Identity }
Dag's full name is pronounced '
I-or-dag-nyre', and was given the title
'The Fortress' in recognition of the guardianship he gives to and inspires in others. He is a symbol of unyielding strength of will and exhibits an impenetrable, one-pointed focus to rise above any situation. The emblem of victory - the Peregrine Falcon - still remains with him from his first and very old title of 'Wings of Peregrine'.
The Fortress }
Voice - Deep bass; an equal balance of gentility and authoritative power associated with a voice of moral substance and leadership. Feral vocalizations are rare from him, though he is known to produce brontidal rumbles and has an extraordinarily low, growling bellow.
Scent - His scent is very gustatory - likened to the smoulder of a warm, damp bonfire in the middle of open fields; burnt soil of old forests long gone.
Build - Based on an old-world ice giant
Eucladoceros species; the first species of deer genus to have highly evolved antlers yet is a primitive mass of strong bone and muscle. His body type is a visually solid domination with a dense muscular structure most noticeable around his barrel-chest and shoulders, reinforcing the relatively short, strong neck that bares the weight of a heavy square skull - resembling more bull than deer - and its gargantuan artillery; both of which being the most prominent indication of his skeletal bulk. Being top-heavy, his posture is almost restricted to one position when still. A long body means legs are stationed far apart to accommodate and spread the weight, and his head is always held high in balance giving him a kingly air, which is also reflected in his fluid and powerful gait. At full speed, there is very little that can stop his bulldozer momentum.
Antlers - Fortress by design. Supernumerary, elongated branched-antlers where the beam has grown outward behind him, tines growing upward; his outer primary tines are the largest and grow into long forward-facing pincers. There are 12 tines per pedical and are split into four sets, all of which together are specifically designed to interlock with any antler type. Central clusters suited to single beam pronged deer, outer and brow tines designed for the larger supernumerary or palmated antlers such as Irish Elk. They are incredibly thick, astonishingly heavy, and an impenetrable defense that cannot be breached.
Visual - His coat is made up of dense, varying shades of grey that give him an overall arsenic colouration, but his mane and face are the most striking; dirty white for the most part with a carnelian-red pattern draped around the contours of his beady-eyed, frill-cheeked face. The white of his mane continues only half-way under his stomach, and ends in a point with a very thin separating line of charcoal.
There is also an enormous patch-scar that tears through the left side of his neck which is coupled with the nick in his ear on the same side. This was given to him by the Spring Wolf in 2010*.
Conqueror - Being the placid giant he is, Dag never lowers his antlers without reason; rarely has his combat been seen within the peaceful confines of the forest. However, heed the warning of his scar. Events leading up to his present existence shed further light on this war-hardened battler. There is something prehistoric and almost predatory about his combat - the misfortune of colliding with such a monolith is simply an all-sensory deluge.
Antediluvian }
Iaurdagnire's story has become that of Endless Forest legend, starting in 2009 and ending in 2013. His story involves the Forest, the Gods, and the spiritual embodiment of the Seasons whom he served with perpetual lives as a God-given duty. Dag wanted to escape, and continually fought for a life and death that was his to dictate; to cease to be a higher power's fuel for intellectual evolution. But in learning about his place in the world and a way to put an end to his duties, he became even more lost. Ultimately, Dag's story is an exploration of purpose and morality in all forms, and almost entirely community driven. The community has been involved in each section in some way, and these are referred to as "Season Events" by those who have participated; the events were designed for everyone to enjoy, regardless of the story.
Background art by J!n
Core }
Ravenflight - The Queen His love and greatest treasure; indescribably bound to her like no other. Their history had long ran parallel, and although their paths crossed only rarely in bygone years, they were connected by a deep empathy for their respective trials and desire for freedom. Behind closed doors they each played a part in helping each other fulfill a purpose in order to escape, and then found themselves lost without it. When Dag returned to the forest, Ravenflight tried to help him re-adjust through her understanding of what it is like to feel truly detached from the world around you. As they spent more time together, Dag increasingly began to dote on her and fell very deeply in love. Captivated by her in every way. Ravenflight has given him a new purpose, and Dag is utterly devoted to her continued happiness. Adores and is enchanted by everything she is.
Cry - The Ace Guardian; a source of security; life indebted to. Dag has known Cry for a long time, and upon his return was healed by him (
see 'War Drum' Act V). Displays an affectionate "big brother" attitude towards the small white stag when around him.
Ephiré - The Jack An unspoken natural affinity; indebted to. The two giants have much in common with the way they cope with the world around them, and it is this understanding that lead Ephiré to become the catalyst in Dag's journey (
see 'Catalyst' story arc Act I-III). Has a profound trust in him and admires him greatly. He is also the only deer within the forest to have witnessed the full brunt of Dag's combat.
Virgil/The Red - Part of the Fortress' strong foundations. One of his oldest friends of a different world to his own, wild and unrestricted. At the time of his trials, Dag thought of Virgil's existence as "real", moreso than his own and one he wanted to achieve. Events between then and now strongly effected Dag, but their friendship remains strong and has been rebuilt. [to be re-written]
Today
Yesterday
But I wasn't going to post it
[e] OH I GOT THE PAGE. HAHA. SUCK IT.
