UE: Burning Desires [Chy. 27th, MT] (Open)

[Kytani Hajgomb]

Valley Village

Valley Village is small. One can stand at one end of the town, looking over the tents and huts, and the occasional log cabin, and see the other end easily. The homes of the Kanthrop are spread out, with plenty of room around the tents for skinning, eating, playing and communing.

There are no streets or roads, merely paths trodden in the soil. Smoke rising from some of the cabins indicate a cooking fire, with delicious scents rising from the openings where one might expect doors. None of the Kanthrop homes seem to have them. Instead the openings are covered with beautifully embroidered leather skins and thatched mats.

In the center of town there is a large fire pit, with logs around it for sitting on during community gatherings you expect. On the outskirts of the town you see a large two story building, the only one in the area, and several sturdy log cabins which are decorated by ornate wood carvings and more carefully embroidered skins and cloth pieces. The people here go about their business in a very casual manner, speaking about their day and their families as they do their chores.

Unseen eyes shifted restlessly under closed lids, tracking sounds and motion that only their owner could see and hear. Within the depths of Kytani’s mind’s eye – among the swirls and shoals of dreams – she wandered in animal form, her sleek persona draped in midnight fur, intense yellow-green eyes and the occasional glimpse of fang the only signs of her presence as she slipped from shadow to shadow in the moonlight. Her nose perked up into the breeze, the delicious odor of a deer seeming to cross her tongue and taste buds long before it ever touched her nostrils, the sound of its calmly-beating heard growing louder and louder as she crept silently closer.

Closer…

Closer…

Closer…

And at once she was upon it, claws sinking deep as her teeth moved in on the throat for the killing stroke. There was a struggle, but no snap of bone…no pop of flesh or taste of blood. Only a curious repetitive hum in the deer’s throat along with a strangly familiar noise.

It was laughter.

Kytani relaxed her bite and pulled away from the deer’s un-marred throat, the soft browns and whites of the fur mocking her as the deer lowered its head to look at her. “And what, prey tell, do you think that would accomplish…human?” Kytani felt her anger and frustration rise at the talking deer, but begrudgingly conceded that he did have a point as she relaxed her fingers from his hide and pulled her very human arms closer to her bare breasts for futile protection as the deer righted himself and immediately rose up on his hind legs, the heavier-than-they-looked hooves of his forelegs raining down upon her repeatedly without hesitation.

“Come back when you really have claws, kitty…” the deer mocked as he stepped back from her bloodied and bruised nude form and held his rack high. Kytani could only nod, her breath coming in slow, labored refrain, before the massive array of horned antlers came crashing against her exposed ribs like a sledgehammer beating against a pile of sparrow’s eggs.

She awoke with a scream not of pain, but of anger. She was weak and, as her dream image had pointed out, needed to ‘get her claws’ soon. Kytani slipped from her bed and quickly donned her clothes, stopping – as always – before the mirror to preen herself as best as possible, her wild hairs set askew in what she thought was a more attractive chaos than what they had been in when she had awakened. When all was right in her eyes, the headstrong young kit bounded out of the hut and made her way to the fire pit in the hopes that this Morningtide would be the one that saw a Kanthan who saw her as a ready subject to move along into the lessons of warping.

[Brytan]

As Kytani emerged from her hut she found the village the same as the past few moons. The former tranquility of the tent and cabin town interrupted by the high wooden wall that rose along the perimeter. It was rather quiet as she exited through the leather flap that closed the opening to her home, which she shared with a few other kit in training. Scarlet had been away for some time now and the other two were still sleeping.

The dew clung to the grass on the ground, getting her feet slightly damp as she trod towards the fire pit which was still empty. The familiar faces tending to the morningtide breakfast fires were still not here. Perhaps still sleeping, or maybe preparing food for the meals that would feed the village.

As she walked she noted two figured standing atop the hill that held Threed Fox. The outlander leader donned in his foreign clothing, accentuated by several shiny pieces of metal which had already drawn the attention of kanthrop and kit in earlier days, and the innkeeper stood side by side discussing something well out of earshot.

