Predators and Prey

[Tora]

OOC : Any people interested in joining, please post in the OOC : Casting call thread, or PM me!! (Also see the OOC thread for background on the storyline!)


Calitarah


Cali stretched languidly and jumped down from the tree. Her yellowish gaze trailed over the slowly darkening woodland area, searching for any signs of life.

It was dusk, and time for the woods to come alive. Cali herself was awake a good part of the 24 hour day, taking only naps in the early morning, and late afternoon hours. Many known friends, and many newcomers often came by 'her' small clearing during the night, and she was always up for a new adventure.

Tonight, she could smell a late thunderstorm brewing, but it'd be hours before the signs would reach the area.

As she began to make a fire in the middle of the cleared area, Cali felt a wave of anxiousness roll over her. She knew this feeling well, and made sure to make a smaller-than usual fire.
Any plans to visit the nearby water source were also quickly squelched.

As the last natural sunlight faded behind the trees, Cali sat and leaned back against a thick treetrunk, stretching her long legs out in front of her, and keeping her ears alert for any distant noises.Calitarah

 

[gohan18]

As I was walking through the woods, I couldn't help to think of everything that has happends to me. First my parents are killed and slain right in front of me and then the guys that killed them took me into thier homes because I was in human form. Surprisinly they took good care of me for a couple years. I had both thoughts off killing them and thoughts of protecting them. So instead of acting on any of those I simple walked out on night and have never been back for over 30 years.

"Well time to get on with life" I say as I continue to walk. Life for a non hunter was very difficult. You really couldn't sleep well at night. Even though I was a dragon I could still be killed at such a young age. As I continued to walk I come across a person stretching against a tree.

"Hello"

 

[Dark Warrior]

Dorne

Dorne briefly glanced around to check that none were near, before turning his attention back to the task at hand: skinning the wild boar he had caught. He winced a little as his dagger cut through the boar's thick skin with quick, methodical strokes which were responded by an array of sickening noises. After a moment more, the noises and the stench overcame him, and he had to pull away, to rest against a nearby tree. His hand dug deep into his pocket, pulling out the leaf of a herb. His other hand, meanwhile, pulled out a pipe from another of his pockets. He held the pipe out in front of him, whilst breaking the leaf in half; placing the now-broken leaf over the pipe, he watched as the thick liquid slowly oozed from the leaf into his pipe. Once he was satisfied there was enough, he leaned back, put the pipe to his mouth, and took a deep breath. For a moment he seemed about to cough, but with a few minor contortions of his face, he overcame it, and slowly breathed out, releasing a thin trail of grey smoke.
The herbs, secret to his people, had a way of calming the mind and body, if one could withstand the strange taste and smell of the strange substance. He closed his eyes and rested his head back, taking another puff from his pipe, before he once more returned to his task of skinning the boar, the pipe still in his mouth as the hunting knife continued its gory job.

 

[Tora]

Calitarah

It was now pitch black in the woods. The small fire that Calitarah let glow lit the clearing, and left a dull glow around the outskirts. She looked up from the fire as she heard someone say 'hello'.

Her (now yellow) eyes focused on a young human male entering the clearing.

"Oh hello there!" Cali said to the visitor.

"Feel free to rest here if you like" she added, being used to many passing strangers. Rarely did anyone choose to stay longer than a few days, so she had accustomed herself to being merely cordial with anyone she met.

She pulled her legs into an 'indian style' position and sat up straighter.

 

[poohlive]

Elegance is the key to survival. It is said that many civilizations have risen and fallen on this planet. Wholes scores of human societies have tasted life, freedom, even power, only to find some way to destroy it. They are a barbaric and drude species, which is why they die so frequently.
They have forgotten that elegance is the key to survival.
Waer bent down, taking a sip of the cool water. The dreek running near him was little more than a drinking hole. It wasn't even big enough to get wet up to the ankles. Snoe melting from the mountains far above fed this place, and the water trailed down, passing over these slimy rocks before him. It gave the water a real taste.
There was a spring not too far from here, if he remembered correctly. A small place where the water boils up and feels so good against one's skin.
His ears perked up, glancing far to the right.
Waer slowly let his head rise, water on his chin dripping down bac into the creek where it came. His entire body was frozen, motionless. He was a solid rock, turning his graceful neck to the right, listening for anything.
This is the reason he loved his deer form so much, because of it's great sense of hearing. It was far beyond all the other animals. At least all of them that he had ever been in contact with.
The deer's movements were so graceful, and so elegant. That is why they have lasted so long in this graveyard of a forest. Animals were dying by the hundreds, but the deer still hun on somehow. It was just like he said before.
Elegance is the key to survival.
Well, that and some incredible hearing.
A twig snapped. His whole body tensed up. Every muscle poised to running at the drop of a dime. All he had to do was see a flash of red, or something move inside the brush. Something else was here, and it was coming closer.
His head darted furhter right, back to the trail he had used to get himself here. Then it went ot the far side of the stream. The head moving swiftly, and then stopping at it's target. His movements were smooth and elegant. A great help for this kind of work. Much better than a bear or a grak.
That's when he smelled it, charred flesh. It was a human, and from the smell he had just finished eating some carcass, and was coming down to the creek to wash off.
With a tremendous bound Waer had cleared the creek and was on the other side. A flick of some bushes and he was gone from sight.
Elegance was the key to survival.

