─ 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 ─ (15/12)

[_humblebumble_]

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐔𝐒
♡ arctic fox shift ♡ he/him ♡
♡ tagged . will, clara ♡ mentioned . joey, zander, faolan ♡ location . tree of tales, canine territory ♡

Finn knew objectively that they would be splitting up and exploring different territories for the cure, but he hadn’t really thought that not only would he be split from Zander and Joey, he was going to be sent back into canine territory. The splitting up part stressed him out slightly, but the territory part was simply a disappointment. He had set out so prepared to explore the world, but instead he would be sticking close to home. Although Finn had to admit, it was not as though he had explored the territory much on his own anyways. Finn can’t even remember a day in which he had seen new surroundings as a child. Hunting had always been in the same area close to the family home, so he would still be seeing new things. Maybe it was even safer for Finn to stick to canine territory.. Any silver lining was a silver lining Finn would accept. The second silver lining of the upsetting predicament being that at the very least he wasn’t separated from Faolan and Will. Faolan probably didn’t care either way, but seeing as Finn hadn’t actually been around people, having a fellow canine seemed beneficial. He was happy about Will for…. Other reasons. Friendship reasons, definitely.

Finn shook his head, trying to dislodge his internal rambling. The groups were splitting apart and he had to gather his wits and make sure he was ready. Once Finn was sure he had gathered all of his things, he took a deep breath. Moments before the groups were meant to start their new journeys, Finn sought out his fellow canines with his eyes. He spotted Joey first.

Joey seemed to spot him at the same time, as he walked over and spoke his goodbyes while grabbing Finn's shoulder, “See you on the flip side. Stay alive, alright?” He had said, and Finn found himself smiling warmly in return, happy to at the very least be able to say proper goodbyes.

“You too,” Finn simply responded, unsure how much he wanted to say. He would definitely be seeing the wolf again, so he didn’t want to say anything that could be misunderstood as a final goodbye. He froze at Joey's next words, aimed at the group near Finn.

“Make sure you guys look after this one, okay? I dont want there to be any problems if he comes back with even a scratch on his head.”

Finn honestly did not know how to feel. He could feel his cheeks turn red, embarrassed that Joey seemed to think he wouldn’t survive without someone to watch over him. Perhaps it was true, and Joey had seen just how awkward Finn was. Finn felt his shoulders rise as he subtly looked over at the people Joey shouted towards, wondering if they now considered him deadweight to the group. He had to prove he wasn’t.

As Joey parted, Zander approached next, and Finn let out a relieved breath that he still had time to say goodbye to his other friend. Zander spoke first.

“I’ll hopefully be seeing you once we all reunite!”

Zanders' grin was infectious, and Finn returned it in kind, responding shortly again, trying to ignore the lump in his throat, “I promise to be there.”

As if it was a trend to do so, Zander grabbed Finn by the same shoulder Joey had, and Finn felt his grin turning strained at his next words, “Stay safe, yeah?”. The words could very well be good natured, and it was definitely something Finn would typically feel nice at hearing, but the serious tone in the coyotes voice had Finn overthinking for a second time in such a short period. Maybe both Zander and Joey thought he was weak, maybe neither of them believed he would survive. Maybe Finn was being dramatic and misunderstanding their kind words due to his own insecurities. Either way, Zander retreated from the goodbye as well, and Finn had to leave with his group whether he felt ready or not.

…

As the group continued on, Finn was extremely shocked to find that they eventually ran into a familiar face. Of all things, Finn had absolutely never expected one of the very, very few canines he knew outside of his family to help them. Seeing Clara again brought up a lot of mixed feelings for Finn. He was happy to have another person he could consider a friend with him after he got separated from the others. Though seeing Clara also brought with it a profound sadness, constantly reminded of his dead sister. Clara had been one of the pack members Ciara brought to their home multiple times, and Finn could never stop himself from thinking of his sister when looking at Clara. She had such a similar personality as well, and being around her made Finn feel both at home and out of his depths.

It was always better to be around friendly faces than not, so Finn made sure to stay near Clara whenever he could despite the mix of feelings.

