#;; searching for something unknown ;; tala thread

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

The wolf looked mildly unimpressed by the transformation that had just happened in front of her. In truth, she was fascinated but knew better than to show that. Or rather, nothing good had come of her showing such an expression before so she held it back on instinct, though couldn't stop the stiffness in her spine being next to something so large.

It only confirmed her thoughts that, if the two were up to no good and turned against her, she wasn't going to make it out without serious injury. If she was lucky.

A thought she pushed aside.

"It's not mine, no. I don't have...territory. You have to have a home for that. I'm a wanderer, not much else to me." It wasn't a lie, she didn't have a home. Not anymore. The days where she did were long, long behind her and she wasn't inclined to think about them as she sniffed the air here and there as they went. There was something there, faint but there.

"I like it that way, for the record."

Feliks' grin seemed to grow bigger, even though Jin didn't know how considering how large it had already been a moment ago. As usual to Jin, the ice dragon had gotten his way with this. Which was probably why he was so excited as he transformed back into his full dragon form.

Not that any of this was a surprise. Feliks had a way with interacting with people that Jin never fully understood. Perhaps it was the eagerness to want to interact and learn with the upmost sincerity. Either way, they once again had a third companion to the group.

The two would allow the wolf to take the lead before following, Feliks making sure his wings were tucked comfortably close to his body to avoid the trees.

"Would this area happen to be your territory?" A question Jin had meant to ask awhile ago but it slipped his mind.

[multisuperfluity]

Continued with @yaksha-garden and Tala!

— ☽○☾ —

Amber eyes narrowed at the other. Tala couldn't have cared less about the state of the place, it wasn't hers just a shelter she had found to keep out of the rain, but what she did care about was the other's willingness to just barge in and make a scene. The wolf had attacked first she would admit to that, but it was out of self-defense (or so she told herself).

And she may have been in her human form, but Tala's fangs and claws were prominent as she scoffed, nearly snarled. "I didn't stutter. Why are you even here? Why are you still here? Haven't you caused enough trouble?"

[multisuperfluity]

Starter for @ofsnarkandmagic from Tala!

— ☽○☾ —

The redhead sat at the edge of a flowing river, hands cupped to bring to her lips for a drink. It wasn't overly hot out but she hadn't come across water in a few hours, having been stuck in one of the drier parts of the region. Why she ever left the forest, she didn't know. It never led to anything good, never offered her any good clues.

If she had noticed the other just yards away there was no indication of it. Either she hadn't heard them, or deemed them to be no real threat to her. She was hardly top of the food chain, but in a pinch she could run away if need be.

She was fast, not strong.

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

Starter for @themultiversebundle with Tala.

"You look human...but you're not. What are you?" Their scent had given them away in an instant, and their appearance a close second. Yet the wolf clearly wasn't intimidated as she continued to lay there in the dying grass. The seasons were changing, the weather getting colder, but it never effected her as much as other creatures.

In fact, it was the time of year few creatures came out of their warm homes. So this was odd.

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

"Death has always seemed like...this odd grand gesture to them. Never made much sense to me either. Death is death, and unless you're 'fortunate' to be undead, it's not that big a deal." Now that wasn't to say the canine was eager to meet her end either, though she would admit there had been many times in her life thus far where she was impartial to it. She had never welcomed death, not even at her lowest points, but sometimes she was comfortable with the inevitability of it.

But maybe that just made her weird as hell. She didn't know, or care.

Yet she did snort at the mention of revenge, a sound of humor this time; temptation even. Though she soon shook her head with a mild disappointment.

"Never did, actually. Rumors started to fly after the whole thing, but not everyone thought I was the guilty party. Like I said, no one really bothered to look into him after he died, people were fine to take the story at surface level. Others? They knew something else was going on, but no one found anything." Sometimes she wondered if they ever would. Or if it mattered at that point. It had happened, she had been blamed, and years had passed. She had always figured it was one of those things that could be changed, but wouldn't lie and say the thought of taking care of the one who caused her so much stress wasn't appealing.

"If only. Would make so many things so much easier."

