Post by Kanti on Nov 10, 2010 17:08:44 GMT -7
Sunlit Jungle
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The ever-present sal trees are here broken up by large palms, and the minimal canopy provided by the palms allows sunlight into the understory. Mango, jamun, sandalwood, jackfruit, cassia, and piar, and a lot of thick, lush, ferns, reeds, and grasses take advantage of the light and help make the ground level a challenging tangle for larger creatures, though a bountiful and delicious challenge for the herbivores of all sizes. The constant rumble of a waterfall to the northeast is accentuated by the rhythmic crash of ocean waves onto a sandy beach to the south where the palms are more prevalent and the canopy disintegrates before stopping altogether. A wide river cuts through the jungle to the east, leading from the waterfall in the northeast and to a vast overgrown delta to the southeast. With so much water around, even falling from the sky on a regular basis, the air here is constantly damp, though enough of the ocean breeze finds its way here to keep the air from becoming stifling.
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[E] East to a river [N] North where it gets dark
[NE] Northeast to a waterfall [NW] Northwest to some paths
South to a beach [SE] Southeast to a delta
Up a tree
[IC] Gyarahabala (M. Elder Gray Wolf)
[IC] Kanti (F. Gray Wolf)
[IC] Raasabha (M. Tiger)
[IIC] Utkrosh (F. Golden Eagle)
It is time to move. With the moon now almost full the massive tiger rises up from from the thick growth of the underbrush where he laid concealed from potential visitors. Raasabha then slinks out into the silvery light and casts a glance up to the nights sky. It is thick with clouds and the smell of an approaching storm is in the air. The tiger's muzzle creeps with a hint of a smile as he turns his head towards the direction of Kanti and gives her a short greeting, "We move." With that the light from the moon is swallowed by the foreboding clouds and Raasabha begins his approach to his wolf; walking on silent paws the tiger reaches Kanti and in the next moment the gleam of his amber eyes can be seen staring down at the beast with another break within the clouds.
Utkrosh is not accustomed to night flying, and her sharp vision is acclamated to daylight, not night. She is a bit out of her element, but her wings do not magically cease to function just because it is dark. The jungle is very intimidating for her in the dark, however ... not just nocturnal creatures, but the trees themselves are trecherous, she could fly into a tree or a limb of a tree without seeing it ... but at least this night has a full moon, but thickening clouds make its reflective glow hit-or-miss. "Crazy old wolf," she grumbles to herself. Ahead of the storm's full fury are tough winds, and a number of stiff gusts actually blow the eagle backward, but she persists, flying as low as she feels she safely can. Only be sheer coincidence does she happen to be overhead when the shifting clouds unleash a moonbeam on a striped form near a hard-to-make-out smaller figure. The eagle screeches loudly and quickly dives to perch before the winds blow another cloud in front of the moon. Soon, an odd pattern of pawsteps approach from the northwest -- a pair of paws, then a single paw, a pair of paws, then a single paw.
Gyarahabala is not far behind the eagle. The old, codgy, three-legged wolf knows his comrade-in-feathers of many years is out of her element in the night, and especially as the winds are picking up, but something about what she had told him had drawn the wolf's urgency, before the wolf-and-tiger pair were out of the area, and especially before the full fury of the storm would hit. If there was any possibility ... he must not less the opportunity to find out pass! With the winds blowing strongly inland, he catches the scent of an unfamiliar tiger mixed in with a rank flea-ridden wolf in occasional bursts from the unstable gusts, but the wind is too unstable for him to zero in precisely until he hears Utkrosh' call above and sees her dive into a group of trees not far ahead. He presses on toward them.
All around the sky was draining of color, the air growing pale and bloodless, as the dying circle of the sun finally disappeared behind the far distant mountains of the western Ghats, while the northern Himalayan peaks stood like mighty clouds frozen into lonely monoliths below an infinite heaven. But here in the jungle darkness came early, the heavy canopy blotting out the last vestiges of light and in the creeping shadows, now and then a wail or screech of some hunted creature in the world above quivers through the air. It was the only sound in the jungle before a stillness settled in across the land, becoming as deep as the darkness that was beginning to swallow it up. But there was life; a pair of hungry, searching eyes moving rapidly through the trees and twilight, glinting dangerously in the shadows as they came. As the darkness thickened, the wolf's pace through the trees grew faster, and it's pupils opened wider, seeming to draw in the last dull haze of light before erupting from the edge of the dark jungle to stop suddenly and stand on it's shadowy edge, gaze turning upward to peer at the stone pillars of the broken temple where the last streaks of light shot through it's arches and hit her face far below, turning yellow eyes into a burning green. Mystifying is the structure itself, seeming to the wolf to hold even more occult secrets in it's very crags and crumpled stones. However, Kanti does not dwell upon these nor the temple's simple transcendental existence, her observations now merely covert and probing, studious to the lay of the land and the high craggy cliff walls behind it. It takes only moments and where once stood the slender silhouette and twin orbs, there is only a rustle of grass as gentle as the invisible wind brushing by. It is dark when Kanti treks back into semi-familiar territory, her slinking posture no longer practiced with the purpose of reconnaissance in mind, but rather it becomes that of a cowardly creature knowingly entering the watchful gaze of a monster. Briefly her eyes cast upwards to the rolling clouds, only to turn back in time to find herself staring into the eyes of a devil- with all his charm. Dark lips curl into a pleased toothy grin and her bedraggled tail wisps softly against her lean, flea-bitten haunches, "Yes yes, the winds ARE changing!" she trills in excitement, "IT is fetid with the stench of chaos, disorder, and treachery. Wait till you see, Master, wait till you SEEEE!" the little haggard creature goes on to say, voice pitching at the end as she springs forward to brave a playful nip to his chin, her fur bristling with the static of electricity building in the air and billowing about with the torrents of sweeping wind.
