Sullen was the mood that had fallen over the mare this afternoon. Abandonment melted into a stark sense of being adrift. Aggravation flared into irritation; irritation exploded into -- she felt the world, no, herself pause as the swamp blurred past her -- resentment. She had sought knowledge, ascended, and then she'd become distracted. By Doom (who had vanished into hibernation); by her children and grandchildren; by blessings. And now that they had ebbed away like water discontent with the shore, she had nothing. She was driftwood; aimless and in desperate need of a dream, a focus, a goal.
The current of her thoughts forced her into movement; she stalked and stomped. To her side, the owlcat shimmered in and out of existence as her concentration and desires grew fraught with hysteria. She was a hunter, a strategist, becoming unglued without a target. This had never happened, not to her. And she was at a loss. The swell crashed and she folded down, shadows sliding down over her in a familiar caress as the owlcat disappeared.
Breathe. A goal that was all she needed -- something more than a hunt, nothing as attention hungry as children, a singular piece of knowledge to pursue, analyze, and master. In, out; in, out. Just one thing.
Calmed, the mare remained settled. Sharp-eyed and alert, the answer would come, or she would find it.
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 1:59 pm
Answer or not, the Legendary would receive company.
The gryphon landed with a soft 'whump' in the fallen leaves of a tree, the prey clutched between sharp claws dead with the impact, not so much as a whimper uttered. Perhaps ironic - perhaps as a message - the limp form beneath the stronger one was an owlcat, its once resplendent coat of soft pink now clashing with bright blood and less savory bits.
Frostbite ripped out a chunk of the well earned meal before abruptly looking up, ear tufts lifted. In the darkness, the Legendary couldn't yet be seen - or perhaps bloodlust still coated the avian's eyes - but there was a pause, a hold of breath.
Waiting.
anemosagkelos
LOL I was JUST starting to reply to this when I got your quote XD
Chrystali
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Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 2:56 pm
The mare's ears pricked as the leaves crunched and crinkled under the weight of the prey and predator. The dominant creature -- the sharp beak, the elongated mane-feathers, forelegs that ended in sharp claws, silent back paws, a tuft of tail-feathers, and wings to soar the sky -- was one she had seen before.
A very long time ago, before she had been chosen, she had seen four such creatures. Gryphons. She'd wanted one then and been denied; she'd convinced herself the dogs -- she'd been training True Tail for her granddaughter then -- wouldn't get along with it anyway and the desire had been dimmed, a quiet whisper of want that was impossible to hear over the roar of must-haves, of nows. She'd diverted her attention, excelled in new endeavors, and now that whisper could be heard in all its breathy pleading, even as it grew, twisted, and changed. To own a gryphon has all been well and good a desire then. Now, now, she could do much much better.
Thoughts in order, she narrowed her eyes at the dead creature within the gryphon's talons. An owlcat. A pink owlcat. The fur along her back bristled. She shot a glare upward, unamused with the signs the Motherfather was sending her. It was far too much to be a mere coincidence. She almost felt pity for the dead owlcat. Almost. There had to be prey for the hunters after all.
She let her eyes return to the gryphon, let her gaze settle on its eyes of fire yellow. There was a sense of wrongness as she could not help comparing her own owlcat self to the dead one. Even if she could imagine its pursuit of her, she knew she was not prey, never would be. And yet she felt herself pleased as the gryphon, who had been about to devour a piece of well-won meat, looked up and directly towards where she was.
A grin split her mouth, as the shadows dropped away and she was left to be seen. "Clever gryphon," she cooed.
Chrystali
lol, perfect timing ;)
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:19 pm
Speckled wings spread as though the gryphon was about to leap away - but the feathers paused, shuddering and tentatively folding downwards once more. The feathered ridge upon wary hackles flit upwards, tail feathers swaying as though still preparing for flight.
Of course the avian had seen such creatures - the hunter was bonded with one - but this one was different. Even the gryphon could sense that.
The reveal was no less unnerving, dark beak viced around the limp form of the owlcat, staring. To go backwards? Forwards? Upwards? The strange grin and words that were not entirely understood gave the impression that the Shadow would have no problem keeping up. Then again...the idea of moving seemed too much like the dead thing within the dark maw.
Frostbite cocked dappled feathers to the side, ember eyes fixated unblinkingly on the Shadow. There was no way of knowing if it was friend or foe, but since the hunters were out of their usual territory, attacking wasn't a first response. A back foot gently tamped on the ground, as if testing the other, mindful. No sudden movements. The beak tightened, red splattering the cream throat. I am the hunter. And Frostbite was not alone - or wouldn't be for long.
anemosagkelos
...I ONLY PICKED PINK BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BRIGHT ENOUGH TO MAKE SENSE I'M SORRY LMFAO
Chrystali
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Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 1:21 pm
Oh, clever indeed. A tinge of satisfaction flushed her skin at the gryphon's rightful fear of her, at it's instinct for survival, but she was far more captivated when, though clearly unsure of her, it defied that instinct and stayed. Clever and curious; she knew those traits well. If she was one given to prayer, she may have offered one. As she was not, she might just grumble less when the waves of those who sought blessings flowed fast towards her.
