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Post by The Jenn on Oct 7, 2009 11:16:21 GMT -5
The Wood was quiet that afternoon. It was often hushed, but this type of silence actually made the squirrel notice it. Her ears twitched and her gaze sharpened briefly from its sad, vacant stare at the stone marking the resting place of her baby's scant remains. It wasn't a bad day for her today. She was born and bred to the dangers of this place. The quiet either meant that something was hunting nearby, or something was being hunted. Or both. Her tail twitched and she hunched in on herself, her animal form making her appear even smaller. At this time of day? The jubjubs didn't usually come out until later. Maybe there was another Tulgey around, or a small group of roaming banders on the lookout for a meal. Or a lost Outsider. Or something else. Sometimes you just didn't know. "Kazifel?" she whispered, glancing back. He wouldn't be too far away from her, she was sure. "Love, do you... feel something?"Tulgey Weird: How odd...she looks just...so innocent. It would really take a lot for someone to be able to harm her willingly...just look at that face! ....I'm not sure if any card ranked Eight or lower would ever be able to even think about it... |
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Post by Kari Muffin on Oct 7, 2009 22:21:27 GMT -5
He was in his human form. Recently he'd been spending more and more time pretending that everything was fine. Today was one of Femi's good day's though. "Good" was a matter of opinion as he stood awkwardly a distance behind her. He knew there was nothing left under the headstone. So Kazifel found himself staring at the trees in the distance. At first the awkward silence was ignored, but the longer it persisted the more he could feel the hair standing on the back of his neck. He jumped slightly when his wife spoke his name. Turning to her with arched eyebrows he was unsure of what to say. "No but... I think we should get back inside. Somethings not right."The silence was more than a little unnerving. Honker was terrified of this place. Nothing was right. He wanted to leave but Lythero kept pushing him on. It wasn't as if the swan dog had a place to go home. There was no place to go when he was like this. He padded through the brush, catching every so often. A surprised honk escaped him as he tripped over a branch, breaking the silence that had built in the surrounding area. When he looked up he saw people in the distance. Kazifel froze when he heard the sound, closing the distance between him and his wife. |
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Post by The Jenn on Oct 26, 2009 19:26:46 GMT -5
Inside, yes. They should definitely be inside when this sort of feeling crawled its way along her spine. Femi didn't like meeting anyone in the Wood, barring her family, and none of them would be out and about just here. Maybe Rosemary... but probably not. It would take a few minutes to walk back to their house from here, though. She could feel her stomach pressing against itself as she hunched. Her tail curled itself all the way around in front of her and past.
She didn't say anything to Kazifel's suggestion, just nodded and leaned closer to him. The sound made her jump out of her skin and squeal in fear, darting behind her husband. Wide pink eyes squeezed shut for a second before snapping back open and staring around his protective form. She had never heard anything like that before.
And she wasn't going to make a sound. Not with... something... out there. It was a good day. She still had a teensy bit of sense about her.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Oct 26, 2009 19:49:35 GMT -5
Kazifel nearly jumped at his wife's squeal. It was unexpected, and he could already feel the hair standing on the back of his neck as she darted behind him. Just stay calm, they didn't know what was out there.
He could feel his heart racing as he backed up slightly, making sure not to step on Femi.
And then the white furry form tumbled out of the brush. The swan-dog honked pitifully as he hit the ground with a soft thud. Ow. The trees were mean here. He grumbled as he struggled to his feet. And then he froze. His eyes had finally caught sight of the two forms that weren't all that far away. People. Were they good people? Were they going to try to eat him?
Kazifel stared for a few moments as he watched the form of a.... dog bird? He shifted uncomfortably. Maybe it would just go away if they kept silence.
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Post by The Jenn on Oct 26, 2009 20:45:39 GMT -5
Femi scooted back just slightly to avoid her husband's boots, happiest in her animal form at that moment for how small she could hunch and tuck herself. Someone was out there. Very, very definitely out there. Or... something? With that scary noise?
No, that was a someone who just fell through the bushes. The squirrel stared in fear, at first only peeking out from behind Kazifel and then craning a bit more of her torso so that she could twist for a better look.
