Arrival (Closed)

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((And she reaches her destination. You were wondering, huh? XD I know it's pretty much me and Meesh that have access to this place, but I wanted River to see it before it was too late.))

River had taken the time to explore several lands, all the way from the blue plain to here. She encountered a barren waste, a seemingly endless desert, and an eternal furnace. During that time, she felt as though she’d never encounter another fertile land that she hadn’t yet seen.

But here…

Here wasn’t half bad.

Granted, it still wasn’t the blue plain. It was a cave in a hill, and plant life as she knew it was scarce. However, the pool had its own beauty. It didn’t need lushness to be awe-inspiring. The glowing of the creatures within was mesmerizing, and she couldn’t help but feel safe and at peace. This place was something special. She didn’t know what, exactly, but that was what her instincts told her.

She padded to the water and took a drink, trying to catch one of the eels swimming around as she quenched her thirst. She wasn’t successful, but – somehow – that didn’t matter. When she was truly hungry, maybe she’d try again. Maybe she’d even bring some back with her so Ebony and Kayalee could try the meat. They’d never be able to reach this place on their own. It was too…enclosed for them.

River sat and yawned, contenting herself with watching the bobbing of the glowing creatures. It was beautiful and soothing…and making her a little sleepy.

[Meesh]

Traveling here had been tough. It had taken days of travel, through which he had gone through the most beautiful cliffs and estuaries he had ever seen, as well as struggled for his life through the swamped bogs, only the trees keeping him from getting lost completely. He had learned a lot too, how to pace his stride so he knew how far he had walked in a day, how to navigate using only the stars at night, how to sleep while shoulder-high in mud. It had been an exhausting few weeks, but it was worth it, to learn and to explore.

And suddenly, he was not alone. It had been days since Ebony had scented another canine or feline, but here, at last, another scent graced his nose, one that made him start with surprise. It was River, the very feline that had inspired him to begin his exploration in the first place.

It had taken a few days more to track her scent, but finally, it brought Ebony here, to a beautiful underground spring, eels sliding through the water with an ethereal grace.

He hated for his voice to disturb the serenity of the place, yet Shadow called softly "River?"

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Another yawn was interrupted as a voice called out to her. She looked around, not immediately spotting the mix due to his dark coloring with stripes that could easily be crevices in rock. She might not have thought it belonging to any physical creature, except that it sounded familiar. She stood and looked around, catching a glint of crimson in the darkness.

She knew that stare.

River padded to the mix, nodding to him. “Figures we’d find each other here.” She purred. “I hope your journey wasn’t as dry and desolate as mine, though the view here certainly is worth it.”

[Meesh]

Shadow purred, his expectations confirmed by the appearance of the black-and-white River. "I thought I recognized your scent" he replied, padding forward to touch muzzles briefly with the bigger feline. "My journey was....tough...but manageable." his eyes glittered with memory of those beautiful cliffs. "The views were amazing, very much worth it, though" he admitted, tail wagging. "There were cliffs and Estuaries...oh my gosh, amazing. Yet another reason I wouldn't want to evolve, being separated from that place as an occult would be unbearable. " Pausing, the mix asked "Tell me about your trip here?" He had only been to a few places, but he wondered what others were out there

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River purred as he went on about his trip. “I should have gone down your route. My own took me through a barren waste, a seemingly-endless stretch of sand, and…well…it was neat going through the thorn forest. More of an active volcano than anything I’ve come to know as a forest. You have to travel underground to escape the falling ash and – to some extent – the heat. In all, it was very…dry…which this body seems adapted for, anyhow.” When he mentioned an upside to not evolving, she nodded. “I can understand that, though I do still yearn to grow…and teleport. It’ll happen when it happens, if it chooses to. I’m sure there’s some land I won’t be able to visit no matter what form I take. If it’s not something full of water, it’ll be something mostly underground, like here, or something particularly harsh…” She shook her head. “Gains and losses no matter what, I suppose. I am happy that your journey went well, and that you are content as you are. It’s admirable, for anyone to accept themselves as is.”

