The Sentinels pearl
6 Posts
Ooc — Ori
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#1
All Welcome 
being vague about the moontide situation

It is during a particularly dreary night that the seaspear strays. Guilt has kept her from sleep and sends her pacing long after the sun had been swallowed by the ocean. She knows little of where she is going but knows only that she must find something to repay the kindness of Heph.

Under the husks of trees she soon finds what she is looking for, pale and glinting as claws of lightning begin to illuminate the forest.

Removing it deftly from the leaf litter reveals her prize - the pristine skull of a bird now long dead. Fur tingling in excitement, she cleans it of debris, settling in a hollowed out log where she plans to return to Heph come morning. Hairs rise on the back of her neck - it is a little chilly out tonight.

The last thing Ursula sees before the entire world goes dark is a fireball of light and a world as bright as the sun.

---

She awakes with a splitting pain behind her eyes, miraculously still in one piece. Frazzled, but alive, bird skull cradled in inky paws. Attempting to move only causes further discomfort; the seaspear resigns to her prison with a sigh as the world burns around her.
Loner
39 Posts
Ooc — Kan
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#2
I wasn't sure if this was some sort of natural event or if I'd read the situation wrong. regardless, I've played it as if it were something similar to what happened in Moonspear? Though on a smaller scale since I'm basing this on the assumption that Ursula will survive the event. But please let me know if any of my assumptions are incorrect or I need to edit anything. :)

iaghe does not dream. this is well known, at least to herself. really, who else would know there's riptides beneath the inky surface of her veneer? 

the void does not claim her as the moon claims the sky or darkness the land. not without necessity. 

sleep is hard won and torn from the grip of whomever keeps such a rare commodity. 

on this night, the ghost doesn't bother. there's too much. in her head. lost in the depths of the sea and the depths of her mind. too many questions. too few answers. 

there is no home. and only one she might turn to, but the umber he-wolf has other matters. even if it weren't so, she has nothing to offer except for the heavy weight of her gaze. 

iaghe wanders. there's no rush. no destination. no planning. she almost doesn't care if she finds her way back, save for a small stab that needles that andr might be worried. 

the stars welcome her with open arms. the wind whispers in a language that is secret between them and the trees. the moonlight waltzing with the shadows guides her along a path that would seem pointless to an outsider. 

but the islander has already learned in a past life that there are no mistakes. 

her eyes had glanced up, admiring the sky once more, when a flash of white light caught her attention. a star, but like one the wildling had never seen before -- at least that she could recall. 

larger, faster, it tore across the sky. picking up speed and leaving a blaze of smoke that choked and smothered the stars to blacken the sky. 

it disappeared behind the treeline in the distance, and for a moment the world was still and quiet. iaghe heard more than felt the intake of her own startled breath. 

then the same light burst from within the trees and she was knocked to her knees by the unearthly explosion. even from this distance, it was louder than any thunderclap the stormborn had ever dreamed of hearing. 

a groan tore from her throat of its own volition, pain splicing through her skull as her good ear screamed with the loss of sound. panting, she burrowed her head into the ground, clawing blindly at her head as if to get rid of the agony plaguing her. 

after several long eons, she stumbled to her feet -- twice, as the first time was a failure and she retched with dizziness. 

in a haze, the spectre drifted to the forest -- eyes stinging with the smoke as her wintry gaze flickered about, weary and absolutely numb with what she'd just seen. 

flames licked at the ground the closer she got, the area blackened in some places and afire in others though it wasn't enough that she believed herself to be in danger of being caught in a forest fire. 

even so, the girl was just about ready to turn and bolt from this wretched place when she came upon the woman. 

iaghe could not have said what she looked like. perhaps she was beautiful. 

but now, she was the progeny of the splintered star and smoke. her coat was dusted black with soot, her flesh visible in raw, red wounds that weeped blood. a tiny skull was clasped between her paws and iaghe was almost afraid to know who it might've belonged to -- too shocked to reason and see it for what it was. 

she looked dead. 

iaghe nearly turned away from her then, hair rising along her spine as something unnamed roared to life in her veins. shaking, she turned. 

jerking to a halt, her good ear flicked back to catch the pained groan that had escaped the prone form. 

run.

the mute hesitated longer than a good person might have. 

she sucked a long breath in through her ivory-splotched nose. 

she might never know andr. perhaps this, feral and smashed to bits like that star, was the best she had to offer. 

there were many answers iaghe did not have and many things she did not know.

but she knew this. she knew the void. 

she could not damn this woman to her own fate. 

she rushed to the larger woman, shaking and grabbing her roughly, rattling her as urgent rasps grated from her throat. 

get up. you must get up or you will die here.
"i can't come out. if i do, i'll go mad again" -- Snitter, The Plague Dogs
6 Posts
Ooc — Ori
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#3
thank you for joining! Those assumptions are totally fine with me <3 For clarity (and my own records) I've set Ursula's injuries as followed:

Senses: partial vision and hearing loss, sight will improve slowly but will always remain slightly fuzzy, future experience with bright light induces headaches
Body: as she wasn't directly hit (protected by the log somewhat) she has many minor burns and a couple deeper burns along her back and face that were most exposed to heat, her injuries likely look worse than they are due to the soot
Mind: in state of shock for 2 days, will experience recurring nightmares and persistent claustrophobia

Feel free to reference some if you like <3

In darkness she is back - teeth are gnashing, claws are flying, wolf and bear alike are baying. Marle beside her, a missile of ebony fur. A roar behind her, she spins to engage, to attack, to kill. When she returns, Marle is gone, lost in the fray, she calls for her. 

