Silverlight Terrace And if I'd stare too long
Ghost
3,526 Posts
Ooc — Me
Birdcatcher
Trapper
Master Storyteller
Offline
#1
All Welcome 
"Think of it like this, little bird," Osprey said as she guided young Wraen through the dark forest. After seeing that her youngest had had the difficulties of keeping up with the two competetive older siblings, she had taken to teach and train her away from them. There she had blossomed and they had spent many happy hours both training in the art of survival and playing. There Wraen was not ashamed of revealing her fears. Total darkness and bogey-man being one of the many. "Think that you are the worst thing possible that anyone could meet in these woods."

"I am the scariest thing here," Wraen repeated now, eyes closed and breathing deeply, while standing in a meadow. One of her trips to the oceanside had taken way more time than she had anticipated and therefore it was way past midnight and in total darkness that she was returning to the Moonspear. Of course, she was not afraid of the night, now being fully grown and certain that she could outrun any trouble, but this was sort of a ritual that always made her feel better in circumstances, where she did not feel 100% sure. 

"There, mum. I wish that you were here though..." she muttered to herself as she resumed her walk. Having an old and wise hag of hags (that's what Osprey had named herself) by your side was always a plus.
1,293 Posts
Ooc — Talamasca
Tactician
Seer
Offline
#2
Note to self: This is the start of his new timeline.

You don't look scary to me, the grey shadows murmured, crackling like gravel down a mountainside. The boy didn't feel inclined to raise his voice too much when he called out - the sound carried. It was distinctive. The verbal correction was bestowed upon the wandering girl right before he made his big reveal, trying his best to seem aloof but also dangerous, like some kind of mysterious vagabond.

Titmouse was thinking too much about his grand reveal (and trying to look impressive), to the point that he caught one of his paws against his leg and awkwardly stumbled; the shadows belched with the crunching of leaves and breaking of branches for a moment or two, and when he finally did pop out of the dark, Titmouse was a bit of a mess. He shook out his scruff in the hope that it looked suave, trying to remove what detritus he'd acquired, and then leveled his orange eyes upon the girl again.

Being the moron that he was, Tit didn't know what to do next, or say next. So he just kind of... stared at her. Quietly.
Ghost
3,526 Posts
Ooc — Me
Birdcatcher
Trapper
Master Storyteller
Offline
#3
Usually the declaration to the darkness was enough to make Wraen feel better. However, when the darkness spoke back to you - things changed, tables were turned and whatever - Wraen jumped and spun around to see, who or what it was. She managed to figure out that the voice belonged to shape, which accompanied by the orchestra of breaking twigs and rustling leaves, emerged from the darkness out in the open. 

It was too soon to tell, whether the wolf before her was a friend or a foe, but Wraen decided that it was best of to start politely, friendly and - perhaps - if the person in front of her had a hint of humor in him, with a joke. "Well, you definitely hold that title now. Mr.... what's-your-name?"
1,293 Posts
Ooc — Talamasca
Tactician
Seer
Offline
#4
He opened his mouth, proud to have the opportunity to use the title he'd practiced in his head: Titmouse the Bear-Flayer!
Except as soon as he was about to say something, he sort of reconsidered. What kind of name was Titmouse anyways? This was his chance to really make a name for himself, to invent something better! What had they always called him at the Vale?

Screech, he drawled, as if it were the most impressive name ever. Just to make sure she understood the greatness of his esteemed presence, Tit added: I'm hunting right now - for bears actually - I do that, I hunt 'em, I fight 'em. You seen any?
Ghost
3,526 Posts
Ooc — Me
Birdcatcher
Trapper
Master Storyteller
Offline
#5
"Screech, huh?" Wraen smiled. "I recently met a guy named Howl - are you by any chance related?" And with this wagon of thought the whole train started moving with her mind coming up with the names of the whole "voice"/"vocalization" family members. Hoot, Squeal (poor fellow), Yip Yap, Whoop, Shrill, Wail, Moan and her personal favorites - Ululates and Vociferate. Hey, this could make a good story.

She stopped her musings there right the moment the guy asked "You see any?". Having not heard about the bear hunting part, she looked around, feeling puzzled and then - because she did not want to offend the fellow - pointed in random direction: "There, maybe?"

ooc: you choose, what she pointed at.
1,293 Posts
Ooc — Talamasca
Tactician
Seer
Offline
#6
He shook his head, big ears flipping about. He would've responded verbally, but the girl got a glassy-eyed look all of a sudden, and Tit was sort of.. Transfixed by it. He glanced over his shoulder in case she had spotted something coming, and then she directed him in another direction -- to where a bear might lurk. The fur of his spine stood on-end at the suggestion, a far cry from the stalwart warrior he was pretending to be. What?! He turned and bolted, but didn't go very far. Wraen became a meat-shield for the boy, who hunkered down behind her with eyes wide and wild, spooked by the very idea that a bear might be right behind him. She had only pointed at a sapling caught in the wind though.
Ghost
3,526 Posts
Ooc — Me
Birdcatcher
Trapper
Master Storyteller
Offline
#7
Screech's reaction made Wraen jump and look frantically around as well to pinpoint, what had scared him, and when nothing came up, she turned around and eyed the fellow curiously. "What happened to you?" she asked, nearing the young wolf slowly and carefully. 

