Fantasy [Tartarean Chronicle] An Endless Chill

[StarPrincessVal]

Svara Vetr
Location: The Forests near Naetursalur, The Ettlefrost
​

The woods were silent as she stalked through them, the thigh high snow crunching as she pushed through it, bow drawn and at the ready. She had hit the deer once, and the trail of blood that it left in the snow would lead her to it. A deer would be a fine meal for several days. Game was not hard to come by, especially since everyone else had left, so long as she took the effort to go out and obtain it. There was a time she would have several skilled hunters with her, and a team of dogs and sleds to take their kills back to the hall. But that time had past.

As she approached a clearing, she heard something staggering in the snow ahead of her. She raised her bow and walked forward slowly, giving a high pitched whistle, a signal to Zole that their prey was ready to be dropped. They had done this a thousand times. Even if the deer made it out of this clearing, it would not escape them. She was a decent shot and Zole was fast and... intelligent... She frowned as the thought crossed her mind. Their was nothing to be done about it, he had long since forgiven her, but she still felt the pangs of regret every now and then. She wondered if he did too. She held her breath to steady her arms and stepped out of the trees, bow ready.

Mentions: NeramoDJI
Involving: Garbage Pail Kid

 

[Garbage Pail Kid]

Brunhilde

Violence was all she had ever known, and for a bandit, that was enough. Her father pushing her to carry commit atrocities in the name of the clan. A deal being struck with her knowledge and, to increase her combat strength and succeed him proper, force upon her a forbidden process known as grafting.

Cultists earning money by way of giving the layman an edge in battle against otherwise overwhelming forces. What they never tended to mention was that the process could inflict too much pain for a body to handle. She wanted to get stronger for her father, but she couldn't handle their surgeries any longer.

The cold was biting, yet it felt so good against her skin as she didn't stop running until her feet became too numb to keep her upright. She didn't keep track of how long she had been running, but did so until the shouts and hollers had long since grown silent. Her knees suddenly buckled, and she lurched through a bush. The same one Svera was aiming at, the deer revealing itself to be much more sentient and humanoid. Her eyes wide before taking a defensive stance; her body riddles with bruises and grime. Her eyes fierce and desperate.

 

[NeramoDJI]

'I'm a fokin dog man.' Zole thought to himself, listening to the whistle his master gave, rushing out from his place of hiding towards the deer, moving swiftly through the snow. He hated this, Coyotes were warm weather canines, not cold, but he guessed that was just the rub. Sometimes he had to do stuff he didn't want to. Like when he did the dog licking thing. He hated that, but it was instinct. He let out a growl to the deer as he leaped up towards it, barking out to get at the deer.

Until he saw it was not in fact a deer. He clamped his jaws shut instead of biting, backpedaling a bit and running towards his master, barking out and yipping to try and signal it was a person, turning back every now and then to make sure said person wasn't going to try and strike him.

 

[StarPrincessVal]

Svara Vetr
Location: The Forests near Naetursalur, The Ettlefrost
​

Svara went wide eyed as the creature stumbled into the clearing. She almost released the bow string out of shock. Almost. Zole seemed to catch on too, skidding to a stop and returning to her side. She supposed that was a benefit to having a sentient hound, one of the old dogs from the kennel wouldn't have hesitated. She held the bow on the... thing... waiting for it to make it's move. It looked mostly human, but so did a lot of the horrors up here. However it looked scared and hurt, which she had never seen on the face of one of the monsters that stalked the frozen expanse. As it stood there in a defensive pose, she had to make a call. Release the arrow or lower the bow. The longer it took decide, the worse her odds of survival. She lowers the bow. "Hvoaotu?! What are you?! Do you understand?! Skyja?!" She waits a moment before pressing, holding her hand down for Zole and scratching his ears, but never removing her eyes from Brunhilde. "Talaj! Speak!"

Mentions: NeramoDJI Garbage Pail Kid

 

[Garbage Pail Kid]

Brunhilde

The cold had bitten against nearly every part of her exposed skin; water soaked clothes frozen stiff as it was obvious from her labored breaths and staggered sways that she had been exhausted. The dog and then the bow both frightened her, and while there was indeed a look of savagery. She also looked incredibly scared, knowing she had no strength to fight this person if they were hostile.

The shouts were clear against the snow that fell softly around them; ringing against her ears as the huntress questioned what she was, and if she understood. Hilde was taught very little, she had learned to speak at the very least. Her hand holding up a finger toward her face

"Please...don't want to...die"

Her stance shifting as a hand reached out toward Svara; anyone really, taking another step before she collapsed. The snow fortunately breaking her fall, but whatever threat she might have been for the moment completely left with her conscious. Her back had been facing away from them, but now that it was exposed. A set of four arrows were sticking out of her back.

