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
-
FULSIRING
Fulsi has a standing treaty with the Nakoma, granting limited access to their fresh water.
NAKOMA TRIBE
-
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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Mana Springs Mall had long been rummaged through, every item of value stripped from the walls to the floors. Weeds and shrubs had begun to spring up in their places, leaving something resembling an oversized greenhouse. His footsteps were silent across the cracked tile, the only sound being the movement of the grass as he passed through. There was not a wide variety or prey here in the Mall, but it was a good testing ground, a place that could be used to hone skills. Joshua had been overlooked for Beta, but it was apparent that Petite had seen some potential in him. He'd become the lead hunter, and he was well on his way to whipping the hunters into shape. Most of their faults he knew already, from the slackjob leadership that had been done before him.
He shifted, slinking down into the form of his canine half. The dog had been feared in London, one of his most powerful assets. Some had called it a demon, a killing machine with almost too human intelligence. Joshua's enemies never really understood the injuries that his shift could bring. He was no tiger, not a large beast that could intimidate with size alone, but the Malinois breed had incredible bite strength and the ability to leap and bite in the same instant. He could scale walls, having jumped as high as a fourteen foot fence before without much effort, and the canine's nose certainly didn't hinder him at all.
Jo was taking more a lazy day than anything else. He'd been kept on his toes as of late, clamoring for order with his legion. To everyone around him, this all seemed like some big game, but Joshua was not one to play games. Unless of course, he made the rules. In all honesty, Joshua was scouting the mall for its purposes. With a few obstacles, the place could be utilized as a training ground, but otherwise it would always be a waste of space. Perhaps a section of it could be used to see if it possessed farming capabilities? The keen nose was lowered, twitching at the scents of those that had passed through both frequently and those that were faded over time. His paws carefully avoided the sprigs of poison ivy, no need to get a noseful of that now was there? He'd done that as a pup once, and it certainly hadn't been something he wished to repeat.
He turned down a corner, tail brushing against the foliage he stopped, feeling as if he were being watched. His head lifted to the upper floors of the mall, lip curling over the whites of his teeth. A growl vibrated the chords in his throat, sensing that it wasn't truly a threat. Another Fulsi, if his nose was telling him correctly. Still, another growl rose as he settled on his haunches to wait. He barked once, the sound of his teeth snapping together menacing in itself. He sat very still, listening for sounds of approach...or attack.
---- ooc: Sorry, its rusty. I'm trying to figure him out still a bit. tagged: Rumor & Charm?
The mall was quiet as a tomb as she slipped inside, steps soft to avoid disturbing the silence. Easing the door shut quietly behind her, she was just in time to see the Lead Hunter morph into a dog and disappear around the corner. Technically, she was supposed to introduce herself to him. And she would. In a few minutes. Curiosity dictated that she observe him for a while first. She had already tailed him to the mall, wondering as to where he was headed, and now the question was, what was he doing?
While Joshua quested about on the first floor, Charm darted to the stairwell and bounded lightly to the second level, taking the steps two at a time. After a sweeping glance to assure she was alone, she padded to the balcony and leaned against the rail, shrouded in shadow. A skylight set into the ceiling faintly illuminated the open space down to the first floor, but left the edges in darkness, concealing her from those below. She settled in to wait for a few moments, the ever-present weight of her bow comforting against her back.
Sure enough, within minutes the mahogany colored dog prowled into the dim light below. He didn’t seem to be doing anything in particular, other than nosing around. Suddenly he paused, head lifting as a low growl rippled through the still air. Even at this distance, she could see the flash of white fangs. He settled himself on the cracked marble floor, and barked. It was a commanding sound, sharp as a gunshot in the dead silence. She had obviously been detected. With a resigned shrug - she would have talked to him sooner or later - Charm pushed away from the balcony, still secure in the cover of the shadows. Making her way over to what was once an escalator but was now simply a staircase, she slipped down to the first floor.
Stepping into the light, she crossed the open space to stand before the other shifter, leaving a good six feet between them. “Joshua,” she greeted casually. She knew who he was, of course, but she’d only ever seen him from a distance. She looked him over briefly, then met his eyes again, head tilting slightly to one side. “I’m Charm. I was told you’d be my mentor for the next few days. I believe the phrase used was, to see if I’m Hunter material.”
