Beginnings

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SurpySoup

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Original poster
There have been stories passed down from generation to generation about how everything became as it was now. It is mostly repeated by elderly, or those in positions of power, such as the Council, or a high-ranking officer in the military. The origin of Lantine society came crashing from the sky.

Rewinding now, eons ago, this planet was barely awakening to the idea of sentience. Creatures were evolving, using tools, communicating, building. The balance of power shifted from the large beasts of the planet to these bipedal, yet primitive, furred creatures. Similar evolving occurred in the ocean, introducing the scaled and gilled hunters of the deep.

These two races, who will be referred to as Lantines on the land, and Kintoks in the sea, were the only creatures with any semblance of budding intelligence. This did not go unnoticed by outside forces. These forces soon made themselves known to these primitive creatures.

The equator of this particular little oceanic and island-based planet is a veritable rain belt. The weather is constantly nasty, wet, cloudy. Wind storms were not uncommon, blending with the rain to cause terrible monsoon-like disasters. It was during one of these storms that something fell from the sky, something unidentifiable to any of the primitive Lantines watching the spectacle. With their catlike eyes huge, their long ears standing on end, they watched this... bulb crash from the very storm clouds. The collision was enormous, the resulting crater just as massive. No one dared approach it--with the planet being dangerous enough as it was, who was to know what would come of this large pod that fell from the sky?

Only one Lantine dared investigate. He was still fairly young, his amber fur only just recently shifting to show the coming dark stripe patterns on his shoulders and back. He was training to be a hunter for the tribe. He had potential to do great, but his overwhelming curiosity was a fault according to the elders. Curiosity was just as dangerous as the beasts they hunted. It was this young Lantine that would journey from the village of broken trees and large leaves to the crash sight, green eyes huge with wonder.
 
A figure emerged from the craft that had landed on the tiny island. Tall, slender, with a craning neck and a small head. This, however, was not a show of it's level of intelligence. Long, wing like structures protruded from it's back, like the skeletal structure of an angel wing. It had two fingers and a thumb, the arm narrower towards it's body and wider towards it's hand. It walked on it's toes, much like the native inhabitants of the land. It seemed to have no mouth, but communicated with two others that emerged from the ship with an assortment of clicks, whirrs, and low tones. They chattered amongst themselves. staring at the odd, fuzzy little creature that had approached them.
 
Amazement was written all over the young Lantine, his tufted ears lowered and hanging behind his shoulders. He crouched low behind a fallen tree, briefly wishing that the foliage hadn't been destroyed when the pod landed. However frightened and terrified he was, he was still extremely curious. He wanted to learn more about these otherworldly creatures. They didn't resemble anything he's ever seen before, definitely not like the fishy Kintoks, and not like anything that roams the island.

Maintaining a low crouch, he crept along the log he was hiding behind and chanced moving a little closer. While scared witless by these extraterrestrial creatures, he was fascinated by the noises they made. His own tribe communicated through growls and other little noises like that. As he moved along the fallen tree, he very quietly attempting imitating the noises he heard coming from the aliens. They felt foreign on his tongue; it sent a chill down his spine. His tail curled up against his thigh as he reached the torn-up roots of the large tree he'd been hiding behind. The roots were long and gnarled, soil clinging to them in large clumps. But his attention on the tree was brief, and he gazed at the stork-like creatures again.
 
The first creature who had emerged was wearing special armor, compared to the following pair. He was obviously of higher authority. It reached a long, thin arm out towards the furry beast that came closer towards it, folding the wing structures on it's back. It had a curious look in it's own eyes. It clicked and whirred at the new entity, not quite sure if it understood it's language.
 
The lithe creature froze in its tracks. It had been spotted. Was he in danger? Should he run? He couldn't quite tell what was happening, the rain was blurring the edges of everything around them. He could faintly hear the clicks and quiet whirrs the otherworldly creature was making, and his ears lowered even further if at all possible. He gripped his spear--nothing more than a sharpened stick, really-- and crouched lower to the ground. His teeth barred in a cautionary gesture, his own sound nearly silent in the hissing rain.

After staring at the aliens and their strange armor and garb, the Lantine perked his ears and chanced straightening slightly. They hadn't attacked him yet, so maybe they wouldn't attack him at all? Wait, no. He couldn't lower his guard just yet. His tail thrashed about behind him, catching on the branches of the fallen tree he was hiding behind. What should he do... He took a chance, he needed to know more. He climbed up onto the side of the log, his spear still held tightly in one clawed hand. That would be his move for now. He was still ready to pounce and attack, or turn and flee if needed.
 
The odd being drew it's arm back as the furry beast made a move onto the log. Noticing the sharp stick, the other two drew their weapons. Long blades shot out from their gauntlets, but the regal one made a low tone at them and they retracted their weapons. It blinked at the creature. He could tell the creature was just as cautious and curious as it was. Noticing it was similar to a few un-evolved species it had encountered in the past, it attempted to communicate with it, imitating the growls and whines it had observed that were made by similar creatures.
 
