─ 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 ─ (15/12)

[JDDracula]

ᒍ O E Y
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dire wolf • twenty-two • heterosexual • Everly, Faolan • Tree of Tales/River
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Joey smiled uncontrollably as Everly told him the story about the time she had wounded herself. Her talking made him feel a lot better about his sudden urge to ramble on about his life. He could tell that Everly was trying to get him to trust her, and honestly, he felt like he could, even if they didnt have much of a conversation. She just gave off that vibe.

This small conversation they were having distracted him from the run in he just had with Faolan moments earlier for a small second, and once he started thinking about it again, he snapped back into reality. He actually started feeling a bit of anger. How dare he think he could warm anyone like that and go on like it never happened..

His thoughts were quickly interrupted when Everly took his hand back into hers again. He shot her a smile and chuckled nervously as she did so. His face turned bright red as she started unwrapping his poorly made tourniquet to help him fix it. Joey could feel his heart nearly pounding out of his chest every time she made eye contact with him. What is happening? he thought to himself.

As Everly finished rewrapping his hand, he grinned at her. "I guess you are a very good asset to the group. If i have anymore accidents, ill be sure to swing your way to save my life," he joked. "So, ah...besides the logs, the water was good? Because I think I need a dip, she asked. He shrugged jestingly and replied, "The water is nice. A little cold, but its refreshing from the hot air. Just be careful of the river monster lurking. It almost got me. I barely made it out alive."

Joey picked himself off the ground when Everly stood up, and he dusted the dirt off the back of his pants. "All jokes aside.. Thank you for the help. I really appreciate it," he smiled. "Have a nice swim. Ill leave you to it. Call out if you need anything, I have great hearing." After his last words, he turned around, grabbed his belongings, headed off, and disappeared through the trees, making his way back to the Tree of Tales.

When Joey finally made his way around the trees and back to his destination, he scanned the area of the one person he was looking for.. Faolan. His eyes locked on the figure that was sitting over by the tree. That was him. Joey's heart raced with anxiousness as he stormed off towards the canine. "Hey!" he shouted once he got into earshot of him. Before he knew it, he was hovering over the larger male, fists balled with anger. "Who do you think you are?.. Threatening me like that, huh?" he asked, clearly enraged. He was trying not to be too loud, but he let his anger get the best of him, and was nearly yelling at this point. "Just because you're twice my size means nothing. Harm me, or come near me again, and i wont be going down without a fight! Im no coward.." He had to throw in the last part, to reassure himself, because although he seemed confident in what he was saying, he was scared beyond imagination of the response that was coming to him.

[_humblebumble_]

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐔𝐒
♡ arctic fox shift ♡ he/him ♡
♡ tagged . will ♡ mentioned . canines, everly, others ♡ location . tree of tales ♡

Finn stretches his paws, feeling restless. He sort of wants to go hunting a second time that night, just for something to do, but he doesn’t want to appear as a show off. He managed to get enough for a few people, and has stored away Joey's portion as requested. There is also the option of going for a soak in the river, but he noticed quite a few of the group heading in that direction and would prefer not to go for a swim with such a large audience. It’s not like he's a bad swimmer per say, just not as confident in the water. Although the fresh coldness of the water is tempting.

He could of course shift back to his human form to make it easier on himself, especially because he does need a bath. But… Finn has always felt more comfortable in his fox form. He has no idea why, though it does sort of make sense. Finn is clumsy, insanely so, but when he’s a fox that flaw goes away almost completely. He feels less anxious, more at ease. He is altogether more confident despite the smaller size and it helps him sleep at night. It is definitely the only thing keeping him calm despite the large group of unknown individuals.

Finn is a little disheartened at his own inability to interact with them. He had been so determined to make the best of the terrible situation and make as many friends as possible, but he had overestimated himself. It’s not as though he had much experience in interacting with others, but Zander and Joey had been such good signs on their way to the Tree of Tales. He would definitely consider them friends, so he had been so sure he could do it again.

As Finn watches his fellow canines spread out and do their own things, he sighs. Perhaps the perceived closeness was simply due to being the only ones in sight on such a long journey. Maybe they didn’t need him as much as he needed them.