---
It was the last thing she expected to hear.
Not only the question, but the way it was delivered. It was almost as if he was terrified, perhaps even about to cry. It was almost pitiful, she mused, only to bitterly remember the trials he had been put through. The way his eyes seemed to avoid her caused her ears to pin back again, only to slowly swivel forward, both an apology, and a show of forgiveness.
For what, she wasn't sure. There was nothing to forgive in the first place.
Women are fickle, like autumn skies, you know?
She was always a little too fickle.
She herself could feel her own energy build inside, waiting to erupt full tilt, at nothing and no one in particular. There was excitement again, followed by nervousness, again, and a certain sadness for her friend. It was a rehabilitation process, but time remained endless, and, for then, so would their lives.
There was a curt bow of her head, before a small smile formed on her muzzle.
Of course.
Why wouldn't I?
Her approach was steady, but when she finally reached him, she pressed tight to his side, attempting to bury her face in the crook of his elbow. She still hadn't found herself crying - something that bothered her, but she was used to it all the same - but her voice was a rush of emotion, as if one year had been tens.
It's so good to have you here again.
Lack of bites? It was up for
Please post it again? If it was written in the heat of the moment for the event I really want to read it and log it as part of it.
IF YOU DON'T... It's like going...
You: I MADE YOU SOMETHING!
Me: omg really? AWESOME!
You: Actually... nah it's crap.
Me: B... B-But you made it and I want it you can't just take it away after telling me fufufu ;;
guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip
*sniff* And you stole the page too... what did I ever do to you?!
guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip guilt-trip MAHAHAHAHA
---
The forest was hard to listen to. He wanted it all at once, the sound of the trees and birds, the sound of hooves rushing about in the day-to-day. He couldn't decide whether it calmed him, or whether he just wanted noise to take up the static in his head; wanting everything for him to be too loud to think... Just how the sound of the Wolf's snarls and his own roar consumed everything when they fought. Sometimes his ears would lunge in the direction of a noisy passer-by, still alert for a demon.
Something.
But this was fine. The sounds of the forest. The friends to occupy his space to think... He wasn't sure if he wanted to be alone or not. Whenever he was, seconds later he was always looking for someone.
If they're here, I can't wander.
The touch of Lacie to his side broke his focus from the view ahead, and he blinked a few times before a long sigh escaped him,
"Is it? Looks to me like I brought a hundred or so bad things with me first."
He finally looked at her, the corner of his mouth reaching for a smile as his eyes softened - Dag's sense of humour didn't take long to surface, at least.
"I am so very glad to see you."
And just like that, his mood changed... He simply does not want to be alone.
It basically was written in
Meh, it's just that everyone else had quite a few in a short time span, and I only had like...2. I felt stung really, haha. -hasjealousyissuesomg- I can understand though, if I do ever put it back up (along with the overdue last entry which I basically need to write because it won't be complete without it one way or another), you're going to have to be a trooper, since they're insanely long. GIMME YOUR WRITING SKILLS HOW DO YOU PEOPLE MANAGE TO TAKE ONLY 5 SENTENCES TO SUM SOMETHING UP AND I TAKE 5 PAGES -WAILS-
Stop guilt tripping me, that ain't nice. )':
I CAN'T HELP IT, I'M JUST SO ABOOSIVE.
---
It sucks to be alone.
For a moment, the tiny smile faltered, partly wishing he hadn't said that. It wasn't his fault that it all happened. And she - they - chose to fight. But when she saw his face, how he had his own little smile, the soft gaze she could still remember somewhere, she giggled instead, the corners of her mouth once again pinched up in a smile.
If you're gonna make a comeback, do it with a bang! She chortled, her voice picking up considerably. It was...kinda what I needed anyway, heh.
The humour had been a start. Starts were always good.
Slowly, then all at once...
Well, I'm glad you are! Missed 'ya lots. And it's nice to see old faces again, always.
She knew precious things could never be rushed, however.
---
I kept typing up the sub tags because lol Tumblr. )':
I cant see it being a bad
For me, a relationships or core section; whatever you wish to call it, can be really helpful. It helps consolidate relationships, puts them into a tangible form which can often help you understand it better. Connections are often mysterious and unspoken so having that text there can help give it strength, can help you understand it better. Best thing? They can always be changed and added too. I think the important thing here is that you are a sweetheart. But you cant please everyone and no matter how much you try to, someone may or may not get upset. At the end of the day, you are writing things from Dags perspective, he cant know everyone (or he CAN TRY HAHA). I think if there are important characters in his life that help define him, then by all means write it out. Its part of his history.
On the other hand, you could do away with it, but its always nice bio fodder. Great for development; working out what something means to someone.
LOOK I CAN ESSAY TOO.
Interesting that the "Core"
In that case, Velocity would be the dealer almost, Dag would just be shuffling the deck.
"Trust your opponent, but only after you shuffle their deck."
ramblingsorry
Also if someone gets butthurt over the relationships, it's their problem, not yours. Don't fret over it.
I personally only list family
*fangirling*
x
FUCK. RAVYN. YOU- MY
RAVYN. YOU-
MY REVENGE WILL BE SWIFT.