The amber eyed fiend reaches out with his oversized paw when his chin is nipped by the wretched wolf. Toppling Kanti over on to her side the brute lowers his head to the excited lupine; his eyes narrowed with sterness. Someone's here. He heard the eagle's screech. The tiger gives a small grunt to the beast and releases her from his grip, the violent wind brushing her fingers into Raasabha's fur and combing it backwards. "We'll talk later, Kanti. I sense...company." With that the large cat slips into brush yet again and sets his eyes downwind. Lowering himself to crouch, Raasabha prepares to ambush if necessary, leaving Kanti in the open.
Utkrosh screes over the wind, "Raasaba! Kanti! I have someone who wishes to meet you!" The wind cloaks the moon behind another dark cloud, and the area plunges into darkness again.
Gyarahabala continues to approach, pausing as he is very near Utkrosh' voice. The wind picks up even more strongly, whipping around too wildly to tell exactly where the scents are coming from. A not-terribly-distant flash of lightning replaces the darkness with a momentary flood of light, exposing the three-legged wolf's form. "Raasabha!" the old, three-legged wolf howls. "Kanti!" he also howls. "I am Gyarahabala, of the Saahasi! I come to greet you!"
It happens quite suddenly, the turning of the world. One moment it is upright and in place, the next- very much at a tilt. A soft grunt of air is forced out of Kanti's lunges on impact, though the actual sound of her gaunt body hitting the earth is but a soft, nearly inaudible hallow thud. Well, someone's moody. The thought quickly vanishes the moment that Raasabha's voice rumbles lowly in her ears, bringing the ragged appendages up sharply, accompanied by an awkward twisting of her head to upright the world and stare out into the darkness. Something of a hiss squeezes out through her teeth and muscles tense, the looming, solid shadow that was Rassabha already gone; disappearing back into the dense undergrowth. The flicker of distant lighting brings her yellow eyes to flash green, the she-wolf rigidly rising to face off into the direction of the howling wind, that is no wind at all. The sound of someone else calling their names strikes the wretch peculiarly, the screech of the first voice teasingly familiar, but the second cry brings the hairs along the haggard creatures spine into stiff bristles, a growl throttling softly at the back of her throat awaiting release. Not because of the stranger's voice, but his scent. Wolf. "Filth." the female mutters privately under her breath before claiming some semblance of resolve and taking a step forward in the direction of the newcomer, halting to stand and stare into the darkness and pick out the shift of shadow and form. "Then come greet me, wolf." the wretch raises her voice to call back, though Kanti cannot keep the subtle tone of irritation from her voice; irritation that plans should be disrupted; irritation that one other than her Master should call her name in beckoning; irritation that that one is kindred. Well, somebody is moody.
Raasabha had expected word to get out that the unusual pair was in area but didn't anticipate for them to come looking. The hulking tiger gives his tail a twitch in mild irratation at himself more than anything else. His obsidyan claws piercing into the soil as he begins break the earth around his paws. Raasabha's orbs moving to watch Kanti. For now the tiger is not able to pick up on the scent of who approaches but with the announcment from Kanti the striped feline begins to relax his composure. The sound of their names are heard over the howling wind of the coming storm. This was normally a time to relish and enjoy but instead his plans areput on hold. Raasabha remains within the cover of the under growth as he waits for the wolf to come to them. Analizing eyes stare at Kanti as he watches her body language. If need be he will make his presence known to the visiting wolf but it may be sooner than later. Kanti's tolerance for her own kind runs thin.
Utkrosh hunkers down and clutches her branch tightly to avoid getting blown off by the wind. "Gyarahabala," the eagle screes, "I cannot stay much longer. This part of the jungle is too exposed to the wind, and it is going to get much more fierce."
Gyarahabala looks to the eagle's place. "I thank you again, then," he says to her, "for guiding me here and away from Ran Garjana. You should find a safe perch to roost." He turns to the shewolf and lopes to about ten feet from her, and sits. Despite his advanced age, and his missing forelimb, he is in better shape than the flea-ridden wolf. "I presume your friend is nearby," he speaks. "I came to ask you, on behalf of the Saahasi ... where do you come from? Many of our friends have been lost in this jungle, years ago when the Sakht Nakh reigned, and recently, possibly from the Ran Garjana. If there is any chance that you were a pup who was lost ... we would like to know, and honor you."
A look of impatience, along with something else, is what has come to settle across the lupine's visage as her keen ears listen to the exchange between eagle and wolf, which ultimately gains the dancing tree tops a scowl. Loud mouth bird brain apparently went blabbing to her friends. Which makes moving on all more important now. It doesn't take much prompting for Kanti's regards to shift back to the crippled old wolf, looking at him in perhaps the same despicable way he might look at her, save that the difference arrives in the fact that her's is born of disgust, while his might be pity. Though however contemptuous she might be, the scrawny wretch manages a weak smile in face of playing the good patron to his intended homage, but his question concerning the where abouts of her Master cause the corners of her lips to draw up a bit too sharply, twisting the expression into a bemused smirk that almost seems..sinister. "Presume what you want." she says, almost offhandedly, as if such were of no consequence. Yellow eyes stare out through flashes of lightening to scrutinize the sitting male in a manner of bored interest, meeting his gaze firmly only after he has finished. This time she does smile, quite pleasantly at that, even relaxing enough to settle back upon her haunches and scratch absently at her neck ruff before turning back to address him, ignoring the small spatters of rain drops that begin to thump and tap against the wide leaves of the jungle flora. "I was not born in these parts, wolf. I am sorry that I cannot help you." Kanti knows a fair bit more about the Saahasi than she pretends and enough of the Sakht Nakh to know better than to claim such knowledge. Ignorance IS bliss. The odd pair don't need that kind of attention.
