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Post by Tambri on Dec 4, 2020 0:38:35 GMT 1
Tambri felt the growl growing in the back of her throat but managed to quell it before it fully formed. He didn't understand! She didn't want to share her personal experiences, as she didn't want to remember them as it was. **We teach our young how to hunt the bear and avoid the claws. How to handle a wild wolf or a jackal, a tuft-ear or mountain cat. A wild no-hump, the branch horns. But with the humans, we teach to never seek them out. To go the other way if you catch their scent, if you hear their drums. If you see them, and worse, if they see you, we teach them you will be tied to a dead tree-stump. Burned, tortured, and killed. Then your skull will adorn their ceremony rocks and the staff of their Chieftan. Avoidance has kept us alive. Any time an elf has been seen by a human, the elf has died, or narrowly escaped.** Her hand went to her side where she had been struck by a human's arrow as a small child. The wound had long-since been healed, but she remembered all too well how it felt. The panic and fear that had filled her very young mind.
Sighing, she shook her head and just pushed passed him. **We will find where these beasts hunt, but you are too eager. Reckless.** It was obvious she harbored resentment, even hatred, for humans.
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Post by No-Sting on Feb 26, 2021 22:47:01 GMT 1
No-Sting listened to Tambri's recounting of her tribe's lessons about danger before adding her own. **We had a similar way to teaching caution of other not-animals, though we had trolls to be aware of rather than humans. And they weren't...that much of a risk.**
Trolls could be tricky to deal with, best left to those who knew their traditions and tunnels both, but they'd never outright killed an elf on sight. Her mother had hinted at maybe teaching her their ways, but No-Sting had never felt prepared for that sort of responsibility, at least not with that kind of task. The idea of seeking out humans to do more than mark their trails to avoid them was not something she saw herself doing.
~**Best keep a close eye on him,**~ No-Sting lock-sent to Tambri. ~**I don't know how good of a fighter or scout he is, since he's only been here since yesterday, but even though you're newer still you're the one with knowledge here. If you feel we need to drag him away from danger, I'm with you.**~ They did need to figure out where the humans were moving about though. They'd ignored them for far too long while they'd done their best to get settled and fed.
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Post by Mahrak on Feb 26, 2021 23:21:08 GMT 1
**Ah, so they have drums! That's good to know. See, learning already!** Mahrak tried to break the clear tension with a jovial tone of thought. He got the impression that Tambri very much didn't like humans. He wasn't quite sure what 'torture' meant, but the images and feelings that came along with the word sent a shiver down his spine that had nothing to do with curiosity. No-Sting's mention of trolls briefly distracted him - so many new things to learn about and legends to turn out true! - but something he'd learned from a brief conversation with one of the Beacon Call elves caught up with him and bought him back to Tambri's sending. **Are you sure all humans do that? I'm pretty sure Jaseio and Edgerunner's people didn't have any of that happen to them and they've apparently lived close with humans all their lives.** He hadn't had a long conversation with the elves in question; in fact he'd only exchanged quick words with Jaseio and learned of Edgerunner from her. But he'd been eager to learn of their people, their strange 'horses' and what their lives had been like before the beacon. He'd not learned much about humans from her, to be sure, but she'd mentioned living near them and trading with them. That didn't sound anything like what Tambri was describing. **No-Sting, has Jaseio tried to talk to the humans here? Have you even seen them, or just seen tracks?** OOC: Did a bit of interpreting with what the word "torture" might bring through sending other than said word - will of course edit if I got anything wrong! I'm also playing a little fast and loose with assuming Mahrak has talked more with Jaseio than what was shown in day 16's the arrival threads. Jaseio helped translate for SL2657F when Mahrak & the other new arrivals showed up in the Beacon Room and Mahrak is hopelessly curious about how other elves live + I've always gotten the impression that Jaseio is a friendly sort willing to talk about her old home. I hope I didn't step on any toes by adding in that Jaseio might have given Mahrak a brief story of what the Fireriders were like! Mahrak would be curious about how she knew how to talk to SL2657F and about the concept of there being different languages, so he could't stop himself from asking a-sap  |
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Post by Tambri on Feb 27, 2021 1:48:07 GMT 1
Tambri mentally acknowledged No-Sting's send regarding dragging Mahrak away if need be. She hoped it didn't come to that. She turned to face Mahrak fully once more. **STOP! Stop trying to think this is going to be fun! STOP THINKING YOU KNOW EVERYTHING!** Her growl was clearly audible. She was struggling to keep herself calm. More than that, it was obvious she was terrified about seeking the humans out. She could be seen shaking, her eyes glistening from both anger and fear.
