Basic Herd Information
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Resting Place
The Herd's Territory
When the herd was still small, they had never needed a static home. Shadowed Moon was a wanderer by nature, and their first few members either shared that proclivity or simply didn't care. However, after Enchantress and Bloody War Paint joined the herd, it had become rather obvious they had grown to a size where they could no longer continue that lifestyle. Not only were some of their newer members homebodies, but Enchantress' eyes meant that having to constantly enter new areas contained extra difficulty, especially if the terrain was rough. Having a static home would help all members of the herd be more comfortable, and also ensure they didn't step on anyone else's toes like they almost had in the past, especially as their size increased. So, Shadowed Moon started keeping an eye out for a suitable home, and let the others know to do so as well.
Finding a permanent resting place was difficult, after all, they had no idea how large they might grow, and they all had different hobbies and requirements. At first it seemed like they would never find a place for them. Anywhere they stumbled upon or heard about just didn't fit what they were looking for. Either missing something, or having something they didn't want. Some of the herd was more serious in their search than others, but this was in their nature. Plus, it wasn't exactly an easy task, and Shadowed Moon refused to pick a less than ideal location. After all, it didn't make sense to take a territory that didn't fit them when it could be the perfect home for another group. Plus, their size made most of the options a bad fit just by the fact they needed so much space. It seemed like they might never find their perfect home.
One day, the herd had been traveling through one of the more forested areas of the swamp when they found themselves in a huge, wide clearing. This clearing, filled with soft, swaying grasses had a large rock, almost a hill in its own right, settled in the center of it. Not wanting to get his hopes up Shadowed Moon tried to contain his excitement, though several of the other kin did no such thing, as they explored this new area. It did not appear to be claimed by another herd, no nearby markings of any kind. An unknown treasure. Many of them explored the surrounding woods during the day, finding a few small rivers, ponds and marshes. Regret himself came back beaming, having discovered what he called an "Embrace" less than a days journey away and rambling happily about how it was the will of The Swamp he should live here with them. He had been the most withdrawn member of the group, so this sudden change was quite surprising, but very pleasing. It seemed perfect. Save for one, small detail.
Shelter. So far none of them had discovered a large, strong shelter for the worse weather the swamp had to offer. While they could live without it heavy rains and deep snows could be very uncomfortable without cover, and regular trees only provided so much for a group of their size. It seemed their perfect home would never be found, and he found himself thinking on how to explain to his excited family that this may not be the home for them. Struggling with the words, he brooded in silence until Spring's Passing approached, mentioning that Sweet and Go to Sleep had found something interesting. Confused, the buck followed as she approached the rock. At first, he didn't see it, at least until a few long, lithe legs and a surprisingly energetic owlcat burst out from an almost unnoticeable crack at the bottom of the rock. Wondering how both of them had managed to fit in such a small hole he took a closer look, before realizing this might be the answer to all their problems!
The buck's sudden excitement drew the attention of the others, and after a short explanation they quickly began digging, those with the paws, hooves and limbs to do so anyway. They weren't able to finish that day, resting during the night, but after a few days of hard work they had unearthed it. The crack in the rock wasn't a crack at all, but a worn out hollow inside of the rock, which stretched far into the ground. Over time it had filled with dirt, but after much work, they dug out a sizable burrow, large enough for all of them and more, should they desire it. There was still plenty of dirt left in the huge hollow, but for now their digging was finished. Some gathered leaves and dried grasses to lay along the bottom of the den, while others flattened and smoothed out the dirt, eventually making up a comfortable place to sleep, rest and relax. The final thing they had been looking for, with their warm and cozy den they had finally found the herd's
Resting Place.
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How They Joined the Herd
All my kin are members of the same herd.
My kin are assumed to have joined the herd in the order they were 'born'/received, and are listed in that order below.
Unless otherwise stated kin that were received as sacs/larva/eggs/newborns are assumed to have been raised from that age by the herd and those received as adults are assumed to have joined at that point in their life.
