keeping up appearances. [oteka]

[rattinger]

Hot winds rippled over feathers, providing lift in the dead of the afternoon. Two long wings stretched out like arms, tip feathers spread like fingers. Though wobbly and unstable, the flight of the creature never wavered in altitude. The energy spent to maintain it was minimal, the currents constant enough to remove much need for flapping and the body having been designed for gliding. The vulture myou was in his element; Rattinger was pleased.

Banking to his right, he started another long, slow circle over the quartz caverns. The Cadre kept their dens there so to a stranger it would appear as if he was standing guard. After all, he had the impeccable eyesight of a bird and a finely tuned sense of smell. If something was to go wrong, he would know about it. If someone that didn't belong got too close to the dens, he would know about it. The guise of sentry was a perfect one, unintentional as it was.

Rattinger had taken flight for more personal reasons. He was never comfortable on the ground, his awkward gait a hindrance most days. And truth be told, he did not make for pleasant company. Few wolves tolerated him and his vulture like tendencies, and those that could handle the insults had to first get past skin deep impressions. The male wasn't exactly a looker, pink head lacking all fur and feathers, naked skin wrinkled into multiple folds. Rattinger was a lot to stomach, an irony given his own iron gut.

At the moment he was indulging in one of his favorite pastimes. The path to the dens was not an easy one (at least not for those with no wings). While he could easily fly to and fro, careful to avoid the roaring waterfall, the rest had to work their way up a slippery path of slick rocks and dangerous stones. New members especially were a real treat to observe, and he could no longer count on his paws how many idiotic pieces of prey he'd watched tumble down the falls before swooping in for a nice meal. He would circle above the Quartz Falach for hours, waiting out a good show. And he was sure today would not be without a good surprise.

[Oteka]

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[atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/6nVp.png][scrolly:h(249),w(392),sy] So Oteka had indulged Erena, just a smidge. They had been traveling along the lower part of the canyon and had come across a delightfully muddy river bank and for once Erena had remained quiet upon seeing it. This delighted the wolf femme and she decided that as a reward for not having to hear that overly positive, screech of a voice Erena had. For some reason the creature had been dawdling around in her mind lately, not really saying much of anything. Oteka figured for once she may have won the battle. She did not view Erena as smart enough to bide her time. So as she came up on the bank she decided to lay down in the cool mud and even over turn some of it with her claws. A growl of pleasure rippled through her. Turning her bill over and over in the mud, she had gorged herself on grubs and insects, and Erena could not help but approve. ‘You know, this is great, the mud is cool and things are fresh…why don’t we try to find something to eat you like…’ The thought was nice and Oteka grunted in response, because she had a bill and no mouth full of sharp teeth as most wolves, if she did find something it had to be fresh and soft meat that she could get down without having to chew. She waited until she was almost full, and proceeded to roll in the mud. The desire was Erena’s but the practicality was all Oteka, she knew that mud was a natural insect repellant and the bites she was suffering were far more annoying than Erena. When she felt she had adequately covered her sensitive areas she stood up. Her body was heavier but at least she could find some peace. It was on her slow trek back to the dens when she had discovered someone’s fresh kill. The animal smelled like pack had been here recently but the body had been left for some reason or another. Getting close, she could feel Erena back up and recede in her mind, disgusted by the sight. But Oteka, Oteka’s stomach felt empty all over again and she could feel the saliva building within her mouth. She looked around as she approached the dead animal to see if anyone was around to watch her. Luckily she did not see anyone and so she slid her bill into the softer flesh. She shuddered as the smell of blood and death entered into what seemed to be her very soul. She stayed there a few long moments gulping down as much fresh, bloody soft meat she could until she felt as though she could drag her heavy body back to the dens. She figured when she got close to the den she might want to wash off the mud, but at this point her mind was set in such a state of euphoria it really did not mind her that much. In a few hours that might change. Making her slow, and near happy way back to the den she hardly noticed the flying being circling above. Frankly the vulture would have unnerved anyone else but Oteka was no one to judge anyone else especially when it came to physical appearance. She mustered up enough attitude to roll her eyes as Erena once more spoke, ‘you know, I don’t think you are bad looking but he..he is a different story.’ She sighed and shook her head, ‘Erena you would know what ugly is. You don’t see the way people look at me, at us?’ Flinging her head from side to side, as if she could knock the other being around in her own head she began to climb the stairs to get to the area where the dens were. She knew she could rest for a while there, away from other’s eyes and attitudes. She wasn’t intending to encounter anyone on her way but she did need to stop for a drink of water. Leaning over the area where the waterfall gathered a good, calm surface-like lake she leaned down and pushed her bill to acquire the refreshingly cold liquid. It actually smeared the blood down her bill to her neck and face but she really didn’t care. In her mind no amount of body fluids like blood or mud was going to make her uglier than she already was. She closed her eyes, avoiding looking at herself regardless as she could roughly see the outline of the vulture above. “Nosy bugger.” [/scrolly]

[rattinger]

Circle after lazy circle after lazy circle... Rattinger yawned, white jowls parting widely in a display of boredom. He was a patient fellow when he wanted to be, but right now was not one of those times. Hunger was starting to settle in, the juices of his stomach beginning to gurgle and bubble. If nothing fell off the cliff side soon, he would have to find someplace else with a fresh corpse.

