The Hunt [d]|

[flippedside]

BLADE: THE SILENT ONE

Blade stalked through the forest, the crunch of snow faint under his heavy paws. He was new to this land, and wary of what other creatures might be making their home here. He lifted his beak and sniffed the faint breeze drifting toward him. Stinging sharp pine. Faint vanilla scent from different pines. Cold. And faintly...musk? Something living? He froze and took in a deep breath. Definitely the musky scent of a living creature. It was suddenly very unwise to stay on the ground.

Coiled muscles loosed him skyward and his massive wings unfurled, brushing the sides of pine trees and driving him upwards. It was hard to fly around thick, heavy pine branches, the needles brushing against his wings and face, but he only needed a little height. He grasped a thick branch with talons and claws and then propelled himself upward in a mighty jump. With a downward flap of his wings he cleared the pines and gained height.

Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh. His wings pumped air hard five times before resting, spread wide.

He soared on an open breeze and circled above the pine trees, their points a ragged emerald garden below him. His gaze was sharp, able to pierce between the trees and spot the movement of a tiny gray mouse on the gray-white snow far below. But he wasn't looking for mice. He flapped his wings in another set of five, heading further northwest, towards the scent of animal and life.

His stomach gurgled in complaint, startling him. He remembered that he hadn't eaten in days. It was time for another feeding. His fierce eyes lit with gleeful light. He hoped the creature was big enough to satisfy his hunger. He wouldn't eat a griffin, but he hadn't seen any signs of his own kind. Still, he hoped that wasn't what he had scented. A fight on an empty belly didn't sound enjoyable.

Wait. Movement. Brown against the snow. He drove himself closer and then circled above the trees. Deer? No. Deer didn't group in herds like this. These were something else--something strange that he'd never seen before. They looked something like deer, with furry brown coats. Some sprouted horns from their heads. Their coats were thicker, shaggier than a deer's. White and dark brown marked their coats, with brown covering their sides and back. Blade had never seen such creatures. They ambled across the snow, digging their hooves in and hunting for something green to eat. He saw some snuffling at the ground.

Stupid. A lot of good that'll do, he thought irritably. The ground was covered in snow. No grass was going to be growing in snow. Still, stupid creatures made for excellent prey. They didn't fight back when one of their own was killed. He circled high over head, considering. None of them noticed his golden body sailing above, choosing which deer-thing to kill and eat.

He picked a smallish one on the outside of the herd, with no horns. Horns were dangerous, even when you were dropping from the sky. Best to take no chances, since he didn't know what these things were or what they were capable of. He circled again and then abruptly tucked his wings and dropped. His hind-legs followed in a straight line behind him. He had to stay in tight to make it through the heavy pine branches shadowing the deer-things.

He couldn't help the crash his body made through the thick, tightly woven pine branches, nor the spicy tang mixed with vanilla that the branches released as he fell through them. Not surprisingly, the deer-things jerked up their heads and sniffed the air looking in his direction. They took off. Fortunately, the lowest branches were a good forty or fifty feet above ground, and he had counted on this. The deer-thing that he had chosen ran beneath him. He opened his wings wide and swooped down on it. Perfect! His front legs snagged on the back of its neck and he brought all of body's pressure to bear on his long curved talons locked into the soft flesh of its neck. Crack! The snap of its neck made an audible sound.

Its head jerked back and it tumbled soundlessly to the ground. Blade released in briefly to spread his wings and land on its side. He folded his wings in and stalked around the beast, sniffing. It had a heavy musty smell, mixed with the odor of green things. A plant eating beast, then, though he had guessed as much. He settled behind it and placed a foreleg on its side, his beak ripping hungrily through its hide to the fresh red meat beneath.

Snap! The crackle of twigs made him jerk his head up. The deer-things were already gone from sight, so what had his ears picked up? His head swiveled about, listening. There was nothing in sight. The wind then? No, it had been something else. Warily, he returned to his dinner.


Number of Words: 856 (949 if you include the title and the stuff at the bottom and all the UBBC code)
Things To Know: Blade just killed an elk, so it should smell good and fresh to any passing griffin. Something else is out there besides himself...it just made a sound. Another griffin?
Character: Blade
Anything Else: I pretty much guarantee that I won't write that much again--at least not anytime soon.