Before he could let the thought bring his mood down even further, he quickly stood up and shook his fur to try and dislodge it. No way was Finn going to do that to himself, he always stayed positive even in the worst times. He huffed to himself, disappointed in how quickly he had given up. He would make a new friend, even if he embarrassed himself in the process.

What had Ciara told him before, when Finn had asked her how she formed a pack? Something about being yourself and doing things that made others happy. What would make the others of this group happy? Finding the cure and stopping the infection probably, but Finn had no ability to do that on his own. He didn’t know much about the shifters' personalities, so he would have to observe and guess. First he had to find someone who seemed friendly enough.

There was the avian shift who had spoken to him before, but she had disappeared in the direction of the river as well. The canines were out of the picture since Finn already considered them friends. Well, most of them. He looked around again, searching for anything he could use. That’s when he spotted him.

An avian shift, the hawk that had been flying overhead earlier. The one Finn had watched for a while. He was making something, with beads. A bracelet maybe? Finn remembers when Wyatt used to make bracelets. He hadn’t had the hobby for long, but Finn remembers the enjoyment of silently watching him work. Okay.. maybe the avian was friendly if he was taking this time to make jewelry? It was all Finn had to go off of at least.

Finn took a few cautious steps closer, still unwilling to shift back to his human form. He needed the shift to ease his anxiety on this little mission of his. What did the avian need… probably more beads or string, but Finn was unlikely to find that and definitely didn’t have any in his pack. Finn sniffed around, avoiding the others as he looked around. Something nice? Shiny like the beads? Finn kept looking around, occasionally looking back at him to see if he was still working.

It was sort of like hunting again, except Finn didn’t take long. He found something he thought suitable. It was just a rock, not anything fancy, but it was a nice bright colour and had a hole through it. As though it was made to be put on a necklace of some sort. That could totally work! He felt proud of himself, and before he could let his anxiety get the best of him he quickly raced back to the avian and dropped the rock next to him, waiting for his reaction. He hadn’t even thought to shift to his human form to make it less weird, but it was too late now.

[azhefa.]

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𝑬𝑵𝒁𝑶 𝑹𝑶𝑼𝑹𝑲𝑬
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enzo ● 27 ● male ● avian ● great horned owl ● demisex/panrom ● single, but shy

location; tree of tales
tags; others mentioned, everly

if felt so nice to finally be clean after so much hard travel. sure he'd take a dunk in a pond or a river on his trip, but he never had the time to actually use a soapy rag and clean the dirt and sweat from his skin. enzo took his time, but after a short while he heard some raised voices nearby and glances over to see two of the canines facing off. it wasn't much of a surprise considering how much in-fighting there was even within packs. with his cleansing joy now interrupted, he finishes up quickly and wades back out of the water. his shorts were heavy with absorbed water so he had to hold them up with one hand as he gathered his other things and disappeared behind the massive tree for a bit of privacy.

since he didn't have a shifting suit like most, he had to suffer with shifting nude which was one thing he absolutely hated. he may not be an unsightly character, but he still held insecurities about his body especially around strangers. once hidden, he stored his things and promptly shifted into an owl and began to preen his feathers. it took him some time to go through each wing and then his chest before reaching around to his back and tail, the feathers were thick and wide compared to most birds like hawks or eagles, the ends were tuffed to aid in silent flight making it all the more difficult to preen.

once satisfied with the state of his feathers, enzo hopped up onto one of the large roots and pauses to watch the others mingle or do their own thing. from what he gathers, the canines aren't super close and the ursine seem to prefer each other while the felines are somewhere in the middle. his fellow avians seem to be doing their own thing as well, though one female is seen mingling with the other species quite a lot compared to everyone else. how curious.

he watches the avian for a moment, but is distracted by movement to the side. the fox he had seen earlier was not too far away and had something odd in his mouth. enzo twisted his head around for a better view and watched with soft clack of his short beak as the fox deposits said item in front of one of the other avians sitting nearby. how interesting. it seems things just get more and more fascinating the longer he watches the other shifters around him.