A Tulgey. A weird little Tulgey, definitely a mixed breed, and younger by the looks of it. Something about it was utterly pitiful. Also utterly terrifying, simply for the strangeness and suddenness of its appearance. She shivered and clung to one of her husband's legs. If he wasn't saying anything then she wouldn't open her mouth. Then this... person could begin the conversation. Or leave. She hoped they left.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Oct 26, 2009 21:21:28 GMT -5
When the silence wasn't broken after a few minutes, the swan dog decided to speak. It was better than standing there awkwardly. "H...hi?" he said tentatively as he stood up, brushing a few bits twig out of his fur.
So awkward. "I... I... I'm a bit lost. Could you help me?"
Kazifel remained silent for a few long moments as he eyed the strange creature in front of him. It was Tulgey. And it was lost in the Woods? Well that... seemed a little odd. He didn't like it. Not one bit. He frowned at the creature when it spoke to them.
"No, we can't. Go away," he said bluntly.
Honker looked as if he was about to cry, glancing from the man to the woman. Who looked innocent. So very innocent. He made a distressed sound as he tried his hardest not to whimper.
Kazifel bit his lower lip. Maybe if he kicked it it would go away?
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Post by The Jenn on Oct 26, 2009 21:28:25 GMT -5
Oh dear. A Tulgey lost in the Wood... it happened sometimes, certainly. A child wandering away from its mother. A youth running away from home. A rare Outside-born trying to reconnect with their roots and failing miserably. An ill person. A hunter.
Femi shivered again. Oh, there were all sorts of reasons this seemingly innocent little thing could be a bit lost. That might be its lure. His lure, since it sounded male. It might be harmless. It might be a killer. You couldn't trust strangers. Never, never ever.
"Kazifel, we should leave," she managed in a thin whisper, pink eyes flicking from the person in front of them to the man standing tall above her. He would protect her. Such a handsome, darling King, her husband. She didn't have anything to fear so long as he was beside her and could help her get home.
And yet, in the Wood, there was always something to fear.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Oct 26, 2009 21:38:12 GMT -5
Kazifel nodded at his wife's comment. Of course the dog-swan thing was in their way. If they wanted to go home they had to take the path that he had stumbled upon. A small frustrated sigh escaped the King as he glared at the little creature. "Look, go away. You're not going to find any help here." He took a few quick steps forward.
Honker was still attempting not to cry when the man spoke. And suddenly he was moving. With a terrified honk he stumbled backwards and promptly curled into a ball. Shivering with terror he whimpered at the man's feet. "Please!" was all he could say as he covered his face.
Harmless. That was reassuring. He raised an eyebrow at the creature and poked it with his foot. It yelped and tried to curl tighter into a ball. Well, at least they didn't have to worry about it attacking them. Her turned to his wife and motioned her to walk ahead of her.
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Post by The Jenn on Oct 26, 2009 21:42:58 GMT -5
Femi hadn't a care in the world how her husband treated this unexpected stranger. So long as it didn't attack them or interact more than necessary, she just... she didn't care. She wanted to leave it behind them and go home, away from it and its frightened strangeness. Tulgeys were often just as leery of their own kind as they were of Outsiders, if not more so.
They would just band together against an Outsider, if need be.
She slowly uncurled enough to walk and decided to take her biped form, shifting up and hugging her stomach as she scooted closer to her husband. That also moved her closer to the ball of whimpering Tulgey, but she tried to get past that. She moved as her husband indicated, walking slowly ahead of him and past Honker.
In this form and standing, her rank would be quite clear and dark against her pale chest.
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Post by Kari Muffin on Oct 26, 2009 21:53:04 GMT -5
Kazifel wasn't particularly paying attention to where his foot was when he watched his wife walk by him. Her rank was clearly visible to the swan dog and the wonderful parasite that inhabited his stomach. Quite suddenly there was a gaping mouth that chomped down on the King's foot.
The sound that came out of Kazifel's mouth was a cross between a shriek and a howl as he fell backwards. Sharp. Teeth. Through his shoe. It released fairly quickly when he hit the ground.
What had just happened?
Honker squeaked when the man fell backwards and he realized Lythero was suddenly very much out. He made another distressed sound as he backed up. No. No. No. This wasn't happening. The jaw had already retracted and he was left looking normal. "I--Are you all right?" was all he could say.
Kazifel was at a loss as he stared down at his foot. There was no way that beak could do damage like that. And... that was a nice chunk of damage right there.
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