Flexible Survival - User contributions [en]

User:REDACTED

2013-04-25T21:22:30Z

Hinoserm: Hinoserm moved page User:Crystala to User:REDACTED without leaving a redirect: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

A Guide to Reading REDACTED's Events

2013-04-25T21:22:20Z

Hinoserm: Hinoserm moved page A Guide to Reading Crystala's Events to A Guide to Reading REDACTED's Events without leaving a redirect: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

Under Construction.

A linear series of one overarcing main plotline. Each event is a contained plotline broken up into chapters based on how the sessions were RPed rather than true narrative break points. It is suggested in general to read them in order, or certain details will be missed, and character states may not make sense. All works in canon with eachother, however they may conflict with the Nuku official canon, which will always take precedent over my works. Below is a generalized chronological order to the series. Editing is always welcome on the chapters in order to make them more readable, particularly if anyone is feeling up to matching -tagged- sections with multiple areas happening simultaneously into more readable chunks. One caveat, do not edit player dialogue.

First San Fransisco Trip (Not available on wiki yet) 
[[Midnight Shadow|Midnight Shadow]] 
[[Coyote: The Packmind|Coyote]] 
[[Midnight Shadow: Ferox]] 
[[The First Werewolf]] 
[[Lost Child|The Lost Child]] 
[[Hare: Storm's Coming|Hare]] 
[[Oakland: Chapter 1|Oakland]] 
[[Shadow Rising]]

I hope you enjoy! (also, if you ever want to get involved in these plots, all you need to do is show up in NI and start RPing with us. These are not -private- events, but they are IC events.)

Plans up next: A series of events all relating to Dream, sparsely or not really connected as well as the launch of the Namidian dedication. All of the logs related will be combined under a single header with subtitles. This will all bring Oregon closer to being dug.

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

User:Sorien

2013-04-25T21:22:13Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

== In Game History ==

In character, Sorien was once a middle aged human male from Minneapolis, Minnesota. That changed when the [[Promethian Nanites]] were released. Many of his friends... Simply vanished. They may have simply fled, or perhaps something more dire occurred; regardless, he doesn't know what happened. Some though, he dies know. They went feral almost before his eyes, and he doesn't know what their current fates are. His family for the most part are safe, having not been in Minneapolis. His parents and brother, along with one niece fled to the shores of Leech Lake.

In his own case... He did not remain untouched by the nanites. One lonely morning he woke, and simply wasn't male anymore. Now a woman, and apparently significantly younger she looked at her situation and realized that there was simply nothing keeping her where she was. Lonely and depressed, she packed everything she truly found important into a U-Haul trailer and... Drove.

Months passed, and she traveled generally west, usually avoiding places that seemed to be heavily infected, sometimes driving through to see how bad things were. Eventually her winding path took her to the outskirts of [[Fairhaven, California]]. Her car made the decision to stay for her by dying, an unnoticed oil leak and a bad sensor leading to her engine locking up.

She was found by [[Zephyr]] personnel, who assisted her by getting her now-useless car, trailer and self into Fairhaven, and let her decide what she wanted to do. After encountering [[RSX]] personnel, who were rather rude, and some of the [[Promethean]] recruiters she decided to stay and work for Zephyr, and maybe make a new life for herself.

Since then, she's been reinfected. Her preferred form is that of an anthro skunk, though she has learned to adapt her form to any creature she's thoroughly been exposed to. Her life is improving, and she's finding some semblance of happiness now... But she misses her lost friends terribly.

== Default Description ==

Looking over Sorien, her body is covered in dark black fur contrasting with pure white down the front, a matching stripe down the back, completely encased now in sexy, skunky fur. Her head is large-muzzled, resembling that of a female skunk's head. Her body is curvaceous and screams, 'female and NEEDS it!' to everyone around. The sight of her body leaves men only wanting to fuck, women in envy, and quite possibly wanting to fuck her as well. She has 4 starting at heavy C cup sized breasts. The breasts under the first top pair are smaller. Row 2 is slender B cup sized breasts. Her arms are thin and feminine, ending in thin clawed skunk paws that slightly resemble human hands. Her legs are shapely and very feminine, ending with large skunk paws. Skunky is the best description for her ass, very tight and shapely, a huge skunk tail growing forth, standing proud. A private peek would reveal that she has: Her groin resembles that of skunk girl. She has a large cleft. With mild effort, it can stretch to 12 inches long and 8 inches around.

In more detail, Sorien stands about five-foot six-inches tall. She keeps her black-and-white fur well groomed, and generally wears little in the lines of clothing- being as her natural weaponry would be useless at best and horribly embarrassing at worst if she wore pants or a skirt. As she's pretty much given up on the concept of body modesty, she's usually unclothed aside from a gunbelt (that may be abandoned soon) and her shoulderbag; everything she needs is generally within.

== Associates and Companions ==

In her new life Sorien has been making friends quickly. One of the first was [[User:Apostasy|Apostasy]], and shi remains close. Others include [[User:Sevenish|Sevenish]], the often-absent Monk-become Skunk Beast [[User:Vanilla|Vanilla]], [[User:Salandra|Salandra]], [[User:Sparhawk|Sparhawk]] and many others. She's grown very close to [[User:Ferox|Ferox]] and [[User:Taggart|Taggart]], and even closer to [[User:REDACTED|REDACTED]]; the three have a friendship based on a conflict that is still not fully resolved.

== Real Life ==

Out of character, Sorien is Michael Heinsohn of Minneapolis. Sorien is the usual name he uses for online Avatars of himself, and he is just as middle aged as Sorien-the-character. He is a longtime gamer and conventioner, and has been a part of science fiction, fantasy, comic, gaming and furry fandom since the early 1980's He is also Sorien on FurryMUCK and Tapestries, and the character Sable on Altered Realities MUCK.

User:Balina

2013-04-25T21:22:07Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

One huge WIP.

==Backstory pending==
*Archaeology student, but not a very good one.
*Plane made emergency landing during apocalypse
**Safe until Zephyr got there; it's a pressurized tube.
*Got into adept program, continues to be surprised that so did everyone else.

*Found Kaiju Island early July, 2009, spent a few days examining the place.
*Left a couple of weeks later, wading ashore fifty feet tall and with vague instructions pounding through her head.
*The Kaiju bargain was seen as not having any downsides; extra power in exchange for doing what Balina was doing anyway? Score.
*The vague forces that claim to be the planet demand the destruction of the nanite plague. It does this by instilling a sense of contempt and rage towards anything smaller than the Kaiju. The dedicant may or may not be consciously aware that this is occurring, but the forces are patient.
**Some decisions are inevitable. At 50' tall, your average feral is about the size of a hot dog in comparison. Eating them becomes the obvious move.
***After a few weeks, she was over eating ferals; they were just livestock.
***Six months in, no real compulsions about crushing what she couldn't eat.
***By the end of the year, she was certain that being a Kaiju was the best thing to ever happen to her.

Atma Incident:
*Mid-February, 2010: Balina was back on Kaiju Island, performing an experiment to utilize mako in accelerating a pregnancy. A known procedure, but she was taking much more than the recommended dose, and knew she was carrying more than one child at the time.
*Most of the girls came out fine.
*Intended to be an all-around fighter, with no obvious drawbacks, at the expense of specialization.
**What came out looked like a pure behemoth
*While suckling the clutch, the island took control of Atma, leaving her much larger than her mother (at least 200' long, and about 60' high at the shoulder).
**Basically a bigger, meaner Balina. With an attitude akin to an angsty teenager. Body is neuter (with breasts for some reason), and seem completely locked. Given that this is not the form she was supposed to be born with, this is assumed to be an intentional action taken by the forces at Kaiju Island.

*Seeing Atma at work, Balina's conscience finally starts to catch up with her, realizing that she's kind of a horrifying monster. Spent some time moping in Zephyr's lobby, until someone sent her to New Ireland.
*Spent much of the next month blaming Kaiju, rather than accepting consequences of her own actions.
**In a desperate move to try and go cold-turkey, asked [[User:Sparhawk|Sparhawk]] to take most of her excess mass. May have also had ulterior motives. Eventually took [[User:Taggart|Taggart]]'s advice, to her own complete amazement, and just tried to live with herself.
**After a few weeks of ignoring self, re-combined with extra mass, going full Kaiju with others present. Managed to stay calm, realized that she can actually avoid rampaging if she knows those present.
*Was learning to live with herself and accept Kaiju as too stupid to be evil. Socializing has improved her outlook greatly.
*Thanks to a particular incident involving a little girl who may or may not be Coyote, Kaiju has been banished from her head, and the tank has gone missing. For related reasons, she's mostly been basking around as a [[Cow Maiden]] until she feels fit to rejoin the rest of post-humanity.

*June 16th, 2010: Oh crap, I'm a Fenrir now.

==People who can completely end me==
A list kept on Balina's person at all times, updated whenever further information presents itself. Higher on the list = higher perceived danger. This is purely from an IC standpoint based on what she knows; this order is *all* out of whack if you have all the facts in hand. As of late, it's been seeing less and less use.
 
*COYOTE
*<del>Kaylah - Probably Coyote. Bent reality to defeat Godzilla. Almost certainly a god.</del> Well, she did have Dream in her. Just a girl now, though.
*<del>Loki - SCIENCE! The explodey kind. Likely to kill the city by accident. Has shown to be very good at wounding self without making a mess, and extremely good at self-destructive behavior.</del> Is more likely to accidentally kill himself than others. Walks into explosions.
*Cilan - Carries a virus that could very well wreck what's left of civilization. Has been neutered, but need to keep an eye on her.
*Aidan - Nanite vampire, hungry. Not contagious. Smells of almost everything. One of the few people who gets me to lower my guard on command.
*Rihko - Terrifying enthusiasm. Blood fetish. Enjoys melting things. ESPECIALLY enjoys stabbing things. Actively boinks Taggart.
*Taggart - Deadly blood + eats people. Beat me in a domination fight (twice); slight compulsions resulted. Currently occupied by Rihko. Also not showing up much lately.
*<del>Lasair - All the dangers of Sparhawk, plus obviously crazy and bite-sized.</del> Not afraid of Greater Sparhawk at this point.
*<del>Sparhawk - Oh god, packmind.</del> Fairly certain that shi's got it under control. Has agreed to some serious testing.
*<del>REDACTED - Nanite-explodey, divine-sucking blood. Orgasm vampire.</del> See lower list.
*Sorien - Possesses a fragment of COYOTE, but is so afraid to use it that she's on this list out of pity more than actual terror.
*Alynna - <del>Small but expandable nugget of a fox.</del> No longer eating people, but the fact that she smells like my last divine meal may be an issue. Would be a bigger concern if I'd seen her in the last six months.
*Selene - Almost terminally annoying.

==People I can completely end?==
On the reverse side of the steno pad containing the above list, written in a shakier hand. She's a little confused about this set, but same rules as above apply.
*COYOTE
*Greater Sparhawk - <del>Spar flipped out last time shi saw me. False alarm. Blame Lylianna. Back on the list after shi ran off due to a fracas in the pub. Probationary entry; investigate. Also kind of want to murder hir, if I didn't know that was impossible.</del> Is understandably worried because apparently Fenrirs can eat souls. Have personally confirmed that Fenrirs can eat gods, but did not really feel much beyond satisfaction when eating a normal person.
*REDACTED - Almost froze to death when I got near her blood.
*<del>Kaylah - So adorable I just want to eat her little face and oh my god what am I doing.</del> No longer has a delicious god in her.
*Sorien - A step beyond a normal dedicant, and one of the few actual pieces of COYOTE out there. Could cause a Yosemite Vial incident if I got my teeth into her.
*Alynna - Much like Sorien, is way past normal dedication, and likely one of the few links to her patron. Plus, I already know she'll taste delicious.

Slime and Punishment

2013-04-25T21:22:03Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

Context:
*Balina is usually a wolfcow. Due to circumstances, she is presently a very large goo-wolfcow, acting as a couch.
*Eithne is lying in said couch. Is a Nekomata in a dress.
*Both of these people are very silly.
Eithne melts under Bal's scritching. Literally, with a tiny little cheeky grin amidst her purring. 
Crys shrugs, "Am I really that talkative my love?" sighing, and then she gets up, to refill teas for them both. 
Sorien softly churrs, "No, not really. But I love your voice." 
Agata nods to Foxheart, "That would seem to be the best course of action, indeed...thank you for your help, Miss Foxheart...now again, do you need a lift, or can you fly?" 
Balina goes through surprise, amusement, a slight bit of worry, then back to amusement. Leaning forward, the wolfgoo wraps around Eithne, wrapping her up entirely in a blue, giggling ball. 
Foxheart grins. "I'll take the ride, thank you very much." 
The grapekitty squeaks as she is bundled up, curling and deforming into a ball admist the berrywolf. So, falling back on her only recourse amidst this TRAGEDY... She begins licking at her jellyfriend with her jelly tongue. 
Agata smiles a toothy smile, saying, "Well then, when we get upstairs, get on my back. I shall give you a ride..." She blinks and says surprisedly, "I am usually very small, it is strange to be saying something like that." She shakes her head and moves toward the stairs, awkwardly clicking up the stairs. 
Foxheart follows after Agata up the stairs. She walks up the stairs, waving farewell to the rest of the pub, though they're likely too distracted to notice. 
Eithne is incapable of waving back. It's the thought that counts. 
Balina begins quivering, giggling through whatever means goo girls talk in the first place and starting to roll back and forth as she rolls herself as spherical as she can, Jellithne bouncing around somewhere inside. She has no idea where she's going with this, in any sense of the word, but that's half the fun! 
Eithne vibrates at just the right pitch for it to be a squeal, echoing throughout the pub as she's bounced around inside Ball-ina. She pokes and prods and licks around while it happens, of course, just to be contrary... But she doesn't move to break free, yet. 
Balina continues to bounce around in response to Eithne's bouncing, creating a horrible feedback loop. There's quite a lot of mass involved here, and the the pair begin rolling around more and more violently, eventually rebounding off of chairs, tables, and patrons, each completely oblivious to anything beyond one another. 
Eithne knows that this will only end horribly, but is having too much fun. 
The Balithne contains two people, neither of which seems to know or care where they are at any given moment. A stray bounce sends the ball halfway up the stairs before gravity kicks in. Rolling, then bouncing, all hundred and fifty gallons come back down the stairs, clear any tables that might have been in the way on a bounce, then comes to a crash against the bar, splattering the two, and finally releasing Eithne. 
The grape-flavored, purple smear that is Eithne lies partway up and over the counter, and lies still for a few moments. Before it starts giggling, even as it pulls itself back into an Eithnecat-shaped mass. That sways a bit drunkenly. "That was fun, Ball-ina. Can we do that again? Only with less crashy and more bouncy. I think we can get a few thousand more points on our high-score for New Ireland Pinball." 
Rihko wanders out of the kitchen, licking her fingers and claws. She pauses a moment as she surveys the room, ear flicking. "Huh," she comments. Then she starts making a cup of tea. 
Balina takes slightly longer to recover, dripping from the seats, and a single glop falls from the ceiling. Bigger they are, indeed. "I think," mutters one of the piles, "that next time one or both of us should issue a warning. Maybe check for a score-keeper next time." 
Eithne waves drunkenly to Rihko, still giggling like mad, and wobbles and slithers over to the supply closet, poking around for a dustpan. Which she then moves to use to help scrape Bal into a single pile. "Sure! That sounds like a plan. Oh, oh, maybe we can try it in a couple alleys and see how many ferals we can knock down... Goo Bowling." 
Balina finishes piling together, and reforms into... mostly a Balina. Still using all that extra mass, but she at least has the presence of mind to remember to use indoor shapes. Sitting on the floor, she props an elbow up onto the bar counter, steadying her head. "I /did/ say something about throwing myself at ferals, didn't I? Afraid I'd just pick them up and keep going if we tried anything like that, though." 
"So we change the scoring to how many we can katamari. Duh." Eithne nodnods, setting the dustpan to the side and flopping against Bal. She cranes her head back a moment later, looking up towards Rihko or the Tagling. It's hard to tell. "Can I get a mug of coffee, please?" 
"Sure," Rihko answers, smiling. She gets a mug and brings it over, offering it to Eithne, then returns to her tea cup and takes a sip. She grins wider, and shakes her head. "Isn't that what Balina used to do when she was a Kaijoo? Just flood over things?" 
Sorien comes back out from where she'd been crouched behind the bar. "You two are nuts. (giggle)" 
Balina giggles, though it trails off after a bit and she looks thoughtful. "That's kind of worryingly close to exactly what I did, yeah. Just roll through the streets, and anything that didn't die on the impact just went along for the ride until... ugh." Shuddering it much more impressive when you're built for it. "Can we go back to lighthearted? I'm all for reminiscing, but there are bad kinds of nostalgia." 
Crys smirks, "You know, I'm far less worried about you Balina, despite how.... weird, this is. You're actually here, and your heart is open." She looks between both Eithne and Balina carefully. 
Sorien softly churrs, "Yeah, and if you look carefully, you can see it!" 
Rihko gets one of the tea bags from beside the samovar, wanders over, and drops it on Balina. Then she snickers, tails squirming, and claps her hands before she scampers back up to the bar and her cup of tea. 
Eithne nodnods. "Sure we can. It's rather simple." She pours the coffee down her mouth, and watches the CLOUD of black spready and dilute from her stomach. She pokes at her goodress a moment, and then slithers away from Bal. Before pouncing on TeaBal. "Rawr! Coffee is better than tea! We shall wrestle for hot beverage superiority!" 
Sorien softly churrs, "Ooookay. I think I'll go over here and get my own tea..." 
The tea bag sinks in obligingly, though it doesn't infuse quite like one would hope. "Cold brewing takes forever!" grunts Balina, rolling about with a coffeithne, only slightly more controlled than before. "I can't even think of any good tea puns to go with it!" 
"What, not even the agony that Rihko just teabagged you? Or that you're not a TeaBall? Iced Tea jokes? Nothing?" Eithne giggles, though she's rather more in control with feline agility and pushing off things in marginally more controlled bounces. 
Sorien curls back up with Crys. 
"Hehe. That was one of the things I was pondering earlier. For Science. What would happen if I 'accidently' spilled my coffee on the Balina-couch." She glances around, shifty eyed, before snickering. "No, no, I can't... ah, well. Hmm... seems like we need some originalitea here..." she pauses, and scratches at her ear. "For a place as steeped in pop culture as this pub is, you'd think we'd be floating in the puns." 
Crys offers, "I think I tend to counteract any effort at pop culture. Even my mate's attempt at programming has failed to have me get even half of what you all reference." 
Sorien softly churrs, "I think you'd get iced coffee, honestly." 
Balina is, as always, relying on brute force. Given that she has at least three times Felithne's mass, it's not a bad bet. Even if it's not paying off right now. "I have been making bad puns from the moment I flowed in!" she cries, grabbing at her opponent to throw. "I don't have time for oolong of a story, but ask me about Callahan's after I finish this!" 
Crys rolls her eyes, "You could be far more effective with properly constructed language." clearly not having an appreciation of punnery. 
Sorien licks Crys' ear. "Hey, they're happy. It's a good thing." 
Crys speaks with a lighthearted, almost musical tone, "It's an absolutely wonderful thing." She grins and says much lower, "Young love." 
Eithne is giggling too much to resist the throw, and goes SPLAT all on the wall. "... I guess I got creamed. Give me a moment to collect myself." She burbles, her leading edge rolling down the wall as she bounces towards TeaBal. "And I promise not to pour it on thick with my victory speech." 
Rihko snerks. "Ooh, Balina, dajarling! Don't leave me in suspense for too long." She sips at her drink. "I will certainly mug you for the information once you're finished there." Then she giggles, and nods at Crys. "One of the reasons English is so fun. It's very grey." She pauses. "And it's fun when you play loose with it." 
Sorien softly churrs, "The ultimate bastard-language. Like a salad bar, we take what we like. " 
Balina is too distracted by Crys's comments to properly defend herself, and is throw to the ground as the smaller ball bounces right through her. "I will be the first to admit that Eithne (sorry, running out of silly names) is fun, but she's not Yerba Mate or anything." Recollecting herself, she rears up and prepares to perform her old signature move, the Jelly Flop. "This is just a friendly sparing Matcha! Shou Mei anyone else who can keep up, and I will kick their Assam!" 
Crys shrugs, "Hindi is almost as bad, similar in many ways. If Urdu and Hindi ever officially merge, it'll be just as diverse as English. They might as well be dialects as it is." smirking she adds, "English in itself is really only so big because it doesn't get split up into dialects officially like Chinese." 
"Awww. You all know more teas than me. It's hard to keep up. I'll work up to things latte, I suppose." Eithne pouts, even as she eyes the incoming jelly flop. Her response is simple and elegant. She flattens herself out /before/ hand, in preparation to try and wrap Bal up afterwards. 
Rihko thinks for a moment. Then a bit longer. Her ears twitch, and she ponders some more, then shakes her head again. "I'm out. You've roasted my stash; I'll need to brew for a while before I can cough-y up anything else." She pauses a moment, winces at her own horribleness, and hopes nobody calls her on it as she grins and watches the jelly wrestling. 
Sorien shakes her head at Rihko's punnery. 
Balina has never let new information stop her from carrying out a terrible idea. "Wolfcows do not believe in common Sencha!" Neither do, apparently, their jellied cousins. Clambering atop a table and giving a disgusted grunt, Balina drops with a terrifying, "Bancha!" 
Caeli's no doubt interesting and spectacular entrance is very thoroughly interrupted by the spectacle taking place on the pub's lower level. She stands frozen at the top of the stairs for several minutes, staring down at the goo battle with wide, innocent eyes that have never before beheld such a thing; eventually she begins descending the steps in a sort of trance, her gaze glued to the splat-tacular showdown. 
Or not so terrifying, to the widespread Eithne. "Hrm. I think you'll need a gelcat for the pain, after this one, Bal. Good thing I'm on hand." As Bal closes in, she whips her edges up to try and wrap around the incoming goowolf. "And remember; paper beats rock... Flame. I'm out of material." Both literally and metaphorically, as she's stretched to her limit. 
Rihko snickers. She glances up and waves at Caeli; the kitsune is near the bar, sipping on a cup of tea, although she gets up and moves over to sit near Crys and Sorien. Her attention goes back to the goo match, and she giggles. "You know, this really stretches the limits of what's allowed in here... but I think we can be elastic on it tonight. If you two end up getting mixed together, though, I don't know how we'll sort you out. It could be rather jarring..." 
Balina pops her head and arms up and out of the top of the ball, looking down over the thin layer of grape and putting her arms in the air. "Vindication! Also, change of topics to preserve the horror! About slime, too. I was getting awful sloppy in there." Both arms reach down, and begin tickling at her captor, one more effectively than the other. 
"Ha! I have you trapped, trapped I say! I'll try not to gush in too condensing a manner. Just be a nice gooBal and tuck up." Eithne tries to compress her captive, rolling them around a little as she vibrates in a hearty giggle. 
Caeli may have failed to stir the pot with her entrance, but she seems intent on at least getting a taste of the action; she treats Rihko to a wave in return, but keeps her focus on the main course, edging steadily closer to the combatants. Her plan may be half-baked, but that's never bothered her; once within arm's reach she leans forward and extends a slender finger toward the pair, aiming a poke right at the rolling goo that has so thoroughly devoured her attention. 
"Deja-goo!" Balina cries, tucking herself back into her Bal as best as she can. "I'd be jellious, but one look at those green gelatinize and I go all wobbly." 
Crys headtilts at Caeli. "Do I know you? You seem to know them..." 
Rihko snickers. She reaches over and gives Crys a hug. "Crys, that is Caeli. She is one of my frinds, a great person." Then she looks over at Caeli, grining wider. "Be careful you don't get sucked in. That looks like it could be quite the sticky situation. You're also both a pair of fruit cakes, but I think you're both far too amoozing to want to break this up." 
"Ha! You wi-" and whatever pun Eithne was planning on is ruined as she squeaks, both at the poke and how the pair roll right into the inquisitive robot and her probing, slender figure. And, just as Rihko warned, the robot is sucked in. And the sprawled all over the place, covered in Eithne (and likely Bal), with splashes of pruple (and likely blue) all over the place. There may be injuries, but at least slime cures all wounds, right? "... Oh, hi Caeli. It's goo to see you. Sorry about the mess. Did you need help collecting yourself? I do, if you wouldn't mind helping me scrape by again." From her half-dozen piles and assorted scraps, all vibrating in time. 
Crys looks to Rihko carefully, and the relaxed and enthusiastic state of her response calms her a bit. She waits, not interrupting what’s happening before she greets the newcomer though. 
Sorien softly churrs, "Agh, the puns! Evil! (giggle)" 
Balina consolidates much quicker than last time, though she still has to take some time to walk around, stepping on little blue piles and soaking them back up. "Stiff competition. Much better than last time. Much better than the usual clots who think stringing two or three words together makes for a solid, coherent defense." A couple of purple pieces are picked up and thrown back at Jellithne with a giggle. "I'm not sure I have much left in me, though." 
Caeli freezes mid-poke upon being addressed, eyeing REDACTED with a measure of confusion (perhaps a cup, if you had to guess). But such a distraction is the final ingredient in a recipe for disaster, it seems, as she quite suddenly finds herself mixed, shaken, and stirred by the gootastrophe that follows. She's quick to rise again, though, wiping a bit of Eithne (or was that Balina?) from her eyes as she sits upright and stares around at the mess she inadvertently cooked up. 
Crys blinks, frowning and gets up, unwrapping from her mate. She offers a hand down, towering over Caeli, her tails fanning behind her. 
Sorien headtilts? 
One of the 'pieces' Balina picks up grows a mouth and tongue and... proceeds to stick the latter out at the goowolf, just before she tosses it back. Slowly, Eithne pulls herself back together, having actually been kersploded instead of just splatted. She glances around, rubbing her gooey butt through her gelatinous dress. "Has anyone seen where my tail ended up? No one is using it for jelly shots, are they?" 
Sorien softly churrs, "Bleah?" 
Rihko laughs happily, and shakes her head. "I dunno, did it land over there?" she asks, pointing. "You did kind of make a mess of yourself Eithne." Then she hops up and wanders over with Crys. "Caeli, this is my sister, REDACTED. Crys, Caeli.” 
Balina does one better than Crys, the presently-oversized wolfgoow stepping up behind Caeli, reaching down and picking the poor girl up by the shoulders. "My hero!" she cries, spinning the girl around then squinting, peering at something. "Hold on a second, got a little..." *SLURP* "Yeah, that's where it went." 
"Premature release. Whatever shall I do?" Eithne looks put-upon, even as she glances after Rihko's indicated direction. 
Sorien softly churrs, "Hm... So. Jello-wars are over?" 
Selina looks up "Jello wars..?" 
Sorien points at Eithne and Bal. 
Selina hrms "I haven't had jello in a long while. Where did you get it?" 
Sorien softly churrs, "They ARE it. (giggle)" 
Selina rubs her eyes and looks, she clearly hasn't noticed yet what's going on "Who?" 
Sorien softly churrs, "Eithne and Bal." 
Not one to simmer over such a minor incident, Caeli accepts the offered hand and prepares to pull herself up into a breader position, only to be snatched away from the new acquaintance before she can concoct a worthy reply. The cheesy performance preserves her stunned state for just a bit longer, but being taste-tested is enough to snap even her out of it. "Hero...?" she asks, raw confusion in her eyes. 
Crys looks a little flustered as her help and introduction are promptly ignored. She frowns, and then waves at the Jackal. "Sorry about the mess. We've had some... odd things going on." and then returns to her mate's side. 
Sorien softly churrs, "Odd is one way to describe it. (giggle)" 
Selina hrms "I see.." 
"A type of sandwich," Rihko supplies, with a quiet snicker. "Usually on Italian loaf, with various meats and seasonings." She winks, slips an arm around Caeli, and nods towards the table she was sitting at. "Balina and Eithne were playing. And engaging in some rather raw word-smithing as well. Cooking up some atrocious puns. I am sure Taggart would have been sick to his stomach, but I rather enjoyed the feast." 
Selina list at the bar, "How are you all doing? I didn't mean to fall asleep like that.." 
Balina clutches Caeli to her chest, wrapping her arms around and generally threatening to smother the poor girl, lungs or no. "Of course! You freed me from the terrors of Eithne!" Letting her lower half begin to re-dissolve, Balina sinks towards a more reasonable level, and sets Caeli down in the pooled mass, thankfully free of restraint. "Though I'm sure I could have taken her. Really. Maybe." 
After some rooting around in the corner, Eithne surfaces with a tail once more, and oozes over to Caeli and the spinning Bal. She watches the rotations a moment, and then takes the chance when Bal stops spinning to duck in and hug both goowolf and robot. "Hey, I was just returning the favor, Bal. You did it to me earlier... and wasn't it fun? I know I found it so. Also, hi again Caeli. Like I said, sorry about bowling you over. That game is /later/. Maybe." Nodnod. "No harm done, though?" 
Alessa looks tired and vaguely annoyed as she walks down the stairs. she goes to the bar and orders a few shots, then turns to look at the rest of the room, keeping an ear open for converstation she could try and insert herself into, or maybe someone alone that she could talk to. 
Alessa receives her shots and drinks one. She checks her comm unit and, not finding any messages yet, sullenly rests her chin on a hand. 
Rihko gives Alessa a little nod as she walks past, but remains next to Caeli, Balina, and Eithne, smiling and waiting. 
Crys looks around, "Is something wrong? I get the feeling that there is an oddly dour mood that's brewing. Which seems odd considering how silly people were just being less than a few minutes ago." She looks at both the newer entrants specifically. 
Sorien tickles her claws along Crys' sides mischievously. 
Alessa takes her second shot and turns to Crys. "Nothing wrong with me personally, 'cept my few friends aren't around, so I'm bored as hell." 
Selina hrms? "I'm alright. Were you talking to me?" Coming out of her little daze 
Caeli mustards up what's left of her composure as she begins to digest the situation, though really it's a lot to swallow all at once. "Greetings, Eithne, Rihko, REDACTED, and..." she headtilts at Balina without so much as a crumb of recognition in her eyes. "Goo-person. I am glad I was able to assist." She directs her monochromatic gaze down toward the thick soup around her sneakered feet, carefully extracting one at a time to stand closer to Rihko. "No damage sustained," she confirms to Eithne before turning back to her kitsune friend, ready to follow her lead. 
Crys evades her mate's tickling and adds to both Alessa and Selina, "I was refering to both of you. It's a pub, no reason to look so gloomy. Can we get you anything? You're welcome to join us over here instead of glooming alone, unless you want privacy while you drink?" 
Selina defensively hisses, "Sorry.. I just.. had something on my mind. How are you and your family doing?" 
Alessa stands and moves to join Crys. "I want anything but privacy. My name's Alessa." 
"Of course I remember!" grins Balina, an arm swiveling around patting Eithne back. "And I was going to let you get away with it, until Caeli decided to rescue me. I'll try and stay more default-sized next time; this wasn't fair of me at all." A nod to Caeli and her confusion, "Balina. We met some time ago, but I'm in really... rare form tonight." 
Selina defensively hisses, "Hello Balina." 
Rihko quietly giggles. "A rare form indeed," she agrees and pats Caeli, then wanders back over to her seat with Sorien and Crys. "Oh, and this is REDACTED's mate, Sorien," she adds. She settles into her seat and picks up her tea, taking a sip; finding it has gone cold, her nose wrinkles, and she decides to just finish it off. Then she sets her cup back down and laughs. "Ahhh, been a good night so far. Hi, Alessa, I'm Rihko." 
Alessa softly churrls, "Nice to meet you. Mind telling me something about yourself? I'm not very good at starting conversations." 
Crys turns to Sorien, and says, "I don't know, how /are/ we doing, my love?" grinning widely as both of the new people feel comfortable to interact. She offers a handout to Alessa, "A pleasure, as always to meet new faces. It's a relatively relaxed night and nothing bad has happened, so especially nice. My name, as has been mentioned, is REDACTED." nodding toward Rihko, "And this is Sorien, my skunkie lover." her face is animated, looking excited and in one of her rare elated moods, probably set off by Eithne and Balina's bonding earlier. 
Crys turns back to Selina, "You've only come a few times. I was a little worried we did something to upset you, the last time. You wearing the jackal's skin so proudly always caught my eye. One of the few who wears the shape of death without any discomfort is always eyecatching." 
Eithne mrrs for a bit, and then resolidifies to snuggle into Bal properly, reclaiming her gooseat. Her tail reaches up to scritch at wolfears, and she licks the other woman's chin affectionately (with a soft "mmm, blueberry"). 
Selina defensively hisses, "Though you are correct, Anubis' servants often go unannounced." 
Catalina wanders down the steps and finds herself a lounger to curl up in, making sure her tanktop stays in place as she does. "Hello everyone." Her voice is quiet as she watches everyone. 
Selina defensively hisses, "Death itself is rather unannounced, so I suppose that may hold some reason." 
Crys' response is obvious, "Because few are comfortable with the idea of mortality. A constant reminder that all things die... is generally something people avoid." before turning back to Alessa. "I'm not sure what there is to say, have you ever set foot in Taggart's pub before this and I missed you, or is this a first?" 
Selina defensively hisses, "I find that if anything, here in the bubble, death bears little meaning." 
Balina gives a happy wave to Selina as she scoots along the floor, Eithne carried along for the ride. Venturing to the bar, she claims her trusty mug, emptying the entire thing multiple times while waiting for her order to come in. More fruit (big surprise), and a fresh cup of coffee for Eithne are acquired and settled as the pair venture towards a table for a proper, post-battle relaxation. With some annoyance, she finally pulls that tea bag out of her head, dropping it down into her mug. 