turning back towards the girl he saw before, he ponders if he should do something similar. forging friendships would definitely help with the upcoming adventures that await the group. after a brief moment of hesitation enzo hops off his perch and flies off in search of something he could offer. it doesn't take long before he spots a rodent scampering below and quickly dives in for the catch which ends with only grass in his talons. a pitiful hunt, but he tries again on another rodent and this time makes the grab. it took a lot of willpower to not eat the rodent himself since he was hungry himself and instead quietly flies over to where everly was by the river.

it was rather awkward to land nearby and walk over to the girl, his stride bouncy since owls aren't meant for walking on land, but he's able to get close enough that she could see him as he drops the rodent and gives a hoot of greeting. if only he could actually speak in this form than things would be much easier. he hopes that offering a meal isn't seen as offensive to the female and is suddenly unsure if he should have done so in case it was. he also worries that she may not even eat meat which would put a damper on his offering.

[Ashton_99]

⤆◈𝕎𝕚𝕝𝕝 ℂ𝕒𝕖𝕝𝕦𝕤-𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕝◈⤇
⤆◈ Ferruginous Hawk Shifter ◈ He/Him ◈ Tags: Finn ◈ Location: Tree of Tales ◈⤇

Cords of red, orange, and yellow weaved together under the shifter's nimble fingers. The familiar act of crossing and twisting the twine was soothing. When paired with Will's attempt at complicating the design as much as possible, he could almost relax. It was a tricky thing- keeping himself occupied. Despite his being prone to listlessness, Will had trouble not having a task. The familiarity- his ability to create the bracelet he was working on without much effort- was almost as much of an irritant as it was a balm.

His mind wandered aimlessly as he worked. His mentor Tatiana had signed him up for this endeavor. She had gone on and on about how it would be good for him. How he could help to make a change- create a better world even. And there he was, sitting under an oversized tree and making what essentially amounted to a friendship bracelet. 'Yeah right, a better world.' He rolled his eyes, 'because that's so easily achievable.'

If he were to be honest with himself, Will knew that Tatiana's volunteering was because she truly wanted him to do well. Very few put up with his wandering interests- his siblings got frustrated and he'd gone through several mentors that way. But Tatiana had always supported him. Unlike even his parents she was able to reel him in and make him concentrate on one project at a time.

But, Will didn't enjoy being honest with himself. So instead of a fruitful line of thought, he instead got distracted and ended up missing a step in his weaving without realizing it. He bit out a curse and started unraveling his thread back to before he had messed up.

It was then, whilst he was deep in his own frustration that a rock dropped into his downturned field of vision. Perplexed, Will stared at it for a moment. The rock seemed to be one that came from the river's edge. It was smooth with a hole eroded into it. 'The color is a bit odd, though with the sulfur pools-' Will cut himself off when he remembered that the rock had to have come over from the river somehow. He stopped his subconscious unfurling of twine and came face to face with the fox sitting before him.

That was an interesting development. Will had never seen a canine shifter this close before and one had just come up to him and presented a very interesting opportunity.

When Will smiled, it was always crooked. One corner of his mouth was perpetually just a little higher than the other side. Even when he was not planning something, if he smiled his eyes gained a clever gleam. He picked up the smooth rock between two fingers, content to let his half-undone bracelet do what it wanted as it lay quickly abandoned in his lap.

Often when Will spoke, his tone was silvery but unenthusiastic. In the case of teasing, however, he made an exception. "Well love, it's not the proposal I've always dreamed of but it is something." He flipped the smooth rock across his fingers like one might a coin. When it finally came back between his thumb and index he held it up, closing one eye to look through the hole at the little fox. "And what should I do in return for canine courting hm?" He knew that the presentation of one shiny rock did not quite meet courting requirements, but he also figured that it was likely that the fox was unaware. There wasn't any harm in teasing him for the cute gesture at least.

[_humblebumble_]

𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐍 𝐇𝐈𝐁𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐔𝐒
♡ arctic fox shift ♡ he/him ♡
♡ tagged . will ♡ mentioned . none ♡ location . tree of tales ♡

Finns heart is immediately racing at the teasing words, and for a moment he’s frozen stock-still. The only movement to be seen is his ears, flicking towards the sounds of the other shifters going about their business. He is completely and utterly embarrassed, yet he has no idea what he did wrong. He had been so sure that the gesture was an innocent show of potential friendship. Ciara hadn’t led him astray surely, she told him that gifts were good starters to friendship. Was it an avian thing? Finn had definitely never met an avian before, so he had no way of knowing their customs. Something about proposals? Had Finn accidentally done some romantic gesture? Finn can’t even process being called love yet alone answering a question about canine courting. The avian had to be messing with him. Finn has to explain himself, correct the misunderstanding and then go to sleep as fast as physically possible so he can forget this event. Right, those are the next steps. Explain and run.

