Often called the 'Lover's Triangle' for the trio of waterfalls feeding in to a triangular gorge, the Idalani area is a picture-perfect place to spend time with that special someone, with a beautiful exotic backdrop and countless rainbows dancing across the sky. (+2 Speed)

Moderator: Retired Staff

Return to Idalani Waterfalls

More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby Thunder » 02/28/2014 11:17 PM

Image

Ah, the sun! The glorious, glorious sun, shining its light and warmth down onto the land! It had been forever since Shin'ka had seen the great star up above. Back where he lived, in the frigid Fe'gan mountains, the skies tended to be perpetually cloudy in the wintery months. But here in Idalani, much further south on the planet, there was not a single speck of snow to be seen. So delightful was this warmth that the Rockbeak barely noticed how humid and sticky it was.

Presently, he was soaring over a great stretch of rainforest. Down below, he could hear the distant crash of a waterfall, and flocks of colorful, exotic birds took to the skies. It was beautiful, and the Courtesian Paragon was tremendously glad that out of all the places he could spend his brief vacation, he decided on here. He had planned to stay for about a week, or maybe more depending on how much there was to explore. No matter how long, he was sure it would be easy to relax and rewind...though he didn't do too much back at the Court anyway.
Image

"If everyone is one, none will be afraid."

Pen~Breeders~Trades~Wishes~Rentals
User avatar
Thunder
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Pets | Items
Keystones: 877
Donate
Joined: 08/19/2008 11:46 AM
Location: Being Baal's buttchin bird and Jaykobell's waifu
Status: Grad school hell :' D

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby SpringsSong » 02/28/2014 11:32 PM

Image
Youko - 64b2f5


The sound of the waterfalls crashing was something that Youko was quite accustomed to.  She had, after all, grown up and lived her entire life in Idalani - one of the first sounds she remembered hearing upon breaking free of her shell was that of the waterfalls crashing.  The next sounds were those of her Lucain brothers, barking and yipping.

It was still odd to her; being part of a family where her parents were blessed with the ability to change their shapes, but she was not as fortunate as her parents.  In fact, none of the other members of the pack were as fortunate as they were--but her mother had said that it came as a defense mechanism of some sort.

"Let's see... routine border patrol it is.  I sure hope that Treasach's covering the ground part of this; flying's much more fun," she said to herself, her feathered wings spreading as she launched herself into the sky.  With any luck, I might see something I've never seen before on my patrols.  Make the sentinels jealous.
Maybe I'm foolish, maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this to see what's behind
Got no way to prove it, so maybe I'm lying
Take a look in the mirror, what do you see
Can you see it clearer, or are you deceived in what you believe?
Don't ask my opinion, don't ask me to lie
Then beg for forgiveness for making you cry
'cause I'm no prophet or Messiah
You should go looking somewhere higher

I'm only human, I make mistakes
I'm only human, I do what I can
I'm only human, that's all it takes to put the blame on me

Don't put the blame on me

"Human", Rag'n'Bone Man

:.:Eternal Spring:.:Tome of Records:.:Spring's Wishlist:.:Eternal Spring Breeders:.:
User avatar
SpringsSong
Globetrotter
Globetrotter
Pets | Items
Keystones: 5883
Donate
Joined: 09/04/2007 9:53 AM
Location: I might just lose my mind
Status: Definitely preventing miniature apocalypses

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby Thunder » 02/28/2014 11:53 PM

As Shin'ka amused himself by performing barrel rolls and dives in the sky, he suddenly caught sight of something rising up from the trees. It looked a bit like a bird with its emerald, feathery wings, but it was much, much larger than any bird he had ever seen before. And its pale blue color made him think for a moment that somehow, a portion of the waterfalls had come alive. Intrigued, he stopped to hover mid-air and tilted his head at the object, watching as it came closer.

After a fair amount of distance, it became apparent that the other thing was, in fact, another Paragon. It was a Placid with feathered wings like his own, and their emerald color matched elegant, ivy markings scattered across her body. She truly looked as if she was part of the rainforest come alive, which struck Shin'ka as excellent camouflage in this environment. Perhaps she was hunting or something of the like? At any rate, he was incredibly excited to see another Paragon in these parts, and without any regard to potential danger, the Rockbeak flew towards the other dragon.

