Regrets of traveling alone

[BethanieStealsCheese]

Snapping awake, Vira jumped to her feet, and glanced around. She had been in a deeper sleep than what she had expected to be, and hadn't heard anyone approach. Her dragon sense only alerted her to danger, the rest she had to rely on her senses for. She hadn't sensed danger, but she could hear music drifting from further down the river.

Wringing the rest of the water out of her hair, and throwing it over her shoulder, and stalked towards the noise. She came to a rock outcropping about ten feet away from where the stranger sat, and peeked from behind it. She saw the wolf with the Ocarina, and studied him harshly. She thought it rather foolish of him to have alerted any in the area of his presence without finding out whether there was danger about. She didn't see or sense anything that would give her the idea that he was foe, but that wasn't enough for her to come out and introduce herself, either. He was probably just passing through, and she was already uncomfortable with as many furs as there was at the cave. Sure, she struck a cord with some, but she was ultimately a loner, and had been for a very long time.

"If he finds the cave, then so be it, but I'll be damned if I am the one to lead him here. It's quite crowded enough already," she thought to herself.

Vira turned, and headed the opposite way of the stranger, back towards her sunning spot by the river. She sat facing the river, and pulled her hair over her shoulders again to dry the rest of the way. Leaning her chin on her hand, she pondered over the days events, especially the mornings, with whatever that strange feeling had been.

[Vosur Aekira]

He accidentally strikes a wrong note, this jarring himself out of his music. Opening his eyes and moving his ears around, he regains his awareness to everything around him, tipping his ocarina to one side and shaking it for a moment before putting it away. "Hm... odd... I don't recall any reptilian life normally in this area during this time of the year. It's normally too cold for them." His nose was twitching as he was catching many scents, it was almost as if he was trying to focus on just one scent. "Not anything that was following me... but obviously trying to mask its own scent."

[Kaz]

Feeling a rather strong urge to move Kaz had stood up and wormed her way past everyone in the cave, stepping out into the now high sun she blinked away the light while she adjusted to it. Slowly she brought her hands over her head and stretched, yawning some because usually by this time she'd be sleeping. As she began to walk further out she cupped her hands over the odd stone, 'What is wrong.. Why haven't you been doing what you were..?' she asked it softly. Normally the stone would glow ever so slightly, or vibrate just a little... Lately it hadn't been.

'Perhaps that thing.. Whatever it was..' she stopped herself and shook her head, "Nah.." she finally said loud enough fro someong to hear. She continued walking off into the distance and began to wonder where Vira had gone, she had said she was going further into the forest. 'I wonder if she's alright.. It's been awhile.' she thought to herself as she began to head that direction. Weaving through the trees silently she began to feel tense, this time there was someone else.

She peeked from behind a tree hidden within the shadows, a white wolf it had seemed was sitting on a rock only a little ways away from Vira. Kaz blinked and walked over to Vira, "Did you find anything?" she said softly as she moved to sit on a rock that was behind the dragoness.

[Takuya Hakumei]

 Russet was jarred out of his thoughts be the ocarina hitting a wrong note.

It's been awhile since I've heard that music... he thought  to himself, with a smile.

He got up with a mighty stretch, and walked towards the river, where Vosur had been playing his ocarina.
He rounded a corner, and was walking towards Vosur, sitting on a rock, when he was pulled behind a tree by Kaz.
"Watch  out!" She whispered furiously "There's a strange wolf out there!"
"I know." he replied, "He is...was...my best best friend in my village" and with that, he stepped into the clearing.
 "Hey Vosur!" he called out, "Long time no see. I see you still can't play that, after all these years!" He called with a grin on his face...

[Vosur Aekira]

 Russet was jarred out of his thoughts be the ocarina hitting a wrong note.

It's been awhile since I've heard that music... he thought  to himself, with a smile.

He got up with a mighty stretch, and walked towards the river, where Vosur had been playing his ocarina.
He rounded a corner, and was walking towards Vosur, sitting on a rock, when he was pulled behind a tree by Kaz.
"Watch  out!" She whispered furiously "There's a strange wolf out there!"
"I know." I replied, "He is...was...my best best friend in my village" and with that, he stepped into the clearing.
 "Hey Vosur!" I called out, "Long time no see. I see you still can't play that, after all these years!" I called with a grin on my face...