[>>Trinity;;]

Trinity;

Trinity swooped low over the tree line, relishing in the feel of cool mountain air gliding over her body. The wind shifted ever so slightly and she adjusted the angle of her wings to compensate for the the changes in speed and pressure of the air that supported her above the ground. Her feathers lay flat against her, only perking up as wind ruffled them, and her fur gleamed a brighter white with the weak winter sun shining down upon it. Despite it being winter, Trinity felt as if it were spring what with her warm coat made for this time and for the happiness she could feel coursing through her. It was the perfect kind of day and she couldn't help but do a few cartwheels to express that joy that was just bursting to leave her. She didn't know why she was happy, she just was.

Far up ahead she noticed, as she was coming out of a tight spin, another dark shape hurtling out of the trees. It wasn't long after that that the gryphon, a male she suspected, went suicidally diving back in. ~What is he thinking, flying in trees that tight? Does he want to break a wing or worse?~ Usually Trinity wouldn't bother greeting others, especially not males, unless she came across a grex. Lone gryphons tended to be a bit harsher than their flocked brethren. ~Well now, that includes me now doesn't it? Best not view them so harshly then, eh?~ Alright, so most of them could be nastier and of all the ones she had met all of them seemed intent on eating her.

Well, there was always time for change she noted as she skimmed the bare patches between the branches. At last she spotted an open enough patch and banked to her right and took a sharp dive downward. It wasn't the brightest idea to do in a pine forest where the branches didn't give as easy so she locked her wings and prayed she wasn't going to hit the ground before she could open them again. Several feet above the ground her wings snapped open, smashing a few small branches and releasing their tangy scent in the process, and flapped hard to slow her descent. Alighting on the ground she gave herself a vigorous shake before tracking down the other.

She found him tearing up a deer like animal that she thought used to be an elk. Her parents had often hunted the sharp-headed animal. Trinity didn't like sharp-headed animals and more preferred the long-leg prey since they gave a better chase. That and they didn't tend to try and gore you after you smashed them. Trinity turned away from the prey and gazed at the male. He was a good six inches taller at the shoulder than she was and looked to weigh even more. His tawny coat, intermixed with faint stripes on his rear legs, was handsome looking and faded into thick, dark brown feathers. The male's tail, like hers, ended in a fistful of feathers.

Knowing it unwise to approach another from behind, she purposely stepped on a bunch of twigs as she stepped forward and introduced herself. "'Lo male, I do not think I have seen you yet in these parts though I have not been here long. I was born Trinity-Calri-Tausgrim but you may call me Trinity or Calri, whichever suits you. May I request your title?"

Though her introduction might have been long worded, she felt it best when greeting anyone to let them know your name, to ask theirs, and to say some other tid bit. She hadn't found that it annoyed anyone yet so she stuck to tradition. Trinity just hoped this male would listen instead of seeing her as a scrap of meat, she personally didn't feel like fighting some idiot again. She wasn't one for fighting and liked to avoid it, though she seemed to attract it in reverse. ~Plans just never go accordingly.~

Number of Words; 693 Words for the actual IC post
Things To Know; Trinity is a bit uncertain in her actions around people she doesn't know well. Especially toward more aggressive types so don;t be surprised if she starts stuttering or gets grouchy back if you do. XP If there are words that aren't spaced it is because my space bar is broken and only works 10% of the time. I have to smack it to make it work.
Character; Trinity
Anything Else?; Nice post and I don't mind if you post something that long again.

[flippedside]

Blade brought his head around slowly, breathing in deeply the musky warm scent of a female griffin. He looked her over slowly. She was decidedly smaller than him, but not tiny. Her fur was pale and strangely patterned. Her feathers seemed to be as pale as the rest of her. No wonder he hadn't noticed her. The creamy coat would have blended into the ice-stained trees and pale blue arc of sky.

