Tarnished Wolf

[wolf]

Gregnel jumped from one tree to the next his boots digging into the soft bark and he found his right foot slipping as he grabbed on the trunk to save him from a nasty fall.
Once he was solidly placed perched high in the tree did he look down at the forest floor below, sweat beaded his forehead which he wiped with his upper arm.

He liked the trees and this forest was overfilled with them, some so thickly grew that walking on the forest floor was more work then jumping from branch to branch.
He heard the river before he actually saw it, working his way towards it, he finally ran out of trees.
Sliding down the thick trunk he jumped the last few feet to land hard enough on the ground to create a small disturbed place in the soil.
He normally liked to leave no trace of his presence in the forest, it was his way of respecting the wildlife that called this place home along with him.

Today was different, he was hot and tired. The roof of his small house that was tucked away deep in this forest was leaking, spring rains had made it hard to ignore any longer.
He had been out gathering wood to repair it, he never chopped the trees down but instead he gathered what nature had broken or pushed aside.

Dropping the sling of wood pieces on the ground, soon it was followed by his shirt and boots and pants. Then he waded into the cold spring water and dropped below its surface.
The current was strong enough to push against him as he scrubbed his skin with the pebbled sand on the bottom.
Only when he felt clean did he resurface and pushed his hair from where it dripped on his face. The current would take the sand and dirt from his skin as he enjoyed the moment of silence with nothing but the stream to make any noise.

How long he savored the cold water against his skin he didn't know, or cared. Time was not a factor in his life out here in the wilderness of this forest, he knew it was dust and dawn only because the sun set and rose at those times. He didn't mind the darkness here either, he was ok with the solitary life he had made for himself so far.
A deer stepped out of the forest and touched its velvet nose to the water not ten feet from him. As tempting a meal that would make for Gregnel he remained quiet and watched the young deer. It should know better then to approach the water with such little care, it should be wary for there was a predator here in this forest.

Him.

[Byron]

Byron lay there in the shade. The warm sun was beginning to heat up things, making them warm with the new touch of spring. For that, Byron was thankful. At last spring was here, melting the snow away to let the grass grow deep and thick. It was easier to hide in, plus it meant that there would be no cold winds or snowy flakes that would cramp his beutiful wings or legs.

This forest was thick, and why Byron was here, he didn't really know. It was warm and sunny, and it was down right time for a little wander. He did that often, finding the thicker places of the forest to hide in the summer were there was shade to keep cool, and the thinner forests in the winter where there would be more sunshine and space to make a little den. Why he was within clear sight of the river, he will really never know. The branches were low over his head, making him a little more difficult to see...

Curled up in the grass, Byron lay with his head on his front talons, lion backpaws settled to one side while his tail flicked and curled next to them. His great eagle wings were folded to his sides, perfectly in order as usual. The darker shades of the feathers beginning to lighten up slightly, making the darker 'stripes' on each one a little more noticible; but not by much.

The griffin took a deep breath in, then exhauled pretty loudly, making the grass ruffle in front of his face.

'Thump!'

Opening one eagle eye, he turned to look at the river. Some upwalker was at the river and bathing in it. His tail flicked, curling at the end, and with seeming little of a threat at the moment, Byron set his head back on his paws and went back to sleep. Thoughts echoed in his head. 'Why was that landing so heavy?' He snorted, then dozed.

Time drolled on and a new scent drifted to his nose. A deer. Byron lifted his head to watch it. It was young, and honestly, Byron could careless. With a ruffled sigh, he set his head back on his paws sleepily yet kept both eyes open and watching the 'upwalker' and the deer. This could be curious to see. If the wind caught Byron's sent, that means the deer will flee, and the 'upwalker' suspicious. That wouldn't be good... but one can never really be sure.
Byron yawned, and watched.

[wolf]

OOC: I didn't see a rule on the graphic limit of violence. So I am posting this notice that I do plan to kill the deer. So no one gets offended.


IC:
Gregnel watched the deer and the moment it lifted its head to look around, he dipped under the water's surface once more. He moved against the current slowly till he was out of room, any closer and he would surface right in front of the deer, which would spook the animal and rob him of a meal.