**Humans will kill you. They will kill you before you even open your mouth to speak! They don't care what we have to say! They will kill a cub! They killed everyone... They tried to kill me.** She stared at him and just let the memory flow, not holding back the terror from the sends. He wouldn't understand. He just wouldn't stop until he knew!
It began with fire. The tree her tribe denned in was aflame. There were elves fighting the much taller five-fingered attackers. It was a losing battle and it was obvious. Tambri was being carried away in her father's arms before being swung up onto the back of a wolf. Those still standing were falling back as well. The entire tribe abandoning their home. When the sun rose, they had returned to the burned out shell of their forest home. Burned bodies were everywhere. The survivors picked through the remains to find whatever supplies they could before once again leaving, howling a mournful howl, leaving the dead behind. The memory skipped forward, a day, possibly two. The stench of smoke still filled the air. Tambri was walking alongside the wolves and other elves when she stopped, admiring a spiderweb. The wind was blowing against their faces, which was why they hadn't caught the scent.
She saw, through the web, the flickering of a torch as it was snuffed out. There was a group of humans, and they had already seen the traveling elves. Tambri was paralyzed with fear. She could only stare at the humans, knowing they were looking right at her, and right passed her to the other elves behind her. When she finally did send out a warning, it was too late. Arrows flew passed her face as the humans rushed forward. She heard the fighting but she turned and ran from it. Hide from the humans. Hide. She hadn't been chased. She waited until she heard the battle end and tried sending to her tribe but received no responses. Perhaps she was too far away? She continued to wait, as she'd been taught. When night fell again she slowly retraced her steps, quiet in case there were humans still about. When she found the scene, everyone, wolf and elf alike, were dead. There were several humans also dead as well. She searched for her parents and found them. Her mother looked as if she was sleeping. Her father, usually stressed over the safety of the tribe looked to be at peace. She had howled, then. She was alone. She heard the twig snap, then felt the pain in her side, interrupting the howl. The humans were back to reclaim the dead and their trophies.
Once more she was running, holding the arrow in her side. Exhaustion and terror lingering in the send before she turned her back from Mahrak. **Seek out the five-fingers if you must... but if you're seen... don't bring them back to the caves... Or you'll kill everyone along with yourself.** She didn't want either of the other two to see the pain in her features. This was the first she had shared of that event, and she felt it was the only way to stop Mahrak's foolhardy mission.
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Post by No-Sting on Feb 28, 2021 22:58:31 GMT 1
No-Sting flinched back when Tambri began sending, taken aback by the suddenness of it and what memories were being shared. She kept still as Tambri shared her pain and fear, paying as close attention to Tambri's stance and face as could while overwhelmed by the terrifying visions of fire and death.
"I...I am so sorry." No-Sting scrambled for words, overwhelmed. "No one. No one should have to suffer through loss like that. Death like that." Had the humans been hunting Tambri's tribe to eat them? There had been so much to take in that she'd not made sense of it all. Had it been a territory dispute? That would make more sense. As close to sense as that much death could make. No animals she'd ever seen fought that viciously, that determined to kill all living things around them. Not unless they had the water-fear sickness...
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Post by Mahrak on Mar 1, 2021 0:20:17 GMT 1
As much as he enjoyed learning about other elves and their tribes, this was not something Mahrak had been prepared for. The horror of the slaughter shook him to his core. If he'd been an elf who thought less highly of himself and his own cunning and experiences, maybe Tambri's memories would have made him join in her justified fear.
But Mahrak did think highly of himself.
~**I'm the one thinking they know everything?**~ He rounded on Tambri, keeping low but catching her eyes in a challenge known to both tigers and wolves, ignoring No-Sting. ~**I just told you that there are elves here who lived with humans. Why should I completely ignore that and decide the humans here will kill us all on sight because some attacked your family? Are you from here? Are these your woods?**~ He was genuinely wondering, under his defensive anger.
