HOME | DD

Description
He wasn’t sure how long he was there in the snowy landscape. All this forced traveling was slowly draining him of his energy. He explored for a brief time but ended up at his previous perch when he first arrived. There was a faint sense of not quite peace but maybe quiet as he looked over the horizon. His mind was quiet, his expression as blank as his face could show as he sat there, front feet tucked under his body. He usually didn’t have this kind of view and he found that the cold was almost comforting. He hadn’t liked the season much in his first life, the snow making it harder to hunt, but now he could find a new appreciation to it. When the snow started stirring, he thought that would be a sign that he should be leaving. He had just gotten up, taking a few steps away when the snow swirled into a sudden storm that seemed concentrated around him. He took a couple of steps back, startled at the sudden storm.

He flinched at the sudden pinpricks and looked at the snow, startled. Hail? Looking closer, he realized that it wasn’t hail but … sand? Why would there be sand here? It was then he realized that he must be being brought somewhere else again. Seemingly bone-deep tiredness fell upon his as he awaiting his new fate. He just wanted to go home at this point. He missed the comforting fog and the grass under his paws. He even missed some of the humans he likes to mess with. At least that was familiar.

The sudden darkness had him reeling, his body tense with anticipation. He stood still even as the sand drifted away and he found himself in a very unfamiliar place, surrounded on both sides by these tall stone walls of red and yellow. Where was he? He hadn’t been to this kind of place before. He sat up onto his haunches, craning his neck to peer upwards. What sky he could see was streaked with purple. Sunset? Falling back on all fours, he felt another tug. Another familiar tug. A twitch of tired annoyance went through him before he sighed and followed along the winding river bank. Thankfully it was cool, not like the frost of the previous mountain, but cool enough for comfort. He quietly noted the quiet gurgle of the waters, sounding almost like a melody as he walked along the path. For what seemed like forever - but was surely only a few minutes - he came around a corner to find, yet again, another shrine. For a split second, he was filled with anger at the sight and some part of him wanted to destroy the broken shrine, to crush it into dust. But as quickly as that anger came, the feeling deflated into bone-deep fatigue.

He was tired. Why can’t whatever brought him to these shrines understand that?

Not even the sight of the wilted plants and the crumblings rocks swayed him. Nature has an everlasting cycle of decay and rebirth. Nor did the song that tried to call out to his spirit affect him. He stared at the token, almost as if he were waiting for the feeling of regret tug at him like before at the snowy mountains but curiously, none came. Maybe he was just tired. Maybe it was his usual apathy about his surroundings. But whatever the reason, it let him make the decision to leave the token untouched. The token, like the others, seemed like a relic of some past. He had already meddled enough with the first token. One was enough. Even if he had the inclination to help, he did not know what it previously looked like. He could be putting it together all wrong and result in catastrophe. He might have just gotten lucky with the first token. He had no idea what to do and had just moved on instinct. They say follow your instincts but there was many a time when even your instincts could be wrong. He was not one to take too many chances.

He bowed his head as in silent regret and apology before he then slowly shook his head. After a brief pause, he continued along the path. He barely looked at the token as he passed, a hush once again falling around him. Spying a large stone on the other side of the river, he stepped to the edge and made a leap towards it, landing neatly on the rough surface. As he walked further away, he felt something nudge at his spirit and at first he thought it was the token finally lashing out at his apathy. But it was simply a mere touch, maybe a parting gift from what lingered among this strange and unfamiliar land.

-----

Chapter three bAB Y >
On to Chapter 4!

Here's the scoring!

-for art-

Base Score: 10 AP (Shaded Illustration)
+5 AP (Full Body)
+20 AP (Full/Scenic Background)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+25 AP (Event Bonus, Biome Bonus and Palette Bonus)
Total AP per submission: 65

Base Score: 4 GP (Shaded Illustration)
+2 GP (Full Body)
+6 GP (Full/Scenic Background)
+12 GP (Event Bonus, Biome Bonus and Palette Bonus)
Total GP per submission: 24

- for writing -

Base Score: 16 AP (Writing: 807 words)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+5 AP (Biome Bonus)
+8 AP (Storyteller Bonus: 8 AP * 1)
Total AP per submission: 34

Base Score: 8 GP (Writing: 807 words)
+2 GP (Biome Bonus)
+6 GP (Storyteller Bonus: 6 GP * 1)
Total GP per submission: 16