*brushes your arm hair in the WRONG DIRECTION*
Also thanks for your input peeps c:
Kaoori is the joker
Kaoori is the jokerSeed gripped the bowl of warm
He walked towards the dandelion hill, since he suspected Dag might enjoy a restful drink...And because he had sat there, in front of his tea with the smell of jasmine wafting through the air and curling around him like an old friend, and he found himself suddenly very lonely. The green stag's antlers were leafed out in delicate green leafs, slowly unfolding in a color that seemed brighter for the sunlight on them, barely filtering away the light. A few purple buds, still awaiting the strength to blossom, nestled in among them, and his branch-antlers rustled with his motion as he drew near. He looked around for the near horizon-blocking figure of his friend, golden eyes sweeping the landscape.
"Dag?"
He queried, his voice muffled by having to go around the bowl, out through the edges of his lips.
Mjrn - *poke* ;D Dag
Dag murmured in agreement with her comment about it being something she needed. His smile disappeared for a second as he raised a brow,
"Strange how something that most of us try to prevent ends up being just what we need. As if everyone had been released from a cage..."
His mind drifted,
"If there's anything I've taken away from my-" he cleared his through, not willing to talk about his time with the Wolf.
"... Is that conflict needs to exist for you to feel... Alive."
The old warrior blinked, then turned to her with a chuckle,
"But old faces make me feel real."
Seed -
Dag had spent most of the day in the open sun, embracing the change, but had retreated in the afternoon to the shade around the back of the hill. His dandelion looked very worse for wear, but his hooves were too large to try and do anything about it. Instead he had sat in front of it and pushed the earth around it with his nose, trying to flatten out the grass that had come away. He could hear Seed nearby... well, he recognized his steps rather than his muffled call.
He hoisted himself up onto his feet (which took some effort and a little help from the forefront of his antler pushed against the hill's incline), and called out to him whilst walking around to meet him.
"I'm here."
He called, not too loudly, and rounded the hill until he could see him. It was then he stopped, and looked straight at the thing Seed was holding in his mouth, a deep furrow forming between his eyes.
"... What is that?" He asked, "Though... I would put it down before you try to tell me, hm-hm."
The stag's huge nostrils flared as the smell reached him and his ears perked forward, interested.
-sobs- I will try - I will
omg I spelled "guarantees" so wrong, spell correcter would only give me "gauntleted" as a correct word. my body is so done--
Her mouth curled into a small smirk. She avoided looking at him to prevent him from seeing it.
Cold, hard iron. Difficult. infuriating to break. Some have been caged their whole lives. It's only natural they'd want freedom the moment they saw it. Her voice had been steady, calculated, only to gradually sharpen, though she controlled it enough to keep it from being too sharp. As if to return a sense of peace to herself, she stretched, her front legs splaying awkwardly in front of her, before curling back in, cradling her chest.
Her face turned blank as she heard the sound of his throat clearing. She was interested in knowing, but certainly not too stupid. She told herself it didn't matter at the moment. It was enough to shepherd the curiosity away.
Her eyes narrowed, a thought creeping through, and she tried, tried so hard, to keep it away. It escaped her mouth before she could bite her tongue. It's funny...how when the adrenaline kicks in, when we let go of all restraint, we say we feel alive - when most of us don't know what Death feels like. I sort of remember - She paused briefly, collecting thoughts.
- hearing somewhere that it's like being born...only backwards. It...never felt that way to me. I remember...it was kinda numb, 'ya know? Like, my chest felt so numb, and it traversed my body, and suddenly I felt so heavy, and I could hear the thud of my body hitting the ground, but I couldn't feel it, and everything faded to black, and then I- She hit her head into the ground. Christ, I'm so sorry Dag. I'm such a drag, yeah?
As if to attempt a dismissal of her own words, she sprang to her feet, jabbing him gently with a hoof.
You calling me old? That's not nice to say to a lady, 'ya know. She joked, a broad, genuine smile visible.
Seed came close enough to Dag
"It's tea. It's a sort of herbed drink."
Seed had known of tea, but never had it, before getting the batch that, at this bowl-full, was in its final usage from Radish. Since it'd been a semi-foreign thing to him and Sage, when she'd taken tea with him, he figured it would hardly be a safe assumption to make that Dag would know it.
"I got some from...Well, I suppose a friend... who works with herbs, and I was hoping you'd share some with me."
The worry that he was imposing, with Dag in poor shape besides, quickly turned back-up singer to the sudden sadness of remembering why he was asking. Not just for a chance at Dag's company, which was always much in-demand, especially nowdays... His eyes went distant and sad, and he turned his head to better hide this feature of his expression.
"My usual companion for tea isn't around anymore...And I thought you might enjoy it. It's very relaxing."
Dag vs Fawns; Lacie as Dag
Lacie as Dag struggles on;
Oh my god I was going through the gif folder trying to find the right ones, and I could have made a whole story about Dag and the fawns LOL.
mm dag if i had the muse id
if i had the muse id love to have dina reacquaint herself to dag, but eh.
maybe soon in the future, when you aren't as busy with other rps c:
Left something for you on
Sorry my replies are taking
din - I'd like that <3
Mjrn - Skype didn't ping me anything :c and the website's been down all day so I haven't been able to reply to this until now. Is it something we can talk about here?
