Post by Therdde on May 21, 2008 21:04:49 GMT -5
Characters:
Dichali – Male Bighorn Sheep
Therdde – Male Duck
- Rocky Outcropping -
It'd been some time since Dichali had been sighted in these lands. Winter tended to cause that sort of thing. The ram was still what other rams would see as a green horn...but he was still incredibly amazing in his own mind. Having had time to think about how he basically saved all the creatures of the land didn't help THAT at all. The big mouth was back, looking out over the lands from his place on the outcropping.
In the air, a solitary duck flies. It's not a common sight, even this far away from mating season, but this particular mallard is searching for the lake he knows is around here somewhere. He started his search a little too far north, and the lake is just now visible in the distance. There is something more interesting nearby, though. A single ram. Too curious for most of his species and for his own good, Therdde decides to fly lower, just to see if this is the only ram he knows by name.
Seeing a single duck also catches the ram's attention. The sheep raises its head to peer at the on coming duck and grins as much as a ram can. Surely that's Therdde right? What other duck would be flying at him while all on its lonesome? "Therdde," he asks loudly, "How've you been?!"
Just the sight of Dichali might not be enough for Therdde to positively identify him. One ram looks much like another. Same with just about every species other than his own, especially since he lacks the strong sense of smell. The voice helps, though, and Therdde doesn't hesitate at all before landing near the ram. "Well. And you?" Nothing overly sappy after seeing his ram friend for the first time in months. There are many more animals much further south he got to know over the winter, but that he won't really miss until he sees them again.
Dichali doesn't seem overly into being sappy about this either. "I'm alright," he states, "Skipping out on mating season again this year..."
Therdde may not be sappy, but he is surprised by what comes next. "You, ram who fought weakness and nausea to solve the cure and save us all, not willing to butt heads with a mortal of your own kind? I never thought I'd see the day." Therdde is joking, but only just. He's sure Dichali has his reasons.
The ram laughs a bit. "Oh certainly, none of them are good enough," Dich' plays along, "...but no...it’s the same problem as last year...we're just too unbalanced...too many males not enough females. A ram has a higher chance of dying than getting a female...I might as well let the other males get their prizes without having to fight /me/ to get them."
Surprisingly, ducks can be as competitive as rams when mating season rolls around. It's not a pleasant time. Luckily, it won't be for many months. With laughter in his tone, Therdde says, "You are much nobler than I. I can't say I have half your skill, but I would never just bow out for a season."
Dichali nods a little. "It is a great sacrifice I make," he says a bit over dramatically, "But it's worth it."
"If you say so." Therdde dismisses the topic almost entirely, now. It's not something he'll have to think about for some time to come, so he doesn't bother. "So, has there been any other tragedies running through here while I was away, or is it safe to return from a long winter?"
Dichali says, "I've been a bit out of the loop myself... I have to admit it doesn't feel the same anymore...being off by myself without you or someone else from the journey..."
It's different for Therdde. There were a couple weeks when he began to miss the adventure and excitement, but the duck is getting on in years, now. He has another couple years, maybe a bit more if he's lucky, but he's well past middle-aged, regardless. The winter was as boring as usual, but he doesn't seem to mind as much as he did in the weeks following their exploits in trying to find the cure. "Yes... It is different." He's not sure whether that's good or bad, though.
Dichali says, "...it's hard to think it's almost been a year... Even though you seem older now..."
Therdde can't really remember how long he was here before the sickness hit. He does remember that he came north earlier last year than this year. This year he actually waited for the rest of the ducks. If it hasn't been exactly a year since then, yes... It has been very close... "Yeah, well, it's certainly not my first spring, but it's not yours either. At least I haven't lost the will to compete for a mate yet." His tone doesn't quite suggest that he's been insulted, but the past year hasn't dulled his tongue any. He's still joking rather than honestly trying to insult Dichali for implying that he seems old, or even just older.
"Can't lose what I've never had, can I," Dichali states before looking as if he said something he didn't mean to.
This statement, too, is moderately surprising, if only because Therdde knows that most rams desire to mate. It's possible that Dichali is younger than Therdde thought, but he decides to drop the subject anyway. It may be a bit too touchy. "No, I suppose you can't..." Therdde trails off, with that.
Dichali isn't all that young though, he's just WEIRD. He's a freak of nature or something. "I'm more interested in wandering away from my heard than staying with them..."
"I can at least understand that." At least, sometimes. Especially /after/ the mating season, when there are just too many of them around. "It helps that we each have our defenses, though." Therdde's tone still holds the slightest hint of amusement, as he says that final part.
The ram nods. "There's way too many of my people up in the mountains."
The duck nods slightly. He'll refrain mentioning how that makes it safer. Of course Dichali knows that. "Maybe you could go visit the cougars again. As for me... I think I'll stick to the waters as long as possible." He had enough dry land last year to last a lifetime.
Or at least it's safer if they aren't TOO over crowded. That very well might be the case for a ram to have been driven off this way. It's practically insane to be alone like this. "Maybe I will..." Dichali states thoughtfully.
"I can accompany you as far as the lake. You'll have to pass my greeting onto Paoro, and let me know how it went on your trip back." Therdde spreads his wings just to fly high enough to land on Dichali's back. He grew accustomed to this during their mission to find the cure, and he doesn't rightly care how perfectly odd it is, or that he merely assumed Dichali would be heading off immediately.
The ram and duck definitely look odd, that's for sure. And Dichali simply does as the duck says too...it's rather an amusing sight.
Odd, perhaps, but they make a great travelling couple. They both have very similar attitudes in many ways, even if they manifest differently. Therdde slips into silence as the two begin on their way.
