welcome to your new hell, Welcome to the Menagerie. Or as we like to call it, Dome Sweet Dome! We are an eight-year strong futuristic shapeshifter and sci-fi creature roleplay, dedicated to bringing you a world unlike any other; a world in which your character has become an experiment and must fight for survival in a domed city, cut off from the rest of the world. Choose to be any animal in your fight for survival in an artificial world built by the Keepers as they subject you to experiments beyond your control. Choose to wander the world inside the walls alone, as a Rogue, or find safety in numbers in one of the groups known as Rings. How will you survive?
60 - 65 ºF
blustery with scattered showers spotty sunshine
YEAR 2309
shift bans.
» Cougars (aka Puma, Mountain Lion, Panther)
» All Tiger Species
» All Lion Species
» All Wolf Species
» African Leopards
group bans.
none.
encouraged !
FEMALE CHARACTERS! create a RETRO or ANTHRO and get 250 CP + a free skill! read me for more info!
last updated: april 19th, 2016
Click on each Ring or Retro group image to view their ranks!
GROUP UPDATES
CARNARING
Jocelyn Edelwolfe is the new Alpha! Seija Mulviene is the new Beta, and Grey is the new Delta. Lead Hunter is now Boone Haywood, Head of Border Patrol is now Noelle Ndango!
FALLENRING
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FULSIRING
Fulsi has a standing treaty with the Nakoma, granting limited access to their fresh water.
NAKOMA TRIBE
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ANALOYA PRIDE
a while back, the Analoya suffered a suspicious poisoning of their river, luckily with few casualties; the Bellator are suspected of having taken part in it, and there are whispers that Pride leader Wanderer is talking alliance with the Nilda for access to their clean water.
BELLATOR HERD
As new leader of the Bellator, Loril has instituted some rank changes. See this thread for more information!
LAWAII FLOCK
no updates!
NILDA PACK
no updates!
CARNARING QUICK STATS
ALPHA -- Jocelyn Edelwolfe, Clouded Leopard, played by IronChild
BETA -- Seija Mulviene, Spotted Hyena, played by Seija-chan
DELTA --Grey, Mackenzie Valley Wolf, played by Kriss
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“Of all the God forsaken. Thankless. Most mind-numbing jobs.” Donovan growled the words under his breath as he heaved his weight forward against the harness strapped around him, hooves gouging at the snow-covered, earthen track. The sled moved another few feet, scraping along behind him. It barely deserved the name. In reality it was a sheet of metal roofing whose edges had been pounded into curving upward, with holes punched through two corners. Metal chains looped through the holes and attached to the straps that rested around his neck and ribs. It was an unwieldy, cumbersome thing, currently heaped high with scrap metal. He had been sent to collect usable bits, to patch several holes in the buildings of Fulsi territory.
Pausing atop a rise to catch his breath, he tilted his head back to see if he could spot his companion. She was supposed to be flying overhead, keeping an eye on him. Though capable of defending himself in normal circumstances, such a thing would be difficult when burdened by several hundred pounds of metal. A fellow Scout has been assigned to act as lookout. The sun was high and bright, though, and the glare blocked his vision. He considered this for a moment, then shrugged, and continued down the slope. Whether she was in position or not, there was nothing he could do about it.
A path twisted through the piles of trash and old cars, making travel slightly easier, but was narrow, meandering, and heaped with snow. The sled slowed his progress considerably, so the sun was starting to descend toward late afternoon when he finally exited the junkyard into cleaner streets. Donovan heaved a sigh of relief to be free of the makeshift ravines, and gratefully turned his back on the old Bestia lands. He traveled for about half a mile, putting distance between himself and what was a common entrance to the junkyard, before moving to the unobtrusive shelter of two standing walls of a collapsed building and coming a halt. They’d started out early that morning and wouldn’t get home until dusk, so it was time for a break.
