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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 1:50:38 GMT -4
Abrevynen was silent for a while, then he sighed a sigh of relief. "Thank you. That means a lot to me." He hopped off of the branch and landed on Vezolth's head, making himself comfortable. "I would talk to the hunter, but what would I even ask him? And how could he possibly help, anyway? He's so closed off..."
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 1:57:43 GMT -4
"Dunno. Guess that's what we'll have to think about. We have a century, or two to think. We can think of something, I know it." Vezolth let his gaze go up to the ferret on his head. "How does your connection feel? Since she's in a hibernation, or coma, now?" He was curious, but was afraid he'd hurt his friend's feelings.
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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 4:36:46 GMT -4
~ roughly 100 years later... ~
Another sunrise over the mythical forest, coating the brilliant leaves of the strong, old trees in a warm glow. The sun lent new life each and every day, warding the night time monsters back into the shadows and letting the daytime fauna know that it was safe to return. And yet, in one particular sector of the woods, an aura of gloom couldn't be shaken even by the sun's cleansing rays.
It had been festering there for years. Grim thoughts, nightmares, they'd all accumulated over the past century, and only sheer luck kept it from manifesting into some awful monster with a craving for innocent souls.
Within that small area of the forest, a winged ferret flinched awake after a fitful night's rest, and was about to panic until his senses grew aware of the comforting warmth that enveloped his body. Soft feathers covered him like a cocoon, and they weren't his own.
He poked his head out of the feathery nest and wriggled the rest of his body free shortly after. Then he set a small, brown paw on the great serpent's snout.
"V-Vezolth. Wake up."
-
However, elsewhere, a much more fortunate being was basking in the morning sun with not a care in the world to disturb them from their light rest. The creature, a Qilin, eventually opened their bleary eyes. After taking a few moments to regain their bearings, they pushed themself onto their hooves and followed the sound of water to a small brook. They paused by the water's edge and lowered their head to the water to take a drink. Then, they stood up tall again and walked along the water to with no real destination, content with simply wandering and holding little care for what their destination might be.
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 4:49:46 GMT -4
A loud yawn escaped the serpent's maw, his eyes still closed. "I'm awake little buddy." Another yawn escaped him, his tail drooping and hanging limp. His wings were stiff, and his head yearned for sleep. It was yelling at him, and it hurt. Sleep deprivation was common though, and it was rare to have a full nights rest without a disturbance. "I've been awake the entire night."
-
Somewhere else in the forest, or more of the edge of it, there was a rapid patter of hoof steps, then a crash. The creator of the noise groaned, pulling themselves up and dragging themselves into the woods. Getting a meal wasn't easy, it's even harder when your biggest allergy was always near the source and happens to be your actual source. Turning into a lizard, they climbed into a tree and rested on a branch. Everything hurt, mostly their stomach that seemed to roar at them.
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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 4:57:32 GMT -4
Abrevynen sighed and laid down next to Vezolth's head. "You shouldn't do that," he said softly. "It's not good to stay awake all night. At least try and sleep a little. I did it." He concealed the fact that yes, he had slept, but it had been riddled with nightmarish visions and uncanny sensations and hadn't felt like sleep at all.
The passing Qilin flinched upon hearing a series of loud noises and slipped out of their equine form, shifting into a humanoid shape. With their new body they scaled the nearest tree and took perch, hiding among the leaves in case some kind of malevolent beast passed by. When nothing seemed to come near, they descended from their temporary hiding place and resumed their previous form, then continued walking.
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 5:13:58 GMT -4
"How can I sleep when I feel like my only friend is wracked with nightmares? I worry about you, so much." He lazily rubbed his eyes with a wing. "Besides, I'm used to it. It's been a century, and I could go through it for many more nights." Another yawn came, this one making his body shake. Vezolth felt frail, yet he knew he wasn't. Another day he'd have to go through with very little energy. Maybe if he saw the sun, he'd get a bit more energy.
