⧰ tαlєѕ frσm thє ѕhαdσwѕ ⧰ [VoK]

Are you a writer or a poet? Come and share your creations with us, or discuss writing techniques with others
Forum rules
Please only post your own original work, do not post poetry or stories which were written by someone else.

⧰ tαlєѕ frσm thє ѕhαdσwѕ ⧰ [VoK]

Postby NinjaGerbil » Sun Apr 22, 2018 4:59 am


Image

You are a young mouse among the Tribe of Singing Shadows.
You might be one of them, a Pup returning from training with your Mentor. Perhaps you are a visitor from another Tribe, here to discuss trades or treaties with the Leaders. Or maybe you are a stranger, a lost soul discovered in the thick forests or swamps that make up the Shadows' territory.

Either way, fate has decided that you end up here.

As you wander among the caves that make up the Tribe camp, there is a chorus of laughter; voices young and old alike echoing from a room to your left. You poke your head around the entryway, and you are greeted with a large group looking back at you. Mice of all ages are gathered around a stone pedestal, upon which sits a cinnamon-coloured doe with brown patches. She looks up at you, her golden eyes cheerful and bright, and beckons you with a paw.

"Ah, you're just in time for a story." she says with a gentle smile, the mice around her shuffling to the sides for you to sit among them. "This is my favourite time of night; nothing brings us together like a good tale. Now, the one I-"

"Tell us the one about the hawk again, Sparrow! Pleeease!" a young Pup from the front clamors before being hushed by the buck sat beside him. Sparrow lets out a short laugh, clearly amused by the Pup's enthusiasm, then taps his nose with the fluffy tip of her tail.
"I won't be able to tell a story at all if you interrupt me! Don't worry, we'll get to that one soon, just be patient." she replies calmly, turning her upper body around slightly. When she turns back, she has a stack of dried leaf-paper, bound neatly with two sheets of bark and a length of dried grass. Placing the stack onto her lap, she carefully unties the grass and lifts off the top bark covering, glancing up at you for a moment before looking through the papers.

"I forgot, you've never seen one of these before, have you? These are how we record our Tribe's history. Recordings of ancient legends, songs and reports are all organised and kept in these oh-so-useful little bundles." she explains as the other mice look on with eager expressions. "That way, we never forget our history and who we are... Aha!"

With that exclamation, Sparrow lifts out a few sheets of leaf-paper from the stack, slowly using one paw to then move the stack back onto the pedestal. She holds up the sheets, her eyes skimming over the first few sentences, then she lowers the paper a little and smiles to her audience. "It's been a while since I read this one, but I'm sure it's just as good as I remember it. Are we all settled"?

The mice around you all mumble and nod in confirmation, and with a deep breath, the young doe begins to read...


Image
-{ Tribe Records }-

    Ever since they settled here, the Tribe of Singing Shadows have been very proud of their history and the many challenges their first members overcame. Every time there is a great event or occurrence, it is written down on the leaf-paper they make and kept in the Leader's Hall, so that it may never be forgotten. The stories shown here are merely a sample from the Hall, and over time more will be found and retold to those willing to listen.

    What tales will you find today?



Image
-{ Story List }-

---
---
---
---




Image
Last edited by NinjaGerbil on Mon Apr 23, 2018 4:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
NinjaGerbil
 
Posts: 2160
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:52 am
My pets
My items
My wishlist
My gallery
My scenes
My dressups
Trade with me

Sparrow's Scratches [Incomplete]

Postby NinjaGerbil » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:36 pm

Image

Image
"Ah, I remember this like it was yesterday.
The territory was still new and unfamiliar to me... and strangely, I don't think I'll ever know how I made that jump.
I suppose luck was just on my side that night".


In the dwindling heat of the summer evening, the field was busy and full of life. Crickets leapt up among the tall grass, occasionally chirping and singing as they went. Songbirds darted across the orange skies above, all of them making the last trip to gather insects and seeds to feed their chicks. A lone stag, mighty and graceful, lifted his antlers high as he kept watch for danger in the fading light.

