The Wild Series: Reign of Ashes (Main Page/Pridelands)

Silence chuckled as they continued to walk along, many thoughts coming to his mind but only one escaping his jaws. "You know what? I'm glad you found me, Jury. This sounds like it's going to be quite the adventure."

[Hmm, should we have something happen? xD I feel like they could probably just walk and talk about random stuff for a while longer but idk how to make it seem like they're making progress...?

Oh and Silv, do you wanna RP a bit of Manik and Ninx as well?

xD Hahaha ohmagoodness Villi... #siryoku #theyjustgotshipped]

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale observed Fin carefully, his feathers beginning to settle as he started thinking rationally. Finnican was far too convincing to be playing a joke, he decided. Now both Falcons were almost equally as confused. 
"Finnican... what is the last thing you remember?" Kale asked quietly, his voice returning to calm.

Finnican blinked in surprise. He looked at Kale with wavering eyes for a moment before lowering his gaze to the snow beneath him.
"I... The only thing I remember clearly..." he said softly, "Is waking up in that cave, just moments ago. I know...I know before then that I fled the roost... I don't remember why...what I did..."
His eyes widened and he looked back up at Kale. "But you... You're from the Roost, right? That's why you know me! There's no other reason why you'd be here! Can you tell me what happened? Why I'm here?"

Kale was quiet for a while, not sure how to respond or even if he wanted to respond. He shuffled his talons in the snow, shaking a bit of the cold off and releasing a soft sigh. The falcon turned his head and shook the satchel from off his back, dragging it between him and Finnican. From the bag, Kale removed the Raven Tracking Disk and set it down gently on the snow. He touched the tip of a talon to a symbol near the top and watched the lights swirl around it again. An image of the world mapped itself out across the disk's surface, with multiple lights glowing around each area a Rift had recently been opened. 

He pointed with his talon to the Eastern Pridelands, to the spot where Rinka's city would be. 
"One of your sisters, Rinka, is here. I don't know where your other one is. Go here, speak to Rinka, and tell her that Kale is alive and tracking the other Rifts."

The falcon spoke slowly, a calmness to his voice like a parent trying not to get angry at their child.
Kale waited a moment for Finnican to memorize the location and direction, and began packing up his satchel, slipping the disk back inside.

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:The instant Nykoru touched her, Ambyra flung herself forward to tackle him playfully. She had just barely shoved him against the tiny hollow's wall when Syrune was already speaking up.

"Hey hey, come on!" Syrune started in a harsh whisper, looking back into the hollow from her perch on the lip of the entrance. "No noise until I make sure it's clear. We-"

Without warning, Syrune's mark on the bottom of her center talon on the right foot lit up like a brush-fire. The orange glow erupted at the same time on her mark and in her eyes, immobilizing the Phoenix. Images and emotions shot through her head like wildfire, flashes of every single moment she had spent with Finnican slammed into her head. Everything she had ever felt for him came hitting her all at once, like every moment was being relived in an instant. Across the world, Finnican had just appeared from the Rift, and the re-connection of Syrune's mark to her mate's soul rocked her whole body. The hawk's eyes flew open, the air left her lungs. All she could see in her mind's eye was her mate, alive, in the snow. She clenched her talons as the glowing intensified before stopping completely. 

"...Fin..." She breathed, her stunned gaze focused far away, the memories still washing over her.

The seriousness on Nykoru's face broke as he was tackled. He let out a laugh that was a little on the noisy side, wrapped his wings around Ambyra and began pushing her back across the hollow. He glanced at Syrune as she spoke to them and flashed her a grin before putting his focus back on his sister, just barely missing the light of her talon. He wanted to play just a moment longer.

Ambyra laughed along with her brother, pushing back against him and trying to trip him with her talons while they tussled. 

"...We need to go..." Syrune said quietly, still out of breath and now leaning against the side of the hollow for support. Finnican! Where are you?! How am I going to find you, find this Grove, and evade Agathar at the same time? I need a new plan.


Ambyra didn't hear the first part of what Syrune had said, only catching the last bit about them needing to leave. From where she struggled with Nykoru, she couldn't really see what Syrune was doing, and thus missed her strange reactions. 
"Time for you to give up!" She giggled at her sibling.

"Never!" Nykoru playfully growled, avoiding her talons as he pushed back while starting to try stepping on her talons to trip her up. As they played, they turned so that Ambyra's back was facing Syrune, giving Nykoru a full view of his aunt. He was laughing, his gaze sweeping past the hawk outside, but he immediately looked back at her a second time, the smile dropping in an instant.

"Wait wait wait, hold on!" he hissed lowly to his sister, holding her still while not taking his gaze off of his aunt.

"...Syrune?" he questioned hesitantly.

"What?" Ambyra asked with half a laugh, glancing at Nyko's puzzled face. After a moment of confusion, she stopped moving and followed his gaze, turning to see Syrune. The falhawk fell quiet, watching the red-tail outside with worry and bewilderment. Her beak opened to speak but Syrune had already begun to answer. 

Syrune paused at the sound of the noises and turned slowly to look upon the hatchlings, her eyes swelling with happy tears. "It's... It's Finnican... he's alive! I can- I can feel him again!" 

---

(Ambyra: Wait how does that work again? 

You can feel your mate's presence as a Phoenix, family too, but mostly mates.

Ambyra: So that's how she feels Fin? But that's also how she feels Tyrin... so then...

Yup!

Ambyra: .... That's a whole mess that I don't want to get into! 

Correct  )

Nykoru's stare became more disbelieving by the minute. When his beak finally fell open, it took him a moment to formulate his words.
"U-Uncle Fin?! But-! But you said-! It's been three years! How-? Why do you even-!"
The young falhawk took in a sharp breath and shut his beak, forcing himself back to a state of calm before speaking again.
"Why are you saying this all of the sudden?" he asked seriously, pulling away from Ambyra to stand closer to Syrune, "What happened?

---

(Rinka: Wait, hold on! Then how come I haven't been feeling Tyrin this entire time? I'm his mate, aren't I?

*raises both hands and backs away* I'm staying out of this.)

"Look!" Syrune held up her still slightly shimmering mark. "When our kind choose a mate, this is what happens. You can hear their thoughts sometimes, you can feel their emotions, you can feel if their alive, they're part of you! In three years that part of me was missing. I thought- I thought I knew that he was gone but for whatever reason I was wrong. This kind of thing doesn't happen by mistake. Whatever the reason, he's alive --right now-- and he's confused, and terrified, and cold, and I have to find him!"

"Syrune.... I don't even know what to say... this is good news, right? And I'm happy for you... but Tyrin..." Ambyra started to speak up, trying to be delicate. She was truly glad for Syrune, but this was also the same bird who trained her not to let emotions cloud the mission.

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:Silence chuckled as they continued to walk along, many thoughts coming to his mind but only one escaping his jaws. "You know what? I'm glad you found me, Jury. This sounds like it's going to be quite the adventure."

[Hmm, should we have something happen? xD I feel like they could probably just walk and talk about random stuff for a while longer but idk how to make it seem like they're making progress...?

Oh and Silv, do you wanna RP a bit of Manik and Ninx as well?

xD Hahaha ohmagoodness Villi... #siryoku #theyjustgotshipped]

(yeah they've gotta do something. we need to figure out plot for both the wolves and the birds. I'll gladly rp both tonight/later/whenever I can post but I'm not sure what to do with either of them)

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:Silence chuckled as they continued to walk along, many thoughts coming to his mind but only one escaping his jaws. "You know what? I'm glad you found me, Jury. This sounds like it's going to be quite the adventure."

[Hmm, should we have something happen? xD I feel like they could probably just walk and talk about random stuff for a while longer but idk how to make it seem like they're making progress...?

Oh and Silv, do you wanna RP a bit of Manik and Ninx as well?

xD Hahaha ohmagoodness Villi... #siryoku #theyjustgotshipped]

Ooh! I have an idea! Mind if I jump in with a temporary character? Ps, Im on my way home from work, so ill be able to rp in a little bit)

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale observed Fin carefully, his feathers beginning to settle as he started thinking rationally. Finnican was far too convincing to be playing a joke, he decided. Now both Falcons were almost equally as confused. 
"Finnican... what is the last thing you remember?" Kale asked quietly, his voice returning to calm.

Finnican blinked in surprise. He looked at Kale with wavering eyes for a moment before lowering his gaze to the snow beneath him.
"I... The only thing I remember clearly..." he said softly, "Is waking up in that cave, just moments ago. I know...I know before then that I fled the roost... I don't remember why...what I did..."
His eyes widened and he looked back up at Kale. "But you... You're from the Roost, right? That's why you know me! There's no other reason why you'd be here! Can you tell me what happened? Why I'm here?"

