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 Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2023 8:00 pm
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January 2023 The moon has once again continued its journey around the world and you can feel the chill of winter slowly starting to ease. It's time for new life to emerge, new beginnings and new experiences. Submit an RP with your soquili experiencing something new! Maybe they made a new friend or went outside their comfort zone!
Casimir's life by the sea was going well, especially now that the sun was no longer blacked out in the sky and he wasn't being attacked by shifters or strange unstable fluttercorns. He could almost say life was... good. A little lonely, sometimes, but he had slowly been making new friends in his travels that helped to fill that void in his heart. He approached the lake he'd been frequenting since settling in to his new home, humming a song that Melody had gotten stuck in his head. He bent his neck down to take a drink, and in the next second something large splashed in front of his face, soaking his mane and fur. Eyes wide, he stood still for a moment in shock before he backed away from the water, shaking his head to try and dry himself off as much as he could. He looked to see what had caused such a big splash, but... there was nothing in the water. Casimir blinked, glancing around his surroundings, confusion settling in as he realized he was alone. He was just starting to wonder if it had been a fish when a shadow passed over him, and he looked up to see a crane gliding down to land on the ground near him, a fish clutched in their claws. "I'm so sorry," the crane laughed, though her apology sounded sincere. "I'd been about to dive for the fish when I saw you getting close... I didn't want you to scare them off, so I went in to catch one before they scattered and, well..." she gestured towards him with a wing, indicating his damp mane.
Casimir smiled back at her, amused at the situation. "It's alright. I'm a little damp now, but I'm sure I'll survive," he joked, and the crane seemed relieved that he didn't seem angry. He hesitated for a moment, then decided to take a chance and introduce himself. He couldn't hide away forever, after all -- and, in truth, since coming to these new lands he'd encountered more good than evil. It was just hard to remember that, sometimes.
Despite the somewhat disastrous meeting, he was hopeful to still find a new friend in this kindly crane. |
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Posted: Sat Jan 28, 2023 9:38 pm
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January 2023 The world is a vast and endless place. Some Soquili leave their homes one day to find a new one. Others are endless wanderers, roaming to their hearts content. Spring is all about new beginnings, after all. Submit an RP with your Soquili traveling to a new place or recalling a time they traveled.
Shiranui had always been a traveler; it came with his chosen line of work. However, most of that took place in his homeland of Nippon. Now, here in Kawani, was the farthest he's ever been from home -- the farthest he'd travelled anywhere. It wasn't the first time he'd heard of it, though; he knew well enough this was where his daughter called home now. He knew, also, that this was where Oki ran away with the sacred sword Kutone. Shiranui had chased him all the way here to stop him and get it back. The journey had been difficult, and without the help of Ishaku he was sure he'd been lost ages ago. The hardest part was catching up to Oki in the first place -- he'd only managed to encounter him a few times on the long trek, and each time, Oki slipped away with a minimal fight. Shiranui felt he was getting close, now. Ishaku was off gathering what information he could find -- on both Oki and Amaterasu. With any luck, he'd be able to have his daughter at his side when he finally cornered Oki to put a stop to his foolish crusade.
Only... Shiranui was concerned he may not want to make the journey back to Nippon. Not after reuniting with his daughter again. He was eager to hear tales of her own travels and triumphs, and to see how much she'd grown in his absence. Shiranui's chapter of the Order of Celestial Light back in Nippon was strong, keeping monsters and other demons at bay. They were quick to deal with any troublesome beasts before much harm could be done. Truthfully, Shiranui didn't think he was needed there anymore to keep them going. It might be nice, he thought, to start over somewhere new.
That... sounded good, actually. At most, he may have to escort Oki back to his tribe in Nippon, but then? Shiranui could wrap up any unfinished business he had there and make the journey back to Kawani one last time to settle down -- and finally move on from the one he left behind. |
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Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2023 7:22 pm
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February 2023 Have you ever been changed by love on an almost celluliar level? Was it because of the love of family, a friend, or even someone romantic? Is it something or someone that you can really explain? Try. Submit an RP with your Soquili recalling a time love changed their life or that love is changing their life.
As Amarantha relaxed in the blossoming flower fields, she contemplated love. While not completely unheard of, the members of the Flock did not typically choose exclusive relationships. Amara always assumed that she wouldn't, either. She had planned on seeking out the strongest stallions she could find to produce equally strong children -- if not stronger. But life seemed to have different plans for her, and after the accident during a battle with a shifter, she shied away from most strong, confident stallions. A part of her wondered if she'd ever have children at all.
And then she met Yolotli Iuitl. He was kind, gentle, and respected her space when she needed it. Over time, Amara even found herself opening up to him in ways she hadn't with any other stallion. When she wanted company, Yolotli was always the first to cross her mind. Her sisters began referring to him as her favored pet, and Amara supposed that was true, in a way. He was her favorite. But she wasn't sure those words fit him, either -- it didn't sit well in her heart.
Perhaps it was a little blasphemous, being a harpy in the Flock and having these thoughts, but when she was with Yolotli she felt like she was with an equal. She wouldn't be the first to covet a stallion in such a way, but it was still a new feeling for her -- one at odds with her old self.
But Amara's old self had been gone for a while now, and the world love was becoming a little less scary. Maybe one day she'd be brave enough to tell him. |
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Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2023 10:23 am
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February 2023 "Don't move," says a small quavering voice from above. "Don't panic." Of course, now you are starting to panic. "But you're in the middle of a patch of poison ivy," the small hummingbird finishes. Without another word it flits off. Submit an RP with your Soquili having just been told they are in the middle of a patch of poison ivy. How does your soquili react? How do they get out? Do they panic and make it worse? How do they try to stop the oncoming break out?
As the hummingbird flew off, Casimir looked down at his hooves in a panic. Now that he was paying attention, the leafy poison ivy surrounding him was obvious. Great. How could he have been so oblivious? He'd learned of the stuff when he was just a colt, but his family's herd grounds was well kept -- he'd never had to worry about running in to any of it. Maybe he could just... find a clear path to creep through. He wouldn't be able to avoid it entirely, but if he simply crushed what he could under his hooves and didn't let the leaves touch his legs, he'd be fine, right?
After careful examination, Casimir found what he hoped was the clearest way out and began to carefully step through the leaves. One, two, and... oh no. Casimir felt his hoof slip out from under him as he slipped on a patch of mud hidden underneath the brush. He stumbled as he tried to regain his balance, but instead of finding his footing he tumbled to the ground instead -- right into a large patch of poison ivy. With a groan, he rolled back onto his hooves and quickly made his way out to safety, but the damage was done. He could already fill the itchiness start to creep in.
