Outside: Grass touch place

[Morty]

[Ruins]

"Can't say I have. Back home there's a race of people who look like really big humans and can turn part animal. But they do it voluntarily." Thariza looks between Atreyu's tail and the cigarette. "Don't mind me, but what are you taking a break from exactly?"

[Shadowcaller]

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"...huh, yeah." May squints, following Obriane's guidance - and notices a growing silence to the woods around them with it. "I guess we're not the only hunter out here, huh?"

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"Predator, not hunter. But that's not all. Take a closer look." Obriane will take out a pair of minibioculars from one of the pockets of her vest and hand it to May.
If she looks at the eagle through it she will notice that there's something peculiar with this one.

While it otherwise appear like a large golden eagle has a second, much smaller, set of wings apart from its first one.

"I've seen it around here more than a couple of times and it always reminds me of Atsede. I always forget to mention it whenever I see her though." She says as she puts her hand on May's shoulder while she looks through the binoculars.

[Arkhosia]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"Predator, not hunter. But that's not all. Take a closer look." Obriane will take out a pair of minibioculars from one of the pockets of her vest and hand it to May.
If she looks at the eagle through it she will notice that there's something peculiar with this one.

While it otherwise appear like a large golden eagle has a second, much smaller, set of wings apart from its first one.

"I've seen it around here more than a couple of times and it always reminds me of Atsede. I always forget to mention it whenever I see her though." She says as she puts her hand on May's shoulder while she looks through the binoculars.

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

Right. Predator, not hunter. Not that May had really internalized the distinction yet. Both terms were still murderers, weren't they? Just like she was. "It does! That's funny." May finishes peering, then hands the binoculars back to Obriane. "I don't think I've ever seen that before. Um, aside from Atsede, I mean." A pause. "D'you think she'd like hiking?"

[quillpleasant]

Run Rabbit Run

Harley hasn't been a rabbit in a long time. In the intervening years he's ascended to godhood, turned evil, lost his divinity, and started on the long path of redemption. But there are some traits from his past as a woodland animal that have remained consistent despite all these changes. His great enjoyment of lettuce. A tendency to stomp the ground when he's frustrated. And a love of running in the woods.

It's this last activity that he's currently engaged in. After all the quests he's done recently, and particularly the rather emotionally wrought yuan ti encounter, Harley is in need of something to clear his head. So this morning he's running through the mountain woods outside of GLOG headquarters.

Eschewing the path, Harley darts between trees, sure footed as he navigates the rocky terrain. He doesn't need a flat surface- he's very fast and nimble. And there's something about speeding through nature without a set destination in mind that really helps get his thoughts in order.

Entering a small clearing in the woods, Harley stops for a break, breathing lightly through his nose. It's nice to know that whatever happens with his stupid mask, and his curse, and Raheeda, that at least he'll always have the empty woods to go back to.

If they are empty. Ever alert, Harley absently tilts his head to one side, listening. Just in case.

[Shadowcaller]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

Right. Predator, not hunter. Not that May had really internalized the distinction yet. Both terms were still murderers, weren't they? Just like she was. "It does! That's funny." May finishes peering, then hands the binoculars back to Obriane. "I don't think I've ever seen that before. Um, aside from Atsede, I mean." A pause. "D'you think she'd like hiking?"

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

Obriane let's out a soft chuckle. "Maybe? I'm not sure if I'm the best judge for that sort of thing. I grew up in a small town in the middle of the great north so I didn't have much experience with city kids like you."

She gives May's shoulder a light squeeze. "But we could try to take her along next time we're doing this. Maybe Eliseo too at some point." Obriane smiles at that thought. "Then you could impress him with all your survival skills."

[Ironsmith]

Run Rabbit Run

Harley hasn't been a rabbit in a long time. In the intervening years he's ascended to godhood, turned evil, lost his divinity, and started on the long path of redemption. But there are some traits from his past as a woodland animal that have remained consistent despite all these changes. His great enjoyment of lettuce. A tendency to stomp the ground when he's frustrated. And a love of running in the woods.

