Who: Tabrika and Raven
When: Anesus 1, Midday
Where: The orchard
After picking out a room, Tabrika had wound up spending the rest of the night sleeping, curled up in a stupid, heavy, tired, human-formed ball. And most of the morning, too. It had been a rotten night, and all she could look forward to were more rotten nights. And more rotten days. Now that she had a private little room, it was easier to just sleep through them.
When: Anesus 1, Midday
Where: The orchard
After picking out a room, Tabrika had wound up spending the rest of the night sleeping, curled up in a stupid, heavy, tired, human-formed ball. And most of the morning, too. It had been a rotten night, and all she could look forward to were more rotten nights. And more rotten days. Now that she had a private little room, it was easier to just sleep through them.
Except when rude, human-smelling people came barging in, laughing and yelling and then making fun of her for not knowing how to lock her door. Or something. Tabrika had been two parts asleep and three parts angry, so a lot of it didn't register. She'd chased them out, hardly sparing a moment to ponder what they meant by "lock", but the couldn't get back to sleep. She was hungry, and worse, had to piss-- and the little ceramic jar under the bed that smelled like it was supposed to be used for that would not do.
So she'd emerged-- happily back in her natural form, now that the moon had set-- climbed out of the basement and into the bright, clear, noisy castle, then fled into the brighter, clearer, but less noisy out of doors, making for the rows of trees she'd seen outside the night before. There she was alone to find a private place to take care of business, then properly bury it, and set about sniffing around the trees. She'd hardly had time or inclination to look around the night before, but she had to admit to a little curiosity. Besides, they looked so easy to climb she could've done it in human form.
So she'd emerged-- happily back in her natural form, now that the moon had set-- climbed out of the basement and into the bright, clear, noisy castle, then fled into the brighter, clearer, but less noisy out of doors, making for the rows of trees she'd seen outside the night before. There she was alone to find a private place to take care of business, then properly bury it, and set about sniffing around the trees. She'd hardly had time or inclination to look around the night before, but she had to admit to a little curiosity. Besides, they looked so easy to climb she could've done it in human form.
Raven had slept in the courtyard, despite the cool winds. It wasn't something she'd do again, but it kept her out of the inside mayhem until dawn, at which point she could sleep no more. She roamed around inside, occasionally kicking at doors until one flew open, and then claimed that room as hers. It didn't matter where it was, so long as she had one, though she'd have to admit she'd be happier sleeping with her pack.
Her pack. As soon as she found Avery, then maybe she could understand what her pack was at this point. Was it just her? Or would she have a family once again? It didn't matter either way, as she was sure she'd survive, but she needed those questions answered to truly get her footing.
Until then, she decided to get her bearings and make herself comfortable. She rested until close to noon, then rose to find herself a meal. While hunting might have been preferred, the orchard had her curious, the sweet smell of fruit pulling her in. Just one look and she knew it wasn't the doing of her kind, or at least her tribe, most of which preferred the hunt to working the land. That didn't stop her from pulling down an apple and taking a bite, far more pleased than she thought she'd be.
And then she stopped. Not twenty feet from her was another Lykos, her scent unfamiliar. Raven studied her quietly, then proceeded to keep chewing, not entirely sure if she wanted to call out or not.
Her pack. As soon as she found Avery, then maybe she could understand what her pack was at this point. Was it just her? Or would she have a family once again? It didn't matter either way, as she was sure she'd survive, but she needed those questions answered to truly get her footing.
Until then, she decided to get her bearings and make herself comfortable. She rested until close to noon, then rose to find herself a meal. While hunting might have been preferred, the orchard had her curious, the sweet smell of fruit pulling her in. Just one look and she knew it wasn't the doing of her kind, or at least her tribe, most of which preferred the hunt to working the land. That didn't stop her from pulling down an apple and taking a bite, far more pleased than she thought she'd be.
And then she stopped. Not twenty feet from her was another Lykos, her scent unfamiliar. Raven studied her quietly, then proceeded to keep chewing, not entirely sure if she wanted to call out or not.
