To What You Will Never Find [Open]

[Felypsa]

It was humid here. No, scratch that. It was so very unbearably humid here.

A strange-looking birdlike wolf stepped through the rainforest, heavy large feathers sagging from her forelegs. They were damp, her plume-mane was damp, and her tongue was hanging out from her parted beak-like jaws, panting in an attempt to stay cool. Her colors, white-and-gray brushed with blue-and-turquoise, seemed much too tame and smooth for the stark emerald smearing this entire rainforest. She really did not belong here.

Then again, Starmyst really did not belong anywhere right now.

Having at last broken off from her vicious Rha family, she was trying to get to a land where she had once lived. A land that she hoped would accept her again. A land where old friends might remember her. Until she reached that land, though, she was a stranger to everyone…a bizarre entity that was neither bird nor canine, but demon. If she ever opened her mouth to try to howl for help, it would come out as a horrid screech that would send everyone away. She knew what her family would say. The Rha’s call will only ever be answered by another Rha.

So Starmyst thought it best to keep her mouth shut for now. Luckily, she was not too hungry, having eaten her fill of fish and small birds in the past couple of days. This rainforest did not lack for lush life. She only had not seen another sentient creature in quite a few days now. Starmyst was pretty used to being alone, but all the same, making her way through unknown territory without seeing a soul…it could get creepy. And a little sad.

But now this area was too rich to not be inhabited, so Starmyst had to tread carefully as well. She could be in someone’s territory and not realize it; making out individual scents in this humidity and with all the other scents of animals was nearly impossible. Besides, Rhas’ sense of smell was not as great as other wolves’. Hopefully that would not come to bite her in the ass.

Starmyst paused at a strong stream. From early on, she had learned that the water here was deceptively deep, not to mention filled with very defensive creatures, like venomous snakes, fanged fish, and toads whose very slimy skin were poison to the touch. It was best to fly over such areas—or, in Starmyst’s case, use her special ability to walk on water. She set one paw down and felt the water push back as if it were a solid. With a smile, Starmyst lightly jaunted across the creek, ending up at the other side, dry and unharmed.

Onward. She was not made for this sort of climate, so she had to keep going till she found an environment better suited for her.

[Anila]

Dion panted so heavily he thought that his lungs would pop at any moment. It felt as if his pelt was three times as thick as it usually is. "Gah!" He complained. "Why does it have to be sooooo hot!" His voice was in a high wine and he flattened his ears, his bright blue eyes focusing on the ground in front of him. He collapsed onto the ground.

The small wolf had traveled for a while, running into mother bears sure takes a lot out of you. He perked his ears hearing something, his stomach rumbled, he hoped it was food. He got up and dropped into a lower crouch and crawled forward. It was a rabbit, a few yards away nibbling on a piece of grass. He really didn't want to chase after it, so he focused on the rabbit. His eyes met the black eyes of the rabbit. The tan creature froze, Dion called forth his magic, "Scenery..." He whispered. He could tell it was taking affect as the rabbit glanced around itself nervously, the wolf just disappeared.

There were other rabbits around him too, nibbling on the grass, none of them seemed afraid. The rabbit flicked its ear and started nibbling on a piece of grass once more. The vision around it was all hazy and almost unclear, making him dizzy. Suddenly the scene crashed before the small tan creature and the brown wolf was upon him, biting into it's neck.

The squeal was short, and full of surprise. Dion licked his muzzle in hunger. He pressed his nose to the rabbit's fur, sending a small prayer to whoever was listening, then broke the fur of the rabbit. Dion had brown fir with strange markings of magic that were bright blue, there color of his eyes. The markings wrapped around his paws, where they most thickly were. Then they crawled up his legs until they got too thin to go further. These blue markings wrapped around his eyes like a mask, making his blue eyes pop against his brown fur. His muzzle was covered in the blood of the rabbit when he was finished. He sat down licking his muzzle, glad for the meat.

He panted more as he tried to get most of the blood off of himself, and the smell. He could feel the energy from the rabbit burst through him, he grinned, he loved eating, he truly did, it was the one thing that made him extremely happy.

