Open [Heat Is On] Meat the Food

The Founders put out the word they are running low on meat. A city group event is scheduled in the form of a large hunt

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Syka is a new settlement of primarily humans on the east coast of Falyndar opposite of Riverfall on The Suvan Sea. [Syka Codex]

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Merevaika on July 9th, 2017, 10:21 pm

Merevaika


68th Summer 517

Arrows were starting to become a problem, Merevaika realised. In Endrykas, everything had been so much easier. If she needed some made, she'd be able to walk two steps in any direction and find someone who could do that for her. It was easy, and quick, and cheap. And she hadn't needed to know anything. But now, in Syka, things were different, and even if someone could make arrows, she wasn't certain who, and was certain they would be busy, because everyone in this settlement seemed to be.

Instead of learning how to make her own, however, Merevaika was struggling by preserving everything she had, which was a hard enough task in the jungle. Every arrow seemed to get lost in the undergrowth, which meant every hunt was put off as she dug around in vines and leaves to retrieve the stray ones.

No wonder they were running low on meat.

After all, there were few that were better than her in this tiny settlement. And those that were... There was one that kept disappearing into the rainforest, for days or weeks at a time. She had to be good, but she wasn't around long enough to truly show it. And while Merevaika was certain Randal was much better than herself (in these jungles, anyway - she was certain that it played a huge factor as she was simply unaccustomed to that sort of environment), he was, firstly, a carpenter, that took up his time instead.

So together, they were useless, so no wonder they needed a large hunt.

Merevaika strutted across the sands with the arrows she did own, clutching them tightly with her bow and with other essential items at her belt. Knife. Waterskin. Rope. The feathered cloak across her back, masking her scent from the animals she hoped to be hunting. The only thing she was missing was Beast, who was back at her tent, guarding her things and her chickens.

Besides the sea, Randal was there, waiting, but he was alone - was this it? Or had everyone else simply not arrived yet? He hadn't noticed her yet, preparing himself, it seemed, although from the way he hunched away from her, she couldn't tell exactly what or why or how.

The huntress stared him down, wondering what his plans were. Did he want to try for big game? It seemed like a good idea - if they were hunting birds and smaller things, they could do it alone, and it wouldn't feed many, either. Big game seemed like the only logical thing for this hunt. Which big game? She barely knew what they could even find in this rainforest, she was discovering new creatures every day. There was always the beach of swine, if that counted: it would be an easy target. But then again, some people actually cared about over-hunting easy prey like that. Maybe he wanted something bigger, more impressive, more prize worthy.

She had no idea what he wanted. If it was up to her, they'd be hunting the biggest game they could find - the most impressive things too. But some people, and she knew this well, some people just liked to stick with the sane, and not do something worthy instead.

Merevaika just hoped for some tracking. That they wouldn't just stumble across it, but would have to trace a trail far and with difficulty. She had the upper hand there. Then she could show him what she could do. There was nothing the woman liked more than showing off.

"Who will come?" she finally asked, the words blunt and unnatural, the common an unfamiliar tongue she detested. Randal turned at the noise, taking in her appearance, her bow, her stance ready to hunt and prove herself. "What we hunt? What I do?" They weren't curious questions, or calculating ones. Just blunt ones, that demanded answers, and sooner rather than later. This thing better start. She didn't want to waste all her time, if this turned out to be a foolish endeavour.

Hopefully, people wouldn't turn up. Better to hunt alone then bring dead weight with them. Then again, it was group hunts like these everyone seemed to come to. As a way to learn, by watching and helping. And it was awful. Especially to Merevaika.

But then again, she had done the exact same thing when she was younger.

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Theo Popcampio on July 28th, 2017, 4:09 pm

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I can't help it, fire's just that fun.

Theo's stomach always felt a little bit empty without a strong helping of protein in his meal. He was far from those forest-loving monks who'd chosen to abstain from animal flesh; rather, Theo thrived on the visceral connection he had with nature as blood dripped from his mouth to the ground. It was an expensive experience in this new land, but a habit worth cultivating. Salted meats hurt his jaw, so there was no satisfying trade coming from abroad for Theo. No, what Theo needed was fresh blood.

This was Theo's modus operandi as he joined the big hunt. He was no hunter, nor was he gifted with a bow, but he could wield lightning and fire from his mind, and that alone would make him an asset to the hunt. Staring out at familiar shores across the sea, Theo remembered when he had crossed paths with a hungry wolf in dead winter in Syliras. His heart began to beat again as that wolf's eyes seared in his mind.

As Theo looked over towards the jungle, the anxiety and excitement beat deeper in his chest. The places where Theo had lived, while dangerous in their own right, lacked the primal nature that made Syka so dangerous. It wasn't uncommon to find a predator at your door if you woke without caution in this brief clearing of the jungle. Perhaps that's what had drawn Theo here, it was an undiscovered land, ripe with insecurity and opportunity.

As he walked the sand, Theo recognized the town carpenter from afar. He was hard to mistake with his hulking figure, Theo wondered if he had chosen to become a carpenter solely because it gave him a reason to walk shirtless. Randal had found himself placed next to a woman next to a woman with a bow in hand, a serious hunter Theo'd figured.

He dragged his feet as he had walked up, kicking up sand with his leather boots and making noise as he approached. Randal had not turned by the time Theo had placed his hand on his shoulder, sending a jolt up the carpenter's spine. "Randal!" Theo announced, "Good to know I'll have a friend out here,
and even better see you wearing a shirt for once, I'd be heartbroken if you let some tick sink its teeth into you."


Randal rolled Theo's arm off his shoulder. With a squint he asked, "And what do you have to offer to the hunt with your blade?"

"Oh, don't you worry about me, Randal, I'm full of surprises." Theo said as he held his palm in front of him. He shifted his gaze over towards Randal's female companion. "Theo, miss. You care to introduce your companion, Randal, or would the lady like to make acquaintance herself?

