Sorry for my absence. I have been in bed with the flu. I should be able to have a post up tomorrow. Please bot me as necessary
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”Well, if’n that ain't one a the nastiest things I ever saw,” Leo peered into the open egg even as his face scrunched in disgust. He nodded in response to Lemnis’ suggestion,
.....was that an Alien reference?!
Leo had once known a young gnomish girl whose favorite pastime had been burning her enemies with flames she shot from her open palms. She had been too... excitable for their work and had to be kicked from the camp. Looking into the sack, Leo found himself wishing the crazy gnome was with them. He nodded in agreement with Andelis, "That's what I was thinkin' too. And that don't sit right."
Leo nodded in agreement with Lemnis, ”I'ma be helpin' ya out, Professor." He paused and looked at the others, "I think some of us need ta grab Oleg while we're at it. No sense in makin’ two trips.”
Leo slipped the machete back into its sheath, the handle clacking against the wooden sheath. He struggled to find something to say to Gideon, a reassurance that the world was a big place and there were far weirder things in it than a person with a self-rearranging face. He settled on a grunt and a nod. ———— Considering the matter with Gideon settled, the graying half-elf motioned over his shoulder in the direction of where he hid Svetlana. ”We oughtta secure th’ other one too. Don't need it runnin’ off. An' I don't exactly wanna see what happens if'n one does get ta 'act.'”
Leo sat up with one foot on the ground and, with one hand on his knee, braced himself to get his second foot underneath. ”All ya'll okay?” Leo plucked his machete from the dirt. ”Sound off if’n you're dead or dieing.” He flicked a bit of something from his shoulder and looked around at the group before settling on Karlak. That kid's somethin’ else alright.
Man, kids and germs, huh? My niece and nephew stayed over Friday night and my wife has been sick since.
Common and elven. Maybe Leo can pick up a language or two along the way.
Leo dropped the machete, knowing he'd never be able to hit Isen with it from where he stood. He...
If I can use my action to aid someone else with their save: dove for the ground.
... shoved Mama Cas to the side as he
Leo’s eyes widened as he saw that which Andelis was referring. ”By Erastil's antlers…” he muttered and drew his machete from it's wooden sheath. He took a step forward in order to see just a little more clearly. ”I'ma hafta agree with the Professor,” he nodded toward Lemnis, ”We oughta find out what makes these things tick.” He brandished the machete.
Oh man, if it may have been possible to save Svetlana....
...maybe.....
Leo felt a pang of compassion for the boy. He had never asked to become whatever this was. He was just some kid that was manipulated by whatever took control of Svetlana. Maybe...
Leo plopped Svetlana's body in the dirt around the corner. He gave the body a nudge with his bow and when he was satisfied that it wouldn't be getting up he returned to the group. He slipped up quietly, watching Karlak and the others question "Isen."
I just wasn't sure. Around the corner is fine. Or inside the bunkhouse. Whichever will require less “retconning."
Leo bent down and gripped Svetlana by her.... appendages, "Ya'll best start payin' me ta touch all these here nasty bodies. Live or dead. " He straightened and began to drag the body outside. He paused at the doorway, "We just gonna let it bleed out or should one of us..." he dropped a tentacle to drag his thumb across his neck and found himself staring as Karlak hefted the other thing off the ground. "Well, s~$$." He fumbled with the dropped limb and pulled the body through the door behind him.
Leo racked his brain to figure out what she–it was. When he came up wanting he simply nocked a second arrow and fired at Svetlana again.
Leo slipped passed Szemyan, ”Sure as s*#@ ain't Oleg's wife!” He put himself closer to the two….things. As he reached for an arrow Leo could feel the ache of disuse in his joints. Let's see if'n I can hit th' big one. He took aim and loosed at "Svetlana."
No worries, hombre. My niece and nephew put me out of commission for about a week last year.
The suspense is killing me!
Leo felt his skin crawl at the shriek. He let go of Oleg and unslung his bow, "Best laid plans, boys!" Giving Oleg one final glance, Leo hustled out of the house. His top lip twitched back into a wolfish grin. Blood pumped in excitement even as creeping thoughts of doubt made their way to the forefront. Still think ya can hit a target that's busy swingin' a sword about?" "Gonna find out inna bit," he mumbled.
inside: Leo shook his head and slipped the blanket off of Oleg. He grabbed Oleg under the arms again, "I hope you got more'n some illusions in case somethin' happens."
