Fifty Shades of Animal

by **Valkyrie** on November 23rd, 2012, 11:26 pm

Sliver

Lusina cast her eyes down and sighed. She pulled the door of the stall shut behind her and quietly walked down the length of the stables until she came to a nursing female caribou and it’s newborn. She opened the staff and carefully buckled a halter around the mother caribou’s head and attached a lead rope to it. She turned her watery eyes toward Sliver and held out the lead rope.

“When Winterflame butchers the animals they have the grace to do it elsewhere.” She said quietly, her voice almost flat. She was a motherly woman but the animals were the only children she had. She disliked it but understood when Winterflame cooks had need of the contents of her stables as it helped keep the people of Avanthal fed. But this she did not understand. She also felt sorrow for those lost Vantha and others but she did not understand how killing her animals would solve that. Her animals were not responsible for that, they had always been docile and well trained. Well perhaps they had been a little more nervous since the djed storm, but nothing more, and who could blame them? Everyone seemed pretty nervous after the djed storm.

Lixue

Lixue stood in her office, tidying up her doctor’s kit after a brief visit with a patient complaining of stomach pains. The patient had been much embarrassed when Lixue pressed on his stomach and the cause of the ailment turned out to be pent up gasses. The sound of a throat clearing in the doorway alerted Lixue to the presence of another and when she turned she would find it to be Seiled.

“Hello Lixue. I was wondering if you would help me with a project today that’s….. a little different from what we usually do. Um.. it sort of concerns, I mean I’m sure you’ve heard about….” Seiled actually seemed visibly nervous. He ran his hand through his hair a few times and his eyes kept glancing everywhere but Lixue’s eyes. Apparently he had something he was not confident about asking of her as the behavior was severely out of character for him. He seemed to realize this himself and took a moment to sigh and collect himself. He met Lixue’s eyes and he seemed a little more calm and like himself.

“It’s about the animal attacks. The animals themselves specifically. Icewatch guards contacted me about participating in a project about the animals and I was wondering if you would like to help me investigate.” He said, his voice firm and smooth. The moment of apprehension and strangeness passed but it revealed how guilty he felt about asking this of Lixue. He did not know if she would be eager or heartbroken by old memories.

by **Sliver** on November 24th, 2012, 1:07 am

The calf, a giant white splotch on it's muzzle that reached to it's eye, gazed up at Sliver curiously, legs still a bit wobbly only so recently having learned how to use them. The mother snorted at Sliver, sensing the odors of something dangerous to her, but the wolverine extended her hand, letting the creature get a good whiff of her scent, and she calmed considerably from the one peaceful action, turning her head to continue licking the calf.

Sliver gently removed the lead from Lusina's grasp and bowed her head a little bit. Her face was still somber, but it was not filled with apathy, but resignation. These beasts did not deserve their fate, but neither did this city and wilderness deserve whatever illness had befallen it.

"Their deaths shall be quick. The Icewatch, and the city, thanks you for your services Lusina Frostfawn, I cannot say how, but I know that these two will help us figure out what is going wrong with the creatures of the tundra."

Sliver gestured to Violet to get behind the mother. The calf was sure to stay close to its parent, but just in case it strayed or got distracted, the Vantha could provide a necessary deterrent for the infant to run away. The recruit whispered her thanks as well to the woman and Sliver led the docile caribou back towards the city.

There was really only one place she could think of to kill the creatures, and that was behind the Whitevine Healing Center. Anywhere else and it meant lugging the carcass of the mother with them, a task which wouldn't have been difficult with Smiles, but with only the two of them would provide an arduous one indeed.

So the Kelvic slowly led the caribou through the streets of Avanthal. Though she knew time was of the essence, she didn't feel the need to rush the creatures to their execution, especially the infant who was so new to this world. In fact, the more she walked, thinking about that white splotch on its muzzle and those big round eyes taking in every new sight it could, the more Sliver began resenting the task at hand.

Consumed with her rather morbid train of thinking, the Kelvic came up short when she suddenly found herself in front of the Healing Center where all this would take place. She guided the two caribou around to the back of the building, where no civilian eyes need see the deaths of the two creatures, and stood awkwardly, looking from one beast to another, wondering which she should kill first.

Finally she realized it would be best to kill the creatures simultaneously, the idea of seeing the mother look upon her dead infant, or the calf have to see its mother killed was an idea that the wolverine just couldn't stand, not when the creatures didn't even have the instinct to flee their killers. Sliver scratched the quiet and obedient mother behind the ears and under the chin, guiding Violet over to show her how to grasp the skull and where the head met the spinal chord, which she would be severing in one quick jerk. It was clear the Vantha would much prefer the adult caribou over the infant, and Sliver couldn't blame her. She lifted up the calf, who bleated for a moment until comforted by its mother's wet snout, the two creatures nuzzled each other in the loving way that one does knowing it has brought such a beautiful thing into the world, and how that beautiful thing loves what gives it comfort and food.