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Eamon on July 31st, 2017, 3:31 am

Eamon felt a bit guilty even though he hadn’t technically done anything wrong. Apparently there was a food shortage in Syka right now, and people were suffering. As an Ethaefal he absorbed moonlight from his patron, Leth, and so he needed to eat far less than his fellow Sykans did, or so he assumed. Still, that was no excuse for him to have failed to pay attention to the growing crisis. If the settlement starved, he was out of work, and moreover, living by the unforgiving jungle on his own would surely spell his death. It was a nasty situation all around, and the leaders of Syka had put out a call for all able-bodied individuals to do their part with the hunt. Eamon had his doubts about that part, and he’d debated long and hard about whether or not he should join in. On the one hand, he had absolutely no hunting experience, and would likely be a liability and slow the proceedings down. On the other hand, he was indeed an able bodied person, and beyond that, he had certain skills that might not be useful to hunting, but could be useful if something went wrong.

He had some skill with medicine, although having a fully trained healer along would definitely have been preferable in the off chance that something went wrong. Still, having him would probably be better than nothing. Even just having his healer’s kit along might make the difference between life and death. He also had a very small amount of knowledge about the jungle although he was under no illusions as to how little he actually knew. Following the lead of those who’d been living here for far longer was definitely the way to keep himself alive. Still, there was probably something he could do, even if it was only helping to carry whatever they managed to bring down back to Syka properly.

He’d brought his pack, with his healer’s kit and most of his equipment, including his rope, his torches, his lantern, his waterskin, a set of flint and steel, his fishing tackle and hooks, and his compass. It was crowded and heavy as a result, and he could already feel the weight of it causing the muscles of his legs to complain. He wasn’t all that strong, which was depressing, so hopefully this wouldn’t last all that long. If it did, he would be very sore tomorrow, and though he wasn’t one to complain, Conspicuously, he carried no weapon, and it might mean that he was turned away. Still, bringing one along would’ve been useless, as he wouldn’t have even known how to hold it, let alone use it. Eamon had brought his eating knife, although it was basically useless in a fight. He wasn’t a violent person, as a rule, although now that he was in Syka it might be worth trying to spend some time learning. Syka was a hard place for the unprepared, and Eamon was unprepared for quite a bit. Maybe he could find someone to train with him. It would be nice to meet more people, although everyone seemed busy all the time. Maybe this hunt would prove to be an opportunity to bond with some of his fellow inhabitants. He got lonely easily and needed to surround himself with people, so that he could learn from them and maybe change his ways.

As he approached he could see three figures, all of which were armed, although only two of them seemed to be carrying weapons suitable for hunting. He knew one of them, by sight at least. Randal was the town’s carpenter, one of the three founders, and apparently also a hunter on the side, if the man’s stance and ready posture were any clue. Everyone knew Randal Zor, even Eamon, who was new this season. The Ethaefal’s steady stride faltered. If he proved himself incompetent then it might have repercussions beyond losing some meat for the settlement, for Eamon at least. After all, Syka could only afford to keep people who would help the inhabitants survive.

Still, Eamon had committed to this course, and surely there was something he could do, some task they could give him that wouldn’t require skill or knowledge. He was an expert at changing himself on the fly, willing to try everything at least once, and he was flexible enough in his ways not to mind even thankless jobs. So Eamon fixed a smile on his face. The straightforward approach was probably best. Randal probably appreciated honesty, as lies got people killed.

He took the time to examine them all before he got close. Randall’s brown hair, pale skin, and heavily muscled body was familiar enough. Both men were taller than Eamon, in this form at least, and stronger looking as well. The other unknown man’s hair was as dark as Eamon’s was blonde. This strangers’ hair was swept to the side, long on top and short on the sides. He and Eamon did share a strong chin and a sharp nose, so they had that in common at least. The other man’s eyes were light, although Eamon couldn’t tell the exact color just yet. The woman’s though, were startlingly green, visible even from this distance, although there was a strange hint of red outside her irises. Unlike the strange man, her hair was windswept and wild, and although it seemed savage, it suited her honed body and proud features. It was dark as well, and Eamon was amused to see he’d be the only blonde there.

As he approached he was able to catch the tail end of the unknown man’s introduction, apparently, as he inquired after the lone woman in their group. It seemed like as good a time as any to announce his presence, although no doubt they’d noticed his approach. “Well, I’m no lady, which I’m sure is a disappointment to you all, but I do have a name. It’s Eamon. Eamon Tidechaser at your service.” Turning to Randal, Eamon grinned. “You called, I answered. Now you might be stuck with me.” Levity was always a good way to start, Eamon had found, although he quickly sobered up his demeanor, the change coming as fast as the flickering lightning.

Nodding at the others, Eamon regarded them cooly. “I interrupted and I don’t think either of you shared your names yet. Still, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Turning to Randal, Eamon put his most serious expression on. “Look, I don’t have any skill at hunting, but I’m eager, I’m a quick learner, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to help Syka.” Hopefully that would make it harder for him to be kicked out of the group. “I’ll stay silent unless you ask me something and worst case scenario I’ll help carry back whatever the more accomplished members of our party bring down.” He figured it wasn’t worth mentioning what he actually might bring to the table unless he was specifically questioned about it.

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Merevaika on August 1st, 2017, 10:54 pm

Merevaika



So a man approached. Theo, he said his name was. A bearded man, impressive looking with that longsword. But not a hunter. There was no way he was a hunter. Assuming the position of predator, she let her eyes fall against his, before running down his body, lingering on the weapon. Discarding him with an unimpressed snort and eye-roll. If she was a predator, he was a mouse. Wouldn't know what a hunt was even if he was in the middle of one. Who brought a blade like that to a hunt of all things?

Someone who didn't know what he was doing.

"Get a more good weapon. Bow. Spear. Something. Or stay back, out of my way. Do not make us all go hungry, because you are stupid, and bring sword to the hunt." The disappointment in her voice was clear, the source obvious from her stares at the sword. What was he doing. What was he thinking. So, so useless. Why was he so useless!

Perhaps she had been too forward. Too harsh. But what did she care? If his inexperience meant her stomach was empty, her stomach would be empty. She was hunting in a group to get more, not less. But if the group was going to be full of people like him... Well, then what point was there even trying to hunt?