The woods were silent. Nothing seemed to stir but the guards at the walls who were due to be relieved of duty since the dark had passed.

[Kytani Hajgomb]

Kytani peered at the innkeeper and the outlander with a raised eyebrow, wondering how the nether the latter could stand to be encased in such a manner and, more importantly, why. She could, on the one hand, see why he would do it – as the false skin would make it harder for blade or bolt to penetrate, but the whole ordeal seemed to her to be far too clunky a solution. What about speed… she asked him silently as she veered her walk toward the two, being mindful of her footfalls as to keep her movement as silent as possible. {i]…and stealth…[/i] She took a few more steps, settling into a game that she often played with birds, seeing how close she could come without startling them. …or simply not being there…

The young panther woman set her lower jaw to one side in contemplation as she walked, the tip of her tongue poking almost comically out of the corner of her mouth in concentration, wondering how the metal man would fare against a big at with a human mind. Metal vs. normal beast, sure, he stood a chance, but against her? Kytani gave a little smirk and continued her advance, widening her path if needed to try to stay out of their direct line of vision. She could certainly do without any sort of Outlander presence on the island, full human or otherwise, but the thought of using them as practice prey – without killing them, of course – made the young huntress in training even more the merry about being a cat in kit’s clothing.

[Muraco]

Muraco had been up for marks. He hadn't been sleeping well lately, what with the interlopers and the blasted Cryers. The young wolf had a love affair with the night and these demons were ruining it. The moon was his companion and when she was absent the stars were with him. Instead, he could not wander the woods at night, find a high place simply sit and think. The thought of intruders and demons plagued his thoughts and he ground his teeth in frustration. He had lain until just before the first spears of light pierced the sky and then had went to prowl the village. Muraco normally dragged his spear along but this morningtide he had only his stone dagger at his waist. A black kanthar was neatly wrapped around his frame and tucked cleanly into his breeches.

The young Kanthrop had been coming from the opposite direction when Kytani had focused her attentions to the outlander. She was...she was stalking him! This made Muraco smile despite his foul mood. If she had a tail, it would have been flicking back and forth. Her concentration was absolute and she was taking great pains to be undetected. The tall young man followed quietly and took a seat on a stump, a patch of grass, it really didn't matter much as long as he had a good look at impromptu hunting that was to unfold. He rested his chin on the palm of his hand and was still grinning. Would Kytani's stalking prove effective enough to avoid detection? Would the outlander be surprised? Muraco waited and a glint of amusement went across his vivid green eyes.

[Brytan]

Kytani crawled up the hill, using whatever she could find to stay undetected. Muraco was able to see the whole scene from his vantagepoint quite well and was swiftly joined by a wolf who seemed to have come from a hunt or scouting patrol. His fur was sweaty and the smell of wet dog was evident. The wolf barked once in greeting to the young man, then sat himself down, tongue out of his mouth, breathing heavily as now two pairs of eyes observed the kit prowling at her chosen prey, which seemed thus far oblivious to her presence.

[Muraco]

Muraco's sharp eyes went from Jerin, to the metal clad outlander to Kytani and back again. The girl was trying for stealth, trying to be like liquid shadow but who could say how effective it was. What if they were simply playing at being oblivious? The young wolf was absorbed as if he were watching a deer in a clearing. He regarded the tall human shod in a cowards garb. A man too clumsy to avoid attack or too afraid to fight unencumbered? Such armor would be a prison to the ivory haired Kanthrop. There was a look of distaste in Muraco's countenance as he took his eyes from Quinlan and looked to Jerin. The innkeeper had to be possessed of the very patience of the Mother to deal with the outlander. In Muraco's mind, these men were savage and odd; fighting in ways that had to be some form of sorcery. The young man's thoughts were biased and uninformed but there was nothing to accompany him then but them.