BOLD is used for kin, ITALICS are used for pets/familiars.
Shadowed Moon
After hatching from his sac, he spent his childhood alone as he roamed the land. He's the founder of the herd, and in a way the father of many of them.
Murky Shallows/Watery Depths
The twins are from Shadowed Moon's first breeding, and as he felt strange about leaving them alone when they hatched, he raised them. They decided to stay with him even after they had become adults, finding comfort in their little family, and became the first members of the herd.
Sunlit Rock
Sunlit Rock was discovered as a sac by Shadowed Moon, who found her alone in the swamp and decided to take care of her, the twins gave a helping hand in watching over her now and again. She thinks of him like a father, despite her attitude, and has never even thought about leaving.
Fire in the Night
Having grown up in the desert, away from the swamp, Fire in the Night eventually found her way there and discovered a buck who had grown up in the swamp alone. Deciding to travel with him, whether he wanted it or not, she eventually dragged them around until they found their way to the herd, which happened to be home to the buck's mother. Once she realized this she decided they just had to stay.
Beneath the Surface
Beneath the Surface grew up without much companionship until he encountered Fire in the Night, who began to follow him around. They traveled together for some time, sharing their stories with one another, until one day they stumbled upon the herd. Fire in the Night insisted they stay a while, which he went along with, until one day Shadowed Moon pointed out how similar he looked to Sunlit Rock. After a bit of discussion, which seemed like pulling teeth to get the doe to admit anything, they discovered she happened to be his mother. While she made him a bit uncomfortable, the rest of the herd seemed quite nice and he was curious about her, so he didn't fight much with Fire in the Night's decision to stay.
Regret
Regret was watching the swamp, as he is bound to do, and ended up watching the herd. They were so happy and connected as a family that he couldn't help but smile, and eventually approached them. Seeing them up close was even more interesting, and he found himself returning to watch their group, often from the edges of their camps. Over time, he eventually became closer with them, finding himself in their midst more often then not. After much time spent with the herd, his presence became the norm, marking his entry as an official member. Though he is prone to wandering off, often for surprisingly long periods of time, he always finds his way back.
Never Blinking
After the herd happened upon him when looking for a place to sleep, and Shadowed Moon repeatedly told Never Blinking he didn't need to leave just because they had showed up, the buck spent some time with them. After quite a bit of teasing from Sunlit Rock, and reassurances from the rest he began to get attached. He was obviously unsure if they would let him stay, but he was welcomed with open arms.
Spring's Passing
Stumbling upon the herd in the early morning while they were still asleep and being unsure if she should pass, wake them up, or just wait until they woke up themselves, she noticed several of their pets and familiars staring at her. Feeling much more comfortable with his sort of company she passed the time talking with the various creatures, many of whom had awoken upon her arrival. Her murmuring and their various sounds eventually awoke several of the sleeping kin, to whom she attempted to introduce herself. Spring's Passing not being the most eloquent of kin lead to a rather awkward conversation but her eventual acceptance into the herd.
Enchantress
After Bloody War Paint injured himself, leaving him unable to move, Enchantress took it upon herself to go and find help, as she could smell the recent passage of a herd and knew they must still be nearby. Heading off into the swamp, following her nose, she eventually emerged in a nearby clearing, stumbling into the group covered in mud, sticks and bruises but grinning widely. Politely informing them of her companion's predicament before leading them back down her rather obvious path to him. The two stayed with the herd while he healed, and continued to stay even after he had at Enchantress' suggestion, though Bloody War Paint didn't disagree.
Bloody War Paint
After stumbling and spraining his leg, leaving Bloody War Paint unable to walk, Enchantress decided to wonder off on her own to find help, something he vehemently disagreed with, but she simply ignored him and sauntered off. He attempted to follow several times, but he'd managed to fall into a place that he was unable to get out of without all of his legs, or at least support. Eventually she returned, much to his relief, kin in tow. With their assistance he was able to get to their current camp, where they stayed until he healed. Despite his initial suspicions he began to grow fond of the group, so it was not just her own desires Enchantress spoke of when she said they would stay with them, something the herd happily agreed to.
