Post by avalikia on May 23, 2009 20:18:55 GMT -5
(Logger's Note: This is, without a doubt, the messiest log I've ever bothered to post. But Misree's player asked me nicely and I think I'm the only one who got the whole thing. Let the reader beware: Chaos Ahead.)
Characters:
Braxton - Male Red Fox
Sage - Female Lynx
Fintan - Male Red Fox Kit
Bidziil - Male Porcupine
Nium - Female Cougar
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Misree - Female Ferret
Terri - Female Red Fox
Grum - Male Brown Bear
Tonka - Male Brown Bear
Setting:
Clover Lawn
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Braxton sadly had the option of taking one of his kits with him to the feast, seeing as how he had only one muzzle and all. So he chose Fintan since of all the kits he seemed to have the biggest desire to move around. His plan will be to have Terri watch over the kits while they bring the rest over. This would be easier with a third fox. Finally Braxton arrives at the feast spread and sets his son down. Okay, great!
Sage has perched herself on one of the few boulders nearby, watching over the feast to make sure no greedy visitors take more than their fair share -- but mostly to make sure no one eats too much of the potent soup that she's created of various vegetables and herbs. She's smiling, though, despite her 'guard duty', as her eyes sweep over the few creatures that are starting to filter out of the nearby forests and into the lawn clearing, nibbling at various items of personal interest. Her bobbed tail flicks idly as she suns upon the rock, mentally preparing herself for tonight's heavenly events.
The ten day old get wiggles a little in Braxton's muzzle. He has not been moved since the day he was born, and for all his short life has only known the soft ambient noise of the den, the gentle voices of his parents, his two sibling's various noises, and his mother's heartbeat. But now everything seems to come alive. His little young ears twitch around visibly as he hears bird songs, rustling leaves, and the various sounds of many animals. But he is unafraid; he knows he is in the safe protection of his father.
The porcupine is not pleased by the selection. Of course, it would be difficult to be more picky about food than he is, and the fact that he found anything he likes is a wonder. That there are multiple things is a miracle. He even tried the stew, but mostly because it came with a warning. If a food comes with a warning, the porcupine has to at least have a taste. But at the moment he's quietly nibbling on the few bits of tree that meet with his approval.
Nium has been around since midday yesterday. Calm, quiet, and certainly confused of these goings-on, the large puma walks a slow, relaxed, pace down the eastern hill. The aroma of delicious food has pulled Nium from her hiding place and over to the lawn. Following her nose, Nium sees the fox and perhaps his son on her way to the stew. She can only hope the Merrymakers have told them not to worry about being hunted here. The last thing Nium wants is anybody to fret having a cougar, a *large* cougar, around for a meal. She sniffs the stew hesitantly. Nium has a lot of trust for these people and this gathering, but something still smells odd about this easy meal. Regardless, she partakes, not trying to be greedy in her portions.
Braxton is pretty sure his son is not able to eat solid food, so he doesn't try to nose him toward the food, that is until he spots the stew. Now that is curious. And it is a liquid to boot! He might be able to feed at least the "broth" to his son. Braxton picks up his son and moves toward the stew and sets his son down to the side and curiously takes a drink himself.
What's this? It's soft and spongy! Different from the dirt of the den he's familiar with. And what's that smell? All these smells, mixing together. He lowers his lil nose and sniffs at the grass, pawing at it, testing it, before he wiggles around and moves about a bit, but never far from his father. His little black nose guides him to the soup. He lets out a soft cute little yerp-like noise and touches it with his nose, then takes a step back as he feels the warm liquid splash against him. He twitches his nose cutely.
Sage's tufted ears lift alertly when she notices the fox moving nearer to the stew -- with his infant son. Leaping gracefully down from the boulder, she quickly moves to intercept the vulpine as he laps at the broth with a stern shake of her head. "My warning has already been given, and while you are free to make your own decisions about eating the concoction, I would not advise you do the same with your newborn child." He is free to do as he wishes, of course, but the lynx strongly disapproves of such a young one being fed the potent mixture.
Bidziil is ignoring the predators for the most part, but then again he usually does that anyway. That the predators are forbidden to hunt at the festival is an added bonus, though. He's not a huge fan of losing quills. Nevertheless, after awhile he raises his head and blinks a bit. "Hmm," he says to himself before going right back to eating. Must have been his imagination.
Nium does enjoy the taste of the stew, though it leaves an odd taste in her mouth. She notices some others come for this feast, which makes Nium slightly uncomfortable. She's only been around a large number of others if they're from her own tribe, this is a different scenario. Nium makes her way to what appears to be the 'carnivore' section of the feast. The smell of it taunts Nium's nose, she decides a big game bird would do her well before she decided to trek back home. Easily she picks it up and separates from the other selection, giving herself some room to begin eating; she's got quite a ways to go before she actually heads home.
Braxton swiftly pushes his son back with a paw, while remaining gentle. But as Sage warns him again of the stew, suddenly a big smile cracks Braxton's muzzle and he starts to laugh hard.
Fintan wiggles and lets out a soft "eep" as he is pushed back and thuds on the mercifully soft grass with his rump. He looks a little dejected. His daddy just pushed him! And as he starts to worm his way back to his fore paws, suddenly Braxton starts to laugh, bellow hard. Is his father... laughing at him? Fintan sniffles and lets out a whine.
Skelaghe has not ventured so far from her pups since they were born, and though she is worried, it is not enough to completely quell her curiosity. Surely Helaku and Teketa together can manage to keep the pups safe and happy for a while, and she has heard plenty of stories about the Merrymakers to the north of her temporary home. It is with a relaxed pace that she follows the distant voices and interesting combination of scents to this area. As she draws nearer, her pace slows just a little more. It's not enough to make her appear altogether reluctant to be here, but there certainly is some caution to the new mother.
Though her words are at least heeded before the mixture begins to take its effects on the fox, Sage stays nearby -- she is, after all, guarding the stew (and the ones who eat it) for a reason. She has prepared this type of stew many times before in previous festivals, and is familiar with its range of effects on those who partake of it, and so while she does not expect bad things to happen (her herbs are carefully chosen in an attempt to prevent such), there is always that possibility. As such, she will linger near to the feast's spread until the last of the foods are eaten and the last of the visitors has come down from their mental and spiritual journey.
The porcupine's eating gradually slows, until he seems much too distracted to eat anymore. What, exactly, is distracting him is the puzzle. All he's doing is staring off into space and smiling to himself. "Hmm," he says after a moment, forgetting that he's at the feast at all.
Even through the heavy scents of the food, Nium knows wolf when she smells it. In a lax manner, she turns her head over to Skelaghe in the distance, but something odd happens. Nium closes her eyes, shakes her head, reopens her eyes to look at the wolf, only it isn't the wolf... "...Mom?" The puma's voice cracks, but she clears her throat and licks her lips. The food now, has become unimportant to her. "Mom!"
Braxton just keeps laughing. It's not really at his son. But everything seems so funny. So unfortunately when his son whines and Braxton is supposed to comfort him and show love that a father knows he must. Instead, the whine elicits... an even more flagrant and unfair laugh from his father.
Suddenly Fintan, who has felt nothing but safe with his father, is starting to feel scared. He slowly wiggles his way next to him again, but before he can even nuzzle Braxton's side, the loud, sharp noises of laughter scares him again and he flops backward and lets out another quiet sad whine.
AS the celebration was seemingly under way, the small ferret was actually moving forward /in front/ of the bear, she currently wasn't riding him, and was too busy sniffing out the intoxicating scent of food in which she smelled a little ways off. The weirdest thing? She was now without a shiny. She had worked so hard for it and where was it now? Well, a certain bear behind her might explain as to where her silver pendant is now. As she approaches and sees a large cougar shouting out and other large creatures. She freezes up and waits for Grum to catch up.
Mom? Yes. Nium's mom, though? Skelaghe actually looks behind her to see if, maybe, Nium is addressing someone else, only to find no one there. Well, apparently her caution was well-deserved. Skelaghe stops her approach. What even keeps her standing here is anyone's guess, as when she looks back to Nium, there is concern in her expression, and she says, quietly, "I think you may have me confused with someone else." How, exactly, Nium could confuse a wolf with a cougar is also anyone's guess... Or perhaps it is only Skelaghe who is left in the dark, as one of the recent newcomers to the area.