Except he can’t explain because he’s in his fox form with no ability to communicate effectively to the other. Finn resents his minute-earlier self who clearly didn’t think anything ahead and now has forced him into this deeply deeply embarrassing moment. Finn hadn’t wanted to shift back, but now he has to in order to apologize. Definitely going to be having nightmares about this specific interaction for the rest of his life.

Finn manages to unfreeze himself, taking one step backwards. He can’t very well shift in front of the avian and make the moment that much more awkward. Finn has never owned a shifter suit before and now he has that to add to the list of regrets he will think about in every moment of silence he ever experiences. He hopes at least the avian stays where he is while Finn retreats to change. Finn already dreads it, knowing now that he will know what Finn looks like. That makes it so much worse. He knows his face will be deeply red.

Finn manages more than his single step, quickly turning towards his bag to grab it in his mouth to hide behind a nearby tree, when the worst happens.

Well, not the worst but definitely makes the moment so much more mortifying. Finn trips over his bag straps and goes flying, and curses his own existence. He was supposed to be more coordinated in his fox form! He hasn’t stumbled this bad when not in his human form before. He must be extremely flustered. He can only hope the other didn’t actually see it. (He knows it’s basically impossible but he can dream)

When he manages to shift back and throw on his clothes as fast as possible, he takes a few breaths behind the tree to compose himself. His face is extremely red and he can feel the sweat dripping down his back. He’s never trying to make friends this way again!

He makes his way back to the spot sheepishly, avoiding looking at anyone. He keeps his eyes resolutely on the ground, avoiding his clumsy fate if only briefly. When he makes it back to the avian he continues to avoid eye contact, and ignores the way he can feel his ears burning.

“I-” he starts, and then cringes deeply as his voice cracks, “I’m sorry I don’t know what I did but I swear I wasn’t trying to, eh, propose? I think that’s what you implied? Well, in any case, I definitely was not doing that! I’ve never met an avian before, actually, so I didn’t know-”

Finn feels dread in his heart at his own inability to shut up. He is absolutely rambling with no ability to stop himself, “and I mean I just saw you making a bracelet or something, which by the way is very cool I have no idea how to do that, and thought well this guy seems nice so I should give him something to be- try to be friends, right? And I thought this rock would be cool on a necklace since it already has the hole-”

Finn has never been so sweaty in his entire life. Why can’t he stop talking, “But I guess I don’t know if you like it! Um.. well, yeah, just a friendship rock! Not anything romantic, or, I’m not saying you’re ugly or anything you’re actually very cool looking. I saw you earlier flying around and I was very impressed!”

Finn finally manages to shut himself up by just dropping his head into his palms, “Right, sorry, I’m completely rambling and being weird. If you’ll excuse me I’m going to bury myself in a hole..” he grumbles, shaking his head at his own actions. This is the worst first impression Finn has ever made, even though he hasn’t made much.

[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 ◈ Mentions: Erica, Everly ◈ Tags: Erica ◈ Word Count: 661

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── After he took a moment to sketch the unique and giant tree he heard Erica's mocking tone. Throughout their journey through the desert, the scholar made sure to document and sketch anything he found unique. Lonen may be focused on anthropology or history but he felt knowledge is vital to future generations. So when he stumbled across a bug, animal, or plant that look inspiration or new he draws it down. He never knows what another scholar in another field may think. After all, he could be uncovering a new species for all he knew. "It may be another drawing but at least we have documentation for others to see." After his comment, he joined Everly and the other travelers to hear what they were going to do. It seemed a good portion of the team either wanted to hunt or bathe. Lonen wore layered clothing traveling throughout the desert so the sweat he accumulated helped keep him cool and prevent dehydration. So any musk or sweat was either hidden beneath the clothing or his scent.