He knew that aloe could help, but he didn't have a clue where to find any -- Casimir was pretty sure the plant didn't grow around here. Maybe Melody would know... but in the mean time, he might have to settle for a cool mud bath. The idea of it made him cringe, but getting mud in his mane would be worth the trouble if it meant he could relieve his itchy skin. |
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Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2023 10:46 am
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March 2023 The last thing you remember is…Well, you don’t remember. Strange? Where is this place? It looks like you’re in the middle of dark forest. Was it even dark the last time you were….coherent? Just as you’re about to ask yourself what is going on, you hear what you will later start calling The Voice. “Hello, fool.” The voice is terrifying with how normal it sounds. There’s a slight lilt to it, but that’s it. It seems to come from everywhere or nowhere at once. “Let’s play a game. Right now you’re in the middle of a forest and all you have to do is find your way out. Simple? Yes, truly, just like your mind.” The airy laugh echoes on. “You have two hours.” You shout at the voice asking how you get here, along with a bunch of other questions, but the only answer is– “Tick, tock. Time’s running out little fool. This time we’ll play for a prize and if you fail, well, I won’t take it out on your utter incompetence. But next time…the stakes will be higher.” You spend the next five minutes trying to talk with the voice or reason with, but it refuses to say another thing. Really, whether you like it or not, you’ve only got one choice—GET OUT! Prompt: You wake up in the forest. How you got there isn’t important right now. But the thing is that you’ve been given a time limit by a sinister voice who acts like this is just the first round in some demented game. Whether or not you really want to play, you do know that you don’t want to stay here.
Casimir's heart was racing. Why couldn't he remember how he got here? And where was here? And what was that voice?
No, no - he couldn't panic. The voice said he had two hours to escape, and he had no idea how far he had to travel to get out of here -- or what awaited him in the forest. He just had to pick a direction and run. He shook his head to clear his racing thoughts, took a deep breath to brace himself, chose a direction and began to run. A small part of him wondered if maybe someone from his family tracked him down to punish him for running away, but if that were true they wouldn't be playing a game with him like this; they'd confront him directly. Casimir's eyes darted around his surroundings, trying to keep an eye out for danger as he raced through the trees. Nothing yet, but he couldn't let his guard down.
He was forced to come to a stop when a raging river blocked his path. Panting, he looked left and right, but the river seemed to go on farther than he could see in either direction. It looked too dangerous to cross; the current looked powerful, and what stepping stones he could see where definitely wet and slippery. Maybe he could find a thinner part of the river that might be safer to cross? Casimir began trotting along the edge of the river, looking for a place to cross, but it wasn't looking good. The length of the river stretched on and on, and the current wasn't letting up.
And then he heard it -- a twig snapped in the woods behind him.
Casimir whirled around to face the noise -- and his heart stopped. The hulking figure of a shifter emerged from between the trees, stalking towards him at a confident pace, his golden eyes locked directly on him. Oh no. Casimir glanced at the river by his side, then again at the shifter, and knew he had to take the risk. As he turned to jump into the river, he heard the shifter snarl "wait!" but Casimir was already in the water. His hooves barely touched the ground, but it was enough to start to push himself forward, fighting against the current trying to whisk him away.
The shifter ran up to the edge of the river and began to pace back and forth along side it, as if trying to decide whether it was worth it to jump in after him. Casimir was so close to the other side -- just a little bit further..!
And then his head went under the water as something caught around his leg. Casimir struggled, gasping for air when his nose breached the surface, only to be pulled under the current again and again. He was too caught up in trying to detangle himself from the plants wrapped around his leg and trying to get air that he didn't notice the shifter had finally jumped into the river, too. A sharp pain lanced down from the back of his neck to the rest of his spine, and in the next moment Casimir was yanked from the water, plants ripping away from the ground with him. The shifter had pulled him onto dry land -- and had his fangs sunk into his neck! Casimir started to struggle against the shifter's grip, and with one good kick to the shifter's gut he was free of the beast's mouth. The shifter stumbled back with an angry snarl, and Casimir didn't wait a moment more to start running again.
The shifter, Casimir thought. This must be the shifter's sadistic game. It was the only thing that made sense, and if that were true, was it even possible for him to win? Tears prickling his eyes, Casimir eventually slowed to a stop to catch his breath, just for a moment. He was sure the shifter wasn't going to give up his hunt that easily. Coughing up a little more water, Casimir took some time to assess the damage. He was... unharmed, for the most part. He could feel something warm slide down his neck in sharp contrast to the cold water he was soaked in; probably blood from the shifter's bite. He leaned his head down and pulled away the plants tangled around his leg; it was tender and bruised, but otherwise okay. That was a relief -- but he could feel exhaustion starting to creep in. He couldn't stop, though; he wasn't out of the forest yet. How much time had passed? He had no way to know.
Casimir picked up the pace again, but he wasn't able to run as fast as he had been. He could only hope that the shifter was slowed down, too. He kept up a steady canter until he came across another obstacle that blocked his path; a tall, nearly flat wall -- far too steep to even consider climbing. He'd just have to find another way around this, too. But as Casimir explored the length of the wall, the only thing he could find was a cave -- and beyond the entrance, pitch dark blackness. It was the only way, then. He couldn't waste much more time looking for another route, so reluctantly, Casimir stepped into the cave with caution.
Not even the glow from his horn seemed to help pierce the darkness, and with every hesitant step forward, all Casimir could think of was his time rapidly running out.
"Don't run," came a deep, growling voice from behind him. For a moment, Casimir froze in terror -- then he realized how foolish that was, and did the opposite of what the voice told him to do and took off running. "Wait, stop!" came the growly voice again, and Casimir could hear that who he could only assume was the shifter chasing after him. He had no idea what was in front of him, but behind him was certain death, so forward into the darkness was the only way he could go. He could just make out the cave walls, faintly, as his eyes began to adjust to the dark -- but that also meant the exist wasn't anywhere in sight. What if the cave ended in another wall, with no way out? Was this going to be how he died -- alone in the dark under the teeth of the a shifter?
The cave began to twist and turn, making Casimir feel more lost than he already was. What if he'd missed a branching tunnel? Maybe the cave was just one big maze, and it was too dark for him to even notice? He was running on pure adrenaline now, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep running for. He reached another sharp turn, and then -- light! Casimir's heart soared; there was light at the end of the tunnel, and that could only mean one thing -- the exit!
He raced towards the cave opening, and it was only with a lucky glance at the ground that made him slide to a halt -- right at the edge of a sheer drop. Panting, Casimir quickly scrambled backwards from the edge. The exit was right there... at the other side of the chasm. He looked behind him and could just make out the approaching form of the shifter, slowing down now that he'd noticed Casimir had stopped running.
He had to jump.
With his mind made up, Casimir charged at the shifter with a shout, horned angled towards the monster -- and the shifter backed up quickly to avoid getting speared. Then he turned back around with more space to run, and galloped full charge towards the entrance of the cave, taking a flying leap over the chasm. Casimir stumbled when he landed, but quickly rolled back onto his feet and ran out of the cave -- and to his great relief, out of the forest, too. Had he made it out on time? Was he safe, now? Legs trembling, Casimir lowered himself to the ground, no longer able to hold himself up. He was out. This had to be the end... right?
"You're fast, I'll give you that."
No. Casimir's head shot up, and watched in horror as the shifter stepped out of the cave, panting for breath. As Casimir began to struggle to stand again, the shifter stopped approaching. "Wait, please," the shifter begged with a frustrated snarl, "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm not hunting you -- I don't remember how I got here but you seemed just as lost as I was."
Casimir wasn't sure he believed him. He also wasn't sure he could run anymore, either. He didn't respond.
