Welcome to Canis Major

a wolf and animal rpg (role-playing game)

Canis is a writing community for play-by-post (forum-based), freeform roleplay set in a fictional dream world in the intrusion fantasy genre. Most characters on Canis are wolves; many play elements are focused around wolves and canids, but the world makes room for a large variety of other animal characters such as dogs, horses, cats, bears, deer, and many, many more.

Our community is focused on flexibility, creativity, and collaboration. That boils down to a few important features:

  • There is no set activity requirement to write
  • The setting and plot are member-created and staff-supported
  • The game is continuously improved to increase fun and decrease stress

Learn more in our Rulebook!

P
the path of nevermore


Early Morning Sunny/Clear
#1
P
Misc Skill
11-28-2021, 01:18 AM (This post was last modified: 04-30-2022, 02:57 PM by Amaranth. Edited 2 times in total.)
@Krakarak @Sylvie Set directly after this thread.
hoarding sylvie

[Image: black-birds-flying.gif]
She'd traveled through the rest of the evening with a mouth full of feathers and a crown of golden fur acting as a nest for a raven fledgling. But not just any fledgling. Her fledgling. Sylvie. Her mind was racing, an uncharacteristic bounce in her step as her lanky golden frame maneuvered through the sunrise toward her home. The soft kiss of morning pinks and oranges permeated through the dispersing morning mist. The gentle fingers of sunlight cut through the chill of the evening, casting a gentle and radiant glow over the gentle water as the pair approached the Respite.

Amaranth maneuvered the familiar lands with relative ease, and despite the jovial way in which she moved, there was the occasional hiccup as her exhausted body betrayed her. But it did not take her long to encroach the edges of the dens, familiar scents wafting all around her as she made her way toward the soft-lit opening of her own room. Led by her nose, a deep inhale told her that Valeska wasn't home ... curious. Perhaps out hunting — Valeska was quite adamant about providing snacks, especially when her anxiety got the best of her. Perhaps it was a nervous tick, much like Amaranth's collecting.

Amaranth berthed the mouth of the den, moving toward the messy corner of the cavern where a conglomeration of items lay askew. Organized in their chaos. Her golden crown lowered like a gentle elevator, mouth dropping the feathers in a pile of similarly structured ebony fluffs. And with a plop, Sylvie would slide into the pile, blending easily into the camouflage provided to her. "This is where we live. Your home, Sylvie," Amaranth stated with a soft smile, her voice as smooth as wine, and just as hypnotic. "Now, stay here for a minute, my child, I need to find you a snack, hmm?" Purple eyes flickered, ears twitching as they pressed forward. A soft nod of her muzzle and the woman turned toward the mouth of the cavern again.

She cast a quick gaze back toward the small pair of beady eyes that peeked at her from the soft light of the den, and her golden plume danced happily behind her. "And don't talk to anyone unless it is a very beautiful silver wolf," she added, running her tongue over her fangs playfully as she turned to exit the den.

As she moved out into the territory again, the bright morning sun burning into her vision ... she sighed. Oh, how she hoped she would find Valeska so she could just ... ask her to hunt a mouse.
TEMPORARY EXIT

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[Image: 36940545_o6akeqfMGh4oIhv.png]
#2
11-28-2021, 02:04 AM
To the untrained observer, it would appear as if the golden wolf traveled alone, loping easily through the first tickling rays of sunrise like a ghostly apparition. Yet two small, glimmering eyes stared out from atop the maiden's slender head, sunken into the thick ruff that began at the back of her neck like a soft pillowed chair. This was where mama lived? She was impressed by the scenery, as much as she could see from behind a nest of yellow fluff. The little bird craned her neck up to get a better look.

Tall, impossibly tall mountains backed a lake of even more impossible dimensions, dwarfing anything the raven had ever seen yet. Pine and fir trees of peculiar shapes and smells dotted the landscape surrounding it, the tops of their branches illuminated dimly by pink hues signaling the oncoming daylight. A faint sheen of frost clung to their tips, warning the inhabitants that winter also fast approached. Sylvie's breath came out in small puffs that hung in the air - she was fascinated. She'd been born only a little earlier in the year, and had yet to enjoy her first snow.

“Are we there yet?” came her thin, wheedling voice, piercing the ethereal silence. She yawned widely, dramatically, for effect. “M'sweepy.

Amaranth, focused and barely able to keep an even stride with her own exhaustion looming on the horizon, answered by slipping quietly into a dark cave and depositing the petulant little black ball into a pile of feathers. Sylvie slid into it with a whumpf!, and popped back up to give her adoptive mother a questioning look. She could only assume this was a repository of her own molted feathers, which poor Mama seemed to be in constant danger of nakedness with how frequently she shed them.

"This is where we live. Your home, Sylvie. Now, stay here for a minute, my child, I need to find you a snack, hmm?"

Sylvie's eyes widened hungrily, and she bobbed her head in earnestness.

"And don't talk to anyone unless it is a very beautiful silver wolf," the great lady finished.

She hadn't seen it in the dim light of her den, but the raven child's features suddenly took on a dark tone - possibly the closest to malice she'd displayed yet - at the suggestion of someone else vying for Mama's affections. Whoever this silver wolf was, they could right fuck off.

What Amaranth saw was an innocent little bird staring hopefully out from a collection of discarded feathers, and as she turned to swiftly exit her home, Sylvie popped out almost immediately and fell onto the floor with a scraping of talons as she righted herself. Glancing around, she was briefly frightened by the array of skulls that grinned back at her from the walls lining the cave - she assumed these were vanquished foes courageously slain by Mama in the heat of battle, who was surely the fiercest of all ravens, judging by the size of some of them.