The Saahasi? This was not mentioned in the rumors he had heard...Raasabha remains completely still as he listens to the pair of wolves speak. Predatory eyes scan over the older handicapped wolf. Why would the pack send one of their elders to deliver such a message? To a place of possible danger at that? Perhaps it's nothing, perhaps it's something. The artful tiger doesn't dwell on that observation for long as he continues to listen. Were the Saahasi few in number and took a chance that Kanti might be a lost pack mate? The prodigious feline moves his attention back to his mongrel and gives her a soft unseen smirk as she handles Gyarahabala. She's being polite, good.
Utkrosh carefully times her dive-off between gusts, and gains altitude as fast as she can. The powerful bird of prey is at the mercy of the storm, and it throws her every which way she can, but once she gets above the treetops and is out of danger of being thrown into a tree uncontrollably, she flies with the wind, inland toward the north, and vanishes into the storm.
Gyarahabala says, "Would you allow us to treat you, at least? There are plants that grow in this jungle that can repel parasites." A torrential rain erupts, pelting the area. Heavy gusts of wind drive it sideways at times. "Of course, that will have to wait until the weather improves ... or at least for daylight. I know a safe place to hide from the storm," he says. "A large cave. We don't believe the Ran Garjana are near it, currently. The wind howls noisily, but its strength is pretty muddled, and the rain does not breach it. Its large enough for your tiger friend whom Utkrosh mentioned," he offers, bracing himself against the growing powerful gusts. The old wolf came alone -- aside from Utkrosh to help keep an eye out for Ran Garjana and to take him to the very spot she had last seen the tiger and flea-ridden wolf -- for a number of reasons.
Even over the gust of wind and driving rain, Kanti captures the sound of Utkrosh's wings beating hard against the currents as the eagle takes flight, a single ear pivoting to track the movement of the sky hunter until she is out of range and the fury of the rainstorm impedes. Though even in this state of minor distraction, the scruffy female never once turns her gaze away from the old wolf, her stare heavy and beginning to harden has her tolerance erodes away under the old fart's audacity to suggest she has a parasite problem. Hmph! Scratch-scratch-scratch. Shaking herself out to the effect of ridding herself of rain and annoying wolves, with the latter proving to be more persistent, Kanti gathers her skinny frame up to her miniscule height, patches of damp fur poking out here and there, the shift of posture being used to steadily distance herself from the conversation. "No, there will be no need for that." is her eventual rebuttal, with the she-wolf doing all she can to keep the tension out of her tone and her jaw from tightening. She has to glance away just to ensure it. "As for the other, I cannot make that decision alone. Besides..." glancing back, the scrap of a wolf lets her dark lips curl in a wry smirk, "..whats a little rain?" Giving her tail a brisk flick, Kanti's expression falls back into serious regard "And how are we to know to trust you?" the female adds in further thought, letting her eyes tighten and narrow upon the three legged lupine. "Villainy wears many masks, none of which are as dangerous as the face of virtue."
With the coming of the downpour and the lashing wind, Raasabha uses it to soundlessly glide out of the undergrowth and emerge from behind Gyarahabala. There the unsuspected feline sits and looks upon the older wolf. An amused grin spreads across his muzzle as he shoots his eyes over to Kanti and gives his head a quick jerk letting her know she's dismissed. The jungle becomes white washed in another flash of lighting followed by a deafing blast of thunder. This is Raasabha's weather of choice. Loud, violent, chaotic...Taking in a large breath and exhaling it slowly the colossal tiger brings his attention back to Gyarahabala "Don't listen to her! She's to prideful and suspicious for her own good!" The rain comes down in thick sheets making it difficult to see in the black of night. "We will take you up on both offers! That is if the cave is as large as you boast it is!"
Gyarahabala is accustomed to monsoons, so the weather doesn't bother him, even as old as he is ... but a tiger sneaking up behind him is another story! The three-legged wolf whirls around, tense, and if his hackles were not so heavily drenched, they'd be raised. The wolf, for only a moment, is transported back in time to when he had leapt in to face Vijayi when he had started slaughtering the pups. Gyarahabala had overriden his fear, of course, but there was no denying the massive outclassing in size. It takes him several moments to return to the moment and regain his senses. "You must be Raasabha?" he asks. He looks to the gaunt shewolf, to see whether she does, indeed, defer to the tiger. Looking back to the tiger, he says, "I've seen elephants take refuge in it. Granted, they didn't have a lot of room to spare ..."
There had not been even the smallest trace of gesture or flit of the eyes from the female to hint at the great shadow emerging out of the stormy night from behind Gyarahabala. Yet Kanti had watched with a numb, distant sort of stare as the massive feline took shape behind the old, battle scarred male, briefly suffering her own imagery of recollection from some, almost forgotten memory- or a dream of a memory. Only when Raasabha makes his presence known, and at her expense, does the mangy female's face harden and Kanti snorts her discord, wet ears laying back against her head as she looks past the Saahasi representative to fix Raasabha with a glare. If looks could kill. It is not offense to his accusations of her nature that provokes her, but rather the circumstance for which he has done so. Great. She gets to spend the night with the rhythmitic wolf--puts down three and carries one. Dejected, her head lowers and she skulks off a short distance, squatting down upon her haunches in the mud to crane her scrawny body around to chew at her fleas, cutting her eyes sharply every once in a while toward the two. Grumble-grumble.
