The Island

[mapleleaves288]

'Airhead' was the first word that came to mind as Sona pondered the small shifter. In addition to irritatingly happy, the rhinoceros found the other shifter's voice to be incredibly obnoxious, as her speech patterns and mannerisms. Heck, even her body language and her unpredictable, no, almost twitchy movements bothered her. She looked into the calm pool to slow her thoughts. Now was not the time to start worrying about the others. She had to find the leader of this side of the island, as she had only been part of many wandering groups. What on earth had happened here? She turned to gnaw on some reeds that had been spared by the fire, and continued to stare at the small woman. Better to stay as she was, that other shifter seemed to be nothing but trouble.

[LordTorch18]

Ronan dropped out of the tree gracefully, landing solidly on his feet. He saw the expression on her face and it bothered him that this shifter obvious didn't care. "I wanted to apologize for what happened before. I meant no harm to anyone, least of all you and your friends the mares. If there's ever a next time, I'll make sure to pass through quickly and not bother you or your friends. Please accept my deepest apology." He bow respectfully, his words were sincere and his eyes showed no lie in them. 'Tis better to learn from one mistake than to repeat it over.

[dracoon]

The man patted his weapon as he watched the commotion. He had escaped the fire by hiding in one of his many hidey-holes, and was here solely to gloat at the younger ones. He noticed the monkey- Ronan, or something along those lines, appear to apologise to the mare known as Roko. Some others were crowding around the lake, apparently the pain-in-the-flesh Dante and another shark girl he couldn't quite recognise. There was also Stripe, the tiger lady and a new eagle girl he had never seem before. He curled a tail on the tree as he shifted, hiding his clothes at where he could easily locate.

 

The Tasmanian Tiger held the pipe in his mouth, strutting haughtily towards the younger shifters. "What's your problem," was written all over the big cat's face and he observed them casually and with an air of contempt. He knew the dragon had set the fire and he knew it hurt him to stay on. Neither did he want a confrontation. He needed some backup.

[Ramoth]

Feather followed the tilt of Stripe's head. The man she indicated, Carnarl, was an intimidating specimen. Height and physical power aside, he projected a dominant presence unlike anything Feather had encountered before. Her shoulders tightened as she considered what to do. Eventually, the inquisitive shifter relaxed and approached the much taller Alpha. "Hello. My name is Windfeather," she came to a stop, and touched the pouch around her neck for comfort, then continued. "I know of a series of caves that your people could use as shelter until their homes have been rebuilt. I could lead you there, if you want."

[dracoon]

"Yeah, sure," Following the duo, he came to this 'tribe'. The tiger's eyebrow raised slightly, putting his pipe down and shifting back. He scaled the tree and put his clothes back on, watching the girl with some apprehension. She helped? Others were to be used as stepping stones, or friends if the going got tough. Once done these 'friends' were disposable. The older man smirked, offering another solution. "Holes. Caves combust like trees and the fires ain't easy to put out. You get in, you can't get out. In comparison holes can be enlarged and filled in when it really begins. Here's one for the hole-person." He lived in a hole, unlike the 'clan idiots' who adored their little caveys or open fields and got themselves charred to crisps when the fires spread.

 

((He hates 'friends' or company, he believes in disposable 'friends'. Edited.))

Edited February 3, 2011 by dracoon

[WonderBubbles]

The tigress watched as Feather walked over to Carnarl; she was amused at how brave she was. Either that, or she was a fool. An odd sound distracted her attention; it sounded like a scrape or a whisper against leaves and wood. She looked around, wondering what it could be; after a moment, she saw the large line of pinkish-white. It glinted dully in the available light - it was getting dark, after all - and Stripe walked closer. Several paces closer, however, revealed it was a large snake. She frowned, slightly worried by its presence, and stared at it curiously. It had a forked tongue, which flicked out frequently, tasting the air. An eyebrow arched as the shifter assumed that only a fellow shifter would be as close as this snake was now.

"Hello there," Stripe greeted, feeling foolish.

 

~

 

Carnarl let his gaze fall upon the newcomer with yellow eyes. He listened to her politely, his arm staying wrapped around his shy mate's shoulders. The Alpha's steady gaze took in her appearance; the marks of feathers down her arms meant her other form was an avian. He smiled slowly, gratitude warming and softening his face.

