Curiouser and Curiouser

independent / selective Zico from Sheep & Wolves follows back at anomalousunknown

[foxes-in-love]

Hey, I finally made a Patreon!

Feel free to check it out here

[flockwctchman]

we s heep and w olves 2 now lads !!

its time !!

[flockwctchman]

acoveriznotthebook‌:

   William rolled his eyes heavily at the implication of the sheep’s words, but he decided to let it pass, it wasn’t the first time someone had accused him…. They were right of course but they never knew better that it was him eventually.

  “ The ocean? Of course I have!” He replied a little absent minded and sat down down briefly cross-legged to examine the contents of his bag, checking to make sure all was safe and accounted for. “Very big and very wet, though covered in delicacies and boats… Quite the sickly travel I do recall….”

  The wolf’s words drifted off as he found a particular item he was concerned for, examining it closely, it looked like a small black dome made of marble, fitting nicely in the palm of his hand and he seemed to twist it and check for cracks along its smooth top.

Zico’s demeanor seemed to shift. He went from incredibly tense to genuinely curious. The furrow to his brow faded, replaced by a wide-eyed stare. It could be a lie -- in fact, part of him was sure it must be -- but he wanted to believe. The world outside the village was filled with curiosities...ones he could only explore in his books. He could never stray too far -- nor would he truly want to -- for his duty compelled him to stay. 

He had so many questions. 

“How...interesting” the ram replied. His tone now earnest. He reached into his pack, eyes darting between its contents and the wolf across from him, and fished out a large tome. It was a warm green-blue color; the spine was decorated with spirals and waves. “I actually have a lot of books about oceans and other bodies of water -- this is just my travel-sized compendium...” 

Zico cleared his throat. “Have you ever seen a whale before? My library says they can be as large as an entire field. Oh, have you ever been below water? At a great depth? I’d love to hear about the effect of substantial pressure. Wait -- no, actually...” he began to ramble. Question after question. Many of them specific -- all of them asked in a rapid barrage. It seemed like there was no end to his questions. 

He pulled out his notepad. Then paused. “...did I get your name?” 

[flockwctchman]

acoveriznotthebook‌:

  And there it was. William smiled to himself, clearing his throat at he turned back to the sheep, tugging at his jacket as he did so, putting on his showmanship voice and facade.

  “ We’re salesmen, of a sort anyway, we buy and we sell and we trade! ” He gestured a hand towards the bag he had been carrying and claimed by the ram during his capture. “There are just some of the items I’ve gathered over my travels, exotic fruits, veg, seeds and some valuable gems and jewels… We’ve gained items from across the world and seen and traded with many different species, perhaps even yours but perhaps you would not believe me on that.”

He snorted. Salesmen? Buying and selling? It didn’t seem feasible. It didn’t sound realistic. All his books said wolves were voracious predators -- they were out to get flocks like his own. Why would he say something so absurd? It didn’t add up. 

“...well...if this is yours...you should have it back, at least. I’m not a thief...” he punctuated the last word, handing the bag back over to its supposed owner. His other hoof still on top of his homemade concoction. He didn’t want any funny business. 

It did pique his curiosity. Even with all his reading -- all his research and studies -- he had never ventured farther than a few hours from the village. This wolf claimed to have seen much more...and the heftiness of his belongings gave some credence to his claims. 

“You’ve...been to a lot of places? Like where? Have you...” he pondered, tapping his chin, “Have you ever seen an ocean before...?” 

[flockwctchman]

lupisaries‌:

Clearing his throat, Grey smiled anew and crouched slightly, slowly making his way towards the flurry of living lights that thronged overhead. Stealth wasn’t the most necessary approach right now, when the insects were clearly more interested in each other than two dull, not-glowing animals stuck on the ground below them, but he wanted to be careful—as much as another, childish part of him wanted to bound through the cloud of moths with abandon, just to watch them flutter and scatter in the moonlight. “So, what’s the plan of attack? You go high, I go low? Or—”

Noticing some winged stragglers nearby, drifting over to join the party, he swiped his net down through the air, scooping them up with a barely-suppressed “HA!”, and turned back to Zico, equal parts proud and immediately uncertain of what to do next. Gingerly resting a paw against the opening of the net to keep them in, giggling at the feeling of their wings dusting his palm, he shuffled closer to the ram with another giddy laugh, gesturing towards Zico with his catch, “—actually, maybe the other way around. Any of the moths will do, right? As many as we can grab?”