[[Category:RPLogs]]

Midnight Shadow

2013-04-25T21:22:03Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

In a time when the tribe was one people, they faced a great danger. Midnight Shadow whispered into brother's ear, and he stole and killed from the people. Each night Midnight Shadow would whisper into another ear and turn another from the people. The people knew that Midnight Shadow needed to be stopped, and asked Quiet Whisper, the strongest of them to put an end to it. Quiet Whisper knew of no man who could stop Midnight Shadow, and instead sought out Coyote. He asked Coyote how to end the whispers, and Coyote did not know, so he told Quiet Whisper to seek the Great Mother Moon. Coyote followed Quiet Whisper and listened on.

Great Mother Moon told Quiet Whisper to trick Midnight Shadow into sleeping, for once sleeping they will never wake again, this she promised him. Coyote heard this, and his stomach panged with hunger. Coyote confronted Midnight Shadow, and challenged him. Coyote first challenged Midnight Shadow to wrestle, hoping to hold him til he fell to sleep, but Midnight Shadow was far too strong and laughed at Coyote. Next Coyote tried to give Midnight Shadow a gift of a mushroom that would put him to sleep. Midnight Shadow ate it in one bite and laughed heartily. Coyote then decided to tell a story to Midnight Shadow, incredibly long it went on for many moons, and yet sleep did not come for Midnight Shadow. Coyote fell asleep, and Midnight Shadow laughed.

Quiet Whisper looked on and saw the pride of the beast and decided to feed it with pleasant words and flattery. In it's place of power, Midnight Shadow could not fear such a little enemy, and listened to Quiet Whisper, letting him live to speak more. Growing pleased, Midnight Shadow boasted of his power, that one whisper he could make anyone do his bidding. Quiet Whisper suggested that if he were truly mighty, that he would be able to get them to do his bidding while sleeping. This angered Midnight Shadow, and he decided to prove Quiet Whisper wrong. That evening Midnight Shadow went to sleep instead of whispering, and in the morning he did not wake.

Coyote was not pleased, for he was still hungry, and ate Midnight Shadow in one gulp. Coyote's stomach grew sick, for he had taken something that was not his to take. He sought Great Mother Moon and asked what he should do. She told Coyote that he had done wrong, and now Midnight Shadow would wake again. She told him to hide Midnight Shadow and bury him where the sun would not touch.

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Prologue

2013-04-25T21:21:59Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index page.]]''

Wallace and [[User:Sorien|Sorien]] are on the road just outside of Fairhaven heading north on Highway 101 heading toward an are just south of the Redwood National Park. There's a gas station that was scouted as having a really large haul, particularly enough to be worth sending a semi out. Wallace sits behind the wheel concentrating carefully on avoiding abandoned vehicles that still haven't been cleared off the highway this far north of Fairhaven.

Sorien watches out as they go. "I should have checked the cars for stuff too, but oh well. The gas'll be plenty. I doubt we can haul it all back.

Wallace has ear-buds in, rather than listening to the lack of radio. He hears Sorien's voice and pulls one out, "hmmm?" he asks.

Sorien grins. "I said I should have checked the cars out, that's all."

"Miss Sorien, I'm sure we'll find enough at the station, the cars will come with time and not require a trailer." He grins stupidly as any kid could, still mostly human and quite young.

Sorien says, "Well, yeah. True."

Sorien goes back to watching their drive, letting Wallace listen to his music. Obviously she's an incurable rubbernecker, making mental notes about things to check out later.

The target is not a long drive, and hardly boring considering the wasteland highways have become since Pday. The many of the drivers simply having abandoned their cards mid motion, which in itself provokes a good question about the inhabitants. Highway driving for long distances is always a hazard and leads to potential problems, thankfully Zephyr has scouted most of the highways outside of Fairhaven for serious problems and this highway is marked as clear on the official maps.

Sorien mutters, "Used car salesman's paradise.."

Sorien spots a pack of feral anthro deer fleeing from a normal coyote out of the corner of her eye at one point. She also sees how the majesty of nature has already started to creep back over the abandoned human paradise.

Sorien winces a little, wondering if the deer were once human, or deer that were altered...

Wallace hums to himself in a grating way the track he's hearing on his place, but he's off-key and the tune unrecognizable, concentrating on the drive. It shouldn't be long now before they arrive.

Sorien makes a mental note to pick a semi with a stereo next time, and to bring some CDs.

Up ahead Sorien spots the Gas Station, an old Valero station, still showing signs for PURE gasoline. It's been abandoned since P-day, and remains remarkably intact. Some vines have overgrown the building and the parking lot is sprouting weeds, however the gasoline's toxicity has kept most of nature at bay.

Sorien nudges Wallace, then indicates where to pull up. "I dipped the tanks when I found the place; the regular is at about two-thirds full, the diesel nearly to the top and the premium is about the same. They must have had a delivery just before everything went to hell."

Wallace brings the cab up to a stop right near the access pits for the gas tanks. The station has four large underground tanks, being the only gas station for miles it gets filled less often and therefore has greater supply in tact.

Wallace immediately grabs his rifle and pistol out of the small crawl space behind the two, and pops open the door, "I'll make sure it's safe first miss." He says before hopping out onto the concrete.

Sorien says, "Okay. Not that I'm all that delicate. (giggle)"

Wallace does a quick search around the cab, and his human senses don't detect anything out of the ordinary so he moves to open Sorien's door and offers her his hand and help getting down.

 Sorien hops out, looking around and sniffing for anything around that might be a threat. Not detecting anything, she grins at Wallace and starts dismounting the hoses they'll use to drain the tanks, and hooking up the pump they've brought.

The stench of gasoline bleeds out anything else in the surrounding area. It's honestly a wonder it doesn't go to any transformee with a good olfactory sense's head and cause them to pass out. The old gasoline spills on the ground have eaten into the concrete that has not seen any sealants or repairs in the last year, and the ground is mildly difficult to walk on with the crumbling concrete surface.

Sorien says, "Yick. Its breaking down a lot faster than I'd have expected. Maybe its a damn good idea to get this stuff out of here regardless."

The first thing out of the ordinary Sorien notices is at the edge of her hearing, she notices another breath, Behind the two of them is a runtish looking coyote, staring at them quietly less than four yards behind. It cocks it's head watching the two of them when Sorien spots it.

Sorien says, "Hmm... We got company..."

Sorien starts watching carefully for whether there are more coyotes, and getting ready, just in case.

Wallace is startled, having not heard the thing himself he immediately whips out his pistol and stares at the coyote. It's strangely close for a natural creature, most, even coyotes that are hungry wouldn't just stand this close.

It head-quirks again at Wallace's action, but takes a step closer to the two, still silent. It's eyes are golden and it's fur a mixture of ruddy browns, oranges tans and blondes, it's ears are perked but it's tail isn't wagging.

Sorien says, "Okay. Now one thing I know is coyotes are NOT known for approaching people... "

He pinches the trigger, sending a shot firing in the ground in front of the approaching coyote, Wallace panicking at the approach. He's not sure what's wrong with this coyote but it's not acting natural.

The coyote stops, and then raises it's head up into a long, mournful howl, and then turns to run off.

Sorien says, "Save your shots til we need them. (Sori starts looking for other targets; a coyote as bold as this one, even if its running now, is either ill or with a large pack able to consider people as prey- either way, bad news.)"

Suddenly out from under the tank itself, two dozen coyote flood out, one biting into Wallace's ankle and dragging him off his feet as it runs by. Sorien hears yips and barking behind her, and a very distinct growling as a larger coyote than the rest comes around to look right in her eyes. There's a definite spark of intelligence in them, unlike the one before. Wallace yelps as he slams into the ground dropping his pistol, and falls into the rifle strapped to his back.

Sorien says,"Crap! (She grabs at Wallace, dragging him loose of the animals with main strength; She gets set for the unavoidable fight!)"

Three coyote leap at Sorien while she tries to pull at Wallace. Pulling his leg free from his accosting animal he pulls himself upright and pulls the rifle out, a bit peeved to be using it instead of the pistol. He fires at the one that had his ankle and hits it right in the head. The coyote takes the bullet right in the head and falls to the ground.

Sorien says, "Jesus Christ! (She starts wading in to less-permanently deal with the creatures, not wanting there to be more deaths.)"

Wallace turns away from Sorien to fire at another, this time hitting one in the flank. It yelps and runs away until it falls to it's side in agony.

Sorien says, "Get in the truck, get it started!"

One of the coyotes nearby leaps onto Wallace, it's jaw going for his trigger hand, latching it's jaws around it.

Sorien is being flanked from all sides, the tide of coyotes unusually thick, and the intelligent one has the most disturbing grin on it's face. Sorien spots another one simply watching her, off to the side, much smaller and probably female.

Sorien simply strikes any creature that gets too close, definitely causing hurt, but not striking to kill... Yet. She shifts closer to Wallace again, and tries to drive the creatures off of the young man. "Get to the damn truck; that asshole there is the leader I think!" her eyes track to the grinning coyote, and she prepares to go for him as soon as Wallace is able to get to the cab.

Wallace screams as it bites down. He pulls a lose piece of concrete with his left hand and smashes it down on the coyote's head, forcing it to let go. And immediately follow's Sorien's suggestion, leaping into the open passenger's side, and trying to turn the keys. He screams out to her that she needs to detach the pump.

Sorien nods quickly moves to do so. "Worst case just fucking drive- we're more important than the damn gas!"

Some of the coyote pack follow the younger man, his hand torn open and bleeding as he tries to turn the key with his left hand. One of the coyote's follows him leaping up onto the passenger's side seat. Wallace turns and kicks the coyote in the face.

Sorien blinks... Then realizes what to do- instead of cutting off the flow of gas, she just detaches it so that the foul-smelling fluid spews out onto the oncoming foes, and she goes for the top of the trailer!

A few of the coyotes are wounded by the pressurized flow of the foul smelling liquid. Sorien loses track of the two intelligent coyotes in the commotion.

Sorien screams "DRIVEDRIVEDRIVE!" And holds her high-ground position!

Wallace screams out as the engine turns over and the semi's cab begins to roar. Another coyote takes a swipe at Wallace but he pulls the door shut, smashing the door into the coyote's head.

The tractor jerks into motion, the initial gearing too high, and the engine stalls, unbalancing and distracting Sorien. She manages to keep still but her attention is taken on not falling off.

Sorien shifts stance on the narrow catwalk atop the tank, getting ready for the motion of the vehicle. She watches carefully for the coyotes, knowing at least a few are smart enough to think to come after her, despite the nausea the majority are likely experiencing now.

The smaller of the intelligent Coyote's slams into Sorien's back, it's full body weight thrown into her at an angle meant to push her off the side of the trailer.

From below Wallace is screaming, "Get in the fucking truck!" to Sorien. The passenger's cab still open and another Coyote attempts to leap in to accost the driver.

Sorien falls forward, grabbing the catwalk as she does and kicks back, aiming for the jaw of her attacker! "Just drive! There's no damn time!"

The motion of the truck and the weight of the coyote are almost enough to push Sorien off to the ground but she holds on despite. Wallace tries to get the engine started again, and the trailer once again hums into life. He drives forward this time, heading for the grass field-way ahead, hoping to shake some of the coyote's off.

Sorien glances around, seeing if she lost her attacker or not, and tries to keep ready for other attacks while keeping a grip on the catwalk.

Sorien hears growling up above her and looks. The big mighty intelligent coyote is looking down at her growling. It bends down and bite's into her hand.

Sori feels a bit dizzy as she's bitten, the feeling is odd to explain, like a sudden rush of blood to the head.

Sorien yelps, swears, then handstands; as she topples back over towards the attacker, she lets loose with her traditional skunk attack! She tries to not fall off the truck in the process, and swallows hard against the dizziness.

The blast of foul musk in the big coyote's face is too much for it, it collapses off the truck, and Sorien manages to land, but the wave of dizziness continues and she falls as the truck hits the grass and jostles the truck.

Sorien rolls clear of the truck, not wanting to be field-pizza, then just stands and runs after the truck; she knows that she's not faster than the coyotes, but she's MUCH faster than an average human; she'll leap for the ladder on the back of the trailer when she can, knowing that in the field the truck can't get anywhere near highway speeds. She bites her cheek to get some focus back into her head, and hauls.

As Sorien is running she notices her blood streaming from her damaged hand has begun to drip up into the air, this seems really unnatural to her. She looks down at the hand and looks dumbfounded, it looks like a giant paw, a coyote's paw, but she waggles her fingers and shakes the weird imagery out of her head, focusing on trying to catch up. The large swarm of coyotes, including the intelligent female are pursuing her close behind.

A coyote inside Wallace's cab has him distracted and the vehicle is swerving, and speeding up, hitting the uneven ground bouncing the vehicle around.

Sorien suddenly has an overpowering urge to -stay-.

Sorien says, "Oh, you fuckers. I do NOT think so!" (She draws on her Ki, focusing her mind and body to sprint for the truck, timing her charge for a swerve and goes for the open passenger door, to at least try to get the coyote off of Wallace!"

Sorien weaves her way toward the passenger's side of the cab, but a coyote comes flinging out ejected by Wallace straight at her, slamming her to the ground with it's weight. The tractor finally hitting roadway and reaching a higher speed.

The coyote landing on Sorien is clearly dead, and it begins to -melt- on top of her, flowing into crimson blood and then into the ground.

Sorien says, "Crap! (She rolls with the creature, then away from it. She knows she has to get away, but the odds of her getting to the truck are almost nil now- she realizes she has to do something she's not practiced- shifting on the run to a flying form. She sprints, and starts to shift to Wyvern!)"

Sorien trying to activates the nanites only speeds her new infection on, she screams as her arms begin shifting into coyote's paws, and that urge to stay grows even stronger in her head. She feels someone calling her name in the back of her mind.

The pack having caught up behind her, circles around the flailing and changing skunk.

Sorien yells, "Fuck YOU!" and simply runs, knowing that she is well and truly screwed. She turns and faces her tormentors. "Fine. I am SO gonna trash every goddamned one of you!" And she commences to do so, til the inevitable.

Her hips begin to crack next, causing her to lose her balance. Most of the coyotes simply standing there waiting, rather than attacking Sorien, only growling when she comes close to strike.

Sorien fights until the last, resisting the changes within and without with everything she has.

Sorien manages to take out more than half the coyotes, and the big intelligent one she doesn't see again until just before she blacks out entirely. The overpowering urge to stay is shrugged off right up until the end as well. At first she only hears voices, but it becomes harder and harder to concentrate on her form as it changes. She feels like she's floating in her own head and then screams one last time before everything goes dark.

In the blackness Sorien feels nothing. She feels like she's floating in space, and screams out into the void.

She then begins to feel like she's drowning, bit by bit choking on water she can not see or feel.

 

Sorien fights the sensations, focusing on self, fighting it all to keep her self, herself! She says only one thing: "I'm fucking ME."

What comes out as she chokes can't be heard, and her head feels like it's going to explode as she suffocates. She once again blacks out.

Sorien comes too with her face on the dirt, it's wet, as if it recently rained, and she feels terrible. Hair is flowing over her face, and she brushes hair out of her face with very feminine human hands.

Sorien blinks!

Sorien pushes herself up and looks herself over.

Dizzy as hell, she tries to get up and look around but collapses back, she shivers in the cold air, and her feet are resting in water of some kind. She is completely naked, and fur-less. The sky above is in twilight, and the moon is high in the sky, the indigo purple sky is almost unnaturally colored, and there is some pink in the distance.

Sorien says, "I... Am so... Gonna beat the hell out of whomever did this... (She slows her breathing, once again digging deep into her Ki to energize herself.)"

Sorien's skin is an odd color, darker than she ever was, the reddish brown tint is distinct, and the hair flowing over her face is raven black.

Sorien gasps as she feels complete disconnect with all her power. Her nanite control, her masteries, every source of energy she is used to is stripped. She feels alone, naked and cold as the wind whips across the stream and open field surrounding her. Grass waist high surrounds the edge of the river bank she is laying on.

Sorien curls up, kneeling, to get herself warm enough to move again; holding body heat in and getting herself fully out of the water.

Sorien's concentration is broken by the raspy sound of an old voice. It speaks in an ancient tongue she's never heard, yet she immediately understands what he's saying. "You are cold." It says matter of factly. Looking around she finally sees the source. In the grass nearby a native american man is standing his eyes are deep blue however, and his hair has grown grey in patches around his head. He is covered with coyote skins and is carrying another, he holds it out in the air for Sorien and says, "For you."

Sorien, not being stupid, takes it. "Who are you, and why am I here?"

"Time will talk" He says, above him the moon is an odd shade, part of it red, and what look like wisps of black, almost like tendrils are just beginning to touch it. He says "Follow", and starts off away from the girl.

Sorien fights to keep her expression neutral, but she's not happy as she follows the strange man.

The walk is long, and all sense of time is broken without any passing change in the sky or surroundings.

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 1|Click here to continue to Chapter 1.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Interlude

2013-04-25T21:21:53Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 5|Click here to return to Chapter 5.]]''

After the adventurers took the bus back to Fairhaven, there was a period of downtime. Some people had to deal with unexpected new genders, species, or entire life forms.

Taggart found himself human again for the first time in ages, needing to use weapons and armor instead of his Wolf Beast fangs and claws.

Apostasy could not shift to any form except female, whatever species she tried to take on. Despite being sent male by Coyote at the end of the rescue.

REDACTED suffered bouts of nausea. It took a great deal of convincing but she eventually went for an ultrasound and found herself pregnant with Sorien's daughter. Yes, a skunk girl and a kitsune-snowleopard girl having a daughter. Coyote's involved.

And lastly, Sparhawk began agitating for a return trip to Oregon. The original reason was given as 'get back the junk I left in the pool'. Over the course of a week the often-gryphon began acting increasingly erratic, sometimes using 'we' instead of 'I', until shi revealed what shi'd taken away at the end of the first trip. When Coyote rescued everyone from the dream inside the wellspring, Sparhawk had entered it after the dreamer awoke. Shi never entered the dream, instead floating among the nanites of the original coyote pack before Coyote added magic. Shi could feel it dying with the heart torn out...and decided to take the pack-mind with hir. That mind had learned to think by watching the dreamer, and now watched Sparhawk from the inside. Sparhawk needed to return in order to understand what shi had done.

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 6|Click here to continue to Chapter 6.]]''

[[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Elaine's Dream

2013-04-25T21:21:43Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

Elaine twitches, scratching in her sleep at an ear, passed out next to the wellspring. She's pleasantly dreaming about hunting, a focus she's been working on since Spar left her. She wakes slowly, being pelted by rocks slowly changes to being prodded by some sort of hand. Her eyes open and in front of her Carson is hunched over breathing weezing. His drawl is harsh and choked as he says, "There ya are child..." he pauses for a moment to cough into his hand, blood flecks on it he quickly hides rubbing against his flannel shirt. "Ya are a hard one to wake."

Elaine yawns big and toothy before sniffing around sleepily at Carson. "Grandfather...you sound unwell. It was a good dream, but you're more important than that right now." She wags slowly, anticipating bad news.

Carson's breaths are laboured as he says, "I am not your grandfather, not anymore. Coyote passed the last of himself ta wake his daughter, leaving me fuck all." He spits blood onto the ground, not an angry motion however, “Once tha last of his power fades I will pass from this world, again." He then collapses onto the ground, his jeans sending up a small cloud of dust around him.

Elaine yips dismay and coldnoses at Carson's hand. "Left you me, brother of my grandfather! I am sad to see you go, but won't let you be alone at the end. Sparhawk says that's the worst way to end your life."

"Yes, it is... However, if it were my choice I would be with Harry in the end..." He trails off, coughs up a chunk of something that smells awful and looks black, and then pulls out, "His last command was ta ask ya child, something I'm not sure ya will want ta do."

Elaine cringes away a little from the black thing, reminded of other black things. And not wanting to do the request already. But she asks, "What did he want, before he left?"

There's a long time of him sitting, staring off into nothing, before he says, "He wants ya ta devour me." his voice is quavering, clearly, not comfortable with even the thought.

Elaine sits up and bumps her head against Carson's hand. "Oh, is that all?" The lightness of the words do not entirely cover the sadness in her eyes. "I was thinking if that might...save you, old friend, and trying to come up with how a polite person would bring it up."

Carson looks surprised by the response, and shivers a little bit, "I did not expect that short of reaction from ya." He goes quiet for a short while and then says, "He said he left a gift for ya inside me."

Elaine grins, but it fades back into general sadness. "I remember Sorien borrowing one of my fingers that Harry was enjoying. Might not fit into your flannel, but you wouldn't die? I don't like people dying." She licks at Carson's hand but is unable to hide the shiver at the taste of sickness.

Carson idly pets the child, "I'm not sure if I can even continue living if I wanted ta, I'm already living on time I did not have. I died already." He frowns, "But tha worst part is leaving poor Harry alone, she loved me. Me, not Coyote-who-walked-in-my-skin." He brings a callused hand up to wipe at an eye.

Elaine firmly says, "Not alone. Without you, maybe. She has friends who visit, and a friend who will live here." Coyote eyes cannot cry, but she feels like they ought to from the memories of watching those who lived inside her.

Carson begins to cough violently, and then his innards find a way onto the ground. He's beginning to fade quicker now.

Elaine yips alarm and runs around in a little circle. "I haven't done this since I learned how to think! How do I ask permission to eat someone?" She stops, and places her little fangs around Carson's rasping throat. Her eyes look up from under expressive eyebrows, pleading for some sort of permission.

He says gruffly, "Make it quick... Please."

The prickling of fangs gives way to sharpness as Elaine bites down as hard as she can, twisting and tearing at the veins that pump less well than they ought to. She plants a paw on Carson's chest to push against, willing her nanites into Carson's failing body as hard as she can remember from being inside Spar.

Carson bleeds, not changing at first, his lifeblood pooling on the stones and dirt below him. His eyes staring off into nothingness. He slumps and twitches, and it looks like he's dying. Elaine's so caught up in the not changing Carson she misses a faint golden glow as the blood seeps into the ground. His breaths stilling as he drains dry. At the same time Elaine's teeth itch.

Elaine whimpers, releasing the death-grip on Carson's neck and desperately biting on shoulder, arm, lower arm...the diseased flesh disgusting to taste. As the last breath bubbles through the tear in Carson's neck Elaine closes her eyes and gives a mournful yipping howl to the sky, breaking off in the middle when the itchy teeth demand a scratching with her hindpaw.

The itching sensation grows into her mind, Elaine's very mind feeling like it needs to be scratched. Carson's not reacting or even flinching at the further bites, and she doesn't feel him as a part of her, like she remembers from before, the joy of new life missing. Nothing but cold silence and itchy head.

Elaine scratches vigorously! Her ears flop around and a paw gets into the pooling blood, causing another whimper and a pause before she shifts to scratch at the other side of her head. This is confusing and not at all comforting!

The blood below Carson seeps off, flowing down rocks and vents in the earth below. Elaine's mental scratching finally ends like a balloon popping. Like the feeling of waking for the first time. Carson's body suddenly begins to dust off in the gentle breeze, turning to ash and dust.

Elaine yawns again, working on the feeling of different pressure inside the ears than out, then stares down at the pile of ash. She watches for a moment, then howls some more with a barely-recognizable tune from a German song she heard inside Spar's head occasionally.

Elaine feels like she's going to be sick, almost like she has a hairball, except she's never had one of those before. The dust has blown off into the wind, and the blood is gone, Carson having left Elaine alone, all alone.

Elaine howls through the discomfort for a while but stops when she can't remember the Rammstein melody anymore to hack a bit, padding to the former bloodpool and shaking the dust of Carson off her paw. She curls up on the verge, shivering despite the heat.

Elaine is overcome by the desire to sleep again.

Elaine is sad, but tired and feeling weird, and the bare rock she rests on is sufficiently soft for her eyes to drift closed. Only the occasional whimper still comes from the small canine.

Elaine's slumber and dreams come fast, except she's in a dream, in the same place, in the same body, she looks around, and then notices the wellspring full of life, red and familiar. She watches a creature crawling out of the wellspring, a coyote. It shakes itself off spattering Elaine with some of the flecks.

Elaine sniffs at the newcomer dubiously, padding around to look at what seems to be a finger of hers. "I hope we're not dreaming each other, that would make this an awkward greeting," she says to it.

The new coyote hears a voice, her own voice, and is startled looking up. "What?" Elaine's voice says coming out very clear, but Elaine doesn't feel her sister in her mind.

Elaine sniffs around some more, stretching the senses of dream to feel the mood of the wellspring's location before she tries to exert any control on it. "Because every argument about 'I'm real you're not!' in videos was boring. I'm Elaine, who would you like to be?"

A cold wet nose presses up against Elaine, snuffling and almost prodding her to see if she's real, the voice answers cryptically, "I would answer like an echo, but it would ask are you dreaming me, or am I dreaming you?"

Elaine snickers and counters with a coldnose on the newcomer's shoulder. "See what I mean? Same question every time. I suppose we could fight over a bone if that's important. Did you just crawl out of our old home, though?"

Elaine too shakes the goo off herself, and says, "I guess I did, which answers that question. So if I'm not me, than what am I?" She moves the wandering nose toward herself, taking in the scents.

Elaine sits and wags. "Probably...an individual with the ability to define yourself? You're certainly not me, though you feel and sound like me on the outside. I don't want to keep people from being individuals anymore, not least because they can do this!" And she begins licking at the itchy spots behind the second Elaine's ears.

"But I remember being me, and remember being multiple things, if I'm new, then why the memories?" Elaine too says idly, appreciating the scritching, and nuzzles Elaine. "I suppose perhaps I should try to wake up, and see if I exist!"
Elaine nuzzles around a bit, then hops away and crouches with forelegs spread like a dog ready to pursue a thrown ball. "You remember Taggart? And Dream? And especially Spar, who annoys death whenever possible?"

Elaine too yips happily, "Of Course! And you remember Grandfather saying he gave me a gift? Am I the gift?" She wags happily.

Elaine leaps and wrestles around a bit with her mirror image! "Maybe! Nothing else interesting has happened lately!" She gnarrs at an unguarded ear and murmurs, "Do we think it's a good idea to wake? Can you take us to the City from here?"

Elaine too wrestles back, and says, "I have no idea! But I am going to try to wake first. I shall see now see if figments can sleep."

Elaine scratches at her ear thoughtfully, then says, "Race you to the real world!"

The dream fades, and Elaine wakes up to the cold nose pressed right against her. "Not-a-figment!" the voice chirps excitedly.

Behind the mirror twin, the wellspring is glowing, it's light golden and the waters pristine rather than the gory mess, or the silty hotspring after it died.

Elaine glances quickly at the pool she used to occupy, then stares. "I don't remember planning that... do you remember it glowing? Also, that's Coyote's gold colour, I get to make fun of Spar for once!"

Elaine hops about excitedly, "It most certainly wasn't, unless Grandfather is playing another trick on me." She immediately transitions into, "If there are two of me, can there be more?" she wags, "Maybe this body doesn't feel so small anymore."

Elaine tilts her head. "It'd feel bigger if I could hear you thinking. If you and I are both Elaine, why are we separate instead of fingers? Or are we going to be a lot of Elaines all over Oregon?" She turns to sniff around the golden glow, not letting it out of her sight to keep it from sneaking off.

Elaine too mirrors the expression and tries really hard to sense the other. When the other Elaine walks toward the light, both of them feel the songs of nanites from the golden pool, and then their minds connect briefly through the song, but in the way they felt Spar in the past. Individuals.

Elaine grins wide enough to split her cheeks and bundles up the other Elaine in a big mental hug, joy washing through the nanites' link. "We're gonna need a lot more nametags if this keeps up, Elaine Walker Clevergirl Coyoteson!"

The second Elaine shifts, changing herself male. "This should work for now!" the new he says. And as he does the songs from within the pool grow wide, and both can hear their distant friends from all over, including Spar. At the very tips of their hearing Spar is humming a tune.

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 9

2013-04-25T21:21:43Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 8|Click here to return to Chapter 8.]]''

Carson has just gone to bed, taking Harry with him into a smaller tent he uses for himself. Two other aassahke have left, the elderly one assisting the tan coloured pregnant coyote to one of the more modern built-up structures. Shelley and Ryan are still sitting embraced by the fire, as the sky has begun to turn to dusk the air has chilled with it and a cold breeze picking up cold even on furred flesh. The black furred pregnant coyote has said not a word, and her protective mate is sitting next to her. A tall male coyote that was with the tan pregnant one has gone on guard duty for some reason on the edge of the encampment. River is busy cleaning out the stew pot using lake water.