That is, until a wolf came to his side. Were he human, he may have reached out and ruffled the fur of a friendly canine that came to sit by him. To do thus as kanthrop would be as odd as a human reaching out and scratching behind the ears of another human. Instead he smiled when the wolf barked and nodded in greeting. The scent of him was evident but Muraco did not mind; it was the sweat and smell of a long run and there was nothing wrong with that. A wave of jealousy threatened to creep upon him then. Frustratedly, he pushed it away trying to find a feeling more becoming. Muraco should not be jealous of a brother who had found his Awakening. His would come, it needed only time...or so he continued telling himself. He turned his gaze back to the scene before him.

"Is hunting good today brother?" asked Muraco, unable to keep a hint of longing from his voice. If the wolf replied, he would try to find meaning in the sound. The young man thought he saw Jerin's eyes flick to Kytani but at his distance he was unsure.

[Kytani Hajgomb]

Kytani continued to climb, awareness focused only upon herself and the two men on the hill, as her fellow kit beyond her cone of consciousness. She breathed slowly and steadily – almost normally, knowing that holding her breath or shortening the intakes would lead to noisy gasping which would pretty much ruin stealth. As for the identity of the men, she had met the innkeeper on one or two occasions but not the outlander…not that she really cared to anyway. He was simply a mouse to her at the flicker, a toy with which to test her sneakiness.

She could feel the hair bristle up at the nape of her neck at the bark, however, and the girl froze mid-step, her eyes moving toward the sound, a small amount of worry in her heart that it was a Kanthan come to chastise her for sneaking up where she did not belong. Perhaps it was – perhaps a sign. She did not want to risk further barks of warning to the innkeeper and Outlander, so Kytani gave the pair one final glance and conceded defeat, her cat’s game spoiled by a canine.

The young kit changed her course almost fluidly, moving toward the sound of the bark, her eyes looking to see if she could find her observer…observers… and her humanoid ears twitching as best as they could within the confines of their current shape, listening for any noise which might give the wolf away.

[Brytan]

Both the wolf and Muraco became blatantly apparent as Kytani altered course back towards the village. Both of them were sitting in rather plain view at the bottom of the hill, somewhat removed from where she started her ascent.

As she made her turn, and prowled back down the hill, Teladriane, the innkeeper's wife came walking down the hill from the inn, carrying two rather large waterskins which were empty right now. From what Kytani gathered she was going to fetch water to make pancakes for breakfast, judging the brief interaction she had with her husband and the outlander.

Muraco turned to the wolf beside him, which merely looked back at him, tongue out of it's mouth to ventilate the heat from his previous run. Only those who mastered their Inner Animal could speak in animal form, so it was not a true surprise when the wolf merely barked twice in reply, followed by a low growl and a shake of the head. As Kytani approached the two, the wolf barked at her in greeting and then got up to walk into a tent back towards the southern perimeter.

[Kytani Hajgomb]

Kytani made a fleeting note of the inkeeper’s wife, as what the humans did was their concern as long as they were not invading her personal space or the encampment. The main thing of note were the two Kanthrops who had spoiled her hunt, one in wolf form and the other humanoid – she was still relatively fresh to the game of discerning what animal form others took when in human form, so she could only speculate as to what Muraco was. As for the other, his initial barking had ruined both her hunt and her morningtide contentment and the bark of greeting only further reminded her that he could take animal form while she could not. However, as she was not sure if he were Kanthan or not, she kept her tongue well in place and bowed her head in respectful greeting, allowing the wolf to trot off as it saw fit.

With a sigh of frustration, Kytani took a seat on the grass near Muraco’s stump and brushed her fingers through her short hair for a flicker or two, allowing the wolf to get out of what she assumed to be its range of hearing. “Makes me wonder…” she said at last. “If silence is golden, why are most muzzles brown?” It was a crude and distasteful joke, to be sure, and she knew better than to speak of the cruel restraints that humans used on animals when referring to a fellow warper, but her frustration from the dream, the spoiled hunt, and the possibility that today would once again bring the answer ‘When you are ready...’ in response to her query about training to shape shift had to find vent somewhere and the joke had been it.

