Post by argus on May 19, 2007 23:26:45 GMT -5
Stranger things have happened. Or have they? ;D
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Maple Glade
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A crackling carpet of fallen leaves covers the floor of the vast maple glade, making it difficult to cross without alerting its inhabitants to your presence. And yet - light filters through the highest branches and lends the area a warm, comforting glow. Its matches the rich colors that adorn the glade's lush foliage: deep yellows and oranges blending together into a luminous red-gold that seems to trickle down the trunks like shadowy rivulets of blood at dawn and dusk.
=================================== Exits ===================================
[East] into the Woods [North] to the Thicket
[Northeast] to a Stand of Wisteria [South] to an Old Chestnut Tree
[Southeast] to a Clearing
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[IC] Tonka
[IC] Argus
Argus
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A white-tailed deer, Argus is a mature buck, displaying all of the sinewy grace and solidity his kind is known for.
His head is narrow and fine, like many deer. White rings form around his eyes and around the tip of his muzzle. The muzzle itself is quite large, most of the front and top the black pad of his nose. His chin is white, and a patch of white forms at his throat. The rest of his coat is a dark dun colour, darker than most deer. His ears are large, scoop-shaped, and constantly in motion to listen for the slightest sound of danger.
Argus' pride, however, are the large antlers that branch over his head. Three tines branch off, and a final "fork" facing backward over his head. The antlers are bone-white, darker at the base and paler towards the tip.
His build is strong and well-muscled. His legs are slim and built for speed, cloven hooves surprisingly delicate for such a large creature. And, of course, there is his namesake -- a bob of a tail, pointed at the tip, with the underside wholly white.
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Tonka
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www.babyanimalz.com/images/babybear.jpg (Yeah, I'm lazy. Deal with it.)
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It's a pleasant day in the forest, with a faint breeze to rustle leaves and boughs overhead. It brings scents with it, but nothing particularly strong.
The only alarming scent is that of two male wolves, but even so, they've not been too recent. It's enough that they aren't a danger, and they were likely just passing through. There's little in the way of notable prey here.
...Well, not usually.
Leaves crunch and crackle underfoot, just a bit, as something makes its way through the warm red glow of maple leaves. A deer, by the looks of it -- something that isn't seen too often in these woods, surprisingly. Maybe the wolf and cougar presence is enough to scare them off.
Whatever the case, they haven't all left. Particularly, this fine-looking buck, who's probably being a little more paranoid than he needs to be. He looks over his shoulder. His ears twitch to and fro.
Still... even Argus can't pass up the delicious maple leaves that are low-lying enough to reach.
The sound of some small creature rustling wildly through the underbrush soon disturbs the peace of the glade, easily discernible as something small and most definitely lacking the stealth of a hunter. Accompanied by the crunching and rattling of leaves, various squeaks and grunts can be heard, with an occasional word dispersed into the racket. "Agh.. errrgh... gerroffmeh, you... stupid.. little... ghhhhrrr-rarrrrrrgh!" This continues on for a few moments until a small bundle of brown fur rolls into view, wiggling and shaking and scratching itself fervently, seeming quite oblivious to the deer in its current plight.. whatever that might be.
Long ears prick at the sound of crunching leaves and sparse underbrush. Argus' head swivels around to watch. It's something small, so it likely can't be a predator.
...Not unless it's an exceptionally clumsy one, anyway. That's probably the only reason why he hasn't bounded away yet.
A bear.
A very small bear. The stag immediately tenses, ready to bound away at the sight of an enraged momma bear. None seems forthcoming, though, while the bear cub rolls around and tries to dislodge whatever it is from him.
After a moment, Argus steps forward, dainty hooves making far less sound than the bear's clumsy thrashing. "Are..." He blinks, dancing back when the bear moves a little closer, drawing himself up and staring down his nose at the cub. "Good heavens. What is the matter, young one?"
Tonka suddenly sits up with a jolt at the voice, staring wide-eyed up at Argus as if the deer had fallen out of the sky. "Woah..." He stares and blinks for a moment, until the buck's question reminds him of what he was doing. He lifts a paw to scratch at an ear, then shakes himself off again, wrinkling his face in disgust. "Ants!" Indeed, if one were to look very closely, they could see a few red ants still clinging to his fur, and a few equally red welts on his nose where he's been stung. Well, how was he supposed to know that certain ants aren't any good to eat? It seems that he's gotten over the worst of his battle with the little insects, though, at least enough for him to focus the majority of his attention on strange creature towering over him. "You gots branches on your head." He remarks, as if politely trying to bring an affliction to the deer's notice.
