[META ORP] Journey to the Mountains

[Tiarana]

"Ah, the front! Yes, that seems like a good idea." Murkcrow trailed after Tidal Terror amicably, getting a good look at the other kin in the crowd as he passed. They were certainly a diverse group. Everyone is here for their own reasons, he thought. He wondered if the diversity would be an asset or a hindrance. Well, if nothing else, there were plenty of kin to huddle with for warmth.

@Gl!tch~

[Scaramouche Fandango]

“I don’t think, somehow, that she’ll let any of us die.” Fish stared pointedly at the Kimeti mare leading them. “The ones the Swamp... picks, somehow, they’re stronger than we can imagine in their ways. Never saw kin like that up in the mountains. I wonder what they’ll make of her- or any of the others. Going your whole life, not knowing other kinds of kin exist... it’s possible, up there. That’s one of the nicest things about life in the swamp, is just getting to know how vast the world really is. Even up in the mountains, where you have the nice views, it can be impossible to see past your own territory.” She looked between the purple buck and the doe who looked something like the plants she seemed to enjoy. She so rarely got to talk with kin who got it- who knew what the mountains were, and by extension, how that shaped the Totoma. It was a rarity to run into other mountain-born Totoma in her circles, and she was grateful for the chance to meet so many. Surely there were others here, who saw this as a visit to the homeland rather than an expedition into a strange new world. The swamp was her Home, but the mountains were also home, and though she’d never give up what she had now, her blood still sang of ice and snow.

“I was barely more than a child myself when I left. Old enough to get down safely by myself, which was a miracle in and of itself. Old enough that I’d earned my name, though I did get that young. Which... is part of why I left. After our tribe’s matriarch passed- she’s the one who declared it- it was too hard to stay. So I went. I don’t regret it at all, but it’ll be nice to see the mountains again. Do you still have family up there? Or did they come with you?” This was addressed to the purple fellow.

@Mima @Prolixity

[zeflamigo]

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft]
Trailblazer didn't seem to mind the effects of Swarm's power. If anything, she was grateful of it. It was much easier to fight the urge to take the lead this way. By taking up the flank, Trailblazer could focus on committing their path to memory. Out of instinct, she wanted to carve out some path markers in the rock, but she was able to suppress the urge. It would take too long, and she had to keep up with the group. She had to remind herself that they may never get a chance to see the mountains again.

Idly, she wondered if she was the only kiokote among their group. Then, she spotted another. With so much fur, Trailblazer almost didn't recognize that it was a kiokote underneath. Trailblazer shifted formation to get a bit closer to Cloy for a chance to strike up some conversation.

"I was beginning to worry. I thought I was the only kiokote." Trailblazer spoke fast, with barely any pause. "You look anxious. You're not alone. Perhaps when there is a break, a good race will help shake those nerves?"

@HannahBug

[luxluna]

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/images/starry/sightseer_uncert.png[/imgright]

Sightseer had joined the herd without a word, something unusual for the typically chatty Acha. Ever since her dream, she'd had something lingering within her, a need to see and to understand one of these obelisks for herself. Perhaps it was the anxiety getting the best of her, as she was uncertain about undertaking a journey so cold and rigorous. She'd even left her furby with her children, unsure if she would be able to take care of such a doddering creature as well on this trip. She'd prepared herself with dried fruits and berries the best she could, but without knowing how long her travels would go, it was impossible to say if she was truly ready.

The lithe Acha had managed to position herself following a bit behind Swarm, leaving room to give those who were more in need of it the protection of the Legendary's power. Even so, she felt a buzzing within her, nearly as natural and essential to her as her own heartbeat.

The crowd of kin that marched on was a mixed bag, All species and types were here to take the trek, but Sightseer suspected they'd all had the same dreams and felt the same pull as she had. The Totoma among them seemed in high spirits, gregarious even. Still, Sightseer couldn't help but sympathize with the other Achas and even the Kiokotes who were also driven to march. This experience would be more complicated for them, but did any of them truly have a choice?

[AMItotic]

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft]Such restless nights. Such strange seasons of dreaming. Until Next Time was a forward-looking sort of doe, but found that the past did not ask permission, giving her night terrors of strange lands and glowing stones and such things as she had never seen. In the mornings, it cast the swamp in nervous whispers and excited chittering, rumors that such an event might happen again. Of the stories, these were the ones most insteresting to Until Next Time, who cheered and dreaded such tidings with equal measure. The future could be frightening, yes, but what was life without the potential for the new and startling? Until Next Time mulled on this for days, wandering aimlessly in search of a sign, of something that would lead her to the new dawn.