It's this last activity that he's currently engaged in. After all the quests he's done recently, and particularly the rather emotionally wrought yuan ti encounter, Harley is in need of something to clear his head. So this morning he's running through the mountain woods outside of GLOG headquarters.

Eschewing the path, Harley darts between trees, sure footed as he navigates the rocky terrain. He doesn't need a flat surface- he's very fast and nimble. And there's something about speeding through nature without a set destination in mind that really helps get his thoughts in order.

Entering a small clearing in the woods, Harley stops for a break, breathing lightly through his nose. It's nice to know that whatever happens with his stupid mask, and his curse, and Raheeda, that at least he'll always have the empty woods to go back to.

If they are empty. Ever alert, Harley absently tilts his head to one side, listening. Just in case.

[Run Rabbit Run]

The clearing is, of course, empty.

In fact, as Harley looks around, he might just become aware of how empty. Not just in the sense that there's nobody here with him; somehow that doesn't seem entirely true, even though there isn't anybody here. Rather, there's not even the things here that he would expect to hear; no birdsong, no quiet rustle of leaves in the wind, or for that matter, any wind at all.

Just an inviolable silence and emptiness in this clearing he's chosen to rest in.

But, if in his looking around, he's noticing anything in his peripheral vision, just out of the corner of his eye, he might see her. A girl, or perhaps more accurately a young woman, sitting on a nearby fallen log. The details of her appearance are hard to make out; flashes of red and black, the outline of wings, and the vague suggestion of either messy hair or horns, if not both.

But once spotted, traces of her seem to appear from nowhere. Her shadow falls in line with that of the log, something that can be watched even as she herself remains just out of view. And her voice can be heard once he knows to listen for it; a dour, melancholic thing that nevertheless seems to be preoccupied with singing.

"Never did, as you should, and you claimed it was all for our very own good. Twas a lie, a magnificent lie, now your subjects have turned on you. And you say, you have lots on your mind, well, we'll take care of that for you..."

[Arkhosia]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

Obriane let's out a soft chuckle. "Maybe? I'm not sure if I'm the best judge for that sort of thing. I grew up in a small town in the middle of the great north so I didn't have much experience with city kids like you."

She gives May's shoulder a light squeeze. "But we could try to take her along next time we're doing this. Maybe Eliseo too at some point." Obriane smiles at that thought. "Then you could impress him with all your survival skills."

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"Oh!" May blinks. "I uh, didn't know that." There's a lot about her parents' backgrounds she doesn't know about, really, now that she thinks of it. "My mom said they used to live in a place like that when I was very young, but I've only really known city life."

"And, um, yeah. That'd be nice." May smiles a little dreamily at the thought, her mind already drifting to various romantic hypotheticals and the general joy of spending time with both of them. It's been a while since she and Eliseo hung out with Atsede, too.

[Shadowcaller]

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"I think so. In fact, perhaps I could take all three of you on a little camping trip someday. Just over a weekend." Obriane muses idly. Sounds like something she would enjoy as well.

"But, uh, what else do you see if you look around, May? Any other tracks or signs of animal activity?" They're a fair bit deeper into the forest now so the vegetation is a bit different. The underbrush thicker and the trees are standing closer together.

[quillpleasant]

[Run Rabbit Run]

The clearing is, of course, empty.

In fact, as Harley looks around, he might just become aware of how empty. Not just in the sense that there's nobody here with him; somehow that doesn't seem entirely true, even though there isn't anybody here. Rather, there's not even the things here that he would expect to hear; no birdsong, no quiet rustle of leaves in the wind, or for that matter, any wind at all.

Just an inviolable silence and emptiness in this clearing he's chosen to rest in.

But, if in his looking around, he's noticing anything in his peripheral vision, just out of the corner of his eye, he might see her. A girl, or perhaps more accurately a young woman, sitting on a nearby fallen log. The details of her appearance are hard to make out; flashes of red and black, the outline of wings, and the vague suggestion of either messy hair or horns, if not both.

But once spotted, traces of her seem to appear from nowhere. Her shadow falls in line with that of the log, something that can be watched even as she herself remains just out of view. And her voice can be heard once he knows to listen for it; a dour, melancholic thing that nevertheless seems to be preoccupied with singing.