"I thank you, Windfeather," he said to her in his deep voice. "Your offer is much appreciated, and I believe we will take you up on it. They are safe, I assume?"

 

He was already planning; the elder of them, the weaker men and women and the young would go to the caves. All that could help would remain to rebuild the homes. Perhaps some would even stay just to collect or hunt food for those who were labouring. He called from his long memory many things from the beginning of their clan; how to build the shelters was among them. Many of them had forms that would aid the building, his own included.

 

((Who wants to guess what Carnarl is? c:))

[dracoon]

((Another Tazzy?))

 

The tiger-man smirked, folding his arms and showing the stripes that marked his arms. He snorted in contempt- a leader? Well, he felt he was the rightful leader and he was being ignored. "You'll regret your decisions, Carnarl," he growled, stalking to another tree and placing his dirty fingers through the bark. His nails were long and sharp, even in his human form and they scraped against it to make a harsh sound. Like claws on a chalkboard.

[Ramoth]

((I'm guessing either an elephant or a gorilla, depending on what is meant by helping.))

 

The young woman smiled and nodded. "They're safe enough that a young child could explore them without coming to anymore harm than occasionally getting lost. I marked all the caves and passages I could reach or get into when I was younger. And the system doesn't connect to the volcano." She paused. "As long as you stay out of my father's cave, he won't care, and there are other entrances." Feather looked up, noticing the decrease in light. "It would be best to wait until tomorrow morning, however."

[WonderBubbles]

((You're good. o-o He's a elephant. ))

 

After casting a mildly irritated glance toward the arrogant man who had scraped his nails against the tree, Carnarl smiled down at the woman.

"That is a great relief. I shall send those who must go when the sun awakes," he rumbled happily.

"Would you be kind enough to lead them there?" he asked, slightly concerned she may say no.

The mousey woman by his side stared nervously at the striped cat-wolf, fearful of him. Her vision - and, in turn, her face - was half blocked by her mate's large torso, but it would still allow the man to see what her expression was. She was only unafraid of few people of the clan, her mate among them, and there were no predators among those.

[dracoon]

"Boo," growled Michael, eyes flaring with the slitted ferocity of the big cat. He stepped out with his arms open. "Recognise me, Carnarl? It's been a while," They were the first, their ancensters if he was right. The tiger-man lost a lot of friends but he gained much, much more that he bargained for. He ruled the other side, and could effortlessly call for back-up whenever required. He laughed at the 'tribe' hollowly. This was the best examples of blind acceptance and he detested such idiocry.

[satyr76]

After only a few minutes of dreamless sleep, Wesley’s beady eyes fluttered open. He slowly dragged his large, black and white body out of his den and lumbered over to the other side of the tree. With nothing better to do, he lied down and thought. After years of living alone, Wesley had grown tired of his solitary life. His only company was the occasional parrot, and they never stayed for long. He was, for the most part, content with being a loner. However, he knew that it would be beneficial to have someone to rely on if there was any danger. If a jaguar found him, he could only hope that the sight of him shifting would be enough to scare the feline off. If not, then he was as good as dead. It would be useful to find a handful of friendly shifters, preferably ones that would be of use in a fight. If Wesley had nowhere to run, then he was powerless. It was a miracle that he was still alive, after over ten years of being on his own. The problem was, not all of the Island’s shifters were friendly. He had seen many that would have killed him without a second thought if they had noticed him. He had even observed a few shifters that were especially hostile towards males. He was very grateful that he had a talent for hiding himself. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hide forever. Eventually, another shifter would find him. He could only pray for it to be a friendly one.

Edited February 4, 2011 by satyr76

[hazeh]

Suspicion darkened at her earth-colored eyes and slanted her eyebrows, but she let his words flow without interruption. Finally, when he had finished his apology, Roko folded her powerful arms across her chest (which, given that her attire consisted merely of thin strings, hid a majority of her lady bits from view) and stood in the wet sand, the wind tugging at her long dark hair and casting it back against her shoulders. "Fine. Now get lost," she answered tersely, pointing a thumb towards the side of the island opposite to the burnt plains. She didn't have the patience to deal with his pitiful, heart-felt attempt at appeasing her anger. Males had been the cause of her problems for too long, and none of the ones she'd met today had caused her to change her opinion. If anything, their actions only strengthened the loathing she felt for them.