Humming childishly, she hopped up to the den's entrance and witnessed the first full rays of sun cascading down from the sky, illuminating the lake like a brilliant mirror.

“Wow,” she said to herself, blue eyes sparkling. There was so much to explore...

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#3
11-28-2021, 06:53 PM
 Krakarak was a simple bird. A simple bird that enjoyed simple things. Like poking his big beak into business that didn't concern him. Sure, he had his perfectly good life in Northfall with his pack of wolves lead by the lovely Ragnar. But he had to have some drama on the side. Drama was the spice of life.

 He could have visited the crazy wolves up in the Tundra but he had a feeling that things might have died down since Vera had left, so he ventured eastward. Perhaps he'd run into her again and he could swipe something from a carcass she'd felled.

 He flew in the canopy of trees, temporarily crossing out of them so that he could go through the clearing of mountains. Down below he could see some wolves living their insignificant lives, doing insignificant things on their dumb wolf paws without wings. He wondered what dumb wolf names they had and what dumb--

 WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE!

 Was that a raven chick on one of their heads?

 He blinked in disbelief as he flew down for a little bit of a closer look. He was still high above in the sky, nothing to be concerned about for the average onlooker unless they noted his beady little eyes lazer focused on that chick. Had that wolf stolen it? How dare she?

 He glared as he followed along easily, even landing on a branch of a tree near the wolf's den where he could watch inconspicuously. He could hear the words echoing out and he glared at the she-wolf as she padded away. So, that wolf thought that she was this chick's mother? How strange. Wolves were so weird!

 He waited for a minute, until the coast was clear and he saw the chick perched at the entrance of the den. Then, he fluttered down to the chick unabashedly as he looked down at her with his beady purple eyes. This wasn't his chick but he felt like it was his business because this was a raven child. What business did wolves have with raven children? He felt it was his right to intervene.

 "Аса шгьш удво шьне щдк оидп щдки гдпе? Угьш иьэех шисфе ад щдк гьсв оидпр гьшъгвсхж?" He said in their native Corvid Tongue. He could return her from whence she came, if she was stolen --he might get a reward out of it-- or if she wasn't stolen.

 Of course, she could always have been abandoned. Then that was an entirely different can of worms, wasn't it? Maybe the wolf had saved her? In which case he couldn't very well take the hatchling...

 But he would not watch an affront of nature where the wolves poisoned the chick's mind with their weird ways! A raven should be taught the ways of a raven! So that they could properly learn to birb and steal from help their wolf servants.

the staff team luvs u

"Speaking in Common Tongue"
"Язеьнсхж сх Иьэех ШдхжкебФсиа Шдхжке!"
#4
11-30-2021, 03:14 AM
So overwhelmed by the newness of her surroundings, she hardly noticed the larger bird coming until he had already landed. Startled, she hopped back a few paces - fluffed her feathers - then tilted her head to the side in an expression of curiosity.

Another raven!

... Another raven.

This wouldn't do. Sylvie wasn't about to let some bozo muscle in on her territory, much less hang around long enough to compete for Amaranth's affections. No; this wouldn't do at all. She opened her beak to chase him off back to wherever the hell he came from, until he suddenly spoke first - and in a tongue that was at once familiar, but also fairly unused by the little raven. It had been quite a while since she'd heard it, as she'd been wandering this bizarre country for some time now, and her parents had been the only exposure she'd received thus far.

But the more he spoke, the clearer it became.

"Вук? То је моја нова мама. Она само ћелава." He seemed concerned, somehow. Did he think she'd been stolen away, held here against her will? Absurd. This was about to turn into a life of luxury, and she wasn't about to give it up over some lunkhead with well-meaning intentions - the road to hell was paved with them, after all. And this was already heaven. She hadn't been in Amaranth's acquaintance for very long, but Sylvie was beginning to relish the attention and endless offerings of 'are you comfortable? do you want something to eat? are you cold? poor baby must be so tired', et al.

"Имам прилично добар посао овде, хвала на понуди. Али... постоји једна ствар." Sylvie paused, staring at his wings. She wiggled hers experimentally, as if testing them.

"Мама не може да лети. А не могу ни ја."

That, if nothing else, was the only part of independence she cared for. She had never learned to fly - she'd fallen out of the nest and that was the last thing she remembered upon waking here, and poor luck had seen it that she couldn't ascend to higher ground to practice. Besides, falling was scary. But this raven - maybe he could be useful after all.

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#5
11-30-2021, 05:33 AM
 He might have been quite offended if this little pipsqueak hadn't known their native tongue. He was already offended when this little one claimed that that wolf was her mother. He squawked indignantly, eyes widening in shock. "гьш всея! Шгьш ся ь удво! Удвэея ъьхчш гьшъг иьэех ъгсъня! Щдкчэе ждш удипя сх щдки фиьсхр гьшъгвсхжл." He scoffed haughtily. What sort of terrible things was this wolf telling this impressionable youth? Did she truly think that that big ugly thing was a beautiful raven? Puh-lease! Wolves wished they could be as beautiful as ravens were!

