The Island

[dracoon]

Michael felt the jaws clamp down on his thigh, almost uttering a yell of pain. He had enough as well, now it was battle time. Removing the pipe and holding his breath, he attempted to ram the pipe into the shark's open mouth. If he did succeed it would hold her off for a while so that he could have some time to deal the final blow. Even if it didn't work he could always ride on the fin and decide what to do next. No shark could bite behind its back anyway,

Edited April 26, 2011 by dracoon

[Ramoth]

Feather's motion-triggered eyes had picked out the shark-shifter's dorsal fin long ago. She had stayed to watch what might happen when the strange shifter met the shark-lady of the deep lake. The shark-lady that she knew well enough to keep away from while hunting. After a while the male shifter had dived below the surface, and all she could see was the very end of his pipe, presumably acting as an extended airway while he fooled around underwater. So engrossed was she in watching what would happen next that she didn't really notice when the horse-lady and Stripe left. That odd man had implied that he knew her mother, and Feather wanted to know how.

 

Eventually, she got bored of watching a little pipe wiggle around, and decided to go check the Tribe again. Maybe they'd woken up by now. The eagle-shifter turned to the forest and started trotting through the trees. When she arrived at the clearing, she stopped at the edge, blinking. Well, they certainly move fast once they start moving, she thought, shrugging. Not everyone was as much of an early bird as she was, even without songbirds chirping in her ear. Feather's eyes were drawn to the movement of people getting ready to go, but she kept scanning until she found the leader, standing off a ways and watching. She approached him, dodging around people in the way, and said, "I'm here. How long do you think until they're ready?"

[WonderBubbles]

Carnarl was deep within his thoughts of what he had to do; the lives of his tribe, his friends and family, were in danger. The humans were becoming more active around the site at the volcano, and he knew exactly why. They needed to be stopped, but how could he stop them? An elephant against explosives, lasers and bullets would be reduced to dust, and he wouldn't ask any of the others to attack the hidden base for him. They were all terrified of it, because he had warned them all against it from day one, telling them they would die instantly if they got too close or became too nosy. He ran a hand through his dark grey hair and his gaze followed Zorillo walking to the meeting point, away from the camp, with her arms full of clothing and a makeshift sling across her hip to carry glass bottles and jars. She passed Feather, who dodged around her and stepped up to Carnarl.

"I'm here. How long do you think until they're ready?"

He thought for a moment before replying. "Give them a few minutes, we're just finishing up now."

 

~

 

The skunk shifter rolled her eyes at Tail, unable to smack his hand from her hip because her hands were full. He was taking full advantage of that, and only having the carry a pack of assorted bedding materials, had his limbs free to do what he liked. Zo had not planned that out very well, at all. She twisted away from him, but he followed her movement, grinning and slipping his other arm around her.

"Get off, you feathery twit," she growled, glaring at him.

"Not happening," Tail grinned, eyes glinting merrily.

She huffed and gave up trying to escape from his clutches, leaning forward to rest her head against him. His hands became gentle and his grip on her tightened; he knew he had won this round. The skunk's expression changed, unseen, into a slightly maniacal grin, with a dangerous element to her eyes. She moved her head so her mouth was pressed against his shoulder; kisses were often freely exchanged between the pair, so this was nothing unusual. Tail chuckled and his chest moved, bouncing the teen's head lightly, until he quietened. Suddenly, she drew her lips back and bit into the muscle that buffed up his shoulder, forcing him to leap back with a yelp.

"What was that for?" the bird shifter whined, pouting and rubbing the bite mark.

"For not doing what you're told," Zo winked, amongst laughter of the other shifters around them.

 

((Reposting as a bump. Also, updated the Accepted Characters list. o-o Any user marked with a * is considered inactive and will be PM'd~. I'll prolly be PMing a few others, too. :3))

[Ramoth]

Feather intended to wait patiently and impassively, but that got rather boring. There was only so much interest she could find in watching others pack their belongings, sorting through what was fire-damaged beyond repair. And she rather thought that playing one of her little pranks probably wouldn't go over so well with Carnarl. So she leaned back against a convenient tree and started throwing her little hatchet in little spins through the air, then catching it.

 

Eventually, she stopped when she noticed that the flying weapon was distracting the villagers and slowing them down even more. Feather sighed and cleaned the blade before putting it away. She knew she was fidgeting, but she couldn't help it. She was a bird, and a bird-of-prey at that. She didn't like to wait for others. She would much rather be stretching her wings. But she had made a promise, and she was by the Island going to make good on that promise. It was Mother's way, and Feather tried to remember and honor her mother in any way she could. Otherwise, she might be forgotten.

[hazeh]

The tall woman felt the wet sand beneath her feet, but continued towards the water until the earth squished comfortably between her toes. When she stopped, she noticed the sound of pattering paws trailing after her, accompanied shortly with a familiar yowl. Roko didn't appear to register that the boy (or cub, she should say) was drawing closer. Instead, she remained standing, staring out across the lake, as still as rock as the wind brushed her long, raven hair across her shoulders and back. Both of her hard, dark eyes glared piercingly at the sparkling water, and when Jace's soft fur rubbed against her legs, her eyes did not waver from their spot.

 

More footsteps registered in her mind, but Roko still did not move. Her body was still tense and the muscles along her neck, shoulders, and arms contracted as if under great strain. Both fists sat sternly against her bare thighs, unmoving.

When the adults had approached close enough for Roko to know they were within earshot, the woman's harsh voice broke out in the uncomfortable silence. "What do you want?" Her voice was low and the words were growled- yet, oddly, there was a calm to her tone and a sort of restrained, forced edge, like a person on the verge of tears or angry explosion but trying to reign back the emotions before they got out of control.

 

 

The civet chittered proudly and shoved the clothing towards the fox with her snout as she bounced around, obviously excited with the articles. After a long moment of displaying her findings, the civet suddenly stilled and twitched, a grimace of pain lacing over her expression. The striped and spotted fur retracted into the pale skin of the young girl as her body lengthened out to its correct proportions; when the transformation was done, she wiggled into her clothes and sat cross-legged on the ground, staring back at the fennec fox with a smile on her face. The mask-like marking over her eyes and the spots along her bare calves made her appear somewhat dirty, but she didn't seem to mind. In fact, Grey rather like dirt.

Without warning, Grey's eyelids drooped heavily and she yawned. After wobbling for a short moment, the young teen toppled over in the dirt, fast asleep.

 

 

(Yes. She's weird.)

[WonderBubbles]

((She's very cute. x3

And thank you for posting. :3))

 

The tribe milled around, glancing around. There was no movement around the camp, not even from the small group of stronger shifters, who were staying to help fix everything up. They stood, staring toward Carnarl, as some of the others were.

He took this as a sign that they were ready to go. He grinned and looked down at Feather.

"They're ready to go, but I'll just have a word with them, if you don't mind."