The thought made her suppress a sigh. She knew how to hunt, and she was adept at it, but that didn’t mean she liked it. Although, she supposed that the scavenging aspect wouldn’t be bad. Searching for Keeper drop-offs sounded like much more fun than waiting around to shoot some poor creature through the heart. Other than a general idea, though, she didn’t really know what the Hunters did. Apparently it was this guy’s job to show her.
He'd been right of course. He did have an audience, though there was no telling just how long they had been lingering. Joshua prided himself on knowing little things like that, but this one had nice silent feet. A good quality in a hunter, or an assassin for that matter. He was a little over cautious, a little jittery it seemed. He had good reason though, his trust issues always causing a crease in his usually suave personality. The smaller female that presented herself, her footsteps barely heard as she scampered down a long stopped escalator onto the main floor. His eyes roved over her body, naturally the canine's first instinct was assessing danger levels, yet Jo was assessing other...assets. His eyes flickered up to meet hers briefly before he straightened up, leaving behind his canine form. He rolled the muscles in his neck and shoulders lazily, smoothing out a crease in the upper arm of his shirt. The front of it hung partially open, the tribal ink on his skin obvious. He kept his person as minimal as possible, unless of course he was headed to a business meeting.
The little woman, Charmeia or Charm as she called herself, had indeed been assigned to him. He remembered something of the sort, the Delta making that decision he supposed. Starr did have some sense of humor. He didn't particularly like the casual use of his name, but he would let it slide for the lady. Joshua let a charming smile spread over his face, crossing the six feet of space that she had left between them. He captured her hand with his, dropping a kiss onto the back of it before releasing it. "A pleasure, Miss Charmeia Antoni." He'd done a little bit of research, reguarding his student. He knew she was fairly able to become a hhunter, but he wondered if her shift was amiable. Equines weren't exactly on his list of food hunters, a swift raid mount perhaps, but not a killing type. He didn't know how sympathetic she was to the food sources either, would she hesitate to bring down a fluffy rabbit or a 'cute' squirrel if it meant some kind of meat?
He appraised the shape of the bow stapped to her back. "How good are you with that bow, Antoni?" He kept things strictly business like for now, using her last name instead of the shortened version she'd offered up. His voice was cool, soft but with a hint of gruffness to it. She was a beautiful woman, he had to admit. But was there a snake under that little flower? Joshua closed the last bit of space between them, taking a cliched approach when he began to walk about her in a slow circle. His bare feet made little sound on the cool tile, his eyes grazing over her ass as he went behind. He stood there behind her for a moment, taking in the view. "You look the part of Hunter material, but what level of hunter are you? That will be the true purpose of my mentoring. You aren't my usual type, but we'll see how you fare shall we?" He grinned wolfishly, looking into her temperment now. How rational was her thinking? Would she jump blindly into a fight or was she more of an evaluator? He moved quickly, because he was not interested in all words and no play. He made a move for her wrist, looking for her strengths and her weaknesses.
----- ooc: if you have any problem with this let me know >D he wanted to be all pervy and grab her ass LMAO >DDDD
Shifting as he stood, the Hunter assumed his human form and rolled his shoulders. The motion drew attention to the gap in his shirt, and well muscled, tattooed chest beneath it. Both the muscle and the tattoo held interest for her, though for exceptionally different reasons, but both merited exploration with her fingertips. Mainly, she wanted to ask what that tattoo meant to him. However, that was something to be pursued at a later time. While she’d been musing, he had sent a warm, lazy smile in her direction.
It was a good smile, perfectly disarming and endearing, designed to make females melt into a puddle at his feet, and he was good-looking enough to pull it off flawlessly. Thankfully, she was well aware that very few people were actually, unassumingly charming. Swooning over a near stranger would be ridiculous in any circumstance. He crossed over to her and caught her hand, lifting it to his lips. Charm slowly raised an eyebrow, amusement glimmering in her eyes. The man was a flirt. “The pleasure is all mine.” Releasing her hand, he looked past her, to the bow that extended over her shoulder.