He watched through the water as the deer dipped its head once more to drink, he actually watched its pink tongue lap the water into its mouth seconds before he was going to kill it.
He came out of the water the second the deer lifted its head from the stream, his hands wrapped around its neck as it was startled by the splashing water.

He pulled the deer off balance and into the water with him, the splashing was loud and in the confusion the deer lashed out with its hooves.
Gregnel caught one in the cheek and felt the sting of the wound, his blood clouded the splashing water before he sunk his teeth into the deers throat.

The warmth of its fur touched his tongue as his teeth broke the skin and hot blood pooled on his tongue. He had to swallow the first mouthful before he could clamp down harder with his teeth. In his mind he could see the white ringed windpipe being squeezed by the force of his jaw.
Only when the animal stopped jerking around in his arms did he close his eyes and focus on feeling its heart beat.

The pulse slowed against his cheek and when the animal either died from his attack or drowned the heart finally stopped and Gregnel burst out of the water with his supper.
The deer hung from his arms, its wet fur dripped as Gregnel got out of the water and dropped the deer next to his clothes, he used his shirt to dry his face and hair and then dressed.

[Byron]

((OOC: That's quite okay. ))

Byron's head snapped up when he noticed this 'upwalker' catch his meal. Byron normally wouldn't have been worried. He himself hunted often. It was a natural thing to do in order to survive. But what startled Byron was the way the upwalker had killed it.

The instant the human resurfaced, Byron instantly swept his feet into a laying position where he could easily stand up quicker. The feathers on his chest ruffled out in surprise and alarm, curling slightly. His wings slowly and quietly opened out halfway incase he needed to escape.

If this upwalker saw Byron as a target, he would have to flee, but if he fled now, then he'd draw attention. The best chance for Byron was to just stay put and ready. Golden eagle eyes watched the 'upwalker' carefully, his lion paws gently needing the ground, making his body rock side to side in impatience and nervousness. Slowly, he started backing up, which was a mistake underneath the tree were several dry twigs easily snapped under the creature's weight...

[wolf]

Gregnel was about to pick up his pack of wood and the deer when the snap of a twig got his attention. Dropping both he turned on his heel and looked into the forest across the stream from him. His eyes narrowed and he lifted his chin slightly to catch the breeze and tell him what was there watching him.

The hair on the back of his neck rose alerting him that something was there and it hadn't fled in the ruckus of the kill. He stepped closer to the edge of the stream and tilted his head to the side as if hearing something he was unsure of.
Yes, something had been watching him, silent enough that he missed its arrival and it had fouled its escape by moving before he was gone.

"I hear you!" he called out into the forest, trying to hear the what ever it was heart beat, still nothing could be heard. He bent and pulled off his boots, carrying them he entered the steam once more, only this time it was not to bathe.
He carried his boots across the stream and up to the shore where he pulled them on, dismissing his dripping clothes or the fact that water was dripping into his boots.

He raised to full height and stepping into the forest, something was there and he wanted to know if it was a threat to his existance or if it was just a frighten animal.

[Byron]

Byron kept low to the ground, his legs bent around three quarters of the way down so that he just hovered over the grass and leaf litter. Keeping calm, he watched the figure drop his catch and freeze.
Byron was no longer invisible. He had been figured out. Noticed. Discoverd.

Byron hesitantly stopped his retreat. It was the moving and the twig snapping that gave him away. Great. Some great hider he was at the moment. Pride charred slightly, Byron lowered his head to peer through the branches, ears angled backwards.

"I hear you!" The 'upwalker' reached the stream, and plowed right through it and up on the other side.
Now Byron began to worry slightly, but only for a brief moment. This person was taller then he had seen most of his kind, and spoke confidently in his words; clearly knew he was there. Rare. Byron thought he was a good hider! There was something different about this one, though. Something that reminded Byron of hunters, but with a different technique and tone to his over all prescence. There was definitely no backing out of this one.

But Byron being the young adult he was, still had that child-like curiousity and playfulness. If you could see him, it was almost as if the griffin was half-smiling in amusement. 'He can hear me, hmm?' He thought with a small chuckle.