Mahrak tried to keep down his frustration and wounded pride at her even implying that he'd lead danger back to the others. He'd guarded his people for countless of sun turns, keeping them safe! ~**You remind me of an old furmate of mine. She lost her daughter to a hungry orca during a seal hunt. Wouldn't approach water after that, panicked as soon as she saw someone else out on ice. Nearly choked me once, trying to keep me away from ice-fishing. Funnily enough, we also had hunters who began working with a pod of orcas. If we'd all listened to my furmate, we'd have had much less meat in our bellies.**~
Never having had any sort of talent for leaving well-enough alone or making peace with those who frustrated him, he added: ~**I'm going to learn about humans and I don't trust you to teach me. You're too afraid to think clearly.**~
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Post by Tambri on Mar 2, 2021 1:34:50 GMT 1
Tambri tensed as she heard the words from Mahrak. **I am well aware.. That doesn't make me any less wary of going near their villages or hunting grounds. This isn't a pod of orcas in the water, and this isn't a pack of wolves that can help us hunt. This is the hungry bear that you don't want to poke in the middle of winter. Sure, the bear could bond with an elf. I've seen that, too! Doesn't make it any less dangerous. I'm glad the orcas worked out for you and your tribe, but that is like using a no-hump to pull a cart. A beast isn't a human... and that is where you are being reckless. I never made the claim to know everything, but I've seen enough death at the hands of the five-fingers... I've seen what they will do. I've experienced it first hand. YOU have not.** She glanced at No-Sting.
Tambri was never one to let her pride be bruised, at least not without fighting for the bruises. The moment Mahrak said he couldn't trust Tambri she wheeled on him, a fist flying square for his nose. **If you can't trust someone with experience you're a worthless student!** She didn't locksend back. She didn't need to hide behind it.
Next to her, Spook continued to growl, confused about the emotions he was sensing from his bond. If Mahrak attacked Tambri, however, he'd lunge to defend her... even if he was one of the Elf-Friends...
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Post by No-Sting on Mar 3, 2021 22:49:51 GMT 1
OOC: Ooooh, things sure are heating up here! Loving it (because I'm a drama llama). A little timeline question: Milo hasn't arrived in the holt yet (this is day 17, Milo shows up on day 20) so I'm guessing there's a time-mix-up here? Or is Tambri referring to another person in the holt as a "half-five-finger"? Just wanted to check before I write a reply; will edit and add one here as soon as I know (and if it's okay with you, I'm going to let Mahrak take that punch Tambri is throwing!)
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Post by Tambri on Mar 3, 2021 23:09:17 GMT 1
Ooc: milo I thought was there when tambri arrived. Now im confused
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Post by Sofia on Mar 4, 2021 19:58:25 GMT 1
OOC:It's definitely easy to get things mixed up with so many threads running at different in-game times! My memory is a leaky shed, so I constantly check the timeline when we're doing parallel threads at different points in time, like now. Tambri arrived in the thread " Magic inquiry" on day 17, very early morning, aka the same day as this thread. Tambri's arrival thread included the elves Flint, Keleero, SL2657F & Mahrak. Then Tambri & Mahrak went Exploring the Outside, still day 17 early morning. They were soon joined by No-Sting for a hunt and also met Choice. This thread we're in right now follows that one, so it's now mid-day of day 17. Milo arrives on noon day 20. This thread is called Half an elf and includes Milo, Choice & Keleero. I can't find a thread with both Tambri and Milo in it until the "current" day 33 Waiting Out the Storm thread. Tambri and Milo have probably seen each other and interacted before day 33, but since Milo doesn't show up until day 20 they can't have met yet in this thread. Hope that clears everything up!
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Post by Tambri on Mar 4, 2021 22:57:13 GMT 1
OOC: So then proceeding forward, the only reference to elves living with humans are in their individual pasts. Editing above to remove mention of milo
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Post by No-Sting on Mar 5, 2021 23:01:11 GMT 1
Not privy to Mahrak's lock-sending to Tambri, No-Sting found herself watching a stare-down and increasing tension she had no idea what to do with. Then Tambri began answering, letting No-Sting at least glean some idea of what had been shared between the two.
Having no idea what 'orcas' were, there was much of Tambri's response to Mahrak that made little sense to her, but humans still being the main point of contention came across loud and clear.