Finn also enjoyed his time with Will, despite the hawks' almost constant teasing. In fact it was a benefit, as it made Finn feel normal in such an abnormal situation. As if there was nothing wrong, and the two of them had all the time in the world to joke around. Of course, like much of Finn's brief reprises from reality, this too had to end. The first attack brought with it a noticeable shift in the attitudes of the group. Finn couldn’t help but notice Will’s retreat, but he couldn’t feel disheartened because he too felt himself being distant from the group. It wasn’t the first infected Finn had had to deal with, but something about it was a cruel reminder that they didn’t have it easy.

Finn slept even less than before, almost always staying up late at night to shift into his fox form and hunt for the group. He made sure to stay within earshot, and if anything bigger than a Raka drew close he was sure to retreat back to the group and provide them with what he could get. Clara and Will always got first dibs on whatever Finn hunted, and he hoped no one else would look too closely into why. Finn knew Faolan wouldn’t need his help but he also made sure to offer some to the other canine as well.

Running into the large canine pack was a blessing to Finn. He was excited to finally be in an area that seemed safe, and meeting all the new people had Finn’s heart racing. Will's excitement was also sweet, Finn found himself drawn more and more to the hawk, glad that he seemed to be aiming questions at the fox even if he couldn’t answer most of them. Simply talking to him and getting to know him again in a better environment than before was refreshing. Finn knew he was attached way too fast, but he also knew that he didn’t want to distance himself again. He asked Will to teach him how to make jewelry like the bracelet still around Finns wrist. It had become his most important item, in all honesty. He was excited to learn, and thought Will would be a nice teacher.

He slept the longest he had in a while that night, though still sleeping in his fox form.

Finn was disappointed to be moving on after that, but he knew that their journey was going to be a long one and nights like that would be rare. It didn’t make his melancholy mood go away knowing that.

As the days grew longer and longer and things seemed to be repetitive, Finn made sure not to complain. His entire life had been repetitive, never leaving, so even their scenery slightly changing day-to-day was a small blessing. He knew how to be happy when things were consistent.

Making a raft was definitely not on Finn's list of skills. He knew how to hunt, was learning how to make jewelry whenever Will had the energy to teach him, but that did not translate to automatic crafting skills. Finn’s hands grew calloused, and it just served as another reminder that he would never return to his peaceful yet lonely life. Finn had also developed a new habit, running his fingers across the bracelet. It was a comfort, and he did it absentmindedly whenever he was feeling anxious. At the very least he survived crossing the river, with only mildly wet clothes.

On and on they went, and Finn found it harder and harder to bring his usual optimism to the group. He talked less, slept less, and hunted more. He was desperate to prove his usefulness, and determined not to die like he worried they expected him to.

The next attack was as stressful as the last, and Finn hardly had to help at all. He made sure Clara hadn’t gotten injured, needing to know she wouldn’t suffer the same fate as her packmate did.

When it seemed like they had been moving forever, they finally reached where Will couldn’t lead anymore. At least he confirmed so through his words, “Well, this is as far as I can get us. Now, who wants to wander around here aimlessly and look for ruin entrances with me?”

Finn couldn’t fight the smile the words and Will's expression brought up to his face, and he caressed the bracelet anxiously again. He stepped forward, “I mean, not much else we can do, right?” He asked, worried the others may blame Will when it was out of his control.

[White Eagle]

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◈ Cis-Male ◈ 27 ◈ Bisexual ◈ Avian ◈ Species: Golden Eagle ◈ Occupation: Historian of Anthropology ◈ Skill: Expert Tactician
◈ Scent: Cactus and Old Paper ◈ Location: Tree of Tales to The Forge ◈ Mentions: Erica, Will, Everly, Usines, Felines
◈ Tags: Will, Erica, Everly ◈ Word Count: 850

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── Lonen the next morning made sure to check that his supplies were all filled out and then met up with the other shifters. After the Avian guides and groups were divided up he made sure to present them with a copy of his map drawings. They were not the best in detail but displayed all the key elements and were nearly identical in scale/markers. Just before they moved he gave Will some words of encouragement and warned him to be careful. "You may not be the sole Avian on this expedition. However, currently, you're the sole person I entrust with keeping them on the prize. Treacherous thieves lurk anywhere. Even within your nest of associates. I implore you to remain vigilant and enduring because the innominate future may befit a tragedy. Adversaries walk a fine line. Be on guard." He gave Will a sharpened iron dagger, "For insurance....I do expect to retrieve it when we meet again," he said with a small smirk before walking away.