((Since you're RPing that he knows Vosur... I'll make it seem plausible.) Slowly rises to his feet. "Hm?" He turned towards the voice and unsheathed both katana, the wavy blue pattern on both blades gleams in the sunlight... a sign of a powerful alloy called Damascus Steel. He wore a large shield-like gauntlet on his dominant hand (paw?), which was his left, the plating was shown to be of the same alloy also. "And you are?" he said as he shifted his head slightly lower to allow his eyes to connect to this individual's.

[Goblin Cat 😸]

Nyx had been meditating in a cozy corner of the cave when she realized that there was only her and the original white wolf inside. She opened her gray eyes and looked out of the entrance of the cave. The sun shone brightly from the blue sky, and small white tufts of clouds lazily drifted across the horizon. Gathering herself and standing on her haunches, she nodded to the white wolf as if she were bidding him farewell. To be quite frank, she hadn't been residing in the cave for long, and now wanted to leave. She was sure the humans may have already tracked her to the cave when she felt a disturbance this morning... A sinking feeling as if there was a bad aurora about the area. And as she had head bits and pieces from the others thoughts, nobody could identify what that thing may have been. This made the dragoness a bit uneasy.  She didn't want to be captured again.
She took a few steps outside of the cave and peered up at the sky taking in a big whiff of the clean air and allowing a few black flames to escape her throat as she exhaled. The sun was warm against her scales... It made her want to nap in it again. But she knew that she couldn't. Nyx stretched her wings to their full extent and took to the air. She could sense the others near the river along with the scent of a new fur. Diverting her flight to other places, she headed in their direction to see what was going on.

[Takuya Hakumei]

"It's...me...Russet" Russet said tentatively, tilting my head in puzzlement. "We were partners at the training dojo...remember... I was your best friend before I left half a year ago..."  He took a slow step backwards, fearing a trick by his brother.

 He was confused, Vosur had been his only defendant against the elders in the village.
Surly, he would not have forgotten me that quickly... he thought to himself.

Just to be safe, he pulled out the gem, and felt the magic flowing, amplified by the dark stone.

He thought he saw recognition in Vosur's eyes, but he couldn't be sure, the sun was in his eyes...

[Vosur Aekira]

"I hit my head about a year ago... then was taken into the nearby military. Most humans despised one such as myself being so skilled... but there were a few who thought of me as friends." He slowly sheathed the blades. "Why am I telling you all of this though? I feel like I know you but not really sure why... after I had awoken from the hit, I could only remember my own name."

[BethanieStealsCheese]

Vira nodded to Kaz.

"Just some stranger. I didn't announce myself," she said, making a jerking movement towards Vosur.

"Looks like a class reunion. Seems Russet knows him somehow."

Vira yawned and sat up, and turned towards them. She found it strange that Russet was so sure of himself, and that Vosur seemed so lost within his own memories.

It is surely none of my concern. I have enough bad memories of my own.

Vira let out a deep frustrated sigh when Russet pulled out his gem again. Why did he insist on showing it to one and all? He was going to get himself into a heap of trouble that way.

That's none of my concern... she reassured herself. Now was not the time to take on others lives to protect.

Turning to Kaz, Vira gave her a serious look, "I believe what we felt earlier might have something to do with the humans I'm tracking. They've been able to learn certain things from the dragons they captured and experimented on. My sister was among those gifted with dark arts and invisibility. I would hate to think they've accessed either of those abilities, but this mornings events have lead me to think that they have."

[Vosur Aekira]

"Odd... who do we have here?" His nose was twitching as he caught scents, various yet discrete in their own right. They didn't resemble too many of the creatures that normally inhabit this area. He looked to Russet. "Guests of yours, I presume?"

[Takuya Hakumei]

"Actually, we're all guests," Russet explained, not daring to give away there cave. "I can't believe you don't remember me, but, would you like to come in with me? you look tired." he offered.

