─ 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐝 ─ (15/12)

[Stargazer3000]

𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐲
tagged all | mentioned Avians, Ursine, Feline, Canine| location tree of tales
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Everly’s cheeks were flushed a deep pink, and though some of the color could be attributed to the unrelenting heat, most of it came from sheer excitement. With bright eyes and a wide grin breaking across her face she danced up the roots of the massive tree, near-giddiness speeding up her already quick movements. Since sighting the Tree of Tales, and more importantly the people gathered beneath it, blind, stubborn, blessed hope drove her forward at a breakneck pace, spilling forth as a newly tapped spring of energy.

As though she was ever lacking energy.

Glancing over her shoulder, Everly confirmed once again that her companions were with her, their steady presence as comforting as ever. She hadn’t missed the flicker of a smile that had uncharacteristically graced Erica’s face when they’d first spotted the Tree, and though the simple gesture had faded, it still filled Everly’s chest with warmth. At the time she’d responded with a brilliant smile of her own, and had been on the verge of asking Erica if she knew any of the ‘tales’ that their destination was named for, but had thought better of it, instead letting a silent tension settle.

Then, in a move that was distinctly un-like her, Everly let the silence linger through the last hour of their approach, instead turning over what she was going to say again and again in her mind, her nerves growing with each step. Perhaps she should mull it over with Lonen? The eagle did have a way with words that she thoroughly appreciated but…no. It took most of her focus to not lose her footing as she skittered over the increasingly tall roots, let alone debate oration with a historian.

It was funny - weeks of walking, flying, and being stuck with her thoughts and she still wasn’t quite sure how to best explain what these brave new strangers were going to have to undertake. What was at stake. What they might lose.

Maybe she should just start with a simple ‘Hi’?

Though Will still circled overhead, Everly lost sight of him under the massive branches of the Tree, his comforting presence vanishing amongst the colorful, fluttering tapestries. The brightly dyed fabrics danced in the wind, a few colored in the same blue hues of the endless sky that stretched above the Roost, and for an instant her throat tightened painfully. Home has never been so far away.

Everly swallowed thickly - she’d think about home later. Just as quickly as it had gone, her smile found its way back onto her face, only growing wider as she at last could hear the low tones of conversation. Hastily she danced between the towering roots, making sure not to slip on the uneven surfaces, until all at once she was met with new faces turned in the Avian’s direction. They’d made it. They’d made it!

“Hi!” she blurted, her mouth curved in a smile as warm as the sun above but fully devoid of a clever introduction. So much for speeches. Her chest heaved slightly from the last sprint, her hair framed her face in a frizzy cloud, perspiration dripped down her forehead, and her cheeks might have gone from pleasantly rosy to a concerning red. So much for first impressions.

“Seems like you’ve all had time to - ah - get to know each other?” Everly questioned, in between quick sips from the water pouch she had slung to her hip, trying, and likely failing for some semblance of ‘casual’. “I mean, beyond the, you know, weeks of travel.”

Her gaze danced over the new faces, picking out details where she could, each new shifter piquing her interest. It was easy to discern who was from where, at least for the most part, and she did her best to meet the eyes of any who had turned their attention to her. That was polite in other territories, right? She should have done more research.

Concerningly, even as she took a moment to calm down from the Avain’s last leg of the journey Everly found herself continuing to chatter. It was the nerves really, all the pent up emotion spilling out like some horrible broken dam, but she couldn’t get herself to stop. “Well, since we’re last I guess we missed the introductions - I’m Everly by the way - but if this all goes according to plan, we’ll have time for introductions later. Not that I’m uninterested in your names, I think they’re very important, it’s just that there’s other pressing matters and -” she paused, painfully aware of how poorly this entire introduction was going, burying her face in her hands with a groan.

Everly inhaled once, steadying herself, before raising her head from her hands with a soft, apologetic smile. “Listen, I’m sorry for all that. I’d say that mindless chatter wasn’t a regular occurrence for me but…I’d be lying. It’s - it’s just been a rough couple of weeks. And I’m glad you’re all here, really truly glad.” This time, she made certain to meet each gaze head on, hoping that the sincerity in her voice and gaze rang through. “I guess I’m just…nervous. Because getting here? It was the easy part. And now, I get to play the role of Avian messenger and tell you just how ugly it’s about to get.”

“I’m sure you’ve each seen the disease - and I’m also sure that none of us has seen the worst of it. If what we’ve discovered is to be believed this disease is spreading far quicker than any others that we’ve encountered before. It infects through saliva - and only saliva - but from what we can tell takes hold of shifter and animal alike. If left unchecked, it will certainly consume everyone and everything.”

“I don’t know how much information you’ve been given, but I can only guess that you’ve been told that the Avians have a cure. As that is - in part - true. We have part of a cure. Zilker - my…my mentor -” here Everly’s voice wavered, and broke, but she continued in a strained tone, “Gave his life for that cure. He bet everything on an idea so crazy that even I had a hard time believing it. But he was right. So just…keep that in mind.”

“Following the legends of the ‘Ancient End’ Zilker and a team explored the metal ruins of the Avian territory - a grave crime among my people. But they knew that there must have been some truth in those old stories, and…they found it. They found the metal cave of our ancestors, they found the cure - but Zilker was the only one who…who made it home and…he was gone within the day.” Everly sniffled softly, one sharp sob slipping out from her lips before she again forced her grief back down beneath a swallow.

“Those legends told around the fire to scare small children? They’re real. All of it is real. But that means that the cure Zilker found? It’s only the first part - there’s three more metal caves, three more cures still scattered out among the territories. Among your territories. And that’s why we called upon you - none know your land better than those raised in it. And with our adversary growing in number every day we don’t have time to go about this on our own. We must do this together or we will all perish.”

Everly paused, letting her words sink in, and quickly brushing gathering tears from the corner of her eyes. With one last steadying breath she continued.

“So if any among you want to turn back, or believe that we are chasing a fantasy; go. Now. There will not be time later. But if you stay, from here out you accept the very real possibility that we may fail. Understood? Good, okay, now for the last bit..”