 "Уеввр щеьг! Дфэсдкявщ! Пдяш удвэея шгсхн шгьш уечие язеъсьв ьха шгещчвв ягьие шгеси одда ьха гдпея усшг щдкл." He said proudly, feeling like he was the most knowledgeable raven in the world. Maybe this was kinda nice. If she was stuck with wolves her whole life maybe she'd come to realize that he was the best raven that there was. Every raven thing that she could learn, would be taught by him. Imagine that, the perfect chick molded by his wonderful teachings! "ѝха угьш ся шгся 'шгсхжч', ег?" He clacked his beak pensively as he waited for her to speak her "thing".

 He expected it to be some dumb, asinine chick thing but it was worse. So much worse.

 "УГѝШ?!" He screeched, fluttering into the air in a dramatic fashion. In fact, he might have loosed a few feathers in his extreme exaggerated shock! He came back down to earth, landing behind the chick and huffing and puffing in a most annoyed fashion. "Угщ ъьхчш щдк овщ? Щдкчие пдие шгьх два ехдкжг шд гьэе яшьишеа фиьхъгсхж! Угьш ядиш до зсхгеьа зьиехшя асахчш шеьъг щдк шд фиьхъг щеш?! Сшчя асяжиьъеокв!" He paced back and forth, his large claws clicking on the earth and before he got too far doing this he added on, "ѝха адхчш яьщ 'щдки пдппщ ъьхчш овщчл'. Ягечя ь УДВО! ѝ УДВО! Удвэея ьие акпф вьхаъиьувеия ьха ьиехчш жсошеа усшг дки ьфсвсшсея, ъгсънщ." He huffed as he continued pacing and tried to figure out what to do about her.

 Fucking shame! He wondered if it was from his previous tribe, the two ravens that were terrible parents. Idiots. The lot of them.

the staff team luvs u

"Speaking in Common Tongue"
"Язеьнсхж сх Иьэех ШдхжкебФсиа Шдхжке!"
#6
12-01-2021, 04:17 AM
She closed her eyes gingerly as he squawked, an ironic gesture considering her own shrill way of communicating. There was no convincing him that her new caretaker was in fact a very large balding raven (the feathers! How she constantly molted!), but the fact of the matter remained - Amaranth was flightless, and as a result, so too would Sylvie remain. Bouncing along the ground was tiresome, and as she grew, so did her yearning for this small taste of independence... not that she ever desired to be on her own again.

However, his claim that wolves worshiped their kind - doted upon them, cared for them, saw them as the superior beings. Well, Sylvie had an idea about her own superiority already, but hearing such a stern confirmation only steeled her resolve and planted further the rotting seed of all-consuming vanity. She smiled coyly to herself, taking a moment to preen behind her right wing. The way her feathers shone iridescent in the early morning, a glossy sheen of blues and purples and greens, made her feel far more elegant than she appeared to the standard observer.

Which was not at all.

The little bird opened her mouth to interject but was nearly flattened by the stranger's next outburst as he soared explosively up into the air, a shower of feathers cascading upon her from above - he continued to hover there for a moment, incredulous, before falling back to earth with a soft thud and beginning to rant.

"С асахчш-"

He raved.

"Фкш С уьяхчш-"

He screamed something about branching.

"С адхчш еэех нхду-"

He got all the way up to 'your mommy can't fly', and she sucked in a breath and screamed as hard as her quivering lungs could bear.

"С ОЕВВ ДКШ ДО ШГЕ ХЕЯШ ѝХА УДНЕ КЗ ГЕИЕ! С АДХчШ НХДУ ѝХЩДХЕ! ПЩ ЗѝИЕХШЯ ѝИЕХчШ ГЕИЕ! ВЕѝЭЕ ПЕ ѝВДХЕ ВЕѝЭЕ ПЕ ѝВДХЕ-"

Breaking off into a choking sob, then panting and heaving, she stood in complete silence, tears rolling fat globs down her cheeks as she struggled to regain her composure. Sylvie sniffled mightily and glared down at her claws, whether in shame or rage remained ambiguous for the moment - but how her heart pounded in her chest. She'd fucked it up. She'd lost her only chance at learning to fly. She lost her temper and screamed and now she was alone again.

Maybe this was why her parents had never looked for her. Maybe they didn't want to.

She was loud and mean and useless and she couldn't even fly like everyone else, and her cheeks burned so hot with embarrassment she nearly chewed her own tongue off sawing away with her beak.

"Угщ ьп С еэех ь иьэех ьш ьввБ?" came her small voice, weak and tired. He was right to be shocked. She was pathetic. Sylvie sniffed again, and turned her head away. At least Amaranth loved her.

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#7
12-01-2021, 04:52 AM
 He was such the dramatic sort once he got going. He was prone to go on and on if his audience allowed him to. Or in this case, was too inexperienced to cut into his angry cawing. Her smaller voice didn't make it past his initial croaking words, and then once he set to pacing he was whipped up into a fine old tizzy. It wasn't until the young bird found her lungs did, he give a start as he stopped and turned his head to her. His purple eyes blinked incredulously at her loud voice.

 What a fine set of lungs! Whatever dumb raven had dropped her would surely miss out on what a fine bird she'd grow up to be!

 Except now he'd gone and offended her because of his reasonable tirade. He clacked his beak at her outburst pensively. He was one part indignant and one part... proud? Yes, proud. This wasn't his chick but he almost wished she was. Since she already showed promise as one of their kind. She just needed a proper mentor for flight.

 Good thing she had the best damn raven that was ever hatched standing right in front of her.

