[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft] Rumors traveled quickly in the swamp, and Cicada-Crusher was intrigued. A trip to the mountains, without fear of the Ache? He'd left the mountains long ago, a nameless Totoma shunned for his interest in medicine, at the time. When his brethren had come to the swamp as well, they'd still mocked him. But even so, he knew there was value in gentleness, in healing. You couldn't fight without being able to heal. Still, despite making the swamp his home, he missed his old home, his old family and friends who had yet to migrate. Just one chance to see the mountains again, and he would be sated. And if anyone needed help, he would be there.

Cicada-Crusher worried, leaving his son Sedated alone. But the delicate Acha wouldn't be fit to travel, especially to the Totoma homelands. He would be fine in the den, cared for by his siblings if needed. He turned his attention to the other kin, looking and noting how few other Totoma there were. There were so many Acha after all. And the legendary, Swarm. He recognized her from her generous gift of honeycomb, and her blessing for his children. He brought one of those children with him now, now a tall strong doe. He couldn't say he was displeased with the company. He looked across the crowd that had gathered, making no move yet.



[imgright]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgright]Follow the Moths had been born in the swamp, but when she heard her father was going to travel, she demanded to come along. She'd never seen her ancestral homeland, and this might be her only chance! There must be some part of her that was empty without it, and while it hurt her to leave behind some family, she wanted to badly to come. She would be with her father, after all. And she could meet other kin, and form bonds and friendships. Maybe there were interesting and new herbs in the mountains? Or even new insects? She was excited, and worried. Would she meet mountain Totoma? Would the Obelisk be frightening? Would kin get injured?

She creeped away from her father, toward a pale acha. "Have you ever been on such a journey before? This will be my first time." Follow the Moths wasn't sure how to make conversation easily, but this seemed as good a way as any!

@Shaddaling (Follow the Moths says hi!)

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well," Shelter said, giving a small head bob towards Tidal terror. "I look forward to the journey, I'm Sheltered by the leaves, but Shelter works fine."  It was simpler and that could be needed.

"More towards the possibility of ice instead of cold. " Shelter admitted to Trailbrazer. "Desert nights do get cold and while snow is not common it can show up in certain areas." He tapped a delicate slender hoof on the ground. "Ice though is a more unknown..." He gave a little shrug. "The journey is exciting though, and I wanted to see the mountains."

"Hmm, this would be my first time leaving the swamp since I traveled in from the desert. I'm rather excited to see something new. Others in the groups have traveled out to see the obelisks and have told their tales but this would be my first." He nodded at the young seeming totoma. "You can call me Shelter, and you are?"

@Gl!tch~
@purplerosesbeauty
@Ruriska
@zeflamigo 

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uffins.gif[/imgleft]Another one. Another one. Another one!

A rainbow torrent of emotions swirled in the acha - rage, confusion, excitement, fear - though none showed outwardly. These rocks had haunted her and led up to the call of another. Her hooves stabbed the earth in her uneven and unpredictable gait as she answered that call. Her usually vacant eyes had turned wild of late, increasing in intensity with each passing dream, and they scanned the small crowd of different kin. Her gaze swept back and forth, noncommital, as it seemed to linger here, or almost pass over there.

The kin gathered seemed calm to her. How dare they be calm. The color of rage grew in her inner torment.

Her mouth hung open just slightly, as if about to say something, though she nearly never did. She did eventually murmur, "Funny rocks." before finding a place to watch and wait.

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... ef_ane.gif[/imgright] It was different for him. He came for the gathering, less than he did the mountains or the obelisk. He had dreamed of the latter two, of the cold and heartbeats, of course, but it wasn't his reason for coming along. No, wedged within the gathering was a promise for something, perhaps even someone, and that was more intriguing to him. It would be, though, because he was all flirt and love and touch. Mountains and obelisks were terrible lovers.

Blurry though his vision was, he pranced into the gathering with a wide smile, "Hello! How are you?" he asked the nearest kin--he butted his head against the acha's chest and rubbed, not unlike a cat, along its flank and side before coming to stand beside it. (Poor Unlife.)

@Muffinsbaby

She nodded, to Sleeping Terror's words, to Swarm's agreement. "I am sure you will lead us well, Swarm. But we will need to stay together! And take care of each other. My fellow totoma speaks true." Tidal Terror gave another nod to the elder among them, who was due respect. "There will be no time or space to panic if a blizzard makes it impossible to see, or if a wolf pack begins to circle. If one kin runs off, more are sure to follow, and one slip could be the end to more than just your journey! Take care, and take pride in what you know and what you will learn from this experience."