He shook snow from his dapple gray coat then shifted, untangling his human shape from the traces and straightening. Rolling his shoulders to get the stiffness out of them, he bent down and untied the sack that has been secured to the harness. It held a flask of water and their afternoon rations, which consisted of a strip of dried venison and a piece of flatbread each. Donovan grimaced, but took his share without complaint. It was better than nothing. Closing the bag while sinking his teeth into the dried meat and ripping off a bite, his pale green gaze flickered upward once more, wondering if Rae was going to join him.
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ooc; short and random. xD words; 469[/blockquote][/size][/blockquote][/color]
Last Edit: Dec 23, 2010 21:25:12 GMT -5 by Donovan
Post by spazzycatpotato on Dec 23, 2010 23:21:15 GMT -5
Rae was twirling and swirling in the air, diving and milling about in the skies. Turns out, since she got here the sky was the only place she felt truly safe and comfortable. She'd done everything she was told, trying to make her stay a bit easier. And when her alpha told her to go on a mission with Donovan, she didn't hesitate to head out of the camp.
She had been watching her counterpart from above, making sure his path was safe. But she was awful high, and when she noticed he'd stopped she became a little worried. She didn't know why he'd stopped, after all. She swooped down and landed on the make-shift "sled". She gave the male a once-over with her falcon eyes before shifting into her fleshy form. She now sat on the edge of their sled, her legs crossed and her back resting back on the scrap heap.
"are you alright?" she asked quietly, tilting her head down a bit but looking up at him from beneath her lashes. She noticed he'd taken out their rations and she bit her lip. "water...?" she muttered.
As she waited for a reply or offering of water, she looked around her. The snow covered earth looked really quite beautiful. It had been a long time since she'd rolled in the snow, when she was permitted to do so. Those were definitely better days. She reached down and picked up a handful, packing it in her hands and rolling it about in her palms.
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ooc--> mine as well :]
Last Edit: Dec 23, 2010 23:21:47 GMT -5 by spazzycatpotato
As he watched, a falcon drifted out of the sky to land on the makeshift sled, giving him an unreadable look before shifting to human. At her question, he absently rolled a shoulder. “I’m fine, but wading through three feet of snow isn’t the easiest way to travel.” He made an effort to speak clearly, dropping most of his Irish accent, which he knew many people found difficult to understand. “Besides, I was starving.” Reaching down to pick up the pouch, which he’d set by his feet, Donovan paused, arching a brow at the other Shifter as she rolled a snowball in her hands. “If you’re going to throw that at me, please aim for somewhere that’s already soaked. I’m treasuring the last few dry pieces of clothing I have.”
Rather than withdraw just the canteen, he tossed her the small bag, so she could retrieve her lunch as well. He swallowed his own piece of flatbread in a few bites, then set to gnawing on the dried venison with a sigh. It was remarkably similar to what he imagined boot leather would taste like, if it could be considered to have a flavor at all. So I suppose it’s a good thing there isn’t much of it to suffer through, he thought dryly. Still, it took ages to chew a single bite, but the rest was not unwelcome. Staying still for too long in such cold was impractical, but for the moment it was allowing him to ease stiffening muscles.
Donovan swallowed the last bit of his meager meal, then stretched up on his toes, arms extended above his head. He followed that by bracing his hands on the closest wall and twisting his torso, first one way, then the other. Finished with his stretching and pleased with his loosened muscles, he turned back to the woman. “Is there any water left? And if you’re finished, we should get a move on.” There was no sense in lingering, effectively waiting around for something unfriendly and dangerous to stumble across them.
Post by spazzycatpotato on Dec 25, 2010 2:53:59 GMT -5
Rae watched his lips as he attempted to get the first sentence out without using his accent. It was interesting. His accent was quite nice, however, and it almost gave her chills. she'd never met anyone with an accent. other than a southern twang perhaps.
With his comment about the snowball, she dropped it, jumping slightly. She blushed slightly and looked at his feet. "I hadn't planned on throwing it, truly." he mumbled.
When he passed her the pouch, she caught it in her lap easily, clutching it somewhat over-dramatically, afraid to drop it. She took a few swigs of water, then nibbled on her share of venison before realizing how hungry she was as well. she glanced back at him to make sure he wasn't looking before tearing through the meat in a heartbeat. she down her share in no time and took one last small sip of water just in time for his question of the water.