Kale was quiet for a while, not sure how to respond or even if he wanted to respond. He shuffled his talons in the snow, shaking a bit of the cold off and releasing a soft sigh. The falcon turned his head and shook the satchel from off his back, dragging it between him and Finnican. From the bag, Kale removed the Raven Tracking Disk and set it down gently on the snow. He touched the tip of a talon to a symbol near the top and watched the lights swirl around it again. An image of the world mapped itself out across the disk's surface, with multiple lights glowing around each area a Rift had recently been opened. 

He pointed with his talon to the Eastern Pridelands, to the spot where Rinka's city would be. 
"One of your sisters, Rinka, is here. I don't know where your other one is. Go here, speak to Rinka, and tell her that Kale is alive and tracking the other Rifts."

The falcon spoke slowly, a calmness to his voice like a parent trying not to get angry at their child.
Kale waited a moment for Finnican to memorize the location and direction, and began packing up his satchel, slipping the disk back inside.

Finnican watched Kale in curiosity. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the Tracking Disk, then his eyes widened in fascination as the map appeared on the disk.

"Whoa..." he quietly sounded.

Finnican started at the mention of his sister, staring at Kale for a brief moment before looking down at the place he pointed to.

"Rinka... I knew I had sisters...well, I knew I had at least one, but I couldn't remember... So that's her name, huh? It's got a nice sound," he churred as he examined his destination. He saw that this location was near the ocean on the East side of the continent, but he didn't see how he was supposed to get to that specific place on his own. He almost cried out for Kale to keep the device out longer. But, aware of the curt way he was being treated, Finnican held back so as not to annoy the other falcon.

"Um... R-Right... Find her and tell her you're alive. That's an interesting message. Why wouldn't she know...? ...Can't you come with me and tell her yourself?"

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:The instant Nykoru touched her, Ambyra flung herself forward to tackle him playfully. She had just barely shoved him against the tiny hollow's wall when Syrune was already speaking up.

"Hey hey, come on!" Syrune started in a harsh whisper, looking back into the hollow from her perch on the lip of the entrance. "No noise until I make sure it's clear. We-"

Without warning, Syrune's mark on the bottom of her center talon on the right foot lit up like a brush-fire. The orange glow erupted at the same time on her mark and in her eyes, immobilizing the Phoenix. Images and emotions shot through her head like wildfire, flashes of every single moment she had spent with Finnican slammed into her head. Everything she had ever felt for him came hitting her all at once, like every moment was being relived in an instant. Across the world, Finnican had just appeared from the Rift, and the re-connection of Syrune's mark to her mate's soul rocked her whole body. The hawk's eyes flew open, the air left her lungs. All she could see in her mind's eye was her mate, alive, in the snow. She clenched her talons as the glowing intensified before stopping completely. 

"...Fin..." She breathed, her stunned gaze focused far away, the memories still washing over her.

The seriousness on Nykoru's face broke as he was tackled. He let out a laugh that was a little on the noisy side, wrapped his wings around Ambyra and began pushing her back across the hollow. He glanced at Syrune as she spoke to them and flashed her a grin before putting his focus back on his sister, just barely missing the light of her talon. He wanted to play just a moment longer.

Ambyra laughed along with her brother, pushing back against him and trying to trip him with her talons while they tussled. 

"...We need to go..." Syrune said quietly, still out of breath and now leaning against the side of the hollow for support. Finnican! Where are you?! How am I going to find you, find this Grove, and evade Agathar at the same time? I need a new plan.


Ambyra didn't hear the first part of what Syrune had said, only catching the last bit about them needing to leave. From where she struggled with Nykoru, she couldn't really see what Syrune was doing, and thus missed her strange reactions. 
"Time for you to give up!" She giggled at her sibling.

"Never!" Nykoru playfully growled, avoiding her talons as he pushed back while starting to try stepping on her talons to trip her up. As they played, they turned so that Ambyra's back was facing Syrune, giving Nykoru a full view of his aunt. He was laughing, his gaze sweeping past the hawk outside, but he immediately looked back at her a second time, the smile dropping in an instant.

"Wait wait wait, hold on!" he hissed lowly to his sister, holding her still while not taking his gaze off of his aunt.

"...Syrune?" he questioned hesitantly.

"What?" Ambyra asked with half a laugh, glancing at Nyko's puzzled face. After a moment of confusion, she stopped moving and followed his gaze, turning to see Syrune. The falhawk fell quiet, watching the red-tail outside with worry and bewilderment. Her beak opened to speak but Syrune had already begun to answer. 

Syrune paused at the sound of the noises and turned slowly to look upon the hatchlings, her eyes swelling with happy tears. "It's... It's Finnican... he's alive! I can- I can feel him again!" 

---

(Ambyra: Wait how does that work again? 

You can feel your mate's presence as a Phoenix, family too, but mostly mates.

Ambyra: So that's how she feels Fin? But that's also how she feels Tyrin... so then...

Yup!

Ambyra: .... That's a whole mess that I don't want to get into! 

Correct  )

Nykoru's stare became more disbelieving by the minute. When his beak finally fell open, it took him a moment to formulate his words.
"U-Uncle Fin?! But-! But you said-! It's been three years! How-? Why do you even-!"
The young falhawk took in a sharp breath and shut his beak, forcing himself back to a state of calm before speaking again.
"Why are you saying this all of the sudden?" he asked seriously, pulling away from Ambyra to stand closer to Syrune, "What happened?

---

(Rinka: Wait, hold on! Then how come I haven't been feeling Tyrin this entire time? I'm his mate, aren't I?

*raises both hands and backs away* I'm staying out of this.)

"Look!" Syrune held up her still slightly shimmering mark. "When our kind choose a mate, this is what happens. You can hear their thoughts sometimes, you can feel their emotions, you can feel if their alive, they're part of you! In three years that part of me was missing. I thought- I thought I knew that he was gone but for whatever reason I was wrong. This kind of thing doesn't happen by mistake. Whatever the reason, he's alive --right now-- and he's confused, and terrified, and cold, and I have to find him!"

"Syrune.... I don't even know what to say... this is good news, right? And I'm happy for you... but Tyrin..." Ambyra started to speak up, trying to be delicate. She was truly glad for Syrune, but this was also the same bird who trained her not to let emotions cloud the mission.

Nykoru examined Syrune's mark, intrigued by the new information he had learned. Putting Finnican aside, it was a romantic idea to have such a bond with another bird. The young falhawk doubted he would ever experience such a thing, but it would be interesting to think about at a time when his aunt didn't need to be set straight. And so, as Ambyra began to break it to her gently, he closed his eyes and let out a long sigh through his nostrils.

"We are not straying from our mission to search for your mate," Nykoru stated bluntly.

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale observed Fin carefully, his feathers beginning to settle as he started thinking rationally. Finnican was far too convincing to be playing a joke, he decided. Now both Falcons were almost equally as confused. 
"Finnican... what is the last thing you remember?" Kale asked quietly, his voice returning to calm.

Finnican blinked in surprise. He looked at Kale with wavering eyes for a moment before lowering his gaze to the snow beneath him.
"I... The only thing I remember clearly..." he said softly, "Is waking up in that cave, just moments ago. I know...I know before then that I fled the roost... I don't remember why...what I did..."
His eyes widened and he looked back up at Kale. "But you... You're from the Roost, right? That's why you know me! There's no other reason why you'd be here! Can you tell me what happened? Why I'm here?"

Kale was quiet for a while, not sure how to respond or even if he wanted to respond. He shuffled his talons in the snow, shaking a bit of the cold off and releasing a soft sigh. The falcon turned his head and shook the satchel from off his back, dragging it between him and Finnican. From the bag, Kale removed the Raven Tracking Disk and set it down gently on the snow. He touched the tip of a talon to a symbol near the top and watched the lights swirl around it again. An image of the world mapped itself out across the disk's surface, with multiple lights glowing around each area a Rift had recently been opened. 

He pointed with his talon to the Eastern Pridelands, to the spot where Rinka's city would be. 
"One of your sisters, Rinka, is here. I don't know where your other one is. Go here, speak to Rinka, and tell her that Kale is alive and tracking the other Rifts."

The falcon spoke slowly, a calmness to his voice like a parent trying not to get angry at their child.
Kale waited a moment for Finnican to memorize the location and direction, and began packing up his satchel, slipping the disk back inside.

Finnican watched Kale in curiosity. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the Tracking Disk, then his eyes widened in fascination as the map appeared on the disk.

"Whoa..." he quietly sounded.