── When Lonen agreed to join this mission he expected to face rough conditions and knew what was at stake. But one of the main things he hoped to not ensure was going anywhere cold. Yet the Gods, Fate, or whatever else in the universe decided to ruin that all for him. His boots would slide along the three-inch-deep snow all while fighting the raging wind. Like Erica, Lonen's clothes were meant for the desert so the wind did not help keep him warm so he had to start using his blanket as a shall. Though his head covering did prevent his entire face from becoming pink due to the wind chill. Though when he took off the brown cloth his cheeks and nose bridge became a rosy tint making it seem to appear like he was blushing the entire time.

── Throughout the two attacks Lonen made sure everyone was accounted for and unharmed. The first time it occurred he was busy creating/maintaining a fire for cooking and warmth. While the second time he was able to be more involved. In the end, the group decided to go to the Forge to gather new supplies and maybe see if the blizzard will pass. Lonen throughout the whole ordeal did not enjoy the bitter cold nor their having to retreat down the mountain. Even though he agreed to the idea it did not mean he was content with it.

── The Forge was quite an uneasy experience for Lonen because he was surrounded by people who think differently than him. Out of all of the territories, Lonen did not want to go to the Ursine region due to their backward views on society. Their focus on muscles and brute-based activities contradicts Avian's view on life is about knowledge not prowest. It did not help the fact Lonen heard a female Ursine resident tell a story about their family's ancestors. It was over a battle that took place nearly a century ago but the details were incorrect. The battle took place along the Neutral territory and it was between two Ursine factions. Years ago as an undergraduate, Lonen took a study on Ursine society and military tactics by a former scribe to the Ursine military. He learned about the battle so he could not help himself but to bluntly correct the stranger on his story....The stranger did not take it well.

── In fact, the woman's eyes started to glow with rage as she was ready to kill the historian. Her teeth were fully exposed as she yelled at Lonen all while giving her a blank glare as his fingers moved around. He may have been trying to seem unphased but his hands displayed the truth about the anxious avian. Luckily, the altercation was ended before a blow was shot at anyone, much to his relief. Contrary to what people may think, Lonen was not trying to seem almighty and a know-it-all. When he heard the misinformation he felt the need to correct it because history should not be shaped to fit into lies we tell each other. He merely wanted to teach the person about how the data reflects something differently and that maybe the Ursine should visit his university. But he failed to realize that he was an Avian and that he had only proven a stereotype about them. He would get looks from others yet he could never be sure whether they were good or bad.

── Once Lonen got his supplies and some more warm clothing in exchange for salted fish he joined the group's second climb up the mountain. 'Whatever is up here best be worth it....Will must be content with himself in the warm while ai have to stride through crunching snow.' After minutes of climbing he heard Everly's say something against the howling wind, "Here? Are you certain?" The brown irises looked across the area to see if he noticed anything to show that they arrived somewhere/something important. With a pink face and foggy breath, he leaned over to the falcon before shouting, "Do you see anything important?"

[Stargazer3000]

𝐯𝐚𝐬
tagged | mentioned enzo, will | location Canine territory
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The valley was undeniably beautiful. Golden-hued plants filled the gaps between meandering streams like fur peeking out from the rough sewn hems of ursine capes. Yesterday, the oncoming rush of night had obscured the land in long shadows during their descent, but now, in the morning light, it shone. Clouds hung low over the valley, gracefully catching the sun, and the usual silence that Vas had come to associate with the Canine territory was broken by the sound of distant falling water. If their journey wasn’t teetering on the edge of futility, Vas might have gotten lost in the beauty of it all. But teeter the journey did, and so the scenery was entirely wasted on the Ursine.

”Well, this is as far as I can get us. Now who wants to wander around here aimlessly and look for ruin entrances with me?”

Vas did not know what to make of the Avians. They were too mutable for his liking, as constantly shifting as the breeze. Gifted with knowledge lifetimes beyond his understanding one second, lost the next. In the North if a tongue moved too quickly it was often removed. After all, words could lie, actions could not.