Slowly, Blade licked away a piece of meat from the end of his beak, considering her. Thoughts flicked through his mind, brutal and bloody. He could kill her of course, but he found he had no interest in this idea. It seemed a waste of time. In the moment he had skimmed her he recognized the lean wariness mixed with confidence that signified a gryphon that knew how to handle herself. It might have been an interesting challenge to take her on...But no. He was hungry and despite her aura of confidence, she posed no threat to him.

Unless...He glanced quickly about, checking, breeze, sky, land...Nothing. No, she was definitely alone, and foolish to visit a lone male. He leered at her, amused. He could do whatever he wanted with her...Strangely, her bright green eyes caught and held his golden ones and he found himself answering her question...against his better judgment.

"I'm called Blade." He glanced at the dead beast at his feet and then jerked his head in an unusual show of kindness...or curiosity. "You can eat if you wish." He looked up at her again, and his eyes glinted with amusement and malice. "If you're hungry." He drew the words out, taunting.

He flicked his tail, dismissing her, and ripped into the tender meat at the beast's throat. Blood ran red into the snow. Blade paused, staring at it for a long moment before gulping down the meat. His thoughts flickered rapidly, sifting, churning, organizing, and dismissing with a sudden urgency.

He glanced again at the strangely named Trinity-Cal-Something or Other. He had had a longer name once, too. He hardly even remembered...Why did this bring that up now? Rage poured like ice and fire through his being, setting his spine tingling with heat. And blame. He turned abruptly on the gryphon, his voice grating. "Why do you come here, little Trinity? Alone?"

Alone was often dangerous for a gryphon. He remembered other times alone, and he didn't trust her, didn't trust her too wide and innocent eyes. Eyes that saw murder? he wondered. Didn't everyone? His gaze flickered again, searching. Unconsciously, he stepped back, seeing blood on the ground, flickering in the corners of his vision.

Trapped. No. Not again. Not ever. He shook himself, pushing his thoughts back again to see clearly. To think. Emotion clouded reason and he was alone with this strange gryphon that made it him think strange thoughts. It was her eyes, he thought. And her name. It reminded him of things that were much too similar, but from a distant past. He peered closely at her, trying to see to understand what so unsettled him about the ice-pale gryphon standing before him.

Number of Words: 538
Things To Know: Trinity has every right to be grouchy back, but she had better be careful because Blade is feeling very off-balanced. I think his real problem isn't Trinity, but the fact that he's been a loner much too long.
Character: Blade
Anything Else: Ok, I really like this character. He's very fun.

[>>Trinity;;]

Trinity;

The male turned slowly to face her, his pale eyes taking in every inch of her form. Her tail flicked uneasily back and forth, she had never been comfortable being examined by others. A sliver of meat clung to his beak and was soon gone with a swipe of his tongue. Trinity felt a small shiver shake her frame, barely noticeable, as his eyes caught hers and she saw them cloud over like his thoughts had turned to dark subjects. Subjects she didn't much feel like broaching. Swallowing, she lifted her head higher to strengthen her confidence and show him that she wasn't the least but worried or afraid. If only that were really true...

Suddenly he turned his head away and began examining every inch of the space around. Does he honestly think that I am traveling with someone else? The thought amused her that this proud, aggressive, seeming male could be startled or afraid of others being around. His attention snapped back to her and his leer nearly unsettled her, already she was beginning to see him as unpredictable. Or maybe he was just alert, always prepared for the unexpected and the unannounced? Could he be running from something, or someone?

His name was Blade, or so he said, and he offered for her to share his meal. Something about his proposal told her the offer probably wasn't genuine so she replied with a simple no thank you. Instead she walked slowly past him so that she now faced his front, and would be prepared for anything unexpected. Blade wasn't really watching her now, he was now tearing at the throat of the elk and almost completely ignoring her.

Blade glanced at her again, rage and blame flickered in his eyes. Blame, what had she done that he blamed her for? Or was the blame for something, or someone, else? What about his anger, what had she done? Little, he thought she was little? Well, maybe for him she was.

I am alone because I am. My family had no room for me, A deadly softness edged her voice, warning Blade she was not the female to mess with and because her past was not something she wished to think of, I search for companionship, or someone to speak with to ease the loneliness, surely that you can understand.

