The Darkest of Nights

Alright, so I am starting up a new one! The newest ones seem to have exploded into 5 pages each or lost its members D:

Where are we?

This is taking place in an open field with a couple of spurts of trees placed randomly about. Just enough for cover. Tall grassy terrain with a couple of streams and small wild animals. It is currently night time (thus the title) and the stars are clearly visible with no cloud cover. Slight winds, nothing serious.

Rules

- fighting is allowed, but obviously no killing. everybodies gotta walk away from this one!
- humans and other characters are also allowed
- no need to be rude out of place, but of course if your character is just naturally a tool, then so be it I guess!
- have fun, make friends! ♥


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The roar of the rustling grass chattered beneath Viva's large paws, sending up scents of warm flowers and wet earth. She could barely see her surroundings, however nature had ways of letting it self be known. She could hear, touch and smell everything around her.

From what she could tell, she was very much alone, except for her fire fly friends hidden within her bells attached to her large complicated antlers. The small insects buzzed lightly in her ears, as a couple of them began to blink. Eventually, calling out to each other, her bells were fully aglow with bright yellow light.

She laughed joyfully and burst into a full gallop across the vast plain. A few of the bugs fell out from their homes and danced in the open air, trailing behind the exotic shinlai as it were a stream of stars that followed her.

Her messy fur got tangled in the wind and she threw herself into the grass, rolling around in a fit of bliss, sending grass and dirt flying. Suddenly, she stopped abruptly, and planted herself on her two front elbows. Grinning fully, she began to push herself forward through the tall grass, enjoying the night time dew lapping at her mask.

She might as well have had her many eyes closed, as she saw nothing ahead nor behind her and she played her odd game...

could I join?

Of course! No need to ask love, I always welcome any new comers ♥

'What is that?'
Her head, as usual, in the clouds, Denali bounded towards the moonlit clearing in wonder. The soft glow of a few stray fireflies caught her attention, and her gleaming red optics grew round and wide as a giddy smile splayed across her short muzzle. The yellowy light was good at reflecting off of her rabbit-mask, and doused her face in a cascade of golden glowing beams of light.
She loved those little creatures, they never ceased to amuse her.

Blinking and turning away from the firefly, she noticed a fast-paced shape that galloped swiftly through the night air, before ducking down to the ground and vanishing to where the shorter female couldn't see.
Skipping quickly to it's general direction, a curious Denali bounced over a few shrubs and stumps to peek at the thing from behind a tree.

"What, what is it doing...? That looks kind of... fun."

Tilting her head and trying to mimic Viva's playful movements, Denali inwardly cursed as she toppled over onto her flank.
Her golden wristbands quietly clinked against each other, and she dove behind a tree again, as if the slender tree was to hide her. Sheepishly she gazed out into the night, once more studying the beast to get an idea of who, or what, it actually was.
Whatever it was, it's face was encompassed by orbs that emitted light, and... spewed out fireflies? How odd!
But when the air Shinlai detected a familiar sound coming off of the orbs, she figured they were probably bells.

But how did this... thing, get all those fireflies into those bells?
Dropping back down on her elbows, successfully this time, like Viva, she crept closer for a better look.

In her manic race within the tall grass, Viva never once noticed the nearby Shinlai mimicking her goofy movements. So much so, that in her play, she rammed her self head long into her!

Viva went flying, catching a quick glimpse of the white shinlai she had crashed into, rolling as she hit the ground. She shook her head, as her fireflies flew panicked back into their nests in her bells. They never appreciated sharp movements.

The fire flies gone from around her, the moonlight proved to not be enough to see the new lai.

Concentrating, Viv sat eyes closed, focusing light into her first main set of eyes. She snapped them open seconds after, beams of yellow light targeting the now illuminated lai in the grass before her. Her second pair of eyes were blurry at best, and the third if not useless; however she could still make out some traits. Enough to know that this white lai was not one she recognized.

