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Post by Fierfly on Feb 4, 2017 12:54:27 GMT -5
Epsilon:
Kanga's dark eyes lit up with delight at Epsilon's casual challenge and he howled softly and eagerly, "Looks like Epsilon's got game!". The vibrant blue eyes narrowed competitively to confirm Kanga's observation. Manaaki also looked intrigued and began to consider it, kneading the ground and tearing up the turf with his firm, powerful claws as he promised that one day he'd take him up on that challenge. Kanga asked what was wrong with a rematch right then and there, Manaaki asked his brother if losing once in one day was not enough for the more impulsive twin.
Epsilon now smiled with his teeth as well. Secluded Sunrise certainly wouldn't be dull with these two around. "What's the matter Manaaki? Scared he'll turn the tables on you?" he let his tone come off easy and joshing, he didn't want to cause a rift between the two, but now that he had the opportunity to race and run from his troubles he was eager to take advantage to it before he lost his nerve.
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Post by Meds on Feb 7, 2017 14:58:52 GMT -5
Manaaki, Kanga;
Manaaki tossed his big head backwards and let an uncharacteristic bark of laughter burst from his jaws. Kanga flicked his eyes over him and grinned darkly. "Scared? Of Kanga? Never," He fixed his brother with sparkling eyes. Kanga showed his teeth again, in a smile-turned-snarl. "Careful Manaaki. Save some of that spirit for the race."
Manaaki's tail swept the ground behind him, positioned low, and Kanga's waved through the air as he held it aloft. Kanga turned to Epsilon. "We'll start from the far end of the clearing," Kanga said, nodding off and away to where the stumps met the trees once again. "We don't have to race side by side—it will just be to get to the other side first." Manaaki turned his own gaze to the far side, where the finish line was. He nodded, mostly to himself. The clouds had started gathering in the sky and a light Autumn rain had started to fall. Manaaki recalled that the bottom of the bowl in this clearing often flooded in Spring, but he doubted the rain would become heavy enough to prove a problem. Still though, it was definitly picking up. Where it had been dry moments before, there was now a steady pitter patter of drops falling onto the trio.
The twins lead the way to the starting line, keeping an easy trot. They were so in sync with each other it was as if they were speaking, or planning on how to walk and move—but no words were said. Automatically, one would pull far left to allow the other room to pass by a large stump, or vice versa. One was always unconciously on the other's mind. Kanga looked behind and threw a grin to Epsilon.
"Coming?"
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Post by Fierfly on Feb 7, 2017 18:31:50 GMT -5
Epsilon:
Thankfully Manaaki was not at all offended. On the contrary, he threw back his head and barked out a laugh, not quite as boisterous as Kanga's but with the same level of energy and enjoyment, but unlike Epsilon's failed conversation from earlier, Manaaki was laughing on purpose because Epsilon was not at the source this time, but Kanga. His hot-headed younger brother shot his twin a careful warning glance with his dark eyes and the lips curled back again in some horrible twist between a smile and a scowl as Manaaki solidly waived the idea that Kanga could pose any threat to him or the little competition that had been seeded. Kanga's dark smile deepened and he warned the unconcerned grey ghost to save some of his energy for the actual tournament. Manaaki obediently reined in his cockiness and certainty and just smiled at his brother. These two were friends and competitors, but then very few siblings didn't share some rivalry or competitiveness in their relationship. Both obviously enjoyed the challenge and being able to rib and josh each other, but it appeared that Kanga was more dedicated to the actual sport as he took charge and started planning what would settle the argument, Manaaki was still a good player and enjoyed the activities they tried to best each other at, but Epsilon decided that he was in the game more for his brother than to prove anything, even if he was in for a goodly amount of both reasons.
