Roleplaying

Syra perched high on a withered, grey boulder. The waterfall roared in her ears as it crashed down next to her. From the top of the falls, she could see the far reaches of her territory, as well as the Earth Walkers and Shadowmists land. (She refused to call it the 'Cutter' Clan. The name was disrespectful to their lineage and was the result of a full-of-himself prud to her opinion) Cold, misty water droplets collected on her scales to create a miniature sea of rainbows.

She had snuck out of the nesting grounds, slipping past sentries in a way only she knew how. Syra wasn't allowed outside its boundaries without an escort, a rule she very blatantly ignored and broke religiously. Punishments didn't faze her much anymore, it was worth it for the few minuets peace she gained.

Syra contentedly watched a sun peak over the horizon, tripping and spilling over the land in the was sunlight did. The dark greens and blacks gave way to emerald, and brown. Blue water, red ferns, and dazzling sky-pink lit up the world. Flowers in bloom showed fields of yellows, whites, and pinks. Syra appreciated all of this for what it was, a spectacular array of chance a blessing. What caused the flowers to bloom so largely? Of the individual leaves of a tree to carry their own hues and characteristic shades?

I am not here for no reason. Everything exists in coexistence with a purpose. I will find my purpose. She thought tenderly as she closed her eyes and turned her nose to the sun, letting the warmth trickle over the cold night before.

Syra stood on her rock for a few moments longer, drinking in sights and sounds of the Moon Runner territory. 'One day, I will be alpha of the land. It will be I who decides my clan'd fate.

As the echo of that thought faded, Syra jumped from her perch. She gave a quick call, to let anyone near know it was her, and took off running towards the nesting area. Glee filled every fiber of herself as she ran and jumped. She was no raptor, she was a Moon Runner. She was born to race the wind and streams, to climb mountains and swim seas. She was born to touch the sky's limits, and test the earth's boudries, to be free.

Sentries called as she passed them, no doubt letting her father know of her return. She was unafraid of any punishment, nothing could tame her mind, but that seemed the least of his worries as she neared him. He stood tall, talking to the council and nodding his head. Buisness from other clans?

Syra dipped her head sideways curiously and approached. As she neared, she caught snippets of conversation.

"Cutter accepted your perposal, he will meet tomarrow at noon."

"The council seems unhappy. They do not like this."

Syra's father shook his head. "I will not break from my plan. They may not be happy, but Syra needs the experiance; Cutter is not one to trifle with flooishly."

At the mention of her name, Syra saw her intrance. "Experiance in what? Father, what is going on."

Her dad finally turned to her. "I should keep you homebound for a moon, but that won't help and I need you tomarrow. Your coming with me, the council, and a select few others on a hunting party with the Cutter clan, giving you valuable experiance."

"Why hunting? Can't I just... watch a meeting or something?" Syra loved hunting, she was good at it. She couldn't hide like some, or run like others. She was strong and couldn't fight, but she could have a young calf's artery slashed in an instant. She could calculate where the herd would run and where you could funnel it down.  She knew how to place chasers so they would drive the herd mad. Everything about hunting was her passion, everything was her skill.

"Because your good at it. Cutter and his clan don't take well to weakness, and if you show your strengths, they are more likely to accept the peace."

If they wanted peace, it wouldn't be so tensionous now. You are a fool father, for not seeing how the other clans use your blind trusting. But the only words she said were, "I'll be ready to leave tomarrow when you are."

Syra has slipped away unnoticed as the council ran boring so-and-so information about the hunting. Blah, this many raptors. Bleh, this reaction. Wha-wha, something about being there early. It didn't interest Syra in the least bit. This wasn't her job yet, she still had some time to ignore it left. She was excited to be alpha, but she didn't want to let the carefree part of herself go.

She spent the day on sentry duty, a subtle way her dad used to keep her near the camp but occupied. Sentry duty was easy, you could think up ways to help the future or figure out hunting strategies. Hawk, her father, was a good leader, but Syra wanted progress. A new dawn for the future.

~

She found it hard to sleep that night, but in the morning she was ready. Her father, the council, she, and a handful of other raptors headed out, heads high in prospect of good hunting. The day was bright and sunny, clear without rain or wind to carry off sent to prey. As the neared the meeting area, the chatter of waiting raptors met them.

The group raced towards the others, heads bowed in respect and greeting. As the second to arrive, Syra's clan would greet the other first. True to custom, Hawk stepped forward to the cutter clan members. He dipped is head in greeting, before raising it to and alpha level. "Greetings Cutter. I thank you for accepting our request. I also send my greetings to you, Conner, Firebrick, Jester..." He went through, giving a nod to each raptor he knew, "And all the rest whom I have not met. As some of you know, this is my daughter Syra, heir to my place. This is a learning experience for her to meet the rest of you."

