The Wild Series: Reign of Ashes (The Northern Mountains)

(Main page for all Northern Mountains related plot in the region. Please contain all characters and story posted here to this region in the main plot to avoid confusion. Even if your plot begins in this region, upon moving to another area please transition your rp to the correct page.  )

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:Kale simply stared down at Finnican, doing his best to keep from rolling his eyes. The smallest flicker of humor sparkled in the falcon's eyes, but he denied it. "Sure. Take your time." 

Even as he spoke, the falcon spread his wings and started gracefully into the sky, showing off just a tiny bit.

Finnican pulled his head out of the snow in time to see Kale take off. He puffed out his cheeks, a sliver of jealousy piercing his heart.

I'm sure I was good at flying to! he mentally protested.

But, seeing the grace of Kale's flight filled him with determination. Finnican got back to his talons and, after picturing Kale fly into the air, the amnesic falcon spread his wings once more and successfully took off. ...A lot less gracefully... But he was in the air this time, so ha! Take that Kale!

As Finnican circled the area close to the ground, a little wobbly in his flight, he grinned proudly to himself.

Kale was just happy Finnican was finally flying, catching a glimpse of the falcon's grinning. Whoo-hoo you did something a one year old can do, and your worse at it too.


Frowning internally, the Peregrine looked back to make sure Finnican could follow before starting off into the sky above the mountains.

(Finnican: W-Well! At least I know when to use "you're" instead of "your", Kale, so ha! *blows raspberry at Kale* )

As Finnican began to gain altitude, he caught a glimpse of the cave entrance that was half buried in the snow. His mind brought back the image of the hawk skull, as well as the scorch marks and ash inside the cave. His grin faded as the dread seeped back into his system and he hurried after Kale.

"Um..." he started quietly as he pulled up to the side of the other falcon, "That cave I woke up in... I found weird things in it..."

(Kale: I was tired, fluff-head!  )

Kale looked down towards the cave after Fin's comment, watching the entrance closely as he flew by. He was quiet, having worked out the origins of the cave already during their previous conversation. "Try not to think about it.... there's a lot more weird in your future."

()

Finnican did not like the sound of that.

"R...Really?" he asked softly. Then he let out a nervous chuckle. "What makes you say that?" he asked louder, "Can you see the future?"

Kale paused for a moment. turning to look into Finnican's eyes with a serious look. "Yes. I can... would you like to know yours?"

Finnican froze, his flight pattern wobbling violently for a split second. Luckily, he regained control before he could start falling out of the sky. He looked to Kale, first in shock, then in excitement.

"Whoa, really?! Then what's my future? Dude, I gotta know!"

Kale smiled, a bit mischievously. 
"Oh yeah, I'll tell you." He started, getting a little proud of himself. The falcon kept looking at Finnican, his eyes getting wider as he started egging the other falcon on. 
"Well, first, you start having a very long winded conversation. You try to make the trip to find your sister easier by talking with the other falcon you're flying with. You make lots of jokes and a lot of small talk, to the point that the other falcon get's so annoyed, he abandons you in a snow drift, all alone with no idea where to go."

Kale smiled a bit wider, "I wouldn't want to make that mistake, right? Maybe if we try hard enough we can change destiny, huh? Let's work on that." He finished sarcastically, snorting through his beak and speeding up to get in front of Finnican.

---

(Kale:

  )

Everyone except Fin: OOOOOOHHHHHH!!!!!

Finnican: ...

---

That was not at all what Finnican expected. He stared at Kale in confusion as the other falcon spoke, trying to figure out with where he was going with this "divination". He was still left in puzzlement even after Kale sped ahead. Then, after rethinking the words he heard, he got it.

"Hey!" he whined, much like a hatchling would as he flew after Kale, "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Kale fought the urge to snicker, opting instead for shaking his head. "It means let's keep this trip focused on the goal. Less chatting and more flying, got it?" 

The falcon set his gaze once more on the snowy horizon, trying to predict the number of days it would take to get to Rinka. If Fin insisted on being friendly, this was going to be a long trip.

Finnican frowned and made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat.
Fine, Mister Grumpy-Feathers, he pouted to himself, looking away with a childish huff. Since Kale didn't seem to be in the mood for talking, Fin would stay silent for the time being. But he wouldn't give up! One way or another, he was going to redeem himself for being mean to Kale. One way or another, he decided, he would befriend the rightfully grumpy grump!

"Wake. Up." 


Darkness... murky black vision broken up only flashes of deep red behind the wolf's closed eyes. There was a savage growling coming from somewhere in front of him, but his eyelids were too heavy to open. The wolf's whole body was sore, and in much pain in several places. His shoulder hurt, he was aware. As well as his ribs, face, head, and paws. He tried lifting his eyelids again, groggily getting a flash of grey before they fell back down. Everything felt wobbily... the wolf tried to move his paws but found that after a moment, he couldn't.

W-What..... what's happening....


Even the wolf's thoughts were sluggish, as if every part of him was dizzy. He heard the growling again coming from somewhere in front of him...

"WAKE UP!" 


Something hard smashed across his face, causing his eyes to shoot open. He squinted in pain and confusion, the blinding daylight filtering into his view. All he could see before him was grey and white blobs, but slowly things started to come to a blurry focus. Something purple washed into his view from the blobs of white, and slowly he made out the shape of something wolf-like. His head couldn't quite process what it was, as the violet shape appeared to be standing upside-down at the top of his vision.

The grey around him slowly became understandable as rock walls, he was in a cave of some sort. The white blobs became sunlight pouring in from... below him? Yes, maybe. The wolf-like purple thing was standing on the ceiling of the cave, and it seemed like the whole ground curved upwards towards the sunlight. The wolf tried to move again as the purple shape sauntered closer, snarling at him from across the cave. Strangely, none of his limbs seemed to be working, and his pounding headache was getting worse by the moment. He tried to move his head and found it difficult, like trying to sit up after being submerged. He struggled again as the shape got closer, and just as he managed to 'lift' his head, he understood: the shape wasn't walking on the ceiling, he was hanging upside down. That explained most of his sensations, he thought.

He could feel now that his limbs were bound with some sort of rope, adding to his confusion. 

"Ahhh.... have a good nap?" 


The wolf looked up, blinking more of the cave into focus. His eyes felt groggy, like they were only half working, and one of his eyelids seemed to struggle. The wolf wondered if this was because he was hanging, or perhaps injured. He looked over just in time to make eye contact with the purple shape, and saw it now for what it really was.

The beast came right up to him, muzzle directly in his face. It appeared to have the form of an older, soft-looking she-wolf. Her face was fair, but through the soft looks was fire. A shadowy, purple and black fire that wisped like tendrils off of her body. Her whole face flickered with silent flames, and the hanging wolf got a much clearer look at the purple shape's pure features. She had no visible injuries, and that seemed strange to him. It was as if she had never bee touched by anything hurtful in her life. She was an odd kind of beautiful. Unnatural.

Her kind, soft face changed in an instant, hardening and turning into something much more violent. She opened her muzzle and spoke, her voice like thick fire. 

"Three days.... Three days and you still don't remember me." 