The wind was favoring Raven, not Tabrika, and the other Lykos didn't notice that she had company until she'd started to pace around a tree, hands up on the bark as she pondered whether to go climbing, and Raven came into her field of vision. Even then, all she got was a big blur, but it was a blur where one hadn't been before, and now that she was paying attention, she could hear the distant sounds of breath, heartbeat, and... chewing?
Oh, she must've gone for the fruit. Apples. Meh. Tabrika wasn't so much a fan. She growled over a greeting in the natural and animal forms language, since she couldn't use anything else without changing and she didn't want to do that yet. Hello, stranger. To the human or Vrykola ear it would come across more like a rumbling grunt and a head-toss, but to another of her kind, it would be clear as day. She hoped she'd be lucky.
Oh, she must've gone for the fruit. Apples. Meh. Tabrika wasn't so much a fan. She growled over a greeting in the natural and animal forms language, since she couldn't use anything else without changing and she didn't want to do that yet. Hello, stranger. To the human or Vrykola ear it would come across more like a rumbling grunt and a head-toss, but to another of her kind, it would be clear as day. She hoped she'd be lucky.
Raven snorted softly, swallowing down the bite of apple as she headed towards Tabrika. "Hello," she answered back. "Were you going to climb?" Dropping the half eaten fruit, Raven stretched, trying to decide if she wanted to shift to continue the conversation. Seeing as how she was dressed, she decided to wait, preferring not to lose another set of skins. "The fruit's okay, but not what I'd prefer," Raven said, taking a seat on the ground beside Tabrika. There was no urge to pet the Lykos, as it seemed as unnatural as petting any other person she didn't know. Tabrika's scent was unfamiliar, but that could be changed. She'd remember it from now on.
Excellent, no shifting required! Tabrika dropped down from the tree and sat, as well. I was considering it, she said, with a shrug in the form of a flirt of the tail. Not so much for the fruit as because it looked easy to do, and it'd be off the ground. I like climbing more than I like walking. Walking felt so mundane, but climbing took more concentration and balance. Even if she fell sometimes, misjudging a branch with her poor vision, it was worth it.
Now that the other Lykos was closer, Tabrika could get a much better picture of her in her mind-- made up of sounds and scents and only vague impressions of her actual appearance. She seemed to carry herself dominantly, her back straight and her movements confident; it made Tabrika twitch a little inside with the urge to see if she'd stand up to a little challenge, but she held herself in for the time being. What's your name? she asked.
Now that the other Lykos was closer, Tabrika could get a much better picture of her in her mind-- made up of sounds and scents and only vague impressions of her actual appearance. She seemed to carry herself dominantly, her back straight and her movements confident; it made Tabrika twitch a little inside with the urge to see if she'd stand up to a little challenge, but she held herself in for the time being. What's your name? she asked.
"Raven," she answered, "Yours?" Raven dropped her tribe name, as it never felt natural to add it to the end as the Humans and Vrykolas did. She had the feeling that Paziter had misunderstood her in some way, and would now go around thinking that everyone in her tribe was her sibling. Surnames had no meaning to her, other than another name to make things more complicated than they should be. Raven never thought of herself as defined by her tribe, but by herself, and maybe by her pack.
"We're so singled out here," she commented, her mind on her pack, or lack-there-of. "We should have a bonfire. And drums. And dancing. Something to bring us together." While she wasn't the sort to organize such an event, she would participate for sure. "Have you met more of us?" she asked, referring to the Lykos in the compound.
"We're so singled out here," she commented, her mind on her pack, or lack-there-of. "We should have a bonfire. And drums. And dancing. Something to bring us together." While she wasn't the sort to organize such an event, she would participate for sure. "Have you met more of us?" she asked, referring to the Lykos in the compound.
Tabrika, she answered simply. She had yet to use her tribal name as a last name with anyone who she'd shared it with-- not that there'd been many. It'd been Jacta, pretty much. And no... not beyond my tribe who I came here with. And she really kind of doubted any of them would be terribly interested in her company. Maybe a couple of the boys who she hadn't tried to put down.
Fires and drums and dancing would just remind her of home, which right then she really didn't want. Since her only pack was there, gone for six whole years. She shook her head, hair swinging and ears flopping a little, and added, Just a human and a Vrykola. What about you?
