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+--- Thread: Permafrost Hollows my shadow's shedding skin (/showthread.php?tid=52656)
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my shadow's shedding skin - Ruona - September 20, 2022
Exhaustion hinted at the woman’s features, emerald eyes scanning over the Hollow, the crystalized water over the surface causing a frown to strike her features. She sighed softly, her breath showing lightly against the cold chill of the morning air to the north. It felt as if she brought the cold with her regardless of where she went, distressing as always as she began to search for any sign of life, any meal that might help stave off the hunger that burned in her belly.
She could not help but let her nose wrinkle softly in the process, a hint of disgust on her features. It felt as if she had been wandering to the south and east for weeks if not months, and yet there was no progress in her quest for the warmth, for something away from the very thing that had taken her life away from her. The frustration was hard to miss, even now. Her eyes closed, drawing in another deep breath before sharply exhaling.
Anger is uncomely. She wished the voice of her parents would flee her already, reminding her how she had once been expected to act. Nothing made sense anymore… and Ruona was not sure who she was supposed to be now that she knew everything she was, was a lie.
She moved forward, her paws crunching the frost that had settled over the plants in the valley as she aimed to continued south and east, hoping that some day, she might just find the warmth she craved after all this time.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Redbird - September 20, 2022
Indra had slipped from @Colt briefly to scout, or so she was instructed, and was not far from him when she caught sight of a pale woman.
It was only a glimpse - long enough for her to estimate their speed and direction, and another glance to check for limps or other weaknesses; then, she turned and slunk across the wasteland.
She sought the man first, claiming to have found a mark but she was too excited to elucidate, and journeyed back to where the woman marched.
There, Indra lost track for a minute, as the shape did blend in well to the cold expanse.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Ruona - September 20, 2022
Ruona did not expect to run into another; not in the temperament they found themselves in… she thought any creature smart enough to survive would be doing as she was doing and fleeing to the south in order to find better climate that might allow not just survival but the ability to thrive as a whole.
She was taken aback to see another come across her sight seemingly following her approach to the south, the white woman did not expect wolves to find survival in such an expanse. Faded purple stains around her paws were the only part of her fur that would not blend with the surrounding expanse, though it had been some time since her last stomping of berries, meaning that the colors would soon be gone altogether. Piercing green eyes and facial features standing out as she found herself moving forward.
“Who?” The word fell, a thick accent over her voice as her head tilted to the side; her command of the common tongue was good, but until she knew whether or not the woman she had stumbled across was friend or foe, she would speak minimally, hoping to guide the other to the conclusion of a partial language barrier that might be useful for getting herself out of trouble.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Redbird - September 20, 2022
Forgetting her own looks, and that she was closer to flame than frost, Indra spotted the stranger first for their muddy feet and then the blackness of their nose, and plunged forth to seek them.
She left Colt behind, working her way to the cover of sad and brittle trees or the nearest barren ice shelf; neither would hide her enough.
In an attempt to be mysterious (which was doomed to fail, naturally) Indra circled and circled, until finally choosing a route that would draw her up behind the stranger.
They knew she was there, regardless. They spoke, even! The girl had thought she was doing well as a sneak and a thief, yet was found immediately, and besides there was nothing she could see worth taking.
It was a bit deflating. Indra's posture hid nothing as she popped in to view: a frown, folded ears, her usual slovenly and low posture.
Where you going?She was genuinely curious.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Ruona - September 20, 2022
It was the frown that would set the priestess on edge, wondering how encountering another in such a climate could be anything other than joyous… for there was a safety in numbers so long as those numbers did not delusionally follow the word of a girl solely because of the color of her fur.
The question came and her ear twitched lightly, a frown on her features as she looked around, another cloud forming from her maw as she exhaled in a soft sigh. “To warmth.” The cold was far from kind to her and she desired to leave it behind for good.
With it, she gave away her own handle of the common tongue despite the accent that carried in her voice. “And you? Where is it you are going?” She had to imagine the woman was wandering through the area just as her. What could there to be hunting in such a cold when all the beasts fled to warmer pastures?
