Private Roleplay Face the final curtain| Rhodes

E R E B US,

OH OH DEATH

actions - “speech” - thoughts

There were so many new places to explore. It almost made him feel like a cub again. Almost. The wildcat knew that the main reason he was exploring was now this was technically his territory, albeit he was sharing it with a couple canines here and there. He didn't like the thought of being buddy buddy with canines here and there, but if he wanted to no longer be lonely and establish more into his life this would probably have to be his best bet. The young male had wanted to make sure that he would be able to survive in a place like this. He had no idea how packs like this even worked, so he was going to have to hunt for himself instead of having the others hunt for him. Even at his young age, he was independent enough to know what he was going to need and where to search for it. Having already found his way toward a source of water, he knew where that was and also where the wall sprouted from the ground as well. He had a territory of his own once, but compared to the size of this territory that this pack had underneath their noses, it didn't even remotely compare to it when it came in regard to size. He wondered how many members this place even had in need for such a large place to live. Because if there weren't enough members, it would be extremely hard to keep enemies outside of their borders if they couldn't patrol the area quick enough. Erebus had no idea about the size of this pack since once he was accepted, he made it so that he avoided practically all contact as much as possible. Even just interacting with a couple wolves here and there made him feel uneasy, even if he did practically tower over all of them. The wildcat just wanted to know what it felt like when it came to having others around instead of being alone since he was practically a cub. If his mother saw him now, he would have no doubt in his mind that she would be slightly disappointed in him. Whether it was because he didn't know how to deal with other creatures in a non-feral manner, or if he wasn't able to make any connections with other creatures. When he had to deal with wolves, the wildcat usually had to chase them off the kills that he made. He didn't have any meaning conversations with them, he roared at them because they would have been trespassing on his territory and he was going to have none of that when his life was on the line as anything could happen to him at any moment. He needed to be careful around these creatures and be slightly independent to make sure that they weren't going to plan anything against him. Maybe if there was another sabre that he could come across he would feel a little bit more at ease, but until that happened, he would remain on alert at all times while he lived here. He didn't even know how long he was going to stay here, as he felt like staying for a long period of time was a bad idea. He wasn't sure if he wanted to get into the pack politics with these creatures.

Erebus had already explored one place, and that was the Faerie pools. Of course he had no idea what the name was, so he was just going to call it the spring. The young male wasn't about to start asking around for places that he was exploring, as he knew that if he was going to ask around, it was going to require interaction with another creature that he would much rather not have to deal with right now. His head was just starting to get cleared of his anxiety, and that's all he could ask for right now. When he had first entered through the wall of the territory, he had noticed something towering over the trees. In fear that was the place where everyone congregated, Erebus had avoided it entirely, sticking to the thickest parts of the forest, making it easier for his dark hued pelt to blend into the shadows as such. The sabre soon came across a strange area of the forest that seemed to be incredibly old from the rest of the trees that he had seen before. The wildcat didn't know about it, but he had stumbled into the the Gasping Woods. Growing up in a forested area meant that he didn't feel strange among trees, and would prefer it rather being in the plains such as the Lowlands. His pelt was made to practically hide in the shadows, and even then his size prevented him from chasing down prey for long distances, so he had no choice but to ambush his prey, or hope that it eventually trips. As he walks through the forest though, Erebus can hear the wind picking up through the canopies. And while he is walking, he suddenly feels the ground underneath his large paws suddenly begin to move. The beast sucks in a breath as he leaps away from the spot that he had been standing in a panic. The hell was that? His red-orange eyes began to scan around, and look at the ground for any evidence. Soon he started to notice that the ground itself, seemed to be moving as if it was breathing. He could feel his breath catch in his throat, and his body now tense he turned himself around and immediately began to trot away from this place, already feeling uneasy about this place. His ears were pinned against his head, until he reached the base of the dilapidated castle, where he immediately leaped up onto one of the stones to avoid standing on the ground where the ground seemed to be breathing. Now, he sat himself down and caught his breath, his claws scraping the stone that he was sitting on. Where the hell was he now?

ooc

RHODES
I KNOW YOU'RE TRYING -- TO FIGHT WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE FLYING

In the grand scheme of things, she prefered the quiet.

Rhodes enjoyed quiet moments, however, this was not the silence she would have chose. She prefered the company of her family to this loneliness. Yet they had all withdrawn from her one way or another: Her single father, Nathan, was often busy with his duties and adult life, no longer able to keep up with his pups constantly (they were more than old enough to be on their own for the most part.); Her reclusive sister, Emarose, who sought company elsewhere; and worst of all her wayward brother, Christopher, gone without explanation... If anyone knew his fate they would not tell her. Perhaps they simply did not wish to trouble her soft heart with such things. She was sheltered by ignorance of the distant red land that had led her family to vexation and valor alike. A dull sense of melancholy had crept over the yearling as she ventured deep into the Gasping Woods.

What was she looking for? She wasn’t even sure.

A bit of her hoped to find her quirky little brother somewhere in those trees. That he might pop from beneath the shifting soil and yell ‘Surprise! It was all a disappearing act!’ and she’d scream and jump startled and then laugh and shake her head. Another bit of her, the smarter and more insightful piece knew he was not there - the magician’s act was not that good. She gave a long sigh. One that spoke of a weariness beyond any that should take her young frame. She missed them. She missed everyone.

She passed a small sprig of wildflowers, bending her head down to take the delicate spray of pink blooms between her teeth almost pensively as she passed. Something pretty to distract her mind.

Rhodes crept through the Gasping Wood on long stilted legs. Her steps quiet and delicate - she moved more like a young fawn than a wolf. Timid motions carried the piebald girl deep into the woods. Her lopsided ears perked at a sudden sound - a rhythmic gasping of breath. For a moment, she considered that the forest itself had given the sound... that the name was more literal than she first thought. That the ground had heaved a breath of shock like her father when she stepped on his tail. When she spotted the true source of the sound, her reddish-orange eyes widened and she gave a startled squeak of alarm.

He was HUGE.

The sabre who perched on the rocks at the foot of the dilapidated tower was one of the largest creatures Rhodes had ever seen. To be fair, she had a very limited scope of such things - she was young and had no memory of the land outside Gemini’s territory. She had seen Fringe Dires who were certainly quiet large, but the sabre cat dwarfed even the biggest Fringe Dire by a fair margin. Rhodes herself was tiny in comparison. The lanky piebald yearling stood at just over half his height and well under a fifth his weight. She shook like a leaf caught in a stiff breeze. The big wildcat was breathing heavily, as if from fright or exertion, she wasn’t sure which. She hoped the latter, it gave her a better chance to get away should he prove hostile.

“I d-didn’t... uhm...I...” She sputtered, trying to find the words was like trying to find purchase on ice.“I d-didn’t...mean t-to startle you.” She shrinks down as she tries to speak, somehow managing to look even smaller and more pathetic. Rhodes could be described many ways, but no one in their right mind would call her brave. When faced with a massive unfamiliar predator, she balked hard - no matter the fact that the sabre didn’t look much older than she was.

Rhodes opened her mouth and closed it wordlessly a couple times before managing to choke out, “Y-you’re...not going t-to eat me, are you?”

She regretted saying it once she did. If he were friendly he’d likely take it as an insult... if he were aggressive, what did she expect? A nice nod and a head start? No! That was stupid! Stupid Rhodes! She should be running already if that was the case.The pair likely would look rather comical to a passerby, both of them startled and anxious. Ears pinned back and stance wide, canine and feline claws alike scrabbling for purchase on stone and loam. The pink wildflower lay at her feet, dropped in her alarm and now forgotten.