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Post by Mahrak on Jul 15, 2020 16:02:02 GMT 1
OOC: This takes place during early morning day 17, right after the "Magic inquiry" thread. Edit: Moved this from "The Mountain" where I accidentally put it here to "The Outside". IC:Mahrak was a little disappointed that the outside of the caves looked so familiar to him. Yes, there were more trees, but he'd seen trees while traveling with Nightbird. He'd hoped for something more...strange. "Well," he said to Tambri, surveying the landscape ahead, "where shall we start? I think Longsleep could do with some food, but maybe we should find someone of the more wood-sy elves around to help get our bearings?"
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Post by Tambri on Jul 16, 2020 20:36:00 GMT 1
Tambri glanced around, the white wolf darting out ahead, sniffing the air in anticipation of whatever his bond had in mind. "Well, I would assume those that sleep out here would prefer to still be close... These trees aren't large enough for denning, so I guess we find ones that are? But...." She reached out, shaking one of the nearby trees gently. "These will be good for shaping bowls and tools from. They're sturdy enough if I don't do too much with each."
Spook perked his ears and stopped, looking in the direction the resident 'pack' was.
"We could always go that way. Find the bonds, find the... well, bonds."
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Post by Mahrak on Jul 16, 2020 23:58:20 GMT 1
"That's good, then. And I've never lived in trees, so I think I'll be poor judge of where to look for others." He paused, looked at Spook as the wolf came to a halt and seemed distracted by something. "Bonds, you say? I'm curious to see what we'll run into!" Seeing as elves could bond with wolves of all creatures, who knew what other beasts might be lurking about here, bonded to elves! Mahrak squinted at the distant trees, trying to make out movement. **Anyone out there? Keleero sent us out. We're new around here,** he sent an image of himself, Tambri, and their bonds. **Not sure if you saw me last night, but Tambri is very new here. We'd like to help.** OOC: I'll have No-Sting reply to Mahrak's sending after Tambri's next reply here  |
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Post by Tambri on Jul 17, 2020 8:23:34 GMT 1
Tambri tilted her head slightly as the curious question from Mahrak. "You would be surprised... I've seen cats, bears, wolves, jackals, birds, foxes, and I met one who was bonded with a..." She thought for a moment trying to remember what Monsoon had been bonded to. "Let me send an image... I don't remember what it was called. I only stayed with the elf for a night." She shared the image of a massive, furry beast. It was easily three times taller than the elf, who was twice as tall as Tambri. The elf had dark skin and hair, and the area looked to be somewhat arid, tall yellow grasses, but large trees with large leaves (palm trees) lining the river delta where they were overlooking. The beast had massive ears, a thin tail, huge legs, was extremely bulky and its nose came down almost to the ground and long white tusks protruded from both sides of the mouth. (Image: Mammoth) "Though his was, I think, created from magic."
Tambri began to walk in the direction Spook had looked, keeping her ears and eyes open, aware that humans were nearby, well, near the mountain at least, but not knowing who she'd meet, and wanting to make sure Spook would be alright as well once he met the pack.
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Post by No-Sting on Jul 17, 2020 23:08:40 GMT 1
A stranger's sending caught No-Sting mid-jump between to branches. Luckily she was used to receiving sudden sendings while treewalking and managed to catch herself without stumbling. **Ah, welcome outside!** she sent back, recognizing one of the elves in the image shared in the sending. **I saw you when I visited the Sleeping Chamber during the night, but your companion is new to me. Good to have you out in the snow! We could use more people who dare leave the caves.** Not that there were many who didn't, but every pair of hands out hunting and gathering was a welcome addition. **I am No-Sting. My sister and I were just heading back your way to rest for the day. I'll stay a bit with you and answer any questions you might have. Be with you in a moment!**
She resumed her treewalking. Behind her, Swift-Wind and their bonds followed. The night's hunt hadn't been too successful, only two ravvits to show for it, and they really could do with a day's sleep.
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Post by Mahrak on Jul 17, 2020 23:48:56 GMT 1
Mahrak possible bubbled with excitement at Tambri's long list of possible bond animals. "Wonderful! I hope we get to see them all here and more still!" He all but jumped with glee as Tambri shared the image of the great beast with the tusks. It was large as a glacier! "A bond created from magic? What kind of magic user can do that? A healer? A magic I've never heard of? Oh, please do share, I can't wait to hear all about it!" Though seeing it for himself would be even better.
