Trouble Among the Zodiacs! (Adventure/Fantasy Story)
|
Trouble Among the Zodiacs! (Adventure/Fantasy Story)
|
|
|---|---|
|
Posted 2023-07-07 10:44:51 (edited)
Trouble Among the Zodiacs! (TAtZ!) It was a chilly afternoon in late winter. The sky was mostly clear, so you had to keep your head up to avoid snow blindness. You stroll through the snow, which wasn't too deep. The forest of evergreens wasn't too dense, so it was easy to navigate through. Your goal is to reach a nearby lake in the area, which was rumored by the local animals to be a shop full of intruiging items. After a few more minutes of walking, you finally make it to the bay. You decide it was best to cross it as the ice is thick enough and it would save some time trying to find the supposed mystical shop. Before you're able to step foot on the ice, you hear a voice call out from behind. "Psst, you there," a scrawny looking fox called out to you, trotting up to your side. A small, young looking vixen hopped out in front of you. Her fur was white, but she has pale blue stripes along her back, and a ringed tail and face mask like that of a raccoon. In confusion, you look around but see no other animal by you except for her. "Yeah, you! C'mere!" She beckons you to sit by her. "Hello mortal, I am Aquarius!" Aquarius gives you a friendly smile, speaking in an upbeat tone. She definitely sounds young too. You settle down beside the striped vixen. Her icey blue eyes seemed to glow, lacking any pupils. It makes you wonder if she is blind, but she stares right into your eyes which makes you a bit nervous. "Do tell me your name, mortal." You reply to her question with your name, and she chuckles. "You have such a weird name. I like it!" Aquarius smirked at you. You explain how you come from a far away land and heard that there was a shopkeeper selling unusual items by the lake. "Ah yes, you came to the right place then! I sell all sorts of things you mortals have never seen before!" She exclaims proudly, leading you to a frozen lake. Cautiously, you follow her. The vixen walks with ease on the lake; no sign of her slipping at all on the ice. Her light body made it seem like the lake ice was solid enough, which makes you a bit more confident that the lake is safe to cross. You place one paw on the ice, and almost immediately it started to crack a little. Thank goodness you didn't step out on it earlier. You bark loudly to get the vixen's attention and Aquarius turns to look at you. She seems confused as to why you stopped moving. Does she not notice the ice is starting to break? You try to warn her as she walks over to you. This time, the cracking was louder. Without saying a word, she touches noses with you which makes you flinch. What was that for? We just met! You rub your nose, feeling a bit tingly inside. Suddenly, you're pulled onto the ice. The icy surface of the lake begins to break apart. You yelp, but the small vixen is pulling you with a rope she had put around your neck. You didn't even notice until she started tugging on it. The ice falls apart, but you don't sink. You're floating on a little ice island with Aquarius on the lake. You see the ice glowing a soft blue under your paws. What exactly is going on here? The island begins to sink into the water, and you hold your breath. It floated too far into the centre of the lake so there was no hope of swimming back to the bay without freezing first. Aquarius gently tugs the rope, leading you deeper to the bottom of the lake. You still try to fight, but it's no use. That is when you realized the water didn't feel cold at all. Surprisingly enough, you aren't drowning, either. Somehow, you gained the ability to breathe underwater. Did Aquarius do this when she touched noses with you? The strange vixen swims surprisingly well for a fox, but the most you could do was sway like seaweed in the water. Aquarius leads you into a rocky cave under the lake. The two of you swim up a narrow tunnel before Aquarius hoists you onto the rocky floor in the underwater cave. It wasn't filled with water despite being at the bottom of the lake. You lay on the cave floor, inhaling air once more. You're kind of glad to be out of the water. Looking up at the cave ceiling, you see bioluminescent spots on the stalactites. There were a few plants scattered around that looked pretty odd to you. Some were glowing soft blue and purple, while others were a pale green colour. Aquarius stands in front of you, giving you a cheeky grin. "See? Wasn't so bad, huh?" Aquarius gently pawed your shoulder. A slight growl escapes your throat but you quickly get back on your paws, shaking off your soaking wet pelt. Soon, you follow the vixen deeper into the cave. The glowing spots on the ceiling seemed to also splatter the walls of the cave tunnel. The tunnel grew smaller and smaller, until the ceiling was almost as low as the neck of a deer. Once you reach the end, the tunnel opens up wide again. This part of the cave was even larger than the other area. In here, you see many strange items that have the faint smell of humans. A lot of these trinkets are things you've never seen before. They were all put on shelves that seemed to be carved from the wall itself. There were many bioluminescent plants in this part of the cave as well. It was truly something unique that you've never seen before on the surface. "Now, mortal.. Bask in the glory of all my treasures and trinkets!" The vixen turns around to face you with a bashful look on her face. "I have searched the deepest depths of the ocean, and skimmed every pond, lake and river for these items! I have even created some of these items! Scorpio and Cancer envy these trophies- ones they could never get their paws on!" You're not quite sure who those creatures are, but you'd be envious too if you had to compete with items like these. Some of them are absolutely stunning. "Behold my glorious trinkets of things you have never seen before!" Aquarius announces proudly with a bashful look. "They might even be very useful to your pack," she gave you a prideful smile while explaining to you the different items she had. As you're looking around the place, one item catches your attention. A glowing pendant of ice seemed to be calling to you. You have seen glowing pendants before from the Lunar Shoppe, but this one was different. You ask her what it is. "Oh- the ice pendant! This is made from ice that never melts. It may even restore youth to those who wear it." Though skeptical, you decide to take it just because of its gorgeous look. You ask Aquarius for the price, ready to come back with the currency it requires. "Because I like you, I'll give you a discount. Five-hundred Lunar tears will do." She said it so confidently you wish you could smack that smug look off of her face. "Five-hundred?! That is outrageous!" You bark at how expensive the pendant is. You could easily get a Lunar pendant for twenty-four LT. "Okay, okay! How does one-hundred LT sound then?" You give a slight growl. These prices are ridiculous, and for an item that