Thankfully, Argus had not, in fact, fallen out of the sky. That would've been kinda painful.
The buck draws himself up a little, craning his neck forward a little to peer more closely at the bear cub. How interesting. The little guy seems to be covered in fire-ants.
"That is a problem, yes." There's Captain Obvious, for you. "Have you tried rolling in sand? They do not like sand, and will release. If you know how to swim, I suggest finding a stream. They will not hold in water. They cannot swi..."
Branches on his head? It seems to take Argus several seconds to understand what the youngster means by that. When he does, the stag laughs; a rich and hearty sound.
"They are not branches, young one. They are antlers. All male deer have them. The larger they are, the better. It is a sign of pride!" He tosses his head by way of demonstration. "It is like size in your kind, or length of one's claws or teeth."
"If the bites are stinging, you may still try the water. It is cool, if nothing else. Come, let us walk east. Where is your mother?" he inquires, politely, glancing down to the bear cub. "Surely she must be about."
...Maybe that'd explain why he's still on edge.
Round little ears perk up at Argus's words. Tonka continues to scratch himself, though less desperately than before. "I got most of 'em off." He says with relief. Again his attention turns to the branches... err... antlers. 'Well, they sure look like branches to me!', he thinks to himself, but for manners' sake he doesn't say so aloud. When the deer proposes a walk, a smile spreads across his little muzzle and he hops up to follow along. "Okay! I am thirsty." A dip in a stream sounds particularly good after that little disaster of a foray, anyway. As he's questioned about his mother, the cub's smile falters, replaced by a considerably more somber expression, and his brown eyes drop to the forest floor for a moment. "Men took her away. Momma told me what the smell was, before they came." He'll not go into details.. not that he'd be able to if he tried, as he doesn't have much grasp on what actually happened. "They didn't see me, though. I hid behind a big rock until they were gone." Eag
Eager to change the subject, he continues on, his expression lightening as he looks back up at his new companion. "Is the stream far away?"
"Fortunately, it does not take much to remove them." The stag starts walking and lets the cub catch up at his own rate. He wouldn't consider letting a bear cub tag along, but if the parents aren't around, what harm is there in helping him along? He's just a little guy, after all.
...And Argus would have demonstrated just how fast a stag can run.
"I see. Man is a problem." That's all he says. Argus just keeps his head held high, ears still flicking this way and that as he listens. "Better to run away from them."
Argus merely shakes his antlered head. "The stream is east, a short ways, through the wood. Do not worry; it is not far to roam."
Tonka has to work his much shorter legs at a considerable pace to keep up with Argus, even if the deer is taking his time, but he does so in earnest, glad to have found someone to talk to. "I couldn't run away if I tried. My legs got all stiff." He wrinkles his nose at the memory and goes quiet for a while, taking time to observe the stag's alert, graceful posture, which is quite unlike a bear's in all respects. He decides to try and emulate it, straightening himself up and lifting his head, walking with careful steps and turning his little ears this way and that. He quickly gives up on this when he starts to fall behind, though, and falls back into his natural gait as he runs to catch up. "Do you live in these woods all by yourself?" He asks curiously.
Speed is Argus' greatest attribute. The stag's stride is long, quick without even making any effort. He covers plenty of ground, though given the much shorter legs of the bear cub, he pauses every so often to make sure he isn't outpacing his smaller host.
Meanwhile, a bear imitating a stag is quite amusing. Argus makes no sound, but he does flick an ear, snorting in a stifled laugh. That goes with a shake of his head, as though it were just something distasteful on the wind.
"I do," the stag answers. "Our kind generally live alone... but I have not yet found others of my kind here. I have been searching for some time. Many moons have gone by, but I have not yet found any. I have called the maple glade home, for the time being. Its leaves warn me of danger."
The maple leaves in question crunch underfoot, and the stag lifts his head to glance around them as they walk. "There should be a stream close by."
Tonka listens intently to the stag's words, glancing down to the crunching leaves underfoot as they're mentioned; he hadn't really given it much thought before. He never had to worry about that sort of thing when he was with his mother. "Danger? Do you mean men?" One ear remains trained on Argus while the other tries to pick out the promising sounds of trickling water. "Momma said other bears can be dangerous, but I've never seen another one besides her."
"Not necessarily man. We deer are prey," the stag explains patiently. "Wolves and the mountain-cats eat us. We must be cautious so we are not caught."
Argus glances up, at the sunlight filtering through the red leaves. Evening will come soon, but there are a few hours to go yet.
Running water soon rewards the bear cub's ears, and he'll even smell it soon enough. The very earth itself seems a little more damp. "I do not know the ways of bears, but if your mother said that, then she must have been correct."
