December 31, 2016, 06:37 PM
(This post was last modified: January 04, 2017, 03:17 PM by Valkyrie.)
Roll: 6 - Where participants encounter 1 = an irate squirrel; 2 = a pair of squabbling magpies; 3 = bunnies caught in the middle of a cult ceremony ; 4 = an odd patch of melted snow ; 5 = a famished fox; 6 = a hidden pit
@Tryphon? -waggles eyebrows-
@Tryphon? -waggles eyebrows-
As she traveled south, the forest thinned to give way to rolling land along the foot of an impossibly tall mountain. Its very peak was obscured by clouds and mist, undoubtedly a treatcherous journey to make during the winter months. Without hesitation, the obsidian cloaked lone wolf set her sights towards the forested valley along its west side. There, the path appeared to be well fequented, and would likely provide her safe passage beyond the mountain. Feeling quite fortunate, she set out before noon so that she could hope to cross the foothills just after nightfall. Her legs like marble pillars etched a narrow path in the snow, one that would remain until the next snowfall. She was unconcerned, for she had no reason to hide, yet the stillness of the forrest valley made her doubt her confidence. Was she making the right choices?
Between two pines, she took a moment's rest, catching her breath as the early afternoon light began to cast sharp shadows across the landscape. Thinking she heard an unusual sound, she inclined her head, soft ears swiveling as she surveyed the immediate area.
January 04, 2017, 02:57 PM
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It had all gone away so fast. One by one wolves had slipped off from their little family until it was just the original trio: Saena, Warbone, and himself. He thought he'd seen Dagfinn a few times during patrols, and sometimes Tryphon felt an odd yearning for the companionship of his fellow Duskvale wolves; yet they weren't there. Finally, after days of living within their territory and having little to no interaction, he had to give up. A part of him remained hopeful though — a far cry from his usually morose self.
And so he traveled. Tryphon kept to the mountain paths and his pace was minimal, as if to leave the vale was taboo. Maybe if he just stayed a little longer...? But in the end he departed, dispersing for the lower reaches of the Sunspire in an attempt to climb down in to the valley. He was tired; the weight he'd put on while living in Duskvale had given him a level of strength and confidence he'd never had before, and after days of nibbling old carcasses, he'd started to shed it. So he came upon the mountainside with the desire to hunt.
When the darkness in the trees shifted, he looked to their trunks with alert golden eyes. When the stench of something reached out to him, he was eager enough to plunge ahead without thought — but his paws hit the edge of the cliffside, and after some awkward stumbling, he slid down a slope and into a deep pit with a thud. Around him were pieces of rotted bone - bits of a goat perhaps, the sinew still attached, and a one-eyed head staring up at him unblinkingly from a twisted perspective.
This was not what he'd had planned.
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It had all gone away so fast. One by one wolves had slipped off from their little family until it was just the original trio: Saena, Warbone, and himself. He thought he'd seen Dagfinn a few times during patrols, and sometimes Tryphon felt an odd yearning for the companionship of his fellow Duskvale wolves; yet they weren't there. Finally, after days of living within their territory and having little to no interaction, he had to give up. A part of him remained hopeful though — a far cry from his usually morose self.
And so he traveled. Tryphon kept to the mountain paths and his pace was minimal, as if to leave the vale was taboo. Maybe if he just stayed a little longer...? But in the end he departed, dispersing for the lower reaches of the Sunspire in an attempt to climb down in to the valley. He was tired; the weight he'd put on while living in Duskvale had given him a level of strength and confidence he'd never had before, and after days of nibbling old carcasses, he'd started to shed it. So he came upon the mountainside with the desire to hunt.
When the darkness in the trees shifted, he looked to their trunks with alert golden eyes. When the stench of something reached out to him, he was eager enough to plunge ahead without thought — but his paws hit the edge of the cliffside, and after some awkward stumbling, he slid down a slope and into a deep pit with a thud. Around him were pieces of rotted bone - bits of a goat perhaps, the sinew still attached, and a one-eyed head staring up at him unblinkingly from a twisted perspective.