"Look, my name's Brisco and I don't remember how I got here. And I'm charmed, see?" Brisco said, lifting his head to show off the charm on his neck. "There was a voice. It told me I had two hours to escape the forest." Brisco paused, carefully watching the expression on the unicorn's face; he still looked at Brisco with fear, but there was a curiosity there, too. The unicorn still didn't reply, but at least he wasn't running from him anymore. Brisco sighed and settled down on the ground to rest, too, making sure to keep his distance from the other stallion to give him space.
Casimir stared. The shifter had been kidnapped, too? He heard the same voice? He was surprised again when the shifter -- Brisco -- lay down on the ground near him instead of making any move to attack. He may be charmed, but he was still a shifter. As much as Casimir wanted to be near someone he could trust right now, he wasn't sure that someone could be Brisco. Still...
"My name is Casimir. I... heard the voice too. I woke up here and... I thought you were chasing me to hunt me." Casimir closed his eyes. Stupid -- but he was too exhausted to care anymore. "Do you think we got out in time?" His question came out in a mumble, but Brisco was still able to understand him well enough.
It doesn't matter, Brisco thought angrily. I'll kill anyone who comes after us if we didn't. "I hope so." |
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Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2023 7:50 pm
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April 2023 Out on a walk, you see a small bunny. Look! How cute! Wait, does it have blood on it's coat? That's a very strange look on it's face... Then right before your eyes, the rabbit shifts into a grinning feral. The only option is to run. It's the legendary, you thought mythical, Rabbit of Caerbannog. (Remember she is not an NPC and she does exist. You cannot control her in the RP, which is why you have to run.) She's looking at you like you're in next batch of indigestion. Run!
Parthenos was on his way home to his mate after a trip to the nearby herds, making sure they had everything they needed or to lend a hoof if there was anything he could help with. He was looking forward to a nice relaxing evening, curled up next to Tarashikomi, enjoying each other's company. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted a white rabbit and smiled in greeting, but the red smudges on her body gave him pause. Was she hurt? Parthenos began to approach her, a worried expression on his face. "Are you okay?" he asked, and when the rabbit turned to face him, Parthenos froze. That was definitely blood smeared all over her face. Especially around her mouth... and then the rabbit began to change.
Oh, no. She wasn't just a rabbit. She was a shifter. Parthenos barely saw the grin spread across the shifter's face before he was running. His time with Tarashikomi and the Order of Celestial Light has taught him many things -- a lot he didn't think was even possible for a small pixie like him -- but combat was not his strong suit... especially against shifters. Running was the only choice he had. He was grateful to not be too far from home -- if he couldn't shake of the shifter, then at least he'd be able to call on his mate for help once he was closer.
Parthenos darted out of the open fields and into the woods, scampering between trees and bushes, splashing across a creek in an attempt to throw her off his scent. He could still hear her, but when he glanced behind him he couldn't see her anymore. The relief he felt was brief -- she was still far to close for him to relax now. He was more careful as he crossed another river, not wanting to make too much noise, and just kept running. Parthenos ran until he couldn't anymore, lungs burning as he gasped for breath -- but he was finally home... and no shifter in earshot.
He'd need to tell Tarashikomi that a shifter was wandering near their home, but right now -- he just needed a moment to breathe. |
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Posted: Sun Apr 23, 2023 9:08 pm
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April 2023 Embrace diversity, learn about a different custom from another soquili and tell about it or how it has affected you.
Unbeknownst to Chrysopeleia, she was being watched. Luckily for her, it was no one who would bring her any harm -- but she was in her own little world, leaning up against a tree, ear pressed against the bark. Her eyes were closed, and she listened, smiled, and hummed a light tune. Not for the sake of her watcher, but for the tree, which swayed gently in the wind as though dancing to her sweet song. She liked to leave the Flock's land sometimes and commune with the trees away from her herd lands; she knew the trees under her care well already, and it was nice to make new friends.
Casimir was a long way from the beach he leaved by, off on a trip exploring the lands, and this was probably one of the strangest things he's seen during his (relatively uneventful) adventure. What was this strange mare doing? Were there critters living inside the tree she was listening for? In his curiosity, Casimir crept closer to try and see -- and startled a little when the mare suddenly turned to stare at him with her unnervingly red eyes. "Oh! I -- I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to intrude, I just... well, may I ask what you're doing?"
Chrysopeleia blinked at the stallion, wondering why he was asking. Was it not obvious? She supposed most of her sisters in the Flock didn't really understand, either. She was starting to realize that her ways were strange even to outsiders. "You may," she replied with a smile, hoping to put the stallion's nerves at ease. "I was listening to the trees. They speak to me... in their own ways. Not many seem to be able or willing to listen -- but I can, and I do." She fluttered her tail feathers, moving away from the tree and closer to the unicorn. "My name is Chrysopeleia. What's yours, handsome?"
Casimir's confusion at her explanation turned into discomfort, and he took a step back from her advances. "Uh... Casimir. It's a pleasure to meet you, but if you're... er... it's just, I'm not..."
Chrysopeleia was, thankfully, quick to pick up on his discomfort as soon as she began to try and flirt with him and backed off, allowing her feathers to settle. "Ah, don't worry. I don't capture unwilling stallions... but you may not want to stay in this area very long, Casimir. We are very close to my herd's territory. My sisters like to collect stallions, you see... although, if you have a change of heart, there is nothing to fear. We treat our stallions well, and you'd be protected, if you chose to join us."
Capture? Collect? Those words set off alarm bells in Casimir's head. The mare seemed to be giving him a warning, at least, but she was a complete stranger promising she treated captured stallions well. "You -- you do what?" He tried not to make his words sound like a whimper, and began to inch away further, suddenly very aware of her sharp claws.
Oh, dear. She'd frightened him. Chrysopeleia made no move to get closer to him again -- in fact, she made no move at all, save for a gentle shake of her head. "I will do nothing," she tried to assure him. "You are free to go. My flock takes stallions into our care. It is what we have always done. They can't leave, but there's no reason for them to -- we're large in number, and we take care of and protect each other. No one goes hungry, or cold, or lonely. Some of my sisters are more... persistent than I am about such things." She smiled, then, and nodded her head towards the path beside them. "If you go that way, you'll be safe once you reach the river, Casimir."
She was... kind, despite the unnerving feeling Casimir got from her words. The things she was saying sounded much more like an invitation than a threat. He looked down the path she indicated, then back at her, and nodded in return. "Thank you," he mumbled, knowing he wasn't being very polite to someone who was letting him go -- and quickly made his way down the path and away from Flock territory. What would have happened if he'd met one of Chrysopeleia's sisters instead of her? Casimir shuddered to think, suddenly grateful for the mare's warnings. At least now he knew where to stay away from if he didn't want to be kidnapped.
Perhaps it was time to head home and bring this little adventure to an end. He had a lot to tell Melody about. |
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2023 2:01 am
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April 2023 Spring has sprung and new plants have begun growing. You find a plant that you've never seen before. Did you plant it? Or did it come by accident or design? What's it supposed to do if you know and if you don't what do you think it'll do?
Þyrnirós narrowed her eyes at the offending sprout. She had not planted that in her garden. She wondered for a moment if Icarus snuck something new into her soil, but quickly dismissed the thought. He -- and everyone else in the herd, for that matter -- knew better than to mess with her precious plants. Lowering her head to get a closer look, Þyrnirós frowned. It was too young to have very many distinguishing features yet, but from what little she could tell, it wasn't something she'd seen before. Could any of her plants been cross-pollinated and created something new? Þyrnirós doubted that to be the case, but she wouldn't know for sure until the plant grew bigger. She sniffed at the spout, gently nudged it with her hoof, and made up her mind -- she'd just have the nurture the little thing until she could figure out what it was.