But as Vas shifted his gaze away from the smaller Avian towards the larger of his companions, the Ursine could see no signs of lies. Enzo, as Vas had gathered during their journey, carried himself with an intrinsic kindness, and thought his intelligence was great, it did not seem to sway his ego. Kindness where it was not earned, second guessing where it was not needed. If Vas thought about the contradictions too long, his temples would begin to ache.

The Avians did not act like they were unworthy of trust. And Vas trusted them less for it.

Still, as the group stood at the furthest point of the valley, hemmed in on all sides by towering cliffs, Vas had no choice but to trust in the Avians. So, with a low grunt of acknowledgment to Will’s suggestion, Vas cast his gaze around, trying to figure the best place to begin looking for…something.

It seemed that clarity was in as short supply as trust - though Vas couldn’t find it in himself to be irritated as he set off in the underbrush, taking care to keep his companions in eyeshot. Not if, as the bird claimed, they were so close to the cure - to his freedom.

Vas had only seen a ruin once before, back in the early days of his training. And he hadn’t visited by choice - one moment he was standing on hard pack snow, the next he was in free fall. The crunch of his bones being forced back into place after he had been fished out of the ice pit still lingered in the back of his mind.

If in the present, Vas moved closer to his nearest companion, it was simply a coincidence.

[Stargazer3000]

𝐟𝐚𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧
tagged | mentioned| location canine territory
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Faolan was one of the first to move. The group had come to a halt just moments before, and the suggestion of searching for the ruins had barely left the Avian’s lips by the time the wolf had slipped into the underbrush. Yesterday they had descended into the open valley and following the direction of the avian they had moved further and further back into the steep cliffs, but were now without direction and hemmed in on three sides the canyon walls. Stone rose high and met the sky in front and on either side of the shifts - towering, smooth, foreboding.

It would have been the perfect place for an ambush.

Given the direction that the group had traveled, and the narrow valley they now stood in, looking for the ruins at the base of the rock walls seemed the natural thing to do. It made little sense, then, that Faolan moved steadily in the opposite direction, back towards the open valley that they had left.

As ever, his feet fell silent on the ground as he followed the path of water downstream, mud slowly caking onto his boots where even the red sands of the Neutral Territory had failed to touch. However, Faolan had not got far before he came to a halt within eyeshot of his companions, even if his figure was obscured by the golden underbrush of the valley, patterned shadows of leaves vanishing into the black folds of his robe.

With his back now toward the group, Faolan’s gaze flicked upwards, then sharply to the side. His obsidian eyes lack the steady, methodical air of searching for something lost, instead darting quickly from place to place, tinted by the hard edge of anticipation. Occasionally, he’d glance back over his shoulder, gaze quickly landing on the other shifters - lingering only for a beat on a few - before he’d turn his head back towards the valley. Watching. Waiting.

[Stargazer3000]

𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡
tagged| mentioned| location Canine territory
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”Well, this is as far as I can get us. Now who wants to wander around here aimlessly and look for ruin entrances with me?”

Narah could feel her muscles tense, and willed herself not to bristle, not to react as Will faced the group. Frustration simmered, and her jaw ached from the force of her clamped teeth, as she swallowed her cry of frustration. She did not like to be made a fool, and standing here at a dead end, cliffs on each side, and their path vanishing into the muddy ground she felt decidedly foolish. She was following a fool. She was on a fool's errand. And worse yet, she had no one to blame but herself.

“I mean, not much else we can do, right?”

Narah had at first considered Finn to be good company, but now his chipper reaction made her grind her teeth, spin on her heel, and set off at a brisk base in whatever direction her feet would carry her, past the point of caring what her companions did. A small part of her, buried under swaths of fabric and manners, was cooly unsurprised at the dead end - the Avian’s had never promised a smooth journey, or even a clear destination, and she could not blame them for this frustrating eventuality.

A larger part of her sized the Avians up, as though deciding whether or not she could successfully hide a body in the underbrush.

