Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)
<h1 id="title">Elliquiy Role Playing Forums</h1>
		<h2 id="linktree">Play-By-Post: Bondage, D/s, S&amp;M =&gt; Bondage: Exotic Solos =&gt; Topic started by: Greytrail on 20-05-2013, 09:09:26</h2>
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>20-05-2013, 09:09:26</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				It was time.<br><br>No more would that monster torment him and his, leaving torched husks of his loved ones and wrecking the families of his people.<br><br>No more!<br><br>Breath hot and white blasted into the gathered mist, Mother Mountain bathing her children in white quiet. Paws raced across loose ground, shale scuttling away from the charge. Faster, faster, they pushed, gathering strength from the elements that gave all things life. The Clan had been skulking about the monster's lair for seasons now, scratching quietly, so quietly, like a cat hunts for a mouse in a dead tree. Any sound would give away the hunt. And now it was time, with the beast having only just returned with its sacrificial Bareskin from the world below the Mountain. It would be distracted by its prey, as vulnerable as possible to attack.<br><br>Faster and faster still, the heartbeat of the mountain herself drove on his wild dash across her face. As agile as the wind, the pack followed their leader as he climbed to a point above, where he wheeled about and let gravity increase his speed, add weight to the impact he soon would make. Magic gathered around the pack, focused on their alpha, the sharp tip of the spear.<br><br>The hole had been scratched away, pebble by quiet pebble, never to alert the beast buried below. Angled perfectly for this desperate gamble by the Changing Kin of the Mother Mountain. The beast was an old one, well-entrenched, greedy and powerful. There were few other living things on this once rich mountain, her slopes scorched bare by the monster. Howling with fury, Sage of Storm gathered the power of the vast peak, the thin, misty air, the ghosts of those who had gone before... and plunged down the hole.<br><br>With nary a breath between them, the assault party followed him without a flicker of hesitation. This would work or they would all die, splattered at the bottom of the tunnel. <br><br>Armor glowing with power, Sage shifted to his middle form and focused his formidable will...<br><br>To smash through the narrow passageway made by his fellows and into a deadly free fall into the open space below. In the four heartbeats they fell, fanning out in midair, Sage noted the screaming, even as the monster tilted its great, heavy head, that sulfur-yellow eye widening in shock. The Humans called its kind, dragon. The Changing Kin did not name them, for to name them gave them power.<br><br>Sage of Storm had the briefest of moment to see his distorted reflection in that great eye before he smashed into it with the power of an avalanche. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>20-05-2013, 20:48:05</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				(http://cache.desktopnexus.com/thumbnails/756090-bigthumbnail.jpg)<br><br>Melody was terrified as she stood, strapped to the posts that kept her there.&nbsp; She was nearly naked, the thin pieces of silk that was on her barely covered a thing and was meant to show off her body more than it was to cover it.&nbsp; She struggled against the binds, hearing the dragons distant roar as it came closer and closer.&nbsp; Frightened tears were in her eyes as they caught sight of the giant beast.&nbsp; It swooped down and cut away the bindings with it's claws before grabbing her and flying away.&nbsp; She was too scared to scream, too frightened to move.&nbsp; She just grabbed on as tight as she could and prayed the dragon didn't drop her.<br><br>When they got back to his cave, he hand just put her down and she scrambled to avoid him when they both heard a noise.&nbsp; The dragon turned around, knocking her over with his tail and sent her flying back into the hole that had his pile of treasure.&nbsp; She landed, the breath being knocked from her lungs and some of the treasure had spilled on top of her.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>21-05-2013, 00:10:47</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				With a shattering explosion of burning gore, the dragon's eye burst in a roar of agony, both Sage of Storm and the monster. The pack fell on its writhing, serpentine with roars and howls, no concern for their own safety, for they would fell the beast or die in the attempt. There must be no quarter, for if it lived, it would destroy every living thing for many days travel in all directions. Sage held his breath, clawing blindly at the thing's great eye until it flung him away like a splinter to smash through the rattling, sliding horde of treasure. Groaning in agony, he twisted, clawing at the mess, desperate to get to his pack. The screams of rage and agony cut him worse than physical pain. <br><br>The monster writhed and twisted, shaking the mountain, but the stones of the Mother Mountain held fast, until... until at last quiet began to fall.<br><br>Sage crawled to Spring Sky, who howled and screamed in agony, held his clanmate and purred until slowly, the cries faded and she passed through the Veil and into the silence of death. There were others who would never rise again, and he noted each, held their names in his heart, but moved to the living. Thank all the holies that there were survivors, smoky coats caked in gore and soot, stumbling towards their Alpha. "My Kin," he breathed, each of them rubbing heads like their feline brethren. "Only seven."<br><br>There had been eighteen. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>21-05-2013, 01:10:28</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Melody cowered in her "hiding" spot that she had been forced into.&nbsp; She heard the screaming and roaring from the dragon as well as from the ones who came to kill it.&nbsp; Were they rescuing her?&nbsp; She hoped so.&nbsp; Soon, she heard and saw one of them land in the treasure with her and....her eyes widened in fear.&nbsp; It was one of them, The Warped.&nbsp; She stayed silent, hoping it wouldn't notice her.&nbsp; He didn't and soon he was out of the treasure when it was all quiet.&nbsp; What was she to do.&nbsp; She needed to get out of here, but not while they were here.&nbsp; What if they decided to loot the treasure however and found her.&nbsp; She whimpered quietly, she could only hope not.&nbsp; Or worse, what if they already knew she was here and came to claim her from the dragon they just slayed.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>21-05-2013, 03:46:45</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				With the dramatic demise of their enemy, the Kin clustered together, helping their wounded fellows to a heavy trickle of water that pooled along one side of the dragon's chamber before naturally draining away. There, they drank and rinsed the gore from their fur, scrubbing out wounds before looking around. Without the hellish fire and glow of their great enemy, the chamber was smokey and dark. <br><br>"Moon, Talon, follow me. Let us see what spoils may be of use to us. Then we will entreat Mother Mountain to collapse this cursed place. By the time the greedy Bareskins come to dig out the beast's treasure, we will be long gone."<br><br>There was a swath of scattered treasure in the vast mounds where Sage had been tossed. The gore that had so recently been on his fur was still smeared over the baubles and valuables. <br><br>"Wait," he whispered to his packmates, who froze automatically. "There is someone else here. Do you smell it?"<br><br>Even as Sage spotted a second disruption through the dusty horde, the faint sound of terror reached his ears. Still in his mid form, Sage of Storm growled and moved over the slippery terrain towards the trailing edges of the great piles. There! Even as he scraped away the shifting, treacherous gold and gems, he knew he questioned what he was doing. Still, the Kin were not the sort to leave the helpless to die. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>21-05-2013, 04:06:15</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She was trying to be as quiet as can be, but...when he mentioned looking through the treasure she whimpered again, though berated herself.&nbsp; She needed to be quiet.&nbsp; Her eyes widened in fear when one of them mentioned someone else was there.&nbsp; She whimpered once more as he started looking through the gold.&nbsp; "Please," she begged when dug down to her.&nbsp; "I don't mean any harm, just...let me go."&nbsp; She looked at him, taking in his large, tall, and very frightening frame.&nbsp; She started trying to shift her way away from him, but it was quite difficult with all the shifting gold, especially with her trying to cover her almost nude form up with her arms.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>21-05-2013, 07:49:10</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Blinking in surprise, Sage of Storm unconsciously shifted to his Man-form and eyed the unexpected survivor of the monster's ravages. She looked remarkably intact in fact, though bruised and terrified, small streaks of blood marring her pale skin.<br><br>A Bareskin. A Human. <br><br>Alerted by his body language, Moon on Snow and Talon to Kill appeared to flank him, both Wearing the Knife, snarling lips pulled back from the dagger-like fangs that marked his clan so clearly. Crossing his arms, Sage calmly regarded the human woman, secretly fascinated by the stunning fiery red of her long hair where it splayed in a tangled mess about her attractive face and stunning green eyes. What a fascinating prize she would make...<br><br>"Apparently we have rescued you, Bareskin. The monster is dead and this mountain will kill you with no remorse without our help. Come."<br><br>He ignored his packmate's shock and slid down to loom over the stranger, armored feet planted on either side of her prone body, half hunched over to eye her curiously.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>21-05-2013, 19:09:45</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She watched, terrified and amazed as he shifted to human form.&nbsp; What averted her attention however, would be the other Warped that came to her, snarling and she tried backing up again, trying to get away from them.&nbsp; She was absolutely terrified, her fate was to go from one beast to another and at least she knew what her fate was in store with the dragon.&nbsp; With these monsters...she had absolutely no idea.<br><br>Rescued her?&nbsp; Maybe from the dragon and the mountain, but what about from themselves.&nbsp; He planted his feet on either side of her and hunched down.&nbsp; She turned her head to the side, eyes shut tight, and whimpering softly, afraid of what he was going to do.&nbsp; "Please," she said.&nbsp; "Return me home.&nbsp; That's all I want," she begged him.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>21-05-2013, 19:54:27</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"And have you tell the others of your kind the beast is dead? I think not," he mused conversationally and reached out to stroke her hair. It was thick and soft, pleasing him. "Your choices are me or an icy death at the scant mercies of the mountain. You would not fare well, woman." Ignoring his own aches and pains that lingered heavily on him from the devastating blow to the old dragon, Sage gently unburied her enough to scoop her up, pressing her like a child to his bare left shoulder. "I would make use of you and to squander life is foolish." With a chuffing sound deep in his throat, Sage called for his packmate's attention and their eyes instantly came to his. "Search for anything that may be of use to us, including any heavy cloth that will ensure this one will not freeze to death."<br><br>Old Cloud Scar, who lay dead with so many others of the clan, and and his odd habit of wearing that dire wolf pelt might inadvertently save his new charge's life. 
