[PerfectWorld]

Username: Staz
Name: Figment
{ human given name, see story for details}
Type: Marcher
Height: 1,39
Gender: Doe
Story:

She was born into an illegal laboratory which was hidden in the crook of a dense forest.
A scientist had captured a group of cervines, and bred them to rear two offspring in a man made environment. Forcibly weaning Figment at an early age, she was named for the experiment she was to be a part of.
'Nukitta Social experiment 313.'
Separated from her parents minutes after birth before she was even able to recognize them she was put in a shed with a small pen, made sure to be kept away from all other nukitta's and bottle fed.

~+~

The men in the stark white coats sat in silence, brooding at the flat-colored computer screens. The room was full of these great-minded workers with little to do, and their bored gazes followed the franctic pacing of a nukitta infant who went in and out of her cage, continually wearing a tender path through the limited grass space which was closed in by a metallic gate.

One tapped a pencil against his clipboard, a steady beat that calmed the others; and when he paused some looked up, not recognizing they had been listening but searching for the sound all the way.

But the young genius was preoccupied with something else, for abruptly he sat straight up in his chair and shouted, "Stimulus! She need stimulus."

A murmur sliced through the room where silence was reigned only seconds before. The shuffling of papers as scientists looked back on past notes; had they tried that before? Toys? A companion? They moved fast, for they were purposeful, and when they had a goal they acted as the ants they were designed to be; and that evening, a stuffed squirrel plush arrived on Figment's doorstep.

At first she had little interest in it. She trotted over and sniffed it, urinated on it, and turned her back to it. But the scientists held their breath and believed; and eventually she returned to the squirrel's side, prodding it with her cool nose, inhaling deeply its fabric scent.

Although they could not understand her, in a hushed undertone the nukitta spoke in her feral tongue, and it was the first time she had ever spoken, and she whispered, "I'm Figment."

On the other side of Figments shed had been placed a sterilized cage with a male of her species inside it of the same age who had also been born into the labs and never seen his own kind, a wall dividing them so neither nukitta could see the other. "Im Today." replied the male nukitta in a friendly tone, assuming Figment was speaking to him and not the plush. However, Figment was speaking to the plush, unaware of 'Today' being on the other side of the wall.

She peered at the squirrel in her own cage with renewed curiosity, seeking answers to how they placed a soul inside this tiny brown thing. "It's nice to meet you." She gravely dipped her head and a bubbling giggle came from what sounded like the plush, but what was really Today on the other side.

Their conversation untangled for hours, two completely oblivious nukitta fawns caught within a spiderweb of talk, staring intently at the toys they had been rewarded which had been taped to the end of their crates so it would sound like any voice on the other side truly did come from their plush rather than one of their own. Figment lay next to her squirrel even when she stopped talking, protectively curling her dark body around the plush best she could; and she growled when the cleaners came in and attempted to borrow her plush and bit the one who ventured too close.

In her own cage, Today happily allowed entrance to the workers but sat in a corner by herself, making content noises at what they considered to be her imaginary friend. Sometimes she'd even stick her rear up in the air like she was inviting someone to play, but even when they brought a flashlight to look in the corner they couldn't find the sprite her mind brought to life for her.

In their room full of monitors, the scientists were overwhelmed with this progress. Their pencils made erratic scripture on the pages they carried around and for once they looked hard at the screens to find those details they had overlooked before.

The head boss declared this experiment a success and stamped the new polished folders with his approval. For entertainment sakes, they allowed the two nukitta's to keep their toys even after the experiments, imaginary and stained with dirt, and watched in fascination as they played out days with their trinkets, still believing the toys to be real.

