[ORP Event - RESULTS!] R&S vs. The Friends: Night of Stories

[Ruriska]

Every Rose was gone as soon as his story was finished, disappearing into the crowd and away from Cold Commands. His obligation to the tribe completed, the rest of the event could be spent how he desired and he just so wished to get into a little trouble. A very specific kind of trouble. Some company from the wrong side of the tracks, so to speak. He was sure there would be resistance at first but he could be very persuasive. It just came to locating just the right target.



Cold Commands lost sight of Every Rose immediately but she had already filed his transgression away in the back of her mind. It would remain there, ready and waiting, a fire banked and gone cold, waiting for a spark that would set it alight. His moment would come, when the time was right, in whatever form proved convenient. Until then it was put aside and she moved away from the crowd to stand alone beneath a tree, watching and waiting.




Sunspot was all smiles and hooves. She’d already knocked one kin over and nearly stood on a couple of chickens but with her beaming grin it was hard to stay mad. Having to allocated a job away from the food, the large Kimeti was welcoming everyone with as they arrived, suggesting snacks and hoping they would tell a story if their own.

[Sunspot and Cold Commands are open for interaction! Meanwhile Every Rose is busy looking for someone to take home tonight.]

 

[Huni Pi]

PREFERENCE LIST - [ Huni Pi ]
In order of preference: pig, lemur, lion, bunny, my story doe  

[Huni Pi]

THE FRIENDS PETS

Brute was not a story teller. She was not a kin who did well with subtle or subterfuge but she liked missions, liked the idea of being useful, liked the notion of being involved in conflict. So here she was, listening to stories with a grain of salt, a lazy smirk on her lips, but no tale of her own to offer. She knew she was going to have to tell one before the night was done or risk failing the mission. Tension coiled up in the totoma doe's gut, unfortunately there was no cause for a fight. At least not one that could be dealt with through force. Words were the weapon of the evening and Brute found herself bereft. But she was without horns or spikes and that never stopped her from fighting.

"My turn now?" she asked wryly when there was a lull in the chatter. "I heard about a kin once. An acha carrying fruits and meat in a net slung over their back. He was running full speed, moving too close to the waters, too busy keeping an eye on his goods to spot something in the water." Her hoof started to paw at the ground, "Lots of somethings actually. Caimans, hungry hungry caimans, started snapping up from the waters, jaws all ready to bite and rend." Her lips curled back into a toothy grin, "He coulda just dropped the food, let the caimans have 'em but then the food ain't his, you see. The food was for some other kin who didn't think the acha needed protecting. The acha got away, but not unscathed. There was lots of blood, most of it the acha's. They got onto the food he was carrying and the other kin who wanted it?"

The totoma snorted, "They didn't want the food anymore. Said all the blood spoiled it and they drove the acha away. Poor dear, he could've made it if he just had the right friends."

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MY STORY
Name of Doe: Resin (Rise & Shine)

Lonely Only had only heard of the gathering and the ache of loneliness had tugged the acha into attending. He'd resisted the urge at first, but the more kin he saw heading for the gathering, the harder it was to remain apart. His feet brought him among strangers and he tried to keep himself at a distance.

But the fire beckoned, the stories called to him, and Lonely was now listening in rapt attention. He was content to let the words wash over him but after the totoma doe finished her tale, Lonely felt eyes on him.

"O-oh! I say, I say, a story? One from me? I'm afraid I only now of the voices that whisper to the world. It, they speak for the Motherfather, speak of the Motherfather's will, and they tell the swamp, the plains, the desert, the mountains what they are when they are. We who hear with our ears can't make sense of the voices. The world has no such thing as ears but it listens and it obeys. The ground becomes harder, the air becomes colder, the sun hides sooner when the voices tell them. They change the world's color from green to red to brown to white and back.

"When the voices sing, all the world lives and breathes and dances, the world gifts us with fruit and life. But when the voices scream, all the world ceases its joy, loses hope, and we're buried in bleak death. We cannot speak the words to bring the world back to life. We can only keep the faith in the Motherfather's love."  