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>21-05-2013, 22:27:08</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				"And why not?" she asked.&nbsp; "What harm would it do?"&nbsp; She flinched as he reached out to her, but it was only to stroke her hair and she relaxed some.&nbsp; Well...relaxed as much as she could around all of these cat men.&nbsp; "I'd take my chances with the cold and the mountain," she mumbled, looking away from him.&nbsp; He was digging her out though and scooped her up, holding her like a child.&nbsp; Her eyes widened at that, especially when he said he would make use of her.&nbsp; "Wh...what do you mean make use of me?" she asked him frightened all over again.&nbsp; "I can sew," she said.&nbsp; "But I'm afraid that's the only skill I have that would be useful."&nbsp; She prayed that's what he meant.<br><br>She was given a dire wolf pelt and she wrapped it around herself as best she could with him still holding her.&nbsp; "I...I can walk," she told him.&nbsp; She didn't want to be carried, plus it hindered her chance for escape, which she would try the first moment she got.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>22-05-2013, 09:07:07</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				In the archway that separated the dragon's horde from its tomb, Sage set the Bareskin at his feet to huddle for warmth in the wolf fur. From there, he had no need to strain his injuries and could order about his remaining packmates. The vile smoke and smells dissipated slowly through the hole he'd punched in the ceiling, carried away by the icy breeze from the outside.<br><br>A flicker of movement and Sage lashed out to stomp a foot onto the edge of the pelt, halting the crawling retreat of the Human. For a moment, he only eyed her coldly, one eyebrow raised. "Do you really think you can survive this mountain? Do you feel that small caress of wind on your skin, woman? That is the Mother's breath. It is spring now, but one would hardly know when the fog rolls in with its deadly breath, to leave a sheen of ice of fur so thick that no heat escapes."<br><br>Right on cue, his young cousin appeared to press a heavy head beneath his hand in a bid for reassuring affection. As the Black Tail was still a youngster, Sage allowed the lad the intimacy, stroking his skull and ears.<br><br>"We are the mountain's chosen ones. What insanity makes you think you will survive the night?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>22-05-2013, 18:21:26</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				He set her down and she wrapped the fur around her as much as she could and as tight as she could.&nbsp; She waited for a second, trying to make sure he was distracted, before she tried scooting away from him.&nbsp; He instantly stopped her.&nbsp; She froze at his words.&nbsp; She didn't think she could survive the mountain, but...she didn't think she would survive them either.&nbsp; She watched as a younger one of his kind came in, wanting to be...petted?&nbsp; She looked away and hugged her knees to her chest under the fur pelt.&nbsp; "I don't," she answered him.&nbsp; "Nor do I expect to survive you.&nbsp; I suspect the mountain will be more merciful however."&nbsp; She tightened the pelt around her as she shivered.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>24-05-2013, 00:38:23</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Raising an eyebrow, the Alpha regarded the strange Bareskin. "Survive me? I've no intention of harming you. But I've no intention of letting you go either. Your barbaric brethren mustn't come to our mountain in search of the monster's treasure. They will rape this mountain to her core." His voice dropped to a harsh, threatening growl. "They always do."<br><br>A whine from Black Tail drew Sage's attention to a pile of heavy, colorful material the youth had dragged over. There was even rope. Again, he stroked the lad's head and ears, smiling faintly. "Thank you cousin, that will do."<br><br>The pack gathered, each with pouches full of treasure. The woman cringed as they placed their great bodies between her and the cave mouth, protecting her from the breeze and sniffing at her. They may not understand why he had spared her, but they did not question. Limping over to the great monster's lifeless bulk, Sage of Storm placed a gauntleted hand on its nose and let the change to his mid-form overtake him. His mournful yowl echoed in the dank space, instantly taken up by his fellows. For here, their clanmates fell and here, the greatest monster of these mountains finally fell.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>24-05-2013, 03:35:24</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She looked at him, not exactly sure how to react to the knowledge he wasn't going to harm her.&nbsp; He was calling her species barbaric?&nbsp; She was rather offended by that.&nbsp; "What use will you make of me?" she asked him once more, he hadn't answered her question.<br><br>She turned her attention to the younger tiger who whined and he called him cousin.&nbsp; She looked at what he had dragged over and and wondered what the colorful material and rope were for.&nbsp; Was it to do with the dead?&nbsp; "What is your name?" she asked as she returned her attention back on him, looking up at his intimidating features.&nbsp; "I'm Melody, not bareskin," she said remembering what he had called her earlier.&nbsp; If she was going to be stuck with him, might as well get used to it.<br><br>She cringed a bit when the remaining pack members put themselves between her and the exit, sniffing her.&nbsp; With them blocking the wind though, it did feel a bit warmer, but not much.&nbsp; She watched as he turned into his mid-form and then covered her ears as they yowled.&nbsp; It was loud and she could still hear it even with her ears covered.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>24-05-2013, 10:39:13</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Having honored their enemy and their fallen comrades, the pack went back to bustling about as Sage concentrated in using his magical ties to Earth to call out the invaluable gem that would have been left behind with the monster's passing. This one was large, nearly the size of a chicken egg, and burned brutally hot as he cradled it in his large paw-hands. Patting the monster's nose almost affectionately, he strode back to his captive. Unconsciously rolling the gem in his fingers, he watched as her eye had trouble staying away from its fiery gleam. Interesting. He wondered if she had a fire affinity that matched her flame-red hair.<br><br>"Sage of Storm," he growled with difficulty, before morphing to his man-form again. "I am Alpha of this pack. That is all that need concern you, Bareskin." When she looked to object to the moniker, he raised an imperious hand. "Among us, one must earn one's name." Thoughtfully, he pondered the difficulty of traveling with her slow, bipedal form among his pack. "I will have to carry you. That is the only way. It will not be comfortable, but it will have to do. Left... Oh, there you are."<br><br>As usual, she was one step ahead of his needs, seeming to materialize beside him, her completely ordinary middling gray coat, almost stripeless, blending into the colorlessness of this dreary place. As effortless as thought, she was wearing her human-like form, her looks as ordinary and bland as in all her forms. She liked it that way, for it inevitably led to all to underestimate her.<br><br>"My beta, Left Ear," Sage explained shortly and when he turned to his packmate she only smiled faintly and held up the rope and heavy tapestry in wordless explanation. They shared a wry look before returning their combined attention to the Human.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>24-05-2013, 18:19:58</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				She watched as he called up a gem from the earth.&nbsp; She stared at it, very fascinated by it.&nbsp; It was difficult to take her eyes off the thing, she even wanted to reach out and touch it.&nbsp; She didn't though, considering it was far enough away that she couldn't.&nbsp; She snapped out of her trance when he spoke and she looked at him instead.&nbsp; She grew angry when he called her Bareskin once more and told her she had to earn her name.&nbsp; She glared, and not thinking, said, "Fine then, but until then I'm calling you Catbeast."<br><br>His Beta came over then and he introduced her.&nbsp; She didn't smile back to her and then Left Ear was holding up the tapestry and rope, both looking at her.&nbsp; She looked from the both of them to the tapestry and rope.&nbsp; He had said he was going to carry her, was he going to use that?&nbsp; How?&nbsp; "Wh...what are you going to do with that?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>25-05-2013, 01:10:10</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Stepping forward, Sage once more knelt to grab the woman's chin to effortlessly pin her to the cold earth. Growling softly, he spoke, in a low, patient tone. Though only a fool would discount the none to subtle threat in his tone. "You would be well advised who is saving your life, woman. You are mine now and you will abide by my rules. If you do not wish to be treated like a child, adapt. You are clearly not unintelligent, merely frightened and I respect that. But you must still adapt. This sacred mountain and her chosen few will not tolerate weakness." With his nose nearly in her ear he breathed, "my name is Sage of Storm. I am your Alpha now. You will have to earn your name from me. Do we understand one another?"<br><br>Once she made some small sound of acquiescence, Sage pet her head once more, very gently. "We will teach you." <br><br>While the summery eyes watched, Sage willed the change over his body, swelling large, fur rippling over his body, skull heavy and bestial. With another thought, he changed again, becoming his feline self, the size of a bear, head massive, great dagger-like fangs sprouting from his upper jaw. The tail waving behind him was nearly as long as his heavy body, even more thickly furred than the rest of him. Every piece of the extensive armor morphed with him, fitting itself to his body.<br><br>"How is it you Humans say?" Left Ear chuckled throatily and gestured at the Alpha. "Saddle up?"
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>25-05-2013, 01:58:53</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				He grabbed her chin, pinning her to the ground and growled softly at her.&nbsp; She fidgeted, scared, she clearly heard the threat in his tone of voice.&nbsp; She shook with both, cold and fear and she heeded his words.&nbsp; "I'm sorry," she told him.&nbsp; Then he was breathing words into her ear that sent shivers down her spine from his warm breath.&nbsp; She nodded, "Yes Sage of Storm.&nbsp; I understand."&nbsp; She looked down, feeling defeated.&nbsp; She felt him pet her head once more though and sighed softly.<br><br>He was changing then and she couldn't help but watch, frightened at the giant cat that now stood before her.&nbsp; He could crush her with just one paw and when Left Ear spoke, her eyes widened.&nbsp; She would have to...ride on his back?&nbsp; She got up, sitting on him like she was told before the tapestry was wrapped around her, over the pelt, and tied on with the rope.&nbsp; She didn't feel very secure, especially if he was going to move fast, and she grasped onto his fur, holding on as tight as she could.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>25-05-2013, 02:55:35</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				With quick efficiency, Left Ear ensured that the Human's skin was entirely covered, tucking her legs up almost uncomfortably, so that the dainty feet were lashed near Sage's kidneys and buried deep in the heavy fur there. Her shoulders were lashed snugly, but her arms left loose to keep the pelt and fabric as tight around her head as she wished.<br><br>"You will still get cold," Left Ear sympathized. "But hopefully this will be enough to keep damage from your skin. She's all yours, Alpha."<br><br>Huffing and grumbling, Sage pranced around a bit, stretched luxuriously the way only a cat can to test the fit and had Left Ear reset one rope. Then the pack moved out, effortlessly loping down the huge tunnel until they came to the entrance... hundreds of feet overhead. Without being summoned, Black Tail appeared at his cousin's side and both males looked up at the jagged circle of sky overhead. Calling to the power of that open air, of howling storms and whistling wind, they brought down a swirling vortex that picked up the pack like so much detritus.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>25-05-2013, 03:58:06</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Before she could do anything, Left Ear was tucking her legs into Sage of Storm's sides and it was uncomfortable enough to make her lie down on his back.&nbsp; His fur was keeping her legs warm though.&nbsp; Then her shoulders were being tied down but she could still move her arms to wrap the furs tighter over her head.&nbsp; That's exactly what she did, so she wouldn't have to see, and then she was wrapping her arms tight around him.<br><br>She heard Left Ear speak and she nodded.&nbsp; "Thank you," she said simply, at least they were trying to keep her warm.&nbsp; Then Sage was prancing around and she gasped in fright slightly.&nbsp; She just held on as tight as she could as she felt him moving around.&nbsp; When it felt like they were off and moving, she was also freezing to death and was shivering against him.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>25-05-2013, 08:29:07</strong>
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			<dd class="postbody">
				Once on solid ground, the pack wasted no time racing back the way they'd come. The clan would need to know what had happened and plans would need to be made. Sage hoped his body heat trapped in his fur and the dire wolf pelt would be enough to keep his charge from damage in the cold, thin air. His ribs and arms ached abominably from the free-fall attack, but the power of the monster's Heartstone lent him strength, some of which he tried to push off onto the woman to help her. He was really hoping that the tingle of fire he felt in her was real, for that was a rare gift among his clan and she would be highly valued for it.<br><br>The breaks were quick, the pack panting great clouds of white breath into the misty air. At one point the Human moaned in discomfort and Left Ear looked worried when she checked in on her. Mother Mountain was not being merciful this day.<br><br>"Take the stone," he growled to his beta, not surprised by her startled reaction. "I know it's a gamble, but having the elements kill her would be a waste of effort. And I feel Fire in her, I swear I do."<br><br>Taking the little bag from around Sage's neck, Left opened it and admired the hot glow of the Heartstone. Before she could get hypnotized by it, she fished out the woman's hand and pressed the stone her right hand, using the cord to tie it securely in place before shoving her more securely beneath the protective layers.<br><br>Only time would tell if it would be enough.