He liked this plan less and less with each passing second but,it seemed to be the best one they had at the moment. "Ready when you fellas are."
Inside the house: Still unaccustomed to being the one taking the orders, Leo hesitated for just a moment. The words ”I'm Mac tíre, no’ you,” threatened to form on his lips. ”No. I'm just 'Leo’ now," he told himself as he forced a step to the head of the bed.
He tucked the blanket around Oleg, ”Th’ three of us can git 'im. An’ we may need th’ blanket ta keep 'im warm.” Leo slipped his bow over one shoulder and gripped Oleg under his armpits. He grimaced at the slick sweat and stared at the sack-thing, mumbling a small prayer to Erastil.
Leo ran his thumb along the string of his bow and checked the tautness, "If'n any of y'all hear us a hollerin', feel free to join in," he grinned at Karlak, "Especially you, Red." Leo slipped out after the other three.
Leo yes Karlak for a few looong seconds before he turned to Gideon, ”I been known ta do some skulkin’ from time ta time.”
”Whatcha got in mind, Softpaw?”
Leo's knee-jerk reaction upon being awoke was to reach for the dagger under his pillow but, when he heard the sounds of the others awakening he relaxed and sat up instead. Gideon was only halfway through relaying his information and Leo had already begun slipping the chain shirt on over the cotton undershirt he wore. In his experience, if someone wakes you up in the middle of the night, it's almost never a good thing. Leo slipped his boots on as Lemnis spoke, shaking his head slowly as the elf suggested going back to bed. Leo stood and buckled the quiver around his waist, ”Someone done told me once 'If’n you keep waitin’ for the stag ta got closer ta yer perch, eventually he's gonna turn 'n’ run.” He snatched up the bow from beside his bed, ”Right now we got surprise on our side. Tomorrow that may not be th’ case. Shoot, if’n Oleg is as bad off as Softpaw says, th’ man may not have a tomorrow.”
As someone who, fairly recently, went through a run of crappy things I can sympathize. Gods' speed.
Leo slid the dagger back into its sheath and, in turn, placed it under the pillow as Isen knocked, ”Could do with a little bit a grub, if yer offerin.’” He pulled the worn mess kit from his pack and set it on the long table, the gray, cotton socks muffling his steps as he moved from the bed to the table. ”Maybe a pitcher a water too?” He looked around at the others as if waiting for a confirmation.
Leo nodded to Szemyan as he left. Then pulled his dagger from it's leather sheath on his thigh, wiped the blade along his pant leg, and began using the tip of the blade to scrape dirt from under his fingernails. "Anyone bother ta pack a proper meal?" Leo wiped the blade after each finger, "I didn't exactly geta chance ta catch any game on our way in."
”Kid,” Leo set his pack down by one of the bunks and turned to Szemyan, ”if’n they're not related it's a pretty big coincidence. And th’ thing 'bout coincidences is they're how th’ Gods try to stay anonymous.” Leo slipped his boots off and say down on the bed, ”I'll go after Ornil.”
Leo watched Andelis scribbled words in that book of hers. He never understood people that preferred to be enclosed in a fifteen-by-fifteen room with only the one door. Every time he had to sleep indoors he thought about the wolf he once saw caged up in a traveling carnival. Claws and teeth filed down and that look in its eyes that knew if something bigger ever got into its cage it'd sooner try to escape than defend itself. Leo turned to Szemyan, ”Lookin’ ta get some practice in 'fore we don't have these here giant walls 'round us?” He smiled and nodded in agreement, ”'Spose it's not a bad idea though.”
Leo gave Rufus one more good scratch before turning to face the group. He was glad to have heard so many of them ask after Oleg's health — even if they might not be able to help. ”Guessin’ that if’n neither of you done come down with anything, whatever's ailing Oleg ain't catching,” Leo raised a thumb to his mouth then lowered it as if he had been intent on biting at the nail but, had decided against it at the last instant. ”So that would lead one ta believe that what's got em’ all out of sorts is some critter or some right awful vittles,” Leo smiled warmly to Svetlana, ”But I have a hard time believin’ that could be th’ case.”
I realized right after hitting "submit" that I'm slowly giving everyone nicknames. Szemyan >> the Kid, Karlak >> Red, Andelis >> Lady. Also, I promise he's not a grumpus.