[Ruriska]

PREFERENCE LIST - Ruriska

In order of preference: lady lion, dude lion, pig, lemur, bunny  

[Huni Pi]

With his turn at telling a tale done, the acha gave those present a warm but too wide smile that had too much teeth. The earlier warmth of being in a crowd had shifted to an uncomfortable suffocation, making Lonely nervously shift his weight among his feet. Too many kin, too many kin!

The smile was frozen on his face as he began shuffling backwards, bobbing his head in a series of awkward bows until he felt his tail brush against someone.

"Oh! I say, I say I do beg your pardon! I haven't eyes on the back of my head so I didn't see you there," he babbled, apologizing as much as rambling to the -now that he got a better look- much larger kimeti doe. The white buck saw the beaming grin and mirrored it on instinct, feeling relief at the friendly expression.

Ruriska

I hope it's okay for Lonely to bug Sunspot!

Brute began ambling about the festivities, taking mouthfuls of food whenever the mood struck her. She would wander aimlessly, moving around to disperse the excess energy building up in her. and subtly eye the other kin present.

They were mostly strangers and she wouldn't mind becoming more acquainted with them, except this was neutral ground and she couldn't make friends the way she normally would. She was on a mission but she'd done as they'd ordered and now she didn't know what to do with herself. Oh she was certainly ignoring the urge to pick a fight with the first kin she crossed paths with, after all she couldn't jeopardize other kin's tasks but it was leaving her in a surly mood.

The hornless totoma silenced her frustrations by stomping back towards the food, and if she failed to watch where she put her hoof or where she angled her bulk then maybe she could claim innocence in intentionally provoking another.

((ooc: While Brute is spoiling for a fight, she knows better than to actually get into one during the festivities. I am 10000000% down in setting up an "after party" fight of sorts @ 3@b))  

[Ruriska]

"I really liked your story," Sunspot said by way of greeting, words rushing out in a enthusiastic tumble. She'd seen the bucks backward approach and had made no effort to get out of the way. "It wasn’t like a traditional story but it felt warm and nice, except for the bleak death bit but the rest of it was really good." She was all beaming smiles and clearly wouldn’t have minded one bit even if the Acha had knocked her right off her hooves. Not that it was likely to happen – with her Totoma blood she positively towered over the smaller Kin.

"My name is Sunspot. Have you eaten anything yet? The soup is extra good. They’ve been cooking it all day."

Huni Pi

Absolutely! <33

 

[Huni Pi]

Warmth, delight, joy seemed to flood through the acha and he practically lit up from the doe's words. She liked his story! Approval! Acceptance! The minor critique of the tale's bleakness didn't deter Lonely from beaming in pride and had him dancing in place, suddenly brimming with an excess of energy. "Sunspot. Sun. Spot," he repeated her name carefully, speaking it with reverence and committing it to memory. "A concentration of warmth and loveliness. It's quite befitting you, if I may say," he declared with utmost sincerity.

The offer of soup had him straightening, though he was still quite dwarfed he didn't seem bothered by it, "Soup sounds wonderful! All day, you say? It must be savory and rich. Shall I get you a serving too or another foodstuff? It won't be any trouble!"

Ruriska

 

[Ruriska]

Sunspot was not as spritely as an Acha but she did bounce on her hooves, just as delighted as he was. That energy was infectious. "R-really? Thank you." She was clearly pleased by the compliment, if suddenly slightly bashful. "And what is your name?"

The subject of soup was clearly one of great pleasure, enough to forget, just for a moment, that a handsome buck had just praised her name. "It is! Every time I walk past, I can smell it. They even thickened it with egg." Her eyes had lit up at the thought and she was torn by his suggestion, caught by a sense of responsibility and her desire for food.

"Well, I’m sure they won’t mind if I take a break," she reasoned. "I’d love to keep you company while you eat. Every meal is better when shared."

Huni Pi

 

[Huni Pi]

Lonely blinked, only realizing that he completely skipped introducing himself when the doe asked for his name. Rather than embarrassed, the acha buck laughed, amused at his own forgetfulness, his excitement for soup (especially one thickened with egg, ingenious!) having taken center stage.

"I say, I am named Lonely Only, but fret not, I am not lonely in your presence," he smiled, tail swaying behind him. "And it would be my honor to share a meal with you!" Was he being too liberal with praise? Certainly not! Lonely whole-heartedly believed in openly showing his appreciation of others. "If anyone gives you grief for accompanying me, I must insist they take umbrage with me instead." He didn't seem at all bothered that a slender acha such as he would hardly fare well against larger, sturdier kin.