He should understand, she could see the loneliness and the fear flickering in the back of his dark eyes. Something had happened to him in the past that hounded him, like wolves on the scent. He was the prey and his demons were the killers. Why did he not just share, was he afraid to release what he had seen and felt? What was he afraid of?

Number of Words: 481
Things To Know: Trinity is pretty good at reading into another's emotions just by watching their movements and reactions. If I went to far in the last paragraph say so and I will remove it. =)
Character: Trinity
Anything Else: She sorta has a short temper, it hasn't sparked yet, but she's warning him. =) I like this character too and I like Blade. He's and interesting character. I think we should do more threads with them.

[flippedside]

So, the little female was indeed alone. Blade sat back on his haunches and surveyed her...Yet again. He felt that he was missing something, but he couldn't name it. He had taken her at face value at first, but that was a mistake. Maybe it was her strange eyes that kept drawing him back in puzzlement. He tried to find a place to settle her in his mind.

Blade thought back. She had flown down, startling him, but only slightly. Her greeting was formal, bringing up recent, uneasy memories. He stirred. Was that part of what bothered him? "I met a grex recently who spoke with the same formal tones that you use. Not surprisingly, they drove me off. I assumed at first, that you were one of them." He shrugged, feathers stirring slightly above his heavy shoulders.

His gaze roamed out of habit, scanning the surrounding landscape for danger before snapping back to her. "I am not usually a welcome friend to anyone." He grinned, tilting his head slightly in amusement. "You'll have to excuse my surliness, I think."

She was holding herself boldly. Lone females were usually much tougher than they appeared. But that was not what had changed his mind regarding her--it was the affinity he felt for any gryphon thrown out of their home. Betrayal stank of disease and hate, but those were things he had lived with for far too long. He tilted his head. This one though, didn't reek of lies and death and hate. His ears perked forward, feathered tufts standing up in curiosity. He sensed she was hiding something, but then again, maybe that was his own experience talking, warning him that all creatures lied. What did it matter, anyway?

He heard the steel in her voice, but that only amused him slightly. Alone, she was no threat to him--and he was certain now that she was alone. Strange how his thoughts had twisted, though. He felt no anger towards her, no thoughts to harm. This was unusual. He considered. No not so unusual. Violence was only what was expected of him, but perhaps not the defining marker of who he was. He had given up on trying to burn that part of him away, though. Violence could be buried, but never forgotten. He had tried, certainly, to set it aside, but it always came back, until it marked him as loudly as red paint and the stench of death.

Never mind. He was curious about the stranger who had been thrown out of her grex because there was no room for her. He had heard stranger tales--wasn't his own one of them?--but..."It seems strange that your own family wouldn't want you. Seems like good hunters are always needed for the grex." He shrugged, leaving it. She could comment if she felt like it, but he understood the need for secrecy and silence.

Blade stood and stalked cautiously about his kill, passing close to the pale female. He took the opportunity to breath her scent in deeply, studying her out of the corner of his eye. Funny that he hadn't noticed before, but she was very attractive. He almost laughed to himself. Since when did he have an interest in females beyond breeding? What a strange day this was turning out to be...

Number of Words: 571
Things To Know: Blade is being pretty open with his feelings (at least, as expressive as he can be--which isn't much), so Trinity can read into them as much as she wants.
Character: Blade
Anything Else: Yay for days off from school!

[>>Trinity;;]

Trinity;

"Obviously I am not," she replied to his comment of a grex that drove him off.

Trinity ignored Blade's searching gaze, turning her own eyes to his own form. This time instead of giving him a mere passing glance as she had before, she looked much deeper. He was strong, far stronger than any griffin she had yet met. She suspected his years alone might have something to do with it, or maybe it was his rank if he was ever positioned within a grex. His tawny coat, rippling with the muscles beneath, and his golden highlighted, chocolate, feathers were pleasing to her eye. Blade was a handsome specimen of his species and Trinity couldn't believe she was looking at him in such a way.

