The Island

[LordTorch18]

(everyone needs to interact with someone. I'll eventually get to you guys. )

[crypticsoul]

((ah, this is unnaturally hard i don't know what to do!))

 

A fennec fox was crouched in the bushes on the far side of the river, obsidian eyes transfixed on a large bush thirty feet in front of him. Blackberries. The sole object of his desire. He must have those blackberries. A twig snaps and he takes off, small, lithe body bounding across the forest floor. He is about the size of a cat, just as agile and quick, but his ears seem to be two times bigger than his small head. They catch every sound, from the crunch of a leaf to the roar of a predator.

 

As he ran, a strange things happened. This small creature began to change, shift if you will, into a different type of creature. Fur disappeared, bones popped and stretched, a pain that was harsh but bearable, and skin was stretched over this completely new, larger form. Hair as dark as the tree bark around him sprouted from his head, falling wildly down over his shoulders. By the time he reached the bush, he walked on two legs and was not a fox, but a human. Tall, easily over six-foot, with a body that was toned from years of living in the forest. Hunting, fighting, training, all had sculpted lean, hard muscles under the man's tanned skin. He wore loose jeans, cut off at the knee, that were a little worse for wear but they suited him. Wrapped around his broad chest were tattered, dirt-stained bandages, soiled from the days work, hiding something from the world. Old converse smashed the grass under his feet. He pulled a small band from his wrist and gathered up his hair into a ponytail, pulling it away from his broad shoulders and face. Dark green eyes were revealed, set under a strong brow, transfixed on the prize before him. He was simply called Hale.

 

A large hand reached and plucked a dark berry from the bush and the man studied it for a moment before popping it into his mouth. Juice burst free onto his tongue, tart and sweet, earning a satisfied sigh from the young man. He filled his bag with the ripe berries, tying it securely to his belt before moving to leave. He made little sound as he walked the jungle, following the path he knew by memory, the setting sun at his back. The hike was short, compared to the longer ones he'd taken for most of the day, and he was soon approaching a cave. Her scent, mixed with the earthy smell of burning wood, reached his nose and he knew she was already back. She normally beat him, for he hardly ever returned before sunset, but that was the way her preferred it. This was no cause for worry. When he finally arrived, he ducked into the entrance of the cave, rising when the rock ceiling was high enough. As he passed her, he dropped the bag of berries by her head, before retreating father back into the small cave. There, he sat down and began removing his dirty bandages.

 

His gaze flickered up to the female who owned this den, settling on her for a moment, a studious frown on his lips. The puma shifter, Avery. He had met her a number of months ago, one of a handful of other shifters that he'd met, and it had been a rocky start. She didn't trust him and he didn't trust her. She tried to kill him and he tried to kill her. It was one single, brief moment that changed them. In that moment, in Avery, he saw his sister. They were around the same age and had similar enough faces that one could almost confuse the two. However, where his sister was dead, Avery was not.

 

"Eat them or I'm going to." he remarked suddenly, his baritone voice echoing in the cave, returning his gaze to his bandages.

 

((hope you don't mind, Crystal!))

[Diamondeyes]

((So I ish abusive roommate?))

 

Avery looked up at Hale entering and her lip curled a bit((Huh? human lip curling? IMPOSSIBLE!)). The young girl picked up a stone and pitched it at him roughly. She reached in the bag and grabbed a couple, then tossed the bag back at him. "There was an angry black mare shifter in the field today. Looked as if she was going to attack Stripe, that tiger shifter." Her eyes watched him as he took off his bandages and sighed. It was not in her best interests having to share her cave, but Hale wasn't around a lot and that made everything better. Avery lifted one of her legs in the air for a moment, then sat up. Putting a couple of the berries in her mouth, she watched the trees, suddenly alert."Theres another mountain lion shifter here. Hold down the fort while I'm gone pipsqueak.". Her hazel eyes shifted back and forth suddenly, trying to decide what to do next. Avery shifted, her body coding becoming different as she became a quadrupedal animal. She let out a yowl and leaped out of the cave, the padding of her paws becoming a rhythm that was easy to follow. Her silvery eyes searched the trees, looking for the shifter she'd seen. Her ears heard the heartbeat and subtle paw movements. Avery leaped into the tree and looked for her. Beneath her, she saw a human girl, admiring her knife. The scent was right. The mountain lion became a human once again. Her breath rate rocketed as she became the vulnerable, young girl she truly was. Gripping onto the branch, with her knife in between her teeth, she swung down in front of the girl.