This was her cue, as Hawk made way for her to stand next to him. She dipped her head in greeting and submission, showing the others the she recognized they were above her rank. "Greetings. I'm afraid I do not know all your names as my father does, but I greet you just the same." Her tone was sweet, but her eyes shot a challenge to every raptor in turn. She burned with and internal fire, and showed no weakness to the others. Her eyes rested on Cutter where he stood, challenging him in her own way. "Cutter, I am glad you have taken the time to hunt with my clan." She flashed a smile, but it was all teeth, nothing that would be taken as anything but daring. "It is an honor to meet you and these other members of the Earth Walkers Clan."

Her dad gave a growl of warning, but he couldn't take action at this time to discipline her. The Moon Runners held their breath. Syra knew what she had done; it was a near direct challenge to Cutter's ego. She waited, still as the earth, for Cutter reply... or actions.

Atop an eroded rock beside the river Adriana stood watch. It was already the middle of day and the bright sun hurt her eyes that were used to peering through the darkness of the caverns her clan called home. During the night the only thing that could be seen was the white marking on her shoulder and the silver glint of those eyes but during the day her dark navy blue hide stood out against the green.

Most of her clan was asleep but her and the sentries she posted around the borders of her territory were still awake. Every few hours switching with the raptors in the caverns so everyone had a chance to sleep. She became more impatient and hot tempered the longer she stayed out in the sunlight and tapped the large sickle claw on her right foot agaisnt the rock she stood on. The raptor who was supposed to replace her was thirty minutes now late.

Movement in the forest underbrush caught her attention and she lifted her head up about to yell at the clan member for being late but instead a young green scaled raptor approached. She managed to hold her tongue and let the raptor come toward her realizing it was one of her spies probably bringing her a message. The young male bowed his head in respect "Adriana, I have news. The Cutter and Moon Runner Clan have organized a hunt together. As experience for the future alpha of the Moon Runners." he said hastily knowing how impatient she could become.

She narrowed her eyes "when is this hunt to take place?" she asked of him. "Noon today, they have already met at the fern plains. The rest of the spies are keeping watch" he replied. Adriana nodded her head and growled to herself. Her clan had not been invited to this hunt and she wanted to know why. "Go back to the caverns and wake the council. Tell them to meet me at the fern plains where this hunt is taking place" she said and with that jumped down from the rock running swiftly through the forest toward the fern plains. She knew it would take her a while to reach where the other clans were but she wanted to know what was going on.

Cutter's words did not phaze Syra in the least bit. She had wanted his reaction, and she now knew valuable information on him. He was easy to get angry, and the angry don't think rationally. This was something Syra my be able to use later.

"Do not provoke him, Syra. Tensions are high anyways, I do not want war." Her dad whispered. He straightened up and approached Cutter. "That will be fine. Difficult prey will be a challenge. You will have to lead the way, however. I keep tabs more on the Badlands and BluFyre herds." This was Hawk's way of soothing Cutter, letting him feel that he was in charge. Syra listened as they talked location and stragies, but soon lost intrest. Now that she was not adressing in a formal situation, she stood tall and proud. Her feather creast fluffed up slightly, making it look as if she wore a crown.

The Moon Runners mingled uneasily with the Earth Walkers, talking to the raptors the recognized. Syra hung back, however, and was content to look to the woods in thought. Her back was turned slightly to  the rest of the group as she waited for them to stop chit-chatting and stratagizing long enough to move out. From what I understand of Cutter, he will not forget my defiance. But I will not forget his cockyness. No Cutter, you don't scare me as you do your clan and my father. You are no different than any one else. She thought bitterly. 

She thought of the other raptors reactions. The one called Firebrick seemed in awe of her, and was almost flirtatious. It made Syra curious, but she would wait to see more of the raptor. Conner seemed to be the more boss like of the group, but bowed to Cutter easily. She wasn't sure what to think of Jester, she had cought his whispering to Cutter, but didn't know what was said.

Brotherhood of the Claw is about an uneasy alliance between three clans of remarkable sentient (similar in intelligence to Stone Age humans) Deinonychuses, of the diminutive tribes under their control, and of the rebellious outlanders. War seems on the verge of breaking out when squabbles over resources, boarders and clan politics reach a boiling point, and tempers only continue to flair as the spiteful outlanders, who live in exile barely carving out a living, aggress the various subordinate tribes of the region into instigating an uprising against the brotherhood. Under the threat of society crumbling, It`s up to some alarmed individuals to do what they can to reclaim the peace between the brotherhood before it`s too late, but the sudden appearance of what the clans refer to as `mega predators' (Tyrannosaurus Rex, Siats, and Acrocanthosaurus) that were believed to have vanished from the land long ago, but pose a real threat to the clans which have previously only faced real trouble form what they call `ambushers` (Albertosaurus) and 'snappers' (Deinosuchus ) the appearance of these executioners in the land is complicating things and only serving to add logs to the fire of imminent warfare. Many believe that the brotherhood and their ways are antiquated and must be removed and replaced in order for all Deins to progress and prosper. The brotherhood maintains strict laws and follows traditions that seem obscure to raptors that are becoming cilvilized and desiring to shed the old ways all together. However, little do those who desire the fall of the brotherhood know that the very existence of the ancient bloodline of the brotherhood between the marked (deins bearing the mark of their clan at birth, a royal bloodline of sorts that decides leadership and bequests them the ancestral gift of the clan usually only one marked one exists in each clan at any given time, and their seems to be a kind magic implicated in it) in each clan is all that is protecting the land from a deadly virus that drove their ancestors to the land of the Gateway to begin with--the Gateway of course being a shield that was erected in order to protect the land in a time that the world was being swallowed up by devastation. Should the bloodline of those who gallantly gave their lives erecting that shield (they bonded their own life forces into it in a last-minute attempt to ensure a future for their kind. The barrier is subconsciously regulated by the power within the present descendants of the bloodline) ever be destroyed the barrier would disintegrate, and the calamity that befell the rest of the world would obliterate the lands of the Gateway; the last remaining vestige of all dinosaur kind, and cause their extinction from the face of the world. So in short the life of the brotherhood is the very life of the land; yet no one remains that realizes that, as the story of the barrier and the original brotherhood has fallen away into myth, so the truth about the brotherhood has to be exposed before it`s too late.

