Life with Koda: Cont'd

[Kadzait]

OOC: Amigos! I'm back from my trip! It was tons of fun! Tower of Terror was fun but scary! Sheer black drops! eee! hehe! And of course, I went on Pirates of the Caribbean at least 10 times!!! And I went to a Brother Bear show and got to meet Koda and Kenai!! (pictures coming soon!)

Anywho, I'm back, so I will again be roleplaying, but I just realized I will be gone again next week at camp. Never fear, I have a reason for my character to leave and return again.

By the way, welcome, Talist, my friend, glad you joined us! And welcome others who have joined us, forgive me if I get your names wrong or forget you!!! Oh the shame of my forgetfulness! Hehe! Anywho, welcome TT2 and Sioul! I am sorry if I forgot to welcome anyone! I was skimming last weeks posts, so I may have missed someone…forgive me!

Okay, I think I'm going to roleplay now!


BIC: My mind was all a daze. What had happened the past few hours had left my mind a blur, though I still remembered it quite clearly. I limped along now, a huge gash in my side slowing me, along with numerous others all over my being. It seemed I had been on my own during the whole fight, and half the wounds in me were inflicted not by the opposing pack, but by my own former pack. I stumbled over a rock, but managed to keep my balance. I had to make it back to my friends, I had to lay down, but not here, not alone.

Lucky for me, the crow who had brought me the news had followed, and he had indeed been helpful, and he had lingered behind, to bring me any news. He had also helped me out of a few scrapes back there. I stumbled again, this time falling on the ground, my chest heaving. However, I managed to push my shaky form back to a standing position, and I continued to hobble along, bleeding pretty badly. I heard voices up ahead, and I hoped I was back among my friends. My eyesight was growing blurry from loss of blood, and my head was dizzy. I peeked through the bushes, I figured I was in the wrong place, for I was sure I saw two wolves, when I know for a fact I had left when there was only Sila. But then I notice others whom I recognize, yet they begin to grow fuzzy in my vision. I stumble forward, coming near Sila and the new wolf yet still a distance away, and I collapse, and I am unable to get up.

“Sila…..” I call out weakly, trying to grab her or the other wolf’s attention. My muscles were quivering, and fear clutched my heart. I didn’t want to be alone here.

OOC: Gee whiz!! Talk about dramatic! Anywho, that is my returning post! I will check back later!

[Talist]

OOC: Rah for the return of Kadzait! Thanks for the welcome, my friend, sounds like you had a fantastic time on your trip!

BIC:

I follow the glorious patterns of light--the light of the aurora--as they sweep across the skies in a display unmatched by anything I’d ever seen before. It is curious to find myself accepted into such a gathering, where the stories bring mostly laughter, and such a backdrop…

The bears begin to go their separate ways as the light fades, and I listen to the low murmur of farewells. I wonder what sort of place Sila has made for herself here. What would I face in the new day? Noticing signs of weariness pricking at my consciousness I wish her good rest, then curl up, wrapping my tail over my muzzle, comforted as my breath filters through the soft fur. Though darkness comes over my mind, I know that some part of me will remain aware all through the night. Survival has not been lightly won.

OOC: Getting to the reaction, Kadzait, never fear. Meh.

[Chasca]

OOC: Welcome back Kadzait! Wow...it sounds like you had a great time! Heh...lucky! It all sounds really awesome.

BIC:

I rarely ever lose consciousness when I rest. I doubt anyone does often, except those lucky ones who have lived a secure life. No, not lucky...naive. As the shadowed stream of images and past events crosses my mind in a seemingly quick slumber, my eyes slowly open, and I blink a few times to clear up the blurriness. My ears perk up, the fur on my neck bristles. I look around warily; something seems off. I notice that Nikiski and Ken’ichi have left. Ah well...it doesn’t seem like that’s what’s wrong anyway. I can’t quite place it down.

I notice a few others have awoken...but it’s still quite early in the morning.

“Sila...”

I hear the weak call. Like a raspy whisper...like dead leaves on ice. Looking around almost frantically, my eyes land on the collapsed form of Kadzait. “Kadzait!” I say in shocked concern, already running to him without thought of waking up Talist. That thought crosses my mind though, when I see his body is littered with cuts and gashes, a particularly nasty one on his side. “Oh...let me get some other help...” I say quickly, the matter too important to ask him conversational questions before so. I look in Talist’s direction, yelling, “Talist!” hoping that she will come to help.

I turn back to Kadzait and say, “That’s pretty bad...but I think you’ll be okay.”

I really want to ask him what happened, to have him tell me so I can go and return whoever did this to him the favor. But, I realize that there are more important matters at stake...him. Besides, he probably couldn’t answer me in the condition he’s in anyway. “Oh...how are we going to do this?” I whisper worriedly to myself. Then Nikiski’s crystal comes to mind. I start to feel better, but then I realize...where is Nikiski? Unless he comes back, or the lights happen to lift him up as well...then I don’t know how I’m, or we’re if Talist helps, going to do this.

