blizzardbones

[blizzardbones]

“Nothing against you, it’s just that a guy can only take so much butchered attempts,” Oogway said matter-of-factly as he took another swig of soup, beak pursed slightly.

But that didn’t last long as he let out a laugh at the question, not unkindly, but towards a reversal of roles only he was privy to. Now he had to explain what was happening, what he was, to someone who lived in an isolated home.

“Close– I’m a tortoise, you know–” And recalling the difficulty in defining a word that the other didn’t know, he gestured to all of himself. “– it’s literally in the name. Oogway, wuqui.”

He shrugged noncommittally. “Not terribly creative, but it’s… easier this way.”

   " Hm. I've never met a tortoise. I like your shell. " And that was all he had to say on the matter. It was true, though; he was hardly unused to seeing new things from the world beyond, so he just treated this as he treated everything else he'd never encountered before. Silently committed it to memory and move on.

   ... and he was feeling a little more chatty than usual. Odd. He didn't outright dislike the stranger's company, at least. " The cold is still bad for you, yes? The crocodiles I knew - they'd get ... sick? " He frowned. It wasn't the most adequate word. " Tired. "

   He gestured loosely, then settled back down contentedly, sighing. " It is snowing. You will have to wait till it stops, you could walk right off the edge of the mountain. "

[blizzardbones]

“Figures as much. No offense, but this place isn’t exactly the most sought after bit of land– too cold, and even with the altitude, there’s no visual on any big towns or cities.”

It dawned on him that it was also the best place to dump him– it would’ve been the last place anyone would bother looking at. The tortoise took the bowl up to his beak and gave a small sip.

Sure, it was lukewarm, but the best thing he had tasted in a month. He took another, much bigger, gulp.

“I do, but I doubt you can pronounce it,” the tortoise said with a shrug. The current name he went by wasn’t so much a nickname, so much as a convenient moniker that stuck when the alternative was too difficult.

“Just call me Oogway– everyone does, anyway. What about you, mountain man?”

   “ I’d figure. Not many visitors. “ He liked his isolated home - he doubted he’d really know how to deal with it if he saw company more often than he currently did. It could be ... overwhelming, to be around others. 

   He idly tilted his head and watched his guest finally get to his meal. Good. He hated wasting food.

   “ You didn’t even let me try, “ he noted, the slightest hint of a smile to his voice. “ Oogway. Hm. Never heard that one before. I’ll remember it. I’m Hánlěng. “ 

   His name fit him, he liked to think; someone who lived in such a frozen place, who looked almost like he’d risen from the snow and ice itself. He was called a ghost, sometimes. He supposed that fit him too. Oogway was a strange name, but he supposed it must fit his guest ; it was his, after all.

   He debated going back out for his firewood, but ... he had enough to last a day or two. He returned to his seat instead, folded his hooves in his lap and sighed, softly. “ ... what exactly are you? I’ve seen a crocodile before, but you look different. Not as ... “ He gestured with his hands, trying to impress the idea of a crocodile’s snout. “ Long. “

[blizzardbones]

“That’s none of your business on both fronts,” Oogway said tersely.

The tortoise immediately swiped the bowl from its place, his eyes fixed on the… well, where he assumed the bull’s eyes were behind the fringe of hair. He made no effort to eat it– not until the other had eaten first– and instead held it, letting the heat radiate into his hands.

If he had to be honest, it looked a lot better than the average ration. Probably tasted better, too.

His stomach growled and echoed inside his carapace.

“Yes– isn’t it obvious?” He paused, his gaze flitted downward to his current patchwork attire for a moment, and sighed.

“You know what, don’t answer that.”

   Hanleng shrugged, distracting himself with his stew for a few moments. The strange lizard could wait for it to get cold as much as he wanted, but the bull certainly preferred his meals on the warmer side of things.

   “ I’ve never met a soldier, “ he mused, “ so I wouldn’t know either way. “ He didn’t have nearly enough contact with the outside world to even know there was a war happening - well, he would assume, considering. Meeting those involved was, until now, not even considered an option.

   And he was, admittedly, very curious about his visitor, but he wasn’t going to press someone who clearly wasn’t interested in sharing. So he finished his soup, got up, and busied himself with the little things that needed doing - although even with his back to his ‘guest’, his ears stayed alert for the slightest hint of movement. 

   “ ... Do you have a name? “

[blizzardbones]

His hand only grew tighter around the edge of the chair as he silently stared him down, suddenly aware of the winter gale just outside. As much as he hated being trapped here with someone he barely knew, he didn’t come here all this way to die.

Oogway let out a small hiss-grumble before sitting… onto the hardwood floor, his carapace giving a dull clack as he did so. The chair stayed where it was, a makeshift barrier, and also a potential weapon.