"Heina!" Two wolves played together, a brown one and a tan one, they laughed, one was smaller than the other. She was weak, though she shown strong, her eyes were always strong, she was always strong in the heart, but weak physically. The painful memory flashed through him. He gulped clenching his powerful jaws together so tightly that it hurt. He remember his sister, she was gentle, caring. She was beautiful too, she had soft features, tan fur, and deep blue eyes like the ocean. She had been what Dion had lived for, taking care of here. The pain was too great inside of him. He tried to control it, the sadness, and fear, but he remember when he returned home from hunting the harsh words his father whispered to him, "She is dead."

Before the tear could escape from his stinging eyes he heard something. He snapped out of his sadness, shielding it away. A mask of no feeling covered his face and his bright blue eyes searched the undergrowth. He sniffed the air, the dead carcass in front of him held a strong smell of blood, it grasped onto his fur. He swallowed, his eyes scanning the area, he wondered what he had heard, he hoped whatever he had heard was not watching him.

Embarrassment tickled his cheeks, but he ignored it, he opened his mouth, "Hello?" He whispered, wondering what it was. Curiosity burned through him so brightly that he couldn't keep it down. He started walking towards the sound, wondering just what it was.

[jairel]

Traveling through the rainforest was something that Fallon was not used to. She panted heavily, her extra thick mane seeming to weigh her down with its dampness. She couldn't pant fast enough to cool herself down.

Her blue eyes scanned the terrain, wondering if anyone else was as lost in this forest as she was. The thick canopy only let some sunlight shine through, so she couldn't tell her position. She grunted, obviously irritated with her surroundings and herself. It was not often that Fallon lost her way-she was far too observant for that. But she had been daydreaming and walking, and there hadn't been any foreign wolf scents to catch her attention.

So here she was, lost in a giant rainforest, disgruntled and overheated. She sighed, and paused in her walking. She turned to observe her fur, which had gone from crimson to what looked like a deep blood red in its dampness. Her gray and brown mane had turned black. She sighed. She was beginning to feel the uncomfortbale drying of her throat that meant she was thirsty. One more problem to add to her current list. She wasn't hungry, but she had to find some water. If she found a wide enough river or stream, she could take a dip as well as quell her thirst.

She walked on for a quarter mile or so, then something caught her attention. She perked her ears, turning her head and listening intensely. Running water. A smile crossed her face, the first time in the past few days, and she moved quickly. Not knowing how far she had to go, she decided to go bipedal. She took a running start, and as she pushed off from her back legs, leaping into the air, her body began to change. Her torso extended and she grew the chest of a female human. Her front paws took on the form of large furry hands with claws. her mane grew out, looking more like hair that ran to the small of her back, and her back legs lengthened, making her height rise to almost seven feet tall. She flew threw the air, and came down hard on her elongated feet, throwing her arms out to catch herself from falling. her were-form was quite a bit faster than her normal wolf form, surprisingly.

She ran quickly, manuevering around trees and leaping over large roots. She could smell the source of water getting stronger. Finally, the river came into view and she slowed to a halt at its edge. It looked so pristine, so calm and beautiful; this didn't stop her from treading lightly. She crept to the water's edge, lowering her hand into its coolness and raising it to her lips. The sip was like a burst of energy, and it refreshed her.

Suddenly, a flash of movement further down the bank caught her eye and she was immediately on alert.

A white figure, with blue and gray splashed in among its hues, stood some fifty yards away. Fallon tensed, her fur bristling as she kept her eyes trained on this strange creature. She'd never seen anything like it before in her entire life. It looked like a wolf, but with a beak-like muzzle and feathers everywhere. It overwhelmed her with its stunning presence. Fallon took a cautious, silent step towards the creature, but then thought better of it. She ducked into the lush green covering of the forest, wondering if the creature had seen her. It was best to observe from afar before jumping into a potentially dangerous situation. The only problem with her plan, was that her hind leg stepped onto a dead leave, letting out a loud crunch as she put her foot down. She winced and hoped that her cover hadn't been blown.

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[Felypsa]

Starmyst paused on the other side of the creek as she considered what to do and where to go next. Her general direction was north, probably northeast, but it wasn’t always the best choice in swampy land like this. She had to judge the easiest way out of here first before she could figure out how to correct her trajectory. While she was deep in thought, she missed the arrival of someone who observed her, a male who was similarly lost in his own world. It was not until the other cracked a leaf that Starmyst blinked, realizing she was not alone.