"Hello!" he called out. "What are you doing?" He was known for being a talkative sort, even when it came to total strangers.
Image

"If everyone is one, none will be afraid."

Pen~Breeders~Trades~Wishes~Rentals
User avatar
Thunder
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Pets | Items
Keystones: 877
Donate
Joined: 08/19/2008 11:46 AM
Location: Being Baal's buttchin bird and Jaykobell's waifu
Status: Grad school hell :' D

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby SpringsSong » 03/01/2014 11:27 AM

"Hello!  What are you doing?"

The voice came over the sound of the waterfall, and Youko noticed a Rockbeak Paragon coming towards her.  Now, she'd seen her father in her Ambia form, and he was about the same size as this Rockbeak that was approaching her.  He seemed nice enough, and she couldn't help but tilt her head curiously as she looked at him.

"Hello," she replied, her voice as gentle as a babbling brook.  "I'm... well, I'm actually doing a border patrol for my pack," she said.  Had it been any other Paragon, she probably would have dove out of sight and rallied the rest of the pack on the defensive, but this Paragon didn't seem like he was a threat.

"What's your name?" she asked, her voice slightly guarded all the same.
Maybe I'm foolish, maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this to see what's behind
Got no way to prove it, so maybe I'm lying
Take a look in the mirror, what do you see
Can you see it clearer, or are you deceived in what you believe?
Don't ask my opinion, don't ask me to lie
Then beg for forgiveness for making you cry
'cause I'm no prophet or Messiah
You should go looking somewhere higher

I'm only human, I make mistakes
I'm only human, I do what I can
I'm only human, that's all it takes to put the blame on me

Don't put the blame on me

"Human", Rag'n'Bone Man

:.:Eternal Spring:.:Tome of Records:.:Spring's Wishlist:.:Eternal Spring Breeders:.:
User avatar
SpringsSong
Globetrotter
Globetrotter
Pets | Items
Keystones: 5883
Donate
Joined: 09/04/2007 9:53 AM
Location: I might just lose my mind
Status: Definitely preventing miniature apocalypses

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby Thunder » 03/01/2014 5:34 PM

Surprisingly enough, the Placid greeted him warmly enough, and in quite a pretty voice too. At the Court, resident Paragon were known for being infamously wary of outsiders, to the point where they had advisers for what humans would call immigration and foreign affairs. One of these advisers was actually Shin'ka's own sister, Marapa, whose gentle and conciliatory personality made her skilled at dealing with such issues.

Still, he could detect that the Placid was a bit nervous. He supposed that was a good thing if she was on patrol. You couldn't afford to drop your guard if security was your duty. Shin'ka beamed at Placid, his smile as radiant as his pure white scales, hoping he could assure this stranger that he was not dangerous.

"I'm Shin'ka! My homeland is all the way in the Fe'gan mountains, and I'm here to get away from the terrible weather for a while. I wasn't aware that other Paragon lived here, though. You have a...pack, you say?"

He had never heard any group of Paragon call themselves a pack before. He knew the word was usually used in reference to canines, so he was confused at the Placid's diction.
Image

"If everyone is one, none will be afraid."

Pen~Breeders~Trades~Wishes~Rentals
User avatar
Thunder
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Pets | Items
Keystones: 877
Donate
Joined: 08/19/2008 11:46 AM
Location: Being Baal's buttchin bird and Jaykobell's waifu
Status: Grad school hell :' D

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby SpringsSong » 03/01/2014 5:44 PM

Youko tilted her head curiously as the Rockbeak spoke his name.  "Shin'ka, huh?  My name's Youko Líadan Lanwë--but just Youko's fine," she said, smiling as her head returned to its normal position.  "Fe'gan?  That's quite the trek to be taking," she commented.