With an agitated flick of her wrist, Roko flung her hair over her shoulder and turned sharply away from Ronan, obviously intent on ending the conversation. Her amber-brown eyes traveled briefly to the pair in the water and lingered on the face of the half-shifted woman; the boy was of no concern or interest to her, but Roko had found a tiny spark of pleasure in meeting another female that shared her same opinion of the differing sex. Perhaps, since the edge of the meadow lead off into the lake's shore, there would be another time for them to converse. For now Roko was tired, sore, and irritable, and in no mood to sit and chat.

The tall woman's eyes narrowed slightly, but instead of scowling at the shark-girl, she simply inclined her head in acknowledgment. Roo had another job to do right then and it was far more important to her than learning how to half-shift. After taking a moment to gather herself for another long, strenuous walk (at least, in her condition it was), the warrior departed from the small gathering with a faint limp. It was hardly enough to be noticed, given the leeway of the sand beneath her feet, but she had grown so weary that she didn't care much for trying to stand tall anymore. As long as she got to her herd in one functioning piece, she would be content.

As the woman walked, putting distance between herself and those at the lake shore (despite that she was still walking along the water's edge), her thoughts suddenly turned to her weapon. The whip was most likely lost in the blaze when she had shifted... but then, she remembered the fight with Ronan, and how she had given the whip to one of the horses. It was more likely than not that the horse had dropped the weapon in the midst of the chaos, but there was still a chance. Attempting to steer her mind away from the fire now and emptying her thoughts to the world around her, she barely noticed the couple sitting naked in the sand before she nearly walked into them.

Surprise flitted across the woman's face as she stared down at them. A dark-haired girl was sitting in the lap of a man, but their...relationship didn't seem to fit the scenario. Roko simply turned her gaze away and muttered something under her breath before circling around them cautiously and continuing on her way. A few hundred yards away, something large and gray was standing by the water, and Roko took a moment to study it beneath thick eyelashes as she limped by.

[Darkshadow]

((WAITWAITWAIT. What does that mean, Haze? ._. ))

So, her name was Grey. How suiting, considering the animal she shifted into. While the small girl played with his hair, Talio said, "And my name is Talio. Nice to meet you, Grey." She seemed hyperactive and overcurious, glancing over at the hulking grey creature nearby, and then giving him a tight hug, like he was some long lost relation she had presumed dead or something like that. "I don't know what kind of creature it is, Grey, only that I know it doesn't mean harm to us." Standing up, Talio managed to untangle Grey off of him and then, he shifted, once again becoming the beautiful, elegant black stag, with about seven tines in his antlers. Talio took notice of the woman giving them a sort of glare, and then passing on. Must be another shifter, then.

~

Mel watched quietly as the woman Stripe came over towards her and said, "Hello there." Did the woman assume that she was a shifter? If so, she was correct. Shifting to her human form, Mel simply stared at Stripe with her pink eyes, her pure white skin standing against the faded greens and browns of the forest. "Ssssso you knew I wassss a sssshifter, yessssss?" She said, her 's's long and drawn out. "My name is Mel. Pleassssed to meet you, Sssssstripe."

 

[Ramoth]

Feather nodded. "I will lead those who wish to come to the caves tomorrow morning." Only after promising that, did she turn to regard the strange and aggravating man who had tried so hard to interrupt. She looked him up and down, evaluating him with all the disdain of a bird-of-prey for the land-bound. Feather noted his stripes, but unfortunately they didn't give her a solid clue as to his species. The man was old, even compared to her own father, who had only been eighteen at her birth. The eagle shifter cocked her head to one side suddenly, remembering. Her mother had sometimes told stories about a legendary place other than the island. Some of the stories had featured crotchety old men that detested young people on their territory, which almost always featured the same kind of short green grass. The comparisons between those legends and this man amused her while she waited for Carnarl's response to his aggression.