supposedly makes a wolf live longer? You're not buying this magic stuff at all. Aquarius walks up to you with a pleading look, placing a paw on your chest. "Come on, I own a small business here! Give me a break, the market is already messed up enough," Aquarius whined. You sigh, her charms working on you as you eventually give in and agree to pay the Lunar Tears. Aquarius helps you back to the surface where you head back home for the currency. After a day of traveling, you return to the lake with the currency. Aquarius is already by the bank of the lake, waiting for you. You approach her and exchange the Tears for the pendant. "Thank you for purchasing from my shop," she yips cheerfully, waving you goodbye. The vixen then jumped back into the water, disappearing under its depths. You look down for a brief moment at the ice pendant. It had a dim glow you didn't notice before. Maybe it only started glowing after you put it on? Maybe it always had a glow and you just didn't realize it? You're not too sure about it yourself, but at least it's pretty. When you look back up out at the lake, the surface is completely frozen again. Huh..? Holding the pendant in your mouth, you cautiously take a few steps on the ice. It doesn't crack at all. How did it crack so easily before? You decide to leave the area, not wanting to stick around longer. You ponder about your encounter on your way home as you walk across the frozen lake, your mind full of unanswered questions. Just then, it clicked in your mind. Aquarius kept calling you a mortal, and seemed completely unfazed by the cold water. All her talk about exploring the bottom of lakes for treasure started to make sense. She's no ordinary, air breathing fox. You shudder, not quite sure what she is. Maybe if you see her again, you will get your answers. |
 Solar Flares #26993 |
|
Posted 2023-07-07 21:04:20 (edited)
TAtZ! You stroll through a meadow of Arnica flowers in the grasslands. The cool spring air was nice and cool as you take in the scent of the flowers. It's a pleasant site, so you sit down to relax for a bit under the sun. After your rest, you continue your exploration journey. Not too far away, you spot a fallen tree. It's an odd site in an open meadow, seeing as the log is far away from any other trees in the vast grasslands. You decide to check it out, wondering if you'll find anything useful near it. As you get closer you spot a young fawn and a few groundhogs by the stump. Taking the opportunity, you lunge forward at the fawn with your teeth aiming for their throat. Before you could even touch it, something sends you tumbling a few feet to the right. The force was like being hit by a ram! You spring to your feet with a snarl, your tail raised as you stare at the attacker, expecting it to be a bison or a deer buck. "Stay away!" A deep, growling voice shouted. As you stare at the animal in front of you, it takes you a moment to realize it had large, outwards growing horns, a muscular body, and cream hooves. It's a fully grown bull?! The red and white ticked bovine has lots of scars, especially around the hind legs. Huh.. You lower your head with a snarl, getting into a defensive stance. If your hunters can catch bovine, then surely an alpha like you can defend against one. Though, the bull's large horns make you a bit doubtful. "Do you really want to fight? You don't stand a chance, mortal." The bovine's voice was teaming with anger and confidence at the same time. It sounds like he's threatening you. You growl, leaping forward at the bull. You can take it on! You've fought tougher looking opponents than him. Almost immediately you're sent flying backwards with a yelp, hitting the ground hard. "You animals don't listen, do you?" The bull approaches. Looks like you made a mistake trying to attack him head on. He stops just three feet away from you. You're unsure if you can back down at this point, as the bull is clearly faster and stronger. You begin backing away slowly, but wince in pain when you feel something stinging in your wrist. Crap, you must've sprained something! The bull notices this, and walks up to you. Letting out another snarl, you back up with a limp but the bull grabs a hold of your sore paw. In self defence, you bite at his ear and face. He refuses to let go of your paw, however. He drags you to the log as the animals living there scamper inside at the sight of you. The bovine noses his way inside the log, pulling something out that was wrapped in leaves. He places it by your paws. "Eat them. They are poppy seeds for the pain." The bull then opened up the leaf package for you with his horns, and you cautiously popped a few in your mouth. You've heard before that poppy was a useful painkiller that nature provided, but you didn't see it often. The bull then grabs your paw again, wrapping it in the leaves. You flinched a little at this, but you eventually calmed your nerves. Maybe he truly is just trying to help. But after you attacked him, it makes you wonder why. "Keep this on for a few days, then the paw will get better," the bovine spoke in a rather harsh sounding tone, but his actions told a different story. You nod at his advice. "What are you, anyway? How can a bull even speak wolf?" You let your curiosity get the better of you. The bull doesn't give you the response you hoped for. "I am Taurus," he replied bluntly, and you let out a sigh. You gave him your name back, and explained you were just passing through and thought the fawn would be a good snack for your pack. Taurus gives you a stern look. "I am nursing that fawn, and you will not eat her or any animals by that log," Taurus snorted, clearly upset. Wait... He's nursing? Is Taurus just a cow with large horns? "Does that mean you're a cow..?" "No." His response was short and swift. That still leaves you with more questions, so you decide it wouldn't hurt to ask some more. "Is grass the only thing you eat?" "No, I eat lots of different plants, " Taurus hoofed the ground as he spoke. "How did you get those scars?" You eye up the bull's different scars, finding them pretty cool. "Cougars bears, and other wolves," Taurus said with a hint of pride in his voice. "What are you protecting the fawn for?" Your nose points to the fawn curled up by the mossy log. "She was abandoned after birth. I'm keeping her safe until I find another herd." Taurus briefly looked back to the fawn that had begun drifting to sleep. "I see.. But why?" You aren't entirely sure why an animal would adopt another from a different species, even if it was temporary. "Lots of baby animals are abandoned in the spring. I raise and protect them until they grow up so there is enough prey to go around." You regard his words with a thoughtful expression. "It is sad to see them die in the end, but that is how nature works," Taurus had a saddened expression, but quickly went back to a neutral one. "Mortal lives are precious. They deserve to live every part of it they can. That is why I helped you too, if you were wondering." Taurus calling you a mortal rubs