"Hello" She ventured coolly, tucking her knife back in its holster, but ready if the situation turned hostile.

[hazeh]

The ebony mare speared her forehooves into the earth just in the spot where the tiger had finished her transformation. The feline had jumped out of Roko's way, however, and the horse fluidly turned to give chase. With muscular legs pumping smoothly beneath her blackened body, the mare snapped at the tiger's whipping tail the closer she came to the sprinting cat. It was easier for Roko to keep up such a gallop, given horses were built for running- however, as the horse herd took in the sight of the tiger, they fired off shrill neighs and raced away in a thundering stampede. The noise distracted the black mare for a moment as one of her ears lifted off her skull and swiveled towards the panicking herd, and slowly she fell a few yards behind the tiger.

 

When the cat changed directions, the mare let loose a harsh whinny and lunged after her again. Hooves pounded angrily through the tall grass and over the soil that separated her and her target with a decreasing distance. As the sound of rushing water rose to meet the horse's senses, a rough bray heaved from her lungs and sweat slicked her glossy hide. The tiger appeared to be slowing somewhat, and Roko's brown eyes pinned viciously on its striped body. It blended nicely into the swaying stalks, but the hurried movement kept her nicely within the horse's sight.

 

The tree line at the end of the plains suddenly loomed up ahead. The horse's gaze shifted slightly towards the towering plants, and as the other shifter grew closer to the trees, the mare suddenly dropped her speed and slowed to an agitated trot. Just as the leafy branches extended over the meadow, the mare tossed her head and turned away. Deep, angered snorts filled Roko's nostrils as her hindquarters twisted towards the trees. As she was beginning to walk away, the horse's back legs drew up and kicked fiercely outwards; a warning, if anything, that the tiger was not welcome in Roko's lands. The plains were her home, and she did not appreciate frolicking nitwits marching through it.

Although she was just a mare, Roko's behavior was extremely similar to that of an alpha stallion's. At the other end of the plains, opposite to where the black mare had chased the tiger, the trembling herd of horses stood and stared. They were still uneasy, and it was quite clear even from the distance between her and her adopted family. She could pick out the real stallions as they moved away from the herd on alert; the dark mare grunted in scorn and shook her velveteen muzzle back and forth, obviously disappointed in the males across the way.

Edited January 2, 2011 by Shiny Hazard Sign

[LordTorch18]

The man called Ronan laid back on the branch eating his fruit. Propped up his feet so he could lay against the main base of the tree. "mmm, good fruit. Hmmmmm, where to go next?"Ronan looked around, getting his bearings, "Well, I've been traveling west all day, guess I should head north abit, get out of the forest for a while." He finished up his meal and jumped over to another tree. He began to make his way out of the forest. The more he jumped the more he shifted into his monkey form. The hair on his body growing back out, his head altering shape, his feet turning into hands, and a tail streaming out the back. He went jumping and swinging towards the forests edge, not knowing he's possibly gonna end up in the horse lands.

[jaina]

Eventually Rustung tucked away her knife and got up to move around a bit since she had digested some of her meal. She gently shifted back into her mountain lion form and climbed into a tree from which she began moving from branch to branch across her territory. Near the edge she caught the scent of something unfamiliar that had crossed into her area before leaving. She was curious as to whatever it was that had entered, but also slightly offended and interested in finding what had violated her sovereign space. With that knowledge, she began tracking the scent the violator had left behind as it became stronger and stronger till she reached the source. She observed her target for a short while from the trees before backtracking and climbing down. Now out of the trees, she left the cover of the brush and advanced on the trespasser.

 

((who'd like to be the one she found?))

Edited January 3, 2011 by jaina

[LordTorch18]

(I could take that up. )

 

Ronan was accidentally trespassing on Rustung's territory on his way out of the forest. He was swinging fast through the trees. Making monkey noises. These forests seem to go on forever. He thought as he swung. His staff he used once to leap a long distance to grab a tree branch. He put it back afterwards and continued on.