The punch Tambri threw took No-Sting not fully by surprise, but it did startle her enough to make her yelp. ...not the wisest of things to do when trying to stalk secretly through the woods, searching for dangerous predators.
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Post by Mahrak on Mar 5, 2021 23:57:16 GMT 1
**I have no idea what a no-hump is, but orcas-** Mahrak was so caught up in his attempt at a counter-argument that he didn't see Tambri swing her fist until it was too late to dodge it.
The punch didn't knock him off his feet but it staggered him and gave him a fine nosebleed. He touched a hand to the blood, too stunned by this sudden violence to react for a good two heartbeats. Then he fixed Tambri with a glare far icier than his previous doubtful one. The elves of the Far White had not the tradition of solving any conflict with fights and with no such experiences of how to deal with disagreements (small or large), this act of Tambri's put Mahrak on edge more than her fear of humans ever could have. The joy of finding so many elves, so different from him, had taken a dent to it - because he'd never pictured that other elves could be a danger to him in any way. This was a wake-up call as cold as snow-melt down the back of your shirt.
**Hitting me? That's how you show how sane and reasonable you are?!** He sent openly this time, making sure any elves within range would hear without pushing himself. He doubted anyone else was close by, but he had no wish to hide what just had happened from the others. In fact, he'd rather know sooner rather than later who would think nothing of what Tambri had done. **If I am a poor student, you are a worse teacher. What's next? Are you going to let your bond tear my legs to shreds to make sure I don't disobey you? He seems eager to join in.** While sharing far from all of himself in the sending, Mahrak couldn't hide the undercurrent of deep unease he felt, along with the distrust he felt toward Tambri that now had fanned itself stronger, running like water under the self-righteous anger he tried to project at her.
Mahrak began edging back from Tambri and her growling bond-friend, keeping them both in view and making no sudden movements, not daring to spare a glance for No-Sting. He remembered his former furmate Samera's desperate rage at him, her arm slung around his neck, strangling him as she tried to drag him back to shore. At least she hadn't had a bond-friend then.
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Post by Tambri on Mar 6, 2021 0:11:14 GMT 1
Tambri was shaking with anger. She usually never lost her cool to the point she just had. She had been alone for some time, however. **If you're afraid of a wolf, then you should be warned of the near-wolves humans keep around. They're more vicious and more likely to attack. They aren't intelligent like wolves. Seems they might be more intelligent than some elves...** She sighed and shook her head. **Go then. Find your humans... Since you don't trust someone with experience to join you... Learn on your own. Know this... Elf or not... I catch the scent of humans on your trail when you return... I will not let another tribe be destroyed by five-fingers. Even if it means... letting them have you...**
The send wasn't a threat, but a warning. She wouldn't kill him, and that much was evident... But she was a treeshaper... and if a wall of brambles suddenly blocked his path, humans might reach him before he can get around them. It was also the same concession she had for herself. If humans were ever following her, she wouldn't lead them back to a tribe of elves. She'd lead them away, even if it meant she'd end up on their pyre. She turned her back, now, and started to walk back the way she'd come. She didn't let him see, but she did clutch her fist briefly in her other hand. Was his head filled with rocks!? Definitely felt like it... She'd no doubt have some bruising or worse when she got her mittens off.
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Post by No-Sting on Mar 7, 2021 22:58:01 GMT 1
This...this was so beyond good.
No-Sting edged herself between Mahrak and Tambri as Tambri sent her warning of near-wolves, whatever those where. She didn't want to fight either of them, but if Mahrak chose to retaliate or Tambri chose to lash out again, she needed to be in a position to stop it. They were too far from the holt to not keep eyes-high and they'd all failed to be that for far too many moments by now.
She breathe a sigh of relief when Tambri began to walk away, back toward the holt. One down, one to go.
**I think no one of us should go searching more today,** she sent to both of them. **If we haven't drawn attention to ourselves yet, I fear we will soon. Let's head back. All of us.**
Privately, she lock-sent to Mahrak: ~**She's clearly...upset. Know that not everyone here would leave you to die if humans found you.**~ As dangerous as they seemed to be, No-Sting couldn't imagine leaving a fellow elf to die at the hands of any predator.
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