"Never did, as you should, and you claimed it was all for our very own good. Twas a lie, a magnificent lie, now your subjects have turned on you. And you say, you have lots on your mind, well, we'll take care of that for you..."

Run Rabbit Run

Nothing like a completely silent forest to get your hackles raised. Harley glances around the clearing with increasing nervousness. Something unnatural is afoot, and he doesn't like it. He's about to leave well enough alone and sprint away from this place when-

He sees her. A winged girl that he can't fully observe. Blinking rapidly, Harley studies the area around her, just making out flashes- but enough flashes to be sure that it isn't just in his head.

Still, he almost runs. The whole situation puts him in mind of the sirens on his world, whose voices would lure people off clifftops or into the lairs of wild beasts. Harley even helped them do it sometimes, back when he was more Trickster than human. But this doesn't seem like that kind of situation, since he's not being compelled. In fact, every instinct in him is screaming to leave.

Which is exactly why he doesn't.

Waiting for a moment's break in the song, Harley calls out, his voice low and nonthreatening. "Greetings! I heard your singing, it's lovely." His hands are open by his sides, making it clear that he doesn't have any weaponry- and dressed in simple loose fitting gray clothes, it's not like he could conceal much either.

[Arkhosia]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"I think so. In fact, perhaps I could take all three of you on a little camping trip someday. Just over a weekend." Obriane muses idly. Sounds like something she would enjoy as well.

"But, uh, what else do you see if you look around, May? Any other tracks or signs of animal activity?" They're a fair bit deeper into the forest now so the vegetation is a bit different. The underbrush thicker and the trees are standing closer together.

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"That'd be great!" May lights up at the suggestion. "I could talk to the two of them about it!" After everything, she can't help but imagine that they'd benefit from some time to get away from it all, physically and mentally. And it's really hard to shake the thought of getting to head out into the wilderness and gaze up at the night stars with both of them.

At Obriane's direction, May shifts her focus out of idle fantasies and back to the world around her. She squints into the brush, thinking. "Hm, I guess... those aren't tracks, are there?" A quick gestures indicates a few quick indentations into the forest floor, which a more trained eye might be able to identify with further clarity.

[Shadowcaller]

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

Obriane grins. "Glad you like the idea. I will talk to Kitty about it then. You want me to mention it to their parents to or do you want them to take care of that?" She inquires before turning her attention to the tracks May pointed out.

Her eyes widen as she carefully knees down in front of the tracks. "Ohh, what is this?" She carefully brushes away some nearby leaves to reveal droppings on the ground. Obriane then peers closer. Close enough to experimentally poke it.

May can tell there's a little bone and some fur sticking out of the small oval shaped pieces of excrement.

She soon turns back to May with her yellow eyes practically shining. "I never seen these so far south, or this close to a settlement before." She let's out a warm laugh before pausing dramatically.

"It's wolverine droppings. One was definitively here not too long ago. Have you ever seen one, May? Most people have never even seen their tracks."

[Ironsmith]

Run Rabbit Run

Nothing like a completely silent forest to get your hackles raised. Harley glances around the clearing with increasing nervousness. Something unnatural is afoot, and he doesn't like it. He's about to leave well enough alone and sprint away from this place when-

He sees her. A winged girl that he can't fully observe. Blinking rapidly, Harley studies the area around her, just making out flashes- but enough flashes to be sure that it isn't just in his head.

Still, he almost runs. The whole situation puts him in mind of the sirens on his world, whose voices would lure people off clifftops or into the lairs of wild beasts. Harley even helped them do it sometimes, back when he was more Trickster than human. But this doesn't seem like that kind of situation, since he's not being compelled. In fact, every instinct in him is screaming to leave.

Which is exactly why he doesn't.

Waiting for a moment's break in the song, Harley calls out, his voice low and nonthreatening. "Greetings! I heard your singing, it's lovely." His hands are open by his sides, making it clear that he doesn't have any weaponry- and dressed in simple loose fitting gray clothes, it's not like he could conceal much either.

[Run Rabbit Run]

And of course, the moment Harley comments on it, the singing stops. There's the sound of shuffling on the log, and her shadow shows her turning, no longer singing to the empty glade, but rather, staring directly at him.