 

The elephant shifter walked toward his tribe and took a moment to look over them; young and old, they were all silent.

"Be safe, my friends," his voice rumbled. "And respect Feather and the caves she will be taking you to. If I hear one word of discord from her, the consequences will not be pretty."

It was an empty threat, and they all knew it. Carnarl smiled widely, the corners of his eyes crinkling and emphasising the crows feet there. "I leave you to her leadership," the leader announced and stepped back for Feather to take them. He had seen her impatience; birds of prey never liked waiting for long.

 

~

 

The equine shifter's voice growled and the tiger winced. She had heard them, and Jace had probably reached her already. Oh well, Stripe thought, and continued padding toward her. Roko would probably want her whip back, which the tigress gently held between her jaws. She padded out from the trees, dropping the coil of leather a meter or so from the shifter, and kept walking toward the lake. She sat by the edge, scanning for the shark's fin. Stripe's whiskers twitched as she scented the air; she could smell blood on the wind, along with the smoke from the day before. Her tail tapped against the sand; hopefully, it was the weird fish's blood, and not some innocent creature's. She wouldn't mind if it were the stripe-dog's blood, either. He was an annoying creature, bothering the lion cub and the three women. Her toes flexed and her claws slid out, digging into the grainy mud.

[RheaZen]

Rin heard more yells and splashing coming from the lake; she ignored it, instead trying to focus on the surrounding foliage for edibles she could forage. Still, it was difficult, as she lived a quiet and secluded life and the odd oddity made for some distraction from the monotony. There wasn't anything to see, though, and it seemed that hings had quieted down slightly. Equal parts relieved and disappointed, she went back to scavanging, then noticed that in her distraction she'd almost made her way to the edge of her unscorched patch. Though she knew it was a bad idea, curiosity pecked at her mind - It was only the edge, there's no harm in checking that out, is there? Assess the damage, see if there was anything she could take for herself. Rin sighed and gave in to the thoughts, first cautiously poking her head out from the greenery and scanning the landscape...

[Ramoth]

Feather nodded and murmured "Thanks" to Carnarl before gesturing for the villagers to pick up their things and follow. Then she turned and started out of the forest at a slow jog. Natives of the forest as they were, they should be able to follow her here. Once they cleared the tree line, Feather paused, as much to give the villagers a short break as to scan the horizon and get her bearings. In the far distance she could see the peak of the volcano. In the nearer distance, she saw a large bird's head poke up from the grass, but disregarded it for the moment. Feather turned back to the Tribal group, and decided that they looked up to further travel. So she gestured them to follow her further and started off towards the west. They would pass by the lake's plain before breaking once more into the jungle.

[WonderBubbles]

Zo followed their temporary leader, the female called Feather, but toward the back of the group. Tail walked beside her, frequenting prodding her arm and trying to put his around her shoulders. She was returning his pokes with slaps and biting his arm, forcing him to pull it away. The shifter was persistent though, so Zorillo attempted to shove him into the side of the donkey shifter walking beside them. She didn't seem too impressed, and trotted ahead, stopping beside another changed shifter.The few that could be helpful in their other forms were all shifted and carrying the heavier items. A young giraffe, looking still unused to his body, with his long legs and jerking gait, didn't carry much. Zo assumed he was freshly changed.

Her dark eyes scanned around them, catching sight of the colourful bird head poking through the leaves and such, and waved at it cheerily. Tail caught sight of it too and grinned. He then began bouncing up and down, while waving both of his arms and calling out "Hello bird! Hello! Hey there! How you doing?" The skunk rolled her eyes and continued to walk properly.

[crypticsoul]

Jace yowled up at Roko, disappointed that she had not picked him up as she had done earlier. So, he contented himself with sitting at her feet and whipping his tail back and forth. He looked up at her, amber eyes innocently curious, unable to understand what was wrong with her.

 

"We were worried," Sauda answered, keeping her distance despite how she wanted to retrieve Jace. Such a pest he made himself sometimes! She looked over to the tigress, who sat by the lake and sighed lightly. Such a mess... "I apologize for Jace's rudeness."

[hazeh]

((aaaaacccckkkk.))

 

 

The lake water grew numb as it lapped over the tops of her bare feet. The coarse sand grains grew uncomfortable under her skin and she unconsciously shifted her weight to relieve the dull ache growing in her right leg. Her dark eyes had swiveled down and locked quietly with the yowling young cub's as his gaze fixated on her own face. If he could speak, Roko wondered what he might say. What he might ask. It was new to her, having a youngster so eagerly dependent on her affection and attention- or at least, that was the feeling she derived from Jace's behavior. None of the colts or fillies had ever expressed to her the same interaction, although she assumed it was because they had been born around her and never found her interesting like Jace seemed to. Besides, Jace was a whole other shifter, something Roko didn't bother herself much with. Meeting the tigress and the lioness was a new experience in itself, but at least they were adults and mature enough of mind to develop an understanding of the limitations of Roko's social network. Jace's young mind wasn't quite able to grasp that Roko was not a very friendly or playful person. And yet, with the child around, she felt strangely as though it didn't matter.

 

It was a long time that the raven-haired woman stood there, gazing distantly down at the lion cub. Her clouded expression had slowly turned thoughtful as she watched him, and with the change in her facial emotion, the tension that wove a rigid posture through her body began to loosen as well. Although the grief continued to swell in her chest, the fierce and explosive anger that simmered from her very being had almost completely vanished. It was only when she realized Sauda had spoken did her blackened earth-colored eyes lift from the cub and up to the redhaired woman. There, her eyes studied Sauda's face for a moment, before Roko sharply glanced away as if she were suddenly aware she had been staring. Upon diverting her gaze, she noticed the whip that had been dropped a little bit away. The tigress was standing closer to the shore, and Roko blinked a brief glance of appreciation in the striped feline's direction.

The woman bent slightly to pick up the leather weapon in both hands. It was a slow motion, as if she were cradling a snake instead, before she finally wrapped it in a tight coil and tucked it in the string on her hip that held together her scant clothing.

 

"Worried?" She echoed, turning to look back at Sauda. Although her tone appeared calm and nearly aloof, there was an undercurrent of vulnerability and confusion hiding beneath as her eyes lifted to meet the lioness's again. It felt strange to Roko to have people around while she struggled with tumultuous emotions; before, Carnal had agreed to keep his shifters from advancing too far in her lands in exchange for her help if anything was ever to happen on their side of the island. Since then, Roko hadn't seen much (if any) of other shifters around her territory. Those who did wander too far were met with her aggression and wrath, and chased from the premises. Similar to how she had been with Stripe earlier, although Roko still silently wondered if helping with the tiger's lizard bite had been an act of compassion or simply a duty she followed in respect to Stripe's leader.