Everything was so busy, not a single creature saw the mouse moving silently through the grass.

Sparrow hauled herself onto the large rock stood before her, standing up on her hind legs to get a better view of her surroundings. She had been travelling south the whole afternoon, and the field had felt endless ever since she had entered it. Now, as she gazed across the landscape, she could see trees and bushes a short distance away, and once more the hope she had rekindled itself. With the sun now starting to disappear behinds the mountains, the young doe took a running start and leapt from the rock, swinging from a grass stalk to land on all fours and start making her way towards the forest. It would be dark soon, but she didn't mind. Dark was safe; dark was good.

By the time she reached the forest, the stars were beginning to appear, and Sparrow paused as she noticed this. Placing her front paws together, she whispered a prayer to them; a request for safety and guidance through whatever lay ahead. Somewhere up there, she knew her parents were watching over her. They had been part of what they called a Tribe, with the ranks of 'Healer' and 'Gatherer', but they had left when the Tribe had been... disbanded? Destroyed? They never told her. One way or another, though, two mice had taken shelter in an old tree stump, and about a month later they left with five pups behind them, forced to find somewhere with more food and better shelter. The youngest pup was the first to go, seized by a hawk. The second slipped from a twig and fell into thorns. As time passed, one by one the family fell, until-

Somewhere out in the night, an owl's scream broke the silence.

Sparrow flinched at the sound, her thoughts and memories pushed aside in seconds. How long had she been sat there? Silently scolding herself for getting so easily distracted, the doe turned and moved into the bushes beside her, determined to press on. If she was lucky, she'd find some food before midnight. As her eyes adjusted to the light, the little mouse made her way through the forest, cautiously checking around herself for any danger. The air smelt different here, dusty and cold and strange, and the further she went the more afraid she became. Blurry shadows darted around her from the foliage. Some were big, some were small, but all of them were undoubtedly hungry.

Sparrow walked a little faster.
A twig snapped from somewhere in the bushes.
Sparrow began to run.
And something began to run behind her.

Her paws ached with each quick step, but stopping would surely mean death. Over branches and under bushes she moved, but no matter how she weaved and darted the beast was never too far behind. Sparrow didn't even dare to look; now she ran blindly, her flight instinct taking over completely. The surroundings began to change again; the ground now rocky and hard as the trees now became shapes in the distance, but the creature never tired. In fact, Sparrow was certain it was catching up with her.

On she ran, further and further and there were no trees now, nowhere to hide, she could only keep running and the ground was sharp and stony and painful and-
and-
and suddenly, there was no ground at all; just a patchwork landscape of trees and rocks far below.

Sparrow swung her body around, her front paws barely catching the ledge as her body fell. She didn't dare look down; all she could do was scrabble at the rock and try to pull herself upwards. At last her hind paw found a foothold and she pushed herself over, pausing for breath on the ground before springing to her feet again to look for any sign of the animal that had chased her. But she was only greeted with an eerie silence.

Had the creature even been real? Was she going mad? Sparrow wasn't sure any more, but one thing she knew for sure was that her body was unable to walk any further. On all fours, she stumbled over the stones to a lone bush growing nearby, making her way into the centre of the vegetation. The leaves were bitter and inedible, but at least she could use them as shelter. Not even able to dig a shallow burrow, she simply curled up beside the base of the plant and let her eyes close. Perhaps tomorrow, she would have better luck.

----------------------------------------


When Sparrow next opened her eyes, it was still dark. She must have only slept for a short while, but at least she had some energy again. Stretching, she lifted one of the leaves around her to peer out of the bush. The coast seemed clear, and so she emerged from her shelter... only to be blinded by a bright flash from nearby. Sparrow winced and shut her eyes, then reopened them again carefully. It was dark- and then once more, the flash. Slowly, her eyes adjusted, and she realised it was a small orb of light, gently hovering near the edge of the outcrop she had nearly fallen from. Her curiosity was too much, and before the little mouse could stop herself she had run across, trying to work out what the light was. As she approached, it too came closer, and with one more pulse of light the realisation hit her. It was a firefly.