Shock crossed the furred creature's face, his eyes widening and mouth opening slightly. It recognized the noises the stalky creature was making, and it confused him. They were simplified words compared to what they could say now. For instance, he hadn't heard that kind of whine in a long time. He wasn't sure anyone still used it. He tilted his head, contemplating, wondering, then slowly lowered his spear. He came up from his crouch, though his posture was still curved. He stood upon his toes, much like the aliens did, and his legs were bent and tense, ready to explode into motion at any second.

His ears perked and flattened again as lightening crossed the sky, shedding light on the scene. The young Lantine could see the aliens in their thin yet grand splendor, with their long limbs and necks. Their armor glinted in the lightening, catching the light and reflecting it in bold streaks across their rain-slicked surfaces. Nothing on this Lantine would catch light like that. His fur was damp and slicked to his lithe form, the amber darkened to a blotchy brown and the black stripes blurred into the muddled color. His garb consisted of nothing but a loincloth and a cord that draped from one shoulder to his hip. It held a pouch at his hip which contained various things he may need when out hunting. Smooth and sharp stones, dried meat, herbs. In the back of his mind, the Lantine knew none of that would help him now.

When the lightening's spectacle faded from the sky, the Lantine looked up in hopes of finding another source of light. The two suns their planet drifted between were blotted out by the terrible storm clouds. He wanted to be able to see more of these creatures, but his better judgement told him he should run back to the village. Yet, his desire to know more about these creatures kept him rooted to the spot, even so curious as to want to get closer...

He took one slow step off of the log on the other side, towards the tall creatures. He didn't make any sudden movements, and the only sound he made was a quiet purr combined with a whine, a common noise among his tribe to symbolize something of trust or friendship.
 
The alien form tilted it's head as the furry beast came nearer, and turned to it's companions, making the clicks and tones, coupled with small hand gestures. It looked back towards the creature. It imitated the noise, and relaxed it's frame, tense shoulders dropping lower, bent knees straightening, looking more like a member of royalty than a hunter.
 
He was astounded. It seemed these creatures were learning from him how to communicate. But then again, what if they were just imitating him to lower his guard. The creature's posture changed, and the Lantine attempted to do the same. The tribe was so used to slinking about, standing straight was unfamiliar. He continued moving forward, slowly, until he was a few feet from the edge of the crater created by the impact of the alien's pod. He leaned against his spear, digging its tip in the soft dirt, and perked his ears.

He let out a sound of greeting, a mewl loud enough to be heard over the din of the rain. At the very least, they seemed more friendly than the Kintoks from the ocean...
 
The creature turned to it's companions and bucked it's head like a horse at them, making several excitement filled low tones. It turned back towards the creature, staring at it in confusion, unsure of what to do next. The creature attempted to imitate the sound, but it's vocal abilities were wired different, so the tone was an octave lower that the small creature had made. It only hoped that the lower tone wouldn't be taken as a sign of aggressiveness.
 
The Lantine kept still, his tail thrashing. The rain wasn't getting lighter, but wasn't getting heavier. This close, though, he was able to get a really good look at the creatures before him. They didn't seem all that threatening, even though they had no knowledge of communicating with him. The noise the other creature made was a playful one, or at least it usually was. Mostly used when engaging in playful games with those of your tribe. He was certain the alien didn't know that.

He stabbed his spear into the soft ground and left it there as he climbed carefully into the crater. He wanted to get a better look at the aliens, their pod, their armor. He wanted to smell them, see what he could learn from that. Where they're from, if from this island or another. He'd never been to any of the other islands. Maybe that's where they came from..

His movements were slow and cautious. It almost seemed like he was sure he was working with a wild beast and didn't want to startle it into running from him. He wanted to catch them, investigate them. His ears perked as he watched, keeping an eye out for any tell-tale signs of them preparing to flee or attack.
 
The odd creature tilted it's head side to side in a curious manner as the indigenous specimen approached it. It adjusted it's posture, more relaxed now while maintaining a regal bearing. It was curious of the beast as it entered the crater, and allowed the creature to approach it. It seemed perfectly friendly, but at the first sign of aggression, it planned to battle with the strange, sentient beast.
 
There was no resistance as the Lantine approached the alien. He felt a little more confident as he continued, then stopped right in front of the one that appeared to be the leader. His legs were taut, prepared to spring his form backwards at a moments notice, and he leaned with the rest of his body towards the creature. His nose quivered as he sniffed the air around it, getting a sense of it. It smelled odd, like nothing he's ever smelled before. Metallic, organic, all at once. It gave him the chills. His tail flattened against one of his legs as his ears pinned back as far as he could. He wanted to ask the aliens where they came from, why they were here, but he wasn't entirely sure how. His eyes showed his curiosity and questioning nature, though, as they widened and expressed what vocal noises could not.
 
The alien stared into the large eyes of the creature, san how the dim light of his ship reflected on the creatures slick, wet fur. The alien made a few clicks at it, and slowly lifted it's hand up, not wanting to startle the creature It placed it's fingers on the Lantines' forehead, and the fuzzy creature suddenly saw everything. Past, Present, Future, life, death, evolution, deities, advanced technology, primal tradition. Everything that has happened in the universe since it's creation flashed through his mind. Trillions of years gone past in thirty seconds. The odd alien removed his hand from the native's forehead, who now could speak with the creatures telepathically, and knew everything. It most likely would also have a splitting headache, as it's mind was not yet evolved to the level that it could absorb so much information without extreme stress placed on the brain.
 