Deciding to try find something here, the slipped down the tree and switching back from their temporary form. Making sure none of the trinkets that hung from their head, they walked forward. Something small or dead would work, and they went to work. A sound of a chattering squirrel came from their maw, a reply reaching their ears. They hunkered down, making sure their hooves didn't kick or snap anything. Maybe the prey here would ease the growling that was their stomach.
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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 5:44:19 GMT -4
Abrevynen didn't respond, a frown spreading along his lips. He contemplated whether or not he wanted to get up, then decided it would be best to force himself to his paws. "Um, my mouth is dry," he said, flicking his wings. His wings seemed to feel heavier every day. Sometimes he wondered if he'd be better off without them. "Can we walk to a pond or something? Get a drink?" He watched Vezolth carefully, noting each hint of his pain or discomfort with a heavy heart.
The sweet fragrance of fruit wafted into the Qilin's nose and they paused by a tree. They gazed up into the branches and noticed little patches of colour peeking through the leafy window that hid them. They lifted their head high and managed to close their teeth on one of the fruits. After tearing it off, they sat down to eat it before continuing with their little journey.
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 5:53:37 GMT -4
"Yeah... Yeah, we can. Hopefully it's cold." He lifted his head, forcing his eyes open and blinking them at the harsh sunlight that managed to get through the leaves above. "I'll follow. Go on ahead." His usually colorful wings were dulled from the lack of cleaning, even the ones on top of his head. Even his horns had turned brown instead of staying red.
They continued the little chatter, eventually seeing the squirrel and spinning around. After a loud slam and an alarmed squeak, they retrieved their prize and swallowed it whole. Their mouth was large enough to hold the prey as is, and swallowing it whole instead of chewing it was better. Standing up, the continued their walk in hopes of finding something else. Maybe a bird? With this thought, they started to tweet and chirp.
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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 6:05:48 GMT -4
"Hopefully," Abrevynen agreed. He hesitated to take the lead, but didn't suggest otherwise. He padded along, paws thrumming heavily against the ground. He could smell the cool, fresh scent of water wisping through the wind and followed it to a river. His eyes followed the water's path and he saw that it fed out into a small pond not too far away. He looked down at the river again and bent down until his whiskers touched the water. He flinched at the feeling, then sighed and drew a long drink of cool river water.
They enjoyed the sounds of the nature as they wandered, the sunlight bouncing off of their metallic scales and causing them to glitter brilliantly. The wind rustling the leaves, the birds chirping a morning tune, the distant rush of a river's currents, it was all very relaxing.
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 6:18:57 GMT -4
Vezolth followed, humming quietly as he followed his friend. When the river came to view, he lowered his head to take a drink. If only it was colder, then he would just dunk his head in and be awake for a few moments. He started to sway, finding it hard to keep his balance.
Finding a bird, they continued their little tune in hopes of it coming close. It eventually did, and swiftly snapped their jaws on the avian. Another small meal to ease their stomach. It was something. For now, they decided to explore the territory they were in. In other terms, find if there was anything shiny to add to their personal collection.
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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 6:31:28 GMT -4
Abrevynen backed away from the river and looked around. "Okay, I feel better. Are you good?" he asked, taking a moment to stretch his weary body. He dunked his head back into the water and took a mouthful, then used it to preen his feathers to the best of his abilities.
They found a particularly calm clearing and sat down in a patch of sunlight, stretching out on the grass and keeping an eye on their surroundings. The sun heated up his pelt and the warmth spread throughout his body, leaving him feeling quite comfortable.
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 6:40:27 GMT -4
"I am." He didn't want to lie, but he knew Abrevynen already had a lot of his mind. His own wellbeing shouldn't be added. "What do you want to do today?" He didn't bother cleaning his feathers into the water, or even clean them by taking a mouthful of water. It would take the very little energy he had.