Terri runs up to braxton to give him a nuzzle she managed to hunt a little but did not really catch anything she spots her little one whining and goes up to him nuzzling him as she asks "whats wrong little one" she looks over at the laughing braxton and gives him an odd look but does not say anything yet wondering why he is hysterical
After a moment the porcupine seems to snap out of his revere. However, he doesn't feel all that odd. He's feeling rather lucid actually, /extremely/ lucid. So lucid, in fact, that he abruptly abandons his solitary eating and turns back towards the lynx near the stew. "Excuse me, madam," he says, sounding not at all like himself. Then again, it's not like anyone here knows him well enough to tell the difference. "Aren't you one of the Merrymakers?"
Grum was slowly walking at his normal pace following the little ferret. A strange silvery relic dangles against his neck, held up by vines fastened by Misree for everyone to see and, supposedly, at least as far as he can figure Misree's thinking, awe at. But he supposes it was an actual genuine act of friendship to give *him* the object she has sought so hard, and not just because she figures it'd be more apparent on him instead of her. He does catch up, but makes no special effort to do so, taking note of all the creatures.
Sage is merely watching the goings-on, looking out for any troubles that she needs to quell. Fortunately, the littlest one's mother appears to be here now to care for him, and so when the porcupine addresses her directly the lynx's brow lifts, and she nods. "Yes, I am. My name is Sage. What can I do for you?" If she's not mistaken, this one has also eaten a bit of the stew, and so she's prepared for the oddest of requests.
Nium takes a step or two closer to, a crazy grin on her muzzle as she again calls out to the illusioned Skelaghe. "Mom... It's Sweet Rain..." She laughs, something very rare for her, not that anyone around here would know that. She sits down again and shakes her head. Then breaks out in laughter again, an odd, hysterical, raspy, laughter. Then, just as suddenly as it began, Nium halts her giggling and stares at Skelaghe. "I'm Sweet Rain..."
One might think that if anyone would understand a celebration like this, it would Skelaghe. She is not, after all, entirely straight-edged. And, indeed, as a second whiff of that mix near the lynx catches Skelaghe's nose, some of the concern fades, and she even begins approaching Nium again. Cautious to not overstay her welcome, she still moves to nuzzle against the large feline. If Nium is seeing her own mother, then perhaps that is what Nium /needs/ to see, and Skelaghe would not be so cruel as to rip that away from her. "Yes. You are." Her voice remains quiet, and soft, and while she does nothing to directly feed Nium's hallucination, neither does she attempt to deny again that she is who Nium thinks she is.
Braxton is laughing his head off until abruptly he stops and gasps in horror. He screams in terror and takes a few steps back, tears in his eyes. "Momma!" Braxton yells as loud as he can. "Papa! Noooooooooooo!"
Misree quickly leaps up onto Grum's back as so as he is close. She quickly scurries up his back and onto his head and starts to scout around. She sees the Cougar is running at a wolf, and well.. there's the nice Lynx lady with a small spiny rodent type creature. That seems safer then going towards the cougar and wolf.. and that seems to be where the food is. "Grum, shall we go to the nice Lynx lady?" She asks but is really meaning let us go bother the kitty since food seems to be that way.
Fintan rolls backward until he hits a familiar paw. He instantly recognizes the smooth, calming voice of his mother and wiggles his way under her frightened. What's wrong with his papa? Why'd he just shout so loud? The kit's eyes shutter, but they still can barely see.
The porcupine nods and smiles, "Ah, yes, Sage. My name is Bidziil." He gives a little bow before continuing, "I heard from some rather silly-headed creatures that you have some 'shiny things' for trade. I'm not all that interested in things just because they're pretty, but do you think you have any odd bits I might like?" As he talks his eyes keep veering off to the side a bit, but after a blink or two his eyes refocus back on the lynx. It seems that he's fighting against the stew's effects pretty hard, and is winning... for now.
Terri smiles and says "calm down little one mamma here" she looks up at braxton a bit worried as she turns to sage and thinks maybe she knows whats wrong with her mate she decides to first try and see if braxton can respond to her and says in a loud voice "braxton are you alright" trying to be loud enough for his poor hearing to pick up with out shouting at him
Grum watches Misree and recognizes her caution. He does not feel like she is in any danger, surprisingly. The festival has been surprisingly good to them and Misree. So far, everyone has kept their word not to hunt each other, at least around these parts. In any case, he nods and walks forward toward Sage.
Sage's pointed ears twitch at the sudden yell from the fox, and she admittedly looks quite concerned at the father reacting in such a way, no doubt scaring his poor newborn kit. She considers suggesting to the mother that she should take the kit (and possibly the father) to somewhere quieter and safer, but it is not her family, and she will not interfere unless things become dangerous or her assistance is requested. Instead, her eyes return to the porcupine, and she nods in response to his question. "I may. Have a look," she replies with a gesture of her forepaw towards the leather scrap that she's carried with her here, the makeshift pouch opened up flat to allow the last objects to be seen clearly.
Braxton's ears go back, Braxton stares ahead, sobbing and whining. "Th-their skin is gone... Momma! Papa!" Braxton takes a few horrified steps and then turns and closes his eyes tightly. "Gotta run. I gotta run!" Braxton suddenly leaps to and starts to bolt, terrified, across the lawn, like he did in the real event he just reenacted here.
Bidziil's eyes go over the items carefully, quickly passing over most of them. Suddenly, he starts to laugh as if he find the collection funny, but he quickly clears his throat and apologizes. Where did that come from? "Hmm," he says after a moment when his eyes rest on the tooth. "What kind of creature is /that/ from?" he says, nosing it gently to indicate which one his question is about. He'd also like to ask about a few of the odder items, but since their presence is... inconsistent, he suspects they fall into the same category as that guy standing behind the lynx that he /knows/ is dead.
Misree grins a little bit as she then stares over at the Lynx. "Hmmm.. what was her name again... mage? Bage? Gauge? nononono but something similar.... " Sh ponders as they slowly move closer at the bears slow and rather lazy pace in which he normally moseys at. It then hits her as they get closer. "Hello Sage!" She declares cheerfully her excitement obvious to the bear by the fact she can't stop hopping around on his head. She just /loves/ this place since she got the shiny here.
Fintan's eyes slowly flutter open and he can vaguely see the first sight of his little life: Braxton's horrified expression, his scream, running away like a scared kit. Even Terri doesn't calm his nerves as he wiggles to her hind leg and hugs it, turning away, closing his eyes again.
Sage's ears flatten briefly at the unpleasant sounds coming from the red fox, as her mixtures do not usually have such dramatically negative effects on its partakers. But it merely brings out whatever is hidden within the recesses of one's own mind, so perhaps the aging male has some personal issues to work out himself. But then the fox darts away, and so she glances back down at the indicated tooth, and the lynx shrugs her shoulders slightly. "We're not sure. We found it near a scattering of other, smaller broken bones. But judging by its size, we thought it might be from either a wolf or a cougar." Glancing up as her name is called, she sights the odd couple from a few days prior, and she bobs her head to them in acknowledgment with a subtle smile.
Grum feels her hop up and down, her little ferret dance she does when she gets excited, but, of course, he doesn't really mind. He finally reaches a casual distance by Sage and sits down, wondering what Misree wants to talk to her about. Maybe she'll thank her? Or perhaps ask if there are any more shinies? His silver relic dangles against his neck as he sits.
Nium goes very quiet as she is contacted by the wolf. The food is all but forgotten now. "Mom... I'm sorry I left..." Her voice is very shaky and weak as she speaks to what she believes is her mother. "But I had to get away, I was going to DIE!..." The cougar is completely convinced she is speaking to her mother, whom she hasn't seen in many years. "I'm not Nium... I stole that name so you couldn't find me, but I wanted you to come... I'M SORRY!" Her shouting is passionate, as she looks into the wolf's eyes, her own eyes are wide and dazed. "I love you... I always, always have... Please forgive your only daughter." Nium's voice relaxes again, no longer shouting.