              ALINA DIDN'T EAT KIDS, either... but weirdly not because of her morals. mostly just because it was pointless. they were young and quite often known to be stupid. she would be eating A LOT of them if she let their behavior be a reasoning for devouring. a waste of time for not a lot of sustenance. the latter was the reasoning her mother even didn't eat them, though something told the younger demon there was a d e e p e r bit of information that kasmira would never relent.

             the queen had fleetingly been a human. a human child. one who was cast out, turned on... hunted. while the monster now didn't have any feelings, alina was quite sure that her elder did still harbor a bitterness about it all. so rather than kill children as had been done to her, the demoness... protected. kind of.

          but that was still more than alina often relented to. it was o d d to ponder.

                    "people have this weird way of feeling sympathy for the dead. they didn't change, they just DIED, not sure what their deal is. i guess because mortals just fear dying so much." admittedly, alina didn't want to go out either, but she would have a much harder time ever reaching that state... so it was easier not to think or tremble about it. "oooh, know who did kill them, though? i'm not much of a detective, but i aaaam one for revenge."

         the blonde couldn't RESIST the prying. "if looks could literally kill, i'd solve a lot of my problems."

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

"If that's what you think, am I not entitled to live it as I see fit? It is my life, after all." She didn't expect a real answer from them, nor did she really care what he thought. The canine did as she pleased, looked after herself first and gave little care to others who didn't have something to offer her. She tried not to be confrontational, if only for her own sake, but sometime that simply didn't work and the claws had to come out.

She owed the world nothing. She owed people nothing. Her only duty was to herself.

She didn't know why the creature before her had a different outlook, but eh wasn't the first she had come across who seemed to care far too much about others. The worlds were full of those like him and Tala couldn't say she understood it.

"You overestimate me. If you're hoping for some grand revelation, you won't get it from me. You're better off preaching to a Beast who hasn't been around as long as me, or been through what I have." And, yes, she was quite sure she could kill and eat him without caring one bit about the whole process. In fact her whole demeanor remained uncaring, akin to an adult being bothering by a chatty child. She even stretched leisurely before staring at him. She wasn't a fool, no one willing said something like that without ulterior motives or a defense in place.

But she did take a step forward, as if to call his bluff. "And how dumb do you think I am?"

"Don't you care about anything? Life is a gift."

A gift he was given a second chance at. That. That was why he felt obligated to become a doctor. Chaos gave him his power to heal, Tikal trained him well. He wasn't a fighter, but he was a hell of a defensive wall. That was his role. He was to protect others, whether it be in combat, or in the hospital.

"Just because life treats you badly, doesn't mean you treat the world badly. I'm by no means some happy go lucky guy or anything, but even I can appreciate the sanctity of life. People die, and we'll never be able to stop that. But giving them quality of life for as long as physically possible, why wouldn't you want that? Put yourself in their position."

Despite his tone, there was a surprising amount of compassion in Ray's voice. Almost uncharacteristic of him. But he'd never met someone who held the same mindset he once held. Maybe he felt he had something to prove, more to himself, than to her.

"Do you want to feel pain? Unbearable pain, pain you can't begin to imagine? Pain is unavoidable, but treatable. A lot of diseases and ailments are not. But if you're so sure you could just eat me and go on with your day, prove it."

Uncrossing his arms, there was little other change in his position. But at a second's movement, she'd find out quick how strong a shield he could generate.

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

Tala had no intentions of causing problems while she was there. She was very much going to use the unique opportunity to, for once, relax. Almost a foreign concept to her but if this place was as her acquaintance described, it was the perfect place to try. Did she plan on staying forever? No.

But for a while? Yes.

"Sounds scenic." She smiled, but she was a little jealous. It sounded beautiful, perfectly in sync with the nature around it. She was looking forward to seeing it, and the rest of the area. Something she was going to waste no time in doing. She walked on, but stopped and turned to give a a sincere look of thanks.

"Thank you again. I'll be seeing you soon."

𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝. Scaling a small mound, he perks his ears to scan the terrain. They're not hunting, but by mentioning the packs he figures it's best to be alert. The packs know the felicid minds his business, so it's his new acquaintance they might be hesitant about.