She had not asked for a name; she did not particularly care. It had no bearing to her or her journey unless she’d interact with the woman further or in the future, and names held a power which made her want to prevent sharing her own.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Colt - September 21, 2022
he is still a ways off, can join next round!
a mark.
colt had watched indra's firefly figure disappear into the hollows, and when she did not immediately return, he rose to his feet.
red eyes burned in the direction she had gone, and colt tracked her easily, loping along the marks left by her paws. she doubled, circled.
well. she had found someone after all.
colt continued, and soon he would loom into view, an ugly rictus of a grin on his patchwork face.
colt had watched indra's firefly figure disappear into the hollows, and when she did not immediately return, he rose to his feet.
red eyes burned in the direction she had gone, and colt tracked her easily, loping along the marks left by her paws. she doubled, circled.
well. she had found someone after all.
colt continued, and soon he would loom into view, an ugly rictus of a grin on his patchwork face.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Redbird - September 23, 2022
Indra knew to listen for certain cues.
This one did not give her much to work with: no destination by name, no person spoken of. That was workable too, because it further proved this stranger was all alone.
Home,she answered. It was what this one wanted to hear, wasn't it? Somewhere warm where they could eat and rest, the likes of which all wolves desired.
We did a hunting trip, me and my da, but the cold place has very little.
She looked over her shoulder to where she'd left the swarthy man, but only for a moment, as Indra did not want to lose sight of this stained oddity she had found for them.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Ruona - September 23, 2022
The vague answers were instilled upon her, time travelling alone making her weary for not everyone she had met on her journeys had been kind. Some had been from packs with similar beliefs who sought to use her sight, others packs hers had razed to the ground on a prophecy from her lips… it was enough for her to not want to be too forthcoming.
Home. She spoke of warmth, and the mention of a failed hunting trip that must have taken them far from home. “Where is home?” She asked, curious, wondering if it were warmer than the lands she had come from. Her home was not warm by any means.
“I bring the cold with me everywhere I go.” She warned softly, as if the woman would continue her hunting ventures by following her for warmth. She was cursed. She watched as the woman glanced over her shoulders, Ruona’s head tilting. “Is it your Pa you’re looking for?” She asked curiously, her thick accent still covering over. “I miss my own very much. I look forward to seeing him again.” But hopefully it would be years before she would see him, after she faded from the world they were in.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Colt - September 23, 2022
a white wolf, a woman with stained paws. colt's shadow suddenly loomed between the pair as he sidled to indra's side. good work, his glance said before he focused his attention completely on the woman. she had a fleet build, smaller than himself. and while she was alone, he assumed, her figure did not suggest she was without fight.
but there were two of them and one of her.
his scarlet eyes flickered. "what's yer name, ma'am?" best to be cordial first. he wanted to show indra a good piece of work. if it ended well, they'd all eat and colt would get something of his own.
he did not move toward the stranger, keeping himself as unassuming as he was able.
but there were two of them and one of her.
his scarlet eyes flickered. "what's yer name, ma'am?" best to be cordial first. he wanted to show indra a good piece of work. if it ended well, they'd all eat and colt would get something of his own.
he did not move toward the stranger, keeping himself as unassuming as he was able.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Redbird - September 23, 2022
Colt came in to view within moments of the woman asking after her pa, and Indra put on her best smile (which looked a touch crooked, maybe a little rehearsed, certainly not the best or most fitting expression) and let her tail wag a few swings of a pendulum.
He asked after her name, and Indra, playing the part of darling daughter a touch on the young side, sidled close to her da and said,
She's lookin' for someplace warm, we gots a place, right da?This part was easy; she just pretended she was getting close enough for a nap, as he liked to cuddle close to her sometimes, and hopped a little bit to reach for his shoulder and jostle him.
Antics of an excited youth, nothing more.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Ruona - September 23, 2022
The man made his appearance, and the way that Indra interacted with him made them seem close, which only worked to confirm the suspicion that Ruona had: he was indeed the woman’s father. He asked for her name, quite polite and she hummed softly. “Rana, Priestess of the Spring and teller of prophecy.” The title of her homeland fell from her native tongue, though her name would still appear clear against the distinct diction of all else she said.