Terri looks at braxton and holds an bewildered look as she knows he is likely remembering his parents but why is he acting like a kit she then nuzzles her little kit and turns and speaks to sage saying ""excuse me um can you mrs" she does not know sage name so she simply states "mrs lynx can you tell me if my mate the red fox that ran off ate something rotten or maybe smelled funny cause he is acting strange I am wondering if he is sick"
Bidziil visibly debates with himself for a moment, having trouble making a decision while simultaneously contemplating life, the universe, and everything. But eventually he nods to himself and he says, "What do you want for it?" It's only then that he recognizes the ferret and bear pair from earlier. "Oh, hello again!" he greets much more warmly than they might expect, "You should try the soup..."
For as long as she has been alive, it has been Skelaghe's desire to help others. Perhaps, here, she can do so. Keeping her soft voice, she says, "There is no forgiveness needed, Sweet Rain. All I could ever want for my children is for them to do well, and you look like you've done quite well." Skelaghe attempts to bump her nose against the bottom of Nium's muzzle, a gentle, nonverbal way of saying 'keep your chin up' before she adds, "I have to go now, but you should know that your mother will always love you, will never judge you for doing what you need to do. Do you know that?" Skelaghe doesn't want to be here when Nium's outer vision clears and the cougaress can again see Skelaghe as she truly is, but she /does/ want to know she has helped.
Misree blinks a little bit as she is greeted by the porcupine rather warmly. That was odd.. well he mentioned soup. Her face perks a little as she looks towards sage and the soup near her. "Ohhh food? is it for anyone? or do we have to go looking for more thornapple to get a meal?" She asks curiously as she tilts her head this question pointed towards the Lynx. "Because one search for a thornapple is enough for me." She says with a grin. She is content they got one Shiny. For some reason that was enough for her. Which probably would spook Grum. But something about these lands out here was making her feel content with what she has gotten. Her greed.. seems to just be elsewhere.
Sage considers the question briefly, but her thought process is interrupted by the other fox present here. She chuckles softly at her question. "Nothing rotten, merely strange. He ate the prepared stew of his own volition, and after he heard my warning to be prepared for whatever may come. It is not permanent, but you may need to go care for him -- and your kit -- in the meantime so that he does not bring harm to himself." Turning her focus back to the porcupine, she finally answers with a simple quest: "Bring me a few morning glory flowers. They can usually be found wherever other flowers grow wild." As an afterthought, she adds: "If you go now, do be careful." At the ferret's suspicious question, she shakes her head with a laugh. "No, no. It's free for all who would come to share in Luna's celebration tonight. But as I've mentioned to all who have eaten of the centerpiece before, please be prepared if you wish to try the stew."
Grum looks down at the soup idly. It bubbles suspiciously! "Maybe, Misree, you had better not," he says. He doesn't really think Misree is 'prepared' for whatever it has in store for her. After seeing that fox just run off in sheer terror at nothing, and this Bidziil fellow seems a little out of his wit at the moment oddly. Something seems suspiciously strange, and he's afraid of whatever Misree might do if that happens to *her*. "There's other food, it looks good," he advises her.
Bidziil ponders description of the item over carefully, though it seems that his head has started to clear enough to make that actually possible. "I think I know where..." he says after a moment, turning to go that way. Why the porcupine wants the tooth is anyone's guess, but it seems that he's willing to work for it.
Misree slowly moves to leap off of Grum's head and lands near the feast. She then looks back at Grum. He was telling her not to eat the soup. "Well then if I can't eat the soup.. /you/ eat the soup Grum." She says with a grin. "One of us is gonna eat the soup!" She felt playful at the moment. She really wanted to see Grum get as excited as the fox and run around like that. But respecting his words for the moment she picked out a nice little rodent and started to gulp it down.
Nium nods, then ultimately looks at the ground, tears in her eyes from being able to see her mother. She remains still, perhaps a better idea if Skelaghe leaves her solo now. Nium, or Sweet Rain as it were, had an important revelation in accepting her past. "I do know...mom..." She speaks in a low whisper, calmly. The large cougar closes her eyes and shakes her head again. Possibly experiencing another phase of the hallucination, possibly it ending all together.
News of the unusual events unfolding around here haven't gone unheard of by Tonka, but as intriguing as the rumors have been, the bear has been waylaid by other obligations. Now that said obligations are fulfilled, he makes his fashionably late arrival to the festivities. The gathering is visible from a distance, and as odd and almost unnatural as it feels to approach such an oddly varied congregation, he feels somehow inescapably drawn to do so. So he approaches with his usual light steps, but without the caution that he might have exercised if he had stumbled on such a phenomenon without hearing about it first. Nostrils aquiver at the tapestry of scents, cub-like curiosity twinkling in his brown eyes, he looks from creature to creature searchingly as his steps bring him amongst them. "Whenever I think that life can't possibly get more surreal... it somehow manages to surprise me..." He says in a tone of intrigued amusement.
Grum looks at Misree in honest surprise. Him? He shakes his head and makes a 'tsk' noise. But at least Misree was doing what he asked. Which was mostly what accounted for his look of surprise. He turns to stare at the soup apprehensively. And gets up and walks over to it, before sitting back down. Was this a really good idea? Is Grum really the one more safe to be off his rocker than a small ferret? Well... yes. Probably. He leans down and sniffs it. Who /else/ hear has eaten this stuff? Has everyone? Most people seem fine, right? Except, there's that cougar calling an obviously bewildered wolf her mom. Ah. Well. Ge starts to take large gulps of it. Doesn't taste too bad.
Skelaghe lowers her head to nuzzle against the cougaress who she knows no more about than that she is a member of Amaranth. Perhaps... Yes, perhaps Skelaghe will stay near the area until whatever Nium has ingested wears off, that she might speak to the cougaress about things that exist wholly in the physical world. For now, though, she leaves the cougaress be. Having heard snippets of conversation from loud, enthusiastic animals while she was counseling Nium, she takes a few steps towards sage and, with a slight, respectful bow of her head, she says, "I do not desire to partake in your more... interesting... offerings-" After all, she is still nursing her children, and who knows what it might do to the milk she produces. "-if you do not mind, though, I should like to eat something." She heard that everyone was welcome, but that is no reason to skip being polite.
Terri nods and picks up her little fintan by his scruff so she can take him with to search for braxton. if she had known sage better she would have asked her to watch him she thinks about asking her for a little bit bit then sets fintan down again and says "mrs lynx can you watch my kit for I wish to go looking for my mate"
Sage has settled down onto her haunches as she waits for the porcupine to return, keeping mostly to herself unless she is addressed directly, which the wolf does now. Looking over at Skelaghe, she smiles and nods. "Of course you may." The female fox speaks to her again, and the kit is, much to her surprise, dropped at her feet. "Er, pardon me, miss, but I am afraid that I am in no shape to care for your infant child when there are so many others around to be watched over here as well. He should be taken somewhere safer, away from the busy--" and not to mention strange-- "happenings here."
It takes the porcupine awhile to return, but he eventually does. He's extremely lacking in speed, having both short legs and only a rare reason to be in a hurry. But he's got stamina and with no reason to stop he comes back exactly as fast as his legs can carry him. "Here," he says, depositing the flower carried in his teeth, "This is the right kind, isn't it? I know my trees better than my flowers." Please let it be the right one? He doesn't want to walk all the way there and back again!
Skelaghe offers nothing more than a smile in thanks before she selects a moderately sized rabbit and draws it several paces back from the rest of the food before settling down to eat. Despite her hunger, she does not draw excess attention to herself, now, either while she is eating or after she finishes eating.
Misree blinks as she stares suddenly her mouth a bit agape. "G..grum your.. actually gonna..." slurp slurp slurp. She stares in amazement as the bear actually drinks the soup. She feels a tingle of excitement as he does and pads closer gulping down the food in her mouth she starts to talk in a excited tone. "You feel any different? how does it taste? you sure i can't have any?" She asks bouncing around the larger bear in the hyperactive way she always did.