Ruriska

Lonely, y u so flirty? (Sunspot is gorgeous tho, so I don't blame him XDDDD)

 

[Ruriska]

"A friend of mine should never be lonely," she declared, taking on further praise with flushed cheeks and a grin. "It is a pleasure to properly meet you, Lonely Only. I’m so glad you came to today’s event." The thought of the buck ‘taking umbrage’ on her behalf was rather sweet, though she highly doubted anyone would call her out. It was only her sense of pride as a worker that had made her hesitate.

"I’ll help you gather the food. I can’t expect you to carry it all," she said merrily, turning on her hooves with double the excitement and nearly cleaning up someone as they were walking past. "Whoops. That was close. We should grab a few different things to try. The lizard tails are really crispy and delicious too."

Huni Pi

She think he's quite handsome in return, so flirty is A+ in her books. XD

 

[Pigxels]

MY STORY (P2 Pref List Updated)
Name of Doe: Still Feather (Rise & Shine)

After Starglow's story with the little munchkins, she happily trampled off into woods a while to take in the scenery. Everyone was having such a good time, sitting and laying around the fires and telling stories. It was lovely, and she soaked up the atmosphere as if it were a holiday. She felt fuzzy all over, and wracked her brain for a new story she could share.

So she settled on another small legend she'd heard around the swamp. As much as she enjoyed telling folks about her adventures in the wood, her favorite thing though was scary stories. She settled amongst some other kin who were simply gabbing back and forth and smiled. "Anyone up for another story?" They paused a moment and then got real quiet, siddling to angle themselves toward her around the fire with a few nods and affirmations. She smiled, glad to have such friendly company. "Have any of you ever heard of the Legendary Bleeding Tree?" A few cocked their heads but said nothing and shook their heads.

She lowered her head and stared into the flames a moment, gathering up her thoughts and organizing storyline. "About a hundred years ago, there was a kimeti who was on the pinnacle of ascension," she started slowly, looking deeply concerned about something. "In her life up to that point, she'd been an awful kin; attacking those she loved, stealing things from others... but the worst vial thing she did, was destroy trees. It doesn't sound awful, first-hand, until you saw her home nest. Trees were stripped of bark, and her horns had left deep sap-oozing gashes in the wood in all along the trunks. Flowers and roots alike were trampled, dug up, or chewed on."

"But some of us do that," one of the bucks said awkwardly, eyeing her sideways.

"To one tree, or an entire section of forest?" Starglow retorted. The buck shrugged oddly, and then fell silent again. Starglow raised a brow. "I thought so. Anyway," she cleared her throat. "The tree she'd been bucking heads with that day happened to be one of the oldest, largest trees in the swamp. A willow, with low-hanging branches coated in 3-inch moss, and draping so heavy it tugged the branches down around her almost like a shelter. She'd been in a particularly nasty mood that day, and had smashed her head repeatedly against it. Until finally, after one particularly vicious buck, her horns got stuck.

"Now, she hadn't been the most liked kin in the swamp, as you can imagine. In fact, it wasn't beyond her to occasionally become so aggressive with others, she would murder them. So, among the fog-covered underbrush, hidden by thick drooping mossy branches... she cried for help and no one came." Her eyes widened then for effect, and she dropped her voice low. The other kin listened and flicked their ears toward her, some glancing back at the trees that hovered over their fires; the moss dangling far above them.

"So... what happened to her?" One doe asked, interested and bright-eyed. Star could tell she enjoyed scary stories too, and she fought back her smile.

"Well," she started again, "for three days, and three nights, she stayed stuck to the tree, calling out night and day alike, until her voice was a nothing but a dusty rasp. No one had come by. She's heard foosteps off in the swamp several times, and heard them gallop off the second they saw her, so she was aware that she'd been heard, and that they had been ignoring her. This infuriated her, and she began to call out curses, threats, and roars of nothing into the bark in front of her eyes, her neck getting stiff, her throat sore, and stomach empty.

