Crisp linen sheets, freshly bleached in blood.

Akira · May 02, 2019, 04:29 PM

It is already too late to swim when the water reaches your lips.

It was a foggy afternoon, chilled enough to fluff delicate fur, yet warm enough to retain enough moisture to dew-drop the tips of her unusual coat. It sheened over her, but only in reflect of her own brilliance- the sun was a hidden companion, today. Jilpa rested on the Swan’s narrow shoulders, residing with her for this rare occasion of a patrol, together. Ever since Ford’s untimely disappearance-

Gritting pearlene ivories together, she fixed her face into a complete mask of unreadable trace. She would find the Emperor- and whomever decided to do horrid things to him would pay, mercilessly. Jilpa had seemed to pick up on her discomfort, and the Shrike groomed the upturned brush of her ruff just as she made way over a fallen palm husk.

She apologized to the Shrike soundlessly, taking a deep breath and forcing her head to clear, flapping free her troubles to clear while she was consumed in this mist beach front.
Her grief...her anxiety...The Swan wished them away.

And seemingly, away they went.

Not all birds have been taught to fly. Some simply fall until they either learn, or perish.

RIP Kaertok · May 03, 2019, 02:00 PM

There was still much to learn about this place, but Kaertok had gotten the gist of it. At the very least, it wouldn't be dull here. Not that dull was necessarily a bad thing, but it wasn't what he sought right now. Instead, he'd managed to come across a pack that had been ripped apart. Well, not really. From what he could gather, a stranger had come in, defeated (injured? killed?) the leader, and now he was in charge. The brother of the former leader, the one who had (rudely) greeted Kaertok at the border, wished to take the pack back for his brother.

He imagined there was more to it, of course, but that was as much as he needed to know. A few hours had passed since he'd been unceremoniously accepted into their ranks, and now he was exploring his new home. In doing so, he came across one of his new pack mates. He noted the bird resting on her shoulders, and he thought it odd, but he made no comment on it. Wolves did weird things. Apparently birds did even weirder things.

Hello, he greeted once he was in earshot. His approach would have been more than visible—even with the fog—provided she wasn't completely spacing out. I'm new here. My name is Kaertok. Simple, straight, to-the-point.

Akira · May 04, 2019, 01:02 PM

It is already too late to swim when the water reaches your lips.

Within the mist, some piece of the asianic girl prayed for Ford to be who spoke to her, for him to notice she had worked hard to find him, for him to return back to his place atop the Rift and claim his home back. Yet it was not he, and rather behind her a voice of different origin sounded.

Turning a narrow gaze of of enrapturing blues over her shoulder, she eyes this newcomer with a near apathetic sternness that was most uncharacteristic for who she was a moon ago. There was no humble greeting nor bow of welcome from her to the accompanying male.

“Greetings. I am Akira.” That was all she offered the pale man. But rather than being a complete introvert, the Tibetan slowed her pace to allow him to catch up should he choose.

Not all birds have been taught to fly. Some simply fall until they either learn, or perish.

RIP Kaertok · May 05, 2019, 04:41 PM

Akira, that was easy enough to remember. He realized he hadn't actually caught the names of the two wolves who had greeted him at the border, but maybe Akira would know. She had slowed her pace a bit, so he guessed she wasn't trying to ditch him immediately. I was hoping you could fill me in on what's been happening here. The wolf who greeted me said his brother had been overthrown by the current leader. Is that the case? What caused it? Kaertok felt like he should probably get the story from somebody who had been here when it happened. Of course, that would all be moot if she was just as new as he was.

That is, of course, if you were here at the time and know what's been going on. He didn't want to put her on the spot if she couldn't offer up any information. Kaertok just wanted to get the story from somebody who maybe wasn't quite so closely involved.

Akira · May 06, 2019, 02:41 PM

It is already too late to swim when the water reaches your lips.

She knew not the whole story. She kept to herself, and only had just begun branching out from her den to the rest of the borders. She strayed only to be as far as she would feel comfortable with- she was no adventurous sprite, and she was taught to take her lessons in stride one day as a time. She was remarkably tempered for her young age, and it was clear her childhood was no ideal playland. One would think she was older, as many times as they had approached her, for how she carried herself.
But no, she was just a cycle, if not two, old.

“You know more than I in this matter, Kaertok. I have yet to meet the brother, nor find his intentions. But I will, and we will find whomever did this.”