[dracoon]

Michael gazed at her. She seemed to resemble someone he knew. In the foggy memories buried deep inside his mind, he had seen her, or someone like her before. "What was your mother's name?" The question rolled off his tongue before he could stop himself. The girl was a perfect copy of her, that elk-girl many years ago. Maybe it was just him but he could recall the piercing eyes, that smile, the enthusiasm that rubbed off everyone she passed. Jealousy had overcome him when she left with another, which resulted in his leaving to the other side. Now, she was back again and standing in front of her. No, it couldn't be.

[Ramoth]

"Willow. My mother's name was Willow." The sudden question, and changed look in his eye, startled the answer out of her. Why would he be interested in Feather's family? She didn't recognize him and she knew most of the marine shifters by sight. So he likely wasn't one of them. And as far as Feather knew, her parents had always been together. Their daughter had only needed to look at them to see their love for one another. She had only needed to observe her father's pain to realize the depth of grief he felt for her loss. Who was this man to show such sudden interest in her? Between the fading light and the man's disconcerting gaze, Feather was on edge. Nervous. Her hand dropped to rest lightly on her hatchet. She needed to find someplace safe to spend the night before the lack of light left her helpless.

[hazeh]

((What doesn't what mean, Dark? ;3 ))

 

Grey made a saddened, whining noise as she plopped back in the sad as Talio stood up. However, as the man shifted, she paused and admired him with wide cinnamon eyes. Deer were so pretty, and she adored to watch them. Unfortunately, any time she approached them, they seemed to deem her a threat. A small frown curled at her lips- Why hadn't they run this time? Her gaze rolled over the grazing herd, but no answer brought itself to mind. With a slight shrug of her small shoulders, the naked young teenager positioned herself on her hands and knees and let out a soft growl. A ripple overtook her body as her jaw clenched together as sparks of pain laced through her figure. Fur sprouted from every inch of her skin as her dark hair shrunk back into her skull. A black stripe formed down her neck and back and blended into the stripes and spots that appeared along her hindquarters. All four limbs were coated in short, black fur that traveled up to the elbows and buttocks before changing into the light, dusty-gold fur similar to the streaks she sported in her human body. The marking on her face became more prominent as fur drew forth from the flesh, adorning her with a mask akin to a raccoon. Both ears swiveled upwards on her skull, thin and rounded.

The civet gave a twitch of her large black nose, white whiskers skimming across her cheeks. She blinked up at the dark stag before bounding over to his side with a few chatters; numerous times she rubbed her cheek against his leg and pressed the top of her head against the underside of his belly. She was not a very large animal, the civet- perhaps the size of a medium-classed dog.

There was a sudden loss of interest in the stag as the hulking grey creature loomed into her vision again. Her fangs bared with the usual, grinning-like function as she dug her paws into the earth and sprang after it, oblivious to the Rhino's mounting irritation towards her. In moments, the civet was sniffing curiously at the animal's large foot and making strange, muttered chittering sounds.

[crypticsoul]

There was no such force in the world that could compete with the energy of a young cub. Such were the thoughts of the lioness that made her ways through the jungle, amber eyes trying to keep track of the cub that raced about in front of her. Her powerful legs make quick work of the distance, however, and he never got more than a few feet in front of her. Her watchful gaze only strayed from him to briefly check their surroundings, a quick glance here and there to make sure they were safe, before she was watching him again. Would it be so hard for him to just walk beside her, where she knew he would be safe?

 

The lioness shook her large head and leaped up and over a fallen log, which seemed to have trapped her small companion. Apparently, he had tried to wiggle his way under but the gap was too small, his little back pouch catching on the fallen tree. He started whining, looking up at her with expectant eyes. The lioness walked back and lowered her head, nudging him gently, teasing him for his current predicament. The little cub gave her a squeaky snarl, trying to pull his rump through the gap with all his might. The lioness finally took pity on him and pulled him free, carrying him after that, the cub dangling from her jaws. It was funny, how jaws so strong that could rip through another animals hide, could carry the young one with such gentleness. The cub, however, didn't seem to appreciate the ride. He wiggled and squirmed, yipping and yowling in protest, until the lioness finally dropped him. He lay on his back for a minute, regaining his bearings, before he was up and padding off, flicking his tail at her. They lioness' lips curled back in what could have been a smile and she walked after him, her thoughts wondering to where they were headed.