 

[NeramoDJI]

'Sheet she's thick as fuck.' The coyote thought to himself, Zole starting to hum and shake around in the snow. He understood perfectly what the woman said, but also, the fuck was he going to do? He's a fokin dog. So instead he did the time honored tradition and shimmied in the snow, looking up at his Master, before remembering he was good with intution, starting to sniff around before giving a nod, the woman was telling the truth about not wanting to die, she didn't seem hostile at least.

He barked a date request at the big woman, knowing she wouldn't understand. After all, he had to pass the time somehow, saying whatever he wanted to humans was nice. Like, 'Hey I wanna lick your boobs'. And then laughing when they call him cute for it.

 

[StarPrincessVal]

Svara Vetr
Location: The Forests near Naetursalur, The Ettlefrost
​

Svara watched as the... thing... collapsed in front of her. She slowly walked over and knelt down, examining it. It was still alive, but barely. She wondered if it was edible, since she and Zole had lost the deer. It had seemed intelligent, begging for it's life. Probably not a good idea to eat it. Too many Wendigo as is. But now she had to decide whether or not to save it. She watched Zole sniff the thing and signal that it wasn't a threat. Then he began to play in the snow, letting out his little cackle that he made. Svara smirked at him and shook her head. "Ofugi... You're thinking something gross, aren't you? I did not turn you into a dog, you were always a dog." She sighs and lifts the thing onto her back, beginning the three miles trek back to Naetursalur, her familial Hall. She whistled for Zole and smiled reluctantly as she went. "Looks like we'll be having more purrkjot again, ey, Zole? Come on, let's go home."

She was never good with medicine, but she knew how to treat an arrow wound. Specifically one arrow wound. This thing had four in it's back. She removed them carefully, astonished it didn't awaken from the pain. Could it even feel pain? It could definitely bleed. Once the arrows were out, she washed it with melted snow she had collected and lye she had made from boar fat. Then she bandaged it up. It didn't look half bad. Not as good as the girl who did the doctoring before, but this thing would live. Probably. She set it by the fire and covered it in blankets to stay warm, laying snow on its forehead occasionally to lower its temperature. She pulled roughly with her teeth at the purrkjot, dried animal meat slathered in fat, tossing the last half to Zole before standing up. "Oye, Keep an eye on it, ey? I need a bath. And don't let me catch you peeking again, fucking Ofugi." She glared at him with a finger pointed straight to him as she walked out of the room to the baths.

Mentions: Garbage Pail Kid NeramoDJI

 

[Garbage Pail Kid]

Brunhilde

The darkness that consumed her was a comfort against the overwhelming anxiety that had plagued her in the days she trudged across this mountainside. Her mind roamed from distant memories of her mother to the biting cold that blackened her toes. The jostling of being picked up and the trip Svara took doing nothing in part to rouse her from the sleep she now had fallen into. the darkness of her dreams beginning to leak color, weather consuming her mind.

Her musculature was much heavier than her emaciated form would imply, and the arrows had a neurotoxin still dripping from the barbed arrows. It was still a mystery how she ended up this way, but her hearty constitution was still holding out thanks to the kindness of strangers. Her breathing becoming more steady, but her dreams did not alleviate as she was in a harrowing storm. Her body twitched and shifted as if she were rocking in a boat. The pain of the arrows causing her no screams, but an ear grating sound arose momentarily as she ground her teeth.

An indeterminate amount of time passed before the raging storms of her mind broke as she slowly came to consciousness. A stiff ache wracking her back immediately as she shifted and tried to move. Her blurred vision slowly clearing up and revealed....a dog? She cocked her head as she sat up.

"Ehh...Dog?...Good?" She asked with a stilted and disjointed accent, lacking any hostility

"Brunhilde...ehhh...Me. What yours?"

 

[NeramoDJI]

Zole watched his master walk off, huffing a little bit and rolling his eyes. He's still gotta pass the time somehow, especially after she ruined his life. He forgave her, since it was an accident, but that did not mean she could judge him for how he chose to spend his life as a dog. However, as he was stewing in his thoughts, he turned to see the woman getting up as he sat up on his haunches, yipping a bit. "I'm the best dog you big ol' muscle mommy!" He said back, figuring it would be the usual case of her not being able to understand him. "I'm Zole, the sexiest specimen the world has ever seen." He answered back

 

[StarPrincessVal]