The tiger can't help but be slightly amused at the male's wolf reaction to his sudden presence but the large tiger does offer a genuine smile as he waits for the elder to regain his composure. Spherical ears perked atop Raasabha's head as he gives his head a slight cant to side and gives him a charming smile, "I am who I am!" In a slow manner the big cat rises from his haunches and lets his stripped tail sway with the ferocious wind of the monsoon, "More than enough room, perfect!" The tiger's large fangs are shown as Raasabha grins thankfully to the offering lupine. "Just give Kanti some space. She doesn't take well to strangers and even longer to befriend anyone. So don't take her sharp retorts personally." Raasabha moves his eyes to look at the sulking Kanti "Hey, sour puss! We're moving! Let's go!" The athletic tiger gives a small chuckle before looking back to Gyarahabala, "Lead the way." He says with his rich deep voice that suits his size well.
Gyarahabala tries to hide his disappointment at the shewolf's behavior. A large limb from a tree suddenly lands with an impressive WHUMP just a few feet from himself and Raasabha. He takes a few steps to lead the way, then double-checks to ensure the tiger and shewolf are following as he heads to the northwest, toward an incline bypassing the cliff to the north. He struggles against the wind to steady himself, ultimately having to lean into the wind to keep from getting blown over. As Raasabha finishes his introduction, the wolf asks, "I take it, then, you must have raised her from a pup. She must have imprinted on you."
Grump. Pout. GLARE! Raasabha's light-hearted beckoning interrupts the female's flea chasing, pausing in mid-chew to narrow her eyes down. However, the scrawny scrap of a wolf isn't so discontent as to be insolent and not obey the tiger. Slinking up out of her awkward crouch, Kanti trudges after the two, hanging behind until the sudden whomp of the fallen branch gains a nervous whine out of her and sends her scampering forward more quickly to trail at Rassabha's heels. She does her best to look unhappy though, her face scrunched up into a perpetual, downtrodden scowl as her ears droop, absently listening to the exchange of Gyarahabala's aged voice and Raasabha's deep rumble through the pelting rain, growling thunder, and screaming wind. And the night had started out so promising...
The creaking of a stressed limb is heard among the howling wind and so Raasabha takes a couple precautionary steps back just before the large mass shakes the ground. The tiger gives regards to the incident with an amused laugh before following the hobbling wolf at his right side. The rain running off the contours of his body and off his thick stout muzzle. Raasabha casts a glance down to the Saahasian wolf as he inquires about Kanti; the imposing tiger replies with a slight smirk across his muzzle "Yes, yes she has." Amber orbs roll to the side as Raasabha gives Kanti a side glance to check on her. Her behavior is as expected, he'll have to have a word with her later, but for now he lets her look as pitiful and pathetic as she can be.
Gyarahabala leads the pair up, out of the jungle through the paths, and up the gradual incline. Out of the jungle, the risk of trees falling on them decreases, but the pounding rain has, by then, created a deluge, and a trecherous stream cascades down the incline. The three-legged wolf is especially vulnerable from the raging current tumbling rocks down, but he manages to navigate through them, climbing higher. He leads the way through the Forest Crossroads. He struggles to gauge a safe course through the trees, twisting, having large limbs rips and in a couple cases, utterly uprooted by the ferocious storm. He finds his way, through the dark and blinding rain, along a path to the northeast of the forest where the forest opens up and into a mammoth cave.
Pitiful and pathetic is exactly how Kanti looks, made all the more so as the drenching rain flattens her patchy coat, allowing every protruding bone on the wretched things body to become prominent, from washboard ribs to jutting hip bones. On the up side, the fleas have stopped crawling and biting to instead, just cling on and try not to drown in the torrents and rivers that run through her fur. When the trail gets strenuous, the she-wolf takes to grumbling to herself, cursing and growling as tumbled rocks crash down the washed-out incline to crush and bruise her toes on occasions that occur way to often. When the mouth of the cave comes into view, Kanti gives pause to stare up at the dark gapping mouth, which to her looks very much like the gaping mouth of a hungry beast, waiting to swallow them whole. Not that she'll need any convincing to enter, for at this point, getting eaten alive sounds more appealing than staying out in -this-. Compared to the storms that reigned down of the rocky forest of the Aravalli mountains, never has Kanti experienced such a storm as this, where water rises so quickly and the loose soil yields so easily. It is harrowing and much to her disgust, she had to take to following the three legged geezer in example, angry that she should struggle just as much, if not more. Though by this time, the she-wolf is too tired and wet to care, having forgotten her loathing of the old wolf, she allows herself to suffer a sense of gratitude on his behalf at the sight of the cave. She'll get back to her detesting once she's dry and comfortable. Quickening her pace, she shoulders up past Raasabha to hurry to the gaping mouth, pausing on the edge of it's shadowy abyss to shake herself out before disappearing into the oblivion of darkness within, seeking a secluded corner to tuck herself away in and ride the storm out, and of course, look pathetic and miffed about it all.
Where Kanti looks pitiful and pathetic, Raasabha is striking and majestic. For within the storm's chaos and it's indiscriminate destruction, the large cat remains calm and collected. The violent winds cause him to squint every once in awhile as the brute ambles along with the pair of wolves. It's not to say a walk in the park by any means but Raasabha makes it to appear to be nothing more that normal. Though just like the others the massive tiger is happy to see the mouth of the cave. Amber eyes cast to the side as the she-wolf shoulders past him and runs inside but Raasabha keeps his pace and lets Kanti by without reprimand. Shortly, the sauntering tiger makes his way inside and gives himself a good shake before finding a spot of his own and stretches out in slow manner. The duration of trip now settling into his muscles as they begin to relax. A content smile spreads across the stout muzzle of the tiger as he lets himself drift to sleep as he listens to the raging storm. The time is right and he's right where he should be. All is well...
