those human creatures keep us in place here. Do you know what they are, really? I'd never seen one before yesterday and I don't think I quite understand. Silverthorn explained what they were, that they were aggressive and dangerous, but I don't think I quite understood. Were there any humans where you are from?"
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Post by Badger on Sept 11, 2014 16:48:30 GMT 1
As gestured, Badger took the lead. Her enthusiastic expression turned into a question mark, when No-Sting mentioned humans. The wolfrider tried to dig her memory for the word or the meaning, but her mind drew all blanks. In the darkness, she blushed a little -- trying to remember something was like chasing a dream from time to time. Considering that they were on the prowl, the wolfrider did not wish to talk. Badger was sometimes really secretive creature, just like her namesake -- and on the hunt, one usually had to stay quiet. Softly, she touched the mind of No-Sting with hers, not quite sure if the tuft-eared elf was able to send smoothly. **I don't recall a mention of humans. Sorry about that.** Maybe the life in her old holt had been sheltered. There was only another tribe to live among the wolfriders there, the plainsrunners... But Badger could not remember if their plains-living cousins had had any mention of humans either. On the trails and small paths in the forest, Badger's eyesight adjusted well to the darkness, and her keen sense of smell started to work as she stopped to take a better whiff of the air every now and then. ~*~ OoC: Mia's logic: tell about absence, write posts immediately.  |
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Post by No-Sting on Sept 13, 2014 22:24:44 GMT 1
**No need to be sorry,** No-Sting answered with cheer. **It's good to know I'm not the only one who hasn't heard of them. I think there might have been legends, far far back for my tribe, but nothing that was important enough to stick, obviously.**
On instinct she took to the trees as soon as Oddspot did, walking the thin branches like they were the forest floor. **Any tracks?** she sent to Badger, making sure her sending didn't reach too far and wake up her sister.
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Post by Badger on Sept 14, 2014 18:24:16 GMT 1
**There is something, but I think the track is old.** Badger replied, but kept searching. She had a keen sense of smell, but the wolfrider wished Trotter would be here by her side. A sting of sadness was pushed away, when she noticed something fresher. A deer had done its leavings nearby, and they were fairly new. Nearby the droppings, there were fresh tracks, and she quickly sent to the tuft-eared female: **I got something now!**
Her excitement was clear in the sending, and she kept her mind linked to No-Sting's to let her know of her whereabouts in the groundfloor.
**let me know if you see or hear anything!**
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Post by No-Sting on Sept 18, 2014 12:08:34 GMT 1
**Got it!** No-Sting ran along from tree to tree, shadowing Badger from above. She felt lighter than she had since she'd closed her eyes only to open them inside an unknown cave the day before. She still thought of her aunt and mother, of what they must think had happened to her and Swift-Wind, but in the thrilling moment of the hunt she could put that aside, to be grieved over later.
Sniffing the air gave no clue to prey for the moment, but she thought she'd caught sight of something below, left of the old teacks they were following. She wasn't sure though. Hunting she knew, but Swift-Wind was the tracker and scout of the family.
**I think I see something over by that big evergreen,** she sent to Badger, along with an image of said tree. **Are those branch-horn tracks?**
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Post by Badger on Sept 18, 2014 13:34:39 GMT 1
**They are!** Badger replied, **Although small.**
She was afraid that a small branch horn would not feed the whole group. She hated this. There was all the time a shortage of food, and everything was disorganized and therefore annoying. She had done her best to fish, but so far she had not heard a word of thanks. Lots of hands were swung empty, though.
Badger shook off the annoyed thoughts and tried to tell herself that everyone was working hard to get the place worth living.
Instead of dwelling in too deep thoughts, she now did her best to concentrate on the hunt at hands. She sought out the tree, and slowed down. One had to be quiet when the prey was being tracked, and she did not want to sound like her namesake, all huffing and grunting beneath the trees' branches.
She was not much of a hunter -- Badger's weapons of choice had not been the greatest, when she had been younger. Sling and knife where nothing compared to a bow and arrow well shot, or a decent hunting spear. In her mind, the maiden decided to ask if Juniper could teach her the ways of the bow.
*I wonder if No-Sting knows anything of bows ...* Badger noticed herself thinking and looking up to the branches where the tuft-eared female was hanging about. *Although, she did not carry one... Hmm.*
Slowly, a blush crept on her face, and the fisher was glad they were in the darkness and she'd been running.
**I can see it now.** she sent to her hunting companion, quite not able to hide her mixed emotions and curiousity towards the dark-skinned female. **It is a small branch-horn, but seems plump.**
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Post by No-Sting on Sept 20, 2014 0:30:07 GMT 1
A thrill ran through No-Sting as she too spotted the branch-horn. Then another thrill ran, much less pleasant, rush down her spine as she caught scent of something very different. **Do you smell wolves? Because I don't think we're the only ones stalking this branch-horn.** She climbed a little higher, Oddspot doing the same, and they soon caught sight of a very disheartening view. **I count five wolves, a head of us and a little toward the direction the sun rises in. How fast can you climb a tree?** She thought about asking Badger if she maybe could distract the wolves somehow, but caught herself before she did so. There had never been stranger lynx within the Tuftear Clan's boarders, so she had no experience dealing with unbonded animals that could be bonds. It was all so strange - as if bonding with wolves wasn't strange enough! OOC: I thought introducing a local, not-elf-blooded wolf pack could be interesting for our elves, especially the wolf-blooded ones  |
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