Finnican started at the mention of his sister, staring at Kale for a brief moment before looking down at the place he pointed to.

"Rinka... I knew I had sisters...well, I knew I had at least one, but I couldn't remember... So that's her name, huh? It's got a nice sound," he churred as he examined his destination. He saw that this location was near the ocean on the East side of the continent, but he didn't see how he was supposed to get to that specific place on his own. He almost cried out for Kale to keep the device out longer. But, aware of the curt way he was being treated, Finnican held back so as not to annoy the other falcon.

"Um... R-Right... Find her and tell her you're alive. That's an interesting message. Why wouldn't she know...? ...Can't you come with me and tell her yourself?"

"No," Kale corrected with a hard look. "I said tell her Kale is alive and that I'm tracking the other rifts. That's the important part. Don't forget it. As for your other question... Well, I could... But I'm not going to. Any other bird and I might, but I'm not traveling with you. Eventually you'll remember why."

Syrune was silent, her beak slightly open in surprise at her adoptive hatchlings' behavior. She straighted, and sternly replied with the beginnings of a glare. The same look she used to give them when they broke something as chicks. 

Ambyra looked over at her brother, a bit surprised at his forwardness. She wasn't fully convinced.

Syrune stared at the chicks. "Is that how you feel? ... Tell me. Where is Tyrin?"

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale observed Fin carefully, his feathers beginning to settle as he started thinking rationally. Finnican was far too convincing to be playing a joke, he decided. Now both Falcons were almost equally as confused. 
"Finnican... what is the last thing you remember?" Kale asked quietly, his voice returning to calm.

Finnican blinked in surprise. He looked at Kale with wavering eyes for a moment before lowering his gaze to the snow beneath him.
"I... The only thing I remember clearly..." he said softly, "Is waking up in that cave, just moments ago. I know...I know before then that I fled the roost... I don't remember why...what I did..."
His eyes widened and he looked back up at Kale. "But you... You're from the Roost, right? That's why you know me! There's no other reason why you'd be here! Can you tell me what happened? Why I'm here?"

Kale was quiet for a while, not sure how to respond or even if he wanted to respond. He shuffled his talons in the snow, shaking a bit of the cold off and releasing a soft sigh. The falcon turned his head and shook the satchel from off his back, dragging it between him and Finnican. From the bag, Kale removed the Raven Tracking Disk and set it down gently on the snow. He touched the tip of a talon to a symbol near the top and watched the lights swirl around it again. An image of the world mapped itself out across the disk's surface, with multiple lights glowing around each area a Rift had recently been opened. 

He pointed with his talon to the Eastern Pridelands, to the spot where Rinka's city would be. 
"One of your sisters, Rinka, is here. I don't know where your other one is. Go here, speak to Rinka, and tell her that Kale is alive and tracking the other Rifts."

The falcon spoke slowly, a calmness to his voice like a parent trying not to get angry at their child.
Kale waited a moment for Finnican to memorize the location and direction, and began packing up his satchel, slipping the disk back inside.

Finnican watched Kale in curiosity. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the Tracking Disk, then his eyes widened in fascination as the map appeared on the disk.

"Whoa..." he quietly sounded.

Finnican started at the mention of his sister, staring at Kale for a brief moment before looking down at the place he pointed to.

"Rinka... I knew I had sisters...well, I knew I had at least one, but I couldn't remember... So that's her name, huh? It's got a nice sound," he churred as he examined his destination. He saw that this location was near the ocean on the East side of the continent, but he didn't see how he was supposed to get to that specific place on his own. He almost cried out for Kale to keep the device out longer. But, aware of the curt way he was being treated, Finnican held back so as not to annoy the other falcon.

"Um... R-Right... Find her and tell her you're alive. That's an interesting message. Why wouldn't she know...? ...Can't you come with me and tell her yourself?"

"No," Kale corrected with a hard look. "I said tell her Kale is alive and that I'm tracking the other rifts. That's the important part. Don't forget it. As for your other question... Well, I could... But I'm not going to. Any other bird and I might, but I'm not traveling with you. Eventually you'll remember why."

The other rifts?

Finnican had no idea what that meant, but he wasn't able to focus on that for very long. He was hurt by the way Kale said he wouldn't be traveling with him. Why did the other falcon seem to dislike him so much, he couldn't help but wonder. What could Finnican have possibly done to this bird that knew him?

"I committed treason..."

Finnican had said this to himself only moments before while he was alone in the cave. Remembering this, it clicked. Finnican had committed some sort of crime that the king took personal offense to. By doing this to the king, he had betrayed the Roost. And by betraying the Roost, he had betrayed Kale. So no wonder the other falcon was being so cold. So then, if Kale had gone through the trouble of tracking him down to some snow covered mountain in the middle of nowhere, how come he was sending Finnican to his sister instead of attacking him? Why wasn't Kale taking vengeance for the Roost? Did that mean...

"Hey, are we friends?" Finnican blurted after the moment of silence that passed between them. "Er... Were we friends?"

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale observed Fin carefully, his feathers beginning to settle as he started thinking rationally. Finnican was far too convincing to be playing a joke, he decided. Now both Falcons were almost equally as confused. 
"Finnican... what is the last thing you remember?" Kale asked quietly, his voice returning to calm.

Finnican blinked in surprise. He looked at Kale with wavering eyes for a moment before lowering his gaze to the snow beneath him.
"I... The only thing I remember clearly..." he said softly, "Is waking up in that cave, just moments ago. I know...I know before then that I fled the roost... I don't remember why...what I did..."
His eyes widened and he looked back up at Kale. "But you... You're from the Roost, right? That's why you know me! There's no other reason why you'd be here! Can you tell me what happened? Why I'm here?"

Kale was quiet for a while, not sure how to respond or even if he wanted to respond. He shuffled his talons in the snow, shaking a bit of the cold off and releasing a soft sigh. The falcon turned his head and shook the satchel from off his back, dragging it between him and Finnican. From the bag, Kale removed the Raven Tracking Disk and set it down gently on the snow. He touched the tip of a talon to a symbol near the top and watched the lights swirl around it again. An image of the world mapped itself out across the disk's surface, with multiple lights glowing around each area a Rift had recently been opened. 

He pointed with his talon to the Eastern Pridelands, to the spot where Rinka's city would be. 
"One of your sisters, Rinka, is here. I don't know where your other one is. Go here, speak to Rinka, and tell her that Kale is alive and tracking the other Rifts."

The falcon spoke slowly, a calmness to his voice like a parent trying not to get angry at their child.
Kale waited a moment for Finnican to memorize the location and direction, and began packing up his satchel, slipping the disk back inside.

Finnican watched Kale in curiosity. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the Tracking Disk, then his eyes widened in fascination as the map appeared on the disk.

"Whoa..." he quietly sounded.

Finnican started at the mention of his sister, staring at Kale for a brief moment before looking down at the place he pointed to.

"Rinka... I knew I had sisters...well, I knew I had at least one, but I couldn't remember... So that's her name, huh? It's got a nice sound," he churred as he examined his destination. He saw that this location was near the ocean on the East side of the continent, but he didn't see how he was supposed to get to that specific place on his own. He almost cried out for Kale to keep the device out longer. But, aware of the curt way he was being treated, Finnican held back so as not to annoy the other falcon.

"Um... R-Right... Find her and tell her you're alive. That's an interesting message. Why wouldn't she know...? ...Can't you come with me and tell her yourself?"

"No," Kale corrected with a hard look. "I said tell her Kale is alive and that I'm tracking the other rifts. That's the important part. Don't forget it. As for your other question... Well, I could... But I'm not going to. Any other bird and I might, but I'm not traveling with you. Eventually you'll remember why."

The other rifts?

Finnican had no idea what that meant, but he wasn't able to focus on that for very long. He was hurt by the way Kale said he wouldn't be traveling with him. Why did the other falcon seem to dislike him so much, he couldn't help but wonder. What could Finnican have possibly done to this bird that knew him?

"I committed treason..."

Finnican had said this to himself only moments before while he was alone in the cave. Remembering this, it clicked. Finnican had committed some sort of crime that the king took personal offense to. By doing this to the king, he had betrayed the Roost. And by betraying the Roost, he had betrayed Kale. So no wonder the other falcon was being so cold. So then, if Kale had gone through the trouble of tracking him down to some snow covered mountain in the middle of nowhere, how come he was sending Finnican to his sister instead of attacking him? Why wasn't Kale taking vengeance for the Roost? Did that mean...

"Hey, are we friends?" Finnican blurted after the moment of silence that passed between them. "Er... Were we friends?"