Her great wings lifted and she looked around warily. She was not one to attack first and ask questions later, but she did realize that Rhas could appear threatening and used that to her advantage. “Who is out there?” she asked, letting her voice ring through the dense trees. “I mean no one harm. I am merely passing through on a solo journey.” For all she knew, natives could be observing her, angry that she was trespassing on their territory. She hadn’t smelled anyone, but perhaps they were too spread out for her to catch.

Her eyes, colored in swirls of rosy hues, narrowed slightly. “Show yourselves. I come in peace, but I will not be spied upon.” Hopefully that would entice them to come out; and then Starmyst could be a bit friendlier. Unless, of course, they attacked her. Her body was tense, preparing for a fight just in case she was being watched by someone hostile. You could never be too sure in strange lands.

[Anila]

A crunch of a distant leaf made his accusation correct. He wasn't alone, though it was distant from where he had been. Dion felt the curiosity overwhelm him as he inched forward. Someone was calling out for him to show himself. His eyes narrowed as he ventured forth. He waited for a view moments, the voice wasn't threatening. He decided to let himself show, he took a step out, laying his eyes on the creature for the first time. His mouth dropped open in utter surprise.

This creature was... he didn't know how to describe it. Her muzzle coming together similar to a beak. His heart thumped in his throat with the excitement of finding something new. Questions buzzed in his mind like angry bee's, but he couldn't find his voice for a moment, he couldn't move either. Panic hit him in the pit of his stomach, he forced himself to close his jaws and hide the shock that coursed through him.

He looked over the wolf-bird like creature he had come across. He was still small, for his size. He puffed out his chest a little, feeling small. His bright blue eyes became hard as he searched her. He forced himself to breath calmly, the smell of rabbit still clung to his muzzle, his body was rigid and tense in case she would attack him. His shoulders began to tingle, he could feeling he was starting to call on his wings. He shooed the feeling away, his tongue rolled out and he began to pant. "Hi..." That wasn't the amazing introduction Dion had hoped for. His shyness caused him to croak out the small word. He felt shame tingle through him, he tried to ignore it. His heart pounded with fear, curiosity, and the great overcoming shyness.

[jairel]

Fallon knew when she was caught, and emerged slowly from the trees. She had listened carefully to the strange bird-wolf, and realized that there was someone else lurking in the rainforest. He had shown himself before she had, and she now stared curiously at the two figures in front of her. Well this was certainly an strange set of circumstances. A werewolf, a smaller than usual wolf, and a...what exactly this she-creature was, Fallon had no idea.

She realized she was staring and straightened up to her full height, looking more confident than she felt in the presence of this odd looking bird-wolf. It seemed that both she and the male wolf were as lost as she was, and seeing as how neither of them appeared to be a threat, Fallon relaxed..if only a little.

She cleared her throat, deciding to address the bird-wolf first. "I am Fallon. I'm sorry for spying on you, it's just...I've never seen a creature like you before, and I've lived in Shinkou Ookami my entire life. I've also been traveling for awhile now, and you don't resemble any demons I've come in contact with. Tell me, what is your name? And what, if you don't mind my asking, are you?" She tilted her head curiously, and leaned against the tree next to her, arms crossed casually. Her blue eyes watched the figures before her, going from one to the other. She stopped on the male wolf. "And you, what is your name?"

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[Felypsa]

To Starmyst’s slight surprise, not one but two strangers came forth. She had to smile to herself; seemed that she was just lucky enough to attract what little attention there was out here. There was one male, somewhat small, and a female…well, wolflike creature who stood on two legs. Yet Starmyst was the one most strange to them. It was true, then. Rhas did not get around much. Before she was born as one, Starmyst had never seen one. (And that in itself was an odd but true thought.)

The first male was shy, uttering a single word, while the werewolf was more confident, stepping forth and apologizing. Starmyst shook her head, her feathers ruffling with the motion. “It is not a problem. I only…” Her voice died and her eyes focused on the female, called Fallon, intensely. “Did you say Shinkou?” Her heart pounded. That was the land she was hoping to travel to, the one place where she might see glimpses of her old life. Excitement ran through her and Starmyst had to take a deep breath not to get carried away with it all.