── While people split off he asked to see some of the other clan's maps or documents. Lonen knew they may need to share maps if they needed to split up. In fact, during their journey, he made copies of their maps in case the team had an old outdated map of their region or would like more specific details. His copies were precise on: locations, size and shape of the land, and symbols. Though he could not make the intricate shading or terrain like the original. After all, he walked through blistering heat, had to monitor each other's hydration, and he would help his teammates. Everyone was pulling their weight in some form so he did not have a lot of free time between the two-hour rests and camp. So he decided he would wash after the sunset and everyone was in bed. If they all went with the plan of splitting up then these maps needed to have to be done with key figures being on it.

── He was focused on doing his job that he had not realized the sun was starting to set until he need more light. His brown irises looked towards the sky as it displayed a beautiful light blue sky followed by a line of warm colors. 'Shoot...I best get started on dinner.' Immediately his eyes search for his chatty companion but alas she was not nearby. 'She must have gone hunting or something. Well, I better start on the cooking so we do not have to rush.' He walked away from his mini station to go wash his hands to remove any dirt or charcoal from his fingers in the river. He carried cactus-scented soap made by his mother in his luggage. After the brief wash, he returned back and started to prepare dinner.

── Avian cuisine used a good portion of grain considering their abundance but Lonen preferred corn and beans instead of wheat but they had to be careful while traveling the desert. As he started to cut his vegetables he heard the shifting of grass causing his head to shift. He did not know who it was but knew they were not a threat. But the sound of Erica's voice was a relief, "If by friends you mean their documents, then yes. They all seemed to be intent on other things. However, a few were gracious enough to inform me of their compatriots' name." She may be chuckling but he gave her a glare as he paused his chopping, "Knowing you, I am sure they adored you since you are a socialite." It was his turn to chuckle before resuming his cutting. "I intend to secure dinner then I will dine. And when you guys are comatose I will go scrub and douse myself. After all, my attire requires a rigorous cleanse and do not desire any peepers at my state of nature."

[Ashton_99]

⤆◈𝕎𝕚𝕝𝕝 ℂ𝕒𝕖𝕝𝕦𝕤-𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕝◈⤇
⤆◈ Ferruginous Hawk Shifter ◈ He/Him ◈ Tags: Finn ◈ Location: Tree of Tales ◈⤇

Oh, the little fox was pure gold. Will felt simultaneously euphoric and a tad guilty about teasing the guy and sending him into such a flustered tailspin. He wondered idly if the poor creature had hurt himself at all in tripping over his bag whilst he had been dragging it. Mostly, however, Will was beside himself in amusement. A full-blown grin was fighting hard to take over his face. The inventor did his best not to let his expression morph. It was perhaps only partially successful at best.

He had expected a bit of flusteredness or perhaps dismissal but what he had seen was far better. When the fox had run off, Will was content to leave it like that for the time being. He enjoyed ruffling feathers but he hadn't planned to torture the poor fox further. For a few minutes, he even managed to start a new section on the bracelet he had been working towards. It was not quite as complicated as his plan but it hadn't needed to be since the hawk shifter was much too distracted with replaying the scene that had just occurred in his mind.

Then a man approached with a demeanor strikingly similar to a previously present flustered fox. If Will felt it was possible to still be able to find things cute after the sheer number of adorable but fussy baby siblings he's had to babysit, he would be aw'ing at the man. The poor guy's voice cracked and everything.

Still, he wouldn't let the opportunity to further tease the fox pass him by. Especially now that he could respond. He laid the back of his hand to his forehead, mimicking the most dramatic of fainting spells despite the clear amusement in his voice. "Oh! Just started courting and already I'm being broken up with. How shameful. Father will surely disown me." And knowing his family, wasn't that a funny concept? ' The man would be a hypocrite if that were the case- actually both dads would be.'

Will dropped the dramatics after only moments. The dramatic pose fell away and his shoulders relaxed. He again held the rock up between them, using it as if it were an adder stone. "Well, I suppose I can still be friends with my ex since it wasn't an awful breakup, yeah?" Finally, Will stood, he had been sitting criss-cross for a while and it felt nice to stretch his legs. He and the fox shifter were at near equal heights, he noted. The distant, somewhat distracting thought about the man being pretty was something that could be explored another time.