Kanga motioned to their starting line and their goal. There were no sides to the track, the only rule was to get to the other side first to win. The very fact that Kanga brought up that they didn't have to run side-by-side made Epsilon aware of other possibilities. His races with his playmate had always been more of obstacle courses where there was one trail wide enough for the two bodies to fit comfortably and occasionally there were some forks in the track that one might take for a quicker time. He'd always raced on a certain path but now...he looked around. The ground sprinkled with bare stumps of varying sizes wasn't exactly very encouraging for a specific route - some of them were so close together that if they were to form a path they would literally have had to go single file...if they ran around them that is. Looking at the maze of wood-work the long-time follower of Secluded Sunrise got an idea.
A light sprinkle of a shower started down on the trio as the twins led the way to the starting point. They walked in unison, the alternating flashes of iridescent copper, silver, gold and white perfectly synchronized as they kept a perfectly matched pace and cleanly wound through the maze of a felled forest. Kanga threw a grin over his shoulder and beckoned the outsider to join them. Immediately he did, his own paws falling into a pattern of synchronization, the partner with whom he'd shared the performance with a long, long ways away.
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Post by Meds on Feb 8, 2017 12:29:00 GMT -5
Kanga, Manaaki;
Kanga watched Epsilon work out the perametres of the race; however, that was just it—there were no perametres. For a fraction of a second the green and blue wolf looked confused, then understanding bloomed on his face. Kanga nodded quietly to himself. Often, when the two brothers raced, it wasn't just about speed—it was about overcoming onstacles and thinking fast on their feet. More than once they had come into contact with bears or an angry moose on their racing and had to really think quickly.
Once the nod was given, Epsilon came soon after. Manaaki swung his head forward again, shaking out the wet fur and sending droplets of water onto his brother. Silver flashed out momentarily from the wet grey fur, but was hidden soon after. Manaaki leaped over a fallen log with surprising grace for such a large wolf, landing silently. That was a wonder about the big twins—they could be near silent when they wanted to. The rain had picked up and gathered still more strength, and now it was no longer sprinkling but actually raining. Manaaki cast one last concerned glance up at the steadily-darkening clouds. Could they be in for an early Autumn storm? Kanga sensed his brothers unease, but at what he wasn't sure. A little rain never hurt anybody.
Closing in on the quickly-muddying ground just outside the perimiter of trees, the boys squared up. The clearing wasn't flat ground—there were hills and dales. The valleys were significantly more muddy than the peaks, but nothing was dry. There was no undergrowth or trees to stop the water, so it just puddled and pooled to its heart's desire. Manaaki's eyes flicked unconciously to where he knew the bowl stood, but he couldn't see it. He huffed, and felt a reassuring shoulder nudge from Kanga. Kanga mistakenly thought he was worried about the race, and so he was grinning broadly. Manaaki eventually told himself not to worry about it, and smiled as well. With a deep breath, the two boys tensed and prepared for the run.
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Post by Fierfly on Feb 8, 2017 17:46:53 GMT -5
Epsilon:
Once they breached the veritable minefield of stumps enough for the three to stand side by side Epsilon came up on Kanga's free shoulder and took his own place at the starting line and squinted his eyes, focusing ahead on the goal. The rain was coming down steadily now in fat, cheerful little drops that spread their moisture all around. There wasn't an inch of dry ground ahead of them and Epsilon knew that the lowest point in the bowl always flooded very quickly and was deceptive in its depth. The entire field would be slick, he'd have to keep careful of his footing. What could give him better traction to push off from in the rain? One answer was all around him: wood. Racing along the tops of the stumps might work, but in some areas they were further apart and one misjudged step could land him in the mud with a swollen, twisted paw instead of one or two steps ahead of the twins. On the other paw, running just on the ground could have him end up rolling an ankle in one of the hidden little knolls or slamming his head against one of the stumps. There was no real, solid answer to this was there? They were running in the rain with no sure way of any of them being able to have an opportunity to overtake the others.