Star Spattered
Having found the herd's Resting Place, she was extremely excited for the chance to talk to so many new kin. After several awkward interactions Enchantress made an offhanded remark about her familiar smell, which prompted a hard look from Shadowed Moon. Turning to Sunlit Rock he asked her a round of questions very similar to the ones he'd asked when Beneath the Surface showed up, though this time the difficulty was getting the same answers from Star Spattered, who kept forgetting to answer the questions out loud. Once again, they discovered this was another of Sunlit Rock's children, and Star Spattered subsequently decided she was going to stay. The rest of the herd was quite surprised to hear this later, though she seemed quite convinced she'd already said something about it.
Deep One's Blood
Left alone and in despair after the sudden death of his brother, Deep One's Blood found himself unable to move from that spot, stuck in an almost dream-like daze. It was several days before Regret found him by chance, and another few hours before he was able to begin coaxing responses out of the devastated Acha. Regret spoke of his calling, the meaning of life and death, and the emotions it can leave behind in others as well as a variety of other topics. Eventually, Deep One's Blood asked a question, his soft voice still barely a whisper as he turned his eyes toward the other buck. "Please... assist me in returning him home." More a plea than a request, Regret nodded in agreement. Together the two slowly carried the Acha's brother to the nearest Embrace, though Deep One's Blood insisted on carrying him mostly by himself, something Regret was glad to help him with. After his brother was returned, the two sat along the banks of the mud for quite some time, eating the food Regret had gathered for them to share as Deep One's Blood shared stories of him and his brother. It was through these stories the two discovered their relation, as Regret was the father of the two Acha, a strange joy amidst such sad events. Deep One's Blood tentatively requested that he be allowed to travel with Regret, at least for a time, something the buck gladly agreed too. They traveled together for a while before Regret took him back to the herd's Resting Place, where he introduced his son to the rest of the group. Deep One's Blood had already grown fond of them just from his father's stories, and was overjoyed when they said that of course he could stay.
Forest at Dawn
While looking for a specific vibe for her posing, the doe thought she had found the perfect place when she stumbled upon the herd's Resting Place for the first time. Having completely missed the territory markings, it wasn't until she was deep into her art that the doe eventually noticed the other kin, all of whom seemed strangely unfazed by her presence. While her mind had originally been on where she should head next, as the Acha assumed they would ask her to leave, Forest at Dawn was quite pleased when she was informed she was welcome to stay. In fact, the acceptance of her art and abundance of ideal aesthetics lead to her becoming a permanent fixture of the area, and the herd.
Hydrangea Petals
N/A
Sunrise Over the Waters
While he always found great joy and purpose in his calling, Nurtures Life still felt like he was searching for something... until he encountered Star Spattered, injured and alone. The buck immediately set to his work and was pleasantly surprised when the doe didn't even flinch at his approach, if anything she was happy to see him! Always pleased to meet another kin, the doe's lack of words seemed to mesh perfectly with the buck's over abundance of them, and the two instantly felt a connection, almost like they had known each other their whole lives. Eventually he took her home, once she remembered to tell him where that was, and when he arrived at the herd's Resting Place the wave of strange nostalgia that washed over him told the buck he'd finally found where he belonged.
Soapberry
N/A
Running Away from Reality
N/A
Ever Watchful
N/A
Ancient Sands
N/A
Greenshell Mussels
N/A
Sea Sparkle
N/A
Stone Fish
N/A
Star-Soaked Seas
N/A
Where Night and Day Meet
While on one of his many wanderings for the perfect place to look at the stars, Where Night and Day Meet found himself wandering straight into a rather large kimeti, and was soon sprawled on the ground looking up in confusion. Nurture's Life was quite concerned for his health, and fussed over Where Night and Day Meet quite endlessly, as his mother was wont to do. Eventually Where Night and Day Meet greeted his mother, who was more than happy to see his son again but had been too distracted by the buck's fall to notice who it was in the dark gloom of the trees, and lead his son back to the herd's Resting Place, as it was a wonderful spot to stargaze. Where Night and Day Meet clearly agreed, as he has yet to leave.