"There we are." Argus tosses his antlered head, indicating the stream. It's just enough for the cub to get wet in, but not quite enough to swim. "A ways downstream, we will find a place deep enough for you to swim and be rid of those ants. Drink if you like, here. This water is safe. I have drunk of it before."
"Oh! I saw wolves before. Momma showed me some, but I didn't get a good look 'cause they ran away when they saw her. She told me about mountain-cats, I think, but I never saw one of those." As interested as he seems to be in the conversation, the stream is quick to steal his attention when they reach it. He doesn't need to be told twice when the deer says that it's safe to drink from. He lopes happily to the water and wades right in without a second thought, letting it cool his paws as he lowers his head to lap thirstily at it's surface. He finds that it soothes the stings on his nose, and this discovery soon has him rolling and splashing about, though most of the ants are now gone. Only once he's quite soaked does he climb out and shake himself off, looking jovial and refreshed. "Thanks, uh... errr." He looks suddenly bemused, blinking. "Gosh, I don't know your name yet! Mine's Tonka."
In Thickening Forest, Lotus howls.
Argus follows closely, stepping lightly at the bank of the stream. He doesn't bound into the water like the cub does, though, instead preferring to dip his head and drink from the closest point at the shore.
His eyes turn up when the bear addresses him again, antlered head rising. "I am Argus, Lord of the Greenwood, bester of all challenging stags in the area." He delivers this line with no small amount of pride. "It is a place far from here. Forest, old forest, as far as the eye can see."
And one so young as him, a lord or master of any place? "Man came, though, and drove us away," Argus adds, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "He cut down the trees with blades and drove us from our secret places, killing us. I was fortunate enough to escape, and came here. I have taken to these maple glades. They are present, even if I have not found my kind."
"That is why man is trouble. He takes what he pleases, but he is just a child." The stag raises his head, ears pricking at a sudden sound, the howling of a wolf. "Wolf," comes the strained and tense comment. The stag issuddenly stiff, as though he might bound away at a moment's notice.
He hesitates, only on the grounds of the largely defenseless bear cub. Well, he can't just leave him there...
Tonka tries to store away the title in its entirety, squinting in concentration as he repeats it a few times in his head, though he's soon distracted as Argus goes on to speak of man again. Though he's eager enough to forget his own encounter with humans, he can't help but be interested in learning more about them; what he hears only makes him scrunch up his brow in confusion, though. How could children be able to take his mother away? That didn't make sense. He seems about to inquire further when he's distracted yet again, this time by the howl. He picks up on Argus's sudden change in demeanor and remembers what he'd said about deer being prey. He looks off in the direction that the sound had come from, starting to feel a bit uneasy himself. "It's not going to try and eat you, is it?" If only his mother were here! Then they would have nothing to fear from anything; well, that's how it works in Tonka's mind, anyway.
"No." Gradually, the stag lets up, though he's still wary through his stiff posture. His ears are pricked so far forward they're almost tilted. "I do not think so. At least, I do not hear it approach."
Argus looks back down to the bear cub, uncertain of what to do now that Tonka's predicament is taken care of.
"What are you going to do?" Straightening, he draws himself up, standing comfortably on those stilt-legs, head held high and turned down to regard his odd travelling companion. "If they have taken your family, where will you go?"
Tonka finds himself relieved that. Argus is the first creature that's shown him anything resembling kindness since he's been on his own, and he's certainly grateful for it. He'd rather not see the stag get eaten today, or ever for that matter.
The bear moves a little further up onto the bank, wiping some of the mud from his paws onto the grass, still looking off in the direction of the howl. He returns his gaze to the cervid as he's questioned, however, and it's one that catches him off guard. His ears twist and his head tilts with a thoughtful frown. How was he to know where to go or what to do now? He'd never had to make decisions like this before.
He flumps his rear-end to the ground and lets his gaze drift earthwards as well, adopting a look of intense concentration for a moment; then, in sudden insight, his face brightens, and he looks up again with a hopeful smile. "I could stay with you?" He proposes, far from understanding the implications of such a suggestion.
The stag turns, head swinging and lowering to take another drink from the stream. The water is cool and sweet, and thankfully not very muddy upstream from the point where Tonka had gone splashing around.
Tail flicking, Argus straightens and turns around to face the little bear at his suggestion.
Honestly, the idea is quite ridiculous. A stag, natural enemy of those creatures with such teeth and claws, toting around a baby bear for fun and profit. Or fun. Or something. Oh, whatever.
Argus sighs, large eyes rolling as he shakes his head and droops a little. Oh, strange and wondrous fate, to have put him into such a silly predicament.