It was a small comfort in the situation he found himself in.

The tortoise withdrew slightly into himself, enough for his face to be partially hidden in shadows cast in his shell as he stared at the fire. Clawed fingers pulled the coat close before they scratched at his plastron and where his armor wasn’t.Once the storm cleared, he needed to find the rest of his men and replace his armor, and custom shell armor his size didn’t come cheap.

“So, while we’re both stuck with each other– what are you doing here in Middle-Of-Nowhere, China? I figure a big guy like you would be out on the front lines, bashing some skulls in.” To emphasize his point, he punched his other palm.

   Oogway got another blank look at that comment, and the big bull didn’t immediately respond as he processed the question. What reason would he have to bash skulls in? Or leave his home, for that matter?

   “ I live here. “ It was, admittedly, quite a ways away from any of the nearby small villages, and from what little he heard there weren’t any large cities nearby. “ What are you doing here? “ He paused, then, and frowned, turning his gaze back just a little to look Oogway over. 

   He didn’t immediately voice his question, instead kept his attention on his stew for a few moments. He only approached Oogway to offer him a wooden bowl full of the stuff - which hardly looked amazing by any stretch of the imagination, but it was passable, especially for how few vegetables were available up here - placing it on the floor before him as to not get too close. His visitor seemed twitchy and defensive, and Hanleng didn’t really want to have to throw his ass back out into the snow.

   Not that he wouldn’t. Or couldn’t. It really wasn’t his problem, in the end.

   Once he settled back down in his seat, though, he put words to the question in his mind. “ Front lines of ... what? Are you some sort of ... soldier, then? “ 

[blizzardbones]

By the time Oogway woke up, it was early evening. For a brief moment, he thought that he was back at his tent, before the rest of his memories caught up with him. Of a supply raid that had gone awry and how it led him to be carted along with the cargo in silence or risk being found.

And he had been found. He escaped of course, but after that, his memory was spotty– the biting cold, how he could literally feel even his blood slow down, being held by strong arms–

Well, at least he was warm. He stood up, and seeing the horned silhouette cast on the opposite wall had calmed him down.

“See, what did I tell you? The plan worked perfectly,” he said with a huff. “You took them out, and you’ve even found us a place to–” The next words died in his throat as he turned around to face him and see that the yak he was speaking to wasn’t Kai– he was, surprisingly slightly taller than that and a stark white.

He stared for a moment– he seemed strong, but he’d dealt with worse. He reached for a qinglong qi… that wasn’t there. On that note, where was his armor?

He let out a string of angry hisses and put the chair between him and the yak. “– Who are you and who do you work for?” he said tersely. “Old Chang? The peacocks? Tell me and I might not burn this place to the ground.”

    Hánlěng gave him a long, almost confused look. There was ... a lot to unpack there. Did he think Hánlěng was someone else? Was he just delirious? The weird hissing certainly made him think so ... The threats certainly weren't appreciated, though - he snorted sharply at that. He didn't rise from his seat, but he straightened up and stared down at the weird crocodile still wearing his coat.

   " I wouldn't do that, " his voice was a dry whisper, and when he carried on it carried his confusion and annoyance clearly despite its softness. " Sit back down. I don't work for anyone, but if you threaten me again I'll throw you back out to freeze. " He'd guessed by the earlier spikes this fellow was some sort of criminal, but he was far from the most intimidating thing that had threatened Hanleng. He was hardly afraid of ... well, he still didn't know what it was, but.

   " You're can leave if you want. The trip down the mountain will likely kill you, " the bull stated flatly, before seemingly turning his attention back to his soup, " but that's your choice. "

   This was the worst part of having anyone here, the talking. He was content to fall silent once more; and even though his attention was entirely on his strange visitor, he seemed to be more interested in the pot on the fire than anything else.

   He had been threatened more than once by confused and defensive animals he'd brought inside, but it rarely ended with actual physical violence. And even then, it was rare he had to resort to seriously hurting someone - most of the time he could just pick them up until they regained their common sense.

   " And, for the record, " he added suddenly, " if you're expecting someone else, don't be. You were alone when I found you, and the snows are bad enough right now that even I won't go out there. "

[blizzardbones]

@wuqvi

   The caravan had left two days ago, and life was back to normal. Hánlěng did his usual rounds along the mountain paths, collecting firewood and keeping on the lookout for any trouble. And ... well, perhaps he found it. He wasn’t sure yet. Whatever it was he found was certainly not like anything he’d ever seen.

   The weird ... thing was definitely alive, but certainly not doing well. Judging by the scales and color, he would say whatever this was couldn’t be too dissimilar from those crocodiles he met a while back, who’d nearly passed out from the cold even with a blazing fire to warm them. Hm. Interesting. He wasn’t keen on abandoning the wood, but this did take priority ... 