Sliver could barely take it any longer. She separated the two, her own charge leaning its furry head on her shoulder, one dark eye glancing up at her, completely trusting in her strong arms and her fingers reaching around its throat. Violet and Sliver met each other's gaze, their sorrow mirrored, and Sliver silently counted.

1

2

3

On three two necks snapped, one much louder and harder than the other. On three two bodies collapsed, one much heavier and thicker than the other. On three two heart beats stopped, one much smaller, weaker, and newer than the other. On three the heat from two bodies was leeched from two newly made corpses. On three two icewatch fell to their knees on the ground, looks of sorrow plain on their faces.

On three Sliver made a silent prayer to Caiyha, to guide the souls of the creatures back to where they belonged, and to forgive her for what she had done.

On four the Kelvic got up, and knocked on the back door of the healing center, wiping away the vaguest hint of moistness from the corners of dark eyes.

by **Lixue** on November 24th, 2012, 5:43 pm

Lixue had barely slept a wink. The nightmare of Ly's death had become less recurrent, but still popped up at least three out of seven days. Sometimes more, depending on how much stress Lixue was under or how busy her mind was. Or if she went to visit family, something Lixue tried to avoid doing now. It was not that she did not want to see the family members, of both her and his family, but more that they brought up memories and experiences Lixue would rather not deal with. And everyone besides Lixue's siblings treated her like she was going to break, especially Ly's mother. Not to mention her own mother used Lixue as a tool against Lixue's father and vice versa. When, really, all Lixue wanted was to see her siblings and hug them and just forget for ten chimes.

But it never worked out that way.

So Lixue slowly quit visiting. She had her own stress to deal with and that of both families was not something she needed to hold. Lixue did not need to handle her parents fighting or Ly's mother treating her like glass. Ly's mother was a kind woman and a strong one as well. She held together the family even after such a devastating event and mourned appropriately. But Lixue did not want to hear the memories of Ly, did not want to live through his death again.

She wanted to move on.

Tucking another tool away inside her kit, Lixue jumped a foot in the air when someone cleared their throat. The bottle of herbs fell away from her hand and Lixue played catch it for a moment, struggling to retrieve it. Finally, she managed to and set it down carefully before whirling to face whoever had snuck up on her.

Seiled. The man who shared his lunches with her, made her eat when she did not want to, and made her laugh. The individual who did not let her wallow in her mourning and encouraged her to work, but practically bit her head off at any mistakes. The doctor who took her on a call and forced her to deliver his niece, even when she was overrun with memories and emotions. Seiled, the person who Lixue had missed out on lunch only yesterday.

Lixue assumed he was here about yesterday. About how they had had lunch plans and Lixue had up and disappeared, taken on a call with Sliver. Several people had been injured by caribou and, along with several Icewatch Medics, Lixue helped deal with the aftermath. Which meant completing missing their lunch date.

But no, when Seiled began speaking, he was not talking about yesterday. In fact, he was acting strange. He would not meet her eyes and kept running a hand through his curly hair, a movement that caught Lixue's attention. A small smile slid over Lixue's lips at his behavior, more in humor than anything else. The action caused her tired eyes to crinkle at the corners. Patiently, Lixue waited until Seiled was calm before she gave him an encouraging nod to continue.

With each passing word, Lixue's smile slipped and became more strained. Out of courtesy and respect, Lixue held his gaze until he had finished speaking. Then she turned and continued working on her doctor's kit.

Did she want to help investigate animal attacks, something her husband had died from? The investigate would give her a chance to figure out why, a question that haunted Lixue day and night, such a thing had happened with experienced hunters. It would allow Lixue to believe that perhaps it was not a mistake by Ly or the men he was with, but perhaps a different reason. Perhaps a disease. Or the creatures were ill some other way. Would this help stop future deaths? Could the city gates be unlocked again? Or would they find nothing could be done to stop such chaos? What if nothing was wrong with the beasts?

Lixue did not question the need for killing the animals. Having been in the Spires for so long, she had grown to respect and admire Caihya. But, if there was one thing Lixue had learned from her time there, she was aware of the fact that animals could and should be killed in both the natural order of things and the unnatural order, so long as the bodies and the souls were both admired and treated with respect. This meant not wasting the meat unless necessary; this meant not hunting an animal only for the hide; this meant killing an animal for the good of the community.

How could Seiled ask her to do such a thing, given her experience? Then again, how had he dealt with the knowledge of knowing she could not have children and having her help deliver? Because he knew she would push her personal beliefs to the side. And now he came to her again, asking her to work with him on something he knew she would not enjoy. His behavior had showed as much. With this, Lixue closed her doctor's kit and turned to face him.