He squinted harder has he puzzled it out in his mind. How had he used to figure these sorts of things out? He hadn't. He'd just run like a hooligan and had played it by ear, fallen log? Jump it. Rabbit burrow? Crawl through (he'd been much younger back then, there was no remote chance of him fitting down one of those convenient short-cuts anymore). But it was going to have to be the same basic principle of success. Make everything possible work to your advantage, everything. A random moan of the wind through the stumps and the trees beyond met him head-on and opened his nose to the scents ahead. Rain, muggy air, damp grass and loam, wetted wood, mud, but mostly just the wind itself was what got his attention. The wind, running, speed, freedom. The emotions each of those brought for him that couldn't be explained with words made his eyes squint even tighter together in concentration and he held one paw up, leaning forward into the wind as he waited for the signal to start.
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Post by Meds on Feb 9, 2017 13:06:39 GMT -5
Manaaki, Kanga;
Kanga's eyes squinted against the falling rain, but he quickly overcame that and kept them open as widely as possible. There was no time for squinting in a race (even a friendly race such as this). Epsilon came to his other side—but instead of heat, as would be expected from a body, Kanga felt only a slight chill. It wasn't enough to actually cause him concern—it was more the lack of heat that he noticed. He looked at Epsilon in confusion for a fraction of a moment, but a shift in Manaaki's weight from his other side snapped his attention back to the matter at hand. Manaaki massaged the dirt under his claws. His abnormally long and sharp claws would be a great help in this sludgy mess of a race track, that was for sure; unfortunetly, his brother had the same claws. Hopefully he would be too dull to use them. Manaaki hid a smile. He bent down, rump in the air, both front legs positioned slightly in towards his body, but still on the ground. Kanga, on the other hand, staggered his back legs, and leaned into them so there was almost no weight on his front feet. Twins they were, but they prepared to run in different fashions. Both thought their way worked best, naturally.
"Go," Manaaki said, hardly above a whisper, but Kanga had been ready for it. That was one of his games—to speak calmly and try to throw off the competition. Whether he did it conciously or not, the important thing was that Kanga never fell for it. With the weight already off of his front paws, he lurched backward onto his hind legs and then heaved forward with the extra momentum. His front claws reached forward to an impossible distance with his long legs, dug into the dirt, and then he was off. The way Manaaki started, with his legs pulled close to his body, was significantly different than his brother. Instead of rearing up and then flinging forward, he pushed off immedietly with his back legs, and since his front legs were in close, it was as if he was already mid stride. Frusteratingly, after he took off, he wasn't any farther ahead of his brother than usual.
It was difficult to say which brother was faster. Manaaki would be the obvious choice, for his slightly slimmer shoulders and longer build made him appear like he would be faster—but Kanga was not a slow wolf, either. He was, however, a little bit stronger than Manaaki, so it would make logical sense that the slimmer brother was the faster (albeit not by a lot).
The rain was coming down unapologetically by then. The peaks had little rivers running down them, which made the ground that much more treacherous. The twins, though only having been racing for less than a minute, were already mudey from head to toe. Though it would have horrified both of them had they been aware, it was actually difficult to tell the two apart when both were brown and bedraggled like that.
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Post by Fierfly on Feb 9, 2017 16:48:25 GMT -5
Epsilon:
Kanga stirred for a moment and an quick prick of the ears and hesitation in shifting his weight normally would have caused Epsilon to look around as well - but there was no alarm in Kanga's distraction that Epsilon read from the slight movement and he was starting to get in the zone. The wet air combined with just knowing that in a minute he was going to be tearing up the turf. He'd discovered one simple way to practice his Ice power was to create slabs or slivers of it, either way he got to practice imitating different textures which in turn gave him some very convenient whetstones to keep his claws at his preferred sharpness. Not needle-point sharp, it was too easy to break one of the fine points or to accidentially pierce an ally in a friendly game of buffets (Not that he'd done that recently) but too dull and they did nothing for fighting and traction was lost as dirt inched up into any small crevices and thus there was no point. But he'd found a point in-between that he found comfortable, thick enough to work and dig with, but sharp enough for the desired effect of being able to grip and tear. However, Manaaki had just demonstrated how powerful his own claws were, and he had the lightest build and somewhat longer legs than either of his competitors. Kanga and Epsilon were both heavier but Epsilon's muscle mass in his shoulder was born from long hours of running, and hunting endlessly, the reflexes he'd refined were composed of the same motions he needed now, springing off and leaping forward, maybe not an advantage, but he had some opportunities.