Sorien glances over at Spar's tent, then back to the black-furred Aassahke. She sighs, then goes over to her and sits.

Sparhawk is spinning up a simple tent between two trees somewhat farther away from the camp from hir own, humming a variety of showtunes. If someone comes over to help or watch Spar will get embarrassed and try to wave them off until it's done.

The black furred coyote stiffens, her pale blue eyes display both discomfort and fear at Sorien's presence.

Cilan wanders over to River, and places her hand on the aassahke's shoulder, a friendly smile pulling at her lips as she asks, "Hello again... erm... Do you need any help with that? I’d just like to return the favour for the delicious stew from earlier..."

Sorien softly churrs, "Um... Raven, right? I'm pretty sure you know who I am."

The protective large mate says, "She has nothing to say to you." A light growl under his breath hints at a mild bit of anger toward Sorien. "And yes, she knows who you are."

Sorien headtilts. "That's alright. I just have something to say to her. Why are you answering for her?"

A harsh growl errupts from his mouth, "It's your fault she isn't." Atse rubs his scalp with his claws, not sure how to respond for his mate, but Raven takes her finger and makes a slice across her throat with it.

Sorien softly churrs, "I don't understand... So I'll just say my piece. I still don't know fully what happened to me in the dream. I doubt I'll ever fully understand. But... I know I made mistakes, and certainly wronged you. So... I'm sorry. I won't ask forgiveness. But is there anything I can do for you?"

Shelley starts to chat with Cilan and Apostasy, inquiring about Zephyr, if the company was even still bothering to look for her, and how the world's changed in the last eight months. She seems surprised when the name RSX comes up, as does Ryan, who shivers.

Raven glares, shaking her head at Sorien. Atse says, "You've done enough to her, where you tread there is only pain and suffering. Please don't harm our child."

Cilan looks curious most of the questions, her voice stammering as she attempts to find most of the answers for Shelley, but most of which, she remains quite smooth, as she had been around when Zephyr had done most of the tasks she asks about.

Sorien blinks. "Why would I do that? ... Fine. I at least tried." She stands, and heads towards Spar.

The taller male coyote approaches Sparhawk at one point while making his rounds, asking why shi's putting the tents so far out from the camp.

Ryan finally finds the words, "Did... do you know if my girlfriend survived the outbreak? Well, I suppose you wouldn't know any more than Shelley did." He frowns, realizing how stupid the question was. "At the very least I can probably get Zephyr to pay for information on where the shipment I was bringing them ended up, and use the money to find her."

Sparhawk carefully disentangles hirself from the half-spun support going around a tree. "These trees are the right distance, and the ground is soft. Softish. If you're concerned..."

Cilan lustily hisses, "Uh.. I might, do you remember her name?"

The taller aassahke shakes his head, "No, no, it's all right. It just makes my patrol further tonight."

Sparhawk bows apologetically to the man whose name is one of the many things that has slipped through hir mental fingers. "Carson's not doing any educatin' tonight. I can keep watch over my friends, if you would like to share the duty."

Ryan says, "Ariana was her name, she was pregnant when I left her, so she'd have had the child long ago now. Ariana Walscott," frowning slightly in thought.

Sorien glances around, and waits til Spar is alone again before approaching.

The tall man says, "I'll be fine, it's been my duty so long I sort of forget what it's like to sleep at night. Besides I like the forest, it's been home to me long before I grew my current form or fell into the dream."

Sparhawk squawks, "Then say hello to the constellations for me. Much more stars out here than in the cities, even with most of the streetlights unpowered." Shi resumes stringing silk around the trees, blue around the bark.

Cilan scratches at the back of her head in confusion, saying in thought, "Well.. I -do- know of one Ariana.. but, she never did show signs of pregnancy ever since I knew her, nor does she have a child.. well, maybe when you two return to Zephyr I can show you to her, maybe I could be wrong.." shrugging she finishes with, ".. I’m not sure.." with the shrug, she jostles the tags around her neck, showing the hidden third one, the one reading, 'Property of Ariana.'

The man moves away, he walks with a bit of a limp, and makes his way over to a tree where he pulls out a walking stick. Leaning his weight against it he uses it to right himself almost like a cane.
Sorien goes up to Spar with the Aassahke's departure. "Hey sweetie."

Ryan looks surprised to see that, "That... doesn't sound like her at all, but it's been so long and Shelley has told me just how horrible the outbreak was for people. God damned fuckers at Zephyr allow shit like this to happen? They knew all along how dangerous it was what they played games with, and yet they -still- chose to sabotage RSX?" He frowns, returning to thought.

Sparhawk pauses again to say in the man's direction, "Who gave you this duty? Oh, hey Sorien. Working on building the tent still, hope you weren't trying to turn in yet."

Sorien softly churrs, "No... Just... Puzzled and not all that happy is all."

Sparhawk walks slowly, trailing a line back to a web bent over the line between two trees. "Making people happy is my mandate. Is there something I can help you with?"

Cilan pats Ryan's shoulder, a low sigh passing her lips shortly after, "Yeah... the world is slowly but surely going to hell, and the fact that the heads of most of the companies being idiots doesn’t help much either... but, we try to make do with what we have.."

Shelley hugs Ryan, "We'll find your girlfriend hon, I'm sure she survived just fine." She hugs Ryan tight and then turns to Cilan and says, "This is what I wanted to ask of you all, we'd like to come back with you to Fairhaven, as we both have unfinished business there, and Coyote set all of us free. We'd stay, but neither of us want to be knocked up and turned into breeding factories though."

Sorien glances back at Raven, or to where she was. "I can understand Raven disliking or hating me... But why won't, or can't, she talk to me herself? I really think I cocked up a lot of the stuff when I was in the dream... I know I can be overly emotional, and I think that made my mistakes worse. It all worked out, kinda, but I feel like I failed.”

Cilan lustily hisses, "Alright, we've got plenty of space on the bus, so I’m certain that if you, and anyone else wants to come, we will let you..."

Shelley smiles, "All of the rest of them are perfectly content to stay with Coyote, even if old Carson keeps telling us to leave. The only other one to leave was Inza, and well... we heard bad things happened to her."

Sparhawk shivers a little, then regains composure. "When Coyote gives a punishment, it is...related to the crime. I wasn't daring enough to ask if she would ever get her tongue back. She was impolite during the last days of the Wellspring, and Coyote took her tongue in response."

Sorien softly churrs, "... Damn it. (Sigh) I'll talk to him, ask him to give it back to her. I didn't want... I don't want anyone hurt." (she hugs Spar) "Can I stay with you tonight? I don't wanna sleep alone."

Cilan nods slowly, understandingly, "Yeah... a sad thing with that poor girl... she even seemed hurt in the dream world, but... I suppose there is little we can do, but... at least she's back up and walking... in a manner of speaking at least..." shaking her head, and dispelling that thought she continues, "Anyways... I hope you find what you're looking for in Zephyr."

Sparhawk lightly says, "That makes this tent easier to finish!" Then shi sobers up again. "Do not ask Coyote to change his mind. It won't work. Only convincing him that it was his idea to start with works, and that is a lot more effort than it is worth most times. Instead ask if there is anything you can do to help a lesson be learned, and remember that you seek Coyote's attention."

Sorien softly churrs, "I'll try. I've an idea that might work; that's the truth. I wouldn't try to fool him though- he's THE Trickster... I wouldn't presume to match wits there."

"I’m at least look forward to ending that chapter in my life for good." Shelley says softly while still comforting Ryan. "Poor Ryan's been finally pulling himself fully together. His time in the wolf pack left him a bit... messed in the head but he appears to have all his memories back. Even remembers where he left his truck. Unlike many of us his time falling into a pack was slow, and terrifying, he hid out in a motel while the infection slowly ate at him."

Sparhawk regards Sorien warily. "Be careful. There was a saying in the army about volunteering. I don't know if Raven would appreciate it either... but you are a good person for trying. I'll get my currently-daughter to scoot over for you tonight."

Sorien softly churrs, "Thanks. I hope I'm not imposing too much..."

Raven and her mate head for the evening into one of the tent-like structures together, the male carefully assisting his mate. River's finished her work and yawns, she moves over to sit next to Apostasy and listens quietly to Shelley, Ryan and Cilan conversing. River even sneaks a hand on Apostasy's large clawed hand.

Sparhawk shakes hir head. "You are not imposing. You are merely undertaking a quest that may prove unwise in the end. I wish you luck, and hope all your choices are well-informed."

Sorien giggles. "I should change my name to Don Quixote then?"

Sparhawk raises an eyebrow. "Not unless you want me to start singing about bluebird night lights and confusing everyone within a hundred-meter radius! Now g'wan, I need to finish this before people want to sleep and also test its water-proofness."

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay.” (she kisses Spar, and goes by hir tent to wait.)

Cilan lets out a low sigh, "I’m.. I’m sorry to hear that, but again, I’m glad you're alright now.." noticing River, she gives her a curious look as she nears the dragoness, but says nothing, at least to her, and while still watching River, she says to both Shelly, and Ryan, "Well.. if either of you need help when you return to the city, just look me up, and I’ll gladly do what I can.."

The elder coyote whom Sorien attacked in the dream but never got his name, sombrely approaches Sorien. He says, "Sadness becomes you. Much to be happy for."

Sorien looks up. "Maybe..."

"The dreamer blessed you of all. The raven's cry was harsh and earned silence."

Sparhawk spends fifteen more minutes constructing a tent from scratch, then wanders back to the fire to look at the chaotic dancing that reminds hir of many things. The sound of a dreaming coyote echoes in the back of hir head, unfocused dreams of chasing things that remain shadowy and out of reach.

The elder aassahke then turns, leaving Sorien to herself.

Sorien watches him leave, not knowing what to say.

Shelley says good night to Cilan and Apostasy and then excuses herself and Ryan to bed, taking Ryan into one of the modern structures, leaving Apostasy, Cilan and River sitting by the fire. River's pressed herself up closely to Apostasy.

River eventually quietly gets up and turns in for the night, turning to her own tent alone.

Sparhawk arrives at a fire with none but outsiders present, and chews on something that looks like dried fruit while watching the fire. "Tent's ready when you are. Just don't touch the blue lines, those are the sticky parts. It'll keep the rain off...as long as it's not torrential."

Cilan inclines her head in thanks, and greeting to Sparhawk, "Alright then, thank you.. but I’ll stay up for a little while longer before I turn in.."

Those who want to turn in for the night have tents to do so, and the evening passes quietly, although the cold wind is truly chilling for those who don't take shelter in tents and buildings. The lone tall aassahke with the limp spends the evening walking the border of the forest around the edge of the town, watching over the inhabitants.

From Coyote's tent come some rather lewd sounds, but hardly surprising.

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay, sweetie.” (She lets Spar get comfortable with hir child, then nestles in.

The silence in the night air is interrupted by the sound of a lone cricket, and at one point an owl's hooting. Otherwise the chill air is only accompanied by sounds from the little encampment itself.

Sparhawk whispers quietly to the coyote when shi enters the tent, wrapping her up in arms and legs as normal, explaining how other people find physical proximity and contact comforting. And reminding that comfort is another tool to battle death. Spar dozes, finding silence in every sense.

Sorien has no trouble sleeping, and is out quickly.

Cilan rises from her seat and moves over to the lone aassahke, assisting him in the patrol, the lizardess showing little need to sleep, yet at least.

(Cilan finds the company warranted, Bill, she finds out his name, was a park ranger before the infection. He tells her stories of the history of Crater lake over the course of the night.)

The morning rises early, the tribe already busy. A few head out to collect supplies, foraging for food, others for parts. There's new construction begun on another building. Coyote is still in his tent, making noise when everyone awakes.

Cilan listens intently with everything Bill tells her throughout the night, paying attention to the stories, and occasionally telling him a bit of her own history should anything he had said sound like it mirrored each other.

Sorien gets up when either Spar or hir child stir. She stretches, and heads for the centre of the camp to await Coyote's (likely grudging) appearance.

Sparhawk listens to the sound of people moving about, secretly enjoying having a sleeping Sorien as an excuse to not get up until later. Which leads to the child being the one to get up first, hungry after a long night of chasing phantoms. After hir own stretch Spar says, "Do you know what you'd do with one of those if you caught it?"

Shelley and Ryan are the only two louting about, shirking the duties even the pregnant women are busy doing, displaying their distance from the rest of the tribe. About half an hour after Sorien and Spar wake, Harry emerges from Coyotes tent looking thoroughly pleased, almost beaming. She moves over to Spar's child and licks the small little 'yote on the head before greeting Spar and Sorien.

Sorien softly churrs, "Morning. (Sori yawns, still watching the tent for Coyote.)"

Raven, Atse and River are all off scavenging. Bill has gone to sleep, while the tan pregnant coyote is working on stitching fabric for the new structure.

Sorien softly churrs, "Anything I can do to help?"

Harry says happily, "The old dog will be out eventually, he's just gone down to check on Dream for a little bit."

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay. ...Where's Dream?"

"Lo, Harry," Sparhawk greets the startlingly energetic lass. "Every day I think more and more that you'd fit in with my family back home."

Harry points downward at the ground with one of her partially transformed fingers, the thick dog nail emerging from where her fingernails once where. And then her ears perk at Spar's question, "I'm quite happy here with Carson, as long as he continues to let me stay." Her tail's wagging awkwardly from her partially furred human buttocks.

Sparhawk nods to Harry. "Dream is in a safe place, so I'm told. So many people here know more about what happened than I do, heh." Shi leans over to scritch Harry behind the ears. "You're welcome if you ever want to visit! Lots of hugs to go around, but I wouldn't ask anyone to leave a place they want to stay."

About an hour after Harry emerged from the tent Carson strides out, jeaned and dishevelled as always. His thick worn workboots untied and the tongues hanging about. He looks refreshed despite his uncared for look. By this time Raven, and Atse have both returned with more supplies, although River is still off and about. Shelley and Ryan entertained themselves listening to stories of Zephyr from Apostasy. The unnamed tan pregnant aassahke has finished her weaving, and moved on to stitching.

Sorien sees him and approaches. "May I talk to you about something?"

Carson raises an eyebrow at Sorien and says, "For the favours ya did for my other self, ya have my ear." He says while pulling her back in the direction of his tent.

Sorien follows, barely glancing to see where Raven is.

Shelley can be heard cackling with glee behind, Raven's got a basket of foodstuffs she's dropping off near River's tent.

Sorien enters the tent behind Carson/Coyote, waiting til he indicates whether she should sit or not, then speaks. "I wanted to say... I made mistakes when I was in the dream world. I think that in my anger and fear, I reacted... Poorly, at best, in dealing with the people in there. I certainly wronged Raven badly.”

Carson chews his lip while sitting casually, making no motion to instruct Sorien of proper etiquette. He has his feet underneath is legs sitting crosswise, after listening to her explain he says, "Ya know, ya aren't telling me anything I didn't know already." He pauses for a bit before saying, "Ya have guts to try to admit ya wronged her, but ya are in fact wrong, she wronged ya and disrespected me, and will learn ta control her anger and temperaments that have always upset me about her if she wants her voice back."

Sorien nods. "I understand. I still feel badly about it. And... I'm concerned that her anger could feed upon itself, and feed our opponent that way. I have to admit, too, I've ulterior motives; I don't like... Being hated. By anyone. I want to mend that. She doesn't need to LIKE me, just... Not hate."

"Child, have ya considered perhaps it's not ya she hates, but herself?" Carson chuckles a bit, "Her anger is inward, and it just radiates outward around her." He scratches his chin after finishing up his throaty and raw laugh and shifts his weight a bit forward over his lap, eyeing Sorien's expressions, "I notice ya aren't wearing my skin, any particular reason?"

Sorien softly churrs, "I've considered that, yeah. But it still bothers me. And I'm not being a Coyote because it’s... Well, this is me. It feels right. I can't describe it better than that. It'd be like you trying to be the Great Bear; it just wouldn't fit."

Sorien grins. "I just can't quite see you sharpening your claws on Devils Tower.” (giggle)

He chuckles again at her response, his eyes aglow, "I only ask out of curiosity child, I hold no ire towards ya for choosing your own shape." He sighs, "I have ta get back to Raven soon on his complaint. He always seems to want ta talk when I'm busy. Annoying pain in my ass." and then at the mention of Devil's Tower he grins, the smirk wide and knowing and his eyes aglow with Coyote's power, "The story behind that will remain a secret to me alone."

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay. But the fireside is where a tale like that one day belongs. (she grins) Thank you for hearing me out."

Carson says, "Aye, that's fine if you'd like. If you want to try to work with Raven at all before you all leave, but I'm fine with everyone packing up and going when you get outside the tent."

Coyote says, "Now, before you talk my ears ta dust, be off with ya. I have ta talk with Raven, and I can only take so much of his cawing before I feel like strangling his little neck."

Sorien nods, and impulsively hugs Carson. "I hope we can make the world right. Don't hold them too far from you; they love you. And thank you again." She exits the tent.

Outside the tent, It appears Spar, Apostasy, Cilan, Shelley, Ryan and Spar's child are all ready to leave.

Sorien joins them, and they head towards the bus, and home.

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 10|Click here to continue to Chapter 10.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 8

2013-04-25T21:21:19Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 7|Click here to return to Chapter 7.]]''

(The party that returned to Fairhaven has spent two largely-uneventful days down there and are preparing to return, as promised.)

Sorien softly churrs, "You ready for this? It shouldn't be any big deal, just a drive there and back to get Spar. Thanks for deciding to come; Crys wasn't happy with me going alone."

Apostasy nods and smiles. "No problem Sor. Should be a cakewalk."

Cilan shrugs and replies, "Not a problem, Sorien, anything to help my friends, and family!" a smile pulling at her lips as she says that.

Sorien softly churrs, "Oh, NOW you've done it." (giggle)

Sorien softly churrs, "Family is a good thing."

Apostasy grins. "What's life without challenges, Sor?"

Sorien softly churrs, "True. I was tempted to have Crys and Kaylah along to meet Coyote, but I figure, if he wants to meet the god-daughter, he can drag his fuzzy ass here."

Apostasy giggles. "That only seems fair. And it's probably best not to be taking the little fuzzball into Oregon just yet."

Sorien softly churrs, "Yeah. Just a little too freaky-creepy with the Packs."

Cilan lustily hisses, "Yeah.. you never know what we might find, and might expose her to.. the little fuzz-ball’s probably too young yet for most of that stuff.."

Apostasy seductively says, "Just a tad."

Sorien softly churrs, "It’s all fuelled up. You guys need to get anything?"

Cilan shakes her head.

Apostasy shakes her head. "Nope, all good here. Shall we get this show on the road, then?"

Sorien softly churrs, "I got the fridge packed with sliced meat and cheese, and there’s mustard and mayo. Bread's in the kitchen overhead, so if you want a snack there's food."

Apostasy grins. "Sounds good." She moves to the door, and climbs aboard the bus.

Sorien softly churrs, "Let’s roll then." (She starts the bus, waits til everyone's aboard and starts out.)

Cilan enters the bus and makes her way to the back, once there, she pulls a rather large bag out of her pack, and tears it open, putting her hand into the pulling out a handful of wine-gums, apparently snack food for the bus trip..

Apostasy giggles at Cil. "Still have some of those left? I think I ate all mine a while ago."

Sorien softly churrs, "Why you sitting way back there? Hard to talk across the length of the bus, silly!"

Apostasy grins. "She's a sniper. Hanging out way in back is what snipers do. I know, I was one."

The bus ride itself is smooth, the second time travelled by the three. The pathway north takes them through the grand redwood forest, and then southern Oregon's national forests. After a while it gets really boring seeing nothing but trees. The pathway to Crater Lake is far calmer, not having to dodge abandoned cars with the bus, but the roadway is much narrower.

Sorien softly churrs, "Yeah, but who is there to snipe but me? ...Don't answer that."

Apostasy snickers.

Cilan lustily hisses, "Heh.. yeah, sorry I just can’t fight the habits like that.. but.." rising from her seat next, she moves closer to Apostasy, sitting in the seat across from her, ".. I think I can change, at least once and a while.."

Sorien softly churrs, "Change is often good. Not always of course... "

(Sorien is starting to doze off by the time they reach the designated place, it's amazing how boring such beautiful wildlife can be. A deer jumps in front of the bus running across the road and is almost clipped.)

Sorien softly churrs, "Ack!"

Sparhawk likes trees! Some downtime in the Aassahke village is spent attempting to climb trees, but being generally dissatisfied with the process. Either the hexataur's too heavy and awkward, or the antigravity pack's sputtering life feels like cheating.

Sorien slows down after that. "Whoa..."

Apostasy blinks. "Whoa. That was a close one. If you were feeling tired you should've asked to swap with Cil, Sor."

Sorien softly churrs, "(sigh) My fault. It just happened. If you wanna swap, we can."

Cilan nods affirmatively, "Yeah, I’d have gladly taken your spot if you were too tired.."

Afterward, there's not much further activity before they reach the campground parking lot. The same empty buildings and half dozen abandoned cars and trucks are still there.

Sorien blinks. “Oh. Duh. we're here. (giggle) You can take first shift back then.”

Sorien pulls the bus up in front of the restrooms like before.

Sorien softly churrs, "Right. Rest break then hiking time!"

Apostasy climbs off the bus and stretches out. "Ahhhh.... stupid long bus trips.... why couldn't Coyote just have picked somewhere nearby? Would've been so much more convenient."

Sorien softly churrs, "Yeah, but then the Packs would have been in Fairfield. Would that be fun? I don't think so." (She waits till Apo and Cil are off the bus, then secures it.)

Apostasy seductively says, "Not necessarily... the packs aren't Coyote's thing, why would him being closer to Fairhaven make them closer?"

Strangely a birdcall can be heard in the distance, which is in stark contrast with the silence that has generally filled Oregon for so long. Perhaps a sign of some wildlife returning with the pack gone.

Sorien softly churrs, "... True. But he got the... Hum. Hear that?"

Apostasy headtilts, her ears flicking towards the sound. "That... is new. Been dead silent every other time we've been here."

Sorien softly churrs, "Yeah. Hope it’s a good sign. Lets head for the wellspring."

Apostasy nods. "Sure thing. Lead on, mighty leader."

Sorien softly churrs, "Mighty. Riiight." (giggle)

The wellspring isn't hard to retrace, in fact the last few days of calm weather haven't even put a dent on the many footprints those who came this way before laid out. Spar, Apostasy and Crys' prints are all very easy to make out.

Sorien softly churrs, "Spar, you here sweetie?"

Cilan giggles in response to Apostasy’s comment, but remains silent, as she walks, taking up the rear of the group.

The wellspring is empty, although it looks like another fresh bowl has been placed at the ramshackle altar.

Apostasy looks around, and goes to inspect the altar. "Well, somebody's replaced Cil's burrito with a more traditional offering, so there's been at least some activity here since we last stopped by."
Sorien follows the most recent Sparhawk-tracks.

Apostasy trails after Sorien, keeping an eye out for anything untoward.

The pathway from the wellspring leads through forests and clearings, a few miles at least in a direction heading northward around the coast of Crater lake. The foot traffic is heavier the further on, with far more visible Aassahke pawprints in the dirt.

Sorien softly churrs, "Heh. Quite the hike. If I were still human-flatfooted I'd be feeling this."

Apostasy grins. "Good thing none of us are then, isn't it?" She looks at the trail they're following. "Hell of a lot more Aassakhe tracks here. Maybe we're getting close to where they settled?"
There are rocky crags every once in a while, and more heat-vents, but mostly forested areas. The forest thins out and into a large clearing where buildings and fire can be seen. The structures are fairly sporadic, some with more modern structures, while others look far more ancient and traditional in design.

Sorien softly churrs, "Could be. I'd like to see how many there are, and how they're doing."

Sparhawk has a tent constructed of white silk rubbed with local dirt, half-camouflaged against random glances. The cookfire out front is much easier to identify, as well as the unguarded yapping and chirping of Spar and the embodied pack-mind having a wrestle. Thus it is one of the other residents who spots the party first.

Cilan lustily hisses, "Yeah.. it’d be nice to see a few of them again.."

Sorien softly churrs, "It disturbs the hell out of me that we're seeing live vents though..."

Harry, herself is the first to spot the incoming, bounding out in her oddly animalistic gait for someone who still appears partially human. Her oversized tongue hanging out she hardly appears embarrassed by her nudity.

Apostasy shrugs. "Probably best not to think too much on that one. On the plus side, all these geysers and heat vents means an eruption is less likely, since they're releasing a lot of pressure." When she spots Harry, she smiles and waves. "Hey Harry!"

Sorien softly churrs, "Hi there!"

Harry leaps to hug Sorien in an embrace, clearly familiar with her despite never having seen her in that form before. She licks Sorien's face leaving a bit of dog slobber and says, "The old dog has been expecting you all, and would like a word with you before you take our guest. You're welcome to eat with us tonight as well, River's been cooking a stew." It comes out quite fast, almost hyper.

Cilan notices Harry as she returns to the group, prompting the lizardess to smile warmly and wave in her direction.

Sorien hugs back with a grin. "I think we can do that. Want to lead us in?"

Apostasy smiles. "Dinner sounds nice. Lead the way."

Sparhawk stops wrestling, on the underneath with a little coyote looking proud of her accomplishment. "Hey, visitors! Someone should come lift this terrifying beast off me so I can get up and greet you properly." The growl the little one gives is immediately followed by a face-licking assault, and giggles from both people involved.

Harry nods thoroughly, and turns around walking again in a comfortable quadrapedal state, a brisk pace for the group but certainly not the bounding sprint she used to come greet. As the party nears they can see some Aassahke about business, a very tall one appears to be cutting lumber, while a pregnant female is nearby him carrying the cut lumber away. Two female Aassahke are sitting around a fire in one another's arms, the rest appear to be indoors.

Sorien softly churrs, "So... How are things here so far, Harry?"

Apostasy looks around the village as they walk. "Was there... this many in the Dream? I don't remember such a big crowd...."

Cilan quickly parts from the group, and moves to the cut lumber, assisting the pregnant aassahke with the task, making sure that the coyote lady doesn’t have to do too much in her delicate condition, the entire time she says nothing to the group.

Sorien softly churrs, "I met... six or seven, but saw more that I never talked with. Some are probably kinda annoyed with me still."

"Master... I mean Carson, has been happy, very happy. It makes me happy. Lots of people, lots of life. New ones on the way. Only one left, though she came back to us in another form." Harry says over her shoulder. And to Apostasy she says, "Most yes, Dream's friends."

Sorien softly churrs, "Huh. Cool."

Apostasy nods. "Cool. Well, glad everyone is happy and healthy, I guess."

The pregnant Aassahke has jet black fur, and bright blue eyes, she says nothing to Cilan who offers help but neither does she deny the assistance or make any comment for that matter. The larger coyote that is chopping wood keeps up a furious pace.

Sorien softly churrs, "Hm... Should I shift? Would that be polite?"

Sorien softly churrs, "I might be able to... It’s a magic form after all. (She muses to herself)"

Apostasy shrugs. "If you want to try, go nuts. I'm not even gonna try though... Crys would murder me if you got hurt cause I wasn't at my best, even assuming I could shift."

Before Harry can respond to Sorien's comment, Carson strides out of a smaller tent, still clothed and looking a bit out of place with all the aassahke around. He smiles, and out behind him strides a female Aassahke, with grey fur and yellow eyes. She immediately waves at Apostasy and Sorien.

Apostasy waves back at the Aassakhe female, and smiles. "River. Nice to see you again. You're looking well."

Sparhawk rolls hir eyes and balances the packmind's host on hir shoulder before standing. "Fine, nobody comes over to help the gryphon in obvious distress! Guess I rescue myself this time." Shi comes trotting over to greet Sorien and co. but stops when Carson waves.

Sorien giggles at Spar. "Silly."

Cilan looks to the pregnant Aassahke as she passes, giving her a smile and a nod in greeting, but remaining quite silent, assisting the woman in the repetitive task of carting the chopped wood where it belongs.

Apostasy grins at Spar. "I figured you could probably manage yourself."

River gleams, surprised by Apostasy recognizing her. She moves forward to peck at Apostasy's cheek. "You're looking a different... gender now. Where you always female?" She asks.

Sorien bites back a grin.

Apostasy stands up straight again after bending down for River. She scratches awkwardly at the back of her neck. "Ermm... sort... of?"

Carson remains a bit quiet at the reunions, but before long he coughs, "We have something to discuss I believe before you all return to your home."

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay. In private or here?"

River says, "It's okay, you are big and strong either way." And then moves off to get food while saying, "I'll go make sure the stew is done."

Sparhawk waves people closer. "Come on, we can tell long and awkward stories some other time. There will be plenty of time for talking after we save this chunk of world."

Sorien softly churrs, "... Eep?"

Apostasy chuckles and smiles at River. She turns to Carson. "Ehh, yeah. Ok. Thing to discuss. Ready when you are."

Carson says, "Ya honestly think there's anything called privacy around these folk? Ya're out of your god damned mind. I can't go pee without one of them watching." His gruff demeanour hides a smirk.

Sorien giggles. "Right. Then lets to it."

Apostasy looks around. "Should we get Cil before we start?"

Sparhawk says unruffledly, "Just in case there's an earthworm pack out there somewhere just waiting for someone to wander off alone and get terribly slimed!" Shi sits at the cut-lumber benches where people assemble to chat.

Coyote gestures in the direction of the fire. The one of the two female Aassahke looks up toward the group and in a very American accent says, "Hi ya'll, he said you might all be returning." Even sitting she looks short and she has a dark black strip along her spine with mottled grey and tan fur over the rest. She's embracing a taller female who remains quiet and shy with the group.

Apostasy smiles. "Hey Shelley. Nice to see you're doing well for yourself. And uh... shit... sorry, forgot your friend's name. How's he... she... doing?"

Shelley's friend says, "The name used to be Ryan, but it's not very fitting anymore is it?" She returns to silence, but doesn't seem to be brooding, upset or lost like she was inside the dream. Shelley smiles and waves the three to sit down, saying, "I wanted to talk with you all before you go, so make sure you don't run off before I get to ask ya'll for a favour."

Carson says, "I'll have your friends, and all my people out here for this, it's important that we begin building contact."

Sparhawk listens more quietly as people shi met for the first time in the so-called real world talk like old friends with hir old friends. A whispered conversation with hir shoulder-sitter follows, Spar asking what the little coyote remembers about the dream's residents.

Apostasy takes a seat by the fire. "No problem Shelley, and I hope we can help."

In response Harry heads off to some of the tents to pull other Aassahke out, and ends with pulling Cilan over to the fire.

Cilan wanders back to the group with the assistance of Harry, a curious look on her face as she looks around and asks, "Uh.. hello, everyone.. did I miss anything?" noticing Shelley she gives her a wave and says, "Hello there.." before dropping into silence.

Apostasy waves Cilan over to sit beside her. "Not yet you haven't, sis. Just that Shelley wants a word with us before we leave."