"...Do you think it's funny, mocking me like that?" The hidden woman asks. Despite the overt hostility in her words, she doesn't sound angry exactly... there's a sense of resignation in her voice, like she knows Harley is here to make fun of her and she can't do anything about it. "I'm hideous. Nothing about me is lovely. I can see it from here, you're scared of me. Scared of that crazy girl who can't shut her ugly face and that scratch, scratch, scratchy voice of hers. Can't rise above that, no, no, stay on the bottom where you belong, trash."

[Arkhosia]

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

Obriane grins. "Glad you like the idea. I will talk to Kitty about it then. You want me to mention it to their parents to or do you want them to take care of that?" She inquires before turning her attention to the tracks May pointed out.

Her eyes widen as she carefully knees down in front of the tracks. "Ohh, what is this?" She carefully brushes away some nearby leaves to reveal droppings on the ground. Obriane then peers closer. Close enough to experimentally poke it.

May can tell there's a little bone and some fur sticking out of the small oval shaped pieces of excrement.

She soon turns back to May with her yellow eyes practically shining. "I never seen these so far south, or this close to a settlement before." She let's out a warm laugh before pausing dramatically.

"It's wolverine droppings. One was definitively here not too long ago. Have you ever seen one, May? Most people have never even seen their tracks."

May follows Obriane's lead, kneeling to examine alongside her... and then wrinkling her nose when her discovery is revealed. Ew! And there's bones in there, too. Some poor mouse or something? She tries to hide that reaction once she realizes how excited her mom seems to be about it, though.

"Wolverine? No, definitely not." May shakes her head, a little astounded. What was a creature like that doing out here? She didn't know much about them, but she'd have thought the climate was way too warm around here.

[Shadowcaller]

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"Well, maybe you could get your chance today. They're magnificent animals." Obriane gets up and gestures to the north west. "It did go that way, let's try to follow it and see if we can spot it. Wouldn't that be amazing for your first trip?"

She gestures for May to follow as she starts moving in the direction she just pointed out. But she doesn't go far before she has a peculiar question. "May, erm, how exactly does your fox-form work? Is it the same way as Kitty's?"

[Zefir]

[Riftline] (Or rather, Caldas Da Rainha)

9-tailed foxes luring men away to drain their lifeforce does sound very plausible.
Luckily, Violeta has fewer tails than nine, so she's safe to be around.

To be honest, AMEN wasn't really active this far out, in this town. And, besides, their daughter trusts him, which says a lot to them. Although the grandfather does recognize AMEN from the news, he just assumes Zefir must be a common name and that Zefir might get annoyed if someone points out that he has the same name as someone so infamous like a leader od AMEN.

Violeta continues holding her daughter's hand and looks up at Zefir as he grabs the air. She starts to wonder what, exactly, he means by 'hitting it' but doesn't want to interrupt him with a question.

The only notable weird thing about the blood is the magic in it (fun fact! The blood is magical enough that if he keeps some he could probably sell it for quite a bit of money. Or it could be used as a reagent for magic. Or, it could very easily be altered into an explosive potion or something ltije that).

Violeta does her best to keep her child calm and still,
and
after the procedure is finished, the child's fever has conpletely vanished! And the child has fallen asleep, too.

Seeing that her daughter is safe -at least for the next 2-3 years, which gives her more time to find a real cure- Violeta visibly relaxes and cries from happiness. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, you're a -"
She cuts herself off (she was about to say "you're a godsend") when she remembers Zefir's opinion on gods.
She instead says, "You're amazing. I owe you so much." Through her tears, she manages to say, "I'll do anything for you if it's something I can do."

[Riftline] (Or rather, Caldas Da Rainha)

Yeah, or rather she is safe because she isn't a luring 9-tails. Zefir would not hesitate to end her especially if he would get hit by charm spells.

It's still a hughe trust if you think about how much they know of each other, but the whole thing hit Zefir at his weak spots. First of antopomorth woman and second kid herassed by magic.

Zefir isn't a guy going for magic ingredients, but a potentiol fule for a bomb is another topic. TOTALLY DIFFERENT TOPIC! Still Violeta might need a sample of this blood for whoever researches the curse.