Manaaki shifted his weight between his paws to instantly throw himself into a sprint and Kanga leaned his weight back to spring forward, both were techniques he'd tried. What he usually ended up doing was raising his leading paw to simply start off running mid-step and barrel on from there. As everyone tensed and flexed their claws, anticipating the feel of wet grass and torn earth beneath them and Manaaki finally gave a quiet signal. "Go,"
If Epsilon had not been tensed for the smallest signal to start at he might have missed it entirely. Kanga stood back on his rear legs before springing forward and Manaaki put his head down and put on a burst of motion with his front paws. Epsilon fell down on his leading paw and shot forward, but didn't follow the more straight-forward path the twins had so far opted for. Instead he let himself tip over and roll down into Amphitheater and instead of tearing up ground, his doused, mud-splattered form raced along on the stumps. He tucked his head down and stretched it out, channeling his energy and power to his shoulders and haunches. Long legs, reached, pumping and springing as his paws tore up bark and he reached nearly even with the twins along their chosen path.
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Post by Meds on Feb 9, 2017 21:06:47 GMT -5
Manaaki, Kanga;
Kanga let out a howl of joy before getting back down to serious business. Epsilon wasn't slow—that much was already apparent. He chose to slide down the bluff on the boys' side. Kanga lost sight of him for a moment as he leapt over the same fallen log Manaaki had cleared earlier; however, upon landing he saw a second fallen log that was resting on a stump. Had he not been such a quick thinker he may have stopped or slammed right into it, but instead he leaped toward it and slid across the mud on his belly, jumping up again mid-stride and barely losing any time. Manaaki cat-called him from his other side, totally at ease even though running so hard. "Training for a dance, are you?" He barked in between draws of breath. Manaaki knew that seeing Epsilon would make his more impulsive twin want to stray from the straight path as well. Manaaki had considered this, but it seemed to him that staying straight was more suited to his style. He wasn't as brawny as his competition (though in no way was he small), and it looked like the ground was getting in worse and worse shape the farther down the side one strayed. One quick glance reassured him that Epsilon's chosen side seemed reletively alright—at the very least he chose the side that the bowl wasn't on, which was positive. Unfortunetly, before he could even think it, his brother did the expected.
Kanga didn't like running so close beside Manaaki, especially because neither was really outrunning the other-and Epsilon seemed to have made such a good choice! Going on a diagnal so as to lose as little time as possible, Kanga leapt into the muddy footprints Manaaki had left miliseconds before, and travelled past them. He skidded down the slope, still comfortable but a little surprised at how steep it actually was once off the main clearing. He was determined, though, and there were less stumps on the slanted ground. He ducked his head against the sheets of rain now pouring form the sky and pumped his powerful shoulders. One look beside him rewarded him with the knowledge that not only had he caught up with Manaaki again, he was pulling a little bit ahead. This was because Manaaki had been overcome with concern for a moment when Kanga dipped to the side. The bowl was over there, and if Kanga were to continue on, he would be running right above it. It wasn't such a good idea in weather like this.
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Post by Fierfly on Feb 10, 2017 0:06:54 GMT -5
Epsilon:
Thunder boomed off somewhere in the distance of the late summer shower, and Epsilon pushed on. Claws gripped and grabbed at the torn stumps and pushed off of the rough edges when he missed a step. He didn't have time to stumble, every mis-step had to be used as an opportunity to push off hard. Kanga and Manaaki were clearly used to the sport. Kanga deftly cleared two felled logs on the ridge ahead without missing a step or wasting a second. They also understood each other, understood the others strategy, how they thought, which path they'd take, their own path of least resistance in the way of victory. He was the outsider, he hadn't raced in a very long time - it was high-time he got back into it.