The teasing quality seemed lost on Zico. Usually he would have a response of his own, another biting comment, but he was too distracted. An entire season of work -- months of research and speculation -- had led him to the moths. Panic still lingered deep in his chest. The thought of all that work being for nothing, all because of a misplaced book, clung heavy to his thoughts. Only the sight of the glowing insects -- the grove awash in their light -- made them vanish. 

Nature was filled with wondrous things. The defense of the village -- the protection of a flock that seemed so clueless to danger -- was often the foundation of his many projects. But...sometimes it was nice to appreciate the beauty for itself. To explore science for its own sake. Truth be told, the theorized applications for these moths were just that -- theories. Nothing concrete or certain. Zico had known that when he started his research. 

He had just wanted to see some bright-colored moths. That was why he’d undertaken the project. That was why he had been so upset back at his house. The simple sadness of not being able to be something that sounded...fantastic. Unique. Something that could only be seen once in so-many years. 

Something truly special. 

“It is...” Zico nodded. “Wow...” 

“That’s the idea...the plan is to just grab as many as you can...!” the ram explained, “Just...remember they’re delicate, and --”

He paused at the loud exclamation behind him. His eyes, and smile, widened. “Grey...!” he chuckled, “That’s -- yes, that’s it!”

Zico seemed to collect himself and cleared his throat. “Not a bad start, but we’ll need many more than that for a proper sample size...” he explained. Four hands were certainly better than two -- Grey was proving to be a valuable research assistant. Not that he would tell him that yet; too much praise might make such an excitable guy more distracted than driven. 

Accolades would come later. The mission had to be the focus of the moment.

“Alright...” Zico huffed out a breath, giving his net another swing. He couldn’t be shown up on his own expedition! The ram set off into the glowing grove, swinging his net about and murmuring to himself. 

“You -- yes, you go high, and...I suppose, by process of elimination, I’m going low...!” he called over his shoulder. 

[flockwctchman]

acoveriznotthebook‌:

  Goodness me, rumours were true about sheep… They weren’t very bright, not only did he still think William was some brutal uncivilised killer, but he also freed him?

  The wolf sighed in relief as he was cut loose, having his paws touch the ground to brace for his fall. Rising to his feet, the canine patted down his jacket and clothes, dusting off the dirt and grass before straightening out his boutiner and checking if his watch was still intact.

  Finally, gaze turned back to Zico, brow raised curiously at his defensive frame and frightened look. Yes… Very stupid. However… Perhaps he could use that to his advantage, if only he could get him to trust him more, but something told him that would be rather hard.

  “ Right then, perhaps I should be on my way then,” He finally replied, turning to leave, though he had a nagging suspicion that this sheep would perhaps have some form of protest if not some curiosity that would try and get something more out of him.

Zico saw himself as the smartest of his flock -- a fact few would dispute -- but his actions were guided by more than just simple instinct. It had been generations since a substantial predator populace had threatened his people -- and, despite the warnings in his books, he had never encountered a wolf himself.

He felt threatened but capable. More certain in his skills than afraid of the stranger’s capabilities. Some of the seeds in his pouch would take advantage of that heightened sense of smell. Another was an incredible sticky, and itchy, sap in a jar. It was the main difference between Zico and his flock -- the very reason he’d set the traps that the wolf had ensnared himself.

 Proactive, not reactive. Ready for anything. Especially a wolf. 

If he was right in any regard, it was that he was curious. And he did have questions.

“Wait!” Zico called after him, “I...what does this supposed ‘group’ of yours even do...?” 

[flockwctchman]

acoveriznotthebook‌:

  What primitive and stupid creatures sheep were out here, not that they weren’t anyway, but William often thought that sheep in bigger, more exposed communities were a little more educated at least.

  The wolf huffed in annoyance, batting away the net with a paw and going to massage the space between his eyes, oh god, he could feel a headache coming along.