Skype's a piece of crap,
Was trying to send this to you.
Are you open for RPs with
NikaGika - Hello, and yes!
Mjrn -
He chuckled at Lacie's unbridled chatter, absolutely loving it. Many were trying to be careful around him as much as he was around them, but Lacie true to form has no business with that kind of nonsense.
"I always did enjoy it when you talked to me like this. You're able to put thoughts into words better than I can... I'm afraid what I experienced however is largely inexplicable at the moment."
One day, he hoped he would be able to tell the truths of his story, unbelievable tales as they are. He is reminded of Ephiré, as he often is, about how he will have to approach him on this very subject.
"Some things I feel are... beyond the mental capacity mortality gives us. We only know what there is to know in the environment we stand in."
They'll never know of the places that bare my hoof-prints.
The jab to his side caused him to flinch - she must have prodded a nerve just right, because it tickled him.
"You?" He scoffed, "... A lady?"
His expression froze very briefly before breaking into a very, very cheeky smile.
(lol oh no he di'nt. Also that dag vs fawns gif made me laugh so much XD)
Seed -
Dag cocked his head quizzically at the bowl and the colour of the water. It looked a dirty colour, but still clear and somehow clean all at the same time - and warm? He didn't really know what to make of it. He sat down, quite fascinated, but looked up in time to see Seed's expression before his head turned.
"Not around anymore?" He said sympathetically, tilting a little to try and recapture Seed's gaze,
"I've never had this before. I would like to share some with you." He smiled, then turned his attention to the bowl again. It was small... it wouldn't be like just sticking his nose in the pond and drinking. Could he even fit his nose in there?
His head leaned closer to it... then retracted... then close again, at a few different angles, before a small sharp laugh gushed from him,
"Um..." He looked at Seed, whose mouth seemed pretty much designed to drink from something like this. Unfortunately, his giant snout was not.
"Do... Do I just drink from the top? I don't want to ruin it...!"
(lmao I'm sorry but this is adorable. HOW DOES TEA.)
OOC: Okay! I will use
http://endlessforest.org/community/art-and-character-bios
Nika wandered through the forest, stil getting used to her new doe legs. She missed her human body. It was awkward to walk on all fours all the time, but she knew she would get used to it. She hadn't eaten in the few days she'd been there, too afraid to eat anything. Eating grass didn't seem appealing (and she had tried grass before when she was a child, and it did not taste very well), and she didn't want to eat raw meat for fear of parasites. As she wandered and contemplated what she would eat she walked into the rump of a giant stag.
(-snaps fingers- It's so
---
She couldn't stop smiling, not for a second. There was something about being able to relinquish information and not dredge the darkest of memories that she loved most. He was one of the very few, she realized long ago and remembered now, that could make her feel comfortable with explaining things that remained dormant in her mind.
He was the key that unlocked her memories and inner turmoils, and like any door with the proper fit, opened without struggle.
I remember you saying once that I speak so much, and you think so much. We could became a therapist team at this rate, yeah? She bounced around him briefly, a rush of excitement coursing through her.
He was one of the very few - she realized long ago and remembered now - that had a knack for giving her energy without even trying.
It was almost ironic how the very individual who could bear so many burdens was the very one to give life to the ones around him. And for a moment she thought: Can darkness truly turn to light? Can light truly turn to darkness? Or were they simply separate, melding briefly, giving the illusion that they were one? Was the darkness of one becoming the light for others?
She shook her head, a brief headache occurring from the convulsive thought train.
Hm. I wonder... She trailed off, glancing to the sky as her voice picked up again. If I hadn't lived that life before, could I imagine the worlds outside of this one? I would like to think not. Because even then I dreamed, I imagined worlds outside of that island. Colours, hues, creatures unlike any there. I think...while we can certainly be limited in a physical sense, the mind is never such.
She subconsciously pawed at the ground in front of her, still deep in thought. I think the mind is infinite - the only thing that keeps it from releasing its potential is our own physical vessel. It can only handle so mu-
If she could have facepalmed, she would. Instead, she rose, falling onto her back onto the earth below. She shook her head as the impact caused her head to numb temporarily.
I've once again missed the point of what you said, and simply restated what you said...in a more roundabout fashion.
Dramatically, she rose, her front hooves slamming into the ground as she bowed, mocking a childish tantrum.
Okay, forget about the therapist partnership. Can't really do much when one half is losing their mind, yeah?
But then again...
Oh god not this crap again.
The most tortured souls are often the wisest. It was a near inaudible whisper as she said it, not quite sure where to go with it.
Her head snapped up at his teasing, and her face scrunched up, feigning anger.
Why you! I'm the fanciest lady in the Forest, didn't 'ya know? As if to prove her point, she turned from him, strutting for a few yards before turning around, and strutting back.
They don't know what they're missing out on! She playfully scoffed, her smile wide, as if meaning to stretch her face.
