[Archenstone]

The moon hung low as evening turned to night. Elaine walked down the wooded path with Leonie. It would be the first time Leonie came willingly to a place where humans could be. Elaine could tell she was nervous. I am amazed she chose to come with me... this must be so strange for her! From their time in the cave Elaine had figured out that Leonie rarely left what was her only true sanction from light. It was night of course but Leonie's choice in dwellings had kept her far from human contact until Elaine blundered into her home.

They where nearing the edge of the forest and Elaine hoped that she could find some good plants in the untamed grasses for her food and tea. She wondered briefly if Leonie would be able to stand being so far away from safety long enough for her to gather food and perhaps hear some news of what is happing in the world from local people.

"If you get too nervous Leonie don't hesitate to return. I will understand and follow." Leonie took a deep breath and snorted. As if to say, "I'm not afraid of anything!" But inside she was nervous. What is these humans tried to take her?

Elaine had named her but did nothing like what she was taught humans did to Serraptors. She never tried to mark her or place strange bits of materials around her neck or ankle as people where known to do. What if the other humans thought she was take able? She would fight them of course. She would never be some dumb human's pet and yet...she knew she liked Elaine. She even trusted her...surely Elaine would not allow other humans to try and claim her? The Serraptor walked along beside Elaine as the thoughts played about in her head. She still could not form the unfamiliar speech sounds Elaine used so instead she tried to brush her concerns aside and enjoy the rare evening out.

[Sagebrush]

[center]
Telltale Fundamental
or simply, "Teller"

Stripes shone brilliantly, flashing millions of spectrum colors a second. His fur shook heavily as he supported his thick pelt and his own, bulky body. Shaky paws trembled as he lumbered into  the night. He was barely noticeable in the moonlight when his stripes were "turned off", as to say, but tonight he felt brave and boastful. This pelt was a diamond in the rough; a star in the eclipse; a light in the dark. At least, that was what April had told him.
His tail swished, cursing his natural slowness. He was very light on his feet, but being very fragile, his body only allowed subtle movements. Altogether, he was very torpid and he would never win a race. He had learned to like slowing down and observing, but not tonight. His eyesight was very poor, and in the night, he could not see anything. Slowing down didn't help.

April had told him that he could choose whether to go out alone or together, with her. Teller had hastily chosen to go alone, as he thought a walk in the moonlight would calm him; now that he thought back on it, it wasn't the best desicion.

Narrowing his eyes, he was surprised when an elevation under his ground turned wooden. A bridge! he thought. Though physically unable to speed, Teller was very intelligent. He had never been on a bridge himself; indeed, his discoveries were limited; but he had read about them from the library books that April had brought home, and quickly learned a lot about architecture. The smooth, yet rough wood underneath him rubbed against his calloused paw pads and soothed him slightly. In the moonlight, he stopped to rest and sat down.

His eyesight wasn't very good, but not far ahead was a blur of rainbow, very similar to his own stripes. Someone was there.


[1]

[Archenstone]

Her pockets where already starting to fill as Elaine found some berry bushes and began picking. The pants she wore had large pockets she had sewn on from spare material and where excellent for storing objects. Once a good bit of berries were safely in her pockets she moved on. There was Black Thorn in this region. It was a short, bristled plant with dark pointed leafs. She needed some for her tea. She browsed the ground and for a moment wished for a light. It would be hard to find and if she didn't find it tonight she would have to come out with out Leonie during the day. Leonie... She suddenly had an idea but when she looked up she found that Leonie was walking away...closer to town! Curious, Elaine walked fast to catch up.

Leonie had been sniffing around the tasty meal she smelt when a glow caught her eye. Her head came up out of the grass and her meal scurried off. What is that? The glow had surprised her and so her lips had curled make. Seeing no humans she relaxed. And saw what looked like another creature with glow patterns like hers but so much brighter! The wind was not in her favor so she decided to walk up and see. She didn't fear any creature of the forest. Her stripes dimmed as she moved forward unconsciously stalking.

She was just several feet away when Elaine caught up. "What is it Leonie?" She followed Leonie's gaze to a brightly colored animal resting on the bridge. A Ferrikoon? She stepped up to the end of the bridge and crouched. "I've never seen a glowing Ferrikoon before." She said as Leonie came up to the bridge as well.

I never knew other creatures where like me... Leonie thought, deciding the Ferrikoon wouldn't make a good meal and was probably someones pet.

[Sagebrush]

[center]
The Ferrikoon stared and sensed movement in the creature far ahead. A creature... and a human. Immediately, his stripes dimmed in a reflexive attempt the stay hidden. He did not trust the creature. The human was probably nice, like April. But he did not trust the creature.
Its elongated body looked kind of like a Gyrraptor. But no, that wasn't it. It most definitely wasn't a Gyrraptor. Gyrraptors... were fuzzy... and they were short. This creature wasn't fuzzy or short.