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			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>25-05-2013, 18:11:41</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				They were on solid ground now....at least she thought they were.&nbsp; She was shivering to death.&nbsp; Finally they stopped, and she whimpered softly in discomfort.&nbsp; It was so cold and her legs were hurting slightly from the strained position she was in.&nbsp; She heard them talking about the stone and then about her.&nbsp; Fire?&nbsp; What were they talking about fire inside of her?&nbsp; After a few moments, Left Ear was fishing her hand out of it's somewhat warmth and she whimpered when it hit cold air.&nbsp; Then she felt something warm being tied to her hands.&nbsp; Was it that stone she was hypnotized by before?&nbsp; It looked like it should've felt hotter than this.&nbsp; It was warm though and as soon as it was tied securely to her hand, she felt herself being pushed more into the "blankets" that were covering her.<br><br>She took her hand with the stone and brought it underneath the pelt and held it to her chest.&nbsp; She felt warmer now and slowly her shivering stopped.&nbsp; She was so warm now b the heat of the stone she started to fall asleep on his back.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>26-05-2013, 01:45:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Shaking with exhaustion, Sage of Storm was unutterably gratified to at last come to a place of familiarity, the steep-sided valley of loose shale looking like the last dozen the Pack had come through, stark and lifeless. But that was an illusion borne of careful construction and smoky gray coats. Even as Sage called a greeting to his clan, bodies seemed to materialize from the misty air. Some of them looked at him oddly as they approached.<br><br>"My burden is my own. Help the others."<br><br>Among his own, he was questioning his decision and faced with how he would explain himself to the others of the clan. Nodding greeting to the few who passed him, Sage padded deeper into the valley, pulling up short at the entrance that led to his den. Would he even fit with his burden?<br><br>"Left Ear? Will you lead so that I don't accidentally harm our guest further?"<br><br>Nodding, the Beta did as asked, seeming to vanish into the unstable hillside. The saber-toothed chosen ones of Mother Mountain were experts at camouflage, building their den-sites in plain sight with tricks of terrain and light. Dragging his belly over the stones, Sage slipped in behind Left and into the tunnel that led deeper into the mountainside. In his dark, cool cave, Left bit clean through the ropes before shifting to her woman-form to stir the embers to life in the small firepit. Groaning with effort, Sage took on Wearing the Hands and slid the Human gently down his side to the thickly-furred nest, soft with piles of grass beneath. She whimpered and objected when he straightened her clearly cramped legs, rubbing his near-human hands brusquely into her muscles to help them relax.<br><br>Ensuring the pelt and tapestry continued to protect her from the cold, Sage then bunched up some of his own bedding furs to hide her face and red hair in shadow to any that would visit the entrance to his den. "Stay here and remain hidden while I explain your presence to the others. Left Ear will remain with you."<br><br>Stripping off the heavy spaulder that wrapped around his right shoulder, he left on the gauntlets and sabatons and heavy tassets on his powerful thighs. They lent weight to his presence and he would need it for facing the elders...<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>26-05-2013, 02:06:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was asleep for most of the time, even as they made it to their destination.&nbsp; It was only when Left Ear went to bite through the rope did she start to awaken, feeling something different.&nbsp; She groaned a bit, as he shifted to his human form and slid her off of him to land in something so very soft and warm.&nbsp; It was comfortable too, though right now she was whimpering and crying out as he worked his hands into her leg muscles, trying to get them to relax and have her legs straighten out.&nbsp; It was painful and when it was finally over with, he was covering her up even further with some of the furs she was laying on, on top of the pelt and tapestry she was wearing.<br><br>When he told her to stay here and stay hidden, she simply nodded and laid there.&nbsp; Her stomach growled softly as Sage of Storm was leaving and she looked at Left Ear the best she could through her hiding spot.&nbsp; "Do...do you have any food?" she asked in a slightly weak voice.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>26-05-2013, 05:19:25</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Torn between her duty as guard and the stranger that the Alpha had designated as pack, Left Ear hesitated before moving to rummage through her own belt pouch and hand over a pair of dense little cakes. "You're in luck, Bareskin. I've a sweet tooth. Some sprouted wild grain, dried berries and meat mixed with rendered bear fat. Spring isn't here yet, so we're on rations and what we can hunt. With our numbers reduced so much, winters have become hard."<br><br>Shifting her position to crouch not far from the red hair and the small pool, Left Ear watched the cave mouth with alert senses, focused on wisps of scent and sound that carried through the warren of tunnels that was home. Once her charge had managed some of the ration cake, a small wooden cup of water was offered. A tickle of smell hit Left Ear, making her stiffen and reach out to press the Human gently into the bedding to hide. The transforming of her boy to the great cat added weight to the silent order.<br><br>Someone was stalking them.<br><br>Left Ear hated these games, even as she was very good at them. Hers was not the only pack and rivalries ran deep. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>26-05-2013, 05:43:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She took the cake from her and sniffed it before tentatively taking a bite.&nbsp; It didn't sound that appetizing from her description of it, especially with the bear fat, but taking a bit of it proved it to be quite delicious.&nbsp; "Thank you," she said as she ate a bit more, taking the offered cup of water, she drank her food down.&nbsp; She thought about what she had said and figured if they were rationing, she would probably be one of the last ones to get food if any.&nbsp; She was soon pushed into the bedding further and she saw Left Ear transforming into her cat form.&nbsp; Something was going on, but she didn't know what and she was afraid to ask since it might not be wise for her to speak and give away her hiding spot.&nbsp; So, she just stayed quiet and kept herself hid and kept her hand that the fire stone was attached to, palm down against the bedding so the glow wouldn't be seen.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>26-05-2013, 17:09:20</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				It was a long staredown, her opponent only a faint gleam of firelight in eyes, but Left Ear would not blink first. Nor would she allow that animal to violate her Alpha's home or the frail Human he'd claimed. When the glitter of eyes in the deep shadows beyond the small fire suddenly vanished, she blinked furiously to wet her aching eyes and was relieved to see Sage of Storm appear at the mouth of the cave. They both knew who it had been, the stink of him left behind in the tunnel.<br><br>Yes, some pack rivalries ran deep indeed.<br><br>Sage set down a quartet of buckets, two off to the side, and returned to the pair of females. Sighing heavily, he sat on the ground and rubbed his metal-clad hand over his oddly white hair. "The elders know of this, of you. Soon, there will be visitors and questions." Astonishingly, he smiled faintly. "I have caused some chaos, but I think you will be worth it. With patience from us both, we can learn and adapt. Certainly, I can offer a better fate than the dragon would have."<br>
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>26-05-2013, 17:35:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She kept still and silent, wondering what was going on.&nbsp; She saw how tense Left Ear was and how she was staring in a spot, not blinking.&nbsp; When she did blink and loosened up a bit, she asked, "What was wrong?"&nbsp; She noticed Sage of Storm then when came in with four buckets and set them to the side.&nbsp; She saw him sit and heard him speak and asked, "Am I allowed to come out of hiding now?"&nbsp; If they knew she was here, then she thought it would cause no harm in sitting up, the coverings still around her.&nbsp; If she was allowed to, then she would sit up and clasp her hands tightly together to get that warmth from the stone.&nbsp; "What....what if I don't answer the questions correctly?" she asked, afraid of the answer.&nbsp; Would they kill her?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>27-05-2013, 03:38:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Yes, make yourself comfortable as you wish. The deception was an attempt to preserve your safety." Sage spoke distractedly as he watched how his charge clung to the Heartstone. It would be cruel, possibly damaging, to separate them now, but the elders would not be happy about this at all. The Heartstone of the most powerful monster in this mountains in the hands of an enemy he had taken in who may or may not have a fire affinity. But that would be for the Shaman to explain and decide what would be done.<br><br>Gesturing at the various buckets, Sage explained, "those are to relieve yourself when you need to. I apologize for the primitiveness of the situation. There are advantages to being able to change one's form. Just toss some of the dirt over your business when you are finished and there will be little if any smell. It is a trick we use with our cubs. The other buckets are water and some small foodstuffs and supplies. A true bath will have to wait for rest and the elders. They will be the ones to ask you questions, to find a place for you in this clan. It will not be easy, but I made a promise."<br><br>Exhausted, Sage rubbed his face and looked to his Beta. "I think it would be prudent to set up watches."<br><br>Left Ear nodded and padded out even as Sage began removing his armor buckle by painstaking buckle.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>27-05-2013, 03:51:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She nodded when he told her she could make herself comfortable and she did just that.&nbsp; Then he was speaking, explaining the buckets and she blushed in embarrassment.&nbsp; What choice did she really have though?&nbsp; Supplies, what supplies?&nbsp; She wanted to know, but she would have to wait and she could.&nbsp; So...the elders were just going to question her to find her a place in the clan.&nbsp; She bit her lip, what would her place be?&nbsp; "When will the elders come?" she asked him.&nbsp; "And what are some questions I may be asked?"&nbsp; She wanted to be prepared.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>27-05-2013, 06:15:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"The elders are not on my schedule," Sage smirked with low-key humor. "I am Pack Alpha only the ones loyal to me. Our numbers fell and grew today, should the survivors of the other pack stay with me." Groaning with relief as the weight of the belt and pouches and tassets fell away from his waist and hips, Sage tossed the mess aside to be cleaned later and unlaced the leather sheath that covered him from mid-torso, to upper thigh. The woman looked away, but his maleness was covered by an intricately wound strip of cloth. Chuckling softly, he knelt once more, dropping prone behind her sitting body, his ribs pressed to her back as he stretched luxuriously the way only a cat could. No matter that he was Wearing the Hands, the cat was as integral to him as the man. <br><br>"You and I and the clan must figure out what your path is now. I have a question of your name."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>27-05-2013, 14:58:26</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was a bit upset he had no idea when the elders would come and that was pretty much all he would say on the matter.&nbsp; She wanted to be prepared, not just sitting around until they came and...what if she did fail their test and she couldn't find a place in this pack?&nbsp; As if she even wanted a place in the first place, she just wanted to go home but....she couldn't.&nbsp; She watched as he continued to undress, then he was removing the final peace and she blushed a deep shade of red before looking away.&nbsp; She felt him move behind her, felt his ribs in her back as he stretched like a cat.&nbsp; She heard him speak and she listened, actually looking back when he inquired about her name.&nbsp; "I told you," she said.&nbsp; "My name's Melody."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>27-05-2013, 18:34:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I remember," he replied dryly. "That is not my question. We have a tradition of a cub name, or in your case, an adoption name. You may use your old name, but at some point you will need an adult name as well. Keep that in mind." <br><br>Unbidden, he reached up to finger a lock of her glorious hair. "Why did they send you to that monster? It seems like such a brutal arrangement you Bareskins have made with them. But then, our way destroys so many of us. With such a powerful enemy, there is no easy answer."<br><br>He was rapidly drifting towards sleep, his body battered and exhausted, but he clung to consciousness until his packmates would return to guard the stranger among them.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>28-05-2013, 01:49:05</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She looked at him, confused.&nbsp; "You mean...I'll have to change my name?" she asked him.&nbsp; She didn't want to, she rather liked her name.&nbsp; She felt him touch her hair once more and he asked a question.&nbsp; "For protection," she said.&nbsp; "Every year they give a maiden to the dragon so that our home will not be destroyed."&nbsp; She noticed he was starting to fall asleep and she just sat there, not tired after that nap she had just taken on the way here.&nbsp; She stared down at the stone that was attached to her hand and asked, "What exactly is this thing and why doesn't it burn me like it looks like it would?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>28-05-2013, 05:07:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Jerking awake, Sage forced himself to sit up and pay attention for a bit longer. "No, you may chose a cub name for now until you earn yours back. My mother called me Cloud, for my unusual coloring. It is why I insisted on calling you Bareskin. At least your name actually means something, and is not some mouthful of nonsense like some. Every year you say?" Attention turning inward, he mused, "so we've a year then, before the lowlanders grow suspicious. Two at best." Looking half over his shoulder at her, he had to wonder at the arrangement. "A maiden? What would that monster have wanted with a maiden? How odd."