The gems in her hair glinted sporadically under the shifting light of the valley as Narah moved away from the group, doing her best to weave between particularly wet spots of the valley floor - frustration or no, there was still work to be done. Narah’s chin was tilted back at a proud angle, and her gaze was cast down as she made her way towards the base of the towering cliffs, steadily searching the ground.

The Royal Pride had multiple ancient artifacts in their possession, relics of a dead world, kept tantalizingly secret in the heart of the palace. Narah never held enough respect, never had the right title, the right name to even be in the same room as those precious bits of history made physical. Though the humiliation of her station had been dulled marginally by the years, it ached - this reminder of what she was. What she was not. And now, miles from the Fang and the relics, tired and frustrated, spent beyond her limits, she did not know what to look for. Did not even know where to start. You fool.

Within minutes of her walking away from the group - who remained within eyeshot - the cliff wall filled her vision and Narah reached out, pressing her finders into the rough surface, as though to ground herself back in the moment, and leave the sting of her past behind. She moved steadily forward with her fingers trailing along the canyon wall, eyes cast downward, continuing to scan the ground for something, anything.

One second her hand was on the wall, then the next it fell into nothingness, into open space as Narah quickly froze with feline grace, arm still raised, and gaze pulled up from the ground.

Before her was…a cave. Though it looked like no cave she’d encountered before, and the air was filled with a soft humming noise that made her skin crawl. The edges of the cave wall were smooth, as though carved from wood and crafted into clean, straight lines, etched with intricate designs that she could not place. But, most unusual of all, it seemed to swallow any light that came near the entrance - an unnatural darkness that she fought to tear her gaze away from.

Narah glaced quickly over her shoulder, as though to make certain that she was not being watched before turning back toward the cave, gaze sharpened by the thoughts racing through her head, opportunities gleaming in her eyes like dark, glittering gems.

[Stargazer3000]

𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲
tagged | mentioned| location ursine territory
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Ursine sewing should be scientifically studied - or, maybe not the sewing per say, but at the very least the parkas. Because even as Everly stood in snow deep as her knees, and in winds that were steadily picking up, she barely felt the cold lick up her spine. Or maybe she was just distracted.

The sparrow’s face was scrunched in a tight look of concentration, her lower lip caught between her teeth as she surveyed the scene before her. The group stood amidst a circlet of towering peaks, the tops all obscured by low lying clouds. Around them the wind steadily rose in power, nearly blowing away the questions of the other shifters into the swirling white expanse surrounding them.

Though noise was muffled by the thick fur parka, Everly attempted to answer her companions, her soft voice straining against the frigid winds. “I’m certain that here is where we’re supposed to be…mostly certain. Certain enough. So, now the first place we should look for the ancient ruins is…” Everly glanced around, face scrunching once again in concentration as she was presented with horrifyingly few places to examine, “um. Well, the ruins are likely not far from here - no more than a couple hundred paces? Though, I could be wrong,” Everly finished lamely.

She shot a silent plea of apology towards Joey as she struggled to answer his question. Since the most recent attack before the Forge, the wolf had grown quiet, a change that sat heavy in her chest every time Everly looked in his direction (which was more often than she cared to admit). But he was her friend, and he’d kept her cheery company during the worst nights - seeing him so withdrawn and tense made her throat ache terribly. She wanted nothing more than to pull him into a tight hug, and ask what she could do - she’d do anything to see his cheer return - … but for now, a silent apology was all she had to offer.

“But we should get looking quickly - if I’m not mistaken, those clouds are the kind we should be wary of?” Everly continued, tearing her glaze away from her travel companion to face skyward, examining the gathering swirls of white. She glanced briefly at Kalland to get confirmation on her interpretation of the weather; though she tried to pick up what she could from the bear, when he’d humor her questions, Everly still struggled with understanding the mutable nature of Ursine weather. She was a quick study, but the wintery territory seemed determined to make life difficult at every step, and more often than not she was forced to ask one of their Ursine guides to confirm her suspicions.

As silence descended once again on the group - not counting the howling winds, of course - Everly went back to worrying her lip between her teeth, lost deep in thought. All the ruins of the Avian territory were buried - it was a part of the reason why they were off-limits, poor maneuverability when shifted - so maybe they had to dig? The thought made Everly’s heart drop.

