Surrounded Without Surrender [Grace]

[Paynal]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 497px; height: 515px; background-image:url(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/sigathkerr/Tables/paynaltable.png)] OOC | yaaaay, posites. <3 ... so hot. x.x and wanted to get this up. Wide green eyes stared at the area around her, stumbling blindly through the trees and up into the mountains. Sticking to the shadows she clutched a small bundle close to her chest. She hadn't wanted to come here, no animal in their right mind did, but here she was in her second week blundering around the different territories for much longer than she had liked. She had hovered around no-mans land for a short while before running into some nice rogues that pointed her in the direction of retro territory -- this had only helped so much. Her small frame easily hid behind trees, but she couldn't go wandering around forever, her rapidly beating heart couldn't take the extra strain. She sighed as the trees thinned out a little, her gaze darting around her before she settled at the base of the tree with her little package. All she wore was a pair of tie-up black scrub pants and a green baby-doll t-shirt, that was what she had woken up dressed in, in her human form the first time she was in the labs. She shuddered at the thought of them and promised herself, she would never ever go back again .. like it was her choice. Hah. She pulled the string that held the cloth together, staring down at her collection of feathers, small bones, and few wooden beads. They had all been taken out of her hair when they put her in, not even giving her back her few semi-human things until right before they released her. She would've tried to ask if they were going to give her any type of weapon like she had heard some people got, but she hadn't learned enough English in her short life. She was far from being an adult and didn't like to admit it, but she was scared beyond all doubt. Her stomach rumbled and she groaned lowly, only to sit straight up as a chorus of laughs flew up around her, along with a few sleek bodies of avian nature. Was she already in bird territory? She didn't like the way they sounded already .. maybe they were mean rogues .. "Lookit what we got here fellas, a little femanine thang." "Smells like Analoya, but she's got a hint of muddled scent too .. maybe a betrayer feline?" "Who cares, looks like shes got something there .. whatchu got doe-eyes?" Three birds; a blue-jay, raven and a small hawk swooped down to shift and land in front of her. You'd think they were being flirtatious with their tones but both had weapons out and raised, eyes slanted and mouths set grim; although the taller of the group had a wry smirk that crossed his face. "I .. do not belong Analoya," she said in rough shifter tongue, her eyes scared as she clutched the bag tighter, slowly pushing herself up to slide up the trunk and stand. "These .. are mine," she said as she look to each of them rapidly as they moved closer. The tall one slung his bow n arrow back over his shoulder and began to saunter up to her. "Awwh, fellas you're scarin her." "Your face is scaring her." "SHUT UP!" the leader, or at least for the most part it seemed like, yelled and the two stifled their giggles. He had turned and was glaring at them and she took this opportunity to slide slowly around the tree and then shift before she heard a "HEY!" and they were all running around the tree to look for her, but she had already zoomed into the light foliage the tree had, sticking close to the trunk as she landed and stayed still, her body curling close and her wide eyes flitting around every which way. It was just her luck to find the not-so-nice people that happened to be around here. She was tired or she'd try to out-fly them, but for now hiding would do. "Dude, you think the Keepers gave her invisibility?" "Idiot, no one has that. I mean .. it's not possible right?" She heard them shuffling around below and gave a soft sigh of temporary relief. Hopefully they didn't come to whatever senses they had and started looking for her, she could only hope.