 Яггг, яшдз ъищсхж. Сшчя дньщ. Щдк асахчш дооеха пе." The larger bird assured her as he stepped forward. He would attempt to pat her with his wing to try to comfort her. It wasn't her fault that her parents were morons. He could see the potential and could take her under his wing. How amazing would it be to have his own little raven to train? He could teach her everything he knew! It would be amazing to have someone around that was just like him! A mini Krakarak! "Адхчш фе яьа! Счвв шеьъг щдк шд фе ь иеьв иьэех! Фе гьззщ ьха шьне зисае сх угьш щдк ьие ьха иепепфеи шгьш щдки зьиехшя уеие удипгеьая оди вешшсхж щдк оьвв дкш до шге хеяшл Уе ъьх яшьиш усшг фиьхъгсхж ьха шгех уечвв удин кз шд овщсхж! Щдк ъьх яшьщ геие усшг щдки," Ugh, he hated saying it. Удво Пьпь. Blegh! But he supposed that he had his Ragnar so this one could have her Wolf Mama. "Пьщфе щдк ъьх ъдпе фьън усшг пе шд эсясш ьш пщ удво зьън, шгещчвв вдэе щдк шгеие. Фкш хду! Шевв пе щдки хьпе, ъгсънщл. Псхечя Ниьньиьн!" Please for the love of everything green don't let it be some flowery wolf name. Uuugghhh. At the very least could her dumb raven parents have let her pick a proper raven name?

the staff team luvs u

"Speaking in Common Tongue"
"Язеьнсхж сх Иьэех ШдхжкебФсиа Шдхжке!"
#8
12-01-2021, 05:28 AM
Silence. Then he clicked his beak together, once; followed by the soft rustling sound of movement. He was leaving. That was it. Possibly the only (flight-capable) bird she would ever encounter willing to give her a chance, maybe even tolerate her as a sorry excuse for an avian, and she'd completely blown it by throwing a tantrum. Tremulously, she lifted her wet eyes to witness his departure, but she was taken by surprise when he now stood much closer than he was before and... stretched out a wing to soothe her.

Her eyes glimmered.

The best damn raven that had ever hatched standing in front of her hadn't the foggiest idea what dusty little gears were creaking to life in her small head.

He was proud of her. Impressed, even. She had done something worthy of praise - excelled at a skill! Perhaps she wasn't the most useless creature after all. Maybe she was even... talented.

Terrible thoughts stirred within her heart, and the warm, covetous eyes of Narcissus himself turned inwardly to gaze upon her own reflection. She was a bird. She was a raven. She was the pinnacle achievement of all species crawling upon the earth, because she would soar above it. Krakarak would teach her. In this moment, through her rose-tinted goggles, he was a sovereign lord. A king. An Emperor.

He was a dad to a sparkly-eyed little girl.

"Щдк усввБ?" she breathed, excitement coloring her tone. She could hardly wait, especially when he mentioned visiting a wolf pack - she had never seen one of those before, but it sounded exotic, thrilling, even. And he possessed one himself! He led the wolves like a mighty king! Ravens truly were the reigning lords of the universe; how could she ever have doubted herself?

"Ниьньиьнллл удул Шгьшчя яд ъддв! Шге удвэеяр шгещ одввду щдкБ Щдкчие яд здуеиокв! Ад щдк шгсхн С ъдква фе шгьш здуеиокв ядпеаьщБ?" The thought of commanding a legion of hairy, bloodthirsty slavering beasts sent a little shiver up her spine, and she suddenly couldn't wait to tell Amaranth about her shining future - she would be raven enough for the both of them! Mama would be so proud, watching her child soar the mighty skies, witnessing her own wolf army galloping below. She wondered if Amaranth had seen a wolf properly before - not that silver wench she spoke of.

She almost forgot to tell him her name.

"Пьпь хьпеа пе Ящвэсел," she stated proudly, savoring the word. It was a pretty name, surely befitting a sleek, elegant creature like herself.

"Угех ъьх уе яшьишБ? Ягду пе! Ягду пе!"

the staff team luvs u
#9
12-02-2021, 02:04 AM
 The raven nodded his head at her question, "Якие усвв!" This whole kid-thing was pretty nice! Having someone continually stroke your ego and look up with wide awed eyes was amazing! He should have had hatchlings before! Perhaps he would have if he didn't have such ridiculously high standards for a mate.

 And look at that! She was praising his name! His beautiful name! One of the things he was most conceited about. He preened one of his wings proudly, clearly pleased at her doting and questions. "Шгещ ад! Шгещ удиягсз пе!" And then at her last question he made a show of looking her up and down. Then he grinned, "Хдш ья здуеиокв ья С фкш ъвдяе! Эеищ ъвдяе! Усшг пщ гевз щдк усвв иеьъг гесжгшя щдк хеэеи шгдкжгш спьжсхьфвел" Literally and figuratively. But no one was as powerful as he. He was the one and only unattainable goal.

 Of course, his grandiose posture wilted at the realization of her name. Sylvie... He dramatically reached a wing up and laid it over his face in a literal face-palm... face-wing? "Ящвэсе! Овдуеищ удво хьпе шгьш сяллл" He said with a long-suffering sigh but at this point it couldn't be helped. Saying it in the Corvid Tongue made it slightly more tolerable.