Returning her thoughts to the other felines around her, Roko thought of how out of place she felt amongst them. A horse in a band of carnivores, creatures wired to hunt and devour her own kind. And yet, Roko never felt more kinship with anyone else than she did these women and this little boy.

 

Her gaze drifted away slightly, past Sauda and to the plains behind them, where on a small mound of grass the body of the deceased mare was sitting peacefully. She would have to dig a hole and bury the corpse before it got to decomposing and frightening the others... Then, once that was finished, she would leave. Roko wasn't sure where, but she suddenly had the overwhelming feeling of going away. The herd would be fine in her absence; she never gave much credit to the Alpha stallions for their effort on the other horses' behalf. Roko always took the credit on herself for protecting everyone else, but for an odd reason felt as though that part of her life was over. She wanted- and needed- something new. Something she could depend on for a little while instead of feeling like the wall the others got to lean on. Perhaps she wouldn't have to do it alone, though. Looking back over to Sauda, and then over to Stripe, Roko had the urge to drag them along with her.

 

"He wasn't rude," Roko said after a moment, her voice strangely lighter in mood than it had been previously. A small smile flitted across her face as the wind fanned pieces of her dark hair around the edges of her jaw and temple, haloed in the cheerful sunlight that streamed from the sky. Despite the scabs around her wrists, abdomen, and ankles from her burns, Roko stretched her arms and arched her back until she felt the blood rushing through her limbs. Of course, this little stint of warmth in Roko wasn't going to conquer her natural scowl and sharpness, although it did curb some of her aggressive behavior. She was still the warrior she had made herself to be after years of living by herself. However, now that she actually felt the benefit of friendship, something that had been absent for longer than should ever be allowed, the small inner change had begun to blossom.

 

 

((Wah, sorry for rambling and a pretty much nonsense nothing post D: ))

[crypticsoul]

[sorries, Bubbles, i didn't have a lot to work with this one will be better]

 

Jace sent a smug look in Sauda's direction. He wasn't being rude, he was being helpful! He purred and rubbed himself against Roko's leg, weaving in and out between her feet, before sitting before her again. She seemed happier already and Jace was convinced it was his doing.

 

"If you say so," Sauda answered, smiling a bit as she watched Roko. She sensed a sudden shift in the woman, though it was subtle and very small. It eased her, though and she let herself believe Roko was not out to do anything foolish. In their small time since being here, Sauda felt like she and Jace had finally made friends - at least in Roko and the tigress shifter. Certainly Jace felt as if they belonged here. She knew he would not do well being separated from his new friends. "I just know how his behavior comes off at times,"

 

"I was only helpin'!" Jace, who must of shifted back while she'd been lost in thought, laughed from where he sat at Roko's feet. "Are you happy again?" he asked, looking up at Roko with his bright, blue eyes. The gentle wind blew his bangs from his face and Sauda absently thought of how she needed to trim them.

 

"Jace..." she murmured, ready to call him over but she stopped. Perhaps he wasn't hurting anything. Maybe it was just here. She was so unaccustomed to interacting with people that she perceived all of Jace's outgoing behavior as rude to others. Maybe she was just wrong...maybe Roko needed this.

[WonderBubbles]

((No worries. =D Sorry this has taken me so long. D:))

 

The striped feline gazed out over the water while they were talking, wondering where she had left her clothing. A large paw was lifted to a squared muzzle, and her rough tongue glided over the upper part of it. The russet fur was slightly dampened by her licks, but she didn't mind. A black-tipped ear swivelled back toward the group as Jace's voice joined the conversation. The cub was adorable in either form, and cheerful as a daisy - even around the grumpy equine shifter. He seemed to have a good effect on her, too, which was a relief. Stripe didn't appreciate almost being trampled in the days beforehand, and wouldn't like for it to happen again.

The shifter stood, stretching out her legs and sending ripples through her fur as her muscles shook. She turned to face them, her paws sinking into the muddy sands of the lake-side. Her long tail swung gently to the side, and her whiskers twitched outward as she gave a feline grin.