The wolf shut his eyes at the harshness, blinking them open a moment later at the sound of another snarl. He stared at the wolf in shock, moving his dry tongue around in his mouth as he recalled how to speak... but he said nothing. So many questions burned in his mind. He had no idea what this creature was, or how he was supposed to remember her.

In fact, as he thought he realized he remembered almost nothing. He couldn't recall a single fact about himself. He didn't even know who or what he was. There was a blanket of sorts over his mind and thoughts, like something was weighing them down... but he had no idea what was going on. Finally, he struggled to form words. "...I .... who ... are you?"

This seemed to anger the violet wolf, and she growled a reply. Her clean face looked more like an illusion the longer the hanging wolf watched. "You will remember..."


The wolf flinched as the purple creature snapped in his face. He had no single inclination as to what was happening. "Gah! .... Please..... I don't...."

"Three days, you've been hanging there... I'm almost starting to believe you. When I found you, and you had no reaction... maybe that should have been my first clue...I even showed you my real face, and nothing."



As she spoke, the shade paced around the hanging wolf, the purple fire starting to flicker out.

"Do you need to see it again?" 

Before the hanging wolf could answer, the shade's muzzle was back near his face. The purple wolf stared into his eyes from the side, and her fire started to wane. As it did, grey and darker black bits of fur began to replace her strange colors, and for a second the hanging wolf thought this strange beast was looking normal. As more of her face was revealed, the hanging wolf realized how wrong he was. He stared, like watching a horrible accident, unable to look away as he took in the beast's true face. It was withered, old. Pale, like dead flesh. Her eyes were no longer violet, but stark white and shrived, the appearance of decomposition. The skin and fur around the left side of her jaw was no longer there, and the wolf couldn't bear to watch more as he realized he could see the flesh underneath. Many teeth were missing, as if broken out by some large object. Her ears were ragged and torn, flesh exposed on her head. He could see over the beast's back, and spotted pieces protruding of what he believed to be her back or ribs. 

He let out a silent scream, shaking in horror as he watched. Even when the fire returned, and the wolf was pure and whole again, the hanging wolf was rigid with terror. The shadowy wolf was dead. Or should be, by all he knew. Even when she was no longer a corpse, the hanging wolf couldn't stop seeing it.

She began to cackle, genuine delight in her violet eyes as she watched the wolf's reaction. "You don't like your work, Drellan? Not as pretty as my new face?"


Drellan?! Is that my name? What does she mean by work? Did I....


"I'm starting to think you're no acting... and that makes me sad... I've been looking forward to catching you for so, so long! I thought you were dead already, till we saw the lights... The bird said he was bringing you to me for the next moon, but here you are... looks like he's got the wrong Drellan."


Nothing made any sense to Drellan as he listened to the beast talk. The more she spoke, the more confused and terrified he became. 

"But I know you... Unlike you, I could never forget your face. The face of the wolf who killed me. Who stole my daughter. Who twisted her against me! Your whole family, always, I could never forget!" 


The shade snarled savagely as she spoke, snapping her jaw near Drellan's face. Bits of saliva frothed as her wild rage grew. 

"Please! .... " Drellan tried, his head pounding. "I don't know! I don't know who you are!" 

The Shade roared at his as she screamed into his ear. "I AM T'SONE. YOU MURDERED ME. YOU STOLE MY FAMILY. And I owe you.... oh, I owe you so so much for what you've done... but I want Drellan. I want to peel Drellan's skin as he screams. I want to chew each piece off of him and show it to my daughter. I want Drellan to wail for mercy.... I want Drellan. And you are not him... not the one I want.... So you're going to get him. I want my vengeance. I want my daughter... and I want you to scream. I want you to feel every last thing that I felt... so you're going to go. I will let you leave this camp alive. She will find you, I know. and you'll lead her to me. She'll make you remember, and then... oh- oh then... you'll understand."


Drellan stared into T'Sone's eyes as she brought it to his face. It was all he could see as she came closer. A fire raged within, and he listened well.

"We'll be watching you, you can be sure. I'll know if you try to warn anyone. We'll drop you outside of the valley, and you'll look for my Najmah. You'll know when you see her... or she will know you..."


Drellan nodded in horror, "O-Okay! .... okay! I'll find... I-I'll find the wolf!"

T'Sone glowed in his ear as she finished, "Yes. You will. I will give you... one moon, to bring her to me or lead me to her. If you try to warn her, if you try to run away, if you try to do anything other than what I've told you... I'll take the other one."


The... other... one? Drellan watched as T'Sone began cackling again, her purple fire growing brighter as she watched the fear in Drellan's eyes. The Shade pushed the ropes Drellan hung upon, sending him swinging over to the wall of the cave. His breathing picked up as he was moved, terror in his heart as he stared back at T'Sone. She wasn't moving anymore, just waiting as she stared back at him. Her gaze flickered down with delight, and she released a wicked grin back to Drellan as his eyes started to move down.

He let his head fall back down, so he was looking at the floor. There was a trickle of water coming from below him, and slowly he realized he was looking into a puddle. He rocked back and forth with the swinging of the ropes until finally it slowed enough for him to get a clear look into the water, and his reflection inside. 

Drellan's breath became shaky as he saw it. Ice cold horror rocketing through his bones. Looking back at him with equal terror was his reflection, blood starting to drip into the water below. Through the ripples of red, he finally saw his face. On the left side of his face was a grisly gash, as if something had been bitten away. Blood caked onto his face, and his whole body shook as he looked at himself. In the place where his left eye should have been, was only a shredded, bloodied hole. 

Drellan's muzzle shook as he started to yell, thrashing and staring at the wound. He opened his muzzle, and his screams were only drowned out by the equally loud laughter of T'Sone as she watched. The wolf looked up in time to see T'Sone come closer, shoving his hanging body into the cave wall. His head cracked against the side of the rock, and everything went black.

"Hush now, and sleep!" 

"...Keep an eye out!" Kale nodded in reply to Finnican's question about taking a rest. They hadn't eaten since they set off in the morning, and they had long since put the snow and mountains behind them. All that rested below now were endless coniferous trees, and the occasional moose. Kale admitted to himself that it was high time for a break. 

The falcon glanced over at his companion with a mild, almost genuine look of sympathy. They had spent the past few hours in complete silence, and while Kale liked the quiet, some sort of annoying conscious in the back of his head told him he was being too rude. The next time Finnican spoke, he decided to reply.

Jaystep wrote:"...Keep an eye out!" Kale nodded in reply to Finnican's question about taking a rest. They hadn't eaten since they set off in the morning, and they had long since put the snow and mountains behind them. All that rested below now were endless coniferous trees, and the occasional moose. Kale admitted to himself that it was high time for a break. 

The falcon glanced over at his companion with a mild, almost genuine look of sympathy. They had spent the past few hours in complete silence, and while Kale liked the quiet, some sort of annoying conscious in the back of his head told him he was being too rude. The next time Finnican spoke, he decided to reply.

Finnican inwardly sighed in relief, both because he would soon be able to rest his tired wing muscles, and because Kale hadn't scolded him for speaking up. And so he turned his gaze downward, looking for a good spot to rest.

"...How about down there?" he asked.
There was a small opening in the trees below, where the branches interlaced to form a nest-like floor. It was solid enough for a few birds to lay on for a nap, and this couldn't be seen unless they were actually there, but this space was mostly covered by a roof of more interlacing branches.