you the wrong way, but he speaks words of wisdom. You decide you've asked enough questions. It's probably best to end the exploration journey here and head back home to rest. "...Well-" "Need help walking home?" Taurus cut you off before you could continue. You sigh and nod, but look back at the bull's furry companions. Taurus walks over to the log, gently nudging the fawn inside before walking over to you. The two of you then head off together in the direction of your pack territory. He even allowed you to lean on him as you two walked. Although you find Taurus to be odd, you enjoy his company as you both chat away about your battle experiences. Once you're near your pack's territory, you stop to look at Taurus. He pauses as well before he gets in front of you. The bull had a dark expression as he looked you in the eyes. "I have a final warning for you." You give him all of your attention, knowing it must be something important. "Stay away from the mountains. Two dangerous beasts live there." His tone was serious as he looked you dead in the eyes. "Gemini is somewhere at the base of the mountains. Cancer is higher in the mountains. They are a danger to mortal lives and you MUST NOT interact with them!" There was slight distress in his voice as he spoke. You quickly nod at his words, listening to the bull's warning. "Stay away from the mountains. Okay?" You nod once more, seeing as Taurus really didn't like whatever those things were in the mountains. He never gave you a description of them, however. It's best to be wary of all animals in the mountains then. Though, you were supposed to explore there sometime for some harder to find herbs.. After that, Taurus helps you walk the rest of the way to your pack territory. You've made a strange new acquaintance today. You wonder what your packmates will think of Taurus when they see him by the territory's edge. |
Solar Flares #26993 |
|
Posted 2023-07-07 21:04:46 (edited)
TAtZ! At the base of some mountain range in the prairies, you sniff around for any tobacco to collect. It was mid summer, and the skies were crystal clear. You wanted to hurry and find something so you could rest under some shade to escape the heat. "Hello there, wolfy," a charming voice calls out to you from the mountainside. "Yes, you, over here!" Her voice seemed to lure you in. You spot a shewolf in the distance with blush pink, cream and white fur. Her legs seem to be stained brown, and her tail is kind of slim looking. You approach with caution, only realizing as you get closer that something is off about her. The shewolf has a pig snout instead of a button nose..? There is a rather large pile of bones beside her, most of which are cracked or have been chipped like someone was chewing on them. You back up warily, but she takes a few steps towards you. Is this one of the beasts Taurus had warned you about? "Greetings, mortal," The shewolf snorted. "You're a cutie, aren't you? Quite delicious looking as well," she licked her chops, eyeing you down. You don't think she means that in a playful way... You pin your ears, backing away from her. She seems to take your fear as an invitation, and suddenly, the canid creature pounces on you. Her speed caught you off guard as you're pinned to the ground in seconds. You howl and yelp for help as you squirm under her grasp. Luckily, you break free and skitter a few feet away, turning around to let out a snarl. "Adorable! I love it when my prey is scared.~" Her tone and her voice, given the situation, rubs you the wrong way. "Now then, mortal." The creature clears her throat; her glowing pink/purple eyes intently staring at you. "I have an offer for you," she looks at you expectantly like she knows you will say yes. "Bring me meat and I will offer my services to you," she said with an almost demanding tone. How about no. You hightail it out of there, but she is quick to chase you down and pin you on your stomach. "Now, now.." The creature lowers her head; her snout now inches away from your ear. "Running will only do you harm.~" Her breath tickled your ear, causing you to stop squirming. Her words make you panic a little. This has to be the Gemini that Taurus warned you about. You just know it, even if Taurus didn't tell you what she looked like. "I'll be watching you. Don't disappoint and maybe I will let you live," the blush pink and white shewolf huffed at you, getting off of your back. "Now go! Fetch me some meat." Gemini stomped her paws, and you run off to go get her something to eat. Once you return, you give her a swine. You had a strange feeling this is what she wanted. She grins at you. Maybe your gut feeling was right? The shewolf then eagerly digs into the carcass, finishing the entire pig within a matter of minutes. Not even three wolves can eat a carcass of that size that quickly. You gulp, glancing at her nervously as you await her response. The shewolf approaches you, brushing her head and back under your chin. You tense up at her touch, but not even when she moves away do you relax. This was a creature you had to keep your guard up with. "Now then," Gemini takes a seat in front of you, looking into your eyes. "Tell me what your heart desires and I will make it happen." She gave you a playful grin, her tail swaying slightly. "Money," you tell her with a poker face. Gemini gives you that "disappointed but not surprised" look before walking off to somewhere else. She gives you a side glance suggesting you follow her, which you do. You follow not too far behind the canid creature as she leads you to a cave full of treasure at the base of the mountains. Gemini tosses you a bag of a thousand silver cones and you happily take it. "If you're ever in need of anything, please do visit again!" You highly doubt you'll ever willingly see her again. "Oh- and make sure you bring more hogs when you do!" Gemini winks at you, but you disregard her words and walk off with the SC bag. You hear her murmur something under her breath. "Mortals.. They only want what they can't keep." Before you could make it far from her treasure cave, you feel something tug on your tail. You look back at Gemini, who seems like she has something else to say to you. You gulp, unsure if you upset her or not by leaving so abruptly. "Hey, mortal," the shewolf looks behind her as if someone was there. You follow her gaze, but see nothing there. Gemini turns back to face you. "I hear that you're looking for tobacco, correct?" How did she know that? Is Gemini a mind reader? You slowly nod in response, and she gives you a smile. "I saw a batch of them growing up northeast in the mountains. Just be careful when trying to reach them." Gemini then turns to leave, heading back in the direction of her cave. You quickly say your thanks and goodbyes before leaving as well. You made it out alive. Taurus had told you Gemini was a dangerous threat, but you survived an encounter with her. You breathe a heavy sigh of relief, getting far away from Gemini's hideout. It's probably best you head back home for now. Heading further up the mountain will be for another day. |