And boy, what a headache it was. The Lantine reeled away from the aliens, holding his head in both hands. He hissed, mewled, growled, and his tail thrashed wildly as he tried to get his footing comfortable. It was a horrible pain, one that wasn't subsiding quickly, but it was odd. He almost felt... relieved. They weren't any danger to his tribe, he knew that now. He wasn't entirely sure how he knew, but he had a feeling it was something to do with all of those images that flashed before his eyes just now.

He had to test something, now. His mind told him to do it, so he obeyed. He merely thought, 'What happens now?', opening his eyes slowly to peer at the aliens. The pounding of his headache was beginning to lessen, or he was getting used to it. Either way, it wasn't so bad that he couldn't function. He stared expectantly at the one that had touched him, now rubbing the damp fur on his forehead. Alien fingers made the fur go against the grain. Meeuugh.
 
The alien made an assortment of excited clicks, whirs and chirps. 'It understands! It has sentience! This is a most remarkable discovery! ...Oh, pardon me. I am Gratu'Ul, a scout for the Council of Tithra'El. What happens next, good fellow, is we help you and your kin learn things, much like what you just experienced! Except, hopefully less painful, and not as much knowledge.' it thought, sending the message to the furry creature.
 
A shocked silence befell the Lantine. He stood there, arms and tail quite limp. Pain still throbbed in his head, making his eyes squint slightly as he stared at the creature in disbelief. There were words in his head, words he understood. In a flurry he wiped at the rain in his eyes, blinked several times, and looked around, at the crater, the other two creatures, the pod...Then back at Gratu'Ul. It was a name. He knew that much. His tribe gave names, then hunting names once they came of age... His name was still that of his cub-days.

His hand groped for his spear, but it was too far from him to grasp it, and he stood there, dumbstruck.
'Gratu'Ul? Are... Are there more of you?' His eyes searched the clouds, as though expecting to find more similar pods crashing to the ground, 'I must tell my tribe of this. Do the Kintoks know of your arrival? If they do, we must prepare ourselves--Oh. I am called Frren. How do you eat without a mouth? Maybe you can't and that's why you're so skinny...'

A jittery sort of energy entered Frren, as he suddenly looked around and hopped in place, then scampered back towards his spear. His ears stood high, and he looked...excited, not afraid. He turned to stare back at the aliens and made a beckoning gesture, his tail waving to portray his excitement. 'Follow me! I can take you to my tribe--we are not far from where you crashed. We all saw the landing from our village.'
 
The slender alien stared at the creature called Frren in confusion. 'Erm... Yes there are more, a large force actually. Do not worry, we are not here to harm you, only to help, unless provoked. If by Kintoks you mean the sea-dwellers then no, not yet, at least. It is wonderful to meat you, Frren. And we do not have a need to eat, unlike you. No, we draw energy from the lands around us. Kind of like feeding on the life-force of the universe. We can also channel this feeding and drain an organism to the point of death, dut that is more of a defense and survival thing. And, yes, taking me to your tribe would be lovely.' It turned it's head at the two following it and made a few clicking noises. They nodded and returned to the pod.
 
Frren's ears twitched in a bounce and he turned, his tail spinning behind him. His steps were quick and sure as he climbed over fallen trees and branches. It seemed an effort not to go too fast, to lead Gratu'Ul through the tall, gigantic-leaved trees. It would have probably been easy to get lost in the huge bushes, and Frren did not want that for his new friend. There were large beasts that wandered the forest, and the meat-eating birds were not something he wanted the otherworlder to experience the hard way.

'Be wary... Things lurk in the leaves. Large things. I don't know if you would be prepared for them. Creatures grow large on this planet. Even the Kintoks...' He warned as he slowed beneath a rain-shielding leaf.

It was a good place to gather his bearings. Navigating through the rain-drenched forest was difficult at times. Frren took a moment to look around, his ears perking and dropping as he listened. He spotted some of the markers his village set up to guide their own hunters home, and continued moving without a mental word or otherwise. Hopefully Gratu'Ul would be able to follow him easily enough. He couldn't wait to tell the Elder about his whole adventure!
 
Gratu'Ul had no problem following furry little creature, as his own planet was similar to this outside of the civilized areas. He once was a hunter, much like Frren, but then his elders noticed he had a knack for politics and leadership. He was sent off to the capitol to get an education. He quickly rose throught the ranks, and was now an ambassador for the Council. He darted through the trees only a yard or two behind his new companion. 'I will be wary of them.' he replied as they stopped under the leaf for a moment. He flung his arms outwards, and blades similar to those of his guards from earlier emerged from the intricate gauntlets. He looked around cautiously, the ear holes of the side of his head flaring like nostrils as they scanned the fauna for any signs of danger. He darted after Frren as he saw some sign of some sort.
 
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