Not wanting to appear a threat, the red shinlai unfocused the light from her eyes and sat awkwardly back on her haunches. She tilted her head smiling," Oh hai!" she exclaimed to the new comer. " Who are you now then? Hmmm?"

seeing the two shinlai's siloutte against the back drop of the moon light Jagter watched in awe "So thats what scared the bear away."
he mummered to himself. "Now I have to spent another day hunting for that bear." he groaned as he made his way down the tree
Though he was tired he was careful not to jump from the tree as he was wearing heavy armor. He made his way through the foliage to get better look at the two shinlai "I wonder if these beast are friendly?" Upon watching them one of them mimic the other he assumed they where friendly he made his way toward to them...

The dark shape was tunneling through the grass- right at her! Denali tried to turn, but her awkward position made it hard and by the time she shifted postures it was too late.
A masked muzzle rammed into her and both Shinlai stumbled back a ways, Denali leaping to her trembling feet and crouching low to the ground.

The russet Shinlai towered over her, her antler-like horns curling up and piercing into the darkness, her bells now brimming with fireflies that escaped into the shiny orbs.

Denali stared up into the glowing eyes of Viva, which gazed right at her as the huge Shinlai focused the light onto Denali.
Like a little lost pup, Denali's eyes grew three times bigger and she curled into a ball-shape, eyeing the taller female with awe.

But then, the earth Shinlai settled back into a sitting position, blinking away the shine from her eyes and softening her expression. Her head arched sideways a bit as a sincere smile graced her narrow jaw.
"Oh hai! Who are you now then? Hmmm?"

The blue-splashed body of Denali uncurled, realizing that the muscular one was no threat, and suddenly, she was in a fit of laughter. Wriggling around in the grass uncontrollably, she managed to gasp between laughs, "S-sorry! I just- pfff! Heheh, that thing you were doing! It was so funny, er- fun!"
Then, rolling back over to where Viva was, she propped herself into a playful stance, quickly wiggling her bob-tail happily. Then she proceeded to shower the stranger in questions, curiosity taking full control of her mentality.

"I'm Denali! Who are you? Are you from around here? So you're a light Shinlai, that's cool! You are a light Shinlai, right? How did you get those fireflies in your bells? Do they live there? Is it because you're a light Shinlai?"

Pipistella, had ran away from her parents. Not that there was anything wrong with them, she just wanted to explore the large meadow-y area, not far from where her mum and dad had gone to sleep. She scampered through the long grass, intent on finding something to do, or play with. She briefly amused herself with a hollow log, running through it, before climbing along it, only to run back through again. But that wasn’t fun enough for her.

She sat down with a bump. And an over dramatic sigh. She stared in front of her. Unable to see a thing. The grass was way too tall for her to see much else that the stalks. She perked up, as she heard laughter. Standing on her hind legs in a bid to see over the grass, without much luck. She scrambled up onto the log again, in time to see something duck down into the long grass. Pipistella frowned, rather annoyed at the fact that once able to see about the grass. The thing ducked BELOW the grass. She huffed and sat down on the log.

Before getting completely distracted.

Fireflies!

They were all following the shape that had ducked into the grass. Without a second though Pipistella launched herself off the log and hurtled after them as quickly as she could. She was within feet of them, when there was a crash, and the fireflies vanished. Startled by the crash, Pip did as her mother had taught her. Drop to the ground, using her dark coloured back as camouflage, and listen.

There was a brief flash of light. Telling her it was a light Shinlai feet from her. They must have been the cause of the ‘fireflies.’

"Oh hai!" Said a female voice. "Who are you now then? Hmmm?"

Judging by the tone of voice, they were relatively friendly. She raised her head slightly, able to catch a glimpse of large antlers. ‘Rondun?’ She asked herself. ‘No the voice is female... Not Ronny...’ She quickly corrected. She knew that there were some Shinlai that didn’t like her big friend, and that it was better not to mention him unless they knew him too.

"I'm Denali! Who are you? Are you from around here? So you're a light Shinlai, that's cool! You are a light Shinlai, right? How did you get those fireflies in your bells? Do they live there? Is it because you're a light Shinlai?" The other female bombed the large one with questions.

