A gentle rustle as the soft breeze plays with the dried leaves left on the trees. The air is cool, and slightly damp from a light shower the night before. Perfect tracking weather as the damp soil holds scents longer. A few hints of the coming spring. Here a few buds opening on a tree, there an early flower poking up between the leaves to bloom. A wonderful day to be out exploring.
Oryn swoops through the trees, happy to be out and about this day. Melantha pads along next to the river and yells to him to wait up as she's not quite able of keeping up with a flying firelizard.
Luckily, with the trees mostly bare, it's not too hard to follow the little dragon. And looking up, a contrail, or a streak descending from the heavens can be seen, but it's still a ways off.
Oryn makes a few abrupt turns around the trees and then returns to where Melantha is. He flys around her a few times and then head off again, eager to enjoy the days exploration trip to the fullest. Melantha giggles and just continues on at a steady pace along the river.
As the cheetah pads along the winding banks of the river that eventually feeds into the Big Serpent by Haven, she startles some tiny toads, probably just metamorphosed, and a bright yellow and green. A few birds are flying, though some note Oryn and hide. The contrail continues, and as it seems to get closer, a low sound, as if distant rolling thunder, can be heard.
Melantha perks her ears around at the sound. She looks around at the sky for possible rain clouds, only to find a bright clear day. She lets out a sigh of relief but wonders where the sound is coming from. She notes the streak descending from the sky and wonders what it could be.
A rather plump female squirrel climbs out on a high branch and scolds the two explorers, just cause she can. A few other creatures are out and about, including some of the small, rabbit like dashers.
As Melantha watches the streak in the sky, a dasher comes running out of some brush and zooms past her. A moment later, Oryn swoops past, gleefully squawking as he flies after his prey.
Finally the rumblings increase, and with a final *boom* the streak vanishes from sight.
Melantha turns to watch Oryn play with his food and then flinches at the boom sound. She turns back to the sky. "Now where did that go..."
A large shadow passes overhead, then a loud flutter of wings as Andromeda, one of the Chirr'T'Thar, lands. She's steaming slightly in the cool air, and her eyes look glassy and...her mouth and nostrils are missing?
Melantha stands watching Andromeda, her mouth somewhat agape. Almost instinctively, she almost collapses onto her knees to bow to this god-like figure...but stops as she remembers the one from the town and at how uncomfortable he was at her reaction.
Andromeda waves in a friendly manner, and waits for her mouth to finish unsealing. She chuckles to herself as she sees the light steam coming off of her body. Her fur has been designed to insulate from most of the heat of re entry, but she still gets pretty hot.
Oryn swoops past Andromeda, the dasher held firmly in his claws. He flies back to where Melantha stands, still frozen like a statue, and lands at her feet to enjoy his prize.
A few sticks are heard breaking as someone else approaches.
Andromeda's ears flick and she turns to look at the sound, taking a deep, and kind of noisy breath as her nostrils unseal.
Oryn jerks his head up and scans the area, not wanting to share his meal with anyone. Melantha just ignores the sound...she isn't sure what she should do. The sight of the Chirr'T'Thar still puts her in an awed state.
A young tabby tom cat, with an axe over his shoulder, is crouched low trying to see what made such a loud noise.
Andromeda rustles her wings and waves at the tom cat, rather oblivious to the effect her entrance had on folks.
Thartin blinks and slowly approaches as since his cover was broken.
The tough membrane covering the felitauress' eyes finally slides away, giving her a slightly more normal look, though her lips are only three fourths of the way back. She flicks her tail, impatient to be able to talk.
Melantha finally wakes from her statuesqued state and glances at Thartin. She shakes her head a moment and then looks down at her feet as Oryn tears into the dasher.
Andromeda stretches and opens her mouth in relief and yaaawwwwwwwwwwns, before purring, "Hello! I'm Andromeda. Samantha told me she had a guest, so you must be Melantha. And how are you, handsome male?"
Thartin says, "Uh, miss. It is rare to see so many furs around here, but could ya tell me what made such a noise."
Melantha looks up at Andromeda and slowly smiles. "Yes, I'm Melantha."
Andromeda bounds up an headrubs Melantha, "Please to meet you. I'm Andromeda Skygazer."
Melantha opens her eyes wide, not expecting this at all! "Umm...nice to meet you to." She relaxes a bit and nuzzles back.
Andromeda turns back to Thartin, "What noise? Oh, you mean the sonic booms from my re entry? Sorry, I try to angle them where not too many people are living."
Melantha chirps, "Re entry?"
Thartin blinks and shakes his head, "Ya, reentry from where? Miss. . .?"
Andromeda is bouncing lightly on her feet as she purrs, "Yes, I just got off work up at the orbital mining station, so I came down here to have some fun and maybe hunt some food. From space, above the atmosphere. Oh, I'm Andromeda Skygazer." and bounds over to give Thartin a hug and head rub.
Melantha giggles as she watches Andromeda, her religious 'ideals' slowly crumbling.