 

[Dark Warrior]

Dorne

Dorne cursed as he heard the sound of a twig snap beneath his boots, and he immediately threw himself behind a nearby tree, unslinging his longbow in one graceful stroke. He gently drew out an arrow from his quiver, silently placing the arrow in place. He glanced around in all directions, but, thankfully, it seemed that he was alone, but for a few small animals.
One single mistake was enough to bring death in a place like this. One single mistake like the one he had just made. Silently reprimanding himself, Dorne placed the arrow back into his quiver and slung his bow back over his shoulder before slowly returning to the rough path. After a double check, he continued on down towards the creek.
Standing at 6'5", Dorne moved with surprising agility and grace; more so than most humans, though his people, the Silyaven, were similar to humans in most respects.
Dorne knealt down beside the creek, plunging both his hands into the cold water and splashing it onto his face. He plunged his hands into the water again, this time bringing it up to his mouth to drink.
After drinking his fill, Dorne stood and left. It was night, and night brought strange and dangerous beasts to the waterways, so he thought it best to get back to his camp as quickly as possible.

 

[gohan18]

"Thanks for letting me sit here for a little while"

I sit down and stretch my legs out. I grasp my head because of the poundin headache all day.

"You don't happen to have anything to help me get to sleep. My head is killing me from being in....., I mean my head hurts and I can't sleep."

Damn I almost let it slip out, I think to myself.

 

[Angelus]

Daelon walked slowly through the trees listening to all the sounds that they made. He found peace in these trees and knew that there was nothing here that could ruin it. He walked a few more steps but stopped suddenly when he felt something that wasn't natural moving throughout the forest and grimaced. Why were men here in this forest now and why did he feel a sense of foreboding in the air. He walked quickly to where the humans were and as he got closer to them he could feel a sense of something that could be nothing short of evil.

He hated the feeling that was coming from them and knew instantly that they didn't belong, they were here for an evil purpose and that he had to talk with his friends. He turned and walked back into the deep part of the forest, hoping to find his friends before it was too late.

 

[Tora]

Calitarah

"Thanks for letting me sit here for a little while"


"You don't happen to have anything to help me get to sleep. My head is killing me from being in....., I mean my head hurts and I can't sleep."

Calitarah looked down at her side pouch thoughfully. "hmm... let me see..." She spoke as she searched.

As she looked back up, her shoulders lifted in a defeated shrug. "I'm sorry." She said looking to him. "Have you eaten tonight? Maybe that would help." She said, slowly getting to her feet.

She let her gaze trail quickly over the perimeter of the clearing, still being sure to keep watch.

Cali approached the fire and threw a few branches onto the small pile. She picked up a longer stick and poked idly at the fire. Her hair fell in a curtain over her face as she leaned forward. " I was trying to keep this small tonight, but it will be doused in a matter of hours anyway..." she said mostly to herself.

Her yellow gaze lifted to meet his as she poked at the fire. "What do you like to eat?" She asked, without even giving him a chance to say 'no' to her earlier offer....

 

[gohan18]

"No thats ok, I just at some time ok"

I turn to her and notice that she is staring at me.

"Would you mind if I made my self a little more comfertable to sleep"

 

[Tora]

Calitarah

"Oh sure!!" she said in reply, "GO ahead! "

Cali glanced around the clearing "Now where to sleep is your choice.."

Standing, she walked back toward the tree she sat against earlier, her 'poking stick' still in hand. She lifted her arm to point across the clearing. "Right through there is a fairly large den that's empty for now... lets see... "

Cali placed one finger on her lip as she thought. "A few meters to the east will lead you to a nice big tree like this one " she said, patting the trunk "it's got nice tall thick branches to sleep on..."