And then Eamon came, and she began to wonder whether it would be much better off to just drop this whole endeavour and go home, and try again alone. Not only did he look helpless - no weapon, and a pack that seemed to be overflowing with all his worldly possessions - like someone who hadn't even heard of the term hunting, but he admitted it too. He had no skill in hunting. Merevaika had to roll her eyes at that too.

"If you can not hunt, why here?" Her growling could be heard plainly under her words. "If all you do is be quiet, you no help. You probably scare all animals with all that stuff, before we start! No, you no good. Get weapon. Then come and try help." She chuckled, but her eyes remained heavy and menacing. "Answer still no, but better than no weapon!"

With a sigh of annoyance at this group of "hunters", she ran her fingers through her hair, trying to assure herself that everything would be okay. Randal would back her up, the experienced hunter he was. Then the two of them - the two with decent weapons and actual knowledge - would leave and return with enough food for the lot of them. No distractions, no inexperienced people around to mess up and scare animals off and make noise. Just the two of them, silence and hunting.

"Ignore her. We'd be happy to teach you what we can. I have a spare spear - here - that you can borrow." Randal found it on the floor and passed it to the weaponless man. "Even if you can't use it, it's better to have some sort of weapon on you. There's another at my place, if you want it, Theo? Although I'm curious to see those surprises."

Merevaika stared at him in disbelief. What was he thinking? Giving a spear to someone who couldn't use it? He'd just hurt himself, if they were lucky, and if they weren't, he'd hurt them too. Not only was he giving him the spear though, but he was happy to bring him along on the hunt. Merevaika opened her mouth in protest. This wasn't right. He couldn't do-

"Better we all learn now, so we don't have this again." There it was. He knew exactly what she was going to say, and replied instantly. Merevaika couldn't believe the nerve on the guy. "Besides, I'm certain Eamon has something to offer us, even if it is just being a pack mule?" He nodded towards the pack. "Got anything useful in there?"

Merevaika tried to protest again, but knew it was no use. It was either stick with this group, or hunt alone. And no matter how bad the other two were, she wanted to see if Randal had anything to teach her. "Fine. Be quiet then. As quiet as you can. Do we need to show how to be quiet? Or can you know that already?"

If they scared away that prey before they even got a chance... Merevaika hoped they had some sense in their heads (although, not bringing a weapon to a hunt showed something).

Remembering what the stupid one had said, ages ago, about names, she decided to finally answer him. "He is Theo, I am Merevaika. You... I will call you idiot."

With that, she turned, marching along the edge of the beach. Her strides were angry, determined, and most importantly, purposefully getting away from them as well as coaxing them to follow. After a few steps, she stopped, turning towards them, hands on her hips. "We walk. To the river. Then up river. We find animals - animal tracks - by river. We walk, and we talk - plan. Understood?"

It was time for someone else to start making decisions. Although, then again, she didn't exactly trust any of them with them.

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Theo Popcampio on August 2nd, 2017, 3:19 pm

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I can't help it, fire's just that fun.

A grin slid over Theo's face when the huntress called him stupid in broken common. The irony and his laugh needed no explanation to he and Randal. She seemed much more confident now that her status was elevated, she had looked so meek next to Randal, a skilled hunter Theo'd heard, but now her knotted hair rested on a chest held high and her eyes were piercing. Still, if the girl could speak common fluently it would matter not, she had no right to make the assertions about Theo she had. Wisdom and humility were clearly not among this girl's traits.

A man approached named Eamon and he spoke as though no one would notice him. He was boyish and nervous yet eager to help. Theo could spot a good soul from a mile, but he knew the woman wasn't going to be kind to him. Randal, however, had spoken against her before Theo had too. He was immediately mocked for his lack of arms and heavy pack, even by Randal in a back-handed way, low-hanging fruit in Theo's mind. It was clear the young man hadn't a clue what he was doing, but the last thing that was going to be of any use was such thoughtless criticism. All he wanted to do was help.

Lucky enough, Randal forced a weapon him, but Theo lagged behind to talk quickly to the man who called himself Eamon. "Don't mind the girl, she's probably just nervous after seeing your striking good looks. She could use a man in her life, if you follow my lead." Theo said in a hushed voice. "Don't worry, looks they're gonna need all the help they can get at this point. Word to the wise, you're gonna need to learn to fight if you plan on living here. This a new land and it's far more brutal than a walled city, you have to protect yourself from the animals and the people. There are no laws or guards to protect you." Theo lifted his sword off his back, "That's why I keep one of these." He also patted his leg where his rope dart and assassin's dagger was, "And these."

Theo looked up towards the huntress and Randal, they were getting away and up the river. "I'm gonna go catch up to them. My advise to you is leave any non-essentials in a place ahead no one'll find them: That pack is gonna kill ten minutes from now." Theo started to jog up but turned his head back, "Oh, and I hoped you brought plenty of water, it's gonna be a scorcher!"

When Theo finally caught up to his compatriots, he addressed Randal, ignoring the girl: "So about planning, I think I have a I can be of use, much to the disdain of our abrasive hunt-goddess." Theo said with a smile. "I can lay traps two ways: The first you guys will have to see in action, and I also have this rope dart. I could hammer the rope dart into a tree or something and it could act as a tripwire if you guys can herd any game towards me." Theo took a sip out of his water skin, "Of course, this is provided you guys don't become the prey. In that case, I think you'll find that my sword will be mighty useful. Sound good?

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Eamon on August 3rd, 2017, 2:24 am

.
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68th of Summer 517 AV

As soon as the fierce eyed woman began to talk, Eamon remembered her. They’d had an encounter towards the middle of the summer, but there had been a lot of other people involved and his memory wasn’t that great at the best of times, especially considering the sheer number of people he’d had to meet over the course of his time here in Syka. But her voice, with its heavily accented and slightly broken common, was unforgettable, and Eamon rocked back on his heels a bit. She definitely had spirit, although right now being on the receiving end of her tongue-lashing he wished that she was a little less spirited. Still, Eamon didn’t think she had any right to kick him out, as that was Randal’s job, but the Ethaefal was too diplomatic to say so. So instead of responding in turn, as he wanted to, Eamon gave as measured a response as he knew how. “I’m here because I, and everyone else in Syka, was asked to participate in any way they could. If my presence here is detrimental to the hunt, I’ll leave.” What he didn’t say was that his staying or going wasn’t her call.