Gently Will tossed the now complete red, orange, and yellow bracelet he had weaved at the fox shifter. "There ya' go. Friendship bracelet or something." The bracelet was relatively simple, but it was indeed handmade and even adjustable so Will wasn't terribly dissatisfied with his work. But that didn't mean he wanted to keep it. He had plenty as evidenced by the bracelets hanging from his wrists. "And glad to know you don't think I'm ugly." He would've needed to have been deaf to have not heard that bit of the fox's ramble. He moved his stare off of the fox to allow the man to breathe. To keep his hands busy he went about putting the twine back in his pack, lifting it onto his shoulder when he was done. The hawk carefully began picking his way through the roots, he walked slow enough that the fox could follow if he wanted.

"And I'm Will, by the way. I don't believe we ever got to that part."

[Stargazer3000]

𝐟𝐚𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐧
tagged Joey | mentioned| location tree of tales
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The sun dipped low on the horizon, dyed by the vapors of the distant sulfur pools into a brilliant, angry red glow that licked across the land like dying embers upon a hearth. The lingering warmth of the day withered in the firm grasp of the nightly chill, crackling fires and low murmured conversations now the sole vestiges of life. Contrast lives in extremes, and the brilliance of the blazing rays deepened the shadows, lengthening their reach across the open plains.

Faolan was pressed up against the trunk of the tree, melting into the inky darkness. Beside him were the scattered remains of a rodent dinner, and the lingering smell of charred flesh clung to him like a macabre shroud. Whether he was sleeping or not was indiscernible though his long limbs were drawn in close, defensive even in rest, with one arm firmly around his knees keeping them close to his chest. His head was braced against the gnarled trunk, and a heavy stillness anchored the Canine in place - not a breath stirred his robes, and even the pervasive dust seemed wary of the living shadow.

Joey, however, did not seem to share the same trepidation. "Hey! Who do you think you are?...Threatening me like that, huh? Just because you're twice my size means nothing. Harm me, or come near me again, and I won't be going down without a fight! I'm no coward..."

Faolan made no move as the Canine approached, and remained still as stone though the verbal lashing. The last note of Joey's speech lingered in the air, dissipating as Faolan at last unfurled his limbs. Like a dark tide, a sudden unexpected swell, he rose fluidly to standing, with all the air of stick bent beyond its limber means.

Not all breaking is bad.

"I've never liked you more." A confession in a voice roughened by misuse, and muffled by the heavy scarf that remained, as ever, draped across his mouth, slipped out from Faolan's lips. There was little space between the wolves, though Faolan gave off none of the heat associated with a warm blooded shift, as his black eyes slid away from Joey's, settling on the fluttering Avians nearby while they prepared their dinner. "But your energy - as ever - is misdirected."

[Stargazer3000]

𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲
tagged Joey, Enzo| mentioned avians | location river
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Pink dusted across Everly's cheeks, spreading down her neck and appearing in delicate strawberry splotches across her chest as she slowly distanced herself from the Canine. Guilt at crowding him bubbled up in her chest, though the tension eased slightly as he warned her about river monsters - jokes were a good sign she hadn't crossed some terrible, unspoken boundary.

"Just be careful of the river monster lurking. It almost got me. I barely made it out alive." A warm laugh slipped out of Everly's lips at the notion, and she wrestled with the urge to gently tease him about his 'brush with death', or perhaps to say something that should remain unsaid, joke or no. I'm glad you made it.

Perhaps it was good, then, that she didn't get the chance. Whatever happy words spilled out of Joey's mouth did nothing to cover the swirling emotion in his eyes, and she took a beat too long trying to decipher then, trying to parse them into something she could understand. Something she could help with. Anger, frustration, fear?

The moment to say something passed, vanishing as Joey continued, "All jokes aside.. Thank you for the help. I really appreciate it." His smile was infectious, there was simply no other option but to return it. Maybe later, he'd let her record its contagious effect...purely for science, of course. "Have a nice swim. I'll leave you to it. Call out if you need anything, I have great hearing." And with that he was gone, leaving Everly standing by the water with her hand raised in a little half-wave - as though he could see it - and for the first time no quip at the ready. Maybe she was the one who needed to be studied.