The girl started to speak, and Ruona frowned at the question. She had not realized the youth was thinking of offering her a home, and she quickly shook her head. “I am afraid I should not be welcome in your home.” The discomfort was clear on her features. “Death and cold follows me where I go.” The ominous words were ones she lived by, finding a certain truth to them that had brought her much sadness over her short tenure on the earth.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Colt - September 23, 2022
pa? pa!? colt briggs could have swatted the girl into the mud for her rowdiness. but he figured it was as good as anything, this lie. his ears flicked to hear the foreign words punctuating her sentences. they weren't familiar in the least. the rogue began to grow impatient.
"weellll nah," he said, cocking his weight to one hip and offering her a winning grin with his birch-yellowed fangs. "i reckon the kid'n i aren't so scared of cold. i don't rightly reckon we frighten easy to the uh, other thing yew said, neither."
his eye flicked to indra. did she know how to distract?
"she's right, but uh. we been huntin' a while. an', miz rana, yew'd know it's bad luck to return to a spot with aught in yer jaws."
he played to her, peripherals keeping indra close.
"weellll nah," he said, cocking his weight to one hip and offering her a winning grin with his birch-yellowed fangs. "i reckon the kid'n i aren't so scared of cold. i don't rightly reckon we frighten easy to the uh, other thing yew said, neither."
his eye flicked to indra. did she know how to distract?
"she's right, but uh. we been huntin' a while. an', miz rana, yew'd know it's bad luck to return to a spot with aught in yer jaws."
he played to her, peripherals keeping indra close.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Redbird - September 23, 2022
Right, so, they were both here and the mark was none the wiser. She was actively communicating with Colt now and Indra had no place in the conversation any longer; she saw the way the man looked to her, then to the woman, and with a teasing clip of her teeth against his cheek, moved away from him to skirt the limits of the woman's reach.
She moved down the ice sheet and around, so that she was on the other side of Ruona. Her head was down but her tail was up - as much for balance as for soundless indication to Colt that she was up to something. It was the posture of a curious, interested child.
I think there's somethin' this way we could try, if'n the lady helps?She feigned finding something among the sparse grasses, and then scratched the earth and stepped onward, hoping to draw Ruona's attention along with her.
Do you smell it? It be faint, 'course, with everything so cold n' wet n' all.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Ruona - September 23, 2022
She blinked as he began to speak, insisting they weren’t as afraid of Death itself, a frown on her features. Ruohtta had given her nightmares from a young age and she did not understand how someone could not fear such a man. He brought sickness and death in his wake. She did not seek to return to Tuonela, even if it meant she might see her forefathers.
She had not been aware that Indra had moved until she was speaking, and it caused her to jump lightly, a frown creasing her features as they continued to assist. “I am no hunter. I have never attempted to assist with such big prey.” If it required three of them, she would surely be useless. Her people had deemed it too dangerous a sport for her to take on the larger prey when she bore the gift of prophecy. A stray antler might take her down, and it would not bode well for her people.
She in general had not bode well for her people.
“I smell it, but I do not see how I can help.”
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Colt - September 23, 2022
miz rana spoke. indra had moved off a ways; he saw something bright in her eyes. colt glanced around at the terrain with a surreptitious movement of his eyes.
"huntin' ain't somethin' that just come to ya," colt said with a bold look toward her pristine white face. the ground was uneven here; say she tripped.
and the ground underneath their feet: bare earth with ice packed just beneath, and the webbing unsteady. a bad step and they all went through to the caves.
but indra was light. and colt was nimble. their guest could not so much as hunt.
"guess yew gotta ask urself: are yew hungry enough t'learn, miz rana? small game not gonna put enough backfat on yew fer the winter."
"huntin' ain't somethin' that just come to ya," colt said with a bold look toward her pristine white face. the ground was uneven here; say she tripped.
and the ground underneath their feet: bare earth with ice packed just beneath, and the webbing unsteady. a bad step and they all went through to the caves.
but indra was light. and colt was nimble. their guest could not so much as hunt.
