Backtracking to a New Land [Nehsmay, Seliarus, Nadala]

[Nidassasyae]

Winter 30 Nidassasyae sped down the road, looking at the familiar forest warily. They'd stayed in Zeltiva longer than planned, but that wasn't what had worried her. The last time she'd been in these woods, dire wolves had threatened the trio, wounding all of them. The gash in her stomach, a present from the wolves, was healing nicely, but it ached from remembered pain as she reflected on the past. She wasn't about to let that happen again. The Talderan Leopard and her Bondmate would have made an odd sight. She didn't know if Seliarus sat in the saddle, or rested in his snake form in the saddlebags. Nida was way too new to this 'riding' business to judge. As she ran, Nida noticed something quite odd. There was a small shelter by the roadside. There was no sign of recent habitation, and she could not find the scents of the owner. Little did she know, the Travel Shelter was meant for any who came across it. But she shrugged it off, simply running past it. It was not yet time to camp, since it was still late morning. The idea of someone building a shelter for anyone to use was so outlandish to Nida, that the thought never occurred to her. But she'd surely pay more heed to the next one, twenty miles later. Figuring that out was going to give her a headache. They were heading north, up towards Syliras. From there, Nida knew the plan to be that they would follow the Kabrin road south. Everyday, it seemed, the plan was to go farther and farther south. Farther and farther away from the ice and snow of the north. The leopard let out a yearning little chuff, picturing how Taldera would look right about now. It would be as it always was, covered in snow. But she had given Nehsmay a promise. And Nida was determined to keep it. Where the Vantha went, so did she.

[Nehsmay]

A tall, silver Frostmarch galloped next to the Talderan Leopard clearly enjoying himself in the white snow. He was born to withstand the harsh weather of Taldera and trained to listen to his mistress' commands and that was what he was doing. When she had mentioned leaving the city by the sea and heading to another place she conformed and allowed her to pu the bags on his saddle. Now he sped down the road wondering what curious city they would arrive in this time. The wilderness did not frighten the horse; in his simple mind he knew they had passed through the same places before and came out in one piece so there was nothing to fear this time. His rider, a petite Vanthan woman was more worried than her companion, her eyes continuously changing color from their natural crimson to shades of blue and green. A part of her was telling Nehsmay that it was normal to feel apprehension when several weeks ago they had been attacked by dire wolves, while the second part of her told her she was being foolish. Not one sound can be heard in the woods so no predator was approaching them. Still cautiousness never killed anyone and Nehsmay couldn't help glancing left and right. As they passed by the shelter, the Vantha couldn't help wondering whether there were more shelters like that one; they would be tremendously helpful to traveler who didn't have the necessary items to make a shelter or that were caught by a blizzard or a storm. They too might need such a shelter like that though Nehsmay prayed it didn't come to that. Looking around her at the snow that glittered in the winter sun Nehsmay couldn't help sighing. It wasn't her snow; the permanent never melting snow of Avanthal was far behind them in the north, so were her mother's apple pies and the cider she made, the stories told round the fire and her siblings' constant chatter. She had chosen to distance herself from all that for a period of time, but sometimes she felt homesick. Shade rode forward, back to Syliras and then south; he knew not where the path took him, but it was clear his mistress wanted to go there so the Frostmarch did his job and rode as fast as he could.

[Seliarus]

The Dhani was no where to be seen. As the two girls traveled across the now snow covered lands. His clothes, however, were tied together, and resting in one of the saddle-bags. However, that did not mean that he wasn't with them. Sel was resting, curled into a ball, and covered with a blanket, in one of the saddle bags. Kind of cuddling with the blanket so he would get some heat from it. Sure, he would be around eight feet tall, if stretched, but the ball he was in wasn't so long. Besides, he wouldn't even want to stretch around. Every day, the temperature went colder and colder. He felt tired almost all the time. The Dhani disliked the cold, yet, here he was, exploring new lands, in the middle of winter. When they started, he wasn't really used on the violent shaking his Bond-mate would make. The constant four tact 'Thudthud, thud-thud" made him a little dis comfortable at first. But, he got used on it after a while, keeping wrapped in the blanket, so his skin wouldn't rub against the saddle-bags. His skin was delicate, after all. He did not want to shred it to pieces. He wouldn't know what was happening outside. He saw nothing but black around him. There might be enough air for him to breath, but he did not see anything. He probably wasn't missing anything. As he could gather from the paws that were running beneath him, he could hear the snow. Meaning, it was cold outside. Would he like to see what is happening? No, he'd much rather keep in the bag. Sel would be starting to get used on the bond now, seeing it as more than just a word. From time to time, he'd sent a message trough it, towards Nida, asking if there is anything outside, or anything new. Other than that, he would simply rest there.