"While I would love to look after you, you are no substitute for a deer, and I am no substitute for a bear," Argus points out. "Instead, I will propose this: You may stay with me for a time, but I will not go out of my way to watch over you. This is no place for such a young bear. And I cannot protect you from the mountain-cats or the wolves," he adds, solemn eyes and voice both directed at the cub.
Tonka's little face, strewn with hopefulness, threatens to crumple into a very unhappy expression when Argus begins to respond; luckily enough, though, it holds out until he hears the deer's proposal. Then his smile widens until he's practically beaming, and he pushes himself to his paws, giving an excited little hop and letting his head bob in an enthusiastic nod. "Okay! I can look after myself." Pshah. So he imagines, anyway. There's no doubt that he still has a whole lot of learning to do if he's going to survive on his own, and he'll probably have to learn the hard way.
For now, though, he's naive to such troubles; except the immediate problem of an empty stomach. The ants had been enough to distract him from his appetite, but now that that dilemma is solved he's remembering why he'd tried to get to them in the first place. He gives an annoyed look down at his rumbling stomach before looking back up at Argus, once again with a hopeful expression. "What kind of stuff do you eat?"
The sight of that smile is a sight only a mother could love, with all those teeth and sharp canines and wrinkles bear-muzzle. It's probably supposed to be adorable, but if there's any inherent cuteness, it's lost on the deer.
...Teeth are supposed to be flat and designed for browsing, after all; not sharp and dangerous...
Argus sighs and glances skyward again, as though in a silent prayer for patience to deal with this slightly boisterous young one. "Nothing your kind eats, young one," the stag answers, not unkindly. "Leaves, grass, and bark, for the most part. Certainly nothing you would find appetising."
Now he's almost wishing he knew more bears to tell what it is they eat. They're too clumsy to catch something like him, after all. "Hmm. Perhaps if we're lucky, we might find another bear, as well, whom we can ask a favour of."
...Wouldn't that be a sight? A young bear cub and a stag asking a favour of a full-grown bear.
Well, that wouldn't be too much more strange than the situation as it already stands, would it? The young bear tilts his head again and gives the deer a curious look. "But I do eat grass, and sometimes leaves too! And sedges, and roots, and berries, and mushrooms, and.." He draws in a breath. "...nuts and flowers and bugs! I like bugs a lot. Except those stupid ants."
Tonka lifts a paw to rub the stings on his nose, the tip of his tongue sticking out disdainfully, then looks up to his new cohort again. "Sometimes I eat fish, too! But I can't catch 'em by myself yet." Well, it seems the young bear certainly has an affinity for food; but that should hardly be a surprise to anyone who knows anything about bears.
"I see." Argus seems unconcerned by this list, turning and walking from the banks of the stream back towards the heart of the maple glade. He doesn't stop to look and see whether or not Tonka follows him.
One large, scoop-shaped ear flicks back at the mention of further diet, and fish. That's a little better. Good! So his sudden furry little friend here won't eat him. Just eat him out of house and home and maple glade.
Argus glances up again, as though in silent exasperation. "There are fish downstream, where the creek swells into a river. There are nuts and berries in the woods where I dwell. And you will find flowers, as well, and plenty of insects. Roots and sedges, mushrooms... all of these."
"Follow me, if you wish, or go. It makes little difference to me, for I will still continue my search. Take caution not to eat anything brightly-coloured, though. And good heavens, do not try to eat the fire-ants again..."
Well, carrion is technically on the list, too; but somehow the boy had the sense to leave it off, realizing that it probably wouldn't appeal to the deer much. But no, Argus certainly didn't have to worry about being eaten by the likes of little Tonka, and probably won't ever have to, even the bear one day became capable of such a feat.
As his unusual friend turns to wander off, Tonka doesn't hesitate to follow, bouncing along with a new spring in his step, apparently oblivious to Argus's seemingly blase attitude towards him. "That's good!" He remarks cheerfully of the food situation. And stay away from brightly-colored stuff. Check. "Oh no, no. No more fire-ants! They almost ate /me/."
As they wander along, the cub occasionally stops to sniff at an interesting scent or nibble at a tussock of grass (or whatever other known edible he stumbles across), or to stand up on his hind legs for a better look around, but never for long; he doesn't want to be left behind.
For all the attention he pays to his small and fluffy charge, the stag seems more or less oblivious to the fact that he has a young omnivore following him around. This is probably for the best, because it's the one thing he can do to maintain what little dignity he'd have left if someone spotted them.
Honestly. A stag with a bear cub in tow. Who'da thunk it?
Still, he'll look after the cub for as long as is practical... and off they wander, such a strange pair; the stag and the bear...