[WonderBubbles]

((Seven full sentences, Torch. Stop cheating.))

 

With the horse thundering at her heels, Stripe was elated that she made it safely to the trees. She trotted to a halt, looking back and panting heavily. The black equine bucked; it was most likely a warning. It was such a human gesture, yet also one a horse could do. The tiger flopped to the ground underneath a fern to catch her breath, yet her eyes never left the horse walking away. Her heart pounded and her limbs shook from the shock; Stripe really hoped the two boys had gone back to the clan's land.

 

Her tail tapped against the ground as she lay on her side, watching the herd on the plains with curious eyes. She could see the black horse - who was a mare - among them. Perhaps it was just a normal horse. But she could see the stallions, who flirted happily with all the other mares, did not dare to go near her. A particularly unruly horse, perhaps. Stripe's claws needled the leaf-littered soil; after a few minutes of resting, she stood up in a fluid movement and crept closer to the tree-line. She crouched, then lay on her white, furred belly, to watch the herd from the shadows.

 

((I won't be able to post again until late tomorrow. Be good, kiddies. ;D))

[dracoon]

The Komodo Dragon watched the grazing horses, and the tigress closing into them. He sat, flicking his tongue out to taste the air. Interrupted from his daydream by his stomach growling, the lizard stood up on its haunches and fell onto its feet again. A monkey could be heard scaling the trees from behind them. He searched the ground around him, catching a rabbit that had darted from its hole unawares. Jaws clamped down around the rabbit's neck, making a sharp click and silencing it. Feeling satisfied, he skinned the rabbit and nibbled its meat in small bites while observing the others.

 

((First post, good? Bad?))

[crypticsoul]

"Who are you talking to?" Hale asked, having followed Avery, but at a much more leisurely pace. It looked to him like she was talking to the trees. "I don't see anyone." he added, cocking an eyebrow at her. She had called him pipsqueak again, too, a name that annoyed him to no end. He was taller than her, for god's sake, except in his shifted form. He supposed that's where she got it from.

 

Why did she care if there were more shifters, anyway? He didn't particularly want there to be anyone else, despite how he knew there was. One didn't wonder the forest all day and not come across the trail of another. He'd seen them, too, but had never approached any of them. Never had a desire too, really, and he was only around Avery because she provided good company. It wasn't like her personality was one to be desired...For now, he simply waited, standing a few feet behind her, arms crossed over his bare chest.

[LordTorch18]

Ronan stopped swinging for a moment to rest. "Man this is tiring. I need to get out of this forest and soon." He pulled out some fruit that he took from the tree before and had a snack. His eyes and ears keeping watch over his surroundings. If anyone tried to surprise him, he'd either see or hear it coming.

[hazeh]

( Lord Torch, the rule is seven sentences at the very least. :/ )

 

 

The mare's harsh breaths pushed rapidly through her open nostrils as she walked away, ears still pointed back towards the tree line that she had watched the tiger disappear into. Roko was more than certain that the cat was in there somewhere, watching, since shifters were too damn curious and never left anything alone. With a agitated snort, the black horse shook her head and sent her wavy mane slapping against her neck in sharp thwacks. The long grass swayed and tickled at her legs and underbelly, but she was too energized from the chase that she did not take any more time for a leisurely graze. Instead, whipping her tail around her muscular hind quarters, the mare approached the herd of horses. The majority seemed to have calmed down, now that the potential danger was no longer seen or scented. Some of the high strung youngsters still galloped around in excited circles, showing off their brave fighting gestures to each other in show. They, however, were the first to have run off, and Roko inwardly scoffed at them as she passed.

A few of the other mares looked up as the black horse strode past. The ones that stood closest to her path reached out and gently touched their muzzles to her shoulders and flanks in gratitude, and Roko's ebony skin rippled at the contact. However, unlike she had been with the stallions, she paused and touched her own maw to their cheeks or foreheads and blew gently into their manes. She was fond of the females, that much was obvious by simple observation. However, she did not intend to stay and enjoy the company of the few creatures she'd ever considered companions; her mocha, lash-framed eyes were fixed steadily on the trees she'd come from earlier and shifted by. There would be her whip, hidden beneath leaf fronds, awaiting her human hands.