 He paced over to her side and looked around them and shook his head. Then, he paced further back into the den --yes, help yourself to a den that doesn't belong to you Krak-- and began to rummage around. "Уечвв яшьиш хду! Счвв пьне щдк ядпешгсхж яд уе ъьх фежсхл Ясш шсжгшр ъгсънщл" With that he tossed this and that around while searching, he was not the neatest bird and oh my what lovely shinies and things this Amaranth had! He was quite impressed and he even stopped a few times to hold up a particularly shiny item... which he would carefully sit to the side for later. This was quite the interesting Mama Wolf! He found very few wolves that legitimately impressed him and she was one of them, go figure since they hadn't even met yet.

 In the end after several minutes of cursing to himself when he grabbed the wrong thing as well as when he grabbed the right thing and had to drag it backwards, he had a sort of branching course set up. There was a large stick with lots of lumps and bumps that would be easy for the chick to hop up to the topmost perch. From there, there were several skulls stacked haphazardly on top of each other to offer her a spot to land. It was several feet away from the branch so she'd have to glide through the air to get there. Next, the most difficult part, was a board slanted up against the den wall for her to land on. She'd have to be quick to keep from sliding off and from there she could either go back to the skulls or the beginning and repeat. This, he explained to her in great detail but Ply does not feel like typing it again since her injured hand makes her slow so just imagine this haughty guy saying it.

 "Шд жеш оидп дхе яздш шд шге дшгеи щдк пкяш кяе щдки усхжял Овьз ьха жвсаер жеш кяеа шд оеевсхж щдки оеьшгеиял Шгся ся ьх еьящ ъдкияе дэеиьвв ьха уечвв удин шд фсжжеи яшкоо вьшеи угех щдкчие пдие ъдподишьфвел Ядллл иеьащБ" He was quite proud of his contraption and expected that she'd do just fine when she got used to it. That or everything would fall apart, one of the two.

the staff team luvs u

"Speaking in Common Tongue"
"Язеьнсхж сх Иьэех ШдхжкебФсиа Шдхжке!"
#10
12-04-2021, 03:26 AM
Krakarak was so kind and generous and gracious to offer his teachings to the young raven, and she couldn't figure out a way to express her gratitude. She bounced up and down on her talon-heels excitedly, buzzing with the glow of knowing that she, too, might one day ascend to become a prestigious member of birdkind under his tutelage - how proud her Mamaranth would be! He continued on agreeably, offhandedly mentioning she might not be quite as omniscient as he (which, considering how much more experience he had already was understandable... for now), but it mattered little. He had given his word.

She would fly.

Watching him with eager eyes, she remained in rapt attention until he started rummaging in Amaranth's things.

Those were mama's!

Torn between defending Amaranth's treasure trove and craving his knowledge, she hopped forward tentatively in protest. "Уьсшр, фкш шгдяе ьие-"

CLACK.

An oddly-shaped rock flew by, pinging off of the wall.

"Пьпь шдва пе хдш шд пдэе геи яшкоо ьидкха-"

THUD.

A leg bone of unknown origins whizzed past her head, nearly taking it off. She scrunched up tight, fearing for her life and realizing she had no power here. Krakarak was a force of nature and he would mold the earth into his image as he pleased.

After an eternity, he had finished.

The branching-course was intimidating - at least to her, a small, helpless bird-child who had never been offered the opportunity of flight. Sylvie gazed up at the skull-stack with trepidation, knowing that Krakarak would be watching with great intensity; should she fail, the disappointment would be crushing. Perhaps he would leave - she couldn't bear the thought! Swallowing loudly, she hopped forward, approaching the starting branch with exaggerated caution. She was fine climbing up things on her own, but under pressure...

Sylvie scrambled up. She glanced at Krak once, as if seeking reassurance, then bounded nimbly from knot to knot on the stick (faltering only once, from nerves, of course) before reaching the top. The pile of bones lay several feet off from her vantage, and she stretched her wings out, stiffened them up, closed her eyes, and jumped into the air.

She realized her eyes shouldn't be closed.

She opened them, and screamed a little.

Nevertheless, she thudded lightly against the side of the topmost skull, and hurriedly used her talons to clamber the rest of the way on top. It wasn't the most graceful maneuver, but it was more than she'd attempted before, and her chest swelled with pride at the thought of progress. Sylvie didn't dare risk a peek at her mentor, still fearing his disappointment; she set her jaw instead and looked stolidly on toward the final piece of the course, a board slanting against the den's wall. This was her moment.

Steeling herself, she flapped her wings experimentally in preparation. She hadn't practiced much, remembering how much it had hurt to fall - the memory kept her from trying again, but now she had a reason.

Daddy Krakarak.

The little raven inhaled deeply, then beat her wings as hard as she could. Dust stirred below, and she barely got any lift, but after a strong leap she soared into the air and she was off. Holy shit! Holy shit holy shit holy shit -

She hadn't realized she was losing altitude with her slightly-irregular wingbeats, but she nailed the board hard, and it took every ounce of her strength to claw up to the top until she'd secured her perch. Breathing heavily, she stared wide-eyed at Krakarak. "Аса щдк? яееБ Аса щдк? яееБ С овеу! С уья сх шге ьси! Счп ь иьэех! Счп ь иьэех!" she crowed excitedly, fluffing her feathers. "Шгся ся еьящ! Угьшчя ь гьиаеи дхеБ?!"