[Talist]

Before first light, my attention is caught by a shuffling, crackling noise. This cannot be Nikiski. I can hear him some distance away, calling for Ken'ichi, something is wrong. Coming to alertness in a rush, my hackles rise, my muscles tense in readiness to spring. The scent of blood. It takes only the image of the wolf coming to view, stumbling under the pain of many injuries, struggling not to succumb, to bring back the full impact of memory, and for a long moment, I am overwhelmed by horror, hearing again the voices of my friends twisted in rage and despair.

[Nikiski]

OOC~ Welcome welcome welcome back Kadzait! Souvenirs? XDD

BIC~
I am still trying to find Ken'ichi, when I hear someone call me.

"Nikiski!"

Is that Ken'i'chi? Noo, wait, that's a female voice... can't be Ken'ichi.

"Nikiski!"

Wait a-. That sounds like Sila. Is there something wrong? I quickly run to where the sound comes from. I am surprised by what I see.

I am grateful to see Kadzait back with us, but certainly not in THIS condition. How can I help...?

"Sila, what happened?"

Sila doesn't know. How can I help... oh wait... the crystal! I hold out the crystal that's around my neck, and I put it on Kadzait's wounds. The wounds heal instantly just as I expect.

"Let's move him to somewhere close to the river."

I put Kadzait on my back and we pad towards the river. I am still concerned about Ken'ichi. What can I do..?

[Kadzait]

I lay there, my chest heaving, every breath an effort. I hope that Sila or the other wolf has heard my weak cry, because I have no strength to call out again. My head is spinning, when I hear someone padding toward me. I hear a gasp, and crane my neck to see Sila, extremely fuzzy in my blurred vision. She sounds frantic, though I can't make out what she's saying, the whole forest is starting to spin. I shudder, the pain intense in my side and other places. I hear a giant pad of footsteps, and Nikiski comes into view. He too looks around frantically, then reaches around his neck, pulling out somthing. Things become intensly blurrier (OOC: is that a word?!?) BIC: and I can no longer see, and I feel I have blacked out. Yet now I can no longer feel my wounds or cuts, and I wonder to myself, have I died? I feel some motion, almost as if my body is being lifted, but I no longer have any sense to think. I feel my body being lowered again, and I can smell the water, yet I have no strength to rise.

OOC: Thanks for the welcome back! Hmm....souveniers....I'll scan in the cool picture I bought of Brother Bear to show you all! Hope it works! I'll do that later, right now I'm helping with my little sister's birthday party. We have to get everything ready for tomorrow! Talist knows, I'm painting a giant picture of Blue from Blue's Clues for the beanbag toss! grr...dumb paint! ah well!

[Chasca]

"It's so good you came as soon as you did..." I say quietly as Nikiski carries Kadzait near the river on his back. As the shock wears away and I can think on other things, I notice for the first time that Ken'ichi wasn't with him when he came back.

"Uhm...where's Ken'ichi?" I ask, hoping he'll say something like 'Oh he just went for a walk' or something along those lines. By then we reach the river, and when Kadzait is laid back down I glance down at him. He's not in any danger now, but he must be worn out. I know I would be.

[Nikiski]

I remember that I suppose to look for Ken'ichi! Aah, great, where is he now?

"Ooh, have you guys seen Ken'ichi? Yea? No?"

Apparently nobody have seen Ken'ichi.

"Uum, sorry, but I gotta go find him..."

I know it is rude, but I cannot just forget about Ken'ichi...

I walk deeper into the forest.

[Kadzait]

I feel my senses start to return to me, and I slowly open my eyes. It seems I am near the river, and the cool mud beneath me has dulled my pain.....or has it? I lift my head up slowly, still a tad dizzy, and look at my body. It seems I am no longer bleeding, or even hurt, though I do have some scars. I put out my paws in front of me, and shakily rise up, looking around. I see Nikiski running off, and I have no clue where, then I see Sila, and the other she-wolf I had seen near Sila before. I look at myself incredulously. Hadn't I just been at death's door? What had happened? I felt my strength returning, though not to it's fullest, not yet. I turned to Sila, rising up on all fours.

"Sila....what just happened? Am I dead?" I ask, still looking around. I see the new wolf. Oy, where are my manners? I sigh. Probably back where they were knocked out of me by those fierce blows. I do my best to bow low.

"Hello, I'm Kadzait." I introduce myself to her. A pang in my side leads me to believe my wound has errupted again, but as I wince and look, all I see is a scar. Curious, I thought, what is going on?

OOC: if you are curious, it's kinda like Frodo in Lord of the Rings, when he can still feel the blade that pierced him, and also Shelob's bite, many years later, even though it's healed. That' s kinda what it's like.

[Nikiski]

I keep searching for Ken'ichi. I walk deeper and deeper into the forest, and my nose picks up the scent of... humans!

'Uh-oh, that can't be good.' I slowly turn around to go back... but that is half a second late already. The hunters have spotted me, I have no choice but to run.

[Talist]

OOC: Rar, what I really need is speed. Ah, well.