Solar Flares #26993 |
|
Posted 2023-07-07 21:07:26 (edited)
TAtZ! Thanks to the warnings you were told by Taurus, and your encounter with Gemini, you've been reluctant to return to the mountains for more tobacco. It took a few weeks, but you finally decided to head back. This time, you entered through the taiga side of the mountains so you could avoid Gemini and hopefully avoid the other beast Taurus had mentioned before. Despite it being late summer, it's pretty cold high up in the mountains. You make your way through the rocky terrain, looking for a source of water. It's been a few days of navigating the terrain searching for herbs and other valuables. All this hiking was pretty tiring. On your way to find tobacco and other herbs, you run into a rather aggressive mountain lion. Perhaps you encroached on its territory without realizing? Whatever the cougar was guarding, it wasn't willing to let you pass. You decide to intimidate it into running, wondering if it's guarding something that could be valuable to you. You engage the cougar in a fight, nipping at its face and snarling to make it flee. You took a few scratches in the process, but the cougar eventually fled elsewhere. Now that it's gone, you snoop around for anything useful. Fortunately, you find some tobacco, but that was it. Maybe the battle wasn't worth it after all.. After a few more minutes of hiking, you stop by a massive waterfall- one that comes from the crater lake of the mountains. You lap up the water before turning back to seek somewhere safe to rest for a bit. That nasty scuffle you had with a cougar left you with a few painful cuts on your rump and face. Although you aren't in the same mountain region as Gemini, you still feel a bit anxious and constantly check your surroundings. Taurus warned you that the other beast lives higher up in the mountains. You just hope you don't come across it. After quenching your thirst, you lift your head and cautiously look around the area. Before even making it 4 feet away from the river, a sudden splash from beside you makes you whip around. "Oh- my apologies. I didn't mean to scare you." A large shewolf with a deep, motherly voice stands before you. Her dark grey and silver pelt seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. She looks surprisingly dry despite just leaping out of a river. It makes you wonder why she was even swimming in a raging river in the first place. Her red eyes seem intimidating, but she has a gentle look that eases your nerves. "I am Cancer. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.~" Her voice sounded melodic as she bows in front of you with a friendly smile. You give her your name as well and you see her tail sway. "You have a wonderful name," Cancer woofed gently. "Thank you," you reply with a shy smile. Her eyes widened a little as she approached you with her head low. She carefully looked over your wounds before backing up a little. "You poor thing. You must have been through a lot before you got here," the shewolf whimpered a little. "It was only a small scuffle with a cougar." You try to reassure her, but she beckons you to follow her. Though a bit hesitant at first, ultimately you follow her to the waterfall where you notice there seems to be a passage behind it. Carefully, you walk along the slippery rocks that go behind the waterfall, and you find yourself in a cozy cave full of all sorts of trinkets. Most of them are completely foreign to you. The objects were hung on the cave walls with rope or placed on stone shelves. It reminds you of Aquarius' cave shop. "Please do make yourself comfy," Cancer said warmly, and you decide to sit down in a strange red rock. It actually felt rather soft and comfy. She places down a hare in front of you, and you reluctantly accept it. You think Cancer is nice, but you still aren't fully trusting of her. As you eat, Cancer gently coats your wounds with a healing salve. "Thanks for all of this. You shouldn't have-" before you can finish thanking her, the shewolf interrupts. "It's no problem. I like helping others whenever I can," she said in a calm manner with a gentle look on her face. You nod in understanding, giving her a grateful smile. "Now then, I'm sure you won't mind doing me a favour once you're rested up." Her tone suddenly became serious. Oh boy... "Are you in or are you out?" Cancer stares straight into your eyes as you start feeling uneasy. "It depends on what it is. What do you want me to do?" You reply, hiding your discomfort. "Steal something for me. A black stone that glows when you push it in the right spot." A glowing stone..? "..Where can I find this stone?" You were reasonably skeptical if it was even real. "In the taiga by a lake, you will find a fox. Although it's summer, there is still a chance she might come out to greet you. She has fur as white as snow and these creepy blue eyes with no pupils that glow. Do as she says until she leads you to a cave. Then you will steal the stone without her looking and you must wait until she sends you back to the surface before you BOOK IT!" She barked out the last two words. "That scrawny little bastard runs FAST, so you have to be able to outsmart her and outrun her before she realizes you stole the stone." You nod, a bit anxious and not really willing to do the mission at all. "And don't you worry, I'll be watching on the sidelines to make sure you don't abandon the task." You groan and agree to go with the plan, since you can't simply chicken out of it now. "Don't forget who gave you food and treated your wounds," she let out an irritated growl, and you quickly nod. "Yes, my mistake.." You sigh, resting a bit longer under Cancer's watchful eye. She resumed her motherly and nurturing act shortly after that conversation. Is this the other beast Taurus warned you about? You can't quite remember the other name he told you. It's been months since he last spoke to you, after all. Suddenly, it clicked in your mind. "Hey, wait a minute.. Are you talking about Aquarius?" You ask Cancer who nodded in response. "Yes, that's her name." You've met her before in the winter. You recall how Aquarius mentioned she was a trophy hunter. Cancer also appears to be one. Perhaps this is a rivalry between two trophy hunters? You didn't want to get caught up in this, but there's no backing out of this. After resting for an hour, the two of you begin to descend down the mountain. "Before we pay that fox a little visit, you must know what to say to her to avoid raising suspicion," Cancer has a serious expression as she looks at you. She must really want this stone, huh? "Once you see her, tell her: "I'm here to check out your wares to see if you have anything new." Got it?" You're not sure if you can remember that whole sentence. Cancer narrows her eyes at you and you quickly nod. After about three days of traveling, you finally make it to the taiga on an autumn morning. Cancer leads you to the area where the lake is even though you could have found it