One large, study platform of rough wood ahead of him caught his eye and he purposely aimed for it, it was a good point to push off from; especially jagged around the edges with enough places to grip at where he could land a toe and have enough of a hold to pull himself over if he had too. Claws outstretched, toes reaching, legs stretched to their maximum length, he jumped...
And missed.
Gosh dang it all...
He was just a little too far to the right of the stump to quite stick the landing. Instead his left fore-paw hit the soggy ground and he felt a long, silver appendage fairly fly out from under his body and the next thing he knew his underside and the left of his face were hugging the mud. He almost made up his mind not to get back up. There was no way he could overtake either of his competitors now. Every single moment they sped on and he lay still, there wasn't even a point in going on, he'd clearly been licked.
Then...then why was he getting up anyway? Some teasing voice in the back of his mind urged him back to his paws and he scrambled upright until his paws were solidly under him, claws anchoring him to the solid earth he could get a purchase on. Almost by reflexes he scrambled up onto the nearest stump he could use as a launching point and threw himself clear of the peg-field of ghosts of trees. His paws hit mud again, but this time he was ready. He threw his weight into his haunches and nearly sat down as the slippery loam and soil carried him forward several strides and he was able to get sure footing again, then he raced like there was no tomorrow. Hind-quarters coiling and gathering only to spring him into the air and launch the silver missile forward. Fore-legs reaching and grappling with the quickly flooding ground to grab and yank himself forward. He glanced up and found he was only half a wolf's-length behind the twins. Not bad considering his fall. Then Kanga started to veer over towards the Basin where the water really pooled up. He thought fast: one small boulder well-soaked by the rain and covered in moss and dirt was the first thing that fit the bill, so he went for it. He cut out a step to stick the boulder and with another determined spring he was flying through the air again, this time to a ledge: below the one Manaaki was sticking with, but above the sea of tree-roots, well graveled and muddy - probably dangerously loose terrain, but the air could reach him up there: there wasn't as much mud and loam blocking the senses. He suddenly had an urge to feel the rain and wind in his face.
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Post by Meds on Feb 11, 2017 17:33:29 GMT -5
Manaaki, Kanga;
A thud from his side made Manaaki look over to Epsilon. It all happened to fast that he barely had time to process it. The big wolf looked as though he had tried to leap for a stump and missed, then gotten a mud bath in the meantime. But before Manaaki could even call off the race (Although he doubted Kanga would have stopped), the green and blue wolf had jumped up and was off running again. Hr was so quick that he caught up almost as if nothing had happened. Manaaki shook his head in wonder. On his other side, Kanga was starting to breathe in labour. It was murder trying to run full-bore on such a steep slant. For every foot he moved forward, he was also having to jump up a little bit to avoid sliding down. They had all travelled so far across the minefield of stumps by then that through the rain, Kanga thought he could make out pooling water at the bottom of the hill. It was darker then, with the clouds so angry and heavy, but he was pretty sure that was what it was. It was the bowl. Manaaki's eyes shadowed in concern. He barked inbetween breaths, but Kanga couldn't hear him through the pounding of the rain and his own heart beating in his ears.
Kanga squinted ahead and saw that the hill he was running on eventually turned, but it opened onto an even clearer part of the stump field. If he could just hold his own until then and come up out of the hill, he would have a clear shot at the finish line. A bark sounded behind him, and he yipped back in delight. A grin plastered itself onto his face, and somehow, from deep within, he pulled up more power and shot into overdrive. His legs, already pumping at an impossible speed, thumped suddenly in a new rythm and he pulled ahead of Manaaki quicker than either thought possible. He was running directly over the bowl now, which was full of angry, muddy, churning water as the rain flowed in from all sides of the hill. Kanga didn't quite know it yet, but he was steadily travelling downward. Not by a lot, but every so often he would slip an inch or so lower.