---
(Yeah. She is totally me. HI I'M JUST GOING TO GET LOST IN MY HEAD AND DISREGARD EVERYTHING THAT WAS JUST SAID AND REPEAT IT BACK TO YOU AS IF I'M A PHILOSOPHER, YEAH? orz)
Seed looked back up, pulling
As for the tea...Seed had to stop and evaluate this plan. Sage had, in fact, generally sipped from her muzzle... But her muzzle had been much smaller than Dag's. This would be troublesome. He glanced back and forth from the end of Dag's muzzle to the bowl, trying to compare size and so on. Eventually, he settled for the simplest resolution.
"I just lick it up. It's a little silly, but it keeps my face from getting soaked, and I think it'd probably work better for you. It's more about the flavor than the amount of liquid, really. And the smell."
Seed tended to drink like a cat, except . Had cups been invented in this universe, and had he hands to move one, he so totally would have lorded up his face-shape over everyone. Or, rather, he would have thought about it and felt too shy or emberassed enough to do so.
Mjrn - Thanks for the
Will reply to rps tomorrow (;
NikaGika - (Your artwork is
Standing in the shade doing nothing more than dozing on his feet, the bump Dag felt to his hindquarters did wake him up. He blinked and looked quizzically ahead before actually turning his head to see what it was, presuming it was just another deer passing by clumsily. But instead he looked down to see a pretty human-faced doe, looking quite lost.
"Oh!" The considerably larger beast walked his front around until he faced her properly, "Are you alright?"
Mjrn - (awh you adorable little ESSAY WRITER)
He hoped she didn't notice... well, part of his stifled chuckling was the fact clearly she wasn't aware of how amusing she was once she had been set off. It didn't take too much on his part, and he liked that. However it wasn't in a mocking kind of way that he found himself wanting to laugh, but it was her passion coupled with the moments she realized she might have gone on too long, or said something that didn't really need to be said.
A giggle may have escaped when she toppled onto her back... he wasn't sure.
"The fanciest! Truly!" Dag nodded enthusiastically, rather liking her strut and how her ever wider smile seemed to brighten everything around him,
"And for the record - Lady Lacie," he pulled an exaggerated, pouty look of a distinguished aristocrat and bowed his head in recognition of her overwhelming Lady-ness, "we do make a good team, for each other if not anyone else."
Deciding he had been sat for too long, Dag slowly rose to his feet, forcing a sharp shiver down his back right to his tail that flicked side to side briefly and flashing the white underneath.
"I'm curious..." he began, "Do you dream about worlds beyond this forest, now?"
Seed -
"More about the flavour than the amount..." Thinking this way about water was a new one on him. The smell was already inviting enough, so he wasted no more of Seed's time and hovered his nose over the bowl, inhaling the aroma deeply before touching his lips to the surface and taking a sip.
He sat back, holding the tea in his mouth before swallowing. It tasted like he had just taken a mouthful of many plants mixed together, except... this was obviously more pleasant and gentle. With a taste like that, it was weird for it to be something he didn't need to chew.
Flicking his tongue a few times, he contemplated his response with his eyes off to the side looking up into the trees. Eventually, he gave his verdict with ears perked forward and a satisfied smile on his face,
"It's strange... But I do like it!"
OOC: Thank you! The young
The young doe looked up at the great stag, and her face flushed red in embarrassment. "I'm alright. I'm really sorry, I hope I didn't hurt you." Even though she noticed that she was taller than some of the other deer in the forest, the male before her was massive. His antlers were like giant, white branches that were made for fighting. "Is he friendly? Well, he must be if he asked if I was alright," she thought.
She looked at his strange coloring; the lovely red that adorned his face looked like war paint against the white. Was he a warrior? He was built like one, but warrior stags? What kind of place was this strange realm? Is it even still the Earth that she had read in her books, and been protecting since she was 12? Her head spun, and she knew it was from the lack of food and water in her system. She had been hesitant to drink from the pond. Who knows how dirty it could be?
"Again, I'm very sorry."
(I am not adorable wtf r u
---
She burst out laughing as he bowed his head - the whole thing in itself was comical, and she enjoyed it. She enjoyed the moments where she could be but a child, and simply let go.
Perhaps we do! Always takes two to tango besides! She swept her front leg around, elegantly spinning once, simply because it was fun drama that she couldn't pass up.
At his question, she paused. Instantly, she could see the colours tangle together again - blues and whites separated into skies and clouds, greens and yellows turned into trees and flowers. Each combination created something more - she could see forests, and the way the shadows danced along the ground. She could see castles standing protectively over civilizations.
She felt a dull ache in her chest. Her ears turned back slightly at the unpleasant sensation.
I always have. Her voice was quiet, a lost-in-thought echo to it. Sometimes, I see home - other times, I see civilizations. I imagine buildings much like the Ruins, looming under the always watching sky. The humans walk in its shadow, talking to each other, trading objects.
She forced herself to sit down. She might have fallen over from the dizzying thoughts otherwise.
There are times I can see other forests - I can see animals I never saw living wild at home. They're all animals the humans brought with them. Cattle and such. Some other weird ones too, they kept in cages. I remember they seemed sad...
But not as sad as us.
They weren't the ones being slaughtered for nothing.