The years passed, the illegal experimentation facility having been discovered and Figment sedated to be brought out to the wild. About two years of age when she woke up outside in the strange, horrifying natural world, she'd rushed immediately back to the laboratories where she'd been born. It was a few days trek, and it was only thanks to observing other wild animals that she didn't starve or get eaten by copying their methods.
Bewildered, she searched once she got back to the destroyed lab, finding her squirrel plush in the midst of the debris. Picking up 'Today' she remembered the screams she'd heard as she faded to black. The screams of Today's voice telling her to run as she whispered weakly it would be alright, for him to please keep quiet as she tucked her head against her chest and fell into a deep coma before being transferred to the outside.

She never had seen 'Today', the real Today, the nukitta she'd befriended, and still thinks the plush is what made the voice, and so carries it with her where she goes. Now a wild nukitta, she has encountered her own kind, but still has much to learn about survival, and is forever tainted by her memories in the human lab.

She tends to keep away from her own species...as they frighten her. Their so large and strange... So feral and aggressive.

Considered by other nukitta's a deranged lunatic for keeping her squirrel plush so close, she never leaves it out of sight, and often enough, can be seen talking to her plush whom she's called 'Today', in an apologetic manner. Unsure whether her best friend is alive or not, or constantly ignoring her.

[spacegay]

Username:pinappleblue19
Name:Comanche
Type: Marcher
Height: 1,39
Gender: Doe
Story:Wikita was grazing one afternoon, when she saw a black colt run towards her. When he got close to her, he hid behind her legs. She knew this meant danger, but she didn't have time to think before a tan van appeared into view. It was going fast, and there were men on top of it with guns. "Oh no! She thought, then she nudged the little colt and they sprung forward, running as fast as they could, dodging rocks and getting to their herd. Comanche whinnied really loudly, which let everyone know they were in danger, then she and the colt took the lead. The other horses followed them as they ran to the woods. They were almost there, when they heard a cry. Comanche stopped, and looked back. The little colt! The men had put a halter on him and tranqued him. Comanche, told everyone to go in the forest. They were born for the forest and would blend in well.She ran back. WIP

[Sage]

Username: Sage
Name: Azrael
Type: Marcher
Height: 1,39
Gender: Doe
Story:

Azrael. Whispering over the hills, the sound came again. Azzraeeel. Long, delicate pinna twitched trying to catch the words the Wind carried. Azrael. Thats what her friend was saying. It called to her, beckoned her. Lifting her head high she flicked her ears this way and that, waiting. It had been a while since she had played with the Wind. Mother had made sure to keep her close to the herd these past few days, she was always worrying about something, and it was when she started worrying that she made sure to keep her offspring nearby. It was rather annoying actually. Not that Azrael minded being with the herd, she just disliked the slow pace the herd tended to set. Azrael wanted to run. Her legs ached so badly it hurt sometimes, the wanting of it raking at her insides, screaming at her to go! But she dared not wander while her Mother kept such a watchful eye.

The young filly lifted her nose to the heavens, letting the summer air fill her lungs. She let out a soft whicker, her still short tail waving gently amongst the tall grass stems. Having been born only this past Spring, she was not yet old enough to sport the longer strands of hair in her tail. Mother assured her that in time her tail would grow out full and beautiful but it was taking so long to do so that Azrael wondered if she would ever have a tail like the other Nukittas. Looking back at the hairs that fell only to her hocks, she gave an experimental flick and tried to imagine what it might look like some day. Right now the strands were jet black; she wondered if they might change color as she grew older. Her mane was quite the same color but it was streaked with lighter shades of grey at the top of her head and near her shoulders. Right now her mane was just spiky tufts of hair but it became softer and longer near the points of her shoulder blades. A blanket of white was thrown across her haunches, spots of her dark brown coat showing through where the white could not hide it.

The Wind let its fingers trail across her back and she danced happily, letting out a snort of pleasure. Stomping her small hoof on the ground she tossed her head in the air; a challenge. One of her favorite things to do was to race her friend the Wind. As its fingers tugged at her mane she let out a loud bray and took off. Muscles that had not been properly used in days shouted their joy as long slender legs stretched out to their fullest length. Lungs pushed and pulled air in and out of her lungs as her strides ate up the ground beneath her. The Wind laughed as it whipped past her ears and pulled all of the strands in her tail out behind her. This was what she was made for.