Total AP: 99
Total GP: 40

Description
He wasn’t sure how long he was there in the snowy landscape. All this forced traveling was slowly draining him of his energy. He explored for a brief time but ended up at his previous perch when he first arrived. There was a faint sense of not quite peace but maybe quiet as he looked over the horizon. His mind was quiet, his expression as blank as his face could show as he sat there, front feet tucked under his body. He usually didn’t have this kind of view and he found that the cold was almost comforting. He hadn’t liked the season much in his first life, the snow making it harder to hunt, but now he could find a new appreciation to it. When the snow started stirring, he thought that would be a sign that he should be leaving. He had just gotten up, taking a few steps away when the snow swirled into a sudden storm that seemed concentrated around him. He took a couple of steps back, startled at the sudden storm.

He flinched at the sudden pinpricks and looked at the snow, startled. Hail? Looking closer, he realized that it wasn’t hail but … sand? Why would there be sand here? It was then he realized that he must be being brought somewhere else again. Seemingly bone-deep tiredness fell upon his as he awaiting his new fate. He just wanted to go home at this point. He missed the comforting fog and the grass under his paws. He even missed some of the humans he likes to mess with. At least that was familiar.

The sudden darkness had him reeling, his body tense with anticipation. He stood still even as the sand drifted away and he found himself in a very unfamiliar place, surrounded on both sides by these tall stone walls of red and yellow. Where was he? He hadn’t been to this kind of place before. He sat up onto his haunches, craning his neck to peer upwards. What sky he could see was streaked with purple. Sunset? Falling back on all fours, he felt another tug. Another familiar tug. A twitch of tired annoyance went through him before he sighed and followed along the winding river bank. Thankfully it was cool, not like the frost of the previous mountain, but cool enough for comfort. He quietly noted the quiet gurgle of the waters, sounding almost like a melody as he walked along the path. For what seemed like forever - but was surely only a few minutes - he came around a corner to find, yet again, another shrine. For a split second, he was filled with anger at the sight and some part of him wanted to destroy the broken shrine, to crush it into dust. But as quickly as that anger came, the feeling deflated into bone-deep fatigue.

He was tired. Why can’t whatever brought him to these shrines understand that?

Not even the sight of the wilted plants and the crumblings rocks swayed him. Nature has an everlasting cycle of decay and rebirth. Nor did the song that tried to call out to his spirit affect him. He stared at the token, almost as if he were waiting for the feeling of regret tug at him like before at the snowy mountains but curiously, none came. Maybe he was just tired. Maybe it was his usual apathy about his surroundings. But whatever the reason, it let him make the decision to leave the token untouched. The token, like the others, seemed like a relic of some past. He had already meddled enough with the first token. One was enough. Even if he had the inclination to help, he did not know what it previously looked like. He could be putting it together all wrong and result in catastrophe. He might have just gotten lucky with the first token. He had no idea what to do and had just moved on instinct. They say follow your instincts but there was many a time when even your instincts could be wrong. He was not one to take too many chances.

He bowed his head as in silent regret and apology before he then slowly shook his head. After a brief pause, he continued along the path. He barely looked at the token as he passed, a hush once again falling around him. Spying a large stone on the other side of the river, he stepped to the edge and made a leap towards it, landing neatly on the rough surface. As he walked further away, he felt something nudge at his spirit and at first he thought it was the token finally lashing out at his apathy. But it was simply a mere touch, maybe a parting gift from what lingered among this strange and unfamiliar land.

-----

Chapter three bAB Y >
On to Chapter 4!

Here's the scoring!

-for art-

Base Score: 10 AP (Shaded Illustration)
+5 AP (Full Body)
+20 AP (Full/Scenic Background)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+25 AP (Event Bonus, Biome Bonus and Palette Bonus)
Total AP per submission: 65

Base Score: 4 GP (Shaded Illustration)
+2 GP (Full Body)
+6 GP (Full/Scenic Background)
+12 GP (Event Bonus, Biome Bonus and Palette Bonus)
Total GP per submission: 24

- for writing -

Base Score: 16 AP (Writing: 807 words)
+5 AP (Personal Work Bonus)
+5 AP (Biome Bonus)
+8 AP (Storyteller Bonus: 8 AP * 1)
Total AP per submission: 34

Base Score: 8 GP (Writing: 807 words)
+2 GP (Biome Bonus)
+6 GP (Storyteller Bonus: 6 GP * 1)
Total GP per submission: 16

Total AP: 99
Total GP: 40