Something queer... there seem to be some odd symptoms affecting some of this place's inhabitants, which Tonka manages to pick up on pretty quickly, but what arrests his attention even more is how at ease everyone seems to be. The arrival of a strange bear usually will get some sort of attention. It's a nice change for this bear, who's all too used to being not only noticed, but quite unwelcome when he -is- noticed. Flumping to his rear-end at the fringes of the gathering, Tonka's ears swivel towards the spread and the 'soup' that the other bear is partaking of, just observing for the moment rather than participating himself. Curious.
Terri sighs and nods saying "well fintan you are going to hafta come with mommy while we go look for daddy" she goes to picks up her little one thinking ~why I even ask I should not trust someone I hardly know with my kid~ she starts to take her little one with her to go search for braxton
Sage inspects the blue-violet flowers that the porcupine has brought back, and she nods her cheek-ruffed head with affirmation. "Excellent. This is it," she answers, turning slightly towards the scrap of leather that's been laid flat, daintily batting the tooth away from the rest of the miscellaneous items there with a feline forepaw until she can sweep it forward to land in front of Bidziil as his half of the trade.
Grum leans back. Tilts his head. He thinks for a bit. Smacks his head. He doesn't feel anything at all. He is a big creature, and his metabolism is probably rather slow. He wonders how long it would take for poisons or, er, other effects, to take hold of him. "Nope," he says with a shrug of his shoulders and takes a few steps back, and he sits back down. Suddenly, Misree looks like an odd shade of purple. "Huh..."
Fintan is picked up, but it's okay. Maybe his mom is gonna move him to somewhere safer. He doesn't like it here. Too many odd noises! He slowly starts to calm down and doesn't feel as vulnerable. The blurry sight of his father still lingers in the back of his head, though. He lets out a little whine.
Misree blinks a little bit as he says no. She frowns and looks up at Sage as if to ask why he isn't going all weird. She doesn't grasp the fact that since he is bigger it might take longer to hit him. But.. she doesn't asks she merely turns to Grum, and as she does she spots... another Grum! Well another bear... not another Grum just another bear. "Hey Grum look at that!" She comments about the distant bear. But then he says huh and she looks up. "What Grum?" She says with a curious tilt of her head.
Bidziil collects his prize in his deft little hands, sniffing it over for a moment. Yes, he quite likes this thing! He starts to head back to where he was eating before, but he suddenly makes a little detour over to the stew for another bite. The little bit he had before has worn off, and this time he takes just a little bit more. Picking up the tooth again, he goes back to where he was eating before, wondering if the stew he just ate or watching he bear with end up being more entertaining.
"Nothing," he says. Now Misree is very green. "Hm." He looks around him. He looks at the bear that Misree is referring to. Never saw a blue bear before. He shrugs, though, taking it rather indifferently. "You're blue," he points out to Tonka. Just to be helpful.
Slowly Nium lifts her head from a daze, looking around. She's unsure where she is at first, but she's sure she's right. She saw her mother, she *felt* her nuzzle. It was interesting, frightening, revealing. Nium wonders what exactly happened as she stands and begins walking back to the feast, specifically her bird. Her head is filled with many thoughts and concerns, but she feels comforted having seen her mother again after so many years. She sits back at the bird which only had two bites into it, and looks around, noticing the wolf for the first time, and the rest. Cautiously, she continues eating what she can. Her mother, her real name, her past, her father, and even Ashen all float through Nium's head.
Tonka tilts his head as he tries to interpret Grum's statement. "Actually, I feel quite alright." He replies in a light tone, offering a broad, genial smile as if to prove his mood. He does suspect, from all the other strange happenings, that the other ursine might be referring to his color, but that's a level of silliness that one doesn't immediately assume of others, even after they've sampled a questionable botanical brew.
Misree blinks and pouts a bit. She didn't know any better but to assume that he was telling the truth and quickly she moves back towards the meat table, intent on snagging another field mouse. She then hears her bears statement and blinks. oooooo! Did this brew give her bear empathic abilities? She stared over curiously at the two bears standing next to the mouse she was intent on taking.
Bidziil keeps an eye on the bear with amusement clearly written on his face as he starts nibbling away at the portion of the feast he'd previously claimed. But abruptly, his gnawing increases pace and his eyes also start to focus on empty air. Uh-oh, here we go again! Suddenly he stops and drops the bit of bark in his mouth. "Hesko?" he asks questioningly to one of his invisible visions, "Dude, is that really you?"
"Are you...?" he asks nodding his head a little bit. "Do you? That's interesting." He looks down at the soft grass and pulls some of it out, raises it high and lets it filter down through his paw digits until the blades waft into the air. Finally, they settle at some indeterminable place on the ground by his feet. "Have you ever felt... uprooted? And then dropped?" He looks back up at Tonka. "And wondered why we land at the places that we do? Why do we feel fine with not being in control of our lives?" He thinks about that.
Now here's one after Tonka's heart. His smile widens, and that look of amusement in his eyes grows. "Control is overrated." He replies almost automatically, chuckling and lowering his head to nip a bite of clover from the ground in front of his paws, chewing lazily. "Makes things too... predictable." A curious, but no less amused look is given to Bidziil as well. Case in point.
Misree might have actually been worried about Grum had she listened to the philosophy he was getting into. He /never/ said such things even in private. But she was actually edging around the soup and moving towards the spiny one and the herbivore side of the table. She then sat her but down and watched him curiously. " Hesko?" she asks curiously.
Grum nods knowingly. "It's too much effort, too much effort," he muses. He matches the grin on Tonka's maw. And lets out a chuckle himself. "We think we are making choices," and he obviously finds this next part very amusing, because he laughs it out: "But none of them have any point! Haha! None of our choices at all!" Slowly he regains composure and ahems softly. "But, that's the real freedom, isn't it? The real freedom... mmhm. We choose things because.. mm, not because it has a point, and not because.. it makes a difference.. but because.. that's what feels.. right." he slowly loses his train of thought and stares at the ground again.
The porcupine settles into a conversation with his nonexistent acquaintance, "Wow, it's been, what, two years? What've you been up to? ... For real? ... Oh, I've just been hanging around here, you know ... No, I haven't yet, but I'm not in a hurry ... Oh, well tell her 'Hi' for me then ... Sure, dude, see you later!" With that, Bidziil starts eating again as if nothing happened, eyeing the bear again. Aw, but it looks like he missed something interesting while he was catching up with Hesko. It takes him another moment to notice the ferret is there. "Huh? What do /you/ want?" he asks in a bored tone.
Rather than look at Grum as if he's not quite right in the head, Tonka looks genuinely reflective. "I think you've cracked the beehive with that one, friend." He rumbles with quiet laughter. He decides to move a bit closer to the feast, another curious look given to the stew as he shuffles near enough to get a better look at it. Hmmmm.
Misree looks at the porcupine as he seems bored. She is starting to get the willies about this soup. Perhaps it was making this guy really weirded out? Talking to invisible things it seem and now seemingly talking at her with a very upset and bored tone. "Er nothing!" She comments and quickly leaps over the strew pot grabs a mouse and wanting to have comfort back tears herself a path to Grum and climbs onto his head mouse in jaws. "Grummy? You having fun?" She says having never really seen him converse with his own kind.. but she was glad he was at least seemingly enjoying himself.
Grum doesn't respond really, or make any reaction. He continues to stare blankly at the ground, pulling some pieces of grass out and letting them shower down. Finally he looks up a little. "Sister... I think... Grummy needs some sleep," he yawns. He's getting terribly tired all of the sudden, and without any more warning he leans back and smacks the ground on his side. And he begins to snore, loudly.
Bidziil shrugs to himself when the ferret darts away. Huh, funny that. Don't ferrets eat rodents? He's a rodent, so shouldn't /he/ be running away? But then again, he's a big rodent. Maybe he should be eating the ferret instead. But he doesn't even /like/ meat! "Woah," says the porcupine as his bizarre train of thought is interrupted by so many pretty colors. Yeah, this is so much better than the first time he ate the stew!
Misree squeaks as suddenly Grum falls over with a heavy thump. She barely manages to dodge herself to one side. He is out like a light... this... was rather new to her but immediately she perched up on him and kept a eye out for danger staying silent for the moment she keep vigil over the bear. She really can't do much to defend him.. but she will keep a lookout.. it seems safe here for him to do this.. but she still is on the side of caution.