Blinking, she turned her eyes to his and held them there. He mentioned that he didn't make a good friend, that she was going to have to excuse his surliness. That wasn't a problem, her brother was a rather surly individual himself, though he rarely treated her in such a way. His, her brothers, attitude had begun changing just before she left the grex and she could only hope that it had changed for the best.

"I wasn't a hunter, Kacha, I was a fighter and a good one at that," She replied, calling him the formal name for a loner, "I believe it frightened my mothers second mate for he sent Kali-Shaito-Bek to kill me. I left after that, Kali's dead body should have been enough of a message for that sathzo to know I stilled lived if it was indeed him that wanted me dead. Kali admitted it was him or his second but I don't intend to find out."

Trinity paused, not believing that she was giving this much away. "So, Blade, why do you search these empty paths that few Kacha choose to walk? I do not believe that you intend to find another grex, or that Blade was your birth title. Why so much secrecy? You cannot be a sathzo, you seem different at least from that."

She paused again, wondering if she had gone too far but she was curious. Was curiosity not one of the basic feelings all creatures had from birth? Blade bled a feeling of mistrust, anger, hate even that she felt around her. Yes she had always been good at "reading" people but never as much as Blade. What was it that he hid beneath that handsome exterior?

Number of Words: 455
Things To Know: kacha= loner, lone wanderers
sathzo= coward, a rather insulting term most gryphons take offense to
Character: Trinity
Anything Else: I think they may just have more in common than they think.... Sorry it took so long, I lost Internet for quite a while. I also had a ton of homework and studying. =)

[flippedside]

Blade stiffened at her word "sathzo." Even though she wasn't using it in an insulting manner, he heard the question and took offense. And reacted. He was bad, lately, with keeping his thoughts to himself. He had once been so controlled and careful...The thought passed through his mind as words spewed from his mouth. "I am not a sathzo!" He spat. He was aware that his hackles had risen. His tail twitched angrily. "I am a danger to any sane gryphon, and you should be careful!"

He spun away from her, and stalked slowly under the trees. He didn't go far, only letting himself cool down until his breathing was deep and even. Mentally, he screamed at himself. How had he lost control like that? His emotions were in turmoil, twisting in his gut. Forcefully, he smoothed his rumpled fur, taking deep breaths. Every emotion, every bit of hate and rage that her words had stirred in him was carefully stuffed down until it didn't exist. He knew he was a fool for taking offense at her words, but couldn't seem to stop the flush of rage it stirred in him.

He sat with his back to her in the snow, though at enough of an angle that he could watch her out of the corner of his eye, and began to groom himself. It was relaxing and drove the feelings out of him. It had the side advantage of smoothing his rumpled fur and feathers. After a moment he spoke, though he didn't apologize for his earlier actions.

"I go where I please. This place attracts me, so I have stayed for a time." He turned his beak to her, looking at her with his piercing golden eyes before turning his gaze to the sky. "It is clean here, and empty. I appreciate that." He doubted that she would understand his words, but he meant them. Then again, he hardly understood his words--or himself.

His mind flicked back over her words. He chose to ignore her questions. He would not answer those--they were too much an invasion of his privacy. But the others..."Hm. I had a gryphon in my grex try to kill me and mine...But then, he was the Natuk." His eyes glittered with laughter and hate--a combination for insanity. But he had given himself over to that long ago. "I killed him for what he did." Let her think what she would of his words.

In a detached way, he recognized his actions as warning her away. He was dangerous and he knew it. He walked the edge of insanity daily, balancing between hate and madness, rage and fear. He had long ago lost sight of kinder feelings and emotions. No, that wasn't true. He had lost such things when he was born. Only his late mate had stirred them again in him...But she was dead and part of him had died with her. Perhaps he needed saving, someone to pull him away from the edge...But he didn't think that anything could. Whatever was good in him had died long ago and couldn't be resuscitated. Now came this pretty young gryphon, holding both strength and gentleness in her talons, and he was afraid of what he would do to her.

Such thoughts were hardly conscious; he was aware only of his reactions to them. He felt the fool for acting so heavily on his emotions, but couldn't seem to stop. He thought to fly away--it would be better for both of them. But he didn't...Not quite yet.