With the prey grasped firmly in its beak, she knew it was a creature who could hunt successfully. There was a wisp of desire to see just how well a hunter it was but then she knew that after a catch, a hunter would be far more interested in eating it's meal and depending on the creature it may not hunt for days. Creatures were not usually like kin, indeed, it was often not all that usual that kin liked to hunt for fun or entertainment like she and Doom sometimes did. (They always found uses for the kills; rare, if ever, that anything of theirs spoiled.) Perhaps another time she would test its hunting skills.
"Best eat that before it attracts others," she advised, even if it couldn't understand her. She extended her neck, letting her chin rest against the ground. Relaxed as she appeared, her eyes remained focused on the gryphon. She had a theory it might be more open to her owlcat form if it's stomach was filled. And then she might be able to learn a bit more after this creature.
Chrystali
No, no apologies because pink was the perfect choice! A+ You did grrrrreaaaaat!
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 8:51 pm
Sharp eyes remained focused on the distant doe (who clearly was not distant enough for Frostbite's comfort), but oddly - or perhaps not - the gryphon seemed to understand what the Legendary said. Even as she lay her head upon the swamp floor, the avian's gaze was unwavering. The bloody beak dipped and the owlcat was nearly torn head from shoulders; Frostbite ate the motionless prey clutched between front claws, working around the small bones that were sometimes gouged out but otherwise making quick work of the rest of it.
Distantly still, a pair of similar sunset eyes watched, but did not approach. If Frostbite was not fighting or fleeing, she would leave her other half be.
The owlcat did not last long and once it was picked and cleaned to satisfaction, the remains were strewn in the area - some bones here, a swath of hide there - marking the territory, warning other kin like the gryphon's other half that hunters had come through here, and none - not even kin like Winter - would be safe if they got in their way.
Frostbite settled for just a moment, but not so far as to sit; the hunter was still prepared to dart and fly if the doe made it necessary to do so. Intelligent eyes refocused on the mare's face as the gryphon meticulously cleaned the remainder of the owlcat from bloody talons.
anemosagkelos
QUQ
Chrystali
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Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 10:55 pm
Luminous eyes flicked upward, noted the hint of sunlight filtering down through the trees, before edging down to take in the direction of her shadow. The gryphon may be done with its meal but it was still on guard and she did not wish to spook it. True, she could track it -- she needn't entertain the thought she could fail at such a small task -- if it fled but it would be far better for its opinion of her if she didn't cause it to flee.
Where her shadow fell harshest, close to her ribs, a half-corporeal owlcat began to manifest. Its dark fur blended well with her own as the shadows obscured the pink stripes. In fact, only the piercing eyes were all that made to alert the gryphon of another presence. And in the moment where the creature may go on alert, the mare's own form faded until both existed in faded images.
The owlcat gave a shake of its body, stretched out its limbs, and stood to take in this strange birdcat (snuffed lightly in indignance -- the gryphon was bigger). Proud, it stalked forward -- the shadows attached to its silhouette bled back into the ghostly mare in an effort to show the creature the two were one in the same, in a manner of speaking -- and screeched. Its tail, slender and long, swayed lazily. It was time to see what this gryphon could do.
Lull in Sunlight bowed, black beak clicking, and then pounced.
Chrystali
apologies for the wait; my brain forgot how to word.
Posted: Fri Jul 24, 2015 12:54 pm
And the gryphon watched. Intelligence flickered through unwavering sunset eyes, tufted ears lifting upwards abruptly as the shadows began to shift and the mare's body began to melt from view. The avian was clearly surprised, but not afraid; in fact, where the shadows reached, light steps skirted around to survey the forming owlcat that seemed to be birthed from the Kimeti's ribs. Rounding back to the kill spot, the upright ears began to flicker in concern at the ghostly visage of the mare that yet lingered behind the owlcat shadow. This was new, but still, fear was absent. If this shadow-thing was a hunter, the gryphon could only stand to learn, which was not a bad thing.
It was the click of the onyx beak that broke the gryphon's stare. There was no way of knowing if the shadow-owlcat was trying to play, attack, or some other manner of interaction, and as such, the gryphon could only react as was instinctual. The owlcat in mid-pounce, strong feline legs pushed hard into the bloody dirt, lunging to meet the owlcat with front talons spreading for contact. While distantly aware that the owlcat was also a Kimeti, the hunter was not going to back down to the 'fight' at hand.
Frostbite opened stony beak and let forth a screech, head feathers lofted and prepared for a dance of dominance.
anemosagkelos
*SCREAMS* I DIDN'T GET THIS QUOTE I'M SORRY
Chrystali
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Posted: Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:15 pm
As the gryphon came towards her, front talons extended and beak gaping wide, she realized the intent to challenge and play had not been well telegraphed. Owlcats were prone to avoidance and brief scuffles when warning were not heeded; the gryphon appeared to be far less likely to avoid anything. Well then, she'd have to use her smaller stature and her mare form to her advantage.