<br><br>"A Heartstone," came a disembodied voice, elderly and dry, with a powerful undercurrent. The old woman that melted from the shadows had seen so many summers and so many snows that even she did not know how old she was anymore. Wrinkled and as darkly skinned as old wood, her hair was as snowy as her sightless eyes. "The very essence of the beast that would have raped and murdered you. While I may question Sage of Storm's decision in giving the you the stone, it does seem fitting." With an effortless, awkward grace, the old one sat beside the younger pair with a grunt. "I've been waiting a very long time for you, girl."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>28-05-2013, 07:57:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When he explained the situation of her name, she looked down.&nbsp; "Bareskin is as good as any until I earn my name back," she said softly.&nbsp; She didn't really think it would make that much of a difference if she was called by some other name suitable for his pack.&nbsp; As long as she got her name back eventually.&nbsp; She nodded when he wanted the every year thing confirmed.&nbsp; "Sometimes two years, it just really depends."&nbsp; Then, he asked about why the beast would have wanted a virgin.&nbsp; She couldn't answer that, because she didn't really know herself.<br><br>Then she asked about the stone and she heard an elderly voice and she looked up.&nbsp; An old woman that seemed to be impossibly old stood before her.&nbsp; She looked up at the woman in amazement and awe.&nbsp; Though, her words made her cringe and whimper.&nbsp; Was that really what the beast would have done to her?&nbsp; Rape her before he ate her?&nbsp; She was glad that beast was dead.&nbsp; Then she commented on Sage of Storm giving her the stone.&nbsp; When she said she had been waiting for her, she tilted her head to the side and had a curious look on her face.&nbsp; "Me?&nbsp; You've been...waiting for me?&nbsp; Why?"&nbsp; She was so confused.&nbsp; She wasn't anything special.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>28-05-2013, 10:10:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You have something we need," the old woman said sagely. "But that will only become apparent with time. You feel the stone's heat, don't you? It calls to the shy fire in you, child. I am Red Blind and I will teach you what you need to know of that heat of power you feel inside. Shy Fire. I shall cub name you that. It need be no one else's."<br><br>Just like that, Sage knew he had lost domain over the fascinating fire-hair and swallowed something that tasted strongly of disappointment. But this is what he had wanted when he saved her, a chance to add her magics to their own. He hadn't expected to be drawn to her.<br><br>"Stop hovering, boy!" Red Blind suddenly barked, setting off a riot of sound in the hallway outside. After a moment, a young man stepped in, eyes darting around nervously.<br><br>"S... sorry, Elder," he stammered. "The Bareskin mentioned that she sews and my mother's supplies are doing nothing, collecting dust." Mincing closer to his Alpha, Black Tail held out a hefty lump of fabric, wadded up and carefully tied with heavy yarn. "We are pack now," he offered shyly to the striking, strange woman who only stared at him blankly. "A gift of welcome. There is yarn, and fabric and bone needles and awls and other things that were my mother's trade. Someone should use them."<br><br>"Good man," Sage approved of his young cousin and the lad preened.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>28-05-2013, 16:30:07</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Something they need?&nbsp; What could that possibly be?&nbsp; She nodded when she asked if she could feel the heat.&nbsp; Shy fire?&nbsp; What was that?&nbsp; She didn't have any powers and...now her "name" was changed to Shy Fire.&nbsp; she only hoped this woman would allow her to earn her name back.&nbsp; She wanted to be called Melody.&nbsp; Suddenly, Red Blind was barking at someone in the hallway outside and they came in holding a bundle of fabric tied together with yarn.<br><br>A gift for her?&nbsp; She took it from him, smiling softly.&nbsp; "Thank you," she said taking it from him.&nbsp; "I really appreciate this, and I will use it well."&nbsp; She examined the yarn and the cloth and figured she could try and make another blanket out of it, would add a bit of color to this "bed" anyways.&nbsp; Then she returned her attention to the woman.&nbsp; "What do you mean that I have a shy fire?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>29-05-2013, 01:10:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Blind fingers reached out, accidentally bumping against Melody's breast before trailing up her arm and shoulder to cup her chin. "I know the feel of that pelt you wear. It was Cloud Scar's. Stupid old fool should have never been on that raid, but at least his sacrifice helped you, eh Shy Fire? You're as good an inheritor for his things as any. I'll have them brought here, Sage."<br><br>"Yes ma'am," the big warrior, wondering exactly what he had gotten himself into. Black Tail was quick to lend a shoulder when Red Blind moved to stand, assisting the Elder.<br><br>"We three Elders that remain will speak with you later, child. Don't fret. It has been a couple generations since we had a Human in our numbers, but not all of us have forgotten that. But stay close to your pack, for there are some that will not take your presence kindly. Sage of Storm will bring you to me once he has rested and I will teach you what I mean of your shy fire. Until then."<br><br>The men murmured a respectful farewell and both relaxed once the old woman was gone.<br><br>"She was our teacher too," Black Tail offered plucking at the large, colorful tapestry they had taken from the dragon's hoard. "She is hard but fair. A fire touched." He sounded awed by the idea, but shook it off. "This would make a wonderful robe. Some of mother's yarn is plenty strong enough to sew with. I could help?" He seemed like an eager pup, this young fellow barely into manhood.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>29-05-2013, 03:50:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She blushed a bright red when Red Blind touched her breast first.&nbsp; She knew she couldn't help it, but...it still made her a bit embarrassed.&nbsp; Soon though, she felt her hand trailing up her arm before cupping her chin.&nbsp; She listened to her words, a little shocked she was going to give her his things.&nbsp; "I....I don't feel right taking his stuff," she said.&nbsp; "Isn't there someone closer to him who can take it?" she asked.&nbsp; It only felt right if there was.&nbsp; Yet, she seemed insistent on her having them.&nbsp; It did feel weird being called Shy Fire though, more weird than Bareskin.&nbsp; At least she knew why he had called her Bareskin.<br><br>Then she was saying that she and the other two Elders would come to speak with her later.&nbsp; She nodded, though she was a bit scared when she mentioned that it had been a long time before a human was amongst them and she nodded again when told to stay with her pack.&nbsp; She didn't plan on wandering away from them, not with the dangers she had mentioned.&nbsp; But...she did wish she could tell her about the shy fire now, she didn't understand what that was.<br><br>She heard the two men say good bye and then heard Black Tail speak.&nbsp; "Teacher?" she asked.&nbsp; "What will she teach me? And what do you mean, fire touched?"&nbsp; He sounded amazed when he said it and then changed the subject as he continued touching the tapestry.&nbsp; She looked at it, and then nodded at that thought.&nbsp; Then he asked if he could help with it and she smiled at him.&nbsp; "Of course you can help," she said when he seemed so enthusiastic.&nbsp; "Do...do you know how to sew?" she asked, afraid she would offend him with that question.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>29-05-2013, 06:31:10</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"We are a small clan," Sage spoke quietly as he once more splayed out into his bed. "No one should covet old Cloud Scar's few things becoming yours. And his scent will lend you credibility to the others."<br><br>Sitting on the bed beside Sage's hip, Black Tail was only to happy to bond with the attractive stranger. "Red Blind teaches those of us touched of the Elements that underlie all of reality. I will show you." Concentrating, Black called up a tiny whirlwind that made the fire and its smoke dance. "Air is also the domain of the mind," Black Tail spoke, while the eddies of wind obeyed his dancing fingertips. "Sage and I are excellent students. But he's more stubborn than I." Voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, the lad leaned close to the red head and whispered, "he has Earth as well."<br><br>"Later," Sage murmured sleepily, flicking his cousin's ear.<br><br>"But Fire is rare with us. Red&nbsp; thinks because the Mother Mountain grew cold so long ago, no longer with her fiery heart."<br><br>The questions of helping with the sewing made Black puff up with boyish pride. "Mother taught me well. I am an excellent assistant." Then he deflated and with deep melancholy, stroked the fabric bundle. "Her skills have been missed."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>29-05-2013, 17:55:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She just simply nodded, though she still felt bad for taking his things.&nbsp; She did scoot over a bit though, so Black Tail would have more room to sit as all three of them were in the nest/bed.&nbsp; Touched of the Elements?&nbsp; That didn't make any sense, then she watched as he created a whirlwind.&nbsp; Her eyes widened.&nbsp; Then he went on to explain what Sage could do and he sounded like he was already about to fall asleep.&nbsp; When he explained about the fire and why the mountain had grown cold, she said, "But...I can't do any of those things."<br><br>Then, his attention was back on the cloth and she picked it up.&nbsp; "Well," she said.&nbsp; "We can get started on it now if you like," she smiled softly at him, chuckling at his boyish pride.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>30-05-2013, 05:10:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Well, you can't do them now," Black chuckled as the wind settled. "But that Heartstone sure likes you and that says something. And most humans would be huddled half-frozen after a run across the shale like today. Even my paws were icy by the time we made it home."<br><br>Black was thrilled to use the skills associated with hours spent at his mother's feet, assisting her with her work.&nbsp; She hadn't been much of a warrior, but a family ran on more than just war, no matter what some of the more experienced males might sneer at him. Left-Ear wandered back in Wearing the Knife to curl up in a furry lump beside the door and Black was surprised that a still-limping Stone Fist crept in to curl up at her side. The near-wordless berserker was certainly not the social sort, but the four Kin in the room were all that was left of their pack of six that had left this morning. It eased some of the hurt to be close, their smells twined together.<br><br>"Now is fine. I'm too wound up to sleep yet. But let me go get the rest of this dire wolf pelt and see what might have been left behind by Cloud Scar."<br><br>It would only take a few minutes to run over to the Elder's cave and retrieve the rest of the massive pelt he loved so much.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>30-05-2013, 06:20:28</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She was about to object what he said but the realized it was true.&nbsp; It had gotten very cold and she had turned to the Heartstone for warmth.&nbsp; She remembered how warm she had gotten when she squeezed it in her hands and had willed the heat from the stone into her body, out of hope that it would because she was so cold.<br><br>She looked as Left Ear came back in, curling up at the door in her mid form and another one of these changers coming in to curl up at her side.&nbsp; "Who's that?" she asked Black softly.&nbsp; She nodded when he answered her and just studied them for a moment.&nbsp; She smiled at the boy when he went to go and get the rest of the pelt and stared at it in awe when he came back with a massive pelt.&nbsp; "I think that might be a bit much," she said softly.&nbsp; "Though I don't see why we can't make more than one robe.&nbsp; I will need them after all and thank you for your help," she said whispering, so as not to disturb the ones who were sleeping.<br><br>She wondered where she would be sleeping tonight and then her eyes widened a bit and she turned a shade of red when she realized Sage might have her sleep in his bed.&nbsp; She returned her attention to the materials they were going to be working with to get her mind off of it.&nbsp; "Now, we need to cut this down to size..." she said softly, trailing off, wondering how she was going to do that.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>30-05-2013, 08:37:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Black Tail was pleased the impressive pelt was respected by the new woman. It had been Cloud Scar's last big kill two winters ago, the biggest dire wolf the clan had ever seen. Black rambled on quietly what he remembered of the tale as he unrolled the fabric bundle to reveal his mother's well-worn tools. Needles of bone and steel and the rock-hard firs that grew on the steppes here and there, twisted by the wind. Awls and pins and an actual steel blade ground sharp so many times it was nearly as thin as parchment. There was a small wooden box full of obsidian shards, a whetstone and several balls of yarn, two of them died in fantastic shades of blue. All of them were bittersweet to Black, but he would be happy to see them used. Hopefully, his new packmate would live up to them.<br><br>While she perused the supplies and the raw materials, he slipped out to collect more tinder and stoke up the fire for some better light.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>30-05-2013, 18:22:03</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She listened to his tale and was impressed.&nbsp; She could never go and fight, she was too soft for it.&nbsp; She watched as he unrolled the bundle and revealed the tools and she smiled at them.&nbsp; "Alright then," she smiled.&nbsp; She started to cut the pelts up with precision and knew just how much to cut to have it fit her body.&nbsp; It wasn't the first time she had made her own dresses, her mother taught her how.