Not that it relieved her stresses any for, just as the words slipped from her lips, Kytani realized that she did not know Muraco from Adam. She had seen him around the small island, naturally, but Kytani had the feline habit of being an island unto herself and had never spoken two words to the boy, much less words such as these.

“Forgive what I have said, please.” She hastily followed up, extending a hand to him tentatively, as if waiting for him to warp into a second wolf and bite it off at the wrist to atone for the insult. “My name is Kytani and I have just…” she started, looking back up at the humans who seemed to either be blissfully unaware of her presence or knew she was there just didn’t give a Netherbat’s ass about it. “…I’ve had a bad morningtide thus far.” She finished simply and let it go at that.

[Muraco]

When the wolf replied it was much as Muraco expected. He tried to listen intently trying to see if the bark would become words to his ears. It was followed by a growl and a shake of the head which meant nothing in plain speech but clearly did not seem a positive reply. The young wolf looked up as Kytani was on the approach, having seemingly given up on her hunt. Outlanders were not the sort of prey he would attempt. Muraco envisioned fighting the tall human, in his mind however he saw a dog trying to duel a tortoise. The latter retreating into the fortress that doubled as a part of its body. His lip curled at the comparison, the tortoises very nature and body were given to defense. The human, on the other hand, wrapped himself in metal to avoid injury. Needless to say, Muraco felt that his imagined tortoise needed no further insult being compared to humans any longer.

The wolf departed as Kytani approached and the white haired Kanthrop waved his farewell. The panther woman sat in the grass a little way from his acquired stump. Muraco looked at Kytani closely. In truth it was a little too long to be a glance, short enough to elude the category of a stare. His green eyes inspected her in the short space he gave them, appraising her objectively. Though young, Kytani was well formed for the yahren she was in possession of. She was defined, had a grace to her movement that was almost feline, befitting that which sleeped within her. He had seen her before, knew her name but had never interacted with the girl more than a nod in passing. Muraco knew most everyone for he was, until recently, quite eager to know his people. If he were to become the head hunter or lead the village one day, it would be among the first of many ways to be known. When she spoke of muzzles the young wolf actually chuckled. No self respecting wolf warper he knew would be caught in one so he did not take offense. It actually conveyed her feelings pretty clearly and he smiled. The short haired woman followed with a hasty apology and extended a hand to him. Muraco looked at it for a flicker and unsure of what to do with it looked back up the hill.

"Ruined your fun did he?" he started, a smile tinting the words, "think nothing of it. Cryers in the shadows, interlopers but a stones throw...I would think you would be hard pressed to find anyone having a 'good' tide with all of the upheavals within the village. Then again, I could be wrong."

His words ended as he looked at Jerin who seemed comfortable with the outlander. Muraco was proud of his people. Less proud of his own inability. It was a fact that he wrestled with more often than any other kit during his sessions in the training grounds. Muraco wanted to know where he belonged, what role he was to play. His expression was mildly dejected and his lips pursed in a thin line. The young Kanthrop pulled a knee to his chest and rested his chin on it.

"What has you down Kytani?" he asked, looking at the woman sidelong with electric green eyes that shone a contrast to his odd mane of hair.

[Kytani Hajgomb]

Kytani gave her own glance up the hillside in response to his question about her mood. “They do, for the most part, I think. I mean the Cryers I can understand, but them? They make me nervous, I think they make Petran nervous as well, which is why he has not yet begun my training as assuming the form…” she stated, placing both hands crossed over her hidden cleavage. “…that so desperately wants to come out and play. Not that I blame him – the cat in me would love to see what that Outlanders looks like when trying to run in that ridiculous outfit – I’m sure that you know the feeling, eh? Perhaps Petran feels that my curiosity, like that of all cats, will be the thing that kills me.” Kytani watched the innkeeper’s wife for a flicker or two.