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Maple Glade
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A crackling carpet of fallen leaves covers the floor of the vast maple glade, making it difficult to cross without alerting its inhabitants to your presence. And yet - light filters through the highest branches and lends the area a warm, comforting glow. Its matches the rich colors that adorn the glade's lush foliage: deep yellows and oranges blending together into a luminous red-gold that seems to trickle down the trunks like shadowy rivulets of blood at dawn and dusk.
=================================== Exits ===================================
[East] into the Woods [North] to the Thicket
[Northeast] to a Stand of Wisteria [South] to an Old Chestnut Tree
[Southeast] to a Clearing
================================================================================
[IC] Tonka
[IC] Argus
Argus
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A white-tailed deer, Argus is a mature buck, displaying all of the sinewy grace and solidity his kind is known for.
His head is narrow and fine, like many deer. White rings form around his eyes and around the tip of his muzzle. The muzzle itself is quite large, most of the front and top the black pad of his nose. His chin is white, and a patch of white forms at his throat. The rest of his coat is a dark dun colour, darker than most deer. His ears are large, scoop-shaped, and constantly in motion to listen for the slightest sound of danger.
Argus' pride, however, are the large antlers that branch over his head. Three tines branch off, and a final "fork" facing backward over his head. The antlers are bone-white, darker at the base and paler towards the tip.
His build is strong and well-muscled. His legs are slim and built for speed, cloven hooves surprisingly delicate for such a large creature. And, of course, there is his namesake -- a bob of a tail, pointed at the tip, with the underside wholly white.
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Tonka
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www.babyanimalz.com/images/babybear.jpg (Yeah, I'm lazy. Deal with it.)
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It's a pleasant day in the forest, with a faint breeze to rustle leaves and boughs overhead. It brings scents with it, but nothing particularly strong.
The only alarming scent is that of two male wolves, but even so, they've not been too recent. It's enough that they aren't a danger, and they were likely just passing through. There's little in the way of notable prey here.
...Well, not usually.
Leaves crunch and crackle underfoot, just a bit, as something makes its way through the warm red glow of maple leaves. A deer, by the looks of it -- something that isn't seen too often in these woods, surprisingly. Maybe the wolf and cougar presence is enough to scare them off.
Whatever the case, they haven't all left. Particularly, this fine-looking buck, who's probably being a little more paranoid than he needs to be. He looks over his shoulder. His ears twitch to and fro.
Still... even Argus can't pass up the delicious maple leaves that are low-lying enough to reach.
The sound of some small creature rustling wildly through the underbrush soon disturbs the peace of the glade, easily discernible as something small and most definitely lacking the stealth of a hunter. Accompanied by the crunching and rattling of leaves, various squeaks and grunts can be heard, with an occasional word dispersed into the racket. "Agh.. errrgh... gerroffmeh, you... stupid.. little... ghhhhrrr-rarrrrrrgh!" This continues on for a few moments until a small bundle of brown fur rolls into view, wiggling and shaking and scratching itself fervently, seeming quite oblivious to the deer in its current plight.. whatever that might be.
Long ears prick at the sound of crunching leaves and sparse underbrush. Argus' head swivels around to watch. It's something small, so it likely can't be a predator.
...Not unless it's an exceptionally clumsy one, anyway. That's probably the only reason why he hasn't bounded away yet.
A bear.
A very small bear. The stag immediately tenses, ready to bound away at the sight of an enraged momma bear. None seems forthcoming, though, while the bear cub rolls around and tries to dislodge whatever it is from him.
After a moment, Argus steps forward, dainty hooves making far less sound than the bear's clumsy thrashing. "Are..." He blinks, dancing back when the bear moves a little closer, drawing himself up and staring down his nose at the cub. "Good heavens. What is the matter, young one?"
Tonka suddenly sits up with a jolt at the voice, staring wide-eyed up at Argus as if the deer had fallen out of the sky. "Woah..." He stares and blinks for a moment, until the buck's question reminds him of what he was doing. He lifts a paw to scratch at an ear, then shakes himself off again, wrinkling his face in disgust. "Ants!" Indeed, if one were to look very closely, they could see a few red ants still clinging to his fur, and a few equally red welts on his nose where he's been stung. Well, how was he supposed to know that certain ants aren't any good to eat? It seems that he's gotten over the worst of his battle with the little insects, though, at least enough for him to focus the majority of his attention on strange creature towering over him. "You gots branches on your head." He remarks, as if politely trying to bring an affliction to the deer's notice.
Thankfully, Argus had not, in fact, fallen out of the sky. That would've been kinda painful.