Sparrow had only seen fireflies once before, about two weeks ago. She and her mother were all that had remained of the family, and they had stopped to eat from a field rich with seeds and grain, when suddenly the whole area had lit up in the sunset. She had been surprised and confused, but her mother had been delighted and quickly offered a short prayer. Fireflies, she had explained, were said to be spirits that had come down from the stars to live on the ground again; giving up their place in the sky to send a message or offer guidance to the living.

As she recalled the memory, the firefly pulsed again, and Sparrow looked up at it with a flicker of realisation in her eyes. Was this a spirit come to guide her, then? Just maybe, it was even one of her parents or siblings, replying to the prayer she had offered earlier. She reached a paw out to it, and suddenly it flitted away, leading over the edge and down the steep, cliff-like slope below. Sparrow watched, unsure, and then considered what options she had. From what she could see, the outcrop stretched far either side of her, forming a border around the ravines and rocks at the bottom. There was only one way to go, now. A fresh feeling of determination within her, Sparrow began to hurry along the edge, looking for the easiest spot to climb down. It wasn't long before she found a small, winding ledge just below her on the slope, and with a spring in her step she carefully climbed down to it and began the journey into the stony landscape beneath.

As she reached the bottom, Sparrow jumped the last few tail-lengths down, and was quickly surprised at the echo she made as she landed. Even just the few pebbles she had disturbed created a sound like thunder, and it dawned on her she would have to be very careful and quiet here. Looking around, she found herself in the middle of a narrow ravine, but at the exit to her left there was a faint, but familiar glow, and quickly she scurried towards it. It was not 'her' firefly, she found, but a whole cluster of them, floating gracefully around the small patches of plants that poked their way out of the rock. Sparrow smiled and whispered another prayer, and then thanked them in case the one she had seen was among them. With that, she moved underneath them and into the next ravine.

----------------------------------------


As the night reached its darkest hours, Sparrow found herself in a small open pathway, weaving in and out of the rocks and cliffs. She felt quite lost, and was starting to think she had actually gone in a circle, but the little mouse pressed on regardless knowing she had to reach somewhere with food soon. Time seemed to slow to a crawl, and no matter where she went the stone walls were always there, looming over her and blotting out most of the moonlight. Finally, as she hopped over a pebble a scent hit her nose: berries, fresh and ripe, from somewhere nearby. It was like a friend greeting her, and already Sparrow's stomach was growling in anticipation.
User avatar
NinjaGerbil
 
Posts: 2160
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:52 am
My pets
My items
My wishlist
My gallery
My scenes
My dressups
Trade with me

[Reserved for Feather]

Postby NinjaGerbil » Tue May 08, 2018 10:31 am

[WIP]
User avatar
NinjaGerbil
 
Posts: 2160
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:52 am
My pets
My items
My wishlist
My gallery
My scenes
My dressups
Trade with me

Reserved for Flint

Postby NinjaGerbil » Thu Jun 21, 2018 4:54 am

---
User avatar
NinjaGerbil
 
Posts: 2160
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:52 am
My pets
My items
My wishlist
My gallery
My scenes
My dressups
Trade with me

Chervil

Postby NinjaGerbil » Wed Jul 25, 2018 8:48 am

Snap! Thud!

Chervil could feel his own heartbeat. Barely breathing, he pressed his back closer to the bark, one paw clutching his tail anxiously.

Crack, thud, snap.

It was closer. He looked around frantically for an exit, just able to make out shapes in the darkness.

Thud... thud-thud-thud-

Chervil sprang away from the tree he'd been hiding behind, diving for the bushes as the fox's jaws snapped shut a just an inch behind him. The puff of hot breath on his back was almost a solid force, spurring him onwards as he fled on all fours across the leaf litter. The fox turned and caught up to him in just a few steps, and a paw slammed onto his tail, jerking the mouse backwards. Chervil looked up and saw the fox lowering its head, jaws open wide, and in a fit of terror he struggled wildly with a shriek. Turning towards the paw over his tail, he dodged to the side as the fox snapped it's mouth shut and missed him a second time, then darted forwards, sinking his incisors into the fox's paw as strongly as he could.