After the process and after it's clear the kid is safe Zefir cleans up the devices and tools like a professional. It might seem a bit cold, but those things need to be clean immediatly. Having donated the blood Zefir is a bit dizzy. He does draw from his blood regulary as it makes a very good component for anti magic weapons.

"I can't tell you for how long this will calm the curse." he says in a seriouse voice. "There is nothing I could ask for, but you better not offer anything. I met quiet a few people who would be eager to test out your limits. And your jorney just begins

[quillpleasant]

[Run Rabbit Run]

And of course, the moment Harley comments on it, the singing stops. There's the sound of shuffling on the log, and her shadow shows her turning, no longer singing to the empty glade, but rather, staring directly at him.

"...Do you think it's funny, mocking me like that?" The hidden woman asks. Despite the overt hostility in her words, she doesn't sound angry exactly... there's a sense of resignation in her voice, like she knows Harley is here to make fun of her and she can't do anything about it. "I'm hideous. Nothing about me is lovely. I can see it from here, you're scared of me. Scared of that crazy girl who can't shut her ugly face and that scratch, scratch, scratchy voice of hers. Can't rise above that, no, no, stay on the bottom where you belong, trash."

Run Rabbit Run

Harley blinks, both out of confusion and out of the inherent difficulty of talking to someone he can't quite perceive. But it sounds like she has some serious self esteem issues, which he can relate to. Supernatural or not, hurting is hurting.

"I'm not mocking you, cross my heart. Admittedly, I'm nervous, but that's nothing to do with you specifically, I'm just kind of a nervous guy?" Especially now that he's got some stuff to lose.

He spreads his arms wide in a shrug. "But yeah, I'm not scared of you, and I certainly don't think you're, uh, hideous. I mean, I'm the one with the freaky mask. Could be anything under here. Might have four eyes or snaggleteeth or something." He raps against the side of his rabbit mask, making a muted metallic sound. "But the point is that it doesn't matter, because only, uh, assholes make fun of people for stuff like that."

Harley has no idea if this tack is remotely going to work, but if someone's bad mouthing themself, it's kind of his duty to try to argue against it.

[Ironsmith]

[Run Rabbit Run]

"Then there are assholes everywhere!" The shadow's jaw snaps so hard there's an audible clacking of teeth ramming into each other. "They think I don't hear them, but I do! She's too tall, too small, too thin, wrong skin, too flat, too fat, vile and in denial, wrong for seeing, wrong for being!"

The shadow stands, looming over the clearing like an overhanging cloud. "And what can I say? Nothing! Can't play fair in turnabout, can we? No, no no, no, that would be unseemly. Instead we wallow, wallow! Try to force a smile hollow!"

The figure clutches something to her chest; small, green, maybe about the size of an apple. "We'll set it right all the same. So right, there will be nothing left. Then they'll know better than to talk to... to..."

The figure's shoulders droop, and whatever words she was going to say die away into a long, breathy sound, somewhere between a sigh and a yawn. Despite her continuing to stand over Harley, there's almost no energy in her; if he hadn't seen and heard her just now, he might ha e mistaken her for an old, dead tree.

[quillpleasant]

Run Rabbit Run

Oh geez. Whatever this lady is planning with that green whatever it is, it can't be good. Harley understands revenge well. Well enough to know that innocents are often caught in the crossfire.

And there's something going on with the way he can't see her, her lack of energy, the horns- some supernatural weirdness that Harley doesn't have any knowledge on. This is complicated for many reasons. What would Raheeda do?

Well, she'd probably ask some blunt, kindly questions to try to get them talking before anything drastic. That seems like a good start.

"Those guys do sound like asshole! But hey, if you're going to go make them regret it, an hour or so won't matter, right? Why don't you tell me more about what's going on first? I don't think you're wrong, so no judgements here. Plus, I'm a good listener. On account of the ears." He peers concernedly at the 'tree'. "Are you okay? I mean, dumb question, you're not. But, uh, is something draining or hurting you right now?"

