|
Post by Jack on Sept 20, 2021 14:26:16 GMT -6
You can hear the terrible creatures in the distance, somewhere to the left. Upon closer inspection, you can see them. Terrible black birds, pecking mercilessly at your precious plants! You rush in to shoo them away, but it seems you were too late - the damage was already done.
(Next 5 posts yield nothing as you chase them off)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 2:15:52 GMT -6
The process took time to go through, as the wilder corner of the garden had produced much more debris than anticipated. For most of it, the lepus had done as proper a job of tidying things up as was possible, leaving sparse few spots in the yard which remained quite as wild as this one was. Though, much of it was broken branches and fallen leaves, long since left lingering from storms and autumns past. In a sense, perhaps the rain had done him a favour in this, for it was much simpler to clear those away from above the water's level, than beneath the root and branch of other plants.
A factor that might have been true if the water itself had not likely caused additional damage on its own. The nightshade, what semblance of residence she preferred, had likely made it on or beneath ground, thus it was likely affected by the flood something terrible.
|91| Summer: 91 Morelle: 21 (1/5) / 18 (1/5)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 2:24:44 GMT -6
The sound was subtle in where it began. Despite this, the lepus picked it up before the nightshade did, as her senses appeared oriented more towards the visual. It was equally likely they were based around sensing the tremors of the earth, thus detecting when something walked upon it. But these types of sounds were airborne, leaving her quite blind and deaf to them.
The mammalian straightened, paused in the raking process and turned his head slowly. There were benefits to tall ears, and each moved gradually as he attempted to locate the source of it. The style was both familiar and yet not. Inherently, there should not have been anything which could have caused alarm as such, and yet a suspicion deep within the gut whispered otherwise. A soft beating, a fluttering in combination with rustling.. Wing beats, he realized, not dissimilar to his own bird, yet multiplied by a dozen or more.
|92| Summer: 92 Morelle: 21 (2/5) / 18 (2/5)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 2:30:32 GMT -6
But above all, there was a tone even beneath the sound of the wing beats that suggested something far more concerning. A cawing, an angry cry, one not of fury but hunger. A flock that had, perhaps, come to feast upon the garden, out of need or desperation. But what could they find? Surely there was little enough food on hand, for the flood had yet to truly recede and much of the plants were underneath the flowing water. He could not detect sounds of water being splashed, so surely they did not go for anything upon the ground.
Eventually, the ears were able to locate the source of the sound, though much higher up than anticipated. Up in the trees, the flock was causing murder on the fruit there, dismantling apple and pear in equal measure, stealing plum and mountain-ash berries. The nightshade, unsurprisingly, had retreated behind the rock, to be as out of sight from them as was possible.
|93| Summer: 93 Morelle: 21 (3/5) / 18 (3/5)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 2:35:34 GMT -6
It was not that she feared them, for crows seldom bothered things bigger than themselves beyond seeking mere annoyance. Although given the hungry nature of the cawing, perhaps that fear had justification even so. The lepus had dealt with birds in many shape or form in his life, from chasing off carrion-seekers from bodies, to tending to songbirds of his own. These, while carrion-seekers, were in the process of dismantling perfectly fine fruit and berry bush. Many a gardener would not have hesitated to chase them off at a moment's notice.
But the lepus remained where he was, and merely observed, leaned upon the rake. The birds, for all their voracious nature, were still things of a living nature. They had a need to eat as much as he or the nightshade. They had a need to live, as much, as well. The manner of the assault was one of desperation, so his suspicion was they had not found sustenance in some while.
|94| Summer: 94 Morelle: 21 (4/5) / 18 (4/5)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 2:39:31 GMT -6
The season was on the edge of a shift, from a time of plenty to the time of dwindling. And yet the birds remained hungry, despite the bounty inherent. Thus, it would have been a certain kind of cruelness to deprive them of the food, and the lepus allowed it. Within measure, of course.. The trees can be mended, the berries and fruits regrown, but the flock should have taken care to avoid which plants they would target next, lest they find the plants themselves aware and in possession of defense.
The nightshade was relatively small in size compared to the flocks, but the tree-walker only some distance off would be a nut far too touch to crack for the birds, and many could fall to its hefty grasp. Some too bold might yet also get caught by the nightshade's bite, becoming food themselves. Thus, as long as the birds merely kept to fruit and berry, the lepus would not intervene.
|95| Summer: 95 Morelle: 22 (0/5) / 19 (0/5)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 2:44:08 GMT -6
The feast continued for some time, due to the greatness of the hunger and the size of the flock. Until, eventually, they dispersed, back to their nests or territories, the need to feed sated. The lepus assessed the damage to the trees with a few glances, and found most of them largely picked clean. What remained or was dropped half-eaten, he raked together into a singular pile, before depositing them into the compost boxes. The trees there would not yield anything to contribute towards winter stores, but the garden still had other fruit trees and berry bushes that could, so there was little concern for the loss in his heart.
Gradually, as the birds receded, the serpent climbed back upon the rock to resume her vigil. There was an element of blessing to the curse as well. The time the birds spent devouring the fruit was time enough for the waters to recede of their own accord, either along the streams towards the pond or absorbed back into the earth.
|96| Summer: 96 Morelle: 22 (1/5) / 19 (1/5)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 2:49:25 GMT -6
It left the ground muddy and damp, but no longer flooded under high tide, as it were. The lepus none the less spent some time raking though the trimmed portions of the grass, to do away with anything loose that might have been previously missed. The result was not much, merely more root and branch that would contribute more towards the compost pile than botanical research. In truth, as he took the measure of the state of the garden, the evidence showed a distinct lack of many options. The damp made cutting and weeding troublesome, the mud made it entirely impossible. Without at least a day of sunlight, there was little else he could do.