Red-Eyed Crane
While Shadowed Moon looked after him until he hatched from his sack and gained his legs, even as a foal Red-Eyed Crane was a wanderer at heart and found himself feeling stifled with the constant presence of the herd. While he often followed his father in his wanderings, and even tried a few of his own, Red-Eyed Crane quickly realized it wasn't enough. He wanted to be free. While his father wasn't doing anything wrong, the constant guardianship rubbed his fur the wrong way for a reason he couldn't quite express. After many late night discussions with Sweet Velvet Rose about his worries, whom he felt closest to amongst their clutch, she convinced him to speak with their father. Though Shadowed Moon was concerned due to their age and his own personal inclinations, their earnest pleas eventually convinced him not to follow them, though they did notice they ran into him quite often on their travels as they aged. His way of showing concern, Sweet Velvet Rose would always say. Eventually the time away left the now long grown buck feeling much more comfortable in his own skin, enough that he was surprisingly happy to rejoin the herd, and their Resting Place. Though it was more a place to return too then to live, as his wanderlust was far from abated. The buck's own sleep cycle is quite eclectic now, perhaps a hold-over from following his sister's nocturnal nature, and he often travels during the night despite the fact the two of them no longer spend all their time together.
Sweet Velvet Rose
Being quite the night-owl, to the point that even as a foal she was practically nocturnal, it was easy for her to understand her brother's concerns. While she herself didn't feel the need to leave, the idea of having to sleep all night left her skin crawling, so she felt a kinship for his worries. Sweet Velvet Rose also wasn't particularly attached to spending all her time with the herd, especially considering she was mostly asleep while they were awake regardless, and the sounds of their daily lives often made it hard to sleep during the day, so she had no issue suggesting she'd travel with Red-Eyed Crane as a way to convince their father not to follow them. It was difficult, especially since his worries came from a place of love, but the doe was able to persuade her father to remain with the herd. It was always nice to see him, she was rather fond of her father due to his own penchant for nightly wandering, and the time away over so many moons made the Resting Place a welcome change from what she remembered when she was young. While she no longer travels with Red-Eyed Crane exclusively, the doe is still a night-owl, living her life on a reverse cycle from those of her peers.
Rippling Through Dusk
N/A
Flickering Lights
N/A
Egg Snatcher
N/A
Ripple Song
N/A
Shadows at Sunset
N/A
Dusk Wildflowers
N/A
Is It Safe
N/A
It Is Not
N/A
Nightmare of Ash
N/A
Spirits Within
N/A
Creeping Frost
N/A
Illusory
After traveling to her first winter market with her parents and helping them run their seasonal booth, the doe found herself fascinated by the many stories and tales she was told, especially the ones she heard from the stoic chatterbox Nurtures Life as she found herself instantly drawn to him and his words. Enraptured by his tales, Illusory found herself itching to go with him and experience such things... together. The doe begged him to allow her to join his herd, though she hadn't needed to as the buck quickly agreed and reassured her that their herd leader had never rejected a kin before, and telling her of how some of his herd mates had joined simply by hanging around long enough that their presence became expected. Laughing at the story, the doe, wide-eyed with curiosity, spent the whole way back imagining how her introduction might go, and listening to more of Nurtures Life's long-winded stories and explications of the life around them with a hop in her step.
Shards of Frost
N/A
Lifestream
N/A
The Edge of Darkness
N/A
Beguiling Bunny
N/A
Evergreen Berry
Post
Evergreen Berry was stumbled upon after dropping some of her namesake on Shadowed Moon's face. After chittering at him happily she began to follow him around, trying to peel said berry of his face. She then decided to not leave.