What were her words again? Ah, right. That she had been a fighter and a good one. He stood and stretched. Yes, he could believe it. He sensed the tough strength in her. It was, he suspected, what attracted him to her. He glanced over at her, admiring briefly the thick pale fur marked with curling black circles. He thought of the feel of it against his tongue and beak, and then jerked his thoughts and eyes away. Not for him another mate--especially not one like Trinity. His gaze returned to the sky and he spread his massive wings, enjoying the feel of the cool air twining over his feathers. He could almost feel it already lifting him high into the air...

Flying had always been a passion of his. It was so freeing--the only time he could really set aside all of his thoughts and feelings and even who he was and simply glory in the wind around his feathers and the open endless sky. His thoughts weighted him down, like vines snaking up and about him and tying him into the ground, but the sky...The sky opened up into unventured heights without scent or sense of being tied down to thoughts and feelings too heavy to bear.

He turned abruptly to Trinity. "I should go."

Number of Words: 827
Things To Know: Blade is definitely attracted to Trinity--but he's afraid of that. He's also afraid of hurting her, which I think is a fair fear, although I think Trinity is plenty tough enough to handle Blade. He just isn't willing to recognize that fact.
Character: Blade
Anything Else: I think Blade and I have more in common than I originally thought when I created his character. It's making it really easy to write really looong posts.

[>>Trinity;;]

Trinity;

Her words had angered him, that much was obvious from his reaction. His hackles had risen and his voice had gone from that hidden and calculating tone to one of anger and insult. Blade turned and stalked off, she fully expected him to leave and not slip from the pines again and yet she sat there. In the same position without even the blinking of an eye or a twitch of her tail. Yet he came stalking back, his body still tense but at least he wasn't snapping anymore.

He sat with his back to her and she was content to continue sitting silently until he had calmed himself down further. Sure she might be able to deal with him if he decided to claw off a few feathers but she didn't much feel like fighting. Her instincts told her, too, if she backed off enough that he would calm down enough to get control again. Trinity nodded at his words, she could understand them. A kacha didn't not always find places empty and welcoming where one could stay for a spell.

"I can understand. A kacha finds a home far and in between and even those simple paradises do not belong to the kacha for their is always another that comes and destroys that which makes paradise. What is clean becomes soiled by dispute, mistrust, anger and even the emptiness is taken over by the echoing voices of those gone, those here, and those to come."

She still made no advance toward him, rather she sat and waited for him to make the move. He spoke more, of killing the Natuk of his grex for his crimes. Trinity caught the flicker of madness in his eyes and oddly she found she was not bothered by it. Rather, she became more interested in Blade. What could have driven his mind into such deep recesses that he had to struggle to keep it surfaced? Instinct and wisdom told her now was not the time to ask. Everyone had a tale to tell but not everyone told it. Blade did not seem the kind to tell, at least not yet.

Trinity sank into memory and the clearing became quiet. Both gryphons were lost in the contemplation of their own thoughts. Neither spoke, neither stirred. One might think them statues save for the ruffle of feathers or the flick of an ear.

The female was remembering the day she had a conversation so eerily similar to this one that it chilled her. Her friend, once closer than that, was leaving the grex. He had done something, something so horrible he wouldn't talk of it. His eyes had lost that spark of life and instead were lit with fevered madness. Food, talk, even living had lost interest for him. Only a promise he had made kept him going. She had confronted him beneath a twining pine, demanding against better judgment that he stay and work things out. Like Blade he had responded in anger and had never told her what it was that was driving him to leave. He left her with an aching heart, a scar, and unanswered questions.

"Tuvik," She whispered.

She shook her head as she realized she had spoken aloud. His wings were open now and she had no idea if he had heard her or not. But then he spoke again and she couldn't help but rise to her feet. Blade was leaving, had she upset him again?

"Please don't....I mean....Don't go yet. I didn't mean to offend."

Number of Words:640-700
Things To Know: Tuvik was kinda her first crush, he left her quite a while ago and know she is confused as to why she even thought of it now. And she has no idea why she just asked him to stay.
Character: Trinity
Anything Else: I'm sorry if this seemed to ramble, I didn't mean for it to. Thanks for putting up with my absence and waiting so long for a post!