The predator above him yelped and leapt back, almost lifting the mouse with it, but seeing his chance Chervil dropped and sprinted away. He scrambled over a log, running along the length and springing from the end towards the bushes. Behind him, he could hear the fox hurrying towards him, each pawstep like a thunderclap on the dry leaves. Just as it reached him, Chervil dived headfirst for the safety of the foliage, and for a brief moment he felt as if the fox would simply pluck him out of the air there and then.

And then, his paws met tough stems and his pelt met sharp thorns. He winced, and behind him the fox scraped at the brambles and yelped a second time as thorns pierced its paws . With a much greater threat behind him, Chervil had no choice but to crawl as best as he could, weaving around the spikes until he reached the main stem of the brambles. With wide eyes he stared back the way he had came, and staring back were the sharp amber eyes of what could have been his killer. The fox stood still for a few seconds, watching the prey, and then promptly decided that a face full of thorns was not worth the tiny snack within. With a flick of its tail, it trotted away to seek another food elsewhere, and inside the bushes Chervil breathed a sigh of relief.

===================


For a long while he waited inside those bushes, and by the time he left them the night sky was beginning to grow lighter. He hadn't seen the fox since it had given up on hunting him, but still every sound terrified him, even the movement of leaves in the wind put him on edge. He'd always been a particularly timid mouse, but the earlier near-death experience would definitely take some time to recover from.

In the dim light, he gripped his tail again (he did this often as a subconscious action) only to let go again with a gasp of pain. A sharp ache shot through his left paw, and as he slowly clenched and unclenched it testingly he realised it felt suspiciously wet. He must have have scratched it while running through the thorns, he supposed. His sides and ears had the same ache, and with a weary sigh he stood up, limping a little as he moved towards the lighter world beyond. It was risky leaving the shelter, but his injuries wouldn’t tend to themselves.

Leaving the brambles behind, he stuck to the shadows, freezing in fear every time he heard something. It would always take a while before he'd start moving on again, and so his progress was rather slow. As the first ray of true sunlight reached the forest floow, the ground grew damp beneath his paws- recognising it as a sign of water he hurried on quickly. Water meant he could clean his wounds, and the sooner he reached the source the better. Slowly but surely the sound of running water grew louder, until at last he lifted up a leaf with his working front paw and found himself at a pond. It was calm and peaceful, not a single animal in sight, and completing the beautiful scene was an old willow tree at the opposite shore, the long leafy branches swaying gracefully. Chervil noticed he was smiling, a welcome change from his usual nervousness, and after a short moment to admire the view he quickly set to work.

Moving along the bank, he searched both the shore and his mind, trying to remember the correct way to bandage a wound and also seeking the supplies he needed. A little further around the pond he discovered what he was looking for among some water primroses; tall cattails with wide, clean leaves. Stepping back, he judged the distance before taking a running start towards the water, and leapt for the stalks as best as he could.

Splash!

That didn’t go to plan.

Weakly spluttering, he crawled back onto solid ground. At least the cuts were somewhat washed. He stood up on his hind legs, looking around for anything that he could use to help him.

And that’s when he saw it. Two golden eyes, watching him from the darkness under some ferns.

Chervil froze again, like he always did. He hated this feeling, trying so desperately to move as his body betrayed him. No matter how he struggled, his body was always stuck in place until the danger had almost reached him- how he’d lived this long was a complete mystery.

The eyes came a little closer, and while his body stayed still as a stone Chervil's mind was a mess. This was it, he was too injured to run fast enough, he couldn't escape, this was how he'd die-

“Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”

Chervil looked up, still fearful but mostly surprised. Stood before him was a sleek cinnamon-coloured doe with dark brown patches, and those same golden eyes were looking back at him, although this time they were accompanied with a friendly smile.