If it were anything like the rest of her garden, it would grow into a delightfully poisonous flower; hopefully with dark purple or red petals, and lots of sharp little thorns. Something tasteless, she hoped, to slip into food or drink undetected with little need for masking flavors. Ah, but she was getting her hopes up. All this speculating and it could just turn out to be a boring little weed that she wasted the effort of caring for. But if it wasn't...
Well, if it turned out to be useless, she could just rehome the thing to Icarus' garden. He liked those sorts of plants. |
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Posted: Tue Apr 25, 2023 2:45 am
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April 2023 Demonstrate teaching someone a game that you made up.
"Oh, good! You're awake."
Hadashah groaned; his head was throbbing, and the last thing he remembered was... well, it was all a little fuzzy. Something had definitely hit his head, though, and it hadn't been due to his own clumsiness. When he cracked his eyes open, his vision was filled with the blurry shape of a... soquili? Despite the words, the voice that spoke to him didn't exactly sound friendly. He squeezed his eyes shut again, rolling over onto his belly so he could stand up on wobbly legs. "What... happened?" he mumbled, and the world was in much better focus when he opened his eyes a second time.
The speaker wasn't just a soquili -- she was a shifter. No obvious charm in sight, either. Hadashah's wings flared, ready to take flight, but some movement on the ground next to the shifter gave him pause. Were those... bunnies?
Tabitha's grin was all teeth the moment the vile angeni spotted her little captives. A ditch, dug just deep enough that the bunnies couldn't escape from -- but not deep enough for a shifter like her. "We're going to play a game," she declared, slipping easily into her feral form.
Hadashah barked out a startled laugh. "No we aren't. What's to stop me from just flying away right now?"
Tabitha's grin grew wider, the look in her blue eyes a little more crazed. "Well... nothing. I haven't tied you up, have I? You can leave if you want," she said with a shrug, and her hungry gaze slid down to the trapped bunnies at her mercy. "But if you don't play my game, then you give up the chance to save these sweet little innocent bunnies. Is that what you want? I wouldn't turn down such an easy meal..." Tabitha pressed a paw down on one of the bunnies, claws just pricking the skin to draw a trickle of blood onto the white fur.
"Stop!" Hadashah shouted, anger flaring up within his racing heart, and without a second thought he snarled and lunged at Tabitha --
-- only to stop dead in his tracks again when an awful crunch sucked all the air out of his lungs.
The bunny had stopped moving entirely, not even the rise and fall of its terrified little breaths, and the shifter's paw was soaked in blood.
"I said we're going to play a GAME," Tabitha snarled, "and trying to attack me is against the rules. You try that again and I kill another one."
The silence was deafening between them. When Hadashah didn't make another movie, Tabitha's smile was back. "Good boy," she cooed, delighting in the rage she saw flash in the angeni's eyes. Ahhh, the sweet despair he must feel to be at her mercy! It made her so... hungry. She lifted her paw to her mouth, licking the blood from her paw, her eyes never leaving the angeni.
Hadashah's heart was pounding in his chest, a deep hatred and disgust he'd never felt before growing in the pit of his stomach. It made him feel sick. "The game?" he ground out between clenched teeth, barely able to contain himself the way she was so casually mocking him with her bloodied paw.
"Patience," Tabitha laughed, roughly dragging a paw over the back of another bunny's trembling back. "It's an easy game. I'll think of a number, and you try to guess! If you get it right, you have to pluck that many feathers out of your wings, and I let a bunny go. But if you get it wrong... then I get to have a little snack. Let's say... between ten and fifty. But," she said, pressing down a little harder on the bunny beneath her paw, "you can't cheat your way out by plucking your soft little down feathers. If I don't see blood, it doesn't count." She relaxed again, lightly dragging a claw along the delicate ear of the bunny.
"Shall we begin?" |
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Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2023 11:37 pm
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July 2023 Small doses of things can be beneficial, while larger doses can be harmful or even fatal. How much is too much? Remember that plant you found? Well it's unique. You see, it can both be medicinal in certain doses but also toxic For example, the lovely prizes are based on different variations of Foxglove -- also known as Digitalis, which is used ins small doses as a medicine... How do you figure out it helps but also kills? Tell a story about your soquili intentionally using this plant for good or nefarious purposes. Do they plan on growing more or getting rid of the plant?
Crowley eyed the garden in front of him; he hadn't realized he'd wandered into someone else's territory until he found the carefully assembled little oasis. Plants were always a little hard for him to resist, though, so he'd lingered a little longer than he meant to and began to grow suspicious -- and a little concerned -- once he realized there was a pattern to all the flora growing here.
They were all -- in varying degrees -- poisonous.
He frowned, narrowing his eyes behind his glasses as he flicked out his tongue to taste the air. Whoever the owner of this garden was hadn't been around recently, but given how well the plants looked to be taken care of, Crowley suspected they'd certainly be by some time today. If he were to have run into any of these plants out in the wild he'd had left them be, but a collection like this was clearly intended to be used for nefarious means. Crowley was a big fan of nefariousness, but murder was such a messy business, and with a heavy sigh he realized he couldn't just leave the collection alone to prosper. Such a shame; they were all such lovely specimens. Maybe he could take one or two of them back home with him -- after all, some of them had uses in medicine as well.
Crowley was about to dig a sharp hoof into the soil by the foxglove when the scent in the air changed -- and he wasn't alone anymore.
He turned to his right to see a mare approaching, a look of annoyance etched across her face as she examined him from head to hoof. "You're trespassing," she said coolly, and every inch of her body language was clearly signaling to Crowley you're not welcome here.
Crowley responded with an easy, sharp-toothed grin. "I was just admiring your garden of deathly delightssss," he said with a hiss. "A nice collection you've got here. Make use of them often, do you?" he asked, a red brow lifting above his glasses.
Þyrnirós' ears flicked back, still skeptical of the stranger, but it seemed like they shared a common interest. She didn't answer his question, and her gaze was still wary -- being unable to see the other soquili's eyes made him difficult to read. She shrugged. "I like to garden," she replied vaguely. "It comes to me naturally."
"Oh, naturally," Crowley replied. "Just a well behaved garden, is it? Pretty flowers for pretty vases? A foxglove just to liven up the place?" His grin widened at his own joke, but the mare didn't seem impressed. He'd have to tell Aziraphale about it later.
Well behaved garden..? What? Þyrnirós gave Crowley a confused look at the odd phrasing, but that didn't last very long -- she perked up immediately when he mentioned the name of a plant she hadn't heard of before. Was that the name of the strange plant that had appeared in her garden? "Foxglove? Is that what that is?" she asked, nodding towards the plant with tubular shaped flowers by Crowley's hoof.
Crowley wasn't sure if she was playing dumb or if she really didn't know what the flower was. He tilted his head, taking a step back so she could get a better look at it. "Right. Lovely little thing, isn't it?" he asked, watching as she came closer to inspect it. "Wouldn't suggest keeping it around just to look nice, though," Crowley said with a tisk. His eyes didn't leave her face, though she wouldn't be able to tell. "A bit useful for some medicines, but -- much like the other interesting plants you've got growing around here -- quite lethal if you use too much."