yourself. She dives into some bushes, motioning for you to move forward before completely concealing herself. You still feel her gaze on you as you approach the lake that wasn't too far off in the distance. You hear Cancer creep closer and closer to the lake with you, remaining behind the foliage of the forest. She wasn't doing a great job at stealthily moving through the bushes. Once at the lake, you look around for Aquarius. Seeing nothing yet, you decide to lap up some water from the lake. Your ears rotate around to listen for any noises while your head is still lowered. A splash from beside you startles you. A vixen with white fur and blue stripes stands before you. Yup, this is the one you've met back in winter. Her pupiless eyes stare at you. She still looks pretty small. You mistook her for an adolescent, but she barely even grew an inch. Is she a runt perhaps? You only just realize you've been staring into her eyes for over a minute. Her eyes seem to have a strange, hypnotic effect on you. "Hiya! I remember you from a few months back!" Aquarius greets you cheerfully with a wagging tail, breaking the silence between you two. "What brings you to the lake so early, mortal?" You eye her warily before remembering what you had rehearsed with Cancer before arriving here. "Oh um.. I'm here to check out your wares to see if you have anything new?" You try to sound as natural as possible. "Oh, joy! I usually get more customers in winter, but I'd be happy to show you some new things I found." She put a rope around your neck like before. Where did the rope come from? You have no clue. You're dragged into the water and taken back to the familiar cave you've been to before. The bioluminescent plants in the den have a dimmer glow than you remember. "Feast your eyes on my wondrous trinkets!" You do as she says, looking at each and every one of them. A lot of the items you can't even identify, which makes your brain hurt. You turn to Aquarius who was watching you the whole time. "I've heard from a wolf you have a stone that glows when you touch it?" Her ears perked up, then immediately went to go look for the item. "You mean this?" She presented to you a flat looking stone. The top part was shiny, but the bottom was a bit bumpy and almost felt like seal blubber on the smoother parts. She presses her paw against the side of the stone, and it lights up a soft peach and red color. The top part of the stone that was glowing had strange patterns on it that you couldn't make out. "I think this is the stone." You say, staring at the mysterious object. "Ah, well this would be 50 gold cones then!" She smiles at you, and you gave her an irritated smile in response. Classic Aquarius with overpriced objects. "Maybe I'll buy it later," you reply calmly. Aquarius nods, placing the stone down on a moss covered rock in the den. "Anything else that interests you?" Her tail swayed as she looks at you eagerly. "What's that thing?" You point to a shiny golden figure in the shape of a cat. One of its paws moves back and forth. The vixen walks up to the figure. You quickly take the opportunity to snatch the phone when she isn't looking, carefully sitting on it while Aquarius rambles on about how she found the cat statue in a human den. When she finally finishes the story, you give a polite smile. "I don't have any cones on me right now, but I'll come back later to buy that cat thing." Her face lights up upon hearing your words. "Perfect! Want me to take you to the surface then?" You quickly nod, and she turns to face a pool in the cave that leads back out into the lake. Quickly, you stuff the stone in your mouth. Thankfully, it's not too big so it's not too obvious you have something hiding in your mouth. The vixen leads you out of the cave and brings you back to the lake bank. "Alrighty then, I'll see you soon," she woofed happily, and you simply nod at her. Your heart was racing. Now is your chance to escape. Before even taking one step, Cancer dashed out of the bushes and tackled Aquarius. The two canines are sent tumbling into the water. You drop the stone and run up to the bank of the lake. Air bubbles float up to the surface where the splash was. What is happening?! You get anxious, panicking a little as you wait for any sign of either Aquarius or Cancer. For a good two minutes, neither surface for air. Did Cancer drown Aquarius? Or did both canines drown during a watery brawl? Your mind is flooded with questions but it seems you won't be getting any answers anytime soon. You back away from the water, ears pinned. There is nothing you can do for them now. Leaving the stone behind, you head for the treeline when sudden bubbling of the water catches your attention. From the water you see faint red and blue glowing things dancing around in the water. They keep fading into the dark surroundings of the water so it's hard to make out what they are. The lake water seems to churn and lots of oxygen bubbles rise to the surface. Cautiously, you back away from the lake. You know there's something off about Cancer and Aquarius, but you can't quite put a paw on it. Whatever the supposed wolf and fox are doing in that lake is obviously something you can't interfere with. You have no idea what's going on between them under the surface, so it's wise to just leave while you still can. Before you can move away from the water's edge, Aquarius leaps out of the water, sending both of you rolling backwards. The small vixen was panting heavily and had a bit of blood streaming down her forehead. "Look, I'm gonna act like you didn't try stealing from me before but-" she hurries you away from the river bank. "Cancer is a deceiver. You should have never even interacted with her! I need you to find Scorpio or Taurus and bring them over here as soon as possible!" The sound of water dripping from behind Aquarius made her panic even further. It was Cancer slowly making her way up the river bank. She seemed to have a bloody nose, but her fierce gaze was very unsettling. "Please get one or both of them here now! Scorpio is in the coniferous, Taurus is in the grasslands!" Cancer's pawsteps got closer and closer to you two. "GO! RUN WITH THE STONE!" Aquarius yowled with desperation. You take the stone and hightail it out of there. From behind you, you hear yelping and snarling. It was never your intention to put Aquarius' life at risk. You thought it was just to steal one thing from her. You run as fast as you can, and you don't stop at all. You can only hope Aquarius managed to escape from Cancer. If only you knew sooner.. Wait- you've met Taurus before! Surely he will help you, but it's best to try your luck with this Scorpio first. Your mind is racing as you dash through the taiga, on your way to the coniferous. You suddenly remembered that Taurus had already warned you of Cancer back in spring. He called her a beast, but you didn't think this was the Cancer he was talking about until now. |
Solar Flares #26993 |
|
Posted 2023-07-07 21:08:06 (edited)