The buck draws himself up a little, craning his neck forward a little to peer more closely at the bear cub. How interesting. The little guy seems to be covered in fire-ants.
"That is a problem, yes." There's Captain Obvious, for you. "Have you tried rolling in sand? They do not like sand, and will release. If you know how to swim, I suggest finding a stream. They will not hold in water. They cannot swi..."
Branches on his head? It seems to take Argus several seconds to understand what the youngster means by that. When he does, the stag laughs; a rich and hearty sound.
"They are not branches, young one. They are antlers. All male deer have them. The larger they are, the better. It is a sign of pride!" He tosses his head by way of demonstration. "It is like size in your kind, or length of one's claws or teeth."
"If the bites are stinging, you may still try the water. It is cool, if nothing else. Come, let us walk east. Where is your mother?" he inquires, politely, glancing down to the bear cub. "Surely she must be about."
...Maybe that'd explain why he's still on edge.
Round little ears perk up at Argus's words. Tonka continues to scratch himself, though less desperately than before. "I got most of 'em off." He says with relief. Again his attention turns to the branches... err... antlers. 'Well, they sure look like branches to me!', he thinks to himself, but for manners' sake he doesn't say so aloud. When the deer proposes a walk, a smile spreads across his little muzzle and he hops up to follow along. "Okay! I am thirsty." A dip in a stream sounds particularly good after that little disaster of a foray, anyway. As he's questioned about his mother, the cub's smile falters, replaced by a considerably more somber expression, and his brown eyes drop to the forest floor for a moment. "Men took her away. Momma told me what the smell was, before they came." He'll not go into details.. not that he'd be able to if he tried, as he doesn't have much grasp on what actually happened. "They didn't see me, though. I hid behind a big rock until they were gone." Eag
Eager to change the subject, he continues on, his expression lightening as he looks back up at his new companion. "Is the stream far away?"
"Fortunately, it does not take much to remove them." The stag starts walking and lets the cub catch up at his own rate. He wouldn't consider letting a bear cub tag along, but if the parents aren't around, what harm is there in helping him along? He's just a little guy, after all.
...And Argus would have demonstrated just how fast a stag can run.
"I see. Man is a problem." That's all he says. Argus just keeps his head held high, ears still flicking this way and that as he listens. "Better to run away from them."
Argus merely shakes his antlered head. "The stream is east, a short ways, through the wood. Do not worry; it is not far to roam."
Tonka has to work his much shorter legs at a considerable pace to keep up with Argus, even if the deer is taking his time, but he does so in earnest, glad to have found someone to talk to. "I couldn't run away if I tried. My legs got all stiff." He wrinkles his nose at the memory and goes quiet for a while, taking time to observe the stag's alert, graceful posture, which is quite unlike a bear's in all respects. He decides to try and emulate it, straightening himself up and lifting his head, walking with careful steps and turning his little ears this way and that. He quickly gives up on this when he starts to fall behind, though, and falls back into his natural gait as he runs to catch up. "Do you live in these woods all by yourself?" He asks curiously.
Speed is Argus' greatest attribute. The stag's stride is long, quick without even making any effort. He covers plenty of ground, though given the much shorter legs of the bear cub, he pauses every so often to make sure he isn't outpacing his smaller host.
Meanwhile, a bear imitating a stag is quite amusing. Argus makes no sound, but he does flick an ear, snorting in a stifled laugh. That goes with a shake of his head, as though it were just something distasteful on the wind.
"I do," the stag answers. "Our kind generally live alone... but I have not yet found others of my kind here. I have been searching for some time. Many moons have gone by, but I have not yet found any. I have called the maple glade home, for the time being. Its leaves warn me of danger."
The maple leaves in question crunch underfoot, and the stag lifts his head to glance around them as they walk. "There should be a stream close by."
Tonka listens intently to the stag's words, glancing down to the crunching leaves underfoot as they're mentioned; he hadn't really given it much thought before. He never had to worry about that sort of thing when he was with his mother. "Danger? Do you mean men?" One ear remains trained on Argus while the other tries to pick out the promising sounds of trickling water. "Momma said other bears can be dangerous, but I've never seen another one besides her."
"Not necessarily man. We deer are prey," the stag explains patiently. "Wolves and the mountain-cats eat us. We must be cautious so we are not caught."
Argus glances up, at the sunlight filtering through the red leaves. Evening will come soon, but there are a few hours to go yet.
Running water soon rewards the bear cub's ears, and he'll even smell it soon enough. The very earth itself seems a little more damp. "I do not know the ways of bears, but if your mother said that, then she must have been correct."
