Xersies

[Elfy-ness]

*READ THIS POST*

Today was at day of the Picking all across Xersies. The Picking is an event when a group of mystical doves fly down from the clouds and land on the chosen group's heads. These chosen get to go and see 'The Edge.' The end of land that the river flows off of into oblivion. Ancient ruins are strewn all over. Its said that that was the spot when our ancestors came. So it's a sacred place.
(*If you are falling from Xersies, you need a dove to pick you*)

As Safari strided along the riverbanks towards the lake, the place of gathering, she felt unusually giddy at the thought of another Picking, and the chance to see the Edge. She never got excited at things like these, and ended up not concentrating on walking. She tripped over a log, and landed in what felt like a patch of mud. "Ohh horse-tails." She cursed. Good thing she was next to the river. She hated getting her feathers wet, though. It was faster then preening, and she she did anyways.
When she arived, she could hear the whispers of a crowd so excited they could barely speak right. Safari arrived just in time, though. For the sun had set and the moon had risen.
"Males and Females of the holy land Xersies," a familiar voice boomed, her father and keeper of the ruins, "The sacred doves are about to materialize and choose the group of Chosen."
They say the dove glow, so its easy to see who gets picked, but Safari has to listen to the gasps, and hear if its a familiar voice. But this time, the gasps were around her as she heard the faint beating of dove's wings. She felt her head get heavier as one landed on her long, white horn.
Next thing she knew she was being ushered to the river bank. For she was the first of the Chosen.

[Albino Gnoll]

The day was just starting as Lyra crept out of her den to shake the dirt from her long white fur. It was a beautiful morning, as always, but this morning was even more special. It was the day of Picking. The holy doves would be arriving today at the ruins. Usually Lyra would stand at a one hundred yard distance from the ruin when the event took place. She was always nervous around the other inhabitants, especially in such large gatherings. Even though she had never been chosen she still enjoyed watching those who were picked. The surprise, the joy, and the excitement that the others expressed was something that, though she wasn't essentially part of, touched her.

After getting a small bite to eat from her food cache and a drink of water from a nearby pond she heads toward the ruins to join everyone else. Upon arriving she takes in the scene before her. Everyone is gathered and the elder griffin stands on the top of the ruins. As he speaks he announces the holy doves' arrival, and as she watches she sits down on her normal perch.

To her surprise, however, one of the glowing doves flew away from the others, and as she watched it she realized something, it was headed in her direction. "No...no way," she thought. "There must be some mistake. I can't be picked..."

But as the dove descended upon her perch to rest on her head, Lyra discovered that it was indeed happening and that there was no mistake. She had been chosen.

[squidneyhobbit]

Artemia woke up, feeling slightly bored. Then she realized what day it was. It was the day of the Picking! She swiftly ran her tongue over herself and ruffled her feathers. Artemia had a quick meal and flew to the site. She found herself awing at the at the large, holy doves. Then she felt a shadow pass over her and a light weight on her head. Artemia felt everyone's heads turn to view her. She felt her fur and feathers fluff up as she bristled, wishing it would fly off or just leave her alone!
She really, really was not good with people. They always laughed and made fun of her. Artemia had always been an outcast, even in the flock. And now she had been chosen to travel. With people.

[stuntmanjames]

The morning was as cold as it was dark,and the dirt was felt good upon my back i remembered...so ensued sleeping.By the time i woke up,everyone else had their doves but me.I was left with a blind crow name of Pete.

[Cory]

Phon heard the calling but he stayed a small distance from the crowd, he didn't want to squish a person or two. He heard about the doves and such, he wasn't shure if he wanted to be picked but before he could think- about one thing- a dove flew to him and yes, chose him.
Phon felt too much in the center of attention but just stood there... He was chosen, it would be best to just stand there and look all... blank.

[Xanaduis]

The wind blew hard and carried a few doves over the crowd. Some settled gently on individuals heads, some kept flying. From her perch in a tree, Juinn could see over the crowd for about a mile. The whole land of Xersies was gathered here, some had made the pilgrimage months beforehand. Today was a very special day. No one dared to venture to the edgelands alone - the risk of danger was too large. Therefore it was almost forbidden as a social taboo among the inhabitants of Xersies.
Who didn't want to go to the edge of the world and peer down into the endless blue, get lost in the mists and wonder what it would be like to fly over it? Juinn closed her eyes for a moment. Oh, what it would be like to fly. The wind ruffled her fur and she felt enlightened.
She was broken from her thoughts by the feeling of a lightweight and rough claws on her head. She looked down to the crowd and to the others perching in the tree around her.
There was a celestial dove on her head.

[Elfy-ness]

It seemed like the trip would be eventless for Safari, for the point was to see over the edge, which she could not do. And so much as let a blind animal near and abyss of edge would be spelling doom. But her father, now standing next to her, would not let her protest. "You cannot just give up the position of the Chosen," He said defiantly just a few moments ago.
She could feel the presence of more and more Xersians fill the riverbank. Some, she could tell, were small, some large, some leethe, some aqward. She could already tell they were an odd rag-tag group of Xersians. It didn't really matter the group, though. Once they say the ruins and the edge they would be ushered out to preserve the ruins better.
The old myth rang through her head that the griffon storyteller had sang for them around the old sacred birch.

"For when the Chosen reach their destination,
a trial will unfold.
A trial of myth and chasing legends,
falls to the limits of thee.
If they succeed, life will be limitless,
reaching the heavens is easy for thee.
Soon they will cascade,
and a theory will unfold.
For the Ancient Wings from the ruins,
the familiar ruins,
will carry them home."

