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Post by Taxx on Jan 15, 2019 19:46:09 GMT -5
Greenleaf Day ThirtyTeller of the Mountain Sky He was running low on herbs, Skyteller mused to himself as he carefully pawed through the leaves tucked in a shaded corner of the small cave. There were only a few left, but they had dried since he’d gathered them, and he wasn’t sure they would be much use by now; he was grateful that it was still the Time of Flowing Water, and that hunger and sickness were not something he had to worry about. But, he knew too that it wouldn’t do to be complacent; accidents could happen at any time, and the weather had been a bit colder as of late. Best to be prepared.
He took a moment more to decide what he needed most before gently gathering the worst of the herbs and carrying them out to the mouth of the cave. Storm was sitting there on guard; Skyteller gave him a nod before opening his mouth and letting the wind sweep the leaves from his jaws, whisking them away on the breeze. A short drink from the small pool washed their taste from his tongue- that didn't seem to fade, even as their usefulness did. Then he stretched, enjoying the warmth of the sun for a moment before returning to the dim shade of the cave.
Ears pricked and he padded over to Wolf, who was sitting in the mouth of the small sheltered niche where Moth would be nursing his kit along with her own. Skyteller was pleased that the kit had thrived, more for the tom's sake than anything else. He had been through the worst night, and the ginger tom knew, if the now-named Lily had not lived, that Wolf would have disappeared and never been seen again. With her survival, he had something to focus on, rather than the tragedy of the death of his mate and kits. A small blessing, even if the pain of the loss was still felt.
Padding over, Skyteller announced himself. "Wolf. Moth. I hope everything is well with Lily and Sky?" He peered at the two kits before lifting his gaze to Moth for a reply. Tribe of Forgotten Waters
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2019 13:48:56 GMT -5
You have my eyes, you have your mother's name.
I'm dedicating every day to you.
Since coming to the Tribe's cave, Wolf had been reluctant to leave his daughter, as if afraid she would disappear if he took his eyes off her. He had only left the next morning to bury Lily properly before a predator could find her. It hadn't been hard, simply collapsing the entrance to the den they had shared, where she and the rest of their kits had died. He had slipped inside to tell her a proper goodbye, to assure her their daughter was alive, that she would survive. It had been much harder to leave her a second time, without a wailing kit urging him on.
So he had come to know Moth, the queen that had so graciously offered to nurse his daughter alongside her own kit. She was very understanding and patient with his hovering, and the two had exchanged a few quiet conversations in the days since his arrival. Neither of them were incredibly talkative cats, it seemed, which suited them both just fine. Mostly they talked about the kits at her belly. Moth had been the one to give Lily her Tribe name. He only knew he wanted to name her Lily, but if she was going to grow up here, she should have a name like they did. She should fit in, feel like she belonged.
It seemed every day she was just a bit bigger and he wondered if that was normal as he sat at the mouth of the little niche in the cave where queens and kits sheltered. He watched Lily sleeping peacefully against the curve of Moth's belly, Moth's son pressed against her, sharing in each others' warmth. Pride. Love so strong it nearly overwhelmed him. That he could feel so strongly for a tiny scrap of fur he had known for only days was baffling.
His ear flicked and he turned as Skyteller approached. He relaxed at the sight of the familiar tom, forcing away protective instincts that nearly had him putting himself between the big tom and his tiny, helpless daughter. He was still a bit wary of most of the rest of the Tribe, but he felt a bit more comfortable with Skyteller. He nodded in greeting, his gaze shifting back to Lily as the healer addressed Moth.
“Oh, yes, thank you, Skyteller. They're growing every day, as Wolf enjoys pointing out,” she purred softly, flashing a teasing glance at the tom.
Wolf's ears twitched, “Well, they are.” He returned his attention to Skyteller reluctantly, “Is there anything I can do for you, Skyteller?” He was eager to repay the tom for allowing them to stay, for more than that, welcoming them with open arms. As much as he didn't want to leave Lily, he also wanted to be useful.
I swear that I'll be around for you, I'll do whatever it takes.
I'll make a million mistakes, I'll make the world safe and sound for you. Taxx neversky
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Post by Taxx on Jan 23, 2019 20:10:17 GMT -5
Teller of the Mountain Sky Pleased at the confirmation that the kits were doing well, Skyteller settled near the two for a moment. How lucky that Moth had been able to care for the kit- he dreaded to think what would have happened if the Roost had been empty of kit-mothers. No point in fretting over it, he thought to himself with a shake of his head. Everything had worked out, and everything was well.