Fires and drums and dancing would just remind her of home, which right then she really didn't want. Since her only pack was there, gone for six whole years. She shook her head, hair swinging and ears flopping a little, and added, Just a human and a Vrykola. What about you?
"Just a Vrykola," Raven answered, a quiet smile spreading across her face. She'd enjoyed meeting Paziter, at least until he'd abruptly run away. That part still left her bitter, wishing she understood the blood-sucker a little better. What kind of a man ran from a fight? It was ridiculous and she didn't get it at all.
"He wasn't up for a fight. He wasn't even interested in playing. What kind of a man won't stand up to a woman? He was no alpha, that's for sure," she snorted, shaking her head. Compared to her brother, he wasn't worth the time of day, and yet she still found herself intrigued. Raven frowned and tried to put him out of her mind. Stupid Vrykola.
"He wasn't up for a fight. He wasn't even interested in playing. What kind of a man won't stand up to a woman? He was no alpha, that's for sure," she snorted, shaking her head. Compared to her brother, he wasn't worth the time of day, and yet she still found herself intrigued. Raven frowned and tried to put him out of her mind. Stupid Vrykola.
Not everybody can be, I guess, Tabrika rumbled, muzzle wrinkling in a distasteful almost-snarl. She knew a couple submissive males-- they were strange and disconcerting, but she'd never hesitated to take advantage of their timidity. The blood-suckers are just weird, though... I don't think they work right. Like being all almost-dead ruins something in them. Going off of meeting one Vrykola, and the various stories she'd heard, she was an expert. Totally. For serious. Hey, it made sense to her, anyway.
I wish we didn't have to share the same space with them, she grumbled. The one I met didn't even stick around to finish the fight we started. Or take whatever punishment there was going to be for it. Coward.
I wish we didn't have to share the same space with them, she grumbled. The one I met didn't even stick around to finish the fight we started. Or take whatever punishment there was going to be for it. Coward.
"At least he was willing to fight," Raven pointed out. "Even if he did run. I suppose you won that round. Good on you." Raven smirked to herself, wondering just what kind of a fight Tabrika had been in. If Tabrika could win against a Vrykola that easily, then Raven was positive that she would have completely squashed the competition. One thing she was confident in was her ability to tear into a Vrykola if needed.
"They'll have to feed, eventually. I want to see how that goes, how it tears them apart. They have their noses in the air, calling us animals when they're the ones who feed on blood." Maybe it was cruel on her part, but she was eager to play a game that she knew was forbidden among her kind, just because she could. If her brother found out, he'd rip into her for sure, but that was why she kept such things quiet. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
"They'll have to feed, eventually. I want to see how that goes, how it tears them apart. They have their noses in the air, calling us animals when they're the ones who feed on blood." Maybe it was cruel on her part, but she was eager to play a game that she knew was forbidden among her kind, just because she could. If her brother found out, he'd rip into her for sure, but that was why she kept such things quiet. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him.
She, actually, but I like to think so, Tabrika answered, feeling a little proud of herself for that. At least she could say she was both braver and more honorable than that blood-sucker. A small victory, but.... It's something.
Raven's other comment made the Lykos cast her a perplexed look, ears skewed and half-back and the fur around her shoulders raising a little with distaste, that said clearly what she thought of that. I just want to stay far away from them, thanks. Why would you want to watch? It's unnatural. If you want meat, use the whole animal, you don't just take one little part and throw it away, like they do.
Raven's other comment made the Lykos cast her a perplexed look, ears skewed and half-back and the fur around her shoulders raising a little with distaste, that said clearly what she thought of that. I just want to stay far away from them, thanks. Why would you want to watch? It's unnatural. If you want meat, use the whole animal, you don't just take one little part and throw it away, like they do.
"If they take the whole animal, eventually they'll run out of food. It's not in their interest to kill," Raven said. If there was one thing she'd learned, back when she was hunting a Vrykola, it was that knowing your enemy was the best way to catch them. The Vrykolas might not have been her enemies now, but that didn't mean she didn't find them a curiosity. They were just as much a threat as ever, perhaps more so now that she was forced to live with them, and they had an instinct for survival just like any animal.
