The disease that wiped the earth of mankind has returned, and it's starting to change its hosts somehow. Reports of unearthly powers are arising all over Toren while more and more become infected.
updates
< 11 JULY 2017 > The staff auditions and OTMs are officially OVER. I'd like to welcome our two new staffers - Lutheus and Crowenth! There will be some new events soon, as well as a big announcement - so watch this space.
< 20 JUNE 2017 > ATTENTION! Staff auditions are up and running. Please click here if you are interested in helping me run Clash.
< 06 JUNE 2017 > It hasn't been too long since we've opened - but we've already got a fresh new look. If you find any bugs in our new skin, please let me know so that I can fix it. Old members might have to update their avatar links and profile info! x
< 07 MAY 2017 > CLASH has officially been reopened and is ready for action! The plot, rules and canons have been revised - read more about it here.
It had taken him almost most of the morning to find this place, but as he descended down towards the water, he knew that it had been worth it. The place seemed almost untouched by any sign of mammal life. Birds congregated in the tree tops, singing their love songs to each other, while in the lake Khan could see little circles rising every time a fish rose up for a meal. The lake itself seemed almost unreal - it's waters shimmering like jewels in the sunlight. He had never before seen such pristine liquid. Too excited to walk, he broke into a run and barreled straight into the shallows. Sliding to a halt and immediately dipping his thirsty muzzled into the water and lapping up as much of it as he could stomach. It was sweet - pure water. Unpolluted by anything. The taste of it made his skin prickle and his tail wag.
“Ah mother earth, your wonders are endless.” He whispered, not to himself, but to the very world. He had seen many a lake, and all had been beautiful, but none so much as this one. As his eyes wandered around, he noticed some rocks that led a broken path into the deep end. The one at the very end was high enough for a very nice jump. He chuckled to himself under his breath as he backed out of the water and had a proper look at the rocks. His mind went to work calculating where exactly he needed to place his paws - his odd instinct did the rest. From a good distance away, Khan broke into a headlong sprint. Within seconds he was upon the first rock - his paws perfectly coordinated as he sprung to the second. The gap between this and the third was a mighty one, but no challenge for his lithe and agile form. Without skipping a beat he threw himself forward, forelegs outstretched to meet the hard rock. A perfect landing - and then the next leap. This one was also tricky, as the last precipice was higher than the others. But he made it, and without hesitation, he threw himself off of the highest point.
For the few moments that he was airborne, he shut his bi-colored eyes. Everything was perfect then. He was akin to the birds - soaring. Weightless. It was a moment of pure peace. But then the cool waters engulfed him and he went under. Opening his eyes again, he was greeted by the sunlight shooting diamond rays through the water. He hung there for a moment, simply observing as he held his breath. Everything was so perfect below the surface. So serene. But alas, he couldn't stay there forever. Kicking his legs, he surfaced.
howling ghosts they reappear in mountains that are stacked with fear but you're a king and i'm a lionheart
❧
The lake was enticing, especially to a lonely and tired vagabond like Pelagia. She had found it by chance the night prior after many long days of seemingly hopeless (and endless) wandering, the scent of thick moisture wafting through the surrounding forest alerting her to its presence. Before the sun had risen above the horizon, she had been quick to drink from its cool and clear waters, catch a small fish from the shallows to eat, and enjoy a full morning's rest within the protective boughs of a golden-leafed oak tree.
She stirred on her branch, lightly stretching her legs and releasing a small contented hum. It had been so long since she'd last felt comfortable and somewhat at home, and even though she kept her hopes abated for an end to her journey, it was still nice to enjoy the pleasantness of this place for at least a little while, even if fate forced her to inevitably leave it behind.
Pelagia was dipping further and further into sleep when a disturbance in the lake made her crack her bleary eyes open. She twitched her ear, but she was quick to close her eyes again, too at peace to care much about whatever might be going on at ground level.
The sounds continued. They were faint, but they were still distinctive enough that even Pelagia's sleep-addled brain could deduce that it had to be splashing. Something was messing around in the lake. Or, more accurately, someone. It piqued her interest, but it could easily just be ducks for all she knew, so she couldn't be quite bothered yet to go check. However, when the loudest splash yet echoed up to her through the canopy of leaves, she jerked her head up, now somewhat awake. Regardless, she knew that she had to find out just who was unknowingly paying her lakeside view a visit. It would be her first time interacting with someone else in a while, and the prospect sincerely excited her. She just hoped that it was someone who was at least somewhat friendly toward ocelots.