Manaaki knew something wasn't right, but a part of him told himself that Kanga was fast enough that he could make it and pull out of the bowl before he actually slipped into a problem. The slender grey wolf missed his footing for a moment, and there was a half-second of the sensation of falling, but somehow he compensated and only dipped his nose into the mud before moving forward again. He looked toward Kanga, and the sensation of falling returned. His brother had officially gone lower down the hill—he was so low now that Manaaki could no longer see him.
"Kanga!" Manaaki switched course immedietly, and began running parallel with the ground where it started to slant. He couldn't slow down, because his twin didn't know he was in trouble yet and just kept pounding away, far below.
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Post by Fierfly on Feb 11, 2017 22:21:07 GMT -5
Epsilon:
Kanga had dropped out of sight on the other side of the ridge but Epsilon had no doubt he was gaining. Despite the misjudged step that had gotten him the gash from earlier he was an excellent racer and a quick thinker. He could handle himself. Except he wasn't thinking about Kanga, he wasn't thinking about Manaaki either, or even about the race. All he knew was that he was running like mad; the air was in his face and the rain was washing the earth anew and despite the tempestuous weather, or maybe because of it, Epsilon felt free again for the first time in a long one. There were still responsibilities, Zamir needed rearing and proper attention and Alphess Blaise was still very decidedly angry with him, but he could live with all of those now. Maybe running wasn't cowardice or shirking after all, maybe it was just what he needed: a break, an escape from some of the things that still haunted him and dragged him down. Maybe he needed to go running more often.
His mind came back to the competition and he saw Manaaki bark at something, presumably Kanga because no creature with any real intelligence would be out in this bad of a storm; he was taken aback for a moment at how quickly it had progressed: a sprinkle at the discussion, a steady drizzle at the starting line, heavier rain during the first bit and now it was coming down in veritable sheets. They must have been crazy to be out in weather like this. Kanga must have been crazy to be running on that side of the ledge that was where - Epsilon's steps faltered momentarily as the thought completed itself. That other ledge was where the bowl was. It had no draining system to speak of and flooded even in light spring showers. Manaaki called out again and time froze for a moment. There was a panic in those steady grey eyes, a pure panic. He wasn't the kind of wolf to lose his head over something as simple as a race, there was something real going on. The posture, the anxiousness written all over his features, the way he stood, the way he tripped and spurred to change direction. Something was wrong.
His muscles were seriously protesting coming out of racing retirement with no warning whatsoever and begged him to ease up, but now he pushed harder, haunches springing again for a spot on the hillside, but not any particular trail. The quickest way up, was up, and that was where he intended to go. Long, dark claws shot out from white paws and gripped through the sliding mud and eroding ground and he tore his way up the slope as he fought a surge of panic of his own.
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Post by Meds on Feb 14, 2017 12:04:32 GMT -5
Manaaki, Kanga;
Kanga had just about realized something was wrong, by then. It's not that he was a stupid wolf, but he was easily distracted and entirely driven by competition. When his front leg slipped in font of him and his back legs couldn't find a hold to steady himself, that was about when he stopped running. Manaaki cursed him loudly and skidded to a halt, but the mud wasn't planning on any clean stops that day. Manaaki's rump touched the ground as he slid, trying to steady himself. Finally he was able to shift his weight and double back around where Kanga had stopped. His brothers shoulder muscles were corded with use as he held himself reasonably still on the heavy slope. The bowl beneath him sounded awfully full of water—but the rain and mist that always seems to come with late Autumn rains was hindering his ability to see properly. Perhaps he didn't want to see what was down there.
