Hot Head ~OPEN~

[Jackle]

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[atrb=background, i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/jback-2.jpg] "Speaking" Sand.... sand... hey look! More sand! Jackle's sanity today was running on a low. The sun was high in the sky and the sand under his paws were blistering hot. Why was he out here again? He thought. Oh thats right, he was searching for Phoenix. His Phoenix.... his only love... the only one who accepted him and gave him peace from his ever torturing madness. She had disappeared. No trace of her. Maybe she did it on purpose. But why? Jackles tongue rolled out of the front of his mouth as he pant heavily. So... hot... so dreadfully... hot.. Jackle blinked away sand from his eyes as a short dust storm swirled around him. Where is your Phoenix now Jackle? The voice that had mocked him since he was little laughed at him in the back of his mind. "Sh-shes here.... shes everywhere you know. Shes in the sun. Shes in the sand.... shes even in the hot whirling wind..... shes fire you know..... shes... shes everywhere...." Jackle mumbled to his madness. You know Jackle... perhaps you could give me a name of some sort... since I have been with you for a very long time and will be with you till you die of some horrid death. Maybe Hide.... no? Because I am hidden with you and yet very much so out and around you. Madness laughed once again. "Go die in a hole bastard!" He growled angrily at himself. After you... It spoke again and laughed at him. Jackle just wanted Phoenix. His love kept his madness at bay and he could enjoy his life freely once again. Must he have such luck that he were to loose her? What kind of sick gods looked down upon him from the heavens and laugh cruelly at him. Jackle suddenly whimpered and he ran for cover under the shade of a semi-small bush. Hot head... his madness spoke. This suddenly confused Jackle. Why had he called him a hot head? He hadn't just shouted at him or anything. Or maybe he was giving a reason of why Phoenix left him.... tears suddenly sprung from his eyes uncontrollably. Maybe he could apologize. Would she forgive him? But he was not able to find her anywhere, where could he look if he looked everywhere? Jackle's tears quickly went away as the noon sun soaked them up dry. But to his relief, the afternoon sun was half way to the horizon and evening would be upon him in a few hours. Maybe he could even look some more for Phoenix and find something to eat and drink. After all, he couldn't give up on his love that quickly. J a c k l e' s . S o n g

[Plume of the Eagle]

The Keiyou's caramel-and-brown patterned wings shoved the air and beat it down. The currents here were all warm- all rising. This was good for the Keiyou's mending wing, which was now itching. He'd need to set down soon, otherwise he might overexert it. The brown Keiyou's electric blue eyes scanned the horizon for any dens, or rocks that could be construed as one.

First, I'll hunt, He thought to himself, dipping the broken wing and leaning to the right, banking steeply. His lion-like tail moved eerily in the wind, buffeted left and right. Below, all the land was an expanse of sand, a few rocks, and sand. Far off, several miles north, a ridge stood out against the bleak landscape, the only blemish to this otherwise barren desert. Oh? He whispered in his thoughts, surprise marring his tone. 'Tis this? His smacked his wing back up, jerking sharply up from the bank, and he coasted behind the lumbering beast. From below, he would look like a griffin.

What in the world would dare roam here? This isn't even good for deer, what wolf would be a fool to stay here? Beating his wings, which were silent compared to the soft whistling up in the atmosphere, the Keiyou flew closer. The sun was casting his shadow down below, right there with the wolf. It didn't seem to notice, even though- had it looked- there was an enormous shadow with wings right ahead of it.

Plume of the Eagle stopped beating his wings, pulling them closer to his side. He dropped gently. Soon he was low enough to make out the wolf better. It was a brown, like himself, but without wings. It was devoid of special colors, making it- as he still referred to them- a "Guardian of the gods." In other words, it was a Lupus. From his past, Keiyou were gods, and Lupus' were their guardians, protecting them and their cubs. Of course, he knew now what the rest of the world thought, and referred to them as such. But in his private thoughts, he still called them "guardians."

He shoved his wings upwards, bringing their nearly full size out and up, so they arched far above his head. He looked like an eagle braking, but his body position did not match that of the eagle- it remained like he was walking. As he neared the ground behind the wolf, the whistle from the moving air disappearing, he moved his body and lifted his front up. His hind legs touched first, and he ran two steps bipedal before dropping down on all fours. The wolf was to the side, now, under a bush- had it spotted him?