Characters:
Braxton - Male Red Fox
Sage - Female Lynx
Fintan - Male Red Fox Kit
Bidziil - Male Porcupine
Nium - Female Cougar
Skelaghe - Female Wolf
Misree - Female Ferret
Terri - Female Red Fox
Grum - Male Brown Bear
Tonka - Male Brown Bear
Setting:
Clover Lawn
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Braxton sadly had the option of taking one of his kits with him to the feast, seeing as how he had only one muzzle and all. So he chose Fintan since of all the kits he seemed to have the biggest desire to move around. His plan will be to have Terri watch over the kits while they bring the rest over. This would be easier with a third fox. Finally Braxton arrives at the feast spread and sets his son down. Okay, great!
Sage has perched herself on one of the few boulders nearby, watching over the feast to make sure no greedy visitors take more than their fair share -- but mostly to make sure no one eats too much of the potent soup that she's created of various vegetables and herbs. She's smiling, though, despite her 'guard duty', as her eyes sweep over the few creatures that are starting to filter out of the nearby forests and into the lawn clearing, nibbling at various items of personal interest. Her bobbed tail flicks idly as she suns upon the rock, mentally preparing herself for tonight's heavenly events.
The ten day old get wiggles a little in Braxton's muzzle. He has not been moved since the day he was born, and for all his short life has only known the soft ambient noise of the den, the gentle voices of his parents, his two sibling's various noises, and his mother's heartbeat. But now everything seems to come alive. His little young ears twitch around visibly as he hears bird songs, rustling leaves, and the various sounds of many animals. But he is unafraid; he knows he is in the safe protection of his father.
The porcupine is not pleased by the selection. Of course, it would be difficult to be more picky about food than he is, and the fact that he found anything he likes is a wonder. That there are multiple things is a miracle. He even tried the stew, but mostly because it came with a warning. If a food comes with a warning, the porcupine has to at least have a taste. But at the moment he's quietly nibbling on the few bits of tree that meet with his approval.
Nium has been around since midday yesterday. Calm, quiet, and certainly confused of these goings-on, the large puma walks a slow, relaxed, pace down the eastern hill. The aroma of delicious food has pulled Nium from her hiding place and over to the lawn. Following her nose, Nium sees the fox and perhaps his son on her way to the stew. She can only hope the Merrymakers have told them not to worry about being hunted here. The last thing Nium wants is anybody to fret having a cougar, a *large* cougar, around for a meal. She sniffs the stew hesitantly. Nium has a lot of trust for these people and this gathering, but something still smells odd about this easy meal. Regardless, she partakes, not trying to be greedy in her portions.
Braxton is pretty sure his son is not able to eat solid food, so he doesn't try to nose him toward the food, that is until he spots the stew. Now that is curious. And it is a liquid to boot! He might be able to feed at least the "broth" to his son. Braxton picks up his son and moves toward the stew and sets his son down to the side and curiously takes a drink himself.
What's this? It's soft and spongy! Different from the dirt of the den he's familiar with. And what's that smell? All these smells, mixing together. He lowers his lil nose and sniffs at the grass, pawing at it, testing it, before he wiggles around and moves about a bit, but never far from his father. His little black nose guides him to the soup. He lets out a soft cute little yerp-like noise and touches it with his nose, then takes a step back as he feels the warm liquid splash against him. He twitches his nose cutely.
Sage's tufted ears lift alertly when she notices the fox moving nearer to the stew -- with his infant son. Leaping gracefully down from the boulder, she quickly moves to intercept the vulpine as he laps at the broth with a stern shake of her head. "My warning has already been given, and while you are free to make your own decisions about eating the concoction, I would not advise you do the same with your newborn child." He is free to do as he wishes, of course, but the lynx strongly disapproves of such a young one being fed the potent mixture.
Bidziil is ignoring the predators for the most part, but then again he usually does that anyway. That the predators are forbidden to hunt at the festival is an added bonus, though. He's not a huge fan of losing quills. Nevertheless, after awhile he raises his head and blinks a bit. "Hmm," he says to himself before going right back to eating. Must have been his imagination.
Nium does enjoy the taste of the stew, though it leaves an odd taste in her mouth. She notices some others come for this feast, which makes Nium slightly uncomfortable. She's only been around a large number of others if they're from her own tribe, this is a different scenario. Nium makes her way to what appears to be the 'carnivore' section of the feast. The smell of it taunts Nium's nose, she decides a big game bird would do her well before she decided to trek back home. Easily she picks it up and separates from the other selection, giving herself some room to begin eating; she's got quite a ways to go before she actually heads home.
Braxton swiftly pushes his son back with a paw, while remaining gentle. But as Sage warns him again of the stew, suddenly a big smile cracks Braxton's muzzle and he starts to laugh hard.
Fintan wiggles and lets out a soft "eep" as he is pushed back and thuds on the mercifully soft grass with his rump. He looks a little dejected. His daddy just pushed him! And as he starts to worm his way back to his fore paws, suddenly Braxton starts to laugh, bellow hard. Is his father... laughing at him? Fintan sniffles and lets out a whine.
Skelaghe has not ventured so far from her pups since they were born, and though she is worried, it is not enough to completely quell her curiosity. Surely Helaku and Teketa together can manage to keep the pups safe and happy for a while, and she has heard plenty of stories about the Merrymakers to the north of her temporary home. It is with a relaxed pace that she follows the distant voices and interesting combination of scents to this area. As she draws nearer, her pace slows just a little more. It's not enough to make her appear altogether reluctant to be here, but there certainly is some caution to the new mother.
Though her words are at least heeded before the mixture begins to take its effects on the fox, Sage stays nearby -- she is, after all, guarding the stew (and the ones who eat it) for a reason. She has prepared this type of stew many times before in previous festivals, and is familiar with its range of effects on those who partake of it, and so while she does not expect bad things to happen (her herbs are carefully chosen in an attempt to prevent such), there is always that possibility. As such, she will linger near to the feast's spread until the last of the foods are eaten and the last of the visitors has come down from their mental and spiritual journey.
The porcupine's eating gradually slows, until he seems much too distracted to eat anymore. What, exactly, is distracting him is the puzzle. All he's doing is staring off into space and smiling to himself. "Hmm," he says after a moment, forgetting that he's at the feast at all.
Even through the heavy scents of the food, Nium knows wolf when she smells it. In a lax manner, she turns her head over to Skelaghe in the distance, but something odd happens. Nium closes her eyes, shakes her head, reopens her eyes to look at the wolf, only it isn't the wolf... "...Mom?" The puma's voice cracks, but she clears her throat and licks her lips. The food now, has become unimportant to her. "Mom!"
Braxton just keeps laughing. It's not really at his son. But everything seems so funny. So unfortunately when his son whines and Braxton is supposed to comfort him and show love that a father knows he must. Instead, the whine elicits... an even more flagrant and unfair laugh from his father.
Suddenly Fintan, who has felt nothing but safe with his father, is starting to feel scared. He slowly wiggles his way next to him again, but before he can even nuzzle Braxton's side, the loud, sharp noises of laughter scares him again and he flops backward and lets out another quiet sad whine.
AS the celebration was seemingly under way, the small ferret was actually moving forward /in front/ of the bear, she currently wasn't riding him, and was too busy sniffing out the intoxicating scent of food in which she smelled a little ways off. The weirdest thing? She was now without a shiny. She had worked so hard for it and where was it now? Well, a certain bear behind her might explain as to where her silver pendant is now. As she approaches and sees a large cougar shouting out and other large creatures. She freezes up and waits for Grum to catch up.
Mom? Yes. Nium's mom, though? Skelaghe actually looks behind her to see if, maybe, Nium is addressing someone else, only to find no one there. Well, apparently her caution was well-deserved. Skelaghe stops her approach. What even keeps her standing here is anyone's guess, as when she looks back to Nium, there is concern in her expression, and she says, quietly, "I think you may have me confused with someone else." How, exactly, Nium could confuse a wolf with a cougar is also anyone's guess... Or perhaps it is only Skelaghe who is left in the dark, as one of the recent newcomers to the area.