When he asked about the pack, she blushed a tiny bit.  "Yes--I know it sounds weird at first blush.  Most of the pack are actually Lucain--my mother and father have the ability to shape-change between Lucain and Paragon forms.  Something about a hard monsoon season and whatnot," she said, lowering her head a little bit as she laughed.  Looking around, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary/

"We could, ah, land to continue talking, if you wanted," she said.  "It can get kinda tiring, staying abreast for so long," she added with a chuckle.
Maybe I'm foolish, maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this to see what's behind
Got no way to prove it, so maybe I'm lying
Take a look in the mirror, what do you see
Can you see it clearer, or are you deceived in what you believe?
Don't ask my opinion, don't ask me to lie
Then beg for forgiveness for making you cry
'cause I'm no prophet or Messiah
You should go looking somewhere higher

I'm only human, I make mistakes
I'm only human, I do what I can
I'm only human, that's all it takes to put the blame on me

Don't put the blame on me

"Human", Rag'n'Bone Man

:.:Eternal Spring:.:Tome of Records:.:Spring's Wishlist:.:Eternal Spring Breeders:.:
User avatar
SpringsSong
Globetrotter
Globetrotter
Pets | Items
Keystones: 5883
Donate
Joined: 09/04/2007 9:53 AM
Location: I might just lose my mind
Status: Definitely preventing miniature apocalypses

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby Thunder » 03/01/2014 6:05 PM

Youko Líadan Lanwë. It was a long, complicated name, and Shin'ka wasn't sure if he could pronounce it all. Just Youko was a lot better on his poor brain. It was nice that this Placid trusted him enough to exchange names. This was definitely a lot better than what tended to go on at the Court. "Yep, Fe'gan is pretty far," he sighed. "But it's good to get out in a while and stretch my limbs."

He was somewhat baffled at Youko's explanation of her pack. Although he had heard stories of creatures being able to change forms, it always seemed like a fantasy to him. The emperor of the Court, in fact, was so infatuated with this supposedly mythical ability that he sought a potion that would give him the power to assume the shape of a human. Shin'ka imagined that Trattam would lose his mind if he learned that there were animals who could shapeshift naturally.

"That's really neat!" he exclaimed. "I never met anyone who could change forms. I hope it wouldn't be too much to ask if I could see your pack. But yes, let's land. Hovering makes my wings sore if I keep at it for too long."

Shin'ka went into a dive and alighted on a nice, mossy patch below the trees. Though the view from the sky was amazing, standing in the middle of the rainforest was gorgeous as well. He gazed up, waiting patiently for the Placid to arrive.
Image

"If everyone is one, none will be afraid."

Pen~Breeders~Trades~Wishes~Rentals
User avatar
Thunder
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Pets | Items
Keystones: 877
Donate
Joined: 08/19/2008 11:46 AM
Location: Being Baal's buttchin bird and Jaykobell's waifu
Status: Grad school hell :' D

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby SpringsSong » 03/01/2014 6:41 PM

Upon landing, Youko turned to look at Shin'ka, offering a small smile as she folded her wings gently to her body.  "I'm sure that they wouldn't mind, but the pack is currently in the care of my brother and myself, as my mother and father have gone off to the war," she said, chuckling softly.  "I guess you could say that he and I are... the second-in-command, more or less."

Here she fluttered her wings slightly.  "So, you live in the Fe'gan Mountains?  I take it, since you said that you didn't know any other Paragon lived here, that you live in some sort of a group of Paragon yourself?" she asked.
Maybe I'm foolish, maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this to see what's behind
Got no way to prove it, so maybe I'm lying
Take a look in the mirror, what do you see
Can you see it clearer, or are you deceived in what you believe?
Don't ask my opinion, don't ask me to lie
Then beg for forgiveness for making you cry
'cause I'm no prophet or Messiah
You should go looking somewhere higher

I'm only human, I make mistakes
I'm only human, I do what I can
I'm only human, that's all it takes to put the blame on me

Don't put the blame on me

"Human", Rag'n'Bone Man

:.:Eternal Spring:.:Tome of Records:.:Spring's Wishlist:.:Eternal Spring Breeders:.:
User avatar
SpringsSong
Globetrotter
Globetrotter
Pets | Items
Keystones: 5883
Donate
Joined: 09/04/2007 9:53 AM
Location: I might just lose my mind
Status: Definitely preventing miniature apocalypses

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby Thunder » 03/01/2014 7:19 PM

Ah, the war. Over his travels, Shin'ka had picked up bits and pieces of what was going on in the lands beyond, but frankly, he didn't know too much about it. For one thing, the majority of the fighting was going on far away from the Court. For another, the Paragon of the Court simply weren't interested in such affairs. There was already enough commotion going on at home, and they didn't want to involve themselves in any further trouble.