[Anita Gellard]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width:300px;height:400px; background-image:url(http://i52.tinypic.com/v8cx1u.jpg)] Today was a particularly fine day, Ann decided, as her wingtips skimmed the tops of the trees in her restless flight. Though it was close to midday and the sun was reaching its peak, the weather was cool with the promise of fall, and the leaves which occasionally fluttered to the ground were like the bright shades of a wildfire. In addition, nothing had gone wrong amongst the flock that morning, for once, and she was hoping – nay, praying – that it would stay that way. She wasn’t particularly fond of the regular headaches the issues among her fellow members caused her. Having just now checked the food stocks and finding them satisfactorily full, she found that she could enjoy herself a little, if only for a small while, and took a sudden dive towards the ground. It was only once she was just a few feet from the ground that she pulled back up, wings stretching to their limit, carrying her skyward again. Once higher, she found a slight draft of wind and took advantage of it, using it to push her so that her wings didn’t have to work as hard. Such was the short-lived joy for the leader of the birds, for it came that as she flew past a certain grove of trees, a buzzing began in her inner ear. Ann cocked her head to listen, and voices suddenly filtered into her head, like that of a badly tuned radio. She wheeled around and circled overtop the trees, trying to pick up more of what whoever was down there was saying. As they came more into focus, she mentally frowned. Peculiar, very much so. Three members from her flock, and someone else. An intruder? It was hard to say without investigating herself, and so she carefully began to drift down in amongst the trees. When she deemed herself close enough to the ground that she wouldn’t break her legs upon landing, she shifted and fell the rest of the way. With catlike grace, the woman managed to land in a crouch, and stayed that way for a moment to assess the situation. It was with some annoyance that she discovered no one was actually in the immediate vicinity, and she straightened, brow creased in perplexity. Kicking aside small piles of leaves as she walked, Ann was far from surprised to see the three young men whom she was acquainted with; she was, however, much more interested in the fact that whoever they were looking for wasn’t actually there. Strange, because she could still hear the soft hum of another’s presence, though where it was coming from was proving a bit difficult to pinpoint. Eyes narrowed, Anita stalked towards the small group, head tilting as she heard them chattering excitedly. “’Course it’s not possible.” “Says you two. Maybe the Keepers were playin’ around again.” ”Shut up and help me look!” An amused smile played on her lips as they began to poke around the tree again, and she stepped forward to greet them, a short, bird-like noise bubbling in her throat. Then, without bias, the woman wrapped a friendly arm around the nearest retro, grinning sharply and addressing them all, “Just what are you three seuns up to, hm? Looking for trouble? Not causing it I hope?” The one she currently leaned against, a relatively short man named Casias, cast her a nervous little look, then quickly glanced away again. Guiltily, she presumed. The others seemed to be much calmer, and regarded her with easy grins and charming smiles and, she had to wonder, with a glint of interest. It was breeding season after all, one simply couldn’t deny that. She rolled her eyes dismissively. “What’s going on?” The leader of the group, Oriel, took a quick step towards her and began to explain, pointing at the tree as he did, that there had been some sort of intruder, a girl, and that when he’d looked away for a moment she’d simply disappeared. Ann, to say the least, wasn’t very impressed. “She just…disappeared?” The woman waved her hand flippantly. “Like magic? How fascinating,” she released Casias from her grip, and she thought she saw him sigh in relief. “And you think she has invisibility? …perhaps. Or perhaps she shrunk.” The men traded quizzical glances as she walked past them, examining the tree carefully for a moment. A second or two later, she’d shifted; it was much easier to see the ground from above, after all. Of course, there was nothing to see, because no one was on the ground. As she circled the tree, ready to light back down beside them, the buzzing and humming in her head grew louder, and she followed it curiously into the tree itself, setting down on a branch. The source seemed to come from a rather peculiar leaf. Upon closer glance, of course, she realized it wasn’t a leaf, but a bird like herself – a very tiny one. A hummingbird glossed in green feathers, like that of the males. The crow tilted her head, peering at the little bird as she quipped, “Can you understand me, child?” Down below, the others were frowning up at her inquisitively. Carefully, very carefully, the crow settled herself so that she was well balanced, and then shifted to her human form, holding out her palm to the bird. “Come, sit. I won’t hurt you.” ooc; hope it's alright, sosorry it took so long .3. please lemme know if i need to change anything; seuns = lads/boys in afrikaans

[Paynal]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 497px; height: 515px; background-image:url(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/sigathkerr/Tables/paynaltable.png)] OOC | whoot for muse. This only took like 20 min. x.x She shuddered as she closed her eyes, feeling their need to find her and .. she wouldn't let her mind go there as she shivered in fear. Her thoughts were hectic as she began to breathe, listening intently as she heard a females voice join the group. Her voice was cool with a slight edge to it and she didn't seem fooled like the three males did. She had hoped she would be able to fool them like any other in the wild could, but that was only a hope. She didn't know what to do, wondering if she would be able to out-fly them if need be, though she didn't really have time to think that plan through as she felt the branch shift. Opening her eyes she found herself peering up at a large black and white bird, one she had never seen before in her life. She chirped in fright as the crow spoke in a language that was foreign and yet she understood it, she nodded in response as she couldn't find her voice. This language, she realized, was the same that she had tried to speak in her human form. She watched as the other shifted, a woman who was very pretty sitting there on her perch and reaching a hand out towards her. She hesitated, wondering if it was a ploy to maybe hurt her, bring her to the white place again with the humans that poked and prodded? She shifted on either foot, glancing to her before slowly stepping up onto her fleshy wings; she had still not understood the digits except they were much like her feet, but with more dexterity. "I .. not try to come into land uninvited .. I'm sorry." It seemed, the more she talked, the more she got used to this flurry of quips and chirps that made up this language.