"W-" 

Kale was caught off guard by the question, his eyes hardening in response. "Were we- No. No we are and were not friends. We were the opposite of friends, thanks to you. Let's see, how do I summarize... You ruined my life. That's a good start. You could have stopped everyone from bullying me but you let it happen, and sometimes even joined in. You lied about our trials in the last training year and made me the laughing-stock of the Roost, you-- No, you know what, you're not worth it. Sooner or later you'll remember and you won't care. You never cared about anyone other than yourself, and it's me who has to tell you that! My life must be some kind of joke!"

Jaystep wrote:Syrune was silent, her beak slightly open in surprise at her adoptive hatchlings' behavior. She straighted, and sternly replied with the beginnings of a glare. The same look she used to give them when they broke something as chicks. 

Ambyra looked over at her brother, a bit surprised at his forwardness. She wasn't fully convinced.

Syrune stared at the chicks. "Is that how you feel? ... Tell me. Where is Tyrin?"

Nykoru hated the look Syrune was giving him. As a chick, it was a look that both terrified him and overwhelmed him with a feeling of guilt. Having received that look a good number of times over the years, it became a look that ticked him off, and he only got angrier the longer it was used. But instead of letting it show, his face fell flat, though his voice did have and edge to it as he spoke.

"That's what the three of us are trying to find out. You got the lead about the Grove, and we're looking for clues that will lead us to it, starting here in the Muckwaters. So where is Finnican? Did he appear in a place where it'll be convenient for us to pick him up during our search? Or is he placed somewhere out of the way, where we'll have to temporarily abandon the mission to find him? In which case, we give Agathar more time to find us before we can come back and make progress in our goal to find the one Phoenix who is actually a match against that dragon?"

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Syrune was silent, her beak slightly open in surprise at her adoptive hatchlings' behavior. She straighted, and sternly replied with the beginnings of a glare. The same look she used to give them when they broke something as chicks. 

Ambyra looked over at her brother, a bit surprised at his forwardness. She wasn't fully convinced.

Syrune stared at the chicks. "Is that how you feel? ... Tell me. Where is Tyrin?"

Nykoru hated the look Syrune was giving him. As a chick, it was a look that both terrified him and overwhelmed him with a feeling of guilt. Having received that look a good number of times over the years, it became a look that ticked him off, and he only got angrier the longer it was used. But instead of letting it show, his face fell flat, though his voice did have and edge to it as he spoke.

"That's what the three of us are trying to find out. You got the lead about the Grove, and we're looking for clues that will lead us to it, starting here in the Muckwaters. So where is Finnican? Did he appear in a place where it'll be convenient for us to pick him up during our search? Or is he placed somewhere out of the way, where we'll have to temporarily abandon the mission to find him? In which case, we give Agathar more time to find us before we can come back and make progress in our goal to find the one Phoenix who is actually a match against that dragon?"

Syrune scoffed, rolling her eyes with a small shake of her head. "Tyrin is not the end-all of our problems. What if he doesn't want to be found? Why hasn't he tried to rescue you in three years? And to start- we no nothing about this Grove. What's your plan? To flutter around the Muckwaters asking for information?"

"Syrune-" Ambyra started to interrupt softly, a pained expression on her face. "Maybe there are exceptions, maybe we could-"

Syrune barely heard Ambyra, too focused on putting her brother in her place. "On the day Tyrin, Finnican, your siblings, the entire free world died, I lost everything but you two. You're telling me, a hatchling who I raised and protected with my LIFE, that I'm not allowed to see my mate again because you-- There is so much you don't even know! If you knew what you were doing with this decision--" 

Sadness began to pour into Syrune's expression, her talons clenching the branch below her. There were so many emotions running through her eyes that it took conscious effort on her part to hide them all. She began to calm down, and looked at both the hatchlings, so much hidden behind her eyes. Grief, frustration, bitterness... and something else. Something deep and painful as she looked into their eyes.

Wildwing wrote:

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:Silence chuckled as they continued to walk along, many thoughts coming to his mind but only one escaping his jaws. "You know what? I'm glad you found me, Jury. This sounds like it's going to be quite the adventure."

[Hmm, should we have something happen? xD I feel like they could probably just walk and talk about random stuff for a while longer but idk how to make it seem like they're making progress...?

Oh and Silv, do you wanna RP a bit of Manik and Ninx as well?

xD Hahaha ohmagoodness Villi... #siryoku #theyjustgotshipped]

Ooh! I have an idea! Mind if I jump in with a temporary character? Ps, Im on my way home from work, so ill be able to rp in a little bit)

[What do you have in mind? xD I'm up for it!]

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:Silence chuckled as they continued to walk along, many thoughts coming to his mind but only one escaping his jaws. "You know what? I'm glad you found me, Jury. This sounds like it's going to be quite the adventure."

[Hmm, should we have something happen? xD I feel like they could probably just walk and talk about random stuff for a while longer but idk how to make it seem like they're making progress...?

Oh and Silv, do you wanna RP a bit of Manik and Ninx as well?

xD Hahaha ohmagoodness Villi... #siryoku #theyjustgotshipped]

Ooh! I have an idea! Mind if I jump in with a temporary character? Ps, Im on my way home from work, so ill be able to rp in a little bit)

[What do you have in mind? xD I'm up for it!]

Two words: Side Quest )

Somewhere near Silence and Juryoku, a muffled voice cried for help, responding to the sounds of the two wolves talking. Though in the surrounding land covered in snow, no body could be seen...

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale observed Fin carefully, his feathers beginning to settle as he started thinking rationally. Finnican was far too convincing to be playing a joke, he decided. Now both Falcons were almost equally as confused. 
"Finnican... what is the last thing you remember?" Kale asked quietly, his voice returning to calm.

Finnican blinked in surprise. He looked at Kale with wavering eyes for a moment before lowering his gaze to the snow beneath him.
"I... The only thing I remember clearly..." he said softly, "Is waking up in that cave, just moments ago. I know...I know before then that I fled the roost... I don't remember why...what I did..."
His eyes widened and he looked back up at Kale. "But you... You're from the Roost, right? That's why you know me! There's no other reason why you'd be here! Can you tell me what happened? Why I'm here?"

Kale was quiet for a while, not sure how to respond or even if he wanted to respond. He shuffled his talons in the snow, shaking a bit of the cold off and releasing a soft sigh. The falcon turned his head and shook the satchel from off his back, dragging it between him and Finnican. From the bag, Kale removed the Raven Tracking Disk and set it down gently on the snow. He touched the tip of a talon to a symbol near the top and watched the lights swirl around it again. An image of the world mapped itself out across the disk's surface, with multiple lights glowing around each area a Rift had recently been opened. 

He pointed with his talon to the Eastern Pridelands, to the spot where Rinka's city would be. 
"One of your sisters, Rinka, is here. I don't know where your other one is. Go here, speak to Rinka, and tell her that Kale is alive and tracking the other Rifts."

The falcon spoke slowly, a calmness to his voice like a parent trying not to get angry at their child.
Kale waited a moment for Finnican to memorize the location and direction, and began packing up his satchel, slipping the disk back inside.

Finnican watched Kale in curiosity. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at the Tracking Disk, then his eyes widened in fascination as the map appeared on the disk.

"Whoa..." he quietly sounded.

Finnican started at the mention of his sister, staring at Kale for a brief moment before looking down at the place he pointed to.

"Rinka... I knew I had sisters...well, I knew I had at least one, but I couldn't remember... So that's her name, huh? It's got a nice sound," he churred as he examined his destination. He saw that this location was near the ocean on the East side of the continent, but he didn't see how he was supposed to get to that specific place on his own. He almost cried out for Kale to keep the device out longer. But, aware of the curt way he was being treated, Finnican held back so as not to annoy the other falcon.

"Um... R-Right... Find her and tell her you're alive. That's an interesting message. Why wouldn't she know...? ...Can't you come with me and tell her yourself?"

"No," Kale corrected with a hard look. "I said tell her Kale is alive and that I'm tracking the other rifts. That's the important part. Don't forget it. As for your other question... Well, I could... But I'm not going to. Any other bird and I might, but I'm not traveling with you. Eventually you'll remember why."

The other rifts?

Finnican had no idea what that meant, but he wasn't able to focus on that for very long. He was hurt by the way Kale said he wouldn't be traveling with him. Why did the other falcon seem to dislike him so much, he couldn't help but wonder. What could Finnican have possibly done to this bird that knew him?

"I committed treason..."