"Finally, the tree itself answered her. But not with words. Eventually, when she was near death from thirst and starvation, the tree began to swallow her. She noted that her face was coming closer and closer to the bark over the course of a few hours, and when her head was right up against the bark itself, her horns almost entirely swallowed, she began to try her best to scream harder and louder for someone, anyone, to hear her. She thrashed, bucked and braced her hooves and legs against the tree, trying everything in her power to get free. But it was no use. By morning the next day, she was gone. There was no hint she was even there, not a single scratch in the side of the tree, and no fur or blood to be seen. She simply vanished.

"Years later, two lovers who were walking along through the forest had caught themselves in the middle of a rainstorm, and stopped under the tree for shelter under its massive mossy branches. The buck rose, rubbing his horns against he bark for a while to enjoy himself, and found that, under the bark, the tree was dark red. He squinted hard at it, and then called the doe over to have a look. She inspected it, licking with her tongue, and recoiled. 'That's blood,' she said quietly, and looked back at her lover.

"The buck wasn't convinced, and poked a small hole into it with one sharp horn tip, and watched as it began to bleed. The blood dripped down the wood, and onto the swamp floor, pooling at their feet. Both kin gasped, and jumped back from the tree, looking up at it in horror. But now that they noticed, they could see what looked like two horns sticking out from the side of the tree, far up at the middle of its trunk. The doe had become part of the tree. She'd lived, but she was now stuck forever in the trunk of the tree she had been so cruel to," Starglow finished darkly.

The other kin stared open-mouthed, and then glanced back off into the woods. "Is it still out there? Did anyone ever find it after that?" The doe was excited, but horrified.

"Yes," Starglow nodded. "Some say you can find it. But the swamp is full of trees, some of them are massive now. No one's sure which tree is which, since there are many willows now, and a lot of them are coated in thick layers of moss. You would have to find one with two horns sticking out of its trunk, and scratch the bark off of trees to see if you could find red wood," she said.

All the kin around the fire glanced at each other. She could see they'd begun to plot and think now. Star chuckled and rose to her feet. "But that's just a legend. If you were to find it, bring back proof, yes?" She smiled cheerily and then skittered off again from their fire.  

[Scaramouche Fandango]

Smash-and-Mash had only caught a little bit of a previous story- a good one about caimans and a perilous journey- and an utter waste of something delicious. She couldn't abide it! "Hey, wait!" called the green doe, chasing after the hornless totoma. She hadn't seen the totoma before, which meant she was a stranger- but she simply had to talk to her and find out.

"What do you mean the blood spoiled the food? Was that story true? How could any kin go to all that trouble just to miss out? Congealed blood adds an AMAZING great rich flavor! A savory warmth- to all kinds of meat dishes. Why, anybody who would waste that much deserves to be smashed!" Heat rising in her cheeks, she snorted and stamped a hoof. "It makes me so MAD!"

Huni Pi

((ooc: Huni, I hope you don't mind Smash approaching Brute. She's a big gal who would think that a good smashing match would be THE best way to make friends and if you're up for it I'd love to RP them going at it.))

 

[Scaramouche Fandango]

MY STORY
Name of Doe: Reign of Grain (Rise and Company)

Defiant had wound a bit of squash vine around her horns, an orange blossom tucked behind her ear. She loved autumn; everything about it was a wonderful season, the nights perfect for telling stories. Eyes sparkling, she stepped into a circle of shivering kin clustered around a fire. "Why, you all look as if you've had the fright of your lives! But never fear, I'm here with cheer!" Her eyes sparkled, the flickering flames gleaming in her eyes.

However, her story was not to be told. A grim-looking acha doe elbowed her way into the circle, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. She was followed by a buck who was clearly her father; as he strode into the circle, his air of self-importance was almost palpable. Tyrant had dragged his daughter to the gathering, eager to scout for suitors- but had, much to his delight, found a feast worthy of their presence and a captive audience for his family's history. Those were stories worth telling!

"I say, are we telling tales here? I must say, I certainly have one worth the hearing." The buck drew himself up, smiling pompously down upon the circle. "This is a tale... of FRIGHT! Horror! Disaster! Yes, this is the story of when my uncle- but no, I mustn't. I simply mustn't, not until you've heard the end!