Flicking an ear back, he chuffs. " Time is merely a concept. " A jest, but when he's out here, in his own skin, he likes to slip away from the concepts of man. " You're free to come and go as you please, and if you wish to find me– " He directs his snout to the lowest mountain in the visible range. " My cottage is up there; past the pond and behind the waterfall. I'll let my brother know so he doesn't stop you. "

Maybe he should mention that he can shapeshift. If the she-wolf does visit though... she'll probably piece it together.

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

When that day came, there was plenty for Tala to tell. Her world was something that held endless wonder and mysteries, but a fair share of fear and the unknown as well. But it was her home, and despite being able to traverse to other realms the wolf would always call it such. She would never abandon it, because she couldn't. As far as she knew it was still the only place she really had, the only place she might be able to figure out what the hell she really was.

But now was a rare moment she was going to let herself forget all that and just run. It was something Tala genuinely enjoyed, that feeling of tearing the earth with her claws, the wind in her fur and the pumping of muscles. She didn't think she would be able to beat Harmony, but it didn't matter.

There was undoubtedly a smile on her muzzle as she followed the girl through the village and to the porch. Though that may have had to do with the teen's method of stopping, something Tala didn't not follow as she slowed and stopped by the simple means of walking onto the porch just as the door opened.

Maybe the only thing that saved Harmony from some teasing. Frankly the wolf was surprised how sturdy the door was given that apparently wasn't the first time she had done that.

"She did mention something about you being a good cook." Maybe a bit of a bold ask from someone she just met, but the wolf had a one track mind at times.

So many questions swirled in the teen’s eyes as Tala spoke of magic and beasts. At some point they were going to have to sit down and have a conversation about the differences in her friend’s Zone on top of so much more now that she seemed to become more comfortable with the idea of nearing the village. But that would be after their race.

Nothing got Harmony’s excitement like a race, and while she knew she had the speed to beat her friend, there was nothing like giving a head start for just a bit more challenge in closing the gap. The teen’s happy howl came as she dropped to all fours and took off.

The sound was enough to alert those in the village, as well as the older hybrid in the Inn, but nothing came of it beyond a few chuckles from those down the hills. Harmony grinned as she caught up easily with Tala and then passed her. The back porch came into view. This time she had every intention to win.

Even if it did come at the cost of smacking face-first into the wooden door. The thud echoed off the mountains as she rubbed at her head after sitting back up. As the door opened, she sheepishly grinned at the look her father gave her. One of pure amusement as he took in the door.

“One o’ these days, you’re gonna go through it…” His gaze lifted and a smile given to the wolf nearby. “Whatta I owe ya for keepin’ her outta trouble?”

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

The wolf looked skeptical at Jin's solution, but she didn't say anything. Frankly she didn't know why she cared at all, why she didn't just let them go and, most likely, get into trouble. They were greater than she, they would be fine if they came across most troubles that could be waiting for them. She couldn't offer protection. Not much of it anyway.

But direction? Being a guide? She was good at that. Not that she would admit it, but it wouldn't have been the first time she had acted as such. She had, and still did, make decent money guiding people through dangerous paths when they had no one else to protect them. She knew the world well, and that worked to her advantage.

It seemed that she and Jin at least agreed to that much. That she would give them nothing more than reassurances, maybe. She had nothing better to do and, admittedly, she was curious to find this portal herself. To see what it really was, where it's energy may have been derived from.

She stood, stretching in that way particular to canines to warm up the entirety of her limbs before shaking herself of loose grass and twigs. "Then let's go."

There was soon a grin on Feliks' face. To him, she was going to answer her own question. Although Jin of course was the first to speak. "I can follow our scents back to where we entered this world." His gaze was towards the direction they had initially came from. "It hopefully shouldn't be too far. I saw the settlement nearby so it should be between here and there."

Feliks jumped to his feet, moving to nudge Jin so he had the other's attention before he signed to the two. 'We don't know what's waiting around here. We were lucky coming this far but perhaps it would be wise to have a local guide?' He gestured towards Tala.