And then, on an uncounted day of searching, Until heard it rising from the grasses and the trees. A buzzing, insistent and urgent and commanding that said Follow us. March. As a creature, Until Next Time was already naturally biddable and eager to please, and so her head swiveled up towards the sound of the call, hooves following shortly after in an ambling sort of trot. Not long later, she saw the throng of kin marching and knew that they must be the heralds of the way forward, seekers of the future, and with pep in her step she fell in line with the growing crowd.

"Greetings," she chirped to no one in particular. Until Next Time didn't even notice that there was a will above her own, urging her to march along when normally she would be prone to extraction. "Have I missed anything?"

(Until Next Time is open to interactions!)

[Corn]

With absolutely no prelude, another kin raced up to join the rear of the march. The acha bounced around from kin to kin, questions pouring from his mouth;

"Hey!! Where are we going? Is this a party? Can I tag along? You all seem pretty solemn for a party!"

[Mima]

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright]She squinted her eyes at the mare leading their party, her form retreating ever further and further into the distance as their herd fell into a long marching line instead of a tight huddle. “The Swamp is kind like that, it seems. Handing out blessings to those it chooses. The only thing those ‘picked’ by the mountains seem to get is to live.” They were a harsh mother, by comparison. And to that end, she understood why they did not see many different kinds of kin in the mountains.

But she thought the same, in some ways. That the mountains were also a home, and like a mother to the Totoma in their own right. A mother she had grown somewhat distant from, over time- but still a mother nonetheless. Perhaps she was different from the others in that there was no singular, defining thing that urged her to leave- no sudden avalanche or rockslide of circumstances that forced her to the swamp.

No. She’d just grown tired of the day to day treatment up there, the mountain of a thousand things.

So she listened in silence to Big Fish’s tale, nodding along. Though eventually she broke it with a, ”well then, what should we call you, fishy?” Moreso at learning she had earned her name than anything else. She turned her gaze to the buck as well, smiling. ”You too. Might as well sprinkle that into your introduction as well.” Even if he didn’t have a name, he could at least think of something they could call him, she figured.

(She was neither smart nor tactful enough to realize that usually, you introduced yourself before asking for the names of others.)

@Scaramouche Fandango
@Prolixity

[Prolixity]

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright]"It's different kinds of being strong, maybe," Eats said. "Up there, you have to be strong just to live. Down here, you don't always, so maybe the swamp picks the strong ones out to look after the rest of us." He didn't entirely know what he thought about that.

"My family went together," he explained. "I don't know if there was any family that stayed. I only know my parents and my siblings."

At the other female's question, his ears flicked back, and he hesitated for a long moment before admitting, "I'm called Eats Flowers." He hoped they wouldn't ask for an explanation; his name was not a very heroic one.

@Scaramouche Fandango @Mima

[Naberius]

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright]
"Hey! I'm here! Wait - I'm coming, promise!"
Seeing Red bounded after the departing group, skidding to a "cool and composed" trot as soon as she was a long furby's length away.

The glimpse of the crowd earlier in the day had caused something to click in her mind. The rumor of obelisks, their appearance in her dreams as of late, the itch in her hooves to go - with no indication of where exactly, really, but to just go... And the group. They must've felt it too. Right?

She hoped with all her heart that they did - that this wasn't just some sort of clan meeting or poorly-ordered parade or something - and that they'd still be there after she ran back to her makeshift shelter to grab her faithful companion. And they were - just barely.

"Sorry about that." Seeing Red took a moment to catch her breath and shuffled along with the group.

[Baneful]

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

King of Shadows just couldn't believe it. He couldn't. He could not believe that Fair had gone and found some blessed litter from the swamp with Cox. They'd been hoping for another litter of their own, but no. No. That just wasn't what happened to King of Shadows. Nothing good ever happened to him. He was furious.

So he'd told Stalker that he was leaving and had done just that, striking out into the swamp proper. It was Fair's season, let it be her season completely. He wasn't about to be left minding children or dealing with them more than he had to.

It hadn't helped that instead of the desert he'd been dreaming about snow on the way over. Snow never boded well for him in any situation.

He'd come to the edge of the swamp and found a group already gathered there and departing from his view and raised a brow.

"Another party?" he asked. "Summer." he said derisively. "Winter simply cannot return fast enough."

But he trotted after them anyway.

--
[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright]
Rep meanwhile was having a Really Bad Time. He was at the back protecting people he didn't like, and absolutely not enjoying the buzzing in his head at all.

"Stay." he said, and meant it in both regards as he moved closer to the other Totoma.

"I am no enjoying this one bit. I should really have just... stayed where I was."