He nodded at her question. "Yep, I live in a huge nation of Paragon that calls itself the Court. We used to be made up of five smaller tribes: Wood, Earth, Metal, Fire, and Water. I was actually one of the leaders in the Water tribe along with my sister. But there used to be a lot of fighting among us, and a Frost Paragon from the Fire tribe, Trattam, set out to unify the tribes. He's now the emperor of the Court and rules alongside our empress, Utaka of the Metal tribe. It's probably very different from your pack is used to."
Image

"If everyone is one, none will be afraid."

Pen~Breeders~Trades~Wishes~Rentals
User avatar
Thunder
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Pets | Items
Keystones: 877
Donate
Joined: 08/19/2008 11:46 AM
Location: Being Baal's buttchin bird and Jaykobell's waifu
Status: Grad school hell :' D

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby SpringsSong » 03/01/2014 7:26 PM

Five different tribes, united as one after so long?  Youko listened intently as he described the Court.  "An emperor and an empress, you say?  I can't say I've ever heard that terminology used for leaders before; then again, I'll willingly admit that I know very little about such things.  Sometimes, there are days when my sister, Norah, and I forget that we're Paragon and not Lucain.  After all, we're about the same size as them, so it's easier to blend in with them."

Here, though, she paused for a few moments before she spoke again.  "I'd be curious to know more about this 'Court' that you speak of," she said.  "I've heard whispers of groups of Paragon that live together, but I've never seen any of them, or anyone from them."
Maybe I'm foolish, maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this to see what's behind
Got no way to prove it, so maybe I'm lying
Take a look in the mirror, what do you see
Can you see it clearer, or are you deceived in what you believe?
Don't ask my opinion, don't ask me to lie
Then beg for forgiveness for making you cry
'cause I'm no prophet or Messiah
You should go looking somewhere higher

I'm only human, I make mistakes
I'm only human, I do what I can
I'm only human, that's all it takes to put the blame on me

Don't put the blame on me

"Human", Rag'n'Bone Man

:.:Eternal Spring:.:Tome of Records:.:Spring's Wishlist:.:Eternal Spring Breeders:.:
User avatar
SpringsSong
Globetrotter
Globetrotter
Pets | Items
Keystones: 5883
Donate
Joined: 09/04/2007 9:53 AM
Location: I might just lose my mind
Status: Definitely preventing miniature apocalypses

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby Thunder » 03/01/2014 8:16 PM

Shin'ka chuckled at the fact that Youko sometimes forgot she was a Paragon. He supposed that was a side effect of living in a family where your relatives were different species and your parents could switch between two forms. It would be hilarious if Trattam managed to become a human and forgot about it, but that was unlikely to happen.

"Well, we have a pretty large territory, for starters," Shin'ka began. "We span across the entire mountain range from coast to coast and even down towards the Wilt'no Desert. Quite a few areas are tough to live in, and prey can get scarce in the winter months. Low resources were the cause of many fights between the tribes."

"Aside from the Emperor and Empress, we have four other Paragon who help run the Court. We call them the Cardinals, and since Trattam is from the Fire tribe, the Cardinals are intended to represent the four other tribes. My sister is the Water Cardinal, actually. She asked me if I wanted to take that position, but frankly, I think she gets better ideas than I do, even though we led the Water tribe together." Shin'ka shrugged and smiled, remembering how much he and his sibling bickered over it.