She took a deep breath then, turning her head to look at him.
Funny how I associate home with a lot of bad things, yet I still call it home.
Her eyes narrowed at a sudden thought.
I've called this place - this forest - home when associating it with others, but...never for myself. Yet I was "born" here, wasn't I? Hm. Blood's stronger than time and space, it seems.
Jerking her head up, she tried her hardest to pick up the corners of her mouth as her smile had begun to falter.
Before...everything happened...did you dream of other worlds? If you did...have your experiences...skewered them at all?
She decided she was done attempting to run circles.
If she was to lose, it would be with the knowledge that she was able to communicate with someone about anything.
Seed smiled brightly,
"I'm glad. It's certainly an unusual experience... If I could think up a good exchange, I want to go back and get some more from the fellow I got it from."
Seed settled down across from the bowl, where he could access it easily, and anyway, wouldn't have to stretch about so much to reach it on the ground. He motioned for Dag to join him. The flowers in their stems about the forest (and growing from Seed's antlers) mixed with the floral scent of the tea, the warm springiness in the earth and the air alike.
Wouldn't mind an rp with him
NikaGika - He watched the
He watched the doe's changing expressions curiously, wondering what she could be thinking until he realized that he was perhaps a little too daunting. 'Hurt me?' Amused by this, he smiled,
"Hm-hm, it's alright," his deep voice soothed, "but... if I may say so, you look a little lost." He didn't want to mention that she looked unwell, even though he noticed how she was quite pale and dehydrated.
"I was about to go to the pond... You can come with me, if you like?" Dag stepped aside to invite her to follow,
"My name is Dag, by the way."
Mjrn - (yiss you are and lawl way to go be a party pooper dag)
Dag's ears lowered bit by bit as she spoke and slowly lost her momentum. Perhaps he shouldn't have said anything... though the association of bad things to calling it home did strike a chord with him. It was something he had been struggling with since his return - a strange longing for the horrific place he was in, completely torn from the forest.
"I dream and have dreampt a lot of things."
While she sat, he still stood and looked to the distance, recalling the dreams prior to his fight with Ephiré.
"Dreams are cunning. They will trick you into thinking that its illusions are real and that you are conscious, when you are not... It can drive you mad." He gave Lacie a very telling look,
"My scar is permanent in more ways than one."
He would always dream of outrunning an ocean, and facing fire in a hell where there was no room for him. As his gaze wandered, he came upon the shadow of the ruins and turned to face it.
"Buildings... I have seen them too."
His eyes narrowed when he remembered something Spring had told him,
"Being destroyed, though."
Seed -
Settling down opposite to Seed, Dag was eager to try some more and took his turn in sipping from the bowl; a slightly larger mouthful this time as he knew what to expect. The warm flavoured water seemed to relax him, and he sat there quite content to just smell it.
Suddenly, he chuckled himself, motioning to the pond,
"Does your friend have enough to fill that?"
He knew the answer, but he found the thought amusing. A whole pond tasting like this could be nothing but brilliant.
vinttage -
Skype is a little difficult for me atm, I'm just not used to it X'D maybe we can start one when I've finished one of the others? (:
"I'm glad you're alright,"
"And yes, I am lost." She didn't even know where she could be at. She had learned every place on the planet, yet this place was different. It had strange creatures, and she heard of these "Twin Gods". There were human ruins, a bridge, a fountain, idols, and statues, but no humans.
She heard his request and nodded; she was dying of thirst. "Hello, Dag, I am Nika."
(no no it's all lies lies I
---
My scar is permanent in more ways than one.
Her face scrunched into a frown, eyes closing before ears pinned back again.
They always are, hn.
Eyes opened again, watching him carefully.
Some can control their dreams. Lucid dreaming, they call it. It involves knowing that you're in a dream, and then using that knowledge the alter it however you please. I've tried doing it, but ahh...I suck at it.
She laughed quietly, before shaking her head.
Some also say that dreams show you things that sleep deep in your conscious. It's a way for your mind to tell you things you'd either rather not recall, or just things you wouldn't even know. That's why you can't remember most dreams...as if your mind deletes it after you wake up, so you can't remember any horrors you may have witnessed. Still...
She laid down then, tucking her legs close. Her eyes locked onto nothing in particular, though her gaze gave the impression of looking far beyond the distance in front of them. As if she was trying to look beyond their small world again.
There was some silence as she attempted to collect her thoughts again, make them coherent.
The ones that get away, the ones you do remember....makes me wonder. What if the mind isn't really..."ours" so to speak? We use our minds to think, we use it to function in general. And yet it's as if it's its own living thing, independent of us.
Her eyes narrowed as she felt a headache coming - it did nothing to break their focus however. She was still able to catch the last of his words as he finished.
A hellfire...Apocalypse.
Her head shook as she brought herself back. She, hesitantly, turned to look at him.
...You think this forest is really "endless," Dag?
That's okay c:
(No subject)
"Oh, that would be
Seed chuckled at the idea. How many plants would someone need to make that work? He tried to ponder that out based on what little of Radish's process he had seen...But it felt a little staggering. As he pictured it, the lake seeping brown inside his head... He paused.