However, he could still ensure the nightshade would have proper ability to roam in the time between. Her perch upon the rock showed little sign of changing, despite the water's gradual dispersal, and so the lepus changed rake to shovel, and waded into the tall grass.
|97| Summer: 97 Morelle: 22 (2/5) / 19 (2/5)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 2:55:11 GMT -6
A move that would have been unthinkable at the beginning of the day, for it meant entering the depth of the serpent's territory, thus agitating her. Even now, perched on the rock, the serpent bristled subtly, detecting the trespass, but unable or unwilling to act upon it. There was conflict within, still, that had not been so easily subsided, for there had been equal signs of trust as there had been of suspicion. The lepus had offered protection and done no harm, but she was of a subtle nature to whom such obvious signs were not as effective as to others.
And unknown to her, the act was necessary. Much of the overgrown field was relatively level, meaning the water would not have receded from everywhere equally. Pools would remain there, well into the evening and the next day, for the marshy nature of the roots and mud made it slow to be absorbed.
|98| Summer: 98 Morelle: 22 (3/5) / 19 (3/5)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 3:00:54 GMT -6
Thus, the lepus had to wade into the parts of the grass where he could feel the water still highest. The territory wasn't overly grand, but comparative to the serpent's own size, it left much of it inaccessible due to her dislike for swimming through it. When chanced upon such a pool, the lepus began to drive the shovel deep into the earth at even intervals, and within the blade's length. A line of such holes was made to circle the general center of the pool, the better to allow the water to be reabsorbed back into the earth. With one pool done, he moved to the next, repeating the process. Then another, and another, for as many as he could locate beneath the tall grass.
In the process, he began to wonder if perhaps the garden would benefit from a drainage system for the field as much as one was installed for the pathways. It certainly appeared evident then.
|99| Summer: 99 Morelle: 22 (4/5) / 19 (4/5)
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 21, 2021 3:06:15 GMT -6
Perhaps if this area had been cleared more, he could consider it. However, if the nightshade's protectiveness of it, disrupting it too much was more trouble than benefit. The lepus did not longer any longer than he needed to, and once confident the shovel holes were properly in place to help the water drain, he walked back out of the tall grass. The nightshade's reaction was in equal parts settling, as well as contemplative. Not many creatures left her territory of their own accord, without due measures of intimidation applies. And yet the lepus had, leaving her some things to consider.
As for the lepus himself, it was the best he could do to repair the damage then and there. Time would have to do the rest for a while, before he can return to resume the work. Until then, the thought of a warm fireplace and dry clothes remained quite tempting prospects, so he made sure to gather all the tools into the wheelbarrow, before returning it to the shed, unloading the contents, and taking his leave.
|100| (counted) Summer: 100 Morelle: 23 (0/5) / 20 (0/5)
|
|
|
Post by Jack on Sept 22, 2021 18:38:28 GMT -6
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Sept 23, 2021 3:31:35 GMT -6
The lepus had only just reached the tool shed when a sound caught his attention. As he turned the shed corner to inspect the source, the sight of another insect creature became evident. A passing moment saw him assume it to be the same one as before, who had fled the rain and appeared to have found additional bounty to feast upon. However, there were subtle differences which set it apart, leading him to recognize it as an entirely new visitor.
The mammalian set down the wheelbarrow calmly, as to not startled it. As fortunes would have it, they weren't quite close enough to the nightshade to provoke her ire, though better to not chance an encounter between the two. The nightshade may not have been a formidable fighter in her own right, yet her cause for determination seemed only tenfold with the recent disaster to her territory. She could, indeed, be looking to expand upon it, as a result.
"It may be best you find shelter," the lepus calmly addressed the insect.
|101| Summer: 101 Morelle: 23 (1/5) / 20 (1/5)
|
|
|
Post by Nadia on Oct 6, 2021 14:45:58 GMT -6
If the koguma has any idea what you're talking about, it doesn't show it. It looks rather vacant, holding its lunch to its chest - all it cares about is settling down somewhere for a snack. Not a great time to miss out on a sense of urgency.
|
|
|
Post by Evainmoire on Oct 6, 2021 15:13:50 GMT -6
The insect's lack of response did not dissuade the lepus, who had grown quite fond of the quiet company the creatures can come to offer. Perhaps poor company when speaking of manners, as few enough had the grasp of such finer nuance as etiquette. But pleasant none the less, in a more plainer manner. He made a calm gesture towards the rock, upon which the nightshade was seen coiled within her discontent of the flood. To their fortune, she remained unaware of the encounter, or perhaps merely awaiting the receding of the flood waters to take action.
"Morelle can be rather particular about company," the lepus continued, lowering the arm. "I fear she might not find you approachable. Perhaps it can be better to dine closer to the gate." Where the previous insects scattered to the four winds when the rainfall had begun, he did proceed to indicate towards a drier spot of elevated land neat the canopy which would have perhaps befit them.
|102| Summer: 102 Morelle: 23 (2/5) / 20 (2/5)
|
|