Finnican had said this to himself only moments before while he was alone in the cave. Remembering this, it clicked. Finnican had committed some sort of crime that the king took personal offense to. By doing this to the king, he had betrayed the Roost. And by betraying the Roost, he had betrayed Kale. So no wonder the other falcon was being so cold. So then, if Kale had gone through the trouble of tracking him down to some snow covered mountain in the middle of nowhere, how come he was sending Finnican to his sister instead of attacking him? Why wasn't Kale taking vengeance for the Roost? Did that mean...

"Hey, are we friends?" Finnican blurted after the moment of silence that passed between them. "Er... Were we friends?"

"W-" 

Kale was caught off guard by the question, his eyes hardening in response. "Were we- No. No we are and were not friends. We were the opposite of friends, thanks to you. Let's see, how do I summarize... You ruined my life. That's a good start. You could have stopped everyone from bullying me but you let it happen, and sometimes even joined in. You lied about our trials in the last training year and made me the laughing-stock of the Roost, you-- No, you know what, you're not worth it. Sooner or later you'll remember and you won't care. You never cared about anyone other than yourself, and it's me who has to tell you that! My life must be some kind of joke!"

Since Finnican is not a complete dolt, I will make the joke at a later time! You will know what I'm talking about eventually~)

Finnican was at a loss for words. He stared at Kale, his head slowly moving from side to side in disbelief. He beak moved in the slightest, as if he wanted to speak. But he had no idea what to even say to that. He felt... Well, he felt awful. How else would he feel? The falcon knew next to nothing. But somehow he knew, whether through the emotion in Kale's voice or by some inner instinct, or both, that this was not okay.

"...Was I...really that kind of bird?" Finnican finally asked in a quiet voice, "Was it really that bad?"

(XD okay!) 

"Yes." Kale gave his unforgiving reply, narrowing his eyes a little. He was quiet as he observed Fin's expression, genuinely perplexed at his lack of memories. 

You hate him! Don't even go there! He has the message, just leave! 


...


What if he doesn't make it? He doesn't remember anything... does that really make him the same bird I knew? 


Kale shut his eyes for a moment, letting rationality take back over. "... To me, at least. But... I mean I wouldn't know about anyone else. I mean you have friends, family, Syrune... You couldn't have been that bad... I guess."

Wildwing wrote:

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

DwelleroftheEarth wrote:Silence chuckled as they continued to walk along, many thoughts coming to his mind but only one escaping his jaws. "You know what? I'm glad you found me, Jury. This sounds like it's going to be quite the adventure."

[Hmm, should we have something happen? xD I feel like they could probably just walk and talk about random stuff for a while longer but idk how to make it seem like they're making progress...?

Oh and Silv, do you wanna RP a bit of Manik and Ninx as well?

xD Hahaha ohmagoodness Villi... #siryoku #theyjustgotshipped]

Ooh! I have an idea! Mind if I jump in with a temporary character? Ps, Im on my way home from work, so ill be able to rp in a little bit)

[What do you have in mind? xD I'm up for it!]

Two words: Side Quest )

Somewhere near Silence and Juryoku, a muffled voice cried for help, responding to the sounds of the two wolves talking. Though in the surrounding land covered in snow, no body could be seen...

[If video games have taught e anything, it's that sometimes side quests have the best hidden weapons and loot lol]

Silence, in the quiet moment after his words, stopped suddenly. "Wait! do you hear that?" He asked, sniffing the cold wind and catching a very faint scent, looking over at Jury and tilting his head.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Syrune was silent, her beak slightly open in surprise at her adoptive hatchlings' behavior. She straighted, and sternly replied with the beginnings of a glare. The same look she used to give them when they broke something as chicks. 

Ambyra looked over at her brother, a bit surprised at his forwardness. She wasn't fully convinced.

Syrune stared at the chicks. "Is that how you feel? ... Tell me. Where is Tyrin?"

Nykoru hated the look Syrune was giving him. As a chick, it was a look that both terrified him and overwhelmed him with a feeling of guilt. Having received that look a good number of times over the years, it became a look that ticked him off, and he only got angrier the longer it was used. But instead of letting it show, his face fell flat, though his voice did have and edge to it as he spoke.

"That's what the three of us are trying to find out. You got the lead about the Grove, and we're looking for clues that will lead us to it, starting here in the Muckwaters. So where is Finnican? Did he appear in a place where it'll be convenient for us to pick him up during our search? Or is he placed somewhere out of the way, where we'll have to temporarily abandon the mission to find him? In which case, we give Agathar more time to find us before we can come back and make progress in our goal to find the one Phoenix who is actually a match against that dragon?"

Syrune scoffed, rolling her eyes with a small shake of her head. "Tyrin is not the end-all of our problems. What if he doesn't want to be found? Why hasn't he tried to rescue you in three years? And to start- we no nothing about this Grove. What's your plan? To flutter around the Muckwaters asking for information?"

"Syrune-" Ambyra started to interrupt softly, a pained expression on her face. "Maybe there are exceptions, maybe we could-"

Syrune barely heard Ambyra, too focused on putting her brother in her place. "On the day Tyrin, Finnican, your siblings, the entire free world died, I lost everything but you two. You're telling me, a hatchling who I raised and protected with my LIFE, that I'm not allowed to see my mate again because you-- There is so much you don't even know! If you knew what you were doing with this decision--" 

Sadness began to pour into Syrune's expression, her talons clenching the branch below her. There were so many emotions running through her eyes that it took conscious effort on her part to hide them all. She began to calm down, and looked at both the hatchlings, so much hidden behind her eyes. Grief, frustration, bitterness... and something else. Something deep and painful as she looked into their eyes.

Nykoru stiffened as Syrune used his father against him. The irritation became a ball of compressed flame in his chest. He could not believe she had said the one thing, the phrase he considered taboo. Why hadn't his father rescued them at any point during those three years?
The young falhawk pressed his right talon in the floor, his nails scratching against the wood. He silently took the rest of what Syrune had to give him. He remained silent even as her words stopped. The pressure in his beak grew as he bit down to prevent the words he wanted to say from escaping. Because he knew if he said them while he was like this, and while she was like that, this heated discussion would turn into something uglier. And so he waited for his anger to die down.

It was the emotion he saw in Syrune's eyes that calmed Nykoru down in the end. The suffering she had hidden so well, that he had rarely even seen, humbled him in a way. The anger was still there, but it was muted enough so that he could think clearly and control his speech in a reasonable manner.

"...The decision is yours to make," he finally said, "We've followed you this entire time, and we're going to continue to do so. We are only hatchlings after all." That last part he said without any form of snide. "But I do have to ask. If we weren't going to "flutter around asking for information", then what was the plan before that happened?" he asked, pointing to Syrune's mark at 'that', "What are we supposed to be doing here?"

Jaystep wrote:(XD okay!) 

"Yes." Kale gave his unforgiving reply, narrowing his eyes a little. He was quiet as he observed Fin's expression, genuinely perplexed at his lack of memories. 

You hate him! Don't even go there! He has the message, just leave! 


...


What if he doesn't make it? He doesn't remember anything... does that really make him the same bird I knew? 


Kale shut his eyes for a moment, letting rationality take back over. "... To me, at least. But... I mean I wouldn't know about anyone else. I mean you have friends, family, Syrune... You couldn't have been that bad... I guess."

Finnican flinched and looked to the ground.

"...Oh..." he quietly sounded. He silently moved his talons through the snow as he struggled to accept what he had learned about his character before his memory loss.

...I...guess I should just leave then... Kale wants nothing to do with me, so...

Finnican looked up in surprise as Kale started speaking again. He blinked repeatedly, taken aback by the sudden words of (somewhat) kindness. Then he smiled sadly.

"I...I would hope so... But...if I really did hurt you, then..." Was I the same with my friends? My family? This...Syrune person?

He couldn't bring himself to ask that out loud.

"...Look, I don't remember what I did to you. But is there any way I can make it up to you?" Finnican asked without thinking. After thinking back on what he just asked, he decided that was a good thing to ask.

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Syrune was silent, her beak slightly open in surprise at her adoptive hatchlings' behavior. She straighted, and sternly replied with the beginnings of a glare. The same look she used to give them when they broke something as chicks. 

Ambyra looked over at her brother, a bit surprised at his forwardness. She wasn't fully convinced.

Syrune stared at the chicks. "Is that how you feel? ... Tell me. Where is Tyrin?"

Nykoru hated the look Syrune was giving him. As a chick, it was a look that both terrified him and overwhelmed him with a feeling of guilt. Having received that look a good number of times over the years, it became a look that ticked him off, and he only got angrier the longer it was used. But instead of letting it show, his face fell flat, though his voice did have and edge to it as he spoke.