This was not what he'd had planned.
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January 04, 2017, 03:52 PM
The soft rustling turned into an audible scraping sound, and then a distinct thud. It was enough to set her bristling, hackles lifting between her shoulders and along her rump. Pinning a single ear while keeping the other forward, albeit lowered, to listen to whatever was ahead. She moved cautiously, lowering herself into a hunter's stance as she stalked across the shadows.
Ahead, the foliage looked disrupted, as if there had been some kind of a struggle. Guarded, her shoulders rolled forward defensively, she crept closer. To her surprise, the ground did not continue as a flat, reaching expanse. It dropped suddenly, just beneath the toes of her left front paw. She pulled back sharply, and a couple, small, loose stones rolled down the stone wall.
As her eyes roamed the pit, she was not surprised to see bones and carcasses (or perhaps just one very decimated carcass), in the early stages of decomposition. It was very likely that she had come across a mountain lion's cache. In that case, it was best not to linger, although she would have felt no remorse if she could have taken part of the stash for herself.
About to turn around and leave, a golden gleam caught her attention. She did a double take, peering slyly into the shadows, and then realized that among the dead was something alive. "Hey!" She yipped, both startled and alarmed. Reasonable thinking might suggest that a sane wolf would have no business slinking around the bottom of a deep pit, so it was likely the poor beast had fallen in by accident.
Ahead, the foliage looked disrupted, as if there had been some kind of a struggle. Guarded, her shoulders rolled forward defensively, she crept closer. To her surprise, the ground did not continue as a flat, reaching expanse. It dropped suddenly, just beneath the toes of her left front paw. She pulled back sharply, and a couple, small, loose stones rolled down the stone wall.
As her eyes roamed the pit, she was not surprised to see bones and carcasses (or perhaps just one very decimated carcass), in the early stages of decomposition. It was very likely that she had come across a mountain lion's cache. In that case, it was best not to linger, although she would have felt no remorse if she could have taken part of the stash for herself.
About to turn around and leave, a golden gleam caught her attention. She did a double take, peering slyly into the shadows, and then realized that among the dead was something alive. "Hey!" She yipped, both startled and alarmed. Reasonable thinking might suggest that a sane wolf would have no business slinking around the bottom of a deep pit, so it was likely the poor beast had fallen in by accident.
January 04, 2017, 04:59 PM
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Hunger did have its limits. Once the dust settled and Tryphon's eyes adjusted to the slanting light he could look around a bit. He saw the twisting head of the dead goat and squinted his eyes, turning away within moments. A wave rolled through the pit of his gut; had he eaten earlier, surely the sensitive boy would've added to the depravity within the pit.
Along one side of the irregular depression was a pile of waylayed bones. These looked as if they'd been picked clean, but they hadn't been bleached by the sun to any extent. Tryphon idly mused to himself about what could've done this; he was no geologist though, and had no way of knowing that the earth had simply given way due to the weather. Similarly he did not know that the billy had been chased across the mountainside by something far more malevolent than a mere wolf — and perhaps that creature lurked just out of sight.
When a shadow passed through the beams of light from above, Tryphon jerked his head around and squared his shoulders to it. The motion was fast and instinctually defensive; it also served to quirk his already stiff muscles. No doubt he would have some bruises blooming across his skin in the coming hours. The voice that drifted down to him was not familiar, but it was somewhat friendly (or he chose to believe as much). It was feminine at the very least, and maybe Tryphon was just sexist enough to think that meant something.
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Hunger did have its limits. Once the dust settled and Tryphon's eyes adjusted to the slanting light he could look around a bit. He saw the twisting head of the dead goat and squinted his eyes, turning away within moments. A wave rolled through the pit of his gut; had he eaten earlier, surely the sensitive boy would've added to the depravity within the pit.