[Etch]

APOLOGIZING NEVER. 8|

[Anita Gellard]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width:300px;height:400px; background-image:url(http://i52.tinypic.com/v8cx1u.jpg)] Ann regarded the smaller bird with a mixture of pity and patience, waiting for it to recover from the obvious fright she’d given it. Gently, she extended her hand out further in prodding invitation, a smile hitching up a corner of her mouth. It took a moment or two, but finally she felt the light pinch of claws sink into her palm, and she pulled her arm back in. However, when the bird began to stutter out a proper response, she lowered her head closer to catch the soft notes, not wanting to miss something important. The first word elicited a curious head tilt, for indeed the bird was female – which confirmed what the others had said earlier, of course. The conflict in her mind, however, was that her appearance didn’t match her sex. There could be several reasons for this, most assuredly, but all in all she wasn’t entirely sure which reason it was. All the more to find out, then. The hummingbird was timid, though – she could tell that much - and not all that good with speech yet. Young, too, from the sounds of it. Not a threat to her or her members; some of the tension that had built along her upper back eased as her shoulders relaxed. She could be useful though, perhaps, if she joined. The leader had a number of younger birds join her flock before and all of them had been remarkably easier to teach than the older ones – they were more eager to learn, less set in their ways, more willing to sit and listen to her or the other mentors. Then there were the rebellious teenagers, the ones who loved to get into all kinds of trouble. Her eyes flicked down briefly to the trio below her in amusement, before glancing back up at the tiny bird in her hand. When Ann spoke, her voice was rich and warm, the bird-sounds accompanying it soft like a croon, “My dear one, you need not worry. I am the leader of these mountains, and I say you are welcome here. But come, let’s not stay up here? There’s no need to fear those men down there – I promise you are safe with me.” Carefully, she cupped the bird in both palms for a moment and bent down to give her a tiny kiss on the top of her head, the faintest trickle of empathy passing on from the touch – a mix of trust and courage. Afterwards, she placed her down lightly on the branch before bracing her hands against it and pushing off, landing smoothly on the ground once more. When she straightened, she faced the group of boys, arms folding across her chest. They shuffled their feet sheepishly, which only seemed to emphasize the fact that they were still young. If they were young, they could learn. They would have to learn manners. In comparison to the voice she’d used with the hummingbird, the one she used to address them was far more clipped and sharp in tone, “None of you are to threaten or harm her. Understood?” She waited, and when they didn’t answer right away an impatient snarl crept into her throat. They nodded and murmured agreement at that point. Good. You will help her – and me – instead. Make yourselves useful and fetch some water and food. Be quick about it.” A dismissive wave of her hand was enough to send them off; she didn’t bother to watch them shift into their bird forms, but instead focused on the youngster instead. Head turned up towards the tree, she beckoned to her with an encouraging smile. “Fly down here, love? I would’ve carried you, but didn’t want to risk dropping you.” ooc; safldjflajfalsj a billion apologies forever for taking so long >< I am sosososo sorry D: .-.; plzforgiveme? i didn't mean for it to take this long ;.;

[Paynal]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, width: 497px; height: 515px; background-image:url(http://i970.photobucket.com/albums/ae183/sigathkerr/Tables/paynaltable.png)] OOC | Definitely okay! :D Sorry it took me a bit, myself. u_u <333 She listened to the other, her voice warm and comforting as she peered up at her. She still felt her heart, her little heart, hammering against her tiny body in anticipation of having to fly if she needed. Although as the woman neared her, lifting her close to press a part of her face, her beak?, to the top of her head, she felt a soothing feeling come over her .. and she suddenly didn't feel as scared of the others below. Well, as long as the female didn't leave her. At this thought the other had set her down and jumped down below, a thought of the other being hurt making her chirp in fright as she shifted into her gangly self, her rich emerald eyes peering over the branch and down to her. Brunette locks fell about her face and a bit of dirt smudged her left cheek as she gripped the branch unsteadily. She watched the other tell off the males that had just been crooning at her before with not so much as a blink of fear. She felt a swell of feeling come over her at the others bravery and let a soft smile come over her human beak before the other told her to come down. Shifting into her small form she easily lifted off, her wings becoming a blur as she hovered for a moment before diving down, easily pausing in mid air next to the females face before she flew a bit backwards to shift again into her human form. Crouching lightly as she fell from her height in the air before she straightened and smiled softly to the other. She was the only one to show her kindness thus far, and her heart beat fluttered happily at the thought. "T-thank you. For this," she said as she breathed deeply, her hands fidgeting in front of her and her eyes darting to the twisting digits before looking up at her with a warm look. "You are .. first to not be mean," she said softly as she let her smile widen a little more. "It makes me happy .. and feel better I am not alone."