As the shadows rolled over her head and shoulders and dappled her dark coat in patches of grey, the mare dipped her mouth to the earth and snuffled out the leather coil of her weapon. She was still weary of the tigress shifter, wherever she may be- although Roko was now shrouded in shadows, she was close enough towards the plains to be picked out by skillful eyes. Rotating her ears around for a sweep of the area, she picked the whip up into her strong jaws with care and trotted briskly into the trees, hoofsteps muffled by the damp and soft soil.

[dracoon]

William was riled by the appearence of so many other shifters. He quickly made his getaway into the grass, his thick green scales covering him as he waded into the horses. Then, he paused to watch a mare with its snout tightening around what looked like a bit of wood. William's eyes shifted nervously, at the mare and the tree trunk which hid his stake. At least he could defend himself with his claws and teeth until he could get it...The lizard's tongue flicked out again, to catch a passing fly. He backed away slowly, hoping that the slow movements could lure the mare's gaze away.

[WonderBubbles]

((drac; it was fine, but more length would be good. c:

 

Torch, I'm gonna have to send you a PM if you keep cheating like that. :/ Perhaps you should join a semi-lit RP, instead of a literate one.))

 

The mare moved through the herd and Stripe lithely got to her feet and jogged along the tree line. She kept an eye on the horse, while slipping through trees and brushing underneath bushes. Her coat blended with the dappled sunlight; though, not as well as a jaguar's would have. The tigress leapt over a ditch, barely sparing it a glance, only to slip on her landing. Her heart hammering in panic, she dug her front claws into the leafy-littered soil to stop her from falling into the hole. Her back legs scrambled against the dirt wall, sending brown clumps to the bottom. They made wet 'plops' as they splashed into the water below.

 

Snarling softly, Stripe pulled herself up, digging her claws into a root for extra grip. Her long muscles strained and her hind legs fought for purchase. Finally, after what seemed an eternity - though it was only a few moments - the tiger managed to pull herself over the lip of the hole. She flopped onto the ground, panting and glancing around nervously. After she regained her breath, she cautiously stood and padded closer to the edge of the ditch. It was about six metres deep, as far as she could see, with a cloudy puddle at the bottom. The tiger growled, deciding to alert Carnarl, the leader of the small clan, when she returned.

 

The tigress resumed her task, trading carefully and examining the ground in front of her paws. Finally, she came close to where she'd last seen the horse. Stripe padded around the area, scenting the ground delicately. She caught the scent of the equine and followed it silently, stalking the horse through the jungle. As she walked, questions arose. What would a horse be doing, going into the trees? They belonged on the grasslands, grazing and being a herd. Her tail flicked as she sniffed another tree, then the ground. A soft thudding made her ears twitch. Stripe moved faster, jogging to get closer to the equine. Her padded paws made no sound on the musty soil, but birds watched her wearily from the canopy. She didn't notice the lizard nearby.

[dracoon]

William hissed, angered that the tigress had returned. He readied himself and pounced, teeth clamping down on the tigress's back. He was afraid and the onslaught seemed to be inbuilt inside him. He could recall fragments of how the white coats have done it to him. It...was a distant memory, something he never seemed to remember. He bit down harder, relishing the feeling of blood running through the fur. The Komodo Dragon felt a pang of fear, but kept it under wraps. He couldn't look weak now.

Edited January 6, 2011 by dracoon

[WonderBubbles]

((Whoa, whoa. o.o Try not to powerplay, next time... I'm really not fond of it.))

 

She heard a soft hiss and paused, her black ears swivelling for the source of the noise. A rustle alerted her of movement and her head snapped in the direction of the sound. A Komodo Dragon latched onto her back, sinking its teeth into her flesh. She let out a strangled yowl and snarled at the huge lizard. How had she not noticed it? Stripe berated herself as she lunged for the lizard's body, aiming to sink her fangs into its stomach. A snarl rumbled from her throat and her claws extended, giving her more traction. Unfortunately, it also increased the pain in her back.