“If this is our land, and we allow them to be here, why is it that I keep getting the feeling that we are slowly becoming the interlopers?” She turned her eyes back to the handsome-looking kit beside her. “This will not end well, will it?”

[Muraco]

Muraco spared a smile at the thought of an Outlander running through the forest from one of his brothers or sisters. The tall Kanthrop shared her desire to learn to shift, perhaps even took it to new and obsessive heights. He did not understand the constant utterings of "Patience, Muraco, your time will come" for he felt he had been most of his life. Any more patience and he would be an old and embittered man before he attained his first warp. This however was a small distance from truth. He was not a heron, with the ability to sit for hours for a single chance to strike. Muraco went after what he wanted, with a determination he hoped to soon match with skill.

"Foolish humans, they and their odd ways unsettle me. I still do not see how locking ones self in steel is an acceptable alternative to speed, power and skill. It seems a coward’s way…" he started, as Kytani had finished. The thought of being an intruder in his own land infuriated Muraco. Not in a way that would make him erupt and shout but in a cold and dangerous way. It was like being placed in a lake covered in ice and it burned his cheeks and neck.

"No." it was simple and low but it was passionately said. He looked at the human as he retreated into Jerin’s inn. The innkeeper was a man too comfortable to Muraco reckoning. Not a traitor, nay, the young wolf didn’t believe any in his tribe were capable of it. It was a selective naivety because all had the capacity for treachery but he would believe not a whit of such notions. It was this complacency however that would bring about exactly what Kytani was merely hinting at. The humans would come, exploiting the kindnesses they had been given, and try to take what they desired from the Kanthrop. As true or false as this was, it did not matter to the reasoning of the hot blooded young man.

"No, it will end just as the Mother and we will it. I will not let men like him decide how we end," said Muraco and looked to Kytani, his eyes holding a glint of swallowed anger. Not at her but at the prospect of being anything but free and undisturbed.

"Nor will Petran, nor Oni, nor any of our people! Mark my words Kytani, I will not let it happen," Muraco meant every word but with it came a sick and contradictory doubt. It was the bucket of water tossed upon the proverbial fire and the passion in his voice tasted sour. Or…or he would give his life trying to prevent it.

[Kytani Hajgomb]

“The steel is a moving rabbit hole in which a human cowers.” She agreed with a half-snarl, realizing all too well the exchanges with Muraco were little more than the brave utterings of two kits powerless in their present state to back up such statements. Nevertheless, she continued undaunted. “My only question is why such a treaty was allowed in the first place. Surely Petran and Oni and the others could smell such a possibility in the wind, no? And I am sure that if we asked them, they would offer up the excuse of diplomacy…”

She kept a wary eye on the human dwelling. “Our numbers are few thanks to human wars and this so-called ‘diplomacy’…” she uttered almost under her breath. “Humans are like smart Cryers, I think – they use diplomacy to do the nastiest things in the nicest of ways.” She looked toward their meager ‘lands’ and then once more to the human outpost before returning her gaze to Muraco. He was as brave and headstrong as she, which surprised her because she had not expected a wolf to have a bit of lion in him. But…, she thought angrily, the deer’s voice in her head, his voice wrapped around her words. …what, prey tell, do you think that you would accomplish…humans?

Kytani gave a slow smile and nodded her head toward the compound. “Come, Muraco… Please show me the advantages of hunting in packs…” she joked as she rose. “Perhaps Petran can answer our questions about the human danger and…while we have him ‘surrounded’, that is... about when we can get our claws and fangs, mmm?” She had no intention of threatening, begging, or harassing their Kanthan but, if Mother gave blessing to it, she was certainly going to let the panther within guide her words as she asked, once more, for its release.

She looked deep into Muraco’s eyes searching for signs that he was with her on this and game for the challenge – she was not going to attempt to use hypnosis to sway him though as she had deduced from his tone that all which stood between him and this fresh request was distance and open air. Kytani began to give silent prayer to mother over the endeavor.