"How good are you with that bow, Antoni?" She accepted the use of her last name amicably; she was comfortable with both, and could understand the more professional spin he was putting on the meeting. As long as he didn’t expect to get called ‘sir.’ On second thought, he might very well get called sir, but undoubtedly in sarcasm or jest. She didn’t hold with the policy of labeling respect, let alone giving honors where none had been earned. In answer to his question, a faint smile turned up the corners of her mouth. “Good enough.”
Her dark gaze became more alert as he moved even closer to her, circling. She maintained her erect, casual stance, but turned her head to watch him out of the corner of her eye. Charm tolerated his scrutiny, more entertained than anything else. Whereas moments ago he had been all gallant graciousness, now he was shamelessly checking her out. “You aren't my usual type, but we'll see how you fare, shall we?" “Oh? And just what is your usual type?” The rakish grin she glimpsed gave her hardly any warning. There was a flicker of movement and she reacted automatically, pivoting to the side and bringing her arm up in a block, using her forearm to knock aside his hand.
Continuing the turn so she was facing Joshua, she backed away, raising her hands in a ‘wait’ gesture, giving him a quelling glare. “Break my bow, Gautier, and I’ll break your neck,” she warned. If he wanted to play, fine, but she wasn’t going to be stupid about it. Exposing the handmade wooden weapon to a scuffle was something she tried to avoid. Though sturdy enough to withstand enormous pressure, smashing it against the marble floor at the right angle could shatter it. In a smooth gesture, she unslung the bow and quiver and set them against the wall, gaze fixed unwaveringly on him the entire time, in case he didn’t honor her request for pause. Satisfied, she relaxed slightly and stepped away from the wall with a small nod. “Is this how you test all your trainees?”
Charm crossed her arms as she waited to see what he would do, watching him with attentive interest. It was terrible defensive posture, but she didn’t particularly care. She wanted to know what game he was playing before she started participating.
ooc: sorry if this is terribly choppy and jumbled. >.> I was multitasking while I was writing. xP
He liked how her attention became more attuned to his movements, never letting him slip from her sight even as he passed behind her. Oh? And just what is your usual type? Honestly, she probably was his type. He liked his women a little fiercer than most, someone that he could battle with physically just as well mentally. There had only been one of those before her, but here in this Menagerie there were a fair amount of women who could hold their own. Which made him much more picky, as it turned out. She shot her forearm up, blocking his attempt to grab her wrist and he smiled very slightly. "Very good." He retreated, watching her with curiosity as she gestured him to wait. He wasn't a common dog, but he would humor her this. "An enemy won't care about breaking your little bow. If you aren't prepared to have it damaged, then you shouldn't have it at all, Antoni." He moved in again, as she crossed her arms over her chest gripping her upper arm in a hard grip and forcing her close to his body. She obviously protested this, giving him a fair punch in the gut that had him releasing her just as quickly as he had obtained her. She smelled sweet, a mix of jasmine and something he couldn't place; as she rolled out of his reach.
They touseled like this for what felt like hours, when in reality it was minutes, and each gave and recieved their hits. He was going easy on her, much easier than he would have anyone but when he saw his opportunity for a take down, he took it. He pinned the brunette under his body, feeling her own go limp as she laughed breathlessly. He was smiling as well, chuckling quietly under his breath as he held her there. His dark eyes raked over her, feeling something pooling inside of him, though it was foreign enough he wasn't sure what it was quite yet. In spite of himself, he could feel his hand moving down to plant itself on her hip. He leaned in close, the long strands of his hair creating a curtain between them as he peered at her with scruitiny all of the playfulness gone again."You have potential, I'll give you that. Unpolished potential, but...potential." He pushed himself up, offering her a hand up as well, but keeping his grip on it when she reached her feet. He was grinning ear to ear, the impishness giving away what he was going to do next as his free hand smacked her bum, and he released her. "Good tussle." His nose crinkled a little as he chuckled, moving off across the mall at a brisk pace. "Come along, Antoni...there are more tests than just this. I want to see how good you really are with that bow"
---- ugh...fail post. but i'm attempting to get back into the swing. /: all powerplay done with permission
She shrugged a shoulder at his warning; she wasn’t a fool, to think that an attacker would give her time to set the bow aside. She also wasn’t a fool to risk breaking it unnecessarily, effectively destroying hours of painstaking work. “Don’t patronize me. I’m prepared to have it damaged, but not for the sake of sparring.” He closed in again as she spoke, to grab her arm. Charm used the momentum of his pull in addition to her own strength as she planted a solid punch on his stomach, forcing him back. And the games began.