[Meesh]

Shadow nodded his thanks "That is a heavy complement, and much appreciated, thank you" In the silence that followed, he commented idly "I am sure that this thorn forest you went through would have been too hot for my thicker coat- another upside to your current form" he nodded politely to her. "And I do admit having powers like my parents do is a tempting prospect. Ah well. I guess weather I evolve or not is up to fate" a thought occurred to him, and he turned to look at River more closely "How did you evolve the first time? And do you know anyone else who did? Are there sorts of events that trigger it?" Maybe if he found out what those were, and avoided them...it was a dim hope, but it could work

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She purred at his thanks. “Don’t mention it.” When he asked about triggers for evolution, she thought back to what she had seen. “I evolved randomly while hunting an elk…Ebony evolved shortly after dealing with that diseased orchard tree, and again…I can’t remember. Sometime while I was recovering from a snake bite. My memory’s a bit fuzzy from the time I was bitten to the time I recovered. Kayalee just showed up evolved, one day…” She shook her head. “I’m guessing there’s a chance of it happening when something significant occurs, but other than that my mind is drawing a blank. Sorry.”

[Meesh]

Shadow nodded, eyes narrowing in concentration "It seems to me" he said slowly "Evolution occurs when tension is high. You would have been filled with adrenaline if you were hunting that, elk, right? And maybe Ebony was scared for your life when he evovled after your snake bite... but I didn't know he was there with the Annab tree" Shadow's ears flattened in sympathy "Mom's told me about it, and Aunt Nerah mentioned a newborn helping her out- I guess Ebony would have been newborn at the time" It was strange, thinking that all the adults now- especially the evovled ones- could ever have been newborns like he was. "Which one was your tree? Your birth tree, that is?"

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River nodded. “That could be it. Something so life-changing would have to be triggered by some sort of need…” She blinked as it hit her – he would have been scared for her wouldn’t he? And she had caused it all due to her temper…she really needed to change, to do away with the rage and jealousy she fought constantly in regards to him and Kayalee. Maybe someday, she’d learn the trick to it. It was too late to be innocent, but maybe she could at least become the kind, caring creature she wanted to be.

She nodded when the subject was changed to the Annab tree. “We were meant to leave the orchard together, but he stayed behind…and then those two dealt with the diseased portion of the tree and he came back evolved.” She shook her head. “Not the best memory I have, though I do feel bad for that.” When he asked what her tree was, she thought for a moment, trying to remember. “It was the Kata-Hal tree. What about yours?”

[Meesh]

Shadow nodded his head in confirmation "Mine was the Kata Hal tree too" he purred in memory of the large vine-covered tree that had been as much a parent too him as Silva and Antares had. "I guess there's really only two trees we can come from, now though, with the Annab tree being so sick- shouldn't there be some sort of new tree growing, to make up for the loss" He shrugged, shaking his head. Shadow knew that no one really knew much of the power of the trees, but he sure was curious to learn of their origin. "Well, in a way, it's a good thing you didn't stay behind- I certainly wouldn't want a rotting tree to be the first thing I see in my new life"

He looked up catching the look on River's face "Is something wrong?"

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“It might still recover,” she responded. “I hope so, anyway. There have always been three live-giving trees in the orchard. I couldn’t imagine it being any other way.” She shook her head. “If it has died…maybe another one will sprout up. I imagine it’d take time, though. They’re so big…”

She nodded when he said he wouldn’t want a rotting tree to be the first thing he saw. “I suppose so. My first thing was the blue plain, and then Kayalee. That meeting gave me the life I have now, so I’m grateful. If I had stayed behind as well, I might never have met her, and then neither would Ebony, and she’d be a one-creature tribe still.”

When Shadow asked if something was wrong, she shook her head. “Sorry, no. Just me thinking too much.” She stretched. “Life hasn’t turned out the way I would have wanted, but I really am lucky.”