[Brytan]

"The excuse of diplomacy...hunting in packs..."

The voice of Gannas Hawkeye broke the silence around the two kit discussing the fate of their people. They had not heard their shaman coming, yet now he sat there, on a log just aside of the two, looking at them.

"Perhaps you would care to explain to me why you seem lacking in the ability of your Kanthan to determine the proper course of action?"

His words were neutral but his expression was gruff and lacked his usual neutrality. "You have heard the stories around the fire place, but you seem to have missed to what lengths the council goes to keep this island safe. Though your passion and vigor is commendable in many ways, you should know better than to speak in such a disrespectful manner about your elders."

[Kytani Hajgomb]

“Mother!”, Kytani gasped as Gannas made himself known.

If the stump had been a full tree, Kytani would have found her way to the topmost branch within a flicker, her nails buried so deeply within the wood that she would have gotten sap on her soul.

As it was, she leapt around behind Muraco, her brave words forgotten. “I am sorry, Shaman Hawkeye – we meant no disrespect or ill will. Merely voicing our frustrations.” Kytani took a flicker’s pause to realize that, in the act of shielding herself behind the wolf kit, her ‘claws’ had dug themselves into the cloth covering his arm and chest and, with a small pat as she realized this fact and released her companion, she lowered her hands to her side and re-emerged to face the shaman.

“We do not doubt the Kanthan’s abilities…we just wonder why it seems that he doubts ours…” she offered, looking to Muraco for his reactions and input.

[Muraco]

A portable rabbit hole...the wolfish young man's first thought of how inconvenient a handicap it would be for a prey to have. He looked at her once she spoke of Petran and Oni. Inwardly he cringed at her candidness, he had been on the receiving end of Petran's short temper at least once. Muraco listened to Kytani intently. To look at him you may not have thought this was so for it was everything but the panther woman's face he was gazing at. However his ears heard and his mind pulled apart each word for the implications they held. The woman had some interesting ideas, ones that Muraco had not considered. When she spoke of hunting in a pack he smiled. The white haired youth thought it the best way to hunt but with those you trusted with your life and who had the skill to take the intended quarry. Any Kanthan would prove a much meaner feat than any deer...even if only figuratively hunted.

He could feel Kytani's eyes on him and met her yellowed gaze that was searching and piercingly thorough. Muraco was inclined to agree, if not for anything else but something to do. However, they would have to settle for Oni if they were to talk to any kanthan. Petran had been held up at the gates for days and though he could surely fend for himself, it was worrisome for him to be away for so long. He drew the breath to say as much to Kytani when Gannas made his presence known. The shaman's voice was unexpected and gruff, having the effect of a bucket of freshly melted snow emptied down the back of Muraco's kanthar. Had he the hackles to raise, well, raised they would have been out of sheer surprise. The wolf kanthrop's eyes went to Gannas and his teeth were clenched as his companion latched herself behind one of his shoulders. It would have been safe to say that the shaman was not pleased with what he heard. Perhaps Muraco was overestimating Gannas' mood but to the young kit, he looked furious.

"Master Hawkeye...I have no doubt our Kanthan knows the path we must take," though he had said nothing to contradict this, he felt guilty of something but was not sure what. Truthfully he had said nothing ill of his people but there had been plenty of anger in his voice and he had insulted the humans.

"I have no excuse for my behavior. It is the frustrated mutterings of a foolish kit and I need to keep my anger in check," it was not untrue as he looked at the grass and earth, "but I feel as if I am failing my Kanthar somehow. Am I not ready? Is my dedication inadequate? I want to give to our village and run these valleys and woods as the heart that beats in my chest wills me to but all I seem to do..."

He stopped for a moment and looked up from the ground that had stolen his gaze.