Cilan nods affirmatively.

All told, there are eight Aassahke that gather around, two of them are pregnant and full of life, their pregnancies clearly accelerated like all the nanite life since the infection. An elder grey furred Aassahke remains largely quiet, listening and watching, another large male is sitting next to the other pregnant Aassahke, with tan fur and amber eyes.

Once everyone has settled, River begins bringing bowls of a fresh stew, though meatless it appears to have many different kinds of vegetables, and is actually tasty despite looking a little like sludge.

Apostasy takes the bowl and looks at it a little dubiously before taking a small, tentative taste. "Hey! This isn't too bad! Could use meat, but overall, good stuff."

Sparhawk nods politely to River and enjoys the stew, stopping in mid-slurp to say to Apo, "Yeah, the lack of prey animals around here is one of the problems. The packs take meat first when they can, and their biomass never re-enters the ground unless the pack dies as a whole."

Cilan raises the bowl a bit, nodding happily as she keeps eye contact with River, seeming to be a silent thanks, "Smells delish, thanks River!" is said as she dunks her spoon into the stew and happily, yet leisurely eats it.

Carson nods as he is given a bowl, and places it on the ground near his feet for Harry. He says, "So, tell me Sparhawk, why now you must take my Grandchild from me, as I know you are going to try to do?" His eyes reflect the flickering light of the fire.

Apostasy looks between Spar and Carson, but doesn't say anything, content to eat her stew and listen.

Sparhawk doesn't get much farther with eating. "Erm... I have a few reasons I think are valid. For one, I would really like to introduce your grandchild to my other children in the flesh where it's easier to make explanations. For another, I need to return the supplies I borrowed from Zephyr to their proper owners, so I may get what I want from them when I return here."

Carson scratches his chin, "And that is?" He says, "What exactly do you plan to do now with my grandchild now that I have taught them to dream?"

Apostasy seductively says, "At a guess? Use her help to deal with the other packs."

Sparhawk scritches under the chin of hir ever-so-clever child. "Try to make sure it will work right, without awful consequences, before trying it on hostile world-eaters. And not without your supervision, sir. But when we are trying to make a dream to rescue people of the cities, knowing what the city is like might be helpful."

"But didn't they spent time seeing that through your eyes already?" Carson grins at the wordplay, "Besides, they can learn more from their grandfather to control my magic. Would it not be wise for them to stay here?"

Sorien listens intently, not interrupting while she eats the provided food.

Sparhawk nods. "But that was all filtered through me. I have a...different perspective on many things. If it is to be a dream, it must be one that she makes instead of one borrowed from me. Also I want to look into what souls are made of. The light of the Solar Dragons reminds me of that which I didn't get to analyze, and I need to visit their mountain again in order to generate it myself. I am told the supernatural forces grant mortals their power because we carry it all over the place freely, while they are limited--it might be possible that we, being made of bodies and souls, have the ability to replenish soul."

Sparhawk squirms a bit. "And...they sell birth control down south. I would find it easier to concentrate with a supply of that."

Apostasy giggles. "I have some if you want, Spar."

Sorien looks around at the faces of the gathered, trying to put names to those that haven't been named.

Coyote breaks out into a throaty laugh, his eyes flashing with power. His laugh takes some time to settle. It's hard to tell specifically what he was laughing at.

Shelley leans over to Sorien and whispers a few names into her ear.

Carson returns to the surface, and his laugh remaining a chuckle, "Ya have quite the trip ahead of ya child if ya go that way, but I will allow it, however you must return her to me safe from harm before one month’s time, or I will come retrieve her myself."

Apostasy grins. "One way to make you visit little Kaylah, then."

Sorien looks at the jet-black Aassahke in particular, a mix of emotions there; regret being one of them.

Apostasy notes Sorien's look and leans down to whisper to her.

Sparhawk waits with a grin until the laugh ends. "There was a man from my hometown who had a saying-- 'Make no small plans'. If my plans explode, I hope it's an impressive explosion and not disappointment!" Shi scritches the shoulderyote a bit more. "And you know me as well as anyone. When have I ever permitted harm when I could prevent it?"

Apostasy whispers, "She made her choices, Sor. Not your fault."

Sorien whispers back, "That's not it at all. Don't worry."

Sparhawk eyes Apo. "No fair draining the fuel tanks of every vehicle in the city!"

Sorien looks a little shifty at that statement from Spar.

Apostasy grins at Spar. "I could just slash all the tires, if you prefer?"

At that Carson scratches around one of Harry's oddly shaped ears and says, "I'm going to retire to my tent, you are welcome to stay the night or leave when you'd like."

Cilan remains quite silent, seeming like she has nothing to say to any of the aassahke, as all she really does is watch those currently speaking intently.

Sorien softly churrs, "A month then. Perhaps you could come visit us instead? You'd be welcome, and you could meet Kaylah."

Carson smirks, "Perhaps I shall, I've been meaning to see the survivor city through my own eyes." And disappears with Harry into a tent.

Apostasy smiles. "I bet you'd like her. She's an adorable little fuzzball."

Sorien softly churrs, "Shall we stay the night? I wouldn't mind. I can handle camping now... Not like before all this happened. 8 months on the road, you learn."

Apostasy seductively says, "Doesn't bother me. Can't be worse than the Lobby at Zephyr."

Sorien softly churrs, "No... It can't be worse than that. Ugh."

Sparhawk chuckles after Carson's inside the tent. "Either I hit on a pre-existing notion, or I convinced him of something. I could spin another tent for you all, if you didn't bring any camping gear?" Thinking about web spinning reminds hir of food, and shi leans down carefully to get back to the stew.

Cilan looks to Sparhawk and says, "Huh?... Oh, uh, no... no... I’m fine..." is said as she waves dismissively, finished, she reaches for her hip-flask, and takes a small gulp from it.

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 9|Click here to continue to Chapter 9.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 7

2013-04-25T21:21:12Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 6|Click here to return to Chapter 6.]]''

Crys says, "I would still like to find Coyote and explain what happened to one of his followers. Besides that, we can't just leave Spar's child roaming around out here." She shrugs and sits on the ground watching her mate carefully brushing the coyote, making sure it doesn't do anything unwarranted to her mate.

Sorien softly churrs, "I found where the bowl was carved. It was up over there (she gestures with her free hand in the direction she'd gone)."

Apostasy seductively says, "Looks like we've a couple of options then. We see if we can use that shrine to make Coyote appear here, or we track down whoever carved that bowl and left the offering and see if they can give us any info."

Sparhawk's course takes hir past Loki, who shi nudges. "You should apologize too, because that hurt worse than dying. As you and I should both know."

Cilan thinks for a moment before pulling an MRE out of her pack, and moving towards the altar, along the way she muses, "Well... it can’t hurt to try..." opening up the kit, and dumping the food, which had apparently been a vegetarian burrito, near the area containing the grains and vegetables, and she calls out, "Coyote... come here, and answer us!"

Cilan regally proclaims, "uh.. please!"

Apostasy giggles. "That's the weirdest offering and prayer I've ever seen, sis."

Loki glances towards Sparhawk. "Ah.. sorry.. I don’t really feel pain at all... felt some other funny stuff... I do forget," he murmurs. "Well, I apologize to all of you for what my machine did! However, not all is bad!" he exclaims, curiously watching Cilan dump the food into the bowl. "Hey Coyote! If you’re listening come out and speak to us so we don’t feel foolish talking to nothing!.. Like Cilan.. said."

Cilan rubs at the back of her head and chuckles to herself, "Uh.. heh.. yeah.."

Sparhawk rolls hir eyes. "Unless Coyote shows up to make fun of you, I can't imagine that'll work. So who wants to help me sneak up and surprise a god?" This last is quite cheerful, possibly even chirpy.

Sorien mumbles under her breath, "Oh for Pete's sake..." But continues to brush the coyote.

Coyote in the form of Carson bursts out laughing at Cilan's offering. He's across the glade, leaning against a tree, somehow no one has noticed him there the entire time. His red wide-toothed and grizzled face looks like he's seen the funniest thing in his entire life.

Apostasy twitches as she sees Coyote, but doesn't do anything, foolish or otherwise.

Sorien softly churrs, "Huh. Well, kid, there's Grandfather."

Cilan regally proclaims, "Uh.. and who are you?" obviously having never seen the human form of Coyote, "Uh.. are you a friend or something?"

Snowblind looks at the shrine again. Taking a few quick steps back as Cilan does her thing. "One should often should more respect than that." Shi mumbles before looking towards the laughing Coyote. With a small bow shi nods to him "Hello there."

Sparhawk dashes over toward Carson before people can get more than a single sentence out. "Hey! I got you the best thing ever: a surprise!"

Loki waves to the individual. "Hello Mr?.." he asks, peering towards Carson the human Coyote. He follows after Sparhawk. "Didn’t expect to see a person out here.. or are you perhaps not a person?" he inquires, peering curiously at the man.

Carson's eyes narrow at the approaching... gryphon. His amusement fading in favour of a more sombre look. "What could possibly have brought ya back here. Are ya just braindead or somethin’?"

Sorien gives another brushstroke, then whispers to the 'yote. "When Sparhawk wants you to approach, do so politely; this is the one who likely can help you."

Snowblind pads over a nearly complete circle and ends up back at Sorien's and the coyote's sides. Shi reaches out and softly starts to scratch the little one and give her a belly rub.

Sparhawk has just barely managed to stop blushing purple by the end of Carson's response. "A bus, preceded by the fascinating message I need t'give you. Which is that you're the godfather to Kaylah just this week, and grandfather to someone you left behind as of the week before.” Spar switches back to the plural speech to finish lamely, “We...haven't picked a name for ourselves yet."

Apostasy exclaims "You made -him- her -godfather-???"

Sorien blinks. "News to me...

One of Carson's eyebrows raises at the the terms, he turns to Crys and Sorien and grins, "So ya two are enjoying my gift, did ya bring the babe with ya?" His smile seems wide hearing the name chosen for the baby. And then something occurs to him, "Wait, grandfather? Wha’ are ya talking about?"

Sorien softly churrs, "No, Kaylah stayed home. We didn't know how safe this journey would be."

Loki glances to Carson, finally pinpointing who he is. He leans against a tree, glancing towards the others, just listening to the others, having nothing to really contribute, but perhaps a few questions.

Crys frowns, and holds her hand over her womb protectively, but says, "You should know, but we found one of your follower's dead, she took her own life and we were bringing her corpse to you... well I'll let Spar explain the rest."

Sorien looks at Crys. "Sweetie, I don't mind, but did you agree to him being godfather? Do you know what a godparent's duty traditionally is?"

Snowblind continues to provide the little coyote with a belly rub to go with Sorien's brushing. Shi makes no attempt to make eye contact with him after hir little greeting to the trickster. Instead shi just listens then leans towards Sorien to whisper something to her.

Snowblind whispers to Sorien, "Do you happen to have another brush I could start using? This conversation will go for a bit and I am not really needed for this part."

Sorien whispers to Snowblind, "Of course. In my bag, just grab one."

Crys' face looks blank, "I'm not even sure what that term means."

Apostasy seductively says, "The godfather is the person who's meant to look after the spiritual growth and wellbeing of the child, I think."

Sorien softly churrs, "A godparent, traditionally, is responsible for caring for a child if the parents are gone, and for the moral education of the child as well..."

The coyote is still busy being brushed, and ignoring the growing scene in favour of more brushing.

Sorien softly churrs, "Yeah."

Apostasy shrugs. "Or that."

Sorien glances down and continues the brushing.

Sparhawk chirps a snatch of melody over at Sorien, one of the many that runs through hir head most of the time, and says, "Child of mine, child of mind...present yourself to your ever-so-wise, ever-so-dangerous and ever-so-clever grandfather. Please. Then we may tell him a story."

Crys shifts and fidgets before saying, "I would not presume to ask one as powerful as Coyote for something like that."

Apostasy's tail twitches agitatedly as she hears people being so deferent to Coyote, but she holds her silence.

Loki shrugs. "Seems reasonable to me." he mumbles in response to REDACTED. He glances over to Sparhawk, and then to Coyote, waiting to see what happens.

The coyote pulls itself free of the brushing, "But we were enjoying ourselves." Its ears hanging low, but it moves toward Sparhawk anyway, and looks up at Coyote's face. Its tongue hangs out panting as it approaches.

Snowblind nods to Sorien and gets up getting another brush out of her bag. As it seems that coyote has been called away for the time shi instead starts with brushing hir own tail out and will move to other things later.

Sorien grins. "Brushing is the best bit of being fuzzy."

Carson looks down at the pair, eyes fully narrowed it inspects the coyote and the gryphon. "Ya brought it out, didn't ya think I mighta had a reason ta let it die?" Carson's posture shifts a bit toward agitation as he lifts himself from his casual pose against the tree.

Apostasy smirks at the fact that Coyote is clearly put out by the revelation.

Sorien stands and approaches Carson as well, not saying anything but not aggressive either.

Crys follows after Sorien and leans in to whisper to her mate.

Loki stares at Coyote, his grin fading to a rather displeased look.

The coyote's tail drops and it's head sags as it hears Coyote's words.

Cilan scritches behind the coyote's ears, attempting to console it, though still, she remains quite silent towards Coyote, letting those that actually know what to say do the talking.

Sparhawk sits and runs hir hand down the coyote's back, regarding it with obvious love. "Could be. At least one of us here has been wrong before. Would you tell a newborn orphan to her face that she needs to die, though? I carried this child, raised it, and all the while worked really hard to make the Shadow as uncomfortable as humanly possible. Is the answer to death ever more death, sir?" The coyote and the gryphon have a matched pair of pathetic expressions.

Carson chews his lip for a moment, looking at the two grovelling in front. "I didn't say nuthin about killing it now, the shadow as 'twas only a small part of itself. But ya took a big risk for yourself and for me, and that doesn't sit well." He notices Apostasy's smirk and eyes in her direction but continues to talk to Spar, "What ta do, we can't have something that's a danger to people running free. Are ya sure you can teach it not to take people's freedom from them?"

Apostasy's lips curl into a small snarl as she sees Coyote look at her, but turns away and starts pacing, wondering how much longer this is going to take.

Sorien headtilts. "Of all people, you should know that nothing is certain."

Sparhawk answers the statements in order, "The shadow is a small part of everyone who knows the touch of fear and despair. Since we found the name of the enemy of life I have devoted myself to turning aside fear, salving despair, and preventing my friends from causing fear and despair in others. We are not running free, no more than I am--and I am as dangerous as this child, should I choose to be. But I do not. And I believe I can teach this new thing, this unique life that came from your magic, unrestrained science, feral nature, and my love, what choices are right." Shi shivers a bit at the end of the statement from adrenalin.

Sorien puts her hand on Spar's flank in support.

Loki nods in agreement with Sparhawk.

Carson's face ponders his cold hard stare seems almost harsh, but he looks down, and the little coyote is looking up, it's eyes wide and sad, manipulative even. A grin breaks over his face and Carson guffaws. "So dramatic." and he bends down to hug the little coyote, and it laps at his face. "Ya might want ta tell your dragon friend over there that she's being a might bit disrespectful considering the gift I gave her." Just barely loud enough for Apostasy to hear, but clearly directed at Cilan.

Carson says, "And the lady over there." pointing at Crys, "mentioning something about one of my missing followers?" He says to Sparhawk

Cilan nods affirmatively to Carson and adds, "Alright.. but chances are, by the volume, I think she already heard you.." looking next to Apostasy she continues, "Right?"

Cilan regally proclaims, "Oh.. and.. sorry about the offering, it was all that I had on me.."

Apostasy freezes mid stride and turns slowly to face Coyote. Her fingers twitch, half curling into fists, and her tail lashes about angrily. "....gift. Gift. Fucking GIFT?"

Carson almost -smirks- at Apostasy's swearing and attitude, his cocked eyebrow remains, he removes himself from hugging the coyote in front of him and yawns before saying, "Normally I'd expect some respect, but you've already suffered enough, and will suffer more without my adding to it in the near future. I only sought to prepare you and hopefully save your life with my gift." He says to Apostasy, a very candid response from the usually indirect Coyote.

Apostasy is pulled up short by Coyote's words, not expecting anything close to that direct or explanatory. "I... you.... what?"

Sorien raises an eyebrow at that. "What's coming?"

Crys shifts a little uncomfortably at Apostasy's reactions, and places a hand on her mate nearby. Almost as if to hold back her protective nature.

Sparhawk has hir beak open to say something but Carson's directness is disorienting. And shi figures Apo ought to get a chance to respond first to something obviously pointed her way.

Sorien leans into Crys.

Cilan looks curiously towards Carson, but like most of those here, she remains quite silent.

Carson says, "If I told ya what is going to happen, it will only change it and possibly make it even less likely that ya will live through it. I'm afraid I cannot say any more beyond that, and I'm very sorry for what your father did ta ya, if it was any recourse I would have approached your lesson in a different way if it were possible." Carson's accent returning along with Coyote's obfuscation. He shifts a bit uncomfortably at this point.

Sorien glances at Apo, a bit of surprise on her face, as well as concern. She almost starts to say something, and then stops.

Apostasy shudders at the mention of her father. She hisses through clenched teeth, "How can you have known about that? I told -no-one-. And that I still don't know what lesson you're trying to teach." Her tail still twitches in agitation, but there's something besides anger there now.

Sorien looks at Crys with the obvious desire to help Apo, and the equally-obvious lack of knowledge as to what to do.

Sparhawk quietly lifts the little 'yote and sidles away from the direct line between Carson and Apostasy...but not too far. Shi brushes with fingerclaws at the grooming Sorien had to leave half-done.

Cilan looks to Apostasy a concerned look on her face as she looks over to her, her mouth opens, at least for a moment, but closes, whatever she had wanted to say not wanting to come out, so instead all she does is place a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Carson says, "Poor girl, ya will just have to face your fears and overcome them and ya will find out why I did what I did." He watches as Sparhawk moves, and then coughs loudly as Spar leaves, "I wasn't done with ya yet."

Sorien kisses Crys, and moves towards Apo; she can't hold off trying to help.

Apostasy clenches her fists. "He's gone. He has to be. It's been more than a year and a half. He's gone and I'll never see him again." She repeats the words quietly to herself like a mantra.

Sparhawk nods, glancing back and forth between deity and warrior. "One unpleasant story at a time, yes?" A backing-up hexataur is an interesting feat of engineering, like a bendy tractor trailer.

Sorien gently puts a hand on Apostasy's arm.

Still having her hand on Apostasy’s shoulder, Cilan says with a careful, and obviously concerned tone of voice, "Even if he isn’t gone... you still have an over-protective sister that will do everything in her power to make sure he stays that way.. away from you, and unable to hurt you ever again...”

"Ya are a ridiculous sort, aren't ya?" Carson smirks at Sparhawk's antics. "Now, Sparhawk, that is what ya are calling yourself these days is it not? Do tell, why you chose to keep my... grandchild secret from me when I recreated you from the wellspring?"

Crys' tails twitch, watching both scenes silently. She sits down upon the ground to watch Apostasy's emotional response, studying Coyote's reasons behind his words. She chews on the side of her lip, pressing it between her sharp teeth and her tails twitch in agitation.

Sparhawk bows with wings extended and an imaginary hat atop an imaginary powdered wig. "I do try. As for secrets...I suspect it has to do with coming to terms with being a material object again all of a sudden, and not understanding what I had just accomplished. I came back as fast as I could, really. Is that sufficient answer?"

Apostasy sinks to the ground, sitting with her knees hugged tight against her chest as she stares at the ground in front of her. Her eyes look a little unfocused, like she's not actually seeing what she's looking at. She still whispers occasionally... just snatches audible. "Gone.... not coming back..... can't hurt me..... gone...."

Sorien sighs and stays near Apo. "Hey... Hey sweetie. We're here."

Carson says, "For now." He approaches Sparhawk and looks into hir eyes, touching hir beak. He presses his lips close to Spar's earholes and whispers really low. "Your child still walks within you, whether you realize it or not. One body will never contain it. You'll need to find a permanent home for at least part of it to grow and expand in a way that will make it happy. How you do that I cannot tell you."

Cilan lustily hisses, "There, there, sis.. we're here, so I can promise you that he -is- gone, and you don’t have to worry about anything, anymore!"

Sparhawk's eyes are all big and round, though shi does twitch just a little with the need to go give a big physical or philosophical hug to Apostasy. When Carson's whispering is complete, shi says to him, "D'you mind if I put Inza's story off while I help reassure our local dragoness?"

Carson nods and quietly says, "Walk with me. Tha poor girl's going to need ya all far more than this." his voice is sombre.

Cilan nods affirmatively and responds to Carson, "I’ll do whatever it takes to make those around me happy.. so.. lead the way."

Carson waves to Crys to come as well, motioning to bring everyone over to Apostasy.

Crys jumps to her feet, moving to follow.

Sorien looks up as Carson approaches, rubbing Apo's back.

Apostasy flinches away from the contact a little, silent now and just staring with that same unfocused gaze.

Sparhawk jumps to hir paws and follows eagerly, not having to be told twice to do things shi wants to do anyway!

Sorien softly churrs, "Hey sweetie... Come back to us."

Carson approaches, his gait slow and measured, hoping not to push at Apostasy's anger further, and seeing she's gone mostly catatonic he moves up to the weeping dragoness. He places a weathered hand on her face, and says, "He can't hurt ya, but you can, and have been ever since."

Sparhawk lies down next to Apo, cataloguing distractions and jokes and discarding them as unhelpful. All shi comes up with is a reassuring purring noise and trying to lean around and catch Apo's gaze.

Crys moves up and places a hand on her mate's shoulder, trying not to crowd Apostasy out, but still trying to offer her support.

Sorien glances at Crys and smiles just a bit at her support.

Apostasy's eyes regain a measure of focus, and she looks up at Coyote, whispering, "Why... why did you have to bring those memories back?...."

"If ya don't face them, they would cripple ya when your friends’ lives are at stake. Would ya have preferred I left it for then?" Carson's voice is soft, calm, and his wording a little harsh but still surprisingly direct.

Apostasy shakes her head almost imperceptibly.

Sorien kisses Apo's arm. "We're here."

Sparhawk murmurs, "I prefer helping to seeing people suffer. We are all of us here, Apo."

Cilan drops her hand from Apostasy's shoulder down to her hand, her own fingers soon lacing with hers, and in her usual calm voice she adds, "No matter what happens, I’ll always be here.." seeming to be the only thing she knows what to say at this point.

"I gave to ya, the internal strength to fight these things ahead of time, and prepare for what is ta come. Someday perhaps you will understand why I did what was done. I am sorry my lessons are harsh and cruel, but if I didn't like ya I wouldn't have bothered." Carson's measured words end, and he bends forward to kiss the dragoness. A pulse of golden light fills the air between them, and he backs away.

Sparhawk is unable to avoid saying, "And me without the spectrometer turned on..." Shi strokes the tiny 'yote and wrestles with the decision of a hug being useful or more traumatic still.

Sorien softly churrs, "Apo? (She noses the dragoness gently)"

Apostasy shivers as the light fades, and nods to Coyote. "I won't say thank you.... but...." As her words trail off, she squeezes Cil's hand, and counters Sorien's nosing with one of her own.

Sorien softly churrs, "Hey. You're with us again. I was worried..."

Sparhawk grins. "Don't make me think you're trying to compete with me in the mind-being-elsewhere contest, now!" Shi rubs at the tall dragoness' knee, which is available down at Spar's end.

Carson growls a bit, looking off in the distance from everyone, "Not now ya feathery twit." his voice is low, but those with good hearing may pick up on the words.

Apostasy headtilts at Carson's words, just about hearing them.

Sorien glances in the direction Carson seems to be looking, not sure if he meant Spar or something else...

Carson appears to return to reality, shaking his head and putting his fingers up to the bridge of his nose. He then wipes sweat off his forehead and says, "Ignore the ramblings of an old man. It's nice ta see the young miss has returned ta reality now though. I believe ya had something ta talk with me about?" He says, although not saying who he meant.

Sorien softly churrs, "Spar... Go ahead. I have something to ask too when you're finished."

Carson swats at the air a moment, while his eyes focus on Spar.

"Huh?" is all Sparhawk can come up with after hearing about feathery twits. Spar's right here, and Loki's with the machine... "Oh, right. We found Inza near the road...her body, at least. She was unable to deal with the pain of being Inza, and decided being nothing was preferable. We were bringing the remains for whatever ceremony you or your people deem best, but Someone was feeling claustrophobic. And has been borrowing it for a bit." Shi tilts hir head to look at the reconstructed coyote. "We will give it back if you ask, because one body is clearly not enough to contain the complexity of my child."

Carson nods at Sparhawk, "Does the child know -why- she chose death? I set her free and even gave her the option of returning to her old form and home, but she left in the night without saying anything." He frowns a bit, and brings his hand to his chin. He kicks at the ground with a foot and says, "The child can keep the body, she certainly won't be needing it, but it still leaves ya the quandary we talked of before."

Crys' reaction to Carson's increasingly odd antics is to shake her head, she looks almost drained at dealing with the supernatural at this point and clings as closely to her mate as Sorien will let her, remaining silent and observant.

Sorien kisses Crys' cheek.

Apostasy sits quietly, only half paying attention as she sorts her thoughts.

Sparhawk looks down sadly. "I heard a few echoes of despair from when she was in the dream, but you would have to ask the person who was there. As for the other I have a few ideas, but I haven't shared them with anyone out loud because there is so much I didn't know about what happens up north here. I expect we need to investigate another pack creature."

Carson's eyes fill with the spark of Coyote as he says, "The packs in general are very dangerous, I've been meaning to put them down for the sake of humanity’s freedom, but thus far they are contained in a place that only I and my people wander." His brow frazzles, "If you think ya and your child can deal with that for me, I may reward ya for saving me the trouble."

Sorien softly churrs, "Uh... Yikes. How many people... As opposed to animal life, have they absorbed? And are any of those recoverable?"

The little coyote speaks up, "We... I can feel her sadness and despair. She was shattered long before she was taken by us. Her missing her pack, her... family? is what drove her to unlife." Carson turns to the little coyote and frowns, asking, "She hid much of that from others, had she simply asked for help I could have done something. In fact, I would have done something had I not been so preoccupied lately with other things."

Carson says to Sorien, "All life, all life in their territory has been absorbed. People, insects, organic material, even some plants. It's what they do."

Sorien softly churrs, "Can the people be saved?"

Sparhawk coughs a little on something stuck in hir throat, much like surprise. "Can't do that just the two of us! Need at least stout allies. And knowledge. And the only plan for neuterin' the packs involves some of this newfangled magic stuff which I understand only marginally better."

"Of course ya can't." Carson replies to Sparhawk, "'twasn't easy even for me ta do. I had to give a part of myself ta create my daughter and bring a small portion of the people back from inside your child. I don't have it in me ta do the same for the dozen other species out there." He says to Sorien, "Only some, and it's not easy."

Sorien softly churrs, "We have to try then."

Sorien softly churrs, "Is there something you can share with use to allow us to resist being absorbed?"

The little coyote bounces, "Can I teach them like Sparhawk taught us?"

Sparhawk blinks. "Teach them what? Man, this whole verbal-conversation thing is a drag." Also, the adorable bouncing distracts Spar!

Coyote says, "Some of ya are already resistant to falling inside." Eyeing Crys, and Sorien, "Any of ya that have been in before, will be able to resist it easier, but ya still put your lives at risk."

Sorien softly churrs, "It isn't right to leave people trapped. And the Packs are a threat to anyone free."

The coyote continues to bounce, excited, "We can teach the packs to dream like me, to see the people inside!"

Sorien blinks. "Make another Dream?"

The coyote nods, happily, "We can give some of us, we have more to give than grandfather. If he teaches me how?"

Sorien softly churrs, "...Wow. Um... Wow."

Apostasy quirks an eyeridge. "That is one enthusiastic little coyote."

Sparhawk grins. "A dream for each pack, teaching them the purpose of life and giving a refuge for those who fell afoul of their fangs and claws! Adorable little bouncy things running around inside wolf-minds and whatever-else-minds...maybe!"

Carson scratches his chin again, eyeing the new being, for it is something truly new. "Ya already have my magic in ya, I don't know what there'd be ta teach." He shuffles almost uncomfortably at the request.

Sorien softly churrs, "Everyone needs to learn."

Sparhawk gives Apostasy an arch look. "This is the first project that is hers instead of mine, and you know how I get with projects. Wasn't just a pile of moral lectures goin' on inside my head this whole time!"

Apostasy giggles at Spar. "Another Sparhawk running around, in tiny coyote form? I don't think the world is ready for that."

Carson is quiet for a few minutes, pensive and agitated. He absentmindedly swats again in the air at nothing, and then says. "Leave my grandchild with me for a few days, and return here when they are ready and I will teach them what they need to know. Ya may stay with your child if ya like Sparhawk, but the rest of ya must leave me to deal with a few matters I have at hand."

Cilan smirks slightly, but remains quite silent, more interested in watching.

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay... I've one last matter to ask you about. Midnight Shadow."

Hearing the name spoken, both Carson and REDACTED both stiffen quite obviously perturbed to even hear it. Crys frowns at seeing Coyote react the same way to the name.

"Ya have ta call his name don't ya?" Carson glares at the skunk.

Sorien softly churrs, "I'm not one for word games. We need to know more of it, more how to fight, and to beat it."

Sparhawk glances at the swatted nothing and peers for a moment optimistically, then says, "No way I am leaving the child of mind with the keys to the family car--" Spar pauses a moment and loses focus, then continues, "While you have just said I've got a MAGIC science mind baby. I promise to be no more distracting than you want me to be." Then shi gives way to Sorien's question.

Sorien stands her ground, the only hint that she might be nervous is her crossed arms.

"This is not a game, the shadow is -never- a game. It almost took your people's lives once long ago and it will again if it is not stopped." Coyote's presence can be felt as Carson fades into the background, Coyote's tail twitching behind and his ears flattened.

"Raven tells me that his presence can already be felt in the people's northern territories, and Hare tells me of the south. His awakening was like a mark across the land, and -you- were at the centerpoint." He points at REDACTED with a crooked claw.

Crys looks mortified once again, her ears are flattened and she holds herself, her guilt never truly gone.

Sorien's ears twitch towards her mate, but she remains focussed on Coyote. "Regardless of the beginning, what's needed is an ending. It has to be stopped.”

"You don't understand. The people gave their best to stop it once, and I nearly died to put it sleep the first time. If I hadn't cheated my own death, I wouldn't be here now to try to stop it again. It has existed longer than I have, longer than the people have. Midnight Shadow is pure evil, its goal to destroy all life and grow to absorb everything that exists. It will find hosts and spread like a virus, and I can already see it has touched more than a few of you." Coyote's clearly agitated, and perhaps even scared.

Apostasy blinks. "Aside from Crys, whom amongst us has it touched?"

Sorien softly churrs, "Then we need to know truly how it was beaten before. We know the tale; you ate it and this made it so that it could only be bound. Teacher-of-man, Teach."

Cilan lustily hisses, "Yeah.. who's been touched? And aside from that, is it possible to free those it’s touched from its possession?"