[Nadala]

Nadala had been running, it was the only way she could keep warm. Is was times like these that the cheetah was thankful for her unusually high body temperature and when she ran, those numbers leaped up. Her temperature often jumped so high that Nadala had to stop for a moment and let it go down, lest the strain on her body be too much for the cheetah. Traveling in her human form, she found, had it's advantages and disadvantages. She could, of course, wear much more clothing to keep warm. However, it also meant that her body temperature was lower, and didn't rise as much while in motion. Her pack was strapped around her neck and stomach, the only way she could carry the thing without it getting in the way of her movement. If it hadn't been winter the kelvic would probably not bothered to carry around anything at all, there wasn't really a point in any of it other than to keep warm and stay alive. Speaking of staying alive, Nadala was hungry. She hadn't eaten since the morning and was beginning to feel that gnawing pain in her stomach. But she couldn't stop, stopping meant freezing. The cheetah wasn't sure what to do, she could either freeze to death or starve. Then, a bit ahead of her, the snow moved. See, that's a problem because snow tends to not move on its own. Her feline eyes focused on the white movement and glee sprang in her heart as she identified it as a hare. She might have described it as a chase if it hadn't been done so quickly. Her lithe legs pushed for forward with extreme speed, in three seconds she reached speeds no horse could hope of reaching and soon after her fangs had sunk into the white fluffy critter. But she heard movement, and as was her nature, the cheetah dragged her kill off the road, leaving the snow slightly stained, and waited in the cover of the forest until the threat had passed. What she saw, however, was nowhere near what she'd expected. Staying somewhat low to the ground, as low as she could get without letting her stomach touch the cold of the snow, her golden eyes peeked out from behind the bushes and she watched as the strangers walked the same road she'd walked. A leopard, huge in size, larger than any she'd ever seen passed beside a woman and her steed. The feline reminded Nadala of the Myrian tigers she'd so often conversed with during her stay in Taloba. Oh, she missed Taloba with its warmth and its dense jungles, no more endless snow she couldn't handle it anymore. But something was off, the leopard smelled strange. Surely it was not just a leopard, Nadala was usually able to smell the difference between an animal and a kelvic. That made it an even curiouser scenario. Was the woman the leopard's bondmate? Must be, she rarely saw a kelvic traveling with a human who it was not bonded to. Curiosity might have killed the cat but Nadala wanted to see what it would do to the cheetah. And so after waiting for the couple to ride passed her, the cheetah finished her meal and set off after them, trying to stay a distance behind them. Where are they going? she wondered, I hope it's somewhere warmer than here. oocI didn't want to kill the format since you guys seem to have the whole frame/colors/picture-thing planned out haha.

[Nidassasyae]

As the leopard hurried down the road, she caught the faint scent of blood. Her nose twitched, and her stomach made a small growl. Though she had eaten, the amount was only enough to satisfy a small human, and not anywhere near enough for a dire leopard. Still, she did not complain. Perhaps tonight, if she had enough energy, she would be able to hunt. But even that meat would be brought back to the group, cut up, and shared. Nida didn't mind feeding her friends, but her stomach was starting to tell her otherwise. As they passed, the leopard noticed a small bloodstain in the path. Yes, the seemingly quiet woods were teeming with life. Both predator and prey dwelt in relative silence here, but that didn't mean they weren't there. The bloodstain a testament to that fact. With protectiveness bordering on paranoia, the Kelvic watched her surroundings carefully. There seemed to be nothing amiss, but out here in the wild, that could quickly change. Though she was comfortable in the snow, the terrain was still foreign to her. This was no rocky wasteland, there were no cliffs and dens from which she could observe her prey. This was thick forrest, and the underbrush seemed to conceal all sorts of secrets. Though she could not see Nadala, nor recognise the scent, Nida wasn't that stupid that she didn't know that there was a predator near. Rash, stubborn, and blunt yes, but not stupid. Sel would probably be able to feel her unease and wariness through the Bond, but those emotions would have been more commonplace of late. This territory was unfamiliar, and thus posed a signifigant threat. Anyone who had anything worth guarding would surely be kept on their toes in a place like this. Doubly so for Nida. She hadn't liked the feeling of paranoia at first, but was gradualy growing used to it. As a loyal animal, her 'two-leggers' came first, and she'd be damned if anything happened to them. It might be strange and odd to some, but the thought of anything else never occured to Nida. There was once a time when she loved the wilds. Now she distrusted them. As before, the Kelvic would simply run until Nehsmay told her to stop. That was how it was, and how she prefered it to be. Let the two-leggers decide the pace, she thought to herself. They know what they're doing.

[Nehsmay]

As a sudden chilly wind started blowing through the trees, Nehsmay huddled in her saddle, wrapping herself in the crimson cloak she wore. Shade was still galloping madly over the land, but he was getting tired and Nehsmay could sense that acutely. They needed to rest soon as she believed her friends desired a break as well. Glancing at Nida she found the dire leopard running like there was no tomorrow. Perhaps the ominous feelings that attacked Nehsmay attacked her friends as well as they traveled through the woods. Guiding Shade in a slow canter the Vantha raised her voice over the wind and asked. "Would you like to make a stop? Shade is getting tired and I don't know how much longer he can keep it up at this pace. How about stopping to eat something and renew our strength?"

[Seliarus]

OOC: Short one. No idea what to add.