He grinned in pure joy as his sending was answered. **That is perfect! We'll remain here and wait for you.** He glanced over at Tambri, curious to see how she would react to the sending she surely must have heard as well. Was she as eager to meet new elves as he was? She seemed more than used to it, but surely that couldn't become a common place and boring thing, meeting new people?
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Post by Tambri on Jul 18, 2020 9:26:11 GMT 1
Tambri knelt down and began to idly pet Spook, the mittens hanging from her wrists by their tethers as she waited for this No-Sting to arrive. "I honestly am not sure. I just remember it being said that the bond was created, but that it wasn't by blood, not like a Wolfrider and some of the others. And... honestly it was too busy... to much to worry about with that many strange beasts in one place. The wolves fighting the cats hunting the birds, all running from the bears. I mean they understood they were all bonded, so they tolerated one another, but the fights were... gruesome. Bloody. My first bond, NightSinger, nearly was killed by my own lovemate's bond on two separate occasions."
With a soft laugh, Tambri shook her head. "He was a stubborn wolf. Spook is almost as bad. Definitely will have to keep an eye on him here." Standing again, she adjusted her coat and looked around. It wasn't as cold here as it had been where she'd gone to sleep a few hours earlier. Still, her other option would leave her vulnerable to the chill. "I... I should be sleeping as well. Wolfriders tend to sleep through the daylight hours. The problem is... it was day when I went to sleep, and I awaken here and it is... turning into day. I suppose it's good for scouting the area."
Just then she heard, and scented, before she saw the treewalking elf. Spook growled softly, coming to full attention, ready to defend against the unknown approaching potential threat. He wasn't used to elves, bonds, or really anything. To him, they were all potential threats. Tambri pursed her lips as she watched the young wolf. Indeed, he has much to learn. But who is going to make the first snap? An elf, or their bond?
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Post by No-Sting on Jul 18, 2020 18:23:57 GMT 1
No-Sting and Swift-Wind arrived at the edge of the thicker treeline, the cave that was their (temporary?) home coming into view. There on the ground, out in the slight-more-open between them and the entrance, stood the newcomers. With a growling wolf.
All of No-Sting's instincts told her to freeze and stay in the tree. Oddspot and Eager did so, halting high up in the trees behind No-Sting, eyes on the growling wolf. Swift-Wind on the other hand didn't hesitate. Before No-Sting could stop her, she'd skipped down to the snowy ground with a wide smile for the new elves.
No-Sting rolled her eyes at her impulsive sister. With more caution, but an equally friendly smile, she made her way too a lower branch and waved at the Mahrak and Tambri. "Greetings! Is the wolf going to be a problem? I and Swift-Wind can send our bonds to circle around the clearing, in case there's risk of fighting."
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Post by Mahrak on Jul 18, 2020 18:38:28 GMT 1
"Oh now I understand," Mahrak said. "I thought you meant the beast itself was created with magic." He laughed, mostly at himself. "I hope our bonds don't-"
Spooky began growling and Mahrak laughed again, this time nervously. "It seems I spoke too soon." The arrival of the two new elves, Swift-Wind and No-Sting, as well as their two lynxes, blew away most of his brief nerves. This was just too fantastic to worry about too much. "Greetings to you as well! My bond here, Longsleep, is too lazy to be a worry for your bonds. I can't speak for Tambri and her Spook here though. Tambri?"
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Post by Tambri on Jul 18, 2020 23:50:20 GMT 1
Tambri sighed as she looked at the wolf. "He... doesn't have experience with other elves... or bonds... this is new to him. A fight I fear... may be inevitable." For now, however, she held her hand on his back. "Spook, calm. They are friends."
Turning to the new elves, her hand still on the wolf's back. "I am Tambri. Wolfrider, treeshaper... of small ability. Hunter and scout. This is Spook. Cub, headstrong, stubborn."
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Post by No-Sting on Jul 19, 2020 21:58:51 GMT 1
"That...sounds unsettling," No-Sting said, honest to a fault. "We'll tell our bonds to give yours a lot of space." She sent this to Oddspot, a quick ::Possible danger, stay away from:: with an image of Spook. She assumed Swift-Wind did the same to Eager.