 

She wasn't sure what they'd find there but, the idea that other shifters on the island were gathering had intrigued her. She and the cub had not been around other shifters in years, since she had kept them hidden and reclusive, but it was becoming to dangerous to be on their own. The fire today had only solidified that thought in her mind. So, she'd set out, brining her cub with her. They'd been traveling ever since she'd seen the smoke from the fire, which had given her a direction to go on. She hoped, anyway, that they were going in the right direction. A short while later, the lioness paused and lifted her head into the air, breathing deeply. She smelled others, some scents she recognized and others she didn't. They were close and, after a few more minutes, she spotted people.

 

The lioness stopped completely and reached around, pulling a small pack from her back, the strings snapping easily at her sharp tug. She dropped it before closing her eyes and focusing. Her body began changing, bones bending and snapping, fur melting back into her skin and she rose up on two legs. Brilliant, auburn hair burst from her skull, cascading over her shoulders and curling just under her bare chest. When it was finished, she sucked in a deep breath and opened her eyes, the rum colored irises beautiful beneath thick lashes. She bent and opened the pack, pulling free a few strips of cloth. She wound them securely around her chest before pulling the remaining piece up her long, slender legs, the skimpy garment sitting just atop her hips. She hadn't intended to bring the clothes at first, but, she figured if they were going to meet a bunch of strangers, she may as well cover up some. She retrieved the remaining things from the pack, an ankle bracelet,which she slipped on, and a hunting knife. When she finished, she gave her body a good shake before looking around.

 

"Jace!" she called, looking around for the little cub. He bounded over a moment later, smacking into her leg before looking up at her. "Are you going to stay like that?" she inquired, bending to pick him up when he pawed at her leg. The cub, Jace, nodded in answer and the woman laughed. "Alright then." she said and continued their walk. Finally, they happened upon...the strangest gathering of creatures she had ever seen. Figuring they could do not but mingle, the woman kept walking, gaze shifting back and forth, as if trying to size up everyone they passed. When Jace leaped from her arms and took off, she stopped, watching him. Her first instinct was to give chase but she had the oddest sense that he was safe here. So, she hung back and watched him trot right up to a huge, grey creature she had never seen before. She didn't know what it was but she could render a guess that that horn on the front of it's face was not for show. Jace, however, seemed unconcerned about that and more interested in the little creature that was sniffing at the large grey one's foot.. Jace followed the creature round and round, sniffing at at it, as if sniffed at the grey one. Several time, he yipped or squeaked in reply to the chittering sounds the new creature was making. Satisfied that he was not in immediate danger, the woman sat and drew her legs up, keeping a watchful eye on him.

--

 

The lioness shifter and her cub were not the only new ones who had showed up. Hale, the fennec fox shifter, was also present, having come when the fire, or smoke rather, had flushed he and Avery out. He hadn't been able to find her after they'd been separated and he'd really just happened upon this clan. There was such an array of creatures that Hale was surprised to see some he didn't recognize. Some caught his interest, others did not. He'd passed the wild, equine shifter and had inclined his head at her, whether in greeting or respect, who knew but he was unaware of she'd returned the gesture. He was wandering toward the lake now, thirsty from his journey, and no one her had piqued his interest enough to speak too. Maybe there would be someone at the lake to speak with.

[hazeh]

 

The civet's broad nose had been pressed so firmly to the Rhino's ankle that she hadn't noticed something bouncing around behind her until something suddenly prodded her flank. The mongoose-like creature swung around, her rounded ears perked upwards. Her white lips parted, tips of the fangs exposed, as she stared in astonishment at the creature dancing around behind her. At first she simply stood and stared at him; she was larger than him by at least twice his size, perhaps even a little more. She hadn't seen something exactly like him, although it was evident that it was a feline. Then, as the cub's playfulness awakened her own, the civet made an odd gurgling noise and jumped to the side, her stout paws leaving small prints in the wet earth. Her tail- its unusual length made it a strange sight at her hind quarters- whipped around as she jumped, ruby-brown eyes sparkling in delight. After a moment of hopping around, the civet dashed directly for the cub, intent on knocking him over for a round of play-wrestling. However, the second she rolled back into a sitting position (whether or not the cub was beneath her), her sight caught the frame of someone else sitting a little ways away. The civet gazed at her blankly and grew still, eyes slightly widening. After a long moment, Grey suddenly leapt away from the cub and scurried under the large belly of the Rhino, her body obscured between the giant beast's thick forelegs.