“From here we have two options. One: we move as a group, and - following the information that the Avians have pieced together - track down the remaining parts of the cure as a single unit. This is likely the safest way to travel, but far from the quickest. So, option two: we split into smaller groups each with members from different territories to ensure no…opportunists taking the cure for themselves. Harsh, I know, and I’d love to trust you all but…not with so much at stake. This method is far less safe but much quicker.”

“And that’s it. I’m no leader, just the messenger, but…I say we take a night. Rest, breath…do a name game? Right, okay, no game, but rest, yes. In the morning we can vote. And then…the real work begins.”

[Stargazer3000]

𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡
tagged Joey, Zander, Finn, Daniel, Mave | mentioned Ursine, Feline, Canine, Avian| location Tree of Tales
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Everything was deeply, horribly, new. It almost made Narah miss the oppressive silence of the jungle - at least she understood her companions there. At least she knew how to move, what to say (nothing), but meeting all the new shifters one after the other - it made her want to jump out of her skin. She was rusty, to be certain, and raw after days of feeling hollowed out, wandering through the steaming wasteland of the Neutral Territory. And so it was a pleasant surprise as Narah quickly fell into the tone of emissary.

A part of her was glad they’d met the Ursine first - best to get it over and done with. Territory changed hands like coin up north, disputes running as deep as the Avian canyons, carving a chasm between the Ursine and the Feline. So Narah felt a blooming satisfaction as she held her tongue in the exchange with the hulking, silver haired Ursine - Vas she would garner later - choosing honeyed words instead of those barbed and sharp enough to draw blood. Playing nice had its time.

She idly observed the other two Ursine as she made her way back towards her fellow Feline as they all waited for the imminent arrival of the other territory delegations. Later, she’d chide herself for not trying to make conversation or at the very least attempt to get the Ursine’s names, but as it turns out, civility was difficult to muster when one is deeply dehydrated.

Observation, however, took much less effort. The other male was just as large as Vas, and held all the markings of a life well fought for - though she doubted that he’d fought one of her kind. Perhaps there was time for that yet. The female was markedly smaller, and had a much more affable air than either of her gruff companions. As they waited, Narah had kept a close eye on her movements, attempting to discern her shift but ultimately coming up with no certain answer.

By the time the scent of Canine filled the air -overpowering even the stench of the Ursine - Narah had established a small sitting area next to her companions. She sat cross-legged on her open bed roll, the fabric richly embroidered and lined with trademark dyed silks, a thin sheet keeping it from getting stained by the red dirt. Her back rested against the roots of the tree, and she idly sipped at a concoction of mint leaves and lemon rind mixed with her water to aid with her quick rehydration.

“Hi”. As it turns out, the Ursine were turning out to be more conversationalists than the Canines. Setting her drink to the side, Narah stayed seated but turned her attention to the new arrivals, inclining her head towards the newcomers by way of greeting. One, dressed head to toe in black breezed by without so much as an acknowledgment, and Narah fought the urge to curl her lips back in a snarl. Perhaps he’d die of heatstroke before the day was done.

“Hi,” she returned gamely, observing the three remaining Canine. The one who had spoken reminded her instantly of a hive of hornets - entertaining to observe, and begging to be thrown into a river, but promising a wicked sting. Perhaps she’d be better off just letting him buzz…on the other side of the small encampment that was forming. Then, another silver-haired shift with all the air of a puppy - and about the same amount of grace. She liked that one. The last was dark haired, and seemed remarkably similar to the one with silver hair. Perhaps there was hope yet that the territories might work together.

“I hope that your journey wasn’t too taxing,” Narah offered once they’d gotten settled. “Though I’ve heard that many of your people are nomadic - and that you’ve even invented homes on carts. Two weeks ago, I’m not sure I would have seen the appeal but now…” she glanced down at her singular bedroll, “Now I think I understand.” She drew a long sip from her drink, continuing to study the new arrivals from under her long lashes as her gaze seemed to drift downward. Observe, see it all, and you will not be caught unawares again.


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The Avians arrived, for lack of a better term, in a flurry. The tense but stable silence that had settled over the encampment between the massive roots was broken by chatter, a frankly terrible introduction, and the harsh reality of their situation. Then, at the end - a choice.

A choice that Narah turned over in her mind as night began to fall, and as she began to set up her sleeping arrangements in full. They’d have to cook dinner soon, and she still needed introductions to most of the newcomers but before that - moving on silent feet she approached her two original companions. Suddenly deeply grateful for the small sense of home as her world continued to burn, she delicately cleared her throat to get their attention. “I realize that this is long overdue but…thank you. For the croka and for -” she gestured in the vague direction of Feline territory. It was far from a smooth introduction, and even farther from an apology for days of silence and sulking, but it was as close as she could get. For now.

“It seemed proper that I should ask about what choice you’re considering. For the record, I’m in favor of us continuing on as one group - but I’d like to hear your thoughts either way.” Her voice grew softer at the end of her statement, something painfully similar to sincerity creeping into her tone.

[Crazycookiemonster]

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ZOE matvey ▪ 26 ▪ sunbear ▪ located tree of tales ▪ tagged Vas & Kalland
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Zoe allowed herself to stand in the moment as she felt the presence of the tree of tales wondering what all this tree had seen and the stories it could tell. Her fingers traveled the worn bark, as if it were a maze and her fingers were struggling to find the end, knowing there was never an end to anything, but the grunt from Vas brought her back out of her little day dream. He directed her attention to far over the ridge though nothing could really be seen, but the wind was blowing from the west and with it a brief scent of felines. Zoe would never call herself a tracker, but even she could smell the damp woody smell of a feline. It would take them a while to approach the group, but it still didn't make Zoe feel anymore at ease and she found herself drifting closer to her companions. Not that they had become anything close to friends on their journey, but there was a sense of comradery between them as they were all tasked to come here so they would have to have each others back to some extent. Stepping closer and slightly behind Vas and Kalland, she just watched as the shadowy figures became to come closer and slowly multiply.

The air around the tree started to grow tense. Most shifters, Zoe included, hardly every had to deal with shifters of another species and it was clear that there were some present hatred and animosity between certain species. Ursine shifters hated any shifters south of their border so it was hard to see which group it would be easier to try and introduce herself too. Not to mention with her to imposing companions who did not seem keen to strike up a conversation, Zoe slowly pushed herself out from between her companions taking a full look at everyone in front of her.