“My name is Starmyst. I am a Rha, a demonic wolf that takes on this odd birdlike appearance. I don’t blame you for not knowing what I am,” she added, looking from Fallon to the shy male. “We like to keep to ourselves for the most part. I have only ventured this far because I seek to get to Shinkou…though my ability to remember where to go has faded.” She took another deep breath. It was getting harder to breathe clearly, and she blamed the humidity of this rainforest. “What is your name?” she asked, looking to the male, who appeared as skittish as a newborn fawn. Hopefully he was not afraid of her; Starmyst’s outward appearance might be daunting, but she had no quarrel with anybody.

[Anila]

Dion automatically regretted coming out, I could of just stayed hidden! He couldn't have words be formed, or even his name. 'And you, what is your name?' He looked at the strange wolf-like creature that stood on two legs. This made an alarm go off saying to Dion 'Run! Run! Humans! Humans are bad!' He shook off the feeling and cleared his throat. He glanced up as the Rha glanced from the other creature and him. Starmyst? He repeated in his head. Rha.... a demonic wolf? Excitement shivered through him. Then again, he was asked his name.

His stomach dropped like stone, he had a chance right now to run, and humiliated, or he had the chance to find out something new in his life, what did he choose? Dion stretched then sat down on. He offered a smile, trying to fight his Shyness and find his voice. "My name is Dion, it is nice to meet you, Starmyst, and you too, Fallon." He dipped his head to both. Though, he wouldn't look directly at Fallon. He thought about what the Rha had said. "You are trying to find your way to Shinkou?" Did she live as far away as I had?

He glanced down at his paws that were brown when he was young, but now they were swarmed with the design, it crawled up his legs and expanded to his body. He only found out the they made a mask around his eyes is when he looked at his reflection in the water. Suddenly, an idea sparked him, I don't know what I am... He always have been figuring out what everyone else was but if they asked him that same question, he couldn't answer it.

"Have you seen...." He fought himself, trying to think of the words. "Someone like me? See my odd colored markings?" Hope flared in his chest, but he knew it wasn't going to be this easy.

[jairel]

Fallon nodded her head contemplating Starmyst's words. That's why she looked so unfamiliar. Fallon had never heard of rhas before, not even in the bed time tales her mother had told her as a child. She looked at Starmyst's plumage, admiring it. Though she had lots of abilities normal and magical wolves did not have, she would never be able to harbor the abilitiy to fly. She felt a pang of envy for this winged wolf-bird demon, but shook it aside.

Her ears perked up when the male wolf, Dion, finally spoke. She turned to look at him and realized he was avoiding looking at her. She looked at him curiously, then realized she didn't exactly look normal. Fallon chuckled to herself and transformed back into her quadripedal form, her body shrinking and contorting back to a normal wolf. She shook herself off and stretched a bit. Transformations tended to leave her with a weird feeling, like she wasn't meant to harbor two bodies at once. She gave an encouraging smile to Dion before speaking to Starmyst.

"Yes, I've been to Shinkou lands a few times. My family is a roving pack, so we moved around a lot when I was a pup. We often passed by Shinkou and Akeru, but since I've ventured out on my own, I haven't been there in awhile. Right now we're in Hachisu territory, but there are plenty of unclaimed lands in loner territory you can travel through safely."

She turned back to Dion, who seemed very shy, if not slightly frightened, of her presence. A strange look crossed her face. His brown fur was typical, but his markings were not. They hinted at magical abilities, that she guessed. Plenty of wolves in Shinkou Ookami had magic, and some had markings that could give clues as to what their abilities were. Do you know what I am? As far as she could tell, he was a normal wolf who had possibly inherited magic or gained it from a spirit. "Are you not a normal wolf, Dion? Your markings are unusual and I've never seen them before, I'll give you that."

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[Felypsa]

The male seemed to recover from his shyness enough to introduce himself, along with a respectful bow to both females there. Starmyst had to smile. Well well. She was surprised to find one person in this swamp, let alone two. And it turned out, according to the werewolf named Fallon, that this whole area actually belonged to a pack. Hachisu was its name. Starmyst had never heard of it, but then again, she had never been anywhere near here before. Her ears were perked eagerly as she listened to what Fallon had to say about Shinkou. Even Dion had heard of it as well.