It all began when my great-uncle and my grandfather were young. They were strapping bucks, the both of them, and nothing in the world was too fine for their tastes. Golden princes, the both of them; they spent their days singing and dancing and courting the does- though not in earnest, of course, for none of them were fair enough for them. No, this was all sportive play, an exercise for their amusement. My grandfather, Mercy's Fool, was the more serious of the two, preferring the ancient styles of art and poetry; my great-uncle, Clemency, was far more modern and took his delight in the new. And dear, dear great-uncle Clemency decided that since it was his right to have the best in life, he would sample it all. The sweetest songs, the airiest dances, the prettiest does- and of course, the finest food. There was nothing in the world my gourmand great-uncle wouldn't eat. He and my grandfather traveled far and wide, seeking the most exotic, the most delicious, the most scrumptious delicacies. And they sampled everything! Honeyed boar served with sliced apples, candied fruits left to dry in the desert sun, songbirds stuffed with smaller songbirds stuffed with even smaller songbirds stuffed with their own eggs, figs stuffed into papayas stuffed into mangoes, a sort of truffle that only sends up shoots once every twenty generations- oh, they ate all of that, they claimed an entire harvest- the minced meat of twenty kinds of fish baked in a tortoise shell with the tortoise still inside... grasses that grow in the mountains, carried down to the sands still smelling of snow. They drank water from crystal springs, juices of a dozen berries mingled together, steaming water from hot springs with fine leaves to flavor it, a rich bitter brew made with seeds and herbs. They devoured only the best of everything- the rarest meats, the juiciest fruits, the finest herbs- and yet still, my great-uncle was unsatisfied. Until, as they journeyed together, they found a tribe of acha living around the most beautiful oasis they'd ever seen. They simply knew they would have to return one day with the entire family, but first they would stay and sample the hospitality of the inhabitants. The tribe was merry, oh so merry- why, even more merry than this happy gathering!"

"It'd be happier if you shut up!" came a grumble from beside Defiant. Tyrant, however, didn't hear.

"Oh yes, this tribe was merry. Merry and splendid, and they welcomed my relations with a fine dance. They had perfected their synchronous technique; every tenth measure, they would all, no matter where they were in the choreography or across their staging ground, they would all rear up, do a half twist, and click their heels together in the most charming way. My grandfather insisted they teach him how to do it, and of course he mastered it almost immediately- but this isn't a story about my wonderful grandfather and his immense talents, this is a story about his brother, who had the finest sense of taste this world has ever known. So while my grandfather learned the dance, my great-uncle spoke to the tribe's stewards, who were in charge of the food. They had a banquet prepared for the two brothers; served by willowy does on flawless palm leaves of the broad variety, not the narrow-leafed variety. Do you know palm leaves here in the swamp? They are large and lovely, so large that a foal could hide beneath them. These leaves didn't have a single nibble marring their edges. Because they lived in this bounteous oasis, the tribe was largely vegetarian; the fruits of the vine and the tree provided all that they needed. First at the feast were figs, cured with ground peppercorns, both pink and black, from the daintiest pepper trees you ever did see. Then came a course of figs, served alongside their leaves, which were stuffed with a kind of diced squash. They next brought out coconut, and my dears, have you ever had coconut? A wondrous meal, the coconut. The tribe's patriarch cracked them open and my relations did both drink and eat of this wondrous fruit. And then... disaster struck! For you see, the fourth course was a fruit my great-uncle had only heard about: the grape.

You must realize that to one like my uncle, tasting an entirely new food was tantamount to heaven. He took no greater pleasure than in that of the new, as I have told you, and while he had heard of grapes and the things you can make from them, he had never known any kin who had them. The grapes were served in two forms, dried and fresh, and my great-uncle had never seemed so happy as when he was presented with those fresh grapes. My grandfather said that they seemed to be made of crystal, of beautiful amethyst or sparkling garnet. They were deep, rich purple, a richer purple than the sky right after sunset- and they glistened with dew. Perfectly spherical, they were the pinnacle of nature's design. Here, thought my grandfather, is luxury in the shape of a fruit. Arranged in cascading bunches, the fruits were ravishing in their simultaneous simplicity and complexity. He swore he would never forget the look in his brother's eyes until his dying day; this was fulfillment. This was satisfaction. This was bliss.