Randal at least seemed supportive of the Ethaefal’s presence, for which Eamon was extremely grateful. The Ethaefal was eager to prove his worth to the settlement. Besides, hunting seemed like a useful skill, even if most of his sustenance came from Leth. One never knew when clouds might cover the moon, after all, and Eamon was buying into the whole mindset that pervaded Syka, that self-sufficiency was paramount. Eamon found himself gingerly accepting the spear from Randal. “Thanks, Randal. I appreciate your faith in me.” Turning to the other man, whose name was Theo, apparently, Eamon titled his head quizzically at the swordsman. “I am also curious about these surprises.”

The woman clearly was unhappy at Randal’s easy inclusion of Eamon into their little band. She bristled, and opened her mouth in what surely was about to be a protest, but the founder cut her off before she had a chance. “Thanks for the opportunity to learn.” Eamon was carefully avoiding the woman’s gaze, choosing instead to look at Randal, who so far had been much kinder. At the comment that was really a question about what Eamon could do, if he wasn’t much good for hunting, the Ethaefal blinked. “I’ve got a medical kit, that’s probably the most useful. Plus, some skill in how to use it, but only enough to treat minor injuries and hopefully keep you alive until someone more proficient can arrive on the off chance that something terrible does happen.” In terms of other items that might actually be useful for a hunt, or even just a trip in the woods, Eamon ran through his list of items. “Rope, which can be useful in a lot of ways. Torches, plus flint and steel in case we have to be out after dark.” It was unlikely, but stranger outcomes had happened. The Ethaefal didn’t mention his transformation, because if they were out that late, likely they had larger problems to worry about. “And yes, happy to be a pack mule.” He grinned easily to show that he would be up for any task they might trust him with.

All that still didn’t assuage the woman’s temper. Eamon, however, was determined to win her over. Perhaps it was a hopeless cause but he’d keep trying new approaches until he figured out a way for the two of them to get along. It was rare that he couldn’t find some common ground with others, even if it meant he had to twist himself into a completely new mold. The Ethaefal raised his eyebrows at her latest quibble. “I know the theory, if not the practice. Watch my feet and my surroundings to make sure I don’t run into anything, don’t talk or make noises, and before I put pressure on the ground check to see there is nothing underfoot.” It was a very specific skillset, one he hadn’t mastered, or even tried much in the past, but maybe if he devoted his whole attention to it, he could succeed. It was worth a try at least.

She finally revealed her name, Merevaika, and Eamon smiled insolently as she called him what was clearly an unflattering word in another language. “I’m going to choose to take that as a compliment, since I don’t know what it means.” He wondered how she’d react to such a ridiculous statement. Apparently, she was quite serious and wasn’t really one for fun or adventure, if his interactions with her so far were anything to go by. Still, he probably shouldn’t antagonize her too much, as she would probably hurt him

Theo decided to lag behind with Eamon, and the Ethaefal listened carefully to the swordsman’s words. Unlike Merevaika, this man seemed quite easygoing, and he probably wouldn’t require Eamon to try that hard to be his friend. “I think it’s your muscles that have her flustered, actually,” Eamon responded boisterously, but quietly. He didn’t want the woman to hear and take it out on them both, especially after she’d admonished him to be quiet. At Theo’s observation that Merevaika could use a tumble, the Ethaeful chuckled deep in his chest. “Oh aye, I follow ya. I imagine that would be a wild ride, don’t you?” If her loving were anything like the rest of her, it would definitely get a man going. Eyeing Theo out of the corner of his eye, Eamon decided to see whether the other man was just trying to be manly and bond or if he was actually interested in Merevaika. “You got any plans there for later?”

At Theo’s advice, Eamon nodded. “I got that impression. It’s on the to-do list, right after not starve and build a shelter.” Hopefully the other man would sympathize with the new arrival, since everyone in Syka started off in the same boat, literally and metaphorically. Picking up his spear, Eamon jabbed at the air a few times, trying to get a feel for the weapon, although he was sure his form was terrible and he was careful to keep the point far away from any of his companions. Surveying Theo’s weapons, Eamon was surprised at the other man’s wide array of skills. At least, presumably he was skilled with the weapons he carried. “You good with all those,” Eamon asked, allowing an impressed note to creep into his voice. Theo seemed like a man that would like to boast about his prowess in various skills and Eamon was more than happy to be a listener if it meant strengthening this new and unexpected alliance.

At Theo’s suggestion, Eamon nodded. “Good advice, I’ll do that. I’ll catch up in a moment.” At the comment about it being a scorcher, Eamon called after Theo, “When is it not?” Dropping to a knee, Eamon started pulling items out of the pack quickly, dropping the spear into the sand as he sorted. He’d definitely come back for them later. He wasn’t worried about theft: Sykans didn’t really do that to one another, as a harm done to one person was a harm done to them all. So it would definitely be waiting for him when he got back. Eamon pulled out some bandages, and a few of the more useful salves, including one to clean wounds, one to help wounds heal, and one to deal with skin irritants, and left the rest of the kit behind. He also replaced only one torch, his waterskin, which was full, the flint and steel, and the compass. Theo had some rope on his so they wouldn’t need Eamon’s extra length most likely. The Ethaefal debated covering the bundle of goods he’d left behind, but was afraid he’d forget its location if he did. So instead he piled sand up in a barrier around it as best he could in the short amount of time he had, then grabbed the second torch and set it upright in the sand, as both a warning and a landmark on his return. Hopefully that would protect it from any damage or from someone trying to salvage it.

Standing up and retrieving his spear, Eamon saw that the rest of the group was some distance ahead, and broke into an awkward shuffling jog. He wasn’t a good runner at the best of times and having to juggle the spear and the pack made it worse. Still, it let him catch up quickly enough to see Merevaika stop and the rest follow suit. He skidded to a halt, careful to keep some distance between himself and everyone else to avoid any accidents. Eamon once again found himself raising his eyebrows at her. “Isn’t talking and planning as we walk sort of problematic on the whole being quiet front? Surely it would be better for us to have a plan set in stone, or at least as much of one as we can make in advance, before we actually begin the hunt.” The Ethaefal might have been being slightly petty, but he also felt it was a valid point.