Thartin hugs Andromeda back, "Well happy to meet ya. I don't quiet understand what ya said but I guess if ya know what it was it is good enough for me. But tell me who is this pretty one who is with ya."
Thartin grins, "After all it is not often for me to meet anyone out here."
Some slight ripping and crunching sounds come from Oryn as he munches on the dasher.
Andromeda looks mildly hurt that Thartin is more interested in Melantha, then shrugs, noting that the First Mother's 50 mates had other loves too, and felt that pleasure should be shared. She purrs, "Melantha. I've only heard of her, not met her. Say, what are you doing Melantha? Hunting?" as she points to Oryn gobbling down the Dasher.
Melantha smiles and chirps, "Oh I was just exploring. Oryn, I guess, got tired of playing with the dasher and decided to put it to better use.
Andromeda smirks, "They are tasty snacks. Exploring? That sounds like fun. Any good places to see around here Thartin?"
Thartin turns away from looking at Melantha and talks to Andromeda, "Ah, well I have not been out this far but I think there be a small waterfall a few hundred yards from here to the east if ya would like. It is quite lovely this time of day"
Andromeda wiggles her whiskers, and puts her ears back slightly in thought, then purrs, "Sounds like fun. Want to go Melantha?"
Oryn finishes his meal and starts climbing up Melantha's leg and on up to her shoulder. Melantha makes funny faces as his tiny claws pricks her skin a little as he climbs. When he finally settles himself she manages to reply, "Sounds like fun to me."
Andromeda bows her torso towards Thartin, "Lead on, handsome male."
Thartin chuckles and turns to the east, "Well it be my pleasure ladies. Right this way.
Melantha turns her head slightly and smirks at Oryn as she rubs her leg, Oryn just ignoring the smirk cleaning his claws. "Lead on."
Andromeda's tail coils around Melantha's arm for a moment then bounds after Thartin. Having a 500 pound felitaur bouncing around can be a bit unnerving.
The terrain gets a little rockier and steeper as they tromp through the woods, and shortly the gurgle of water falling can be heard ahead.
Thartin looks back to the pair, "So what brings ya two out here? Other then the scenery, there is not much out here.
Andromeda shrugs, "I like to hunt out here. And Samantha and her two daughters are out here. They're fun. :)"
Melantha chirps, "I just like being out in the woods. Its such a nice day for it too."
The falls are about 150 feet tall. Either side there are trees who's branches stretch over the water. The sun is just now coming over the top of the falls with it's light being broken up in the water.
Thartin nods, "Well I just like being out here on my own. But it does not hurt to see a pretty face from time to time. Ah here it is. We got here at just the right time.
Melantha smiles and looks in wonder at the waterfall. "Its beautiful!"
Andromeda oohs and purrs, "It really is wonderful. How did you find this?"
Andromeda pads into the water and spreads her wings to cool off.
Melantha steps closer to the edge of the water and dips her foot into it.
Thartin smiles, "Well I am glad ya like it. I found it back a few months ago when I was chopping some wood."
Melantha sets Oryn on a nearby rock and jumps into the water, clothes and all.
Andromeda flutters her wings in the mist of the falls, "Why do you chop wood?"
Melantha swims under the water, almost to the opposite bank and then slowly floats to the top of the water. She treads water as she looks up at the falls.
Thartin, "Why? I like me food to be cooked a bit. It gives it a good taste me thinks."
Thartin starts to climb up the rocks on the sides of the falls.
Andromeda moves into the deeper water, and floats very well. She's obviously very light for her size, "Oh? Well, yeah, cooked meat is good for snacks, but nothing like the taste of the blood of a fresh kill. Course, why don't you use a solar cooker?"
Oryn frowns as he watches Melantha in the water having fun without him. He slinks off the rock and stands at the edge of the water. He sticks a forepaw into the water but pulls it back quickly. As he holds the wet appendage in the air he warbles questioningly at her.
Thartin says, "Solar cooker? I ain't heard of one of those. I just like to keep it simple I guess."
After Thartin get about twenty feet up he jumps off the rock he is on and curls into a tight ball.
Melantha sees Thartin plummeting toward the water and hides her face with her paws to keep the water from splashing into her eyes.
Andromeda puts out her wing for Oryn to hop onto.
Thartin splashes into the water, getting everyone wetter then they might have been.
Andromeda chucklepurrs, but doesn't seem to mind the water. Odd kitty.
Oryn chirrs? and then climbs up Andromeda's wing and then onto her shoulder. He shrieks as Thartin splashes water all over him.
Thartin swims back to the surface and chuckles softly, "Well, are you two ladies staying around or just passing through."
Andromeda purrs and scritches Oryn's ears, "Well, I kind of work up in space or on Nimby's refuge."
Oryn leans into the scritches and trills happily.
Melantha swims through the water toward Thartin. Once she gets close enough, she grins and ducks him under the waters.
Thartin hmms, "Well I have not heard of either of those places ya must be far from home now."
Tharin nods and looks over to Melantha, "And ya. . .? Melantha? Where are ya from?"
