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 Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 6:15 pm
 Catchfly was rarely so far away from his territory as he was now, but he needed something very specific and did not want to leave such a thing up to chance, or to the sometimes-clumsy claws of Gatherers. True, the bog made him uncomfortable, but it was worth it for the rare commodity he was seeking. After all, bog iris were not so easy to find as, say, spearmint. And he could not trust a gatherer to collect the plant gently and in keep intact...particularly for the delicate work to which Catchfly put it.
So there he was, in large, mostly-dead pine tree on the outskirts a rather far southern bog, with a small pack under one foot and his trademark, slightly worried expression plastered to his face. The mus on the branch next to him was watching him shift and bob and delicately pack the irises with a sort of mild interest.
Catch clacked his beak in irritation and finished loading the irises, making sure nothing was too damaged. The oil was essential to one of his more popular sedatives, and the pilgrimage for irises was a fairly typical one. It was rare that Catch found a gatherer up to the job, especially for such a picky client.
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Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 7:35 pm
Cloudchaser stood very still on the ground, his pack weighing on his back and a large twig filled with blueberries on his beak. There, he heard it again. The dark talons pushed the ground and he flew silently to the closest branch and swirled around looking for the source of the sound. He could swear he wasn’t alone. Silence, however, was his only answer. The area was unusually quiet. The gatherer eyed the cranberry bushes in the distance, wondering if it would be too risky to drop down again. He was nearly done after all.
The bog was rich in a wide variety of berries but a little too open for most Sentinels to consider the risk. For a young gatherer with a debt to an artisan lady, however, the risk was worthwhile. It took only a few moments to fill his pack with all sorts of colorful berries and he could quickly reach the artisan’s territory, leave the goods and spend the rest of the night finding food for the clan.
A small bird sounded an alarm cry nearby and the shadow jumped along the branch, cracking a small twig in two, as he tried to get a glimpse of the small animal. Was he being too noisy, too noticeable? Was the bird’s alarm even caused by the gatherer? He stretched his wings silently and flew to a slightly higher branch where he stood very still, blue eyes darting in every direction and height, paying just a little more attention to the ground as he waited silently for any sign of movement. At this more comfortable height he relaxed considerably, feathers falling neatly into place and a regular breathing pattern overcoming the adrenaline rush. Who knew? Maybe the little bird had just pointed him on the direction of his next meal.
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 10:28 am
Catchfly paused at the alarm call as well, high enough that he should have no worries about ground-dwelling nasty things, but exposed enough that something unheard-of with a taste for Sentinel flesh could easily find him and rend him. The very idea made his feathers fluff, and the apothecary hunkered down and did up the toggle on his pack, looking around worriedly. The mus on the branch beside him was standing on its hindfeet, fur raised on its back, and Catch wasn't taking this as a good omen. Particularly not with the way the little thing was looking around and twitching its nose.
And then something moved, and Catchfly jerked bolt upright, flaring his wings and turning to face the direction of that movement. He paused for a moment, waiting for something else. Nothing. That worried him even more than something moving again would have, and he opened his beak and gave a long, vicious hiss. He didn't know what he was dealing with out here, but he was quite alone, and the branch was lower than he would prefer, and he was only a few trees away from being in the open. This was not a good situation even for the most daring of Sentinels.
And Catchfly was certainly not daring. No, in fact, he was absolutely terrified now. He repeated the hiss furiously and clacked his beak, hoping that whatever he was about to encounter would decide it didn't want to encounter him. Prickles on his back told him the mus had settled between his shoulderblades. He prefered it there. Faster getaway. If he had to leave the pack, he would. But he was really hoping that he had been threatening enough to avoid having to leave the irises. There wasn't much more time for collecting them. If he missed this time, he might not get another chance.
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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:21 pm
Just as his feathers had arranged themselves so neatly, an odd hissing sound made the gatherer’s head turn abruptly and the dark plumage rose dangerously. Was that a Sentinel? No, it was unlikely. A stranger would have already hooted a call… right?
A snake? It was even more unlikely considering the height… and it wasn’t even breeding season, there shouldn’t be any nests to protect or too many aggressive creatures slithering about. The young gatherer suddenly recalled the bone chilling image of Drywood’s creepy companion. Maybe there was a territorial Serpe nearby. But looking around for signs that someone could have claimed the territory and finding nothing of the sort, Chase decided that no sentinel in his right mind would ever take a territory in this exact location.
Then what? A defensive feline? A lynx… a wildcat... maybe even… a cougar…? The last thought made his feathers sleek back, perfectly molding every muscle of his body.