 

~~~

 

ONE WEEK LATER - AT THE VOLCANO

 

Carnarl glanced behind him, looking closely at a bird cawing high in one of the date palms. He jolted, before shaking himself, when a monkey screeched overhead. His footsteps were quiet, and his body language reeked of anxiety. His pace quickened, his strides lengthening as he neared his destination. The ground began to slope, trees thinning out as the volcano came into clear view. He checked again to make sure he was alone, then broke into a jog. His heavy feet thudded loudly against the grassy soil, and his strong arms swung with his movements. He slowed, staring up at the machine that never failed to amaze him and set his heart racing with fear. The elephant within him told him to stand and face the threat, but he tore his gaze away from the carrier helicopter.

 

The massive vehicle rested in the clearing, surrounded by men with gleaming weapons that drew his nervous eyes. The small group of white-coats were the ones he was heading for. The blades of the black monster shone in the burning sunlight, reflecting beams in many directions. The windows, tinted ebony, sparkled like the black metal of the helicopter itself. Carnarl halted in front of the scientists.

One, a mousy-haired woman who stank of sterile things, turned to face him with a friendly smile. "Carnarl, so glad you could make it."

"Let's just get this over and done with," the shifter muttered, his lips a thin line.

 

~

 

Stripe shifted uncomfortably, peering out from underneath her shelter. She knew the monster of gleaming black was resting by the volcano. Her arms were wrapped around her knees, as if she were cold, when if fact, she wasn't. Fear spiked her veins, chilling her blood, as she thought of the strange beings trampling over their land. This was the shifter's island, and they invaded it so easily, without a second thought. She would have loved to have been far away from the volcano. Perhaps on the far beach, relaxing in the sands, where no creature of theirs would bother to go. Her hazel eyes flicked over the meadow in front of her, smiling at the small group in the grass. The stream bubbled behind her and a gentle breeze danced through the canopy.

 

The tigress flopped, lying down on her stomach and stretching her legs out behind her. Her bare toes dug into the dirt, causing her to wriggle them at the feel of it, as she rested her chin on her folded arms. The warmth of the sun streamed down onto her face, as she lay half-in and half-out of the shade. A quiet, content purr rumbled from her throat and she closed her eyes. Sounds magnified and scents grew stronger as she lay still. The babble of familiar voices kept a gentle smile on her face and the purr in her throat.

[hazeh]

{Waaaaaaahhhh. I totally forgot about this D8< /headdesk x 10000}

 

 

One week had come and gone since the day that her close friend had died. The old mare was buried now on the hill, her grave marked by the freshly churned soil and the littering of flower petals. Though at this point, the wind probably swept them all away. None the less, Roko had sought out a good-sized stone and chipped away at the surface with another rock until a pattern of some sort crudely emerged etched into the stone face. Though only Roko knew of what such odd-looking markings meant, there wasn't much doubt that the runes were Roko's own lettering for the mare's name.

 

Now, however, they had moved away from that spot. The herd filtered in and out of the area where the shifter was, but for the most part left her alone, given her choice of company. She didn't blame the animals for being wary, and she was also astonished how quickly she was able to accept the fact that she shared such close quarters with her own natural enemies. Or, well, predatory wise.

 

Though she had no concept of time at the moment, as she sluggishly pulled herself out of sleep, she had the faintest inkling that she had slept long into the late morning. With a yawn, Roko rolled over, unbothered by the fact that in doing so nearly draped her over Stripe's side. Of course, the shifter didn't allow herself to actually press on top of the tigress, but in her laziness the woman made no movement as to pull away from against Stripe's stretched out body.

 

She mumbled something softly to herself and rubbed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of the grass under her bare back and shoulders. Long, wild dark locks spilled across the ground around her head and neck, and she stretched her long arms up wards for a moment and arched her back to help loosen her sleep-stiffened muscles. Finally, after a long moment, she twisted back onto her belly, though her hip remained against Stripe's. Looking to the other woman now, she was both surprised and not surprised to see the other shifter. Part of her had thought it was Sauda, since the first thing she had smelled was cat. Of course, given her companions were all variations of felines, it would take some getting used to trying to sort them out.

 

A blink of her dark eyes and she recognized the sound coming from the tigress. She exhaled softly through her nose with amusement and smiled faintly outwards towards the sunlit meadow, searching for their other friends. "You're rubbing off on me," she commented with a yawn. "I'm going to turn into a lazy cat before I know it." It was strange, the difference in Roko after the mare died. It was sudden and extremely bizarre, especially since the event didn't seem all that different from what would usually happen in life. However, which ever way it was perceived, something about the other women had profoundly changed Roko in some way. Or perhaps it was that sweet little boy whom she had strangely grown attached to. Either way, the cold-hearted, solitary warrior she had once expressed herself to be appeared to be locked away for the moment, allowing the more carefree, content young woman to emerge. Though she still had her moments of dark anger, none of it was ever directed towards her companions since the day of the mare's death.

 

She swept back her long hair with one hand, propping her chin on the palm of her other hand. "Now then, what's our plan for today?" She leisurely regarded Stripe out of the corner of her dark eyes, lashes lowered mischievously and seductively over the mocha irises.

[SaphiraSapphire]

Rona lingered among the shadows of the trees. She had vanished a long time ago and now had suddenly chosen to reappear. What had happened in the time she had gone? What had changed? Rona still remembered Stripe who had practically raised her when she was nothing more than a mere fledgling, but everyone else was a dull memory. When you were flying above the trees on the wing with other birds, what else could you think about but the elation of feeling the wind coursing past your wings and the knowledge that you were totally and truly free? However, like always, Rona had returned to the ground. Maybe later than usual, but she returned to the ground nonetheless.

 

Like a shadow, she daintily ran up to the edge of the lake and dipped her hands in the cool refreshing water. Blisters and cuts ran along her palm after her fall today from the treetops, and she didn't wish for them to get infected. Sighing with relief, she waded out farther into the lake until she was waist-deep. Maybe I can find my old nest from here. Rona thought as she gazed out into the forest. Who knew if the others were still even on the island? Rona gulped in fear. She hated being left alone. Even in the sky she had her flock and she always knew she had a semi-family to return to when she touched ground again. But what if they had left?

 

 

 

[crypticsoul]

Today marked the longest time Sauda and Jace had spent with other shifters since their family's death. It was...a relief. Where Sauda had been used to constantly keeping a careful eye on Jace, there was now two other women who willingly looked out for him. Jace found it hilarious, of course, when he could successfully elude all of them and cause her a brief panic but they had both adjusted to the company. Quite easily, which surprised her, given they had been on their own for so long.

 

"Jace..." she murmured, reaching out for him as she rolled over. The ground felt good under her back, the give of the dampened grass under her sleep-stiffened back and the smell of the woods around her. She searched the ground, feeling around for the young boy who should be snoozing beside her. When she was met with only dirt, she lifted her head and blinked, seeing only the spot he had been laying in. "Jace?" she asked again and sat up, turning and looking around, sighing in relief when she spotted him stretched out a few feet away. He was halfway between herself and the other two shifters, sleeping quite happily. The sun shone down on him and she had no doubt that's why he had moved there. Jace loved to sleep in the sun, so that spot was more than perfect for them. She could almost hear him purr and she took a moment to watch him, reliving everything he'd been through. This would be good for him. She smiled and shook her head, laying back down now that her cub had been found. She stretched out and put her head in her hands, auburn hair pooling in the grass. Though they lay side-ways now, she could still see the other women.

 