The earth thundered beneath her hooves as she ran. Ahead, the river gleamed gloriously as it snaked out of the forest where the herd would probably find shelter for the night. Pushing her body further than she had ever done before, she eyed the river. The race forgotten, she flew toward the water. As she drew near she felt the ground start to soften, sucking at her hooves, hoping to slow her down. But she was going too fast for the mud to slow her now. Three more seconds. Two seconds. One.

Back legs gathered beneath her, muscles bunched and without further thought the young filly launched herself upwards. Front legs tucked against her chest, time seemed to stop. The Wind tugged gently at her torso, urging her to succeed. Azrael could hear the river gurgling softly to itself, could hear a bird chirping somewhere close by.

All of the sudden time snapped back to reality and the opposite bank of the river rushed towards her. It was all she could do to get her feet out in front of her just barely managing it before she was jolted by the force of her landing. Stumbling forward she was able to keep herself upright and come to a halt. Looking back at the river she regained her breath. Slowly it hit her that she had actually made it, had actually landed the jump. Rearing up she whinnied in happiness.

"Azzy!" Pausing, the filly turned towards the call. Hidden in the shadows of the trees stood her brother, Rovanion. Starkly different from her own coloration, Van's coat was a brilliant white with red tinged stripes slashing across his neck and shoulders. His mane and tail were dark red in color and lashed around him now. He was at least a year older than her and almost an adult in terms of Nukitta age. The shadows did nothing to diminish his glowing white fur and she admired jealously the way the shadows almost made him glow instead. But the stern look he gave her now made her twist her ears back in submission. Trotting towards him she didnt have time to speak before he interrupted. "Mother has been looking for you." Scowling she spoke, her voice several shades higher than his. "And I assume she sent you to find me?" Her tone was slightly petulant. "Yes." he said simply. Looking up at him she asked "Are you going to tell her I was out in the tall grasses?" She knew she wasnt supposed to wander out of the safety of the sentinel trees but it was just so dark and damp and close together. She longed for the open fields where she had room to run and she could bask in the warm rays of the run. "No." The word stopped her thoughts and she eyed her brother in disbelief. "You're not?...Why?" Suspicion colored her voice. Chuckling her brother reached over to tug at the longer strands of her mane. "Because I know how the forest grates on you." He eyed her carefully. "And you didnt stray too far out - this time." Azrael was often slipping off and had been close to being lost a few times already. Smiling, he turned in towards the darkness of the forest beckoning her to come with him and she reluctantly entered the forest at her brother's side.

The forest was far from quiet but today things seemed to be a bit subdued. Glancing sideways, her brother grinned wickedly. "I saw your jump. It was a pretty good stunt. But everyone knows its quick feet that will get you further in life." There was the beginnings of a challenge in his words and it was only too easy for the male to bait his little sister. "A pretty good stunt?! I have been trying for weeks to land that jump!" she exclaimed. "Yes but you only jumped the thinnest part of the river." He stopped and faced her. "I bet I can beat you back to the herd." His eyes glinted in the darkness, the challenge now thrown down. " You're on!" the younger filly said. A race in the field was one thing, a race through the forest with an actual opponent was a whole new challenge.

Standing side by side two two Nukittas, one smaller and thinner the other larger and more built, readied themselves. " Ready....set.........GO!" Both brother and sister exploded off the "starting line". Legs pumping as each tried to get ahead of the other. But this race would not be about speed but rather about who could dodge the trees that stood closely together. One wrong move and you were done. Twisting her torso from side to side she gleefully weaved through the trees glancing sideways to see her brother only a stride ahead of her. The siblings were evenly matched - Van though more powerful had to work hard to maneuver his larger body. Azrael had less trouble dodging trees she had to push harder to keep up. However, slowly but surely Azrael closed the gap and started to pull ahead. Laughing breathlessly she tore through the forest. She was winning. That would show Van. That woul--

BANG!