"And I don't want to watch them feed. I want to watch them crumble." There was a distinct difference, in her opinion, even if she'd never actually seen a Vrykola feed. Now she wasn't even sure if they could hunt, making her wonder how they got by at all. No wonder there were so few of them. If they couldn't fend for themselves in this environment, how had they lived for so long in the first place?
"And I don't want to watch them feed. I want to watch them crumble." There was a distinct difference, in her opinion, even if she'd never actually seen a Vrykola feed. Now she wasn't even sure if they could hunt, making her wonder how they got by at all. No wonder there were so few of them. If they couldn't fend for themselves in this environment, how had they lived for so long in the first place?
I don't know what species you think you're watching, but I'm pretty sure Vrykolas don't crumble when trying to eat, Tabrika snorted, sure that Raven was either remarkably stupid or somehow warped, insane, something. She was certainly weird. Or there'd be none of them left, they'd all die off from starvation. I might not like them, but I don't think they're that incapable. And we kill, she pointed out logically. And we haven't run out of food yet. I don't see what the difference is. Its wasteful and unnatural whichever way you look at it, just taking blood and leaving the rest.
It didn't take much for Raven to realize how different her way of thinking was from Tabrika's. She'd already pointed out once that she didn't believe the Vrykolas killed when they ate, and the point wasn't that they crumbled when they fed, it was the loss of their self control that she wanted to observe. At the moment, they were trying so hard to appear human. She could see it in the way they held themselves, in the tenseness of their muscles. Eventually one would snap, would have to give in to the hunger. When a Lykos was starving, feeding was not a taboo subject. When a Vrykola was hungry, it was a Human or a Lykos that needed to watch their back. They were very different in that sense. Not in what they did with the remains of their prey, but who or what their prey was. She doubted Tabrika would have approved should the Vrykola used the whole body. Then it would have been considered cannibalism.
"We kill animals that breed rapidly," Raven said. "They don't find our meals tempting, for some reason. A rabbit sounds rather appetizing at the moment..." She sniffed softly, looking towards the forest, then her lips turned up slightly. "Up for a chase?" she asked.
"We kill animals that breed rapidly," Raven said. "They don't find our meals tempting, for some reason. A rabbit sounds rather appetizing at the moment..." She sniffed softly, looking towards the forest, then her lips turned up slightly. "Up for a chase?" she asked.
Though she wasn't at all sure she liked Raven-- already talking and acting like she were the dominant one, even though neither of them had established dominance, all arguing down at her from some perceived high horse-- Tabrika did like the idea of a hunt, even with someone she wasn't sure she liked. After all, thus far Raven was the only Lykos she'd met, so her choices in hunting partners were pretty slim, indeed. You think you can chase like that? Tabrika half-challenged, half-sneered, getting her paws under her.
"I can," Raven smirked, noting that Tabrika was already preparing herself for the chase. "That doesn't mean I will." She was fully prepared to transform, if necessary, but it was her human legs that she wanted to stretch for a bit. She'd found that she needed exercise in both forms in order to stay as agile as she was. "Ready when you are," she said, moving into a runner's crouch, ready to take off through the high grass. She might have to change, but the fun part was seeing how well she could do without doing so.
Let's see if you can keep up, then, Tabrika taunted lightly, and took off, on all fours despite the "natural" form-- it was easier to cover more ground, even if it looked a bit awkward. She wasn't the best scenter in her tribe for nothing, and she'd find them something to eat, even if she had the feeling that she'd be perfectly happy to lead Raven on a merry little chase first. Maybe she would, maybe she wouldn't. She'd see how she felt about how Raven could keep up, first, and see how quickly she caught a hot trail.
Raven's ability to scent out her prey might not have been as exceptionable as Tabrika's, but her ability to run on foot or paw excelled above most of the males in her pack. The chase was her favorite part of any kill and she took off after Tabrika in human form, just to see how well she could do. With bare feet well callused from a life without shoes, Raven ran through the fields, her eyes locked on the Lykos form ahead of her. Only once she was in close range of Tabrika did she begin to look for a scent herself, curious to see what they were chasing.