She nodded shyly and held it out to him, hopping off of the sled and stood there for a moment, moving the snow with her foot. "what time do you think we'll get back?" she asked, not looking up.
He suppressed a sigh as he accepted the canteen, tilting his head back and taking a couple large swallows. The woman was painfully shy. He didn’t think she had looked him in the eye once. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it gave the impression that he was terrifying her, and thus making him constantly wary of frightening her more. However, people were a lot like horses - the best way to reassure them was by exuding calm confidence. So he ignored her jumpiness, screwing the cap back onto the flask while casting an appraising glance at the sun.
“Around dusk, I’d say, if we don’t run into trouble.” Donovan slipped the remaining water into the bag and fastened it closed, then crouched by the harness and tied the bag to it. As he stood, a sudden gust kicked up the snow, sending it swirling around them and piercing his thin clothing with icy daggers. Narrowing his eyes against the blast, he frowned at the sky. The wind was picking up. "We’re going to be in Fulsi territory in a few minutes, so it’s probably safe for you to stop over-flying. If the skies are going to be rough, you’re welcome to come with me.” It was a clear day, not stormy, so he couldn’t imagine that flying would be impossible, but there was no sense in exhausting her unnecessarily.
Stepping into the heap of straps that was the harness, he began pulling them into place, trying not to tangle them any more than they already were. Within moments they were arranged, hanging slack and loose off his human frame. As he slid into his shift, they tightened and stretched, resuming their proper fit. Donovan shook his mane, settling the bands more comfortably, then swept his gaze over their little resting spot, making sure they hadn’t forgotten anything. Satisfied, he looked over at Rae. “Ride or fly?” He paused, then added, “Or I suppose you could walk.” He wouldn’t recommend it - even in walking in the trail he broke, everything from her hips down would get soaked.
Post by spazzycatpotato on Dec 26, 2010 23:23:44 GMT -5
Rae looked up at him with a bit of terror in her eyes. dusk. that meant they'd be away from camp around dark. It wasn't the dark that bothered Rae, just being alone in it. She simply refused to be up in the air by herself in the dark.
"Ride..? the sled? isn't it really heavy already?" she asked. Rae didn't want to put extra strain on her companion, but walking in the snow would be difficult for one her height. She looked at the scrap heap then back to him.
He was a fine looking horse, and an even finer looking human male. but she didn't have the guts to ever really flirt with him. at least not yet, maybe somewhere along the road she could muster up enough courage to look him in those pale green eyes of his.
He flicked an ear in a dismissive gesture. “Not terribly so. More unwieldy than anything else. But I imagine it would be far from comfortable. I meant ‘ride’ as in horseback.” A jagged pile of metal didn’t make the most ideal seat. In any case, her weight would affect him less riding than it would if he were forced to pull it. She seemed reluctant to fly, so Donovan made the decision for her, bowing his forelegs to lower his withers. “Here. You can use the harness straps to pull yourself up. It’s not like we’re going at any great speed, and you don’t need any skill at riding to just sit.”
After waiting patiently until she was situated, he straightened, turning to look at her out of one eye. The traces that linked him to the sled attached just behind his shoulders, and ran along his sides. “You can rest your feet on the chains, and hold on to the harness or my mane.” With that, he set his weight forward against the straps and set off through the snow. It was particularly difficult work, but that didn’t make it pleasant. His legs were soaked, and only exertion kept him warm.
They hadn’t gone far, a scant few miles, when a shudder suddenly rippled over his skin. Donovan halted, raising his head to test the icy wind, tension evident along the rigid lines of his stance. The wind blew clean, but the warning bells in his head continued to chime, prompting him to turn his wary gaze behind them, downwind. “Someone’s following us. Keep an eye to our backs,” he murmured. He broke into a trot, the sled sliding along behind him with a monotonous hissing sound, loud in the silence. One ear remained cocked backward, listening for sounds of pursuit.