[flippedside]

Blade: Threats and Claws

Blade paused, a foreleg frozen in the air, and looked at the pale she-gryphon. Don't go, she had said. Don't flee. Flee from what? The thought had confused echoes that reverberated in the chambers of his mind. Didn't she see how dangerous he was? But he was fleeing from himself--he always had been. He knew it, knew subconsciously that fear chased him, taunting him, sathzo, sathzo. But he ran from it anyway.

His gaze flickered away, but he sat down again, folding in his dark wings. "I'm not offended by you, Trinity," he told her quietly, his voice deep and low. His voice grated slightly, but it always had. It was one of those quirks he had that he'd made an uneasy alliance with, knowing that his voice sounded slightly odd. "Rather, I find you curious. You have a formal but unusual way of speaking." He turned his gaze back towards her, hoping to catch her eye.

He found her attractive. It took him a moment to truly recognize the fact, and then another moment to feel puzzled by it. He had been alone too long, an enemy to all he met. Did her friendliness have something to do with his sudden change of mind? Perhaps. He watched the wind ruffle her fur and sat temporarily puzzled. The elk's carcass sat half-eaten at his feet, his hunger completely forgotten in the strange twist of events that had brought him this unusual companion. He groped for something to say, and founding himself sitting and feeling awkward and twisty inside.

"I'm...not used to company," he managed. He cursed himself for feeling dull and stupid and his tongue especially for being utterly useless. What good was a mouth if you couldn't use it? He realized he was staring and looked quickly away. "I like this place." Didn't I already say that? Stupid, stupid. His beak shut with a clack and felt like strangling himself. Wasn't I better with words once? What happened to that gryphon? Dead, he answered himself. Dead and torn to pieces. So...He was starting over.

And he would definitely be better just flying away now...Get out. Away. He stared up at the pine branches above him and struggled to find something intelligent to say. He had never been good at small talk. Things that involved beak and talon he was good at. Silence and stealth were also something he could handle. Relationships...Now that was a laugh. Better to leave before he looked like too much of an idiot...

Really, it would be better for both of them. Trinity might hurt some now, thinking he was being a jerk, but she would be better off with a handsome gryphon offering her a safe home in a grex. The best he could manage was a torn elk carcass in the midst of someone else's woods and a temper that snapped over nothing. He glanced back at himself. Some new life. He had a short rough coat laced with scars. His fur hid some, but not all. His talons were rough, but carefully sharpened. Red from the elk's blood faintly stained them. There was nothing handsome or attractive about him; nothing worthwhile in his personality. He silently cursed himself again. And...time to move on.


Number of Words: 570-580
Things To Know: Talk about awkward moments!
Character: Blade
Anything Else: I had to go back and read the original posts, I couldn't remember what was going on. XD I'm basing a little bit of Blade on my ex-boyfriend. He had an annoying tendency to suddenly get touchy and retreat (It's what eventually broke us up). Hopefully Trinity is more patient than I was.

[>>Trinity;;]

Trinity; I took a Major In Awkwardness

Blade moved no farther, his body was still tensed for flight but he stopped. None the less, she rose and circled around to face him. Something, deep down inside her, told her that if he went she would follow. Trinity attempted to deny the voice because she also knew if Blade left it was because he was seeking privacy and did not want to be intruded on. Yet the voice still persisted until he sat once again.

She followed his lead and sat, listening to his words. The female relaxed still further when he admitted he wasn't offended by her, it was only simple curiousity towards her. Well, she found him curious too and though she had many questions she decided that it wasn't worth bothering Blade any further for it only appeared to make him angry, upset.

"I am sorry if my formal way of speaking bothers you. I could try and speak differently," Yes, she could, but it wouldn't be easy seeing as how she had spoked like that since a kit, "Did you come from a Northern grex? They speak much differently than my people of the Eastern grex's."

Whoops, she had gone and done it again. Trinity had gone and spoken of, no seemingly pried, into his past. For a breif moment she had caught his eye but now she turned away, embarassed and angry with herself. Here she was trying to understand someone, finally got him to speak, and she had to go and mention something about the one thing that made him snap. -Idiot, why don't you just go bite his tail now?-

"I'm....I'm sorry. I didn't mean to talk about that. In fact, forget I even mentioned anything."