"Or, " She let her arms open up " You could just sleep here by the fire!" her mouth pulled a polite grin as she spoke.


Cali slid to a seat against the trunk and let her legs stretch out in front of her. Her gaze shifted lazily upward as she caught sight of a slight flash in the night sky.

She remembered and looked back to her guest. "It's probably going to rain in the next hour or so..you might want to prepare for that if need be...

Either way, let me know if you need anything." She said, closing her eyes for a moment to concentrate on sounds. This was another tactic for tracking the storm, and any coming visitors.

 

[gohan18]

As I listen to my options I get the idea that she would like me to stay by the fire. As I see her close her eyes I decide that I should make myself comfertable. I take off my clothes so they do not get ripped to shredds as I change. As soon as my clothes are off the chnage starts to happen. First my skin grow silver and then my body starts to grow. My claws begin to emerge and my tail begins to grow. The last thing that comes back into form is my wings.

"Well what do you think"

 

[Tora]

"Well what do you think"

Calitarah opened one eye as she heard him speak, and the other quickly followed as she realized her companion had taken another shape. "I knew you smelled different!" She said without blinking.

"I haven't seen a dragon in months!" she sat up again and grinned, baring her tiny canine teeth. "Well now we've got two sets of ears open. I think we're safe for the night!"

Cali shifted herself forward and laid flat on her back, lifting her arms to cross them behind her head. Admittedly, Cali was 'slacking' tonight. She heard the storm approaching, and remembered it was not often that the hunters left their village on stormy nights.

For the time being, she felt safe and relaxed.

 

[gohan18]

"You can pretty much smell the rain in the air"

I look around and make sure everything is alright.

"But if it does start coming down pretty heavy you can just sleep under my wing"

 

[Angelus]

As he ran deeper into the forest he wondered what the humans were doing here. He stook and looked around, wondering where to go next until he heard the birds telling him to go to the east. He ran that way and hoped that he could find his friends before the humans came further into the forest and destroy it and them forever.

 

[Tora]

Calitarah

You can pretty much smell the rain in the air"



"But if it does start coming down pretty heavy you can just sleep


She smirked as her eyes trailed over the tree-tops, watching the sky light up every few seconds. She still lay flat on her back, arms behind her head in a relaxed state of mind.

"I appreciate the offer! But I'll probably end up going to that den I told you about. It's much safer in there." she said calmly.

She felt the hairs on her arms raise up.. There was a thickness in the air, and she figured it to be the charge of an electrical storm.

 

[poohlive]

The light patter of deer feet on the hard ground began to get heavier. The hooves themselves were changing, hair all over his body growing back into the skin. Bones were realigning, and his very face contorted in on himself.
In less then a minute he was back to his former self, just a shifter. His figure was very rarely seen to anyone else, he chose to spend his time as other animals. Masks to keep himself hidden from anyone and anything.
Waer had learned long ago that nothing could be trusted. Kill it, be killed, or get the fuck out of there. Elegantly of course. That was the motto he lived by, and it had worked so far.
He had reached a part of the forest with a cliff face. Further down, if he wasn't mistaken there would be a den of sorts. He chose against sleeping there though, since the storm was coming other creatures would probably take refuge there. The one thing he didn't want to do tonight was fight a bear or a grax for shelter.
Perhaps something a little higher up.
Once again his form changed. Hands, already growing paws, moved down to the floor, and hair, not brown and fine, but white and scraggly grew from his skin.
A mountain goat, with perfect balance on sheer cliff faces. That would get him high enough to find a place to sleep. Taking careful aim, he jumped onto a boulder.

 

[gohan18]

"Actually now that I think of it I am a bit hungry"

I spread my wings and take a leap into the air.

"Ok, lets see if thier is anything out tonight"

After a few minutes of flying around the country side I notice I goat going up the side of a cliff.

I follow it for a bit and then decide to go after it. I swoop down and try to grab it with by claws.

 

[Tora]

Calitarah

OOC: I'm gonna switch tenses in my writing.. just so you all know ^_^

Also check the OOC thread! I'm going to play another char. as a hunter.

IC:

As she watches him fly out of her view, Cali sits up. Her yellow eyes trail over the (now empty) clearing. She unconsciously lets her senses stretch over the area, listening for any sign of other visitors.