"I'm glad to hear it," he purred to both, and then turned to Wolf. "There is, actually. I need to gather herbs, and I wondered if you might come with me, to help. Two cats can carry more than one, and I ought to store what I can now before the weather turns colder and kills what might be needed."
He glanced back to Moth as Sky let out a loud cry; the kit-mother curled around and began to lick her son, calming his squeal and resulting in a happier purr as he kneaded his mother's shoulder. With a purr of his own for the kit's personality, even with him being so small, he turned back to Wolf. "We won't be too long, and we'll being along another cat to keep watch while we look for herbs," Skyteller added on, gaze briefly flicking away to meet Green's eyes and beckon to her. She padded over immediately, glancing silently between Skyteller, Moth, and Wolf with curiosity obvious in her expression. Tribe of Forgotten Waters |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 24, 2019 15:28:38 GMT -5
You have my eyes, you have your mother's name.
I'm dedicating every day to you.
“Herbs? Of course,” Wolf agreed immediately, standing, but casting another reluctant look back at his daughter. He knew she would be safe, logically. Moth cared for her like her own kit and none of the Tribe had done anything to make him think they would hurt a helpless kit, no matter if she wasn't technically one of them. But the threat of losing her still haunted him. He had no idea what he would do without her.
He took a deep breath and shook out his fur. She would be safe here. That's part of the reason he wanted to stay, even after Lily was old enough to possibly leave. There was safety in numbers, and Skyteller knew about herbs and healing. If Lily was ever hurt or sick, she'd have a much better chance here than alone with him, wandering as loners. Living as a group was still foreign to him, but he would get used to it with time. For Lily.
Besides, he supposed he ought to spend a bit more time with the rest of the Tribe, if he was going to join them. He wasn't the most social cat, but if he was going to live in a group he ought to know who they were, and let them know him to some extent. And he was curious. Moth had told him a little about some of the Tribe's ways, whenever he asked about something. Like how every cat shared prey in that strange way, taking a bite and passing it on to another cat in a weird take turns way of eating. Now that was a foreign concept for a former loner.
He stepped closer and dipped his head to lave his tongue over Lily's kitten soft fur, pressing his nose gently to the top of her head for a moment, murmuring softly, “I'll be back soon.” Stepping away from her was so hard, but he managed it, nodding to Skyteller as he rejoined the tom, “Lead the way. Is there anything I should be on the lookout for specifically?”
I swear that I'll be around for you, I'll do whatever it takes.
I'll make a million mistakes, I'll make the world safe and sound for you. Taxx
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Post by Taxx on Jan 25, 2019 20:37:42 GMT -5
Teller of the Mountain Sky Patiently, Skyteller waited for Wolf to finish, turning back to the entrance to give him a bit of privacy so he wouldn't feel rushed; Green padded ahead to wait at the entrance, her tail waving as she padded along. Skyteller glanced over as Wolf joined him again and then followed the Lead, giving Moth a nod of farewell that she returned.
"Horsemint leaves and flowers, aspen leaves and chokeberries," the ginger tom replied, keeping one ear turned toward Green and flicking his gaze between Wolf and the ground at his feet. "Mostly herbs that help with healing wounds and easing pain; I'm running quite low and I should stock up as much as I can for the Time of Frozen Water; better to be over-prepared than under. If you wouldn't mind I could use your help in the coming days, as well. It won't be too long before the cold begins to kill everything."
Green's gaze was fixed on a bird in the distance, her tail flicking warily. Drifting in lazy circles, it didn't seem to be interested in them, but that could change in a heartbeat. Still, they kept moving, heading for a patch of plants the Healer had come to rely on in the moons since becoming Healer. Padding carefully among a patch of flowers, Skyteller crouched and bit gently at the leaves of a horsemint flower. "How are you settling in?" he asked, glancing back to the newest member of the Tribe. "I'm glad to see you and Moth are getting along well. She's a good cat." Tribe of Forgotten Waters |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 26, 2019 1:05:15 GMT -5
You have my eyes, you have your mother's name.
I'm dedicating every day to you.