He was wasting too much time. He had already given up on the prospect of finding a meal. But he wasn’t the only sentinel that came here and if there was a dangerous creature in the area we would have to warn everyone. He had to investigate.
Chase did have a clear advantage – he knew where the sounds were coming from. And yet the thought of finding some huge feline or a wayward (possibly poisonous) companion was enough to make him hesitate. He preened his feathers silently as he readied his mind for what would follow. Then, taking a long deep breath, the shadow hopped from the branch and flew to a higher position and landed without making a soud, just above the place where he thought the sounds had come from.
Then he hooted a call. Just in case.
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Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 9:21 am
The rustling of branches as...whatever it was...moved made Catchfly clack his beak again, threatening as much as he could in a way that seemed almost completely instinctive. But then again, this particular Sentinel was better with instinct than he was with actual rational reaction. Instinct was easier. And thus he hissed once more, for good measure, and waited for some sort of a reply. Whatever it was would move again, he thought. Cocking his head, he sat, wings still flared and feathers still completely fluffed, and waited for it.
Silence.
That only served to worry him more, and he very slowly and jerkily started to pull the strap of the pack back around and over his head and shoulders, moving in oddly disconnected, jerky bursts of motion and stillness. The mus helped, and its prickling claws between his shoulders only served to make Catchfly more nervous. Each little pressure against his skin was a possible attack, and the constant tension-release cycle was grating on nerves stretched impossibly thin to begin with.
Then Chase hooted and Catchfly all but died instantly. An astounded hiss escaped his beak, as did a booming hoot much more impressive than the Sentinel giving it, and then more hissing.
Altogether, it took him about a minute to calm down. Threat display done, Catch finally realized what it was that had just startled him half-to-death. It had been another Sentinel. Peering up into the branches, he squinted slightly until he caught the silhouette he was looking for. Yes, too large to be an owl, definitely a Sentinel. Oh, he was embarrassed now...sleeking his feathers shamedly, Catch ducked his head and hooted again, much more softly and somewhat more genially.
"Ho, stranger," he called, finally attempting a semblance of Sentinel normalcy. "Startled me!" Speech exhausted, he waited for a reply. The mus scampered back onto the branch.
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Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2008 10:03 am
A hiss. Then a booming hoot so much like his father’s. And more hissing.
The answer to his call surprised the gatherer whose last thought was to actually find a fellow sentinel in the area. Considering the possibility that someone might’ve been worried or even scared because of his quiet movements, Chase regretted with a certain degree of embarrassment not calling sooner and waited a few instants while he preened before he even considered approaching the hidden sentinel.
As Catchfly came into view and hooted again (this time a much more pleasant and less intimidating sound), the gatherer nodded briefly before dropping gently to a closer branch, keeping a respectful distance from the wildtype. With a quick glance, the gatherer took some information in before replying. Wildtype. Pack and mus. Perhaps a fellow gatherer.
“Good evening. I apologize for the sneak approach. I wasn’t sure if I was dealing with prey or foe.” Neither apparently. ”Cloudchaser, gatherer. I hope I’m not intruding on your territory.” He doubted but it was only polite to ask.
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Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 1:29 pm
At the other Sentinel's genial comments, Catchfly began to relax, and his entire posture became less defensive, or at least as close to non-defensive as Catchfly ever came. Giving a slight smile that somehow didn't eliminate his expression, he inclined his head in acknowledgement. He had felt the same way Cloudchaser had, as well. He took a moment to inspect the other Sentinel, just as Chase had done to him.
Shadow, younger than he was, certainly. Pack. Probably a Gatherer, if he was hanging around the swamps. Possibly after cranberries, though it was a bit early. It wasn't important, though. All Catch knew was that he was there with him, and he was a Sentinel. Numbers were good, Catch liked large numbers. Putting his eartufts back, he preened a wing absently and then realized it was his turn to introduce himself, and also to answer the...question was a good enough word for it.
"Catchfly, apothecary," he said, letting the words escape him in the strange, rapid-fire way that made him sound harsher than he was. After a pause, he shook his head. "Not my territory," he said. Then he tipped his head down and plucked at the pack strap. "Irises," he said by way of explanation. "Valuable, 'specially for sedatives."
The typical catch to his speech diminished somewhat, though not as much as it did if he got a chance to warm up. He was still recovering from nerves, as well.
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 7:42 am
Oh, an apothecary. But perhaps not a very good one though if he had to collect his materials from dangerous locations. Most apothecaries Chase knew either grew the herbs themselves or traded for the services of a gatherer. Well, no matter, really.