He was a curiosity of his own. Starmyst tilted her head as he directed an earnest inquiry toward her. She examined him and it seemed to her that he might have a quest of his own. She was not sure what to say, but she did answer honestly. “I have seen many strange wolves in my time, me being one of them obviously, but even your markings are unique. I cannot say I’ve seen anyone quite like you.” She hoped that would not be disappointing. Fallon was curious about him too, and Starmyst licked her chops as she shifted to sit down, letting her feathers wrap around her like a protective cloak. It seemed like she was going to be staying here for a few minutes at least, so she might as well make herself comfortable.

“I am hoping to get to Shinkou,” she did admit. “There might be some old friends of mine there, whom I have not seen for many years.” She would not tell them how many years. As a Rha, she was only about seven and a half years old (which was the equivalent of around two and a half years for most wolves). But then there was the matter of her having lived full lives three times before—first as a Youroi, then as an eagle, then as a centaur. Reincarnation was a funny business, and not something Starmyst wanted to explain to two strangers, especially since she herself scarcely understood it.

[Anila]

Dion refused to let the disappointment show, he knew right when he asked the question that he probably wouldn't get a satisfying answer. He looked over at Fallon, surprised to see that she was in wolf form, it was too late, the surprise had already flickered past his eyes. He cleared his throat, thinking. She had asked him his question. "I...." He started at first, trying to think. He turned to look at Fallon. "No, I am not a normal wolf, and I frankly really don't know what I am... it sort of happened to me when I was..." His voice cracked and he fought control, trying to not remember his little sister. "Younger." He cleared his throat once more. His shoulders began to tingle, as if his feathers felt his distress. He shook the feeling off, it wouldn't do good to summon his wings now, it would be pointless, instead he listened to Starmyst.

"Many years...?" Dion tilted his head slightly, his eyes danced with curiosity when he watched her sit down. Even if she was part demon, she was very beautiful. The thought embarrassed him and he shooed it away. Dion thought for a moment, "You friends, are they Rha's like you, or are they just normal wolves?" His ears flicked. "Sorry if I am probing," He grinned sheepishly, dipping his head. "I have a terrible curiosity that always gets the better of me... I couldn't count how many times I have gotten in trouble with it." He grinned, his shyness still making his heart thump quickly.

He almost hoped they hadn't really listened to him when he was talking about himself when he was younger, he hated that his voice cracked. If anything, he'd be happy if they focused on Starmyst, but he wasn't sure that would be true, the focus has been dancing around the three creatures. Something hit him, like a jolt of realization.

"Wait..." He whispered and glanced up at Fallon. "What are you?" He tilted his head, curiosity burning deeply in his eyes. He flattened his ears, "A-Again sorry about the probing..." He grinned sheepishly his ears dropping, as if he was just caught getting into a cookie jar.

[jairel]

Fallon sat back on her haunches, relaxing a little more. It seemed she was not the only curious creature stalking these forests, and the three of them were quite a scene. She figured she might as well sit and chat for awhile, it'd been so long since she had had a nice conversation with anyone. She perked her ears, showing her attentiveness, and listened as the conversation flowed between the three beings.

"I'm not sure how far off Shinkou is away from here, but I think I could point you in the right direction, if you want. I wouldn't mind going with you, to be honest. I'm tired of this humidity and these trees, I think it's time for a change of scenery." She chuckled a bit before tilting her head to scractch her left ear. It was true she hadn't seen Shinkou in at least a year or more, and she wouldn't mind accompanying Starmyst on her journey. She finished her scratch then turned back to Dion.

He was quite the curious one. He seemed unusually reserved for a wolf, even a loner. Very shy and easy to scare, that was for sure. She wondered what had happened to him to make him act the way he did. She saw him falter when he said he got his markings at a young age, and thought it wise not to question him. She perked up in surprise when he asked what she was. She couldn't contain her laugh. She wasn't exactly normal herself now, was she?

"No need to apologize Dion. You're curious to know how I can walk on two feet instead of four yes?" She chuckled again and gave him a look that she hoped would calm him. "I am a werewolf. Nothing too special like you or Starmyst, but unique just the same. You see, me and my family are...technically normal wolves. However, we carry a gene that causes...transformations, we'll say. Those who are skilled enough, like myself, can control with this transformation occurs, to suit our needs. Others have no choice, and transform every full moon. We take on a bipedal form, like what you saw before. All the skills of a human are at our disposal, but we are strictly wolves you see. Fur, claws, sharp teeth. The usual. Think of us as a different breed." She smiled at him, hoping her answer was satisfactory.