The forest shattered. Birds exploded from the trees and Azrael crashed into the trunk of a large oak.

BANG!

Head over heels the world tumbled out of focus. As she came to a shuttering stop she realized someone was screaming. It was a sound unlike she had ever heard before; full of pain and agony and death. Shaking the haze out of her vision she scrambled to her feet searching the trees for a sign of Van. "Van?" she asked outloud. She didnt dare yell, instinct lowered her voice. But the scream was still present. Trotting uncertainly towards the sound she caught a flicker of red and made a beeline for it thinking it was Van. As she rounded the last tree she stopped. It was indeed Van. But something was wrong. Van was the source of the scream which had died out by now. Laying on ground, his sides heaving his wide eyed found her gaze and she stumbled to his side. "Van?!" Her eyes raked down his body and didnt initially see the problem but a second scan showed two blossoming red flowers spreading over his white pelt. One sat delicately over his shoulder and the other bloomed on his ribcage. The filly didnt understand what was happening. She looked back at her brother. "Az. I think Im dying" he rasped. "NO! Van, no you cant!" she burst. "Az, listen to me. You need to go. Get out of here. Get to safety. They will come. You cant be here." His sentences were coming in short halting breaths. How could this be happening? How quickly their lives could change. "Who's coming?! Van, I dont understand! I wont let you die!" Sobbing she made no move to leave, determined not to let him die like this; determined not to let him die, alone. "Azrael. Go!" She shook her head, "Come with me. You'll live, heal, get better. You have to Van! Van! Get up! Come on! Please!" Her voice rose in pitch pleading with him to get up. She nudged his jaw trying to urge him to get up. The crunching of leaves cut through their grief and Van's eyes widened; terror shone in his eyes. " Azrael, you need to leave me. You need to go. NOW!!" he roared. Azrael was jolted to her feet by the force of his words. Shaking her head she looked towards the sound of the approaching Unknown and with Van's whinnies at her back she fled, letting her hooves take her away.

She didnt know how long she ran or even where she was going; she ran blindly. She ran until her body couldnt run any more, her brothers words ringing in her ears. Azrael you need to leave me. She barely registered when her legs gave out from under her and she tumbled to the ground collapsing in a heap. Her mind was numb, unable to process things like it was supposed to. All it could do was replay her brothers words over and over. Exhaustion hovered at the edges of her splintered spirit, waiting to pick up the pieces. As her spirit flagged, darkness surrounded her like loving arms, until she stopped fighting and slipped into unconsciousness.

It was in this state that her herd finally found her, heart-broken and alone. It would be many days before she would physically recover and many months before her heart would start to mend. The death of her brother left a scar on her heart but her spirited nature would never allow her to let that scar become a burden. Though she grieved for many moons, she did not allow Grief to become her constant companion, determined to live as her brother would have wanted her to live.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ok a few notes: I wasnt quite sure how to describe the noises these creatures would make so I hope "braying", "whinnying", and "snorting" are appropriate. Also I wrote about the grey areas in her mane figuring that as she got older they would lighten to white as sometimes happens in animals. Same thing goes for her tail - as she reached adulthood her tail would reach its fullest length and volume.

I hope you enjoy this story despite its length, Its been a while since Ive RPed and once I got going I just went with it. :3
**Edited the ending a bit**
Word count: 2,005

[iAmDiversity]

Closing for judging on the 20th!

[iAmDiversity]

Closing in one hour!

[iAmDiversity]

Username: Ralonica Thorondor
Name: Rane
Type: Marcher
Height: 1,39
Gender: Doe
Story:

Congrats to your girl!^^

[Ralonica]

Username: Ralonica Thorondor
Name: Rane
Type: Marcher
Height: 1,39
Gender: Doe
Story:

Congrats to your girl!^^

Thankyou so much! I'm so happy, she's such a gorgeous Nukkita and my favourite so far. I'll make sure to take good care of her <3