  “ I do not travel with wolves, a badger and a weasel are my companions- colleagues even…” He mumbled in reply to the assumption and turned his gaze back up to the sheep, oh, she he had already figured him out had he? “By all means sir, do explain to me what I am really after…”

Zico scoffed at the ridiculous alibi. A badger? A weasel? Travelling with a wolf as their companion. Preposterous. How could they sleep or relax, knowing their supposed-colleague could eat them at any moment? 

“You’re after my flock, of course! You’re a hungry wolf! Looking for some sheep...!” 

He sighed and began to undo the knots of the trap. “Don’t try anything funny...you don’t even want to know about all the stuff I have on me...” Zico murmured. He had a pack full of darts and toxins -- perfect for a wolf that might get dangerous the moment he was freed. But even Zico, as pragmatic and cynical as he was, was not cruel enough to leave this creature to die. 

If the wolf wanted to get lost than he’d let him -- he was far off from the flock, and wouldn’t be a major issue. Hopefully. With a final snip from his pair of scissors -- usually more for taking plant samples than cutting ropes -- the stranger was freed.

“There...” Zico said. His hand was on his pack; he put away the scissors but grabbed a bunch of other potential defense items. The panic in his frame was visible now, from his curled knees to the bite to his lip. “So...you’re free.” 

[flockwctchman]

lupisaries‌:

“Wh—” His exclamation was cut off with a sharp breath, attention diverted away from any potential quip when he thought he felt Zico sway above him as he slid to a stop. Reaching one arm up behind him, he caught the brunt of Zico’s weight in the crook of his arm, steadying the ram with a grip at his back, and once they’d settled to a stop beside an overgrown tree (one that had seemed indistinguishable from the rest to Grey), he used his hold to ease the researcher back onto solid ground again beside him.

As soon as he saw Zico’s hooves definitively touch the dirt, Grey spun in place and sprawled onto his back with an over-dramatic sigh, laying prone on the thick grass while he took a moment to steady his breathing again—even as his giggles made that task a little harder than it had to be.

“N-not one a'my smoothest stops, heh! I think we have to dock some points for the dismount.” Craning his neck so he could smile up at Zico, Grey then let his head flop back again, closed his eyes, and inhaled through his nose. He only took a few breaths before he sat upright again, shaking pollen and the like from his fur as he padded over to the ram.

“You alright, though?” Grey paws reflexively pulled a burr from Zico’s wool when he asked, and when he noticed a smudge on the bridge of the ram’s nose, he sniffed, wiped one hand against a cleaner patch of his own pelt, and licked his thumb, reaching in to try and rub the mark off. Nevermind that he had grass stains up to his own elbows, as well as a few petals from some unfortunate flowers in his fur—it was nothing a soak in the river wouldn’t fix, later.

“Be honest, now—scale of one to ten, how’d that compare to all the other times you’ve traveled by wolf?”

He would have been jostled clear from his seat if not for Grey’s reflexes -- it was a close enough stop that it still startled another shaky bleat from him. Zico put his shaky hooves onto the ground, scuffing them against dirt and grass as if to remind himself of his solid footing. Good. They were here. They were alive. And there was still some time left. 

“Hmm...well, it got us here quicker, so...I think I can overlook it. This time...” Zico murmured, looking more at his map than his companion. He tapped a hoof against their location. Exactly where they needed to be. The location where his research pointed. By the end of the night, he was sure, he’d have a whole new array of photos, samples, and theories to study. 

The shadow of night had settled over the forest. It was fortunate, too -- it was in the shroud of darkness that Zico saw the signs that they had reached their destination. 

It started as the faintest of glimmers -- a flash of dull violet that was almost imperceptible. If dusk hadn’t settled into early evening it probably wouldn’t have been visible at all. It grew in an instant -- all the moths seemed to react to the initial flash of color. The shadowy grove erupted into a pale glow -- violet, warm from the bodies of hundreds of the insects, left the trees and grass and stones awash with brightness. A spectacle of natural light. 

It was breathtaking. Beautiful. 

“The moths...!” Zico gasped. He shuffled in place, thoughts racing against each other, and went over his checklist. “I...wait -- no, just...” he tried to grasp his camera but it seemed to jostle with his every movement. He sighed -- flustered at his own excitement. Professional! This wasn’t some pleasure trip -- it was field research of the highest caliber! 