Or maybe she just needed a nice, cold dip.

Everly was in and out of the river within minutes. She'd never been one for lingering in water, and even though she was certain that Joey had been joking - ninety percent certain...eighty-five percent certain at a minimum - she was more than happy to keep moving. The sun continued to sink lower in the sky, changing from a warm golden glow to a vibrant red one, and though its beauty was undeniable, something about the whole scene churned worry up in the pit of her stomach. It was ominous, so Everly was quick, in and out, detangling her hair on the banks minutes after Joey left.

It was incredibly quiet, she noted distantly, the sinking feeling in her stomach continuing to grow. Not a breath in the land of death - it was a quote from a poem her grandmother, Tita, had told her once when she was little, and it lingered in the back of her mind like a chant as she went through the motions of drying and detangling her hair, turning over and over again with the beating of her heart. She was just scaring herself, there was no need to worry...though it was the first time since leaving the Roost that she'd been without some kind of a scout. Everly's hands moved faster through her tangled curls, until at last she gave up and turned to pull on her boots to return back to the camp, back to her friends, back to safety.

The silence was broken suddenly by a hoot, and, a second later, by Everly's startled yelp. She whirled, one boot on, the other in the process of being tied, to face her would-be-attacker and saw...an owl. Clearly a shifter, and not attacking her so...one of theirs? Everly exhaled in relief, pressing a hand to her chest as though it could help slow her racing heart. "Ah, sorry, sorry about that," she babbled, finishing her lacing and approaching the other Avian with a wide, relived smile slipping easily into place.

"I was just a bit in my head - I'm sorry if I startled you! Were you sent by the Council? I'm Everly by the -" the sparrow stopped suddenly as her gaze landed on what rested at the owls feet - a small, bloody rodent. The blush that has just been washed away by the river returned in full force. Though it was clearly no proposal and meant as some kind of friendship offering, the gesture still took her off guard for a beat, before an easy laugh bubbled up. It was good to know she could still laugh when things reminded her so strongly of home.

"The good new is, the group is going to love you on stew nights. The bad new is, you're just too handsome for me, so I'm afraid, for your own good, I'll have to decline your incredibly kind proposal," Everly quipped happy, gently bending down to retrieve the rodent, before continuing with twinkling eyes, "Though don't let that stop you from bringing me food."

The sun dipped perilously close to the horizon as Everly turned her gaze away from her new friend, back towards the Tree. "I guess it's about time I return - join me? I promise you a portion of whatever I make as a thank you - or actually, a portion of whatever Lonen has made, but we all share anyway."

[JDDracula]

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dire wolf • twenty-two • heterosexual • Faolan, Finn, Zander • Tree of Tales/River
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The young canine became visibly flustered at the brutes rebuttal. His cheeks were now rosey pink from frustration, but felt relief coarse through his body with the response, as he thought it may have gotten physical, and Joey wasn't much of a fighter. He scrunched his face up and pointed at Faolan, nearly touching, Well.. You.. You know.. You.. FORGET IT!" In a split second he was turning away and storming off like a child that had been told no.

Joey had no idea where he was going, but he knew he had to put some distance between him and Faolan, seeing that he made a complete fool of himself. He headed back in the direction he saw Finn, to ask him how hunting when, but by the time he found him, he saw that he was trying to make friends with the others, and didnt want to bother them, so he quickly and quietly slipped away and headed back to the tree of tales, spotting Zander by himself, so he swiftly made his way over to his pack mate.

"Mind if i set up camp here?" he asked slyly. "Nevermind, i dont care if you mind im gonna set up here anyways," he grinned as he spread out his bed mat. He thought about taking a new shirt from his bag, seeing that the shirt he already had on was wrapped around his hand and covered in blood, but he knew there would be no point. It was too hot to be wearing anything anyways, but of course he couldn't just be free in front of everyone.

Joey plopped himself onto his poorly made bed, and quickly laid down on top of it, blowing a kiss over to Zander, then turning his back to face the opposite direction. "Night mate," he yawned as he shut his eyes to try and go to sleep, but all he could think about is the things he should have said to Faolan, but didnt, so instead, he made up scenarios in his head of what he would say next if the opportunity presented itself.