Zoe stood in front of Vas and Kalland mesmerized by the growing collective of people that had gathered around the tree. It was easy to see that everyone was sizing each other up and down, some looked as if they were waiting for the signal to attack while some looked like they were prepared to take flight. Her nose had never had some many interested scents dance around it that it was hard to just focus on one individual. Though there was one bird to started to ramble on, clearly wasn't a public speaker. Her shaky unconfident delivery in her words, made Zoe loose interest almost immediately and just decided to look at everyone who had gathered. The outfits of some seemed to be way over the top for such a long trek as well as some smelled as if they hadn't showered in weeks. As she scanned the crowd she slipped out of her fur coat, feeling both the weight of everyones stares and the sun beating down from above caused her to start feeling hot. Still drowning out the chattering bird, Zoe bent down and pulled out a flask taking a quick sip of alcohol before offering it up to Vas or Kalland usually one of them took it. She might not have been the strongest bear in the north, but she was the one who made one of the strongest alcohols in the forge.

The words split up made Zoe tune back into the what the bird was chirping about, she took a quick side glance at her companions. They would be fine on their own should they slip up but Zoe's stomach turned at the thought of being separated from her last bit of security. "I think it would be better if we traveled as a whole group," Zoe said, surprised with the confidence she had found to step out of the shadow of Kalland, "though we should probably wait for a new day to start traveling as it looks like some of us could use a bath or a hunt."

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[Ashton_99]

≺⊗𝕵𝖔𝖊𝖑 𝓚𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉⊗≻
≺⊗ Brown Bear Shifter ⊗ He/Him ⊗ Tags: Zoe/All Shifters ⊗ Location: Tree Of Tales ⊗≻

The arrival of the different envoys held Kalland's quiet attention. In systematic, battle-induced order he cataloged each individual as they came. Mentally he sorted them into somewhat arbitrary groups. As skilled as he was in deciphering individuals, he was not going to go so far as to dupe himself into believing he was able to know everything about these complete strangers. Whipping clay-tinted sweat from his face with a strip of cloth that had come from the shirt he wore the night they had been attacked, Kalland willed himself to finally join the conversation. He finally hauled himself up from the ground. In the blistering heat, it required more effort than he would have liked to get all of his limbs working. Still, he stood finally, standing in the vicinity of his fellow Ursine. They may not have partaken in all of the cheery, mushy bonding the other parties might have, but he still preferred them over the others currently.

He was satisfied enough with Vas and Zoe speaking for the three of them as far as greetings went. He had little interest in the baiting statements and distrust among the groups disguised as false pleasantries and small talk. Though, at the young Avian woman's introduction, he surmised that perhaps not all of the pleasantries were false. He nodded, an expression not akin to a smile but softer in greeting nonetheless sent towards her. And then she continued speaking.

Kalland had been raised upon the stories of great warriors he was expected one day to surpass. Legends of fantastic, gritty, and occasionally immoral protagonists. Sometimes, however, his mother or sisters told his other stories. Tales of horror and pain made to scare children around fires- or at least scare the kinds of children who did not live in the unforgiving depths of the wilderness. Those stories had not done much of anything except pass the time when Kalland was young. Now though, Kalland was scared. Familiar adrenaline and terror sat in his chest as he silently processed this depth of the information the Avians had. He was no stranger to death, but he had been doing his best up until this egregious journey to avoid meeting it again.

Externally he looked no more emotive than he ever normally did. He did however take the flask that Zoe had offered. Knocking back a swig, he enjoyed the warm burn despite the heat around them. It was a feeling much more pleasant than the dread in his chest, at the very least.

He shoved back strands of sweat-slicked hair from his face. Without much regard for his actions or perhaps in some half-hearted attempt to reassure her, he placed a hand on Zoe's shoulder. Kalland's voice was low and rough with a certain amount of disuse. "I understand the need we all might feel to move as a unit, and while we might feel safer the chances of this disease spreading and killing more shifters grows the longer we take." He waved a hand at the end of his statement. Truthfully, Kalland was not overly attached to either option. More so, he was attempting to provide a full view of the situation they were now all in together. If they made choices without considering the full scope of the consequences, disease and death would follow in their wake. He took another sip from the flask before offering it back to Zoe. He was grateful for her even if he had not expressed as much.

In the distance, the bird of prey that had soared overhead to announce the arrival of the Avians was beginning to dip lower on its approach. Kalland's gaze followed the bird. As tired and hungry as he was, Kalland had no interest in attempting to take a bite out of what would likely prove to be one of their traveling companions. Even with his social skills rusted over from years of reclusive behavior, he figured that that would make a rather poor impression.

[Ashton_99]

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

The balmy desert air was unduly pleasant when Will was high enough up that he did not have to contend with the latent remains of sulfurous smog that drifted below. The breezes he glided upon warmed his top feathers pleasantly. The raptorial bird maneuvered around the furthest reaching branches of the only landmark for as far as he could see. Utilizing the keen eyes of a bird of prey, Will scoured the neutral territory for a fair distance around the tree. As important as introductions might be, he trusted his group to properly explain the stakes of the situation. At the very least his being present for them would not make any clear-cut difference. Without that responsibility falling to him, he could enjoy this final flight, stealing himself a last few solitary moments before joining the rest.

Not tracking anything worth reporting, Will's attention briefly wandered. With the dry air brushing his wing tips he could almost pretend he was home. That thought took him for a moment. It would be incredibly easy to return to the Roost. While the journey had taken some time and presented a certain amount of danger, it would not be impossible to get home alone. All that Will would need to do is chart a clear path southward. He would be able to trek a decent distance today alone without having to circle back for human shifted companions.

But then, that sounded exhausting. To be traveling for weeks unaccompanied. To have no one to tease or to bounce his half-theorized ideas off of. With the half-entertained thought of flying away now decidedly less appealing, Will began to descend. He passed for a final time over the congregation of shifters, diving only low enough to be able to pick up the light linen clothing strapped to the top of his pack. Everly had been carrying it for him while he was scouting. When he had dipped near her head, talons clutched around the light, simple clothing he released a sharp caw. His intention might have been to use the noise either in greeting or to make her jump, but regardless he was off just as soon as he had arrived. The agility of a sky-born predator allowed him to gain altitude quickly, being back out of reach and into the multicolored banners before much at all could happen. Skillfully, he maneuvered among the banners. Despite the far reach of his wings, Will was able to navigate through the branches without terrible amounts of trouble.