Andromeda floats around like an odd, floating couch with wings and purrs, "Well, Nimby's Refuge is an island about 30 miles from here. As for being far from home, you're right."
Thartin eeps as something underwater graps at his leg and suddenly pulls him underwater.
Andromeda carefully flips over on her backs (both of them) and puts Oryn on her torso stomach and purrrs, "What a great place to unwind after work."
Thartin swims back to the surface sputtering, "Who did that?!?!
Oryn frowns as the Chirr'T'Thar flips...not really liking sudden movements. He settles down quickly and gets comfy on her stomach.
Thartin notices Andromeda floating on her back and guesses it was not her, "Melantha! Where are you"
Melantha swims away from Thartin and giggles.
Melantha hears her name and swims faster, laughing the whole time.
Thartin swims after her trying to catch her, You silly little cat, just wait till I can catch ya."
Andromeda grins innocently as she floats on her back. However, her prehensile tail snags one of Thartin's legs and yanks him under. ;)
Thartin sputters since that causes his head to go under the water again, "Hey no fair. You two are gaining up on poor lit old me."
Andromeda smiles, "That's a females job. ;)"
Melantha grins and swims over toward Andromeda and gives her a hi5!
Andromeda has seen such a motion before, and does a good job of returning the upraised hand slap.
Thartin shakes his head, "Then I just got ta try harder then."
Thartin takes a deep breath and ducks under the rippling water and disappears from view.
Melantha eeeks and scrambles toward the bank!
Melantha climbs out of the water and sits down on a rock, her clothes completely soaked.
Thartin swims under the thar and quickly swims up towards the surface aiming for one side of Andromeda trying to flip her over.
Oryn rests easy on Andromeda's stomach, completely unaware of his fate.
Andromeda blinks and is done in by her reflexes, which pull her wings in close for protection, and over she goes, getting her face in the water for a second before she comes up, sputtering.
Thartin bobs to the surface chuckling softly.
Oryn shrieks as he goes sliding off Andromeda and right into the water. He sputters and spirts and he, rather clumsily, tries to swim to the bank.
Andromeda regains her balance, and scoops Oryn out of the water with her tail, "That was sneaky!" as she looks accusingly at Thartin, a grin on her face regardless.
Thartin grins, "Well I have to be to keep up with you females."
Oryn hangs on to Andromeda's tail for dear life. Looking like a drowned rat...so to speak...he looks over at Thartin and hisses at him.
Thartin looks up to Melantha, "Tho, I wish I was able to get ya"
A small group of flutterbys, looking like colored leaves with antennae, are drinking at one of the puddles along the bank. The rocks are covered with thick green mosses, and the beauty isn't lost on Andromeda. She does giggle at Oryn, "Well, you got her friend here, and he's spitting mad. ;)" as she brings the little dragon to a sunny bank and puts him down.
Thartin ears fold back, "Oh sorry bout that, I did not mean to dunk ya."
Melantha giggles and then reaches down to scritch Oryn on the head.
Thartin climbs out of the water and shakes himself dry. trying to keep any more water off of Oryn.
Andromeda gets up onto the bank herself and moves off a dozen yards before shaking herself off too. Picture a pony sized feline centaur with wings shaking like a big, shaggy dog and you've got a silly looking picture.
Melantha sits up on the rock and closes her eyes lightly. After a few moments a bright yellow light starts emanating from around Melantha's body and then disappears. She opens her eyes and reaches down to pick Oryn up...her fur and clothes now completely dry.
Thartin finds a warm, sunny rock to lay down on.
Andromeda's fur seems to have repelled most of the water, but she can't help but notice Melantha's trick "How neat! How did you dry yourself off so fast?"
Thartin fur drips with water, "Ya, I would like to have dry fur that quickly."
Melantha chirps, "Hmmm? Oh...umm...I'm not entirely sure. Its just something I've always been able to do. I just have to sort of 'think' about what I want and it happens. Of course it doesn't work with everything...mostly just simple things."
Thartin says, "Well that be a neat trick in any case tho I can't say I have ever heard of anyone being able to do something like that before."
Andromeda hmms and wonders if this is psionic or...magical in nature? She'll have to ask her brother. It's one of the things he's supposedly good at, though he keeps claiming his talents burned out. She purrs, "Well, it's been fun, but that flight down has made me hungry, I need to go off and hunt. It was nice meeting you finally Melantha, and you too Thartin."
Melantha nods to Andromeda as she sets Oryn on her shoulder. "It was nice to meet you too."
Trantin, "Ah, is was most interesting to meet both of ya. Come back anytime"
Andromeda takes flight and shortly disappears over the treetops, looking for prey.
Melantha smiles at Thartin. "It was also nice meeting you. I think its time me and Oryn headed back to Samantha's place."
Thartin nods, "Well I was glad to meet ya, and if you are ever in the area again, stop on by. My place is about two miles to the south.
Thartin says, "Good travels to ya."
Melantha nods and smiles. "I'll do that. Take care." She then heads off into the forest.