&nbsp; She cut them down to size and then started to sew them using the objects available with good strong thread.&nbsp; She did however, hand half of the materials to Black tail for him to sew the other half of her wardrobe up.&nbsp; All in all, she was able to get six different robes out of the pelt and she had sewn them beautifully.&nbsp; "How's this?" she asked holding it up for Black Tail to see.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>30-05-2013, 22:29:54</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Busy hands make for quick work," Black Tail heard himself mutter to himself, remembering his mother's favorite saying. It made his new packmate smile thinly, revealing her shy beauty. The lad was impressed that she was holding up well, at least on the surface, even after having gone through so much in such a short period of time. She was soft and quiet and so very... Human, but there was clearly strength to her as well. One day, Black hoped to woo a female just like her. Flustered, he kept to his work, only looking up when she questioned him for an opinion on the fine work.<br><br>Both of them startled at Sage's voice from the shadows behind them. "A fitting use for a fine pelt. Cloud Scar would have approved. After you'd pried it from his cold, dead fingers." The dry humor didn't get a laugh, but Sage had not expected one. While he was gratified to see his young cousin and the stranger among them get along well, he was Alpha and it was his duty to set boundaries for his pack. His voice alone brought up the heads of the dozing Left Ear and Stone Fist, their eyes gleaming in the firelight. Standing, he stretched luxuriously and ran fingers through his strange, white hair before going to his Beta and her attendant. "Thank you for standing guard. Come to the firelight."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>30-05-2013, 22:42:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She smiled softly at him as he spoke and continued working.&nbsp; While she was able to keep it together, like her mother taught her, she was sad and afraid on the inside.&nbsp; When she was finished with the robe and held it up, she started a bit at hearing Sages voice.&nbsp; What he said though, just had her lowering the pelt down once more and looking down at it.&nbsp; She was feeling bad once more for it being given to her.&nbsp; She simply set it off to the side though as he stood and stretched, moving over to Left Ear.&nbsp; She watched them silently.&nbsp; She looked away though and looked back at the pelts and back at Black Tail.&nbsp; "We'll continue on this later," she said.&nbsp; "Unless...you want to continue you can," she gave him a soft smile.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>30-05-2013, 23:15:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Later then," Black agreed and moved away a bit as the older Kin of his pack ranged themselves about the fire. For some time, they sat there in silence, remembering their fallen comrades, two in their cat form, two looking like men. With one mind, they all swelled into the great mid-form, the mix of both, and keened a soft, proper farewell. The voices faltered for a moment as more voices joined in from the cave mouth, and yet more from deeper within the tunnels beyond. Many had fallen yesterday, more than the clan was used to. Theirs was a harsh existence, but to a small clan of now less than sixty, the loss was keenly felt.<br><br>Quiet once more fell, leaving behind the somberness of the loss, but the energy to move on. "An excellent death song," Sage of Storm rumbled with satisfaction before turning his attention to the doorway where three figures filed in. With the small cave becoming so crowded, the assembly collapsed down to their bare forms and drifted into a loose semi-circle.<br><br>"An excellent song indeed," One-Eye agreed quietly. The older male was not quite an Elder yet, but he was growing close. Hideously malformed and scarred from dragonfire all those seasons ago, he was horrible to look at, but few were as wise and accomplished. "We would join your pack, Alpha. If you will have us."<br><br>Were this a younger male, were Sage to have picked up the faintest trace of confrontational body language from any of the three, the brawl would have been epic. But they, like his shrunken pack, merely needed to belong. If One-Eye and Talon to Kill, mates for as long as he could remember, were willing to bow to his leadership, Sage was happy to have them. Once more Wearing the Knife, the big, pale cat paced silently away from Melody's side to hold his head as high as he could, quietly reinstating his dominance. All three willingly bowed their heads.<br><br>And just like that, the survivors from the brutal raid on the elder dragon, including one lonely human, were bonded.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>31-05-2013, 00:35:46</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She nodded at him and watched as they gathered around the fire and then there was silence before&nbsp; they switched into their mid forms and started keening.&nbsp; It was sad and she couldn't help but tear up a little.&nbsp; Soon though, it wasn't just them, she heard it coming from the mouth of the cave and deeper into the tunnels as well.&nbsp; It made her shudder softly.&nbsp; Then, all was quiet and she heard Sage speak.&nbsp; When he finished, three figures came in, one horribly disfigured and she tried not to stare as he spoke and agreed with Sage and then asking if he as well as the other two could join his pack.&nbsp; She wondered who they were.&nbsp; She watched as Sage transformed once more and paced with his head held high and they bowed their heads.<br><br>When that was over, everyone in the pack started rubbing up against each other from head to tail.&nbsp; She watched and then grew a bit nervous when one of them came up to her and started rubbing up against her as well like that.&nbsp; It was...weird.&nbsp; She wondered what they were doing and why they were doing it to her, and though it was weird, she couldn't say she didn't like it.&nbsp; Their fur was soft and she liked the way it rubbed against her skin.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>31-05-2013, 09:50:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Purring and sniffing, the new pack rubbed faces, spreading their scents on one another, running the glands in their cheeks over each packmate's side to their flank. Black Tail would have done the same to the Human, practically wriggling with anticipation, but Left Ear recognized the crush and smoothly hip bumped the boy to remind him of his place. Rank was a subtle thing among the Kin, if one was not Alpha or Beta, and generally not rigidly defined. Left Ear sniffed the new woman's face and her hairline where sweat and scent gathered. It was the Beta that marked her first, damp nose and stiff whiskers rubbing over the soft skin, then the thick ruff, strong shoulder, bumpy ribs, and a gentle hip check that pushed the smaller female back just a bit. Only then did Black repeat the process, followed by the whole pack, even the new ones who had only seen her in passing during the raid.<br><br>Sage of Storm rubbed each of his pack last, his scent laid over the others as was his right. When he came face to face with Melody, for her name was burned into his mind, he studied the summery green eyes, breathing over her face. After a moment, he stroked his cheek over hers, then did the same on the other side. Rather than do a full body press, he shifted to his bare skin to look at her closely. "Your scent is part of ours now. It is a mark of belonging."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>31-05-2013, 21:58:17</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She watched as Black Tail started to come over to rub against her, but then was bumped out of the way by Left Ear.&nbsp; Then she was the one to come and sniff her face and hairline before she rubbed up against her.&nbsp; She had to position herself just a bit to make it easier for her to rub against her.&nbsp; The hip check though caused her to be pushed back.&nbsp; After her, Black rubbed up against her, and then the rest that were in their pack.&nbsp; Finally, it was Sage's turn to come and rub against her and she grew very nervous about it, though she didn't know why.&nbsp; Her heart raced and pounded as he came face to face with her.<br><br>Her breath caught as he just stared at her and breathed over her.&nbsp; Finally, she felt his cheek against hers on both sides before he shifted to his human form and looked at her.&nbsp; She released a breath she didn't realize she was holding.&nbsp; Why did she feel slightly disappointed though?&nbsp; He spoke and she nodded, not knowing what else to do or say.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>01-06-2013, 01:07:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her change of body language baffled Sage. What do you expect? Said the inner voice that always made his doubt. You are the monster that brought her here. She will never see you as anything else. <br><br>Frustrated and anxious, Sage abruptly jerked away, choking down the harsh noise in his throat. His role was to be the responsible one, to guard over all of them, not to be distracted by this frail, fascinating creature. He was at the mouth of his crowded living cave before he realized that the others had shifted out of his way and were looking at him with confusion and anticipation. Alpha. That is what he must be now, the aloof leader that was always there for all and no one. It was his duty.<br><br>The loneliness would remain.<br><br>Ironic that he found himself standing beside Moon on Snow, who looked up at him eagerly. She was the most beautiful female to have come of age in this clan since Sage's mother and her cloud-pale eyes were as striking as his own pale coat. "It is a clear night, Alpha," the girl offered with a toothy grin. "And the first of the reindeer have been spotted."<br><br>"I will stay with the Bareskin," One-Eye offered quietly, "And take her to Red Blind."<br><br>There was no mistaking the faint hesitation in Sage, his eyes flickering over the assembly. They lingered longest on the fiery-haired woman, before he nodded. "A hunt then. A bare run in the moonlight, yes?"<br><br>Eagerly, the now-expanded pack crowded out, carrying Sage with them.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>01-06-2013, 01:36:38</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When Sage Jerked away abruptly and she faintly heard him make a harsh noise that he was trying to suppress, she wondered if she had done something wrong.&nbsp; Was he angry with her?&nbsp; She bit her lip softly and cast her gaze downwards.&nbsp; It was silence, until a girl spoke to Sage.&nbsp; Reindeer?&nbsp; Is that what they hunted?&nbsp; She turned her attention to the girl then and thought she was very pretty.&nbsp; She wondered if Sage and her were...she trailed away from that thought.&nbsp; Why should it matter to her anyways?<br><br>One Eye offered to stay with her and then take her to Red Blind.&nbsp; Sage looked over them, but her gaze found his lingered on her the most.&nbsp; She was confused by him.&nbsp; She averted her gaze just as quickly and continued sitting there as the rest of the pack left, leaving her with the other male.&nbsp; She looked at over at him and asked, "Did I do something wrong?&nbsp; Is he angry with me?"&nbsp; She couldn't stop thinking about the way he acted after he had rubbed faces with her and didn't rub against her fully like the others had...was he regretting saving her?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>01-06-2013, 04:01:24</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				One Eye was none to thrilled with this strange task of the strikingly colored Human, but he would protect her with his life. That was how the Kin were wired. One did not have to like their packmates to be loyal to them. The old male hesitated in answering, entirely out of his depth. The knife-toothed Kin were small, isolated clans high in the peaks of the mountains where they were perfectly adapted. Humans rarely came to them by accident or design and they were universally feared by all.<br><br>"I do not know Sage of Storm well," the older male said stiffly, transforming to Wearing the Hands. Like that, his scars were both better and worse, a third of his scalp burned bare above his missing eye, the ear half gone. "Come, I will take you to Red Blind."<br><br>The girl stumbled in the near-dark of the connecting tunnels and One Eye hesitated before striding back to her. "Too dark?" He was torn between fatherly concern and a wariness that would linger.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>01-06-2013, 04:13:33</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She couldn't help but look at his scars with mixed emotions.&nbsp; Then he spoke to her and he spoke stiffly and it made her feel a bit uncomfortable.&nbsp; She got up though, donning one of the robes she and Black Tail had made.&nbsp; She was a bit more started at his wounds in human form, it scared her slightly.&nbsp; She wondered if any of those wounds still hurt him, but...she dared not ask and offend him.<br><br>She moved to follow him through the dark tunnels, stumbling as she did.&nbsp; When One Eye spoke to her, she nodded and said, "I can barely see anything."&nbsp; She wondered if the stone would help any and opened her palm up and tried to see if it glowed enough for her to see by.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>01-06-2013, 11:12:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Startled, One Eye could only stare at the hefty Heartstone. It was the size of a child's fist and burned with a deep reddish amber glow that chased back the eternal gloom of the tunnels. "Did... Sage of Storm give you that?"<br><br>It was an astonishing gift. That monster had been grossly powerful, old and well-established and that iridescent gem was the final drop of its life force. He had killed dozens of their clan over generations and the reality of his being gone had not really sunk in yet. Shaking his head, One Eye again moved into the tunnels, accompanied by the flicker of the stone and a wariness tinged with fear. She seemed so oblivious of the power that must lie in her. Surely her fellow Humans could not have been oblivious of her gifts... Could they?<br><br>One had never been so glad to see Red Blind's cave in his life.<br><br>"Come in, girl," the crone called out in her papery voice and One Eye nodded at his charge.<br><br>"I will be here at the doorway should you need me."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>01-06-2013, 15:55:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She looked at him and nodded.&nbsp; "Yes, to help keep me warm on the way back and he hasn't taken it back yet..." she trailed off, would he take it from her?&nbsp; She was glad that the glow from the stone chased the darkness off though.&nbsp; She followed him to a cave and she heard the woman call to her.