Stripe and Roko. Sauda found them exceptional company and it was nice to talk with shifters closer to her age. Not that Jace didn't make for exciting company...but it was enjoyable to speak of things he didn't yet understand. Plus, they were both interesting and had taken to them, especially Jace, so she had no reason to dislike being with them. Rum-colored eyes narrowed slightly in thought as she studied their companions, smiling a bit at them. "Are you two awake over there?" she called lazily, laughing a bit when Jace whined and rolled over, apparently not appreciating that she would shout while he was trying to sleep.

[WonderBubbles]

((x3 .... o-o just realised Stripe has the potential to be a total cradle robber. ;D

 

Mebbe a little longer than that fer your next post, SaphiraSapphire? ^^))

 

The tigress snorted a quiet laugh, a horse becoming like the cats? She ignored the playful jibe, lifting her head from her arms to look at Roko. Her hazel eyes glimmered with amusement, and her auburn eyebrows lifted at the shifter. Stripe was oddly aware of their physical contact; they were hip-to-hip, and given the minimal amount of clothing they both wore, skin touched skin. A strange sensation tingled from her hip, and travelled the length of her spine. Her purr faltered as her heart skipped when the bronzed woman gazed at her sideways, a cheeky sort of expression on her face. She almost missed the question, but smiled and chuckled at Roo.

"I was just planning on lying in the sun all day," she paused, winking jokingly. "Like the lazy cat that I am."

 

A murmur of sound, followed by a slightly more concerned repeat of the young lion's name, caught her attention. Stripe propped herself up on her elbows, lifting her brows in question. Jace was sprawled between the three women, in the warm sunlight, looking so peaceful that it brought an affectionate smile to the shifter's face. He was purring so quietly, it was hard to hear it, but it was still heart-warming. A soft call came from the lioness, and Stripe grinned at her, showing pointed canines.

"Of course not, I'm too much of a lazy cat," she joked, pushing Roko gently with her hip.

 

Stripe stretched out her arms and legs again, groaning quietly as several joints popped. She ran her sun-tanned hand through her orange hair, dragging her fingers through the knots of the longer parts of her hair. Her eyes drifted to Roko's long ropes of a mane, wondering how the mare would look with it combed out and clean. She was sure she would be beautiful, but there would be less of the attractive un-tamed element to the woman's appearance. Stripe mentally stumbled, blinking as she backed up her thoughts. Attractive? Where had that come from, she wondered, looking away from the other shifter.

 

((Should I go through the character list and delete the people who haven't posted in a long while?))

[hazeh]

A light chuckle sounded in Roko's chest at Stripe's response, and she rolled back onto her shoulders, chin tilted back to allow the brief glimmers of sunlight to fall over her exposed throat. Part of her wondered what it was like to purr- what did it feel like? How did they do it?- and then she mused over the thought of being an actual feline. All her life she knew only of being hunted by predators, even if she did develop ways of defending herself and her horse kin. And it was just so strange how easily she was able to lay beside and pressed up against a very creature who could have killed her in her sleep.

 

She turned her head to gaze up at Stripe. The pointed teeth of the tigress no longer unnerved her like it had a while ago, and she calmly studied the woman's face as she spoke to Sauda. Then, with a smile, she flopped over onto her side to look at the redhead a few feet away from them, the young boy stretched out between them happily. She pushed away a lock of dark hair before grinning at the lioness and answering, "Nope. This one here-" she jabbed a thumb back towards Stripe in gesture, "-is too damn lazy. No such thing as waking up when she's around." She winked playfully at Sauda before laughing and propping her head up on her palm, an elbow resting comfortably in the grass.

 

Jace was sleeping peacefully- or had been before Sauda interrupted him- and Roko had the overwhelming urge to scoot over to him and curl him into her arms in a fierce hug. Oh well, she supposed he wouldn't be all too fond of that idea, especially since he appeared to be enjoying his sunlight. She chuckled softly again before yawning discreetly and eventually sitting up, strong arms stretched upwards above her head. She brushed the chords of her long hair from her shoulders and they fell in curly waves down her back, reaching the ground she sat on easily.

 

As she sat gazing up at the canopy, she began to seriously think about what their plans might have been for the day. It didn't seem either of them had much of an idea of any long-term goal besides survival. Roko didn't even know what she wanted out of life anymore, now that she didn't have the great need to protect her horse herd. Now she had other shifters she wanted to protect and give her life for, but they were just as capable of fending for themselves. Perhaps that was a reason she had taken to Jace so much; he was so innocent and sweet, she couldn't bear to allow any harm to befall him.

 

"Sauda," she suddenly said, turning somewhat to face the lionness and in turn lazily resting the curve of her back against Stripe's arm, "Does Jace know how to swim?"

 

((Yeah, probably ))

[crypticsoul]

"If you wanted to call it swimming," Sauda answered, lifting her rum-colored eyes to the equine shifter. She smiled a bit. "He mostly just splashes about until he gets where he wants to be," she added, a fond smile lifting the corners of her mouth even further.

 

"I don't splash about, Sauda," Jace grumbled, rolling over onto his back before finally sitting up. He yawned, stretching his arms above his head and letting out a pleasured yowl. His wild, blonde hair was pointing out in all direction and Jace shoved it back out of his baby blues as a large grin spread across his lips. His young, but pointed, teeth glistened in the sunlight. "I'm an expert swimmer!" he informed his closest companion, jumping up onto his feet and stretching once again. Sauda shook her head.

 

"I would not go that far," Sauda commented, propping her chin up in her hand to better watch him. "You are certainly not a fish and, as I must be honest, you look a bit clumsy flapping about in the water."

 

"Sauda!" Jace shouted, putting his hands on his hips and glaring at her. He could not hold the angry facade for long, as he laughed and ran over to her, flopping onto her back. He buried his face in her Sauda's curly, auburn locks and giggled. Sauda rolled and wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly. After the affectionate, good morning hug, Jace untangled himself from Sauda's arms and ran over to Roko and Stripe. "Are we going swimmin', Roo?" he asked, throwing his arms about her and nearly sending the two toppling back over Stripe. He managed to get his arm about the tigress too, sharing the same good morning embrace with them as he had Sauda.

 

Yes, to Jace, there was no difference in their shifter species and he loved the two women same as he would his own family. Well, to him, they were a family now.

[hazeh]

Delighted chuckles, a low, husky sound in her throat, rose from Roko as she watched the exchange of heated answers from Jace and his cool-cat adopted mother. He was certainly quite the angel to be around, and for not the first time since Roko had encountered the young boy and his caretaker, she reconsidered her position on the male creatures of the island. Most of those she'd come across hadn't done anything to impress her or improve her opinion of them, but whenever this little boy became a man...Well, Roko was certain he'd be quite the catch for any lucky girl.

 

She smiled when Jace and Sauda rolled around. His happiness was certainly infectious, and for a brief moment the image of the three women rolling around together like little children flashed before her eyes and made her stifle a surprised laugh. Only when Jace detached himself from Sauda and came to throw himself at her did Roko's blink away her playful thoughts and laugh without restraint. She rocked back against Stripe from Jace's momentum, but encircled the boy's torso with her long arms and squeezed him back with equal affection. Once they had settled a bit, she unwound her arms from around him and tussled his hair, the burst of open friendliness pulled back a little with the resurface of her more reserved nature. Of course, she was still smiling, and she gazed over at Sauda with a suggestive smirk. "Well? Aren't you joining us?" She asked, gesturing to their pile of bodies with a small tilt of her head.

 