 

[LordTorch18]

"As you wish mare-shifter." He said this in an upset tone. He thought it stupid to still be angry even after you've forgiven an apology. He shifted into his monkey form as he pounds his chests. Fur covers his body as he changes. He turned and climbed a tree, swinging away to who knows where. That has to be the most stubborn, hard-headed woman shifter I've ever met. Ridiculous how she spoke as if she didn't care. She could have thanked me for helping save the other mares of the field. He was really ticked from her reaction, might be a while before he cools down.

[dracoon]

Willow...She had been here all this while... Michael shook his head, angry at himself for losing his one chance to redeem himself. She was probably dead by now and her daughter was now sent to haunt him. He chuckled hollowly, the deep hazel pools now sunken. "I can take you in for the night if you're uncomfortable with the 'tribesmen'," he offered, "The scavenged objects I found has a contained flame. A flame in a bottle, no fire caused. You can have it if you want." His offer was nothing more than to make up for what he had done.

 

He only loved once, and never did so anymore when she left his life.

[crypticsoul]

The cub seemed completely perplexed by this as he rolled over and lay on his belly, watching the civet hide beneath the rhino. Looking over his back, as if to find what had scared her, he was confused to only find Sauda there. He bounced up on his paws and padded over, poking his head around the rhino's thick legs to peer at the civet. He tipped his head, amber eyes staring at her imploringly. He looked back at Sauda briefly and gave a squeaky roar, swishing his tail back at forth.

 

As if taking the hint, Sauda stood and turned, glancing at him only once before she walked away. Satisfied by this, Jace yipped and turned back to the civet, padding over to her and nudging her with his nose. He jumped back then and bounced on his paws, his entire backside wagging back and forth from his eagerness to play. He yowled at her, urging to play once again.

 

Meanwhile, Sauda had wandered off, laughing quietly to herself. It seemed Jace's new playmate was frightened of her. Had she sensed what she really was? Had she sensed the predator in her? Perhaps. So, Sauda had left, knowing Jace would enjoy having someone to play with. They had been alone so long and she knew he longed for company, social as he was. It would be nice for him, to have fun with another.

 

She envied him. The easiness at which he interacted with others. Sauda wandered if she would find someone here to talk too. There was a lake nearby, she could smell the water in the air, and she made her way there. Maybe have a drink or wash off. That sounded nice.

[WonderBubbles]

Mel watched quietly as the woman Stripe came over towards her and said, "Hello there." Did the woman assume that she was a shifter? If so, she was correct. Shifting to her human form, Mel simply stared at Stripe with her pink eyes, her pure white skin standing against the faded greens and browns of the forest. "Ssssso you knew I wassss a sssshifter, yessssss?" She said, her 's's long and drawn out. "My name is Mel. Pleassssed to meet you, Sssssstripe."

The tiger-woman stared at the other shifter, deciding she'd never seen anything as odd as she was. The woman was so pale, with reddish eyes that were not a very natural colour. It took Stripe a moment to comprehend what the reptile had just said, and another to respond.

"I did," she replied, still slightly stunned by the woman's odd appearance. "It's great to meet you, too."

She wondered how she'd ever not seen the snake before; white and pink were not natural colours to the jungle. How could they not stand out against the trees, bark and moss? Stripe blinked, then glanced to where Feather was. She was talking to the irksome, arrogant man by the tree, whom Carnarl was looking away from. The elephant was more tolerant of his idiocy than the tiger would ever be.

[hazeh]

The civet's ears twitched as she peered out from under the Rhino's large stomach. The tall, intimidating woman was retreating, it seemed, after some verbal calls from the cub. Her wide, copper-colored eyes shifted over to the young feline and watched him bounce around. The civet's body was completely still, though, as she stared, as though she were simply made of stone instead.