Turning to Kaz and Vira, he said "It's alright you guys, hes okay, just a little amnesia, but I know him, he's alright."

[rhoon]

 ???
Name: Rhoon
Fursona: Wolf
Coloring: White and black
Clothing:Headband, baggy sweatshirt, jeans.
Markings: Panda-like markings.
What you're traveling with: matches, a dagger, a broken necklace, rope, & thread all in a small bag.


He hands reached down, grabbing a handful of sand, it filed through her fingers smothly. She smirked and looked around a bit, the wind blew the branches of the trees to a screeching howl. The sky was gray and clouded over, her bag still full. Looking behind her, she realised how different it was here from where she grew up. A sigh escaped her mouth as Rhoon continued walking, the grass rubbed against her overused paws. When she squinted, the faint outline of a cave appeared, perhaps, shelter?

 :sparkle:

[Kaz]

Kaz's eyes shot over to the strange wolf she'd seen and she had nodded, "I see." she fell silent for a moment and crossed her arms over her chest, "So he knows him? Huh.." Kaz eyed the two males skeptically, 'When'd the wolf get here anyways? You'd think Vira would have left the second she'd sensed someone near.' she thought to herself and then she shook her head slightly as Russet brought out the stone, 'Honestly...' she continued within her own mind, 'If he took that stone as he claims, why would he flash it around..' she frowned.

Vira had begun to speak again and Kaz's ears pricked up intently as she listened to the dragoness cocking an eyebrow, she was confused at what the dragoness was speaking about at first. Nodding once Vira had finished, "But if the humans had learned such things, why was I unable to pick up a scent? Invisibility or not, they'd still have a scent." she then pointed to the still moist ground, "And besides that, when it approached me I heard a twig snap.. But when you look around the ground is much to wet for something to so much as crunch, slosh maybe yes.. But not what I heard.." She sighed and began questioning if anything had really happened or not within her head.

[Vosur Aekira]

Looks to Russet. "If you are with others, then I must leave you. I cannot endanger their lives." He looks to the gauntlet he wears on his left hand. "I think I may have already endangered you with trying to calm myself." His ears shifted around as his eyes began to move. "This gauntlet I wear holds more secrets to it than what you can see or sense... although the metal is the same as my weapons, it has very unique properties that some people are trying to exploit. And so I must move on.... hide your scent and hide yourselves, because we have alot to talk about once we meet up again." He placed his hands on both katana and began running away from the scene.

[Goblin Cat 😸]

Nyx swooped down stealthily a short ways from the group hidden by brush. She had caught the last bit of conversation between Russet and the other wolf. The stranger. He seemed to be running from someone or something as she did. She watched him dart off into the forest, leaving Russet behind.
Silently shifting through the brush again, she found Vira and Kaz and although she was hiding her scent and herself from the others, she was almost positive that Vira would pick up on her presence. Being a dragoness, even if something was well hidden, you could still feel it there. She wondered whether she should leave the others without announcing it. For a brief moment, it seemed wrong.
Nyx shook her head and stood to her haunches and walked into the clearing in which Kaz and Vira stood. She injected herself into their conversation, "You'd be amazed at some of the things that the humans learned from us. Some of them even learned how to control us. To use us like puppets. And although the creature may not be HUMAN, it could possibly be another of Vira and I's kind working for them. We dragons know how to hide our scents from others. How to hide very well in general. Why do you think that it took so long for the humans to actually pick up on our existence in the first place?" Her eyes went from their usual silvery glow to a dull gray. "I believe I've put you guys in danger, because the humans have been trying to find me since I escaped their wretched institution. They want me because I am one of the few creatures who survived this." she said, shifting her gaze to her cybernetic arm. "I've seen some of my kind have these enhancements, but their body did not accept the artificial parts as its own. I would have to watch them slowly... die." Nyx lowered her head, disappointed, "They'd come up to me with their scales discolored and flaking... crying. Crying because they... they... h-hurt. Wyrms of all sizes and ages. Crying. And that's only in my group. I can't imagine what pains they put the others through."