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"...Keep an eye out!" Kale nodded in reply to Finnican's question about taking a rest. They hadn't eaten since they set off in the morning, and they had long since put the snow and mountains behind them. All that rested below now were endless coniferous trees, and the occasional moose. Kale admitted to himself that it was high time for a break. 

The falcon glanced over at his companion with a mild, almost genuine look of sympathy. They had spent the past few hours in complete silence, and while Kale liked the quiet, some sort of annoying conscious in the back of his head told him he was being too rude. The next time Finnican spoke, he decided to reply.

Finnican inwardly sighed in relief, both because he would soon be able to rest his tired wing muscles, and because Kale hadn't scolded him for speaking up. And so he turned his gaze downward, looking for a good spot to rest.

"...How about down there?" he asked.
There was a small opening in the trees below, where the branches interlaced to form a nest-like floor. It was solid enough for a few birds to lay on for a nap, and this couldn't be seen unless they were actually there, but this space was mostly covered by a roof of more interlacing branches.

Kale followed Finnican's eyes and began banking his turn into a low spiral to get a better view of the area he pointed out. After a few more rotations he nodded in agreement. "Yeah... yeah that could work. Make sure there's no thorns or snakes, I'll see if I can catch something."

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"...Keep an eye out!" Kale nodded in reply to Finnican's question about taking a rest. They hadn't eaten since they set off in the morning, and they had long since put the snow and mountains behind them. All that rested below now were endless coniferous trees, and the occasional moose. Kale admitted to himself that it was high time for a break. 

The falcon glanced over at his companion with a mild, almost genuine look of sympathy. They had spent the past few hours in complete silence, and while Kale liked the quiet, some sort of annoying conscious in the back of his head told him he was being too rude. The next time Finnican spoke, he decided to reply.

Finnican inwardly sighed in relief, both because he would soon be able to rest his tired wing muscles, and because Kale hadn't scolded him for speaking up. And so he turned his gaze downward, looking for a good spot to rest.

"...How about down there?" he asked.
There was a small opening in the trees below, where the branches interlaced to form a nest-like floor. It was solid enough for a few birds to lay on for a nap, and this couldn't be seen unless they were actually there, but this space was mostly covered by a roof of more interlacing branches.

Kale followed Finnican's eyes and began banking his turn into a low spiral to get a better view of the area he pointed out. After a few more rotations he nodded in agreement. "Yeah... yeah that could work. Make sure there's no thorns or snakes, I'll see if I can catch something."

Oh my gosh XD The moment I read "snake", I just had the image of Finnican trying to flirt with a female python to try and convince her not to squeeze him to death while Kale was out hunting XD)

"Alright. I will do that!" Finnican grinned before gliding past Kale to the spot. He landed on the branch floor and took a moment to just stand there and sigh.
Well, that was awkward. I mean, he's talking to me now, but it was still...
With another sigh, the male falcon began slowly walking through what he decided was a cave made of evergreen branches, searching for thorns and snakes, and anything else that would make this place bad for a resting spot. He was now under the roof, where no bird could see him from above.
But that's okay! he continued in his thoughts, I know that if I just keep positive, then things will be better! I'll just be nice to him and we'll be good friends in no time!

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"...Keep an eye out!" Kale nodded in reply to Finnican's question about taking a rest. They hadn't eaten since they set off in the morning, and they had long since put the snow and mountains behind them. All that rested below now were endless coniferous trees, and the occasional moose. Kale admitted to himself that it was high time for a break. 

The falcon glanced over at his companion with a mild, almost genuine look of sympathy. They had spent the past few hours in complete silence, and while Kale liked the quiet, some sort of annoying conscious in the back of his head told him he was being too rude. The next time Finnican spoke, he decided to reply.

Finnican inwardly sighed in relief, both because he would soon be able to rest his tired wing muscles, and because Kale hadn't scolded him for speaking up. And so he turned his gaze downward, looking for a good spot to rest.

"...How about down there?" he asked.
There was a small opening in the trees below, where the branches interlaced to form a nest-like floor. It was solid enough for a few birds to lay on for a nap, and this couldn't be seen unless they were actually there, but this space was mostly covered by a roof of more interlacing branches.

Kale followed Finnican's eyes and began banking his turn into a low spiral to get a better view of the area he pointed out. After a few more rotations he nodded in agreement. "Yeah... yeah that could work. Make sure there's no thorns or snakes, I'll see if I can catch something."

Oh my gosh XD The moment I read "snake", I just had the image of Finnican trying to flirt with a female python to try and convince her not to squeeze him to death while Kale was out hunting XD)

"Alright. I will do that!" Finnican grinned before gliding past Kale to the spot. He landed on the branch floor and took a moment to just stand there and sigh.
Well, that was awkward. I mean, he's talking to me now, but it was still...
With another sigh, the male falcon began slowly walking through what he decided was a cave made of evergreen branches, searching for thorns and snakes, and anything else that would make this place bad for a resting spot. He was now under the roof, where no bird could see him from above.
But that's okay! he continued in his thoughts, I know that if I just keep positive, then things will be better! I'll just be nice to him and we'll be good friends in no time!

(Omg  That sounds like Fin! XD 

Kale: *bursts out laughing at the "we'll be good friends" line*  Yeah, and I'm a unicorn! XD)

Kale let out a long sigh of relief with Fin's departure to the resting tree. He began scanning the forest floor in the opposite direction for anything small enough to catch. Not long after starting his trip, he spotted a squirrel coming out on a branch far below to eat from a hanging pine-cone. With one quick dive, a flash of grey, and nary a sound-- Kale had his lunch. I guess I need to catch Fin something too... maybe that will get him to leave me alone at least through this break.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"...Keep an eye out!" Kale nodded in reply to Finnican's question about taking a rest. They hadn't eaten since they set off in the morning, and they had long since put the snow and mountains behind them. All that rested below now were endless coniferous trees, and the occasional moose. Kale admitted to himself that it was high time for a break. 

The falcon glanced over at his companion with a mild, almost genuine look of sympathy. They had spent the past few hours in complete silence, and while Kale liked the quiet, some sort of annoying conscious in the back of his head told him he was being too rude. The next time Finnican spoke, he decided to reply.

Finnican inwardly sighed in relief, both because he would soon be able to rest his tired wing muscles, and because Kale hadn't scolded him for speaking up. And so he turned his gaze downward, looking for a good spot to rest.

"...How about down there?" he asked.
There was a small opening in the trees below, where the branches interlaced to form a nest-like floor. It was solid enough for a few birds to lay on for a nap, and this couldn't be seen unless they were actually there, but this space was mostly covered by a roof of more interlacing branches.

Kale followed Finnican's eyes and began banking his turn into a low spiral to get a better view of the area he pointed out. After a few more rotations he nodded in agreement. "Yeah... yeah that could work. Make sure there's no thorns or snakes, I'll see if I can catch something."