Terri runs up to braxton to give him a nuzzle she managed to hunt a little but did not really catch anything she spots her little one whining and goes up to him nuzzling him as she asks "whats wrong little one" she looks over at the laughing braxton and gives him an odd look but does not say anything yet wondering why he is hysterical
After a moment the porcupine seems to snap out of his revere. However, he doesn't feel all that odd. He's feeling rather lucid actually, /extremely/ lucid. So lucid, in fact, that he abruptly abandons his solitary eating and turns back towards the lynx near the stew. "Excuse me, madam," he says, sounding not at all like himself. Then again, it's not like anyone here knows him well enough to tell the difference. "Aren't you one of the Merrymakers?"
Grum was slowly walking at his normal pace following the little ferret. A strange silvery relic dangles against his neck, held up by vines fastened by Misree for everyone to see and, supposedly, at least as far as he can figure Misree's thinking, awe at. But he supposes it was an actual genuine act of friendship to give *him* the object she has sought so hard, and not just because she figures it'd be more apparent on him instead of her. He does catch up, but makes no special effort to do so, taking note of all the creatures.
Sage is merely watching the goings-on, looking out for any troubles that she needs to quell. Fortunately, the littlest one's mother appears to be here now to care for him, and so when the porcupine addresses her directly the lynx's brow lifts, and she nods. "Yes, I am. My name is Sage. What can I do for you?" If she's not mistaken, this one has also eaten a bit of the stew, and so she's prepared for the oddest of requests.
Nium takes a step or two closer to, a crazy grin on her muzzle as she again calls out to the illusioned Skelaghe. "Mom... It's Sweet Rain..." She laughs, something very rare for her, not that anyone around here would know that. She sits down again and shakes her head. Then breaks out in laughter again, an odd, hysterical, raspy, laughter. Then, just as suddenly as it began, Nium halts her giggling and stares at Skelaghe. "I'm Sweet Rain..."
One might think that if anyone would understand a celebration like this, it would Skelaghe. She is not, after all, entirely straight-edged. And, indeed, as a second whiff of that mix near the lynx catches Skelaghe's nose, some of the concern fades, and she even begins approaching Nium again. Cautious to not overstay her welcome, she still moves to nuzzle against the large feline. If Nium is seeing her own mother, then perhaps that is what Nium /needs/ to see, and Skelaghe would not be so cruel as to rip that away from her. "Yes. You are." Her voice remains quiet, and soft, and while she does nothing to directly feed Nium's hallucination, neither does she attempt to deny again that she is who Nium thinks she is.
Braxton is laughing his head off until abruptly he stops and gasps in horror. He screams in terror and takes a few steps back, tears in his eyes. "Momma!" Braxton yells as loud as he can. "Papa! Noooooooooooo!"
Misree quickly leaps up onto Grum's back as so as he is close. She quickly scurries up his back and onto his head and starts to scout around. She sees the Cougar is running at a wolf, and well.. there's the nice Lynx lady with a small spiny rodent type creature. That seems safer then going towards the cougar and wolf.. and that seems to be where the food is. "Grum, shall we go to the nice Lynx lady?" She asks but is really meaning let us go bother the kitty since food seems to be that way.
Fintan rolls backward until he hits a familiar paw. He instantly recognizes the smooth, calming voice of his mother and wiggles his way under her frightened. What's wrong with his papa? Why'd he just shout so loud? The kit's eyes shutter, but they still can barely see.
The porcupine nods and smiles, "Ah, yes, Sage. My name is Bidziil." He gives a little bow before continuing, "I heard from some rather silly-headed creatures that you have some 'shiny things' for trade. I'm not all that interested in things just because they're pretty, but do you think you have any odd bits I might like?" As he talks his eyes keep veering off to the side a bit, but after a blink or two his eyes refocus back on the lynx. It seems that he's fighting against the stew's effects pretty hard, and is winning... for now.
Terri smiles and says "calm down little one mamma here" she looks up at braxton a bit worried as she turns to sage and thinks maybe she knows whats wrong with her mate she decides to first try and see if braxton can respond to her and says in a loud voice "braxton are you alright" trying to be loud enough for his poor hearing to pick up with out shouting at him
Grum watches Misree and recognizes her caution. He does not feel like she is in any danger, surprisingly. The festival has been surprisingly good to them and Misree. So far, everyone has kept their word not to hunt each other, at least around these parts. In any case, he nods and walks forward toward Sage.
Sage's pointed ears twitch at the sudden yell from the fox, and she admittedly looks quite concerned at the father reacting in such a way, no doubt scaring his poor newborn kit. She considers suggesting to the mother that she should take the kit (and possibly the father) to somewhere quieter and safer, but it is not her family, and she will not interfere unless things become dangerous or her assistance is requested. Instead, her eyes return to the porcupine, and she nods in response to his question. "I may. Have a look," she replies with a gesture of her forepaw towards the leather scrap that she's carried with her here, the makeshift pouch opened up flat to allow the last objects to be seen clearly.
Braxton's ears go back, Braxton stares ahead, sobbing and whining. "Th-their skin is gone... Momma! Papa!" Braxton takes a few horrified steps and then turns and closes his eyes tightly. "Gotta run. I gotta run!" Braxton suddenly leaps to and starts to bolt, terrified, across the lawn, like he did in the real event he just reenacted here.
Bidziil's eyes go over the items carefully, quickly passing over most of them. Suddenly, he starts to laugh as if he find the collection funny, but he quickly clears his throat and apologizes. Where did that come from? "Hmm," he says after a moment when his eyes rest on the tooth. "What kind of creature is /that/ from?" he says, nosing it gently to indicate which one his question is about. He'd also like to ask about a few of the odder items, but since their presence is... inconsistent, he suspects they fall into the same category as that guy standing behind the lynx that he /knows/ is dead.
Misree grins a little bit as she then stares over at the Lynx. "Hmmm.. what was her name again... mage? Bage? Gauge? nononono but something similar.... " Sh ponders as they slowly move closer at the bears slow and rather lazy pace in which he normally moseys at. It then hits her as they get closer. "Hello Sage!" She declares cheerfully her excitement obvious to the bear by the fact she can't stop hopping around on his head. She just /loves/ this place since she got the shiny here.
Fintan's eyes slowly flutter open and he can vaguely see the first sight of his little life: Braxton's horrified expression, his scream, running away like a scared kit. Even Terri doesn't calm his nerves as he wiggles to her hind leg and hugs it, turning away, closing his eyes again.
Sage's ears flatten briefly at the unpleasant sounds coming from the red fox, as her mixtures do not usually have such dramatically negative effects on its partakers. But it merely brings out whatever is hidden within the recesses of one's own mind, so perhaps the aging male has some personal issues to work out himself. But then the fox darts away, and so she glances back down at the indicated tooth, and the lynx shrugs her shoulders slightly. "We're not sure. We found it near a scattering of other, smaller broken bones. But judging by its size, we thought it might be from either a wolf or a cougar." Glancing up as her name is called, she sights the odd couple from a few days prior, and she bobs her head to them in acknowledgment with a subtle smile.
Grum feels her hop up and down, her little ferret dance she does when she gets excited, but, of course, he doesn't really mind. He finally reaches a casual distance by Sage and sits down, wondering what Misree wants to talk to her about. Maybe she'll thank her? Or perhaps ask if there are any more shinies? His silver relic dangles against his neck as he sits.
Nium goes very quiet as she is contacted by the wolf. The food is all but forgotten now. "Mom... I'm sorry I left..." Her voice is very shaky and weak as she speaks to what she believes is her mother. "But I had to get away, I was going to DIE!..." The cougar is completely convinced she is speaking to her mother, whom she hasn't seen in many years. "I'm not Nium... I stole that name so you couldn't find me, but I wanted you to come... I'M SORRY!" Her shouting is passionate, as she looks into the wolf's eyes, her own eyes are wide and dazed. "I love you... I always, always have... Please forgive your only daughter." Nium's voice relaxes again, no longer shouting.