Sparhawk scoots on over to hug REDACTED and possibly Apo if she's in range. Shi doesn't have anything witty to say, just listening to the important questions.

Coyote frowns, "Your tales obscure the truth, I took his power into myself to use it against him, it nearly destroyed me. The only thing that can hurt him is his own power. That's what makes him so frightening." Coyote's abandoned any sort of attempt at obfuscation, preferring to help as best as he can. "The first hero, fought it on its own throne of power, and used that land's magic to bind and weaken it enough for me to take it into myself."

Sorien softly churrs, "Where is its throne? We've looked, but not found it."

Coyote places his paw over his face, "Is this the best humanity has to offer? Truly? Do you not know anything child?"

Sparhawk frowns. "So love doesn't actually injure this thing of darkness? I will need to fashion new weapons then."

Sorien softly churrs, "I'm not well-versed in monster-fighting. I'm sorry, I was just a security guard before everything went to hell."

Coyote sighs, and says, "You all have been touched by the shadow. Those of you who were in the dream with it have all been touched, as have my entire pack. Even Sparhawk. That's how it works. Once it has touched you, it feeds from your emotions and it uses them to power its spread."

Coyote says softly to Sorien, "It creates its own places. They change, it will build a throne. You will know it when you find it."

Apostasy seductively says, "Like what you found in Daly, I'll bet."

Sorien nods, taking that in but obviously not happy. "I'd like to ask a private question."

Crys nods solemnly and asks, "Look into me, was I able to undo the damage it had me do?" to Coyote.

Coyote moves forward to Crys and Sorien's side, first touching REDACTED, and after a moment his head cocks in surprise, "Yes..." he says, and then takes Sorien's hand and leads her away from the group.

Sorien follows, not without a glance back.

At Coyote's reaction Crys' eyes, tear filled, she says, "Matan, you forgive me."

Sparhawk grins wider. "Fairhaven, city of incessant questions. Nobody let him leave without answerin' if I am on the right track, okay? I want to either stick with that or search for a new project." REDACTED gets a hug in lieu of Sorien being there.

Apostasy joins Sparhawk in hugging Crys. "He forgave you long ago, Crys."

<nowiki>**Coyote leans in and whispers to Sorien when they are out of earshot.</nowiki> 
<nowiki>**Coyote shakes his head, and then responds to Sorien's question.</nowiki> 
<nowiki>**Coyote grins, and whispers one last time before returning to the group, pulling Sorien with him.</nowiki>

Cilan stands exactly where she had stood before, her arms folded around her chest as she adds, "Yeah.. it’s hard not to forgive someone like you, you're too.. kind, and caring.." a smirk pulling at her lips as she stands there.

Sparhawk waves Cilan over. "Come on, there's enough time for you to get in on this hug before Sorien comes back." Spar hasn't even run out of arms yet!

Sorien gets a grin, and kisses Coyote on the cheek before returning with him to the group. Still grinning, she kisses Crys as well, and hugs tight.

Crys gasps for breath under the massive support from friends, the giant dragon and large gryphon dwarfing her.

Cilan grins and nods, moving over to the group and enveloping REDACTED in a warm hug.

Sparhawk laughs and bats at one of REDACTED's tails. "Consider how amazing my power to carry you around is, while you are smooshed by love!"

Coyote chuckles and grins at the response surrounding Crys. He moves over to his grandchild and scratches its head.

Loki ambles over to the group of hugging people. He blinks, frowning as he scratches his head. "So.. I zone out.. wander off... and everybody is in a kind of group hug... Last I remember Sparhawk was pleading for the life of a coyote and that pool of red... I must have missed one hell of a speech.." he sighs, slumping over.

Crys says, "I'll be fine, really. You all can stop crushing me now." although she's not really struggling, and a low rumbling purr can be heard and felt.

Apostasy giggles and kisses the top of Crys' head. "You know you love it."

The little coyote is wagging its tail, and says, "I'm going to go now." Proudly emphasizing the singular pronoun.

Sorien grins. "We'll talk later, love. Spar, are you staying here for two days? I can come get you if you are." She looks at Loki.

Sparhawk rumbles contentedly. "You can get a hug if you want Loki, it's kinda overflowing over here. Er--actually I seem to be summoned now, someone else will have to take over centralized hug distribution while I follow a pair of coyote-shaped people wherever they need me to go."

Apostasy grins as she flares her wings and wraps them around the group hug. "Got it covered. Literally."

Coyote begins to walk off in the direction that other Aassahke had followed to the Wellspring before, waving both his grandchild and her caretaker to follow.

Sorien softly churrs, "I'll be back in two days for you, Spar."

Sparhawk gives a thumbsup to Apo as shi disentangles to trot over to the pair. "So about that weaponised hope thing..." is heard as shi follows along.

Loki laughs, taking a few steps towards the group. "Well, regardless of what I missed.. I think I will take your offer Sparhawk.." he mumbles, staring at Apostasy... He seems to concentrate for a moment. "Still nothing..." he mumbles before flapping his wings and piling on top of the group, the feather light gryphon not adding much weight, but managing to contribute a layer of fur and feathers on top.

Sorien watches the trio walk off, not with some worry. "Right... Let’s head home."

Crys nods, "I hope shi's okay." referring to Sparhawk.

Sorien softly churrs, "Spar'll be fine." She grins. "I'm more worried for Coyote!""

Cilan follows the group as she is prone to do, her arms once again folded across her chest as she muses, "I’m certain those two will make sure Spar will remain fine.."

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 8|Click here to continue to Chapter 8.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 6

2013-04-25T21:21:10Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Interlude|Click here to return the downtime between Chapters 5 and 6.]]''

Spar's friends and associates have agreed to accompany hir back to the wellspring to deal with... hir passenger and child, and perhaps find a way to free Spar of the burden without injury. They have packed into a tour bus that Sorien salvaged and it's in the process of being retrofitted. It fits the variety of sized and weighted friends comfortably enough although the suspension is strained under the load. They are on the road nearing the site of Crater Lake, a place of a rather large incident from the weeks before.

Sorien softly churrs, "Wow. This thing handles like a bus. Who'da thunk?"

Sparhawk has occupied the seat behind the driver and is doing a lot of looking out of windows. "Is that better or worse than handling like a truck?"

Sorien softly churrs, "Kinda both, really. (giggle)"

Sorien softly churrs, "Better, in that it’s more comfortable. Worse, in that I've seen better manoeuvrability in river barges."

Cilan sits on one of the back seats of the bus, her weapons held out in front of her as she makes final preparations to them, making sure that they are all in working order for any skirmishes against the possible coyote pack, all the while, she remains silent.

Crys is sitting, pensive. She looks uncomfortable and lost in thought, she's been watching Spar out of the corner of her eye studying hir behaviour most of the trip, watching for changes as they draw nearer to hir child's home.

Apostasy chuckles as she overhears Sorien. "It's probably not helping that between the lot of us, and all of Spar's science stuff, this thing is really weighed down."

Snowblind is taking up the isle spot for now next to Sparhawk still thinking on the information that shi has been just given by Sparhawk during this journey.

Sorien softly churrs, "It’s no worse than 50 tourists and their luggage, really."

Sparhawk takes that opportunity to sing a verse or so of The Illinois and Michigan Canal, a song of home that might even be recognized by one of the other people on the bus.

Loki sits on a seat near the back, opposite of Cilan, a large metal cylinder in the seat in front, a gigantic robot occupying most of the isle, in standby mode for the time being. He looks a little uncomfortable, crammed in with all his things. He has a bunch of folded cloth on the seat next to him, along with a bulging briefcase, a few loose sheets of paper sticking out from the gaps between its two edges.

Sorien softly churrs, "You know, I don't think we make a good Partridge Family somehow..."

Crys shifts a bit and sees familiar segments on the road. While previously she had been stressed under the loss of her mate Sorien, the landmarks still stuck in her mind. Signs for the upcoming Crater Lake have been sidelong and scattered on the roadway edge. The road has narrowed far from the highway they used to travel up on, making the bus navigation slightly trickier.

Sorien softly churrs, "How far more, Spar? I dunno how much further this behemoth will take us. (she glances back) You okay, Crys? You've been kinda quiet."

Snowblind shakes hir head then looks at Sorien. "Oh and why not miss driver?" Shi giggles before getting up and retaking an actual seat where shi had set hir medical bags down. Starting to double check everything before they get to where they are going.

Sorien softly churrs, "Because it’s a bloody hog, that’s why. It’s fantastic on the freeway..."

Crys' ears perk to her mate's voice, "I'm... I'm all right love. This trip is just bringing back rather unwelcome memories and emotions from when you were lost. Nothing I can't handle though." She shifts and says "I don't remember it taking far from here."

Sparhawk leans down to peer out the front window. "I left a few marks on the trees where we came out, but that was in the direction of that gas station. The native remembers the forest mainly in terms of smell and distance from the center, so this closed-up vehicle is disorienting. Just start with the gas station."

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay."

As Crys speaks, one of the final signs showing a campground and Crater Lake itself less than two miles away, they should be arriving in minutes to their destination.

Sorien softly churrs, "Ah, there we go. One extinct (I hope) volcanic crater, coming up!"

Crys says, "Is that what it was. I wonder why there, does it have any significance to Coyote? He never struck me as a tourist."

Sorien softly churrs, "It’s the deepest lake in North America, amongst other things."

Loki bats an ear, peering over the edge of the seat. He quickly wraps himself in the prepared cloths, making a robe of sorts. "Well, that is kind of a relief... Although... a few things did slip my mind..." he mumbles, looking down at the last minute sheets now covering himself. "Well... guess we could always ask him!" he hollers from the back of the bus.

Apostasy yawns. "Hrmf. I forgot how -boring- long road trips are. Glad we'll be there soon." She looks over at Crys. "Maybe he just wanted somewhere that was still pretty wild? This place was a national park, so it'd be pretty much untouched forest and stuff, after all."

Sorien softly churrs, "You could have watched movies, silly. That's what those things in the seatbacks are. And as to its importance, I think it’s sacred, kinda like Devils Tower."

Sparhawk shrugs. "It could be where he found a bunch of interesting coyotes. I recall lots of stories about Coyote being a traveller, if less interested in seeing the sights."

Snowblind shrugs and puts on a backpack in addition to hir saddlebags. "I just hope Coyote is actually on our side. All the things I learned and read about him is that he is a teacher but also a trickster." Shi adds to the mix of ideas floating about while adjusting the straps to keep everything tight.

"After dealing with other spirits and gods, they usually have some sort of connection to their location, or they -create- one." Crys says in response. The campground turnoff is just up ahead, with plenty of unpaved space to park a bus this size. There are a -few- abandoned cars in the lot, but not many. P-day did happen in an offseason, mid February, which made this not a very popular tourist location. There's a ranger's shed, a refuelling station, and a building with restrooms on the sides of the parking area.

Sorien softly churrs, "Most Coyote stories start out with, 'Coyote was walking along..." I'll pull up by the restrooms. That work?"

"It's not like we're going to forget where we parked it. Also it looks like we can refuel for the way back if there's any left in that station." Crys says, and steps up stretching the kink out of one of the tails she had been sitting awkwardly on for most of the trip.

Sparhawk nodnods eagerly, feeling ready to stretch hir legs. "Just make sure to lock it. I don't know who would be trying to steal our bus out here, but I doubt they'd be good with lock picks." And back to Crys shi says, "I defer to the expert, but point out all the places in Fairhaven popped up pretty inexplicably."

Sorien pulls the bus over and parks. Once the rig is stopped, she turns it off and takes her own turn stretching. "Oogh. We need more than one driver I think."

Loki shrugs. "I might be able to drive back.. provided I am not somehow horribly mangled." he offers.

Sorien softly churrs, "Hee. Okay. We can try that. "

Snowblind stretches as well once back in the isle. "Locking is good, if they can lock pick then maybe they can help us rather than take things." Shi raises an eyebrow at Sorien. "I would but in my shape it is a bit hard to reach the pedals."

Apostasy stands and promptly bumps her head off the roof. "Gah! Stupid.... ugh, the sooner I'm off this thing the better. Bus trips were bad enough when I was human, let alone now."
Sorien softly churrs, "Hey, it beats walkin'!"

The bus itself opens up to the rest rooms, quite well maintained considering how long it's been, although no local wildlife has made a home out of it, possibly due to the threat of the packs around this region.

Sparhawk leaps out of the bus and runs around the wooded edge of the parking lot a while, exuberant and ready to press on long before anyone else. Shi only turns back when people start dragging heavy equipment out and shi feels guilty about shirking.

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay. I'm using the facilities before we do ANYTHING else. (giggle)"

Apostasy climbs off the bus and stretches out thoroughly, flaring her wings to their full span and flapping a few times. "Ahhhhh...... sooooo much better." That done, she goes to help haul equipment off the bus.

Loki blinks. "You know.. I never have to use the facilities.. wonder if that would change outside the bubble..." he wonders, obviously finding the idea rather distasteful.

Sorien softly churrs, "You're the boss, Spar! Be right out."

Crys helps lift some of the heavier equipment that she has no idea what its use is for, however she's strong and small enough to carry most of it without difficulty, unlike some of the larger creatures with similar strength. She huffs a bit under the weight of one particular piece Loki brought along. "And why did you feel it necessary exactly that we bring this along?" she asks Loki.

Cilan rises from her seat and calls over her shoulder as she makes a short detour, "Um.. long trips don’t really agree with me.. uh.. I’m just going to make a short stop.." finished, she heads to the washroom, and emerges a few minutes later, a relieved look on her face, "Anyways.. uh.. where are we going now?.. Last time I was here, I was still a little disoriented.. I guess resurrection will do that.."

Snowblind helps where shi can with taking things off the bus and even offers to pack some of the smaller things in hir own bags where there is room. Shi sniffs the air a bit getting used to the smells of being outside the bubble with a much better nose in the woods.

Sorien returns shortly, and starts assisting the unloading. "Is that everything?"

Loki grins, helping REDACTED with the device. "Portable nanofield generator... in theory it should work.. I would have to test it... Basically.. it will generate a portable bubble.. I have yet to test it, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity."

The area is strangely silent as it was before. A little wind the only source as the leaves rustle when the breeze strikes up. No wildlife, the normal nature noises that great one in nature make it really unsettling, at least the source of the silence is known, a mild comfort.

Apostasy gives Loki's device a look of distaste. "I never agreed to be a guinea pig for Loki's latest toy when I said I'd come on this trip."

Sorien softly churrs, "Ah, it can't be worse than everything ELSE we've faced."

The scents of plants, and a light rotting smell waft, there's also a mild smell of smoke, nothing heavy.

Loki sighs. "I was going to test it on MYSELF!... I would never think of having somebody involuntarily exposed to such a thing." he frowns, glaring, and almost sounding offended by Apostasy's accusation. "I'm not some kind of mad scientist."

Sparhawk points in a straight line off into the woods. "That way! One of us is going home. Now can someone help me with these two things? I can't reach my far end quite as well to put 'em on the harness." Like everything else shi carries, Spar's constructed a silk carryall for the science gear. "I concur, it would have to fail pretty spectacularly to be worse than the last trip."
Sparhawk continues with a shout at Loki, "Hey! Third rule of mad science! Never experiment on yourself! In this case empty landscape is preferable."

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay, sure. What do you want me to do, sweetie?"

Snowblind gives a nod towards Apostasy, "I just hope we don't HAVE to test it. That is one reason I came loaded down with supplies, like food for those of you who might not eat all that much in the bubble." Walking over to Sparhawk shi helps out the other taur with hir equipment.

Apostasy sniffs the air. "Huh. Smoke. Didn't really expect that.... thought Coyote moved on?" She looks over at Loki. "Given what you just said it was, it's going to affect everyone in the nearby area. Whether you like it or not."

Sorien softly churrs, "My appetite is the one thing about me that's never changed."

Crys stretches, her back snapping into place audibly after she's done carrying, and her many tails fluttering behind. She sniffs and closes her eyes, walking off from the group for a bit to sort her senses. Her hackles are up, when she smells something. "The coyotes have been through here, I can smell and feel them. I'm not sure how long ago it was though."

Sorien softly churrs, "How do I cinch this up, Spar? This strap to here?"

Loki sets the Cylinder to the ground, jamming the spikes inwards. He pats the device "Apostasy... have a little more faith... I can set the signal strength to effect various areas... in theory. Not quite sure what the real distances are yet... it will depend on various factors... but..."

Apostasy seductively says, "Yeah.... that really does nothing to make me feel better about being anywhere near the utterly untested nanite doodad."

Crys doesn't say anything and strikes off toward a wooded area, calling back when people notice, "I'm just going to make sure we're not being watched."

Sparhawk pauses to sniff as well. The diesel fumes of the van are clearing and leaving a worrying set of smells. "...wait. We have been through here? How can any of our fingers still walk when Sparhawk carries us around and doesn't let anyone leave?" Sorien gets ignored for the moment as shi watches REDACTED fade away.

Snowblind stands next to Sorien. "Look at where they are on me, it is the same basic design just made with better material." Snow says and helps with Sorien as shi talks a bit louder to REDACTED. "Are we going to have to keep an eye out for the coyotes still?"

Cilan chuckles to herself over the ranting between Apostasy, and Loki as she follows behind the group, both handguns nestled in her hands, her arms folded across her chest.

Sorien gets the straps buckled properly, with one or two goofs before getting them right.

Loki grunts, hoisting the cylinder onto his back, a strap located on the thing allowing for transportation. He wanders to the back of the bus, opening the rear doors and tapping on the machine's head. The steel behemoth whirring as it boots up. A few seconds later it clambers out of the van, following closely behind Loki as he heads off after the others.

Crys doesn't appear to respond to the final questions as she disappears a bit into the tree line. She looks intent and has untied both of the ties holding her blades in. The trees aren't super thick so she's seen quietly stalking her way through, those with better eyesight can see she has her eyes closed and is navigating by sound and smell.

Apostasy draws Silverfang and walks after Cilan, the sword being held in one hand and resting against her shoulder. "Well, if there -is- any coyotes still here, hopefully they won't be stupid enough to attack us this time."

Sorien softly churrs, "I'm goin' after her... We shouldn't split up."

Loki hesitates along the tree line before plunging in after the others. Out of any, Loki would probably be the one spotted most easily, the titanic mecha following behind him stylized in reminiscence of some forms of robots one may recognise from certain games, and Japanese cartoons, the deep blue, gold, and silver colorations standing out from the trees like some gleaming azure target.

Snowblind notes everyone on edge and gives Sparhawk's flank a light pat. "Spar dear, that was even more cryptic than normal. Yet it looks like everyone is on edge and REDACTED is on the hunt. Let’s try to keep up and hope that nothing goes wrong." With that said shi starts walking, trying to keep up with the group as shi carefully makes hir way in the woods.

Sparhawk is eagle-eyed, perching on the crumbling remains of the parking lot's curb and holding very still. Tracking by scent, and moving with eyes closed, are something both inhabitants of Sparhawk are very familiar with and shi seeks to not disturb the hunter. "Hold back for a minute..." shi murmurs to the clanking horde.

Sorien jogs up to Crys, trying to pick up on what she's sensing.

Loki halts on Sparhawk’s command, his robot doing the same.

Sorien finally smells what Crys smelled, it's decaying flesh, coyote scented. Not pleasant and it gets stronger as she approaches. Catching up to Crys, she's bent over a corpse, anthro, collapsed against a tree, there's a knife fallen on the ground nearby it. It's collapsed and dead for a few days, rigor having set in as Crys tries to move it.

Sorien softly churrs, "Ah geez..."

Snowblind looks back to Sparhawk. Softly shi whispers towards hir, "See something? I may not be a great hunter but I grew up in wooded area. I know how to keep it down." When shi turns back shi spots that Sorien has stopped and REDACTED is not in hir sight anymore.

Telltale blood marks on its wrists, the creature having clearly cut its own wounds open letting the blood leak out. Crys says, "Suicide?"

Sorien softly churrs, "Maybe... Or an escapee trying to rejoin the packmind?"

Sparhawk gestures at Loki. "She's found whatever it was. Let's go." Spar is not quiet at all, between heavy metal science gear and the regular adventuring equipment.

Cilan blinks curiously at the dead coyote, staring at it almost in disbelief, "Huh... shouldn’t... shouldn’t it have melted or something? Maybe a change to the coyotes, or maybe just a different variety..."

Apostasy comes up behind Sorien and Crys. She grimaces when she sees the body. "Oh lovely. I guess not all of them took so well to getting out of the dream and into the real world."

Sorien softly churrs, "It’s an Aassahke. One of Coyote's people, not the pack. At least I think so..."
Sorien softly churrs, "It’s one of the members we saw following him, but I can't recall which."

Loki halts in place, heading back towards Sparhawk. He nods quietly, seeing the grim attitude of the others. "So... what do you have planned Sparhawk?.. And you think I should test this? The others should be out of range if I activate this on the lowest setting."

The corpse is female, Crys lifts it's body onto her shoulders, it's got dark glove markings similar to Crys', and it doesn't appear to weigh much. Crys says, "Let’s move, I have something to deliver Coyote if we find him, and either way it's undignified to leave her here."

Sparhawk recoils when shi sees the dead body. "Who...why is someone here? They all left! They all left when we were alone!" Spar is visibly shaken, with a different set of body language than normal.

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay... We could make a travois if you'd rather..."

Sorien glances at Spar. "Do you know who this was, Walker?

Snowblind turns and stars at Sparhawk for a bit when they start to sound different. Padding back quickly towards hir Snow gives a small comforting hug. "Shussh. It is ok, we will find the answers soon. Let us continue on ok?"

Crys shakes her head, "I'll carry her, it's the least I can do for Coyote's sake. I owe him for Kaylah."

Sorien nods, and awaits Spar's 'child's' answer.

Apostasy seductively says, "I'm kinda fuzzy on where the wellspring is. Was busy getting used to not being dead anymore last time I came this way. Someone want to lead the way?"

Loki grimaces, but remains silent. He glances to the others as they part through the trees, waiting, and listening to the others. He turns to Sparhawk in response to Apostasy's question.

Sparhawk leans uncomfortably close to the stiff on Crys' shoulder and sniffs around her face a moment. "This one was a sad dream. She wanted to be alone. When the other children sought her, she ran away without moving."

Crys says, "I'm sure I can find it again, and I suspect Spar and hir child know the way. It's a hard place to forget." She holds the legs and the body was bent sitting when rigor set so it's leaning out back behind in the air.

Sorien softly churrs, "yeah... Let’s get going."

Crys frowns, watching the behaviour, "Do you think she was sad enough to take her own life, despite being given the gift of it again? Did she hate life that much?"

Sparhawk sadly says, "She ran away again. Thank you for carrying her former home, REDACTED." The gryphon trots ahead of the group confidently and leaps over streams and rocks without looking for 'em beforehand.

"Sure you want to be carrying the body that way the entire time Crys?" Snowblind asks, taking up a position near the back once the party starts to move again. "I know you mean respect, yet..."

Sorien softly churrs, "I think... What shi means is that she isolated herself within and without. Maybe she was... Broken by what happened. More than just being grabbed by the pack."

Loki nods sadly, following after Sparhawk, his robot close on his heels.

Sparhawk's new behaviour is a little unsettling to the formerly possessed raksasha, she holds the body tight and follows at a respectful distance, not really impeded. When Snow stops the ask, Crys says, "I will be able to handle it fine Snow, but if anything happens to me, make sure she finds a proper place to be blessed and remembranced."

Cilan returns to the back of the group, and continues wandering with the group, keeping an eye out for any possible dangers around her, and her allies.

Apostasy trails after Sparhawk, a little bemused by the way shi's acting.

The forested area continues and grows thicker, the grass and lower plants thinning as the canopy blocks sunlight. The area is rocky, and there are uncomfortably hot vents from the occasional rock cluster reminding that this is a volcanic area.

Snowblind nods to REDACTED. "I will do so, yet I, well a lot of us rather not see anything happen to anyone on this trip." Thanks to hir mutations the rocky ground is no problem but the heat starts to make hir pant and break out a water bottle rather quickly.

The original wellspring had an overpowering stench that could be smelled for quite the distance, although it's mysteriously absent, despite going in the proper direction.

Sorien softly churrs, "Is it just me or does it stink less this time around?"

Apostasy sniffs. "Not just you."

Sparhawk pushes harder toward the wellspring's location, panting from the effort of the hike. There is a tension in hir lower back that is seldom seen in the genial taur. No further talk comes from Sparhawk, weird or otherwise, for a long time.

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay. (She jogs a bit to catch up to Spar.)"

They near the wellspring area, the trees thinning out in a clearing. Rocks break the surface in a distinct pattern, and a bubbling hot springs is in the center. However, even from this distance the water is clear, a little murky from sulphur but in no way the thick red goop that filled it before.

Sorien softly churrs, "Hey... No meat soup. Is that good or bad?"

The area still smells of Coyote, and there's a small shrine built out of rocks with what appears to be a sacrifice on it, of fruits and grains in a small bowl.

Apostasy seductively says, "Well, it's good in terms of not being disgusting.... but not so good in terms of we were here to study the meat soup."

Sparhawk runs up to the edge of the pool, outpacing Sorien again with the confidence of someone who owns the ground (or did the last time shi did this.) "Empty," shi says sadly. And then more coherently, "Not quite empty. See, all my...inorganic junk is still sitting on the bottom. I hope it's not too water-damaged."

Snowblind sits down on hir hunches when the group reaches the spring, taking in the sights but trying to not smell the sulphur to much. "Well, we are here yes?" Snow asks as everyone starts to talk about the meet soup. Once shi catches hir breath shi heads over to the little shrine to check it out more.

Sorien softly churrs, "Is it safe to go in? Looks kinda hot."

The water is quite hot, although not quite boiling, it would hurt a lot to dive deep but it's certainly doable.

The shrine itself is not old, hastily built from rocks in the area, and the bowl is carved from wood, claw marks covering it. The grains, and fruits don't look native however.

Snowblind softly purrs, "I rather not treat anyone for burns that are not needed. If you do go diving please at least have some sort of plan to keep you cool."

Loki peers into the water before taking a few steps away from the lake. He lowers the metal cylinder, sliding it off his back, and then plunging it into the ground, the pair of two-foot-long prongs keeping it rooted in the ground. The whole device stands around 5 feet in height, and two feet in girth. Several weird protrusions, lights, and buttons line its surface.. the ramshackle device looking as if it was cobbled together through scraps.

Sorien dips a hand into the water. "Yeep. Yeah, that'll sting, but... Nonfatal unless you stay in there."

Sparhawk starts struggling out of the layers of equipment, taking a few steps back from the pool's edge when a piece slips free. "Could use a flashlight to look for my stuff. Set up shop here, this is our first stop." Shi continues in an annoyed tone, "I know you are mad. I rescued you because--yes, you were alone and I was alone and you were dying and I was not and that was unfair. Finding our home here waiting for us was always a long shot."

Sorien softly churrs, "I've a maglite- that should be good down that deep."

Crys frowns, her ears are shifted down, knowing the conversation Spar is having and the typical anger response toward grief. She however doesn't say anything, not really knowing how to communicate her thoughts properly.

Snowblind checks the bowl and fruits out. Taking some of the grain shi looks at it closer and sniffs it. Putting it back once that is down. "Ok... interesting little shrine here. I think we should mess with that more later." Shi says mostly to hirself. Turning back to the group shi sighs, "Ok so now what Sparhawk? The ball is in your and your little ones court now."

Sorien goes over to Spar, and offers the maglite, as well as a hug. "I'm sorry it’s not what was hoped for..."

Sparhawk nods absently to Sorien. "Please. In the meantime...give me a few minutes. I want to see if there is any nanite activity floating around still. Anything that could...help me understand how the pack worked, before or after Coyote borrowed it for his own purposes."

Sorien softly churrs, "Okay, sweetie. Anything you need."

Cilan muses, "Dunno if it'll do much to help when swimming, or better yet, help with the heat of the water.. but.. here." and with that, she snaps her fingers, and enfolds some of those here in a field of distortion, though whether it will help with the hot water as it does with physical injury is quite unknown to the dragoness at this point.

Crys wanders off a bit to think to herself and smells the area. The scent of sulphur from the hot springs makes it difficult to really get a sense of the direction the coyotes have been coming from, so she moves about sniffing at the ground and looking for trails and footprints.

Sorien retreats from Spar, letting hir have a bit of privacy.

Loki glances towards Aparhawk. "How are you going to do that? I could use my robot to check the nanite density in the air perhaps." he offers, glancing curiously towards Cilan's newest effect.

Apostasy sits on the ground leaning against a tree. Her sword rests on the ground beside her. She watches Spar and the others idly, content to simply wait for now.

Snowblind walks after REDACTED and when shi catches up shi asks, "Shall we work on burning the body? Though our options on where are a bit limited on this ground."

Sparhawk sits sphinx-style, closes hir eyes and breathes slowly, reaching for the senses shi's honed for a half a year listening to the much-louder songs of Fairhaven and Woodfield nanites. People moving around make hir head twitch in quick avian movements, cast-off nanites nearly overwhelming those few coyote-type that remain. After five minutes of apparent inaction, shi starts standing up again. "There is almost nothing left here. I wish I could compare now to before, but...we were all busy and my rider can't identify it any more than you can see the insides of your eyes."

Sorien softly churrs, "Well, there is that smell of fire, or smoke. We can check that out. The Aassahke had to go somewhere."

"I do not know Native American cultures, but I'm not sure their burial practices. We incinerate bodies in my culture after cleansing rituals. I wouldn't dare presume my own beliefs on the others though. That's why I'm trying to find what direction they went so I can deliver the body." Crys responds to Snowblind and her tails are flicking in agitation.

Sorien circles the area, basically snooping for anything unusual... Or at least MORE unusual.

Snowblind softly purrs, "It depended on the exact tribe but some did burials by fire as well to help release the spirit back into the sky. I understand, though, if you do not want to do something till we know for sure."

Sparhawk scratches at an ear in a mundane gesture. "We need to get my junk out of the pool. I was a phoenix briefly, but not entirely on fire; I suppose that if Loki makes a nanite field I could shift into a dragon and be harder to boil that way. Hey...that reminds me. Does the portable point zero generate a tiny Fairhaven, or just a lot of nanites to make the local swarm stronger?"

Sorien stumbles upon wood shavings and an edged stone, and an imprint on the stone. She's found the area where the ritual bowl was carved it looks like.

Sorien checks the area, looking for where the carver came from- she knows where the bowl ended up, after all.

Snowblind walks back towards the group letting REDACTED think on hir own for now. Before shi left shi gives the kitsune mix a light pat on the shoulder to let her know everything will be ok. "I have dedicated myself to the lady of the cycle but even that will not protect me from the heat. In all honesty I think our best bet is the robot if it can survive the water itself."

