Flycatcher Downs you might listen to too much jimmy buffett
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#1
Private 

Everything was so open and she felt so free. Despite the chill of the shifting autumn air, her back was warmed by the present sun. No clouds in the sky to hide her from the warmth.

Her small frame sprinted through the open lands with her tongue hanging out of her mouth. She looked positively childish like this but she didn't care. It felt so good to be out of tight spaces. Although she was small, Nebula sometimes felt like she needed millions of miles to stretch her legs.

Of course, she quickly tired herself out and met the earth with a thud. As she rolled onto her back she squinted at the sunny sky. Huffing and heaving, it was obvious she was not going to be moving until she caught her breath again.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#2
Big Awkward incoming!!

indra was exhausted as she finally turned for home; lucas was nowhere to be found, no one she had come across had seen him, and now more than ever it became obvious he had simply .. disappeared.

over and over, indra swore to strike down whoever had taken him, to kill what had ever killed him -- as the days dragged on her thoughts became darker and darker: if she was solemn before, she was downright dispirited now.

her gait was slow as she made for the direction of bearclaw. she dreaded coming back, seeing the disappointment in wyatt and piper's eyes; but more than anything, she hated witnessing the hurt and anguish that brimmed laurel's hazel gaze; if only she could take that hurt away.

she was so despondent, that it took her a second to come to and realize that lucas was right there -- lying on his back with heavy pants. "lucas!" indra howled, tearing towards him with her heart suddenly lifted -- only to realize too late this wolf was not lucas at all.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#3
Whoa whoa whoa! Nebula shouted when someone came crashing into her space screaming a name she hadn't heard before. The young girl quickly tried to roll out of the way with hopes she wouldn't be squashed to death.

I'm not Lucas but woof you've got some love for them! She commented as she stood up, tail swaying excitedly behind her. I'm Nebula. The petite female introduced herself with a lopsided grin. Despite being just about ran over, she was still in a surprisingly good mood.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#4
indra was horrified to learn of her mistake, yet it was too late -- already the piebald wolf had shifted to her feet in alarm. the russet woman felt a heat rise to her cheeks in scarlet shame and her ears drew back in disappointment. it was not lucas at all; perhaps indra's exhaustion had bled into her ability to see straight, for now that she was looking at nebula the distinctions between the she-wolf before her and laurel's son were quite plain.

"fuck!" indra hurled an obscenity into the air, feeling frustration and grief flood back into her. she bowed away in a step back and out came a smaller, quieter "fuck." her visage was wrought in an apologetic frown as she looked the lamb-like she-wolf up and down. "i'm looking for someone, a puppy. i thought you were him." she trailed off lamely, unable to meet the softened yellow of nebula's line of vision. "have you seen him? he's your height, spotty white, light blue eyes."
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#5
When the obscenities flew, Nebula suddenly felt a bit bad for making light of the situation. Her ears folded against her small head as she awkwardly looked elsewhere. Her mind seemed to be pulling a frenzied blank. What was appropriate to do or say in this situation?

Her ears popped back up at the definition the fall female gave. I'm afraid I haven't but...but! I could help look for him? She offered with a gentle tilt of her head as her dirty yellow eyes looked towards the female for some kind of reaction.

Good or bad. Nebula just needed something to work off of.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#6
the poor woman that Indra had nigh accosted in her soaring hopes gracefully moved past the Redleaf’s blunder, accepting Indra’s silent apology with an offer of assistance. for that, Indra felt a welt of gratitude, if not a slight sting of pride she had been so egregiously mistaken - but she sensed the offer was kind, or at the very least, genuine.

for a moment the firebrand did not hide her scrutiny of the stranger. in truth Indra was engaging in her own private battle: wariness and a general mistrust of the world warned her against sharing too much. desperation and the sinking truth Lucas was forever lost warned her against being too recalcitrant; what if by some chance this stranger met Lucas down the road - what if, what if, what if?

Indra had always been haunted by what ifs - they clung to her like needling insecurities.

to hell with it. ”he’s mostly white, with an ashy tan back. he’s about six months of age and always smiling... or dancing. we don’t know where he’s gone.. last we knew he was here and now he is not anymore.”
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#7
Nebula mentally stored all the information she was given. Her head bobbed along as the woman spoke, physically showing she understood everything.

Oh! Uh, where should I bring him if I find him? Or even, ya know, who do I tell him to go to? The dainty girl asked with a curious tilt of her head. Finding him would only do her a limited amount of good if she couldn’t actually return him also.