Dichali – Male Bighorn Sheep
Therdde – Male Duck
- Rocky Outcropping -
It'd been some time since Dichali had been sighted in these lands. Winter tended to cause that sort of thing. The ram was still what other rams would see as a green horn...but he was still incredibly amazing in his own mind. Having had time to think about how he basically saved all the creatures of the land didn't help THAT at all. The big mouth was back, looking out over the lands from his place on the outcropping.
In the air, a solitary duck flies. It's not a common sight, even this far away from mating season, but this particular mallard is searching for the lake he knows is around here somewhere. He started his search a little too far north, and the lake is just now visible in the distance. There is something more interesting nearby, though. A single ram. Too curious for most of his species and for his own good, Therdde decides to fly lower, just to see if this is the only ram he knows by name.
Seeing a single duck also catches the ram's attention. The sheep raises its head to peer at the on coming duck and grins as much as a ram can. Surely that's Therdde right? What other duck would be flying at him while all on its lonesome? "Therdde," he asks loudly, "How've you been?!"
Just the sight of Dichali might not be enough for Therdde to positively identify him. One ram looks much like another. Same with just about every species other than his own, especially since he lacks the strong sense of smell. The voice helps, though, and Therdde doesn't hesitate at all before landing near the ram. "Well. And you?" Nothing overly sappy after seeing his ram friend for the first time in months. There are many more animals much further south he got to know over the winter, but that he won't really miss until he sees them again.
Dichali doesn't seem overly into being sappy about this either. "I'm alright," he states, "Skipping out on mating season again this year..."
Therdde may not be sappy, but he is surprised by what comes next. "You, ram who fought weakness and nausea to solve the cure and save us all, not willing to butt heads with a mortal of your own kind? I never thought I'd see the day." Therdde is joking, but only just. He's sure Dichali has his reasons.
The ram laughs a bit. "Oh certainly, none of them are good enough," Dich' plays along, "...but no...it’s the same problem as last year...we're just too unbalanced...too many males not enough females. A ram has a higher chance of dying than getting a female...I might as well let the other males get their prizes without having to fight /me/ to get them."
Surprisingly, ducks can be as competitive as rams when mating season rolls around. It's not a pleasant time. Luckily, it won't be for many months. With laughter in his tone, Therdde says, "You are much nobler than I. I can't say I have half your skill, but I would never just bow out for a season."
Dichali nods a little. "It is a great sacrifice I make," he says a bit over dramatically, "But it's worth it."
"If you say so." Therdde dismisses the topic almost entirely, now. It's not something he'll have to think about for some time to come, so he doesn't bother. "So, has there been any other tragedies running through here while I was away, or is it safe to return from a long winter?"
Dichali says, "I've been a bit out of the loop myself... I have to admit it doesn't feel the same anymore...being off by myself without you or someone else from the journey..."
It's different for Therdde. There were a couple weeks when he began to miss the adventure and excitement, but the duck is getting on in years, now. He has another couple years, maybe a bit more if he's lucky, but he's well past middle-aged, regardless. The winter was as boring as usual, but he doesn't seem to mind as much as he did in the weeks following their exploits in trying to find the cure. "Yes... It is different." He's not sure whether that's good or bad, though.
Dichali says, "...it's hard to think it's almost been a year... Even though you seem older now..."
Therdde can't really remember how long he was here before the sickness hit. He does remember that he came north earlier last year than this year. This year he actually waited for the rest of the ducks. If it hasn't been exactly a year since then, yes... It has been very close... "Yeah, well, it's certainly not my first spring, but it's not yours either. At least I haven't lost the will to compete for a mate yet." His tone doesn't quite suggest that he's been insulted, but the past year hasn't dulled his tongue any. He's still joking rather than honestly trying to insult Dichali for implying that he seems old, or even just older.
"Can't lose what I've never had, can I," Dichali states before looking as if he said something he didn't mean to.
This statement, too, is moderately surprising, if only because Therdde knows that most rams desire to mate. It's possible that Dichali is younger than Therdde thought, but he decides to drop the subject anyway. It may be a bit too touchy. "No, I suppose you can't..." Therdde trails off, with that.
Dichali isn't all that young though, he's just WEIRD. He's a freak of nature or something. "I'm more interested in wandering away from my heard than staying with them..."
"I can at least understand that." At least, sometimes. Especially /after/ the mating season, when there are just too many of them around. "It helps that we each have our defenses, though." Therdde's tone still holds the slightest hint of amusement, as he says that final part.
The ram nods. "There's way too many of my people up in the mountains."
The duck nods slightly. He'll refrain mentioning how that makes it safer. Of course Dichali knows that. "Maybe you could go visit the cougars again. As for me... I think I'll stick to the waters as long as possible." He had enough dry land last year to last a lifetime.
Or at least it's safer if they aren't TOO over crowded. That very well might be the case for a ram to have been driven off this way. It's practically insane to be alone like this. "Maybe I will..." Dichali states thoughtfully.
"I can accompany you as far as the lake. You'll have to pass my greeting onto Paoro, and let me know how it went on your trip back." Therdde spreads his wings just to fly high enough to land on Dichali's back. He grew accustomed to this during their mission to find the cure, and he doesn't rightly care how perfectly odd it is, or that he merely assumed Dichali would be heading off immediately.
The ram and duck definitely look odd, that's for sure. And Dichali simply does as the duck says too...it's rather an amusing sight.
Odd, perhaps, but they make a great travelling couple. They both have very similar attitudes in many ways, even if they manifest differently. Therdde slips into silence as the two begin on their way.