Something about the air made her nervous now. The sky continues to flash, but more frequently now and her ears pick up distant rumbles of thunder.

But she wonders if her sudden uneasyness is only because of the storm.

Calitarah stands to her full height and looks around. Her stance is very alert, and she stands almost still as she scans the area again. Her nose takes in long, slow breaths a she tests the air. Her yellow eyes stay wide as they go over every detail, and her ears take in any and every sound they can.

She looks to the fire and sees that the wind is already picking up, and lessening the light it gives off.

Stepping back, Cali merely leans up against the large tree, folding her arms across her chest and waiting.

Something is definately amiss...

 

[Dark Warrior]

Dorne

Dorne awoke after just a few minutes of sleep, as the feeling of rain against his skin roused him.
He cursed, picking himself off the floor, now noticing that the rain was coming down heavier than he had at first thought. Glancing around, he decided it was time to find some more sheltered place to sleep, and, gathering up his few measly possessions, he darted off further into the forest.

 

[poohlive]

Wear snuggled deeper into the alcove when he saw something flash out of the corner of his eyes.
At first he thought it was just lightening, but it didn't look like anything he had ever seen. His eyes grew wide as something big came down.
And then it was gone.
He had watched something come down, and just grab a goat right from off of that ledge to his left. His eyes grew wide, as wide as a goat's could get, looking at a few rocks scrmble down to the bottom.
Had that just happened?
Waer seemed to shiver, despite the fact that he was finally getting warm. The fine coarse hairs were doing just nicely in this cold night air. Still, he couldn't help but feel like someone had just ran up his spine.
Something was out there, something big. Much bigger than he had seen before, perhaps a gryphon or a dragon even. They weren't common around here, but anything is possible.
Hell, he just didn't see a little hedghog take care of that goat.
Checking the sky once more, he decided to move a little further into the alcove, just in case whatever it was wouldn't come back for seconds.

 

[gohan18]

I land on top of a of a low cloud and decide to eat my meal thier. I look around and notice the storm rolling in rather quickly.

I finish the meal and head back down to wear the girl is.

"I think we should maybe find shelter for the night. This storm looks like it's going to stick around for awhile. I think maybe the cave would be the best bet"

 

[Tora]

Calitarah

Upon the dragon's return, Cali stands her ground.

"I have to keep an eye out, at least until it gets too bad. " Her nose twitches a bit as she glances around, and the thunder in the distance becomes more audible.

"I dunno" she shakes her head a bit "I've just got a feeling that something's up, and I don't want to leave the clearing until I know that it won't be crossed.." she says in a low voice. Half of her words come out in a thoughtful voice.

The wind picks up her hair and it blows unhaltered around her face. Her stance is very relaxed looking, leaning with folded arms against a tree, but her eyes and ears are very obviously on 'the lookout' for her.

Calitarah's yellow eyes move to meet the dragon's. "Strange as it sounds, I'd feel safer out here for the time being..."

The fire is still barely lit, but provides sufficient light for the area when the sky isn't providing it's strobe lighting..

 

[Tora]

Athena

She grips the bow tightly to her chest as she shifts, rolls and lands with her back to a tree.

Athena fights to catch her breath, her blue eyes flashing menacingly as she sees a male form approach her.

"You're not being very stealth you know.." she says in a low voice, watching as he crouches in front of her.

"This is crap Thena... We'll never find anything in the middle of a storm!" He says in a harsh voice, jumping as the sky lights up again.

She rolls her eyes and stands, peeking around the edge of the tree to keep an eye on her father. "Kay... " she says, turning to face her brother "We're following someone who knows his way around the woods, and knows exact spots where they've seen beasts! The best time to get them is when they think we won't hunt!" she says sharply, peering around the tree again and pushing herself around it to start trotting softly after her father and his companions.

Kaylel meets her pace and doesn't speak again until the next stop spot. "Look.. lightning and thunder never hurt us before, now lets just follow dad and trust that he'll lead us to them this time." she sighed and looked exasperated as she checked around the tree again.

They take off in another short trot further into the woods. As the wind picks up, Athena is glad she kept her hair tied back.

 

[gohan18]

"Well it's up to you what you do"

I look around and stare off into space.

"So whats your reason for being out here all alone. My parents were killed when I was young and have been on my own every since."

I look into hear eyes and for the first time are astounded by her looks. I catch myself and quickly change the subject.

"Would you feel any better if we were to be coverd in a fog bank? That way we could walk without anybody seeing us.