Loki sighs, glancing at the cylinder. He was already about to hit a few buttons before Sparhawk said anything. He glances over to Spar "Well.. just a signal... think of a tiny Fairhaven or Woodfield.... It should allow one to shift their own nanites outside a bubble.. although.. I guess I could disperse some extra ones, saturating the air if need be." he says, patting the machine. "Although, I am entirely unsure how it will react.. Don’t have the specific details.. Not sure how the fields themselves work.. as far as I know.. the nanites are a blank slate, told what to do by something else." he babbles, flipping the switch. "FOR DISCOVERY AND PROGRESS!"

Every single person standing suddenly has their hair stand up on end (if they have any) and their teeth itch. The machine pops and pulses, creating a strange humming sound and the field it's creating can be felt, as if it's causing the insides of one's flesh to itch and crawl.

Sparhawk raises an eyebrow to Snow. "A dragon and a phoenix alike? Fascinating... and also disappointing that the lady who melted me into hot goo two days after I got melted into nanite goo doesn't help me get back here." Then Loki starts shouting and Spar stares. "Entirely too late to shout stop now, I expect..."

Sorien softly churrs, "Yee! (Sori backs away from the effect!)"

Apostasy starts and jumps to her feet as she feels the effect of Loki's contraption. "So much for not testing it on other people, you stupid bastard!"

Snowblind flinches when Loki flips the switch not sure what to expect but thinking the worst. "Yes well I can help as she did grace me with a few of her abilities. Let me just take off my gear and hope that the machine does nothing funny while up here." Snow quietly starts to take off hir saddlebags and back pack but leaves hir jacket on till right before diving in.

Crys looks ill, "Why is that thing affecting ME?" She asks, and then almost in answer, small flashes and pops of light begin to appear on the surface of her fur.

Sparhawk makes a generalized 'nrgh' noise and itches at a foreleg with another foreleg. "That is distinctly uncomfortable! Please explain what you believe you did!" Loki is now the distraction from Snowblind, so Spar gets an absent armload of Snowgear.

Sorien is scrambling back from the effect, not having seen what just happened.

Loki blinks, staring at the thing. "Must’ve done something wrong.." he mumbles, glancing to the others. "Well.. thought I would put out a low signal.." he mumbles, carefully flipping a few switches, trying to dampen the battery output... "Basically.. I tried to duplicate the signal..." he grumbles, going to his robot, and ordering the machine to scan the waves, and compare them to the records on Fairhaven and Woodfield.

Snowblind figures that everyone is distracted by the device and the tingling shi feels that the best place to be is in the water. Taking a jump in shi tries hir best to 'walk' down the side once in the water seeing as how shi never really learned to swim in this form.

The body Crys is holding begins to react strangely, glowing weirdly with Crys' light show and typical nanite reaction is on full display. The rigor on it twists as muscles are contracting, and the body swings, Crys losing grip of it. It falls to the ground at her feet, the dead body twitching in the nanite field.

Cilan groans in discomfort as she feels the effects, obviously hating it entirely, "Ugh.. what.. what the hell did you do, Loki!" is groaned, her voice showing clear signs of anger to it.

"Whoah, what the hell is going on?" Apostasy exclaims, as she moves over to Crys and the twitching coyote body.

Loki frowns, staring at the device. He glances over to the others "Sorry.. hopefully I can." he mumbles, pressing the button that shuts the device off, and hoping for results.

Sorien, having felt the effect ripple past her heads back to the group. "What the hell was that?"

Apostasy points to Loki. "Numbnuts over there decided we'd all make good guinea pigs for his little toy."

Snowblind feels the heat increase and the cramped space grows as she gets deeper, fully emerged she has to push her way past a large boulder and contort her torso around it. Opening her eyes under the hot sulphurous water would be a bad idea, so she feels around until he hand comes into contact with a small cylindrical object.

Sorien shakes her head. "Well, it’s done. No point being pissed about it.”

The machine begins to turn off, the hum slowing down, and then a spark happens and the circuit board on the controls blow, and the machine's hum returns even louder, at this point skin is not only itching but literally feeling like it's going to tear off.

Sorien softly churrs, "Ah, crap!"

Loki jumps back from the device. "Not good! Not good!.. Although good things did come from this!... There is more to the signal than a mere wavelength replication... I shall have this yet!" he shouts, taking a few steps back. "You know.. perhaps running may be a good idea."

Smoke from the blown fuses puffs up into the air. The coyote body below Crys returns to twitching weirdly. Crys is overwhelmed by a blinding light show, and backs away from everyone to duck behind a tree, closing her eyes and huddling under the assault.

Snowblind picks up the object, and feels around with hir other hand and forepaws to see if anything else got dropped. Shi really did not think this through as Snow should have asked what shi was looking for. Once satisfied that shi found everything shi can and the heat starting to really get to hir, Snow heads back to the surface, making sure to not open hir eyes till shi is sure that most of the sulphurous water is gone from hir head.

Cilan calls out in slight pain, letting out, "Ungh.. f-fuck this!" and with that, she points one of her handguns towards the machine, and pulls the trigger, emptying all 15 rounds into it, and attempting to silence it permanently.

Sparhawk is in the middle of saying, "Better not be any zomb--" when the thing noisily breaks and sends Spar to hir many knees with all available limbs clinging to hirself to keep hir body from flying apart, like it feels it wants to.

Sorien looks around for who seems to be in the worst shape from the effect, and goes to help.

The bullets spray wildly, one hits the control panel that was already busted and sparks sound but nothing happens, a few more ping off harmlessly, and one strikes the base of the machine. The hum increases and is accompanied by a larger noise.

With the firing, Sori instead looks for whomever is closest and gets them down out of the line of the coming, inevitable explosion!

Apostasy recognises the ominous hum, and yells "Everyone find some cover NOW! This thing is going to blow!" She grabs the device and wrenches it out of the ground, hurling it as hard as she can away from everyone before diving for some sort of cover.

With nobody near, Sori dives for whatever cover she can see!

Cilan promptly dives away, "Shiiiiii--!" is called out as she runs away from the exploding machine.

Apostasy is able to lift and tears the device apart, halting the primary hum, but the increasing sound of the overloading power core is even more obvious, She throws the power core through the air in an arc, it goes for quite a distance before hitting a tree. Landing with a thud the device's sound begins deafeningly loud.

Sorien shouts, "Eat dirt and cover your heads!"

Crys curls up behind a tree, not noticing the flashing having stopped, she covers her ears with her hands.

Sparhawk makes incoherent bird noises as the composite being leaps for the pool, only spreading hir wings and making a second jump over the pool when a paw touches and reminds hir it's not home but rather a cookpot. On the far side shi flops onto the dirt and rolls around--the noise of nanites being especially loud to the sensory adept.

Sorien commences to get behind a tree, or rocks, whatever works, and covers her head.

When the sound appears to go critical, everyone waits for the impending explosion, and... suddenly the sound stops.

Snowblind comes up out of the water to hear the sound of chaos from up above. Having just broken the water shi keeps hir eyes closed. "Hello? What is going on? Anyone?"

Loki sighs in relief, having been rather surprised by all the gunfire, and a large dragon wrenching his machine out of the ground.. and general panic. He sighs, looking over to the power core. "You know.. all that was rather uncalled for..." he sighs, slumping over, still standing in the middle of the field.

Sorien waits for the kaboom... And when nothing happens she peeks out from her place of concealment.

Apostasy looks up from where she lies behind some rocks. "Huh. No kaboom. I must’ve ripped out something important."

Sorien softly churrs, "... Okay... Are we not gonna die here?"

Sparhawk stops in mid-flail, curled up like an itchy snake with limbs pointing every which way. The sudden silence, both audible and otherwise, brings hir up ears-first. "I'm gonna say this once, politely... what the crap?" The gryphon has shaky knees and is staring at the scattered wreckage.

Apostasy grins at Sparhawk. "The power core was going critical. I took steps."

Snowblind continues to climb up out of the pool, the wet kitty not exactly happy right now and still not able to see or smell anything. "Stop joking around here and tell me what is going on someone! I found this," Shi holds up the cylinder above hir head. "And I would like to know what to do with is as well as dry the fuck off." Snow is quite peeved to be cussing right now.

Sorien softly churrs, "Ah... Right. Okay. Geez. Now what?"

Cilan stands up from her pile on the ground, and looks around curiously, "Huh? It didn’t explode?.. huh.." looking around to the others around she continues to say, "Uh.. sorry about that, everyone!"

Apostasy walks over to Cil and pokes her in the ribs. "So, what have we learned today sis?" she asks with a giggle.

Sorien softly churrs, "We got no towels save back in the bus, sweetie. Just step away and shake. I can loan you some brushes after."

Sparhawk blandly says, "That was without a doubt the second-worst thing that has happened to me all year." Shi goes over slowly to hir bags and talks on automatic while rummaging, "Don't be silly, I always know where my towel is. Trade you for a priceless nano-artifact, Snow?"

Cilan regally proclaims, "Uh.. no shooting at a device that causes pain, and rapid mutations, sis?"

Apostasy giggles. "No shooting at devices when you don't know where to shoot to make it stop working."

Sorien softly churrs, "Are we done being silly?"

Loki sighs, slumping over. "Well.. Apostasy.. you didn’t have to destroy the ENTIRE thing..." he groans, looking at the pieces of his latest project. "Well.. one thing is certain.. The signal from Point Zero.. isn’t the only factor In the whole thing... something else.. must be part of it..." he repeats, going over to his robot, its torso popping open. He takes a device from his 'robe' and plugs in into the machine. "Apparently.. the nanites were.. fleeing from the signal.. and.. going towards.." he trials off, looking in REDACTED's direction. "Reacting with REDACTED.. somehow.."

Sorien softly churrs, "Huh? But she's kinda ANTI-nanites..."

Loki coughs and continues. "Some nanites may have also.. been stripped from our bodies... The signals.. confused them perhaps?" he muses.

With the noise stopping Crys carefully crawls back from around the tree. She looks frazzled, her fur a mess and her hackles still raised. The coyote body thankfully has stopped moving since the signal stopped. Crys moves over to pick up the corpse, removing dust and leaves. The rigor has gone away after that reaction though so the limp body is far easier for her to carry.

Sorien goes over to Crys. "Are you okay?"

Snowblind holds out both hands. One for the towel and the other to offer Sparhawk's voice the device. "Ok we had an almost exploding what?" Shi wipes hir face clean with the towel and pads away from the group to shake the rest off.

Crys frowns, and hefts the body, "I still feel... not right at all. But, I'll be okay love as long as you're okay."

Apostasy looks at Loki. "Explain. What do you mean, some of the nanites may have been stripped from our bodies?" She's distracted by the very frazzled looking Crys reappearing, and lets out a relieved giggle. "Oh good, you look unharmed. Looks like Sor's got her work cut out with her brushes though!"

Loki busies himself scanning through his data, his brow furrowed in concentration. Although worried about the others, he tries to remain stoic. He jams a device into his arm, taking a sample of his own nanites, and feeding the sample through the machine for further results.

Sparhawk trades over a towel and fur-fluffing services while muttering Ferox's name and filing the cylinder away. Afterward shi blinks. "Wait, you said the nanites were going toward REDACTED on purpose? She makes the nanites explode. I hadn't ascribed suicidal impulses to them before."

Sorien softly churrs, "So what just happened exactly? I definitely missed something. "

Loki looses a relieved sigh. "Well.. I think our nanites are fine.. and we lost a negligible amount." he breathes, glancing around to the others. "Well.. that was interesting.. glad to see you’re all ok!" he says, smiling and giving a thumbs up.

Snowblind looks put out still as the fur all over sticks out making Snow look like the drowned cat shi was for a bit. "Sorien I have no clue. I go down, I come up, and once I get up everyone is screaming and chaos is all abound with one weird looking machine..." Shi pauses once shi notices that REDACTED is carrying a much limper body. "What in the world..."

Apostasy's finger's twitch and her tail lashes about as she glares at Loki. "If you EVER do something like that again, I will tear you limb from limb."

Sorien softly churrs, "(sigh) Killing him won't help, sweetie. Just... Is any of that mess dangerous, Loki?"

Sparhawk stares at REDACTED and through her, pacing around in a large circle. "Point Zero Generator was turned on, went crazy, and exploded." Shi also tries to make comforting noises inside hir head for the pack-mind, but there are so many distractions all at once. Which is insufficient judging from the "No! Wait! Where are you going?" that comes out of hir beak.

Crys responds to Snow's question, "I'm... not really sure. That machine clearly did -something- to the body though. It's still dead though as far as I can tell, but with this world nowadays that statement isn't as obvious as it should be."

Sorien softly churrs, "Set the body down, sweetie. She's either going nowhere or is about to reanimate- and if that happens I'd prefer she didn't eat your brains. "

Crys watches the Sparhawk carefully as shi's talking to herself, and then remembering the angry reaction from earlier she shouts, "Don't you DARE take Sparhawk." in Spar's departing direction.

Loki glances towards the mess. "Well.. it’s liable to have some form of radioactivity.. I wouldn’t approach it." he murmers, wincing in response to Apostasy "Sorry.. about that... and I am against that sentiment.." he mumbles. He then turns curiously to Sparhawk. "Something wrong Spar?" he mumbles, approaching the gryphon.

Apostasy closes her eyes and forces herself into something closer resembling calmness before opening them again. "Ok. Homicidal urges suppressed. Back to business."

Snowblind notices that shi is close to naked right now, not that shi wears much clothing but goes to quickly gather up hir jacket and other gear. Talking while putting hir jacket back on over hir still moist fur, "Ok, many problems let’s take them one at a time. The dead can stay dead for now but Sparhawk needs help, or a translator."

Snowblind softly purrs, "Lastly... I will need a serious brushing down once we get to the bus."

Loki glances around, and sighs. He ambles over to the machines broken pieces, gathering up anything still deemed usable. He sighs, looking down and murmurs, just barely.. "Well.. gotta research some more.. then.. I can build a better one."

Sparhawk is obviously struggling internally. And then Loki wanders up into arm's reach, a claw grabbing on his tail and a hungry raptor's face opening its bitey beak...not long enough for more than a moment's panic before Spar's arm on the opposite side whacks hir in the face and drags the beak to point at the once-twitching corpse. "Fingers!" is the only squawking that makes any sense to the outside world.

Sorien blinks! "Whoa! Spar, hey!" She moves to... Do something. What, she isn't sure yet.

Sorien softly churrs, "Spar... Hey sweetie... You okay?"

Apostasy moves over to Sparhawk. "Whoah! Hey! Spar, what the hell? I thought the newborn wasn't able to control your body?"

Loki casts a worried glance down to Sparhawk, kneeling down. "Something wrong Spar?.. Or Pack? Whom am I talking to here?" he inquires.

A strange black smoke grows from inside somewhere deep in Sparhawk, out his lungs, and through the air, passing -into- the corpse on Crys' shoulder, up through its mouth and lungs. It immediately begins to twitch, and Crys drops the body on the ground feeling its claws dig into her back.

Sorien softly churrs, "Ah... Shit."

Apostasy dashes over to where she left Silverfang before moving towards the twitching body. "So.... Shadow had come out to play?"

Snowblind does not take the time to put on the rest of hir bags before dragging them over to where Sparhawk is. "Ok better then a translator we need to get them separated again without hurting either. Since it seems the pool is not an option what else do we have." Shi looks around for a second before following the smoke to the body leaving Sparhawk for now and checking it out with all that shi can with hir medical knowhow.

Sorien watches the corpse, perhaps former corpse, ready to act.

The coyote corpse begins to cough and breath, rasping for air, the slit writs knitting as blood returns to the body and the heart pumps once again. It chokes on air as if feeling it for the first time again.

Cilan holds her handguns out to the coyote, ready to fire at the first sign of hostility.

Loki stares at the twitching body, and the cloud of darkness. "Well.. I don’t know much about this I think.. but.. Corpses moving.. and mobile clouds of darkness... Don’t normally seem like good things." he mumbles. He walks over to the Coyote, and extends a hand. "Hello there! Who are you?" he smiles.

Sorien softly churrs, "If its Shadow, those won't help Cil..."

Snowblind notices the readied actions and does the only thing shi can think of to both help out the patient and keep them pinned. Shi lays hir lower body across the coyote. "Ok let’s not kill the newly alive here."

Sorien blinks, looking at both Loki and Snow being, in her eyes, totally nuts. She instead goes over to Spar, hopefully to help hir.

Cilan regally proclaims, "Uh.. alright.." finished, she holsters her guns, and scratches the back of her head, seeming almost embarrassed, and apologetic about her actions, "Uh.. sorry again.."

The body finally gets air long enough to try to speak. It finally starts to talk, "Now you finally give me one, and it's dead? Dead flesh is all I get?"

Apostasy quirks an eyeridge, and lowers her blade somewhat. "Not Shadow, then."

Crys has backed away at this point, the imagery of shadow and possession creeping her the hell out. She's not even sure how to react, but her hands are on her hilts defensively.

Sorien softly churrs, "I'm... Not sure. Spar... Are you with us, sweetie?"

Cilan regally proclaims, "Uh.. who.. who are you? And.. well, right now, that’s all that we have, and really, it wasn’t our idea for you to transfer to that corpse.."

Sparhawk hirself is falling to hir knees again with coughing interspersed by the chanting of 'remember blood' as the body is rebuilt. Spar's voice is hoarse in hir reply, "No! You wanted to take a life from another, and--" there is more coughing, "--you want things without patience! I can fix things, but not instantly."

Loki smiles, but then frowns. "Sorry.. I don’t think that was intended.. but.. dead flesh?.. It could easily be converted back to life.. just a matter of chemistry and a little time." he says, still holding his hand out. "We.. all had our problems... I am willing to help you with yours... We were transformed into this flesh against our will.. not quite our own... My name's Loki, and I will do my best to help you.. Who are you anyways?" he asks, putting on another small smile.

Sorien softly churrs, "Can I help, Spar? (Sori for now ignores the milieu with the animate-corpse in favour of her friend.)"

Snowblind still mostly on the body. "The cycle can continue, yet right now I am about the only thing between you and this body being dead again. So first... You would have harmed one of my friends if not for Sparhawk's intervention. Second, yes, who are you? Or at least what do we call you? And third, do not do anything rash or even I will not save you."

"Not... fast enough, and your pack attacked me first. We're done with waiting, we shall take more." The body begins to shift, shifting into a more comfortable and familiar form for the pack, as it twists into a non anthro coyote, and then tries to bolt off.

Snowblind moves as the coyote starts to shift around trying to catch it in the eyes. "STOP AND BE STILL" Shi says as shi gives it a glimpse of its future death if it continues to struggle.

Sparhawk grabs Sorien's hand in a slightly worrying echo of the previous gesture, but all shi does is use her support to stand. "We are--hey!" When the little doggy thing starts to squirm out from underneath Snowblind shi shouts, "Please! I love you, child of mine!" There is more desperation in hir voice than any here have heard before.

Sorien helps Spar up, being a LOT stronger than her tiny form looks.

The coyote growls at Snowblind and snaps at her direction, "Let me by or we will take you too." It says.

Cilan regally proclaims, "Heh.. yes, well, the last time the coyotes had attempted to 'take' us, it took an army of the the creatures, and even then, only three of us were wounded.. I’m not sure how much of a threat you, and whatever coyote's in the vicinity will have against us.."

Apostasy places the tip of her sword at the coyote's throat. "You are not in a position to be threatening anyone."

Sorien softly churrs, "Spar... Are you alone in there now? Are you SURE you're alone?"

Snowblind bars hir teeth, hir sabre fangs dripping a clear liquid from the tips. "Try and you will be no more, struggle and we will stop you. We are trying to help you bloody stupid creature and you think to run? You think you can get away? At least say your thanks to my friend!" Shi makes no move to free up the creatures body from hir weight nor to stop Apostasy from placing her sword at its throat. "Last chance little one. Stay and talk nice or will bad things happen?"

Sparhawk draws hirself up as tall as possible and says after Apostasy's statement, "But I am. The first person to attack her gets to walk home. Now, I want everyone to calm down, because this would then become the most unpleasant thing that has happened all year."

Loki scowls at Cilan and Apostasy, gently trying to move the blade away from the Coyote's throat. "Violence and brute force are not the way.." he says, giving them both a stern glance, and then glaring at Snowblind. "Stop... All of you.. even you little Coyote." he growls. "Violence.. only spirals in on itself.. leading to pain and anger for all... It feeds on its own fires.. It is best to not have them start."

The coyote is surrounded by threats, but the cry of its parent and saviour causes it to whimper, "But... but we want to be free, and there's more flesh out there to take that doesn't involve taking your pack from you." It says to Spar.

Sorien softly churrs, "Gods. Does everything we do have to be a clusterfuck... Everyone STOP."

Sparhawk starts walking slowly toward Snowblind, most every muscle sore. "I know, child of mine. I know. Some of it would devour you before I or anyone else could stop it." Shi gestures at Loki. "And do you really want your first action as a free person to make that idiot look wiser than you?" Some of hir diplomacy has worn off in the past ten minutes.

As if a scolded child, its tail hangs between its legs, "But..." Is all is can respond, and it hangs its head in shame.

Apostasy removes her blade from the coyote's throat and steps back, the situation now well in hand.

Snowblind wipes the liquid from hir teeth. "Only a muscle toxin, would not hurt just paralyze for a bit." Shi meekly says, looking sadly at Sparhawk and Loki. As the coyote calms down shi takes a deep breath. "Is living what you want most?"

The coyote says simply, "Yes, life. Taken from us. I want to live."

Sorien pats Spar's back, and looks at the coyote. "Do you understand what happened before?"

Loki stares at Snowblind, and then back to the coyote. "I would assume it wants life.. as everything does.. It has a partial life.. but life.. is hard to define when you deconstruct it..." he sighs. He nods and pats the coyote "Everybody makes mistakes... it is part of life..." he sighs, observing the others.

Sorien softly churrs, "I mean, do you recall what happened before when the Pack took people without their wanting it?"

Sparhawk is, unless Snowblind gets out of the way, likely to crawl bodily underneath the smaller taur and hug the dickens out of the small coyote. Somewhat muffledly shi says, "Look at you, fixing this dead thing into a thing that lives, then shaping it to your needs. I am proud you learned that lesson well. You are welcome to life, but it must be guarded carefully from those who would take it away. Loki was right in his words."

Snowblind gets up as Sparhawk comes closer getting out of the larger taur’s way. Shi pads off away from the group for now with hir own head hug a bit low. Yet before shi leaves shi parts with this, "Then live your life to the fullest and be glad for the second chance. Not many get a third."

"We don't want more pain, more memories inside us. This body was sad, she died rather than be a part. We... I just want life." The coyote says as Spar hugs it.

Sorien softly churrs, "Wanting life is good. Taking life from others FOR that life... Is evil."

Crys has calmed herself finally, realizing that Spar's child has simply left hir into an already dead body. Much better situation in general to have hir freed.

Loki smiles, and looks down at the coyote "One’s life is shaped not by one’s self.. but more importantly by others whom you share life with... The impressions you make upon them, and the impressions they make upon you... Life.. is something not to be taken or thrown away lightly.. it is precious... for most only receive one chance."

Sparhawk sits up and carries the coyote in hir arms, stroking down the body's back. "No, you don't 'just' want life. You want a good life. The best life requires the love of others, and terrifying your friends makes that harder. Now...I know a certain someone who can get your fur all brushed and smooth if you ask. While I..." there are a few more words whispered directly into the coyote's ear, then shi turns to face Sorien.

Sorien headtilts at Spar?

Apostasy giggles. "I think your grooming services are being called upon, Sor."

The coyote looks up, "Can we go see grandfather, and have him explain to us why he chose death for us?" it looks pleading at Sparhawk.

Snowblind folds up hir legs under hirself and starts to put back on hir saddlebags and backpack. Shi takes hir time and only listens in on what is going back on with the coyote. The part about brushing fur makes hir sigh but shi lets it pass and instead gets the final straps cinched up.

Sorien gets out a brush, and goes to the not-so-dead Aassahke. "Would you like to be brushed?"

The coyote rolls over on the ground in front of Sparhawk, belly in the air, tail wagging.

Sparhawk puts a finger to hir beak in the shoosh gesture while looking at Sorien. The barely ten pounds of canine gets lowered to the ground and shi says, "I think you should apologize to our friends for scaring them, and then ask Madame Sorien politely."

The coyote says, "We are sorry we threatened you, but you hurt us and we were angry. I would like it if you brushed us." It then says up to Sorien.

Sorien grins and says "Okay". She starts carefully brushing the creature’s fur out.

Apostasy returns Silverfang to its place on her back. "So. What's the plan now, then?

Snowblind stands up again and pads around the group letting the bags shift over hir matted fur. "I am sorry as well to have hurt you. I was trying to keep you from harm yet let things get out of hand. I hope you can forgive me as well." With that shi heads back over towards the shrine.

Loki stretches out, glancing around. He nods to the coyote. "Everybody makes mistakes." he repeats, sighing as he looks back to the remains of his machine. "But.. you can learn from them.. and fix them.. well, most of 'em." he adds.

Sparhawk grins and tiptoes away, full of trust in Sorien's brushing skills and responsibility. "Hokay so. There is a lil' shrine here, and non-local stuff on it. I nominate that someone is coming and venerating Coyote from somewhere else, and we have evidence of exactly one sapient species in the area. My next lead is Coyote his big-C self."

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 7|Click here to continue to Chapter 7.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 5

2013-04-25T21:21:03Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 4|Click here to return to Chapter 4.]]''

[Wellspring] Carson was just about to lead the group to the so called place where the coyotes are reborn, calling it the Wellspring. RosaSoul was sent back to the bus, and Taggart, Sparhawk, Kale, Delu'meril, and REDACTED were following Carson and Harry, the oddly named partially transformed German Shepherd girl.

[Otherworld] In the Otherworld, after an aspect of Coyote opened up some strange -door- to the Dreamer, Crys tripped after having lost massive amounts of blood bringing both herself and Sorien with them into it, while Apostasy, Cilan and the native River are stunned.

[Wellspring] Kale asks Carson "So if our friends minds still exist isn't there a way we can bring them back?"

[Otherworld] Apostasy looks at the Coyote aspect. "Just how much danger are they in?"

[Wellspring] Carson shrugs, "Ya ask like I know." His gruff response sounds heartless, but he really seems to not have an answer. Harry lags behind a bit and whispers to Kale, "Don't mind the old dog, he's in over his head here. I know he'll figure out something to do about your friends." She tries hard to not let Carson hear her.

[Otherworld] Cilan blinks in surprise as her two friends disappear, her eyes soon becoming wide as she calls out, "What the hell just happened to them?!"

[Otherworld] The coyote man thinks for a moment, and then a giant black inky tentacle shoots out of the doorway, wrapping around his neck, and another strikes toward river, and another toward Cilan and Apostasy.

[Wellspring] Kale nods solemnly "I ... hope so." Kale does hir best to keep up carrying hir supplies, and Apo's gun..

[Wellspring] Sparhawk trots along attentively, thinking about many things. Not least of which is said out loud: "Before I leave the state on heroic rescues, I really, really need to get a shortwave radio for long-distance talk to people who need it."

[Otherworld] Apostasy dives out of the way of the tentacle striking towards him, and pulls River out of the way of the one attacking her, trusting Cilan to be able to protect herself.

[Otherworld] Cilan quickly rolls out of the way of the attacking tentacle, returning to her feet, she returns to a readied stance, waiting to see if she is in further danger from the doorway.

[Otherworld] The shadows begin to bleed out of the ground as more tentacles come out. Two more wrap around the coyote aspect and pull him inside. More look ready to strike out at any moment.

[Otherworld] Apostasy steps back from the tentacles, trying to keep himself between them and River. "This is.... not a great situation."

[Wellspring] Crys stares around, the terrain is actually quite beautiful, the woodscape having it's own unique feel in this area of the country. She looks aggitated, knowing that they are about to face the creatures that stole her love from her at their very heart and core and she's prepared to do what it takes to stop it from hurting anyone else.

[Otherworld] Cilan continues attempting to dodge out of the way of the attacking tentacles, while at the same time looking for a weapon to defend herself, and the rest of her allies with, -and- a way to get to it.
[Otherworld] River says, "I... I think we should run." Backing away from the shadowy ground.

[Otherworld] Apostasy nods. "I agree with that. Cil! Try to grab one of the torches and let's make tracks out of here!"

[Wellspring] Harry says, "The wellspring is not too far into the forest, but if I might ask, how 'did' you all find this place? That Sorien fellow made it sound like you were all really far south." Despite her meek form, she actually sounds a little suspicious and appears to be trying to interrogate, even if she's a bit bashful about it.

[Otherworld] Cilan looks to Apostasy and gives him a quick, and understanding thumbs-up before turning her vision to the tentacles, quickly dodging out of the way soon after as she makes her way to one of the torches, and soon after, back to the other two.

[Otherworld] The shadow biting on their heels, the three run out from the cave, the entrance feels miles away and the shadow spreading quickly. There's a small dot of light that peeks to the maw of the cave entrance but it seems forever away.

[Wellspring] Meril fiddles with her weapon, checking the sights and adjusting a few levers and slides with angry metallic clicks. A soft whoosh of nylon sings from a buckle as she adjusts its sling to sit high and at the ready, right hand keeping it steady while the left checks the grenades hooked to her webbing before dipping to let its agile fingers slide open casings and swap out fresh batteries on some odd-looking hardware. Her breathing is measured, but it comes in tense and gently raspy. "Was a bit of a trip," she answers with strained humor, forcing a smile.

[Otherworld] Apostasy shouts "Remember how this place works! Focus on being at the cave mouth!"

[Wellspring] Kale says "We were guided here by a lost friend."

[Otherworld] Along the way, Cilan believes to herself, that the entrance is only coming closer as she sprints forward, using her torch to light the way, and keep any possible footfalls illuminated.

[Dream] The room spins around before coming into focus. There's a candle lighting a small bed with a sheepskin cloth covering a rather frail looking young girl. She is sound asleep and candlelight makes patterns in the shadow across her as it flickers. The outer edges of the room sift off into darkness, and the place feels empty and alone. Sorien finally remembers -who- she is, and sees her mate nearby her on the ground unconscious.

[Wellspring] Sparhawk is more talkative in general. "Dunno how Sorien found it, but we followed her trail here. And also other lost friends, yes. You saw my dancing bottle? It was pointing here until we got here." Shi glances down at it, still held in hir left hand, for any change in behavior.

[Dream] Sorien shakes her head, then checks to see what shape Crys is in; she does NOT try to wake her mate, as its obvious something is very wrong with her... Or in her.

[Otherworld] The dot grows nearer, but the shadows only seem to increase in speed behind them. River groans out of breath but pushes herself onward following the other two. "If I don't make it, you must save the dreamer, don't let them kill him!"

[Wellspring] Carson holds up a hand to the group behind, and growls out, "You, 'yotes. Show yourselves, I know ya are following us." And then he says something that speaks to everyone's very soul, "NOW" he commands.

[Otherworld] Apostasy glances over his shoulder as he runs, noticing the shadows gaining on them. "You're going to make it just fine, River! Keep focusing on the exit!"

[Dream] Crys doesn't appear to be breathing, but she doesn't feel or look dead. Sorien then notices -she's- not breathing either.

