lo-fi for witches only- intro/plant hunting

[deimos]

The bird was hard to find after her encounter at the border, her and her siblings looking in on a society that they had yet to figure out. It was a strange situation, and she thought she might have been the only one not electing to find Beck. But multiple of her siblings just wanted to find him. To see if he was okay, if that might have been it, and leave. It left her senseless. There were many things to discover. A whole new life, to live, to love, without their parents involved, without the pressures of where they used to exist.

Was it not enough, to just be alive?

She landed near the library, her feathers ruffled from the windy flight. Her eyes lifted to the darkening sky, the clouds pulling in over the land. Spring brought showers, but apparently in the swamp it was wetter then she could have imagined. Flight became a bit more difficult, with wet wings, as it was still an unfamiliar body. She sighed softly, hopping towards the side of the library. Exploring was something she was finding enjoyment in, whether it be these little hops, or some flight. It was.. an enjoyable feeling. Soaring up there.

With one last glance to the darkening sky, she looked back down, before she blinked a bit, her tail feathers flicking as her talons reached out, gentle brushing at a tiny plant between her.. toes? She didn't know what to call them. Gently, she cooed a tiny bit, lowering her head to observe it better. As if those Peregrine eyes didn't already see enough.

"SPEECH"

code by spacexual

[alaric g.]

    Gathering stormclouds overhead loudly announced their presence with a far-off thunderclap. Blue eyes shifted upwards just to confirm this, although the tabby was aware that doing so was unnecessary. Grey skies were not uncommon in a swamp, he supposed, and this wouldn't be the first storm he had seen since arriving in Tanglewood.

    Unfortunately for Alaric, he had just completed reading another one of the library's medical books. He placed it on the stack of books closest to him and reached for the next in line. He recoiled in surprise as his paw touched bare floor. So this was the last book in his queue, it seemed. That meant he needed more, and with a storm fast approaching, he would need to get to the library and back with haste.

    Collecting the books he had not returned in a small satchel, he made for the door of his home. The trek from his house to the library was not long, thankfully, and within minutes he had come upon the structure. As it came into view, blue hues landed upon a bird, who Alaric recognized as one of the several joiners that had come to see Beck. He could not recall the bird's name, though, and although he didn't care to know, maybe it would make him appear a little more... welcoming if he did.

    Padding towards the bird, he would say, "I don't believe I ever caught your name." He appeared grumpy, perhaps a bit irritated, but he truly was not.

♔ don't do love, don't do friends

[wormwood.]

☆ HUNG PICTURES OF PATRON SAINTS UP ON MY WALL TO REMIND ME THAT I AM A FOOL. TELL ME WHERE I CAME FROM, WHAT I WILL ALWAYS BE: JUST A SPOILED LITTLE KID WHO WENT TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL —

Truth be told, Aurum wasn't yet sure what he thought of Beck's siblings. Their encounter at the border hadn't exactly gone without controversy, and while it seemed like some of them – like Bridget – wished to stay, the ones that chose to leave didn't sit right with him. They had come all this way to find Beck, only to then immediately turn around and leave? It reminded him far too much of Poet, and made the fur along his spine prick, wondering how Beck possibly could've been feeling. Hadn't the boy been through enough in his life? Still, it wasn't Aurum's place to berate or inspect them. Beck could do that himself. Or Selby, considering the looks that the sawbone had been giving the large set of siblings when they first arrived. The angel certainly couldn't blame Selby for being suspicious, considering they were claiming to be related to his son, and had been gone for quite a long damn time.

Now that Aurum was out and about a little bit more after the birth of his children, he decided that it was time to return the books that he had taken out of the library during his absence. He had needed something to keep him occupied while he was confined inside, but now that he could return to his regular duties? He didn't really need the huge amount of books littered around his home. So, he had packed them all up in one big bag, clenching it in his jaws and moving off towards the library. When he eventually grew close, he was surprised to see Alaric talking with one of the newcomers. Bridget, he thought her name was. He wasn't used to Alaric showing a genuine interest in others if he didn't have to – he had become used to the other's slightly blunt nature – but he supposed it was common courtesy to introduce yourself to the unknown. Deciding to provide the other with some backup, Aurum put his bag of books down near the opening of the library, moving up beside Alaric before he rumbled, "Hello there... how're you enjoying your time in Tanglewood so far?" That seemed like a neutral enough question, after Alaric's simple request for a name.

[div style="text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase; text-shadow: 0px 0px 2px #1B1B2F; font-size: 24px;"][color=#44437F]— AURUM

#psychosocial.

[Margery]

Margery's apprehension over the idea of attaching insignia to herself was short-lived, for she decided that she could sacrifice her discomfort for the sake of Beck. She understood her siblings would lead other lives, it was not her duty to chain them by the bounds of blood alone, however much she did enjoy their company. As she adjusted to life in Tanglewood, she felt anything but welcomed. Not feeling welcomed was different than feeling happy, but in all her quiet aura, she could tell especially from those who appeared at there unceremonious joining, that there was some unease or uncertainty.