"That's what the three of us are trying to find out. You got the lead about the Grove, and we're looking for clues that will lead us to it, starting here in the Muckwaters. So where is Finnican? Did he appear in a place where it'll be convenient for us to pick him up during our search? Or is he placed somewhere out of the way, where we'll have to temporarily abandon the mission to find him? In which case, we give Agathar more time to find us before we can come back and make progress in our goal to find the one Phoenix who is actually a match against that dragon?"

Syrune scoffed, rolling her eyes with a small shake of her head. "Tyrin is not the end-all of our problems. What if he doesn't want to be found? Why hasn't he tried to rescue you in three years? And to start- we no nothing about this Grove. What's your plan? To flutter around the Muckwaters asking for information?"

"Syrune-" Ambyra started to interrupt softly, a pained expression on her face. "Maybe there are exceptions, maybe we could-"

Syrune barely heard Ambyra, too focused on putting her brother in her place. "On the day Tyrin, Finnican, your siblings, the entire free world died, I lost everything but you two. You're telling me, a hatchling who I raised and protected with my LIFE, that I'm not allowed to see my mate again because you-- There is so much you don't even know! If you knew what you were doing with this decision--" 

Sadness began to pour into Syrune's expression, her talons clenching the branch below her. There were so many emotions running through her eyes that it took conscious effort on her part to hide them all. She began to calm down, and looked at both the hatchlings, so much hidden behind her eyes. Grief, frustration, bitterness... and something else. Something deep and painful as she looked into their eyes.

Nykoru stiffened as Syrune used his father against him. The irritation became a ball of compressed flame in his chest. He could not believe she had said the one thing, the phrase he considered taboo. Why hadn't his father rescued them at any point during those three years?
The young falhawk pressed his right talon in the floor, his nails scratching against the wood. He silently took the rest of what Syrune had to give him. He remained silent even as her words stopped. The pressure in his beak grew as he bit down to prevent the words he wanted to say from escaping. Because he knew if he said them while he was like this, and while she was like that, this heated discussion would turn into something uglier. And so he waited for his anger to die down.

It was the emotion he saw in Syrune's eyes that calmed Nykoru down in the end. The suffering she had hidden so well, that he had rarely even seen, humbled him in a way. The anger was still there, but it was muted enough so that he could think clearly and control his speech in a reasonable manner.

"...The decision is yours to make," he finally said, "We've followed you this entire time, and we're going to continue to do so. We are only hatchlings after all." That last part he said without any form of snide. "But I do have to ask. If we weren't going to "flutter around asking for information", then what was the plan before that happened?" he asked, pointing to Syrune's mark at 'that', "What are we supposed to be doing here?"

Syrune let out a small sigh, shaking her head lightly in a mixture of exhaustion and relief. Ambyra had almost the same exact reaction, mimicking Syrune unintentionally. Both of them hated arguments between them. Syrune spoke up after a moment. "We weren't going to stay here either way... I don't know anything about the Grove, and I doubt anyone around here does... But all of this sounds like Raven to me, and the only thing Raven I know of is the Soul Key, which went missing three years ago. I wanted to try starting the search at the place where I first found the Key. It's a cave in the Central-East Pridelands... I don't know what we'll find there... "

"So... where do we go?" Ambyra asked softly, not wanting to start another fight. 

Syrune looked down, not wanting to speak as she struggled with the choice. Painfully, she finally replied. "... We check the cave... Finnican isn't in immediate danger, but I sense that he is... "

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:(XD okay!) 

"Yes." Kale gave his unforgiving reply, narrowing his eyes a little. He was quiet as he observed Fin's expression, genuinely perplexed at his lack of memories. 

You hate him! Don't even go there! He has the message, just leave! 


...


What if he doesn't make it? He doesn't remember anything... does that really make him the same bird I knew? 


Kale shut his eyes for a moment, letting rationality take back over. "... To me, at least. But... I mean I wouldn't know about anyone else. I mean you have friends, family, Syrune... You couldn't have been that bad... I guess."

Finnican flinched and looked to the ground.

"...Oh..." he quietly sounded. He silently moved his talons through the snow as he struggled to accept what he had learned about his character before his memory loss.

...I...guess I should just leave then... Kale wants nothing to do with me, so...

Finnican looked up in surprise as Kale started speaking again. He blinked repeatedly, taken aback by the sudden words of (somewhat) kindness. Then he smiled sadly.

"I...I would hope so... But...if I really did hurt you, then..." Was I the same with my friends? My family? This...Syrune person?

He couldn't bring himself to ask that out loud.

"...Look, I don't remember what I did to you. But is there any way I can make it up to you?" Finnican asked without thinking. After thinking back on what he just asked, he decided that was a good thing to ask.

Kale blinked, taken aback by the question. It was something he had never even considered. He tightened the satchel over his back as he shook his head. "... I... I don't know... But I think I should go with you. If your memories are missing this much, I don't know what might happen with you along the way, so... and I can't believe I'm saying this... Let's go Fin, let's find your sisters."

The falcon forced the best smile he could, his head still whirling over the circumstances.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Syrune was silent, her beak slightly open in surprise at her adoptive hatchlings' behavior. She straighted, and sternly replied with the beginnings of a glare. The same look she used to give them when they broke something as chicks. 

Ambyra looked over at her brother, a bit surprised at his forwardness. She wasn't fully convinced.

Syrune stared at the chicks. "Is that how you feel? ... Tell me. Where is Tyrin?"

Nykoru hated the look Syrune was giving him. As a chick, it was a look that both terrified him and overwhelmed him with a feeling of guilt. Having received that look a good number of times over the years, it became a look that ticked him off, and he only got angrier the longer it was used. But instead of letting it show, his face fell flat, though his voice did have and edge to it as he spoke.

"That's what the three of us are trying to find out. You got the lead about the Grove, and we're looking for clues that will lead us to it, starting here in the Muckwaters. So where is Finnican? Did he appear in a place where it'll be convenient for us to pick him up during our search? Or is he placed somewhere out of the way, where we'll have to temporarily abandon the mission to find him? In which case, we give Agathar more time to find us before we can come back and make progress in our goal to find the one Phoenix who is actually a match against that dragon?"

Syrune scoffed, rolling her eyes with a small shake of her head. "Tyrin is not the end-all of our problems. What if he doesn't want to be found? Why hasn't he tried to rescue you in three years? And to start- we no nothing about this Grove. What's your plan? To flutter around the Muckwaters asking for information?"

"Syrune-" Ambyra started to interrupt softly, a pained expression on her face. "Maybe there are exceptions, maybe we could-"

Syrune barely heard Ambyra, too focused on putting her brother in her place. "On the day Tyrin, Finnican, your siblings, the entire free world died, I lost everything but you two. You're telling me, a hatchling who I raised and protected with my LIFE, that I'm not allowed to see my mate again because you-- There is so much you don't even know! If you knew what you were doing with this decision--" 

Sadness began to pour into Syrune's expression, her talons clenching the branch below her. There were so many emotions running through her eyes that it took conscious effort on her part to hide them all. She began to calm down, and looked at both the hatchlings, so much hidden behind her eyes. Grief, frustration, bitterness... and something else. Something deep and painful as she looked into their eyes.

Nykoru stiffened as Syrune used his father against him. The irritation became a ball of compressed flame in his chest. He could not believe she had said the one thing, the phrase he considered taboo. Why hadn't his father rescued them at any point during those three years?
The young falhawk pressed his right talon in the floor, his nails scratching against the wood. He silently took the rest of what Syrune had to give him. He remained silent even as her words stopped. The pressure in his beak grew as he bit down to prevent the words he wanted to say from escaping. Because he knew if he said them while he was like this, and while she was like that, this heated discussion would turn into something uglier. And so he waited for his anger to die down.

It was the emotion he saw in Syrune's eyes that calmed Nykoru down in the end. The suffering she had hidden so well, that he had rarely even seen, humbled him in a way. The anger was still there, but it was muted enough so that he could think clearly and control his speech in a reasonable manner.

"...The decision is yours to make," he finally said, "We've followed you this entire time, and we're going to continue to do so. We are only hatchlings after all." That last part he said without any form of snide. "But I do have to ask. If we weren't going to "flutter around asking for information", then what was the plan before that happened?" he asked, pointing to Syrune's mark at 'that', "What are we supposed to be doing here?"

Syrune let out a small sigh, shaking her head lightly in a mixture of exhaustion and relief. Ambyra had almost the same exact reaction, mimicking Syrune unintentionally. Both of them hated arguments between them. Syrune spoke up after a moment. "We weren't going to stay here either way... I don't know anything about the Grove, and I doubt anyone around here does... But all of this sounds like Raven to me, and the only thing Raven I know of is the Soul Key, which went missing three years ago. I wanted to try starting the search at the place where I first found the Key. It's a cave in the Central-East Pridelands... I don't know what we'll find there... "

"So... where do we go?" Ambyra asked softly, not wanting to start another fight. 