For a few minutes they wrestled back and forth, but he didn’t present much a challenge - she sensed he wasn’t really trying. The cracked marble floor was an unforgiving surface, making her disinclined to make their mock fight any rougher. Still, they weren’t getting anywhere, with neither of them pressing to get the upper hand. Eventually she gave up, laughing, and let Joshua pin her. He was smiling as well, bracing a hand on her hip as he leaned in. She met his now-serious brown gaze, a few shades lighter than her own dark eyes, and arched an eyebrow at him. "You have potential, I'll give you that. Unpolished potential, but...potential." The other eyebrow rose to join the first, then she shrugged. “If you say so.” She had been considered proficient in all types of combat for years, but who knew what his standards where. Maybe all she needed was a more aggressive match to change his opinion.
Taking the proffered hand, she let him pull her up, then noticed the mischievous grin he wore. She watched him warily, starting to pull her hand away, only to narrow her eyes playfully at him when he casually smacked her on the ass. “Subtle. Very subtle.” He dropped her hand and chuckled, already moving away. Charm rolled her eyes, grabbed the bow and quiver off the floor, and set off after the hunter.
They didn’t go too far, just to a nearby park, where the overgrown vegetation was slowly spreading into the city. There was no point in going further, for just practice. Charm chose a location without being directed; a massive, ancient oak tree perched on a rise immediately attracted her. A hydrangea bush had gone rampant, spreading over the twisting roots of the tree, now heavy with white flowers. A careless tangle of brambles choked the tree, only just held at bay by the dominating presence of the hydrangea. She wound her way through the snarled mess and skirted the flowering bush, Jo trailing after her. Standing in the dappled sunlight at the base of the tree, she looked around for potential targets. She considered telling Joshua to pick one, but chances were he’d select one too close to demonstrate her skill, or far enough away to make her look incompetent.
Pulling the longbow off her shoulder, she flexed it experimentally in her hands. “See that leaf, about a hundred yards away? The dead one that hasn’t fallen?” In a smooth motion, she plucked an arrow from her quiver, set it to the string and pulled back to full draw, and released. There was a sharp twang, followed immediately by a hiss as the arrow split the air. It arched through the trees, plucked the dead leaf off its branch, and disappeared into the shadows. Turning to the other shifter, she lifted her brows. “Satisfied?”
His expression said clearly that he wasn’t - he wanted her to actually catch something. Charm retrieved her first arrow and rejoined him at the tree. She leaned against it, mindful of the thorny creepers that twisted over the bark, bow held at ease in her left hand. Their presence had startled the small creatures into hiding; it would be a few minutes before they started to reappear, as long as they kept their voices down. With the shifting light, and the fragrant hydrangea to mask their scent, they were pretty unnoticeable. “I’m not going to kill a songbird or something just to prove that I can,” she warned. “I hate waste.” There was no point in shooting a creature so small that it wouldn’t be of any use.
They lapsed into silence after that, and when Charm next glanced up at him, there seemed to be less space between them. She sent him a questioning look, and he smiled in response, sliding another fraction of an inch closer. She quirked a brow, then planted a hand on his chest, intending to move him back to his original position. The heat under her fingers distracted and confused her, though, causing her to break from his gaze to look at her hand. His shirt was still unbuttoned, allowing her palm to come into direct contact with his skin. It was the unexpected warmth, the flex of muscle under her fingertips, that had startled her, but it was the tattoo inked across his right side that caught her attention. She slid her hand over, pushing the shirt aside to better see the design.
“Why did you get this? And when?” she asked, curious. She pushed the shirt up and away from his shoulder. “It goes onto your back? What about around your ribs?”
ooc: ttly don't remember what season we started this in, so I'll pretend it's summer. xD
He trailed her into the forest, letting her lead although he couldn't say he minded the view. His hands tucked themselves subconciously into his pockets, his mind leafing through the pros and cons of Charmeia Antoni. She was like an open book, yet he was having to dig through the useless sentences to get the true details. Joshua was careful not to let his mind wander too far, keeping his focus on the tests. She seemed a competant woman, coy yet not shy about anything. It was...a good and bad thing. He always had a weakness for such women, ones that could take care of business. He had just shrugged into a lean against the oak she had chosen to stop in front of when she pulled the longbow from where it rested on her shoulders.