Theo also responded to Merevaika’s comments with a sort of bewildering answer. The brash nature of the other man, which Eamon had appreciated earlier, now seemed slightly less appealing in a new light. “Are you actually any good at making traps? Does that sort of trap even work?” Eamon asked bluntly. Seems like I admitted what skills I can bring to this hunt, which are, admittedly, nonexistent. But we can’t make an effective plan unless we know what everyone here can do. So, let’s hear it.” Hopefully they wouldn’t mind his much more direct manner but considering the clashing personalities if someone didn’t try and make this as businesslike and efficient as possible, they could stand here for days going around in circles. At the rest of Theo’s statement, Eamon narrowed his eyes slightly. “Yes, we’ll all endeavor not to become prey. I don’t think anyone’s going to say that sounds bad. We get it, you’re good with the sword.”

Turning back to the group as a whole, Eamon decided to see if he could steer this conversation in a more productive direction. “Seems to me that there are some questions we should answer right now. What’re we hoping to realistically be able to hunt, where can we find it, how can we take it down with the abilities that we have gathered here, either together or separately, and how can we get it back to Syka?” Eamon didn’t know the answer to any of those questions but it seemed to be an excellent starting place. Once they were answered, they’d have a much better idea what they’d be doing. He didn’t really feel qualified to lead in a situation where he was probably the least useful member of the party, but he’d rise to the challenge if that was what it took to get everyone moving.

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Merevaika on August 5th, 2017, 2:30 pm

Merevaika


The idiot had an answer for her. A simple statement, that he had been asked to be there. Asked? Who organised this - who was in charge of asking useless people to join the hunt? It was then when she remembered him. He was from the day with the gems. Which idiot had he been? There were too many to keep track of, and she wasn't particularly interested in keeping track of them either.

At least though, he had something useful in that kit there. He had a medical kit and a bit of knowledge to go along with it. Perhaps then, he could be useful. Especially considering that they were bound to have an accident, with all the inexperienced people around. And he wasn't completely unprepared either - the items he did list were useful and made sense to be brought along. Perhaps they could make something out of him after all.

He then went on to try convince her he knew how to stay quiet. Theory meant nothing. He was crazy to think she would consider that enough. Stealth was a physical skill - they'd have to keep him out of the way, then.

And when she called him idiot? “I’m going to choose to take that as a compliment, since I don’t know what it means.” The boy had spirit, she had to admit that. A smile brushed onto her face, somehow overcoming her annoyance. "If you want." She turned her head - they weren't going to see her smiling. "There is worse to call you than that."

Then they were left behind without a second thought.

When Theo finally caught up to her and Randal - he seemed to have a lot to say to the idiot behind them - he ignored her fully. Sending a glare in his direction, she tried to not let it bother her too much. She was going to ignore him for pretty much the whole time anyway. After all, she still couldn't get over the fact that he had brought a sword to a hunt.

Unfortunately, even though he didn't speak to her directly, she still had to listen. They were hunting as a group, and both of them were part of the group. Any plan that he came up with had to involve her, in some sense. And it wasn't like his plan was completely useless.

The first trap interested her the most, because he said nothing about it. Only that they could see in it action. Which made her interest peak enormously. Did he have a specific reason for hiding what he could do? The only other reason she could think of for him doing that, for making their task more vague, harder, more inconvenient, was that he wanted to annoy them. But Theo, as little as she knew him, didn't seem like a troublemaker for the sake of having fun. He was just as invested in this hunt as any of them, which only left the real reason anyone would hide anything.

It was something worth hiding.

Merevaika herself had plenty of things like that. Her magic, for one. She could see paths, but she wasn't going to go around telling people that. Let them watch and wonder, but never truly know what exactly she could do, how she could do it. Even if they knew she could track, she'd always have the upper hand with that. The antlers were another. Another trick up her sleeve. Once again, it wasn't something she would shield with her life, but, just like Theo, didn't want it to be revealed at the wrong moment.

So he had something - a divine gift, a magic, a something - that they weren't to know about until he decided he wanted to use it. Something that could lay traps, too.

Slowly, she'd be able to narrow this down, even if he didn't reveal it in this hunt.

The second trap he spoke about was a lot clearer in its use. A tripwire, so they could herd game towards him.

It could work. She could definitely see the advantages of it. But at the same time, with so many creatures she could name, a tripwire would be useless. They'd slip under it, or step over it. Then his other trap could come in handy.

"I have plan." As she spoke, she made sure to avoid eye contact, letting Theo know that she spoke not to him, but to Randal. "He make trap. With rope, rope dart." She wanted to get a better look at that. Surely, it had better applications than replacing a normal rope. But Merevaika had far too much pride to ask. "We herd animals. He wait - when slow because of trap, he strike. And if rope not work, he can use his - magic, I think?"

Oops, had she let that slip? No - she wanted him to know what she knew. Even if she didn't know very much at all. After all, it could be a million other things, that he had a valid reason to hide. Something in her gut, though, told her the only thing he could be hiding was this magic, whatever it was.

Eamon had plenty to say too. "We walk and plan - we not in jungle yet. Not near animals. It not take long - so we do." She wasn't certain why exactly she was replying to him. Perhaps because he had a good point. And the audacity to raise his point as a question.

And he had plenty more questions to follow. Their skills, their aims, their plan. Far too much for him to be asking. Was he acting as leader? But.. he knew nothing?

She couldn't quite figure him out yet. "We do not know what we can hunt - jungle is large, many animals. I say, go to river. Look for large hunt. What we find, we hunt? I can shoot," she gestured to her bow, "And track. We find tracks - we find animals. Make trap, chase, kill. " It wasn't a good plan. It was vague, patchy, and lacked the details he really wanted. Because she didn't know what animals could be found in the rainforest. Not any good animals, anyway.

As much as she didn't want to, she was relying on Randal - even on Theo - to give a more specific suggestion.

The dribbling river appeared in front of them, trailing out into the sea. The woman turned on her heels, ready to follow it upstream. "Are you ready?"

No. The answer was no. But she just wanted to get in this hunt, to feel that thrill again. Even if she didn't have part of herself with her.