He was just about to start on his twenty-something odd loop when a rather tantalizing scent caught his nostrils. It was blood, and relatively fresh blood at that. The vulture's mouth watered, his head swiveling in the direction it came from. Keen eyes quickly picked out the source; it was a rather strange, brown lump waddling up the stairs. Ah well. His shoulders shrugged lightly, legs stretching out as he continued to glide, preparing themselves for a landing. He'd eaten much worse looking things in the past. At least this bloodied mud ball would be fresh.

Banking, his wings flapped once to send him lower. From there it was an easy glide to where the creature had paused. It looked as if it was leaning over to get a drink from the falls. If it leaned just a little farther... Excitement was in his eyes as eagerly he watched the strange beast, hoping it would lose balance and plummet downwards. Or better yet, if it decided to keel over right there from its wounds he could have himself a nice supper complete with drink!

Except... except... except this strange being wasn't anywhere close to death at all. Rattinger was close enough now that he could hear her muttered words. In fact, he was closing in fast on the small ledge. He would have crashed if he wasn't as skilled a flier as he was, turning at just the right moment to start a lower, tighter circle circuit. Disappointment was written clean across his naked head, and as he circled back towards the female Myou he shouted out an innocent enough question. "You don't, per chance, intend to fall off the cliff, do you? I could use an easy meal."

[Oteka]

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[atrb=background,http://i.imm.io/6nVp.png][scrolly:h(249),w(392),sy] If Oteka could live out the rest of her life without any reflective surfaces, she would be happy. Maybe she should have chosen the desert as her choice location, but then again, she did not want to keel over dead, just never have to see herself. All in all the day had been fine, she had satiated herself and now was full enough to waddle back to her den and enjoy cover from the hot day, and she was not insect ridden. All in all, tolerable. Having gotten what she wanted however, Erena seemed fit to be tied that she was going to talk now, much to Oteka’s displeasure. ‘You know all the days could be like this if you would just give me a little leeway in how things happen between us…..It’s not bad to indulge your other half..’ The sound of other half just had Oteka’s teeth clacking together painfully. Other half..she would be stuck with this other half forever. The bad thing was Erena was a nice, gentle personality who happened to just be extraordinarily ugly in Oteka’s mind. During this mental bout with herself she noticed the shape of the vulture getting larger as he swooped down into the area and Erena’s scream of panic was evident as it made her eyes pop nearly an inch from her skull. ‘Could you possibly, for one moment entertain the thought THAT YOU ARE IN A WOLF’S BODY!’ She mentally screamed the last part into her mind. It was ridiculous that the brainless creature insisted upon being terrified of any and everything that could hurt her, not realizing Oteka’s body was a natural shield. She suddenly felt very drained and slightly nauseated and it had nothing to do with the vulture being close. The mental encounters with Erena could just be so..trying at times. Her ears perked up as he shouted down about her providing him with an easy meal and she couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose and roll her eyes. Yes, surely she looked a sight to be had. With the smell of blood, and mud, and her waddling around full of meat and other things she was sure she probably did look like a meal to be had. Instead she raised her head and shouted back, “Not unless you want to come down here and push me, then I guess it wouldn’t be such an easy meal would it?” The words were seething with venomous insult as she stared up at him. Why was it that she was surrounded by wolves who were completely graceful and had wings? This would be the second pack member she encountered that could reach into the sky and gracefully move, slicing through the updrafts, and for a long moment she watched him entranced and impressed. Before he could catch on however, she lowered her head and contemplated taking a dip in the water to rinse herself off. She decided against it and before her second half could complain she said, ‘Shut up Erena. I have already given in to your desires today just to get some peace and quiet so try to remain as such, I know it’s a lot to ask of such a pee-brained creature.’ Deciding to stay how she was was a matter of principle, and one she thought an animal such as the vulture would understand, perhaps even come to respect, if they could tolerate each other’s company for more than five minutes. She stretched out, feeling her skin tighten over her expanded belly and looked upward again. “Don’t you have anything better to do! Besides spy on everyone?” He probably didn’t, considering he was built to be the perfect scout, wings, grace, everything about him screamed scout. The only way she could hope for solitude was in her den, but she wasn’t quite ready to go there yet. She sat back on her haunches and stared up at Ratt again. He was amusing to watch, and although she could insult many aspects of him, she hadn’t thought to insult his appearance, as frankly she found him to be better off than herself. At least he could fly and get away from everyone. He brought the smell of death with him wherever he went but Oteka’s sense of smell was sophisticated enough to not truly care, after all, she probably smelled like a bloody over-sized mud bug. Perfect. Just perfect, the perfect pair of ugliness.. [/scrolly]