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The ever-present sal trees are here broken up by large palms, and the minimal canopy provided by the palms allows sunlight into the understory. Mango, jamun, sandalwood, jackfruit, cassia, and piar, and a lot of thick, lush, ferns, reeds, and grasses take advantage of the light and help make the ground level a challenging tangle for larger creatures, though a bountiful and delicious challenge for the herbivores of all sizes. The constant rumble of a waterfall to the northeast is accentuated by the rhythmic crash of ocean waves onto a sandy beach to the south where the palms are more prevalent and the canopy disintegrates before stopping altogether. A wide river cuts through the jungle to the east, leading from the waterfall in the northeast and to a vast overgrown delta to the southeast. With so much water around, even falling from the sky on a regular basis, the air here is constantly damp, though enough of the ocean breeze finds its way here to keep the air from becoming stifling.
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[E] East to a river [N] North where it gets dark
[NE] Northeast to a waterfall [NW] Northwest to some paths
Up a tree
[IC] Gyarahabala (M. Elder Gray Wolf)
[IC] Kanti (F. Gray Wolf)
[IC] Raasabha (M. Tiger)
[IIC] Utkrosh (F. Golden Eagle)
It is time to move. With the moon now almost full the massive tiger rises up from from the thick growth of the underbrush where he laid concealed from potential visitors. Raasabha then slinks out into the silvery light and casts a glance up to the nights sky. It is thick with clouds and the smell of an approaching storm is in the air. The tiger's muzzle creeps with a hint of a smile as he turns his head towards the direction of Kanti and gives her a short greeting, "We move." With that the light from the moon is swallowed by the foreboding clouds and Raasabha begins his approach to his wolf; walking on silent paws the tiger reaches Kanti and in the next moment the gleam of his amber eyes can be seen staring down at the beast with another break within the clouds.
Utkrosh is not accustomed to night flying, and her sharp vision is acclamated to daylight, not night. She is a bit out of her element, but her wings do not magically cease to function just because it is dark. The jungle is very intimidating for her in the dark, however ... not just nocturnal creatures, but the trees themselves are trecherous, she could fly into a tree or a limb of a tree without seeing it ... but at least this night has a full moon, but thickening clouds make its reflective glow hit-or-miss. "Crazy old wolf," she grumbles to herself. Ahead of the storm's full fury are tough winds, and a number of stiff gusts actually blow the eagle backward, but she persists, flying as low as she feels she safely can. Only be sheer coincidence does she happen to be overhead when the shifting clouds unleash a moonbeam on a striped form near a hard-to-make-out smaller figure. The eagle screeches loudly and quickly dives to perch before the winds blow another cloud in front of the moon. Soon, an odd pattern of pawsteps approach from the northwest -- a pair of paws, then a single paw, a pair of paws, then a single paw.
Gyarahabala is not far behind the eagle. The old, codgy, three-legged wolf knows his comrade-in-feathers of many years is out of her element in the night, and especially as the winds are picking up, but something about what she had told him had drawn the wolf's urgency, before the wolf-and-tiger pair were out of the area, and especially before the full fury of the storm would hit. If there was any possibility ... he must not less the opportunity to find out pass! With the winds blowing strongly inland, he catches the scent of an unfamiliar tiger mixed in with a rank flea-ridden wolf in occasional bursts from the unstable gusts, but the wind is too unstable for him to zero in precisely until he hears Utkrosh' call above and sees her dive into a group of trees not far ahead. He presses on toward them.
All around the sky was draining of color, the air growing pale and bloodless, as the dying circle of the sun finally disappeared behind the far distant mountains of the western Ghats, while the northern Himalayan peaks stood like mighty clouds frozen into lonely monoliths below an infinite heaven. But here in the jungle darkness came early, the heavy canopy blotting out the last vestiges of light and in the creeping shadows, now and then a wail or screech of some hunted creature in the world above quivers through the air. It was the only sound in the jungle before a stillness settled in across the land, becoming as deep as the darkness that was beginning to swallow it up. But there was life; a pair of hungry, searching eyes moving rapidly through the trees and twilight, glinting dangerously in the shadows as they came. As the darkness thickened, the wolf's pace through the trees grew faster, and it's pupils opened wider, seeming to draw in the last dull haze of light before erupting from the edge of the dark jungle to stop suddenly and stand on it's shadowy edge, gaze turning upward to peer at the stone pillars of the broken temple where the last streaks of light shot through it's arches and hit her face far below, turning yellow eyes into a burning green. Mystifying is the structure itself, seeming to the wolf to hold even more occult secrets in it's very crags and crumpled stones. However, Kanti does not dwell upon these nor the temple's simple transcendental existence, her observations now merely covert and probing, studious to the lay of the land and the high craggy cliff walls behind it. It takes only moments and where once stood the slender silhouette and twin orbs, there is only a rustle of grass as gentle as the invisible wind brushing by. It is dark when Kanti treks back into semi-familiar territory, her slinking posture no longer practiced with the purpose of reconnaissance in mind, but rather it becomes that of a cowardly creature knowingly entering the watchful gaze of a monster. Briefly her eyes cast upwards to the rolling clouds, only to turn back in time to find herself staring into the eyes of a devil- with all his charm. Dark lips curl into a pleased toothy grin and her bedraggled tail wisps softly against her lean, flea-bitten haunches, "Yes yes, the winds ARE changing!" she trills in excitement, "IT is fetid with the stench of chaos, disorder, and treachery. Wait till you see, Master, wait till you SEEEE!" the little haggard creature goes on to say, voice pitching at the end as she springs forward to brave a playful nip to his chin, her fur bristling with the static of electricity building in the air and billowing about with the torrents of sweeping wind.