"Ah, but the water from the crying idol would dilute it, wouldn't it? That'd ruin all that hard work..."
He sighed, a little wistfully, as the fantasy got banged up. However...A certain amount of effort needed to be put in, so he tried to give it some more thought, and came up with an alternative vision:
"Maybe De Drinkplaats would be a better water source."
Ookami -
NikaGika - "Well Nika, it's
"Well Nika, it's nice to meet you." He motioned for her to follow as he started walking, looking her over once more,
"How long have you been in for forest for?" So many new faces had sprung up in the forest in his year of absence that it was all a little daunting; he was glad she had bumped into him, in a way, as he had been lacking somewhat in his usual confidence in meeting new deer.
Mjrn -
As she spoke, Dag moved closer to a tree in order to rub his shoulder. All their talking had made him a little fidgety so he needed an activity while he listened, though stopping when he realized he didn't quite understand what Lacie meant by the mind being independent. One side of his face was scrunched as he gave it some thought, but was interrupted by her question.
"Is the forest really endless." He repeated thoughtfully, moving closer before gearing up to sit down again. For a behemoth like Dag, standing and sitting seemed an ordeal from an onlooker's point of view; like one false move could see him topple a tree or two.
"Perhaps.
If you travel the same path time after time, you can busy yourself with just the thought of traveling it only to find yourself endlessly doing the same day after day - or, you can look for something new on that path each time."
He paused, not knowing if he even understood himself in what he was trying to say,
"Hm-hm, I guess it all depends on how you define 'endless'."
Seed -
"That's a better plan." Dag laughed, "Suggest it to your friend next time and see what he says." He joked, looking at the bowl again still fascinated by how clear it was despite being coloured, like a precious gem.
(sorry for le shortness guys, steam is running low tonight haha)
"A few days," she said. She
She smiled lopsidedly as he
It took her a moment to fully comprehend what he was telling her.
Wandering aimlessly. I've done that before. She lowered her head to think.
What I meant was - She looked up at him. - all the destruction you saw then. Worlds being torn apart, destroyed, another casualty in wars unspoken. This forest, for the most part, is rather peaceful. Sure you get moments here and there where one must question their safety, but-
She finally rose, walking toward no one place in particular.
- it's like a haven, a sanctuary. After everything I've known, then and now...I feel like I'm being deceived.
She caught the sight of butterflies and birds intermingling with one another - dancing patterns known only to them, patterns she wished she could try for herself. Someday, perhaps.
I've learned...that nothing good truly lasts forever. Who named this world? Is it really eternal? When galaxies, and the worlds they cradle, burn out and die, will this place remain standing? Is something protecting this place, or are we all, in a sense, protecting it?
She shook her head, turning back to look at him. Her smile gave away her embarrassment at the thoughts.
We'll probably never know, yeah?
Nika - He walked with a
He walked with a heavy, lumbering grace, each hoof making a discernible crease in the ground under his sheer body-weight. Dag's strides were longer than most and like all large animals his movement looked in slow motion compared to his dainty companion,
"Only a few days?" He questioned, "So there is still much for you to see, then." Appearing to be quite forest-savvy, he smiled knowingly,
"Ah, I have been here a long time. Before the Drinkplaats in the birch forest existed, if you have been to see it. The water there is the purest," he paused, leaning to half-whisper as if to tell her a secret, "- but it tends to turn you into little squirrels among other things."
As he lifted his head up to laugh, his antlers clicker-clacked against some drooping branches.
"Personally, I like to drink from Crying Idol waterfalls."
Mjrn -
Deceived.
Dag lowered his head in a nod, suddenly looking a little defeated as he busied his eyes with an insect crawling away from him through the grass.
"We might never know. But to me the forest is not the haven people so desperately try to defend." A short laugh; a little mocking gesture to a past self,
"If nothing good can last forever, then what is the excuse for not loving and living in the now, while it - and you - are here." His smile had returned, and he looked at Lacie in a way that would be seldom seen by others, if they ever chose to have deeply meaningful conversations with him such as this. The truth in his eyes exposed his soul,
"We make the forest what it is, the good and bad. I protect you as long as I know your name, and you protect me by knowing mine."
She had remember seeing a
Her curiousity about this place was strong, and she wanted to document this new, strange forest to take back to the Queen. None of the previous Guardians had ever documented such a place, not so much as even mention it. "This great stag has been here for a very long time, he could tell me all of this forest's history," she thought, "But how would I document it? I don't have hands." She looked down at her black hooves. "Well, I can put the pencil between the hoof, but do they even have pencils here? Or paper?" But then she realized she could use her powers to write and make paper. "Dag, since you have been here for some time, you must know this forest's history and everything within it, correct?"
I'm glad I'm not the only
It's Hell and back,
And yet...
Her head lowered, her eyes nearly unreadable, save for a small hint of sadness intermixing with a distant anger.
I suppose it's because the future traps, while the past captures. We don't know the future, and so the past is all we have to live by. I can imagine that if we all could simply live, it would be so much better. Yet...
She looked back up to him, head tilted slightly. I can't help but think that would require some sort of indifference. As in...something bad happens to someone, there is no sympathy because it interferes with your existence. I mean...hm. She stopped for a moment, her mind clouded by thoughts.