The aim of her pounce had been high but not high enough to soar over a gryphon, larger and heavier, coming at her. Instead she quickly turned her head and shoulders away, fishtailing around until her paws collided with the ground. Once she was on the ground, she made quick work of putting distance between herself and the gryphon. Safely away, she sat, curling her tail around herself, and waited to see what the creature would do in response.
Chrystali
this post now comes with words!
And as the gryphon came towards her, she realized this maybe wasn't very well thought out.
Chrystali
idk (lull's the black cat, obviously)
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 4:40 pm
And just like that, the owlcat used it's agility to evade the gryphon, the heavier half-feline landing steadily on strong paws and clawed feet, bouncing a little with the momentum of the jump. Tufted ears remained forward, watching, but it seemed the avian was not too keen on chasing. Frostbite would stand this ground, play or fight, but would not be lead on a chase by the thing. Or mare. Whatever it was.
Settling those ears, a paw was lifted and meticulously groomed. Sunset eyes were half closed as if in contentment, but what slivered between lids was still fixated on the dark Otherkin. Waiting. Though the gryphon's thinking wasn't as complex as the Mare's, it seemed content to watch in turn, still able and ready to react should the other move again.
anemosagkelos
I WAS TOTALLY GOING TO REPLY WITH THIS IN TEXT AND FOR VISUAL:
Chrystali
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2015 7:05 pm
A staring contest between the two could last all day. Or at least until the gryphon's owner called it away. (Yes, she'd felt the gaze and the scent had only proved it a kimeti.) And it seemed unbothered by this exercise. As much as she wanted time to learn this creature, she was not going to learn everything by merely watching it. Nor did she think either it or its owner would wish her company to extend (or rather the mare would rather not reside in their presence for longer than necessary).
A chatter left her beak as she, slowly and carefully, dropped her belly to the ground. She kept her weight on her front paws, elbows bent close to her body as glowing pink eyes stared intent at the gryphon. After a moment, she dropped her elbows, and then began to crawl towards and a little diagonal to the other feline-avian.
Chrystali
ALL THE GIFS i might be a bad influence but hey a gif is word a thousand words, yeah?
Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 10:42 am
Frostbite watched the owlcat with a mistrusting air. It was obvious the creature was thinking in a way that wasn't normal - of course, being a creature of the Hunt, the gryphon could only analyze so much - but the very un-animalistic way it acted still kept the avian on edge. Of course it knew that the thing was a Mare, but it still didn't make a whole lot of sense to the hunter. And so, sunset eyes watched, weighed, and measured.
The gryphon's head cocked to the side without moving the agile body with it as the owlcat did a belly crawl. This, Frostbite saw more to be...playful, in a stalking manner, but still worth being wary of knowing the shadowy form that it had coalesced earlier. Brown plumage ruffled as Frostbite in turn advanced upon the owlcat, but with tufted ears forward and claws safely retracted, it was curiosity and fair play that brought them closer. Just out of wing's length of touching, the gryphon hunkered down into a partially crouched position, extending a paw carefully to touch.
anemosagkelos
Boop.
Chrystali
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Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:52 pm
This was a better reaction. At least the gryphon appeared more receptive to this approach as its paw extended towards her. The owlcat's instinct flared hot -- this could be a threat, a feint before an attack -- but the mare bit down on it. If anything, she'd be the one to feint. And she still had a bit to learn before she wished to risk severing this encounter. Just a bit and then she'd go on her way.
A tentative whoo was voiced as she, too, reached a paw out. An olive branch so to speak to garner some semblance of trust.
Chrystali
just a re-quote in case gaia ate the notice; if you're busy no worries, just wanted to make sure you've seen this!
Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 3:46 pm
It wasn't exactly trust that Frostbite was extending, but perhaps a sort of understanding - which was as good as trust, coming from the hunter. A brief touch of feline paws - and the gryphon slid backwards, ears upright and still attentive. Not running, but...almost playful. It seemed the hunter understood that the territory wasn't being threatened and that - at least for now - neither were being hunted.
Frostbite's wings fluttered, curious, but sated.
anemosagkelos
Chrystali
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Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 10:00 pm
Chrystali
again a test
Chrystali
again sorry if you get 2 pings
While bigger, it seemed a gryphon's front paw was hardly different from her own owlcat's paw. Still a thrum of excitement shivered through her heart, a ridge of fur fluffing up along her spine, at the progress made. At a piece of the picture now solid and clear.
The owlcat crawled forward, spine curving up as its hind legs pushed upward, tail swaying in a manner of play that spoke of mischief. Only inches away from the gryphon. And then it was gone. Just long enough to signal confusion; just long enough for the mare to reappear in its place.
A startling black nose and pink maw grinned inches away from the gryphon, "Hello, pet."