A look of delight crossed Þyrnirós' face when Crowley mentioned it was deadly. "Is it now?" she murmured with interest, her smile a little too pleased for Crowley's liking. Þyrnirós had plans -- she was going to need test subjects to see how potent the poison was, see how much it took to kill someone, what it tasted like, and if it didn't kill what did it do otherwise? She was eager to get started; she'd have to carve out a new spot in her garden to start growing more of these.
"Maybe I should take it --" Crowley began, and before he could say anything else she cut him off: "You are not touching anything in my garden," she snarled. "SKALLA!"
Oh s**t, Crowley thought. He didn't know what that meant, but the rage in her eyes didn't lead him to believe it was anything good. "Look, I was just --"
Once again, he didn't get to finish. A massive, skull-headed beast emerged through the trees with heavy footsteps, a small burst of flames expelling from his skull when he exhaled. Skallagrímr first looked to his sister, then turned his massive head towards Crowley.
"Oh s**t," Crowley whispered.
Skallagrímr snapped his bony jaws, a rumbling growl emanating from deep in his chest to the hollow of his mouth. He took a heavy step towards Crowley.
Crowley had to think fast on his hooves. It was time to leave. "Right, see I've overstayed my welcome then. Ciao!" He flung out his wings in a wide spread, and the gust of wind that followed carried with it the power of his ulun'suti blood. The plants of the garden grew and aged until they withered, brown and gray and useless in their death. Þyrnirós staggered backwards in shock, and the scream of rage that followed sent a thrill of a good deed through Crowley's veins as he shot up through the clearing and into the sky, making his getaway.
Skallagrímr didn't give chase; the trespasser was fleeing, so there was no need. He turned his attention back to his sister, who was breathing in heavy, angry gasps, trembling in her rage. He was good at protecting his family and his herd -- but not at comfort. He stood beside her in companionable silence, helpless in the face of the tears falling from her eyes as she stared at her beloved garden. He looked amongst the dead plants, wondering if there was anything left to be salvaged, but having no idea where to start. He didn't know anything about plants, either. "Icarus," he said with a grunt. He was the only soquili Skallagrímr knew who could help Þyrnirós with her loss.
Þyrnirós whirled to face him with a wordless scream, then stormed off back in the direction of the cave they called home, leaving Skallagrímr alone. He wasn't normally the type to seek revenge, but Þyrnirós' rage and pain had been palpable -- if he ever saw that red-haired soquili again Skallagrímr didn't think he'd allow him to fly off again. Not after what he'd done to his sister.
Not a good deed, Crowley would grumble at Aziraphale later over wine. Entirely selfish. I'd just wanted the foxglove for myself, and the mare hadn't been willing to part with it, so I destroyed the whole thing. It was an act of perfectly reprehensible demonic envy. Aziraphale would hide a smile behind his cup and say, yes, dear, and not believe Crowley even a little. |
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Posted: Fri Aug 18, 2023 4:32 pm
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August 2023 Write me a fairytale with a twist! You can write it as though it's happening now, as though it's being acted out, as though it's a story being told, or anything else creative you can come up with. But there must be a TWIST!
Once upon a time there lived a princess. She was fair and beautiful, and while the people of her kingdom loved her dearly, her mother and father found her difficult to keep under hoof. She preferred to go her own way and make her own rules. The King and Queen tried to reason with her; she had a duty to her kingdom, they said. Venturing out alone was dangerous, and what would they do if something happened to her? But the princess ignored their warnings. She was beloved by her people; why would any of them try to harm her?
It was a clear, sunny morning when danger found her. Away from the castle and the walls of the town, she had settled down for a picnic to enjoy the peaceful morning. But it wasn't the people her parents had been worried about -- it was the dragon. She'd barely had time to take a bite of cheese before the beast swooped in from above, snatching her up with a scream as he carried her up, up into the air, and back to his den.
The King and Queen were beside themselves with worry over their missing daughter. There would be no rest until she was found, and the King promised that whichever of his knights found her and brought her home safely would be awarded her hand in marriage. While few needed such motivation, the King's men redoubled their efforts to bring the beloved princess home to her kingdom.
One of the knights had found a lead; a villager and come forward claiming to have seen a dragon nearby on the day the princess went missing. Armed with this vital information, the knight wasted no time in searching out the dragon's lair, fearful that it may be too late. With any luck, the dragon had merely kept her as a prisoner -- a beautiful thing to go with his collection of other beautiful things.
As the knight approached the mouth of the den, he drew his sword --
"Ugh."
Aziraphale paused and looked up from his book he'd been reading aloud from at the displeased noise from his companion. He frowned when he saw Crowley roll his eyes. "What?"
Crowley rolled over onto his belly from where he'd been lounging, listening to Aziraphale read, and fixed him with an unimpressed stare. "'S just predictable, is all. Damsel in distress, knight in shining armor, blah blah blah, dragon gets slain and the people live happily ever after."
Aziraphale raised an eyebrow at him, a confused expression on his face. "What's wrong with that? I thought you liked stories about dashing knights coming to the rescue."
Crowley felt his cheeks warm, and with a huff he looked away from Aziraphale's eyes, pulling down his shades with his tail to hide his own. "I mean, sure. But d'you ever think about the dragon? Or what about what the princess wants? For all we know, this knight could be a grade A p***k. Maybe the princess doesn't want to marry the knight. Maybe the King and Queen were too controlling. Maybe the dragon was the one doing the rescuing. Maybe the dragon liked the princess. Maybe the princess liked the dragon, too, but the only way they could be together if they made it look like a kidnapping so the King and Queen wouldn't be shamed by having a daughter who ran away to live with a dragon, because the princess still cared about her family even though they didn't give a rat's a** about her and only their image." Crowley was out of breath by the end of his rant and, suddenly feeling very vulnerable, he took a deep breath and shrugged as if none of it mattered. "But what do I know? Not much for reading, me. Just one demon's opinion."
"I..." Aziraphale began, but found he was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to say to that. His hands -- for he was in his human form at the moment, as it was easier to read books with fingers and opposable thumbs -- fluttered about the book he'd been reading, but when he looked down at the page he'd left off on the words had become a jumbled mess of scribbles again. He'd lost his concentration and his power to read had faded for the time being. The silence hung heavy between them, and Aziraphale felt he should say something, but the words were stuck in his throat.
He couldn't read the words anymore, and just as the silence was starting to become unbearable, Aziraphale decided to continue the story -- in his own words.
... as the knight approached the mouth of the den, he drew his sword. The sound of the steel echoed in the cave. He came prepared for a fight, but it wasn't the dragon who came out to greet him; it was the princess. "Sir Knight, I'm afraid you will be leaving here empty handed. I am here by my own free will; I do not wish to return. Please, tell my parents that I am sorry."
The knight was taken aback. Why would the princess wish to stay with the monster who had kidnapped her? "Princess, you must be confused. The King and Queen are worried sick; they only wish for your safe return, as do I." The knight reached out with his empty hand. "Just come with me, and --"
"No." The princess' reply was firm, unimpressed with the knight's attempt to take her away. "I know that is not all you wish. Word of what my parents' promised to the man who brought me home traveled far -- even here, to the dragon's den. I do not wish to marry someone I don't know. My heart is already spoken for."