Little did Safari know, this Pickings Chosen were a very special group.....

[Xanaduis]

The little group stood together against the wind. Juinn made her way through the crowd and sat down at the edge of the chosen ones, trembling with anticipation of what lay in store.

[Albino Gnoll]

With a sigh and great reluctance, Lyra stood up from her perch on the rock to begin her trek to the ruins.

Upon arriving at the ruins and joining the rest of the chosen she looks around at the various inhabitants who were among her fellow chosen. A griffin, a robot of some sort, a saber-tooth snow leopard, a cat-bird hybrid, herself as well as some others. It was an odd group, but she would do as was expected of her and venture to the edge with the rest of them.

It was exciting, yet she was nervous. Her emotions were in conflict. Should she be happy to be able to view that which so few had ever seen, or should she be scared of falling off and never returning? Nah. What was there to worry about? It had been done time and time again with no casualties or accidents.

And as the group began the walk to the edge, with a slight nod, she reassured herself that everything would be fine.

[Cory]

Phon saw the dove just flying around him, so he started to walk looking down at the other animals. they were smaller than him so he had so make shure he didnt step on a tail or a foot. Phon looked as all the animals moved out of his way and formed a path as ha walked over to this edge.
He was a bit nervous too. he looked at the other chosen, they were smaller than him and he was aquardly bigger than them. but he just acted natural.

[Rocky :)]

On this day Hidesai knew what was going to happen. The pickings, every year on this day they had them. The Beautiful but dreaded doves came and circled a group of peoples heads. One by one the doves would descend on another's head. Hidesai had to run to get to the gathering of the creatures so he wouldn't miss the whole thing. His feathers racing in the wind as he dashed towards the gathering. As he came into the gathering he noticed the doves were just starting to end their routes towards their 'victims'. As Hidesai settled into a small spot he felt the small feet of the pure white bird. Hidesai smiled, he knew that this 'pleasure' might kill him. But he felt prideful to be part of it. The thing that haunted him was his father. For years Hidesai lived alone waiting for his father that never came back because of these birds. But to take on something he could finish what his father started...

[fae]

Ryn blinked open her eyes, which were black depths in the even blacker dark of her cave. She looked up, where the opening of her home was. The sun was shining through. She was late! Ryn growled to herself and got to her feet. She jumped onto the rocky wall, the cave not wide enough for her to fly out, and slithered up the side. The cave was at least a hundred feet deep, maybe more, and usually dark. But she never had a problem with the darkness, of course. In fact, when she reached the top, Ryn had to pause and blink at the light, which she always had such a harder time seeing in than the dark. Before her eyes even adjusted, she was running to take off. She stretched her huge black wings, the intricate red designs glowing faintly. She jumped high and flapped hard, soaring into the air. Ryn soared toward the gathering place, trying to go quickly. She soon spotted the gathered creatures and flew in spirals until she got to a large tree, which she landed on. It swayed slightly, but she gripped the bark tightly and peered out of the shadows the leaves cast, to see if the doves had been released yet. They had. Only a few remained, flying overhead. She flicked her tongue and laid out on the branch, causing the tree to sway some more. She was really to big to be in trees, but she liked them, so she didn't care. She laid her head on her paws and her tail hung below, swinging lightly. Occasionally, the razor-sharp axlike blade on the end of it slashed into the tree, creating deep gorges in it. Suddenly, she felt a very small weight on her head, right between her horns. She looked up sharply, startling the small white dove who had landed on her head. She stared at it for a moment, not quite believing she had been choosen. She had no real interest in seeing the ruins- why had the dove picked her? Ryn snorted, shadowy flame coming from her nose. She dove off of the tree and snapped her wings open, flapping toward the group of other choosen.

[Elfy-ness]

*Kay, guys. Were making our way to the ruins. :DDDD Then, we FALL. >D*

Safari felt a nudge on her shoulder as her father motioned to her to start moving. "There are no more doves left," he said. She fell back into the group, hoping maybe they could bond a bit. She never had a real friend other than her father. The other gryffons didn't talk to her much because, not only was she wingless, she was blind too. Her father had always been there for her, though.
"We'll reach the ruins in less than a sun cycle," He father said, using the gryffon units of time measurement. If you ever had a chance to meet a gryffon, you'd realize immediately that they were geniuses. They love math and studying the past. Its strange, because most people wouldn't think about it. But what is, is.

And they trekked off.

[Rocky :)]

Hidesai padded towards the wingless gryffon, he had only ever seen her from afar. "Hey... " He trailed off. "You're Safari right?" Hidesai asked knowing the answer but he didn't want to seem like a stalker. "Im Hidesai, I was just sort of wondering if you would maybe sort of hang out around me, I don't talk much with others. And you seem rather... Uh, Nice?" Hidesai asked rather awkwardly. The white feathers on his head flew in the wind while they walked along.

[Elfy-ness]

Safari stared blankly ahead. "I've heard of you before, Hidesai. Yes, I'm Safari." As she walked her few feathers that dotted her wolf fur swayed a bit. She had always wanted to know what she looked like. What the color 'White' was. She couldn't see anything. Even in her dreams. She didn't have dreams, anyways. She'd just sleep the night away. "Can you tell me what the dove's looked like?" She asked, trying to break the ice, " Hear that they glow. But I dunno what else."