[Ironsmith]

[Run Rabbit Run]

There's not an immediate response. The shadow simply continues to stand over him limply, before jolting slightly and standing upright again.

"...Ooouagh." The hidden figure moans. "Been trapped... trapped for so long..." She whispers, as though expecting someone to overhear. "...Where do you suppose it all goes, all the muck washed off the streets by the rain?"

The figure leans in, hot breath rolling onto Harley's face as she continues. "...More hurts me than does not." She says, flashing frames of pointed teeth. "Caught between the queen and her jester, and bloodied by their knight. Nothing to do with me but beatings and demands."

[Arkhosia]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"Well, maybe you could get your chance today. They're magnificent animals." Obriane gets up and gestures to the north west. "It did go that way, let's try to follow it and see if we can spot it. Wouldn't that be amazing for your first trip?"

She gestures for May to follow as she starts moving in the direction she just pointed out. But she doesn't go far before she has a peculiar question. "May, erm, how exactly does your fox-form work? Is it the same way as Kitty's?"

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

At first, May hesitates. Weren't wolverines, like, dangerous? But then again, it's not like Obriane isn't capable. She's her mom - she'll be safe as long as she's with her, won't she? And besides, you're being a baby. Go have a little adventure, dumbass. It'll be good for you.

"Hm? Um - I dunno, it just... works, I guess?" May shrugs, not quite sure how to explain something that feels instinctual. "Its like a gut reaction, most of the time. I don't really assume it much. I dunno how well it'll work now that Ive got that bracelet though."

[Shadowcaller]

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

Obriane stops, looking over at May. "Oh, the bracelet would suppress that too? Guess that makes sense. But the reason I was asking was that you probably could get a lot closer to the wolverine as a fox." And May hadn't really answered her question but it felt too awkward to get a clarification.

A beat.

"Erm, if you wanted to of course. But they're really spectacular animals." Obriane looks a bit more hesitant now as she's getting the idea that May might not be as excited about the wolverine as she is. "And we would keep a safe distance of course."

[General Shrimp]

[Ruins]

"Can't say I have. Back home there's a race of people who look like really big humans and can turn part animal. But they do it voluntarily." Thariza looks between Atreyu's tail and the cigarette. "Don't mind me, but what are you taking a break from exactly?"

Ruins

Atreyu reaches down habitually to dig in his pockets for something, then glances down and remembers he's not wearing his jacket right now, shrugs, clicks his fingers to produce a tiny flame and lights the cigarette, leaning back and taking a deep draw from it, then slowly exhaling a small cloud of pink smoke. As the smoke begins to disperse over the area, Thariza will likely pick up on a pleasant floral scent, and may find a subtle, gentle feeling of contentedness passing over her, if she's susceptible to such things.

"Ah, well, folks who keep the curse under control can transform at will. I guess ya could consider me somethin' of an expert in teachin' others like me ta control their curse. 'Course, I was born this way, so I got a free pass. Reckon ya could say I lead somethin' of a charmed life. Or maybe an extra-cursed one, depenin' on how ya look at it." By way of answer to her question, he gestures to a small cluster of assorted cuttings he's taken from the surrounding plants. "Just a break from collectin' samples. Nothin' much."

[quillpleasant]

[Run Rabbit Run]

There's not an immediate response. The shadow simply continues to stand over him limply, before jolting slightly and standing upright again.

"...Ooouagh." The hidden figure moans. "Been trapped... trapped for so long..." She whispers, as though expecting someone to overhear. "...Where do you suppose it all goes, all the muck washed off the streets by the rain?"

The figure leans in, hot breath rolling onto Harley's face as she continues. "...More hurts me than does not." She says, flashing frames of pointed teeth. "Caught between the queen and her jester, and bloodied by their knight. Nothing to do with me but beatings and demands."

Run Rabbit Run

...huh.

Harley can't say that he actually knows what she's talking about. It's not clear how much of this is relevant, and how much is delirious word salad. But what's clear is that she's in some sort of pain brought about by other people. Unphased by the teeth and proximity, he nods slowly.

"Trapped, huh? And they beat you? I've been there," says Harley sympathetically, "Before I came to this land I was an outcast, shunned by all and whipped bloody whenever I healed. So yeah, I know at least a little of what you're going through."