Shocked, the knight's hand tightened around the handle of his blade. When next he spoke, his voice was full of anger. "Now, listen here," he began, stepping closer to the princess, further into the lair.
But the knight didn't finish what he'd been about to say, and the princess was no longer alone. From the shadows emerged the great dragon, scales shiny and black, glinting in the sun. His golden eyes were fixed on the knight, and the threat in them was clear. He didn't need to speak, but he did anyway, voice a deep rumble in his chest. "You listen," the dragon hissed. "She doesn't want to leave. Made me promise I wouldn't eat any knights that tried to rescue her, but she's always been too nice for her own good. Now... are you going to leave, or am I going to have to break a promise?"
The knight didn't need to be told again; he dropped his sword and ran, and he didn't stop. The princess and the dragon looked at each other, and they couldn't help but laugh. It was a laugh of joy; that they'd managed to scare away the would-be rescuer, and that they were finally together, hearts full at the promise of the rest of their lives.
And they lived happily ever after.
Crowley was quiet. He was looking at Aziraphale again, expression soft, but guarded by the dark lenses of his shades. He'd thought he'd ruined the moment by his rant about Aziraphale's story and that he was going to stop reading. Technically, Aziraphale had stopped reading; he'd been staring down at the book as he spoke, yes, but Crowley was able to tell that what Aziraphale was saying wasn't actually in the book at all. "Aziraphale --" he began, but startled when Aziraphale suddenly slammed his book shut.
"Well! That was lovely, don't you agree? A nice twist on a classic tale." Aziraphale, brushing the dirt off his clothes, and with a wiggle he shifted back into his true form. He shook out his wings and folded them back up against his back, flashing Crowley a clearly nervous smile. "Must get going, I'm afraid, lots to do," he said in a rush, trotting quickly over to the exit of their shared cave.
Crowley pushed himself up onto his hooves. Aziraphale had definitely not mentioned that he had anything to do today. "Angel, wait --"
"I'll be back this evening. Don't wait up!" Aziraphale called back, trying not to let the panic he was feeling show in his voice. He spread his wings and flew away as fast as he could. |
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Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2023 10:07 pm
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October 2023 It’s Hallowe’en night and wind is howling through the trees. The weather is suddenly ghastly. A mysterious mist rises around. Every once in awhile you think you hear the jingling of tack, the huffs of horses impatiently waiting…on what? A cold sense of dread overcomes you. The tiny hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and for a moment everything seems pretenaturally still. Your breath catches in your chest and when you finally release breath it comes out in a white huff of air. It’s suddenly very cold. Your mouth is so dry you can barely swallow even if you can get the shallow breaths to actually force air into your lungs. There’s a loud cracking sound and you think you hear voices on the wind, but you can’t be sure. All you know is that they’re coming, they’re coming, THEY'RE COMING!.... For you. It’s some innate fear that tells you this, something instinctual. You can feel that whatever is out there is hunting you–that you are the prey. It’s imperative you run, the world narrows down to a single field of vision and you run, you run for your life and perhaps something more. The Wild Hunt rides tonight on All Hallow’s Eve. It is composed of a plethora of fallen warriors, lost souls, and mythical beings forever roaming the land on these chilly nights. Extra Rules for this Prompt:
1. You are armed with no weapon but your wits (if you have them). 2. This is a dream or fugue state, even if you’re soquili has wings, magic or glowing plants/crystals, they do not exist in this state. Basically, you’re as basic as can be. Good luck! You have two choices for prompts:1. It's a dark and blustery night, and you've fallen asleep in a thicket in the forest. You dream you've joined the wild hunt. What's it like? How did it happen? You can tackle just one of these questions or explore your own. 2, You fall asleep safe in your bed and dream that for some reason the Wild Hunt is chasing you. Tell us about it. Talk about that breathing down your neck fear that envelops you. Do you know why they’re chasing you? (You don’t have to). Show us what it’s like to be running and scared.
The first thing Crowley could remember feeling was fear. Then -- confusion. He didn't know where he was, and his body was... wrong. His tongue felt too thick in his mouth, and when he pressed it up against his palate, the end felt smooth and rounded instead of forked. His shoulders felt lighter, and when he tried to flex his wings, nothing happened; they were gone. His tail was no longer snake-like, and in its place was a short tail of red hair. His hooves, too, were no longer cloven. No more fangs in his mouth. For a brief moment, he spared a thought to wonder what his eyes looked like, but in the next second the fear overtook his thoughts again. His body was wrong, powerless, and he didn't know where he was -- and, more importantly, Aziraphale was nowhere in sight. A thick fog was closing in on him, making it harder and harder to see.
A loud crack sounded to his left, and when he whipped around to look, he saw towering shadows in the mist. He opened his mouth to make some snide remark, to say something that would make these strangers hesitate and think twice about messing with him, but the fear was too great. His throat closed up over the sound. The shadowy creatures were getting closer, and Crowley stood stock still, frozen in place. There were whispers in the distance, but he couldn't make out what they were saying... he strained to listen, his ears flicking forward in an effort to catch the sound.
In that moment, the forest fell into complete silence. In the next, Crowley felt hot breath on the back of his neck. His fur stood up on their ends and he felt goosebumps wrack his body. A clear, dark voice whispered, directly into his ear: "Run."
Crowley did. His heart hammering in his chest, he turned away from the shadowy figures and ran like his life depended on it. It probably did, Crowley thought wildly, his hooves pounding on the grass as he wove between the trees, and he didn't have to look back to know that the shadows were giving chase after him.
s**t. Aziraphale.
"Aziraphale!?" Crowley called out for his friend, not wanting to leave him behind. "Aziraphale, where are you!?" Trying to yell burned his lungs, but he pushed through the burning pain anyway. He'd scream and yell until his throat was raw and bleeding; he'd never leave Aziraphale to fend for himself.
He glanced back. He could see the vague figures of horses, with horns and wings and cackling, horrible laughter. With a sinking feeling in his stomach Crowley realized they'd found them. In the front of the demonic legion, leading the hunt could have only been the devil himself, here to punish Crowley and Aziraphale for thwarting their plans. He couldn't let that happen. Not when they were finally...
"Aziraphale!" he called out again, desperately. Damn it, he couldn't see anything in all this blessed fog! Sweat was trickling down his face from the effort, his lungs hurt and his legs ached -- but he knew if he stopped it would be his end, and he couldn't let that happen until he was sure Aziraphale was safe. He wanted to take off and fly, or to use his powers on the trees to age them enough that they became brittle and crashed down, felling the demonic forces that were giving chase -- but he had none of that at his disposal.
A low hanging branch surprised him, hidden by the fog until it was too late -- it slashed his cheek and Crowley stumbled to the ground. He groaned but he rolled his body, scrambling back up to his feet, and when he raised his head his vision was filled with his hunters -- great, big beasts, with lungs filled with fire that licked up and out from their mouths. The demons bellowed and reared up on their legs, sharp, cloven hooves thrashing the air. Crowley flung himself away from his doom, but just barely. He screamed Aziraphale's name again but whether it was out of desperation to find him or screaming for his help, Crowley wasn't sure.