Along one side of the irregular depression was a pile of waylayed bones. These looked as if they'd been picked clean, but they hadn't been bleached by the sun to any extent. Tryphon idly mused to himself about what could've done this; he was no geologist though, and had no way of knowing that the earth had simply given way due to the weather. Similarly he did not know that the billy had been chased across the mountainside by something far more malevolent than a mere wolf — and perhaps that creature lurked just out of sight.
When a shadow passed through the beams of light from above, Tryphon jerked his head around and squared his shoulders to it. The motion was fast and instinctually defensive; it also served to quirk his already stiff muscles. No doubt he would have some bruises blooming across his skin in the coming hours. The voice that drifted down to him was not familiar, but it was somewhat friendly (or he chose to believe as much). It was feminine at the very least, and maybe Tryphon was just sexist enough to think that meant something.
H-hello?He replied, and his voice ricocheted off the loose soil walls. With some careful stepping he reversed himself and craned his sore neck, looking for the stranger —
I'm down here. Can you see me?Except he should've known the answer to that. She was blocking the light, some kind of dark figment looming just off to one side. It was only after he sucked in a breath to speak that Tryphon realized how awful the pit smelled, which made his belly do flip-flops all over again.
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January 04, 2017, 06:04 PM
Mercifully, the wolf who had fallen was not only alive, but conscious. Her ears shot forward to meet his voice - that of a young man, which may or may not make her task easier. If he was uninjured, he would not have to rely entirely on her effort to pull him out.
Of course, Valkyrie was going to help him. She might have ignored the incident if she had been further away, or perhaps if she was in a poor state of health, but she really had no excuse. "Are you injured?" She called down, her tone soft, anxious, as if yodeling might draw unwanted attention. Hopefully, her question would answer his, and they could work together swiftly to undo the situation. "Do you see a way up?" Stepping to the side, she tried to allow a little light to pour into the hole. As far as she could see, there would be no easy way up. The longer she stood there, the more prominent the stench of the hole became. She could only imagine that it was a hundred times worse at the bottom. Perhaps the meat was not so ideal to snack on. Valkyrie stifled a sigh - looks like she would be working for free once again.
Of course, Valkyrie was going to help him. She might have ignored the incident if she had been further away, or perhaps if she was in a poor state of health, but she really had no excuse. "Are you injured?" She called down, her tone soft, anxious, as if yodeling might draw unwanted attention. Hopefully, her question would answer his, and they could work together swiftly to undo the situation. "Do you see a way up?" Stepping to the side, she tried to allow a little light to pour into the hole. As far as she could see, there would be no easy way up. The longer she stood there, the more prominent the stench of the hole became. She could only imagine that it was a hundred times worse at the bottom. Perhaps the meat was not so ideal to snack on. Valkyrie stifled a sigh - looks like she would be working for free once again.
January 04, 2017, 11:53 PM
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He had been lucky.
The fall might've given him some superficial wounds, but it hadn't been so steep that it had broken anything. He wasn't off the mountain, which could've been another eventuality — no, Tryphon was in a pit filled with rotten body parts, but that was better than dead.
(Unknown to them both, something shifted through the dark of the pines, their trembling causing a small array of needles to dust across the snow opposite to where Valkyrie loitered.)
(Seeing it's chance, the lurking shadow readied its own leap and — ?!)
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He had been lucky.
The fall might've given him some superficial wounds, but it hadn't been so steep that it had broken anything. He wasn't off the mountain, which could've been another eventuality — no, Tryphon was in a pit filled with rotten body parts, but that was better than dead.
Uh, not.. Not really. I mean it hurt, but I don't think anything broke,as he said this Tryphon tested his weight on his limbs, wiggled his hips, and tested the mobility of his head atop his neck; he even fluffed and wagged his tail for good measure. Aside from a fresh headache and some stiffness in his neck and shoulders, he was alright.
Do you see a way up?The voice called out next, and then the light returned in a concentrated shaft that caught upon his golden face. The boy blinked to clear his vision and looked around a bit, even going so far as to test the bones around him and see if they could hold his weight, resembling a dog which had tree'd some sort of pest.