Not much later, Will was walking among the giant roots. He was human-shaped and dressed in the simple clothing he had taken from his pack. Whilst cuffing his sleeves at his elbows, he carefully picked his way around the side of the tree. He felt a tad underdressed without the multitude of bracelets his siblings had given to him over the years and the feather-patterned wrap he tended to wear tied around his waist from one of his parents. That feeling did not seem to affect his confidence much, however. The hawk shifter maintained an easy swagger as he approached the other shifters. He grinned at Everly as he stole his pack back from her in quiet thanks. Having already gotten an aerial view of them, he didn't feel the need to jump on the new shifters right away. There would be plenty of time to both study and annoy them. Instead, he worked on getting shoes on and slipping on the bracelets from his pack. With each new bracelet added to his wrist, a new pattern or color palette was revealed.

A blue and green weaved bracelet from Helena, Geo had given him the hinoes scaled one, a string of marbled glass beads came from the twins, and so on across both wrists until Will felt that sense of home he had gotten flying. It was a poor imitation of the feeling but it worked well enough. Satisfied with his adornments Will slung his pack back over a shoulder and grinned at the shifters. All of the tension and distrust in the air was near palpable. 'oh boy.' "Well, this'll be fun then, huh?"

[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: Yazzie family, Erica, Will, and Everly ◈ Tags: Everly/Avians, Canines, Felines, and Ursines◈ Word Count: 1335

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── After being given a map and some important set of instructions from the Elder Council, Lonen was free to leave. The dark-haired scholar made sure to say his goodbyes to his family while his grandmother gave him her silver armband. The 70+-year-old woman licked her dry lips before whispering a cautionary warning. The dessert was an unforgiving place to those who do not walk the delicate path of survival. The group could not shift into their forms on the journey due to the supplies that must be brought alongside them. His grandmother put the band along Lonen's exposed right arm before gently pressing her hand along his heart. Grandma Doli, a woman who always wore blue to defy Avian fashion, was always the voice of reason and decided everything for the family, and to receive her blessing meant everything. Even though he was 27, Doli made sure to fix his hair and adjust his wool poncho that was hand woven by her. He smiled through the embarrassing pampering before hugging her one last time. Automatically his eyes closed while he held her close inhaling the scent of peppermint and ash. 'I will return to you whether it be journeying around the world or in the next world.' After his mental promise he ended the hug before picking up his supplies for his arduous journey in the dry desert.

── When he met the other Avians he was tasked to join alongside he started to have doubts. These doubts did not question whether they would survive but if they would work well together. Naturally, Lonen introduced himself before giving himself the role of being the guide. Though he was just going to make sure they are traveling in the right direction. Far too often people get heat stroke or die because they get lost by traveling in the wrong direction. Not everyone took 'roles' but they all carried each other's weight as they walked across cracked mud and drifting sand. When the sun reached its highest point he made them all rest in the shade for two hours. 'There is no point in traveling further with the sun up. Any footing we gain is not worth the risk of heatstroke.' Each day he made sure to keep an eye on the sun to ensure they were not going to die or get lost. At times he would ask Erica for her input since she has journeyed more places than he...Plus, he was getting anxious that they may be heading in the wrong direction so another set of eyes helped. He did not ask Will because he was talking to Everly and did not want to be rude. Plus, he knew the least about him and did not want to seem nosey.

── It would not be long before the sky started to bleed red, orange, and purple. Everly decided to prepare dinner and not wanting to be useless he asked to be her sous chef. Not that he will tell anyone, but when he cooked with Everly it really washed away all his anxiety and nearly made him tear up. Ever since he was five he was his mother and grandmother's sous chef and all the memories were just flooding into his brain. From his first time chopping vegetables, to stirring the old chipped wooden spoon inside a clay pot. He could hear the laughter and music playing in the background of each memory causing a smirk to fall on his lips. It has not even been a full day but he already missed being surrounded by his loved ones. When he finished his task he played with the silver armband as if it would somehow connect to his grandmother. Lonen did this until dinner was ready before joining the others, 'Day one: Complete'

── When night fell the group started talking more about one another. Although some shared more than others. But crucially Lonen heard someone mention they had volunteered to join the expedition. At first, he did not believe it was true since he assumed they all were chosen due to professional skill. Plus, who would be foolish to volunteer for a deadly and unpredictable mission? It seems like everyone else was. A strange sensation shot through his body as each Avian confirmed their volunteer status. The cold dry night air faded away as a blanket of fear fell along his body before he laid down. His hands covered his eyes as he realized he was the fool because he was commissioned onto the mission meaning the Council had nothing to lose by accepting his demands. However, the fear faded into a smile before explaining why he joined. Expert companions were what he expected but maybe not what he needed. He needed friends, not coworkers. And this mission was going to change him and fulfill/destroy his dreams.

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── Steam hissed across the Eagle's thin bottom footwear as they journeyed deeper into the Neutral territory. Yesterday they had made their way through the alpine forests which were far easier to journey through. They no longer had to monitor hydration with each person being in charge of telling everyone when to drink water. It was important to space out their consumption to ensure they had enough for dinner and the next morning. Truthfully, at times he was worried for Everly because she was thin, fairer-skinned, and just always was moving. There were two instances he worried her lack of talking was a sign of dehydration which is why he did not mind her conversation with him. Though calling them conversations is less accurate since they felt more like 20 questions. They would go back and forth occupying time but it was usually Everly who asked good ones. "If I am correct we should be arriving at the destination in forty-five minutes."

── It was not long until the group walked over a hill that they could see the top of many sprouting branches. When they journeyed closer they would bear witness to beautiful flora that seemed to shine like emeralds as the sun's light pierced through small clouds. "Wow..." Soon his fingers reached into his bag before they searched around for something. He felt the felty ridge grace across his fingertips before he snatched the item out. It was his sketchbook which also had his charcoal pencil inside before he looked at the subject. 'Mmm. I think a closer sketch would be better.' With his decision made he put away the map before following Everly and Will who were ahead of him.