They stopped by a particular odd spot, seeing a large gap in what looked like large mound. It was covered in moss and vines, clearly it wasn't taken care of. Their eyes glowed, and they managed to see what was inside. Besides how dark the area was, it looked like a den. There were no vines or moss in the inside, and they could spot a small hoard of trinkets. Now this caught their eye.
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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 10:08:41 GMT -4
Abrevynen wasn't even sure how to respond to that question. What was there to do anymore? The world felt like such a bland, empty place. Still, he had to say something, so he raked his brain for something to respond with. "Hm, let's look for a meadow," he decided. "A nice, sunny one with lots of flowers. Then we can relax there for the rest of the day. Doesn't that sound nice?"
The Qilin continued to bask quietly. They were greeted by a pleasant surprise before too long - a few small birds fluttered over and landed on their antlers. They smiled and kept their head as still as they could, so as not to disturb the roosting creatures.
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 10:17:37 GMT -4
Vezolth nodded. "It does. Might fall asleep in the sunshine though," he warned. He lowered his head so his friend could hop on. The mention of sleep made his wings heavy, having a bit of trouble keeping them up.
The scanned the den, spotting trinkets and cloth. Paintings and rotting food. They took a step forward, only to jump back with a yelp of pain. Something moved inside the den, then a grumble. Taking this as a warning, they sped off. Something seemed off about the place anyway. It smelled like a canine. A draconic canine? Oh they hoped not! A sneeze escaped them, making them walk faster. Flowers would get rid of the smell, they just needed a large patch.
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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 10:25:12 GMT -4
"A nap in the sun would be nice, even if we just woke up," Abrevynen responded as he forced his weak legs to propel his body into the air. He landed gently on Vezolth's head and snuggled in comfily. "Let's go, then."
A few butterflies dared flutter over to the Qilin, settling in their mane. However, one of them brushed past their nose, and coaxed a sneeze from the mythical beast, startling all of their new friends away. They chuckled a little, then went back to relaxing.
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 10:41:51 GMT -4
"You woke up, I was awake," Vezolth hummed, starting the trek towards the meadows. He remembered where to go years before, taking his friend to see the sunlight. It never worked, but it was nice to soak up the warm rays. In his opinion at least.
They continued forward, coming out of the cover of trees and into a clearing. Spotting a patch of flowers. They lowered their head and inhaled deeply. The smell of the canine went away, but what confused them was the shield over the den. Clearly it was a treasure trove just waiting to be given a new home. There had to be a few things in there that they wanted! The thought made them smile, one that was similar to a Cheshire cat's. They might need help, even if they didn't want to find any. Perhaps there was something else in the forest that would calm their obsession.
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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 11:31:10 GMT -4
Abrevynen frowned. "Well, all the more reason to take a nap, then," he mumbled, "right?" He watched the path ahead of them, eagerly waiting for the moment when the undergrowth would part and reveal the bright, blooming meadow.
The Qilin found theirselves dozing off before long, lulled into a light sleep by the calming surroundings.
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 11:38:22 GMT -4
He nodded, wincing when they were out from under the trees. The sun felt nice, but he continued forward before laying down. "Sorry if I sound cranky and old. I don't want to be." Vezolth let out another yawn, blinking as he curled up.
They raised their head, spotting something that was a dull blue. It didn't raise their interest, so their attention returned to the flowers.
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Post by Shadow Sharpfang on Mar 24, 2017 11:48:42 GMT -4
"It's okay, Vezolth. You don't sound cranky or old to me," Abrevynen reassured him as he hopped down onto the grass. He stuck his nose into a nearby flower and drew in the sweet scent before laying down. "It's always so nice here..."
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Post by Wolfstar on Mar 24, 2017 12:02:58 GMT -4
"There might be someone around. Hide under my wings if you need some cover." Vezolth dozed off tucking his head underneath a wing.
They lifted their head again, spotting a small shape beside the blue. Prey? This thought made their stomach rumble again, crouching down and stalking toward. Food was the only thing they had in mind at the moment. Their hunt earlier ended badly, so might as well fill up before trying again.
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