Ducking down, he waited until the upwalker had passed slightly, before quietly sneaking out of the tree and in behind the strange man and into the trees on the other side. Growling deeply in his throat and with tail lashing, he followed him a little ways much like a lion stalks its prey.

"Well I can see you." He replied calmly while sounding sneaky at the same time within the depths of the trees.

With that said, Byron walked out from the safety of the bushes, curiousity pushing him along. Standing behind the wet male, he pulled himself to his full height, standing proud, his normal overall height taller then that of a large horse. His golden eagle eyes blinked down at him, brown feathers neatly smoothed over his upper body, the lion tail gently curling at the tip. Large wings were left half way 'out' at his sides, the sunlight catching them and showing off all the different shades of brown when the sunlight hit them.
Then he waited silently, almost as if he were saying. 'You found me. What now?'

[wolf]

Gregnel walked slowly, he looked around the forest and couldn't see anything out of place, but as he walked further suddenly a scent caught his nose and he stopped. It was like nothing he had come across yet in life, unique scent that told him he wasn't mistaken something was there with him.

He heard a rustle behind him but didn't turn around, something was playing with him and he was always up for a good game of hide and kill.
"Well I can see you." A voice came from behind him and he turned just as the large creature stepped out of hiding to come stand behind him. He looked up at the bird and put his hands on his hips, this thing was huge.

"Spying on others is naughty even for a thing like you. You should take more care about who your stalking. Some creatures tend to frown upon that and fight back." he told the creature, he wasn't afraid of the animal, like all animals that shared this forest.

Nothing was impossible and that was proven to him this day, he turned his head and admired the animal's feathers, a lot of pillows could be stuffed with them. Gregnel saw no threat in this animal, but like himself there was more to meet the eye he suspected, since it could talk this would not be one sided.
"Do you have a reason for spying on me?" he asked it, waiting to hear it speak more, he was curious about this thing...not having known the likes of it before he didn't know what to call it.

[Byron]

Byron snapped his head back in slight surprise, his chest feathers ruffling out; startled. His wings folded up at his sides. He was curious, playful, and now this upwalker was telling him off for doing so! Ha!

"Spying? Spying?!?!" He, Byron, acused of spying?! "I was dozing quite peacefully until you came splashing along in the river." He gave a 'you just hurt my pride' sounding huff afterwards, coming out as an airy sounding squeak like a distressed bird.

The griffin took another step forward and lowered his head towards the figure, watching him; head tilting to each side to look at 'him' from another angle, his great eagle eyes blinking.

"I suppose you are right then." He hesitantly said after a while, looking up at the sky, beak pointed up. Flicking golden eyes back down at 'him', all the while keeping his feathered head pointed up; he knew he had to be careful.
"Other then the spying part." Byron quickly added.

Shuffling his weight slightly, he looked back at the man before him, keeping his head proud and tall.
"I could give many a reason why I was ..." He paused. "...Spying... But most of my answers would be far beyond your comprehension... confusing and in riddles." He proudly lifted his head and gave it a small shake.

"So I'll give a simple one for you, upwalker..."

"I was curious."

[wolf]

Gregnel watched this bird like creature fluff his feathers and tilt his head this way and that but nothing else.
"Curiosity is a interesting thing, it can tell you things you have never known before. It can create questions without answers and sometimes like the fabled cat, it can only end badly." he told the creature before he turned and walked away from it.

He headed back to the stream but stopped before crossing to the other side, he turned back and gave the creature a smile.
"Curiosity is just a girl who took credit for the cat I killed." he told the thing, and then gave it a nod.
"Curiosity is not a fault, never stop wanting to learn new things...that keeps all of us alive from one time to the next." he gave the creature another look and then turned to splash through the stream back to the other side.

He would have to think of this creature more, perhaps over his supper. He thought as he picked up the bundle of wood and the deer once more, tossing both over a shoulder he started the long walk back to his home.
He had no clue where the animal came from or if he would see it again. At this rate he was never to be surprised at the new and interesting things this forest holds.

The animal had done no harm to him and he would in return leave it alone to get back to what ever it did in its life. He was hungry and it was a warm afternoon with a long walk and then skinning and taking care of the meat he had before he could sit back and ponder the meeting today in the forest.