TAtZ! You race towards the coniferous, panting heavily. You've been running for an hour straight and you were about to collapse. You trip over something sticking out of the dirt, and you yelp. The stone drops out of your mouth as you lay there to catch your breath. You can only hope Cancer didn't chase you down, seeing as she was a monster deceiving you. You aren't sure how much longer you can keep running. Your legs are weak, and your lungs ache. After a good minute, you finally get back on your feet, carefully picking back up the stone. You spend a few hours treading deep into the dense woods of the conifers. Once you felt you were far enough away from that lake where you last saw Cancer and Aquarius, you place the stone by a tree and study your surroundings. Even though it was early evening, the forest was almost pitch black. Even with your night vision, it wasn't easy to see much in this darkness. "Scorpio? Scorpio?!" You howl out the creature's. That was the name of a presumed wolf you were told to seek out in this forest. The air was getting heavy, and light fog began to roll in through the forest. The chirping of birds and crickets went silent. Your hackles raise as you feel a sense of dread. "S-Scorpio?" You choke out. It suddenly grew cold in the forest. It had just become fall a day ago. It shouldn't be this cold this fast. It was getting harder to breathe, and you weren't sure why. You anxiously look around. That is when you spot multiple eyes from between the trees watching you. What the...What is that?! You cower, tail between your legs. You can't control your body anymore. You aren't sure what's happening to your body. The eyes make you tremble in fear. No amount of reassuring yourself in your mind can break you out of this state. You didn't realize you were holding your breath until it was too late. You're choking. You can't move. You can't talk. You can't breathe. Your vision fades to black as you pass out- your mind going blank. Did you die? You wake up with a headache. What happened while you were out cold? You aren't sure. Your vision is foggy, but it looks like it has become nighttime. You look around, realizing you were in a cave. Once your vision clears up and you can see better, there are dimly lit candles around the cave. The skulls, bones, and body parts of various animals lay confined to the back of the den, just inches away from you. What is this place..? You hear shuffling coming from outside. You stare at the cave entrance and you see a tall figure. You gulp, slowly getting up from the leaf litter bed you were laying in. "Who are you?" Your voice sounded hoarse and shaky seeing as you just woke up after passing out. The figure just stared in silence which makes your heart pound as your anxiety rises. "I am Scorpio," a deep feminine voice says. The figure takes a few steps forward. The candle lights shine on the figure, and you realize that it's a... wolf? They kind of seemed like a feline as well, but it was hard to tell what this thing is. It has a smooth plated back and a segmented tail with the tip ending in a stinger. Their back and tail are a reddish-brown color. It has rust colored fur with a pale, speckled underbelly. You're wary of this thing, but Aquarius had asked you to bring Scorpio over to the taiga. You clear your throat before speaking. "I-" you suddenly pause, remembering something. Wait... The stone- where is it?! You start to panic. You were supposed to take it and run. Now you lost it even though you were supposed to keep it away from Cancer. "Well? Speak up." The creature demanded, little patience in their tone. "I had a glowing stone with me but then I passed out- now I'm in a different place and I don't know where it is," you stammer with your words. "You mean this?" Scorpio slides the stone over to you, and you breathe a sigh of relief. "You got this from Aquarius, didn't you?" You nod at this. "Yes I did, and he needs your help." Scorpio seems skeptical of you. "Before I do anything for you, I need to ask you a few questions." You agree to answer Scorpio's questions. "What is your name, mortal?" You give Scorpio your name. "Good, now why did you come here?" "Aquarius told me to get help from you or Taurus." "Why? What does she need my help for?" She seemed a bit disinterested in her words. "I don't know- Cancer started fighting her over this stone." You paw at the glowing stone, and Scorpio widens her hazel brown eyes, gazing at the stone. "Oh no... This is bad.." She ponders for a moment with a worried expression. "Listen, mortal, I don't know what happened out there or how you got dragged into this mess, but you need to find someone named Sagittarius. They're the best persuader I know- better than I am!" You groan in annoyance. Another creature to find just to save Aquarius. You caused this mess after all, so you have to clean it up. Scorpio walks up to you. The closer she gets, the more odd things you start to notice about her. Her ears were rather short and stuck out the sides of her head like a deer. Her whiskers were pretty long too, but they were crooked and some looped and twisted instead of being straight. You also notice strange bumps along both sides of her eyes that stop short of her ears. The skin moves, and three more pairs of eyes reveal themselves to you. Eight eyes stare straight into yours. You squeamishly back up against the end of the cave. "Okay- what are you freaks?!" You growl with your ears pinned. "Calling us 'freaks' is pretty harsh of you!" Scorpio snapped her jaws, snarling as she bares her long canines at you. She was reasonably upset at you. Your choice of words were rather brash. "I gave you shelter after you passed out in the forest. The least you could do is show some respect or gratitude!" You feel guilty after what you said. "I'm sorry, I'm just.. So confused with all this stuff.." You apologize for your words, but Scorpio still seems upset. "Fine. If you want to know what we are, I'll tell you," she huffs, sitting in front of you. "We are immortal beings called "Zodiacs" that watch from above. Ever so often we come down from our thrones in the sky and mingle with you mortal animals while we disguise ourselves among your kind and other animals." You listen in carefully, happy to get your answer. "Now, does that answer your question?" Scorpio gazes at you harshly. "It does, but what about Cancer and Aquarius?" You tilt your head, looking at the creature. "Do you know why they hate each other?" You ask out in hopes to get a better understanding of their rivalry. You have a feeling it's not just because they compete to collect trophies. Scorpio doesn't respond at first, but eventually she says something. "I only know they're rivals because they both compete to find the best stuff. Gemini and Libra should know all about their rivalry, but they aren't important right now." Oh- you've met Gemini before. She was that pastel shewolf with a pig nose and glowing pink eyes. You assume Libra is also a Zodiac too. "Now, I will help you on one condition." You listen to what Scorpio has to say. "Give me a special