But here he was and he was going on an adventure wether he wanted to or not.

[Toshiful]

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... hihiko.gif[/imgleft] Stalker Owl was grateful more than he could say that King had come to him this time, and he was determined not to make him regret it.

"I won't hamper your brooding at all, sire," he promised, "I'll be adequately somber, and will do absolutely zero inventory."

He immediately regretted his promise, however, seeing the rest of the group. Going for a walk for clearing one's head and going on an entire expedition were two entirely separate matters, and Stalker found himself appalled that he hadn't packed for either of them adequately. They did have supplies, of course. Zero inventory had been too much for anyone to hope for from Stalker.

A buzzing filled his head with Swarm's words.

"You know," he said, a little fuzzily, "I think I ought to stay towards the center. It's safer. Isn't it? Much."

--

[imgright]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgright] "I'll stick by you, and the wolves," Stay said suddenly and certainly, not needing the buzzing feeling of general togetherness to tell him that. "You said you'd have my back if I needed it. Well. It goes double."

With Rep, the pressing feeling of wanting to be protective came a lot easier, like breathing clean air out of something thicker.

Honestly, a straight-forward fight right now would be a relief.

[blue]

"I'd rather take the rear, so I'll guide you off that way." He herded her absently as he said it, and this time he bumped his shoulder against hers, gently, Nighteyes winding between his ankles. It wasn't the same kind of casual contact she'd been giving him. This was guiding, as he'd been instructed to do, to put her near the back of the middle.

Along the way he paused, head cocked, to consider another bright doe, and nod her along with them. "Do you hunt? Consider yourself a guard or the guarded?"

@Beejoux @AMItotic

[Beejoux]

"But..."  The protest didn't carry the weight she meant it to, implored to follow the directions of the doe leading them.  It had Merry going thoughtfully quiet as he started to nudge her along with the bump to her shoulder.  Pale brows arched, lips twitching just a touch before she was looking down at the wolf winding around the buck's ankles. 

If not one thing, than another.

A little sigh escaped as she followed, tail flicking in sort little arcs, but she'd blink as they stopped, head tilting to try to see who Badger was speaking to.  Another doe, soft pink.  Merry let out a little chirrup that Skybird echoed as she took off once more to circle over their heads.

@blue
@AMItotic

[Scaramouche Fandango]

“Fishy works, though nobody’s called me that since my kids were nothin’ but guppies. I’m Real Big Fish!” Fish said with a mighty chuckle. “Bet you can guess what I was doin’ when my gran decided that was what I would be called. Real straightforward. The fishing’s so different up there! I can remember being a little minnow myself, just throwing myself at the biggest rapids I could find- or waiting for fish at the cataracts, hoping one would misjudge its leap and land itself in my jaws! Water in the swamp is slower, but deeper, and it’s so wide! You can set traps so much easier, and it’s... well, it’s safer. To an extent. We never had to contend with crocodiles in the mountains.” Fish rolled her eyes ruefully. More than one chip in her armor had come from a bite from a savage beast- caimans were one thing, but there was a true predator in the water, something even Totoma needed to respect with healthy fear. “Seems like the Swamp’s more about giving us a fighting chance; in the mountains, sometimes there’s no way out. But I found one, and you found one, Eats Flowers, and you found one, too- and now we have to ask for your name, since you’ve got ours.” She took it for granted that everyone here had earned their names- although, come to think of it, this would be a splendid opportunity to get a name of your own. “I wonder if there are any nameless ones with us. One thing that might be harder outside of the mountains- earning your name. Though I suspect had I been swamp born, fishing would still be in my nature. Some things you can’t change!” The Totoma’s good nature was on full display- the long line of kin making this pilgrimage brought her a great sense of contentment to see. What a wonderful thing, getting to see new lands!

@Mima @Prolixity

[Ruriska]

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft] Brother and Sister were still flying above and they alerted her to the late arrival. Swarm slowed her pace, head turning to watch as the Zikwa finally reached them, already looking exhausted by the effort. It was that determination that almost brought a smile to her face.

“You will not be left behind,” Swarm assured the dark Zikwa. “Come alongside me. We shall match your pace until you gather your strength.”

There were others catching up to the group, joining just before they reached the area where the Ache would have forced them to turn back. Very soon their group would part from the Swamp and they would be alone, forging onwards with only each other.

She welcomed the bright green Acha that came in behind her with a nod meant to offer reassurance.

It seemed as though quite a few kin had taken up the back lines. They seemed strong and sure of themselves but she would be keeping an eye on them regardless, to make sure they too did not begin to struggle.

@Owlsomniac
@luxluna