The Fountain of Youth (private roleplay)

[Sphye]

"It's your fault for stealing the hammock," she said with only the faintest trace of a laugh.

Nubmee tried his best to interfere with her attempts to lay the hammock flat again, but luckily he was unsuccessful. "So, does someone who is only one people-size want to share? Faux-eagles don't count," she said with little inflection to clue how serious or joking she was. In the dark, it was hard to see the slight smile upon her face.

[Startedraining]

Edgar shook his head, "I've got my own furs, I was just messing with my favorite little Rune-Charmer," he winked at Mara and turned to pick up his own bag, and pull out a tangle of wool and fur that would suit him, "Although, I can take up as little space as you want me to take up..."

He spread out his furs and picked up his own baby drake, Arian had watched the scene with a knowing eye. The drakeling had his own bundle of furs waiting for him beside the neat pile of Edgar's, although the sun was still high in the sky, if they were going to wait for other people it should be in comfort. Ricos nudged Edgar and huffed, nice move on the girl.

Edgar sighed and pushed the dire away, ignoring the wolfish laughter that followed.

[Silverhart]

Stifling a chuckle over the two bickering over the hammock, Sterling was a about to offer a comment when he heard Caitlin's voice.

"Thank you. That'd be much appreciated, Miss - uh... excuse me. I'm terrible with names..." He glanced at her awkwardly, waiting for response. Although Sterling had communicated with these people over long distance, he did not quite know each one well enough to name each face off the top of his head. Names had always been something of a stumbling block for him. It usually took him a few weeks to get them straight.

Moritz whuffled at the little griffon and went down on her forelegs in excitement. 'C'mon!' She bonded away under the nose of one of the drakes. 'Anyone else want to come? Roscoe!' She barked at her Warden, but he was ignoring her. He never had the heart for hunting anyway.

With a sniff of disdain, she spun away and loped across the field, her two tails waving behind her like a pair of dark banners. The insects buzzed and hummed in annoyance as her passage stirred them up from their grassy beds. She snapped at them playfully as they spiraled past, barreling through the darkened meadow.

[cjr09]

"Caitlin," she answers smoothly, if a bit skittishly.

As there were only the two boys, and Edgar had made himself very clear- it was easiest to guess that this one was Sterling.

Probably not as easy with the girls.

"What kind of animal are we hunting? It's gotta be something like a rabbit right? Or a duck! Or a goose! If it's flying, Caitlin can get it for us, she brought her bow and arrows! Roasted goose is the best; Caitlin! Caitlin can't you?" Mull chirps, half at Mortiz then half at Caitlin.

"Mull, I don't think there's any geese around these parts, and I don't think there's anything around here I could use for tinder for a fire. Besides, you've already eaten," she responds, disapproval over her Griffin's eating habits heavy in her tone.

Mull either doesn't notice or doesn't care, just continues bounding after Mortiz.

Hopefully the dire could wear out the excited Griffin before bed; he was always a nightmare come time to sleep.

"Er, sorry about him. He's not usually like this; he's- he's growing into it," Caitlin says with a wince.

[Distortionist]

It was beginning to get dark, the faint patterns of stars sparkling dimly in the sky. Lynden waded through the tall, dry grass, grimacing as bugs and who knows what flew up in her face. Alaula was cradled in her right arm, her forelegs resting on her keeper's wrist and an alert expression on her face. The vegetation was too thick for her to walk through and she complained of being unable to see, so Lynden had taken matters into her own hands. Literally. Why was Alaula so heavy? At least she provide a source of light - the Nightflare liger illuminated their surroundings with a gentle yellow glow emanating from her pelt. She was about to mutter something about her back aching from travel but was silenced by the liger's sudden tension. Something's coming... she transmitted anxiously. "Is it one of them? It's about time!" Lynden huffed and squinted into the hazy field, just barely making out the form of a dire wolf bounding about followed by something small and feathery.

"Hey, isn't that Sterling's dire?" she asked suddenly. Yeah, I think so. The girl stopped moving forward and shifted her stance, observing the two creatures.

[Startedraining]

With the skins and furs rolled out, Edgar sat crosslegged and pulled the small baby drake onto his lap. Arian let out a low pitch grumble and settled down to sleep on Edgar's lap. Ricos curled up just beyond the furs, his ears perked in case the other dire and griffon returned, or possibly the other members of their party.

[Silverhart]

"It's alright." Sterling nodded in acknowledgement to Caitlin, watching the two creatures scamper off. "Just don't get into trouble!" he yelled after his Dire wolf. He never thought he'd be the one to tell Moritz that - normally it was the level-headed Dire who kept him in line. Taking the proffered blanket, he crashed onto the ground and rubbed the bridge of his nose, overcome by a feeling of world-weariness unbefitting his years. He wasn't cut out for wrangling youngsters. He wanted adult Moritz. He wanted his old partner back.

The grass tickled her nose, and made Moritz feel bubbly. Grass hadn't tickled her nose in years. She had towered over the tallest grass in her adulthood. As she dashed through it a scent stood out from the background - no... a set of mingled scents. The greasy scent of human skin - one she couldn't recognize, and the musky odor of liger. She stopped short. Hadn't someone said they were missing one of their group? Could this be them? She trotted closer, letting her nose guide her and leading her young griffon companion on. She saw up ahead in the darkness, a faint glow like an oil lamp.

She glanced over her shoulder and whimpered loudly for her Warden. He couldn't hear her. He was too far away. And he was - as usual - deaf to all but the loudest and most immediate of sounds. Grrr... Left to do it herself then - well, her and the rambunctious little griffon. She stood there torn between the desire to bound toward the newcomers, and a thought to approach more cautiously... How peculiar... She wasn't normally so indecisive. Moritz cocked her head at Mull, silently waiting to see what he thought best.