── The high-pitched sound of a hawk's call pierced his ear while he was in mid-sketch. When he looked around he noticed Will was missing so he assumed that he shifted to scout ahead of the group. Yet it was not long before the pink-faced brunette was running toward the giant knobby tree with thick roots boroughed all around it. In a monotoned voice he shouted, "Be careful, Everly. Would not want to do first aid the second we have arrived." His eyes shifted over to Erica to see what she was up to before continuing back to his sketch. It was not until the moment he finished the last touches that Lonen's eyes noticed Everly was talking to someone. "Oh shoot." He hastily put his pencil and sketchbook away before journeying toward his chattering friend.

── His ears finally tuned in to hear some of the conversations...Well, a one-sided one. All he could hear was the ending before he stepped beside Everly to look at the silent campers. His eyes shifted between each face before noticing their clothing. They all were different with some clearly being from more wealthier or diverse backgrounds. He could not tell why they were silent all of a sudden. He hoped it was not because he walked in or something else. So he just calmly muttered with his hand placed behind his back, "Lonen Yazzie, Historian of Anthropology for the Avian High Council. How do you do?"

[Cats&Cucumbers]

xxxxsnow leopard ♠ twenty-eight ♠ Tree of Tales ♠ tag: Narah, Daniel, Vas, Joey, Finn, Faolan, Everly, Zoe
xxxxshe/her ♠ 5'7" ♠ mid-long brown hair ♠ pale green eyes ♠ faint scent of mahogany and amaretto

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Mave nearly snorted at the Ursine's gruff reply to Narah's eloquence. She trusted the felines because she was born one, she trusted the ursine because she lived as one— she appreciated the brevity. Her amusement was cut by a flash of recognition, though, and her head jerked up from her flask in surprise at the vaguely familiar husky voice, wide eyes flying to the silver-haired ursine only to narrow in thought as she tried to place him. It didn't take long— in the land of dark, dull hues, his silver hair had shimmered like winter rain. The royal bodyguard. She wasn't one to remember her customers— she ran her shop in her shifted form for two reasons— avoiding recognition, and intimidation. Buyers were forced to approach in their human forms to carry coin, so few dared to steal from the stand with a snow leopard guarding it. An unintended but welcome side affect was running the shop required very little of her attention. But this visit had been memorable. Her hand drifted unconsciously to the satchel at her side, where her rarely-worn shifter suit rested. It had been the visit that allowed her to purchase the expensive item. She recalled the garish shades of the silks the prince had bought that day— silks that she normally only made for and brought to the feline cities, on the rare occasion that she ventured south, but that warm season she had caught wind that the prince was in the north for trade, and the ursine aesthetic wasn't suiting his mojo. She recalled the appearance of the pair, spying them long before they were aware of her presence, perched in the tree above her stand. At first, she had confused the silver-haired bear for the prince, and his scrawny companion for a pageboy. Soon, though, she could hear their voices, and there was no mistaking the runt's haughty tone. She'd thought it odd, as she dropped from the tree, earning a yelp of fear from the weakling and a suspicious glance from... Vas, she remembered the young prince saying— that the powerful shifter bowed to the rattish royalty— did the Ursine not value physicality above all else? But the winter-washed servant allowed his arms to be piled high with luxury until his face was nearly obscured, and said nothing as the prince enthused over the opulent fabrics. For her part, her mild curiosity was soon forgotten, outshone by the pile of coins the heir left in his wake. With the other coin she had saved, it was enough to purchase a suit.

Not eager for either party to know her border-crossing habits, though, she cooly lowered her head, a nearly-inaudible huff of mocking bemusement— only loud enough for Daniel to catch it, though whether that was intentional could be debated— parting her lips at Narah's poised flattery. She didn't blame the panther for trying, she supposed, but who did she think she was fooling? She might as well paint a crown on her forehead— only the most stupid and isolated of Ursines could doubt where she stood in the border battles. Mave's attention was quickly grabbed by something else, though, as the scent of something moldy was carried to her by the wind, her pale green iris sliding eastward with obvious derision. Canines.

Her mother had taught her many lessons in her youth, but at the top of that list was a healthy aversion to anything that wags its tail. She schooled her expression into neutrality, never one to invite confrontation, but couldn't help the irritation that flashed in her eyes at the initial dopey greeting. From the lazy hand wave, reddened face, and heavy panting, everything about this man radiated carelessness. It didn't help that he was trailed by a white-haired ball of nerves tripping over his own feet. Normally, she enjoyed when others were so obviously unprepared— it made her feel secure in her own safety. But now, knowing she was meant to be traveling with these dull-clawed fools, she felt the phantom limb of her tail lash in irritation. The fourth traveling with them seemed to be the only one with half a teaspoon of composure, but his silent footsteps as he passed them by without a second glance unnerved her even more than Narah's had. At least Narah's personality gave her a foothold of understanding, erased some of the mystery created by the negative space where the sound should have been. This dog gave her nothing.

Narah didn't seem to discriminate— happy to coddle Canine and Ursine alike. Mave wondered if it was some sort of royal code of conduct or something, to brown-nose everyone you dislike. She certainly hadn't spent half as much time trying to gain the favor of her fellow Felines. But Mave, for all of her internal grumbling, didn't take it personally— she was glad Narah hadn't tried to initiate conversation, she simply found the soft ways of southerners mildly entertaining— she, like the bears, knew that in a landscape of scarcity, false sentiments were a waste of resources. You'll get farther faster saying exactly what you mean, no more, no less.

Judging by the arrival of the Avians, however, Mave was starting to think this opinion was less popular than her northern upbringing had led her to believe. To the little red-head in particular, it seemed more, more, and fast was the name of the game. Mave wasn't sure she had ever heard someone speak for so long in her entire life. From the outset, though, her lip curled imperceptibly at the tone with which the bird shifter addressed the now-gathered group. Avian arrogance. She entered the semi-circle with a flushed smile of excitement that had no place in the same world that would see shifters foaming at the mouth like that croka. What she could possibly be so happy about, Mave didn't have it in her to speculate. What she was sure of was that she didn't like her. She didn't like that she spoke as though each of them had all the time in the world, and the most important use of their time was listening to her Avian ramblings. She didn't like that she wore her emotions like jewelry, letting them brighten and darken her face with all the subtlety of an explosive. She didn't like the implication that she was meant to care about these emotions, that she was meant to care about these strangers. She didn't like that now she knew the name of this little pest's mentor. She didn't like Zilker. She didn't like that she was expected to risk her life to save the world just because he'd had some fantasy of academic glory. She didn't like that she was here, listening to some hyperactive air-head spout off a list of warnings and anecdotes as though there was some silent agreement that they were going to listen to her— her, who was so clearly not in control; her, meant to be an ambassador for the spearheads of this whole heroic odyssey when her very verbiage was slave to the flight of impulse. Her, a living, breathing specimen of every inconvenience of humanity— Mave didn't like her at all.