See that leaf, about a hundred yards away? The dead one that hasn't fallen?" His gaze flickered to where her head was tilted, catching sight of the dead leaf hanging rather pitifully from its branch. It was clinging, but on just so. His sights didn't waver as she notched up the arrow, and let it fly with precise aim. He listened to it whistle through the air, the dead leaf swinging in a gentle breeze and just as it finally broke free the arrow struck it. Denied in its freefall to join its fallen comrades, the arrow disappeared into the darkness, and he refocused his attention on Charmeia. And her retreating backside. He pushed up off of it as she returned, taking a casual stance just off to her left as she took his place leaning against it.
"A leaf is not the same thing as meat. Living things are harder to kill, more meat to go through to kill cleanly." He was about to suggest a legitamate hunt when she completely cut him off. I'm not going to kill a songbird, or something just to prove that I can. I hate waste. He grinned, looking at her pointedly. "It's not a waste if we eat it." Joshua looked at her closely, closing the space between them with slow, careful steps. She looked at him, earning her a small smile as he took another, closing in. She placed one of her smaller hands against his chest, the open front of his shirt giving her access to his bare chest. He quirked an eyebrow, a curious smirk plastering itself upon his lips. Her hand gently pushed back the material, her gaze intent upon his tattoo. He'd gotten it years ago, cost him a pretty penny for it too. He'd been young, reckless, and determined that he could hang with the big dogs.
"I got it when I was eighteen, right after I joined the..." He bit off the last word, because the organization was just something you didn't talk about. "....army. And yeah, all the way around, down below my waist too." He watched her fingers explore against his skin tracing the inked pattern. His hand captured her wrist, pulling it away from the ink and his shirt falling back into place leaving only a small piece of his skin visible. His hand wrapped completely around her wrist as he looked at it with detail, the thing quite small compared to his. His eyes flickered to hers, the hard dark eyes practically piercing her. "Why did you do that?" He asked, wondering how she could be so bold....with a total stranger.
She tapped him on the shoulder with the feathered end of an arrow, before sticking it point first into the ground by her feet, where it would be easily accessible. “Exactly.” Her point was that she would shoot to kill for necessity, not simply for the sake of proving that she could. They were quiet after that, until she looked up to find him closer.
"I got it when I was eighteen, right after I joined the... army.” Charm arched a decidedly skeptical eyebrow. “You have never been the army,” she stated with calm certainty. She knew army guys, just as she could spot pirates, bandits, traders, and mercenaries from a mile off. There was something about their attitude, their speech patterns, their very posture that marked various stereotypes distinctively.
She brushed a fingertip over one of the lines that spiked across his shoulder, eyeing the design, only to look up when he grabbed her wrist, moving her hand away. After carefully scrutinizing her hand, he met her gaze. She tilted her head slightly to one side in response to the question. “I was curious. I like tattoos. They tell you a lot about a person, more so than anything temporary or changeable.” She twisted her captured forearm around, turning his hand to bare the inside of her wrist and the black symbol inked there. “Most of mine were given to me for specific reasons. Each has a story, and relates to something important to me.” Here she gestured toward his torso with the bow in her other hand.
“Yours is just a design, as far as I can tell - that doesn’t tell me much. But the fact that you decided to get something so conspicuous does.” He had wanted to fit in, to prove himself. He was trying to make a statement.
Extracting her wrist from his grip, she smoothed the cuff of her sleeve, tugging it back down to her hand. Remembering that she was supposed to be hunting, Charm turned her gaze back to the surrounding forest, resettling her grip on the longbow.
ooc: couldn't think of anything else to saaaaaay. >.>
Her accusation that he had never been in the military was spot on, and yet it pissed him off that she didn't buy it. "And how in the hell would you know?" He snarled softly, not sure why he was still allowing her to touch him. She was getting a little too comfortable with him, in his opinion. As her dark eyes met his, he smoothed out his expression...forcing the curled lip to lower back to normal. He should step away, should give them both space to breath. Yet, as she turned her forearm around to show him the design on her wrist, he did nothing except look blankly at the symbol. This hunting test was getting out of hand, turning into an interrogation rather than a test. "It was a test." He muttered, as she gestured to his body again. "It took weeks to complete, sections at a time...and the whole point was to gain a tougher skin. You can't be weak in my profession." Ex-profession... His mind corrected, although he didn't bother to alter his sentence.