The red dragon turned his gaze towards her at his friend's gesturing, a small frown on his face as he pondered what was suggested. Honestly he didn't think they would need any real assistance. They were both capable of defending themselves if they came across danger and he was sure he could follow the scent back to whatever portal they stumbled through.

"Feliks..."

'She might be able to know what the portal looks like in this world and help us better locate it. And if we happen to need to stay the night...' Feliks' grin grew bigger as he heard Jin sigh. That was one of defeat.

"Fine."

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

On the other end, Tala was cold but didn't go out of her way to seek carnage. Unless she was rightly and truly pissed off, that was. Those moments she could count on one hand. She lead a...careful life, keeping to herself mostly. She liked eyes off of her, it made things so much easier. Yet she would admit being the black sheep (no humor intended) did the opposite at times, drew more attention to her. Made people wonder about the lone wolf.

It was why she understood what the other was getting at with 'morals'. Tala had them too, in a sense. The sense that less drama meant less problems, so being careful with who she killed was a necessary thing. That, and she did have rules.

No kids. Not exceptions.

"I know. Believe me. I've gotten in trouble for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now people think I killed someone who was wrongly revered. Not that anyone bothers to look into him now that he's dead."She scoffed as she said it, that bitterness still present in her voice. It had been years and yet she was still dealing with that fallout. She hadn't gone it, plain and simple, but no one bothered to hear her side of it.

"Some, just not all. Most even aren't worth time the time but also not worth sparing either."

              THAT WOULD BRING A LOW HUM to her lips, tickling them as she pondered the imagery of a haunted house. the chaos, the thrill. all the souls just thinking they were in for the scare of their night... it would be SO EASY. but in that way it would also be boring. there would come one delight from the ordeal; that one swift moment where those she attacked would realize this was no costume.

             the rest would be typical. terror, panic, trying to run only for it to end s w i f t and bloody. these folks wouldn't be able to really fight back and while the more frustrating teenagers might be nice to put an end to, there would be the unfortunate souls who had been dragged along or the excitable nerds who just wanted to have a good time...

       alina was cruel, but she wasn't empty. there was a semblance of innocence that she understood and even took delight in. eden had had that sort of way with the world.

                "ugh, you're reminding me i do have morals. loose ones, but they exist. i like being aware of who i'm killing. the satisfaction is in it n o t being pointless or mindless a lot of the time. like, sure, it's fun, and i don't like a lot of people but..."

     she almost retched. "some are worth keeping alive."

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

The wolf just quirked a brow. She wasn't convinced, and her gaze almost dared him to explain why she was wrong in that instance. She was just a canine, a dog, nothing special. Dragons however were things of legends, something akin to royalty. Powerful. She doubted she could injure one, and would likely just die trying to fight one at all.

Yet her tail twitched when Felik claimed his kind weren't eternally wise, something that was news to her. People seemed to revere dragons and everything they had to offer, though she was never sure why. Or what it was that made them special apart from their size and power. She assumed it was knowledge, given how old they were.

"And what do you think a lonely wolf could possibly teach you?" She didn't expect an answer, not really, and looked at Jin as they spoke to drive home that fact. Seemed the pair had somewhere else to go, though the way the other spoke made her shake her head.

"By yourselves? Do you even know the way, or what's waiting for you that way?"

A serious look appeared on Feliks' face. 'Don't speak about yourself that way.' He wasn't angry, but was trying his best to be stern. Not that he could do it very well. Of course he was aware dragons were very high on the food chain, with very few being able to bring them down. Even those that could bring them down would deal with severe consequences to doing so.

That's not what he was worried about.

'Even the top can learn from those below. Dragons are not all knowing.' Not as much as the stories made it seem. 'My favorite knowledge came from those that would be considered below me on the chain. They are my favorite people.' The frown turned into a smile before a sudden rush of air came as Jin landed onto the ground.

"The scent is too faint up there." Jin responded. He had always been able to follow magic towards its source, as if a trail that could be smelt by a dog. "We'll have to follow it down here." At least he knew they hadn't ran into that village so the portal had to be between there and here.