Oh my gosh XD The moment I read "snake", I just had the image of Finnican trying to flirt with a female python to try and convince her not to squeeze him to death while Kale was out hunting XD)

"Alright. I will do that!" Finnican grinned before gliding past Kale to the spot. He landed on the branch floor and took a moment to just stand there and sigh.
Well, that was awkward. I mean, he's talking to me now, but it was still...
With another sigh, the male falcon began slowly walking through what he decided was a cave made of evergreen branches, searching for thorns and snakes, and anything else that would make this place bad for a resting spot. He was now under the roof, where no bird could see him from above.
But that's okay! he continued in his thoughts, I know that if I just keep positive, then things will be better! I'll just be nice to him and we'll be good friends in no time!

(Omg  That sounds like Fin! XD 

Kale: *bursts out laughing at the "we'll be good friends" line*  Yeah, and I'm a unicorn! XD)

Kale let out a long sigh of relief with Fin's departure to the resting tree. He began scanning the forest floor in the opposite direction for anything small enough to catch. Not long after starting his trip, he spotted a squirrel coming out on a branch far below to eat from a hanging pine-cone. With one quick dive, a flash of grey, and nary a sound-- Kale had his lunch. I guess I need to catch Fin something too... maybe that will get him to leave me alone at least through this break.

(XD)

(Finnican: )

After looking all around the space, Finnican found it was empty of thorns and snakes. He sat in a corner of the place to wait for Kale. Within the next moment, he was bored of his mind. With an audible groan, he turned and fell on his back with his wings outstretched to either side of him. For a moment, he thought he could take a nap. And so he closed his eyes. But when he shifted to get into a more comfortable position, pine needles started poking through his feathers and digging into his skin. With a sigh, he rolled over and started to get to his talons. How he ended up the way he did just a moment later would forever remain a mystery to everyone.  All Finnican knew was some branches snapped and rolled beneath him before he was upside down, pinned by the branches around him with the lower half of his body sticking up through the floor, his legs just straight poles in the air. There was no way he was going to be able to free himself. But at least he wasn't in any pain.

"...Uh... Kale?" he called, hoping the falcon had returned by now, "Kale? Anyone? Help!"

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"...Keep an eye out!" Kale nodded in reply to Finnican's question about taking a rest. They hadn't eaten since they set off in the morning, and they had long since put the snow and mountains behind them. All that rested below now were endless coniferous trees, and the occasional moose. Kale admitted to himself that it was high time for a break. 

The falcon glanced over at his companion with a mild, almost genuine look of sympathy. They had spent the past few hours in complete silence, and while Kale liked the quiet, some sort of annoying conscious in the back of his head told him he was being too rude. The next time Finnican spoke, he decided to reply.

Finnican inwardly sighed in relief, both because he would soon be able to rest his tired wing muscles, and because Kale hadn't scolded him for speaking up. And so he turned his gaze downward, looking for a good spot to rest.

"...How about down there?" he asked.
There was a small opening in the trees below, where the branches interlaced to form a nest-like floor. It was solid enough for a few birds to lay on for a nap, and this couldn't be seen unless they were actually there, but this space was mostly covered by a roof of more interlacing branches.

Kale followed Finnican's eyes and began banking his turn into a low spiral to get a better view of the area he pointed out. After a few more rotations he nodded in agreement. "Yeah... yeah that could work. Make sure there's no thorns or snakes, I'll see if I can catch something."

Oh my gosh XD The moment I read "snake", I just had the image of Finnican trying to flirt with a female python to try and convince her not to squeeze him to death while Kale was out hunting XD)

"Alright. I will do that!" Finnican grinned before gliding past Kale to the spot. He landed on the branch floor and took a moment to just stand there and sigh.
Well, that was awkward. I mean, he's talking to me now, but it was still...
With another sigh, the male falcon began slowly walking through what he decided was a cave made of evergreen branches, searching for thorns and snakes, and anything else that would make this place bad for a resting spot. He was now under the roof, where no bird could see him from above.
But that's okay! he continued in his thoughts, I know that if I just keep positive, then things will be better! I'll just be nice to him and we'll be good friends in no time!

(Omg  That sounds like Fin! XD 

Kale: *bursts out laughing at the "we'll be good friends" line*  Yeah, and I'm a unicorn! XD)

Kale let out a long sigh of relief with Fin's departure to the resting tree. He began scanning the forest floor in the opposite direction for anything small enough to catch. Not long after starting his trip, he spotted a squirrel coming out on a branch far below to eat from a hanging pine-cone. With one quick dive, a flash of grey, and nary a sound-- Kale had his lunch. I guess I need to catch Fin something too... maybe that will get him to leave me alone at least through this break.

(XD)

(Finnican: )

After looking all around the space, Finnican found it was empty of thorns and snakes. He sat in a corner of the place to wait for Kale. Within the next moment, he was bored of his mind. With an audible groan, he turned and fell on his back with his wings outstretched to either side of him. For a moment, he thought he could take a nap. And so he closed his eyes. But when he shifted to get into a more comfortable position, pine needles started poking through his feathers and digging into his skin. With a sigh, he rolled over and started to get to his talons. How he ended up the way he did just a moment later would forever remain a mystery to everyone.  All Finnican knew was some branches snapped and rolled beneath him before he was upside down, pinned by the branches around him with the lower half of his body sticking up through the floor, his legs just straight poles in the air. There was no way he was going to be able to free himself. But at least he wasn't in any pain.

"...Uh... Kale?" he called, hoping the falcon had returned by now, "Kale? Anyone? Help!"

A few minutes after Fin's struggle began, Kale fluttered to a landing calmly a few feet away on the lip of the large weave of canopy. In one talon he set down an average sized rabbit, and in his beak he held the caught squirrel. He set both of the prey down and looked at Fin, who was facing the other way, for a moment before sighing to announce himself. 

".... How?" Was his only question, his blank face holding no amusement.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:"...Keep an eye out!" Kale nodded in reply to Finnican's question about taking a rest. They hadn't eaten since they set off in the morning, and they had long since put the snow and mountains behind them. All that rested below now were endless coniferous trees, and the occasional moose. Kale admitted to himself that it was high time for a break. 

The falcon glanced over at his companion with a mild, almost genuine look of sympathy. They had spent the past few hours in complete silence, and while Kale liked the quiet, some sort of annoying conscious in the back of his head told him he was being too rude. The next time Finnican spoke, he decided to reply.

Finnican inwardly sighed in relief, both because he would soon be able to rest his tired wing muscles, and because Kale hadn't scolded him for speaking up. And so he turned his gaze downward, looking for a good spot to rest.

"...How about down there?" he asked.
There was a small opening in the trees below, where the branches interlaced to form a nest-like floor. It was solid enough for a few birds to lay on for a nap, and this couldn't be seen unless they were actually there, but this space was mostly covered by a roof of more interlacing branches.

Kale followed Finnican's eyes and began banking his turn into a low spiral to get a better view of the area he pointed out. After a few more rotations he nodded in agreement. "Yeah... yeah that could work. Make sure there's no thorns or snakes, I'll see if I can catch something."

Oh my gosh XD The moment I read "snake", I just had the image of Finnican trying to flirt with a female python to try and convince her not to squeeze him to death while Kale was out hunting XD)

"Alright. I will do that!" Finnican grinned before gliding past Kale to the spot. He landed on the branch floor and took a moment to just stand there and sigh.
Well, that was awkward. I mean, he's talking to me now, but it was still...
With another sigh, the male falcon began slowly walking through what he decided was a cave made of evergreen branches, searching for thorns and snakes, and anything else that would make this place bad for a resting spot. He was now under the roof, where no bird could see him from above.
But that's okay! he continued in his thoughts, I know that if I just keep positive, then things will be better! I'll just be nice to him and we'll be good friends in no time!