She did not threaten the life of whoever had kidnapped or hurt Ford- whatever had happened was of no concern to her. She only wanted the mad wolf who had the idea to attack the Emperor. It was already spitefully smarting to her that she was not there to atleast try to protect him however she could. He was training her, after all. And she was training him.
But in the end, did any of this hard work matter?...

Shaking her pale skull of the bleak thoughts, she returned herself to the conversation.

“Please, inform me of all you know. This matter is very important to me.” She has turned and brought a serious set of sapphires to that of the garnets of her company. It was clear everything involving this case meant quite a lot to her- she needed to get to the bottom of it as soon as she could. What if Ford was alive? Trapped somewhere and needed her help?

Not all birds have been taught to fly. Some simply fall until they either learn, or perish.

RIP Kaertok · May 06, 2019, 02:50 PM

Not only did she not know much, she seemed to have a very strong opinion about something she didn't know a whole lot about. I told you all I know, he replied, though he had thought he made that clear before by asking for more information. What was the old leader's name? What was he like? Why would somebody want to rip the pack out from underneath him? Surely there was a reason. There was always a reason, even if it was a stupid one.

How long had he been here? How long have you been here? Okay, enough questions, Kaertok. Let the poor lady respond.

Akira · May 06, 2019, 03:12 PM

It is already too late to swim when the water reaches your lips.

Her spirit was consumed by curiosity, and from it stemmed greed. She was lured in by Kaertok’s throwaway of knowledge and she yearned for more.
With an earnest degree of deprivation in her dulcets of chime for voice, the Swan swished her tail in her lowly excitement. “Please- names, what was his brother’s name? Who is the current leader? What is their name? Have they discussed where their origin lies? Their motive?” She took a breath after her spill, trying desperately to recompose herself. She was better than this.

Resuming her walk, her head dipped in apology, oil-slick tipped auds flashing behind her. Her voice had been brought back to its needed level, calm, yet somber. Sad blows of bells in a funerals day. “Forgive me- I have not slept well. I have been searching for Ford since his dethroning. That is his name- Ford.”

Not all birds have been taught to fly. Some simply fall until they either learn, or perish.

RIP Kaertok · May 06, 2019, 03:22 PM

Neither of them gave names, he replied. If they had, he would have given them. They were pack mates, were they not? Why shelter information from one another, especially when it came to the inner workings? Kaertok was beginning to wonder if anybody in this pack wanted to work together at all. They all appeared to be actively working against one another. The leader is a male, but that's all I've got.

She failed to answer even the simplest question, how long she had been here, and Malrok realized that she was going to be pretty useless in this quest to find information. He was becoming frustrated, and honestly, it felt like he was pulling teeth.

You know what, I think my time would be better spent on the border, since everybody here appears to be at odds with one another. At least there I can look for actual threats rather than try and play therapist for the lot of you. He wouldn't wait for her response. She had proven next to useless when it came to getting any grasp on the situation.

Akira · May 06, 2019, 03:47 PM

It is already too late to swim when the water reaches your lips.

Her sigh left pale lips at his lack of provision. It had completely abandoned her that she had not even heard one of his questions. But her admittance had unknowingly answered it as she answered his silence with, “I have only been here perhaps a moon, if not two. I am ignorant of it all as well- everyone here has illuded me, too. I had met one other, a dark woman with red eyes- she was pregnant- and not even a week passed before she had vanished. I have not seen any bodies, but,..” the clear belief that the woman perished lay in the unspoken. That was what was wrong with this place- it needed union. A curse lay upon this land, this pack forced to stray apart from one another. It had even infected Kaertok with the same mindset so soon.

“That is the problem, Kaertok- we as a pack are not sticking together, working together, nor trying to unify! And if you do not see this ailment then it will not be long before you disappear, as well.” It felt as though she were the only one actively seeking closure on this mess of a situation.
Well, should she be the only one to fight against figuring this mystery out, so be it.

Not all birds have been taught to fly. Some simply fall until they either learn, or perish.

RIP Kaertok · May 06, 2019, 05:17 PM

She continued to speak, but the words fell on deaf ears. Unless things turned around real quickly, he had a feeling he wouldn't remain on the coast much longer. He trotted away, wondering if he would even be able to stay here with the likes of her around. All it took was one idiot for the disease to spread to the whole pack.