&nbsp; She nervously entered the cave, looking back at One Eye as he said he would be at the doorway.&nbsp; She nodded and nervously entered the cave once more, looking for the old woman.&nbsp; "What...is shy fire?" she asked, wanting to get that cleared up and hopefully this time she would answer her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>02-06-2013, 07:38:43</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Sit, child," Red Blind called. "On the smaller cushion. I will be with you in a moment. Just gathering things we'll need." Muttering to herself, the old woman unerringly moved from one chamber to the next. "Honestly, one would think those lowlanders would stop with all this superstitious nonsense. Am I correct in that you've no knowledge of the elements?"<br><br>Grunting with effort, Red hoisted her burden to the edge of the raised firepit. The box was ancient, its wood dark with age and handling and about the size and shape of a cub's cradle. The hinges creaked as Red opened them, feeling within, knowing every container by feel alone.<br><br>"Fire is your element, child. Magic is based on four elements; Air, Earth, Water and Fire. You are clearly unaware of it, but you have a gift for at least the later. Possibly Water or Air, I cannot tell. Your spark is weak and undeveloped, but it is there or that stone would not sing the way it does. Not in sound, but in power. You feel it, a heat in your blood, an intimate connection you cannot quantify. That is why I call you Shy Fire, child. It is a pet name until you earn the one you will keep among us."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>02-06-2013, 17:03:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She sat on the smaller cushion like she was told to and watched as she moved her way from one chamber to the next.&nbsp; Then she was speaking once more and nodded when she asked if she had no knowledge of the elements.&nbsp; Then, she berated herself since the old woman was blind and said, "Yes, that's correct."<br><br>Then she saw her trying to lift a heavy box and she stood up.&nbsp; "Do you need any help?" she asked, but just as she did the woman already had it by the fire and was opening it to feel inside of it.&nbsp; She sat back down.<br><br>She listened as the old woman spoke, but...it just confused her further.&nbsp; She had no idea how in the world she could posses the power of fire.&nbsp; Water and air too?&nbsp; That to her just sounded very unlikely.&nbsp; What she said next though, was what convinced her, about feeling the heat in her blood.&nbsp; She looked at the stone in her hand and stared at it's glowing.&nbsp; "Is...that what you are going to teach me?" she asked.&nbsp; "How to control it?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>03-06-2013, 12:18:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Control is one of the important foundations, yes. Fire, like any of the Elements, can be dangerous when out of control, be it magical or mundane. Control," the old woman continued one, unerringly reaching out to poke a weathered finger into Melody's breastbone. "Comes from the heart and soul. From wanting control. You have had some nasty shocks, Shy Fire. How are you holding up?"<br><br>While she listened to her new student, Red Blind busied herself with her herbs and sacred things.<br><br>"You will do fine, Shy. Give yourself time. I understand you want to return home, but remember that you will no longer be welcome there as you were supposed to be a sacrifice to the beast. Your former people may even think you some manner of haunting and that could never pan out well."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>03-06-2013, 15:20:55</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She listened to her completely, a bit scared of how she could easily lose control of a flame and wreak havoc.&nbsp; Then, the old woman poked a finger into her breastbone before asking how she was doing.&nbsp; She took a shaky breath and wiped some tears away.&nbsp; "I want to go home.&nbsp; I miss my family. I..." she was close to breaking into sobs.&nbsp; She hugged her knees to her chest, trying to calm down.<br><br>She listened as she spoke again and her words didn't make her feel any better.&nbsp; Her family thinks she is dead, taken by the beast.&nbsp; Why did they choose her anyways?&nbsp; Yes, she was a maiden, but...didn't they love her, didn't they want to protect her and keep her from that beast?&nbsp; More tears pricked at her eyes as it seemed she had filled the bottle too full and now all her emotions were coming out.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>05-06-2013, 12:28:49</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Ah child," Red clucked with no small sympathy and set the box on the floor to go to her new charge and pet the long hair. "You have been through much. Breathe deeply now, that's a good girl, Starting again is never easy and you awakening magic will make it harder." Rubbing her chin thoughtfully, the old woman nodded decisively after a moment and stepped back to her chest of treasures. "A gift for you. A welcome home gift if you will. While I have my reservations in giving you a crutch, I think it is the best solution here."<br><br>From the lid of the box came a whisper-fine circlet of gold wire bent into geometric angles where it lay on the third eye point of power. Holding it out, Red smiled gently at her student. <br><br>"It will cool the fires, give you some calm from the rising heat. This was a Item crafted by the finest Water user this clan has records of. You've quite enough to deal with right now without that fire of your roaring out of control. If you grow too cold, you tell old Red, but I think you will do fine with it after a little adjustment."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>05-06-2013, 15:28:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She watched through the tears that she was desperately trying to fight back, as Red came over to her and petted her hair.&nbsp; It felt nice and calmed her down and she breathed deeply like she told her too.&nbsp; That helped as well.&nbsp; A gift for her?&nbsp; She watched as she pulled out something and was about to ask what it was when she explained.&nbsp; It was very beautiful and she took it from her, admiring it.&nbsp; "What adjustments?" she asked.&nbsp; She put it on her head though and she did feel much cooler.&nbsp; She wasn't so cold, but...the temperature was dropping.&nbsp; "I...I think it's getting colder," she said.&nbsp; She was starting to shiver a bit.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>06-06-2013, 00:01:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Now, now, child," Red Blind soothed and stood to coax the younger woman to her feet, holding the cooled skin in her leathery old hands. "Look at me and listen. You must find balance within. Now, feel for the heat. Don't think about it, feel it. Draw it to you, fan it like you would a weak little flame. Gently, gently. Coax it to warm you, to balance the cold."<br><br>With some soothing words and meditative techniques, Red Blind worked with her new charge to balance the strange new forces pushing and pulling at her. It was exhausting but rewarding, but eventually hunger got the best of both of them.<br><br>"Ah, right on time," Red chuckled, once more affectionately running a hand over Melody's crown. "I can hear your belly from here. You did excellently, Shy Fire. Soon enough, you will be shy no more. Now, one thing I do remember of Humans is that you prefer your meat cooked and a bit aged. Luckily for you, so does this old cat. You may share in my foodstuffs while the others enjoy what the hunters have returned with." A sly smile was affectionate and warming. "That they give me the best portions never hurts, eh?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>06-06-2013, 00:11:14</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She stood up as the old woman coaxed her up and she did as she was told.&nbsp; She looked at her and listened.&nbsp; Then, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she tried to just feel the heat.&nbsp; Then, she tried drawing it too her, fanning it like she said.&nbsp; Soon, she was warming up and she managed to keep it balanced.&nbsp; It was working up an appetite though and was very tiring.<br><br>She nodded and smiled at the woman, she was growing on her and she even liked being petted the way she and Storm petted her hair.&nbsp; It felt nice.&nbsp; She smiled at the woman's praise and she said, "I would be delighted to eat with you Red Blind."&nbsp; Her thoughts then turned to Storm and wondered what he would think of her when she got back.&nbsp; Then she remembered how he had acted towards her before.&nbsp; "How would I know if Storm is mad at me?" she asked her.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>06-06-2013, 07:50:58</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Mad at you? Oh, I think you will find that the lad has other strong emotions for you, Shy."<br><br>Chuckling to herself, Red toddled off to the cave entrance to greet One Eye and let the scarred male keep an eye out for obstacles. By the excitement of the clan and the yowls of success carrying through the darkness outside, the hurting had been good. Red could feel the heat of the big firepit in the central chamber, now filled with the sounds and smells of the whole clan, overlaid by the stench of freshly killed reindeer. There would be good hides and antlers and meat for the stores. The old stores would be quickly consumed now, or turned into the pemmican cakes for traveling. Only small amounts would be kept for Red's use, and now, Shy's as well.<br><br>"Red Blind," Sage of Storm greeted the elder with a happy, kittenish edge in his normally serious voice. The hunt had been good for him, letting his instincts run wild and giving him the pleasure of a good, clean hunt. "I have fresh liver for you. Where is our new packmate?"<br><br>"Shy Fire? Is she not right behind me?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>06-06-2013, 16:25:13</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her words caused her to become lost in thought.&nbsp; He wasn't mad at her?&nbsp; Then...why had he not rubbed against her like everyone else had and turned away from him making that small noise of anger?&nbsp; Or...was it anger?&nbsp; When she looked up next, to talk to Red about it, she was already gone and she sighed.&nbsp; She would have to find her own way to the others.&nbsp; She got up and she felt the heat of a flame and she followed it to a giant fire that was surrounded by a lot of cat people.&nbsp; She looked and saw Sage with Red Blind, and she blushed a bit at him.&nbsp; She walked up to them and said, "Hello..."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>07-06-2013, 00:04:42</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Pleased to see her and fighting down the distracting attraction, Sage quirked a faint smile and raised the bundle of raw reindeer hide in his hand. "A gift. Come eat."<br><br>With the big male's looming, blood-streaked presence hovering, the rest of the clan merely openly stared in wonder at the Human with her sunset hair, long and loose like a horse's tail. The cubs scattered from their duty of setting up the cooking station, to vanish amid the adults. <br><br>"There are four packs now," he explained quietly to Melody. "There had been six before the monster. We have been reduced to only twenty healthy, hale adults of breeding age. Thankfully, twelve of those are our females." Her raised his voice suddenly, placing a warm hand on her shoulder. "But our sacrifice was not in vain. The elder monster is dead and it will be some time before young ones move into the emptied territory." There was a ripple of emotional energy through the clan, most of it positive.<br><br>But there was no mistaking the narrow-eyed hatred from his rival and his beta that only seemed to grow more virulent by the day.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>07-06-2013, 00:14:15</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She saw him smile and was relieved that he wasn't mad at her.&nbsp; She was afraid she had done something.&nbsp; "For me?" she asked, eying the hide.&nbsp; She could make a few dresses out of these.&nbsp; She looked up at him though, he was so much taller than her 5'2 frame.&nbsp; He was explaining how many were left now and she looked around, noticing that the cubs went into hiding.&nbsp; Were they afraid of her?&nbsp; She wouldn't harm them, in fact she was afraid of them harming her.&nbsp; She looked at him and blushed when he mentioned the twelve females who have reached breeding age.&nbsp; She was most definitely within marrying age herself, being eighteen, so actually past the minimal marrying age, but coming from a big family and being the youngest of 6 siblings, she wasn't really required to find a husband so her parents didn't bother so much with it.<br><br>"Thank you," she said.&nbsp; "For saving me from that beast.&nbsp; I owe you a great deal," she told him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>07-06-2013, 11:22:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A subtle, impatient trill of sound from Left Ear made Sage shake his head, frustrated by his inability to figure out how to interact with the enticing stranger. How did Humans do this? All he knew what how to be Kin. No matter that they looked like they could be the same sort of people when he stood here in his bare hide, the differences were as vast as his changing body and her flaming red hair.<br><br>"You are welcome," he said awkwardly. "I've food. From the hunt."<br><br>Great spits were already being set around the great fire, the stripped carcasses of the reindeer strung up to catch the heat, the savory smells filling the cavern and making the clan buzz in excitement.<br><br>"Come, sit, Sage, Shy," Red ordered as she settled in near Left Ear. "It is time we all ate together as a family. Today, you joined us Human and we will do our best to make you feel welcome. Eat with me and belong."<br><br>From the sack of hide spilled out great slabs of deeply red liver into a massive trencher that was added to by Stone Fist and Talon to Kill. It was more than enough for all of the clan to get a goodly portion of the treat.<br><br>"The deer had a good winter in the low lands!" Left Ear chortled in delight and pulled out several thinner slabs they had cut at the hunting sights. She and several others were pregnant and given preferences of food as the valued elders were. The new woman would be included in their count by her very differentness and the assumption that she would want cooked food. Once Left turned away from the trencher, it was snatched up and carried about for all to hack off pieces and eat with pleasure. It was no wild rush, but an orderly excitement, several cubs smacked down as they became to grabby and were made to wait as the nearest adult carved them pieces. 