Unless they didn’t want him back...although that clearly didn’t seem to be the case here.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#8
it was unusual a stranger offered help - immediately, indra wrestled with identifying the piebald wolf's true motives. was she simply garnering favor, would she truly be the type to return a wayward child to their home? or was she feigning assistance, so indra would not suspect it was her (or her associations) that had whisked laurel's son away?

paranoia was a hard master; indra was brought to heel almost immediately and a coldness came over her gaze. "we're from bearclaw valley." she motioned at the cavernous rise of rocks that marked her home's entrance. it seemed as if her suspicion was passing -- yet it was then that it struck, cold and as deliberate as an ophidian strike. "why are you out here?"
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#9
Nebula’s head seemed to bob again, registering the rising forms of stone. Cool, cool. Kind of spooky actually but still cool. She would have a hard time forgetting them so it would be easy to tell someone to go there.

The question caused her ears to stand tall before relaxing again. I left home not too long ago. I’ve just been so cooped up — forests, caves, so on. Thought I’d stretch my legs around here. It just feels so good to have space again, ya know? The piebald female answered with a lazy grin. Perhaps it was due to constant itchy paws or maybe it was due to an unaddressed case of claustrophobia.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#10
indra followed nebula's soft yellow gaze to the realm beyond; bearclaw's jaws of stone sat smoking in smoldering mist, and the arms of the cliff that flanked the valley's girth rose in pallisades beyond them. it was a fortress surrounding a green oasis - carved perhaps by massive glaciers in the immeasurable distance past, but to indra, it was home.

nebula, at the very least, seemed obliging to answer indra's questions - at the mention of home again she turned and glanced the female up and down in a careful manner. she had once been like that too; but now, her family was her anchor -- the tether that commanded she shall not stray.

"where was home?" she asked, more-so for her own information than keeping conversation.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#11
She whipped about as if to look around. Oh, uhhhh. She drew out before doing a little circle in place. Eventually she halted to face south. Way, way, waaaay out there. I think. She couldn't exactly remember, truth be told. She had come so far and taken so many different paths. Getting back would be impossible now. Good thing she didn't plan on returning! Ever!

I should probably go and start looking for Lucas, huh? She asked with an easy smile and tilt of her head. No point in dilly dallying if she had work to be doing!
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#12
indra watched, bemused by nebula's apparent lack of directional savvy; eventually the female had settled to a southern latitude. indra's gaze slid past nebula, towards the southern rim of the world. it occurred to the redleaf that she was the strange one; she had spent her entire life in the same corner of the world, and likely would continue to do so -- perhaps nebula was not the strange one after all.

no comment came from the hardened beta; it wasn't useful information, so it did not merit a reply. yet the next thing nebula spoke certainly did, and it propelled indra into action with a half-smile. "we both can look. over there is where the scent grew cold." by now there was no scent at all, but indra stood over the spot she and laurel had discovered anyway, peering out into the realm of trees beyond with a troubled frown.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#13
Nebula was quick to spring and bounce off towards where the scent was said to last be. She very well could have been like a rabbit bounding away from a fox in that moment. Looks wise it would be appropriate too.

Her pinkish-liverish nose pressed into the earth as she attempted to pick up anything useful. Granted it was pretty stale and Nebula realized how dumb she probably looked a bit late. A sheepish apologetic grin spread over her face as she moved forward some.

He have any favorite animals or plants? Might help us figure out just where he went off to. Children could certainly get lost chasing an exciting rabbit or toad. Heavens knew she had.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#14
indra hadn't noticed if nebula looked dumb; and even if the pied woman had, indra likely would not have said anything - she was too wrapped up in her own thoughts, with her nose firmly to the ground.

they searched for a while together; indra drew to a pause as she heard nebula pose a question that thus far, had not occurred to indra to investigate. she considered her oversight, as well as the answer -- "he liked flowers. he liked this place, probably because of all the flowers - it doesn't look the same now, but a few weeks ago it was completely different."
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#15
She softly hummed as she considered the information the woman had passed along. Flowers, flowers, flowers...

Nebula kept up her soft hum as she sniffed about, weaving to and fro. Any places that grow flowers so late? Like an orchard or something? She knew some trees bloomed late into the year. Or at least some did back home. Nebula had no clue if this place had anything like that — which was why she opted to ask the local wolf. Hopefully they wouldn't mind her flow of questions.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#16
indra was kicking herself mentally to have forgotten such an important detail; as nebula hummed, indra's expression darkened. she had been frankly stupid to overlook lucas' penchant for flowers. in that moment she was grateful for nebula's fresh set of eyes, which had somehow opened a door yet undiscovered by the wolves that cared for lucas the most.

perhaps it was because of their own grief in missing him that they forgot such an important detail. she was busy looking around them, trying to think of any orchards or softly petaled woods nearby. "i don't know - i don't think so -- there's a glade not too far, but that's it." indra was no botanist, and was not a wolf to observe the beauty of the world the way lucas did -- or had.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#17
Oh! She chirped almost excitedly at the mention of a glade. That’s the perfect place to look! We can head that way if you have time to spare? If not I really don’t mind reporting back to you if anything pops up. The piebald female offered with a small, soft smile and gentle sway of her tail.

