001

[biteoffherhead]

[Voice]

[As always, Moro's use of the journal is extremely minimal. She has only one thing to say to any of you, as she is so kind as to warn you all in advance.]

I have returned. All who grievously harm this forest will die.

[Action]

[With that, Moro can be found in the forest, slowly and stiffly walking about to get herself familiar with the forest of Luceti once more. She sniffs at the bark of trees, scratches at some patches of dirt with her claws, and otherwise silently moves. She has no mark of the demon, as many of her victims from over a year ago have... she has nothing amiss about her other than the bleeding of her chest wound, which is simply dripping along the path she is walking.

She has not yet approached the village. All she has done is use her journal to address them, and she is currently carrying the paper book in her mouth.]

Comments

[feistytrader]

[Silver completely missed her message on her journal; he's been exploring the woods and enjoying the snow with Weavile for the majority of the day.

...But he sees something move. They both do. He has to squint to even try to make out the difference between all the snow and Moro's fur from a distance; Weavile, on the other hand, makes it out almost instantly and starts frantically tugging on his jacket.]

What is it?

[Action]

[biteoffherhead]

[Moro's ears are first to detect Silver, when he comments. She turns her nose to it, sniffing hesitantly. That is...

It's so familiar. So very familiar...]

[savedtheworld]

[Aang also happens to be in the forest again - on a solitary trudge through the snow. Everything seems nice, quiet - peaceful.

Until he sees snow that's stained red.

He gasps for a moment - that's definitely blood. With concern crossing his face, he cautiously starts to follow the trail. Is someone in danger, in need of aid? Aang will keep his eyes open as he follows the trail.]

[biteoffherhead]

[Potentially in need of aid... but when has Moro ever accepted such a thing?

Also in the snow are very large, very obviously quadrapedal tracks....]

[Voice]

[goldenglasses]

Moro! You're back! So-ah, do you remember this place very much? [Like maybe that you don't ALWAYS try to eat him? Just sometimes.]

[Voice]

[biteoffherhead]

[There's a delay! She eventually opens the book again, after she's settled.]

As though it were a dream. I will have to know your scent to recall whether or not I owed you your death.

[voice]

[all7seas]

Oh, peachy. 'Allo, Moro-darling.

[Voice]

[biteoffherhead]

The man that smells like brine.

[She doesn't remember names as much as scents, unfortunately.]

voice

[inyourfavor]

[Effie Trinket has been desperately wanting a dog of her own. A guard-dog. A loving, protective dog. A beautiful dog. A dog named "Jason," though she is willing to compromise. A hesitant voice clears its throat and then asks:]

Hello, Madam Creature. My name is Effie Trinket. Is it true that you are excellent at defending...things?

[Voice]

[biteoffherhead]

[What an odd question.]

I fulfill my purpose to the fullest of my strength and life.

[endgames]

[Shikamaru's missed out on a good deal of training in the last couple of months. It's a pain in the ass, but unless he wants his techniques to start backsliding, he should keep up on them, and it's for this reason he's out in the forest. When it comes to practicing his clan's jutsus, he's never been comfortable with the Battle Dome.

Though it's not just that he's practicing today. In his absence, his pact with Twila had suffered. It was surprisingly quick to take him back; it took no time at all to pick up from where they left off. With a combination of his own abilities and what he's learned from Twila, Shikamaru had been testing his range along the shadows of the forest floor when he feels it. Some other presence here; his shadow crossed with another, something large but not cast by the trees. He snaps his shadow back to himself like a rubber band.]

[Action]

[biteoffherhead]

[Moro was vaguely aware of the scents, though they were quite prominent and mixed as trails through the forest. Moro suspects that she sees some movement, but her eyes were never the strong suit. Her ears turn, and she sniffs.

Ah. She recognizes that scent. It seems she does not deem the source a threat, as she visibly relaxes tensed muscles.]

Another familiar scent.

voice;

[cilantro]

My, that's quite a bold declaration to make... [A very bold and kind of unsettling one, that is. Cilan hasn't made the connection that this is the wolf that Silver told him about once before yet, but at least we don't know anyone who would "harm the forest", or anyone that frequently goes there to...poke around for and collect herbs and other plants...or has a tendency to swing on vines or climb trees or what not....

...Should he be concerned about Iris playing in the forest now. 8|]

[Voice]

[biteoffherhead]

It is absolute.

[It might call for some Etiquette Time...]