"What else... Oh! We have music, painting, and these pretty fireworks that light up the night during our festivals. And we also have a massive tunnel system running through the mountains so it's easier to get from place to place. You could say that we're fairly cultured compared to other groups of Paragon that live in the wild, though I'm sure that they have their own quirks as well. I haven't seen too many others either."
Image

"If everyone is one, none will be afraid."

Pen~Breeders~Trades~Wishes~Rentals
User avatar
Thunder
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Pets | Items
Keystones: 877
Donate
Joined: 08/19/2008 11:46 AM
Location: Being Baal's buttchin bird and Jaykobell's waifu
Status: Grad school hell :' D

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby SpringsSong » 03/01/2014 10:51 PM

Youko's eyes widened as he described the territory of his clan.  "Coast to coast!  Our territory's not nearly that large," she exclaimed in surprise, her voice sounding somewhat bewildered.  "We're centrally located in a cavern that's large enough to accommodate larger breeds of Paragon--namely Ambias, since that's what my father can transform into," she said.  "We try to keep enough meat stocked for the winter, but sometimes, even my Lucain brothers and sisters need to eat berries."

She listened as he described the command structure of the Court.  When he talked about the elements, she tilted her head slightly as she said, "I don't... know if I have any elemental alignment.  My mother and father both have sway over water themselves.  If I have any elemental alignment, it's not known to me."

When he mentioned Cardinals, she thought for a moment.  "They don't... happen to also represent North, South, East, and West, do they?" she asked.  "I... am fairly certain that they aren't those little red birds that sing so gorgeously."

Music and fireworks!  These words in particular caught Youko's ears.  "I've heard of fireworks--Mother said that they had some at the festival that sparked the new war that's raging, just before she and Father headed over there.  She said something about... wanting to heal old wounds of a sort, or something of the sort."

Here, she said, "The cavern where my pack makes their home isn't far from here.  That is, if you'd like to come along and see.  Otherwise, I'm sure there's other things to be seen here in Idalani."
Maybe I'm foolish, maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this to see what's behind
Got no way to prove it, so maybe I'm lying
Take a look in the mirror, what do you see
Can you see it clearer, or are you deceived in what you believe?
Don't ask my opinion, don't ask me to lie
Then beg for forgiveness for making you cry
'cause I'm no prophet or Messiah
You should go looking somewhere higher

I'm only human, I make mistakes
I'm only human, I do what I can
I'm only human, that's all it takes to put the blame on me

Don't put the blame on me

"Human", Rag'n'Bone Man

:.:Eternal Spring:.:Tome of Records:.:Spring's Wishlist:.:Eternal Spring Breeders:.:
User avatar
SpringsSong
Globetrotter
Globetrotter
Pets | Items
Keystones: 5883
Donate
Joined: 09/04/2007 9:53 AM
Location: I might just lose my mind
Status: Definitely preventing miniature apocalypses

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby Thunder » 03/02/2014 3:24 AM

It wasn't surprising that the size of the Court was baffling. Considering that it was made out of five different territories, its area was bound to be enormous. Living spaces like the one Youko described were much more commonplace. "The Court has caves too," Shin'ka added, "though they're all spread out over the mountain range."

"Oh, the tribe of your birth doesn't determine your element," the Rockbeak quickly added, hoping to clear up the misunderstanding quickly. "Or at least, it doesn't for us. The elemental names are just that- names. I have the elements of ice and light, for instance. Our emperor is probably a more extreme example. He's from the fire tribe, and he's a Frost, but he uses natural venoms from his body."

He smiled and nodded at Youko's understanding of the Cardinals. "They do symbolize the directions, too, though it's a lot easier to remember them by their element names. I'm curious whether they'll keep those positions as we let more foreigners in, though. As I said, they were meant to represent the tribes, but years from now, the tribes might just be a thing of the distant past, know what I mean?"

A spark of excitement lit Shin'ka's eyes when Youko invited him to the pack. He hadn't really seen others of his kind while on his trip, and he was curious as to how Lucain and Paragon lived together. "I'd be delighted!" he exclaimed. "It's always good to learn about how others live."
Image

"If everyone is one, none will be afraid."