Amber
Amber was found by Sunlit Rock shortly after she experienced the event from her naming dream. She found the turtle ambling along the side of the river, gurgling happily. Well, found is a relative word. Amber bumped into her and knocked her right back into the river.
Madness
Madness is less a story of finding, and more a story of rediscovering. After playing with Sunlit Rock for a while she decided to name the ramcat, whom she had discovered on a solitary adventure, but the ramcat bolted. After being gone for so long the doe herself forgot about the cat, Madness returned, prompting a moment of confusion and then vague recollection from the doe.
Moon Phase
Post 1 -
Post 2
After Shadowed Moon attempted to inform the caiman of directions to a more suitable part of the swamp, and a few belly rubs, it decided it rather liked it here. Much like Evergreen Berry, the caiman then began to follow him around, looking for more affection. And belly rubs.
Painted Face
Unlike Evergreen Berry's other children, Painted Face had ended up sticking around. After poking around the herd, he discovered the twins. Watery Depths offered him some food, and after snuggling into her fur and being given much attention from both kin, the mongoose became attached. Specifically with her, but he rather likes her brother as well.
Breathless
Breathless was discovered by Fire in the Night at the Flower Festival, which was also her first real excursion into the swamp. She thought it a stroke of luck, as it allowed her to discover not only a better method for her fire breathing, but a lovely companion. Breathless also inadvertently helped her discover the buck who eventually lead to her joining the herd.
Snowfall
N/A
Sweet
N/A
Go to Sleep
N/A
Flush of Pink
N/A
Sliced
N/A
Burnished
N/A
Northern Lights
N/A
Cherish
Post 1 -
Post 2 -
Post 3
During a festive winter market season, Fire in the Night stumbled upon the Fairy Zone, and after hearing of all the new friends she might meet there was quite happy to explore and wait. After the few friends she found seemed much less than interested in her, eventually she was the one found by a lovely little crab. While cautious at first, the crab soon warmed up to her quite nicely, settling into it's new home on her head as the two danced home together. However, soon after returning to their Resting Place the crab laid eyes on Never Blinking, and feel in love. Practically leaping from Fire in the Night to rush the confused buck, the doe was more amused than anything. "Guess I was just bringing you a friend." The doe mused, "She quite likes you." The embarrassed but thankful buck replied. "I'll
Cherish her, thank you."
Friend
While Never Blinking hadn't originally noticed, another friend had followed her home from the Fairy Zone. Seeing her interaction with the other creatures, and her joyful dance drew the little crab out of hiding. Missing the chance to show itself, and seeing the doe was leaving, the crab quickly rushed over, gripping her tail for dear life as the Acha danced home, bouncing and whirling all the way. Eventually, after her discussion with Never Blinking, the doe felt a small skitter up her back, and looked over. Pleasantly surprised at the sight of the hardy crab, who seemed to shy away at her glance, the doe beamed. "Well hello
Friend~ are you here for me?" At Fire in the Night's lilting voice the crab scuttled forward slowly, snuggling into her nose.
Reflection
N/A
Blush
N/A
Speckle
N/A
Vibrant
N/A
Sunset
N/A
Sunrise
After Shadowed Moon exited the Obelisk following his time in the caves, and found himself back in the swamp, the buck had thought all the strangeness was behind him. However, much to his surprise, after finding himself in a quiet clearing and beganing his trek back home to his herd, the buck was nearly scared out of his skin by the sudden
unnatural cacophony of noises from a group of strange new birds. It nearly made the buck doubt he was out of the Obelisk due to the fact these noises would have, normally, been impossible for a bird to make, but as everything else about his surroundings was normal he simply shrugged it off and continued on. Having no desire for anymore unusual events Shadowed Moon had decided to ignore the birds, regardless of their increasing racket, until one of them decided to dive into his head repeatedly. Bit hard to ignore, but luckily not nearly as hard to dodge. It wasn't until the bird screamed "HEY!" and he froze, staring at the bird in disbelief, that the buck finally found himself with a face-full of brightly-colored bird. While initially he tried to pull back, the bird seems to be doing little more than sitting on his face and covering his eyes, so his initial thought to shake it off subsided. The buck looked up and found his eyes locked with the bird as it's head bobbed back and forth, darting in front of his gaze every time his eyes moved away. After a short while of this, the bird suddenly stopped, staring even deeper into Shadowed Moon's eyes before happily hopping onto his head and nestling between his horns with a whistle. Honestly much to tired to deal with anymore of... anything really the buck shrugged and continued home.