The tigress pushed the pain to the back of her mind and hoped that she wouldn't be poisoned from the bite. She had seen the effects of such a bite before; it was not pretty. One of the older and more intelligent shifters had told them of the horrible toxins contained in a Komodo's bite. The rotten flesh they ate caused the fatal venom, which killed their next prey. Each feeding contributed to the toxin and Stripe was not going to be one of them.

[hazeh]

(That was also auto hitting...)

 

Roko's black horse body was trotting smoothly through the trees, twigs breaking softly under her hard hooves. She didn't mind the noise of her walk too much, having been surrounded by other sounds that was equally as suspicious. A slow, slithering movement caused her to pause and turn her head to the side, but her rich, mahogany eyes only detected a startled komodo slinking back into the bushes. With a snort, the horse continued on, her long tail flickering against her hind quarters. The cord of her whip drooped from her maw and slapped quietly against her forelegs as she moved, but she didn't seem bothered by the sensation at all.

 

However, as she left the dragon behind, a strange sound met her ears. They swiveled back to listen, only to pick up on an agonized screech. Immediately, the mare's ears pinned into her mane and she dropped her whip into the long grass. With an angry grunt, she twisted around and dove back towards the bushes. As she broke through the bushes again, she came face to face with the komodo dragon again, only this time he was on top of the snarling tiger with his teeth embedded into the scruff of her neck. With a piercing scream, the mare lunged forwards and whirled around with amazing grace and speed. As her body twisted around, her hind hooves rose and kicked out wildly for the lizard's body. Although she didn't really care if she hurt the tigress in the process, Roko's aim was well-trained; her hooves shot like black arrows for the dragon's side with deadly speed and accuracy.

Edited January 7, 2011 by Shiny Hazard Sign

[dracoon]

The moment the hooves made contact William slid off. He curled up into a big ball of green scales, shivering. He had no intention of hurting the tigress and now something had happened. He felt the wounds, sore and hurting from the attack. He wanted to run away, yet he couldn't muster enough courage to do it. He just defended himself and let the mare rain blows on him.

[WonderBubbles]

((Could you please make that at least seven sentences? You could add in Stripe attempting to bite him, too, if you'd like ('cause she did try).))

 

An angry equine scream shattered what was left of the already broken peace and Stripe's jaws snapped shut a few inches away from the dragon's body. The sudden noise had distracted her; she growled and stilled as she had heard heard hooves thudding towards them. Then, the black horse that the tiger had been stalking was bucking toward them. Oh, great, the shifter thought darkly, Two things attacking me for being a predator.

 

But the blows never fell upon her, the hooves never so much as brushed her fur. With a solid thump, that must have been very painful for the lizard (not that Stripe cared), the horse knocked the lizard off of the tigress. The Sumatran scampered painfully out of the way of the dangerous horse and crouched in the bushes. Her injury stung fiercely and burned horrifically when she had moved. The shifter hoped that one of the clan would know how to clean and stitch a bite together. The big cat watched as the lizard curled into a ball and trembled. She felt a perverse satisfaction; Stripe saw it as retribution for an unwarranted attack.

 

Her mind quickly shifted to another train of thought; why had the horse come to defend her? Was she a fellow shifter? Stripe's yellow eyes focused on the mare and her ears twitched forward. She could see no discerning marks that could differ the mare from an average horse, but she could not have expected there to be. The shifter appeared as a normal Sumatran tigress, though a little on the small side, because of her height in human form. Which made her thought train switch tracks; the wound on her neck could possibly be worse in her human form, without fur to stem the flow of blood. She hoped that her ruff had prevented serious damage; Stripe couldn't tell through the initial shock and pain.

[hazeh]

(I apologize if there are numerous typos in this post. I'm using my dsi because I don't have a real computer to use at the moment.)

 

She felt her hooves connect to the soft tissue of the lizard's side. As he detached from the tigress, the black mare spun around to face the other creatures. The horse's bronze eyes were narrowed as her gaze swept from dragon to tiger- both of them seemed stunned with pain. Anger was twisted at her muzzle, but slowly it defused into blank indifference. Her hooves turned in the grass as she prepared to depart, however, one glance at the tiger caused her to pause.