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#11
Misc Skill
12-04-2021, 05:59 AM (This post was last modified: 04-30-2022, 02:56 PM by Amaranth. Edited 1 time in total.)
hoarding sylvie

Amaranth had labored, yes. Woe and labor and dismay. Much to the disbelief of the general populous, Amaranth rarely was able to hunt sufficiently for herself ... so this was a rather astounding accomplishment for a woman of such caliber as the elusive and pretentious Amaranth. To hunt, even prey so resoundingly small, was incredible, yes? But it was for a divine purpose, mmmm, yes, for the raven child. The child. Her child who wanted 'wizards' and mice and all sorts of divine snacks that Amaranth was now required to provide as the ... mother

And she'd been successful in her endeavor, proving herself a rather adept hunter (if she must say so herself). In her jaws she held clamped the lifeless body of both a small mouse and a terrestrial, cold-blooded lizard. Or wizard, as Sylvie had affectionately called it. And little did Amaranth know ... she was bringing two prizes back for two separate birds.

As the ethereally golden woman trotted home, the blinding light of the new sunrise slapping her directly in those deep lavender lenses, she held her head high. Proud, perhaps, to once be productive for another. Alas, little did she know, was that another being had swooped in and stolen her Sylvie right from beneath her delicate golden paws.

A figure that was soon to prove more useful to her child than she was.
A thought that would make her (later, of course) abysmally desolate.

The first thing that Amaranth noticed, of course, was the scent of dust. The scent of disarray and disorganization that sent her sensory organs into a state of chaos very quickly. Who ... who was touching her things? Her items? Her prizes? Even Valeska herself, the goddess of Amaranth's mind, dared not to touch HER precious goods. It was a forsaken topic that was not yet touched. Not yet opened.

With an almost instinctual growl, the puppet-woman ripped through the mouth of the den, her golden body angular and hard against the slowly evolving sun. Golden fur rippled, the decaying feathers in her scruff vibrating against her as those voracious lavender lenses scoured the familiar landscape of her own den. Who? Who? Her silence screamed like the owls — her gaze violently searching the earth before her before ... looking upward. To Sylvie. To her child who was gliding so effortlessly through the dimly lit cavern with such delight in her soft avian eyes.

Her baby.
She was ... so proud ...

And then her gaze snapped to the new raven as Sylvie screeched in an unknown language with devilish delight.

Jealousy burned like toxic venom in her chest ... but the smokey enigma in her eyes barely revealed her ire.

She spat the feed on the ground before the two ravens, placing the mouse and lizard very close to her own golden paws. It would have been right within the grasp of her own fangs. Of course, Sylvie would feel no threat here, but Amaranth was both amazed and uncertain of this full-grown bird that had rifled through her private stash. "You," she said pointedly, raising her brows. There was a solemnity in her voice, but a curiosity burning in her eyes that betrayed her serious nature. "Do you understand me? And if so, who are you? Do you seek to take ... take my child?" The words only wavered for the briefest of moments as she stared straight through the other bird.

Amazing. Did she care more for Sylvie than her treasures?

But Amaranth could not hide her amazement. Another raven ... incredible. But Amaranth remained protective, both of her den and her treasures ... but more so of Sylvie.

Her Sylvie.

It was obvious the woman fully believed this bird was of her own bosom.

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#12
12-07-2021, 05:08 AM (This post was last modified: 12-07-2021, 05:09 AM by Krakarak. Edited 1 time in total.)
 Krakarak watched like a proud papa as she climbed up the first obstacle. He gave her a reassuring nod when she looked back at him. "Щдк ждш шгся! Щдкчвв ад осхе!" He called out words of encouragement. She had to do fine! She was his pupil and he already knew that his pupils were the best. Just listen to that scream she screamed earlier. A raven with a set of lungs like that was bound to do great things in life.

 Except she was starting off poorly... with her eyes closed. WHAT WHAT WHAT WAS THAT?! "ЩДКчЭЕ ЖДШШѝ НЕЕЗ ЩДКИ ЕЩЕЯ ДЗЕХ ДИ ЩДКчВВ ЯЗВѝШ ѝЖѝСХЯШ ЯДПЕШГСХЖ!" He called out, chiding her to try to keep her from hurting herself. Whether it was through his words or her own realization, she opened them just in time to not splat. But to land on the skull pile in a non-too-graceful fashion. Eeeessshh... that could've been better.

 Now was the last piece of the course and he was ready to watch and dreading that she would splat on the board and tumble all the way to the floor. Except... she didn't! She landed hard but managed to climb all the way to the top.

 It wasn't the best he'd seen... but she was new to this thing.

 "Ждда тдф! Хсъе удин! Счп зидка до щдкр ъгсънщ!" What was this? He was... proud? He had made this course and she had used it to better her flight skills! He was a proud Daddy Krak! What a strange feeling to be proud of someone else like this. Like this was his own chick that he'd helped to hatch.

 Except, they couldn't move on yet she had to--

 "You," Huh? He turned in shock to see a mama wolf standing there looking down at him. Ack... he forgot how intimidating wolves were... when they weren't his wolves.

 And when they looking quite severe.

 "Krakarak no take." Even if he could and Sylvie wanted to go, he was afraid that if he said yes she would eat him... and she was blocking the only exit.

 Halp.

 Someone.

 "Krakarak understand, Mama Wolf." He knew no name, only that this was the chick's "mother". "Krakarak just teach Sylvie to fly. She good at it. Krak Krak! Need more practice though! But good chick, ya!" Know what was also good? That shiny stack of trinkets he'd piled up near the course. He wondered if he could make out with those after all of this... But he didn't dare even look in that direction with the wolf staring at him.

