The Tundra
THE FOOTHILLS
You trudge farther along the path through the Drifts, which is becoming much easier to see as the snow thins out farther away from the blizzard-lands of The Stone Drifts. You see a form along the side of the path, but it does not move with your approach. It must be a statue...or another snow ghost playing tricks on your eyes. But as you get closer, you do see tiny motions, the creature's fur waving in the slight snowy breeze...its jaw working...its eyes boaring into you.....
You decide not to bother the creature, leaving it to munching on snow, and trying to move around it without too much fuss. But.....
"Halt!"
Skies! Caught. You turn and face the creature, who is looking at you with a mix of curiosity and caution. It speaks again in a more normal, but still autoritarian voice. "Who are you, and why have you come?" The question has the sound of a riddle, and you answer carefully, saying you are a travelor just here to see the beauty of the creatures and the Island. He considers a moment, then smiles and steps forward. "Very well, travelor. I am Ancirinique Sildecano Hyarmestemar, keeper of the Tundra Foothills. You are wondering what I am? Well, you see, I don't know...noone does! I was conjured by Unyko as a gift to the Lady Azrielen and I came into the world suddenly. I have no history. But that is no burden, for I have many friends here to distract me! Come, meet the others!" He smiles again ans walks off at a brisk place toward the higher foothills in the distance.....
As you move over the foothills toward Ancir's home, two small creatures, one of bright colors and stripes like a lion, the other with muted, more winter colors, alight on his back and he laughs at the little fairy-ponies' antics as they nestles about in the long hair of his broad shoulders.
The firest little Flitter notices you at last and wuffles a twinkly question to Ancir, who explains who you are before turning to you. "This little brat is Akelgas, a MiniFlitter that also came here as a gift to the Lady Azrielen from the Lade JadeEye. What he lacks in intelligence he makes up in cuteness and enthusiasm..." The little MiniFlitter lets out an indignant harumph and thwaps Ancir across the head, hitting nothing but his bushy mane of ice blue hair and almost toppling off the creature's back. The two laugh and you join in, chuckling heartily. "...and the other, quiet little one is has brand new mate, Fire's FLicker. She's very new..." He chirps and the little female nuzzles him, then her own mate, still looking at you warily. You reach out and pat the little female, making her eyes light up, and you are so engrossed with this newly-discovered friend, that you almost step on another creature that is rooting around, half buried in snow, along the path's edge!
At the intrusion of you foot, it jumps and shakes the snow off itself, hissing a bit before seeing you clearly. "Oh! Oh, k'zarti, I didn't mean that! I...I'm Siuleius, A SnowCat that arrived along with little Akelgas there. I hope you don't -" You wave your hand, telling the little one that he had every right to act surprised. He visibly relaxes. AT that moment, another one...a female full of scars and haunted aura...burrows out from under the snow and glares at you.
She stares at you as if you were an offending stick bug to be rended and eaten as a snack, then looks over to Siuleius and softens a bit. You realize they are mates....surprising that the roles of the relationship are so reversed! You grin at that and the female grunts a course hello, telling you her name is Tonitra Metus, or Thunder Terror in ancient Latin. Her name fits!
Ancir speaks up, telling the first SnowCat that he is indeed doing better at his lessons in hiding. "You see," Ancir explains, "Siuleius needs to be able to hide in the snow if a predator attacks and his coloring is not exactly good for that sort of thing, whereas Tonitra's coloring is very well suited to this place." You agree, looking over Siuleius' fox-like coloration as the four of you continue on down the path toward a small overhang of rock that creates a bit of a cavern. Waiting for you there are two other resident creatures, two large blue equines.....
...who seem purely uninterested in speaking to you at all. Ancir speaks of these strange new acqauntances. "This is the fouth resident of the Foothills, Aravorn Eledhwen the Warrior Unicorn." He points to the first, darker male unicorn, then to the other, lighter one. This second may be lighter in color, but he is fierce and mean-looking, a glint of pain and bloodrage in his eyes. "This is the fifth and final resident of this place, Monsigneus Glacialus, or Icy Volcano. These two are blood brothers. Not in that they have the same parentage, as both theie parentage is unknown, but as two creature can become brothers by spilled blood and survival on the field of battle. They are indeed warriors, and the watchers of these lands, keeping vigil night and day to ensure there are no more intrusions..." Ancir's voice dies out and you ask what he means by 'intrusions.' With a sigh, he answers slowly. "Of late, there have been...attacks. By the snow ghosts." Snow Ghosts? You thought they were just errant whisps of harmless snow! "Oh no, travelor! Some may be just mirage or happenstance of wind, but the ones that are real are very, very dangerous. So far we have not lost anyone to the ghosts, but as you see, Aravorn and 'Igneus have many a scar to prove they have seen many battles with the ghosts' slicing claws and cruching teeth!" Ancir seems genuinely afraid and the other two are cowering against him. Aravorn and his equally silent brother have not even flinched.
Suddenly, Aravorn and Ancir's ears stand up and Ancir snarls, speaking tensely and with authority once again. "You must go now....NOW!" At that moment, Aravorn and 'Igneus move as one, ramming forward into the whiteness of a sudden wind, Ancir hard on their flashing tails. The other two are about to follow, but first push you out of the enclosure in the direction away from the whirls of snow you can see Ancir plowing through.....
Unyko's Realm
Warrior Unicorn Fields
WHispering Grove - MiniFlitters
SnowCats' Tundra
More of the rolling snow banks spread out before you. You could move onward to a another realm of snowy chill, or head back toward the flatter drifts of the Tundra Snow Flats.....
| Back To The Adoptees HOME |
Main Floor | Dragons' Lair |
| Stables | Kennels | Lagoon | Skies | Forest | Tundra | Savanna | Mystic Stables | Aviary | Cove | Fairy Realm | Dragon Weyrs |