“Sedatives? That’s interesting. I’ve never been asked to collect irises. I didn’t know they could be so useful… I’ve just looked at them for their pretty petals.” The shadow gave a pleasant chuckle before turning his head to the ground. “I come here for the cranberries, mostly. The bushes are turning a lovely shade of red and I like to get to them before others come.”
Taking a moment to preen his feathers, Chase eyed the crimson bushes and irises below, quickly measuring the distance between them while looking for any signs of movement below.
“Perhaps we can go down there together?” he asked slowly, lowering his beak in the direction of a small patch of irises that was fairly close to some tempting red cranberries. “Four eyes are always safer than two.” And six are even better, he joked silently thinking of the “eyes” on the back of his head. Unsure if the stranger would appreciate the joke, however, he kept it to himself.
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Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 10:17 am
“Irises are fussy,” Catchfly replied absently, checking the straps on his precious cargo once again and nodding slightly when he was proven right about what Chase was after. Racket, who was still watching Chase with interest, nodded and piped up on his own.
“Gatherers clumsybeaks sometimes,” it babbled, “crushing stems and petals, making everything messymessy. Better to get it from the source.” He nodded, and ignored the look Catchfly gave him. Catch sighed and hoped the Gatherer wouldn’t take offense to what had been said. It wouldn’t do to upset him. Clicking his beak thoughtfully, he looked at his mus, who was watching him with a distinct expression of amusement. It annoyed him that the little thing could look so self-satisfied, but he presumed that was what became of breeding them for cleverness like Fletcher did. He sighed softly and fluffed his wings when Chase suggested returning to the floor. There was room in his pack for more, certainly, and with the season ending, the more of the plants he could obtain, the better it was. Looking around, he sighed softly and nodded.
It was a rather good thing Chase had refrained from making the joke; Catch wouldn’t have understood something of that nature if it had attacked him from above like the Sky Fiend. Tilting his head first one way, then the other, he contemplated the ground, and spread his wings haltingly. A quick, exceptionally methodical preen, and he was ready. A soft click of his beak at his mus, and Racket was atop the pack and ready as well. Looking at Chase, Catch nodded once to indicate that readiness, and then dropped.
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Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:12 pm
“Gatherers clumsybeaks sometimes,”
Chase’s feathers rose ever so slightly when the mus spoke and the azure eyes were suddenly a little colder but he didn’t speak at once. He had recently returned to his former task and now that he was certain that he was meant to be a Gatherer, he couldn’t be more proud of his choice. “Clumsy” was not something he liked to hear regarding himself and his fellow coworkers and the thought of a mus… no, there was no point in blaming a companion when all they did was voice their master’s hidden thoughts.
Still, it was ridiculous to give too much importance to the whole matter. Sentinels could be terribly picky with their tasks and Chase was sure there was some founding to the apothecary’s concern. At least enough that he would come to a dangerous place alone just to collect his precious plants himself. The shadow was glad his eartufts are remained stubbornly upright and he preened a couple of misbehaved feather’s for a moment before he realized Cathtfly was ready to depart and hoped the apothecary didn’t notice his first reaction.
“Your mus is very articulate.” Chase said softly as he followed the wildtype trying to show the other he hadn’t felt (very) offended while gliding silently to his target. He hadn't missed the looks that the master and companion had traded in silence.
Landing a few steps away from the bushes, Chase stood tall as his head turned in every direction to fully inspect the Sentinels' surroundings. A few birds in the distance. A bat that was now moving away from their location. No signs of suspicious movement or predator dropping on the ground.
“Looks safe.” Chase said quietly turning his head around to look at the irises. Pretty. “We should be careful though. I heard there were some foxes sighted deeper into the deep woods. Noctus knows what lurks around these parts.” Despite the rather grim picture, the gatherer chuckled as he slowly removed his backpack, happy to find his good mood fully recovered.
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Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:10 am
Catchfly hadn't meant to offend, and when eventually the Gatherer seemed to be completely over the ill-thought-out words of the mus, the Apothecary breathed a sigh of relief. Following Chase through the trees silently, he fluttered and hopped after him on the way down. Pausing on a lower branch and looking at the last of the irises as well as the cranberries (and considering the uses of the berries in his own work...perhaps if Chase were a frequent gatherer in these parts, Catch could set up an exchange...) he looked over when his mus was mentioned.
"Racket is clever," he answered slowly, gently nudging Racket off his back and commanding him with a look to stay on the tree. No good in losing his most valuable asset. "From line of clever mus."