He wasn't doomed yet—not by a long shot. He was only about a quarter of the way down the slope to the bowl; however, he could move sideways no better than he could climb up. Any movement sent him another foot or so down the hill. His claws were packed with mud by then, but for the moment seemed to be holding steady. He looked sheepishly up at Manaaki. He would hear about this one, he was sure of it. It was a very tense situation to be in—not horrifying yet, but it could certainly go that way if the trio wasn't careful. Kanga could swim—but the water sounded quite angry far below him. Manaaki's usually calm demeanor was thrown to the side for agitation. He paced at the brink of the slope. Of course it would be Kanga that was too dim to realize he was steadily falling down a hill. His gray eyes narrowed. What would Epsilon think of them, having just met them, after all? Manaaki looked back at the thought, and saw their new friend coming on to the edge, hard. He had better not slip over too, or else they would have two big problems on their paws. The new wolf wasn't looking tired per se, but he was looking quite aware of the fact that he was running (they all were by this point). Manaaki looked down at Kanga quickly. He was fine (ish) for now, as long as the idiot didn't move. The gray wolf swivvled then, prepared to body-check Epsilon should the mud prove too slippery to stop before the green and blue wolf careened over the edge, as well.
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Post by Fierfly on Feb 14, 2017 12:30:29 GMT -5
Epsilon:
With another determined lunge he was up and by digging his claws and his weight back he was able to stop himself without any help with Manaaki, although he was prepared to give it if any was needed, which it quite possibly would in this weather. Kanga was maybe twenty paces below them in dredges of mud and in a position to slip at any moment if they were not careful. His ears were quirked and tail tucked sheepishly and apologetically at his brother to apologize, an apology was definitely in order; the usually calm, collected Manaaki would have been pacing if one could do so safely in the situation, but they couldn't. Still, he didn't look happy with his own ears pointing back toward his neck and an agitated wrinkle in his muzzle.
For a minute the three all just looked at each other, trying to survey the situation and see what could be done about their predicament. The race was completely off, all attention was focused on helping Kanga get himself out of the hole he had(quite literally) gotten himself into. Epsilon craned his head and took the situation apart and examined all the different factors. The mud was thick and sliding at this point, not even needing to be disturbed to slide from its place on the hillside. The rain was coming down hard and though he couldn't see the bowl through the mist and rain he could hear the water surging below. Kanga's claws must have been filled with mud and dirt by now, so they couldn't necessarily count on him having a good grip because the ground certainly wouldn't give it to him as rivers of brown flowed past him. Epsilon shifted from one foot to another to the others for a minute as he tried to think. Could he make an ice trail from here? If he made it rough enough it would provide some traction and footholds for Kanga to climb up on, but what if it formed on top of the water? It could slide away from them entirely. Or what if it formed on top of the water and formed around Kanga? It would freeze him in place...well...at least it would prevent Kanga from falling further.
They were wasting time! Epsilon muttered a curse of his own at the situation and thought fast. Not doing anything at all would get them nowhere and Kanga would almost certainly fall. He had to try something. But...he'd never used his power from so far before. Everything had either been under his own claws or he'd been able to follow something else to reach his target, and it had been maybe seven paces, not twenty. Yet...what choice did they have? Deciding he didn't have time to explain he just turned to Manaaki and gave the order. "I'm going to try something, whatever you do, don't let me fall." He dug his rear paws in and bowed down, stretching his torso down until his chest lay on the ground and his front paws were extended part way down the slope. Extending his claws again he concentrated hard and spread his paws wide and dug them into the ground. At least there was plenty of water to freeze, but making the cold spread fast enough was another challenge. The power-mark on his spine between his shoulders began to glow as slowly a rough trail of ice began spreading from his out-stretched paws and began making its way down the mountainside to Kanga.
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Post by Meds on Feb 14, 2017 12:52:12 GMT -5
Manaaki, Kanga;
Manaaki could have killed his brother, if he wasn't about to do it himself. Not only was he putting himself in danger (which, frankly, wasn't all that different from the norm), he was doing it in front of someone they had only barely just met. Epsilon would probably get the idea that the two of them were the sort of wolves who went around getting themselves injured by way of an introduction. He cursed inwardly, being sure to break Kanga's legs or something when they got him up. Epsilon stopped fine on his own, and seemed to be calculating something. What, Manaaki had no idea, because if anyone was going to go slipping and sliding down the literal mud-slide to save his half-wit brother, it would be him. Fortunetly, even in such a dire situation, Kanga wasn't helpless. He wasn't yipping and bawling out like a pup. He was somehow staying pretty stationary, his massive muscles fairly breaking out of his fur. So even though he was technically helpless... he wasn't helpless.