"Marle," she croaks, toeing the border of dream and reality, unsure of which she belongs to in that moment. "MARLE!" louder this time, panicked. For her sister cannot survive out there alone! Surrounded by the enemy, Ursula knows she will be torn to pieces like she has seen happen time and time again.

Pushing between writhing bodies, her paws carry her forward, crying out "Marle!" until her throat is hoarse. Around her, beasts burst into flames, white hot heat blistering every inch of her body. And she feels it inside her too, as Marle comes into view, unrecognisable malice snarled upon her twisted and blackened features. Ursula runs to greet her and is met only with pain. She screams.

Teeth pierce her scruff, her whole body rattles. Marle is upon her, but this is not the Marle she knows. Ursula snarls, teeth snapping, "Get off, GET OFF!" For in the dark of a senseless world, she sees only her dreamsister and feels only pain.
Loner
39 Posts
Ooc — Kan
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#4
sorry for the wait, things have been crazy recently! @Andr if you've got time. :)

the winterborne doesn't have it in her to feel guilt. there is no place for it in this hell.

she releases the woman, mostly out of instinct -- her own lips pulling back in a futile snarl of terror as she skitters out of reach. 

the woman does not see her. 

iaghe is useless, even if the stranger can hear. 

dread hardens in her limbs, heavy and thick as if to run would be to tear herself from a thick mire. helplessness blossoms, bright and sharp like bristles of panic along her skin. 

andr. 

he found her broken and fixed her. 

sucking in a deep breath, a ragged sound rips from her throat in place of a howl. in the smoke-choked air, it is agony. white hot, like the ash of the star has seared into her lungs. 

it is a wordless, haunting cry -- a plea for help. 

pleasepleaseplease

there's a harsh crack behind her. whirling, she finds a tree -- alarmingly close to the pair -- has fallen. a cascade of orange stars rises as it dies. 

trying again, she slinks forward. half holding herself as if to dart away from the woman again should she attack. 

she keens as loudly as she can, pleading. 

let me help you.


"i can't come out. if i do, i'll go mad again" -- Snitter, The Plague Dogs
Loner
166 Posts
Ooc — Raven
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#5
Well this is long. Haha

Light sleep is all he had known for the past days. The mute cloudy night sky Iaghe slowly recovered but still did not utter a word. She remained guarded, but he could sense that she was warming up to him.

Still, in such a fragile state, he worried for her well-being. Waking every few hours or so to look over and make sure she was still with him, a few lengths away. But this time she wasn't...

He lifted his head and looked around. No sign of her. He stood up quickly and circled around again but saw nothing. Any fatigue he had was replaced with adrenaline and concern. Nose to the ground he scented the place she had made her bed. No blood or signs of struggle. A small amount of ease washed over him as the worst possible outcome, that being her death, was ruled out.

Though she was her own person, and he knew she was not his, he followed her trail. Leaving her on her own did not feel right. Her tracks didn't display any signs of haste and thus he trotted behind sure that with time he would catch up.

----

Then a cracking ball of light emerged in the sky. Seemingly a piece of the sun broken off and hurtling to the earth in the middle of the night. It touched down ahead of him within The Sentinels forest. A large cloud emerged and a bright light stung mading him look away and tuck his ears. Then the earth rumbled beneath his feet.

The sound of moaning wood, timbering trees, and the pounding of his heart was all he heard as he opened his eyes again and looked into the forest... Iaghe was in there... and so was he.

Running he dove into the forest and weaved through the trees and shrubbery. He no longer followed her scent. The light and thickening clouds of smoke were his destination. A tree fell down before him and created a wall of fire in his path. It stopped him in his tracks and the embers flung onto his chest. Stepping back to avoid singeing his coat he looked into the burning woods.

That's when he heard it. A horrifying cry breaks through the flames and hits him in the chest. It's her. He knows it is.

With an uncontrollable urge surpassing logic, he runs forward and leaps over the flaming tree. Tumbling and rolling onto the ground covered in ash.

----

Opening his eyes he sees her. 'There you are' he tried to say but instead heaves a mouthful of soot and gasps for air. Sore, he slowly rises to his feet. He takes a step forward unconsciously wanting to be at her side, then see her gaze, and upon it, the wounded large dark and sandy-colored female.

In Iaghe's eye he can see a cry for help and he rushes to the side of the unknown female on the ground with fresh burning skin. "Up... *cough cough*... You need to... *cough... UP!" he forces through the compromised air. Ready to pick her up if she couldn't and carry her out of the forest on his back, as he had done for Iaghe the first day they had met, if needed.