The amber eyed fiend reaches out with his oversized paw when his chin is nipped by the wretched wolf. Toppling Kanti over on to her side the brute lowers his head to the excited lupine; his eyes narrowed with sterness. Someone's here. He heard the eagle's screech. The tiger gives a small grunt to the beast and releases her from his grip, the violent wind brushing her fingers into Raasabha's fur and combing it backwards. "We'll talk later, Kanti. I sense...company." With that the large cat slips into brush yet again and sets his eyes downwind. Lowering himself to crouch, Raasabha prepares to ambush if necessary, leaving Kanti in the open.
Utkrosh screes over the wind, "Raasaba! Kanti! I have someone who wishes to meet you!" The wind cloaks the moon behind another dark cloud, and the area plunges into darkness again.
Gyarahabala continues to approach, pausing as he is very near Utkrosh' voice. The wind picks up even more strongly, whipping around too wildly to tell exactly where the scents are coming from. A not-terribly-distant flash of lightning replaces the darkness with a momentary flood of light, exposing the three-legged wolf's form. "Raasabha!" the old, three-legged wolf howls. "Kanti!" he also howls. "I am Gyarahabala, of the Saahasi! I come to greet you!"
It happens quite suddenly, the turning of the world. One moment it is upright and in place, the next- very much at a tilt. A soft grunt of air is forced out of Kanti's lunges on impact, though the actual sound of her gaunt body hitting the earth is but a soft, nearly inaudible hallow thud. Well, someone's moody. The thought quickly vanishes the moment that Raasabha's voice rumbles lowly in her ears, bringing the ragged appendages up sharply, accompanied by an awkward twisting of her head to upright the world and stare out into the darkness. Something of a hiss squeezes out through her teeth and muscles tense, the looming, solid shadow that was Rassabha already gone; disappearing back into the dense undergrowth. The flicker of distant lighting brings her yellow eyes to flash green, the she-wolf rigidly rising to face off into the direction of the howling wind, that is no wind at all. The sound of someone else calling their names strikes the wretch peculiarly, the screech of the first voice teasingly familiar, but the second cry brings the hairs along the haggard creatures spine into stiff bristles, a growl throttling softly at the back of her throat awaiting release. Not because of the stranger's voice, but his scent. Wolf. "Filth." the female mutters privately under her breath before claiming some semblance of resolve and taking a step forward in the direction of the newcomer, halting to stand and stare into the darkness and pick out the shift of shadow and form. "Then come greet me, wolf." the wretch raises her voice to call back, though Kanti cannot keep the subtle tone of irritation from her voice; irritation that plans should be disrupted; irritation that one other than her Master should call her name in beckoning; irritation that that one is kindred. Well, somebody is moody.
Raasabha had expected word to get out that the unusual pair was in area but didn't anticipate for them to come looking. The hulking tiger gives his tail a twitch in mild irratation at himself more than anything else. His obsidyan claws piercing into the soil as he begins break the earth around his paws. Raasabha's orbs moving to watch Kanti. For now the tiger is not able to pick up on the scent of who approaches but with the announcment from Kanti the striped feline begins to relax his composure. The sound of their names are heard over the howling wind of the coming storm. This was normally a time to relish and enjoy but instead his plans areput on hold. Raasabha remains within the cover of the under growth as he waits for the wolf to come to them. Analizing eyes stare at Kanti as he watches her body language. If need be he will make his presence known to the visiting wolf but it may be sooner than later. Kanti's tolerance for her own kind runs thin.
Utkrosh hunkers down and clutches her branch tightly to avoid getting blown off by the wind. "Gyarahabala," the eagle screes, "I cannot stay much longer. This part of the jungle is too exposed to the wind, and it is going to get much more fierce."
Gyarahabala looks to the eagle's place. "I thank you again, then," he says to her, "for guiding me here and away from Ran Garjana. You should find a safe perch to roost." He turns to the shewolf and lopes to about ten feet from her, and sits. Despite his advanced age, and his missing forelimb, he is in better shape than the flea-ridden wolf. "I presume your friend is nearby," he speaks. "I came to ask you, on behalf of the Saahasi ... where do you come from? Many of our friends have been lost in this jungle, years ago when the Sakht Nakh reigned, and recently, possibly from the Ran Garjana. If there is any chance that you were a pup who was lost ... we would like to know, and honor you."
A look of impatience, along with something else, is what has come to settle across the lupine's visage as her keen ears listen to the exchange between eagle and wolf, which ultimately gains the dancing tree tops a scowl. Loud mouth bird brain apparently went blabbing to her friends. Which makes moving on all more important now. It doesn't take much prompting for Kanti's regards to shift back to the crippled old wolf, looking at him in perhaps the same despicable way he might look at her, save that the difference arrives in the fact that her's is born of disgust, while his might be pity. Though however contemptuous she might be, the scrawny wretch manages a weak smile in face of playing the good patron to his intended homage, but his question concerning the where abouts of her Master cause the corners of her lips to draw up a bit too sharply, twisting the expression into a bemused smirk that almost seems..sinister. "Presume what you want." she says, almost offhandedly, as if such were of no consequence. Yellow eyes stare out through flashes of lightening to scrutinize the sitting male in a manner of bored interest, meeting his gaze firmly only after he has finished. This time she does smile, quite pleasantly at that, even relaxing enough to settle back upon her haunches and scratch absently at her neck ruff before turning back to address him, ignoring the small spatters of rain drops that begin to thump and tap against the wide leaves of the jungle flora. "I was not born in these parts, wolf. I am sorry that I cannot help you." Kanti knows a fair bit more about the Saahasi than she pretends and enough of the Sakht Nakh to know better than to claim such knowledge. Ignorance IS bliss. The odd pair don't need that kind of attention.