"guess yew gotta ask urself: are yew hungry enough t'learn, miz rana? small game not gonna put enough backfat on yew fer the winter."
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Redbird - September 23, 2022
Not a hunter? How did she get so grown, then, and so far without hunting? That meant she was especially hungry, then; or maybe well off, wherever she came from. Someone had to mind her, and so Indra began to look for signs of other wolf scent along with the hunting scents, and found little to support that Ruona might travel with others.
She said nothing, and let the twitch of her proud tail tell Colt things instead; mindless shifting one way or the other was an indication of something, while the twitch of the tip was another cue; they had discussed this at some point during Indra's training and the girl only hoped she got it right.
The girl marched on, acting distracted by something strong.
What about somethin' small then? Methinks there's a warren here, somewhere. Smells a windin' everywhere.This was a blatant lie but she looked with a smile to Ruona, and beckoned her close with a motion of her snout, then a play-bow.
Here! You smell it?Anything to tempt her closer to the fire-coated girl, so that Colt might use the moment.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Ruona - September 23, 2022
They had unknowingly reached for something deep inside of her. She recalled the way her pack had starved rather than taking destiny into their own paws due to her prophecy, and in that moment the two of them encouraged her to act against her instinct of walking away and letting them fend for themselves. Instead, she approached the idea with promise for what it could be. She recognized that she was capable, even if she had never done it before. She had managed rabbits and voles, so what was something bigger with some help?
The thought of taking something bigger was daunting, but fleeting as she spoke of something smaller. “I know how to best rabbits, it is larger prey I know not.” She responded thickly, blinking at the girl to see how she might handle. Perhaps they would prefer her experience with smaller prey to her inexperience that could cost her a larger one.
She did not know.
“I… I will learn, larger prey…” She decided finally, leveling her gaze with Colt in a determined manner as he had asked the question of her and he was correct. Winter would devour her live if she did not learn.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Colt - September 23, 2022
colt had two ways to play this: one, his usual cunning.
or two, more darkly than he had ever tried a thing before. briggs was many things but that was a place he hadn't yet strayed.
hell, if he was that sort, he would have gotten it before he ever took the girl off her rotten rat.
and so he signalled indra to stand down. even if he struck — and yes, he was tempted — the effort of holding and subduing her would fetch him wounds.
"all right then," he rasped charmingly to rana. "girl," he said to his red companion. "why don'tya run on ahead, see what yew kin see, hm?"
or two, more darkly than he had ever tried a thing before. briggs was many things but that was a place he hadn't yet strayed.
hell, if he was that sort, he would have gotten it before he ever took the girl off her rotten rat.
and so he signalled indra to stand down. even if he struck — and yes, he was tempted — the effort of holding and subduing her would fetch him wounds.
"all right then," he rasped charmingly to rana. "girl," he said to his red companion. "why don'tya run on ahead, see what yew kin see, hm?"
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Redbird - September 23, 2022
The lady didn't take the bait. She seemed more interested in Colt, and the prey she earlier said was too big and hard to chase; it put Indra a little off her game, and then Colt bid her to run off and scope the land herself - to give them space, and Indra didn't want to.
She shot him a look that went unveiled a moment, petulant. Then with a huff, she sauntered up along the ice sheet, to the exposed stone and away, making an effort to look interested in something further afield as she did as she was told. By now Indra knew not to test Colt, and especially so with a mark between them.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Ruona - September 24, 2022
Ruona watched as the other woman was sent ahead, turning her head to watch as the red woman disappeared in order to look at her, wondering what there was around to hunt. They had made it sound like they already knew of something, but his order to his daughter had made it seem the opposite. Overall, she found it very confusing.
Her stained paws took a few steps in the direction of the woman, as if trying to peer to see what she was interested in, paying little to no mind to the man who was now positioned behind her relatively, her tail swaying from side to side in possible intrigue and excitement at the prospect of learning something new, no matter how terrifying as a whole she found it to be.