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

It made sense, but that little fact didn't help the pair now. They were somewhere else, far from home, maybe even the furthest one could get from home, and now they needed to find a way back. She wasn't sure what Jin was looking at up there, they wouldn't see much beside nature and maybe a small village miles down the line, but Tala just shook her head and looked at Feliks.

"Being good at magic and knowing how to traverse the realms are two different things."

She was blunt and she knew that but she always was. She found sugarcoating anything hard to do, more because she didn't care what others might have thought than any real concern.

"That's one way of looking at it. But what use is there for dragons to meet a wolf? As far as food chains go, I think only one of us is really at the top."

And it sure as hell wasn't her by comparison. In full form just about any dragon could probably eat her in one bite, tail and all.

Feliks' gaze was in the air, as if he was staring down where he last saw Jin for a moment before he turned back towards the wolf. 'Not very often.' It wasn't something they were prone to doing. Most of their travels had been in locations in their own world. Not that different worlds were all that strange.

After all, both dragons were aware of the different realms.

'Jin is very good at magic. His kind is known to naturally have it.' It was practically in the dragon's blood. Which was why Jin was so talented with lots of different magics while Feliks could only shift his form.

Although it was a reason Jin was so defensive. The world had shown him that they were willing to kill him to gain that type of ability.

'I bet he'll get us back home easily.' There wasn't a single worry in this ice dragon's mind. 'I supposed something in the universes wanted us to meet.'

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

Tala only grinned. That was exactly what she meant. Most fae she had met personally were far from the kindest, and had a streak of mischief that bordered on fiercely annoying. At least to the wolf. Others seemed to merely find them quirky, but she was interested to see what the one there in The Veil was like.

Maybe that would be all it took to change Tala's mind about the creatures.

And knowing there were more canines there only furthered her interest. She wondered what they were like. Similar to herself, or the opposite? She supposed she would be finding out soon enough.

"That is one instance where I will trust my instincts when I come upon them." She couldn't say what she would do when she did find a castle, but she knew she would eventually. Be it on purpose or not. And there was a look in her eyes that said she wasn't afraid, but curious.

Still, she stretched, front legs extended in front of her before she straightened again. "But I supposed I have taken up enough of your time."

𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝, 𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐫. She's still a rascal if that's what you mean. Just not the asshole type. " Crin had her tendencies, but the banished fae truthfully saw more joy in life tending to nature than meddling with it. Which he's thankful for. She's been a wonderful companion all these years.

" The latter isn't necessarily true. " He continues, directing his snout towards the northwest range. " Wolfpacks and herds still claim their large ranges of territory and are pretty protective of them. Some have taken the settlements for dens, but the castles... Well, nothing has been brave enough to touch them. "

Airin slows a bit. Mischief rolls off his purr. " ...Unless you are? "

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

The smile alone told Tala a lot, and even though she had quirked a brow at it she wouldn't ask for more details. What the other did was their own business after all, but it would be a lie to say that the she-wolf wasn't seeing more than a few similarities between her and Alina. And she wasn't sure how to feel about that.

She rarely got along with other Beasts, let alone creatures of the same nature but there was one aspect that nearly all of them did share and even Tala wouldn't deny that: survival. How it presented itself was different from person to person, Beast to Beast, but the end goal was always the same it seemed. Some might have been less fearful of death than others, but still cherished living above all else.

Even someone like Tala, who wasn't sure what the hell she wanted from life. To be left alone sounded nice, yes, but that was only part of the whole and she knew it.

"You and I both. Though most learn rather quickly that I'm no ordinary wolf. Usually right before they die, which is always a bit ironic, at least to me." No shame in admitted that. Why would there be? Hunters often had one goal in mind, and the wolf refused to let herself become part of their achievements. Nevermind she had a special hatred of hunters. And huntresses.

"Not the worse, no, only because you won't have to worry about the cleanup. Though a dark house, artificial noises, expected screams...it sounds like far too easy pickings."