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"Speaking in Common Tongue"
"Язеьнсхж сх Иьэех ШдхжкебФсиа Шдхжке!"
#13
12-08-2021, 04:29 AM (This post was last modified: 03-19-2022, 05:09 PM by Sylvie. Edited 1 time in total.)
Krakarak's helpful instructions delivered by way of earth-shattering caws only further spurred her on, and as she sat atop her victory perch, the adrenaline gradually ebbing from her veins, she took a moment just to breathe - to relish.

Then the storm arrived.

It came with no thunder, yielded no lightning. The sky was not ominously darkened, nor did the air hang heavy with the pressure of an approaching front. Songbirds continued cheerily in the distance as they prepared for the swift descent of winter, and squirrels hurried themselves, business as usual, stashing away the food that would soon sustain them. Really, it was a beautiful day.

Yet Sylvie felt her before she arrived.

If a black bird could turn white in an instant, she would have appeared as fresh as the driven snow. Krakarak was busy crowing his praise, and in any other moment, the young raven would have sopped it up like a proud sponge - but all she could do was stare out past him toward the entrance in horror as a golden star hurtled toward their makeshift obstacle course. Amaranth did not approach so much as arrive, so suddenly was she standing near them, accompanied by a rushing displacement of air that ruffled the pair's feathers and made Sylvie shrink back behind her wing.

Mama was furious.

She knew she should have told Krakarak not to touch her things!

“Mama!” she cried, springing to attention as Amaranth began to... inquire, of Krakarak. “Mama, he's good! He's fwiend! He's teaching me how to be a waven! A waven like you two!”

If her mentor pulled a disgusted face of any kind, she did not see it.

The older bird quickly rattled off his intent, quite possibly saving his own feathered ass in the process, and Sylvie absolutely noticed his little peppering of 'she good at it' and 'good chick', which made her momentarily forget the great peril they were in. Sylvie beamed reflexively, puffing out her little chest. She was quite a good chick. The best chick.

“Oh! Mama, you bwing snacks!” As if on cue, without any prompting or guidance at all, she bounced into the air and stretched out her wings in what might have been her first real glide, fluttering only a little awkwardly upon landing. It had come entirely out of left field, and was completely motivated by food. She hopped toward the lizard, eyeing it greedily. But the mouse - she hopped toward it, too, indecisively. Both of them looked so delicious, how could she choose? Sylvie clicked her beak once, then apparently settled on the mouse. It seemed a little easier to get down for now, and she was already tired from her brief foray into the air.

“Mmmmmm. Mama, can Kwakawak have some?”

Her eyes were enormous.

And so blue.

Very shiny and cute.

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#14
01-24-2022, 05:24 AM
Ya'll, forgive me. My muse has been trash over the holidays. :C @Krakarak @Sylvie


She was as slick as rain, as loud and ominous as thunder. The protective mother remained riled, her golden fur quivering against her skin as those solemn purple eyes shifted restlessly between the two ravens. Her ever-so mischievous child and this ... this friend of hers. Pink tongue danced behind clacking teeth, the chitter of her jaw mimicking that of a bird as she maintained her position at the entrance of the den as a large, impeding golden wall.

"Krakarak no take," came the coo, the whimper. And Amaranth felt herself unfurl, if only slightly. Her cautious gaze continued to stare at him — through him, even. Unyielding, unblinking until finally Sylvie's small squeak erupted and distracted that hungry purple visage. “Mama, he's good! He's fwiend! He's teaching me how to be a waven! A waven like you two!” The woman would have laughed, should have snorted, and yet she turned her attentions so-very carefully to her poor, innocent child. A friend?! No, this was a stranger. And yet, somehow, Amaranth yielded.

The silence was loud for a few tortuous moments.
Yielded was perhaps a strong term.

"I see," she crooned finally, an eerie smile pulling at her lips as her voice lowered into an unusually sweet vibrato. "Well, perhaps I should be thanking your friend. Krakarak, was it?" Head tilted from one side to the next in a soft, invisible rhythm. Her child then realized the ransom that lay at Amaranth's paws, her suddenly graceful from drifting forward on an invisible breeze before landing with serene grace at the large golden paws of her mother. It would have been impressive, perhaps, if she'd not been so inexplicably triggered. The child stared at her then, those large eyes encompassing her ... wider than the very moon. "...can Kwakawak have some?”

The smile expanded across her gilded muzzle. How could she say no? Sylvie had a friend, after all. And she was undeniably adorable. Full of mischief and danger, just like her mother. "Of course," Amaranth purred, nodding her head. But there was something about the way she spoke that still held the promise of danger. The promise of a loaded gun behind her words, as if to tell Krakarak ... that if he crossed this child ... it would not just be her feelings on the pyre. It would be his cute, feathery little body as well.

She lifted a paw, offering the prey to the birds before shuffling forward into the den ... leaving the exit once again unoccupied. The other raven would have the chance to run now if he'd like. But Amaranth was beyond harming him for now, and she set to work busily reorganizing her things for a brief moment before peering over her shoulder at the presumably snacking avians. "So Krakarak... where is it you call home? I've never seen you around here ... or smelt you, for that matter." There was a crispness to the way his scent hit her. Something stark and snowy. And there was a genuine curiosity there, veiled behind those labyrinthine purple eyes.

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#15
02-10-2022, 02:20 AM
 The wolf, the golden mama wolf, clacked her teeth together. The sound was clattering and clacking, not unlike the sound he made when clacking his own beak together contemplatively or any other emotion his writer felt like enunciating. It was a wolf-like action and yet so raven-like that his head was cocking to the side in curiosity. He was still fearful, still aware that she could end him in one fell swoop but there were things that he did like of her...