She would let out a soft sigh, looking towards the sky to track where the sun was positioned, keeping an eye on the amount of daylight she’d have left to continue her journey after this venture.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Colt - September 24, 2022
by god she was an oblivious type. he could have had her twice. but as he told himself, the game was the fun. and he had a great ending in mind.
out on the plain there would be deer, he knew, as he had tracked them briefly. he had no idea that these were a few of the same mule deer being monitored by natigvik, but he would not have cared had he known.
colt ranged out. "we gotta camp back there'n all," he said, jerking his head. "but i want a skin to take back. sumn warm, yew know?" his red eyes flared. he pulled his gaze away before he devoured her with it.
he kept a good, polite amount of space between them. "yer the runnin' build, so yer gonna run with the girl an' bring that one this way." he gestured toward an old doe who had stopped to rest an infected hock.
his eyes shifted to indra. "the shoulder," was all he said. it was a test for her too. throw yourself into the theatre of the moment, for it was a performance.
out on the plain there would be deer, he knew, as he had tracked them briefly. he had no idea that these were a few of the same mule deer being monitored by natigvik, but he would not have cared had he known.
colt ranged out. "we gotta camp back there'n all," he said, jerking his head. "but i want a skin to take back. sumn warm, yew know?" his red eyes flared. he pulled his gaze away before he devoured her with it.
he kept a good, polite amount of space between them. "yer the runnin' build, so yer gonna run with the girl an' bring that one this way." he gestured toward an old doe who had stopped to rest an infected hock.
his eyes shifted to indra. "the shoulder," was all he said. it was a test for her too. throw yourself into the theatre of the moment, for it was a performance.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Redbird - October 03, 2022
Sorry for the wait!
He gave his instructions. Indra wasn't so far from them that she might miss it, and turned her attention sharply to absorb what was said. It didn't make sense to her that they would actually be hunting, but she still didn't know all that there was to learn about situations such as this. Perhaps they would fake it; perhaps Colt only waited for the woman's attention to be shifted and then things would change. So went her thinking, anyway.
She pulled her attention away and slipped in to an easy lope, which became a run, and she swept close to the doe. The old thing was briefly too distracted to notice Indra (or they didn't care about the rangy juvenile, in either case she could get quite close indeed). She saw her chance to harass the doe and went for it: snapping at the further shoulder enough to goad the doe in one direction.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Ruona - October 06, 2022
Sorry for the delay! Adjusting to a new writing schedule now that I’ve started working!
Ruona did not think anything of it; where she came from, there was little harm from strangers. Any harm that had been caused, she had been able to see coming in dreams, or so she had thought. She did not sense anything off from them; they were even offering to help her.They had a camp back and were seeking something warm for their camp. The white woman nodded in response to it, as it had made sense. He kept a good amount of space, and she listened to his instruction… “Is that all?” She asked, admittedly surprised that would be all it took. She did not hesitate to move after the girl towards the deer, keeping her eyes on it as the girl started to snap at it. Ruona would join in when she was there, snapping at it’s hocks to push it towards Colt.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Colt - October 06, 2022
<3!
the kill would be easy.
the women drove the beast toward colt. he balanced on the webbing of the permafrost, waiting with every muscle rigid.
when the time came, the ragged wolf leapt for the throat of the galloping animal. he yanked downward, and the ruminant was left with two legs lodged in the deceptive tunneling.
it bellowed, choking, his teeth in its flesh.
the women drove the beast toward colt. he balanced on the webbing of the permafrost, waiting with every muscle rigid.
when the time came, the ragged wolf leapt for the throat of the galloping animal. he yanked downward, and the ruminant was left with two legs lodged in the deceptive tunneling.
it bellowed, choking, his teeth in its flesh.
RE: my shadow's shedding skin - Redbird - October 07, 2022
The deer ran from the harassment in to the field of frozen earth, where it tripped and was caught by the ankle in the uneven ground. Colt came next: the doe struggled as its windpipe was crushed. The smell of red struck Indra hard after that; she could not watch and feigned being out of breath to cover her revulsion, a ripple of familiarity sliding down her spine.
The girl sauntered closer and kept behind Colt as he worked the deer to death. She could not watch.