"There we are." Argus tosses his antlered head, indicating the stream. It's just enough for the cub to get wet in, but not quite enough to swim. "A ways downstream, we will find a place deep enough for you to swim and be rid of those ants. Drink if you like, here. This water is safe. I have drunk of it before."
"Oh! I saw wolves before. Momma showed me some, but I didn't get a good look 'cause they ran away when they saw her. She told me about mountain-cats, I think, but I never saw one of those." As interested as he seems to be in the conversation, the stream is quick to steal his attention when they reach it. He doesn't need to be told twice when the deer says that it's safe to drink from. He lopes happily to the water and wades right in without a second thought, letting it cool his paws as he lowers his head to lap thirstily at it's surface. He finds that it soothes the stings on his nose, and this discovery soon has him rolling and splashing about, though most of the ants are now gone. Only once he's quite soaked does he climb out and shake himself off, looking jovial and refreshed. "Thanks, uh... errr." He looks suddenly bemused, blinking. "Gosh, I don't know your name yet! Mine's Tonka."
In Thickening Forest, Lotus howls.
Argus follows closely, stepping lightly at the bank of the stream. He doesn't bound into the water like the cub does, though, instead preferring to dip his head and drink from the closest point at the shore.
His eyes turn up when the bear addresses him again, antlered head rising. "I am Argus, Lord of the Greenwood, bester of all challenging stags in the area." He delivers this line with no small amount of pride. "It is a place far from here. Forest, old forest, as far as the eye can see."
And one so young as him, a lord or master of any place? "Man came, though, and drove us away," Argus adds, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "He cut down the trees with blades and drove us from our secret places, killing us. I was fortunate enough to escape, and came here. I have taken to these maple glades. They are present, even if I have not found my kind."
"That is why man is trouble. He takes what he pleases, but he is just a child." The stag raises his head, ears pricking at a sudden sound, the howling of a wolf. "Wolf," comes the strained and tense comment. The stag issuddenly stiff, as though he might bound away at a moment's notice.
He hesitates, only on the grounds of the largely defenseless bear cub. Well, he can't just leave him there...
Tonka tries to store away the title in its entirety, squinting in concentration as he repeats it a few times in his head, though he's soon distracted as Argus goes on to speak of man again. Though he's eager enough to forget his own encounter with humans, he can't help but be interested in learning more about them; what he hears only makes him scrunch up his brow in confusion, though. How could children be able to take his mother away? That didn't make sense. He seems about to inquire further when he's distracted yet again, this time by the howl. He picks up on Argus's sudden change in demeanor and remembers what he'd said about deer being prey. He looks off in the direction that the sound had come from, starting to feel a bit uneasy himself. "It's not going to try and eat you, is it?" If only his mother were here! Then they would have nothing to fear from anything; well, that's how it works in Tonka's mind, anyway.
"No." Gradually, the stag lets up, though he's still wary through his stiff posture. His ears are pricked so far forward they're almost tilted. "I do not think so. At least, I do not hear it approach."
Argus looks back down to the bear cub, uncertain of what to do now that Tonka's predicament is taken care of.
"What are you going to do?" Straightening, he draws himself up, standing comfortably on those stilt-legs, head held high and turned down to regard his odd travelling companion. "If they have taken your family, where will you go?"
Tonka finds himself relieved that. Argus is the first creature that's shown him anything resembling kindness since he's been on his own, and he's certainly grateful for it. He'd rather not see the stag get eaten today, or ever for that matter.
The bear moves a little further up onto the bank, wiping some of the mud from his paws onto the grass, still looking off in the direction of the howl. He returns his gaze to the cervid as he's questioned, however, and it's one that catches him off guard. His ears twist and his head tilts with a thoughtful frown. How was he to know where to go or what to do now? He'd never had to make decisions like this before.
He flumps his rear-end to the ground and lets his gaze drift earthwards as well, adopting a look of intense concentration for a moment; then, in sudden insight, his face brightens, and he looks up again with a hopeful smile. "I could stay with you?" He proposes, far from understanding the implications of such a suggestion.
The stag turns, head swinging and lowering to take another drink from the stream. The water is cool and sweet, and thankfully not very muddy upstream from the point where Tonka had gone splashing around.
Tail flicking, Argus straightens and turns around to face the little bear at his suggestion.
Honestly, the idea is quite ridiculous. A stag, natural enemy of those creatures with such teeth and claws, toting around a baby bear for fun and profit. Or fun. Or something. Oh, whatever.
Argus sighs, large eyes rolling as he shakes his head and droops a little. Oh, strange and wondrous fate, to have put him into such a silly predicament.