trophy, or I will use your fur as a nice rug," she growls, probably still upset about earlier. "Alright.." You begrudgingly agree to her condition. These Zodiacs always guilt tripping you or threatening your life is starting to irritate you, but you aren't sure what they're fully capable of. You kind of feel forced to agree to what they tell you to do, considering they're immortal and could very well be more powerful than they appear. You huff in annoyance, deciding not to fight against a supposed immortal creature. Who knows what that stinger could do to you. "I'll be fair and give you by the end of fall to give me something nice. For now, we're going to the deciduous forests to find Sagittarius and get him on our side." Scorpio then stood up, ready to leave. "Alright, lead the way." You reply, and she leads you out of her den. You make sure to carry the stone firmly in your mouth as the two of you head down southeast. While still strolling through the darkness of the coniferous, Scorpio had a saddened expression. "Hey. Are you alright?" You pipe up, and she looks at you with worry. Scorpio hesitated to speak at first. "You see, I was close friends with Cancer and Aquarius before I cut my ties with them," she sighed, turning away from you. "But Cancer grew jealous and shouted at me for "ditching" her. That was when she then left to live in the mountains many years ago." Could that be what started their rivalry? "The last conversation I remember having with Cancer was her just screaming in my face," Scorpio growled slightly in her words. "Now, I don't talk to any zodiacs because of that. Some of them are too childish," the creature scoffed. You don't think she is telling the full truth, but you can tell she is hurting inside. Scorpio isn't doing a great job at hiding her feelings either. So even immortals have to deal with drama like this? You gently nudge Scorpio who gives you a confused look. You give her a reassuring smile. "This is your chance to resolve things. We're going to face Cancer and Aquarius together, then the three of you can to talk things out!" Her mood lightened a little. It seems like your words of encouragement worked. "Let's not get too hopeful now. Cancer may be harder to talk to after that incident." There she goes attempting to cover up her emotions again. The two of you spend the rest of your trip chatting about mortals and their silly conflict. It seems that Scorpio is starting to warm up to you. It seems like this is the beginning of an unlikely allyship. |
Solar Flares #26993 |
|
Posted 2023-07-07 21:09:22 (edited)
TAtZ! The sun was starting to come up as you make it to the deciduous forest. You were panting heavily, trying to catch your breath. You and Scorpio had been running for most of the night. Scorpio showed no signs of slowing down at all. So these Zodiacs have unmatched stamina? You flop down, unable to continue. Scorpio notices your sudden stop and she gives you an irritated growl. "Now is not the time to be resting, mortal!" She barked, dragging you by your scruff. You return the growl, but Scorpio was unfazed. The two of you pad over to a small clearing by a large, flowing river. She drops you by a tree and begins sniffing around. You take the time to catch your breath before joining Scorpio. You weren't quite sure what she was looking for so you wouldn't be much help. You see her face East, coming to a stop. "Sagittarius!" Scorpio howled. "Come out! I need to talk to you!" She looked forward, but you didn't see anything. However, you heard approaching hoofsteps. Cautiously, you back up. Is it a woodland bison? A deer herd? Either way, you don't want to risk getting trampled. Scorpio stood her ground however. Running towards both of you was a horse...? A buckskin stallion with black stockings and white ankles approaches. He has a flowing black mane and olive green eyes. Interesting.. "Sagittarius! We need your help!" Scorpio runs up to him with urgency in her tone. The horse backed up with a bit of unease, his ears pinned against his head. Is Scorpio serious? A horse is what's going to help us? The horse glances at both of you warily before sighing. "What do you need, Scorpio?" Ah, this horse can also talk. How "surprising" to you. "Aquarius has been captured by Cancer. We need your help to convince her to set her free!" Sagittarius looked down with an unsure expression. "If anything, we need another water sign to talk this through with her." Scorpio regarded his words. "We will have to find Pisces, or even Virgo. She is the best negotiator I know." The horse added. "Right, we must move quick then! A day has already passed and we mustn't waste anymore time!" Scorpio let out a bark, running off south. You and Sagittarius quickly follow behind. Oh boy, more running.. Your paws ached but you forced yourself to continue on forward. After a few more hours of running, it was late afternoon. The three of you made it to the grasslands, running through the vast meadows and climbing up the many rolling hills. Scorpio had caught the scent of something up ahead, just over a hill. You and Sagittarius stay behind as Scorpio slowly walks towards the base of the hill, looking up at the figure. It was short but fluffy; canine like in shape. The sun was behind its back, creating a picture perfect scene. You couldn't help but stare and admire. The figure makes its descent, walking up to Scorpio. Upon closer look, you realize that it was the height of a coyote. A dull lavender canine with a white underbelly and golden patterns on its neck and tail. What concerned you out was that both of its eyes were closed shut and had a prominent scar that sliced down vertically on the eyelids. After the two exchanged a few words, the presumed coyote peers over at you and Sagittarius, opening up its left eye. You shudder in fear, staring straight into their blood red eye. The coyote walks forward. You quickly turn away, averting your gaze. "What's your name, shrimp?" They spoke in a high pitch, feminine voice. That caught you off guard. You feel a bit less intimidated by them, but you're still a bit unnerved. "Are you gonna answer?" She demanded, and you give her your name. "Good. Now tell me what happened?" You explain everything to her; about how Cancer made you lure out Aquarius only for her to attack the fox. "Idiot." She said bluntly before turning away. Excuse you, but I was threatened with my life if I didn't steal that stone! You scowl at her while her back was turned. You see her then continue to chat with Scorpio for a brief moment. "Tell this mortal your name, you runt." Scorpio huffs, pushing the coyote back towards you. She lets out a growl the moment Scorpio touches her, but Scorpio ignored her growls. "I'm Pisces.." You here the coyote grumble. She didn't even look at you when she gave you her name. "Nice to meet you." You force a smile, trying to be polite despite her attitude. "Yeah, whatever. I'm only helping you because Aquarius is my friend." She says dismissively before finally looking you in the eyes. "Since you caused this mess, I'm going to rip you apar-" "Alright, that's enough for introductions." Scorpio gets between you before Pisces could finish. You don't want to hear her finish. "Change of plans," Scorpio turned to face you all. "We're going to look for Leo first. He's most evenly matched with Cancer's strength in case talking things out won't work. Virgo will have to wait." The one-eyed shewolf let out a snarl. "I object! I don't want to see that wretched old man! I would die if I could before I look at his hideous face again!" The coyote yipped, but Scorpio wasn't having it. Scorpio raised her stinger while snarling at her. That shut her up almost immediately, and the four of you began making it to the mountains. You just hope Leo isn't as bad as the coyote says he is. |