With that out of the way, she wanted to mingle a bit more. Tidal Terror was no leader, and she wasn't about to interrogate every non-totoma about what skills they would bring to a treacherous expedition, or why they should come along at all. If they ran off and died, it would be a lesson to the rest of the group. Her words could only do so much versus action itself. Hopefully, they had heard enough tales of the mountains to have an idea of what they were in for.

And she had something else to take up her attention for the time being. "Friend Murkcrow!" Tidal Terror stepped over to him, laughing as she did so. "It is good to see you again! I suppose it is our time to take charge instead of dreaming of the past!"

@Mima
@Tiarana

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft] Stay had heard about a venture. Dangerous, sure, but a chance to pick up some off-swamp items sounded too good to pass up. There had to be something worth trading, either from somebody who was homesick or somebody who wanted to try something new. He didn't mind some walking either, if it came to it.

He wasn't sure about the group, though. Not everybody looked like they were on steady ground, in the hoof or head department.

He eyed up another totoma, flanked by a couple of wolves and with a particularly rakish beard. Something shiny glittered in his generous amounts of chest fur.

"Hey," he said, gaze lingering a second. "Nice rock."

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... k_blue.png[/imgright]"The swamp provides," He replied, looking down at Merry with his eyebrows raised. Maybe it was a joke, but -- maybe it wasn't, also. With Badgerlock, it was so difficult to tell. He had a stoic edge to the way he stood, the way he looked down at her, the way he spoke; he cocked his head a little, and maybe it was cheeky. Or maybe just thoughtful.

"I'm glad to see you found your way here, though it doesn't seem we're going into the heart of the desert..."

@Beejoux

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... se_bee.gif[/imgleft]
She'd like to believe it was the former--that she'd worn down that stoicism enough for a little something more to peek through every now and again, and the doe gave him a half-lidded smile. 

"But we're going somewhere that isn't here," she reminded him with a wink, like it was some big secret between the two of them.  "Somewhere new and exciting."  Again, the feathers of her tail tickled against his side, and she didn't even pretend it was an accident.

@blue

"I can't say I'm happy to be here," Murkcrow groused. "But here I am nonetheless. I'm not going to miss out on another expedition, not after all these dreams. You're from the mountains, right? Do you think this will be adequate?" He gestured towards his pelt-pack with his nose.

@Gl!tch~

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft] Repeats Mistakes gave the guy who'd dare approach him a look of sheer scandal. Most people didn't dare approach him, and rightly so - they weren't fucking welcome. But this guy showed up anyway.

He curled his lip and flicked his short tail angrily.

"Its mine!" he snapped, and reflecting the mood of their leader, both wolves bared their fangs at Stay.

"You cannae have it!"

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft] "You think I got light hooves?" Stay asked. "Not that light. I mean, I like a good deal, but if I started touching your chest we'd...uh, both notice."

He cleared his throat, looking over at the wolves and glad for a chance at a change of subject. They were almost as muscled as their owner.

"Now those are wolves. They look real fucking vicious. I bet hunting's a breeze."

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft]

Rep found himself absently raising a hoof to his chest fluff at the other Totoma's comment, looking as if he was thinking about some reply to make in a dazed sort of way before he quite hurriedly focused on the comment about the wolves instead.

"Uh. Aye." he said, looking around at the two wolves who stopped snarling and looked confused. The larger black wolf wagged its tail hopefully at him and then Stay. "The white one's Wee One, the black one's Big One."

He looked back to the other Totoma and narrowed his eyes a little accusingly. "Hunting goes awright. I need the help, I don't have a tribe or anything. Just me. And the boys."

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft] "Oh, single, huh?" Harrison asked. "I mean, solo. Me too. Not that I'm against company. Just that when you get enough kin in a group, they start getting weird with the requirements. Everybody's got to wear a leaf hat. Only guys with butterfly marks can hunt around these parts. You know. Fine for some kin. Just not for me."

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... k_blue.png[/imgleft][imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... erlock.gif[/imgright]Badgerlock made an agreeing noise, apparently unconcerned about the contact, the casual marking of her tail. In contrast, however, Nighteyes seemed to press up closer against his ankles, winding through his hind legs, and finally settling just so, leaning up against him, between the pair of them. It was protective language that Badgerlock seemed to completely ignore.

"It'll be cold, I dare say. I hope you're ready."

@Beejoux