"As long as it is not wolves, I will gladly help you."

by **Valkyrie** on November 27th, 2012, 5:03 pm

Sliver

After a few moment’s of Sliver’s insistent knocking on the door it opened and a young Whitevine man peered out. He let his gaze linger over the pair and the dead caribou at their feet until a spark of recognition and understanding lit up his eyes.

“Oh, you must be with the Icewatch and whatever project they have going on. Seiled let me know to keep an eye out for you guys. Here, bring those caribou in and I can have some take them to the appropriate room. It must have been nice just to collect the caribou. I heard other groups had to collect wolves of all things. Well, lets get you inside.” The man was trying to be friendly and gave Sliver and Violet a small smile. He helped Violet drag in the adult caribou as Sliver brought in the newborn and called for a few workers passing by to give him a hand.

“Pardon me… but do you know if an Icewatch bear came in recently? He’s my bondmate you see and I want to make sure he is alright.” Violet’s eyes were orange with anxiety as she spoke and the worker patted her on the arm comfortingly.

“Yes he came in a while ago. He and the injured man he came with are up on the next floor. I will have someone take you to him.” The man said and drafted another worker to take Violet to see Blue and Smiles. With that taken care of he turned back to Sliver.

“I will let Seiled know you are here to see if he needs anything else from you. In the meantime, I will take you to the reception area in the front to wait if that’s alright.” The man began to lead Sliver through a few different hallways until they came to the reception area and entrance. The man indicated a seat where Sliver could wait and scurried off to find Seiled.

Lixue

Seiled observed Lixue a few moments before nodding in acceptance of her answer. He knew she would accept, otherwise he wouldn’t have bothered asking, but it brought him no pleasure to put this on her.

“Of course not wolves. They are collect wolves, to be certain, but I have asked two other doctors to help with that. You and I will be working on caribou. Specifically, we will be taking these caribou apart. Apparently the Icewatch received an anonymous letter stating that the aggression is a result of some bizarre injury. My guess is tha=” Seiled began explaining the specifics of the project before being interrupted by a young worker who had passed by and seen the head doctor standing there. The man whispered a few things and then Seiled waved him away.

“I will explain the rest in a bit. Apparently all our caribou have arrived. We will be dissecting two adults and two calves. Once of the Icewatch who helped gather the specimens is still here, let’s go greet them and see if they can help us. Those caribou are rather heavy for the two of us to move it around and dissect at the same time.” Seiled said and stood back to allow Lixue room to exit the office. He turned and the pair walked towards the reception area where a certain wolverine awaited them.

by **Sliver** on November 27th, 2012, 7:08 pm

The wolverine was steady and calm, recovering from the small bout of emotions up until the point that the assistant mentioned the other animals people had been fetching. Mahogany eyes narrowed, disconcerted. So she and her green recruits had been given caribou as opposed to wolves? She should have known that even though she had been chosen for a position of minor leadership that it would be the lesser of them, but somehow it still hurt the wolverine a bit as she followed the attendant through the halls.

Mostly, however, her mind was just racing from the possibilities of this day. She had barely any medicinal knowledge, but the very idea that their troubles with animals could be discovered and eliminated on this very day made a spark of energy surge through the Kelvic. Of course her part in this endeavor was no doubt coming to a close, what help could she be to doctors and attendants that would be dissecting the bodies?

Well if ever there was going to be an answer to that question it would certainly come with Lixue and the rather important looking fellow towering over her. Sliver gave a smile of recognition to the female doctor, who she had come to grow familiar with as of late, then straightened her expression and posture in regards to the man. Be professional, she thought to herself as she opened her mouth.

"Sliver, of the Icewatch. We retrieved four specimens of caribou for the Center, two wild, two domesticated in pristine condition, necks snapped, little to no other bodily injuries to provide for the best studying. Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

Her arms instinctively folded behind her back, and despite the tattoos and hair, her stature and demeanor gave off her intended role to a T.

by **Lixue** on January 15th, 2013, 3:35 am

Lixue was silent as she walked next to Seiled. She was tempted to speak, to explain her erratic behavior from the day before. But would Seiled accept her apology and excuse? Or did he already know that she had been called away? If he did, would that explain the lack of animosity? Or did Lixue not truly know him as well as she thought? Could she correctly identify his moods? Did Lixue even have the grounds to assume she knew Seiled at all, besides what little he had told her? Although the nurses had told her she had earned a different side of Seiled, Lixue was uncertain how long this side would last before he grew impatient with her or, worse, bored. Instead, Lixue appreciated the moments they spent together. After all, had she not learned from her husband’s death that each moment should be treasured?