Sel, completely oblivious from the outside happening, slowly drifted away into a slumber. The warmth of the blanket, that was embracing him, was simply too nice to ignore. Maybe he should of been there, awaken, and supporting his Bondmate on the travel, but, there was one thing that was keeping him away from that. The outside cold. He could of easily simply hibernate for a couple of weeks if he wouldn't be careful.

[Nadala]

She'd planned on eating first and following later but at the speed the group was traveling at Nadala was afraid they'd make a turn or something before she had a chance to see. So with a white furry mass hanging from her mouth, firmly gripped by her fangs, the cheetah went off behind them. The ground was cold, she'd be thankful for when her feet touched something that wasn't at least part frozen. She wasn't one for the cold, which often brought up the question of why she'd stayed in this wretched northern place so long. It wasn't even that far north though... but for one who was so used to the Talobian weather which dictated that no matter what time of year it was it would always be warm, well this was north enough. Both the horse and the leopard seemed to be slowing down, possibly to a stop. Nadala steered herself to the right, staying close to the foliage where she might have some cover as opposed to the middle of the road. She put her rabbit down and continued to eat, watching intently. The dire animal was of such great proportions, great power. For a second Nadala pondered the marvelous things she could do with its bones, but quickly she shed the thoughts. She was a fraction of the creature's size, it was extremely unlikely that she would win against it in a fight and nor did she want to. She was cold, she was getting tired and lately she found that she'd been less and less aggressive. Must be the cold, forces a false sense of hibernation.... except I don't hibernate. Useless weather! She'd slipped into the bushes again and continued to near the group, Nadala had never seen a dire feline roaming free, especially not one of kelvic blood. Why did the woman not ride the kelvic? If she possessed such size Nadala would surely even prefer for her bondmate to ride upon her back than that of a horse. Nadala walked as the others moved on the road, parallel to them though behind the presence of bushes and trees, her little flaxen head peering out every once in a while.

[Nidassasyae]

The Kelvic nodded her head, the only communication she had with Nehsmay in this shape was an odd form of sign language. Nods, shakes of her head, hisses, these were what their communication was composed of. Well, it wasn't like Nida had very many complicated things to say to Nehsmay. Oh, there were things that she longed to ask the Vantha. Questions that she wanted answered, but Nida simply didn't know how to ask them, or if her friend would know the answer. In any case, it was Nehmay's question that needed answering at the moment. The trio walked over to the side of the road, stopping for a bit to rest and recover their strength. It would take too much out of Nida for her to shift and eat something, and hunting was clearly out of the question. It could take hours to catch something, hours that they simply did not have. Instead, she sat down in the snow, perfectly comfortable in the cold. After all, cold such as this had nothing on the North, where your blood could freeze in your veins, and the snowdrifts whispered promises of a comfortable eternal sleep. Nida had situated herself carefully, making sure that she didn't squash the saddlebag that Seliarus was currently resting in. The Leopard curled herself around the bag in question, warming it with her giant furred body, knowing how her Bondmate hated the cold. To an observed, this action might have seemed strange, but Nida supposed that Nehsmay would understand. After all, the Vantha knew about them. She would take her respite in silence, unless Nehsmay decided to have a bit of a one-way conversation with her. Seliarus was currently a snake, and the Kelvic didn't speak snake, nor horse. So that left only one person to have a conversation with. Nida still wasn't too sure about Shade, who looked more like a meal than a friend, but she respected the great power in the horse's hooves, and the fact that he was Nehsmay's. As long as he belonged to the Vantha, Nida had no intention of hurting the horse, though she didn't trust it completely. Her thoughts launched back to when Nehsmay rescued her from the snow, offering her a ride on Shade. Of course, she had declined, riding seemed like such a silly notion. Nida wondered if Seliarus thought the same, though her body was much more different than a horse's, the same concept applied. She simply rested there, her head on her paws, watching the road warily. She could scent the smell of blood, but it was not that strong. A small kill, possibly. Or perhaps a wounded animal? No, a wounded animal would be making much more noise. It was certainly someone's dead and bloody lunch that she could smell. Nida's slitted blue eyes kept a careful watch. But she did not spy the cheetah, not yet. The other feline's skills were too high for Nida to catch a glimpse.

[Nehsmay]

Nehsmay grabbed Shade's reins tight and skidded him to a halt. The horse neighed thankfully and waited patiently for his mistress to dismount. He was tired as well so a bit of resting and some food would do wonders for the Talderan horse. As soon as Nehsmay got off, he awkwardly shook his limbs as if trying to see if they're still working properly and closed his eyes in relief. The Vanthat on the other hand threw herself in the snow and remained like that for a few moments. She probably looked silly in the eyes of her Kelvic friend and she would probably get cold soon, but she needed to feel something else than the wind blowing in her face and the cold, wet snow was the perfect alternative. She sighed and got up, shaking the snow out of her hair. She glanced at her friend who was wrapped protectively around the backpack where Sel rested. It seemed everything was ok and there was no need to panick, yet Nehsmay could not shake the ominous feeling away. "Anything in particular you'd like to talk about?" Nehsmay laughed and asked Nida. Their conversation would most likely seem incredibly weird, but Nehsmay felt the need to talk, to tell a tale, to sing, anything that involved chasing the stillness of the woods away."