Glancing over at Jace, Roo answered, "Perhaps, if it's of any interest to everyone else. The river should widen out somewhere in these parts that would be suitable for a dip. Plus," her dark eyes flickered to each female for a moment, "I hear food there is quite plentiful." Though she didn't mind the coarser grasses in this area, where the soil was dryer and the greens tougher from the heat, the river banks were moist and lush, with even some edible fruits in the bushes and trees. Craning her head back now to peer across the meadow, she noticed that her herd was no where in sight, and casually wondered if they had also thought of the river in terms of resource availability and preference.

 

I wonder, she thought, a grim moment befalling her, I wonder if Sauda or Stripe would ever eat a horse. Before, she could see either the tiger or the lion chasing after am equine for dinner as they might a stag or a rabbit. Though there weren't any other shifters in her herd, she wondered if they had ever eaten another shifter before. Certainly, she would still protect her herd from any predator and she was sure neither Sauda or Stripe would disrespect her by that, but it still made her curious. Thankfully, the river's bounty also brought other animals to the vicinity, not to mention the fish that swam through its crystal waters.

 

 

Edit: (Oh! I forgot about Grey!)

 

A small, high-pitched squeaky noise came from the bundle of fur curled up in a ditch of earth, and it lifted its dark head and blinked upwards sleepily. Dust cascaded down from the bridge of its nose, where it had partially buried itself in the dirt in effort to dig itself the bed-hole. Two rounded ears twitched upwards, and with each passing moment her eyes grew brighter and more alert. When the civet had become fully awake, it clambered out of its hole and gave itself a good, earnest shake and another squeaky yawn of contentment.

 

Limbs stretched outwards and its head grew round and thick, with a curtain of shining black hair striped with grays growing from her scalp. When Grey sat fully shifted as a human, she reached above her to stretch and warm up her muscles with a smile. "Fruuuit?" She sang softly to herself, crawling to her knees and searching with large, curious eyes at the trees around her. When the leafy branches yeilded nothing promising, she frowned in disappointment and decided to inspect her bed-hole again. Buried in the soil was worn, dirty cloth, which she pulled from the dirt without hesitation and wiggled her thin figure into. She gave her make-shift clothes a few determined pats before turning around and searching the surrounding area for an idea of what to do. She was hungry and a little thirsty, but she didn't know this part of the island that well. She'd have to spend time rummaging around and exploring; and while it was an idea she found enticing, her hunger pains and the small ache in her muscles was a reminder of the fact that she hadn't eaten in quite some time and would be in danger of succumbing to physical weakness should she fail finding sustenance soon.

 

She remembered there had been other shifters about a little while ago. Though it had been a couple days since she'd seen any, she still hoped her travels would allow her to stumble across some again. Even if she was supposed to be a more solitary animal, human contact still comforted her. She still loved the affection of another being, their protection and their attention. She didn't care that she would soon be a young woman; she would always be a child at heart, and her youthful features exposed it quite well.

 

With a small, uncharacteristic sigh, the young girl began to trudge through the spacious tree trunks. Stretches of grasses would periodically appear through the trees, some of which she leisurely walked through and others she avoided, due to the fact that they were large and she could potentially fall prey to some hungry predator. She was an omnivore herself and could have gone for a good bird egg or fish, but she was too weak at that point to fight off something larger and more dangerous than herself. It scared her a little to think that she could be in danger out there, even though this was technically her homeland- but without the help of older, more experienced shifters, she might was well be a rabbit to a wolf.

 

It had only been an hour into her travels when the first wave of dizziness caught hold of her. She swayed to the side and caught herself on a trunk trunk with one hand, the other pressed to her temple as she tried to fight off the blackness in her vision. Her stomach clenched painfully in her abdomen and sweat beaded down the sides of her face. She was panting softly and clung to the side of the tree for the shade it provided, but soon her grip slackened and she simply leaned against it.

After a few moments rest, Grey was able to grapple a little more energy from the small reserve she had left and stood to continue. Yet, in that moment, her hearing seemed to activate and she stilled, head cocked to the side as she listened. Was that...laughter? Her heart trembled in her chest. If it was, she would be elated to find company! But if it wasn't, she would be so terribly disappointed. Grey hated to be hopeless and despairing, and suddenly a wave of angry tears engulfed her and she rubbed them vigorously from her eyes, shaking quietly in her spot.

Edited December 27, 2011 by Shiny Hazard Sign

[WonderBubbles]

((How could yooou? ;-;

c;))

 

The soft curve of Roko's back rested against her arm, the warmth of another person seeped through her skin. The long, thick hair had fallen partly onto her arm as well, tickling her gently. Her slender fingers twitched as she suppressed the strange want to touch it, and she balled her hands into loose fists, closing her eyes. She only half-listened to the conversation about the young male's swimming abilities, half-smiling when she thought of how well she could swim. As a tiger, she adored water, and would like to teach the little lion how to swim, if the other women would let her. Stripe didn't see the cub bouncing toward them after asking if they were going swimming, but felt the impact of him beside her. Her eyes flew wide-open, pupils dilating into the hazel iris as a boyish arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer to Roo and the boy. The equine shifter rolled back onto the feline, and Stripe chuckled at his exuberant actions.

 

She turned her gaze toward the cub, lifting her upper torso up and resting her forearms on the dirt. The woman beside her ruffled the boy's hair, after embracing him affectionately, and Stripe grinned at him. The tone of the woman's voice in her next question, directed toward the lioness resting a little way away, coloured the little shifter's cheeks. Roko's eyes flicked to her as she continued on, and the cat hoped she didn't look too pink. The mention of food piqued her interest and she hummed thoughtfully.

"I'd like to go," she murmured, escaping the grip of the younger shifter and sitting up. She brushed the loose soil from her skin before glancing at the woman in front of her. She could only see the back of her head, and the slim torso, but something tensed and changed. Roko gained a sombre element to her reclining form.

 

Stripe leaned forward, putting her mouth closer to the other woman's ear. "Is everything okay?" she asked quietly, looking at the dirt to the front of them. She stayed there for a moment longer, her soft exhalation washing over Roko's ear, before straightening up. She scented the air, half-closing her eyes as she concentrated on deciphering the smells. All that she could smell were the normal jungle odours, but she knew the shiny, black monster was still on their island.

 

((We've only got seven people now, but I think it might be six, since I'm not sure if Rhea's still in the RP. ))

[crypticsoul]

"Sure but I wouldn't want your laziness to rub off on me," Sauda replied in response to Roko asking if she was going to join them. She smirked at her, clearing eying her for a moment before getting up and strolling over. The sun caught her auburn hair, giving life to the reddish locks and a soft glow to her face. Full, supple lips curved into a smile as she sat before her two female companions and cub. "As for going to the river, I don't see a problem with it. Jace would love it, I'm sure."

 

"I would!" Jace nodded in agreement, tilting his head back to look up at Roko. He sat quite contently between her legs, that was, until something caught eye. He jumped up instantly and made to take off but Sauda caught him, blinking at him questioningly.

 

"What is it?" She asked, looking over her shoulder to try and see what he might have spotted. Jace wiggled free of her grasp.

 

