[ x ] Waltz was a plains-kin, just like his father. He loved it there; the wide open spaces, the wind in his mane, the feel of plains grass beneath his hooves. But one day, his sister decided to travel south, and, like a good brother, he worried. And so Waltz had his first encounter with the swamp.
[ x ] On his way back to his grassy homeland, the sunset buck happened upon the greatest turning point in his life; A beautiful doe who looked as though she had fallen through a summer sky. Tastes Like Summer shared a kill with Waltz and after much conservative dancing, he begged her to stay. But his new lady knew not what forever held, and in turn begged his patience. And Dances with Shadows, the patient and love-stricken buck he was, agreed.
[ x ] When Waltz was sure of what his heart was telling him, he took his Lady Summer to the home she had never known, to a place he loved as a foal. They spent the day there, playing, laughing and getting to know even more about one another. It was there, under the tree in the bed of forget me nots, that Waltz pledged his fealty to his beloved and made her a promise neither of them will ever forget.
[ x ] A time had passed, and still Waltz looked after his lady. Love is patient, love is kind. But when another buck enters the picture, how will the twilight knight respond to Sky-Like-Burning? It is hard, seeing his beloved happy with another. But as long as she's happy, he will be happy for her.
[ x ] With Lady Summer heavy with children that are not his own, doubt begins to fill the bucks mind. He runs off to the plains to clear his head and finds a beautiful little cheetah kit who warms his heart.
[ x ] The first buck has come and gone and he left Waltz charge with a wonderful gift; Five beautiful children! He has never experienced children outside his siblings, and whether or not he is their father, Waltz loves these children as though they were his own, much to the pleasure of his beloved lady.
[ x ] Waltz has been watching Desert's children grow, but one of them is troubled. As The Sun Burns loathes his father for leaving, but Waltz understands why he left. Step-father and step-son take a journey from their nest and Waltz shows him what took his father from him.
[ x ] With the children grown and gone, you would think Waltz would be able to relax with his wonderful lady, right? Wrong. A new buck enters the arena, a white knight with honor, much to Waltz displeasure. But alas, his love is happy, so he gives them his blessing and waits for him to leave, just as the other had in the past.
[ x ] Another buck gone, and new children to raise, Taste Like Summer's family is growing a bit wildly. This time, a clutch of plainskin bear her marks, but that doesn't make things go any easier.
[ x ] Waltz has never had anyone hate him before. So falling out with his daughter, Sky Breaker, shakes him like thunder shakes the sky. Why does she hate him? What will happen to their relationship?
[ x ] The air tastes different in the swamp, and big changes are in store. Waltz is woken up one night by wind filled with strange energy, only see his beloved walk off into the night. When days pass and there is still no word from her, Waltz ever flowing patience becomes shorter and shorter as worry and fear creep into his mind. He can't eat, he can't sleep... But he can't leave, what if she returns? Suddenly, two cheetah appear and in his dazed mindset, Waltz bows to one with a pelt that reminds him of a summer sky and cries for his lady. Turns out the cheetah is his lady, and she has been kissed by the Swamp Mother. What does this mean for them now that her life has new meaning?
[ x ] Still shaking with doubt and trouble from his reuniting with this new Lady Summer, Waltz takes off for the plains to think. He finds the old tree with the tiny blue flowers beneath and that's all it takes for him to return home. First he brings a gathering of the forget me nots to Never Idle, to see if he would see them as worthy for an ascending one. But after the stags silly questions tear at what little patience he has left, he decides that it doesn't matter that she's different now. A promise is a promise, and he is still forever hers.
[ x ] Waltz confesses his true and undying love for his beloved lady. Tears will be shed and hearts will be spilled. Is the wait finally over for them?
- - - - later down the road - - - -
[ x ] Waltz and Starburst have their first clutch.