Solar Flares #26993 |
|
Posted 2023-07-07 21:09:48 (edited)
TAtZ! You and your new immortal companions are traveling up the rough terrain of the mountains. Sagittarius the horse seems to be having lots of trouble navigating through the sharp rocks and large boulders. Meanwhile, Scorpio seems to climb the cliffs with ease. You help guide Sagittarius and Pisces through the safer routes while Scorpio remains far ahead of the three of you. You've been traveling for a few hours now, and the sun was already starting to set. Its golden rays bathe the land and the mountainside as you continue to climb higher. It was a perilous task walking along cliffs and treading through rough, rocky terrain. It was easy to cut yourself on the sharper rocks if you weren't careful. Eventually, you reach a point in the mountains where the path is much more rocky and jagged- gradually climbing upwards to a higher part of mountain. Scorpio easily climbs this wall, but you doubt Sagittarius can. "Leo's den is at the top of that ledge. You go on without me, I'll be fine." The golden buckskin horse pushes you and Pisces forward to the jagged hill. With a bit of struggle, you and Pisces begin climbing up. Seeing that you and the rugged coyote were being "too slow," Scorpio climbs back down to push you two up the hill. "You guys need to work on your muscles. Even a turtle can walk up this hill faster than you two," Scorpio says in an impatient tone, which irritates you. After climbing up the ledge, you immediately spot something strange waiting for the three of you. A large, white creature with icy blue eyes stood by the entrance of a cave in the mountainside. It looked somewhat like a mountain lion, but was much larger, more muscular, and had shorter fur around most of its body. It has long, fluffy fur around its neck and a slim tail that ends in a fluffy tuft. You nervously glace at Pisces who was beside you. Her eye was open, staring at the creature like you were with a blank expression. Suddenly, her expression turned to fury as she lunged forward at the large feline. It lets out a low, thundering roar which makes you freeze in fear. You've never heard a sound like it before. It definitely didn't sound like the roar of a mountain lion, or a bear. Just as Pisces is about to strike the beast, you see blue flames come from its massive paws and the corners of its mouth. The beast opens its jaws, revealing large teeth. They look like the size of bear teeth! In the blink of an eye, you notice Pisces got shoved away before she could reach the beast. Scorpio was now in her place as the beast pinned her on her side. "Why are you protecting that runt? Why are you in my territory?!" A loud, deep-ish masculine voice spoke. "Leo- we came to ask for your help!" Scorpio's voice sounds shrill and pained. That is when you see smoke coming from the spots where Leo's paws are on her. Are the flames that hot that it's buring her fur that quick? Leo quickly backs off, but he looks between Scorpio and Pisces with a suspicious glance. "Need my help for what? I don't just help others for free." He flexes his claws, not even looking at Scorpio. He sounds pretty disinterested in the idea of helping you all. Why Scorpio wanted this Zodiac for help is a mystery to you. "Leo! This is serious!" Scorpio got back on her paws, snarling at the large feline. "Cancer captured Aquarius, and you're one of the only constellations who match her in raw power!" Leo perked his head up at this. "Cancer, you say?" He got up with a determined look on his face. "Well you'd better have my back. It's the least you could do, especially after what you did to Libra." Leo let out a low, rumbling growl. There are a lot of things you don't know about these Zodiacs, huh? At least know you know why Scorpio wanted to get Leo first. If Cancer really is that strong, then getting this Zodiac on our side would be very important to help free Aquarius. The whole time during their conversation, Pisces was watching with a hateful look on her face. You don't exactly like Leo, either, but something must've happened between the two that sparked such a hatred for Leo in Pisces. "Alright, lead the way!" Leo roars happily, seemingly excited about the situation. Perhaps he's itching to fight Cancer? Scorpio walks over to the edge of the ledge before briefly looking back at the three of you. "Try and keep up this time. Time is very important right now and who knows what Cancer is doing to Aquarius right now!" Scorpio then hops off the ledge. You regard her words, quickly following after. You already wasted nearly two days now. The three of you start to head back down the steep, rocky hill. Leo and Scorpio walk ahead of you like they hike here everyday. You're sure Leo does since he lives here, but not so much Scorpio. Sagittarius bounds up to the four of you with a hopeful look on his face. "Leo! Are you here to help us?" Sagittarius looks at Leo like he knows he will say yes. "Yeah, whatever," Leo rolls his eyes, brushing past the horse. "Don't ask me for favors again. Next time, the answer will be no." Leo side glances at Scorpio who returns the sullen look. "Now can we look for Virgo?" Pisces pipes up, looking over at Scorpio. She nods in response, and you see Pisces beaming with excitement. "Yes! I finally get to see her again!" She yips and jumps with glee. "What are you all waiting for? Let's go!" She dashes forward, descending down the mountain. Pisces was moving at a rather quick pace that you didn't see before. Maybe Virgo is a friend of that fluffy coyote? That would explain her newfound energy to help you and Scorpio. The four of you quickly follow after Pisces, on your way to recruit a new Zodiac to your rescue mission. "The journey will be long, but Virgo will be very useful," Scorpio tells you as you all head down the mountain. "Rainforest here we come!" Pisces howls in excitement. Although you don't like constantly running between biomes, at least everyone else is in good spirit. That's the most important part of this journey. |
Solar Flares #26993 |
|
Posted 2023-07-07 21:10:01
RESERVED POST |
Solar Flares #26993 |
|
Posted 2023-07-07 21:10:32
RESERVED POST |
Solar Flares #26993 |
|
Posted 2023-07-07 21:10:57
RESERVED POST |
Solar Flares #26993 |