He strokes the exposed half of his chin. "Are you still trapped? Or can you leave those people behind, the queen and everyone? I can help you find a place where people won't hurt you anymore."

[Ironsmith]

[Run Rabbit Run]

"...Oouagh."

The figure's shadow recedes, down to a more reasonable size, once again sitting limply on the log.

"You don't know. You wouldn't ask if you knew." She mutters. "The jail between the bars, the dark between the stars, that place which is ours. There is nowhere else to be, nowhere else to go." She inhales sharply, shuddering breaths rattling throughout the clearing.

The figure's hands clench around her chest again. "I am the queen!" She screams suddenly, standing up again. "And you will bow! All of you! Each and every last one of you sorry ingrates! I give and I give and I give and I give and I give and I give! And yet you throw me out?! Throw me away like trash! Like filth, like muck! No!"

The log is hurled across the clearing, smashing against the other trees, sending a rain of splinters down the path Harley just came from and a shower of loose leaves down around him.

"...Why don't you love me?" The shadow sobs, burying her face in her hands.

[Meowmai]

► SHOW SPOILER

[For Whom the Bell Gnolls]

Destruction rains down from on high atop the fort and soon it reacts like a kicked ant-hill. The front gates open up and no fewer than three dozen gnolls come pouring out. It isn't the most daunting brand of raiders ever seen. Chances are most of them are off raiding the surrounding villages. These are just the ones that stayed home or have recently clawed their way out of the pit at the bottom of the mine. It'll take some time for them to reach the pair of angels doing the shelling but they are DEFINITELY heading straight for them.

Thankfully it doesn't look like any of the super gnolls are about.

That's probably for the best.

The main upside here is that this leaves the fort itself relatively unguarded.

"I think I can do a goat impression," Khannie says as she eyes craggy stones that separate the adventurers from the meandering path that leads deeper into the gaping maw of the pit. With careful poise, she begins placing one hoof in front of the other and climbing the near vertical rock face with relatively little difficulty.

See.

It turns out that equestrian unicorns lived in mountains where they could be closer to the stars. Their hooves are rather well adjusted for navigating improbably inclined surfaces.

Once our heroes have passed the steep cliff face they'll have a pretty easy descent down the trail that leads to the bottom of the mine. From here they'll be able to make our a sickly purple glow that leaves the onlooker feeling vaguely violated just gazing upon it. No doubt that's the rift that's causing all the trouble.

[For Whom The Bell Gnolls]

Yes! It's working! They're drawing the gnolls toward their position.

...Oh.

Shit.

They're drawing the gnolls toward their position.

Now, Octavia gave him an invocation to use if the gnolls got too close. He remembers that part. He does not, however, remember what that invocation is, and this doesn't seem like the sort of circumstances where he can calmly search his memory for it.

No, he's going to have to work with what he has now.

Blank turns and fires the next barrage at a much lower, steeper arc, hoping to catch at least one of the gnolls before they get into minimum safe range. He's probably cutting it close as it is.

For Whom the Bell Gnolls

Octavia is quite pleased with the result of their artillery. For all their ferocity, these beasts can't compete with the power of technology!

And heavy explosives. Those are pretty effective too.

But now to deal with the approaching gnolls. The angel isn't worried- as long as there's no gnoll variants, she feels quite able to take on even dozens of the beasts. Perhaps it's overconfidence, but she is a teen, after all. And she has Blank to help, who seems to be increasing in confidence. That close range shot was nice!

Still, that doesn't mean it'll be easy. Firing off a last shell towards the nest, Octavia leans forward, shouldering her cannon. -follow my lead!- she says to Blank cheerfully, -Daybreak Spear Sanctifies The Monstrous!-

Octavia's cannon transforms, becoming a long golden spear with a spiky cross guard just under the blade- perfect for dealing with charging enemies. As she swings it through the air it leaves a trail of burning energy behind it, a substance that will stick to and burn creatures of evil intent.

It's a fairly easy weapon to use, and the range makes melee a little safer, so she's hoping it'll be good for Blank. Who doesn't love a good spear after all?