Finally grabbing his camera, the ram knelt down and aimed it towards the gathering. The flash was barely visible among the emanations from the insects. Good. Less of a chance of disturbing them. He took a second. Then a third. All for his collection -- reference photos for later. And proof, for naysayers back home. 

Zico turned back towards Grey, letting his camera dangle from his neck and taking his net back into his grip. “Okay. So. There are...a lot more moths than I thought there would be. Which makes our next task significantly simpler. We just need to...” he made a swooping gesture with his net, “and get them in some jars...!” 

He put a hoof on his hips and raised a brow. “This is serious now, Grey. Can I count on you...?” 

[neto-archieve-deactivated201808]

[acoveriznotthebook]

@anomalousunknown​ / @flockwctchman liked for a starter

  “ I assure you sir! I am no such feral beast as those pathetic little cave crawlers you call wolves! NO SIR! I am a lone wolf on my journey to make my fortune and merely misplaced my two colleagues and caravan! Now! If you could be so kind as to let me down!” The wolf huffed, arms crossing whilst hanging upside down in the sheep’s ‘trap’, his leg attached to an array of bells which alerted his presence.

[flockwctchman]

“Yeah? Well you sure look like one to me...!” Zico said, giving him a poke with the blunt end of his butterfly net.

 If only he had come more prepared -- the last thing he expected, on his journey into the woods, was to find a dangerous animal trapped in one of his devices. “You mean there’s a whole pack of wolves nearby?! Where are they? What do you all want? And don’t give me anymore of that ‘fortune’ or ‘caravan’ talk! I know what you’re really after--!” 

[roarballgoat]

grey for zico + that heart meme!!!

“Drop me a character name and I’ll reveal my muse’s heart…”

Zico x Grey 

VISUAL ATTRACTIVENESS: 💗💗💗💗(purely aesthetic appreciation of looks)

FRIENDSHIP LEVEL: 💗💗💗💗(how close a friend they consider them)

SEXUAL DESIRE: 💗💗💗💗(wanting to have sex with them)

ROMANTIC INTENT: 💗💗💗💗💗(hoping for a romantic relationship)

[flockwctchman]

Name one thing you like the most about Grey. It doesn't matter what it is. Oh, and no worries, I can keep a secret.

“A secret huh?” 

“Hmm...fine.I...suppose I admire the fact that he’s so positive. And personable. Everyone seems to get along with Grey -- everyone! It’s...kind of impressive, actually. N-not that that’s important to me, or anything, I’m...only saying it’s -- well. It’s a good thing. An admirable thing, even.”

[magweno]

I found these really cool mushrooms in the woods yesterday

[roarballgoat]

flockwctchman independent//selective rp blog for Zico from Sheep & Wolves. 20+ muse and mun. [ Home | About | Rules | Tags ]

follows back @anomalousunknown​

[flockwctchman]

lupisaries‌:

“…You said we just have to stay on this path, right?” A paw tapped his chin as he asked, and in the next instant he’d dropped his arm and made up his mind. Delicately handing Zico’s net back to him, Grey tipped his head left, then right, giving the sheep a quick, silent twice-over of an assessment, and then he knelt, gripped Zico under each arm, and swung him onto his back with a soft ‘hup!’

Falling onto all fours, Grey cleared his throat, shook his shoulders to settle Zico against them, and then he burst into a gallop, claws extending to dig into the soft earth underfoot and propel him faster across the forest floor. He hadn’t stopped to make sure Zico’s grip was tight, but—he figured the ram had gotten the idea. “Give a hoy when we’re close, alright?!”

“A lot of things get told orally in the flock too...” Zico explained. If there was any tension -- any perceived mockery from his companion -- than he hid it well. Or maybe he was just too focused on his mission to pay it any mind. That was always the way he was -- he gave whatever was on his mind his entire attention. A good way to deal with an issue...but sometimes it blinded him to other important factors.

It hadn’t been so long ago that Grey himself had dealt with both elements of his focus. Something almost calamitous for them both. 

“Well...it’s still something! And all information can valuable, especially in the first stages of research. I’ll take it all into account...” 

“Uh. Yes...?” 

Zico gave a startled BLEAT as he was hefted upward, his natural instincts going haywire. He settled just as quickly, blinking and assessing the situation, and shook his head. A laugh left him. He wrapped his shaky arms about what he could reach, hugging close to the other, and nodded. 