Dragon Fruit
Dragon Fruit found Sea Sparkle more than the other way around. The doe had been exploring along the seaside when she felt something floop against the back of her head, two large pink 'wings' waving gently back and forth in the corner of her eyes, the only part of the creature she could see. Since it didn't seem to be doing anything more than sucking on her fur, the doe decided it meant no harm and waited a moment before continuing along the beach, as the creature seemed more interested in her glow then anything else along the water. Eventually it slide down her spines and Sea Sparkle was able to get a much better look at the large, flat and very pink hanger-on, the color reminding her of an odd fruit she'd seen at a festival once. The ray wiggled it's heart-shaped tail and gently rose off her body, floating around the doe and nudging her quite affectionately. The doe returned the gesture with a gentle nudge of her own, her
Dragon Fruit hanger-on flitting to-and-fro in front of her.
Skull
N/A
Snatched
Post
Snatched by Egg Snatcher as part of her naming quest, the doe carefully and tenderly cared for the egg until the apply named eagle emerged a hatchling. Raising a baby eagle was almost harder then snatching it in the first place, in terms of difficulty not danger, though teaching it to fly was the hardest part. Luckily several members of the group she was with had tamed grown eagles, so she was able to benefit from their assistance, as they all seemed rather eager to help when she suggested she could jump of a cliff as an example for the baby. Now grown, the eagle looks at its Totoma mother just as such, and is quite attached. Often seen riding on her back, or flying overhead, the two are never far apart. Egg Snatcher herself has confused many a kin by mentioning her 'child' only to produce an eagle for introduction.
Clay
N/A
Squish
N/A
Cotton Clouds
N/A
Bitter
N/A
Sickly Sweet
N/A
Hidden
N/A
Caged Ocean
N/A
First Blush
N/A
Luminescent
N/A
Wriggling Stars
N/A
Sun Drops
N/A
Sparkle
N/A
Heart
N/A
Dappled
Something about Nurtures Life had seemed to draw the small muskie to him. Whether the initial interest was due to his smell, attitude, size or Illusory's instant attraction to the buck is something only the muskie himself would know, but either way the small male took an quick liking to the buck and seemed quite intent on following him home. Though Nurtures Life had no way of knowing the buck wondered if the little one could sense he had created a muskie burrow, from what little he knew, before heading to the winter market purely to learn more. Either way, this little territory he had created was enough to gain approval from the booth runners for the small male to return home with him (Illusory in tow) once they'd noticed the muskies attraction to him. They'd seemed pleased enough with his descriptions, and told him Illusory would assist with any issues he had once they arrived, something he was glad for. The buck would do his best so as to not betray the trust they'd all shown him, and was beyond overjoyed to return with his new companions.
Only Forward
N/A
Petals
N/A
Peacock Flower
N/A
Blossom
N/A
Surprise
N/A
Sunshine
N/A
Magnolia Seed
Post
N/A
Wisteria
N/A
Squishy Sea
N/A
Other Herd Members
This is a list of kin and familiars who are not owned by me, but are members of the herd, listed in the order they joined.
BOLD is used for kin, ITALICS are used for pets/familiars.
Brambleblind
Just like with his prior children, Shadowed Moon couldn't bear to leave the sacks from his second breeding unattended, and watched over them until they hatched. Brambleblind became quite attached to him, following him everywhere, and he happily raised her amongst the herd. Even as an adult the herd is her home, her place to return too.