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>08-06-2013, 04:10:11</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She smiled a bit at him when she realized he didn't know how to act around her.&nbsp; She didn't try to make it any more awkward for him however.&nbsp; "I look forward to eating it," she said when he mentioned the food.&nbsp; She moved to sit with the older woman when she called for them.&nbsp; It was weird having to get used to being called Shy instead of Melody, but...she would just have to get used to it for the time being.<br><br>She smiled softly at Red and said, "Thank you, for welcoming me.&nbsp; I hope that I can earn my place among your kind."&nbsp; It was true, if she was to stay and live here, she wanted to earn her place.<br><br>She winced a bit at the liver, not taking any of it.&nbsp; She wouldn't eat it, cooked or not.&nbsp; When she was offered food, she just took the meat and went about a way of trying to cook it, since she couldn't eat raw meat.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>10-06-2013, 01:59:51</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The grains, cooking in their heavy pot at the edge of the fire, would take some time to soften, so Left Ear used a flat iron griddle, sizzling hot, to quickly fry up the savory treat with salt and wild leeks. Red Blind was served first, followed by Word, Song, barely her junior and the keeper of the children. With a smirk, Left made Sage take the third bowl to his scowling mother rather than deal with the Elder of Summer and War herself. Then the pregnant females could get into what was left, Left Ear snatching a bit extra before sitting beside her new and strange packmate.<br><br>"Come, Shy, eat something. This is the richest and most decadent food we are blessed with. You'll need to keep your strength up," she chortled mischievously. "Soon enough you will be the focus of much attention, eh?"<br><br>Happily watching her clan excited over the gift of the reindeer meat, Left chewed at the simple meal and offered the bowl to her packmate. Sage of Storm, ignoring his dam's stony displeasure regarding the human suddenly in their midst, could not keep his eyes away from the young woman. <br><br>His were not the only curious and covetous eyes... or noses.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>10-06-2013, 05:18:08</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Her mouth watered at the smells of the cooking food and she waited while everyone else got their share, not sure when she could get her own food.&nbsp; Then she heard Left hear calling towards her to get something to eat, though she tilted her head at her words.&nbsp; "What...do you mean?" she asked getting up to get her own share of the meal.&nbsp; She could feel eyes on her and looked around a bit nervously.&nbsp; Why was everyone staring at her?<br><br>((sorry this one is short))
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>11-06-2013, 13:50:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You'll be ripe for the males soon enough," Left Ear shrugged and hummed happily over the rich food. "And several of them are clearly interested. The full moon begins tomorrow and emotions are high with the elder monster gone and spring finally here." <br><br>Left was no giddy young female, but she was rambling on like an excited adolescent.<br><br>"With so much food, we'll travel to the mineral pools and get deeply cleaned. Always a pleasure after a long winter. There are these delicious little birds..."<br><br>Sage of Storm could not stay away, alarmed and darkly jealous of the covetous looks of his fellow males. Those arrogant fools would not appreciate her uniqueness, her unusual beauty. But he could not control her, for he could not afford to lose the respect of the females of his clan, no matter what some of his most base instincts might tell him. Brooding and desirous, he was torn on how to act as it was obvious that the newcomer was bewildered.<br><br>And things would not calm for her any time soon.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>11-06-2013, 18:58:53</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				A deep red blush sported her cheeks that matched her red hair at Left Ear's words.&nbsp; Ripe for the males?&nbsp; That couldn't mean what she thought it did could it?&nbsp; It did, she knew it did and she nervously looked around at all the men that were staring at her.&nbsp; She didn't care if they were interested, she wouldn't let them.&nbsp; She wasn't ready for that quite yet and didn't know when she would be, especially after what she had just gone through.&nbsp; She was so distracted by what she said and her thoughts, she didn't even hear her say anything about mineral pools or birds.&nbsp; She just looked down and ate her food, just as Sage moved over to her.&nbsp; She looked over at him and wondered if he was one of the ones that wanted her too.&nbsp; "Hello again," she greeted him a bit meekly.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>12-06-2013, 08:45:30</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"Hello," Sage returned the greeting quietly and gingerly sat beside her. Were this attractive stranger Kin, he would know how to act, be assured of his attractiveness to a potential mate. His very stature was enough, both physical and within the clan. But now he was again an awkward adolescent and this time he did not even understand the rules. "How was your lesson with Red Blind?"<br><br>Even as she answered, Sage jumped as a small body plowed into his ribs, startling him. Flower squawked as he was wrapped up in a strong hold, squirming relentlessly while his sister laughed at him. "Come on, boy," Sage encouraged. "You can do better than that. Put your back into it!"<br><br>Growling and randomly changing form, the lad nearly managed to escape Sage's burly grip. Finally he tired and Sage hugged him briefly and rubbed cheeks with him in proper greeting. "Excellent effort, Flower!"<br><br>"Thank you, Alpha."<br><br>Unsurprisingly, both children were staring at the stranger beside him and Sage smiled at them. "Bet you're curious huh? Shall I tell you the story?"
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>12-06-2013, 16:59:35</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"It was...." she started but then was interrupted when one of the cubs "attacked" Sage.&nbsp; She watched, curious, a small smile of amusement on her face.&nbsp; Who were these two? she thought to herself.&nbsp; She watched as the boy tried to get out of Sage's grip while the girl laughed.&nbsp; She chuckled herself when he couldn't and Sage just hugged him and rubbed cheeks.&nbsp; That custom was still a bit strange to her, but she had to remember they were part cat.&nbsp; Then they were staring at her and she stared back, just as curious as they were.&nbsp; They nodded when he asked if they wanted to know the story behind her and she just bit her lip and listened to what he was going to say.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>13-06-2013, 12:57:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"You've heard the tales the hunters tell of the great monster," Sage began ominously, the two cubs stilling, Flower cuddling into the broad chest and his sister leaned on Sage's shoulder. "How we have spent years and years chipping away at its lair with careful, quiet claws." Wiggling his fingers in emphasis in a claw-like motion Sage settled in for his story, even as more children melted from the crowd, always eager for a story. "How I took on my father's heavy armor for that special task, how so many of us have died to destroy it?" <br><br>They seemed to keep coming, a crowd of cubs from toddling fluffballs still in diapers to gawky adolescents, the growing sprouts of hope that the Kin would continue, despite the dearth of virile adults. Even Black Tail and Moon on Snow came close, barely more than cubs themselves, and listened to Sage of Storm's deep voice weave the tale.<br><br>"The Mountain told us that we were close, only a thin sheet of stone between us and the cancerous heart of the monster's darkness. With all the power taught to me, I punched through its ceiling and fell, fell... fell." The ominous hiss of a whisper drew the children in and when he raised his voice suddenly, they all jumped, a few of them gasping or squealing. "Then BOOM! I crashed right into it's great, ugly eye! Hurt and barely able to breathe, I fought my way away from the beast even as our brave clanmates, both alive and dead, fought the monster. It screamed and shrieked and shook the mountain!"<br><br>Waving his arms and roaring, the stoic warrior was a different man in the moments with the young of his clan. Again, his voice lowered to an intimate level as he looked at each pair of eyes.<br><br>"Then, slowly, it at last lay still and the sweet mountain air began drawing away the stink of the vast cave in dwelt in. We counted our dead and searched the monster's treasure? And do you know what I found?"<br><br>Without prompting, every child's eye was drawn to the stranger at his side and Sage smiled faintly at the woman he had both rescued and stolen from her captor.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>13-06-2013, 18:34:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Melody even found herself being drawn into the story and was listening intently.&nbsp; She chuckled a bit at his story telling technique, finding them amusing and how all the cubs that came to listen, reacted at certain parts, like gasping and squealing when he went immediately from a hushed voice to almost a booming voice.&nbsp; Then he went to speak of the treasure he found and she couldn't help but blush a bit as all the children looked at her and she fidgeted a bit, nervously, as she looked at him.&nbsp; She returned his smile however and then back at the children.&nbsp; She tried to think of something to say, but couldn't.&nbsp; Finally, she found some words to continue his story.&nbsp; "I was a sacrifice to the beast.&nbsp; To save my kingdom from destruction and he would've eaten me if it wasn't for Sage," she said.<br><br>She looked at him hoping that he didn't mind mentioning that and she had even tried with to incorporate his story telling technique into it and try to make it sound dramatic.&nbsp; She was a bit nervous she hadn't given it justice though, but more than that, she realized he didn't yet know who she fully was.&nbsp; None of them did.&nbsp; She had said my kingdom for a hint as to that, but would they catch it, or most importantly, would he?&nbsp; She was a princess.&nbsp; The youngest of eight siblings and so because of that, her parents had been in no rush to marry her off like she would have been at a few years ago when she was much younger than her 18 years of age now.&nbsp; Thus, this also made her the perfect candidate for the beast and she fought back tears again.&nbsp; She herself didn't fully understand why her besides that, after all, she thought her parents did love her, but then....she could've just been mistaken.<br><br>She wiped her eyes and said, "I'm sorry, but...I'm tired and I really must sleep."&nbsp; That's when it hit her, she didn't even know where she was supposed to sleep, so she just sat there, not really sure what to do with herself for the moment.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>14-06-2013, 11:02:21</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				The children stared at the stranger, weighing her in their perceptions, their minds clearly going a mile a minute. Sage was not the slightest bit surprised when it was spunky Flower that spoke again.<br><br>"She doesn't seem that scary."<br><br>Amusement swept through those that heard the faintly disdainful words.<br><br>"There are always misunderstandings between our peoples," Red Blind supplied wisely. "Despite our once being the same people."<br><br>There was a ripple of reaction through the assembly at that, some in agreement, some growling with denial. It was an old bone of contention, the origins of the Kin, and there were those that would never believe that they were mere creatures of blended magics, of the great mountain cats and the lowland Humans. Evidence did not matter to them, only their pride. But having one of them, this striking Human among them, was a proof hard to deny. If not the fiery hair and her odd scent, she would be indistinguishable among them. <br><br>"Come," Left Ear suddenly volunteered into the tense quiet. "Shy, you must be exhausted after such a disruptive day. I've a nest you can use for tonight."<br><br>"Left, don't be ridiculous," Sage chided his beta. "Your cave is hardly bigger than a womb since you despise sleeping in skin. Take my bed, Shy. I will sleep at the doorway. To protect."<br><br>There was no mistaking the possessiveness and challenge in his tone.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>14-06-2013, 18:01:06</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She felt self conscious as they just stared at her.&nbsp; She wished they would stop.&nbsp; They didn't and the boy that had play fought with Sage spoke up and she was a bit surprised at his words.&nbsp; They thought humans were dangerous?&nbsp; Well, they were, but her at least?&nbsp; She wouldn't harm anyone.&nbsp; Is that with some of the looks she had gotten from some of them, determining how much of a threat she was?&nbsp; She listened as Red Blind spoke.