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Theo Popcampio on August 7th, 2017, 10:46 pm

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I can't help it, fire's just that fun.

A smirk slid across Theo’s face as he squinted at Eamon. ”Me? Oh no, she’s had a thing for you since you walked up. Idiot? That’s puppy love. Dish it back. Play your cards close to your chest and you two might end up sharing your meat.” Theo said, testing Eamon’s wit. He’s just another person trying to live in Syka, not the bumbling fool Mere-whatever-her-name-is made him out to be.

”Not all of ‘em, no” Theo began in reply to Eamon’s wondering about his weapons, ”But this puppy back here? I wager I’m the best one here at killing men.” Theo almost was starting to like his blond haired acquaintance. He was green, but Eamon had a certain kind of determination about him that drew Theo’s attention. He was also curious, bad in some parts of the world, probably even Syka, but Theo liked a man with a hunger for knowledge. It was, after all, the reason Theo found himself in trouble so often. ”Tell you what, stop by my bungalow one day and I’ll teach you to swing a sword. You can buy ‘em at the shop owned by The Captain.”

Up ahead, Merevaika had taken the hint and ignored Theo as well, even as she spoke about him and to him. Theo was just playing a jest, pulling at her heart, and it seemed to have work. Hubris was this woman’s sin if she had one, or was this just a front? A defensive facade meant to shield away all the nasty men who spoke common fluently? She seemed to have some respect for Randal, but it just seemed he had a degree of authority over here. Her ego probably needs some patching being the worst actual hunter here and all.

Midway through his thought, as Theo was trying to reconcile her character, Merevaika exposed herself to be a big mouth too. It wasn’t as though Theo was trying to hide his magical abilities, they would probably be on display at some point today, but only as a second option. The longer he could keep his talents underwraps the better: Few, if any, had knowledge of his reimancy and spiritism yet. Still, what did this big-headed, no-nothing, wild woman who’d been wearing animal skins a week ago know about magic? At least she didn’t try to throttle him over his suggestion, Merevaika was working on her humility.

Eamon, once he had caught up to the group, didn’t waste anytime criticizing Theo from his equally ignorant position. ”Yes, Eamon, I take it anything we’re going to be hunting is going to have legs, and in that case a trip wire will trip them. Quite hard to believe you’re not an expert on tripping at this point in your existence.” Theo snickered, give and take was all it was.

It seemed that Eamon had all the right questions but none of the answers. It seemed none of them had good answers, including the experienced hunters: Randal was noticeably silent-but he may have just been suffering from personality overload at this point-and Mere-whatever-her-name-is had little to say despite her judgment. So we’re gonna’ go into the jungle and look for animals, I bet she drew that one up on paper.

Theo was readier than Merevaika was when she opened her mouth: ”Absolutely, although you’ve given me a day’s worth of excitement already, Mere-” Do I dare try to say the rest? No, let it just be Mere, I bet she’ll like that.

”If you can drive an animal towards me, I can put it down, don’t worry. So, Mere, I say you and Randal go ahead of me and Eamon and behind the animals, this way even if your shots don’t kill we can be there to intercept.” Theo didn’t know his way around a hunt, but he had ambushed and been ambushed by humans before. The principles seemed to Theo to be similar. ”I say Eamon, you take the rope off my pack and be the one to pull the trip, I’ll be of more use free handed, and-”

”Shhhhhh, Randal interjected, holding his hand up to his ear. There was nothing at first, and then some splashes, maybe? And then there were calls, nothing too distant, but it wasn’t any noise that trees made.

Theo squinted up along the river, not a thing in sight at first, but then there was some splashes. A brown figure had its head down in the water and swung its head up towards the sky. It looked to be alone, but Theo couldn’t be a good judge of what exactly was going on from this distance.

Without a word, Randal crouched down and headed from the river clearing into the shaded jungle, waving the rest of the group to come with him.

OOC: I took some liberties here to get things moving. Let me know if I’m going too fast. Also, I had a lone (newly adult) Nandhai in mind. Feel free to change it up if you have something in mind already.

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Eamon on August 8th, 2017, 3:54 am

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68th of Summer 517 AV

Eamon didn’t miss the smile on the woman’s face, but seeing as she very quickly tried to hide it from him, he didn’t bother commenting on it. If she’d wanted to see that his answer had amused her for whatever reason, she wouldn’t have ducked away. It was fine, though; he felt he’d succeeded at least partially in his mission to make her see him in a different light. He’d keep working on it, if she gave him the opportunity. He liked a person with a fire in his or her spirit, and Merevaika certainly could be said to have that in spades. “Oh I’m sure. And I’m sure I’ve heard it all before. Seems like you’ve got quite a few insults stored up in there but I’m pretty tough to offend.” He offered her his own slightly insolent grin, but it was a friendly and teasing one, not one meant to offend.

The humor wasn’t exactly witty repartee but Eamon supposed that was all right. He was used to all sorts from his time among the Svefra. They definitely knew how to have a good time and they were shy about basically anything, so Eamon knew how to boast, brag, and jest with the best of them. “Huh, ya think so?” Eamon wasn’t so into this particular conversation as to leer at her, but under other circumstances he might have. If she didn’t half intimate him the way she did he’d consider it more strongly. “If you’re right, I’ve certainly got some ideas for that pretty lip mouth of hers,” he eventually replied, still keeping his voice down to a conspiratorial whisper. If this was the sort of exchange he’d have to have for Theo to accept him so be it; Eamon wasn’t so hung up on right or wrong as much as what he would have to do to fit in.

Eamon figured a conversation about weapons was a much safer and neutral topic so he returned his voice to a more regular volume. Theo did seem to have a rather high opinion of himself, and Eamon hoped that it was well warranted. Otherwise, all this building up of his talents might end up poorly, if the other man overestimated his talents. “Well, it’s too bad we’re not killing men then, I suppose,” the Ethaefal replied. Admittedly, he was fairly neutral about the idea of killing people. As a former healer, he was opposed to it unless absolutely necessary, but living among the Svefra had taught him that death was a natural part of life, so he had a fairly low bar for what he considered necessary. After all, a healer would know that supposed surgery and amputation to remove a body part had to be done, and similarly some folks needed to be removed from the world so that others could thrive. It was a harsh truth, but one he’d embraced long ago. “I might just take you up on that.” Eamon jabbed forward a few more times with his spear. “Although since I’ve already picked this up maybe I should stick with it.” For once, his voice sounded doubtful. “Thoughts? Being a martial man and all, I figure you’re a good person to ask.” Theo seemed pretty committed to the sword but Eamon wasn’t sure he had the strength or the commitment for the weapon.