No-Sting made it all the way to the ground, making sure not to touch her dagger. It was one thing to know a bond might be aggressive, a completely other to even contemplate harming another's bond-friend. "I'm No-Sting. Don't ride on anything, but I've got my bond Oddspot over there." The lynx in question had begun taking the long way around the open part of the way to the cave, staying in the trees as long as possible. "I have no magic, but I know how to work wood with tools and I can hunt, fish and gather honey. Trying to learn to be a tanner."
Swift-Wind kept behind her sister and made a ball of snow float, to show off her own magic with a smile.
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Post by Mahrak on Jul 19, 2020 22:53:47 GMT 1
"I'll have Longsleep sit on him, if you think it'd help," Mahrak offered to Tambri, eyeing the growling Spook with worry.
Longsleep had perked up a bit since when Spook had started growling, the noise a familiar if rare part of Longsleep's life. Growling meant fighting and that meant one needed to be alert. The tiger didn't see the wolf as a thread though. No, the threat had to be around them. Even Longsleep's bond seemed unsettled...
At the demonstration of Swift-Wind's magic, Mahrak perked up. "A levitator! How wonderful! I myself shape water." He uncorked his waterskin and made a thin stream of water dance out of it, to show he wasn't lying or exaggerating. "We don't want to keep you from your furs too long, but could you give us a rough idea of where we should and shouldn't go? What needs doing? I'm well rested and ready to help out!"
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Post by Tambri on Jul 20, 2020 9:26:50 GMT 1
"As am I." Tambri nodded to each elf as they showed their respective talents. "I've no doubt your woodcarving will be just as useful as my shaping. I was going to make some bowls and what not, to help out. Keleero said it might be needed." Spook eyed the cat as it made its way around to the cave entrance. A lynx was one animal that had been seen before... and had been killed before. Of course, Tambri wasn't going to mention that. There really was no need to bring up the fact that she'd hunted another elf's bond-animal. Of course the lynx in question wasn't bonded, but rather had tried to attack them over a snared ravvit, it meant little. She'd be unnerved if someone openly admitted hunting wolves, even though she herself had killed a wolf in defense. Once. Twice if one included the one that had been infected with the foaming sickness.
"Normally I'd be denning now as well, but... I just woke up... It is going to take getting used to... the fact this place's time is opposite where I came from... It should just be turning nightfall based on when I went to sleep..." She trailed off. She wasn't used to speaking and this was why. She tended to ramble. Sending was easier. Faster. Conveyed what she wanted to without the unnecessary... what had it been called by Bear? Fluff?
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Post by No-Sting on Jul 20, 2020 22:36:15 GMT 1
No-Sting blinked rapidly as her tiredness made itself known again, leaving her bleary-eyed and yawning. "More bowls will be welcome. Right now those who prefer to eat their food cooked have to share a lot when it comes to...things like that." Being someone who rather ate their food raw, No-Sting still hadn't wrapped her head around other eating aids than bowls and knives. Keleero had mentioned others, but No-Sting hadn't memorized what they'd been called. "The forest here is as most forests, so as long as you stay eyes-high you should be find. There's a river that way. Once you're past that, you're heading towards the humans down at the forest's edge. Avoid them at all costs." Hopefully someone else had already explained why, in case these two didn't know what humans were or were friends of them.
"The magic that brings us all here is rather fickle and odd, though thus far not dangerous," she said in response to Tambri's talk of night 'becoming' day. "Come rest inside whenever you feel the need to. As things stand, hunting is still our most needed help. If you can find any food out there, it'll be a welcome addition to our stores. We've got a 'preserver' that can keep all food fresh for a long time." At least, that's what No-Sting had been told.
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Post by Mahrak on Jul 20, 2020 23:06:48 GMT 1
"We'll make sure to keep away from the...humans." That word would take time to learn. What other new things could there be out there in the forest? New animals, new plans, even more new <em>elves</em>! "Does everyone here sleep during the day? I'm used to being up with the sun, though hunting is of course best at dawn and dusk." The day looked young still. If they hurried, they might catch something unaware.
"What do you say, Tambri?" Mahrak turned to the elf in question, raising a playful eyebrow. "Do you think your bond-friend could do with a hunt, to work off some of that energy of his?" He made a bow toward No-Sting and Swift-Wind. "We'll keep to your rules and bring back anything we find worth sharing, of course."
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