Blood was trickling hotly down his cheek; if he tried to fight, he would surely die. He was exhausted, but running was still his only option -- so he took off again, narrowly dodging the trampling hooves and horns of the demonic horses. The fog began to clear as he ran, and for a brief moment Crowley entertained a feeling of hope -- he could still hide from the hunters in the shadows with his dark coat, and without the fog, it'd be easier for him to see. If he could just lose them long enough to get away...
In the distance, he saw their cave -- his home. His heart leapt and his legs picked up speed, running as fast as he could to the entrance. Aziraphale had to still be in there!
"Aziraphale! Aziraphale, quick, we need to --"
But the cave was empty. Their meager belongings were scattered around the cave floor haphazardly, as though there had been some sort of struggle. No, Crowley thought as panic began to settle in. Shadows filled the cave, and when Crowley turned around he realized he was trapped. The demons, with their sharp teeth and wide grins, stood in the way of the only path out of the cave.
There's got to be another way, he thought hopelessly. Crowley squeezed his eyes shut. He just needed a minute to think..!
When Crowley opened his eyes again, it was with a gasp. He was still in their cave, but the demons where nowhere to be seen. Immediately, he looked over to the other side of the room, and he let out a shuddering breath when he saw Aziraphale there, still asleep on thick piles of soft furs.
A nightmare. Thank someone, it had just been a nightmare.
Crowley wanted to close his eyes again in a flood of relief, to collect himself, but he was afraid that when he opened his eyes again he'd be right back in that horrible place. Alone.
Instead, he quietly made his way out of the cave to get some fresh air. He just needed a minute to think... |
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Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2023 6:07 pm
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November 2023 November is all about having an “attitude of gratitude” and—Scratch that, I hate when people say that but what they really mean is you can’t complain about or be upset about anything. Being grateful is good, but it’s okay to let out our emotions from time to time. In short, it’s okay to not be okay. Say it again. It’s okay to not be okay. If you’re mad, sad, or whatever it’s okay to express that from time to time–it’s even healthy. I know this time of year is stressful. Write a 750 word RP about you soquili getting upset,mad, or in an argument. Do they rage against the dying of the light? Rant against the heavens? Finally tell someone enough is enough? Or just let someone else know how they feel, even if it’s not pretty or grateful? Maybe you want to make the RP into a parable that mirrors real life but in soquili way. Example (which you can totally use!) IRL your car has stopped working or those vacation plans have fallen through–tell me about how your soquili’s favorite basket breaks when you need it most. How that jar of honey didn’t come out flavored how they wanted. You’ve got the right to vent, so use this as a way to let it your frustrations
Ever since the kidnapping incident with the strange, threatening voice, Brisco and Casimir have been keeping tabs on each other. Brisco was even tentatively considering Casimir a friend; he hoped the other stallion felt the same way. He'd never been very good at telling, and he'd been tricked before because of what he was. It would be sort of funny if it didn't make him so angry. He was the Shifter here, after all -- if anyone was tricking anyone, wasn't it supposed to be him? That's not want he wanted, though. He just wanted to be treated like anyone else, and he didn't want to hurt anyone. Why couldn't anyone believe that about him? It was just all so... infuriating!
No, no -- this wouldn't do. Casimir was coming to visit him today and he couldn't let his anger get the better of him. He didn't want to scare Casimir off, not when he seemed to already be so skittish, and the way they met certainly hadn't helped. So Brisco was trying to control his breathing. Deep breath in, and out... in, and out... he didn't remember where he picked it up, but it was a technique that was supposed to help you calm down. Anger was bubbling up inside his chest again, and he was desperately trying to control it. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter and kept counting his breaths. In, and out... in, and out...
Did things like this really help? Breathing? He found it hard to believe -- especially for a Shifter like him. Controlled breathing wasn't going to fix who he was at his core. A low growl was building inside Brisco's chest, and when he couldn't hold it in any longer he let out a roar, kicking a back hoof against a nearby tree as hard as he could, bark cracking under the impact.
"Oh!"
The startled noise came from behind him, and Brisco whirled around to face the intruder, teeth bared, ready to chase them off for disturbing him -- but the vicious expression on his face melted away when he saw it was Casimir. "Sorry," he said immediately, hoping he didn't scare the unicorn too badly. "I didn't see you. I was just... uh... stretching my leg?" he offered, wincing at how flimsy the excuse sounded.
Casimir was frozen to the spot from Brisco's outburst, one leg still raised, ready to make a run for it if he had to -- then quickly scolded himself for having such a thought. Brisco had shown him nothing but kindness, and after the misunderstanding in the forest, had never given Casimir reason to believe he would be attacked. He took a deep breath and lowered his leg, reminding himself of the golden charm on Brisco's chest that made him different from the others. His ears flicked back against his head and he frowned, not quite believing what Brisco was telling him. "Are you sure that's all? That was rather strong for just stretching out your leg..."
Brisco shrugged and looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the question. "Yeah, that's all. Sorry I scared you. I'd get it if you wanna leave," he said with a shrug, turning away to busy himself with... ugh, he had nothing to make himself look busy with. Now he just felt like a fool.
"What? No, I --" Casimir huffed, annoyed by Brisco's sudden dismissal. Annoyed at himself. "I'm not... scared. I was just startled --"
"Oh, just stop!" Brisco snapped, cutting Casimir off. He turned around to face him again. "I know what I am, and I know what you are. Of course you're scared! Everyone is," he snarled, advancing on Casimir, who couldn't help but back away with each step Brisco took towards him. "Doesn't matter what I do, or how hard I try not to be so angry. Everyone is always afraid and the anger always comes back!"
Casimir stopped retreating when Brisco stopped advancing on him. "You... you may know what I am, but you don't know who I am!" he shouted back, and a part of him was a little amused at Brisco's shocked expression. Maybe he'd think about it again later, but right now, he was too frustrated. "Other soquili used to be afraid of me too! My family are warmongers! I couldn't stop it and everyone thought I was just like them. The only thing I could do was run away, and now all I am is just... scared! All the time!" Casimir took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to calm himself down. "But I'm not scared of you. Yes, I know what you are, but I like to think I'm getting to know who you are too. You're someone with a mouse familiar who trusts you not to hurt him. You're someone who rescued me even after I tried to attack you. So you can't say that everyone is afraid of you when Cardamom and I are right here."
Brisco was at a loss for words. He hadn't expected Casimir to shout at him. He thought he'd just... run away. "... okay," he replied, slowly. "Alright. I'm sorry," he said, and the pair of them lapsed into a brief silence. Brisco, mainly, out of shame and embarrassment. He wasn't used to anyone saying nice things to him and it made him a little uncomfortable. Normally, he'd resort to flirting, but that just didn't feel appropriate.
Eventually, Casimir shook his head. "No, it's alright. I'm sorry. You can't just... not feel your feelings. Even anger. I know it's frightening, but pushing it down will only make it worse." He could only assume that, maybe, Brisco wanted to avoid anger so much because of how others perceived him. Casimir couldn't blame him; an angry Shifter was scary... but that wasn't fair to the ones like Brisco. "Sometimes, when I'm just feeling... too much... if I'm by myself, I just start yelling my frustrations out at the clouds. Like maybe if the Spirits are listening, they'll take some of it off my shoulders... so when I yell, I imagine the feelings flowing out of my body. Have you ever tried something like that?" Casimir asked with what he hoped was an encouraging smile.