Skyteller may as well have been speaking twoleg for all that the names of the herbs he listed meant to Wolf. With a snort of amusement at himself for not being specific enough with his question, he waited for the tom to finish his explanation before prompting him for further information. The Time of Frozen Water. The Tribe had such weird names for some things. It wasn't hard to guess at what Skyteller meant by that one. He'd heard a number of the Tribe use the phrase. The only time water froze was leafbare.
Like Green, Wolf kept an eye on the sky out of habit as they headed out of the safety of the cave. His mind wandered briefly away from the questions about the herbs Skyteller had listed off as he watched the same bird that had Green wary. It was hard to tell at this distance just what it was, but the memory of his first meeting with Lily came back to him and in his mind it was an eagle. They had talked about naming one of the kits Eagle, after the thing that had brought them together. His heart seemed to constrict in his chest at the same moment that Skyteller asked him how he was settling in, and he focused back on the tom to distract himself from the painful thought.
“Ah. Yes. She is,” he didn't think he'd ever be able to repay the she-cat properly for saving his daughter's life. No matter how good the Tribe's intentions, if it hadn't been for Moth's personal agreement to take Lily in, she would have starved to death. “I'm... learning, I suppose. It's... still a bit hard for me to trust everyone. I guess that'll change as I get to know them all more, but I've never been around so many cats at once before. I've been a little on edge about it, especially because of Lily....”
He watched Skyteller gathering leaves for a moment and his ears twitched thoughtfully, “I've been thinking.... Maybe I should have a Tribe name too. I don't want Lily to think she's not really part of the Tribe growing up because I don't fit in properly. And I want the others to know I mean to stay. But, ah, I don't know. It seems strange to pick a new name for myself, and I'm not that sure how to pick a proper name either.” He shifted, glancing up at the sky again, “I'd like to keep the name my parents gave me, have a name like Lily got. So I could still be Wolf, mostly. That would be easier. Do you... have any ideas? Moth said... mothers often pick names based on things they see after their kits are born, or something... but I guess that doesn't really apply to me.”
I swear that I'll be around for you, I'll do whatever it takes.
I'll make a million mistakes, I'll make the world safe and sound for you. Taxx
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Post by Taxx on Jan 31, 2019 20:53:08 GMT -5
Teller of the Mountain Sky Skyteller had answered the question rather absentmindedly- he knew what he was looking for, knew what the leaves and herbs looked like, and didn't quite think about replying in a clearer way for Wolf. His words were straightforward- Wolf asked what he was looking for, and Skyteller answered.
He took the moment Wolf's reply gave him to gather more horsemint, laying a few more leaves down in the growing pile at his side. He couldn’t claim to understand how the tom felt, so nervous around the Tribe, but he could understand why he felt that way; being a loner with minimal contact with other cats, and then suddenly surrounding himself with a group who lived and worked together, most of whom had known each other since birth, would be enough to make any cat unfamiliar with this sort of life nervous. Skyteller could only hope he got used to it, soon enough.
His mention of a name- like theirs, like his daughter’s, made Skyteller pause and blink up at him. He’d been thinking about asking Wolf if he’d like one, and yet he hadn’t wanted to make the tom feel like he had to take one. Him asking was a relief, and Skyteller sat up, his gathering on a halt for the moment. “Wolf is a strong name… I think I can come up with something to work that in.” It wasn’t really part of his duty, to think of names, but he’d done it a surprising amount since becoming Skyteller- and he had experience with his own kits…
“I can think about it- I haven’t got anything yet. But I’m willing to think of possibilities.” His mind flashed to Light joking with Storm, the next morning, about the way the tom and his kit had both been yowling as he’d neared the cave- loud enough to wake their ancestors, had been the she-cat’s words. Maybe he could make that fit? Somehow. “I’m sorry, I hadn’t thought about it until now- but I’m sure we can come up with something.” Wolf… and it’d been night, the moon shining strongly overhead- the light illuminating the tom and his kit standing on the ledge as he approached.