[ x ] A bad beginning has turned Mirage into the doe she is now; distrustful and deceiving. She speaks of her past to no one, but the abandonment of her mother and a bad father may have been what caused it. Or perhaps a past lover? The world will never know, but every mishap has added a new layer to the figurative mask she wears to keep her heart safe.
[ x ] A painful injury lands Mirage into the lap of Swirling in the Mists, a healer-type buck who can barely see. But this doe will rely on no one without a fight! She battled long and hard, but to no avail, the buck refused to leave her side. It took a month of constant attention, but soon, Mirage let her mask slip and her heart to unwillingly fall for him.
[ x ] The fates have chosen Mirage to be a mother, of all things! With Haze's urgings, she seeks out a Legendary Kin to bless her first clutch.
[ x ] Mirage returns to Haze after her long journey to find a blessing for their children. Together, they find the place what will one day be the roots of their tribe.
[ x ] A vicious fight ensues between Haze and Sting. Blood is spilled and the one sided battle ends with her mate's death. Mirage revolts against her son's untaking and tears open his throat, leaving her maimed and mangled son to flee.
[ x ] A year passes and with the death that is winter, Mirage's soul dies too. She emerges from the Prayer Tree with her mate's skull, swearing to protect him from the spirits that wish to take him from her.
[ x ] Mirage uses a brightly colored healer who reminds her of Haze, trying to sink her self in this new persona.
[ x ] Mirage travels to the edge of the swamp, almost into Kiokote territory, and finds a brightly colored Totoma. A new challenge, she tries to seduce him, and suceeds, but something in the back of her mind is warning her.
[ x ] Mirage is plagued by nightmares of Haze returning to take back his body, but ooh, is he angry. Mirage has done something terrible to her lovers body, but is it he who won't forgive her, or is it herself?
[ x ] Sting and his twin, Guilt, are born to a believer and a liar who makes others believe. He himself believes, but not in the MotherFather, no. He believes that he is the one who created the swamp and all others are only figments of his imagination who should obey him thoughtlessly. His sister is the only one who can calm him when things don't go his way.
[ x ] Sting, in his days as a spry young buck, successfully seduces his first doe, through his sister's urging to try something more than simply telling the doe what he wants. Unbeknownst to him, he fathers his first clutch with this doe.
[ x ] Dispite his sisters attempts to train her wild brother, his temper get the best of him when his father denies him the seat of power concerning the Tribe. A gruesome battle begins and ends with his father's neck breaking beneath his hoof. His mother disowns him and leaves him with a near-mortal wound that causes Sting unable to speak. He flees, silently vowing vengeance.
[ x ] His mind shattered under the pressure of being utterly and completely denied by a mere figment of his imagination, Sting begins to question everything, from his reality to his existance, when the something tells him to run. Shaking in fear, he bolts and doesn't stop running until he finds his brother, New Beginnings.
[ x ] Watch was born to Tastes Like Summer and Sky-Like-Burning, a wandering buck who left him only three things; A place in his tribe, the Sunchasers; The beautiful burning red of his coat; and an empty space in his heart left from his father's abandonment.
[ x ] Waltz, Watch's adopted father, takes the young colt on an epic journey to see the reason why Waltz's mother left him. They traveled for days, following the sun, and eventually, they came to their destination; the Great Ocean. Upon seeing it for the first time, Watch found relation to his father, and while he hasn't forgiven him for leaving, he at least now understands why he did. Watch's hooves begin to itch and once he returns home, he says his farewells before setting out on a goal fate set for him, to see all the the ocean touches.
[ x ] Along his travels, Watch begins to collect pets to keep him company. On this particular day, Watch loses his pet slug, Steady Pace, and a very pretty doe helps find him, much to Watch's pleasure.
[ x ] Somewhere between here and there, Watch stumbles upon a Westfen gathering. Stories and riddles are shared and Watch leaves with a new pet.