Mave didn't realize she was verging on her shift until her nails, sharpening at the tips, sank into the root beneath her and she quickly forced the instinct down, reigning in the nearly overpowering dislike. She huffed out a breath and stood only a tad-too-abruptly. She nodded at the smallest Ursine shifter, if only because her sudden input— provided far sooner than requested— gave her an excuse to be free of the claustrophobic conditions produced by the dozen new faces. "A hunt—" she broke off, momentarily distracted by the arrival of the last avian from the sky, "—is a good idea."

The lithe Feline didn't shift to hunt. It would have drained too much energy in the arid climate, especially when the only prey she could be expecting was rodents. Instead, she put together some simple traps within her hearing radius around her (well away from the activities of the other shifters), and waited until she heard the stirring of potential dinner. With only a couple hours, she didn't catch much, but she managed to catch a few lean rodents. By the time night was falling, she was working on a fire as Narah set up for the night nearby. She managed to get a small flame going— the only thing the hot, dry climate had been good for thus far, and quickly built it into something steady enough to cook with. She had two of the four rodents skewered on sticks and in the process of cooking when Narah approached. Mave didn't look up at her light cough, keeping her focus on her dinner. The slight stall in her rotating of the sticks was the only indication of her surprise as the leopard shifter continued. Mave wasn't much of a mind-reader, but she knew regret when she heard it. Eyes still on the wavering flame, her brow furrowed in an unreadable expression at the edge of something sentimental in the woman's voice.
"...I'm in favor of us continuing on as one group - but I’d like to hear your thoughts either way."
A heartbeat of silence passed. Mave could feel the eyes and ears all around them, all the groups turned mostly inward for now, but ever-alert for signs of betrayal, doubt, and weakness from the rest, too recently enemy empires to be broken of the habit. Mave was frequently slow to catch on to social norms, but even she could see that here, she couldn't be one person. She had to be part of a group. And the only group that she had ever been a part of, even if only by birth, was the Felines. With this knowledge sitting bittersweet— but mostly bitter— in her mouth, she shifted to the far side on the flat stone she had made her seat, leaving plenty of room to remain in-between herself and Narah, should the jungle-dweller choose to sit, and lifted one of the sticks in an offering, half-cooked rodent and all. She let out a low hum of acknowledgement as she settled in her new seat, finding herself grateful for the fire in her human form as the heat faded with the sun.
"Better the devil you know." Her gaze was back on the fire but the slightest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lip in subtle acknowledgment of the awkward necessity of the trio's bond.

[rigbees]

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

Finn had never seen so many people before, especially not other shifters or even those outside of his family. The rare times someone unrelated found their small home they never stayed long, and the times that Ciara brought back her pack members she had never brought more than one or two at a time and they certainly never stayed long. Finn could feel his palms sweating and it felt as if he had swallowed a rock, no amount of trying dislodged the lump in his throat. A few canines were one thing, even if Finn didn’t know them he was at the very least similar. The other shifters were the ones causing him such fear, he didn’t know their customs or traditions and was terrified that he would somehow mess up and deeply offend someone. He knew he had an excuse but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to talk about his isolated life or if they would accept that as an excuse at all. He hoped with his entire heart that he wouldn’t trip over anything and embarrass himself or worse, fall onto anyone. The thought made him shiver.

As they grew closer, Finn tried to train his eyes to the ground to steer clear of twigs and roots. He may pretend he wasn’t clumsy on the outside, but internally he knew it to be an issue and he wanted to make a good first impression. He didn’t want to walk into this group of serious people on an incredibly dangerous and important meeting and immediately paint himself as a useless little fox who couldn’t even keep on his own feet. Although his anxieties caused him to also want to look up at the others, to hopefully figure out who seemed friendly and who seemed like someone he would have to be careful around. The internal debate had him looking back and forth, and he could feel the sweat on the back of his neck now. He desperately hoped he didn’t smell too bad. The travel hadn’t allowed Finn to stay the cleanest, dirt clinging to his shoes and sweat probably clogging his scent. He felt a little silly, despite the fact that the rest of them probably had the same issues.

Once Finn was finally within ear shot he heard a greeting, and excitedly he looked up to see who could be saying it, wanting very badly to befriend as many of the nice ones as possible. Although this of course came at the worst time, as he ended up doing the exact thing he had been hoping to avoid, he stumbled. Over what he had no idea, quite possibly nothing if his track record was to be believed. He thankfully managed to catch himself before the worst of it, though he knew by the state of dirt on his knees that any keen viewer would know this to be a bad habit of his. He had already suffered enough showing his clumsiness to his canine companions. He briefly wondered if it was socially acceptable to shift into his fox form more than human as he was far less clumsy during his shifts. He was more at home in his skin as a fox.

He managed to fight through his embarrassment, hopefully playing off the stumble nicely, to pay attention to who was greeting them. He could barely parse the words through the sound of blood in his own ears. Something about homes on carts. He smiled in what he hoped was a friendly manner, and raised his arm to wave at the girl. Although Finn had never met other shifters he guessed by her scent that she would be some sort of feline. His family hadn’t talked much about other territories when he was younger, but from what he could remember of the brief stories his mother told before she passed, felines did not commonly trust canines. Finn really hoped he wouldn’t mess up some unspoken rules and ruin his chances at friendship. He knew that he would not survive this if he hadn’t made friends. Zander and Joey were getting there, Faolan he was still determined to befriend, and now his next side mission known to no one but himself would be to at least befriend one of each other shift. He didn’t know the next steps of the journey, but he knew it would be in his best interest to stay in the good graces of the others.