 

One of her previously pinned ears twitched and rotated forwards in a gesture of faint interest. Slowly, still facing forwards, the mare's long legs brought her a few steps back. With her eyes never wavering from the previously fighting duo, the mare lifted her head and stilled. The muscles beneath her sleek coat became rigid and tense. Bone rolled painfully under flesh as the dark hairs retracted into sun-browned skin, and the mare's mane drew up over a rounded skull before cascading down in waves over forming human shoulders. The coffee-colored eyes never left the tiger and lizard, despite winces of pain as they were reshaped to fit a young woman's face. The glare remained, however, even as the shift completed and she was left standing, tall and muscular, with only shreds of leather to obscure the most obscene areas of her body. Her posture indicated she wasn't even bothered by her near nudity, but more as though she were annoyed by their sheer existence.

 

Roko approached the tiger sternly, as if she didn't recognize that the feline was a dangerous animal. She glanced once into the tigress' curious face before crouching at her side and placing her hands around the spot she'd seen the lizard's teeth sink in. “Don't move,” she muttered, rolling the cat's flesh upwards to see through the fur. She caught glimpses of torn skin from the puncture wounds, and thick blood oozed out and between each of the tiger's striped hairs. A few silent moments passed as Roko studied the bite before she sat back and looked again towards the tiger's face. "Don't shift. Can you walk?" Roo had seen the tiger as a woman, therefore knew perfectly well that the cat was someone like her. Even though the wild-woman didn't like others of her kind at all, she felt entitled to treat the tiger's wounds at least to some degree.

Her brown eyes flickered over to the komodo dragon for a moment. He didn't seem to be harmed that much, although he would have a few large bruises on his side from where she'd kicked him. She did not pity him, however, and decided to ignore his rolled-up figure until he presented further reason for her to address his presence.

Edited January 8, 2011 by Shiny Hazard Sign

[WonderBubbles]

(('tis fine. c:))

 

The mare had swung around to glare in their direction after she'd kicked the lizard. It was a glare, for the dark eyes were hostile and anger seemed to twist the horse's muzzle. It was an odd expression to see on an equine, especially a female one. Usually they were the calmer of the species, who allowed the stallion to protect them. This horse was very different; and then the rippling flesh and rolling bones showed her that the horse was closer to the tigress than the herd of animals on the plains.

 

The woman had dark skin, close to Stripe's own colour, but dark brown eyes and long black hair. The tiger's eyes widened and her whiskers twitched; it was almost an exclamation of shock, without the gasp and annoying gesture. Although, it could have been highly amusing to view a fellow tiger throw their fore-paws in the air and gasp dramatically. The woman had finished her shift and was glaring at her. The harsh expression made Stripe almost want to shrink down and wonder what she'd done wrong. Almost.

 

But her eyes quickly flicked over the other shifter, noticing the bare minimum of clothing and the line of hoof-marks across her upper torso. A rogue thought entered her mind: this woman was beautiful. The tigress blinked; where had that thought come from? But it didn't matter, for the woman was walking sternly toward her. Before Stripe could react, the woman had crouched at her side and placed her hands close to the bite. One white-spotted ear flicked backward, while the other rotated toward the woman, as if listening specifically to her. The tigress didn't dare move her head, so instead she remained looking forward.

 

She was told not to move and she obeyed. It slightly irked her, to be told what to do, but she knew this woman was probably trying to help her. A few moments of silence passed before Stripe heard a slight thump of flesh meeting the dirt. She could see that the woman had at down and was looking at her face.

"Don't shift. Can you walk?"

A command and a question in one go; Stripe huffed lightly and gingerly tried getting to her feet. Pain lanced along her shoulders, making her draw in breath with a hiss, but she stood on her four paws with the back of her head in line with her spine. Her lips were lifted from her fangs, but only in pain. Her tail twitched in annoyance at her present state. Stupid lizard, she growled in her head. Stripe moved her paws slowly, taking a step away from where she'd been lying. Another huff affirmed her ability to walk.

[LordTorch18]

After he finished his snack, Ronan got up and resumed his journey. swinging from the branches of trees out of fun and good exercise. I think I see the forest's end. He was happy to finally have made it to the edge. But what he didn't know what that he was about to accidentally intrude on a little issue(A.k.a. where you guys are). He kept making monkey noises until he landed on the last branch on the edge of the forest. Not having seen anyone else yet he marvelled at the wide open plain.