"Wolf!" Plume called. "Wolf?" His wings were out, at ease but not against his side completely. Plume neared a step or two, calling out again, "Lupus?"

[Natsu]

She panted; she remembered the last time she was here. Dreadfully hot as always, last time she was here, she drunk horrible tasting ground water, which she dug for. She heaved herself into the blue sky, flapping her milky white wings; she rose into a small cool air current, taking in as much of the cool air as she could, she heard a faint voice, she tilted her hears to the sound of the faint voice, and heard nothing. She flew southward towards the area. She heard it again, louder, more demanding, she turned she accelerated, and dove down to the voice.

She landed a couple yards away from the voice. She crept up onto the voice, realized it was a lonely Lupus, laying in the scarce shade of a shrub. No ligaments on him, like Lyxxi, or Keiyou. Or any other species she couldn’t think of, just a lupus with a purple splash, on his left side. Was he mourning for his dead mate? Was she a victim of hyperthermia, starvation, or dehydration? It was a terrible way to die, anyway to die expect in your sleep was a terrible way to die. She thought she wanted to die old, and peaceful.

She snapped back into reality to find the tears the lupus produced dried up. Her “people skills” where horrible, but the lupus needed someone, anyone. She quickly built her courage, and walked towards the lupus. “Why where you crying?” She said softly, and felt blistered, and she looked at them gently turning over each paw, they were cracked, her rock hard, blistered paws dug at the ground throwing sand away from the lupus. She dug until her pads bled, finding a small puddle. She gently stepped into the small puddle. Blood swirled around into the small pool, filling her nostrils with the stench of her own blood. But she had to admit this was relaxing. “So. What’s your name? Mine is Natsu Kitsune.” She spoke firmly “Call me Natsu.”

[Jackle]

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[atrb=background, i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/jback-2.jpg] "Speaking" Jackle suddenly heard a voice that was unlike the one in the back of his mind or his own. It called out to him, spoke to him as wolf. He realized it was strangely close. Or at least it seemed close to him. It called to him and that time he caught sight of the winged wolf. They then called him Lupus. His species he knew. How rude, didn't even ask for your name. His madness spoke. Jackle didn't answer to it. Before he could answer or anything to the other, there appeared another from out of nowhere, or at least without him noticing. This other didn't seem to see the one who had landed first. "Why... why am I crying?" He asked confusedly for a moment. For a long few seconds, he didn't even remember that he had ever cried laying here so he then disregarded the question all together. He watched her dig the ground to make a little dirty puddle of water. He stared at her paws bleed. It made his insides turn and feel sickly. A lady should not bleed, he should have done it for her. Jackle swallowed slightly loudly. He looked at both male and female Keiyous. Hey Jackle, maybe your dead. It seems that you either are surrounded by angels or demons. Madness laughed. Oh do shut up. He growled in his mind. He cleared his throat momentarily and took in a deep breath as if this were to be the hardest thing he had to say to them. "My name is Jackle..." OCC: Sorry for the shortness. My computer shut down while I was writing it so I didn't have as much muse the second time around. J a c k l e' s . S o n g

[Plume of the Eagle]

OCC: S'okay.

Blood wasn't a sight for Plume, he'd seen it plenty of times- the most bloody and worst when his future Empire had been slaughtered... He shuddered, his mind involuntarily pulling up the memory, and he was lost for a moment, his eyes widening and staring in horror at nothing as it all played out again, him still unable to do anything.

"Those damn dragons! I'm going to kill them all!" Star at Midnight screamed, her albino wings flaring out and slapping the earth. Her body heaved up and forward, a running leap carrying her off. His brother, Wind on the Wing screaming after her, calling her back. The tear-stained face of his brother as he told him he loved him, and how he knew he was going to die.

"Don't wait for me, brother... I won't make it," He'd pleaded as his entrails hung out, his body spread-eagled on the battlefield... The dragons roared in triumph, not even acknowledging Plume's precense.