Pen~Breeders~Trades~Wishes~Rentals
User avatar
Thunder
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Pets | Items
Keystones: 877
Donate
Joined: 08/19/2008 11:46 AM
Location: Being Baal's buttchin bird and Jaykobell's waifu
Status: Grad school hell :' D

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby SpringsSong » 03/02/2014 12:09 PM

Youko nodded slightly as Shin'ka explained that the tribe of one's birth did not necessarily equate to the elements that they had.  "Well, I've been discovering that I have some sway over earth," she said slowly.  "But, that could just come from the marks which I bear.  Some of my siblings bear strange ringed markings on their pelts--the same markings that my mother bears in her Lucain form.  That is mostly what gives both her and them power over water.  Whether or not I actually have considerable alignment to earth still remains to be seen," she said as she leaned in close to a patch of wildflowers.

When he mentioned the possibility of the tribes being a distant memory after a few years, she nodded slowly.  "There have been rumors of other packs around here.  Four of my... siblings, I guess you could call them, suppsedly came from the leader of one of the other packs.  However, we haven't heard from him for a while.  We think that he might have moved on in some form or fashion," she said.  "Mother always speaks of how there are four packs--ours, which is called Darkpaw, then Crimsonstream, then Lightshedder, and Shadowstrike.  However, aside from the four who share blood with the Crimsonstream leader, I know of none of the other packs."

When he said that he would be delighted to see how others lived, she smiled as she said, "Well, then, follow me!  I'm sure that my brothers and sister would love to meet someone from outside our pack." With this, she took off at a run, looking over her shoulder to make sure that Shin'ka wouldn't get lost.
Maybe I'm foolish, maybe I'm blind
Thinking I can see through this to see what's behind
Got no way to prove it, so maybe I'm lying
Take a look in the mirror, what do you see
Can you see it clearer, or are you deceived in what you believe?
Don't ask my opinion, don't ask me to lie
Then beg for forgiveness for making you cry
'cause I'm no prophet or Messiah
You should go looking somewhere higher

I'm only human, I make mistakes
I'm only human, I do what I can
I'm only human, that's all it takes to put the blame on me

Don't put the blame on me

"Human", Rag'n'Bone Man

:.:Eternal Spring:.:Tome of Records:.:Spring's Wishlist:.:Eternal Spring Breeders:.:
User avatar
SpringsSong
Globetrotter
Globetrotter
Pets | Items
Keystones: 5883
Donate
Joined: 09/04/2007 9:53 AM
Location: I might just lose my mind
Status: Definitely preventing miniature apocalypses

Re: More Than a Vacation (Private)

Postby Thunder » 03/06/2014 1:52 PM

Shin'ka had heard of creatures deriving powers from their markings. It happened in the Court occasionally too, and it was a bit strange to associate certain elements with a particular appearance. No one was really sure why this was the case. Perhaps the same genes that conferred those markings also granted elemental powers? It was a big mystery, considering that sometimes, individuals with those markings did not express any sorts of special abilities at all. "Earth suits you," he said, smiling brightly. "I actually thought you were a piece of Idalani taking to the skies when I first saw you!"

It was interesting to hear that although there were other packs, Youko had apparently heard next to nothing about them. It was even more intriguing that some of her siblings apparently had blood from the other groups. Back in the day, all the tribes knew of each other. And as for mixed blood...

"For us, in the past," the Rockbeak continued sadly, "if you had parents from two different tribes, everyone would probably hate you. Rivalries were so strong that Paragon couldn't see past that. It's a little better now that we're all united, but there's still a strong stigma against mixed bloods. I can't even begin to imagine what it's like for them." He sighed and shook his head. "Well, hopefully that will all change soon."

With that, Shin'ka took off after Youko, eager to see what this pack was like.
Image

"If everyone is one, none will be afraid."

Pen~Breeders~Trades~Wishes~Rentals
User avatar
Thunder
Retired Staff
Retired Staff
Pets | Items
Keystones: 877
Donate
Joined: 08/19/2008 11:46 AM
Location: Being Baal's buttchin bird and Jaykobell's waifu
Status: Grad school hell :' D

Next

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


cron