[Byron]

Byron's tail flicked in annoyance as he watched the man leave. Sitting down, he scratched his beak in between his front talons. He seemed eager to be off. Setting his front paw back down, he yawned in responce.
Curiousity was a deep important thing in every creature's life. Curiousity started exploration, questions in need of answers. Discoveries. Its also the way everything learned. If a child slaps its hand on a hot rock, he quickly learns not to do it again or it hurts.

Byron watched him go. Odd. Frowning, the griffin stood and slowly walked over to the river. He watched the upwalker pick up his catch and wood and walk off into the woods.
Byron wasn't going to give up so easily. Time to show off and hopefully earn a little bit longer of a conversation.

After taking a drink of water, Byron shook loose his wings and stretched them as fasr as they could go. The feathers spread wide, also dubbling Byron's size in apperance. Neading the earth infront of him, he crouched low onto the ground and glanced to his left and right. Nothing there. A clear take off.

With a mighy push from his legs and a powerful stroke of his wings, Byron leapt up over the river, gliding over the whole thing and landing on the other side; just to push off and leap up again.

The woods were thick, and very chalenging to fly through, not to mention dangerous. Running into a tree or hitting one with his wing could rescult in sprains, dislocations, scratches or in the worst case senario, broken bones. Shuddering slightly, he shook off the painful thought and soared over the branches, and hopefully clear from harm for now.

The upwalker was right below him. The large shadow of a griffin stretched across the ground, over the upwalker, then caught up with Byron once again.
Tucking in his wings, he spun around in a small barrel roll, turning around to meet the upwalker head on. Snapping out his wings and coming to a dead hault, Byron stood on his hind paws, dragging in the dirt at his quick stop and his wings flutting to make him stay upright with powerful strokes. He let them fall back, and he fell forwards onto all fours.

Shaking briskly, he tucked in his feathers and sat off the upwalker's path so he may pass. "Hello again." He chirped brightly. "It so seems you're in a rush to be leaving..." He blinked. "I won't keep you, but sometimes company is a good thing to have. I need to go this way anyways..." He said with a flick of his wing.

[wolf]

Grapnel heard the bird like creature long before its shadow blocked out the sun as it flew overhead, he didn’t look up though. He figured the bird was just going to where ever it had come from.
When he heard it land ahead of him he knew the bird thing wasn’t finished with his curiosity just yet.

The bird sat just along side the path that Gregnel was walking, not a real path but just a line of sight. "Hello again." He chirped brightly. "It so seems you're in a rush to be leaving..." He blinked. "I won't keep you, but sometimes company is a good thing to have. I need to go this way anyways..."

Gregnel stopped and nodded to the bird, he didn’t want this creature to find his home, privacy was well earned in this forest and he wasn’t exactly small enough to be considered a possible pet.
Gregnel dropped his wood and the deer; he glanced at the creature before running his hands through his hair.

“Company is defined that it is wanted.” He told the bird creature. “I have never been good company myself, I think you will be disappointed by that fact.” He told the bird going to lean against one of the trees, he watched the creature’s bright eyes as they watched him in return, and he pulled out a leather pouch and a slender cigar from its belly.

He held it out of the bird and then smiled. “Let me guess…you don’t smoke?’ He told the bird with a could be assumed by appearance, a smile.
He tucked the pouch back into his shirt pocket and pulled a match out to strike it against the side of his boot, he lit the cigar till it glowed bright red at the end.

He waved the match out but instead of tossing it aside he stuffed it back into his pocket. He might be polluting the air around the small bit of forest around him, but a breeze would take it away, he would not trash the forest he called home by littering in its greenness.

“So, what exactly are you?” Gregnel asked as he leaned against the tree and enjoyed his cigar. “I have not seen your likes before, so I apologise if I appear rude by asking.” Gregnel told the animal, this wasn’t exactly his forest, although he referred to it as such. This forest was home to so many creatures, stumbling upon one so large was not an every day thing for him.

[Byron]

Byron was pleased that the upwalker would keep his company. That much made the griffin feel better. He had been quite alone the past few.... months.... and was eager for someONE to talk to.
"Company is company to me." He said. "Your company will be much better then the company I have met in the past."