They caught up to the other two members of their party, which was when Merevaika dropped a bit of a revelation. Apparently, Theo was hiding magic of some kind. Eamon thought that it made sense to assume that given the other man’s cagey comments on his ‘surprise.’ If the surprise were magical in nature then his reluctance would be understandable. It was however a bit shocking that Theo had managed to keep a secret like that. Although Eamon had just met the man, even the Ethaefal could tell subterfuge and subtly did not seem to be Theo’s fortes.

They moved on to discussing the rope trap, and Eamon felt affronted that what he felt were his quite reasonable questions were brushed aside so contemptuously. “Yes, I understand how a tripwire rope trap would work,” he drawled, not letting his anger consume him but letting it be known that he shouldn’t be disregarded simply because the other’s had more experience. “But how are we planning to secure it and how high should it be? For you, Theo, it’d have to be quite a bit higher,” – especially to accommodate your enormous ego – “than for, say Merevaika here. Too high and it’ll slip under, to low and it can easily step over.” Eamon smiled but it wasn’t a happy one. “Perhaps that clarified my question somewhat.” The fact that he had to clarify it at all, as well as the general state of the hunt at this point was not filling him with a great deal of confidence that they would eventually succeed.

Still, he felt that Theo’s continuing lack of explanation regarding the other man’s magics to be slightly obnoxious. Clearly neither Merevaika nor Randal cared, given their lack of response. In fact, Randal was being far too quiet, apparently more than willing to squabble amongst them until they’d sorted out their differences. “What’s a little magic between acquaintances, eh? We’re all part of the same community, aren’t we?” Eamon wasn’t going to speak up about his own magic, of course. It wasn’t that he wanted to hide it from people; it was simply that it was deeply personal and it wasn’t applicable to the situation at hand. If they encountered a rampaging ghost he’d certainly change his tune, but for now his Spiritism didn’t need to be mentioned.

Glancing between Theo and Merevaika, Eamon nodded. “This seems to be an actually feasible plan.” He did have a few points to make, although he felt that his opinions were likely to be cast aside again between Merevaika’s and Theo’s rather large personalities. “I assume you two,” Eamon pointed at Merevaika and Randal, “are going to go with us to wherever we set up the trap? Otherwise you won’t know where to drive the prey.” He phrased it as a question, because he felt they’d be more receptive to it that way, but it was really some combination of an order, a suggestion, and a command. It wasn’t a perfect plan but it was better than nothing, and, more importantly, as poorly thought out as it was it actually had a chance at succeeding. Still, there were a few concerns percolating in Eamon’s mind.

He ignored the slightly antagonistic relationship between Theo and Merevaika; like his own negative interactions with the two of them, he’d simply shift his mode of response accordingly. He was constantly trying new methods to integrate himself more fully into Syka. Change was one of Leth’s domains so it only made sense that Eamon shifted as often and as easily as possible. “Since we have some time, apparently, and since we need to find tracks first, I think we can hammer out a few more details amongst the four of us.” Apparently Merevaika wasn’t too worried about silence until they found tracks, and while Eamon didn’t know anything about tracing he trusted her judgment in these matters. “First of all, what do we do if there’s a problem? I assume we should stay with our groups, so perhaps we should consider a signal of some sort, a sound preferably. After all, there are so many holes in this plan: one of us could get hurt; the animal could turn out to be dangerous; the party driving it could miss the ambush zone, all that and more.” Besides, if they were splitting up, Eamon felt they should have some way of easily locating one another in the event of a worst-case scenario.

Both Theo and Merevaika felt Eamon would be more useful with Theo helping set up the trap. Eamon shrugged. He didn’t really have a strong preference either way. “That’s fine. I’m happy to—“ was all he managed to get out before Randal silenced them and indicated they should be as quiet as possible. Eamon immediately and instinctively crouched a bit, holding the spear uncertainly in front of him. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but before he could even think about asking the answer became clear.

A rather large creature emerged from the forest and began to drink from the water. It didn’t seem to have noticed them and Eamon found himself holding his breath, conscious of every single sound in the trees around them. We were so busy thinking about what we’d do if we found an animal we didn’t even stop to consider what we’d do if an animal found us.. The animal took a break from its drinking and began to gibber and howl quietly to itself, and Eamon felt his stomach muscles clench, in dread or excitement he didn’t know. Randal gestured them forward, and Eamon took some ginger steps ahead, trying to do what he’d said earlier and move stealthily by feeling the ground in front of him

Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, after two successful steps, Eamon stepped on a twig, hard, and the cracking echo it made sounded loudly in his ears. He froze, staring at the animal, which had pricked up its head and was looking around, although Eamon didn’t know if that was typical behavior or not. Bracing himself for an attack either from the animal or from Merevaika for ruining their approach, Eamon got ready for a fight of some form. It seemed inevitable that something physically strenuous was going to happen, as the animal didn’t seem all that perturbed by being this close to civilization.

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[Heat Is On] Meat the Food

Postby Merevaika on August 8th, 2017, 2:18 pm

Merevaika


At least she wasn't the only one being harsh to Eamon. That comment from Theo, explaining to him the purpose of the trip wire, wasn't exactly the nicest either. As if the boy couldn't figure out how it worked from just the name. He didn't get as angry as she would have expected him to get - as she would have got, that was - but it was clear he was a bit annoyed by it. At least he had plenty more question to follow that up, prove to Theo that he was thinking further than that man was.

Merevaika laughed, mostly to herself, and let Theo answer this one. After all, he should have left the harshness to her.