"No, don't say that! I'll... I'll find someone..." but as he spoke, the light drained out of his brothers eyes, they became blank, dark blue orbs staring unseeingly at the blood-soaked field and his dead pack. "NO!" Plume shrieked to the sky, cursing all of the world, and the dragons, and himself; cursing his own pitiful weakness against the dragons, unable to control elements, or be big enough to fight back fairly. And lastly, as he stared over his shoulder at the place he once called home, that was now a graveyard, he'd muttered one foul, rotten, disgusting oath that would never leave his mouth again- one about the Great Spirit.....

When he'd come out of the horrifying re-living, a female had landed, and she'd dug a pit. Regretting not coming to earlier to help her, he turned to the guardian.

"Jackle? That's your name? Mine's Plume of the Eagle," He didn't offer to let the wolf call him Plume, or Eagle, because he did not know this wolf, and he couldn't trust him yet. "What about you, miss?" He asked, glancing at the female. Keiyou, he noted, and a pretty one at that.

[Natsu]

The scent of her own blood was getting to her, but it cooled the fire underneath her paws. Her body returning to normal temperature, she let out a small sighs of relief, no more sweating, no more wetness on her smoke colored body, nor her ,milky white wings too. She looked at the stained water, remembering her evil twin, she shuttered, tilting her ears to the slightest noise, the two males where talking again; she touched the sand, her muscles relaxed, and she sat down. Her sky blue eyes, strained to see in the distance. All the light sand was getting to her. She closed her eyes and nudged her paw against them, over and over, until her eyesight wasn’t blurry.

“Plume of the Eagle?” She heard the male Keiyou’s name, “That’s a nice name, Plume of the Eagle, Jackle? Also a nice name.” She said calmly, she muttered her own name, and her mind went into dismay. Why had Nabiki named her Natsu? Born in the summer fox, wasn’t anything important, just a stupid meaning of a name. It also didn’t make sense sure she was born in summer, but, Fox!?! Really!? She sighed.

She looked into Plume of the Eagle’s eyes, they were stressed, “Plume of the Eagle Are you okay?” She spoke softly; she looked at the Lupus, noticing the big spot on his left side. “What is your power?” She wasn’t as hesitant as they first words she spoke. Was she really trusting them? She looked over the bush, the sun was getting lower, all of them needed to find shelter, alone or together, not knowing this land, nor did she know what predators here. She wanted to stay close to them, or somewhat near them. “Do wither of you know these lands? Because… It’s getting near sunset, and I don’t like sleeping out in the open, should we look for shelter?” She trembled, the thought of sleeping out in the open scared her. But if they could find shelter, she’d dance, run, and fly, in joy. She hadn’t slept well in days, memoires invaded her mind. She looked at the males, and rubbed her shoulder.

[Jackle]

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[atrb=background, i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/jback-2.jpg] "Speaking" Jackle listened quietly as the two winged ones spoke to each other. At the moment, he was gazing off to the setting sun. His mind went into a sort of calmness that it went in on a few occasions when he looked up at the sun. His madness even stayed quite for these rare few moments. He sighed contently as his purple and green speckled eyes soaked up the view. Oh how peaceful it all looked. Jackle's attention turned to Natsu as she asked him what his power was. Hmph, power, not likely, curse, defiantly. "Poison... hallucinating poison..." He paused for a moment. Should he really be telling them this? "I know hardly anything about this land. However shelter... I believe that it is best to stay here. I don't see any snake holes around here and if we were to go higher up we may bump into a griffon or something of the sort." Jackle may be mad but he did have some sense in places to stay. Jackle's mind suddenly felt normal for a single moment and in that moment, Jackle became his gentlemen self. He got up and stood by the female a spoke to her in a kind tone. "My dear, you must be absolutely tired from walking around in this plain desert. Do lay down under the bush. Its much more comfortable there, the sand is softer and its a bit cooler under there, however I don't think it will matter much soon but do rest some mi'lady." He then looked up to Plume Of The Eagle. "By the way sir, lovely to meet you. Well very lovely to meet you both." He said in a slightly distant tone. J a c k l e' s . S o n g

[Plume of the Eagle]

The lupus was a poisonous one, was he? There had been only two as Guardians in his old pack, they were frenemies of the King, Raven of the Pines. He didn't trust them near him, or far from him, so he kept them in an uneasy medium. They had apparently known the dragons were coming, because they'd left to go "practice their potency" before Plume had left to go on that fateful hunt.

