Post by KingHarry on Mar 27, 2018 20:57:35 GMT
Written by LupTacco
Your paws have taken you further than you ever thought they could, but now you're lost. A forest that only seems to get thicker the deeper you try to look into it greets you as the sun rises- as does a voice from above. "A pleasant morning to hunt!"
Your paws have taken you further than you ever thought they could, but now you're lost. A forest that only seems to get thicker the deeper you try to look into it greets you as the sun rises- as does a voice from above. "A pleasant morning to hunt!"
A slender, angular calico slides down the tree trunk in front of you with practiced grace. "But you aren't prey," she laughs at your mildly concerned look. "I am Frost Creeping Over the Ground, but you may call me Frost." You can hear shuffling further in the treeline- more cats? "Don't mind the home-guards. They are always skittish. But you're not here for trouble, right? Why don't I show you our home?"
A bird's eye view of the territory
(Despite the relatively close appearance of the clans, they are in truth a four/five day journey away)
An 'x-ray' view
(Despite the relatively close appearance of the clans, they are in truth a four/five day journey away)
Art by americanfacepalm
She heads into the trees, waving her tail for you to follow. You're thankful for the bright white patches in her coat- the branches above are choking out more and more sunlight as you go. "I am from the Tribe of Ancient Roots. Where the river flows," she nods to the south, "there are other cats. They live differently from us. Are you from there?" You're beginning to wonder why she keeps asking you questions and not giving you time to answer as she picks up her pace.
"Right now we're on the Thinning Path- although I suppose to you it seems more like a thickening one. We usually don't come out this far, but I can't resist a good bird chase," she waves her tail in a circle, and you look behind you. The trees around you now are much closer together than the ones out there. You feel a little claustrophobic, but Frost seems to get even more eager. "Do let me know if I'm going too fast," she tosses over her shoulder, "We'll look at my home before I show you river. I wouldn't want you to slip in before you got to see that!"
After a mildly stressful chase after her, nearly getting lost several times, you both skid to a halt at the edges of a small clearing. "We are in Deepwood now. It surrounds us every day of our lives, and stretches forever towards where the sun rises. And that," she points at a large dilapidated building of stone, "is Stonehome. It is where we are all born and where we take shelter. It is the same as any 'camp'- but I think it's much cooler." Frost winks at you. The building is covered in vines and moss, and an enormous tree springs from its side like a mushroom on a log, the sprawling roots so long that their ends are only a few pawsteps away from you already.
"Come on. You have to see the Ancient Ancestor," before you can protest, she guides you into the building, padding over cracked stone bricks to a square room with a feline-shaped carved statue in the center. "That is the stone body of our ancestor. We come here for guidance as well as the Telling- maybe you'll stay for one? They're very entertaining. Frightening too."
The Anient Ancestor
Art by Mama
The Anient Ancestor
Art by Mama
"Anyway, the river. Keep close to me for this one," she murmurs to you slyly. Once again you're off at a slightly faster pace than you're comfortable with. "Stop," you barely manage to skid to a halt as her tail rests across your front legs. What you had assumed to be a normal stream was much wider and faster up close. "Many reckless cats get lost here, but it is worth the trouble. The trees on the other side hide the best prey. We call the river Swiftwater- I think you can see why," she seems a little more solemn than before, but only a little. She walks up to a fallen log, putting her front paws on it. "Should you need to cross, there are two ways- this old tree is slippery but your best bet if it's raining as long as you remember to use your claws, and the stones up by the fall are reliable but too treacherous when the ice comes."
You both stand in silence for a bit, sniffing at the air and observing the water. She suddenly whips around to face you again. "For now you have to leave- you aren't from the tribe, after all- but perhaps the Tribe of Endless Hunting will guide your paws here again." As suddenly as you found yourself in these thick woods, you were out of them again. Frost makes sure you get to the thinnest reaches of the Thinning Path before saying goodbye, as you steel yourself for the long journey ahead. "If you are lost, follow the river- the clans say they have a river of their own- maybe they're connected."