Suddenly, Epsilon said that he was about to try something and that Manaaki had better not let him fall. Then, all in a flash, he was sliding his torso over the edge. Having no idea what was happening or what else to do, Manaaki leapt back on his hind legs, then slammed his big paws downward claws-first into the meat of Epsilon's hind legs. He knew his claws would hold the fur tight, and the skin as well (but he hoped they wouldn't penetrate so much as to cause actual pain). All things considered, it was the best bet either of them had to avoid him slipping down the slope. Manaaki found a log under the mud that he braced his back legs in. He was such a big, strong wolf that if he could just keep his back footing, Epsilon was garunteed not to go anywhere.
Kanga watched Manaaki disappear, but then suddenly Epsilon was falling over the side. Kanga barked in alarm—why wasn't Manaaki helping? Instinct made him try to jump upwards to keep the wolf from falling, which resulted in him slipping down a few more feet. He snarled with the sheer effort of bringing himself to a stop again. His big claws were providing a small measure of support, but the real reason he had not fallen yet was his strength and the way he was flexing and holding himself on the slippery, moving earth. He realized then that Epsilon was not falling, and was instead digging his paws into the hill. He was confused, until he saw a white substance spread out from him. He yipped in surprise, his muddy tail thrashing uselessly behind him.
The twins had heard rumors of powered wolves in the valley—Kanga just hadn't thought he would ever meet one. Perhaps they weren't as rare as he thought. He realized it was some sort of snow or ice that Epsilon was sending down. That would certainly help—he could use it as a make-shift path. Unless... unless the ice formed on the top of the wet earth and didn't connect to the more solid foundation beneath. Kanga's ear flattened. Were that to happen, it was very possible that the ice would detatch from Epsilon's paws and come crashing down on top of him. An avalanche of ice sheets. He wasn't sure what to think of the situation.
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Post by Fierfly on Feb 14, 2017 13:16:29 GMT -5
Epsilon:
Long, needled claws dug furiously into the earth beneath the sliding muck, trying to get a decent grip on the earth to give the trail as much of a solid base as possible. Manaaki obediently grabbed him by the haunches and threw his own weight back to anchor the two down which allowed to Epsilon slide a little further to reach Kanga. Kanga was their goal, Manaaki was anchor and Epsilon was quite literally the life-line. He reached out as far as Manaaki's grip would let him and then threw his physical and mental energy into making the ice-trail. "Hang it Kanga!" Epsilon growled and cursed under his breath again as Kanga jumped up, then was rewarded with sliding down another pace or two. "Hold still!" he shouted through the rain and wind. He already wasn't sure about the reach he had, he didn't need Kanga increasing it.
He grunted and growled in frustration as a choppy, frothy path finally began to form in the sliding mud. Good, as long as it held through all the heavy mud sliding on top of it it would work, but it was too light and soft on top, it needed to be coarse and rough to give Kanga a grip. His eyes rolled back into his head with the effort as he forced the trail down further toward Kanga and urged spikes and rough niches into the end of it where Kanga could reach. At least he could reach, but with the mud sliding he needed it to hold. Oh crud, Kanga was huge! The sliding mud around and underneath plus Kanga's weight all on the one ice-trail? Veins bulged out of his legs and paws as he drew more cold up from within and around him in the raw, wet air and tried to re-enforce the path. It needed to hold! He needed to make it hold! His muscles started to tremble with the effort and strain as the mud slowly tried to carry him forward against Manaaki's grip on him (he was starting to feel Manaaki's claws through his thick fur and their piercing sharpness was really getting to his haunches and thigh muscles). He chanced rolling his eyes back down to check on his progress. Maybe a quarter of an inch thick, and he could see cracks forming in the middle between Kanga and his brother. It needed to hold dangit! "Climb now!" he roared down at Kanga and clenched and steeled his strength to keep the path going. It needed to hold! He needed to make it hold!
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