"While I would love to look after you, you are no substitute for a deer, and I am no substitute for a bear," Argus points out. "Instead, I will propose this: You may stay with me for a time, but I will not go out of my way to watch over you. This is no place for such a young bear. And I cannot protect you from the mountain-cats or the wolves," he adds, solemn eyes and voice both directed at the cub.
Tonka's little face, strewn with hopefulness, threatens to crumple into a very unhappy expression when Argus begins to respond; luckily enough, though, it holds out until he hears the deer's proposal. Then his smile widens until he's practically beaming, and he pushes himself to his paws, giving an excited little hop and letting his head bob in an enthusiastic nod. "Okay! I can look after myself." Pshah. So he imagines, anyway. There's no doubt that he still has a whole lot of learning to do if he's going to survive on his own, and he'll probably have to learn the hard way.
For now, though, he's naive to such troubles; except the immediate problem of an empty stomach. The ants had been enough to distract him from his appetite, but now that that dilemma is solved he's remembering why he'd tried to get to them in the first place. He gives an annoyed look down at his rumbling stomach before looking back up at Argus, once again with a hopeful expression. "What kind of stuff do you eat?"
The sight of that smile is a sight only a mother could love, with all those teeth and sharp canines and wrinkles bear-muzzle. It's probably supposed to be adorable, but if there's any inherent cuteness, it's lost on the deer.
...Teeth are supposed to be flat and designed for browsing, after all; not sharp and dangerous...
Argus sighs and glances skyward again, as though in a silent prayer for patience to deal with this slightly boisterous young one. "Nothing your kind eats, young one," the stag answers, not unkindly. "Leaves, grass, and bark, for the most part. Certainly nothing you would find appetising."
Now he's almost wishing he knew more bears to tell what it is they eat. They're too clumsy to catch something like him, after all. "Hmm. Perhaps if we're lucky, we might find another bear, as well, whom we can ask a favour of."
...Wouldn't that be a sight? A young bear cub and a stag asking a favour of a full-grown bear.
Well, that wouldn't be too much more strange than the situation as it already stands, would it? The young bear tilts his head again and gives the deer a curious look. "But I do eat grass, and sometimes leaves too! And sedges, and roots, and berries, and mushrooms, and.." He draws in a breath. "...nuts and flowers and bugs! I like bugs a lot. Except those stupid ants."
Tonka lifts a paw to rub the stings on his nose, the tip of his tongue sticking out disdainfully, then looks up to his new cohort again. "Sometimes I eat fish, too! But I can't catch 'em by myself yet." Well, it seems the young bear certainly has an affinity for food; but that should hardly be a surprise to anyone who knows anything about bears.
"I see." Argus seems unconcerned by this list, turning and walking from the banks of the stream back towards the heart of the maple glade. He doesn't stop to look and see whether or not Tonka follows him.
One large, scoop-shaped ear flicks back at the mention of further diet, and fish. That's a little better. Good! So his sudden furry little friend here won't eat him. Just eat him out of house and home and maple glade.
Argus glances up again, as though in silent exasperation. "There are fish downstream, where the creek swells into a river. There are nuts and berries in the woods where I dwell. And you will find flowers, as well, and plenty of insects. Roots and sedges, mushrooms... all of these."
"Follow me, if you wish, or go. It makes little difference to me, for I will still continue my search. Take caution not to eat anything brightly-coloured, though. And good heavens, do not try to eat the fire-ants again..."
Well, carrion is technically on the list, too; but somehow the boy had the sense to leave it off, realizing that it probably wouldn't appeal to the deer much. But no, Argus certainly didn't have to worry about being eaten by the likes of little Tonka, and probably won't ever have to, even the bear one day became capable of such a feat.
As his unusual friend turns to wander off, Tonka doesn't hesitate to follow, bouncing along with a new spring in his step, apparently oblivious to Argus's seemingly blase attitude towards him. "That's good!" He remarks cheerfully of the food situation. And stay away from brightly-colored stuff. Check. "Oh no, no. No more fire-ants! They almost ate /me/."
As they wander along, the cub occasionally stops to sniff at an interesting scent or nibble at a tussock of grass (or whatever other known edible he stumbles across), or to stand up on his hind legs for a better look around, but never for long; he doesn't want to be left behind.
For all the attention he pays to his small and fluffy charge, the stag seems more or less oblivious to the fact that he has a young omnivore following him around. This is probably for the best, because it's the one thing he can do to maintain what little dignity he'd have left if someone spotted them.
Honestly. A stag with a bear cub in tow. Who'da thunk it?
Still, he'll look after the cub for as long as is practical... and off they wander, such a strange pair; the stag and the bear...