   He huffed, dropped the pull to the sled and his axe, and hefted up the weird creature into one arm. A quick once-over confirmed this was definitely no trader, too ... spiky. Closer to a bandit, maybe. Still no clue what they were supposed to be, but they seemed to have some sort of shell or armor that, upon closer inspection, was definitely attached, but the spikes were not. The sharp armor (it was probably armor, right?) around his middle was discarded, but Hánlěng didn’t bother with the arms. He just huffed again and carried the weird stranger home. 

   His ‘visitor’, who he decided was probably just a weirdly shaped crocodile, ended up on the couch wrapped in every blanket the bull owned. Which wasn’t easy, but it was accomplished, leaving only his face poking out. And with nothing left to do, the bull threw together some ingredients into a stew, put it on the fire, sat down, and waited. 

[blizzardbones]

The Soothsayer eyed the assorted blankets tossed around the room before plucking one off a weathered chair, wrapped it around herself, and sat down near the fire. Looking around the– honestly, empty– furnishings, everything looked as old as she was.

She ran a finger on the grain of one of the arms on the chair. Much older than the bull as well, she thought. Must’ve been left behind.

“You can’t miss it,” she pointed out. “It’s one of the biggest– if not the biggest– port cities southeast from here. I don’t blame you for coming along around the quiet season.”

“Its liveliness is both its novelty and bane to those unused to it.” A pause. “I guess you’re quite unused to such things, up here.”

   Hanleng hummed thoughtfully, but once again didn’t immediately answer. His thick coat got discarded to hang by the door, and he almost absentmindedly stoked the fire. 

   “ Sometimes, traders come through. When the weather is warmer. Sometimes I go into the village, when it is cold and I need to trade for something. Occasionally, bandits. Think an empty village makes an easy hideout. “ He snorts, falls silent again. 

   He doesn’t offer any further comment on that, but his tone makes it clear he doesn’t agree. He doesn’t say what happens when they do, but ... he is here. They are not. That’s clear enough for him. 

   “ All cities look big to me. And I - do bad, in most places. “ He taps his horns to demonstrate. “ Can’t see well. Hit things. “ He may not exactly fit the ‘bull in a china shop’ metaphor, but he’s far from graceful. He huffs again, and sits heavily on one of the other chairs, sighing.

[blizzardbones]

“That they are,” she chuckled. “It can be an absolute nuisance sometimes, when it goes off at a late hour and all you want to do is sleep.”

Another shiver ran up her spine, but not out of the cold this time. As she looked around the slowly-decaying village, her mouth twitched slightly. Unlike the panda village near Gongmen, there was no signs of a struggle, no notable scars. It was as if everyone had one day decided to pack up their things and leave.

The old goat glanced back at Hánlěng. Well, she thought. Almost everyone.

And that in itself led to more nebulous, frightening conclusions.

Opting for a lighter change of topic, she straightened up with a lopsided smile. “If you decide to visit Gongmen, I could show you around– I know all the best spots to go.”

   Hanleng seemed unbothered by the empty bones of what was a thriving village - after all, even empty, it was all he’d known.

   The Soothsayer got led to the one building still being used; the interior wasn’t much, but it fit it’s sole inhabitant well. Large, sturdy furniture, likely older than the bull himself but still intact, was placed about the room. 

   He had several herbs hanging up to dry near what was some attempt at a kitchen, and a few bits and pieces scattered about - axe on the table, a few blankets draped over furniture, wood shavings on the floor surrounding one of the seats by the fire. There was nothing of note, but it was by far the nicest place on the mountain.

   “ I don’t know where it is, “ he pointed out as he waved her to settle down anywhere. “ I have not been far beyond the nearby villages. But if I do, I will be sure to come find you. “ Nevermind that he had no clue how to do that. “ Perhaps ... not when there are fireworks, though. “

[blizzardbones]

The Soothsayer didn’t need to be told– or rather, be motioned at– twice to move. She clung to the sleeve of the yak’s coat for extra stability with her free hand; she might have been from the mountains, but city life and time had left her hooves unused to the terrain.

Another breeze. Another shiver.

At the mention of the Winter Festival, she perked up. Any distraction from the cold was a welcome one.

“Well, depending on where you are, the Winter Festival can be small get-togethers with family and friends, or be bigger gatherings. Back at Gongmen City, the streets are lined with lanterns. Banquet halls open across the city,” she explained, waving her hand holding the cane in a sweeping gesture for emphasis. “There’s a parade that goes through the city, and by the end of the Festival there are fireworks.”

“No matter the variance in tradition, the Festival is both the metaphorical and literal light in the dark of winter.”