 It was strange. All she had done was look at him disdainfully and yet he could not deny the way that behaved, the fat stack of awesome prizes that lay in her den. It was... interesting.

 Intriguing, even.

 He turned just in time to see the child's impressive glide. He was quite proud of this! Despite the danger he was in, he couldn't help but let out a proud caw at her progress... and by extension his own teaching skills. Win-win, really.

 Then, she sung his praises and the simpering raven would nod his head. Also, looking up at the sweet Mamaranth in hopes that his own amethyst pools would have some sort of sway. "Yis. Krak Krak! Am Krakarak." He said sweetly, in hopes to appeal to her better nature.

 The goodness of the child didn't stop at appealing to her mother. Oh no, it went next with netting him a free meal! He loved this kid! This one might as well be his own at that point because he would make sure that no harm came to her! "Thank you! Krakarak much appreciate! Krakaw! You very fine--" He almost said "wolf" but the raven child had called this one a "raven" as well. It was almost an insult... save for her penchant for finding lovely items and adopting unfortunate birds. So, if this wacky wolf wanted to be called a raven, he wouldn't correct it. As long as it meant he wouldn't get eaten. It sounded like he was on thin ice, anyway. "Raven. Very fine raven! Krak!" And he would set to work on swallowing down the lizard.

 A question came to him and he felt like hiding nothing. Why should he? He might be able to get a new member to Ragnar. "Krakarak of Northfall! Where powerful king Ragnaaaarrr live!" Here he puffed out his feathered chest quite proudly, with the lizard tail hanging partly out of his mouth. "Krakarak worshipped there! He rank right next to king. Powerful raven, he is! Krakaw!" He could understate how important he saw himself as he was!

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"Speaking in Common Tongue"
"Язеьнсхж сх Иьэех ШдхжкебФсиа Шдхжке!"
#16
02-14-2022, 12:11 AM
As the looming threat of Krakarak's imminent demise faded into a more comfortable, general sort of tension, Sylvie still kept an eye on her guardian's expression (not that it ever betrayed much) in case she suddenly changed her mind. Their guest wasn't out of the woods just yet and any errant remark or sudden movement would probably be rewarded with a sharp snap and a final, echoing squawk. The little bird shuddered at the thought.

Krakarak set to the proferred meal with all the vigor of a starving vagrant, slurping and clacking his beak together quite noisily as it swiftly disappeared until only the tail remained, dangling comically out from the corner of his mouth like a parade streamer. Amaranth questioned him, wanting to know his origins - and likely if they should expect more uninvited strangers. God forbid there lay an entire squadron of Krakaraks somewhere out in the wilderness.

He seemed heartened by the inquiry, and drew himself up quite mightily as he boasted of his pack. So it was true - though his description of 'King' Ragnar made the little raven squint suspiciously, wondering where his claims of sovereignty suddenly went.

"Krakarak worshiped there! He rank right next to king!"

Ah. Co-rulers. That made sense.

How prestigious!

Her eyes sparkled once more, and Sylvie edged closer to her new friend, feathers quivering with anticipation. “Oh! I wanna see the big waven-pack! Do you get to boss them awound? Do they hunt for you?” She turned breathlessly to her mother. “Mama! Can we go? Can we see them? Could be chance for an awiance! We would be so stwong, two packs united under waven-wing!”

Sylvie would not be stopped.

“Pweeeeeeease? I could pwactice my fwying on the way!”

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#17
Visionary
04-30-2022, 03:20 PM
just slapping up an end to this for my own brain, sorry. don't feel obligated to exit, i know it's an older thread! :D

Birds certainly did ... talk a lot, didn't they? Krakarak rambled on, cawing up and down about himself and about Amaranth and finally about a place called Northfall. And a man named Ragnar. Amaranth's ears pressed forward curiously as the bird spoke of how wolves and ravens reigned together. Curious. She'd often dreamed of fluttering raven feathers, wolves and ravens working together ... and she thought this vision ended with Sylvie — her child. But perhaps ... perhaps there was more to these visions than she'd previously imagined. Perhaps there was more purpose.

Amaranth's tail flicked, her eyes falling to Sylvie, who'd quickly morphed into an over-excited ball of glittering black feathers.

“Mama! Can we go? Can we see them? Could be chance for an awiance! We would be so stwong, two packs united under waven-wing!”

She smiled gently. What a devilish, brilliant little child.

"I think it's a lovely idea," the woman purred, lowering her nose to gently nudge Sylvie's puffed little chest. There was an affectionate gentility there as her nostrils gently inhaled Sylvie's scent (which was now masked by dirt and grit). "Krakarak, thank you for your kind offer. We'll certainly take you up on it," she continued as she lifted her nose, amethyst eyes glittering as she stared through at the ruffled bird. It was the key — she was certain of it. The key to her vision.

"Sylvie, we will find Valeska, and then we will make our way to ... Northfall." She tasted the word on her tongue. Even the sound of it was cold, bitter, icy. But there was an excitement, too. A static as strong as a spark of electricity.

"We'll be ready soon, Krakarak," she promised gently, sweeping her body around and flicking her golden tail as she trotted off again ... off to find Valeska and explain to her (in a very clear and not confusing manner at all) the importance of meeting this raven pack.
Amaranth Exits

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