"Well, I don't know yet, Sauda!" he laughed, shaking his head at her apparent silliness. How was he supposed to know what it was until he went to look? She was so silly. "That's why I'm go find out."

 

"Alright but be careful," Sauda told him, watching him for a moment before looking back at Roko and Stripe. "He won't be long and then we can go. There would have been no satisfying him unless he went to see," she explained, though it wasn't really necessary. Jace was a typical young one, any cub (or pup, or foal, or what have you) would have passed up the opportunity to exercise their curiosity. She glanced over her shoulder again when she heard the rustle of leaves, signifying Jace had disappeared into the woods around them. Her muscles tensed, as if she may get up to go after him, but she assured herself that he was fine.

 

"He's going to want every one of us in that river," she murmured, not terribly excited about the idea of jumping into the water. She didn't mind swimming but only if it was necessary and she hardly ever did it for fun. Jace, however, adored the water, strangely enough. He was the only lion she'd ever met to love it so much. She glanced at Stripe. Surely, the tigress was an excellent swimmer, she'd heard that tigers loved the water, and could teach Jace how to swim. She would ask the woman when they reached the river. Sauda fell to the side, letting her head rest on Roko's thigh. The equine's skin was warm and soft against her cheek. "I hate swimming," she added quietly, a note of disgust to her voice. There was just something about purposely getting all wet that she couldn't stand and she couldn't fathom how others liked to do it.

 

[Jace]

 

After successfully escaping Sauda's (and the other girls') watchful eye, Jace ran to the edge of the clearing and into the bushes. He thought he saw someone back here. But who? And why? If there was someone, why had they just not come out to see them?

 

Jace knew he wouldn't mind another friend. So, he kept looking.

 

After a moment, for it only took a moment for him to lose interest, he had decided to go back and inform Sauda it had only been a play of the light. However, when he turned to run back, he spotted something. Or rather, someone.

 

"Hey!" he called and ran over to the girl by the tree. She was who he had seen before! Jace slowed, however, when he noticed her expression. Had she been crying? And she was shaking. Jace frowned. "Hey, why are you crying?" he asked her, stopping right before her and tipping his head. Suddenly, something clicked in his head and he blinked at the girl. Something smelled very familiar about her but Jace couldn't put his finger on it. "Are you okay?" he asked her, since she didn't answer his first question. Not that Jace gave her a lot of time. He reached out and pushed her hair from her face, so he could see it more clearly. Jace really didn't give much thought to personal space. "If you're alone, you can come back with me. I bet my family won't mind. We're going to the river to go swimming and Roo says there's lots of food there."

 

[SaphiraSapphire]

Rona watched a young boy run over to a weeping girl at the edge of the trees. She herself was carefully concealed within the dark, large branches of an oak tree. Seeing, but unseen. A soft wind ruffled the branch above her as she knelt on an especially large branch that was about twenty-feet off the ground. It felt a little like home. However, here, it didn't feel natural. Here was a creature that was supposed to be in the sky, kneeling and clinging to a mere branch in order to keep from falling and letting gravity take its course. Sighing, Rona backed up a little and cut the sole of her exposed foot on a sharp twig that somehow found its way onto her branch.

 

"Darn," Rona narrowed her eyes onto the spot where the twig had pierced skin. At first, she didn't want to risk falling off just to pull out the twig. However when she shifted her position on the branch slightly, a sharp shock of pain emanated from the place where the twig had entered her foot. Gritting her teeth, Rona leaned down and felt around her feet for the annoying piece of wood. It took her about a few seconds to find the twig, as she brushed over her foot with her hand while simultaneously trying to balance herself on the branch. Finding it, she yanked it out triumphantly. As little as it was, blood still stained the wood. In disgust, Rona flung it away knowing that if there were any predators near her general area, they would smell her immediately. The last thing she wanted was to leave a blood trail. So where to?

 

Rona looked around her to see any way to move without having to venture down from her tree. Eyeing everything around her, she finally locked onto the branch above her. That particular branch happened to interlock with a branch from another tree. From there, she could move from tree to tree. Your blood trail... a voice in her head reminded her. Right... Rona thought. Hastily, she snatched a leaf from a bushel of leaves hanging above her. To the eye, it looked clean but you could never be absolutely sure. However, Rona was beyond caring. She used some vines from the tree to bind the leaf to her foot. Then she ground her teeth together, and began to climb.

 

It didn't hurt as much as she thought it would, but it began to ache after a few minutes. Luckily, by then she had managed to swing up onto the upper branch. Unfortunately, it was thinner up on this branch than the one below it. She edged out onto the branch carefully. The rough bark chaffed her feet, but she was too concentrated on her task to notice. Rona almost reached the intercrossing branch, when a strong wind began to blow. She gave a small shriek in surprise as she clung to the branch for dear life. The branch began to dip up and down, back and forth violently. Rona was growing hysterical with fear, yet she refused to utter another sound. Suddenly, she wished that she hadn't tied on the leaf. It caused her foot to begin to slip. Now, she screeched as use began to skid off the branch.

 

In desperation, Rona decided to make a leap for it. She pressed her hands against the scratchy bark and propelled herself forward toward the other branch. Rona let out a victory yell as her hands touched the other branch and she swung herself up onto it. Her feet never touched down onto the branch. Rona was no monkey and she overshot her swing. Instead of swinging herself safely up onto the branch, she used too much force and swung herself off of the branch. Screaming, Rona began her rapid descent toward the ground.

 

Now, this hurt a lot more than she expected falling would. Every so often, there would be a small crack against her back as a branch collided with her spine. Rona winced and tried to shift. However, she couldn't concentrate on changing form. It was supposed to be easy just a simple change of skin, but she couldn't do it. Still screaming, Rona counted the feet as she fell. When she got to five, she braced herself for the hard impact against the ground. She took a deep breath in and:

 

Crack! her back met the ground. Pain ran through her, she felt broken all over. Squeezing her eyes shut temporarily, she tried to stand up and found she could do it. However, it wasn't worth the pain so she lay back down and waited for someone to find her. Someone definitely had to hear all the ruckus she made as she fell off the tree. It wasn't the pain that shook her, it was the fact that she fell. All her life, she had never once fallen. Not even when the other fledgelings shoved her, trying to knock her down. Rona hadn't fallen. Not even when she was distracted and half-concentrated when she was climbing, she had never fallen. That was the thing that shocked her the most as she lay there contemplating everything in her life. Someone will find me... she thought as she drifted off into unconsciousness.

[hazeh]

Roo:

 

Roko felt a sudden warmth beside her as Stripe leaned in closer. Had it been a week earlier, the equine-shifter might have tensed considerably and moved away, but as it was, Roko trusted these women (and Jace) more than she had ever trusted anyone before. Living with them and talking to them had pushed aside her aggressive, solitary nature. It allowed her to open up somewhat and enjoy herself and their company. Besides, there was just something about them that she couldn't help but adore.

Thus, when Stripe's words tickled at her ear, a faint smile met her lips and she tilted her head back against the tigress's shoulder, peering up at the woman with calm, deep mocha eyes. "Of course," she answered, a tinge of warmth in her voice. She was surprised Stripe had picked up on her little bout of solace, but it was almost a pleasant surprise- she was glad to have someone as tuned to her emotions almost more than she was herself.

 

When Sauda stood up, Roko lifted her head again and watched the lioness saunter over, dark eyes rolling over the woman's body as it was dappled in the sunlight. "Hey, don't worry about me. This one's the lazy one," she answered, smirking at Stripe from the corner of her eye and giving her a gentle, playful nudge with her shoulder.

 