Giving his body a shake, he sat down, then slid to his belly to lay down. Rubbing his beak against the feathers in his chest, he blinked back up at the upwalker. "No. I do not smoke." He huffed. "How upwalkers can stand the burning of smoke in their lungs I will never know..." He said with a shake of his head. Watching him puff at the cigar, and pocketing the match he was not really surprised at the question.

"I am a griffin." Byron said proudly raising his head. Byron took great pride in not only himself, but knowing what he was. "It is perfectly alright that you ask. Curiousity, after all." His feathers ruffled slightly. "I am the last, as far as I know." He said, his shoulders seeming to droop a little. The griffin was sad, but trying not to show it as a weakness.

"What about you?" He asked, turning his gaze on the upwalker. "I'm afraid I cannot keep calling you an 'upwalker'..."

[wolf]

OOC: sorry for short post. Have to get them chatting lol

Gregnel watched this creature, a griffin he now knew what to call him; he was disappointed to hear that this creature’s race was almost extinct in this world.
“A pity there are not more of your kind.” He told him as he watched the bird settle down for a good long chat. Gregnel glanced at the sky above, a good long chat would make it after dark before he got home, the deer would need to be tended to long before the morning arrived.

“You can call me Gregnel, for that is my name. I fear I am not anything as special as you are. Tell me have you searched this world for more of your kind?” Gregnel asked, “Surely a animal like yourself would not allow your race to die out completely. What had caused this drop in population of your race?” Gregnel asked, well the bird wanted to talk, might as well find out something about it while he was at it.

[Byron]

OOC: That's quite alright. ^^
BIC:

Byron nodded. "Alright Gregnel. I am Byron." He noticed him look up at the sky, and Byron gave a small flick of his ears. He wouldn't talk to long, seeing hows this upwalker seemed to be in a rush.

Byron frowned, his golden eyes looking at the forest floor. "When I was just a little hatchling, he stayed away from alot of upwalkers. We kept away... they were always rushing about with great weapons and everything seemed... busy. We went out on a hunting trip. Five griffins is hard to feed, so all of us went." His golden eyes intensified angrily, his long eagle talons digging into the ground slightly.

"The 'hunters' became the 'hunted'. Five of us went out, two came back." He frowned. "My .. 'father'... you coudl say, was attacked by a large group of upwalkers with shiny weapons." His feather's ruffled at the edges, looking angry, annoyed and sad all at once. "My brother and sister were shot down from the sky by arrows, and my mother was attacked by hunters." He huffed angrily. "I was left to grow up, learn flight alone."

"A nussance some of these upwalkers are!" He hissed angrily. "I usually keep my distance! I have looked for signs of another griffin, yet I have come upon none." His feathers smoothed out and flattened, as the large creature began to relax slightly. "If I could, I would have tried to save my race a long time ago... but a while of searching like that one begins to feel doubt. So I stopped my search and just looked around me instead of flying wider..."

[wolf]

Gregnel nodded as Byron shared his name with him, he remained silent as he listened to this creature talk about his race and how they came to be almost extinct. Emotion flowed from Byron and Gregnel understood the frustrations and pain it must be to lose so much over the greed of man.

“You should hold on to hope. Doubt has a way of eating away at a person. Hope will keep you alive even in the worst moments when you think nothing will save you.” Gregnel told Byron.
“You must not give up your search, this land is vast and there could be a lot of your race out there, doing what you are doing. Keeping safe. Eventually I think you will find them or they will find you.” He told Byron.

He finished his cigar by this time and instead of crushing it on the ground, he lifted a boot and stubbed out the end carefully, so no sparks would damage the forest. Then he added it to his pocket like the match.
“You are most welcome to come home with me, I will share this meal with you. Or you can take a piece of it now and leave. But if you find yourself this way again. Seek me out Byron.” He told him, getting up and stretching his muscles.
“I have no want of feathers and am more a venison sort of up walker.” He told Byron with a grin to make sure he had no fear from Gregnel.
Gregnel understood this animal’s plight; he would not hinder nor harm this creature.
He hoped that his words brought Byron comfort and hope that more of him were out in this world just waiting to be found.