[complicatedliar]

[Here's Loki, riding through the forest like he does fairly often, if Moro would like to be all giant and wolf-like at him. He hasn't looked at his journal yet this day, but it's a safe bet that even if he had, he wouldn't be all that impressed. Because he's an arrogant jerk.]

[Action]

[biteoffherhead]

[Loki, unlike quite a number of people he has encountered, is an entirely new and different scent. Moro has no qualms in stalking after him, not intending to hide her presence whatsoever, though she has no current reason to interpret him as threatening.

She wonders if the horses remember to be frightened.]

[mountain_sage]

[Saleh had also missed Moro's message on the journals, but as usual, he can be found walking among the trees.]

[He spots the huge wolf, which is impossible not to recognize.]

Moro...? You've returned...?

[biteoffherhead]

[Ah, she recalls you. The man who wanders about, but does very little to her forest.]

Regrettably.

[ Action ]

[rashness]

[ ... Oh geez.

No, no, you know what, he might need to go into the forest later with other peoples and Silver seems to respect the big wolf god for some reason, so with Kurikara in hand and a thick coat and boots on, he starts a journey into the woods to see if he is going to be up and maimed... again. Not that he was ever seriously hurt but he sort of got the impression he might have been. ]

[Action]

[biteoffherhead]

[When he does get close to where she is (which he will find more easily, should he follow the fresh red blotches in the snow before they turn brown), Moro catches his scent on the wind in advance and warns him with a deep growl. No lunge, this time around, but it's not a friendly greeting.

Moro herself is hunched over, and was grooming her wound. Not an especially powerful position to be in.]

[Voice]

[imonashark]

Heh, wanna bet!?

[Sorry Moro, he doesn't remember you! He's also like three years younger but that might not be noticeable.]

[Voice]

[biteoffherhead]

You wouldn't fight me, boy. You're too soft.

[She has no idea!]

[action]

[ofwesternwinds]

[When Rudy flips open the journal that day, his heart nearly stops when he stumbles across one entry. One from someone, although he didn't personally know, of which an unfortunate encounter resulted from the two. Looking through the responses only confirms his sinking suspicions: Moro.

For a while, he stares at the entry, eyes glazed over in one nagging thought after another and his heart sinking into the pit of his stomach. A very sick, uneasy feeling. He remembered that encounter in Vaskoth all too well, unfortunately. But she was back - as if nothing had happened. She was the one who started all this and... it was hard. There were many hard, conflicting feelings about all of this and Rudy honestly for once did not know how to respond to all of this. It left so many nasty consequences, so many unnecessary secrets he kept for the sake of keeping his friends happy. ... And for his own sake.

It takes a few days of nagging contemplation, but eventually Rudy sets off for the woods in search of the wolf god. He'd be lying if he wasn't nervous about this encounter, but he knew he couldn't avoid this encounter forever either. There was no running away now.]

[Action]

[biteoffherhead]

[Moro's path into the woods, a few days in, goes further uphill. There's a slope that looks high over Luceti, though it's a distance away. It's where the wolf god's freshest prints lead, and Rudy may even find her perched at the edge of the incline, peering through the barren branches at the populace of Luceti.

At least, until Rudy draws close. Then her gaze is tracked on him, though she remains silent. Rudy's scent seems familiar, though she cannot place exactly why. Perhaps it is a strange, familiar scent - one that she once smelled on Ashitaka.]

[ action ]

[soundcarrier]

[Sasame walks among the forest when he spies Moro. He can tell right away she's no ordinary wolf and she in return might be able to tell right away he's no human. Though Moro might have her thoughts heard as well unless she's able to pick up on that too. He does see the bleeding in her chest and approaches as if he's not afraid of her.]

Hello. I can tell you are no ordinary wolf, are you a spirit? And perhaps I can be of help for that wound of yours if you'll let me.

[Action]

[biteoffherhead]

[No mind reading from Moro, but if he can read her thoughts? She's aware of him long before he comes into view, thanks to good hearing and sense of smell.]

I am a god. And what of you?

[Voice] WOW I don't know how I managed to miss this... go me

[knightofratatosk]

[Now there's a familiar voice, and one Emil (and Ratatosk) hasn't heard in a long time. Emil doesn't even get much of a chance to process this before Ratatosk is shoving his way to the forefront to greet one of the few beings he's ever considered a friend in Luceti.]

Long time no see. Looks like they finally caught up to you again, huh?

[Voice] HELLO I AM DONE WITH HIATUS NOW

[biteoffherhead]

You remain here even now? How pitiable.