With bated breath, he watched as his brother gently nibbled a grape. My great-uncle shut his eyes as he chewed, letting the juice splash on his tongue as the tender skin shredded between his teeth. For a brief moment, paradise was attained; but alas, this is a tale of paradise lost, and my great-uncle's happiness was not to last. With a sudden shock, his eyes flew open. Something was horribly, dreadfully wrong; a calamity of unprecedented proportions was in the making, an event of catastrophic horror was in progress! My great-uncle choking, gasping, wheezing; my grandfather, fearlessly directing the rescue attempt by helpfully and masterfully commanding the good simples of the tribe with "Help him!" and "Save my brother!"; the stalwart does and bucks of the tribe immediately coming to his aid but tragically coming too late; the grapes stewing in their sin before him! For you see, my great-uncle was hopelessly allergic to grapes; as he had never encountered one before, he of course didn't know. The tempting devils glistened before him, and true to his nature, with his dying breath, he scooped the rest of them into his mouth. Oh, would I have been there to see it! Imagine it, will you- my great-uncle, though he knew he was not long for this world, insisted on leaving it with true panache and style, by consuming the luxury he loved most! In a flash of lightning, the sky darkened and my great-uncle's spirit left his body. My grandfather mourned nobly; the tribeskin raised their voices to the sky in heartrending ululation. Because the brothers were wandering far from home, the funeral traditions could not occur in the manner of my family's practices; as a result, my grandfather left his dear brother in the capable hooves of that desert tribe while he went home to notify their parents like the dutiful son he was. Being that my great-uncle had no legitimate issue, his affairs were gracefully handled by my grandfather, who began to take his fruity delights in moderation. After all, one cannot enjoy the fruits of this world if one is dead, so one must consume what one will while one walks!" He winked conspiratorially as if he had taught the kin surrounding him a great lesson. He swanned and preened, hoping for praise for his tale- but where had everybody gone? They must have been in shock, hearing such a tale of woe and abject misery. Poor things.

His daughter, however, took the opportunity to scarper. There were males here, attractive males, and she wasn't going to let her overbearing a** of a father get in the way of possible attention!  

[Huni Pi]

"A wonderful idea!" the acha declared, half dancing beside the kimeti doe as they made their way towards the generous spread of food. "I don't often frequent large gatherings but if they are half as enjoyable as this and have kin with even a fraction of your warmth in attendance, then I must have missed out on so much!" he sounded regretful.

But whatever lapse in joy the acha had was brief, after all, he was here now and he had lovely company to boot! He balanced the suggested dishes as best he could, not wanting to burden Sunspot any more than necessary, "Perhaps after we've had our fill you've enough time for a quick dance?" He sounded extremely hopeful in his request.

Ruriska

Sorry this took a while @ 3@

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The totoma hadn't even realized she'd stepped on another kin's mane. But she felt something slip from underhoof and Brute raised a leg to allow the blonde kimeti a rather spectacular fall and ended up staring at her.

Lips curled into an amused sneer, "Not a fun trip, I take it." she snorted and made no motion to help the white-furred kimeti up. "You oughtta learn how to fall right." was the most help she was willing to give at the moment. She was still spoiling for a fight, somewhat, but the amusing display of clumsiness had taken off most of the edge. She stood in place long enough for a green totoma to catch up to her, and glancing over her shoulder, the hornless doe listened to the rather enthused declaration of blood being a wonderful addition to food.

Brute felt the sneer turn into a smirk, "Wasn't my opinion. I like my meat a little gamey myself, but some fruits don't go well with blood. Especially not acha blood." The anger from the other totoma gave Brute a warm feeling in her chest, made her own feet itch to mimic the stomp but refrained. There was after all a kimeti doe by her feet, she really shouldn't risk stomping down when she wasn't in a fight.

"Heh, smashing others is definitely something I wouldn't say no to, providing they deserve it."

anemosagkelos

omg I am so sorry Brute's not being helpful to Moon Rabbit 8CCCC

Scaramouche Fandango

Ooooh we can mos def have a smashing match between these two! A separate thread set post-party or something so we can do dice rolls? Although Brute's idea of making friends involve um violence against her fellow kin but nothing lethal of course XD