Then again, could a label be placed on them enough to where Lixue had the right to treasure their moments? Well… He had kissed her. But, they had not spoken since. And even then, the kiss had ended on bad terms with him storming out and her unconsciously rejecting him. When Lixue opened her mouth to tell him about yesterday, to have some type of communication drive away her nerves, Lixue shut it again. They were approaching the Icewatch Members. Now was not the time to bring personal business into their work.

But perhaps when they were cutting open the caribou?

The woman standing before them seemed to either have a stick against her back or was mimicking a pole, in the way of how straight her back was. The arms clasped behind her back were held tightly, which incidentally pushed her chest out and corrected any slacking posture. Both feet were kept together. Her entire demeanor made Lixue admire her a bit more, because it appeared the Icewatch member approached the situation with a professionalism that made Lixue proud.

Dipping her head in a silent greeting, Lixue came to a stop beside Seiled. If anyone had been looking, they may have assumed her to be a child with a cane, given their height differences.

Given what Seiled had told Lixue, Lixue could only surmise they would be dissecting the creatures in one of the surgical rooms. If not, Seiled would know where they would be. As for the woman’s question, Lixue waited only a few seconds for Seiled to answer. When he did not, she did for him. “At the present time, we will need you and two of your stronger members from your group to stay behind. It will be necessary for the Icewatch members who stay behind to shift and move the carcasses when necessary. If there are any prior engagements that request your time, feel free to reject the proposition.”

by **Valkyrie** on January 18th, 2013, 5:27 pm

OOCLix, I think Sliver is the only Icewatch person there right now, just an FYI

Seiled nodded as Lixue instructed Sliver as to the assistance they would need. The caribou were large animals and it wasn’t easy to move their weight around, especially when they would be cutting them open at the same time.

“Yes, we will be requiring your help unless you’ve received any other instructions. Please come this way, the animals will have been laid out for us to get started on.” Seiled nodded first at Sliver and then at Lixue. His face was straight and unemotional, he had cultivated an expression of professional detachment over the years that showed only the strictest neutrality.

Seiled turned quickly and led the two women down a hallway without another word or waiting for Sliver’s reply. If she was like the other Icewatch he had known, he expected that she would be willing to help out regardless of what the task was or what her prior orders were. They were a trusty and dependable lot, qualities he admired and wished were easier to find in his clinic staff. Thank Morwen for Lixue at least.

The room he led them to was empty but for four tables, a caribou body laid out on each one. A small bit of parchment on each table marked whether the caribou was wild or from the Frostfawn stables. Seiled came to stand in front of the baby caribou from the wild.

“Why don’t we start with one of the little ones? Sliver, if you would be so kind as to hold the legs out of the way while we begin the dissection? Lixue, once we make the initial incision down the chest and stomach would you like to start near the head or near the rear?” Seiled rolled up his sleeves and looked at the two women expectantly. He was ready to get to the bottom of this puzzle.

by **Sliver** on January 28th, 2013, 3:04 pm

Sliver maintained her posture as she followed the doctor's down the hall. Strange...Lixue seemed not to recognize her. She hadn't thought her appearance was precisely forgettable, but alas the woman seemed constantly under some strain or another, and perhaps that was the source of her seemingly impersonal nature.

She waited at the doorway of the room for instructions, and once they were given she strode over to one of the infants and place a hand gently upon each leg, pulling them apart in order for the proper incisions to be made into the soft fur of the newborn creature. She concentrated on the sterile smell of the place and the cleanliness instead of the task at hand, for thinking of desecrating the body of the poor calf was still more than the woman could bear at this point in time. The little creature had already been through enough having its life taken away after it had barely begun. One swallow, and eyes fixated upon the far wall. She would do what was needed to find a cure...or whatever problem was occurring in the wilds and fix it, that was all there was to it.

by **Stardust** on August 29th, 2013, 6:07 am

x

Experience Awarded!

Sliver

Skill	XP Awarded.....................................
Leadership	4
Running	3
Tracking	3
Wrestling	2
Socialization	1

•	Lores Awarded.....................................
•	A Kelvic Has To Do What A Kelvic Has To Do
•	Nicknames: A Form Of Attachment
•	Waiting For The Right Moment To Kill
•	Following A Herd Of Caribou
•	Killing A Caribou Calf
•	The Importance Of A Mission

Comments & Questions!

Lixue, once your CS is up to date, I can give your grade!

But geez! The description in this thread was super crazy and graphic. I mean, the poor Caribou. Sad. But nice job! If you have any questions about the grade or anything you don't agree with, please just PM me and we can figure it out!

.

by **Lullaby** on November 2nd, 2013, 2:58 am

Lixue Whitevine :

A quiet song to soothe the heart

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.

Quest Fifty Shades of Animal