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In the meantime, Silvertongue went over to Swifttail, who seemed to be struggling with the tent. He leaned down, taking off his gloves and offering them to the other fox. “Here. Your paws are shaking terribly. These might help.”
Expedition [Urk Climax #1]: The Long Watch
- Thread starter Duke Talinn Ryalor
- Start date
- Influence
- 13,717.00
Swifttail gave a quiet laugh, not quite bitter, but close.
“Aye, well... I guess I’m not like most beasts in the Imperium.”
He shifted his weight slightly, glancing toward the tent flap where pale morning light filtered through the seams.
“Grew up in a place where the world didn’t care if you were brave, or strong, or clever. Iskatyut was all wind and snow and dark winters. You needed others just to survive it. We didn’t have the luxury of thinkin’ only of ourselves.”
He paused a moment, scratching lightly at the side of his muzzle.
“Seein’ what I’ve seen since leavin’... it’s just made me more certain. I want to be better. Kinder. ‘Cause if beasts out here are gonna be cruel, someone’s gotta show the kit what the other side looks like.”
His ears perked slightly at the muffled sound of Finn’s voice outside.
“He’s a good one, that kit.”
Swifttail’s tail gave a soft, slow wag.
“Never had a brother m’self. There were a few kits in my village, sure... but I always dreamed of havin’ a younger one. Someone to teach things to. Stories, skills... how to make peace with the world, even when it feels like it don’t want you.”
He smiled, though it carried a quiet, fragile sort of hope.
“I want to teach him before the VI gets to him too bad. Before he forgets what gentle looks like.”
At that, Silvertongue approached and offered him a pair of gloves. Gates, he hadn't noticed how cold his paws had gotten! Living in warmer climates the past 6 years or so sure made a beast forget about the simple comfort items in times like this!
Swifttail nodded to the Cerulean-dressed ships aide and gratefully took the gloves, wagging his tail.
"Thank ye' Silvie! See, 'eres another good beast at heart. Look past all the scum and treachery, and there are other diamonds in the rough!"
“Aye, well... I guess I’m not like most beasts in the Imperium.”
He shifted his weight slightly, glancing toward the tent flap where pale morning light filtered through the seams.
“Grew up in a place where the world didn’t care if you were brave, or strong, or clever. Iskatyut was all wind and snow and dark winters. You needed others just to survive it. We didn’t have the luxury of thinkin’ only of ourselves.”
He paused a moment, scratching lightly at the side of his muzzle.
“Seein’ what I’ve seen since leavin’... it’s just made me more certain. I want to be better. Kinder. ‘Cause if beasts out here are gonna be cruel, someone’s gotta show the kit what the other side looks like.”
His ears perked slightly at the muffled sound of Finn’s voice outside.
“He’s a good one, that kit.”
Swifttail’s tail gave a soft, slow wag.
“Never had a brother m’self. There were a few kits in my village, sure... but I always dreamed of havin’ a younger one. Someone to teach things to. Stories, skills... how to make peace with the world, even when it feels like it don’t want you.”
He smiled, though it carried a quiet, fragile sort of hope.
“I want to teach him before the VI gets to him too bad. Before he forgets what gentle looks like.”
At that, Silvertongue approached and offered him a pair of gloves. Gates, he hadn't noticed how cold his paws had gotten! Living in warmer climates the past 6 years or so sure made a beast forget about the simple comfort items in times like this!
Swifttail nodded to the Cerulean-dressed ships aide and gratefully took the gloves, wagging his tail.
"Thank ye' Silvie! See, 'eres another good beast at heart. Look past all the scum and treachery, and there are other diamonds in the rough!"
Last edited:
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Vihma let the other weasel take charge, as it were, taking up the babe and finding what it needed. Wordlessly, she saw to it that the items she requested were taken… at least until her paws were full. She looked back at Piper with an expression that would have been unreadable even if her face wasn’t masked with grey-white cloth.
“What’re we doin’, mate? Can’t carry all this ‘n still scout ahead. Certainly not with… with the shrew, there.”
She gestured toward the infant, the jar in her paw offering an additional illustration of her problem.
“What’re we doin’, mate? Can’t carry all this ‘n still scout ahead. Certainly not with… with the shrew, there.”
She gestured toward the infant, the jar in her paw offering an additional illustration of her problem.
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Piper gave Vihma a long look. "We aren't leaving an infant to die. We'll take it back to camp; the surgeon can look after it while we scout ahead."
She carried the squeaking infant back outside, cooing over it. "Aww, you're not a relentless terror yet, are you? No, you're just a hungry little thing." She looked up, then frowned as she looked around. "Where did your friend get off to?"
~ ~ ~
As Greeneye examined the boiling pot, a sickly smell of overcooked meat came to his nose. Poking around with the ladle, he found something hard in the mixture. Dredging it up, he found, the meat sloughing off it, a rodent skull of a shape and size very near to his own staring back at him.
She carried the squeaking infant back outside, cooing over it. "Aww, you're not a relentless terror yet, are you? No, you're just a hungry little thing." She looked up, then frowned as she looked around. "Where did your friend get off to?"
~ ~ ~
As Greeneye examined the boiling pot, a sickly smell of overcooked meat came to his nose. Poking around with the ladle, he found something hard in the mixture. Dredging it up, he found, the meat sloughing off it, a rodent skull of a shape and size very near to his own staring back at him.
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