Pelagia took a moment to stretch and yawn before leaving her perch, digging her long claws into the oak's gnarled bark as she expertly scaled back down the thick trunk. She landed on leaf litter that crunched softly under-paw as she trotted toward the lake, its glittering waters visible to her through the breaks between trees. When she stepped out into the open, her gaze turned just in time to see the white head of a good-looking young wolf emerge from the water's surface. She curled her tail a little, already feeling amused. If she was a wolf herself she would have gladly thrown herself right in there with him, but alas, she was not, and swimming was not a pastime of hers.
"Hey, handsome!" she called, a playful glint in her yellow-green eyes. She hopped up onto a nearby boulder, giving her a bit more of a vantage point from which to see everything. "Where did you come from?"
The water was the perfect temperature, he felt is seep through his thick fur in seconds - caressing him in a cool embrace. The sunlight warmed his face as he paddled in a small circle, staring up at the sky. So enamored was he that he didn't even notice the other mammal approaching. When a sweet voice broke the natural silence Khan was so shocked he almost dipped below the surface again, his legs forgetting how to swim for a second.
Looking around, his bi-coloured eyes came to rest on a feline form perched neatly on a rock. The creature truly was a sight to behold - she was a lean and muscular cat - the likes of which Khan had never seen before. Her strangely patterned coat reflected the rays of light and looked smoother than anything he'd seen before. Though he was weary of big cats and their sharp claws, he offered her a warm smile - his legs still slicing the water below him, keeping him afloat. Realizing how odd he must appear to the other animal, he made his way closer to the rocks and hauled himself out of the lake. His thick fur was heavy with water, it fell from him in long tendrils and weighed him down. Without thinking, he shook himself - a shower suddenly erupting around him. It was a rather inconsiderate instinct, but the brute was oblivious to this.
"Oh I'm from here there and everywhere." He chuckled. "The name's Earos Khan, but whatever is shorter works too." His flatter paws were not as well suited to standing on a wet rock as a feline's might be - his grip was slipping below him. To avoid having to slip-hug the rock and possibly make a fool out of himself, he leapt to a slightly larger boulder, where he was able to awkwardly sit down, where he eyeballed the stranger curiously. "If you don't mind me asking, and you excuse my ignorance.... What are you?"
His own movements and body felt clunky and awkward around this cat, which was a strange feeling for Khan - as he was quite agile for his species. He was used to being the graceful one. The question wasn't meant in a rude manner, but an innocent one. Earos had been exposed to so little in his lifetime, and his will to learn was ferocious. He was already trying to judge what kind of amazing moves this feline could execute. "You can probably climb trees way better than I ever could..." He mused, half unaware that he was voicing his thoughts out loud.
howling ghosts they reappear in mountains that are stacked with fear but you're a king and i'm a lionheart
❧
Pelagia perked up when the gray-furred wolf emerged in full from the lake's shallows, not bothering to stifle a purr of amusement at the sight of his drenched coat. She didn't neglect to appreciate the other's tall and powerful-looking form, though. And those eyes. Pelagia had never seen pretty bi-colored eyes like those before, and she felt herself swoon a little bit just from the handsome wolf looking at her. It really was too bad that he was a wolf and she an ocelot. If only they were the same species; Pelagia would have been quick to snap him up.
Once he had joined her on the rocky lakeside, he shook the excess water out of his pelt, tossing a spray of water droplets into the air. Pelagia reflexively leaned back to try and avoid getting wet, although it didn't do much to spare her, as she felt some of her get wet. The ocelot wrinkled her nose in displeasure. She had half a mind to scold him, but she reminded herself that he was a wolf, after all. Part of her just wished she could wash it; it would dry faster, and he'd probably smell nicer, and he wouldn't have to turn himself into a sprinkler. She thought to herself that while wolves (like this gray-furred one in particular) were certainly lovely to look at in their own right, it would probably have been better for the both of them that in that alternate reality of hers he have been an ocelot like her. Her kind were much tidier.
Regardless, she couldn't stay miffed for long, especially once those gorgeous eyes were on her again. She could definitely forgive someone with a breath-taking gaze like that.
When the wolf answered her question, she noticed that he didn't actually name a place, but she could respect the secrecy. He wanted to remain mysterious. Pelagia was fine with that.
He introduced himself. Earos Khan, she repeated to herself, rolling the name around in her head. Sounded fancy. She'd never heard of a name like that before, either. Nonetheless, she liked it.
If you don't mind me asking, and you excuse my ignorance... the wolf continued, regarding her directly. What are you?