"How many do you have?" He asked before really thinking. Jo brushed a hand over his face, as if realizing this mistake. He should be putting Charm through her paces, not making idle chit chat. She extracted her wrist from his grip, and he made his fingers uncurl to let her go. He stood for only a minute more before dropping to the ground with a small huff. "I suppose we can be done for the day. There isn't much else I can do, if you are so unwilling to hunt. The horse shift you possess should be swift, unless of course its a fat pony...then perhaps there is no hope for you. Stay or go back to the Complex, your choice, Antoni." Joshua rambled, making observations outloud. He leaned his back against the tree, stretching out his legs in the midmorning sun. He'd have another tenderfoot coming to him in a few hours, perhaps that one wouldn't be so inclined to ask so many questions. Or mouth off...
His eyebrows rose, as he cracked open one eye to look up at the dark haired girl. She really was some sort of beautiful. "Whilst I am thinking about it." His british accent really started to kick in full swing at that point. "Anyone got a claim on you yet" He paused, grinning slightly to himself, knowing just how that could be taken. "Apprentice wise? I think I could do with a good errand runner..." He was only partially joking about the errand runner, though if she did decide to take his offer then she probably would have to run errands at least a few times. Not that he'd mind. He'd send her off on errands all day if it meant he got to watch her go, if you know what he means.
An idle shrug was the only answer to his sharp question. There wasn’t an equation to it, no scientific process. It was all intuition - he just didn’t seem like a soldier. True, she was less familiar with militaries not from around the Mediterranean, but if his reaction was anything to go by, she’d been dead right. Whatever his “profession” was, it wasn’t the army. Charm cast him a quick, speculative look, but he didn’t seem inclined to share, so she didn’t press. She could make several educated guesses, but there was little point, if he wasn’t going to confirm or deny them.
"How many do you have?" She grinned at him, the expression a shade impish. “More than you’re ever likely to see, Gautier,” she teased. He wasn’t the only one who could be vague.
Abruptly, he dropped to the ground, prompting her to lift an eyebrow at him. When the other shifter gave his verdict, she frowned at him. “You don’t get it. I am perfectly willing to hunt. I did so in the past, and I still do. What I am unwilling to do is waste life.” She gestured with the bow to the overgrown park around them. “All of these things, all of these animals, they have as much a right to exist as we do. I don’t have an issue taking their lives for myself, for my ring. What I was trying to tell you is that I’m not going to kill needlessly. A rabbit, a deer, fine. But I’m not going to shoot something we can’t use, just to show you that I’ve got the skill.”
It was something she tried to establish from the start. She had her morals, and she was going to hold to them, no matter what some superior might say. People had to realize that, or they would try to use her as a weapon. ‘Shoot this, shoot that.’ She’d heard it before. By making the statement that she would only do so when necessary, it helped refute the mindset.
With a brief shake of her head, she turned away, drawing the bow back to full draw as she did so. A twang sang out from the string as her fingers released it, the arrow leaping through the air to pluck a fat squirrel off its branch. Slipping quietly through the thick vegetation, she retrieved it, returned to the tree, and tossed it to the ground beside Joshua. “There. Dinner for a tenderfoot.” She dropped to sit cross-legged on the ground, taking another arrow from the quiver and resting both it and the bow across her knees. Her gaze, alert with watchfulness, scanned the area, looking for anything else worth catching. "Anyone got a claim on you yet, apprentice wise?" She sent him an arch look. Tarrik and Dalton certainly had a claim on her, but most of it was along the lines of ‘mess with the girl and we’ll beat you to a bloody pulp.’ She returned the sentiment, if a bit less violently. In terms of training, however, she was a general a tenderfoot as one could be. “Nope. And I intend to keep it that way, despite your questionable charms,” she answered breezily. She liked being able to do different things, to change up her routine. Besides, she was not yet certain if she would want to be attached to this particular person. They would either work excellently together, or she would infuriate him to no end.
ooc; beat me or something, if post is taking this long D8