 

This Story is about the Brotherhood of the Claw and the obstacles they'd overcome, it's about their struggle, the ups and downs of surviving in a world full of danger. It's the story of strength of brotherhood and the ordeals that test such bonds. Where the story goes is yours to decide.

Originally the land that would come to be known as the Gateway was nothing special, just a region buried in surroundings just as lush, far from the sanctuary it would one day become. In a time hundreds of years before this story takes place, stars seemed to fall from the sky and crash to earth, bringing fires and smog with them to demolish and smother the land. The sentient inhabitants of the Goodview expanse looked on in horror as they thought they were witnessing the world die; they were sure it was the end of all things, but just as suddenly as the heavenly bodies ravaged the world, they ceased falling and offered a glimmer of hope to the clans whose land had escaped the destruction. However, the rocks from the sky were not to be the end of it, for the meteorites that fell to earth had brought with them something far deadlier then a simple barrage. A virus alighted upon the Earth, one for which there was no defense from, a virus that could eradicate carbon based life AKA every living thing on the planet. Plants shriveled and died and heaps of carcasses lie all over baking in the sun. The world was animate with the sound of anguished cries of death and many parts had fallen silent--forever silent. Among the deinonycuses of the primitive clans existed the first of what would become the Brotherhood of the Claw. Theirs was a truly enigmatic lineage consecrated with extraordinary seemingly otherworldly powers denoted by distinctive marks appearing engraved into their skin. They percieved the unseen peril moving with the winds and closing in on their lands. Feeling as though nothing would survive the disease, the three marked joined their powers together, releasing all the energy from within them, their very life forces erecting a barrier of energy around the land--their gift to all their kind that life may continue, creating a future for them all. Their heirs witnessed their sacrifice, and vowed to carry on their ways establishing the clans of the brotherhood. The brotherhood was a regime of sorts for the entirety of the deinonycus population of the Gateway region; named for the belief that it was the gateway to the world`s very last Eden. The raptors had decided that they needed to organize and have charge if they were to continue to survive and avoid would be threats. Each clan split into the mark they aligned with, and there was a peace born out of the destruction the likes of which there had never been before. They were indebted for the chance at life they had all been granted, as they beheld the world beyond the barrier come to an end, a soundless, barren land that reminded them how truly fortunate they all were. Above all the Brotherhood of the Claw remained resilient, named for the brotherliness among them and the mark of the claw, in the hopes that they`d continue to reign supreme for all time, so that the smartest creature next to man in an alternate world would never fall into oblivion...Though they mourned the passing of the world outside, and became closer in their grief; the peace was not to last, bigger and more dangerous predators appeared from the mountains, apparently having fled their before the barrier closed them in, and threatened the raptors, the brotherhood of the claw had to call upon their gifts for the first time since the barrier appeared many decades before. Unified in their efforts they drove the `mega predators` back over the mountains and for a time celebrated their victories. Though soon it became apparent that the clans didn`t see eye to eye as they did not feel that they were all equals. The Earth Walkers seemed to have the best of everything, and declared that they had played the biggest part in driving the megas back, declaring their gift was the greatest. The others were understandably affronted by such pompous declarations, and stabbed back insisting that their own gifts were superior. It was then that resentment and jealousy split the brotherhood, and it was that acrimony that would continue persistently into the future. Keeping the clans at odds, only just managing to maintain an uneasy treaty as they all refused to yield to the others. Over time such squabbles would only sour, threatening to tear the brotherhood apart as the true meaning of their creed seemed to slip away in the scuffle unspoken, until simply a myth. With the bond formed in the past breaking, could the Brotherhood survive?

The Councilmen positions are all currently available for the other clans, so grab them up if you want. Also, those positions can be written by anyone in the RP as NPC type characters until they are filled, so we don`t have to wait. :) Also, anyone can write as my characters Cutter and Akayla as long as you don`t get them killed it`s fine; feel free to bunny. :) *Alpha posistions are filed, but marked ones can still be created- there is one per generation*