(Omg  That sounds like Fin! XD 

Kale: *bursts out laughing at the "we'll be good friends" line*  Yeah, and I'm a unicorn! XD)

Kale let out a long sigh of relief with Fin's departure to the resting tree. He began scanning the forest floor in the opposite direction for anything small enough to catch. Not long after starting his trip, he spotted a squirrel coming out on a branch far below to eat from a hanging pine-cone. With one quick dive, a flash of grey, and nary a sound-- Kale had his lunch. I guess I need to catch Fin something too... maybe that will get him to leave me alone at least through this break.

(XD)

(Finnican: )

After looking all around the space, Finnican found it was empty of thorns and snakes. He sat in a corner of the place to wait for Kale. Within the next moment, he was bored of his mind. With an audible groan, he turned and fell on his back with his wings outstretched to either side of him. For a moment, he thought he could take a nap. And so he closed his eyes. But when he shifted to get into a more comfortable position, pine needles started poking through his feathers and digging into his skin. With a sigh, he rolled over and started to get to his talons. How he ended up the way he did just a moment later would forever remain a mystery to everyone.  All Finnican knew was some branches snapped and rolled beneath him before he was upside down, pinned by the branches around him with the lower half of his body sticking up through the floor, his legs just straight poles in the air. There was no way he was going to be able to free himself. But at least he wasn't in any pain.

"...Uh... Kale?" he called, hoping the falcon had returned by now, "Kale? Anyone? Help!"

A few minutes after Fin's struggle began, Kale fluttered to a landing calmly a few feet away on the lip of the large weave of canopy. In one talon he set down an average sized rabbit, and in his beak he held the caught squirrel. He set both of the prey down and looked at Fin, who was facing the other way, for a moment before sighing to announce himself. 

".... How?" Was his only question, his blank face holding no amusement.

"Oh hey! You're here!" Finnican exclaimed, rejoicing as he'd been on the brink of giving up hope. "So, uh... Ya, this happened... Please help?"
As he spoke, his talons moved with what he said. Then they once again hung in the air as he waited for Kale to do something.

...He...will help me out, right? he thought nervously.

Kale closed his eyes for a moment. It took a power greater than the Ethyrium, than all the Phoenix and Dragons and Gryphons in the world, a power more certain than the rising sun or falling of the moon. It took a strength unmatched by a hundred thousand armies for Kale to not simply fly away. 

With some greater force beyond his comprehension, Kale stepped over to the legs that made up his companion and pulled at the twisted branches knotted around them. "Spread your wings, you're going to fall." 

Kale shook his head as he pulled at the last few knotted branches. "I'll count. One.. " Before he got to two, Kale pulled the last branch out, releasing Finnican into a short free-fall. 


Oops. The Peregrine falcon put on his best surprised face for when Fin came back up.

()

Finnican let out a high pitched scream, unprepared for the drop. After flailing in the air, his wings shot open.

There was a racket of branches and yelps below Kale before Finnican finally crawled back up through the hole. He collapsed in front of his 'savior', his breathing labored.

"What happened to two and three?!" he finally squawked with wide eyes, pine needles and bark bits sticking out through his ruffled feathers.

Wildwing wrote:()

Finnican let out a high pitched scream, unprepared for the drop. After flailing in the air, his wings shot open.

There was a racket of branches and yelps below Kale before Finnican finally crawled back up through the hole. He collapsed in front of his 'savior', his breathing labored.

"What happened to two and three?!" he finally squawked with wide eyes, pine needles and bark bits sticking out through his ruffled feathers.

"Huh. It must have been looser than I thought!" Kale replied, blinking and feigning surprise. He waited a few moments for Fin to compose himself before turning around and nodding to the prey. "I caught you something.... I'm going to rest and have a quick nap before I eat, then we can start out again."

Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Finnican nodded and, after a moment of consideration, chose the rabbit for himself. He moved to a tree deeper inside the canopy, settled beside it, and began to eat. He expected Kale to get right to sleep as he said he wanted a nap, but hearing the continuous shuffle of items, he looked over to the other falcon.

"What are you doing?" he asked before swallowing his bite of rabbit.

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Finnican nodded and, after a moment of consideration, chose the rabbit for himself. He moved to a tree deeper inside the canopy, settled beside it, and began to eat. He expected Kale to get right to sleep as he said he wanted a nap, but hearing the continuous shuffle of items, he looked over to the other falcon.

"What are you doing?" he asked before swallowing his bite of rabbit.

"... Uh, just ... writing a few things down." Kale answered, his feathers prickling a bit as he felt Finnican's eyes. He wasn't about to explain himself any further, having not even shared the contents of his journal with Rinka the few times she had been curious about it. He toyed with the lid of the ink vial as he thought to himself, spacing out and staring off at nothing in particular among the branches.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Finnican nodded and, after a moment of consideration, chose the rabbit for himself. He moved to a tree deeper inside the canopy, settled beside it, and began to eat. He expected Kale to get right to sleep as he said he wanted a nap, but hearing the continuous shuffle of items, he looked over to the other falcon.

"What are you doing?" he asked before swallowing his bite of rabbit.

"... Uh, just ... writing a few things down." Kale answered, his feathers prickling a bit as he felt Finnican's eyes. He wasn't about to explain himself any further, having not even shared the contents of his journal with Rinka the few times she had been curious about it. He toyed with the lid of the ink vial as he thought to himself, spacing out and staring off at nothing in particular among the branches.

"What kind of things?" Finnican asked before sitting back and taking another bite out of the rabbit, failing to read the atmosphere.

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Finnican nodded and, after a moment of consideration, chose the rabbit for himself. He moved to a tree deeper inside the canopy, settled beside it, and began to eat. He expected Kale to get right to sleep as he said he wanted a nap, but hearing the continuous shuffle of items, he looked over to the other falcon.

"What are you doing?" he asked before swallowing his bite of rabbit.

"... Uh, just ... writing a few things down." Kale answered, his feathers prickling a bit as he felt Finnican's eyes. He wasn't about to explain himself any further, having not even shared the contents of his journal with Rinka the few times she had been curious about it. He toyed with the lid of the ink vial as he thought to himself, spacing out and staring off at nothing in particular among the branches.

"What kind of things?" Finnican asked before sitting back and taking another bite out of the rabbit, failing to read the atmosphere.

Kale was quiet, unmoving. He sighed after a few seconds, "Uh, well .... you know ... It's not really-- "

"Told you it wouldn't work."  

Kale flinched at the sound of the voice, turning to Finnican. At first he thought it was the falcon who had spoken, but the voice sounded like... 

"Well then what do you propose? I can't just--"


"I know a place. It would be good for them. If was for me."


Kale stood up, looking past Fin and around the canopy. "Th-that was Tyrin's voice! And... " And that other one... it sounds so familiar... 


Kale feathers began to bristle as he looked around, seeing nothing that would indicate the presence of the voices, he wasn't even sure if Fin was hearing them as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Kale noticed a soft yellow glow from his satchel. Were the voices coming from one of the Gryphon devices in his satchel?