Despite how young she was Pipistella raised an eyebrow. She sounded friendly though. Just talkative...

Not wanting to get trampled by the two big Shinlai, although one was much bigger than the other. Pip raised her head a little more, and gave a soft chirp.


((Why yes I did just join another Rp... *headdesk))

Candy and Rubisa had stopped for the night, Rubisa asleep at the foot of a tree. Callandrea knew she heard something, carried of the breeze, could smell other shinlai. As she was on watch, she reared back on her hind legs, attempting to look over the tall grass... nothing but fireflies.

There was a crash, and a flash of light by the fireflies, within the grass somewhere... Candy woke Rubisa, who clambered sleepily onto the Shinlai's back, asking in a whisper "What is it?"

"We'd best find out... Bring a knife, but nothing bigger. I can't tell if it's a friend or enemy.. or frienemy. Hard to say."

The sleepy human kept her wits about her as the shinlai strode into the grass. She heard the sounds more clearly as she drew nearer to them.

THUMP

damn log... oh well, any shinlai within a few yard would have heard them coming... she paused a moment before continuing on towards the sounds again. Rubisa could see the tips of antlers protruding above the grass, as she sat up straight and tall as possible. "Hello?" Candy says aloud, though softly...

Viva laughed in response the excitement this new Lai provided. She rolled onto her back looking relieved and promptly began laughing as if she were a pup. Large tufts of grass shot upwards against the shy moon as the white shinlai gasped,

"S-sorry! I just- pfff! Heheh, that thing you were doing! It was so funny, er- fun!"

Viva laughed too then. Tagg always said she looked like an idiot when she rolled around in the dirt like she did. At least THIS young lai could appreciate such fun! Viva opened her long jaw to answer, however she cut off quickly by the sudden roll over and question storm the small female worked up.

"I'm Denali! Who are you?"

Viva brought in a breath to answer, -

"Are you from around here?"

Smiling, Viv tilted her eyes glowed a bit to see the Denali's play stance better -

"So you're a light Shinlai, that's cool! You are a light Shinlai, right?"

Viva shook her head, chuckling, as fireflies bloomed from her bells -

"How did you get those fireflies in your bells? Do they live there? Is it because you're a light Shinlai?"

Finally sensing a pause as the yougn female gasped for breath Viva jumped in," Viva, no, Yes it's pretty cool, yes, they just sort of crawl in and make nests, yes, I think so."

Viv laughed whole heartedly when she finished. Thank Daila for my good memory!

Suddenly, the grass around her shivered different from before. Something was stopping it's path.... A couple of things she noticed now. A soft bump in the night and now a strange chirping noise... Feeling a little frightened without having Taggerung with her Viva closed her main eyes. She concentrated light into them once again, and upon opening they beamed forward. Viv then waved them around slowly much like a spot light to see whatever was near them...

"Denali," she whispered kindly, trying not to scare the little Lai," Can you see any one out there? I cannot see past my own light very well..."

(wow you guys that was fast)
Just before Jagter could make his way toward the two shinlai saw them sniff the air."Whats going on?" He whisper as he creeped into the brush trying to see what was happening

" Viva, no, Yes it's pretty cool, yes, they just sort of crawl in and make nests, yes, I think so."

As her new friend Viva laughed, Denali closed her eyes and grinned, laughing also.
But then, her laughing died away, and a chirping noise beckoned their attention to the long wispy grass, that was moving.
"What is... that?"

Shrinking away from the direction of the noise and closer to the taller Shinlai, the two scanned the darkness for signs of life. But none was detected.
Yet.

Like a flashlight Viva's eyes once more became illuminated, and dove into the patches of grass, flooding it with the soft glow. Denali's mouth dropped open slightly as she gasped, still amused with Viva's elemental talents.
The little one tried to scan the female's face for her expression, but was interrupted,

"Denali, can you see any one out there? I cannot see past my own light very well..."

"Ohhh, lemme see, lemme see," she chortled, bouncing forward on her toes.
Almost as if tiptoeing through the lengthy green blades, she came to an abrupt halt before she stepped on something that Viva was spotlighting. Something... purple? She could hardly tell, despite the light. It was camouflaged into the earth.
Leaning forward, Denali sniffed the grass around the purple... thing.
Chirp!

"Oh!" Denali exclaimed and jumped back, before moving her lips, to mimic the chirp.
Chiiiirp!

Looking back at Viva, she tilted her head and waved a paw to bring her light closer.

"Denali. Can you see anyone out there? I cannot see past my own light very well..." the big one, Viva, said, her eyes glowing and lighting up the grass. Automatically Pipistella shrank back away from them, looking frantically back from one to the other. "Ohhh, lemme see, lemme see," Denali said, bouncing forwards.

There was a thud, and a soft call of “Hello?”

‘Another Shinlai?’ Pip thought, her ears going back, and her tail starting to curl around herself, making her look smaller than she was.

She flinched and curled up tighter as Denali almost stepped on her. "Oh!” Her ears pricked forwards slightly as the white smaller one chirped back at her. She raised her head slowly, still very wary of the pair, and chirped again. They seemed friendly so far... but other bumps and noises were putting her off from going closer.

"What the hell!?!" "The shinlai eyes are like a beacon they might be looking for me." Jagter began to ponder if he should come out or hide. "I should come out they may think i'm hostile if they find me hiding; on the other hand if they're not friendly and I come out..."
He paused at the thought of what shinlai could do to him if they where hostile. "I'll continue to hide until they know im out here."
Jagter begin to climb into the tree to hide from the shinlai

Denali smiled down at the pup who pricked its ears and raised it's head, returning the chirp as her purple tail draped around her tiny frame. After doing this the petite female seemed to make herself smaller, and Denali squinted at the grass. She certainly was a timid thing, but maybe she just needed some encouragement.
Leaning down and tilting her head, the air Shinlai stuck out her tongue and peeped out,
"...Boo!"

Tittering playfully she bounced up on her toes again, looking back and winking at Viva, then back at Pipi. The bubbly female snickered and threw back her head.
"No need to hide, come play with us!
We don't bite... hard!"
She turned quickly and motioned with her head for the young female to join them, rapidly wiggling her tail once more.

(Why do I get the strange feeling that Denali is the second coming of Pinkie Pie?)

Rubisa smiles, sliding down off Candy's back. Candy looks confused, following Rubisa as she heads back towards her bed. The human stops her from following, saying "Go play, silly. I'm going to bed." She continues to her bed, waving back at Callandrea.

Candy slowly goes back towards the log, and follows the sound, coming into view. "Hi...?" She offers timidly, standing away from the others a little. She seemed very unsure of herself, and a little out of her comfort zone.

after observing the shinlai for a while Jagter saw that that seemed friendly he begin to slowly desend from the tree. As he got half way down he heard an loud crunch "It was easier going up the tree." he groan as a branch began to break under his weight "Damn I might as well just jump." He clentched his hands tightly to another branch and looked down "It's not so far down." he shifted his weight and leaned over looking for a clear spot to land "There that spot is prefect." Just as he prepared to jump the gave way and sent Jagter falling hitting a few branch on the way down to the ground shocked and dumbstruck he quickly picked himself back up and inspected himself for and in jury and found ony some scraps and bruises, then cheeck his weapons and supplies besides a few broken arrow shafts everything else was fine "Just a few broken arrow shafts I can make more." He dusted himself off got the leaves and twigs out of his hair and continued toward the shinlai...

Breeze stolled leasurley through the long grass, enjoying the gentle wind that tugged playfuly at her fur. Her white markings and mask shone gently in the starlight as she hummed quietly. A smile graced her face as she spotted a trail of fireflies, she tillted her head when there was a soft thud and a flash of light. She altered the direction of the gentle wind and brought the sents of the field to her nose.

"Grass, dirt, a couple humans and some shinlai....." She noted to herself, "Wait....." She sniffed the air again, and made a bee line for the two females and the pup, splashing through a small stream. She could clearly hear their converstion as she neared.
"No need to hide, come play with us!
We don't bite... hard!"
Breeze, stepped out of the grass beside the rabbit-like female. "Biting of any sort would probably be ill advised." She said, smiling at the smaller female, before turning to Pip.
"And what are you doing out, in the middle of the night, by yourself Pip? Where is your mother?" She asked, concerned. She highly doubted Alkyone would let her pup go wandering around at night on her own.

(Gonna join in with Noonoo....cuz i miss ma boy.

Nootau padded out in to the field, the soothing breeze ran through his fluffy coat made him near purr. He glanced up at the sky. Stars, amazing stars. He smiled contemptibly, stars would often be his only companion now that Silas was away most of the time. Apparently on 'business'. The male took a few steps more in to the long grass, stopping the moment a few flashes of light zoomed past him. Ohh he knew what these were. With a childish smirk, the red lai rolled in to the long reeds of grass, causing the fireflys to jump back in to the air and fly off in all directions. He chuckled, and watched them fly above his head. Such a beautiful night.

"No need to hide, come play with us!
We don't bite... hard!"

Voices in the distance shout, Nootau lift his head to scan the field. Apparently he wasn't as alone as he thought. Shinlai and humans were scattered about. None of them smelled familiar....maybe a chance to make new friends. He remained in the grass, really not wanting to intrude.

(HeW! Missed quite a bit didn't I? XD)

Though her vision blurry, Viva saw the young Denali gesture her to come closer. Obviously having found something, or someone, Viv took a few steps closer, directing her light into the grass area Denali had directed. Not being able to see, Viv used her much more useful sense of smell to try and identify the critter bellow. Concentrating on the cent Viva was startled by Denali's abrupt,

"Boo!"

She very nearly stumbled back, however Viv managed to retain her ground. She sort of laughed to her self quietly. What would Taggerung say if he knew she was being such a ninny?
Denali's white blur of a body did a collection of short gigs then called, rather loudly considering the cent was very close,

"No need to hide, come play with us! We don't bite... hard!"

Suddenly, the scent of the body bellow rose up into Viva's nose. She grinned, her lips being pulled back, her long white canines glinting against her light. The young pup bellow her was just scared, that's all.

Suddenly, a crack of twigs came from a little ways off. Viva's attention perks and her eyes snap back and forth shinning light across the field, searching. More and more sounds were coming in now. Foot steps not far off, small and large. The grass chattered all around her, some blocked and crushed. She could probably pinpoint where everyone was coming from if she just concintrated...

"Hi..."

A faint greeting whispered against the agaisnt the field, and then coming up behind Denali grew a misty shape, undistinguishable in Viv's poor eyes.

"Biting of any sort would probably be ill advised."

Viv place one of her large legs between the new visitor and Denali, unsure of how friendly she was.

Her head turned the try and glimpse the new Shinlai who had appeared. Her voice travelled past Viv and her new friend, obviously now directing her attention towards the pup in the grass.

"And what are you doing out, in the middle of the night, by yourself Pip? Where is your mother?"

Suddenly, Viva felt sorry for literately putting the young Shinlai on the spot. Probably frightening her with her smile as well. Tagg always said she could look a little creepy sometimes, considering her size. The beams of light flowing from her eyes suddenly vanished like mist darkening the valley once more. There were other's out there sure, but considering the two whom had shown themselves thus far... how likely is it that any more would be a threat?

Viv, in an attempt to make her self considerably less scary, dropped herself to her back haunches and placed her heavy head on her paws. Her fireflies gushed from the bells on her antlers, creating a playful atmosphere as they blinked and chirped around her.

Pip chattered slightly as the white one said ‘boo’ at her. Tilting her head to one side, and taking a small step forwards her and lifting her head, ears flicking forwards in interest, before folding back again, unsure of what to do. Play, or be wary of the big one? The one with the glowing eyes seemed to have realised she was there, and was now ginning at her. With long sharp teeth...

There were lots of voices all around, some from the white one ‘Denali’ and some she didn’t recognise. "And what are you doing out, in the middle of the night, by yourself Pip? Where is your mother?" A familiar voice said.

“Breeze!” Pip yelled, and darted under her legs to dive into the long silky tail. “Lots of Shinlaaaiii.” She said with a slight whine. She did want to play with them, just didn’t know any of them, although she felt a bit safer now Breeze was there. “I saw fireflies, so I chased them, and found those two, and now I can hear others, but I can’t see them. But now your here.” She rambled, pressing against Breeze’s back leg. “Mums asleep.” She added, realising that Breeze had asked a question.

She fell silent as the big glowie-eyed one, stopped the glowie and lay down, head on her paws. She stared at the large female for a moment, before her ears flicked forwards as the fireflies reappeared. So they were fireflies! And not just created by the light Shinlai. She scampered out of Breeze’s tail and to her front legs, where she crouched, watching the dancing bugs of light. She craned her neck to stare up at Breeze.

“Did Daila give them an Element too?” She asked. It seemed the only logical explanation for them to be glowing.

Viva's paw twitched beneath her as the young pup 'Pip' mentioned the name of Daila. Though she had no real preference of whom she should follow, she knew Taggerung would be most displeased if he found her scampering around with Daila followers again...

Viv took in the scents around her, staring at the small shinlai and her friend 'Breeze'. Of all the smells she was taking in now, Tagg's was not one of them.

She decided to wait around. What harm could come of simple contact? Besides, she felt an obligation to keep watch of Denali now. So small, Viva had a natural protective instinct over her now.

And so, she simply lay there, and watched things unfold before her.

((Also, Wyco has decided to drop out of this one.))

The shy shinlai looks at the pup and says "I'm Candy... are you lost? My human friend and I hadn't seen another shinlai for miles... till we heard Viva and Denali talking, that is." she added, looking around the grassy area at all the shinlai. More than a couple new shinlai coming into view, she realized, growing slightly uncomfortable at the thought, shifting on her feet.

“Breeze!” The pup yelled as she dived beneath her, and hid in the silky strands of her tail with a whine of “Lots of Shinlaaaiii.”

“I saw fireflies, so I chased them, and found those two, and now I can hear others, but I can’t see them. But now your here.” She rambled as Breeze turned her head towards her, the small pup pressing against her leg. “Mums asleep.” Pip finaly answered. "I'm Candy... are you lost? My human friend and I hadn't seen another shinlai for miles... till we heard Viva and Denali talking, that is." A light coloured female standing of from the group asked pip gently. "I think it's more that she snuck off for some fun, than acctualy being lost."
Breeze turned back to the other females, just as the larger of the them lay down, fireflies proceeding to stream from bells on her antlers. She felt Pip move up to her front legs and looked down at her as the pup looked up “Did Daila give them an Element too?”
She chuckled, "I don't really know why fireflies glow like that Pip." She turned back to the three females once more.
"I'm Breeze, if you didn't hear, and this is Pipistella." She said by way of a greeting, smiling to put the strangers at ease.

The little Lai pup flickered her ears and chattered at Denali's "boo"-ing, and the female giggled in reply. When a sudden voice near her stated, "Biting of any sort would probably be ill advised.", Denali pouted like a pup and shrank back next to Viva somewhat. She whined softly, "I was just playing..."
Discouraged, she glanced back at the antlered one, who gently separated the two with her paw; the hyperactive Denali bounded away on her toes again from the smallish group and dove and hid behind Viva.

So many new Shinlai!
A red one, a blue one, a tan one and even a purple one!

And she didn't recognize a single one.
It slightly worried her, and she didn't like crowds much, but most seemed friendly so far.

She nudged Viva's cinnamon-furred side with her nose, tilting her had, and her tail could be heard happily sweeping against the ground behind her. Rolling onto her back and exposing her belly, she poked the light Shinlai's side with her paw playfully.

“Did Daila give them an Element too?” The pup spoke up, who she now knew was called Pipistella.

Denali hadn't thought of that before, and stuck out her tongue in thought. It was a strange face to make when thoughtful, but Denali did it anyway! Maybe Daila did have something to do with the glowing of fireflies.

(Man you guys post fast!)