[ x ] Completely unaware that he has left Outcry with a blessed gift, Watch continues on his way. He follows the delta of a river, up into the swamp, and falls hard for a beautiful doe who loves his stories. For the first time since he started his journey, he is reluctant to leave. Rain sits him down and explains that he controls his own fate, not the MotherFather, nor the Great Ocean. Relieved, he promises to see her again and the two part ways.
[ x ] Watch returns to Rain after traveling to the mountains that birth the Great Ocean and finds her heavy with child. After a deep discussion of opinions on what to do with them, the two head off to seek out a Legend and receive their blessing.
[ x ] Watch and Rain find Cue Queue, a mare kissed by the Swamp. After a trying little adventure that Watch must not help with, the two receive their blessing.
[ x ] Later on down the road, Watch and Rain's daughters are almost fully grown and will soon be leaving the nest. So, before they leave, he shares with them one last story and introduces them to their grandparents.
[ x ] Watch is getting older now, silver streaks his blue mane and wisdom shines like the sun in his eyes. Still cursed with restlessness, however, he continues to wander the shores that feed his Great Ocean. Along his travels, he's met a stag in need of help.
[ x ] Bearing his prize and new title of Crane, Watch feels the need to be more than just a story teller, but a character in a story so grand, not one kin can tell it. With this in mind he stays behind after the festivities to help in the clean up.
[ x ] Watch takes part in a gruesome game, not as the narrator, but as a character.
[ x ] Watch returns home, to Raining Underwater and the clearing by the river bend that once housed their daughters, his mind troubled and torn. With her calm, his beloved helps Watch through his troubles and, once he has shaken them from his fur, he decides on one last trip, this time with Rain by his side.
- - - - -
[ x ] Watch feels the calling of a kin in need of him and stumbles upon his very pregnant sister. While offering his blessing, he convinces her that maybe being a mother isn't so bad at all.
[ x ] Unity is given her name by the seven small lambs she aided when a blizzard left them without adults to care for them.
[ x ] Unity is full grown now and her small herd has left for their parents and for their own lives in the Swamp. She goes off hunting, and meets a earthy buck on the way.
[ x ] Set watches as her family begins to slip away. Her sisters have all grown and are leaving for their own adventures. It's a little sad, but at least she gets to meet her grandparents.
[ x ] Everyone is gone now; it's just her and her mother until father comes home. But this time, when he returns, he leaves mother a gift that brings Set just as much joy.
[ x ] Set plays mother with her new siblings and finds that the greatest joy in life is the joy you bring to little ones.
[ x ] Everyone is truly gone now. Mother and father are off on an adventure and the little ones are no longer quite so little. Now Set alone takes care of the glade where her family has grown.
[ x ] Set meets a turtle at the river and has some much needed company.
[ x ] Shadow Step lurks about the forest for her presentation to her leader, Longclaw. As an apprentice, it was her job to prove how she and her abilities could prove beneficial for her clan. She returned with a bundle of thick, warm pelts that would be the bedding in the nursery. Her gift impressed Longclaw, and not this hunter walks as one of Westfen.
[ x ] Art Beat happens across a very special find while out gathering her materials for her pigments. An egg! After some time, out hatches a beautiful little Acha, who she then raises as her little brother, Silent Levity.
[ x ] Later on down the road, Art Beat attends the Flower Festival, hoping to trade off some of her collection of painted stones for ingredients. She has tons of fun and even does some pelt-painting on any kin who was interested!
[x] Art Beat becomes a part of the Royal Rainbow Troupe as their costume designer and face painter! Heavy rainfall causes the fair groups to become muddy and dangerous and the whole troupe gets together to save their leader!
[ x ] Poppy sets up shop in an old tree struck by lightening. A gator skull hangs above the door; her hoard of dragon treasures hang from the brunt and splintered branches as an offering to the star-dragon who circles around the moon. Inside, a doe as stoned as the rocks about her dwelling awaits you, ready to throw the bones and read your fortune from the stars.
[ x ] A star-lit buck happens upon the dragon's dwelling and is given a fortune. Will the fortold romance happen sooner than he thought?