However, the moment Sauda's figure disappeared into the foliage, the civet gave a loud, screeching imitation of the cub's roar and shot out from under the Rhinoceros. With her long back arched and her short legs propelling her vertically in the air, she hopped over to the cub and pounced at him, stout paws reaching to pin him to the ground. She certainly didn't excude the behavior normal civets did- whereas natural ones were independent and often territorial, Grey delighted in the company of others and relished in their attention. But, like always, it wouldn't before long when she up and disappeared in the night- it was, instinctively, her most active time. Although it wasn't unusual for her to be awake during the day, she much preferred the cloak of darkness to the broad open sunlight. But, of course, during the night, not many of her beloved strange shifters were running about.

The civet's pointed muzzle twitched as she chattered, her rump high in the air as she bounced to the side. Both eyes were bright and glittering with excitement as she stared at the cub, slender teeth bared in mock-threat.

 

 

 

Roko had avoided disturbing the massive gray beast, it seemed, for two furry creatures were bounding around its legs and belly as though it were just a rock positioned for their play time. The mare-woman have a brief roll of her eyes before turning her shoulder towards them and continuing on her way; she would have kept going along the edge of the lake to reach her destination, had there not been fallen, dead trees lying in her path. Any other time she simply would have climbed over them, but in her current physical state, it was more than just impossible.

She gave a short, irritated sigh and ran her fingers through her long hair, wincing as some of the strands cut against her raw skin. She would have given anything to find some medicine roots right then so she could mash up a soothing salve- unfortunately, it seemed most, if not all, have been burnt up in the fire. She would have to find some other way to help her healing process along, or at least tough it out if she couldn't find any.

Fallen, brittle branches crackled under her bare feet as she walked through the trees. Her mind was wandering to her herd; she was certain that they were all safe, since after she had escaped there were no other dark figures still screaming in the depths of the flames. She hoped that the colt she had saved was doing alright, since he was most likely going to be a victim of smoke inhalation and possibly some burns. What also worried her was the thrashing movement they had been making in the shallows, for Roko never had the chance to figure out what had startled them.

The tall woman was so lost in thought and exhausted that she hadn't even noticed the other woman strolling through the trees. It wasn't until Roo felt soft flesh against she shoulder did she jerk with a start and gaze up at the person she had bumped into accidentally. "Sorry," she muttered, veering sharply away.

[Darkshadow]

Talio looked at Grey hiding underneath the great gray beast, and he decided it was time to make his exit, what with all the other shifters around. The stag lifted his majestic head and beckoned to his herd with it, who obediantly stopped eating their meal and started to follow him. He had to locate that missing fawn or his mother would be likely to die of the shock. However, no matter how important the fawn was, he, the leader, would have to find a suitable place for his herd to rest and feed while he searched for the fawn. Though there were other stags in the herd, they were awfully inexperienced, and not suitable for fighting off other jungle predators. The black stag started leading his herd into the jungle, away from the lake's shore. There was just too many shifters there for Talio's taste. Perhaps a small meadow would be able to suffice. He just need a small patch of meadow for his herd to rest and feed. Talio was sure one of the does was ready to give birth soon, and he wanted her to be taken care of.

~

"I did," Stripe replied, looking slightly stunned by Mel's appearance. "It's great to meet you, too." Mel looked at her up and down, wondering what she could possibly be stunned about. Mel was just Mel, after all. "Ah I ssssssee you are wondering about the color of my ssssssskin. It isssssss natural, after all. The sssssspeciesssss of sssssssnake I ssssssshift into issssss the Albino Redtail Boa, which explainsssss my appearence. I am albino, and therefore cannot sssstand the ssssssun for long." It wasn't that fair that Mel's skin seemed to repel the sun with how white it was, but she never complained. She couldn't change what she looked like, so what was the point of complaining about it? "I am sssssorry for what happened to your village." she said softly, looking at the fire damage. "My home wasssssn't damaged, but I ssstill feel your losssssss. I would like to help, yessssss, but I do not know how I may be of asssissstance." The other female shifter, Feather, was talking to someone else.

~

Leo watched as the female shifter walked farther down the beach, and soon became bored. The fish shifter was still here, but he wasn't good for conversation. "See you around, male shifter. If you prove yourself, we'll meet again." She gave him an evil grin and shifted back into her shark form, which she preferred. She swam near the surface of the water for a few minutes, letting the sun warm her flesh, and then dived, heading back into her territory, and better, her resident cave. Once Leo entered the marked boundary of her territory, she felt safer, more in control and power.