&nbsp; Some of them thought they were once the same people?&nbsp; Her people didn't believe that, in fact it wasn't even a notion.&nbsp; They just taught everyone what kind of savages they were but...she didn't see them act like the stories told about once.&nbsp; They had taken her in, fed her, gave her a place to sleep even if she didn't know where that was just yet.&nbsp; She was grateful to these people, even if some of them didn't trust her just yet.<br><br>Then Left Ear spoke, offering her a place to sleep.&nbsp; She nodded and got up, wiping her eyes once more and said, "Thank you."&nbsp; That was when Sage spoke up and she heard the possessiveness in his tone.&nbsp; "Thank you," she told him, a bit confused as to why he would be so possessive over her.&nbsp; Was it because of what Left Ear had told her earlier.&nbsp; She fought not to blush, but her cheeks still turned slightly pink.&nbsp; She followed whoever would lead her this time, back to Sage's cave and she curled into his nest, covering up with the blankets.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>17-06-2013, 10:23:18</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Sage watched as she settled into the spot where his much larger body would normally take up so much more space. Taking his cat skin on chased away some of the cold that was seeping down the tunnels, indicating a very frigid night was headed their way. He hoped his charge would be warm enough. With a faint shiver where he lay between the small fire and the open doorway, he curled up and flicked his luxurious tail over his vulnerable face, his compact, thickly furred ears alert for any danger approaching.<br><br>And to the small sounds made by the enticing stranger.<br><br>She smelled so different, exotic and growing ripe the way the Kin females would when the Heat approached. Yet, her Human smell was subtle and teasing. There were males amid his peers who would not take into account her Humanity and how different they were, only ready to rut with a female gone ripe. She was so... Shy.<br><br>Tense with frustration and wanting to be somewhere familiar, out with his own kind to celebrate the death of the monster that had plagued them for generations, not here, alone in the cold. But he was a creature of duty and required no accolades. Restless, he stood to resituate his great bulk, eyes peering over his heavy tail at the fire. Still, there was no ease for him, stretching out nearly the length of the cave did not help, his tail curling against the bedding, his head heavy on his crossed paws. Sighing, he tried to meditate, to calm and center himself, but the gentle heat of her was unavoidable and his ears and skin was restless, twitching in the poor light.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>17-06-2013, 17:16:48</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				When she curled into the nest, she couldn't sleep.&nbsp; She was tired and exhausted from all of the excitement for today and yet she couldn't sleep.&nbsp; She felt restless.&nbsp; She leaned up a bit and watched as someone else was being restless too, in his cat form.&nbsp; She watched as he stood from him position at the door and faced the fire, with his tail still on his face.&nbsp; It was cold, and she reached up to take the circlet off because that thing wouldn't help with it at all.&nbsp; "Sage..." she whispered when he stretched out and his head was on his paws.&nbsp; "If you want to go back, you can.&nbsp; I don't want to keep you from celebrating."&nbsp; She blushed a little at what she was going to say next.&nbsp; "And....when you come back, if you want, there's room in here for both of us and it will help keep us warm," she stated, a little embarrassed.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>19-06-2013, 13:12:27</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I will not leave you," he breathed like a grumble over a purr. Coherent speech was not easy in the furred forms, but clear communication was necessary oftentimes. Padding over on great, silent paws, he sat near her head, leaning down to sniff over her face. "I want to be close, but it is not my place, Shy. We are stranger to one another, but pack now. Nor do I want you to be cold."<br><br>Shifting to his towering middle form, Sage looked around and spotted her sewing projects and the scraps of old Cloud Scar's beloved dire wolf hide. Bundling them up between Shy's body and the cave wall, he nodded in satisfaction.<br><br>"Make room," he instructed and wiggled his great bulk beside her, careful not to crush, his back pressed to her warmth, just as they had been when fleeing the monster's lair. Reaching out to toss a few more chips of fuel onto the fire, Sage did his best to not dwell on her body so close. "I do hope you will find some sort of tolerable life here. We are a good people."<br><br>Entirely unaccustomed to sleeping in his great middle form, Sage squirmed and settled, staring at the fire and waiting for peace to settle over him.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>19-06-2013, 18:09:57</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She had to strain to understand him, but she did.&nbsp; Then he padded over to her and sniffed her face.&nbsp; She bit her lip and looked up at him.&nbsp; She was a bit nervous with him being so close to her, but she wasn't scared of him.&nbsp; He changed into his mid form and grabbed her sewing projects, bundling them behind her and between the wall.&nbsp; She scooted further into it, to make room like he wanted, before he settled in next to her.&nbsp; She was comfortably snug between the bundle of dire wolf pelts and his furry back.<br><br>She listened as he spoke and bit her lip softly.&nbsp; "I know you are now, despite what my peoples legends tell about your kind.&nbsp; I do not despise life here," she told him.&nbsp; "I just...miss my family is all.&nbsp; I am very grateful towards you though, for everything you have done for me."&nbsp; She snuggled into his fur a bit more, seeking warmth, before closing her eyes, though sleep wouldn't come.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>20-06-2013, 13:10:02</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"I... do not know that I could find acceptance," Sage hedged as her smaller body helped warm him in turn. "Were our circumstances reversed. You have hidden depths, touched by fire and with a musical name. Let me steal the trailing edges of the blankets and we will both be warmer."<br><br>As she squirmed around, Sage shifted to his belly and once more took on his enormous cat form, all the more thickly furred and far more comfortable half on the bed. To prevent getting his tail accidentally singed, he tucked it deeply into the blankets, smiling around his knife-like teeth when he felt the thick appendage tickle against her small feet. Snugging his heavy head into the cradle of his forelimbs, he at last could relax enough to let sleep creep gently over his exhausted body and soul.<br><br>And the tip of his tail never ceased its lazy twitching, as though glad for the press of his new packmate's inadvertent touch.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>20-06-2013, 18:39:59</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She said nothing to him, not really knowing what to say to him.&nbsp; She just let him have some of the blankets like he wanted and she squirmed a bit, trying to give them both enough blanket.&nbsp; As she squirmed, he shifted onto his belly and changed into his cat form that was much warmer.&nbsp; She stroked his soft warm fur for a moment or two, enjoying the softness of it.&nbsp; She giggled a bit when his tail tickled against her feet.&nbsp; She couldn't help it, she was ticklish and she adjusted herself slightly, so that he wouldn't tickle her any more.&nbsp; "Goodnight," she said softly and snuggled into him like he was a teddy bear and went to sleep.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>21-06-2013, 21:56:22</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Bleary and aching with too much sleep, Sage of Storms slowly came back to life. Instantly, his instincts identified his packmates nearby, Blacktail at his shoulder, and surprisingly, One-Eye, near his feet. That was the only reason Sage had been able to sleep with his back to the cave entrance.<br><br>And that is how he had awoken with the Human cuddled to his chest and belly.<br><br>Snorting licking his chops to wet a sleep-dry mouth and nose, Sage flexed his heavy paws, pressing her even closer to his near-white belly. She made a small noise of waking from the surprisingly gentle pressure of his touch and Sage froze.<br><br>Now what did he do?
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>21-06-2013, 22:21:37</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Melody/Shy, moaned a bit when he pressed her even closer to his belly.&nbsp; She adjusted her head, rubbing it against his belly softly, trying to find a much more comfortable position with it, before her eyes opened up slowly.&nbsp; At first, she didn't remember where she was at, and she felt so warm and comfortable that she closed her eyes again.&nbsp; That was when she realized where she was and who she was snuggled against.&nbsp; She blushed and sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning.&nbsp; "Morning," she told him.&nbsp; She put back on her circlet, as her stomach growled, wanting breakfast.&nbsp; She noticed they weren't alone any more either.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>24-06-2013, 14:00:50</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Blacktail greeted her first, pressing his head against her hand and stretching up to breathe on her face, followed by Sage's light headbutt on her arm, herding her towards the cave mouth. As she was moved by the big males in their feline forms. One-Eye also gave her a brief rub with the unscarred side of his head. The four of them moved back to the central room, quiet now and with a scattered double handful of clanmates here and there, some in compromising postitions.<br><br>"Some party," One-Eye chuckled as shifted to his middle form to poke at dishes from the night before, to see if there was any edibles left. It was Blacktail that found the remains of the grain-based stew that Left Ear had made and handed it off to Shy.<br><br>"Definitely ready for a trip to the baths today," Sage mused as he pried well-cooked bits over the remains of the reindeer carcasses. The all-night cook had reduced the heavier parts tender and juicy and the thinner meat dry and chewy. The later would travel well and he found a bowl to store his pickings in for the moment.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>24-06-2013, 17:08:04</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				She scratched Blacktail's head a bit, when he pressed it against her hand and then got a surprise when he breathed in her face.&nbsp; Then Sage headbutted her lightly in the arm before he started to herd her to the cave of the mouth.&nbsp; Where was he wanting her to go? she thought.&nbsp; Then One-Eye rubbed up against her briefly and she smiled softly down at him.&nbsp; When they got back to where the part was last night, Blacktail found her some of the stew and handed it to her.&nbsp; "Thank you," she said and started to eat a bit of it, tasting it was cold and then had an idea.&nbsp; She closed her eyes and focused, trying to see if she could reheat the stew with the stone.&nbsp; It worked and she now had warm stew to eat.<br><br>She looked up when Sage mentioned a trip to the baths.&nbsp; "Where are they?" she asked.&nbsp; She could really use a bath.
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Greytrail</strong> on <strong>25-06-2013, 12:27:44</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				"The next peak over," Blacktail finally offered when it was clear no one was offering. "There is a valley where hot mineral water rises from the breast of the Mother Mountain. It is a holy place."<br><br>"An ordinary bath of body here in our home," Red Blind's voice suddenly carried from the shadows and all eyes came to her. "And then to the springs for a cleansing of the soul. Come, Shy Fire, we will bathe in preparation for the journey."<br><br>Deep in the complex were wet caves where water collected among the stones and pools. The clan kept them meticulously clean, scrubbing away muck and chasing away insects with the gutter of bright torches.<br><br>"These drain naturally, but slowly," the old woman explained as she carefully began to disrobe. "My old bones will be happy for the heat of the Mother's Pools to warm me after another winter."
			</dd>
			<dt class="postheader">
				Title: <strong>Re: Storm and Fire (Greytrail and Chiarra)</strong><br>
				Post by: <strong>Chiarra</strong> on <strong>25-06-2013, 18:33:39</strong>
			</dt>
			<dd class="postbody">
				Blacktail finally answered her and she thanked him.&nbsp; She then turned to face Red Blind when she heard her voice.&nbsp; She was a bit disappointed that the hot springs weren't for normal baths, but if she could heat up stew...maybe she could heat up this water as well.&nbsp; She nodded and followed Red Blind to a wet cavern that had pools of water.&nbsp; She listened to her, while she stripped herself of her clothing.&nbsp; "I could try and heat this water up some," she said.&nbsp; "I could heat up stew, so why not?"
			</dd>
		</dl>
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