Or perhaps if only they get a sky view, maybe they’d get a different perspective? Maybe it would all be clear? Maybe there was a five course meal waiting for them atop the highest peak?
Everly itched to ask for a private moment to talk with the Avians, to plan, to use their brilliant -albeit frozen - brains to come up with a solution. Perhaps one of them could shift and fly to the peak? But, no. Erica, for all her strength and determination, had fared just as poorly as Everly when it came to warmth, so having her shift to scout was simply too large of an ask. And Everly didn’t have the time to pull Lonen aside to double check that the avian navigation tool wasn’t broken - at least not before the storm arrived in earnest.

So, determined to find solutions, Everly cast her glance around once more. To the left of the group, and buried beneath thick drifts of snow, was a small outcropping of rock. The dark stones were stacked oddly, but if they all squeezed together, the shifters would likely be able to seek shelter from the oncoming storm. It was the safe option, but there was no telling how long the storm would continue to bluster, and more importantly how long their supplies would last.

That left…Everly turned her attention towards the peaks of the mountains obscured by snow. If they could send someone up to scout, perhaps they’d find the ruins? It was a risky move to say the least, but as precious time slipped through their fingers, it was all she had.

The small sparrow once again raised her voice to shout over the wind, “Seems like there’s two options,” she paused to point towards the small rock outcropping, “Head over there for shelter. Or,” she paused pointing upwards into the churning sky, “someone could attempt to climb one of these peaks for a better view above the clouds.”

At this suggestion, Everly glanced towards the Felines - their natural grace and speed would help with a climb, and though the Ursine undoubtedly knew the region better, it was the Felines who were built for such perilously sheer ascents.

“Do you think it’s worth the risk?” she asked no one in particular, half certain that her question was swallowed by the winds and lost among the swirling snows.

[JDDracula]

ᒍ O E Y
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dire wolf • twenty-two • heterosexual • the group • Urisine territory
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Joey wrapped his arms around himself to warm up his hands as he checked their surroundings. As he looked around he locked his eyes back on Everly, who was already looking at him apologetically, and just nodded to her for reassurance as he looked down at the ground. He had never been great at making or keeping eye contact with people.

The wolf could tell that the rest of them noticed a huge change in behavior as the days went by. Joey had never been introduced to these kinds of harsh conditions, and he had certainly not been in such close contact with a group of those.. Things. He just couldnt get over the fact that those things had once been living creatures with emotions, and his biggest fear nowadays was becoming one of them. He let his fear overpower him the rest of the journey.

As Joey listened to Everly, he almost tuned her out as he looked around, checking their surroundings once again. It was a mixture of paranoia and lack of sleep, but he was quickly snapped back into it once Everly had mentioned the possibility of climbing. He took a deep breathe, and let his eyes gaze over to the mountain she was referring to, looking up far enough to have his head tilted back all the way. He started off with a low chuckle, and burst into laughter. "Im sorry.. Im sorry.. There is NO way im climbing that.. I mean of course you guys want to have Joey Stew tonight," he said through his hysterical nervous laughing.

Once he had been able to stop laughing, he cleared his throat and spoke once more, "Well, Im sure not gonna do it, and with the speeds of this wind, i know Avian cant do it, so.." He turned his direction to Ash and grinned, "It would probably be best for you to do it. You guys were born to climb" He looked back over at Everly, and smiled warmly at her, trying to boost her mood, and showing that his spirit had not been broken yet. "I think its best we find a way down here, maybe split up? It would be faster for us to do that anyways, and we should at least go in groups of 2 or 3 to be safe," he suggested, looking at the rest of the group for reassurance.

[Ashton_99]

≺⊗𝕵𝖔𝖊𝖑 𝓚𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉⊗≻
≺⊗ Brown Bear Shifter ⊗ He/Him ⊗ Tags: Ursine Group ⊗ Location: Ursine Mountain ⊗≻

Narrow, tall peaks reached far above them. Kalland tilted his head back to see further still. The storm would pose an issue if they didn’t find a way in soon. The last one hadn’t killed them but even then it had been a close thing. This high up their chances would only be worse. He could already feel the ice and snow getting stuck in his beard and hair. “Right.” Any clear path upwards had long since grown over and become obscured. His first instinct would be to keep moving, but it was clear how even with the Ursine clothing the party’s momentum was beginning to flag. The nervous laughter of the wolf shifter only helped to solidify his stance. “If we keep moving at this pace people could get hurt.” He looked between the two locations Everly had pointed out. “It might be for the best to create some place to sleep if we can’t beat out the storm.” As many young Ursine had experienced, it was impossible to beat out nature itself. That would only result in injury and frostbite in unfortunate places.