Not many others seemed to want to talk. Finn wondered around slowly, making sure to keep close to his fellow canines. Especially Faolan, who he secretly considered their leader even if they hadn’t discussed it officially. He made sure to wave at anyone who seemed friendly enough, although most of his own attempts at conversing fell short. Most of them didn’t reply, and sometimes the words wouldn’t leave his mouth. He hadn’t felt this anxious since their canine companion died early on in the journey. He wondered if any of them had had larger groups and lost some like the canines had. He knew it would be inappropriate to ask, no matter his own curiosity. Even if it was okay to ask such a question it would hurt, and Finn felt as though trying to make conversation by discussing the loss of a life would dehumanize the one who passed. He certainly would not appreciate it if any were to talk about the canine they lost as if it was some conversation starter.

Finn began to feel nervous the longer they stayed in silence. He tried not to simply be Faolans shadow, branching out slightly to explore. He made sure to not trip again, already feeling like the others were judging him. When he finally heard the call of a hawk, he glanced up and walked back towards the tree. He watched as the hawk flied overhead, and he felt a little amazed. Finn had never imagined what it would be like to fly, but he imagined that it would feel very freeing. Although he loved being a fox, he wondered if he could’ve had the confidence to leave home sooner if he had wings to take him through the air. He watched the hawk in slight amazement until the rest of the avians arrived, and before Finn could do his customary waving one of them began to speak.

Finn paid as close attention as he could, occasionally glancing around at the others reactions as he processed the words. His anxiety over meeting people seemed stupid in comparison to the anxiety of what her words did to him. He had never heard any of those stories, although if he had there was a chance he simply hadn’t paid attention, assuming them to be strange bedtimes stories his family made up to make the world seem mystical. At the mention of her mentor that had her choking up Finn remembered how he felt when he had learned of Ciara’s death. He couldn’t imagine losing another person so important to him, and he felt terrible that the avian had gone through that. He wanted to somehow comfort her but having never met her before he knew it wouldn’t be appreciated. Not to mention he had no idea how.

when the girl told them about their final chance to back out and retreat to relative safety, Finn felt his hands begin shaking. He knew in his heart that he would never give up, never wanting to seem useless or like the coward Freya used to claim him to be. He wanted to contribute, wanted to be helpful. Although he could admit to himself that the thought was briefly tempting. His legs stayed still, and he glanced around as no one else seemed to even consider the option. This both frightened and emboldened him. He was worried that he was the only one who even for a second thought of taking the out, feeling weak. Though knowing the confidence the rest of them had convinced him he was making the right choice to stay. He nodded briefly to himself, and clenched his fists so that they would stop shaking.

The two options she explained had him raising his eyebrows. The entire time the canines travelled Finn had been under the impression that the four shifts would get together and work on whatever came next together. Knowing that there was a potential path laid out where the groups split had him blinking rapidly, trying to dispel the nausea he felt. Not only would he feel less safe in a smaller group, he really did not want to leave the other canines that he had come to know on the journey. Having them around made Finn feel better even if they weren’t close, and being alone with the other shifts that Finn knew nothing about would cause Finn to always be on guard. He knew which option he would vote for, even if no one else agreed.

Later as everyone seemed to settle down for the night, Finn felt the exhaustion getting to him. The journey hadn’t been easy. Finn knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep though, the extra stress of the impending decision along with all the new people would make it impossible. After setting his stuff down as close to the other canines as he thought they’d allow, Finn shifted to his fox form and did his best to hunt. Hunting was easy for Finn, he purely followed instinct rather than overthink. He made sure to avoid the feline he could smell, hunting in her human form. What little he managed to get he shared with the other canines, and knew that if anyone asked he would share with them as well. He doubted anyone would though. He stayed in his fox form, feeling far more at ease. He curled up near his things and peered at the others, eyes shifting to every movement he could sense. Waiting for the discussion that was inevitable.

[JDDracula]

ᒍ O E Y
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dire wolf • twenty-two • heterosexual • Finn, Zander, Faolon, other shifters • Tree of Tales
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Joey could feel the tension between the groups as he approached. He felt a little uneasy being the first one in his group to greet the others, not knowing if any of them were friendly or not. His gaze scanned over the others, hoping so desperately that at least some of them wouldn't look so irritated, but honestly it was hard to tell, considering they had all journeyed far and wide, and understandably tired from the trip.

As the rest of his group followed behind him, he felt himself relax a bit, seeing the familiar faces of the men he had traveled with for weeks. He took a small sigh of relief, and kept the same toothy grin on his face as Faolan approached him to meet the others. Joey took his elbow and propped it up on Faolans shoulder, knowing that it would get under his skin, but knew he wouldn't have the same reaction he usually would seeing as though they were in the presence of strangers. As the others introduced themselves, he slide his elbow off of Faolan, and instead placed it onto his stomach to take a joking bow. Oh yeah, my names Joseph, but you all can call me Joey," he said, managing to find the energy to actually say more than one word this time.

Joey turned his attention to Everly as she spoke, trying to take in everything she was saying, but eventually zoning out and staring off into space. He had a short attention span, and it showed in this very moment. He slightly shook his head to snap himself back into reality, and nodded his head in agreement as if he had been listening to the conversation the entire time. He was still clueless to this whole situation, and was still wondering why these certain group of people had to be the ones to save everything, but the thought of being a hero clouded his mind, and all he could do was smile. Just the thought of being the center of attention, really.

His attention was quickly taken by the sound of Zoe's voice as she spoke. Mentioning a bath and a hunt and the best idea anyone had this entire trip. "Listen.. I have no idea whats going on here, and honestly, i dont care what we do.. All i know is, i could use a bath, and-" he paused, taking a big wiff of the air around him and scrunching up his nose as the putrid smell entered his nostrils, "So could some of you." He shot a glance over at the felines specifically, hinting that they may be the ones who needed it the most. Honestly, traveling in a bigger group sounded like a better idea, but Joey was not in the mood to sit and plan things out while he was hungry and dirty.