"Wolf... who Comes by Night?" Which, he had, but it wasn't the best of names. "I haven't done this much, I apologize." Tribe of Forgotten Waters |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 25, 2019 0:39:54 GMT -5
Wolf did have a certain amount of pride in his name, so when Skyteller remarked that it was a strong name, he couldn’t help feeling a bit pleased by it. His whiskers twitched in amusement, “My mother told me I was the largest kit she had ever had and when I was born I cried so loud it was like a wolf howling.” He chuckled softly, “She did like to exaggerate….” Briefly he wondered if his parents were still alive or not, if they had had other litters after his, and his thoughts turned to his sister for the first time in a long time. Storm must have had a litter of her own by now…. He stared down at his paws, feeling a familiar ache at the memory of the last time he had ever spoken to her. He had loved her more than anything, and she had asked him to leave, just like that, like he meant nothing to her. Wolf’s ears twitched as Skyteller seemed a bit unsure about naming him, distracting him out of his depressing thoughts. “Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean to put you on the spot…. I don’t need one right at this moment or anything… but I’d appreciate any help in thinking of one.” He mulled over the name he had suggested for a moment, thinking about what Moth had said. Mothers…. What would his mother have named him, had he been born in the Tribe? “Wolf That Howls… Loudly?” He snorted. Well that sounded stupid. He shook his head, “I think I’ll just leave picking Tribe names to you and Moth.”
Taxx |
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Post by Taxx on Mar 14, 2019 18:45:21 GMT -5
Teller of the Mountain Sky Hmm. Skyteller ran a paw over one of the leaves he had picked, considering Wolf's words and debating possibilities. Some sounded- odd, others too weak, not quite capturing the spirit of the cat before him. It was easier with kits; a mother and father gave them the name of what they saw- naming an already grown cat meant taking their thoughts into consideration. Wolf that Howls...
He blinked at the tom, taking him in again, and something flashed his mind back to the night he had arrived. His first impression of Wolf had been quick, disrupted by the wails of the she-kit he'd carried; her needs had been more immediate than anything else at that moment, but there was still the image of him standing on the ledge, gray fur turned silver by the pale light of the moon. He considered the name and then offered it: it was Wolf's, and it was only right that he agree to it. "What do you think of Wolf that Howls at Moonhigh?" he asked, lifting his gaze to the tom's as he spoke his suggestion and waited for his reply. Tribe of Forgotten Waters |
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2019 0:51:08 GMT -5
Wolf’s head tilted in the slightest as Skyteller offered his next suggestion, something of a combination of both the names they had offered between them thus far. Wolf that Howls at Moonhigh. He realized that his appearance at the Tribe’s cave in the middle of the night must have left quite an impression, and somehow it seemed fitting to be named after that moment. It was sort of like the Tribe’s kit-mothers naming kits after things they saw when their kits were born. Symbolic, he supposed, of his own ‘birth’ into the Tribe. And, he thought, his own mother would approve too.
He nodded, “It sounds right.” Symbolism didn’t generally mean much to him, he tended to be more practically minded, but he couldn’t help how it seemed to fit just right, for multiple reasons. He offered a soft purr, “Thank you, Skyteller.” He had much to be grateful for when it came to the healer. Shaking out his fur, he glanced back toward the cave-guard watching the sky, “Well. Have you collected what you need? If we need to make another trip, I’d be happy to accompany you out again.” He looked over the leaves the healer had already gathered up, whiskers twitching, “We can only carry so much at once.”
Taxx One really shitty reply x'D |
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Post by Taxx on Apr 30, 2019 19:35:47 GMT -5
Teller of the Mountain Sky Pleased at the acceptance, Skyteller's tail flicked side to side. He was glad the tom approved; it was a good name. Strong, and fitting with his arrival to the Tribe. "I am glad you like it," he purred, and then looked down again at the herbs at his paws. "Ah- yes. This will do for now, but I think between the three of us we can carry this back. Perhaps if you're free again tomorrow, we can come back to collect more. I want to lay in as much as possible before the cold comes."
He called Green's name and nudged one of the sprigs of berries toward her, and then divided the rest between him and Wolf. Jaws then full, he turned to head back to the cave. He would announce to the rest of the Tribe the cave-guard's new name, once they were gathered for the evening meal. He was getting way more practice at this naming thing than he'd anticipated, and he wondered how much more he'd have to do- accepting Clan cats and loners was great, as it added to the Tribe's ranks, but it came with new responsibilities, too. Still- it wasn't so bad. Those he had named seemed happy, and that had to mean something. Tribe of Forgotten Waters |
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