(Unknown to them both, something shifted through the dark of the pines, their trembling causing a small array of needles to dust across the snow opposite to where Valkyrie loitered.)
It doesn't look that steep from down here,Tryphon called up to her — this disembodied voice and vague silhouette —
I might be able to climb out if I can just get a running start?And he was already backing up. Tryphon nudged the pelvis and a femur out of his way and scattered some smaller bones with some of his steps, preparing for a leap of faith.
(Seeing it's chance, the lurking shadow readied its own leap and — ?!)
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January 07, 2017, 09:37 PM
Much to her relief, the fallen wolf was not in mortal peril (as far as she knew). She had minimal knowledge of healing, and would have been no help in a dire situation. She continued to scan the pit, finding no obvious way out. Climbing would be their only option, unless she could find a fallen branch sturdy enough to serve as some sort of makeshift rope. If it had to come to that, she would give that idea a try, but for now, she wanted to see what they could achieve on their own. Anxious, tilted her head, momentarily distracting the mountain lion, and from the angle saw that there were a few tangled roots sticking out from the dirt that might serve as footholds.
With a deep breath, she stepped to the side, putting herself in a prime position, when out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something move in the trees. Valkyrie pulled away just in time, and the lynx landed in the spot where she had once stood. Hackles raised, she snarled and snapped at the feline, who retreated slightly now that the ambush had been ruined.
If you can use these roots as leverage, perhaps I can help to pull you out.She spoke cautiously, bending her limbs and lowering herself slightly, hoping that if she grabbed a hold of the male's scruff, she would not be pulled in as well.
With a deep breath, she stepped to the side, putting herself in a prime position, when out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something move in the trees. Valkyrie pulled away just in time, and the lynx landed in the spot where she had once stood. Hackles raised, she snarled and snapped at the feline, who retreated slightly now that the ambush had been ruined.
You need to hurry!She yelled down into the hole, although did not take her gaze off the interloper. It was already reluctant to fight head on with a single wolf, but the two of them would surely scare it off.
January 21, 2017, 02:56 PM
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Tryphon had always considered himself to be a lean fellow, but that was never the case. He had been born with the soft southern curves of his mother; although he did not remember her, his body had conformed to the less rugged standard from which she was bred. He had been, to put it bluntly, a fat little boy. Perhaps it was his weakness and fragility which had always given him the opposite impression? Now that he was an adult Tryphon knew he wasn't exactly small, but he certainly had a dysmorphic view of himself.
Thus when he was pressured to grab ahold of a root system in order to escape his predicament, he perhaps did not think things through as well as he should have. He backed up as far as he could (kicking aside some bones that blocked a good portion of his running room), and then bolted for the side of the incline. Right as he was making a mad leap at the roots he heard the stranger shout again —
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Tryphon had always considered himself to be a lean fellow, but that was never the case. He had been born with the soft southern curves of his mother; although he did not remember her, his body had conformed to the less rugged standard from which she was bred. He had been, to put it bluntly, a fat little boy. Perhaps it was his weakness and fragility which had always given him the opposite impression? Now that he was an adult Tryphon knew he wasn't exactly small, but he certainly had a dysmorphic view of himself.
Thus when he was pressured to grab ahold of a root system in order to escape his predicament, he perhaps did not think things through as well as he should have. He backed up as far as he could (kicking aside some bones that blocked a good portion of his running room), and then bolted for the side of the incline. Right as he was making a mad leap at the roots he heard the stranger shout again —
You need to hurry!— and being startled by this, his teeth clipped the air and he fell back without success. Tryphon's brow furrowed and he looked wildly around the area above as best he could manage - there was a shadow lurking just out of his vision, but he didn't know what it was.
Is someone up there with you?He called out — suddenly feelilng like he had been deceived. The air was thick with the woman's scent now, and the pheromones of her panic, and behind all of that he thought he smelled a faint but memorable smell that sent a wave of fear down his spine.
What is it?!Tryphon called again, before the stranger could answer his first question — and as he waited for her response, he prepared to run at the roots again.
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