[Otherworld] Cilan looks back as she hears River groan out, prompting the torch bearer to slow down slightly so she can use her own body to support River, using teamwork to make sure at least these three can make it out, during which she says, "Damnit, River, don't give up on us now, we -will- all make it out of here, and we -WILL- save the dreamer!"

[Dream] Sori sighs, then checks the sleeping child.

[Wellspring] Meril tenses, rifle lifting to ready as she whips around.

[Wellspring] Sparhawk is in the process of trying to subtly find a bigger, heavier container to stuff the vial of blood into, when shi freezes at the command. The dragon decides keeping watch the directions everyone else isn't looking is the best.

[Otherworld] Apostasy, Cilan and River stagger out of the coyote's maw, just as inky black tentacles rip out like a searching tongue. They pause, before them a pure coyote is sitting, staring at them with a confused look on it's face. It looks totally nondescript.

[Wellspring] Kale's eyes dart around as shi freezes in place.

[Wellspring] Multiple coyotes walk out into view, they stare up harmlessly at Carson. Harry sits behind looking up expectantly at him, her tail wagging.

[Otherworld] Apostasy stands bent over, hands on knees, panting for breath. "Whew... that was... close..." He sees the coyote, and raises an eyebrow. "Huh. First actual coyote I've seen here, despite all the pelts."

[Wellspring] Crys' hand is by her blade, she looks around cautiously waiting for something to happen.

[Dream] The little girl isn't breathing, but she moves away flinching as Sorien steps between her and the light.

[Dream] Sorien stops and inhales. "I'm sorry, I don't mean harm." She steps so that she's not between the light and the girl.

[Wellspring] Lips thinning to a silent snarl, the RSX agent backs towards the others, lines up a shot - and waits. "The fuck," she grates, an adrenaline tremble running a split second tour of her body before her posture steels.

[Otherworld] Believing she no longer has a use for the torch, Cilan heaves it back into the tunnel, seeing just how the tentacles react when hit by the light source, finished she turns her gaze back to the regular coyote and watches it, making sure to defend herself in case it turns out to be like one of the coyotes that had initially infected her.

[Otherworld] River walks up to the coyote, bending over and pets it on the head. "Another lost child of the dreamer." She says sadly.

[Wellspring] Sparhawk bunches up a little like a cat, ready to twist and jump anywhere important, but looking off to where Carson was leading the group. "Would this be a good time to ask what happens at the well, and what is going to happen?"

[Wellspring] Carson commands, "Where IS she. Out here, NOW Raven." His voice again enthralls. Afterward, he turns to Sparhawk and says simply. "I, have no clue. Honest ta god."

[Otherworld] Apostasy keeps an eye on the coyote, not willing to let his guard down in case this one ends up reacting the way the first one, way back at the gas station, did.

[Dream] The girl murmurs in her sleep. Her eyes flickering and the shadows on the wall dance. In fact watching them Sorien can almost see stories being told in the flickering. She sees figures running, and what looks like an ocean wave crashing down on them.

[Otherworld] The Coyote peers at trio who stumble out of the maw, looking quite befuddled. He sniffs the air, peering curiously at the three. It growls a bit at the mention of pelts, its hackles raising momentarily. It keeps a close watch on the largest of the three, still sitting in place.

[Wellspring] As if in answer to Carson's call, a bright eyed coyote steps into view, away from the others. A small voice says, "You called, I answer." Although she seems spiteful in that ritualistic response.

[Dream] Sori sits on the bed, not touching the child but trying to see the stories more clearly. She isn't sure what to do- if she wakes the child, and she's the dreamer, will everything simply vanish?

[Wellspring] Kale Stares at Carson and the Coyote with rapt fascination.

[Otherworld] Cilan's guard is only raised further as the coyote growls, and raises its hackles, the woman seeming like she'd be ready to attack at any moment.

[Wellspring] Delu'meril relaxes in a "Oh-I'm-NOT-about-to-buy-it" sort of way, but she keeps her posture alert and her submachine gun raised to the ready.

[Otherworld] Apostasy grins at the coyote's reaction to mention of pelts. "Oh, so you understand me, do you?"

[Wellspring] Sparhawk turns to face the source of dialog, the complicated movement ending up with Spar behind Carson, nearer to Harry. The better to keep them all under watch, while people who know each other fail to make introductions.

[Wellspring] Taggart blinks rapidly and seems to come out of a blank hazy daze, emerald eyes alert and looking around at the situation quickly while trying to gather his bearings.

[Wellspring] Carson speaks, carefully. "YOU." pointing at the coyote he called, "Are ya responsible for feeding on innocent humans? What has gotten into the pack. I never told ya to hunt freely from intelligent creatures, what makes ya think YOU have the right ta do so?"

[Otherworld] The Coyote nods, barking in response to Apostasy. It glances over to Cilan, still quite tense, peering warily at her as it remains motionless, not quite sure of the strangers in front of it.

[Otherworld] River says carefully, "I think we're running out of time, that darkness it spreading quickly." She points up to the edge of the horizon over the mountains, and no longer is the usual red peak of a sun behind it showing, but darkness has crept up over the edge. "I've no idea what we should do. We woke Coyote, but he's gone now." She frowns.

[Dream] Sorien sees more stories told, watching a big giant being slain by a small figure, the shadow monster being struck in the eye and falling forward on top of the smaller figure. She sees two figures strangling one another until they both die. She quickly realizes these aren't dreams, they are nightmares. The child is struggling.

[Otherworld] Cilan stares over to Apostasy, noting the both the fact that he has remained at ease, and the fact that the coyote has yet to attack, she drops her guard and says, "Sorry.." to the coyote, looking next to River she waits in silence, waiting for her next request.

[Otherworld] Apostasy grins again. "I'll take that as a yes? So... what bring an intelligent coyote here, then?"

[Dream] Sori gently strokes the child's head. Quietly she says, "Your dreams are yours to control. you can make the bad go away, if you like."

[Wellspring] The small female coyote whimpers and puts her head to the ground, "I only followed to watch. The dreamer chose to explore. It was curious about the great one." She nods her head in Taggart's direction, "It got greedy, so we decided to have some fun since it was going to anyway."

[Wellspring] Sparhawk sidles over to Taggart and whispers, "Did we get the name of Sorien's driver?"

[Dream] As Sorien touches the girl, she see's flashes of darkness, as well as images. She feels her head spinning, like she has when she's entered bodies in the past and then the world focuses. She looks up to a very strange sight around her. She sees a strange native american man, talking to a coyote, she -recognizes- that coyote's voice. The raven haired girl. Her brain immediately focuses on her.

[Otherworld] The Coyote rolls its eyes, giving a small woof in response to Apostasy. It looks over to Cilan nods. It seems to focus for a moment, and shortly after its tail drags a few times across the ground. It glances back at this gesture, and then peers at the trio, seemingly satisfied with this effort.

[Otherworld] The cave's maw begins to vomit more darkness, bleeding into the ground and spreading outward. The world appears to be decaying, quicker now.

[Otherworld] Cilan looks to what the coyote had done with its tail, examining the disturbed ground.

[Otherworld] Apostasy shrugs. "Well, we really don't have time to sit here and play with this coyote. I suggest we get back to the village and see if the elder can tell us anything, before this whole place decays into shadows."

[Wellspring] Taggart frowns gently as the coyote speaks, unsure of the indication to himself, nor of who she was speaking about. The wolf nods gently, mumbling a quietly, "Wallace..." to the dragon at his side and shoulder while his green eyes continue to watch the small female coyote with slightly confused but perked interest.

[Wellspring] Kale asks Harry "What is going on?"

[Dream] Sori watches the scene, glancing about briefly to take in the scope of where she is, before focusing on Raven-the-Coyote.

[Otherworld] The Coyote glances towards the maw, growling slightly. It springs to its feet, glancing up at those before it. It peers anxiously at them before tilting its head and barking as if it were a question.

[Wellspring] Crys' ears perk at the talking coyote girl. Her anger flares. "I would think killing my mate would be more than a game to you." She growls at them.

[Wellspring] Carson says, "And why should I believe that, little one. You've been up to mischief before. Harry in the back whispers to Kale, "He's calling on one of the aspects in the pack, to try to get some answers. There are a few of them living inside ever since he created the dream, and a few of them have found ways -out- here."

[Wellspring] Sparhawk sidles back, apparently satisfied. Shi circles around to...watch. Preparedness is imperative.

[Otherworld] River panics, seeing the erupting darkness and just starts to bolt.

[Otherworld] Apostasy chases after the panicing girl. "River! Don't run off alone!"

[Otherworld] The girl isn't exactly smart and keeps running, not really with a direction of reason, she's just terrified of the void.

[Otherworld] Cilan makes a beckoning motion to the coyote as she dashes off towards River, in an attempt to assist Apostasy in catching her.

[Wellspring] The coyote girl speaks meeky, head still set toward the ground, "I would not lie to you, for you are wise and I am not." She practically is bowing down now before Carson.

[Wellspring] Sorien says, "She's lying."

[Otherworld] The Coyote dashes off after the trio, kicking up a cloud of dirt as it springs after Cilan, eventually slowing down and falling into pace next to her for the time being.

[Wellspring] Crys' head whips to the sound of her mate's vocal inflections, distinct regardless of the voice box. "Sorien?!" She shouts. Harry points out the coyote that just spoke.

[Otherworld] Apostasy puts on a burst of speed, and catches up to River, sweeping her up into his arms. "River, calm down. I'm not going to let something hurt you. We need to get back to the camp, ok?"

[Otherworld] River seems to just be wanting to -be anywhere but here- and when the trio following her look back, they are stunned to find themselves in a desert rather than a grassland. The bright sun is in the sky above them, and they don't see any darkness, but the blinding light makes it difficult to focus on anything.

[Wellspring] Taggart frowns gently at the sound of Sorien's voice coming from the small coyote, head tilting to the side just a bit. "Wut reason's she got fer lyin', then, Sorien?"

[Wellspring] Sorien grins, then goes serious again. "She's lying. She subverted the pack from within, without the other separate personalities knowing what she did. I believe she either was taken by the Shadow, or is serving it." She for the moment doesn't respond to Crys, though an ear turns in that direction.

[Wellspring] Carson says carefully to the new voice, "And you know this HOW exactly?" He doesn't' seem surprised by the new voice, merely irritated at this point that -someone- is lying to him.

[Wellspring] The large wolfman growls then, rumbling his broad chest as he starts to grow slightly annoyed. "You believe? Or ya know? Big diff'rence thar, Sorien. I'd t'ink tha fella here..." He raises a paw and indicates the older native american. "Would know if tha Shadow was werkin' in this pack, wit' as much control over'em as'e seems ta have."

[Wellspring] A hand to the side of her helm and Meril's combat visor retracts upward, letting her bare blue eyes blink out at the coyote with Sorien's voice. "You're alive?!" She cracks, then swallows and clears her throat as she lowers her weapon a notch. "I mean, you're alive!"

[Wellspring] Kale turns to regard Sorien "Sorien where are Apo and Cil?" Kale asks in a hurried voice hope in hir eyes.

[Wellspring] Crys doesn't really seem to care about anything, but spotting her mate speaking she bolts past everyone, even past the circled coyotes to embrace the body her mate is residing. She seems too stunned to even talk and just begins to weep.

[Wellspring] "My name is Sorien. I'm in... or WAS in, the pack. I thought my mate, REDACTED, was in there with me, but now I'm not sure as she seems to be here. Also within are Apostasy and Cilan, but they're separate from me. An aspect of Coyote showed us a pillar of light, and Crys tripped and we fell into it- the shadow was in her." (she eeps and starts when Crys hugs her!)

[Otherworld] Apostasy covers his eyes from the harsh glare of the sun. "Well... I suppose we're clear of the shadow for a while, at any rate. What now?"

[Wellspring] Kale sighs in relief "So there is hope..."

[Otherworld] River looks in awe at the sun. She looks as if she's never even -seen- a sun before.

[Wellspring] "The shadow's in there, Tag. Trust me. And I love you too, Crys. (she nuzzles Crys) I'm just not sure who is who or what right now."

[Otherworld] The Coyote seems to have no problem keeping pace with the runners, bounding over to Apostasy as he speeds up before grinding to a halt, sand spraying into the air as it notices the halt in running. It looks up at the sky for a moment before looking at the others curiously.

[Wellspring] The coyote girl, Raven snarls in response to the accusations, "I have certainly not taken control. My mate and I were just having fun with them. It's not like we could tell the pack what do to if we even WANTED to." She snaps the last comment out.

[Wellspring] Taggart chews his lower lip and looks quietly to the side as REDACTED embraces the coyote, moving over to Carson with a small scowl. "Time fer ya to come straight wit'us. Wut tha bloody'ell is goin'on?"

[Wellspring] Sorien's hackles go up. "You. Fucking. Tore me apart. That is NOT play. That is NOT fun."

[Wellspring] Carson holds his hand to his face and wipes the sweat off his brow. "I aughta just be rid of ya all for this headache you're giving me." Taggart's accusations following close afterward he turns back to the wolf and snaps, "STAY" the command is overpowering and fierce.

[Otherworld] The wind howls over what appear to be dunes in the distance, the occasional blast of sand in the wind strings bare flesh. The ever present heat is almost as bad.

[Otherworld] Apostasy turns River to face him. "As nice as this desert is and all, we need to be out of here. We need to get back to the elder and Shelley and the others."

[Wellspring] Crys carefully says, "What do you mean there's... another me in there?" Lowly in her mate's ear.

[Otherworld] River still seems mystified by the sun, offering no help.

[Wellspring] Kale studies carson carefully

[Otherworld] Cilan suggests, "Uh.. do you think it'd be possible to imagine the village nearing, and taking River with us? After all, I don't think any of us aside from River imagined going to a desert, and yet here we are.."

[Wellspring] Taggart feels the command strike his tailbone, large and bushy eyebrow twitching and another little growl erupting in his chest. "You... better be real careful wit' that shite, mate... I ain't no dog ta be told to sit and fetch."

[Wellspring] Sorien nods. "It... It seemed to be you. She acted like you. I think it was the shadow pretending to BE you. Can you feel its touch on you still?"

[Otherworld] The Coyote begins panting in the desert heat. It barks in agreement to the suggestion Apostasy presents. It glances over to Cilan, and woofs, sitting down on the sand and cocking its head.

[Otherworld] Apostasy nods as he takes River's hand. "Worth a shot. Come on. Let's start walking, and focusing on getting to that village." He starts walking in a random direction, picturing the village and it's curroundings in his mind.

[Wellspring] Crys shakes her head, "I've been... angry love, but no more than one would expect considering I thought you were dead and lost to me."

[Wellspring] Meril sets her jaw, murderous eyes fixing icily upon Raven. She takes stock of the rest of the group with a slow sidelong glance.

[Wellspring] Carson gruffly says, "Son, you are more like a dog than you think, and a stubborn sunofabitch ta boot. This is not the time to play games. I have to decide the fate of many lives and I'm getting a headache from all this arguin." He turns back to Sorien first and says, "You, you mentioned a shadow, what da ya MEAN by that. That's a very... loose term and I dunna like hearin it thrown around."

[Otherworld] The trio and the coyote walk over their first dune, and below they see what appears to be the buildings of the encampment, but the sand has eroded the protective rocks that had surrounded it, and the structures appear sand blasted from the wind.

[Wellspring] Sparhawk has a generic frown at the proceedings. Without novel information or anything but the basest plans for Magic Detector in hir head, shi keeps anything from leaking out to distract from important tasks.

[Wellspring] Sorien says, "It was called Midnight Shadow in the stories. It was imprisoned long ago where the sun didn't touch it, but it was loosed about the time the Nanite Plague was released, maybe before or soon after. It possessed my mate here, and we drove it off but never fully removed its taint. I think it attached itself to the coyote pack and decided to use it to expand its power, and to strike back at its enemies.

[Dream] Just as Sorien sees Carson reacting to her story she begins to choke, not being able to breath.

[Otherworld] The Coyote peers over the dune at the sandblasted village. It glances up to the others, sniffing the air before it decides to descend towards the location, uttering a small ‘arf' as it glances back at them.

[Wellspring] Sorien gags, looking like she's gasping for air. "Protect the dreamer!" She manages to gasp out.

[Wellspring] Delu'meril squints anew at the mysterious Carson, slowly lowering her weapon back across her chest. "Damn," she mutters cryptically, and watches the Native American--looking man for a moment longer before turning her eyes back on the group around them. Sor, Crys and Raven get plenty of the woman's attention, in turn.

[Wellspring] At the mention of -that- name, Carson's face grows somber and dark. He looks lost in thought.

[Wellspring] Raven grins as Sorien gags. She watches the form Sorien's inhabiting begin to bleed from it's nostrils and the form dies quickly. Crys is trying to holy the dying coyote's form together and cries out, "No... no, come back to me." She's freaking out.

[Otherworld] Cilan blinks in surprise as she nears the sand blasted village, and promptly shakes her head in disbelief, "No.. this cant be the village we were at.. we.. we have to try again, just this time picture grass.. life!"

[Dream] Sorien pulls back into the body and the face of Crys is above her, holding her by the neck, choking the life out of her. The grin she has on her face is truly disturbing, and her iris' are pure black. It cruely says, "I win." with an icy chill.

[Dream] Sorien boxes faux-Crys' ears!

[Wellspring] Sparhawk glances at the choking Sorien and pads over to put a paw on REDACTED's shoulder. "You know this story. You remember who we are fighting. Remember the weapons we give you against it. We go to her, next."

[Wellspring] Sparhawk doesn't get any LESS cryptic when a dragon!

[Dream] The head collapses, the face warping and shifting as the creature on her begins nothing but shadow, that still seems to be grinning. The choking hands nothing but solid darkness. The sleeping form of the child underneath Sorien begins to struggle in the bed, and call out.

[Wellspring] Meril looks shocked at Sorien's sudden death, then sickened, eyes watering before steeling again with a cold fury. "Your little... wards are monsters now," she grates at Carson. "I think it's time we all did what you hoped you wouldn't have to."

[Otherworld] River says somberly, "They are gone. We are all gone. The dreamer is dying and us with him."

[Dream] Sorien drags the still-solid arms and herself away from the bed, fighting the thing as best she can. She bounces HARD on the bed, trying to wake the child- if the dream ends, maybe she can stop the shadow!

[Wellspring] Carson sighs, "Ya had to go and bring -IT- here, didn't you?" Looking straight at the prone form of REDACTED that's still trying to put her mate's body back together. "This complicates things greatly. If I kill them all, I just feed it." He shakes his head and ponders.

[Otherworld] Cilan shakes her head, letting out a mournful, "No.." sighing soon after she continues, "Is.. is there a way to reverse this?.. Please, there has to be a way.. I.. I cannot let it end like this.. knowing that I just stood around, waiting for the end!"

[Wellspring] Kale looks to Carson "Is it possible to bring them back in line or sedate them instead?"

[Dream] The child cries out as she's struck accidentally by one of Sorien's flailing limbs. She chokes and her eyes flutter. The shadow creature pulls Sorien away from the bed toward the dark edge of the room.

[Otherworld] The ground begins to quake, and the sky shimmer, the sand opens up below the four, and they are falling.

[Wellspring] Meril glares daggers at the amused-looking Raven. "How about just *that* one."

[Dream] Sori tries hard to speak, kicking the bed hard as she's pulled from it- if she can, she shouts, "WAKE UP" with whatever breath she has!

[Wellspring] The Raven haired girl shivers, and coyotes all around begin to quiver and some collapse to the ground. She tries to speak, but nothing comes from her mouth. Again she tries to yell, and all that comes out is "Help..."

[Otherworld] Cilan quickly reaches out in an attempt to fall towards the wall, and as such, grab at it.

[Otherworld] The Coyote looks back to the others, noticing that it hasn’t been followed. It walks back up the hill to the others and nuzzles Cilan’s hand before barking defiantly. It jumps around the trio, pawing at the ground and kicking up sand before running in circles chasing its tail a few times. After the little ‘show’ it sits down and stares at them, happily panting away, and then later yelping in surprise as the ground collapses and they all begin to fall.

[Dream] And the girl... wakes, her eyes opening wide.

[Void] And... the falling ends, but Cilan, Apostasy, and the coyote once known as Loki find themselves in the void of nothingness. No air, no life, nothing but cold and silence and dark.

[Wellspring] Delu'meril draws a half-step back, looking both helplessly sickened and slightly vindicated. "That's... Satisfying." she murmurs quietly. "But bad." Comes quickly, with a sidelong glance at Carson as she remembers his earlier musing. "Very bad."

[Void] Apostasy groans as he finds himself in the void again. "Well shit." Having no other ideas, he closes his eyes and starts to focus on the image of his mate.

[Wellspring] Coyotes all over begin to melt into the earth, dying as their coherence is lost. Carson immediately breaks into a run, heading for the Wellspring. Harry behind him shouts, "Old dog, stop, don't let that thing trick you."

[Wellspring] Sparhawk shakes REDACTED a little. "Come on, we have to go where she IS, not play in her footprints." If she doesn't stand, Spar will--with difficulty--haul her up and carry her in Carson's wake.

[Void] Cilan's attempt to rescue herself comes up short and she finds herself in the void once more, a slow, sad sigh passing her lips as she gives up.

[Wellspring] Taggart growls softly as the pack suddenly disappears, glancing at Carson before his eyes go wide and he watches the native american suddenly bolt. He springs into action... and decides more sedation is required. The large wolf bounds forward, breaking into a run after him, "Oi! Ya bloody Fool!"

[Dream] The girl stares around, and looks at the shadow creature pulling Sorien into it. She smiles and waves innocently at the departing Sorien as she's -pulled inside- and then the girl... winks? Sorien doesn't have time to respond.

[Wellspring] Kale follows after at a steady pace

[Wellspring] Crys finally pulls herself together with Spar's help, and begins to run after Carson. She pulls Spar with her and bolts to catch up, she eventually lets go of Spar and starts running on all fours.

[Wellspring] Meril glances between the quickly departing group and the pair on the ground near where Sorien's body used to be, then double-takes the same look and takes off after the running three at a measured gait. "Damn it!"

[Void] The coyote blinks as he is pulled into the void. He sighs, finding this situation greatly unpleasant. He had plans! So many things to do! So much needed to be done! He wouldn’t accept this fate if he could help it! He would never yield to oblivion, even if it was perceived!

[Wellspring] Carson is running through the wood, coyotes have passed all over, and their blood patches are seeping into the ground. He drops his shotgun to the side.

[Wellspring] Harry just sits on the ground, waiting patiently and hopeful that Carson won't do anything too stupid.

[Wellspring] Taggart growls and leans forward, hating it, but using his long arms to pull himself further along the ground as his wolfen instincts start to take over. A small growl of frustration rumbles in his chest, occasionally ignoring going around small bushes and trees and crashing straight through them. The momentum, weight, and sheer near-invulnerability of his body seems to turn most things to puffs of leaves or splinters of wood as he starts to gain on the sprinting native american ahead of him.

Sparhawk is made of zoom, occasionally splashing through an ex-coyote. "Is this a Turkey Feather? Get fooled by a thing that can barely outwit a ten-year-old girl and you'll never live it down!"

Delu'meril starts off after the rest of the group with her rifle just below sighted, ready to try and pick off anything that threatens the rest of them. But that doesn't get her far - everyone's running *really fucking fast*! Dropping the gun back into its sling and just holding it steady, she books it after the others, straining and puffing as she weaves a trail through the roughly Taggart-shaped holes in the foliage.

[Wellspring] The clearing, the so called wellspring is a hotspring, the craggy rocks jutting out of the earth, but the pool below it is bubbling deep crimson. Carson sheds his shirt, and then his skin, as he jumps into the pool. Those close enough see him for a moment in his true form, his lustrous coyote fur gleaming despite the morning sunlight hidden by the tree canopy, and then... he's gone.

[Wellspring] Crys' jaw drops and she practically trips over her front handpaws, not used to quadrupedal running. She stares at the area, the rotten smell of the place and the overall dead feeling seems recent and chilling.

[Wellspring] The momentum the large wolfman has is hard to control, however, and Taggart stumbles into the clearing before nearly bowling into REDACTED. Forepaw... hand... thing slips to the side and he rolls, losing his grip... and into the water he goes.

[Wellspring] Sparhawk is heard to be laughing, full of endorphins and shouting, "Angels rush in where fools fear to tread!" The most obvious thing in the world is to dive into the pool after the C-man, a long arch that ends in the pool.

[Sorien] Sorien finds herself not in the void, but in the shadow creature's grasp. She helped Midnight Shadow survive in the world, and it -ate- an aspect of coyote. He thanks her for her cooperation, and offers her a deal. He'll let Crys go, if she submit before she dies. He leaves no question that he intends to kill her.

[Sorien] Sorien knows that it won't keep its word; it's all lies to start with. Instead, she tries to find that bit of coyote in it and take it back. She's IN the shadow. She'll die otherwise, so she has little to lose by trying.

[Wellspring] Crys reaches out and grabs Taggart as he slips forward into the pool, holding his leg tight as he slides, his arm going numb as he comes into contact with the blood, but he grinds to a halt from Crys' iron grip.

[Wellspring] Meril makes it into the clearing just in time to catch Taggart's splash, and to see Sparhawk dive in after them. She stumbles up short, backing away from the apparent lake of blood. "Oh HELL no."

[Sorien] The creature laughs at Sorien's pointless struggling, it says to her, "You already lost, why do you fight?" It seems almost curious.

[Sorien] Sorien responds, "Because... I haven't lost. I still live. I still think. You can't win against hope. I'll NEVER give in! I WILL NOT fail! (And she once again reaches for the coyote-remnant power)"

[Sorien] It asks, “what is hope? You humans always talk like it's some mighty force but when you face overwhelming odds, it never saves you. “ (Sorien is slowly pulling at an aspect of it, she feels -something- familiar but she's not really able to understand what she's doing).

[Sorien] Sorien shouts, "Hope is belief. Love. Understanding. Something you lack, and can never have. Hope is irrational, magical. It cannot be taken, broken or changed. And I'm STILL here. STILL fighting! (and she draws on that power she's found again)"

[Wellspring] And a clawed hand reaches out of the blood pool to the edge of the rocky side, and grips hard, beginning to pull. It's dripping in that gooey thick blood.

[Wellspring] Meril retreats several more steps from the water's edge, bringing her rifle up to ready and slapping the side of her helm to drop her combat visor. "OH *HELL* NO!" She repeats, but this time it's almost like a battle cry.

[Wellspring] Taggart scrambles for stable ground, one foot held in REDACTED's grasp as the other presses and scrambles for leverage against the rock ledge behind him. His arms flail about to the side, swinging his body around until he's grasping tight to the rock, right next to the bloody arm. Emerald eyes go slightly wide at the sight of it, but his main focus is trying to get back to stability.

[Wellspring] The arm pulls, and the blood covered visage of a coyote pulls free, it gasps for air and continues to pull itself outward.

[Wellspring] Kale jumps back but takes on a defiant stance, the dragoness attempting to be brave in these moments, as long as it means helping her two loves, during which she lurches the giant gatling cannon forward and holds it.

[Wellspring] Pulling itself up onto the shore, it pushes a little blood covered form that gasps for air as it brings it's chest up. It groans, and then Carson's voice says, "Get the child up, away, NOW." He commands to no one specific.

[Wellspring] Taggart hefts himself back up to stable ground, glancing about while catching sight of Meril aiming her rifle at the bloody coyote pulling free of the spring. The large wolf immediately steps between the barrel of said rifle and the crimson colored dog, turning about to catch sight of Carson and the child. He crouches down and hefts the small form of the girl into his arms, lifeblood smearing his fur as he back around.

Meril lowers her weapon again and backs off a bit further. Yes; the more distance between her and a massive pool of blood, the better.

Kale tries to make sense of everything shi is seeing

The girl chokes, spitting up blood and wiping it out of her eyes. Her vision focuses and she looks stunned at the world around her, as if seeing it for the first time. Carson, now clearly in his true form pulls himself further to shore, struggling to pull against something. He reaches forward and pulls, and a black shadowy tentacle is wrapped around his leg, trying to pull him back in.

Crys holds her hands out to Taggart offering to take the girl from him. She drops her robes off to keep them from being smeared with blood.

Kale wraps hir tail around Carson and using all hir claws tries to help pull him ashore.

Finally seeing a nail for her hammer, Meril turns a forty-five degree angle toward Carson and brings her weapon to bear, elbow braced to her hip and breathing even. Subdued flashes leap from the tip of a suddenly-smoking barrel as sharp reports echo into the morning air, a couple slugs whizzing over the blood-soaked Coyote's head and towards the tentacle holding him.

Carson gruffly says, "Help... Me..." and grabs onto Kale. Shi pulls at him but she seems to be losing ground, he slides a bit back in. Meril's bullets then strike the wispy black tentacles and a few of them wisp into the air like smoke, the rest still holding him tight. Kale stops falling forward but shi doesn't seem to be making any progress pulling him either.

After handing the girl off to REDACTED, he turns back about to face Carson and then winces and ducks down, his wolven ears flattening against his skull as the slugs nearly turn his shoulder to mush. He growls and glances back over that shoulder at Meril, while his hands reach out to clasp onto Carson's arm, "Oi!" The annoyance passes as he realizes Kale is being pulled in as well. He grips tight around them and leans back, the wolf's massive weight adding to the struggle the tentacle would be having trying to pull them back in.

Kale refuses to let go and flaps hir wings trying to get even a little bit more force behind hir pulling.

Kale and Taggart struggle with all their might, pulling and -tear- at the tentacles ripping them free of the blood pool, pulling Carson in his new form with them. The tentacles turn into wisps of smoke and he groans on top of the two of them, trying to sort himself out.

Crys gently strokes the child's face, wiping more blood off of the child staining her white fur red. She whispers gently a lullaby in hindi to the child, not really sure where she came from but she does not care at this point.

Keeping her standing posture to get an angle that makes it easy to hit the tentacles and miss Carson, Meril keeps loosing shots until the group of them fend off enough of the hellish things for him to pull free. "Damn," she murmurs. "Haven't seen anything like that since... Well, since Point Zero Fairhaven."

Kale gasps in exhaustion and does some breathing exercises

Carson, now Coyote shakes himself like a dog, spraying blood everywhere and groans again pulling himself up off the other two. Strangely not thanking either of them, he immediately looks up for the girl and narrows his eyes when he sees Crys holding it. "I thought I told you to keep that thing you woke away." He growls.

Crys looks up and offers the girl immediately. Worried that she may have done something wrong.

Kale is used to not being thanked in the triage and shrugs it off. Kale slowly stands up and thanks Taggart "I was scared there for a second, thanks Tag."

The girl speaks, for the first time. "What happened to all my friends?" She asks innocently.

Taggart nods gently at the thanks Kale gives him, rolling over and picking himself up, trying not to slip in slick, warm blood. He gives a little smile, though, as the young girl asks about her friends, unable to keep from enjoying the sight of the small girl, even covered in blood as she was.

Kale smiles as gently as a dragon can to the girl and says gently "Hello there I am Kale. Whats your name? What do your friends look like?"