Leo blanched when Gideon referred to him as ”Mac.” Had he introduced himself as Mac? Or had someone recognized him and pointed out the moniker? The first was far more likely as he still had the habit of using the title in place of his name. He shrugged and decided that he must have done just that when they had all first met and if no one had acted on it at this point, it was probably safe to assume they would not at all. The mention of a possible bathhouse brought Leo back to the present and he snortled, ”Spend enough time out here, Lady, 'n’ you'll start ta ‘ppreciate th’ way nature clings ta yer skin.” Leo moved to the mule and scratched the underside of the animal’s chin, ”I'll git Rufus here taken care of.”
Once outside the limits of Restov, it had not taken long for the shift in Leo’s demeanor to occur. It would still have been a stretch to say that he was friendlier but, it was as if a great burden had been taken from him. Which, in turn, afforded Leo with more patience for his traveling mates. He even made extra coffee on the second morning - though he made no effort to to inform anyone. ”If they want some, they’ll ask,” he had thought to himself before shrugging and dinking the last of the lukewarm coffee. ———— Leo blinked at the young man and looked around the courtyard, waiting for one of the others to speak up.
I resemble that remark!
I like how we were all like "yeah yeah yeah. Let's get there." Without any sort of charter or direction lol Also, Oleg's sounds fine.
Leo took his copy or the charter and read through it, bobbing his head side to side in agreement when he got to the part regarding the size of the area to be explored. Deciding that, all things considered, that was a good amount of land to get lost in. The words ”unrepentant banditry” burned in Leo’s mind as he folded the charter and slipped it into a pocket just above his right hip. ”That there's the difference,” he thought, ”repentance.” Karlak struggling with the words caused a chuckle from Leo. One that he wasn't entirely able to suppress, ”Well alright then, Red,” he clapped a hand on the tiefling’s massive shoulder, ”You get ta be our diplomat. 'Cause Oleg’s sure as s##@ gonna remember you.”
”So this is th’ crew,” Leo thought as he watched the halfling woman divine information and the others’ reactions to her. All in all, they looked like they could get along well in the wilds. He glanced at the jester, pinched the bridge of his nose and thought, ”Even if’n some look as unprepared as a tortoise without its shell.” Leo sighed and snatched up his pack from the floor next to him, ”Sooner we get to gettin’ the better. We c’n read each other's palms on the way.” The words came out a bit harsher than he had intended but, the walls were beginning to get to Leo and he was antsy to be outside of the city.
Weird orbs. Weird goop. And the guy who knows the most seemed to know very little. Leo pushed off of the wall with his elbows and pointed at the sickly looking man...Samsaran?....Samsarman?... ”Th’ kids gotta point. Seems a bit ofa stretch,” Leo paused and scratched the gray part of his beard, ”But, it seems like each of us has been given a second chance ta get out inta them wilds, an’ I ain't one ta look a gift hippogriff in th’ mouth.” Leo looked at the box once more and took a deep breath, ”I spose I'm in.”
Omg omg omg. Color from outer space?!
Leo had always hated the city. Too many buildings. Too many distractions. Too many places for something to hide. Too many people. Out in the wild, things made sense. Animals and nature made sense. Hell, even the folks that lived near the wilds made some sense. Eat, sleep, love, and play. People in the city though? They seemed to always be scheming. Trying to get something from someone else. Or put a knife in someone's back. The graying half-elf had taken one of the empty seats and after fidgeting for a minute, hopped up and paced to the far wall. There he leaned back against the wall and folded his arms. Just as Leo was begging to get restless again, the door opened and in walked the High Magister.
He grunted in agreeance with the strange bird before he even realized. He stared at the bird out of the side of his eye.
”Hulloski, everyone! Sorry we're late. I've been a little under the weather and-” A Half-Elf with gray in his beard placed a hand on the human’s shoulder, ”Howsbout you go on 'n’ let us be? I reckon you ain't lookin’ to wind up like that feller outside.” The human glanced outside the thread, ”You wouldn't. You can't do anything unless I allow it. I'm in charge.” Mac tíre squeezed slightly, ”Do ya feel in charge?” ”You're only saying that because I saw The Dark Knight Rises!” The human looked around the room again, ”Fine. I'll go. But just know that I'm going to point out your gray hair every chance I get. Just. Because. It. Annoys. You,” he turned and left the thread. Mac tíre gave a small shrug to the other characters, ”He recently went and quit drinkin’ coffee….and my gray hairs don’ bother me none.”
”Well s~~$.
Pharasma has a special place for people like you.
Resubmitting an updated version up Rhonir. |