Syrune looked down, not wanting to speak as she struggled with the choice. Painfully, she finally replied. "... We check the cave... Finnican isn't in immediate danger, but I sense that he is... "

Nykoru felt slightly better when he learned they were leaving the Muckwaters anyway. In fact, he was relieved that they had a plan, and they would be following through with it after all. But, at the same time, he could not ignore the emotion that went into the decision, especially since that emotion came from Syrune. He knew, even as he started the argument, that he had been insensitive. In his eyes he had reason to be, but now he could be gentle.

"Finnican survived these past three years," Nykoru comforted, giving Syrune a sincere look of sympathy, "He'll be okay for a just a little longer. I think it's important to stick to the mission... But I say the sooner we are able, we go out and find him."

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:(XD okay!) 

"Yes." Kale gave his unforgiving reply, narrowing his eyes a little. He was quiet as he observed Fin's expression, genuinely perplexed at his lack of memories. 

You hate him! Don't even go there! He has the message, just leave! 


...


What if he doesn't make it? He doesn't remember anything... does that really make him the same bird I knew? 


Kale shut his eyes for a moment, letting rationality take back over. "... To me, at least. But... I mean I wouldn't know about anyone else. I mean you have friends, family, Syrune... You couldn't have been that bad... I guess."

Finnican flinched and looked to the ground.

"...Oh..." he quietly sounded. He silently moved his talons through the snow as he struggled to accept what he had learned about his character before his memory loss.

...I...guess I should just leave then... Kale wants nothing to do with me, so...

Finnican looked up in surprise as Kale started speaking again. He blinked repeatedly, taken aback by the sudden words of (somewhat) kindness. Then he smiled sadly.

"I...I would hope so... But...if I really did hurt you, then..." Was I the same with my friends? My family? This...Syrune person?

He couldn't bring himself to ask that out loud.

"...Look, I don't remember what I did to you. But is there any way I can make it up to you?" Finnican asked without thinking. After thinking back on what he just asked, he decided that was a good thing to ask.

Kale blinked, taken aback by the question. It was something he had never even considered. He tightened the satchel over his back as he shook his head. "... I... I don't know... But I think I should go with you. If your memories are missing this much, I don't know what might happen with you along the way, so... and I can't believe I'm saying this... Let's go Fin, let's find your sisters."

The falcon forced the best smile he could, his head still whirling over the circumstances.

*cheers in the distance* )

Finnican straightened in surprise at hearing Kale would be accompanying him. After a moment of stunned silence, he broke into a grin.

"Y-Ya! Okay!" he agreed, nodding vigorously, "I-Thank you! Really, I'm-! And I promise, I'll do everything I can to make things right between us! Whatever you need, just say the word and I'll make it happen!"

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Syrune was silent, her beak slightly open in surprise at her adoptive hatchlings' behavior. She straighted, and sternly replied with the beginnings of a glare. The same look she used to give them when they broke something as chicks. 

Ambyra looked over at her brother, a bit surprised at his forwardness. She wasn't fully convinced.

Syrune stared at the chicks. "Is that how you feel? ... Tell me. Where is Tyrin?"

Nykoru hated the look Syrune was giving him. As a chick, it was a look that both terrified him and overwhelmed him with a feeling of guilt. Having received that look a good number of times over the years, it became a look that ticked him off, and he only got angrier the longer it was used. But instead of letting it show, his face fell flat, though his voice did have and edge to it as he spoke.

"That's what the three of us are trying to find out. You got the lead about the Grove, and we're looking for clues that will lead us to it, starting here in the Muckwaters. So where is Finnican? Did he appear in a place where it'll be convenient for us to pick him up during our search? Or is he placed somewhere out of the way, where we'll have to temporarily abandon the mission to find him? In which case, we give Agathar more time to find us before we can come back and make progress in our goal to find the one Phoenix who is actually a match against that dragon?"

Syrune scoffed, rolling her eyes with a small shake of her head. "Tyrin is not the end-all of our problems. What if he doesn't want to be found? Why hasn't he tried to rescue you in three years? And to start- we no nothing about this Grove. What's your plan? To flutter around the Muckwaters asking for information?"

"Syrune-" Ambyra started to interrupt softly, a pained expression on her face. "Maybe there are exceptions, maybe we could-"

Syrune barely heard Ambyra, too focused on putting her brother in her place. "On the day Tyrin, Finnican, your siblings, the entire free world died, I lost everything but you two. You're telling me, a hatchling who I raised and protected with my LIFE, that I'm not allowed to see my mate again because you-- There is so much you don't even know! If you knew what you were doing with this decision--" 

Sadness began to pour into Syrune's expression, her talons clenching the branch below her. There were so many emotions running through her eyes that it took conscious effort on her part to hide them all. She began to calm down, and looked at both the hatchlings, so much hidden behind her eyes. Grief, frustration, bitterness... and something else. Something deep and painful as she looked into their eyes.

Nykoru stiffened as Syrune used his father against him. The irritation became a ball of compressed flame in his chest. He could not believe she had said the one thing, the phrase he considered taboo. Why hadn't his father rescued them at any point during those three years?
The young falhawk pressed his right talon in the floor, his nails scratching against the wood. He silently took the rest of what Syrune had to give him. He remained silent even as her words stopped. The pressure in his beak grew as he bit down to prevent the words he wanted to say from escaping. Because he knew if he said them while he was like this, and while she was like that, this heated discussion would turn into something uglier. And so he waited for his anger to die down.

It was the emotion he saw in Syrune's eyes that calmed Nykoru down in the end. The suffering she had hidden so well, that he had rarely even seen, humbled him in a way. The anger was still there, but it was muted enough so that he could think clearly and control his speech in a reasonable manner.

"...The decision is yours to make," he finally said, "We've followed you this entire time, and we're going to continue to do so. We are only hatchlings after all." That last part he said without any form of snide. "But I do have to ask. If we weren't going to "flutter around asking for information", then what was the plan before that happened?" he asked, pointing to Syrune's mark at 'that', "What are we supposed to be doing here?"

Syrune let out a small sigh, shaking her head lightly in a mixture of exhaustion and relief. Ambyra had almost the same exact reaction, mimicking Syrune unintentionally. Both of them hated arguments between them. Syrune spoke up after a moment. "We weren't going to stay here either way... I don't know anything about the Grove, and I doubt anyone around here does... But all of this sounds like Raven to me, and the only thing Raven I know of is the Soul Key, which went missing three years ago. I wanted to try starting the search at the place where I first found the Key. It's a cave in the Central-East Pridelands... I don't know what we'll find there... "

"So... where do we go?" Ambyra asked softly, not wanting to start another fight. 

Syrune looked down, not wanting to speak as she struggled with the choice. Painfully, she finally replied. "... We check the cave... Finnican isn't in immediate danger, but if I sense that he is... "

Nykoru felt slightly better when he learned they were leaving the Muckwaters anyway. In fact, he was relieved that they had a plan, and they would be following through with it after all. But, at the same time, he could not ignore the emotion that went into the decision, especially since that emotion came from Syrune. He knew, even as he started the argument, that he had been insensitive. In his eyes he had reason to be, but now he could be gentle.

"Finnican survived these past three years," Nykoru comforted, giving Syrune a sincere look of sympathy, "He'll be okay for a just a little longer. I think it's important to stick to the mission... But I say the sooner we are able, we go out and find him."

Ambyra watched patiently as Syrune nodded. She wanted to speak up, desperately, but she stayed quiet. What if Tyrin is with Finnican? Couldn't we skip all the tracking if we ended up finding them both?
She said nothing, keeping her beak clamped shut so as not to start everyone up again. Eventually, Syrune cleared the air and changed the subject. 

"Should we hunt first?"

(If only there was a confused wolf out there hunting or sleeping... XD)

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:(XD okay!) 

"Yes." Kale gave his unforgiving reply, narrowing his eyes a little. He was quiet as he observed Fin's expression, genuinely perplexed at his lack of memories. 

You hate him! Don't even go there! He has the message, just leave! 


...


What if he doesn't make it? He doesn't remember anything... does that really make him the same bird I knew? 


Kale shut his eyes for a moment, letting rationality take back over. "... To me, at least. But... I mean I wouldn't know about anyone else. I mean you have friends, family, Syrune... You couldn't have been that bad... I guess."

Finnican flinched and looked to the ground.

"...Oh..." he quietly sounded. He silently moved his talons through the snow as he struggled to accept what he had learned about his character before his memory loss.