[Diamondeyes]

Avery looked at Hale and sighed."Its.....I......" She didn't really have an answer. She sat down, the girl who had been sitting here was gone. She was curious as to why Hale always was around her. Its not like he liked being around her, atleast thats the vibe she got. She looked up at the fox shifter and whispered quietly, not sure whether to herself or to Hale. "Why do you continue to hang around with someone as...as.....as mean as me. Theres no real reason why huh? Its not as if I'm pleasurable to be around.". She hoped that he had an answer. It would explain some of her confusion. She fiddled with the puma on her necklace, lost in thought.

 

What do the white coats have planned for us? Theres a reason we are here. Are we weapons? Or are we here for someones sick enjoyment? Tests? Do they plan to kill us later? This obviously isn't legal, so what would happen if one of us escaped, escaped back to civilization. The thoughts plagued her, her expression grave. There had been a sudden increase of shifters lately. It worried her greatly. How will the environment respond to all the extra mouths to feed? It won't be good. Brief flashes of famine and cannibalism filled her mind, causing her to shudder.

[hazeh]

( *cough* I have another picture for Roko's horsey body. [x] And Lord, we're a little more in to the trees...)

 

The woman's sharp eyes examined the tigress carefully as she stood. When the feline began to step forwards to demonstrate her movement capabilities, Roko stood gracefully to her feet and strode over to the patch of vegetation that her whip had fallen in. She wrapped the long cord into a tight coil and tucked it into the thin rope that held her bottom section of "clothing" around her hips. Glancing over her shoulder at the tigress (and momentarily at the komodo dragon), Roko crooked her finger to motion for them to follow. Whether or not the lizard came with didn't really bother her any, therefore she left it alone while it wallowed in self pity.

Not taking the time to see if the tigress had properly received the gesture, the tall woman disappeared into the bushes with the soft rustle of leaves following after her. She was headed towards the faint gush of water on the other side of the trees, where the river would supply a cleaning facility for the feline's wound. As the pleasant warble of song birds filled the air around her, Roo's shoulders gently began to relax. Not by much, but now that neither of them were fighting, nor was she inclined to attack either of them any more, she felt a little more at ease. Of course, Roko was still highly annoyed either one had stumbled into her lands, but she supposed it couldn't be helped. Besides, it wasn't as if shifters really paid mind to territory markers anyways.

The soil under her bare and scarred feet began to dampen. She paused, her long hair swaying at her back, and glanced over her shoulder back towards the trees. The river was only a little way ahead, and she could partially make out the glimmering clear surface as sunlight glinted off its churning waters.

[WonderBubbles]

((That is a very pretty horsie. o.o I love Friesians.))

 

The woman stood up gracefully and walked away from her. Stripe watched to see if she was actually leaving, or doing something else. The stranger picked up a long strip of what looked like leather and fastened it onto her person (after coiling it tightly). The other shifter glanced back to her and beckoned the tiger to follow with one finger. Cautiously and slowly, the tigress began to follow the shifter through the jungle. Close by, Stripe could hear the river rushing and flowing fiercely. The sound grew louder as they moved; she was about three meters behind the other woman, keeping a careful watch on where she went. Birds twittered in the trees around them, as if mocking the tiger for being injured.

 

Her long, striped tail flicked in annoyance at the innocent avian creatures. As she padded through the trees, Stripe thought of the pair of boys, and not for the first time. Had they made it back to the clan safely? Or were they wandering through the jungle, miserable and helpless? The tiger whined softly, fretting for the two. If they were lost, their mothers would never forgive her, just as she would never forgive herself. Lives were precious to the clan, and every time a shifter was injured or sick, everyone went into a frenzy of worry. The only one that kept a clear head in those situations was the chief, Carnarl. There would most likely be an uproar about Stripe's wound; the thought made her ears flick backward. The possible attention would be unbearable.

 

The woman had stopped ahead of her and was looking back toward the tigress. Stripe's yellow eyes focused on the swaying motion of the long, dark hair, and then moved upward to focus on her face. Beneath the tiger's paws, she could feel the ground getting damper; a sure sign that water was close by. The tigress halted about a meter away from the other shifter, waiting to see what would happen next.