"Is run in circles," said Muraco, his words accompanied with a glance at his two hands. The wolfish kit had not been so forthcoming for some time with anyone. With the words hanging in the morningtide air, he found himself with a lump rising to his throat. So it came to this, he was nearly frustrated to tears in front of a woman and the leader of his people. Luckily they did not well up in his eyes nor did his voice break but it was embarrassing nonetheless. Swallowing hard, he pursed his lips, resigning to shut his stupid mouth.

[Brytan]

Gannas rose from the stump. For one of the eldest Kanthrop in the village to still draw breath, he moved with the dexterity telling for a true master of the animal. The two kit seemed to be genuinly startled.

"And they wonder why they have not yet awakened..."

“We do not doubt the Kanthan’s abilities…we just wonder why it seems that he doubts ours…”

"And what makes you think your Kanthan have anything to say about your abilities?" The shaman shot a casual glance in the direction of one of the huts where Niamh seemed to emerge from. "Your trials will come when they do. Your Awakening depends on your bond with the spirit within yourselves. Petran, Oni nor Groas have anything to say about when that will happen. That is all upto you. And, considering your reaction to my speaking up, you still have much to learn."

His words carried no ill will and his mood seemed to shift a little, back to the teaching ways he usually carried when educating kit about the local flora and fauna and the ways of the Dreamweavers.

"But all I seem to do...is run in circles..."

"Ah, but the circle is the strongest shape of all the Mother's creations. A circle does not break, a circle has not beginning nor end so is solid and strong. What you should do perhaps, instead of venting frustrations about your circle in words, is expand the circle you run in."

[Kytani Hajgomb]

Kytani re-emerged from behind Muraco and nodded at the Shaman’s words while agreeing with Muraco’s in the same silent breath. “Master Hawkeye, we are trying, and we do know that none but ourselves can begin the trials. It is just that…” she began, looking to Muraco for a flicker before turning her attention back to the shaman. “I can feel it within me, Master Hawkeye, stirring…clawing…eager to get out. I have for yahren, but I find that not a spot of fur grows on my skin when I try to release it. No fangs…no claws…just disturbing recurring dreams of a deer laughing at me as even in the dream the panther remains trapped.” She took a seat once more upon the stump, her bright eyes searching the shaman’s face for clues to solve her puzzle.

“I…we…” she corrected, assuming Muraco was in the same situation. “We are just looking for advice on invoking the change… ‘It will happen when it happens’, while truthful, is not very encouraging to me and I am sorry that my impatience and plan to go pester a Kanthan seemed out of line, for it was out of line.” Kytani gave a sigh as she looked back toward the hut for a flicker. “And truthfully, Master Hawkeye, I find them distracting and fear that my thoughts of them were louder than your footfalls. I shall try harder to ignore them and listen to the world around me as a whole.” She gave a flicker’s pause, biting back another off-color comment about circles and leashes. “And I will try harder to expand my circle. Is there any advice that you can give on doing so, Master Hawkeye?”

[Muraco]

Muraco absorbed the words Gannas spoke much like a scrap of cloth would brushing against a dew covered leaf. It sounded wise, it sounded as if it were so simple…perhaps if said to someone else, they would nod knowingly, murmur an "I see", possibly rub their chin thoughtfully and have that be that. Muraco on the other hand had no idea how in all of to expand the circle he ran in. So a circle was strong, unbreakable but the snowy headed kit was much more of a straight line kind of Kanthrop. He made a direct course for what he wanted but perhaps this was why he was not at his destination. Not all roads were straight in the nature of an arrow, or the poles that held their tents aloft. Some roads doubled back, wound in incomprehensible ways until it seemed a destination would never come and suddenly…there it would be.

He had drawn a breath to reply hastily but he found himself holding it, his eyes taking a faraway look as he found the space to the left of Gannas suddenly interesting. Muraco let out this breath slowly and his shoulders relaxed as he looked to perhaps one of the wisest of his Race. Kytani spoke and Muraco his eyes missed none of her gesture as her words came. He still felt much as she did but the inkling of understanding began to grow, as if it were the first shoot of grass through tilled earth.