The little Welsh sheepdog was very accustomed to being treated this way, and if she was bothered by it, she betrayed no outward sign of it. In fact, Margery enjoyed watching the children play, she enjoyed feeling the thrum of life in the society, a life that she was content to serve. Being the old soul of a medieval woman meant that she had likely accepted her status as a cog in the machine. Someone had to do the background work and Margery served that purpose happily.

There was one thing she was quickly observing, that most of Tanglewood surprisingly seemed very intellectual-aligned. Alaric in particular caught her eye because of his outwardly projection of a grumpy persona. The collie padded over to join the group, making a humming noise in her throat. She had never set foot in the library, having spent most of her time just outside resting, and she hadn't seen Bridget in a few days. Margery sat down and pricked her ears up to listen, golden eyes flickering warmly to the peregrine in a happy greeting. Her tail beat the earth in a steady rhythm.

[deimos]

Her head turned as he approached. Her mind was a bit fuzzy- there had been a lot happening at the border, and she wasn't completely sure if he had been there. But it mattered not, the bird supposed, pulling her talons away from the delicate plant. Her wings shifted a bit, fluffing against the gathering wind. "Bridget. Yourself?" She spoke, her accent a bit strange and thick, her beak clicking as it settled back close. However, turning towards him made it easy to see the others approach.

One of which was familiar- no, both. She just wished that she didn't recognize the lion. He had been.. a rough spot, to say, to Bridget. Her talons tapped the ground, trying to decide how to answer him, a soft breath exiting her before she straightened up, the falcon meeting him eye to eye. Which, was a bit hilarious, considering their size difference. "It is.. pleasant. I have to say it's not my favorite choice, the swamp, but." She offered a shrug in response, tilting her head a bit. "Not my choice, I suppose." She said.

Her eye shifted towards her sister, and she dipped her head in a soft greeting. There need be no words, but she definitely caught how her sister's eyes followed the smaller feline in this gathering.

"SPEECH"

code by spacexual

[wormwood.]

☆ HUNG PICTURES OF PATRON SAINTS UP ON MY WALL TO REMIND ME THAT I AM A FOOL. TELL ME WHERE I CAME FROM, WHAT I WILL ALWAYS BE: JUST A SPOILED LITTLE KID WHO WENT TO CATHOLIC SCHOOL —

Aurum honestly regretted how he and Beck's siblings had gotten off on the wrong foot. While he stood by his decision to be suspicious at such a large group just showing up at the border asking for their founder, he could definitely see how he might've been a bit overharsh. He didn't really know how Beck felt about having them around, but he had every intention of being friendly from now on, unless Beck or someone else claimed that something was wrong. After all, as far as he was concerned now, Bridget and any other siblings that decided to stay were now tanglers. Such as Margery, who approached without much fuss and simply beat her tail against the dry earth, clearly pleased to see her sibling doing well. He didn't wish to interrupt her serene silence, so he simply lifted one of his golden wings in greeting, shifting it a little in a sort of makeshift wave. He had been taking full advantage of having his wings back as of late, not only using them for flying, but also a great deal of other tasks as well. Hopefully Margery would see it for it was – a friendly greeting, and not some sort of veiled threat. It would've been impressive to interpret it as such, but considering their first meeting...

The male's attention was snatched away when Bridget spoke up once again, speaking softly about Tanglewood's choice of territory. It was not the first time he had heard the swamp critiqued, and he believed that it was very far from the last, unless Tanglewood decided to move at some point – which seemed unlikely, since they wouldn't really be Tanglewood anymore then. Nodding his head a bit in response, he chuckled a little dryly before he mumbled, glancing towards the trees that caged in their main little town, "The swamp is hardly perfect, but it's what we've had ever since the very beginning of Tanglewood... plus it makes it much easier to keep intruders out. At least we've always got a wide variety of pleasant plants and flowers, like the ones growing here." He gestured casually with a paw towards the plant that she had formerly been gently picking at.

[div style="text-align: right; text-transform: uppercase; text-shadow: 0px 0px 2px #1B1B2F; font-size: 24px;"][color=#44437F]— AURUM

#psychosocial.

[CAUSTIC.]

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DR. CAUSTIC

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[REDACTED]
TOXIC TRAPPER
MACKENZIE VALLEY WOLF
TANGLEWOOD
"Humanity. It's just a word."

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There is an intrinsic delicacy to caring for the life of another. Especially, when the victim was helpless and required your aid to survive. Pets, plants, and children alike shared this quality.
Caustic was much in love with plants for these qualities. Caring for them required a pool of knowledge for their health management. Proper soil, PH balances, what nutrients to put in their water, and more. Their lives could be taken just as easy with the right compounds.
Caustic could be found in few places, and the library was one of them. A book is held in the bag around his neck, intent to return it, when he sees the group of locals. Caustic's eyes scan over the group, taking note of each. He doesn't have much to add, "I'm a fan the local flora as well... Interesting species, all of them." And they required so much study.

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Original code by lexasperated / artwork by @R_HillPrime