"A hallunation poison is what you create? Interesting. As you can see, I'm no Guar--I mean Lupus; I can't do more then fly,"

The female Keiyou seemed...odd; as did the Lupus.

"It was nice to meet you, as well, sir. Are you lost? I could help you get out of here, if you wish." Truth be told, the Keiyou didn't enjoy flying slow, but if it meant helping a fellow out, a Guardian, in fact, he was more then willing.

"Or are you one of those wolves who lives in the packs?"

The only thing that Plume had against those wolves was the fact he wanted to be one of them. The Cadre, a pack nearby, seemed perfectly good for him, but he had no idea if he needed to simply go to the lands and howl, or there was some other, much more complicated method of joining them. He’d heard word of how they required new members to fight, and that sounded highly interesting to him. To fight another wolf would be an extreme proving of his strength, none could deny his prowess then, could they?

I just need to figure out a way to get this male on his way, and the same for the female, then I’ll be ready to do as I wish… it couldn’t hurt to simply howl a greeting when I got on their lands, could it? They could use a powerful Keiyou like myself.

[Natsu]

“Hallucinating poison? I’ve never heard of that, sound interesting.” She spoke in a muffled voice, her ears perking up at every word they said, “Well, a makeshift shelter would work, like a hollowed out tree, under one or something, I just don’t like staying out in the open, it makes me feel like prey.” She listened carefully to Plume. “Plume well, no I’m not really, I’m looking for a place to stay for a while, but not permanently, I rather like to go to new places.” She smiled, and lifted out her wings, sand draining down. And gently folded them down, making sure not to hit either of the males she twisted a bit. “Well, if you guys don’t mind, I’ll hunt for all for all of us.”

Without an answer, she took off, scanning the ground for movement. She soon saw a not enough, she thought. She swooped down, and took the in the air, fighting against the jackalope and dropped it. A silent crack filled the air, the lay dead. She swooped down, and poked the creature, she dug a small hole and dropped the creature inside and scarped earth back over it. As she kept flying over the desert sweat drenched her body huffing and puffing she went down, falling onto her side. She soon got back up, and she resumed hunting scanning the area, panting growing weary she turned and went back to her prey, she dug up the meal and headed back. She arrived there, with the dangling from her jaws she spit it out. And laid down, and started to tear at the jackalope, and started eating.

[Jackle]

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[atrb=background, i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd415/Somatra1/jback-2.jpg] "Speaking" OCC: Sorry, another short and sucky reply. Jackle nodded to Plume of the Eagle. He was tempted to ask what Plume of the Eagle was about to say and why he always changes it at the last moment but then just didn't. Jackle decided to pick his words carefully, to not speak Phoenix's name, the one he felt like he would never see again. "No, I am not lost. I do not need help out of here. However, I am not found either. It would be a long and difficult explanation and I wish not to start at this very moment." He said calmly and keeping himself steady. "I am part of a pack, however I am not as attached to it as I should be, I regret. I belong to the Styrrstdar Cadre. But... they are a ways away... I came out here searching for someone..... again I wish to not discus that person.." He growled at himself inside. Each time he spoke he seemed to reveal more about his search. Oh Jackle, why not let them know? They might know where she is. They don't, now shut up. He shook his head mentally. Jackle's attention was diverted just at the last second, seeing Natsu fly off hunting. Jackle wasn't exactly hungry but if she was, he would do nothing to stop her from satisfying that need. "I see the hunt has gone well for you." He spoke kindly to Natsu as she returned with the meal. However, he made no attempt to move to the prey. Jackle looked to the horizon once more and the sun hardly peaked over the horizon line. There already began to be a dark sky with a blanket of stars starting to awake. "If either of you grow tired and wish to rest, I will be glad to guard while you sleep. That may not sound to promising from someone like me but I promise anyways." Jackle would let one or both rest under the bush that had plenty of room for two but no room for three. He also greatly hoped that neither would ask what he meant by someone like him, because the only reply he had was, someone as mad as he. J a c k l e' s . S o n g