"I cannot claim that I completely understand all of your words Master Gannas..." he admitted easily but his eyes showed a glimmer as he turned to Kytani, "but if you are like me, Kytani...I am a determined individual that does not stop until he gets what he wants. I look at it now, and I have been doggedly chasing my Awakening, hunting it as if it were a deer in the wood. My Awakening, I think, should not be hunted. It is family, the animal is a part of me that I am searching for that I should welcome in it’s homecoming, not snare with rope and beat into submission...I..."

Muraco's words had come quickly, excitedly but it was in keeping with his nature. The kit did nothing if he did not do it with all of his heart and his speculation came no different. In responding so eagerly he realized that he could be completely wrong and misinterpreting all of Gannas’ words. His face flushed with heat as he deferred to the older Kanthrop.

"Forgive me, Master Gannas…but am completely I wrong in this?" he asked, his eyes still filled with eagerness.

[Brytan]

The shaman listened patiently to the two kit as they spoke. He was about to answer as shouting from the northern gate caught his and their attention.

"HAWKEYE! HAWKEYE!"

The shaman stood up and glanced at the kanthrop that rushed at them. Kimar was a young kanthrop. unawakened like Kytani and Muraco. He rushed for the small group after he saw the shaman standing there, breathing heavily, even for the small run.

"Hawkeye, come quick!"

"What is the matter then Kimar? Something wrong at the gate?"

"It's....Xenovia....and....Scarlet." The man spoke, taking some deep breaths. "They came home, badly injured. Looks like...Cryers..."

The shaman didn't waste a flicker. "Let's go then." He turned to the two he had been speaking two. "Our discussion will have to wait it seems." And then he was off to the gate. Kytani and Muraco had heard that Xenovia, who had only recently awakened, and Scarlet who was still a kit like themselves, had been missing for almost two days now. Talk around the fires had been filled with worries, since the isle was no longer as safe as it used to be. Before the Collapse kit used to wander the far reaches of the isle in perfect safety. Now, that safety was far and gone.

OOC: Feel free to hop into the Homecoming thread if you choose to follow Hawkeye.

[Kytani Hajgomb]

Kytani waited behind Gammas for only a flicker or two, the wild-haired kit pausing only to glance at Muraco in concern before breaking into a dead run that would take her as far and as fast as her muscles dared to carry her. Had it not been so gangly and unseemly, the girl felt within her that it would be far faster to hit all fours…to abandon this upright form in the favor of a body more built for speed.

But such a transformation, even if she could invoke it, would take a while and intense focus…she knew this…and so Kytani was forced to ignore the calls and continue running in human form until she reached the gates.

OOC: Fin for me in this thread

[Muraco]

Muraco would have to wait for a reply it seemed. Once he heard the urgency in Kimar's voice, the wolf Kanthrop forgot his need to hear Gannas' words. He was staring holes through his fellow kit by the time he caught his breath and responded. A stone with the weight of all Ursa fell into Muraco's stomach. It was the worst thing he could have heard, it was like family, it was Scarlet and Xenovia of his tribe. The kit could swear the Mother herself could hear the grind of his teeth as he bit back a snarl at the audacity of these damned demons. It was affronting, insulting, and terrifying all in one flicker. Were he able to warp, were he a better hunter, had keener instinct, he would have known...forcefully Muraco had to remind himself of his moment of self proclaimed clarity. If anything, his emotions that were captive, bottled and raging needed to be controlled. There was nothing to be gained from lamenting the done and decided while there was something that could be done from that moment on.

Muraco's gaze did meet Kytani's and almost in the same flicker, the ivory haired youth was off like an arrow. His mane flying behind him as long and powerful strides carried him forward. The freedom that came with running was absent, in its place was a slowly creeping dread.

Don't you die, damn it don't die!

[Brytan]

OOC: Wrapped up and moved on. Locked for processing by the skilling machine.

[Brytan]

Skilled and archived!