Ah, not only was he handsome, but he was extremely adorable, too. Pelagia hadn't been prepared for that. Her yellow-green eyes glittered with amusement, and while it was definitely kind of surreal (and maybe even a little hard to understand) that someone didn't recognize what kind of animal she was, she still found the question to be endearing, and she didn't judge him for asking it.
"I'm an ocelot," she told him, flicking her black tail tip. While part of her definitely wanted to tease him about not knowing this, she was able to reject the temptation, not wanting to risk making such a sweetheart feel bad about himself. She also chose to let the tree climbing thing slide, as she suspected he hadn't really meant to say that out loud. "You've really never seen someone like me before?" she still had to say, sitting up straighter. "I feel very special, if that's the case.
"And my name is Pelagia, by the way," she purred, butterflies coming alive in her stomach a little bit. She flirtatiously dipped her chin and blinked her eyes, unable to help herself. "It's good to meet you, Earos."
The weather was surprisingly kind for some reason. It had been rather windy recently but it seemed as if today - the elements were calm. The only evidence of autumn were the rust-coloured leaves that speckled the normally green forest. Certain trees stood as lush as ever - impervious to the season. Those threes reminded Khan of his father - were he alone, he probably would have just sat there and pondered that connection for a while. Luckily, fate had provided a needed distraction in the form of this mystifying being.
I'm an ocelot. His ears flicked back as he mulled over the word. It was not familiar in any way. You've really never seen someone like me before? I feel very special, if that's the case. Khan managed to pull of a sheepish grin - it was slowly dawning on him that he might be coming across as a bit of a backlands recluse. "I'm not originally from these parts." He offered in explanation. "I was pretty sheltered back home - the only cats I've known of are Puma's. And I've ever seen one in passing." He thought back on the brown cat he'd seen as a pup - nothing like the one before him right now.
"It took me quite a while to reach this place... I think two full moons went by. But holy crap - it was worth it." Automatically, his tail started wagging against the rock, his wet fur painting the surface. "Everything outside of here is all rocks, sand and dirty ponds. Thought I'd wander for the rest of my life, to be honest." He looked out over the crystal expanse of water and smiled inwardly, glad not to be in the wasteland anymore. "But this is great. I've seen like four kinds of bird in one day out here."
Shit. "Oh hell, I'm rambling... I'm sorry, Pelagia - it's nice to meet you too." His sheepish grin returned once again as he forced his old habit down. He was usually way too talkative - and since it had been so long since he had been able to exercise his vocal chords, he found it difficult to stop. For all he knew - he was just regurgitating information about her homelands that she already knew. Was she even from here? Is it rude to ask? "Is this your home?" He kept his voice softer than usual, thinking that perhaps - if this was an offensive question, his tone would soften the blow somehow. He regarded her fine features, still taken aback by how stunning she was in comparison to other cats. He bet she could blend into the shadows like a snake should she wish.
An icy breeze swept through from the lake, his skin prickling under damp fur. Soon it would be too cold to swim out here, so he was glad he'd gotten it done in time. The gust blew past them and rippled through the forest, stirring leaves and little creatures from their lazy state. Wrapping his tail around his feet as much as he could, he hoped his fur hurried up with the whole drying thing.
howling ghosts they reappear in mountains that are stacked with fear but you're a king and i'm a lionheart
❧
Earos Khan's sheepish grin made a fuzzy warmth blossom in her chest, and she thought to herself that this wolf would be the death of her soon if he didn't stop being so damn adorable. This conversation was lifting her spirits quite a bit, too, and the travel-weary ocelot had definitely been in need of something to soothe her aching heart after so much loss and suffering.
The wolf revealed to her that he was in fact not actually from here, and while Pelagia still wasn't sure what 'here' referred to exactly, she realized that he was probably saying that he wasn't native to the island itself. That piqued her interest, as Toren's forests, lakes, beaches, and hills were completely foreign to her, as well. He said that he had been pretty sheltered before, which again made her even more curious, as she could say the same thing about herself. After her mother had become ill and Cyprian had told her about the Carnicula plant... Pelagia stopped herself, urging the memories away. She had left, and now she was here, which was all that mattered. To chase the encroaching feelings of sorrow away, she forced herself to focus on how Earos Khan had only ever seen a puma before.
Pumas were interesting things, they were. Pelagia had never spoken to one directly, but she had seen more than a couple skulking through the underbrush before. They were so big and lanky, but she certainly admired their lovely spotless pelts, as they turned solid gold under the light of the setting sun.
It took me quite a while to reach this place... Earos Khan continued, pulling back Pelagia's full attention. I think two full moons went by. But holy crap - it was worth it.