“If I and someone else can at least get part way up we can try and find signs of the ruins.” The bear shifter was not exactly gung-ho about the mission nor about volunteering for it, but if he were to die he would rather not be done in via raving mad infected creatures. Falling off a mountain wasn’t ideal either but it was the better choice of the two options. He was Ursine, a person made for feats of strength and power, he was not unaware that Felines would be better for the climb on paper. But that did not mean they knew where and how to move in the perilous tundra so far north. If nothing else he’d be able to act as an anchor to keep whoever might go with him from falling far. 'Feats of strengths indeed.' His younger self would be having an aneurysm over all of this. An abundance of caution and care for others had never been a gift given to Kalland, especially in his younger years. The culmination of it all in the form of teamwork was especially new. It fit like a coat several sizes too small.

Kalland slung his pack off his shoulders, sorting through it for an over-long rope and whatever else he arbitrarily deemed important enough to not leave behind with the rest of the group. Going up shifted or not, treating it all like a mountain climbing exercise would be vital. If they went up unshifted, being tied together would most certainly save someone’s life if they fell. If they went up shifted and tied together he would likely be able to keep someone else from falling. His other form was strong but more than that it was heavy. There was little that would be able to move him. If he fell, however, that would pose a different sort of problem. He eyed the group, ice still in his beard. “Volunteers?”

[Stargazer3000]

𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲
tagged | mentioned| location ursine territory
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There was something impossible about Joey. There was no reason, in any reality, that Everly should find herself in a freezing blizzard, worked to the bone, facing the end of her life as she knew it, and smiling. A warm, genuine smile. But, really, what was she supposed to do when faced with 'Joey stew'? If everything worked out after all, she'd have to suggest going into entertainment for the Canine.

It was hard to hear the rest of his uncharacteristically pragmatic suggestion over the howling of the wind, but Everly nodded her head in enthusiastic agreement (which likely translated to little more than slightly wiggling the hood of her massive parka), before raising her voice to shout, "I think splitting up might be best for now - just not for long." The sparrow had to force her gaze not to sweep slowly skywards at the darkening clouds - could you live with it if something happened? Thanks to your plan?

At Kalland's suggestion of finding a place to sleep Everly swallowed a whimper, instantly hoping that her childish reaction would be lost in the storm; exhaustion sat like a heavy rock in her pack, easy enough to ignore if she kept her mind busy, but ten pounds heavier at the first acknowledgment. It pulled at her now, battering her tiny form like the swirling winds, and she forced herself to remain focused, not to succumb to the blissful numb of sleep. Heavy eyes tracked the Ursine as he began to go through the motions of preparing for a climb - had she been in a better state she might have asked if he needed help with...well with whatever it was that he was doing. If he'd like her to look after his pack. Something. Anything. But just the wind filled the silence.

Everly had once saved a drowning geks - it had fallen into an open pool in a bathhouse, its panicked chirps drawing her attention. Everly, unable to find something to fish it out with, had jumped into the pool clothes and all, scooping it out and setting the panicked creature back onto dry land where it stood, trembling and exhausted. No sooner had she saved it then the door swung open - more Avians hoping to beat the bathing crowds - and the poor panicked geks in its confusion and instinctive need to evade dashed right back into the pool.

Everly finally understood that geks as she felt her mouth open automatically when Kalland asked for volunteers. 'Working with the group' had been hardwired into her like 'evasion' had been wired into that little lizard, but a blessedly timed gust of wind sucked any words from her mouth and she snapped it shut, automatically taking a step back like a child who'd touched a heated pan. Shaking her head in a silent response, she glanced around at her companions - whoever volunteered, she'd take anything they didn't want to carry, and make sure that it was well looked after. It was the best she could do.