She shifted uncomfortably and turned to face Blade. He had been trying to make conversation and now she was afraid that the handsome male would leave now that she had been an idiot again. Great Watchers she must like him for her to have no idea what to say! Usually she was sure of herself, in speech and action, but now she had no idea what to do. Partly because she was afraid she had offended him this time and partly because....well....

-Watchers, please don't let him be offended!

Number of Words about 395
Things To Know Awkward major?
Character Trinity
Anything Else: I need to stop being absent. I reall did mean to post last Sunday but my parentals took my computer away because a couple of grades were at a C and my room was a mess. With Christmas break coming up I will be so much more active!

[flippedside]

Blade:

"No, no, it doesn't bother me," Blade said quickly. He meant her way of speaking, the formal but clean way that she used words. "It's just...different." There, he was sounding stupid again. Way to insult her. "I mean..." Well, what DID he mean? "I'm used to hearing others talk...roughly...Not so polite with their language. So, it's, well different. But not in a bad way." He was stumbling over his words again. Stupid, he thought darkly, frowning slightly. He tried to pay attention to what she was saying. But she was pulling away, uncomfortable.

Did I do that? He wondered. Then, No, it was mentioning the past. Ah. He perked his ears. She was perceptive, noting how the past bothered him. But this wasn't what touched off his nerves. "No, it's all right," Blade reassured her. Or tried to--what did he know about caring for others? He was more familiar with the drag of talons through fur than with a gentle caress--either in word or deed. "I grew up...far away. Not a place you would know. I'm not from around here...Everyone else is just a stranger to me." Now, he added silently. He couldn't help the slight bitterness in that thought.

"I've traveled these lands a good bit, though, so I am familiar with all of them to some extent." Years had eaten time off of him, but he didn't regret his time spent wandering and exploring. He realized that Trinity must be considerably younger than he was, and wondered how long she had spent alone. But that would a rude question to ask. He was amused to realize that his manners, which had long ago deserted him, were returning full force.

"I lived for a time in the west and expect that I picked up a number of bad habits there..." He grinned. "But perhaps I ought to visit these Eastern grex's again if they speak as you do." He frowned and amended that. "Er, no. They can't be too impressive if they cast you out."

He stood and stretched, letting his claws dig into the mutilated snow with a soft crackling sound. He flicked his tail and turned back to his kill. The meat had gone cold, the fresh blood having run out of the beast's carcass and into the snow, turning into a red stain. He realized that he was still hungry, though not nearly as much as he had been earlier. And there were his manners, reminding him that it was rude to eat without inviting others to partake.

Blade felt suddenly embarrassed by his earlier behavior...But he was hungry, and the meat wasn't getting any fresher just lying on the ground. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm still hungry. Help yourself." He pressed his foreleg on the elk carcass and ripped in with his beak. It probably wasn't the politest invitation, but for Blade was unusually open-hearted. He didn't care to share his meals with any. They were his kills, and he was willing to fight to guard them. Strangely, he didn't feel that way around Trinity. Some of the guardedness that so marked him had been set aside without his even realizing it.


Number of Words: 560
Things To Know: Um...It's late, so sorry if this is a crappy post.
Character: Blade
Anything Else: There definitely must be an awkward major somewhere because I have those days...The ones where everything just comes out wrong.

[>>Trinity;;]

I can't think of a reply............................Yeah I know it has been forever and I won't flee if you bring out the spiked stick to pound me with because I kinda do deserve it at this point. =(

[flippedside]

Yeah, so I was irritated by your lack of a reply there...Until I realized that it's been so long that I don't even remember what this thread was about...and am feeling utterly muse-less at the moment myself.... Am labeling this thread as dead.

[Trinity]

I can understand the irritation, I am irritated with myself. Hence the reason I wanted to shut down for a while. Fix codes, delete old members and threads, add stuff to make it more interesting and get out of the fix I am in. I can and will understand if you leave.