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[Felypsa]

They were quite a curious bunch. Again, Starmyst had to wonder what Fate was doing to her. Aside from the reincarnations, there was now this chance meeting with two other unique wolves who all seemed to be seeking the same thing: a place to call home, and answers to some heavy questions in life. Starmyst was shaking her head. “We are quite a trio,” she replied once Fallon finished explaining her kind. “I have never met anyone like either of you.” In all her years of experience.

“If Shinkou is your goal, or at least the same direction, then I would love to have companionship as I go along.” She gave a smile and then glanced toward Dion. “My friends are…have you heard of Mutatios? They are a little larger than the average wolf, are always born with wings, and usually have very strong magic.” They also, coincidentally, had the gift of reincarnation, like phoenixes did, though they were always born with the same form and appearance—unlike Starmyst. “But their appearance, their colors, are a lot more normal than I am.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “I only hope they are still there…and that they might remember me.” It would be awkward explaining who she was, since she looked so different now.

“I do have to agree with Fallon, though. Whether we end up in the same place or not, let us keep walking to find an end to this swamp, hopefully.” Her feathers and fur were trapping the heat of this place and making it quite uncomfortable to stand in one place. She really was much better suited for colder climates.

[Anila]

Dion was fascinated, yet almost horrified at the thought of wolves turning into a human-like thing. But, she seemed so normal. He shouldn't judge her. His eyes glittered, "Thank you for explaining, there are others like you? So a whole other breed, huh?" He licked his nose to wet it, getting a few lingering tastes from the rabbit, he was already hungry again. He quickly looked around him, but knew that any prey smart enough would be long gone by now.

"I must agree," He chuckled. "We are really weird." He paused. "No offence," He smiled sheepishly. "To either of you, because I know that I am weird." He stretched, his fur like heater on him. He panted, his tongue rolling out of his mouth. He sniffed the air in search of any prey near by.

When Starmyst started talking about her friends, his ears perked, her melodic voice wrapped around her ears as she explained her friends. "I hope that everything will happen to your wishes," He dipped his head. He nodded his head, he really had to get out of this area, he was way too hot! He wanted to shed off his fur! Maybe if he called on water it would cool him down?

"I don't think I have visited Shinkou before, I am looking for more of my kind... would you two mind if I come along? Plus, this place should be too hot for anyone!" He grinned, his usual playful self coming out as his shyness shed away. "Maybe you two can stop me if I ever give into my curiosity." He chuckled, drawing up his back paw to quickly scratch behind his ear. His tail wagged and he grinned, hoping that they would let him come along.

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[jairel]

Fallon nodded to Starmyst with a smile, glad to have some company. She was used to being on her own by now, but having grown up in a pack with the same basic wolf instincts, she did yearn for the companionship of others every now and then. And now she had two new ones, strange as they all were. Still, the gods had blessed her with their presence and she was grateful not to be alone in this strange forest.

Turning towards Dion, she couldn't help but give a small chuckle. He was quite the curious creature. "Yes, there are more like me. Many more. Unless you came across one in their humanoid form, you probably wouldn't know what they were." This much was true, except that most of the ones she knew tended to be a little on the large side when on all fours. She began panting, the humidity seeping through her thick coat. She noticed that Starmyst and Dion looked uncomfortable as well. Usually she didn't mind heat, because she could wield fire magic and her body temperature was unnaturally high, but humidity was another matter. It was like a thick cloud of moisture that suffocated you and weighed you down with your sweat. She could manipulate heat. Humidity? Not so much.

It was probably best that they make their way out of this dreadful rainforest. She turned back to Dion. "Shinkou lands are beautiful, and with the pack being so large there is a chance you might find what you are searching for. I do not mind if you come along, as long as it is also okay with Starmyst. The more the merrier, right?" She gave a pleasant grin despite her discomfort, and turned her blue eyes toward Starmyst. "What do you say? It would make the trip interesting if all three of us came along."[/color]