[For Whom The Bell Gnolls]

Ah. That'll pay her once again to judge based off appearances and common conception. Really, she should be better at this, she of all people!

Ginger is a little slower than Khannie, but she nonetheless scales the wall without too much trouble, sheathing her sword into extra-dimensional space before beginning to climb. She might not have the climbing experience, but she has a lot of strength and endurance alike- and Khannie's illusions keep any other gnolls from being alerted on the occasions she momentarily lost her grip.

As the move deeper, and the light comes into view, Ginger clutches her symbol of her Goddess. She looks uneasy. "This feels... wrong. I don't like it." The kholo doesn't hesitate despite her aversion though, continuing to follow Khannie- although she draws her sword again, and keeps it ready.

[Morty]

[Ruins]

Thariza's nose twitches as the scent reaches her. Her mood lifts for reasons she can't place. In fact she doesn't even really consciously notice it.

"If you're here to collect plants and I'm here to collect..." She pulls a list out of her pocket and consults it. "Pottery and tools, then I guess we won't get in each other's way. Or maybe even help each other. But what do you look like when you're not a big, impressive wolf-man?"

[General Shrimp]

Ruins

"Shoppin' trip, eh?" Atreyu smiles softly, inhaling deeply. "Reckon I can lend ya a hand. Ain't been really payin' attention to pottery n' tools, mind, but I'm pretty good at diggin'." Just point the wolfman at the buried treasure, Thariza. He'll dig it up for ya! "When I ain't a big impressive wolf-man, I'm a much less big but maybe still impressive man-man." He answers with a chuckle. "So what about you? What makes a Charr a Charr?"

[Arkhosia]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

Obriane stops, looking over at May. "Oh, the bracelet would suppress that too? Guess that makes sense. But the reason I was asking was that you probably could get a lot closer to the wolverine as a fox." And May hadn't really answered her question but it felt too awkward to get a clarification.

A beat.

"Erm, if you wanted to of course. But they're really spectacular animals." Obriane looks a bit more hesitant now as she's getting the idea that May might not be as excited about the wolverine as she is. "And we would keep a safe distance of course."

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"I mean - I haven't tried it," May admits, "but that could work, yeah. And if anything bad happens, like - turning back will probably scare it away anyways, right?" Plus, she'd have Obriane there too. It's not like the risk would be too bad with her looking out for her.

[Shadowcaller]

[Fox Hunt - Remixed]

"Yes, they're shy with people. To see traces of one so close to a settlement is nothing short of a miracle. So it will run away as soon as it gets a whiff of us." Obriane explains as she glances in the direction they were walking. The direction of the wolverine.

"So the idea is get close enough to get a glimpse of it before it does that. If it's still around of course." The droppings were recent so it had to be.
She looks back, meeting May's eyes. "Don't feel like you need to prove anything to me though, May. I just figured it'd be cool to see. Something to tell Kitty when we get back home." Maybe Annie would find it impressive at least...

[Halae]

[Damundra Canyon]

As they start moving forward, going especially slowly since Thariza is forced to keep up the rear, Emily will suddenly feel that her next step seems to be out right out into nothing. While her eyes tell her there's nothing but solid ground, her feet tells quite the different story. If she had been moving any faster she would have walked right out into nothing for sure.

That's when the three clouds of dust appear behind them and from within those there's a flurry of movement as a group of small figures aim to dash right into them. Possibly toppling the two into the hidden hole in front of Emily.

[Damundra Canyon]

"What in the- look out!" Thariza hunkers down, putting her shield up as a field of force shimmers around it. It will briefly block attacks directed towards her - not for long, but maybe enough to stop the charge.

[Damundra Canyon]

The nice thing about long, thick, muscular tails is that they can be used for balance, even more so than the kinds of tails that cats have, because they allow you to rapidly change your balance. That isn't to say that Emily doesn't stagger back, almost having fallen in, but a motion of the tail does save her from falling into the pit that her senses hadn't told her was there.

She's only a little off-balance when the little creatures arrive, but Thariza's warning saves her from the ambush's worst aspect. So, she controls her sword, and holds it out in front of her, intent on warding off any of the little bastards that come too close.