BIC:

"I'm here," I tell Sila evenly. Seeing her turn for help, I'd forced my feelings down, stung for an instant that it had taken me so long to respond, but brushed that off, there was no place for that now, and instead bounded to her side. I looked for any sort of perception in the wolf’s blurry gaze…there. In a reassuring instant, his eyes locked on mine. This wolf was a fighter; he would not give up easily. “Kadzait, is it? You’re in the care of friends; we’ll do everything we can to help.”

There was a danger that the wolf would suffer not only from loss of blood, but from shock, and I cast about for some means of prevention. Time seemed to drag unbearably slowly, so that every motion seemed to take an age. I turned toward the river, hearing as if from a distance, Sila’s voice, calling out for Nikiski. Meanwhile, I dug about the bank to loose a large mound of clay, if I could bring it to Kadzait, we could use it to stop the bleeding. As it turned out, my efforts there were unnecessary. Hearing the heavy tread of an approaching bear, I look up in time to watch, in disbelief, Nikiski’s expression of worry clear as he grasps a crystal hanging from his neck, and brings it close to Kadzait. The wounds simply vanish. And then, as if feats like this were commonplace, he shoulders the wolf’s limp form, bears it to the river, and returns to his earlier task. I stand there in the river for some moments longer, rather taken aback. Had I just witnessed a gift from the spirits? It seemed to be the only way to explain it. I look to Sila, but she seems to have turned her concern to Ken’ichi’s absence.

When the wolf stands, I smile, bemused, and laugh softly when he attempts what is unmistakably a bow. “No, please, I’ve no worry about your politeness, Kadzait, I am amazed to see you so well recovered already. My name is Talist." I return his gracious gesture. "Though you've been granted a most remarkable healing, perhaps I can still help you return to strength in what small way I can."

[Kadzait]

The wolf introduces herself as Talist, and I dip my head again.

"Pleasure to meet you Talist, not sure this is how I would have like to have met you at first, but it's a pleasure anyhow." I feel a bit awkward, having lost conciousness in front of them, and I feel almost a bit embarrased. But, no matter now, things seemed to be shaping up, and whatever the heck had happened to me back there, it seemed I wasn't dead, but somehow miraculously healed, save for the slightly twinging pain in my side. Talist offers to help in any way she can to help me heal back to full strength. Now I feel silly, having to be offered help to get back my stamina. I shake it off.

"So, Talist..." I start, not really knowing what to say, "You new around these parts?" I look to her, hoping she wouldn't think the less of me for having appeared so weak.

[Talist]

I privately wince. I couldn’t decide if it was because I’d been on my own too long, or if lingering feelings had clouded my insight, but now I’d managed to injure Kadzait’s pride. Not the best way to begin an introduction. It is difficult for anyone to accept help readily, and with a quick glance over his form, my first impression is confirmed--this is a wolf not only with great willpower, but with stength to match. His injuries, it seemed, had come from many attackers, and I wonder what had brought him to such a pass. Shaking my head slightly to clear away my own sense of inadequacy, (That, I realized, had been the reason for my less than thoughtful offer) I take up the change in conversation with a warm, though serious, smile.

“I’ve been traveling steadily for some time now. Just last night I had the most pleasant chance to meet some of your friends, who invited me to join in their storytelling. I only wish you could have been with us. The cubs are charming, but I am indebted to Sila here, who was daring enough to take a chance with a stranger, and considerate enough to make sure I felt welcome.”

[Nikiski]

I keep running back towards the salmon run... WAIT! I can't do that! I'll put the rest of the bears and my friends in danger.

I make a decision. I stop and turn around, facing the hunters. I yelled.

"Go away!"

I charge and fight against the hunters, too bad for them.

I run towards a tree, a hunter chases behind me, throwing the spear at me. I lower my head and the spear is stuck in the tree.

Another hunter comes behind me, grabing my neck, I stand up, swing around and the hunter is freaked out or something.

They retreat, and I continue my search for Ken'ichi.

=== After a while ===

I've been searching for Ken'ichi for a while now, I am tired and want to give up... but when I am close to my cave, my nose picks up a familiar scent: Ken'ichi! I run towards the source of the scent. I can't find Ken'ichi anywhere but I find slash marks. They look like the size of a bear cub just like Ken'ichi. They are also an evident to me that Ken'ichi is not too far away...

[Kadzait]

It seems I have made Talist uncomfortable by my selfish actions of worrying about my pride, and I feel bad for having done so. She tells me about how she had been traveling, and how she had met up with Sila and the bears, glad they welcomed her. I grin at her.

"Well, it's very good to meet another wolf....well, a kind wolf at that, and both you and Sila are both very kind. I haven't been around very many decent wolves in my recent past.....in the last couple of hours actually..." I wince. Did I actually let that slip from my mouth? Foolish Kadzait! I thought. I shake my head, acting like it was nothing, and I continue on. I knew I would have to share what happened sooner or later, and I know they are going to ask. I turn back to Talist. "Thank you for your kind help, I appreciate your willingness to be a kind friend." I smile.