"It's ok, there's no dangers here. You should probably sit down, you look like you're about to keel over!" the doe laughed, looking him up and down. Chervil didn't see any comedy in his condition, but she was right. His body regaining movement again, he fell back to sit on his hind legs, wincing a little from his cuts.

"Tired, soaking wet, and covered in scratches... Either you've been on the run, or you've had a very unlucky night. Or both. Probably both." The other mouse drew closer, suddenly becoming a little more sincere as she crouched beside him. Chervil was quiet for a long time, recalling the fox, the brambles, the fear. The doe began to speak again, but he remained inside his thoughts, oblivious. It was only when he felt a cold feeling on his arm that he realised she was still there, and now she was using a small leaf to gently tip water over his injured paw. The cold shock at first was uncomfortable, but after a moment the pain in his hand numbed a little.

He watched her work, but he couldn't help but notice she didn't really know how to tend to the wounds. He'd been taught by his mother from a young age, and it had never occurred to him that other mothers might not do the same. After a few minutes, he felt he needed to have it done properly, and so he eventually found the strength to speak up.

"Cattails."

"I-I'm sorry?" the doe replied, clearly confused.

"I was trying to reach the cattail leaves over there. They're... very good for bandages."

The doe considered this information for a moment, then stood up to face the water where the cattails were growing. Like he had done before, she took a running start, and sprang towards the stems. She landed on the bottom of one, her tail dipping into the water, and it only took her a few seconds for her to shimmy upwards to where the largest leaves were. Leaning across, she took hold of one, and glanced back.

"How's this one?"

"Yes, that'll do nicely. Get as much of it in one piece as you can, please."

The doe nodded, and moved her hand down to the base of the leaf. A few quick tugs were all it took for it to come loose, and she gently took hold of the edge in her mouth before leaping back to the shore. Returning to him once more, she offered it to him, along with another friendly smile.

"Thank you." Chervil said, offering a small smile back. With that, he quickly began measuring and cutting the leaf into various lengths. He carefully nibbled at the edge of each piece, drawing out the sticky sap within, and that he used to glue and bind the leaf over the cut. There were a few he couldn't reach on his back, but the doe had quickly picked up on his method and so had made her own. She didn't apply them quite as carefully as he did, or make the edges sticky enough, but they would do for now.

As they started on the last few cuts, the doe suddenly asked a question.

"Do you know what a tribe is?"

Chervil didn't. His mother had been a solitary, careful creature, and he'd never known his father. His life had been one of caution, and apart from a few chance meetings on his travels he'd never properly talked to another mouse, let alone live with one.

"...No?"

"Do you want me to tell you?"

"...Ok?"

"Well, I am Sparrow, and I am the leader of my Tribe..."

And so, this 'Sparrow' mouse began to explain about tribes to Chervil. Talk of living with others, having a family, a place to truly call home. Safety, warmth, happiness. And the more she talked, the more it began to dawn on Chervil that his life could be so much better. He was a nervous, awkward mouse... but more than anything, he was lonely.

After a while, she finished explaining, and the last bandage was put into place. Sparrow sat down beside him, and after some silence he found the courage to speak up again.

"Sparrow?"

"Yes?"

"Could... Could I join your Tribe?"

Sparrow thought about it for a moment, then gave him another smiled. She liked to smile a lot, he'd noticed.

"Of course, but one condition."

"And that is?"

"Can you please tell me your name?"

Chervil blinked in surprise, realising his mistake, and coughed awkwardly.

"S-sorry. I'm Chervil."

"Chervil... a healing plant, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, I think I have a spot in my Tribe that'll be perfect for you."

Sparrow stood up, and offered him a paw. He looked at it for a moment, then very carefully took it, only to nearly fall over as she pulled him to his feet. The doe steadied him, then laughed a little.

"Sorry about that. Come on, it's this way."

End.
haven't been on in a very long time

anyone who was waiting on me, I'm sorry
User avatar
NinjaGerbil
 
Posts: 2160
Joined: Mon Oct 20, 2014 12:52 am
My pets
My items
My wishlist
My gallery
My scenes
My dressups
Trade with me

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest