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+--- Thread: Sloth Life (/showthread.php?tid=990)
Sloth Life - Aiken - Jul 29 2015
Aiken's first action was not to look around the thick fog in awe, nor to try and find safety - no, his first action was to yawn loudly, awoken from the first of his many long slumbers. His vision was blurred, and his body shivered from the exposure to the cold mist, his fur not quite long enough to shelter him just yet. And so, he set off in a hurry to find the first tree he could - of course, hurry is very much relative. To a sloth, he would appear in a hurry, to any other creature bar maybe a turtle, he would appear to be moving about as fast as a very leisurely walk - if the individual walking were using crutches. He found moving across the ground awkward - his long claws made it very difficult to walk evenly, and announced his presence to any creature that should be wandering nearby. He was not the most stealthy individual, although he certainly never was too hasty.
It took him a considerable amount of time to find the presence of bark, but it's presence was incredibly reassuring upon the most primordial level possible; it was in a sloth's nature to stay within the safety of the high trees. It was from there that he wrapped his body - to the greatest extent that a baby sloth could - and slowly inched his way up the tree, claw digging into the bark, and then a toe, then the next claw. This repeated for such a length of time that when he eventually reached a suitable point, many metres off of the ground, the night life were starting to emerge. He did not mind this much however - for by this point he had found a nice, cozy couple of branches that forked just enough that he could hang between them from his claws, and close his eyes to rest. It had been an exhausting few hours, and he needed a very long nap.
RE: Sloth Life - Eve - Jul 29 2015
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When the crow awoke in her nest there was... definitely something there. Her first instinct was that the intruder was going to steal the small collection of gems and glowing rocks in her nest, so she began shrieking at it as loud as she could - this is what she learned from the raven in Canis, after all. But to her suprise - it didn't move. At all. The creature didn't stir or even make a sound no matter how hard she threw her voice.
So, quickly and carefully in case it woke up, she hid her shinies under some twigs and began hobbling her way across the branch to peer at the baby sloth, still asleep. "Hey," she croaked. "Hey! What are you doing?!"
But it still didn't move.
She leaned over to stare at the sloth, practically fuming in silence as she waited. And waited. And waited. Eventually (although only an impatient two minutes later) she gave out yet another desperate squawk.
RE: Sloth Life - Aiken - Jul 29 2015
Most creatures would have woken up at the first screech - those with some resilience may have lasted until the poke. However, Aiken would appear comatose; he may even appear dead. He would not stir - not one bit. He would be moving slightly, but at such a slow speed he would have to be observed for a very long time indeed in order to realize this.
He would seem harmless enough however - or, well, that is if you are unafraid of baby sloths. The only danger he may appear to pose would come from his claws - a few inches long, even so soon after hatching.
RE: Sloth Life - Eve - Jul 29 2015
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After another few minutes of staring, the crow came to the conclusion that the sloth was in fact, dead. The crow ambled across the branch again, away from the trunk to screech into the marsh below.
"Dragon?! There's a dead thing in the tree!" for a moment, it almost sounded as if she blamed the 'dragon' for putting the sloth on the branch. "What do I do with it?!"
And so, the crow waited. It was entirely likely Dragon would ignore her, if he even heard her to begin with, but still she waited, eyeing the marsh expectantly.
@Dragon
RE: Sloth Life - Dragon - Jul 29 2015
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Some two hundred yards away, an alligator was sunning itself. Well, "sunning" was a loose term; it was basking beneath one of the light-orbs that hung over the stone ledges of Cetus.
The sound of squawking roused him, but he did not yet stir. He was filled up with fresh food, and he was warm, and content, and--
With a deep and hissing growl the alligator slowly dragged himself into motion, turning and pulling himself gradually along the stone until he landed with a flop in the marsh below. Then he made his way along through the long grass, hissing to himself irritably.
It took him a few long moments, and he probably wouldn't have found the crow if she weren't squawking and flapping about. Parted jaw revealed sharp fangs, but it wasn't a threat, it was tired panting. Alligators weren't long-distance runners, and as Dragon tilted his head to peer up with some irritation, he found himself hoping that whatever she'd dragged him out here for was worth it.
"...Eve?" he growled up at last. "What are you squawking about?"
He could vaguely make out some small dark lump on the branch in front of her, but couldn't quite see what it was. "If it's a dead thing, why don't you eat it?" he added matter-of-factly. She was a crow. He was an alligator. Half of what they lived off of was already dead-stuff. So why was she asking this now? Eat it. Simple. It was a free meal, so what was the problem?
(( ooc -- @Aiken ))
RE: Sloth Life - Aiken - Jul 29 2015
The sloth would appear blissfully unaware of what was going on around, so it was in it's near comatose state. The presence of the two predators seemed to bother it little, he would appear to have no, or minimal survival instincts.
However, it, opportunely, would have completed the slightest movement of it's head - if you had stopped paying attention to it, it may appear as if it were like a statue in a haunted ruin, only moving when you weren't looking. It may almost be scary, if it weren't for the fact he was a baby sloth. Though, to others, that may make it even more terrifying.
RE: Sloth Life - Eve - Jul 29 2015
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The crow hadn't thought of this. Why didn't she eat it? She gave an awkward movement with her wing that could mimic a shrug if you squinted really hard. "Do you want some for the pile?" she called down. Upon the 'dragon' responding with a clear yes, she turned around to face the sloth again.
That's when she fell out the tree.
Not the most graceful thing Eve's ever done, but she was certain - as she sailed through the air - she had done worse in her life. Some short seconds later, her wings sprawled out to catch herself mid-fall, screaming and violently flittering towards Dragon. The second she landed on the alligator's head a bundle of words tumbled out of her beak all at once.
"It ain't dead! It moved! It ain't movin' anymore now!" the crow flailed and squawked, not at all disimilar to a little kid insiting there was a monster under their bed. The shrieks eventually turned to rather pathetic-sounding whines as she crumpled down on the gator's head.
RE: Sloth Life - Dragon - Jul 29 2015
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He began to reply that yes, the pile could always use more offering; after all, Aquarian had agreed to guard them in return for food. But before he could get more than a couple of words out, Eve was squawking and tumbling backward.
Dragon just stared, blank, as his feathered friend toppled out of the tree. He blinked when she landed on him, but otherwise, he just peered upward.
"So... it's not dead? Is it sick? ...Is it one of us--I mean, can it talk? Or is it food?"
The alligator crossed his eyes trying to see the crow atop his head, then gave up and looked upwards once more.
"Go back up, and I'll try to give you some light to see by. Either it's for eating, or it's not."
He waited for the bird to move before inhaling, the banked fire within him glittering and surging, and then attempted to guide it outward on his exhale with a gusting torrent of flame. It wouldn't come anywhere near close enough to even singe the wood or the sloth; Dragon was merely providing light to see by. The flames rushed out, crackling, providing an eerie, flickering glow to the sloth's tree, casting it in a deep contrast of glowing demonic light and utter shadow.
Surely Eve could see now that it was completely harmless...?
((ooc -- @Aiken ))
RE: Sloth Life - Aiken - Jul 29 2015
Aiken would shift ever so slightly over the next few minutes towards the flames, evidently he would desire warmth. His face and black eyes would be illuminated by the warm orange and red flame, making it look for a very brief moment that his head was aflame in light.
The most quiet sound escaped the sloth, sounding ever so slightly like it was whistling - it's snore still high pitched and more like a mewl than any other noise.
RE: Sloth Life - Eve - Jul 30 2015
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Eve suddenly felt very light-headed. The flight back down to Dragon felt more like floating than flying. She was silent for a long time as she sat on the alligator's head, staring off into the marsh with a blank expression.
"It... it's not for eating," breathed the crow. "I don't know what it is anymore."
Perhaps she'd have to abandon her nest and her collection of shinies. An unfortunate loss, but a nessecary sacrifice. She wasn't going to fly back up there with an undead demon-thing inches away from her nest.
She was silent now, shaking on top of Dragon's head as she continued to stare off. Yes, it'd be safer to nest on the Tree than go back up there. Perhaps she would, in fact.
@Dragon