   He turned his gaze to her for just a moment before shifting his arm to hold her hand with his own to steady her. He was well used to these paths, having walked them so many times his feet led him without his mind having to pay them any mind. He seemed lost in thought for a few moments, huffing another soft sigh. 

   “ I have seen fireworks, I think. It sounds ... like a nice thing. But loud. “

   He couldn’t picture gatherings all that well, just vague foggy memories of, as a child, burying his face in someone’s coat and looking up at all the much taller, dark-furred yaks all around him. That was a gathering, yes, but soft and somber, one he didn’t fully remember. No, it probably wasn’t like that. The trade caravans probably didn’t either ... and he was never really around them anyways.

   They reached the village before long, a hollow empty place only half protected from the snow. The buildings, while mostly abandoned, remained intact save for one that had caved in one winter - an empty stone shell with the remains of the roof still slumped awkwardly within, slowly decaying with each passing year. His own home was towards the middle of the village, identifiable only by the smoke curling from the chimney. The place was ... empty. Despite being seemingly unmarked and unharmed, something about it whispered that this place has known death. Only then did he break his silence again. 

-   “ I think I would like to see the city one day. I have not seen much of the world. “

[blizzardbones]

@blizzardbones

wow soothsayer who let you have two adopted albino sons

[blizzardbones]

;; stuck on mobile atm but this big boy bull can and will throw someone off the side of his mountain if he so wishes and god i wi

[blizzardbones]

“Then it’s clearly not doing a good job, seeing as I’m still alive.” The Soothsayer crossed her arms… before her old frame betrayed her and began to shiver as a stiff breeze passed between them.

Winter had a way of blanketing everything in its wake, even noise. It was quiet up here, save for the quiet crunch of snow whenever she shifted around. Even with her usual ensemble swapped out for something thicker, she can still feel the chill gnawing at her bones.

“In any case, death isn’t the end– just part of a cycle,” she said finally. “That’s why we have Winter Festivals, to remind us that new life will come after this bitter cold.”

   He hummed thoughtfully, but didn’t immediately reply. The cold stung his eyes and nose, chewed at his ears, but he didn’t seem to notice the chill. He did, however, notice her shivering, and breathed out a low, weary sigh.    He didn’t say much about it, either - just tilted his head, indicating for them to move, and set off in the direction of his home. Slowly, to keep by her side. He’d seen many a capable bandit slip and fall to their doom, and even though the ground was rather level here on the paths, it was better safe than sorry.

   “ Come. I don’t have much, but I have a fire. “

   And he seemed to think for a few more moments before adding,

   “ I have never seen a festival. What is it like? “ 

[blizzardbones]

   “Well I would certainly hope so.” She said with a chuckle. “It’s been a while. You’re not lost again are you?”

   Ah. Yes, he remembered the bird now. He dropped to one knee to lean closer to her, tilting his head slowly and thoughtfully. 

   “ Yes. I am. I am farther from home than I wanted. “

[blizzardbones]

;;  hánlěng is very, very unaware of how the world below his mountain actually works - mostly because the settlement he was apart of crumbled when he was just starting to get a grasp on societal structures and interacting with others - something not helped by how separated from the community he was even when they still lived on the mountain , as he was a ‘cursed child’ and the less he reminded others of his existence the safer he was

;; he’s probably never been to a big city, and he’s seen fireworks once or twice in the distance but doesn’t know really what they are

[blizzardbones]

@gongmensoothsayer liked for a starter !

    Hánlěng’s dry, raspy voice was almost painfully reminiscent of the winds that constantly swept over the slopes of the mountain - not ever loud enough to properly howl, just low, hollow whispers against cold stone.

-   “ They say the cold brings nothing but death. “

   There was an unspoken question there, but the towering bull never outright asked questions if he had to. He spoke as little as possible, simply listened when he could and prompted others to speak as quietly as possible. Any sort of visit from him was rare and often rather quiet, but he seemingly preferred it that way.

   And despite eyes that didn’t seem to work all that well, he was sharp - attentive, watching but rarely freely sharing whatever thoughts were held behind his pale gaze.

[blizzardbones]

@shina-mizushima liked for a starter !

   The air felt heavy and hot compared to the mountain, and he kept having to brush his hair out of his eyes to actually see where he was going. Even then, he was still a little lost in an unfamiliar environment, and felt almost overwhelmed by it. He regretted leaving, even if he had business to see done in whatever settlement he happened to find first.

   By the time he managed to find anything familiar, he was a bit surprised it was a who and not a what - although the details on the ‘who’ didn’t immediately spring to mind. So he found himself looming over a not-entirely-stranger, with his voice barely more than a dry whisper,

   - “ You. I know you. ”

[blizzardbones]

- permanent starter call !!!