The girl really had no problems running some errands for the autumn toned female. Wasn’t like she had anything else she needed to be doing.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#18
nebula was quick to offer to investigate the glade; indra did not shield the direction of her gaze, which slid in the direction tadec had once taken her. she thought of him for a moment, recalling to mind the discovery of their own hidden realm, and the gentleness in which tadec had lead her.

it was a snapshot of a memory - indra's attention snapped back into focus: lucas.

"i'll go with you." indra ventured, knowing she would feel better if she was looking too. it would be a few week's time before the red beta finally conceded to defeat, and for now her stomach was full enough and her ambition viable. "it's this way." she picked up a jaunty trot, swinging past the small mound nunataq sometimes frequented as vigil.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#19
She quickly trotted after the autumn female without another word. Nebula was eager to help and the quicker they worked perhaps the quicker they would find the lost boy.

Her nose twitched with hopes she could find something fresh. Although nothing stuck out or captivated her attention. Her tail swished behind her with ease as she kept looking though.

It was easy to see Nebula would not be easily dettered from this task.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#20
the pair moved along the tall grass in graceful steps, the silence between them interrupted only by the occasional thud of a foot on firm ground. indra had not visited the glade recently, and moved slowly through the valley's timothy grass. her concentration was on finding some sort of scent; anything that might show her where laurel's son had gone.

she might as well have said it was all in vain; it had been weeks now and the scent was long cold, but she was grateful for the company and believed two minds were better than one. already nebula had offered insight she and laurel and xan and tadec had overlooked; perhaps there would be other gems at the glade only nebula could conjure thought of.

at length they came to a dip in the vale, and the glade sat before them flanked by the sullen presence of drooping yew and red pine. indra set to work scouring the pine straw, but as expected found nothing. eventually indra ventured a quiet question against hope as nebula rifled through scores of leaves and grass not too far from her: "find anything?"
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#21
The place was quaint and beautiful. Nebula only wished that she had not ventured into the place on such sad circumstances. Her nose got back to work as her mind wandered between thoughts. There was nothing fresh and she didn’t have the heart to say it out loud. Instead she kept searching with hopes that something would pop up soon.

Roll in the grasses. She spoke in response. Please, I mean. Kids like to roll in things and perhaps if I know what one of you bearclaw wolves smell like with these scents I’d be better at tracking. It was a shot in the dark but mentioning she was a stranger helping out, she figured it wouldn’t hurt to try every option.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#22
instead of an answer, indra got a command. in response to that, she swung around to face nebula, a slow-blinking stare mounted in the pied's direction. it seemed to convey mcfuckingscuze me? with sharp alacrity -- up until nebula spoke again and expanded upon her reason for the suggestion.

indra worked the soundness of such a plan in her head. she was loathe to expose herself, even if nebula wasn't malevolent -- so after some internal struggle she did what she was told. settling on a spot that was not too close to her traveling companion, indra threw herself to the ground and dug her shoulder into the soft loam with a few hard shoves. feeling enough of her was imprinted into the earth indra rose at a stilt-legged shake, turning around to study the scores left in the ground.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#23
A sheepish look swept over her face as she gave the woman room to do what she had asked. Her nose twitched softly and her dirty yellow eyes glanced around. There was no one around the small duo nor did it look like anyone had come through recently.

Maybe Nebula really was grasping at straws here.

Once her companion was back up and Nebula awkwardly moved closer to get a better whiff of the scent. With that in her nose she bounded off a few yards. The small girl began to eagerly examine every corner and cranny she could fit her nose into.
i will pry his bony fingers free
1,207 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#24
indra was discontent as she observed the gouges in the ground left by her hand. she was discontent because she was far from home. she was discontent because lucas was gone. she was discontent because this poor stranger had obliged in helping, and in the bottom of indra's heart, she knew it all would be in vain.

feeling fraught with all manner of bad juju, indra followed nebula at a distance. she was not being useful just lingering there, and managed to dredge up the last of her resolve and canvass areas nearby. she hadn't found anything - and wouldn't find anything -- a bitter taste rose to her throat as she trailed her nose along the pinestraw.
now the wren has gone to roost and the sky is turning gold,
and like the sky, my soul is also turning.
46 Posts
Ooc —
Offline
#25
kinda going off of what you said in discord but pls lemme know if any of it needs changing! <3

She thought she caught a whiff of something and quickly bounded after it, a wuff and a wave of her tail was all that was given. Although as she wormed about she seemed to lose it just as quickly as she had found it. Wh...what... Her stance quickly drooped as she halted her movements. It had just been there had it not? Faint but there!

Nebula suddenly felt consumed by guilt, embarrassment and confusion. Her tail shrunk between her legs and her dirty yellow eyes frantically began to look around.