"Shout at the sky?" Brisco asked with a light chuckle, shaking his head. "Can't say that I have." He thought that would be that, but when Casimir leaned forward and nodded his head encouragingly. "What -- you want me to try it? Right now?" he said, laughing again. This time, Casimir bumped their shoulders together with a murmured go on, try and Brisco sighed, knowing he wasn't going to get away with avoiding it now. "Fine, fine," he said, stepping away a little to give himself some space. He cleared his throat and looked up at the sky, feeling silly, but did his best to get into the headspace that Casimir described. Imagine the feelings flowing out of his body. "I'm sick of being angry all the time!" he yelled, although it came out more like a roar. He looked back down at Casimir. "How was that?"
Casimir grinned at him. "It was good... for your first try. Allow me," he said, clearing his throat too before looking up at the clouds. "I'm tired of being scared!" he shouted. "I don't want to be afraid all the time anymore!" When he finished, Casimir looked at Brisco again with a smile, and then they both laughed. The tension was broken and they both began to feel a little better. At the very least, they were both more assured of their budding friendship. |
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Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2023 9:20 am
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December 2023 The last thing you remember is…Well, you don’t remember. Strange? Where is this place? It looks like you’re in the middle of dark forest. Was it even dark the last time you were….coherent? Just as you’re about to ask yourself what is going on, you hear what you will later start calling The Voice. “Hello, fool.” The voice is terrifying with how normal it sounds. There’s a slight lilt to it, but that’s it. It seems to come from everywhere or nowhere at once. “Let’s play a game. Right now you’re in the middle of a forest and all you have to do is find your way out. Simple? Yes, truly, just like your mind.” The airy laugh echoes on. “You have two hours.” You shout at the voice asking how you get here, along with a bunch of other questions, but the only answer is– “Tick, tock. Time’s running out little fool. This time we’ll play for a prize and if you fail, well, I won’t take it out on your utter incompetence. But next time…the stakes will be higher.” You spend the next five minutes trying to talk with the voice or reason with, but it refuses to say another thing. Really, whether you like it or not, you’ve only got one choice—GET OUT! Prompt: You wake up in the forest. How you got there isn’t important right now. But the thing is that you’ve been given a time limit by a sinister voice who acts like this is just the first round in some demented game. Whether or not you really want to play, you do know that you don’t want to stay here.
Blackthorn grit his teeth, willing himself to stay calm as he scanned his surroundings. His heart pounded in his chest and he tried his best to ignore it -- he had to focus on surviving whatever sick game this was. A predator toying with their prey? He didn't know, but it seemed the most likely answer. Whatever this was, he wasn't going to go down without a fight. The canopy of trees above him were too thick to allow much sunlight, making it difficult to judge the passing of time. His only choice was to move as fast as he could to escape; wasting no time, Blackthorn bolted through the trees at a gallop. There was hardly anything that he could use to get some sense of direction to make sure he was going the right way, but the forest had to end somewhere in any direction he went, right?
He leapt over a bush, and when his hooves hit the ground -- they kept going. With an alarmed gasp, Blackthron sunk knee deep into thick mud and fell forward up to his neck. Getting his hooves back under himself, he began to trudge through the mud at a slow pace, hoping that whatever monster put him here wasn't going to use this as an opportunity to attack. Every moment spent in the mud made his heart race faster, the vulnerable feeling making panic rising like bile in his throat. He couldn't die here; he had a herd to protect. He didn't even have anyone to take his place if something happened to him!
Yes, yes! Blackthron's hooves were coming into contact with solid ground higher and higher, and before he knew it the mud was only reaching up to his ankles, and then he was out of it altogether. He shook his body and legs, trying to fling off as much mud as he could with minimal success. Still, he was free again. He didn't know how much time it took to get out, so he didn't spend long on it and ran off through the trees again.
The forest was starting to thin out as he ran -- a good sign, he hoped. He longed to return to the safety and comfort of his herd, but the voice's threat of next time had him worried. He needed to warn them that something out there had it's eyes on them. Blackthron was determined not to get caught off guard again. The grass was fading away to hard earth, and with a jolt, he noticed the ground itself split across his path directly in front of him in a deep chasm. He all but skidded to a stop, hooves right at the edge of the cliff. He paused, breathing heavy as he stared down into the pit, then looked to his left and right. The chasm appeared to go straight through the forest as far as he could see. Looking across the way, Blackthorn was certain he could make it across.
Taking several steps backwards -- and then a few more -- Blackthron steeled himself before he broke out into a gallop. He pushed off the ledge with all his strength, and for a few seconds he felt as though he was flying -- and then he hit the other side with a small stumble. The ledge began crumbling away beneath his hind legs, and he quickly jumped forward to safer ground, just as a large chunk of rock fell into the chasm below. He had to spare just a few moments to catch is breath, hoping that he was going the right way -- and then, with a deep, calming breath, he continued on running.
How long had it been since he'd woken up to that sinister voice? How much time did he have left? It had told him he wouldn't be punished if he was too late, but he wasn't going to risk it. Blackthron ran and ran, the muscles in his legs beginning to burn, and suddenly he heard the loud clank! of something metal behind him. Confused, he slowed down a little, then heard another clank! to his right and jumped left, his side hitting against the trunk of a tree, forcing him to stop and collect himself. When he looked at where the sound had come from, his heart sank -- a bear trap.
He was surrounded by bear traps.
He'd been lucky with the two he'd triggered, pulling his legs out before they snapped shut around his ankles. Looking around himself now, he could see many more laid out, ready to capture whatever creature got too close. Blackthron was much more concerned about the traps he couldn't see.
He had to be fast.. but he had to be cautious. Tentatively, he began to step carefully around the traps as he continued onward. After several more feet and very careful steps, Blackthron noticed with great relief that the end of the forest was within sight. He was almost out -- he could make it! Eager to regain his freedom, he moved a little faster through the trees and bear traps, doing his best to remain careful to avoid the sharp metal.
His eyes kept flicking between the traps and the edge of the forest. Another step closer. Then another...
Snap!
Blackthron screamed. He tugged on his leg, but the trap held firm, and he only succeeded in dragging the jagged edges along his flesh, cutting deeper. No! He was so, so close! With tears stinging his eyes, he jerked his leg again with a shout, but still couldn't pull free. He lowered his head to examine the trap; he couldn't see any way to pull it open, not with his hooves, but he could lift the whole trap up and down with his leg.
His eyes tracked the chain it was attached to, and he lifted his trapped leg again to pull it taught so he could locate where it was attached to. He nosed away the fallen leaves to reveal a stake in the ground, and when he pulled his leg again -- with great pain -- the stake moved, too. It was loose! Blackthron closed his teeth around it and pulled. It gave way a little, but not completely. He had to stop for a minute, just breathing, trying desperately not to let the pain overwhelm him.
He was so close...
Steeling himself, Blackthron gripped the stake again with his teeth and pulled again -- this time with success. Flooded with relief, he took much greater care traversing the rest of the way out of the forest, limping and whimpering with pain every time he was forced to put pressure on his trapped leg.
He made it out. But did he make it in time?
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