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Finnican nodded and, after a moment of consideration, chose the rabbit for himself. He moved to a tree deeper inside the canopy, settled beside it, and began to eat. He expected Kale to get right to sleep as he said he wanted a nap, but hearing the continuous shuffle of items, he looked over to the other falcon.

"What are you doing?" he asked before swallowing his bite of rabbit.

"... Uh, just ... writing a few things down." Kale answered, his feathers prickling a bit as he felt Finnican's eyes. He wasn't about to explain himself any further, having not even shared the contents of his journal with Rinka the few times she had been curious about it. He toyed with the lid of the ink vial as he thought to himself, spacing out and staring off at nothing in particular among the branches.

"What kind of things?" Finnican asked before sitting back and taking another bite out of the rabbit, failing to read the atmosphere.

Kale was quiet, unmoving. He sighed after a few seconds, "Uh, well .... you know ... It's not really-- "

"Told you it wouldn't work."  

Kale flinched at the sound of the voice, turning to Finnican. At first he thought it was the falcon who had spoken, but the voice sounded like... 

"Well then what do you propose? I can't just--"


"I know a place. It would be good for them. If was for me."


Kale stood up, looking past Fin and around the canopy. "Th-that was Tyrin's voice! And... " And that other one... it sounds so familiar... 


Kale feathers began to bristle as he looked around, seeing nothing that would indicate the presence of the voices, he wasn't even sure if Fin was hearing them as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Kale noticed a soft yellow glow from his satchel. Were the voices coming from one of the Gryphon devices in his satchel?

Finnican looked toward Kale out of the corner of his eye. Hearing the hesitation in his voice, he figured the other falcon was going to say something like, 'It's not your business.' As he prepared himself to shrug it off and agree with Kale, he realized he did hear something that sounded like voices in the distance to him.

Well that was weird- he started, thinking he was imagining things. And then when the voices continued, he looked a little more fully towards Kale with a confused look on his face. He then began to think there really was someone else talking when Kale stood up and began to look around the canopy.

"Who?" Finnican asked when a name that was unfamiliar to him was spoken, also beginning to look around the canopy for the owners of the voices.

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Finnican nodded and, after a moment of consideration, chose the rabbit for himself. He moved to a tree deeper inside the canopy, settled beside it, and began to eat. He expected Kale to get right to sleep as he said he wanted a nap, but hearing the continuous shuffle of items, he looked over to the other falcon.

"What are you doing?" he asked before swallowing his bite of rabbit.

"... Uh, just ... writing a few things down." Kale answered, his feathers prickling a bit as he felt Finnican's eyes. He wasn't about to explain himself any further, having not even shared the contents of his journal with Rinka the few times she had been curious about it. He toyed with the lid of the ink vial as he thought to himself, spacing out and staring off at nothing in particular among the branches.

"What kind of things?" Finnican asked before sitting back and taking another bite out of the rabbit, failing to read the atmosphere.

Kale was quiet, unmoving. He sighed after a few seconds, "Uh, well .... you know ... It's not really-- "

"Told you it wouldn't work."  

Kale flinched at the sound of the voice, turning to Finnican. At first he thought it was the falcon who had spoken, but the voice sounded like... 

"Well then what do you propose? I can't just--"


"I know a place. It would be good for them. If was for me."


Kale stood up, looking past Fin and around the canopy. "Th-that was Tyrin's voice! And... " And that other one... it sounds so familiar... 


Kale feathers began to bristle as he looked around, seeing nothing that would indicate the presence of the voices, he wasn't even sure if Fin was hearing them as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Kale noticed a soft yellow glow from his satchel. Were the voices coming from one of the Gryphon devices in his satchel?

Finnican looked toward Kale out of the corner of his eye. Hearing the hesitation in his voice, he figured the other falcon was going to say something like, 'It's not your business.' As he prepared himself to shrug it off and agree with Kale, he realized he did hear something that sounded like voices in the distance to him.

Well that was weird- he started, thinking he was imagining things. And then when the voices continued, he looked a little more fully towards Kale with a confused look on his face. He then began to think there really was someone else talking when Kale stood up and began to look around the canopy.

"Who?" Finnican asked when a name that was unfamiliar to him was spoken, also beginning to look around the canopy for the owners of the voices.

"I swear I just heard... " Kale stepped over to his satchel, opening the flap and releasing the amber-colored light to shine from within. He quickly poked his head into the bag and discovered the source of the light and soft sounds. He returned from out of the satchel with the Tracking Disk in his beak, confusion and wonder across his face as he set it down between him and Fin. 

"...When Rinka touched a piece of this it showed her a vision... I think we're hearing one now." Kale spoke quietly, keeping his eyes focused on the shimmering glyphs across the metal disk. The voices came again, much clearer this time. 

"If you can hear me, both of you please take the disk in your talons... this is for the best."

Kale froze, staring at the disk at first, and then Finnican.

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Finnican nodded and, after a moment of consideration, chose the rabbit for himself. He moved to a tree deeper inside the canopy, settled beside it, and began to eat. He expected Kale to get right to sleep as he said he wanted a nap, but hearing the continuous shuffle of items, he looked over to the other falcon.

"What are you doing?" he asked before swallowing his bite of rabbit.

"... Uh, just ... writing a few things down." Kale answered, his feathers prickling a bit as he felt Finnican's eyes. He wasn't about to explain himself any further, having not even shared the contents of his journal with Rinka the few times she had been curious about it. He toyed with the lid of the ink vial as he thought to himself, spacing out and staring off at nothing in particular among the branches.

"What kind of things?" Finnican asked before sitting back and taking another bite out of the rabbit, failing to read the atmosphere.

Kale was quiet, unmoving. He sighed after a few seconds, "Uh, well .... you know ... It's not really-- "

"Told you it wouldn't work."  

Kale flinched at the sound of the voice, turning to Finnican. At first he thought it was the falcon who had spoken, but the voice sounded like... 

"Well then what do you propose? I can't just--"


"I know a place. It would be good for them. If was for me."


Kale stood up, looking past Fin and around the canopy. "Th-that was Tyrin's voice! And... " And that other one... it sounds so familiar... 


Kale feathers began to bristle as he looked around, seeing nothing that would indicate the presence of the voices, he wasn't even sure if Fin was hearing them as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Kale noticed a soft yellow glow from his satchel. Were the voices coming from one of the Gryphon devices in his satchel?

Finnican looked toward Kale out of the corner of his eye. Hearing the hesitation in his voice, he figured the other falcon was going to say something like, 'It's not your business.' As he prepared himself to shrug it off and agree with Kale, he realized he did hear something that sounded like voices in the distance to him.

Well that was weird- he started, thinking he was imagining things. And then when the voices continued, he looked a little more fully towards Kale with a confused look on his face. He then began to think there really was someone else talking when Kale stood up and began to look around the canopy.

"Who?" Finnican asked when a name that was unfamiliar to him was spoken, also beginning to look around the canopy for the owners of the voices.

"I swear I just heard... " Kale stepped over to his satchel, opening the flap and releasing the amber-colored light to shine from within. He quickly poked his head into the bag and discovered the source of the light and soft sounds. He returned from out of the satchel with the Tracking Disk in his beak, confusion and wonder across his face as he set it down between him and Fin. 