Svara Vetr
Location: Naetursalur, the Ancestral Vetr Hall, The Ettlefrost
​

The water was cold, as always, but the feeling after was pleasant, one of being clean and fresh. She dried off with a linen towel and put on her fur clothing, adorning herself in her family cloak, before stepping back out into the passage to the main hall. She glanced over the shields decorating the walls as she walked, her fathers the last one she passed before arriving. The family crest had changed a lot over the centuries, especially after the clan feud. Her own shield, however, would never grace the walls. Even if she remained here to the end, there would be no one to hang it for her. Better to take Zole and leave when the time came. Family and heritage had meaning, but there was no clan here. It was just an empty building. She looked to Zole as she entered the main hall. He seemed to be focused on something, Svara's gaze following his own as she realized the thing was sitting up. She walked over and sat next to Zole, putting an arm around him to pull him close and ruffling his head. "Behaving yourself, ey? Good Dog." She lightly scritched behind his ears as she turned back to the creature in front of her. "You speak, ey? Talaj. You said something as I came in. Talking to my dog?" She smirked and gave Zole another ruffle. "He's a good dog, when he's not being a bastard. His name is Zole." She turned back to the creature. "Are you hungry? Food? Tema?" She mimed eating while looking for signs of understanding. Without waiting for a response, she leaned over and grabbed another strip of purrkjot, ripping it in two and holding half out to Zole before handing the other half to the thing. "What are you? Where did you come from?" Svara took a bite of the meat she had offered Zole and held it back out for him.

Mentions: Garbage Pail Kid NeramoDJI

 

[Garbage Pail Kid]

Brunhilde

There was quite alot for her to take in initially; a warm cabin, bandages covering most of her body, and a dog. Her confusion grew further as it started to talk; cocking her head with confusion as she repeated something back to him. "Ehhh...muscled...mommy?" She questioned before Svara entered the room again. A pair of goat like eyes facing the home owner from where she had been laid.

"Bastard?...he" She said, mimicking some of the words she heard Svara say. Her eyes flicking between the two before she smiled and nodding at the mention of something to eat. "Ehh...food good. no eat dog talker" She reached out and took the offering of purrkjot. She scarfed it down in her palm, breathing in a sigh of relief as food hit her stomach for the first time in days.

"Ehhh...Brunhilde me. Ran from hurting." Her face scrunching up and nursed the side of he head with a palm "Ehh...clan wanted strong me, did this" She said, pointing to her horns and eyes. Her head lowering, tears began to threaten her vision as blurred and fractured memories surfaced.

"...But the hurting stopped never. So ran me."

 

[NeramoDJI]

Zole balked a bit at the fact that Brunhilde knew what he said, huffing a bit and pawing at the ground. "Sheeet I was flirting with a caveman." He said, before doing a little spin on the ground. He accepted the head scratches. It was a little degrading, but it also felt really good so he had no reason to say no. "Welp, running from pain's as good a reason as any." He said, doing a little shimmy now, restless as always.

He walked up to the bed and jumped up, his tail wagging a bit as he looked over the food, but not going for it since this person clearly needed it more than he did. It felt weird being able to sustain himself off of only one meal a day, but he guessed it was one of the perks.

 

[StarPrincessVal]

Svara Vetr
Location: Naetursalur, the Ancestral Vetr Hall, The Ettlefrost
​

Svara put the piece of meat in her mouth and leaned forward, putting her hands on the side of Brunehilde's head and examining her eyes and horns closely. She wiped the tears aside to get a better look at her. "Your clan did this? Atiin, ey? You don't look like Khantor. I thought you might be hryllingyr. Monster, ey. All monsters up here have horns. But you seem alright." She let go of Brunhilde's head and sat back down. "So what will you do now? You can stay here, if you can work. Even Zole works. But we can't stay long. The Vandauoi will be here soon. Big storm." Svara stands up and grabs a few logs, tossing them into the fire place.

Mentions: Garbage Pail Kid NeramoDJI

 

[Garbage Pail Kid]

Brunhilde

Brunhilde cocked her head as she did her absolute best to discern what Svar was getting across; she understood the words, but education wasn't something her chieftain bothered with. "Ehhh Clan wanted strong me, Tha hoods pointies stabbies caused burn inside" She said, attempting to convey her emotions through her limited lexicon. Her rough hands pointed at the horns and eyes in reference to what the 'hoods' did.

Svara' inspection revealed strange remnants of scarring around the eyes themselves; supposedly trauma from sort of transplant. The hair directly around her horns much shorter than the rest, looking as though it were sheared for a surgery. Svara noticed a line of runes ran down her back and continued beyond her bandages.

"Ehhh Monster no me, horns not born with." She explained with a slow shake of her head. It was difficult to discern what was trauma and her 'natural' self, but at the very least she was alive and well. Light returning to her squared eyes once more as Svara offered her a place to stay.

"Ehh Hilde work good, is strong me" She couldn't help but laugh as she put her hand on Zole's head, seemingly enjoying the moment despite her circumstances. "Dog talk funny, Likes him me" She said

 

[NeramoDJI]

"Sheeet, damn right I work. This lady workin me like a dog, after she the reason I am one." He grumbled to himself, laying his head on his paws near the fire place. He hummed a bit at the praise given though, standing up and doing another little shimmy. "Yeaaa, see that Svara, I'm the fun one, not you." He said again, before doing the dog thing and moving in a circle in place, laying down with a small pant from the heat from being inside. Way better than the cold outside though.