“I-it shouldn’t take long -- not if...if we’re moving like this...!” Zico answered. It was uncanny to see Grey move on all fours; the flock only did so, usually, in ceremonies and sports. But the wolf below him moved with incredible grace -- with a comfort and confidence he rarely saw outside of competition. 

The reminder of Grey’s lupine nature -- what he would have been so afraid of once -- was...strangely exciting. Interesting, certainly. Handy, too -- they were making great time. He tapped his hooves alone the shaft of his net. They’d make up for all the time he’d lost -- time he’d wasted -- back at home.

He gave a few suggestions as they moved, directing Grey here and there along the path. The map bounced in his grip -- luckily he knew almost everywhere nearby. “And...right here!” he shouted from atop him, “Stop, stop!” 

[flockwctchman]

rabbitofthesight‌:

  Fiver’s ears perked, a happy wiggle of his tail following. Perhaps Hazel would even be proud of him for taking his initiative and trying to form bonds with other villages and peoples. It would give others a chance to call him something other than the coward and the jumpy bunny.

  “ Very well! Please, come with me!” He hopped to one side, as if to lead the way. “My name is Fiver by the way.”

The journey was almost as interesting as the ends he hoped to gain. Communication with a rabbit -- creatures that were often so skittish that he had no chance to speak. It was amazing that he found one so willing to cooperate with a stranger.

“It’s nice to meet you Fiver. I’m Zico...” the ram introduced, offering a soft smile and following his steps. 

[flockwctchman]

lupisaries‌:

Even though Zico took the lead, Grey fell into step beside him within a few bounds, as soon as he’d stopped lagging behind to brush some of the wind chimes on the ram’s front porch. Once he was beside him, though, it became harder to keep pace—not because Zico was walking too fast, though the ram was marching along at a decent clip—but because he had to keep shortening his strides to match him. Grey turned his gaze to his feet, quiet for a time as he concentrated on finding his rhythm, and when he looked up again he glanced sidelong at the self-made scientist and licked his lips, drumming his fingers along the handle of the net in a silent fidget before he ventured, “How’d you learn about these moths, anyway? Was it from reading the catalog, or had some other sheep in town seen them before?”

“Because, well—Magra talked about them, once.” It must have been the last time the moths had migrated to the region, he realized. A few years felt like a lifetime ago. Not wanting to get lost in that thought, Grey pushed forward, rubbing his chin with his paw as he scrounged around his head for what vague memories he had of that conversation, “I think—I think he said they had something to do with how the rainy season will go for the upcoming year. Is that—that what your book said, too?”

“Well, I’ve only seen illustrations, so...I can’t confirm or deny what they look like in action. But...yes, I think they will be...” Zico said. He was so focused on the scientific elements of the moths that he had barely stopped to consider their beauty. A light of vibrant purpose. A bright glimmer in a sea of shadows.

The ram smiled faintly. It would be incredible. 

He adjusted his hat. Time to focus. The hike wasn’t difficult or too long, but it did require him to use one of his many maps. He’d committed a great deal of it to memory -- as he did most things -- but this mission was too important to risk on his own recollection. 

“Let’s see...” he hummed, “We should be there soon enough. As long as we keep on this path, and there’s no downed trees or weather problems, it’ll only be a short while...”

There were the birds and the insects chiming in with their natural sounds, but nothing came from Zico himself. He glanced from the map to the road, back again, and, occasionally, over his shoulder towards Grey. He didn’t say anything until he was addressed -- he’d never been good at small talk. 

"Well, I read a lot, as I’m sure you know. I have plenty of notes -- and a lot comes from natural observation, too. Sometimes I’m lucky enough to come by some records left by another researcher...though those are usually out of date. Terribly so. I...like to update them, when I can.”

It was one of those very outdated journals that had had gotten his initial findings on wolves; better not to mention that now, when they’d work together on something.

Zico blinked. Then he blinked again. He turned and faced Grey completely -- stopping his steps, ignoring his own demands to keep moving. “What...?” he said quietly. “It -- someone said that? I...that’s aligned with a potential theory I’d considered before but...”

He smiled. “That...that could make for some fascinating research! B-but -- but, it just means we’ll need some live specimens that much more. The mission is now that much more important!”