She noticed his tail starting to wag, and while she hadn't spent a lot of time with wolves, either, she knew enough about them to know that that was their way of expressing happiness. She curled her tail in response, a soft purr reverberating in her throat. This sweetheart's good mood was contagious. Pelagia once again thanked her stars that she had been so lucky as to meet this wonderful young wolf.
He brought up how desolate (and depressing) the landscape beyond this lake was, and Pelagia empathized. She also felt herself relating to the wolf even more when he said that he thought he'd end up 'wandering for the rest of his life', as the ocelot felt very much the same way. Part of her pitifully hoped that this meeting would finally mark the end of her time being alone, but another part of her knew better than to wish for such a thing. A soft pang resonated deep in her heart, and she sighed.
But this is great. I've seen like four kinds of bird in one day out here.
Her purr strengthened, amused and endeared by his excitement. Yeah, this wolf was going to kill her. And here she had been thinking that someone as precious as this was more than likely incapable of existing.
He somewhat surprised her by suddenly cutting himself off with an apology, admitting that he had been rambling. That sheepish grin returned, and Pelagia swore that if she had actually been annoyed by his talkativeness, that expression would have been more than enough to make her forgive him. But, again, he had done nothing wrong. She flicked her tail, dismissing the issue.
"You're fine, love," she replied, tipping her head. "I could listen to you all day, anyway."
Of course, she couldn't refrain from subtly (or maybe not so subtly) flirting a little more. Honestly, though, that probably wouldn't stop until their conversation was officially over (which she would make sure wasn't soon, as she definitely wasn't ready for this to end).
"And I'm not from here, either, actually. I found this place by chance, and I'm so very glad I did. Those birds you mentioned, they're spectacular to eat," she teased, her gaze taking on a devilish and playful glint.
PELAGIA | 575 WORDS | CURRENTLY SHY & SOMEWHAT PECKISH
The gentle lap of the waters against the shore created a soft, even therapeutic, sound. It was nothing like the ocean, oh no, these waters didn't move even near as much - but it's difference was serene, music to Khan's eager ears. He cast an eye out over the expanse, noticing the small pebbles in the shallows and the way the sunlight painted watery spider webs over their surface - always moving, changing; like something out of a dream. This truly was a marvel of nature, a place where you could feel the touch of the earth - if you'd allow it. He swore he felt an energy rising up through the ground, as if the very land were alive. The feeling was not unfamiliar to him, and he reveled in the prickling sensation. Turning his gaze back to Pelagia, he wondered if she also felt a similar wonderment in the beauty of such places.
Looking at her, he felt himself slowly getting lost in the patterns on her fur. Her eyes were lined with black, only emphasizing their intensity - almost every aspect of her face was naturally lined with flecks and spills of black. Without knowing it, his lips curled ever so slightly. Feeling it happen, he quickly averted his eyes once again - not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable with his rather obvious staring. A part of him wished he had a better way about him when it came to interacting with others - but an even larger part of him was thankful that he was awkward and obvious. It weeded out those who couldn't handle his personality fairly quickly. When Pelagia spoke, his ears perked in her direction.
"You're fine, love, I could listen to you all day, anyway." It took a second for the manner in which these words were said to sink in. When they finally did, Earos felt his face flush with colour and was suddenly eternally grateful for the presence of fur. A small chuckle escaped him as he flustered under this new realization of his. He honestly did not know what to say to this, but his brain scrambled desperately for an appropriate response. "You say that now..." He managed to mumble. Well, that was new, he had no idea he'd resort to self-deprecation but truthfully the brute had never really been in this position before. The females of his kind usually looked at him as a brother - it had always been that way. Nobody had ever really taken much of an interest in him at all. Mindful of his tail, he consciously calmed the automatic wag response.
Thankfully, Pelagia continued seamlessly. "And I'm not from here, either, actually. I found this place by chance, and I'm so very glad I did. Those birds you mentioned, they're spectacular to eat." He raised a brow slightly, smiling. "I won't disagree with you there. Though I haven't had the chance to chow down on one of those - I've had my fair share of fowl." Khan licked his lips at the thought, his stomach suddenly making contact with his brain and rumbling. "If you aren't opposed to the idea..." he paused briefly, looking off into the nearby wooded area. "We could see if we make a good hunting team?" As if agreeing with him, his belly growled again and he almost cursed under his breath. Trust the thing to act up at the first mention of food.
- OMEGALOMANIAC OF CLASH -
Last Edit: Jul 4, 2017 10:52:49 GMT -5 by EAROS KHAN
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