...I...guess I should just leave then... Kale wants nothing to do with me, so...

Finnican looked up in surprise as Kale started speaking again. He blinked repeatedly, taken aback by the sudden words of (somewhat) kindness. Then he smiled sadly.

"I...I would hope so... But...if I really did hurt you, then..." Was I the same with my friends? My family? This...Syrune person?

He couldn't bring himself to ask that out loud.

"...Look, I don't remember what I did to you. But is there any way I can make it up to you?" Finnican asked without thinking. After thinking back on what he just asked, he decided that was a good thing to ask.

Kale blinked, taken aback by the question. It was something he had never even considered. He tightened the satchel over his back as he shook his head. "... I... I don't know... But I think I should go with you. If your memories are missing this much, I don't know what might happen with you along the way, so... and I can't believe I'm saying this... Let's go Fin, let's find your sisters."

The falcon forced the best smile he could, his head still whirling over the circumstances.

*cheers in the distance* )

Finnican straightened in surprise at hearing Kale would be accompanying him. After a moment of stunned silence, he broke into a grin.

"Y-Ya! Okay!" he agreed, nodding vigorously, "I-Thank you! Really, I'm-! And I promise, I'll do everything I can to make things right between us! Whatever you need, just say the word and I'll make it happen!"

Kale did everything he could not to roll his eyes, still sighing a bit. "Alright."
The falcon shook the gathering snowflakes out of his wings and secured his satchel once more. "Now there are likely Shades still near my Hollow, so we'll need to stay away the bay... and we can't head into the Burned Lands... we'll have to go North and then down the coast. Whenever you're ready.... you know how to fly, right?"

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Syrune was silent, her beak slightly open in surprise at her adoptive hatchlings' behavior. She straighted, and sternly replied with the beginnings of a glare. The same look she used to give them when they broke something as chicks. 

Ambyra looked over at her brother, a bit surprised at his forwardness. She wasn't fully convinced.

Syrune stared at the chicks. "Is that how you feel? ... Tell me. Where is Tyrin?"

Nykoru hated the look Syrune was giving him. As a chick, it was a look that both terrified him and overwhelmed him with a feeling of guilt. Having received that look a good number of times over the years, it became a look that ticked him off, and he only got angrier the longer it was used. But instead of letting it show, his face fell flat, though his voice did have and edge to it as he spoke.

"That's what the three of us are trying to find out. You got the lead about the Grove, and we're looking for clues that will lead us to it, starting here in the Muckwaters. So where is Finnican? Did he appear in a place where it'll be convenient for us to pick him up during our search? Or is he placed somewhere out of the way, where we'll have to temporarily abandon the mission to find him? In which case, we give Agathar more time to find us before we can come back and make progress in our goal to find the one Phoenix who is actually a match against that dragon?"

Syrune scoffed, rolling her eyes with a small shake of her head. "Tyrin is not the end-all of our problems. What if he doesn't want to be found? Why hasn't he tried to rescue you in three years? And to start- we no nothing about this Grove. What's your plan? To flutter around the Muckwaters asking for information?"

"Syrune-" Ambyra started to interrupt softly, a pained expression on her face. "Maybe there are exceptions, maybe we could-"

Syrune barely heard Ambyra, too focused on putting her brother in her place. "On the day Tyrin, Finnican, your siblings, the entire free world died, I lost everything but you two. You're telling me, a hatchling who I raised and protected with my LIFE, that I'm not allowed to see my mate again because you-- There is so much you don't even know! If you knew what you were doing with this decision--" 

Sadness began to pour into Syrune's expression, her talons clenching the branch below her. There were so many emotions running through her eyes that it took conscious effort on her part to hide them all. She began to calm down, and looked at both the hatchlings, so much hidden behind her eyes. Grief, frustration, bitterness... and something else. Something deep and painful as she looked into their eyes.

Nykoru stiffened as Syrune used his father against him. The irritation became a ball of compressed flame in his chest. He could not believe she had said the one thing, the phrase he considered taboo. Why hadn't his father rescued them at any point during those three years?
The young falhawk pressed his right talon in the floor, his nails scratching against the wood. He silently took the rest of what Syrune had to give him. He remained silent even as her words stopped. The pressure in his beak grew as he bit down to prevent the words he wanted to say from escaping. Because he knew if he said them while he was like this, and while she was like that, this heated discussion would turn into something uglier. And so he waited for his anger to die down.

It was the emotion he saw in Syrune's eyes that calmed Nykoru down in the end. The suffering she had hidden so well, that he had rarely even seen, humbled him in a way. The anger was still there, but it was muted enough so that he could think clearly and control his speech in a reasonable manner.

"...The decision is yours to make," he finally said, "We've followed you this entire time, and we're going to continue to do so. We are only hatchlings after all." That last part he said without any form of snide. "But I do have to ask. If we weren't going to "flutter around asking for information", then what was the plan before that happened?" he asked, pointing to Syrune's mark at 'that', "What are we supposed to be doing here?"

Syrune let out a small sigh, shaking her head lightly in a mixture of exhaustion and relief. Ambyra had almost the same exact reaction, mimicking Syrune unintentionally. Both of them hated arguments between them. Syrune spoke up after a moment. "We weren't going to stay here either way... I don't know anything about the Grove, and I doubt anyone around here does... But all of this sounds like Raven to me, and the only thing Raven I know of is the Soul Key, which went missing three years ago. I wanted to try starting the search at the place where I first found the Key. It's a cave in the Central-East Pridelands... I don't know what we'll find there... "

"So... where do we go?" Ambyra asked softly, not wanting to start another fight. 

Syrune looked down, not wanting to speak as she struggled with the choice. Painfully, she finally replied. "... We check the cave... Finnican isn't in immediate danger, but if I sense that he is... "

Nykoru felt slightly better when he learned they were leaving the Muckwaters anyway. In fact, he was relieved that they had a plan, and they would be following through with it after all. But, at the same time, he could not ignore the emotion that went into the decision, especially since that emotion came from Syrune. He knew, even as he started the argument, that he had been insensitive. In his eyes he had reason to be, but now he could be gentle.

"Finnican survived these past three years," Nykoru comforted, giving Syrune a sincere look of sympathy, "He'll be okay for a just a little longer. I think it's important to stick to the mission... But I say the sooner we are able, we go out and find him."

Ambyra watched patiently as Syrune nodded. She wanted to speak up, desperately, but she stayed quiet. What if Tyrin is with Finnican? Couldn't we skip all the tracking if we ended up finding them both?
She said nothing, keeping her beak clamped shut so as not to start everyone up again. Eventually, Syrune cleared the air and changed the subject. 

"Should we hunt first?"

Jaystep wrote:(If only there was a confused wolf out there hunting or sleeping... XD)

(... Oh right! Forgot about her! XD) (Also, poor Ambyra... Actually has a valid point that makes sense, but everyone else too busy with their own stuff to listen to her )

Nykoru let out a long breath, as if all of his inner tension was being slowly let out through his beak. Then, at Syrune's question, he realized that his stomach was hurting from lack of food. The young falhawk nodded in reply.


A female wolf of the Northern Mountains region lay at the base of the Elder Tree, her upper body strewn over the top of one of its roots. She lay as still as the trunk her side was pressed against, until her eyes slid halfway open. Unfocused dark blue eyes looked straight ahead.
Sleep... a voice in her head quietly begged through the grogginess of her mind, reaching out for the heaviness that was her eyelids to drop. With no reason to disobey, the wolf's eyes closed. A long sigh escaped her nostrils and her body sunk deeper against the tree.

((I'm most certain you mean Najmah but I can't help myself))
((Meanwhile on the other side of the world...))

Moonpelt was exploring near a stream, 'masterfully' stalking a frog. He stuck his tongue out a little bit and wiggled his hind-end when he pounced at the frog. The amphibian hopped madly down the stream a the white wolf chased it. "Come back!" he howled, splashing through the shallow water until the little frog darted into a log. He skidded to a stop at the entrance to the log, his tail wagging slightly and his ears pressed back against his head. "You little stinker!" he stuck his head into the entrance of the small log and sniffed after the frog, who had long since hopped out of the other end and on its way to freedom. "Aw feathers," he huffed as the wolf tried to pull his head free of the log, but instead it rose off the stream bed with his head. "Uh-oh," the white wolf tried shaking the log off his head while he backed up, dragging the log along and making quite the fuss doing so.

(I'll continue with Syrune/Ambyra in the morning, Ruki wants to involve one of her characters too. Not done rping everything else just yet thought! Ruki should be posting a Moonpelt thing soon... )