"...When Rinka touched a piece of this it showed her a vision... I think we're hearing one now." Kale spoke quietly, keeping his eyes focused on the shimmering glyphs across the metal disk. The voices came again, much clearer this time. 

"If you can hear me, both of you please take the disk in your talons... this is for the best."

Kale froze, staring at the disk at first, and then Finnican.

Finnican turned to see the light shining out of Kale's satchel. His eyes went round.
He was carrying around the piece of the sun?! he mentally exclaimed as Kale pulled out the Tracking Disk, Wait...is the sun metal?
Doubting his first assumption, he stood up and walked over to Kale to get a closer look, leaving his partially eaten rabbit behind.
"A...vision?" he asked hesitantly as he looked down at the disk skeptically. He jumped when the voice sounded from the disk. He blinked several times, briefly wondering if this was a dream. Then, after contemplating the voice's instructions for a moment, shrugged.
"Kay," he chirped before picking the disk right up. He held the other side to Kale for him to take hold of. "By the way, why are we doing this? ...Tyyyyyrin, right?" He added the last part with a squint to Kale, silently asking if he got the name right.

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Finnican nodded and, after a moment of consideration, chose the rabbit for himself. He moved to a tree deeper inside the canopy, settled beside it, and began to eat. He expected Kale to get right to sleep as he said he wanted a nap, but hearing the continuous shuffle of items, he looked over to the other falcon.

"What are you doing?" he asked before swallowing his bite of rabbit.

"... Uh, just ... writing a few things down." Kale answered, his feathers prickling a bit as he felt Finnican's eyes. He wasn't about to explain himself any further, having not even shared the contents of his journal with Rinka the few times she had been curious about it. He toyed with the lid of the ink vial as he thought to himself, spacing out and staring off at nothing in particular among the branches.

"What kind of things?" Finnican asked before sitting back and taking another bite out of the rabbit, failing to read the atmosphere.

Kale was quiet, unmoving. He sighed after a few seconds, "Uh, well .... you know ... It's not really-- "

"Told you it wouldn't work."  

Kale flinched at the sound of the voice, turning to Finnican. At first he thought it was the falcon who had spoken, but the voice sounded like... 

"Well then what do you propose? I can't just--"


"I know a place. It would be good for them. If was for me."


Kale stood up, looking past Fin and around the canopy. "Th-that was Tyrin's voice! And... " And that other one... it sounds so familiar... 


Kale feathers began to bristle as he looked around, seeing nothing that would indicate the presence of the voices, he wasn't even sure if Fin was hearing them as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Kale noticed a soft yellow glow from his satchel. Were the voices coming from one of the Gryphon devices in his satchel?

Finnican looked toward Kale out of the corner of his eye. Hearing the hesitation in his voice, he figured the other falcon was going to say something like, 'It's not your business.' As he prepared himself to shrug it off and agree with Kale, he realized he did hear something that sounded like voices in the distance to him.

Well that was weird- he started, thinking he was imagining things. And then when the voices continued, he looked a little more fully towards Kale with a confused look on his face. He then began to think there really was someone else talking when Kale stood up and began to look around the canopy.

"Who?" Finnican asked when a name that was unfamiliar to him was spoken, also beginning to look around the canopy for the owners of the voices.

"I swear I just heard... " Kale stepped over to his satchel, opening the flap and releasing the amber-colored light to shine from within. He quickly poked his head into the bag and discovered the source of the light and soft sounds. He returned from out of the satchel with the Tracking Disk in his beak, confusion and wonder across his face as he set it down between him and Fin. 

"...When Rinka touched a piece of this it showed her a vision... I think we're hearing one now." Kale spoke quietly, keeping his eyes focused on the shimmering glyphs across the metal disk. The voices came again, much clearer this time. 

"If you can hear me, both of you please take the disk in your talons... this is for the best."

Kale froze, staring at the disk at first, and then Finnican.

Finnican turned to see the light shining out of Kale's satchel. His eyes went round.
He was carrying around the piece of the sun?! he mentally exclaimed as Kale pulled out the Tracking Disk, Wait...is the sun metal?
Doubting his first assumption, he stood up and walked over to Kale to get a closer look, leaving his partially eaten rabbit behind.
"A...vision?" he asked hesitantly as he looked down at the disk skeptically. He jumped when the voice sounded from the disk. He blinked several times, briefly wondering if this was a dream. Then, after contemplating the voice's instructions for a moment, shrugged.
"Kay," he chirped before picking the disk right up. He held the other side to Kale for him to take hold of. "By the way, why are we doing this? ...Tyyyyyrin, right?" He added the last part with a squint to Kale, silently asking if he got the name right.

"... Okay, Dalkota, they've got it... you're on."


Kale kept hold of the disk, looking over at Finnican as he did. As soon as he heard Tyrin speak the name, he instantly flinched, his eyes shooting wide open. 
"Dalkota?! He's there?! Tyrin!" Dalkota?! It's been years-- why hasn't he contacted me sooner?! 

As Kale began to panic, his grip tightened on the disk, he didn't notice the energy that began to swirl around them as he spoke. "Tyrin, can you hear me?! I need to see him! I need to see Dalkota, please! I-I have so many questions!"

"They're panicking. Are you opening the right Rift?"


"It should only be another moment. Kale is in a fluster. He may be able to hear my voice, he will no doubt have a desire to speak with me. Our last encounter was many years ago, and the information I provided him with left him in quite a state.... there! The Rift is functioning!"


"Don't worry you two. You're in good talons now... we need every member of this team working together, and until you can learn to do that... well, you'll see. Good luck!"

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:

Jaystep wrote:

Wildwing wrote:Finnican frowned at Kale and then, with a sigh, rested his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When the other falcon spoke again, he opened his eyes and looked toward him.

"Oh cool! Thanks dude!" he chirped with a wide smile, "And alright! Sounds good! I'll stay quiet so you can sleep!"
He pushed himself to his talons and walked over to the prey Kale had caught. He was hungry, so he decided to eat now rather than later.
"Hey, do you want the rabbit or the squirrel?"

"Doesn't matter." Kale answered, already moving to settle down. He had chosen a space, despite the size of the large canopy, against the nearest tree. He set his satchel down beside him, having not wanted to leave it behind during his hunt. The falcon puled open the tied flap and began looking over the contents with a frown. After a moment of searching he retrieved a small black, leather bound journal full of loose leaves of parchment paper, and a tiny vial of ink sealed with a cork. He poked his head back into the satchel and picked his quill out with his beak, setting it down next to the rest of his writing supplies.

Finnican nodded and, after a moment of consideration, chose the rabbit for himself. He moved to a tree deeper inside the canopy, settled beside it, and began to eat. He expected Kale to get right to sleep as he said he wanted a nap, but hearing the continuous shuffle of items, he looked over to the other falcon.

"What are you doing?" he asked before swallowing his bite of rabbit.

"... Uh, just ... writing a few things down." Kale answered, his feathers prickling a bit as he felt Finnican's eyes. He wasn't about to explain himself any further, having not even shared the contents of his journal with Rinka the few times she had been curious about it. He toyed with the lid of the ink vial as he thought to himself, spacing out and staring off at nothing in particular among the branches.