Terri looks at braxton and holds an bewildered look as she knows he is likely remembering his parents but why is he acting like a kit she then nuzzles her little kit and turns and speaks to sage saying ""excuse me um can you mrs" she does not know sage name so she simply states "mrs lynx can you tell me if my mate the red fox that ran off ate something rotten or maybe smelled funny cause he is acting strange I am wondering if he is sick"
Bidziil visibly debates with himself for a moment, having trouble making a decision while simultaneously contemplating life, the universe, and everything. But eventually he nods to himself and he says, "What do you want for it?" It's only then that he recognizes the ferret and bear pair from earlier. "Oh, hello again!" he greets much more warmly than they might expect, "You should try the soup..."
For as long as she has been alive, it has been Skelaghe's desire to help others. Perhaps, here, she can do so. Keeping her soft voice, she says, "There is no forgiveness needed, Sweet Rain. All I could ever want for my children is for them to do well, and you look like you've done quite well." Skelaghe attempts to bump her nose against the bottom of Nium's muzzle, a gentle, nonverbal way of saying 'keep your chin up' before she adds, "I have to go now, but you should know that your mother will always love you, will never judge you for doing what you need to do. Do you know that?" Skelaghe doesn't want to be here when Nium's outer vision clears and the cougaress can again see Skelaghe as she truly is, but she /does/ want to know she has helped.
Misree blinks a little bit as she is greeted by the porcupine rather warmly. That was odd.. well he mentioned soup. Her face perks a little as she looks towards sage and the soup near her. "Ohhh food? is it for anyone? or do we have to go looking for more thornapple to get a meal?" She asks curiously as she tilts her head this question pointed towards the Lynx. "Because one search for a thornapple is enough for me." She says with a grin. She is content they got one Shiny. For some reason that was enough for her. Which probably would spook Grum. But something about these lands out here was making her feel content with what she has gotten. Her greed.. seems to just be elsewhere.
Sage considers the question briefly, but her thought process is interrupted by the other fox present here. She chuckles softly at her question. "Nothing rotten, merely strange. He ate the prepared stew of his own volition, and after he heard my warning to be prepared for whatever may come. It is not permanent, but you may need to go care for him -- and your kit -- in the meantime so that he does not bring harm to himself." Turning her focus back to the porcupine, she finally answers with a simple quest: "Bring me a few morning glory flowers. They can usually be found wherever other flowers grow wild." As an afterthought, she adds: "If you go now, do be careful." At the ferret's suspicious question, she shakes her head with a laugh. "No, no. It's free for all who would come to share in Luna's celebration tonight. But as I've mentioned to all who have eaten of the centerpiece before, please be prepared if you wish to try the stew."
Grum looks down at the soup idly. It bubbles suspiciously! "Maybe, Misree, you had better not," he says. He doesn't really think Misree is 'prepared' for whatever it has in store for her. After seeing that fox just run off in sheer terror at nothing, and this Bidziil fellow seems a little out of his wit at the moment oddly. Something seems suspiciously strange, and he's afraid of whatever Misree might do if that happens to *her*. "There's other food, it looks good," he advises her.
Bidziil ponders description of the item over carefully, though it seems that his head has started to clear enough to make that actually possible. "I think I know where..." he says after a moment, turning to go that way. Why the porcupine wants the tooth is anyone's guess, but it seems that he's willing to work for it.
Misree slowly moves to leap off of Grum's head and lands near the feast. She then looks back at Grum. He was telling her not to eat the soup. "Well then if I can't eat the soup.. /you/ eat the soup Grum." She says with a grin. "One of us is gonna eat the soup!" She felt playful at the moment. She really wanted to see Grum get as excited as the fox and run around like that. But respecting his words for the moment she picked out a nice little rodent and started to gulp it down.
Nium nods, then ultimately looks at the ground, tears in her eyes from being able to see her mother. She remains still, perhaps a better idea if Skelaghe leaves her solo now. Nium, or Sweet Rain as it were, had an important revelation in accepting her past. "I do know...mom..." She speaks in a low whisper, calmly. The large cougar closes her eyes and shakes her head again. Possibly experiencing another phase of the hallucination, possibly it ending all together.
News of the unusual events unfolding around here haven't gone unheard of by Tonka, but as intriguing as the rumors have been, the bear has been waylaid by other obligations. Now that said obligations are fulfilled, he makes his fashionably late arrival to the festivities. The gathering is visible from a distance, and as odd and almost unnatural as it feels to approach such an oddly varied congregation, he feels somehow inescapably drawn to do so. So he approaches with his usual light steps, but without the caution that he might have exercised if he had stumbled on such a phenomenon without hearing about it first. Nostrils aquiver at the tapestry of scents, cub-like curiosity twinkling in his brown eyes, he looks from creature to creature searchingly as his steps bring him amongst them. "Whenever I think that life can't possibly get more surreal... it somehow manages to surprise me..." He says in a tone of intrigued amusement.
Grum looks at Misree in honest surprise. Him? He shakes his head and makes a 'tsk' noise. But at least Misree was doing what he asked. Which was mostly what accounted for his look of surprise. He turns to stare at the soup apprehensively. And gets up and walks over to it, before sitting back down. Was this a really good idea? Is Grum really the one more safe to be off his rocker than a small ferret? Well... yes. Probably. He leans down and sniffs it. Who /else/ hear has eaten this stuff? Has everyone? Most people seem fine, right? Except, there's that cougar calling an obviously bewildered wolf her mom. Ah. Well. Ge starts to take large gulps of it. Doesn't taste too bad.
Skelaghe lowers her head to nuzzle against the cougaress who she knows no more about than that she is a member of Amaranth. Perhaps... Yes, perhaps Skelaghe will stay near the area until whatever Nium has ingested wears off, that she might speak to the cougaress about things that exist wholly in the physical world. For now, though, she leaves the cougaress be. Having heard snippets of conversation from loud, enthusiastic animals while she was counseling Nium, she takes a few steps towards sage and, with a slight, respectful bow of her head, she says, "I do not desire to partake in your more... interesting... offerings-" After all, she is still nursing her children, and who knows what it might do to the milk she produces. "-if you do not mind, though, I should like to eat something." She heard that everyone was welcome, but that is no reason to skip being polite.
Terri nods and picks up her little fintan by his scruff so she can take him with to search for braxton. if she had known sage better she would have asked her to watch him she thinks about asking her for a little bit bit then sets fintan down again and says "mrs lynx can you watch my kit for I wish to go looking for my mate"
Sage has settled down onto her haunches as she waits for the porcupine to return, keeping mostly to herself unless she is addressed directly, which the wolf does now. Looking over at Skelaghe, she smiles and nods. "Of course you may." The female fox speaks to her again, and the kit is, much to her surprise, dropped at her feet. "Er, pardon me, miss, but I am afraid that I am in no shape to care for your infant child when there are so many others around to be watched over here as well. He should be taken somewhere safer, away from the busy--" and not to mention strange-- "happenings here."
It takes the porcupine awhile to return, but he eventually does. He's extremely lacking in speed, having both short legs and only a rare reason to be in a hurry. But he's got stamina and with no reason to stop he comes back exactly as fast as his legs can carry him. "Here," he says, depositing the flower carried in his teeth, "This is the right kind, isn't it? I know my trees better than my flowers." Please let it be the right one? He doesn't want to walk all the way there and back again!
Skelaghe offers nothing more than a smile in thanks before she selects a moderately sized rabbit and draws it several paces back from the rest of the food before settling down to eat. Despite her hunger, she does not draw excess attention to herself, now, either while she is eating or after she finishes eating.
Misree blinks as she stares suddenly her mouth a bit agape. "G..grum your.. actually gonna..." slurp slurp slurp. She stares in amazement as the bear actually drinks the soup. She feels a tingle of excitement as he does and pads closer gulping down the food in her mouth she starts to talk in a excited tone. "You feel any different? how does it taste? you sure i can't have any?" She asks bouncing around the larger bear in the hyperactive way she always did.