The Saahasi? This was not mentioned in the rumors he had heard...Raasabha remains completely still as he listens to the pair of wolves speak. Predatory eyes scan over the older handicapped wolf. Why would the pack send one of their elders to deliver such a message? To a place of possible danger at that? Perhaps it's nothing, perhaps it's something. The artful tiger doesn't dwell on that observation for long as he continues to listen. Were the Saahasi few in number and took a chance that Kanti might be a lost pack mate? The prodigious feline moves his attention back to his mongrel and gives her a soft unseen smirk as she handles Gyarahabala. She's being polite, good.
Utkrosh carefully times her dive-off between gusts, and gains altitude as fast as she can. The powerful bird of prey is at the mercy of the storm, and it throws her every which way she can, but once she gets above the treetops and is out of danger of being thrown into a tree uncontrollably, she flies with the wind, inland toward the north, and vanishes into the storm.
Gyarahabala says, "Would you allow us to treat you, at least? There are plants that grow in this jungle that can repel parasites." A torrential rain erupts, pelting the area. Heavy gusts of wind drive it sideways at times. "Of course, that will have to wait until the weather improves ... or at least for daylight. I know a safe place to hide from the storm," he says. "A large cave. We don't believe the Ran Garjana are near it, currently. The wind howls noisily, but its strength is pretty muddled, and the rain does not breach it. Its large enough for your tiger friend whom Utkrosh mentioned," he offers, bracing himself against the growing powerful gusts. The old wolf came alone -- aside from Utkrosh to help keep an eye out for Ran Garjana and to take him to the very spot she had last seen the tiger and flea-ridden wolf -- for a number of reasons.
Even over the gust of wind and driving rain, Kanti captures the sound of Utkrosh's wings beating hard against the currents as the eagle takes flight, a single ear pivoting to track the movement of the sky hunter until she is out of range and the fury of the rainstorm impedes. Though even in this state of minor distraction, the scruffy female never once turns her gaze away from the old wolf, her stare heavy and beginning to harden has her tolerance erodes away under the old fart's audacity to suggest she has a parasite problem. Hmph! Scratch-scratch-scratch. Shaking herself out to the effect of ridding herself of rain and annoying wolves, with the latter proving to be more persistent, Kanti gathers her skinny frame up to her miniscule height, patches of damp fur poking out here and there, the shift of posture being used to steadily distance herself from the conversation. "No, there will be no need for that." is her eventual rebuttal, with the she-wolf doing all she can to keep the tension out of her tone and her jaw from tightening. She has to glance away just to ensure it. "As for the other, I cannot make that decision alone. Besides..." glancing back, the scrap of a wolf lets her dark lips curl in a wry smirk, "..whats a little rain?" Giving her tail a brisk flick, Kanti's expression falls back into serious regard "And how are we to know to trust you?" the female adds in further thought, letting her eyes tighten and narrow upon the three legged lupine. "Villainy wears many masks, none of which are as dangerous as the face of virtue."
With the coming of the downpour and the lashing wind, Raasabha uses it to soundlessly glide out of the undergrowth and emerge from behind Gyarahabala. There the unsuspected feline sits and looks upon the older wolf. An amused grin spreads across his muzzle as he shoots his eyes over to Kanti and gives his head a quick jerk letting her know she's dismissed. The jungle becomes white washed in another flash of lighting followed by a deafing blast of thunder. This is Raasabha's weather of choice. Loud, violent, chaotic...Taking in a large breath and exhaling it slowly the colossal tiger brings his attention back to Gyarahabala "Don't listen to her! She's to prideful and suspicious for her own good!" The rain comes down in thick sheets making it difficult to see in the black of night. "We will take you up on both offers! That is if the cave is as large as you boast it is!"
Gyarahabala is accustomed to monsoons, so the weather doesn't bother him, even as old as he is ... but a tiger sneaking up behind him is another story! The three-legged wolf whirls around, tense, and if his hackles were not so heavily drenched, they'd be raised. The wolf, for only a moment, is transported back in time to when he had leapt in to face Vijayi when he had started slaughtering the pups. Gyarahabala had overriden his fear, of course, but there was no denying the massive outclassing in size. It takes him several moments to return to the moment and regain his senses. "You must be Raasabha?" he asks. He looks to the gaunt shewolf, to see whether she does, indeed, defer to the tiger. Looking back to the tiger, he says, "I've seen elephants take refuge in it. Granted, they didn't have a lot of room to spare ..."
There had not been even the smallest trace of gesture or flit of the eyes from the female to hint at the great shadow emerging out of the stormy night from behind Gyarahabala. Yet Kanti had watched with a numb, distant sort of stare as the massive feline took shape behind the old, battle scarred male, briefly suffering her own imagery of recollection from some, almost forgotten memory- or a dream of a memory. Only when Raasabha makes his presence known, and at her expense, does the mangy female's face harden and Kanti snorts her discord, wet ears laying back against her head as she looks past the Saahasi representative to fix Raasabha with a glare. If looks could kill. It is not offense to his accusations of her nature that provokes her, but rather the circumstance for which he has done so. Great. She gets to spend the night with the rhythmitic wolf--puts down three and carries one. Dejected, her head lowers and she skulks off a short distance, squatting down upon her haunches in the mud to crane her scrawny body around to chew at her fleas, cutting her eyes sharply every once in a while toward the two. Grumble-grumble.