Teller rapidly searched his mind. It looked carnivorous, but he couldn't really tell. From his distance, and from his eyesight, the creature looked like nothing but a colorful, tall, and slim blur. He shook his head. Okay, no more reading in the dark, he scolded himself. My eyes are getting really bad.

He shrugged it off and decided to get closer. His powerful wings flapped slowly, pumping like a bat's wings would. Slowly, he hovered over the bridge-like platform. His weight felt solid and heavy. He started to flap towards the two, and perhaps ambush them by falling on top of them. That would teach them that he was dangerous, although in reality, he was very harmless.

His ambush plan was ruined when his wings broke flight and gave way to his weight. Teller flew through the air, falling to the right of the platform. Water sloshed noisily underneath the bridge as he plopped in. Stupid... stupid... stupid! his mind screamed at him, paws moving rapidly to try to get out of the river.

Teller let out a shrill yowl for help.


[2]

[Archenstone]

Leonie chuckled in amusement as the would-be ambusher plopped into the water. Elaine however made her way into the river and tried to get the animal to shore [/i]What furry thing doesn't know how to swim?[i] The thought crossed her mind as she half carried, half pushed the Ferrikoon as its paws splashed all over the water. Finally where the Ferrikoon could stand Elaine let go and walked completely out of the water. She noticed Leonie watching with what could only be amusement.

"You better hope my herbs don't spoil after soaking them!" Elaine said in an irritated voice. Her tone and manner softened though when she saw what kind of state the barely glowing critter was. "You are okay though right? I didn't handle you to roughly?" It gave her a moment to see just how fragile looking the wings are.

[Sagebrush]

[center]
The Ferrikoon growled. His pelt was even heavier now, thanks to that little dip in the river...! His wings felt violated, as they had never been handled by human hands before. He narrowed his eyes at the creature next to the human. Oh... a Serraptor! he thought. How could I have missed that? Teller sat down and started to lick the bottoms of his feet with his rough tongue to try to rid them of its moisture.

Serraptors were carnivorous. He didn't like Serraptors. Especially this one, which seemed to take humor at his bedraggled sight. <"Hey, it's not that funny!"> he barked in Evelon tongue, staring hostilely at the dinosaur-like creature. <"You weren't the one who fell.">

He turned to the human and nosed her pockets curiously. Herbs? What kind? Maybe there was something in there that would help him to not freeze in the night. Quickly, he drew back as a sharp tang--typical of the smell of herbs--reached his tender nose. The weight of his fur unconsciously reached his mind and he thought, Oh, to heck with this!

He stepped a little closer to the Serraptor, and shook his pelt, spraying water droplets on the pet. The movement of his body prevented anyone from seeing his secret smirk.


[3]

[Archenstone]

Leonie felt the cool splatter of many droplets hit across her legs. chest and face. Blinking the excess moister from her eyes she looked at the damp fluffy thing with wings. It had spunk! Her grin broadened to the point her teeth showed...though it was far from a hostile expression. Heck, she was tempted to toss it back in the water and make a game of this. She did resist temptation...after all it did seem rather agitated and barked something in human speech. The fact it knew that speech and she didn't though did set a spark off.

"Don't stop flapping those wings of yours over water then!" She said....or attempted to. It came out something akin to :Suuoontsss stuuopf frawfing soos wrinsss of oouurrs ouffer aawwtser szen!. She huffed...why couldn't she get her tongue to move right? Its not fair this creature could speak it fluently. IF she could then she could learn more from Elaine and perhaps find out more of the world.

Elaine gently shifted the Ferrikoon so its nose was not in her herbs and could only stare in surprise when it spoke perfectly! Her initial shock gave way to laughter at how the Ferrikoon handled Leonie. Leonie's attempt at speech only sent her into giggle fit.

[Alterna]

Venom Rollaby

So much noise! ,Kaeva thought to herself. She was tempted to leap on them right then and there, but she controlled herself. Instead, she held back, swishing her tail back and forth through the leaves. It might attract their attention, but it'd be no bother for Kaeva. She'd stopped being afraid once she'd learned how to use her venom. Kaeva settled back down again to nibble on some grass.

[Sagebrush]

[center]
[[OOC: Well, originally, Teller was talking in Evelon tongue--pet language? But I suppose now he knows how to speak human. x3 Quite a cool twist, in fact.]]

One of the disadvantages of shaking was that, now, he felt completely fluffed. Fur spiked out of everywhere, tufts of hair giving him the look of a punk with a mohawk who slept in a little late. Quickly (or as quick as he could), he sloped down his fur with his own paw, trying to balance himself out with only three feet. His claws outstretched to substitute for a comb. When it didn't work, he decided to mock the Serraptor. It would at least be better than taking the embarrassment for himself.
The Ferrikoon let out a snort and good-naturedly imitated, <"Suuontsss stuuopf!">

Speaking a mix of Evelon and Human, Teller had understood the Serraptor completely and answered, <"Yes, maybe I will."> He started to hover over the river, completely sure that he was close enough to the bank that he wouldn't actually fall. That was when he was a twisting tail.