      TEMPTATIONS WAS ONE WAY to put it, she supposed. alina couldn't help the sly smile to flicker across her expression at that comment, blue depths seeming to stare into a nothingness as she pondered over the situation. she HAD to feed on people... so was it truly a temptation if it was for her very existence? she supposed excess was, but to say she didn't indulge in such would be a prominent lie. she didn't a l w a y s have more than she should, but there were so many people in the world...

                    and so many of them were just plain shit. their worth as her meal was far more than anything else they would have given to the earth. so it was only right ( at least in her mind ). chuckle elicited as the ponderings moved through her head.

        "oh, i get a fair share of hunters in my path every now and then. i get away with a lot, but nobody's perfect." humor twinged her comment, and shoulders bounced. "so far they just make it easier..."

                         delivery as far as she would imagine.

      "but i'll be good. unless i'm s t a r v i n g which i like to think i am good about keeping that under control. though a haunted house turned buffet isn't the worst idea... for me."

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

The wolf was walking on the bank of the stream, eyes torn between looking at its surface and all that was around her. Everything here was beautiful, and there was a burning in her chest, an excitement, she hadn't felt in a long time. She wanted to take off, to just run, but kept where she was to continue the conversation.

"A friendly fae? There truly is a first time for everything. But in a place like this...I imagine the best comes out in all creatures." For once she would be optimistic here, though tilted her head at the mention of abandoned places.

"And they just sit there? No one's tried to make something of them?"

𝐒𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝, his paw splashes into the mellow stream. " The Veil stretches pretty far, " he began. " Most of what you'll find is the deep forests surrounding the Carpathian mountains, but... in the southeast, you'll find the local fae, Crin. She's friendly, so you don't have to worry 'bout her. There's actually a few mythical creatures living here... "

He stops weaving through the tall grass. He tilts his head in thought. " Can't say if they're safe; I don't mess with them much. But– further north is my cottage, and scattered about the land are abandoned human settlements and their castles. " // @multisuperfluity

[multisuperfluity]

— ☽○☾ —

The canine didn't question it, though she had a feeling she hadn't entirely made herself clear when she spoke. To be called a Beast was not an insult where she was from, it was no different than calling her a 'wolf', it was just what she was. Nothing more and nothing less. Monster was slightly different but she was used to that one as well, particularly from humans.

The wolf was a hard one to shake from titles alone. She had hard to rattle in most circumstances, that's what made her a survivor. She relied on herself, cared little for others, and did as she pleased. Her life was simple when broken up in such a way. But that didn't mean she enjoy some times, even the walk along the trail was something she could relish, even if her nose was working overtime to register all the smells as they neared the village.

"Then it's something our worlds have in common. All Beasts are thought to have magic, but I don't believe it. Given that I seem to be an exception to that rule, even if I haven't taken much time to test how true that is." Not entirely the truth, she had spent those first few years wondering why she was different, why she wasn't connected to other Beasts by the same magic they all seemed to have. She could transform, yes, but that wasn't the same thing and she had always known that.

Chaos Energy? She didn't have a clue what that was, she had chalked it up to being the name of this world's magic. But she would ask about it later. After their race.

"You're on." She only gave the teen a moment before her paw found purchase under her and the canine took off with a surprising grace. Faster than her average kin, it helped make up for her lack of strength.

It was better to ask than assume and Harmony smiled to her friend as they walked. The only time it had faltered was when Tala mentioned being okay with the two other names.

“Nobody here would call ya a monster or beast.” That much she was sure of. Especially since the last time she’d heard someone refer to her father as such, those in the village had not been kind to the one who did it. “Everybody will either call ya by your name or your species.”

Now that they were on their way back, the teen made sure Tala wasn’t getting stuck on anything along the trail. While the lookout wasn’t one that had been used in a long time, the trail was still one that many frequented on their hunting parties. Deer and other wildlife were known to frequent the area.

“Sometimes the ones that use magic are pretty nasty but sometimes they use their magic for good. Depends on which ones show up. We don’t have a lot o’ magic users in our Zone but that’s cuz the power comes from Chaos Energy.” Harmony wasn’t entirely sure that made any sense to her friend but the village was coming into sight at the top of the hill. Or at least the back of the Inn was.

“Race ya t’ the porch?”