Jace leapt out of Roko's lap and bounded away, obviously curious about something in the trees. Roko gazed at the foliage for a moment, trying to pick out what he had seen, but like Sauda didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. Once the boy had bounced into the trees and disappeared, she refocused her attention on the redhead sitting on the ground next to them.

Sauda's cheek rested onto Roo's exposed thigh. At first, the equine stilled somewhat, taken aback by the contact, and left a little breathless in delight. Even still, a moment later, she lifted her hand with slight hesitation before placing her fingers against Sauda's coppery hair and slowly combing through it. Every time she touched the woman's head, she wondered what it might have felt like to have someone do the same to herself.

Roko chuckled lightly at the lionness's muttered statement. With the tips of her fingers, she gently outlined the edge of Sauda's jaw and responded with a hint of amusement as she leaned forward to gaze down at the shifter, "Don't be so certain. You haven't swam with us yet."

 

Minutes went by, until sudden, peculiar sounds erupted from one direction. Roko jerked upward in surprise and stared toward the way it had come from, immediately wondering if Jace had been anywhere near it. Of course, she realized he had bounced off in a different direction than where she'd heard the ruckus, though it was still uncomfortably close. "Come on," she said quietly, cupping Sauda's cheek briefly before wiggling out from under her. As she rose, she grasped Stripe's arm to encourage the tigress after the strange noise.

Horses typically didn't go to investigate the source of bizarre noises, especially when it sounded like screaming, but her concern for Jace awoke her protective instincts and she hurried into the trees. She was sure Sauda would be even more concerned for her adopted son's welfare, and so hastened along. It didn't take long, however, to catch a glimpse of two figures standing near a tree trunk. One of them, thankfully, was Jace, and he seemed unharmed. The other was a young girl Roko recognized after a moment of gazing at her, and the girl's hands were by her eyes as if she had been crying. Had she been the one to make the noise? She frowned, a little skeptical, but arrived before the youngsters with concern.

 

"Jace? Is everything alright?" She asked, looking between the lion cub and the adolescent girl.

 

 

Grey:

 

The wave of tears didn't cease for some time, and her lightheadedness only grew exponentially. She swayed a few times before finally falling back against the tree trunk, but thankfully her legs didn't go out and she remained standing. She almost didn't hear the soft crunch of footsteps over the sound of her hiccups.

When Jace spoke, Grey looked up with a start, her red-brown eyes bleary and blinking from exhaustion and crying. She found it difficult to focus on the boy's face, but suddenly his hands were brushing her hair away, and she gazed at him through wide eyes. He started speaking of food and rivers and swimming and something called a Roo. What caught her particular attention, however, was a different word. "F-family?" She said quietly, and suddenly her brain noticed something and she felt as though she had recognized him from somewhere. Had she seen him before? His family? She hadn't recalled coming across a family before, though. It was always lone shifters or those that lived with wild animals. She'd seen families before, observed them with pangs of envy, but for some reason had stayed away from them. They always seemed so happy together, unlike the loners she usually found.

But this boy seemed so nice, and she liked how kind he was being to her. Her eyes dropped to the floor and she nodded faintly before reaching out quietly and closing her fingers around his hand, her other hand lifting to wipe away the remaining tears on the back of her forearm.

 

Sudden, loud noises came from nearby and above and Grey jumped, moving closer to Jace instinctively and clasping his hand tighter. It sounded like someone had gotten attacked or something, and in her weakened, dazed state, fear rose and gripped her. When a tall figure came up to them, she darted behind Jace and covered her face with her hands. She didn't feel like being bubbly and excited right now; instead, more tears started to trickle down her cheeks and she dug her short, dirty fingernails into her scalp to make the pounding in her head go away.

 

[WonderBubbles]

She chuckled quietly at the gentle nudge, rolling her eyes and using her palm to give a gentle push back, against the woman's shoulder. Her bronzed hand curled around the warm curve for a moment, before she pulled her hand back and settled it a safe distance away.

"Cubs," the tigress purred quietly, an amused smile dancing across her face as the young boy darted through the trees.

It widened at the lion's obvious dislike of water, and she payed no mind to her getting cozy with the equine shifter. She caught the glance the woman threw her way and quickly changed her expression to a playfully innocent one. A gust of wind threw her hair over her face and her hazel eyes widened in surprise. It had come out of nowhere; but what else could be expected of weather? There was no way it could be tamed, especially storms. The shifter brushed her orange hair from her eyes and turned her nose to the wind. She could taste the electricity from an oncoming, or close, thunderstorm. Stripe decided she would worry about it later, when it was threatening them, instead of the ocean.

 

A panicked cry came from behind them, where Jace had run off to. Her head whipped around, and a low growl rumbled in her throat as her change begged to begin. She quelled the desire to turn into the tiger as she heard a dull thud and a painful crack was carried on the wind. A hand wrapped around her arm and she immediately followed the direction, standing and darting after the equine. Stripe was struck once more at the height difference between the two of them, slightly disgruntled at the insignificant stature her genetics had given her.

They came upon Jace and a small girl, not much older than a cub by the look of her, standing together. The crying girl caught sight of Roo and hid behind the lion cub. Stripe tilted her head; she wasn't the source of the thud, was she? She couldn't have been, it sounded like a fall from the lower canopy.

 

Stripe scented the wind, which had lessened considerably, and smelled the blood laced through the scent of other things.

"I'll be back," she muttered to Roko, already walking in the direction of the scent.

It didn't take long to find the young female, sprawled on the ground and bleeding from her foot. The tiger frowned, crouching and putting her hand gently over the girl's chest as she felt for a heartbeat. It was faint, but it was there. A hand over the lower part of her face indicated breathing, judging by the soft exhales tickling her palm. She frowned, wondering how best to take care of the situation. There were possibly unseen injuries to the girl's body, which she had no wish to make worse, but she needed to be moved.

 

With an arm under her knees, and the other supporting her neck, she lifted the girl, with some difficulty, and turned to carry her toward the others. Stripe got back to the clearing where Roko and Jace were, and gently put the unconscious girl on a dip between massive tree roots.

"Found this," she offered as an explanation, running her hand through her hair.

 

~

 

Zo slapped the hand away, returning to the difficult task of keeping the child still. Tail just wanted to annoy her as she helped the older woman with her nephew, and she was getting sick of it. She shot him a glare, warning him with her expression that she would do something about it if he didn't stop soon. He danced about behind her, and she returned her attention to the infant in front of her. Several of the caves were brilliant child-care centres, but the kids still needed to be cleaned. He splashed about in the shallow water, whimpering as his aunt wiped away grime. Zo was fine with horrible-smelling things; being a skunk, she was immune to most bad scents, as she emitted some of the worst herself.

 

A stinging pain and an echo of a slap resonated, one through her body and the other through the shallow cave. Zorillo completely let go of the kid and whirled to face a grinning Tail. He pulled his hand behind his back, and she uttered a highly pitched chitter. His expression fell as she began to change, and he started to back up, flattening against the cave wall. As she chased him, plume of a tail standing straight as a pine tree, the woman left holding the child chuckled quietly, before resuming her work.

"I'm sorry, Zo!" Tail wailed, before emitting a panicked squawk.

 

((Zo doesn't like being smacked on the butt. c:))

Edited January 6, 2012 by WonderBubbles