<"Ah--ha?"> he asked, confused. <"What is that?">

[4]

[Archenstone]

[[I saw that there was a trait for human tongue and when you specified I thought you meant human language! heh heh, if you'd like we can change it back. Thats okay ]]

Leonie was having too much of a good night to take offense at his imitation of her. So what if I can't speak human? SHe made up her mind then that she would find her own way. She relaxed her grin some and watched the fluffy thing rise up over the banks of the river.

What's that? A rustling noise caught her attention. I wonder if its a snack come to the party? She walked over where she saw something else chewing the grass. Doesn't look very tasty. She thought to herself. This creature she did know...a Rollaby.

"I suppose its my lucky night. Everyone's out and about but the humans." She said in the animal speech.

Elaine calmed her self down a little and stood up. Sticking her hands in her pockets, she was rummaging around to see if she lost anything. "I still need Black Thorn..." Her hearing was as any other humans...as such she had no clue why Leonie was growling in the grass.

"Do you think you could help me find some Black Thorn?" Surely a Ferrikoon could find it with his nose....if he knew what she was talking about.

[Sagebrush]

[center]
[[OOC: That's fine. x3 We can keep it as it is.]]

Too interested in what the Serraptor had said to pay much attention to the Rollaby (most of them weren't vicious), Teller asked it in Evelon language, "Are you afraid of humans? Isn't that one next to you a human?" Teller patiently waited for a reply, his ears splintered back. Why was that Serraptor afraid of humans, for cursed's sake? They weren't dangerous at all! At least, not the ones that the Ferrikoon knew of. He had heard of poachers and hunters, but had seldom seen of them, so he thought that they were but myths to scare young children to sleep. (Ex. "Go to sleep now or the poachers will catch you!") He had heard of such scares but had never thought of them as being real.

Unless...

"Have you ever been in contact or range of a poacher/hunter?" demanded Teller in soft, pet language. He cocked his head, waiting for a reply, when Elaine asked him, "Do you think you could help me find some Black Thorn?"

Speaking now in human, the Ferrikoon replied, <"I... think so. Can you describe it for me, or have any tidbits beforehand? I want to know the smell.">


[5]

[Archenstone]

She blinked, "My past is not your concern..." She said softly, "But I have seen far too many evils brought by humans to trust them." She moved away from the Rollaby and turned enough to indicate Elaine. "That one...that one kept me from a terrible fate. She is the first human I have known to be kind.."

As she walked back towards Elaine she heard her trying to explain Black Thorn.

"It's a short viny plant with three-point leaves. It has bristles and its a dark dark green."

"It has a minty medicine smell..." Leonie added in her own tongue.

[Sagebrush]

[center]
My past is not your concern?! snarled Teller to himself. Are they kidding? He, however, lumbered over to the ground, sniffing for any scent of medicinal herb. A sharp tang did lead him somewhere, but unfortunately it was only Elaine's pocket. As he sniffed, he was mildly reminded of how pigs were sent to look for truffles, and what the Serraptor's past was, if it was as bad that she could not speak of it. Suddenly he was reminded of an etiquette that was traditional, but not yet performed.

His head lifted up briefly in greeting. <"Um. My name is Telltale Fundamental, or Teller for short. I don't know why she--er, my owner--calls me Teller, but I guess I like it. How about you two?"> he asked in human. Then he bent back down to smell for something else. A sharp scent licked his nose and he drew back. Pushing the sprout of leaves, he asked, <"Is that it?">

On closer inspection, the herb was a light, minty green, spotted with brown. It had four leaves and smelled like spearmint.

[6]

[Archenstone]

Elaine came over and looked, "...thats the immature version. Its more potent in its later stages when it gets a dark green color. If we can find about four or five more of these it will get me by till I can find some more. I found one adult plant over there..." She indicated a spot near the tree line. "Here's what the adult version looks like" She held it before him so he could look/smell. It still has a nice minty smell but there was a strong tangy smell too that the younger plant didn't have.

Elaine smiled at his introduction, "I'm Elaine, and my friend is Leonie. I think she likes it...she's been my friend these past few months."

Leonie was a little ways away snuffling after something but turned to acknowledge him, "We are well met Teller."

[Sagebrush]

[center]
Teller gave a short sneeze and pawed relentlessly at his nose. <"Ow... ow... ow!"> he yelped. A small cut bruised his tender nose, probably from a sharp bristle. Two paws clamped over his maw, he asked, <"Ishh dat eet? Eet skrashed mah noshe!"> A tiny plant was at his feet, dark green in color. It still looked young, but it was most definitely a Black Thorn. Maybe an adolscent, or at least close to that age. New bristles were just bursting out of its skin, sharp. The Ferrikoon yelped to see that one of the bristles were actually stuck on his nose, but he couldn't help laughing at the Serraptor's name.

Leonie. Leonie?

Teller laughed at himself as well. Leonie's a better name than mine! he chuckled. And about Elaine. I wonder if April would like to meet them or something... His paws were still around his nose as he yelped, <"Get it owwt!">


[7]