The tiger can't help but be slightly amused at the male's wolf reaction to his sudden presence but the large tiger does offer a genuine smile as he waits for the elder to regain his composure. Spherical ears perked atop Raasabha's head as he gives his head a slight cant to side and gives him a charming smile, "I am who I am!" In a slow manner the big cat rises from his haunches and lets his stripped tail sway with the ferocious wind of the monsoon, "More than enough room, perfect!" The tiger's large fangs are shown as Raasabha grins thankfully to the offering lupine. "Just give Kanti some space. She doesn't take well to strangers and even longer to befriend anyone. So don't take her sharp retorts personally." Raasabha moves his eyes to look at the sulking Kanti "Hey, sour puss! We're moving! Let's go!" The athletic tiger gives a small chuckle before looking back to Gyarahabala, "Lead the way." He says with his rich deep voice that suits his size well.
Gyarahabala tries to hide his disappointment at the shewolf's behavior. A large limb from a tree suddenly lands with an impressive WHUMP just a few feet from himself and Raasabha. He takes a few steps to lead the way, then double-checks to ensure the tiger and shewolf are following as he heads to the northwest, toward an incline bypassing the cliff to the north. He struggles against the wind to steady himself, ultimately having to lean into the wind to keep from getting blown over. As Raasabha finishes his introduction, the wolf asks, "I take it, then, you must have raised her from a pup. She must have imprinted on you."
Grump. Pout. GLARE! Raasabha's light-hearted beckoning interrupts the female's flea chasing, pausing in mid-chew to narrow her eyes down. However, the scrawny scrap of a wolf isn't so discontent as to be insolent and not obey the tiger. Slinking up out of her awkward crouch, Kanti trudges after the two, hanging behind until the sudden whomp of the fallen branch gains a nervous whine out of her and sends her scampering forward more quickly to trail at Rassabha's heels. She does her best to look unhappy though, her face scrunched up into a perpetual, downtrodden scowl as her ears droop, absently listening to the exchange of Gyarahabala's aged voice and Raasabha's deep rumble through the pelting rain, growling thunder, and screaming wind. And the night had started out so promising...
The creaking of a stressed limb is heard among the howling wind and so Raasabha takes a couple precautionary steps back just before the large mass shakes the ground. The tiger gives regards to the incident with an amused laugh before following the hobbling wolf at his right side. The rain running off the contours of his body and off his thick stout muzzle. Raasabha casts a glance down to the Saahasian wolf as he inquires about Kanti; the imposing tiger replies with a slight smirk across his muzzle "Yes, yes she has." Amber orbs roll to the side as Raasabha gives Kanti a side glance to check on her. Her behavior is as expected, he'll have to have a word with her later, but for now he lets her look as pitiful and pathetic as she can be.
Gyarahabala leads the pair up, out of the jungle through the paths, and up the gradual incline. Out of the jungle, the risk of trees falling on them decreases, but the pounding rain has, by then, created a deluge, and a trecherous stream cascades down the incline. The three-legged wolf is especially vulnerable from the raging current tumbling rocks down, but he manages to navigate through them, climbing higher. He leads the way through the Forest Crossroads. He struggles to gauge a safe course through the trees, twisting, having large limbs rips and in a couple cases, utterly uprooted by the ferocious storm. He finds his way, through the dark and blinding rain, along a path to the northeast of the forest where the forest opens up and into a mammoth cave.
Pitiful and pathetic is exactly how Kanti looks, made all the more so as the drenching rain flattens her patchy coat, allowing every protruding bone on the wretched things body to become prominent, from washboard ribs to jutting hip bones. On the up side, the fleas have stopped crawling and biting to instead, just cling on and try not to drown in the torrents and rivers that run through her fur. When the trail gets strenuous, the she-wolf takes to grumbling to herself, cursing and growling as tumbled rocks crash down the washed-out incline to crush and bruise her toes on occasions that occur way to often. When the mouth of the cave comes into view, Kanti gives pause to stare up at the dark gapping mouth, which to her looks very much like the gaping mouth of a hungry beast, waiting to swallow them whole. Not that she'll need any convincing to enter, for at this point, getting eaten alive sounds more appealing than staying out in -this-. Compared to the storms that reigned down of the rocky forest of the Aravalli mountains, never has Kanti experienced such a storm as this, where water rises so quickly and the loose soil yields so easily. It is harrowing and much to her disgust, she had to take to following the three legged geezer in example, angry that she should struggle just as much, if not more. Though by this time, the she-wolf is too tired and wet to care, having forgotten her loathing of the old wolf, she allows herself to suffer a sense of gratitude on his behalf at the sight of the cave. She'll get back to her detesting once she's dry and comfortable. Quickening her pace, she shoulders up past Raasabha to hurry to the gaping mouth, pausing on the edge of it's shadowy abyss to shake herself out before disappearing into the oblivion of darkness within, seeking a secluded corner to tuck herself away in and ride the storm out, and of course, look pathetic and miffed about it all.
Where Kanti looks pitiful and pathetic, Raasabha is striking and majestic. For within the storm's chaos and it's indiscriminate destruction, the large cat remains calm and collected. The violent winds cause him to squint every once in awhile as the brute ambles along with the pair of wolves. It's not to say a walk in the park by any means but Raasabha makes it to appear to be nothing more that normal. Though just like the others the massive tiger is happy to see the mouth of the cave. Amber eyes cast to the side as the she-wolf shoulders past him and runs inside but Raasabha keeps his pace and lets Kanti by without reprimand. Shortly, the sauntering tiger makes his way inside and gives himself a good shake before finding a spot of his own and stretches out in slow manner. The duration of trip now settling into his muscles as they begin to relax. A content smile spreads across the stout muzzle of the tiger as he lets himself drift to sleep as he listens to the raging storm. The time is right and he's right where he should be. All is well...