"Did you have a seizure or something?" she questioned further, really hoping that it was not the case. She had no idea, how to deal with a medical emergency. "Or did a flea bit you?" that was a more hopeful guess.
1,293 Posts
Ooc — Talamasca
Tactician
Seer
Offline
#8
There was no bear. His attempts to seem manly and so very strong were fizzling out. The girl seemed surprised, a little flustered, but mostly confused - and Tit tried to shake off his own nerves, to stand tall and return to the persona he had started the conversation with. He swallowed a lump in his throat and stood tall behind her, slinking out from his hiding place as if nothing was amiss.

Pfft! No! I don't even know what that means, he grumbled hastily, only to shoot her a scowl when she mentioned fleas. That was going a bit far - so he didn't even respond to the accusation. Fleas! On him? Never! You just said there was a bear behind me! I was -- I was just repositioning. To get a good angle of attack! But you lied, you liar! It wasn't even there! Tit snorted softly in the manner of an irritated Thoroughbred (and to be honest, he was just as high-strung as any racehorse); he began to pace a little, looking around for clues just in case she was tricking him -- if there was a bear, he wanted to be ready (to run).
Ghost
3,526 Posts
Ooc — Me
Birdcatcher
Trapper
Master Storyteller
Offline
#9
"Yeah, really?" Wraen looked at him skeptically, when Screech declared that he had been cooking up battle tactics from behind the lines and that his sudden outburst had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he was terrified. Scared. Shitless.

She did not blame him - she would also have fled the bear, if she had seen one in a distance, but then again she would not have been stupid enough to boast around that she was not a coward. 

Now, what am I going to do with you... Wraen pondered, sitting down and looking at the self-proclaimed hero up and down. "Liar, I might be, but I was testing you - bear-fighter. And I am sorry to say that you do not strike me as a person, who could take down a bear. A mouse - maybe, but nothing bigger than that."
1,293 Posts
Ooc — Talamasca
Tactician
Seer
Offline
#10
What? What? She had the balls to insult his fighting ability? As she spoke Titmouse felt himself grow flush with a mixture of embarrassment and rage; his ears pinned and he had to fight from scowling with all his pointy little teeth in her direction. 

A mouse - maybe, she said, but nothing bigger than that. 

Something deep inside of Titmouse seemed to snap. Mostly though, the boy's mind made an abrupt connection between her mouse comment and his own name - and he realized vehemently and unequivocally that he absolutely loathed the name he had been born in to. 

Well you can't either! You're just -- you were just sitting here talking to yourself, you loser! The more he raved, the louder he got, and the puffier. Tit's fur spiked all over and he greatly resembled a porcupine; truthfully, he might've been one in a past life. am a warrior! And you're nothing but a crazy person that talks to trees!

And here he was, shouting at a perfectly good stranger because of his own insecurity.
Ghost
3,526 Posts
Ooc — Me
Birdcatcher
Trapper
Master Storyteller
Offline
#11
Wraen sensed the other's anger and, when Screech started to shout at her, she got to her feet, the fur along her spine bristled too and there was cold flicker in her eyes. She rarely got angry, but this guy really got on her nerves. First, he had lied. Second, he had accused her. Third, now he was insulting her. That was not a nice way to treat strangers. Who the hell did he think he was?

"Yeah?" Wraen spat, when the guy had finished his rave. "I am a crazy person and talk to trees - so what? I - at least - do not pretend to be someone I am not! I never claimed that I fought bears, and - forgive me, if I am wrong - but it was not me, who got scared and began to flee like little wuss, when "bear" was only mentioned. You are an effing coward and a loser for not admitting it to yourself," she said, her heart pounding hard in her chest, and adrenaline coursing through her veins.
1,293 Posts
Ooc — Talamasca
Tactician
Seer
Offline
#12
This was not the first time someone doubted his story, nor would it be the last. But it was the most obvious refusal by anyone - Tit hadn't been yelled at for telling the tale before, and adding that to the emotional state he'd entered, things were bound to escalate.

I'm not lying! Why does everyone say that?! But it was rhetorical; he bellowed in the girl's face and then, before she could reply, continued: There was a bear! A big scary thing, and it was lookin' right at me when Rannoch an' Cypress found us! It was real, and I'm not lying! The terror he'd felt in that moment, when the bear was focused solely upon himself and ready to deliver its final blow, would never leave Titmouse's mind. It was ingrained there, no matter what anyone said.

I'm not a coward, and I'm not a loser! Except of course, he'd hardly fought the thing. Escaping had been a blur. He'd been saved from certain death, and now he was determined to make himself stronger because of it - except nobody would believe the scrawny boy who was filled with stories. He just needed someone to listen, to believe!

With a huff, he pirouetted and began to march away from the stupid girl - she wasn't worth it. She wouldn't believe him no matter how detailed he got with his recollection! He'd leave her with the trees, and she could be as weird as she liked! You're stupid. I hope a tree falls on you, or a bear eats you, you... You stupid... girl! He called out as he left her - a pathetic attempt at regaining the upper hand. Although, maybe he was actually talking to himself too.
Ghost
3,526 Posts
Ooc — Me
Birdcatcher
Trapper
Master Storyteller
Offline
#13
Screech suddenly became incoherent, yelling back at her about some bear he had actually seen and mentioning two other names that in the beginning made no sense to her and only later would she realize that "Rannoch" was someone she knew.

The guy really seemed insulted and had not Wraen herself been boiling with anger, she would have felt a little bit of pity and also curiousity about the story behind all of the "I am bear-fighter" facade. However the opportunity was lost, because the guy turned on his heel and left. Of course, not without spitting some venom her way before. "Tell that to someone, who believes it," she growled. 

"Find some brains you BRAINLESS FART!!!" Wraen called after him and left in the other direction. If she ever met this guy again... heaven forbid.