The longer Joey stood, the more he could feel the blisters on his feet from walking on foot this long bursting. He shot a look over at Zander, and he had the right idea. He stepped back a bit, and placed his hand on Zanders shoulder to help him get down to the ground safely. He practically tossed his shoes off his feet, sighing with relief as the air touched them. His relief quickly turned to disgust as he caught the scent of his own shoes, and thought it might have been a bad idea to take them off in front of the entire group, but at this point he could care less. He quickly shrugged, and grabbed his right foot, and began to massage them carefully as the rest of the group figured out what we would all do.

The moment Joey felt like it was clear to do so, he dismissed himself from the group, hoping to find any kind of water nearby to wash himself up. He hadn't really noticed that he still had his back pack on him because he had been carrying this thing for weeks, and it was pretty heavy. Having long hair and sleeping in the woods was not a good combo. He held his shoes in his hands as he tip toed through the rocks and trees, desperately trying to find anything. He closed his eyes and breathed the night air, catching a scent of running water, which made him walk even faster. He was practically sprinting at this point.

As he pushed through bushes and and long hanging tree branches, he finally stumbled across it. It was beautiful. A flowing river that spread out as far as he could see. Luckily, the water was not flowing enough to wash anyway away from their destination, and he smiled with joy. He debated on whether or not he wanted to tell the rest of the group yet, or if he wanted to have this time to himself, but he finally he decided he wasnt going to be selfish, this time. He headed back closer to camp, close enough for them to hear him shout. He cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted as loud as his exhausted lungs would, "Guys! I found water! I know you all desperately need it!" He had to throw a jab at them before turning back around and heading back to the water, catching a glimpse of Finn in the distance. Seeing that he had shifted, he assumed he was hunting. "Hey!" he shouted in his direction, "be a bro and catch me something, i got you next time!"

Joey turned his attention back to the direction of the river. As soon as he got to the edge, he quickly throw off his clothes, tossed them to the side, and head dived into the water. He held his head under the water as if he never wanted to resurface, feeling the relief of the pain and aches his felt through his entire body as he touched the cold water. When he finally came up for air, he brushed his hair out of his face and wiped his eyes. He smiled from ear to ear, and shouted from the depths of his lungs in excitement, "Woohoooooooo!" He closed his eyes are he listened to his voice echo through the trees.

[azhefa.]

xxxx
𝑨𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨 𝑳𝑬𝑶𝑵
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asha ● 28 ● female ● feline ● african lion ● heterosex/panrom ● single, but closed off

location; tree of tales
tags; others mentioned, open

traveling alone had it's perks as well as it's downfalls. she didn't have to worry about chit chatting or sharing food or space when resting, but she also didn't have another pair of eyes scanning for dangers or another set of hands when hunting or setting up for the night. having an extra set of hands the first night would have been quite useful when setting up her tent but after that she simply decided to sleep in the trees instead as it's just a lot easier. though the first time climbing was a bit difficult in her lion form considering she was built to hunt in open plains not climb trees like a leopard. after lots of trail and error, she found that it was just best to climb in human form and tie her pack to the limb before shifting forms and lounging as a feline.

for just over two weeks, asha traveled alone to the neutral lands, the three other felines also on the journey were almost a day ahead of her in travel. she was able to pick up their trail half way through the trip and soon after she found what looked like a corpse. it was hard to make out at a distance, but once she crossed the flooded basin she's able to see that it was a dead corka. she wonders if the creature had attacked the trio and a whiff of the body leads her to believe it was possibly infected with the same sickness that the royal pride has sent them to find a cure for. the pungent odor of sickness makes her sneeze sharply before she continues on. now she wonders if one of the felines had been infected after their tussle with the creature and hopes they hadn't since that would only lay more responsibilities on her shoulders. she hadn't wanted to come in the first place and it won't be her fault that they failed the royals and the quest they've been sent on.

by the time asha gets to the area that the tree of tales was located, the sun was starting to begin it's decent towards the horizon and the air starts to drop in temperature. the volcanic area had been quite hellacious for the lioness, especially with how she had been living in the northern alpines for over ten years at this point. the cold was more comfortable than the blistering heat. she wonders if the nights here will get cold like the alpines she called home otherwise she might not get much sleep.

voices draw her attention and after a minute, she decides to shed her outer clothes and shift to her lion form careful to pack away her clothes and unlatch her backpack's middle to allow it to separate into a saddle bag. the bag was something she had crafted years ago and used regularly when living her nomadic life, it made it so much easier to carry things as both human and lion. once a lion, she digs her claws into the dirt as she stretches before carefully wiggling her backpack onto her back. it was better to be armed with teeth and claws than to walk up as a weak human, her five and a half foot height wasn't at all intimidating when confronting strangers who could be much larger than herself or already in their creature forms. she wasn't about to take chances. asha takes a calming breath before continuing on towards the tree everyone else was beneath.

as she approaches, asha spots the three other felines as well as four canines, three avians, and of course three ursine. the lioness has to bite back a snarl at the mere sight of the ursine and pointedly ignores them instead. her tail flicks around behind her in tense irritation as she keeps to the outer edge of the group closest to her fellow felines. she seems to have arrived after the initial greetings and whatever else they had all discussed and were now talking about hunting and bathing in the nearby river. asha dumps her saddle bag backpack in front of her and sits to listen to them all chatter. of course none would be able to understand her should she want to butt into their conversation besides the other felines so she remains silent and sizes up each of the others standing around or lounging nearby. the canines were immediately ignored as were the ursine leaving only the avians and felines for her to even think about speaking to. one of the avians seemed to be rather personable and friendly which makes asha hesitate as she would have been someone she'd befriend immediately before her life turned sour. the others seemed to be just as uneasy and closed off as she was.

one of the canines ended up running off to the river while another turned into a fox and started to hunt some of the small critters that scampered around the tall grass. it seems everyone was doing their own thing which she didn't mind at all. asha grabs her bag in her jaws and moves off to find her own place to rest which ends up being a comfortable distance from the others. she drops the bag and proceeds to walk off a bit farther and attempt to hunt some of the small critters the fox was also hunting nearby. it was frustrating to be so large and the prey so small, the little rodents darting for their burrows as soon as she took a step. asha growls her frustrations before abandoning the hunt all together and heading for the river, a soak does sound nice so she stays upriver from the others and wades into the moving water with a content grumble and proceeds to lounge in the shallows.