Her plan, though, got approval from at least one person. She was surprised - it was a spur of the moment sort of plan, from an inexperienced planner who thought her experience at hunting would make up for that. Merevaika preferred to charge in and do, after all, do whatever she needed to. There were a few people she could name who were a lot better at coming up with tactics like this.

But they weren't here. And she was only one coming up with anything that resembled a plan. So it was the best that they had to work with. She was glad that at least someone could see that.

He had more questions to follow. He had far too many questions, Merevaika decided. It was getting boring, going through them all, answering them with her half knowledge, half guesses. This question was about problems. About ways to let the others know about their problems.

She wanted to hope there would be no problems. Everything would go just as planned. But she couldn't tell anyone that, it sounded stupid and inexperienced and far too naive.

Unfortunately, that meant she had to give a real answer. Sticking her index and middle fingers from both from both hands into her both, tucking her lips around her teeth and pushing her tongue back. Blowing, it took her a few moments to adjust it for a sound to come out. Then, shifting her fingers around a bit more, she finally reached what she wanted to do. A high, shrill whistle rang through the forest for a few moments, before she came out of breath.

It had taken her forever to learn it the first time, quickly remembering then pushing back memories of practising with her brother, testing to see who could do it louder. To'res was better, of course.

She was just glad that it hadn't taken her that long to relearn.

"I whistle, like that, if we have problem?" she suggested, not sure why she was suggesting rather than just saying. She waited a moment, wondering if Theo or Eamon could do the same. Maybe they had another whistle or noise they could make, as a problem indicator?

Then again, just having one noise for the problems was a bit risky too. She could whistle asking for help, or whistle telling them the plan had gone wrong. Both would require different responses. One being a lot more urgent than the other. And if someone got hurt, they'd want them to come towards the injured person. But if the animal was dangerous, it would serve as a warning to get away.

Basically, this signal was pointless and was too confusing for her. She'd let them think about all those details. The huntress decided to stick with hoping that they weren't going to encounter any problems.

Then Theo spoke again, claiming that he was ready, but that she had given him excitement. What did he mean? Merevaika wasn't certain if he was joking - most likely - as she struggled with the common. Giving up, she let him continue, deciding not to challenge something she wasn't certain that she had understood properly.

What she did want to reply to was that nickname he used on her - Mere. She didn't like it, not at all. The main reason was how similar it was to what Rufio had called her. What To'res had called her. What anyone who meant anything to her had called her.

And here he was, using a name so similar to that name simply because he didn't want to run his foreign, ugly tongue, over her beautiful, Drykas name.

"Merevaika!" she snapped, letting the sounds roll of her tongue. Once the interruption had finished, she growled, just lightly, letting her tongue roll in her mouth as she did. She was that close to baring her teeth like a wildcat, hoping to emphasise her point once more.

But her interest in making sure that he understood that her name was Merevaika, not Mere, was cut short by a warning from Randal, who she had almost forgotten was with them. Ducking down automatically to be more sheltered by the foliage all around them, Merevaika slowly pulled an arrow out of her quiver, moving it to rest on her bow string.

As she did, her focus was up, wondering how she had let it drop so quickly. It was those two, the infuriating pair, that meant her concentration had shifted to somewhere it really didn't need to be. Her ears trained in on the distant noise: animal calls, and water splashing. Noises that were normal in the rainforest, but significant ones, compared to the ever present chatter of monkeys and squawking of birds in the layers above them.

She could make out a creature in the distance. A strange one - that was, one that she couldn't recognise, let alone give some sort of name. It was a big thing, digging at the very edge of the river, with a strange face that didn't fit to its body. Like an oversized monkey mixed with deer, sort of. But her description wasn't even close. It was impossible to describe - unless she wanted to resort to words like "big" and "strange", which came the closest to creating some sort of accurate description of the thing.

It was alone though. At least, if it had any friends, they were hidden by the trees or far enough away that they had a chance to take this creature down without bumping into them.

Randal was moving towards it. Merevaika was hot on his trail, keeping her head down and bow up. The weapon quivered at every movement, the woman not yet pulled the string back, but just about there. She trod carefully, watching the ground and letting the sound of her footsteps be masked when the creature called out, or splashed in the water.

Her breathing was slow and steady. This was just another hunt. Her heart picked up, however. Excitement, preparing for the thrill of the chase.

Another slow and steady step. Then all her carefulness was wasted.

A crack sounded, the noise augmented by the silence the group were trying to hold. It didn't take time to track down the perpetrator - Eamon. He had frozen like a deer, watching the creature which was looking around. With their size, it spotted them soon enough, staring them down carefully to determine friend or foe.

She would have yelled at Eamon, made her anger with him ruining everything aware to the whole rainforest. If only they weren't in the middle of a stalk. If only there wasn't an animal there they were trying to take down (or at least, she assumed they were trying to take it down. She hoped Randal and Theo didn't have the idea of leaving it be).

But the creature was there, starting to grunt and growl at the group.

They had two choices. Charge, and hope to take it down there and then, or back off, letting it calm down. The first was risky. It relied on everyone else working as quickly as she did, and being able to help too. If the creature was one to threaten possible predators, it would be willing to fight them off too - and capable of doing so. Even if there were two of them - three if you counted the two halves they had to drag along with them - it was a big enough creature that it could take down all of them.

She doubted they'd be able to get enough arrows and spears in to make a difference.

But she didn't like the second option either. It meant being slow and cautious and not what Merevaika liked at all. And then they ran the risk of this creature's friends coming in closer, giving them more to worry about. They could also lose the creature, as it disappeared to get away from the retreating predators. And had she mentioned she didn't like being cautious?

She was charging - and she didn't care what the others thought.

Swinging her bow up, she drew the string back harshly, feeling the exhilaration of hunting something this big flood back towards her. At the last moment, her arm felt restraint, and she only just managed to push the arrow into position before letting it spiral off through the greenery towards the massive thing.

"Spread," she called, keeping her voice steady as she darted forward. As she moved, her hands found another arrow and she pulled it back, this time letting it land and hit the creature on its shoulder.

With pounding fists, it roared, rearing up a little, and Merevaika began to wonder if she had made a mistake.

Well, it was too late to back out now. They'd have to just cope with Merevaika's recklessness.

oocYeah.. have fun with that :)

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