I suppose...from a practical standpoint, it'd be better that way. But that part that carries emotion - a soul, a heart morals and such - cries foul. It's not right. It's "proper" to feel something when something like that happens. There was a small frown curling up the corners of her mouth.
I'm over thinking again, Iaurdagnire. She said, lightly smiling as she said his name. Names were identities, names were knowledge - names were power.
You are well protected, you know. Her voice grew more lighthearted and warm.
So long as the Fortress stands,
There can be some hope.
Nika - Dag nodded at her
Dag nodded at her question about the Crying Idol as they drew closer to it. Before they reached it, he took tentative steps toward the edge of the bank that was less steep than the rest so he could climb in without... too much hassle. He half-slid into the shallow stream sending water up the other side of the bank, then began to walk up the stream toward the Idol.
"Everything within it?" He shook his head, trying not to laugh as if mocking her, but it was a funny thought! The nature of the forest is that everyone has their own history; their own stories to tell.
"My dear, very few know everything about the forest's history, and we all have different stories. I may have been here a long time, but there are some who have been here even longer, even before the Birch Forest existed."
His head lowered as he came to the waterfalls, stopping just short so that he didn't hit the stone with his antlers when he bent to take a drink. He took a few gulps before looking up at her, the hair on his chin wet enough to form a small beard,
"Well, come and have a drink!"
Dag was curious about why she seemed to want to know so much before giving herself time to explore for more than a few days. He was happy to answer questions and tell stories, of course, but for newcomers the forest had so much to offer as a haven more than anything else. Meeting someone so interested in facts was new.
Mjrn-
"Future traps, and past captures. Hm-hm, there you go encapsulating thoughts so perfectly again."
All her points were valid, but he was hesitant in affirming them. Indifference... in some ways, that was always a part of his survival. It's how he maintained a type of emotional distance from everyone, even if they didn't realise it themselves. Though never short of affection to others, emotionally he had always been on the cusp. Had he ever really laid all his feelings out to anyone completely? How did he maintain such even relationships with everyone if he ever did? There was definitely a line in himself somewhere that allowed him to control it, even if he didn't really know how.
Others might simply call it as being a deep, inward thinker. His friends are catylists, letting things escape even if they are the ones to say it. Like Lacie: she seemed to know how everything he thought, worked.
"Sympathy can only go do far. Bad things that happen may not or even need to impact on ones existance at all." He sighs heavily, eyes looking a little listless, "If a mother in the forest whom I have never met, nor know the name of, loses a fawn, I sympathise with the nature of the tragedy. But that would be all... If we take all things as an impact on our lives we simple become reactors. Spending so much time worrying about what is happening to others that we forget to be proactive for ourselves. Hm,hm."
A light chuckle as he shook his head, closing his eyes momentarily before turning to look at her,
"Now I'm over-thinking, Lacie."
"So, then no one knows of
.
"Well... I-... er... books?
She certainly asked a lot of questions, and none had a definitive answer. He stood there, looking a little dumbfounded and wondering where to start.
"The twin Gods created the forest, and as their creatures evolved, they listened and changed the land for them - that is the way most tales seem to start. They have human faces like much of the inhabitants, so there is your human element. I cannot possibly comment on that, however."
He paused,
"Some are created, some are born."
Dag's expression turned a little uncomfortable as he tried to find the best way of describing his origin, but there was no way to do so without it getting complicated. His own history was a part of the forest and linked so many with each other in different ways.
After staring into the falls, eventually he said calmly,
"I was created."
That was enough, for now. If Nika were to stay around then he was sure she would hear about him from other deer,
"And there are ways to leave the forest. A friend of mine used to use a portal to his home land. However, the ways to leave are defined by you. Not everyone can leave, because perhaps they do not wish to - but those who do strongly enough, can, or so I've come to understand."
She didn't mean to puzzle the
And what he said about leaving, as beautiful as this place was, she had to leave. She looked up at the sky. "I see. Then I will find a way. I have to leave," she said looking back at him.
That only makes us
Lacie was one whom sought distance, yet always found herself so close. She loathed it deeply, but yearned for it at the same time. She was a phantom, yet she was solid - she bled, she cried, slept, drank and ate. Inside she felt heavy, aching, though on the outside she would have appeared to be as light as a feather, untouchable.
She was contradiction incarnate, and only time would tell if that in itself would do her in. A part of her wanted it, the other feared it.
Nothing wrong with being selfish. I guess... She looked away from him - thinking clearly was a hard task for such an active mind.
I don't know. I'd like to be more indifferent, but that's what keeps me away from everyone else too. As in...if someone else is indifferent, I'd rather have nothing to do with them. I'm not going to waste my time and energy on someone who can't be bothered to reach out. But then again... Her laughter was more coarse. ...Even when someone tries to pay attention to me, I can't be bothered. It's almost like I don't even know what exactly I want for myself. I want to be alone, but I hate the feeling it brings too.
In personal defeat, she found herself on her back again, staring blankly at the sky above her.
I can only hope you know what you want. It's not fun when you're like me, heh. Don't let your head hurt too much.
Do I miss when he is in the