"What kind of things?" Finnican asked before sitting back and taking another bite out of the rabbit, failing to read the atmosphere.

Kale was quiet, unmoving. He sighed after a few seconds, "Uh, well .... you know ... It's not really-- "

"Told you it wouldn't work."  

Kale flinched at the sound of the voice, turning to Finnican. At first he thought it was the falcon who had spoken, but the voice sounded like... 

"Well then what do you propose? I can't just--"


"I know a place. It would be good for them. If was for me."


Kale stood up, looking past Fin and around the canopy. "Th-that was Tyrin's voice! And... " And that other one... it sounds so familiar... 


Kale feathers began to bristle as he looked around, seeing nothing that would indicate the presence of the voices, he wasn't even sure if Fin was hearing them as well. Out of the corner of his eye, Kale noticed a soft yellow glow from his satchel. Were the voices coming from one of the Gryphon devices in his satchel?

Finnican looked toward Kale out of the corner of his eye. Hearing the hesitation in his voice, he figured the other falcon was going to say something like, 'It's not your business.' As he prepared himself to shrug it off and agree with Kale, he realized he did hear something that sounded like voices in the distance to him.

Well that was weird- he started, thinking he was imagining things. And then when the voices continued, he looked a little more fully towards Kale with a confused look on his face. He then began to think there really was someone else talking when Kale stood up and began to look around the canopy.

"Who?" Finnican asked when a name that was unfamiliar to him was spoken, also beginning to look around the canopy for the owners of the voices.

"I swear I just heard... " Kale stepped over to his satchel, opening the flap and releasing the amber-colored light to shine from within. He quickly poked his head into the bag and discovered the source of the light and soft sounds. He returned from out of the satchel with the Tracking Disk in his beak, confusion and wonder across his face as he set it down between him and Fin. 

"...When Rinka touched a piece of this it showed her a vision... I think we're hearing one now." Kale spoke quietly, keeping his eyes focused on the shimmering glyphs across the metal disk. The voices came again, much clearer this time. 

"If you can hear me, both of you please take the disk in your talons... this is for the best."

Kale froze, staring at the disk at first, and then Finnican.

Finnican turned to see the light shining out of Kale's satchel. His eyes went round.
He was carrying around the piece of the sun?! he mentally exclaimed as Kale pulled out the Tracking Disk, Wait...is the sun metal?
Doubting his first assumption, he stood up and walked over to Kale to get a closer look, leaving his partially eaten rabbit behind.
"A...vision?" he asked hesitantly as he looked down at the disk skeptically. He jumped when the voice sounded from the disk. He blinked several times, briefly wondering if this was a dream. Then, after contemplating the voice's instructions for a moment, shrugged.
"Kay," he chirped before picking the disk right up. He held the other side to Kale for him to take hold of. "By the way, why are we doing this? ...Tyyyyyrin, right?" He added the last part with a squint to Kale, silently asking if he got the name right.

"... Okay, Dalkota, they've got it... you're on."


Kale kept hold of the disk, looking over at Finnican as he did. As soon as he heard Tyrin speak the name, he instantly flinched, his eyes shooting wide open. 
"Dalkota?! He's there?! Tyrin!" Dalkota?! It's been years-- why hasn't he contacted me sooner?! 

As Kale began to panic, his grip tightened on the disk, he didn't notice the energy that began to swirl around them as he spoke. "Tyrin, can you hear me?! I need to see him! I need to see Dalkota, please! I-I have so many questions!"

"They're panicking. Are you opening the right Rift?"


"It should only be another moment. Kale is in a fluster. He may be able to hear my voice, he will no doubt have a desire to speak with me. Our last encounter was many years ago, and the information I provided him with left him in quite a state.... there! The Rift is functioning!"


"Don't worry you two. You're in good talons now... we need every member of this team working together, and until you can learn to do that... well, you'll see. Good luck!"

(Oh, don't tell me this is Tyrin's version of the "Our Get Along Shirt"! XD)

Finnican's eyes widened at the energy that began to swirl around him and Kale, now starting to get freaked out.
Voices out of magic metal, whatever, I can handle it. But what is this light? What's happening?!

"H-Hey, this isn't funny! C-Come on, tell me why-Hey, why aren't you replying to-It's like you can't hear us! ...Wait, you can't hear us?! But we can hear you and-! Wait! Tyrin! What are you talking about? What do you mean good luck? Good luck with what?!"

(It's much better than that! XD)

"Wait!" Kale cried out, the panic taking over his voice as he spotted the Rift energy. He didn't know where they were being sent, but the fact that Tyrin and Dalkota were sending them off meant that the two wouldn't be coming with them. And that meant even longer before Kale could see the Gryphon he missed so dearly. 

The gold light signaled the opening of a Rift where the two birds stood, and just as they were being pulled inside, Kale let out one last plea before he vanished along with Finnican to parts unknown. "No! Come back! Please! .... DALKOTA!!!"

(good to hear! XD)

Just before the duo were pulled into the Rift, Finnican squawked and shut his eyes. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to happen. His first thought was pain of some sort for whatever the light was going to do to him, but that didn't happen. In fact, he felt physically fine. Maybe nothing actually happened, or he was just too panicked to realize something had?

"...I'm...I'm not missing a wing, am I?" he shakily asked after a moment while sliding one eye open. That was when he saw...

"...Where..." the male falcon breathed, eyes round and beak hanging open.

Wildwing wrote:(good to hear! XD)

Just before the duo were pulled into the Rift, Finnican squawked and shut his eyes. He wasn't sure what he was expecting to happen. His first thought was pain of some sort for whatever the light was going to do to him, but that didn't happen. In fact, he felt physically fine. Maybe nothing actually happened, or he was just too panicked to realize something had?

"...I'm...I'm not missing a wing, am I?" he shakily asked after a moment while sliding one eye open. That was when he saw...

"...Where..." the male falcon breathed, eyes round and beak hanging open.

Kale opened his eyes as the energy faded, feathers still ruffled and eyes open wide. Without a thought about the change in scenery, he quickly looked to be sure his satchel had come with them. To his relief, it still rested on the ground beside him. It was only in his glance down at the dirt that he realized something was off. 

The ground around the two birds was soft and tilled, tiny sprout-lets arranged in rows for many feet in all directions. Kale looked past Finnican to spy a cluster of odd, far-off pillar shaped mountains in the distance. As he took in more of the surroundings, he quickly noted that the landscape was vastly different from the snowy forest he had been moments ago. Now the air was warm, evening fireflies dotting the air around the two birds, the sun nearly set. They stood in a field of rowed sprouts, trees on the side to their right and in front of them. To their left at the edge of the field was a sloping hill that moved down into what appeared to be a valley of many more fields. Directly behind the two birds rested a small hay cottage, a building the like of which Kale had never seen. Windows like his hollow, but an odd shaped roof and stringed paper lanterns roped over a porch that led towards the field. Most importantly behind the birds, setting at the edge of the porch with a kind smile, a large black and white bear. 

The bear's gaze was soft, and a genuinely warm voice rasped from his rumbly throat as the large creature finally spoke. "Well hello! And welcome!"