Something queer... there seem to be some odd symptoms affecting some of this place's inhabitants, which Tonka manages to pick up on pretty quickly, but what arrests his attention even more is how at ease everyone seems to be. The arrival of a strange bear usually will get some sort of attention. It's a nice change for this bear, who's all too used to being not only noticed, but quite unwelcome when he -is- noticed. Flumping to his rear-end at the fringes of the gathering, Tonka's ears swivel towards the spread and the 'soup' that the other bear is partaking of, just observing for the moment rather than participating himself. Curious.
Terri sighs and nods saying "well fintan you are going to hafta come with mommy while we go look for daddy" she goes to picks up her little one thinking ~why I even ask I should not trust someone I hardly know with my kid~ she starts to take her little one with her to go search for braxton
Sage inspects the blue-violet flowers that the porcupine has brought back, and she nods her cheek-ruffed head with affirmation. "Excellent. This is it," she answers, turning slightly towards the scrap of leather that's been laid flat, daintily batting the tooth away from the rest of the miscellaneous items there with a feline forepaw until she can sweep it forward to land in front of Bidziil as his half of the trade.
Grum leans back. Tilts his head. He thinks for a bit. Smacks his head. He doesn't feel anything at all. He is a big creature, and his metabolism is probably rather slow. He wonders how long it would take for poisons or, er, other effects, to take hold of him. "Nope," he says with a shrug of his shoulders and takes a few steps back, and he sits back down. Suddenly, Misree looks like an odd shade of purple. "Huh..."
Fintan is picked up, but it's okay. Maybe his mom is gonna move him to somewhere safer. He doesn't like it here. Too many odd noises! He slowly starts to calm down and doesn't feel as vulnerable. The blurry sight of his father still lingers in the back of his head, though. He lets out a little whine.
Misree blinks a little bit as he says no. She frowns and looks up at Sage as if to ask why he isn't going all weird. She doesn't grasp the fact that since he is bigger it might take longer to hit him. But.. she doesn't asks she merely turns to Grum, and as she does she spots... another Grum! Well another bear... not another Grum just another bear. "Hey Grum look at that!" She comments about the distant bear. But then he says huh and she looks up. "What Grum?" She says with a curious tilt of her head.
Bidziil collects his prize in his deft little hands, sniffing it over for a moment. Yes, he quite likes this thing! He starts to head back to where he was eating before, but he suddenly makes a little detour over to the stew for another bite. The little bit he had before has worn off, and this time he takes just a little bit more. Picking up the tooth again, he goes back to where he was eating before, wondering if the stew he just ate or watching he bear with end up being more entertaining.
"Nothing," he says. Now Misree is very green. "Hm." He looks around him. He looks at the bear that Misree is referring to. Never saw a blue bear before. He shrugs, though, taking it rather indifferently. "You're blue," he points out to Tonka. Just to be helpful.
Slowly Nium lifts her head from a daze, looking around. She's unsure where she is at first, but she's sure she's right. She saw her mother, she *felt* her nuzzle. It was interesting, frightening, revealing. Nium wonders what exactly happened as she stands and begins walking back to the feast, specifically her bird. Her head is filled with many thoughts and concerns, but she feels comforted having seen her mother again after so many years. She sits back at the bird which only had two bites into it, and looks around, noticing the wolf for the first time, and the rest. Cautiously, she continues eating what she can. Her mother, her real name, her past, her father, and even Ashen all float through Nium's head.
Tonka tilts his head as he tries to interpret Grum's statement. "Actually, I feel quite alright." He replies in a light tone, offering a broad, genial smile as if to prove his mood. He does suspect, from all the other strange happenings, that the other ursine might be referring to his color, but that's a level of silliness that one doesn't immediately assume of others, even after they've sampled a questionable botanical brew.
Misree blinks and pouts a bit. She didn't know any better but to assume that he was telling the truth and quickly she moves back towards the meat table, intent on snagging another field mouse. She then hears her bears statement and blinks. oooooo! Did this brew give her bear empathic abilities? She stared over curiously at the two bears standing next to the mouse she was intent on taking.
Bidziil keeps an eye on the bear with amusement clearly written on his face as he starts nibbling away at the portion of the feast he'd previously claimed. But abruptly, his gnawing increases pace and his eyes also start to focus on empty air. Uh-oh, here we go again! Suddenly he stops and drops the bit of bark in his mouth. "Hesko?" he asks questioningly to one of his invisible visions, "Dude, is that really you?"
"Are you...?" he asks nodding his head a little bit. "Do you? That's interesting." He looks down at the soft grass and pulls some of it out, raises it high and lets it filter down through his paw digits until the blades waft into the air. Finally, they settle at some indeterminable place on the ground by his feet. "Have you ever felt... uprooted? And then dropped?" He looks back up at Tonka. "And wondered why we land at the places that we do? Why do we feel fine with not being in control of our lives?" He thinks about that.
Now here's one after Tonka's heart. His smile widens, and that look of amusement in his eyes grows. "Control is overrated." He replies almost automatically, chuckling and lowering his head to nip a bite of clover from the ground in front of his paws, chewing lazily. "Makes things too... predictable." A curious, but no less amused look is given to Bidziil as well. Case in point.
Misree might have actually been worried about Grum had she listened to the philosophy he was getting into. He /never/ said such things even in private. But she was actually edging around the soup and moving towards the spiny one and the herbivore side of the table. She then sat her but down and watched him curiously. " Hesko?" she asks curiously.
Grum nods knowingly. "It's too much effort, too much effort," he muses. He matches the grin on Tonka's maw. And lets out a chuckle himself. "We think we are making choices," and he obviously finds this next part very amusing, because he laughs it out: "But none of them have any point! Haha! None of our choices at all!" Slowly he regains composure and ahems softly. "But, that's the real freedom, isn't it? The real freedom... mmhm. We choose things because.. mm, not because it has a point, and not because.. it makes a difference.. but because.. that's what feels.. right." he slowly loses his train of thought and stares at the ground again.
The porcupine settles into a conversation with his nonexistent acquaintance, "Wow, it's been, what, two years? What've you been up to? ... For real? ... Oh, I've just been hanging around here, you know ... No, I haven't yet, but I'm not in a hurry ... Oh, well tell her 'Hi' for me then ... Sure, dude, see you later!" With that, Bidziil starts eating again as if nothing happened, eyeing the bear again. Aw, but it looks like he missed something interesting while he was catching up with Hesko. It takes him another moment to notice the ferret is there. "Huh? What do /you/ want?" he asks in a bored tone.
Rather than look at Grum as if he's not quite right in the head, Tonka looks genuinely reflective. "I think you've cracked the beehive with that one, friend." He rumbles with quiet laughter. He decides to move a bit closer to the feast, another curious look given to the stew as he shuffles near enough to get a better look at it. Hmmmm.
Misree looks at the porcupine as he seems bored. She is starting to get the willies about this soup. Perhaps it was making this guy really weirded out? Talking to invisible things it seem and now seemingly talking at her with a very upset and bored tone. "Er nothing!" She comments and quickly leaps over the strew pot grabs a mouse and wanting to have comfort back tears herself a path to Grum and climbs onto his head mouse in jaws. "Grummy? You having fun?" She says having never really seen him converse with his own kind.. but she was glad he was at least seemingly enjoying himself.
Grum doesn't respond really, or make any reaction. He continues to stare blankly at the ground, pulling some pieces of grass out and letting them shower down. Finally he looks up a little. "Sister... I think... Grummy needs some sleep," he yawns. He's getting terribly tired all of the sudden, and without any more warning he leans back and smacks the ground on his side. And he begins to snore, loudly.
Bidziil shrugs to himself when the ferret darts away. Huh, funny that. Don't ferrets eat rodents? He's a rodent, so shouldn't /he/ be running away? But then again, he's a big rodent. Maybe he should be eating the ferret instead. But he doesn't even /like/ meat! "Woah," says the porcupine as his bizarre train of thought is interrupted by so many pretty colors. Yeah, this is so much better than the first time he ate the stew!
Misree squeaks as suddenly Grum falls over with a heavy thump. She barely manages to dodge herself to one side. He is out like a light... this... was rather new to her but immediately she perched up on him and kept a eye out for danger staying silent for the moment she keep vigil over the bear. She really can't do much to defend him.. but she will keep a lookout.. it seems safe here for him to do this.. but she still is on the side of caution.