Chase's chuckle at the idea of foxes made Catchfly's feathers stand up, but he smoothed them and jerkily spread his wings before removing his own pack. He felt he owed Chase some sort of explanation. "Irises are delicate," he said after a moment of intense cogitation. "Difficult to keep undamaged. Takes practice many never get. Most don't know their uses and never gather." And then he shrugged his wings and bent himself to his task, moving as quickly as he could.
No offense meant, hopefully this would clear things up.
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Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 2:22 pm
Chase took a quick peek around the bushes to make sure the sentinels weren’t accompanied, noticing how the apothecary’s feathers rose as he joked. Well, now that the both of them had inadvertently caused a little bit of discomfort to the other, he could just consider the two of them even and be his usual friendly self! Amused by his own thoughts, Chase released his pack right under the bushes and carefully pushed it a little under some of the most loaded branches.
The shadow was a little relieved the mus stayed behind for even if he was truly impressed by the companion’s speech, he wasn’t too keen on companions who didn’t show absolute obedience in especially in the presence of complete strangers. Maybe Catchfly was a bit too lenient towards it or the very articulate mus might just be young and learning the ropes to his job. Its master’s speech, on the other hand stroke him as somewhat… peculiar. There were times when he looked like he was just about to say something and then the words took an unusual amount of effort to come out as the apothecary spoke in short sentences. Still, Catchfly seemed to be slowly opening up and Chase decided he was just a reserved fellow that would warm up after a bit of chat.
“Guess I learned something then. There is an apothecary who uses the blueberries I gather for him to make some sort of medicines. There are a few blueberry bushes here but only couple are ripe right now and I also gather Cloudberries but they’re still red. They’re a little hidden which is a good thing as they’re rarer this far south.” he said as he pluckd a few craneberries into the pack
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:09 am
"Blueberries are good," Catchfly answered with a ghost of a smile. "Good for digestion. Same," he added suddenly, nodding his head toward the early cranberry plants, "as cranberries." Upending two iris plants and carefully doctoring them with snips of his beak, he packed away bulbs, stems, and flowers with the same slightly jerky, methodical motions that he used for any action performed in steps. Not looking at Chase in the hopes that the other Sentinel wouldn't notice his...deficiencies...and stare at him, he moved as quickly as he could.
"Don't...work with berries for medicines, much," he admitted slowly as he did up the toggle on the pack once again. "Juices are good flavoring, though. Good for fledglings." Eartufts standing suddenly upright as a breeze rustled the leaves nearby, he swiveled his head carefully all round, looking at Racket, who was watching with interest. Catchfly was coping...reasonably well, for the fact that his infinitely more eloquent little helper was absent at the moment.
Fluffing his feathers anxiously, he tried to keep his fear from showing as he waited for the Gatherer to finish up. He was no combatant; he could barely stand the short amounts of time he spent once or twice a season on his iris expeditions. This was going to be the death of him.
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Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:03 pm
“You don’t say…” Chase replied as he used his will to drop a few cranberries into the open pack, taking a few quick breaks to look around for any potential dangers. The other male’s odd movements and eyes filled with self-consciousness led Chase to the assumption that the gatherer was interfering with some sort of private ritual and he wasn’t sure if he should keep the conversation going.
“Oh, I’d take any medicine as a kid… if it came with some juice.” He said lightly, happy that the apothecary seemed willing to continue the conversation. Catching the look the wildtype sent to his companion, Chase gathered a few more berries, twigs and an unfortunate lizard that happened to slither under his talons and closed his pack.
“Little bundles of worry, aren’t they…?” the shadow joked with a small smile as he carefully fitted the pack’s straps around his wings. “I’m done. Do you need anything else?”
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Posted: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:45 pm
Catchfly nodded absently when Chase confirmed his assertions about berries. Pulling his own pack back onto his back and making sure everything was fastened correctly, he turned his head just in time to watch the Gatherer scoop up the lizard. He smiled slightly at that--being in the wrong place at the wrong time was the story of his life--and then gave a slight nod.
Racket wasn't particularly worried, more curious, but Catchfly was pretty certain that Chase didn't exactly understand that the bright little mus was more than a companion, and that his speech wasn't uppity, but rather helpful. Ah well. Not all could understand, though Catch had never come across a Sentinel who didn't pick it up within a few minutes of conversation. Ah well.
At the final question, he gave an abrupt shake of his head. No. He didn't need anything. In fact, he desperately wanted to flee. Spreading his wings quickly and giving them a swift, jerky preen, he took awkward flight as best he could from the ground, settling on the lowest branch he could find. Puffing his feathers and then smoothing them in relief, he glanced to Chase and waited quietly.
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