“Rae,” he continued, keeping his voice low, “the ties that attach the chains to the harness are quick release. If we’re attacked, pull the free end of the cords, please.” It would save him the time of having to reach around and use his teeth. Hopefully it was simply someone curious, but he didn’t feel up to taking chances.
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words; 361 ooc; please pardon the PP, wanted to move things along. xD[/blockquote][/size][/blockquote][/color]
Rae's round eyes grew wider as her offered a perch on his back. She moved closer hesitantly before taking hold of the harness straps and hoisting herself up, swinging her leg over his back and plopping down lightly on his back. She wiggled around for a short while, trying to make herself comfortable. At the mention of the chains she looked down at them, a bit surprised that she hadn't thought of it herself. probably just too nervous to think straight...yep, I suppose that would be it. curse you, pretty horse-man... she thought. Thinking that caused her to giggle lightly, her laugh sounding like the soft chiming of bells in the silence against the hard grating of metal.
She kept one hand on the harness, holding tight as he eased into a trot, though she kept the other on his shoulder. It laid palm-flat against his fur, sometimes stirring as she bounced lightly on his back. She was surprisingly relaxed, her back straight though her shoulders weren't rigid. At least until he mentioned they were being followed.
"Ok. I'll keep an eye out." She said, trying to sound more confident and comfortable with him.
The hand that was on his shoulder now gliding back over to rest now on the knot tied to one side of the harness. she cocked her head and glanced over one shoulder, keeping an eye out around them, darting every which way for a moment before straightening out and looking straight behind them. She didn't have a great sense of smell like her companion, but her eyesight was far better than most she knew. She didn't bother to glance back at Donovan when she spoke, her tone still light and airy, but sounding more serious.
"Donovan, can you tell what species we're dealing with? so far I can't see anything."
The nagging sensation that said they were being watched continued - if a dog, his hackles would have been up. As it was, the back of his neck prickled with uncomfortable awareness. "Donovan, can you tell what species we're dealing with? So far I can't see anything." He flicked an ear. “I haven’t a clue, and I hope it stays that way. I can’t smell anything, and probably won’t unless they circle upwind.” Or if the wind changed direction, but it had been blowing steadily from the North all day.
The strength of herd animals was collective, depending upon their ability to move as a group. Alone, he was an unprotected target against the likes of wolves and lions. A single predator he could handle, maybe even two. Hopefully, a group that small would realize the folly of attacking and go back to wherever they came from. That he couldn’t shake whoever it was indicated that they could move quickly enough to keep up, and they were confident they had numbers great enough to guarantee their safety on enemy land.
“Why don’t you take off again? Drift back a ways, see if you can spot anyone? Carefully, though, in case someone with them can fly.” There was always a chance that if she was spotted, they’d be attacked, but Donovan would rather deal with it sooner than later. The waiting was always the worst part. On the other hand, if they could lure their perusers closer to the complex, maybe a sentry would see them and gather a group for an ambush. He could also ask Rae to fly ahead, once they were a bit closer - to send her too early was to make the ones stalking them suspicious, and invite an attack while he was alone.
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words; 296 ooc; gah, late again >.>[/blockquote][/size][/blockquote][/color]
Rae tensed when he asked her to go back up. Not only did she simply not want to be up in the air right now, but she didn't want to leave Donovan either. What if it was a swarm of pack animals or a simply larger predator? She bit her lower lip and gripped the harness a little tighter while she thought.
"alright, I'll stay close..."
Without another word she carefully perched herself on his back, crouching while holding the harness with one hand. She began her shift whilst in this crouch, but soon launched herself off of him mid-shift, taking flight not a moment after her launch. Rae soared high above her companion, only to stop and circle around for awhile. She made a sort of elliptical shape in the air, the stretched portion of the shape going behind Donovan. She indeed spotted movement behind him, though it was very slight. It was hard to see anything in the snow, honestly, the glare was so terrible.
She swooped down and dipped near Donovan's ear. "there's something...can't tell" was all she could get out during her dive by his ear. She went back up to the cloud, staying within his sight. ---------------- OOC: merrrrr
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