Coyote takes the girl from Crys, eying her carefully. "It's not in you anymore is it?" He asks.

The girl says, "My name is Dream." She grins, "My daddy left me in bed, but came back to take me home, but he forgot my friends he left me to keep me company."

Meril frowns thoughtfully as she hears the child's words, but she lets her attention return to their surroundings as the others' attention is on the girl.

Crys shakes her head, "I don't know, I honestly don't." She looks sad, "I've lost her haven't I? Sorien, my mate is gone."

Coyote grins looking down at the girl, "I left you too long on your own didn't I? You were having nightmares, and it took me too long to wake you." He sighs, "You won't be happy without them will you?"

Kale says sternly to Crys "Don't lose hope Crys! SHe may be gone but we will bring her back. We just saw bloody black tentacles come out of a lake. If that can happen then we sure as hell can find your mate and mine."

Dream nods at Coyote emphatically and then tucks her hands under her arms, giving the sternest look a child could possibly give.

Coyote sighs, and then looks back to the blood pool. He hands the girl to Taggart and then moves back toward it, and rips a tooth out of his own maw. He tosses it into the pool, and then returns.

The blood begins to boil, and then forms begin to emerge, one coyote after another crawls outward.

A large coyote drags itself up out of the pool and shakes itself when it's fully out. It looks around curiously at the crowd. Once it spots Kale, it's tail wagging as it barks happily and runs up to hir, jumping up to lick hir.

Taggart blinks gently as the girl is passed off to him, but he smiles to her and then lifts her up and over his head, setting her on his shoulders with legs dangling on either side. His hands rest gently on her thighs, keeping her from toppling over as he feels her own hands gripping to his pointed wolven ears.

Without warning another form slowly claws its way out of the pool, emerging as a non-anthro coyote, a low, tired growl passing its lips as it makes its way out, spotting Kale, it joins the other coyote in surrounding the dragoness, though it remains silent, simply wagging its tail happily.

One of many coyotes comes out singing, howling a somewhat off-key version of the Hallelujah Chorus and blowing a bloody mess across the verge of the pool.

Kale yelps in surprise as Shi is licked. "Oh my!" Kale giggles and looks at the licking coyote carefully "Apo is that you?" Kale looks to the other one "And that one must be Cil." Kale wraps the other coyote in hir tail and brings it close.

The girl, dream begins to clap happily as she sees each of them coming out. Raven, Atse, Shelley, River, the unnamed Wise man, each of them in turn.

Another Coyote leaps from the pool, landing on the grass, almost slipping. It peers around and barks, rapidly running around like a spaz before rolling around in the grass.

The Apo coyote barks happily as Kale correctly identifies hir, licking hir more.

Crys carefully tests, "Sorien?" She calls, hoping... hoping her mate is here.

Meril turns quickly from her self-assigned perimeter duty at the splashing, ready to send another monster back into the bloody depths - but what she sees instead gives her pause, a tired smile coming to her lips as broader ones come to the others'.

Cilan continues wagging, even when grabbed in Kale's long tail, a low yip passing her lips as she licks Kale a few times before murring softly next to her love.

Kale hugs APo close and brings Cil in on the hug and rolls around happily with them. "I knew you two were okay I knew it!"

Silence responds to Crys, she turns to Coyote and begins to shout, "Where is she!? Where is my mate? You've brought the rest back, why not her!?"

The one that was 'singing' trots over to the edge Coyote is standing by and gives a bow, one foreleg stretched forward and the other tucked under, then dashes off to the other side for a thorough shaking where most of it won't get on people.

Apostasy yips happily as Kale hugs hir, hir tail wagging furiously as shi nuzzles and licks hir mate.

Coyote looks a little sad at the creature looking desparate for her loved one, "She was lost to the Shadow, I'm afraid there's not much I can do."

Taggart's smile slowly fades as he watches most of the coyotes returning to their loved ones, also noting with concern the lack of a Sorien. The wolf lifts Dream from his shoulders and sets her down, watching the girl scamper over to her friends while watching Coyote and REDACTED with a sad emerald gaze. He swallows and turns about, walking to the edge of the clearing, where he turns back around and sets his back to a large tree, sitting down on the soft, cool earth.

Tears well up in Kale's eys as shi continues to hug and play with hir loves not yet noticing Crys's plight

The RSX agent's growing smile deadens as she hears Crys, her gaze moving expectantly towards the water and then returning to Coyote. Her face falls, and she just looks tired. Dead tired.

The Coyote on the edge continues rolling, cleaning himself of blood. He hoists himself into a sitting position after finishing, looking at the others. He sighs, turning to Coyote, giving an odd glance at the mention of 'no Sorien'.

Crys cries openly and begins to punch Coyote on the chest, she cries out, "No, it can't be..." She falls to her knees in front of him.

Cilan nuzzles Kale happily as she is brought in on the hug, the coyote closing her eyes as it almost seems like a smile pulls at her lips, a few barks are soon made as if in an attempt to reply to Kale's earlier statement.

The blood ripples again, something breaking the surface at first feebly, then with a bit more strength. A clawed hand grips the edge of the gory morass, soon followed by a vaguely humanoid form; it hauls itself out of the pool, something clenched against its chest; something that seems to move. Once out, it lays on its side, panting.

Apostasy licks earnestly at Kale's face, and nuzzles hir happily. Shi barks in affirmation of Kale's earlier statement as well.

Coyote looks startled, and then suspiciously calls out to the new creature, "Who, and WHAT, are you? I did not create -you-"

The coyote without spaz or hugs barks sharply at the next thing out of the pool, standing like a pointer dog!

Crys is startled out of her weeping by another form emerging, she looks confused at Coyote's response to it, and her ears perk up.

The creature shudders, then pushes itself up to look at Coyote. "I... Think I have something here for you."

The creature holds a hand out, in which is held a beating heart.

Meril turns her weary gaze on the newcomer, peering at its grisly token and then making a face.

Coyote looks genuinely baffled, suspicious. "What... how?"

The creature says, "I just... took it. "

Crys recognizes her mate's voice again, but instead of moving she just collapses to the ground crying openly. Her tears are joyous and from tension relieved.

Coyote timidly steps forward to take the heart. He looks it over, it's still beating but pumping nothing. He says, "Well then, you impress me little one. You not only managed to free yourself from the Shadow, using a part of me, but returned with it?"

Sorien grins a little, though the gore on her seems to be making her want to gag. "You can't fight something you can't understand. It couldn't understand hope. Or believe that it could lose."

Meril eyes the new Sorien over long and hard, as if to make sure she's really there, and that tired smile returns.

Coyote inspects the form Sorien has taken, eying it carefully. He says, "And it seems a bit of me has rubbed off on you, has it not?" He grins.

With the pointer phase over, the peripheral coyote trots around to give the conversation over a heart a proper head-tilting.

Sorien brushes futilely at the blood. "Gods, gross."

Taggart watches quietly from his tree.

Apostasy pauses in hir licking and nuzzling to look over at Sorien. Shi tilts hir head and barks quizzically before returning hir attention to Kale.

Loki sighs, now staring at the heart. He barks in response to Sorien's latest statement.

"Well then, I think I owe you for this, at the very least I will return some of the humanity to your friends." While he's doing this, Dream wanders over to Taggart and taps the wolf. She says, "Why are you so sad?"

Sorien says, "I don't think it's dead though. That'd be too easy. (She gets up and goes over to Crys) "I'm sorry, sweetie, if I scared you...""

Coyote begins to laugh, and while doing so, all the coyotes in the area begin to shift and change, growing more human.

(Specifically, Apostasy and Sparhawk become Aassahke males. Cilan and Loki become Aassahke females. Sorien was an Aassahke female when she crawled out of the pool.)

Cilan stretches languidly as she changes, "Ungh.. that.. is a hell of a lot better.." looking down at herself she notes, "Could use some clothing though.." a grin pulling at her lips as she looks back to Kale to give her a proper kiss on the lips, "Now.. as I said before.. I promised Id come back, and I would never go back on a promise I made to you, my love.."

Coyote grins watching the shifting coyotes. River, and all the others are stumbling around, trying to get used to the changes as they shift as well.

Taggart glances up to Dream as she crosses to him, a sad, but fond smile creeping to his muzzle as she askes him the question. "I've lost sumone very close ta me, lass." He gives a slightly larger smile and reaches up, using his thumb to wipe a bit of the slowly drying blood from the little girl's cheek.

Dream asks, "Why?"

Apostasy stands and stretches awkwardly, and then notices something. "Hey! Why am I flat chested! Aww maaaaan...."

Loki stretches out. "Thanks... Mr...? Coyote? I think that's you. I went lookin for you.. the last thing I knew... Ended up in some strange area.. A coyote head shaped cave or whatsit." he mumbles, scratching his head.

"Although being a full Coyote was quite interesting." he notes, snickering at Apostasy. "Because despite your appearance, you have no feminine side!"

Taggart gives a chuckle at the child-like question, shaking his head. "I don't rightly know, lass... I don't rightly know."

Kale giggles and hugs both of hir loves close. "Don't worry about it love I am sure the lab boys can give you massive tits if you ask nicely."

Apostasy giggles and kisses Kale. "I hope so. Otherwise what will you use as a pillow?"

Kale attractively says, "Cil I know I believed you."

Dream kisses the wolf on the muzzle and says, "You'll find her, or Daddy will help."

Apostasy murrs softly as shi cuddles against Kale. "I told you I'd find my way back somehow, love. Sorry to have worried you."

Sparhawk yawns and stretches, which results in immediately falling over backwards onto hir tail, which causes another yelp and a scramble for a seated position. And then hir jaw works a bit. "Words words words! Excellent. Now I just need to remember how to stand on two legs."

Delu'meril glances back towards the woods, and then lets her gaze wander among the chaos of reunions by the wellspring as her wan smile lingers.

Coyote looks around, "and for the rest of you, who have been loitering on my grounds, killing my people, and desecrating my form!"

Cilan lustily hisses, "Erm.. yeah.. s-sorry for doing that to you.. during my time in the Otherworld, I could only think on how my selfish thought probably hurt you further.."

(Delu'meril, Taggart, REDACTED and Kale change into Aassahke females here, tho Crys only temporarily.)

Kale attractively says, "As long as you two come back I don't care what you two do. Though buying some icecream when we get back might help me forgive you two faster."

Kale Yips in surprise!

Cilan giggles and nods, pressing her lips against Kale's once more and replies, "Ill make it a double scoop of whatever you want love!"

Loki yawns widely, looking at the rest "Well.. that was quite the trip wasn't it?" he states, abruptly glancing to Kale as she yips. He glances up over to Delu'meril. "Hey... I didn't think I would see you here!" he says, giving a friendly wave, before frowning at his complete lack of clothing "Cant wait till I get back in the nanite bubble..."

Loki growls softly, "Having trouble there Sparhawk? I always wondered why you chose a tauric form over.. a biped."

Kale sticks hir tongue out at Coyote

Coyote leans forward to Sorien and whispers in her ear. "I've left you and your mate with a gift for the gift you gave me." And then swallows the heart in his palm.

Taggart jerks and groans as he's suddenly shifted about, his body shifting and changing until he controls himself and takes a look. The used-to-be-male-wolf stands up and growls ferociously over Dream's head at Coyote, rage swimming up and replacing the sorrow that had previously filled him. "Oi! Wut tha bloody'ell ya daft git!?"

Sorien blinks at the act. "You seem to get into trouble with eating; was that wise?"

Sparhawk perks an ear at Loki, then notices hir naked. "Um. I don't suppose anyone knows, offhand, where my own personal clothing went? This will be...problematic on the next phase of heroics."

Crys shifts into the form, coyote's magic overtaking whatever curse had put her in the old form. There's a shining pulse around her, as her form seems to shift back and forth between coyote's new form and her old. It gives a headache to anyone watching.

Apostasy nuzzles Kale with a happy giggle. "I'll get you as much ice cream as you want, my love."

Sorien says, "Crys?"

Coyote's eyes narrow at Taggart's angry reaction. "You should learn when to be grateful."

Delu'meril stares at the naked Loki, and then bursts into laughter. The mirth rouses her from her drained daze - if only, perhaps, briefly. "Ha! I didn't think I'd see *you* here, ya pinko spaz." She stares down, apparently only just realizing what's happened to her. "Fur?!" She cries, hopping around and trying to pull her new digitigrade feet out of her combat boots. "Not again!"

Taggart growls again, "Grateful!? GRATEFUL!?" The new female bounds over Dream and charges at Coyote, her body, though changed, still muscular and dense for it all.

Coyote again -commands- Taggart, "Stay. I will have none of that now. So, you don't appreciate the gifts I give you then?" The ire in his voice raising.

Kale attractively says, "Well this is different"

Sorien, watching Crys, still sees the charge of Taggart at Coyote. She winces, knowing she can't stop it, and just rubs her head with one hand. "Ah, geez..."

Loki crosses his arms and huffs in response to Delu "What? What made you think I WOULDN'T be here?" he says defensively. "I did say I try to help others!", snickering at Delu's reaction to her current state. "Yes, that's what its called! Fur!.. Need some help with the boots?" he inquires, knowing how much of a pain it can be. "And Spar, I got no idea where your clothes are." he sighs.

Crys' form finally shift -back- to her normal kitsune form, burning off even Coyote's magic.

Taggart feels the tug at the base of her spine again, and falters a bit, his charge slowing but he doesn't stay as commanded. The wolf in his heart keeps bowling forward, teeth baring as he leans forward into that four-legged charge from previous.

Sparhawk has only two eyes, two legs, two arms, randomly teeth. Taking stock in the absence of hir accustomed array of sensory organs is all-engrossing.

Coyote snarls at Taggart charging him, and -kicks- the new coyote.

Delu'meril yanks a boot off and then gets to the other, continuing to bounce around. "Fuck you!" She answers Loki cheerfully through the discomfort.

Kale walks around awkwardly as shi adjusts to the form.

When Coyote kicks Taggart, he kicks his -skin off-, his form sliding back into male and with it, his fur, and all things that represent Coyote. "Well then, you lose my blessing. You don't like not being in control? Well then, I shall have to take that -out of your hands-."

Dream says, "Daddy, don't hurt him. He's just sad."

Taggart yelps like a wounded dog at the kick, his body flying to the side and morphing mid-air before he lands in a crumpled heap at the base of a tree. He groans, his voice all-too human as he tries to stir, shaking his head. Human Taggart... yeah... not much to compare to that imposing, seven feet of wolf that he once was.

Sorien says, "As Crys seems preoccupied with her shifting form, Sori is equally preoccupied with the bloody goo covering her. Every once in a while a little choking sound is heard from her, as she gags from the gruesome mess and the stink of copper."

Apostasy winces as Coyote kicks Taggart's skin clean off, and then again when the now-human Tag slams into a tree. "Ouch...."

Coyote turns to dream, his snarl melting. "He needs to learn a lesson of respect, and learn how to let go. I won't hurt him dear, but I -will- make him learn." He turns back to Taggart, "You are now cursed. What that is, you will only find out with time, but you will need to learn to live with that unknown, until you grow to realize what your lack of respect has cost you."

Loki chuckles. "Ouch.. I think such harsh language was uncalled for! I was only trying to help!" he says, Giving Delu'Meril a push as she bounces around.

Taggart groans again and slowly pulls himself into a sitting position, a hand cupping a bruised rib. He glares up at Coyote and spits blood at the dirt between them, emerald eyes still full of anger and upset.

Sparhawk has flopped out on the awful bank, staring up at the sky and gripping at the earth. Shi does give an absent thumbs-up in the direction of the short fight, with the specific target difficult to determine.

Coyote says, "You all may -leave- now, I will take my family somewhere safe. He waves Dream over to himself, and she runs up into his arms. "Take that upstart with you when you leave. And, enjoy the gift Sorien."

Sorien says "...Thank you?""

Delu'meril sprawls as Loki shoves her over, glaring daggers all the way down. "Fuck you," she repeats, post-thud.

Coyote finally notices the fighting coyotes and grins. On his way past he snaps his finger.

Sorien say, "I want... More than all but one thing... A bath. A shower. GOD I want to be clean."

(Delu'meril gets changed to a Aassahke male here)

Loki sighs and offers a hand to help Delu'Meril up. "Er.. Sorry bout that.. I didn't mean to tip you over." he sighs, and nods in agreement with Sorien. "Yeah... I know what you mean... Exactly how long is it going to take till were back to some form of civilization?"

Apostasy looks nervously at Coyote. "Umm... Mr Coyote... sir... could... I have my breasts back?"

Sparhawk sits up as Coyote walks past. "Sir? Might I humbly request permission to visit occasionally? Or is sneaking in preferable?"

Coyote shrugs to the questions as he leaves, but it isn't angry. Harry comes running into the clearing and bounds over to follow Coyote as they leave for parts unknown.

Delu'meril yelps as she's suddenly... bulkier! And flat-chested! Grinning maniacally, she pulls Loki down instead of letting him help her up, and - discarding her rifle with her boots - sets about trying to roll herself atop the other coyote.

Apostasy sighs as hir question is ignored. "Damn. I suppose it was a longshot."

Cilan remains by Kale's side, happily nuzzling, and showing the dragoness quite a bit of affection, though she makes little conversation with coyote, preferring to spend her current waking moments with her love.

Taggart growls a very human growl and pulls himself to his feet, wincing before he turns and walks away from the happiness and rejoicing behind him. The now human appears to be heading back in the direction of the bus.

Crys embraces her mate, she doesn't care about anything beyond Sorien being all right.

Sorien say, "C'mon, Crys, lets go. But... (grin) I don't think you wanna touch me yet. I feel nasty. Ugh."

Sorien hugs back, as Crys isn't bothered by the gore.

Apostasy snuggles against Kale and nuzzles hir one last time before climbing to hir feet. "Come on you two, back to the bus with us."

Loki blinks in surprise, the shift in Delu's form barely registering before he is pulled down. He frowns a little as he realizes Delu is now flat as she climbs on top of him. "Er.. what are... you doing? he mutters, a little to stunned to move at the moment.

Kale stays close to hir loves and follows Apostasy

Apostasy looks at Glaurung where he lies on the ground. "Ugh. Gonna be fun trying to get -you- back to the bus."

Sparhawk grins toothily. "Earthquake pills it is, then!" Shi sighs, then looks to the horizon. An experimental glow follows, and there is a dragon sprawled on the bloody dirt instead. "Oh siderials, sing the music of the spheres!"

Sorien says, "Spar, you're weird. (giggle)"

Apostasy giggles at Spar. "Nutter."

Cilan nods affirmatively and gives Kale one last peck on the cheek before moving up to Apostasy and asking, "Hey, sis, want a hand with that?" a warm smile pulling at her lips as she finishes.

Apostasy grins at Cil. "If you don't mind, sis. I'm not quite as big as I normally am, for some reason."

Delu'meril straddles Loki, sitting back to balance herself atop him. Laughing brightly, she leans down and slaps him lightly in the face. And then mirrors the gesture with the other hand. Back. And Forth.

Apostasy checks to make sure Glaurung is rendered safe by disconnecting the ammo feed and disengaging power to the motor before shi hefts one end. "Grab the other end, sis?"

Cilan nods again, and moves to one side of the cannon, and waits for the go-ahead from Apostasy to lift, "Alright.. so, are we going to do this on three?"

Sparhawk rolls upright, smiling with the proper set of teeth and standing on the proper number of limbs. "You really have no idea. Someone best make me a map, because someone needs to teach these bloody gits what music is!" Shi is careful not to drag a tail in the pool again while shi walks away, however. And stops next to the cannon, offering hir back for cargo purposes.

Sorien says, "Okay... Lets go home, shall we? Or at least to somewhere we can bathe."

Crys follows her mate back to the bus, caught up entirely in the joy of knowing her mate came back to her.

Apostasy smiles hir thanks at Spar. "You sure yo don't mind carting this thing around on your back? I'm fairly sure you have expressed rather a lot of distaste for it."

Taggart sheds a good deal of his oversized clothing as he walks back through the woods, remaining in baggy cargo pants, rolled up and a long tank-top which he was apparently using as an undershirt. He fills out neither one. He arrives back at the bus before anyone else, stepping up and slipping behind the drivers seat while still looking pained and sour.

Loki frowns at the mock slapping. "Ok.. So.. is there a method to this madness?" he questions, looking at the others beginning to head back to the bus. He blinks before growling lightly as he hoists himself into a sitting position, trying to pin Delu's arms to her sides.

Sparhawk wiggles hir eyebrows at Apostasy. "Sorien just defeated evil with the power of hope and love. What can make me happier than Being Right? Besides, I don't think you are using it as quite the crutch you were."

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Interlude|Click here to continue to the downtime between Chapters 5 and 6.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 4

2013-04-25T21:20:54Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 3|Click here to return to Chapter 3.]]''

The bus is still parked out on the field by the old Valero station where Sorien first went missing. The group encountered some nasty aggressive coyotes and in the aftermath of defending them found three of them bitten and two rapidly changed and lost, leaving many simply stunned. One coyote as been kept locked below in the luggage compartment, while Sparhawk managed to save blood samples from the decaying Apostasy and Cilan. Crys has been bitten, but thus far has not shown outward signs of any change, although she was knocked unconscious in the fight from lack of blood, and has slowly recovered.

RosaSoul for now is just sitting in the back of the bus being silent and watching REDACTED, she doesn't really know anyone else on the trip after all, only worried about the one she considers a friend, some of the others just make her nervous, maybe the long distance headshot of a critter standing right beside her had something to do with that

Kale is doing hir best to get some sleep. Every once in a while faint sobbing can be heard from hir before shi returns to restless dreams.

Taggart is sitting quietly on top of the bus, keeping an eye out. He occasionally hops down to check inside the bus, making sure that everyone had tried to bed down and glaring quietly at anyone who wasn't at least trying. His emerald eyes watch Kale's sobbing form for a moment, but he doesn't offer any words of comfort before clambering back up on top of the bus.

Crys is still a bit woozy from recovering from the loss of blood, but once she realizes just how tragic the loss of Kale's two lovers was for her, she moves to comfort Kale when she hears her whimpering in her sleep, offering her silent sympathies and a gentle embrace.

RosaSoul does, of course, glare back. she does watch kale when Crys moves to her, but does she offer any words, really there isn't much Rosa can think to say

Kale seems to sleep a little easier after Crys's embrace.

Later in the night Crys wakes up to a pounding and throbbing headache, her entire jaw, and teeth hurt and the back of her neck sore. She removes herself from Kale, and a wave of nausea overtakes her. She moves toward the exit to get some fresh air, and stumbles out to throw up nothing but bile. The wave of dizziness is strong and she had a hard time focusing on her hands. She stifles a whimper as the pain becomes overwhelming.

Kale wakes shortly after Crys drags hirself away. Kale heads to the exit and looks at Crys. Kale rummages through hir medkit "Are you alright?" Kale asks wide eyed clear concern on hir face.

RosaSoul stands at this slipping out after her and places a paw on her back rubbing gently before she kneels and whispers in the hopes of not waking anyone still sleeping "it's affecting you to isn't it Crys..." she glances to kale and murmurs "are there any painkillers in that kit? she looks like shes hurting..."

A supersonic 'crack!' rings out from the distant road, followed by another three in quick succession. The sound dies into silence, but hardly a minute later another disjointed cacophony of staccato bursts lances through the night air - closer than the last. Soon the random reports of rifle fire join the man made lightning of muzzle flashes on the horizon, punctuated now and again with a startled feral yip or cry. There's a few minutes' silence, then, before hurried, muffled footsteps announce Meril's new proximity. Well-adjusted eyes could now even make out her shadowed form beating a half-crouched hustle through the brush along the highway.

Crys tries to talk but her tongue is tied and comes out in a slur, it feels like her entire face is on fire. She holds her muzzle in her hands and feels pops as her neck and facial bones shift, her normally vulpine muzzle shifting ever so slightly into the wider and less pointed Coyote. When she finally can control her mouth she says, "Oh... oh fuck." Realizing what is happening.

Kale shrieks "Ahhh!" in surprise before regaining hir composure and gives Crys an injection for pain. "I am s-sorry there is n-nothing else I can do." Kale looks at concern at the rifle cracks and climbs on top of the bus.

RosaSoul nods "pain killer?" knowing they couldn't really stop it from happening she looks sad, there's not much else she can think to say or do right now all she could do was wait and stay till it was over "there must be some way to fix this and all that has happened... and keep it from happening again?"

RosaSoul is ignoring the rifle for now, as far as she can tell most infected dont use guns

In the deep of night, it is not safe for man or beast in the world gone mad.
Crys growls, the deep rumbling sound coming from her throat, although not clear on it's direction until she says, "I... I will not give up. Even if I am lost, if this is unrecoverable I would not want to live without my mate, but that doesn't mean I will just give up. Wake up everyone up, we need to decide what to do." She almost barks the orders out, her voice having gone a little hoarse with the change to her face. She finally spots Delu approaching, her sensitive ears having heard the approach.

Kale wakes up Taggart and pounds on the bus's roof to rouse the others

RosaSoul snags a rock and tosses it at the side of the buss to add to the racket from the guns before letting the bang of it against the metal side do the waking to get the attention of whomever is still sleeping, however they sleep through gunfire "your in the lead Crys Just tell us what to do?"

"It won't last long if the others are any judge, you'll need to find someone else to make calls when I... go." She grimaces, "I'm going to go grab our prisoner from the compartment and maybe we can figure out what to do with it." She moves to unlock the luggage compartment.

The human's silhouette drops to a knee, sinking into the shadowy brush as Kale's hazy outline stands out against the night sky atop the bus. Her weapon raises and - swiftly, almost sheepishly - lowers as a flash of muted color spills across the RSX agent's combat visor. "It's you." Comes her subdued voice, the hush of the night infecting her tone with a conspiratorial air. "Tell me you've seen Sor," she asks plaintively, turning to get a quick visual sweep through the dark behind her.

Kale spots the human and gestures "No but we found his bag! Quickly get over here we have a situation."

Delu'meril nods quickly and paces slowly back until she bumps the bus with a dull metallic thud, then reaches her left hand back to rap on the doors while her right points the hot barrel of her weapon off into the darkness.

Kale attractively says, "Were you followed?"

Kale attractively says, "Or injured?"

Crys realizes the lock is sticking, so she rips the lock off, and carefully lifts up the compartment lid, sliding it up while peaking inside into the darkness, her adjusted vision she can see the form of the large coyote still drugged and looking limp. She watches it's breathing carefully before opening further, trying to get a sense if perhaps the thing is faking, but she sighs and lifts it up all the way sliding it forward and reaches in to drag the large 'yote out by the scruff of it's neck.

Delu'meril shakes her head. "No injuries," she calls up with a quiet tension, keeping her weapon aimed out across the road. "Don't *see* anything following me."

RosaSoul walks over and gestures towards the anyone nearby "question, got a scalpel? it could be...effective to interrogate?" feigning her most innocent smile like she wasn't planning to torture the beast

Kale tosses a scalpel to Rosasoul "Sure with my claws I don't use one in this form anyway."

Crys holds up the sharp claws of her hand and shrugs at Rosa, dragging the big heavy Coyote with no intent to be careful to it, slamming it's head against the bust step as she drags it up inside.

Kale offers plenty of medical wrap to Crys to use to tie the beast down.

RosaSoul catches and pockets the scalpel, keeping it just in case "careful crys, not for its sake, but its hard to get information if its skull is cracked, always avoid harming the head, you muddle their thoughts if you do~" she stays back for now, taking a seat across from wherever crys drops it "whats it drugged with anyways?"

Kale shrugs "I didn't drug it."

Kale stays on the roof but peers in through a window

Crys drags her claws along the creature's throat and growls into it's ear, "I know you're still in there somewhere. Wake the fuck up you lazy asshole." Nobody has -ever- heard Crys swear, or this... angry before. The other times she's been angry it's been sudden and deadly rather than this intense thick hatred she practically bleeds out her pores. She pauses in pain as her shoulders shift, the muscles and bones contorting preparing her for a quadrupedal stance. She shrugs it off and continues to try to wake the 'yote.

Kale hands Crys a hypo full of stimulants "Here this should wake it."

Kale looks calm if emotionally drained

Crys nods and injects it into the coyote's neck having to carefully contort to let her hands maneuver properly.

RosaSoul holds out a scalpel to Crys "if you intend to force it to talk, assuming it doesn't talk on its own, start with the hands, small cuts, then deeper, if that's not enough, given that its small, start dragging it over its arms.. just progressively worse, make sure its arms are crippled before your done with that, then you go for its legs... oooh yes and make sure it knows you don't plan to kill it since they are hive minds, oh no no no... if it doesn't give us what we want, we cripple it and leave it somewhere its own cant reach it... and if that's not enough well... then you go for the balls, or the labia if its female, cuts and deeper cuts till eventually you just... cut one off" shes watching the coyote as she speaks wondering if any of that would work on it, making it up as she goes really, but still, worth a shot

Sparhawk shuffles around from hir stargazing, hearing thumping and swearing from inside the bus. "Danger internalized is the most dangerous," shi mutters as the long dragon tilts up to peer in the windows.

Kale frowns "As a medical professional I don't approve of torture...no matter how much I would enjoy watching one of these things suffer." Kale says in a quiet deadpan voice

Delu'meril stares around the bus, looking grim. The looks on everyone's faces, the words leaving their mouths - and no small amount of blood - lets her know quickly that things are bad. She surveys the scene for a long moment and then merely nods to the others, getting silently to work. Reaching for her webbing, the human pulls free a small ball-headed clamp and fastens it to the bottom of one open window, setting about converting it to a gun port.

The 'yote opens it's eyes finally, rolling upward before finally settling it's vision coming into focus on the humans around it. It begins to growl, and Crys forcefully growls back grabbing it by the scruff and forcing it to look into her eyes, her teeth bared full at it, she says, "Give /Me/ /Her/ /BACK/." She growls out, each word louder than the one before.

RosaSoul lets Crys do her thing first, she would keep the scalpel just in case though, shes sadistic like that when people fuck with her few friends
The big coyote's ears go down submissively, at the fierceness in Crys' voice, and the press of her claws against it's throat, it yelps in response, and then stammers out in a rather awkward human voice, "You can not hurt me." It says, although the confidence in it's voice leaves plenty of room for doubt.

Sparhawk observes things easily deemed unwise and unjust and goes around to the door, trying to enter quietly but finding the door squeaky from general disuse. "I don't know, seems to have some special magical talents at revenge. I wouldn't push it," shi says as shi wends down the aisle.

RosaSoul LAUGHS "you feel pain don't you? we don't even have to kill you, hell cut the right spot and well... heh, I could leave you in agony for the rest of your unnatural life" wiggling the scalpel in her fingers to make sure the yote saw, torture is just as much intimidation as it was actual infliction :'3

The 'yote laughs at Rosa's threat, much less worried about the threats of physical pain. The sound is unnerving coming from a fully feral coyote body. The big coyote grins and tail wags until it's eyes focus back on Crys.

Kale says quietly "Look Mr coyote just tell us what we want and we will let you go."

Kale attractively says, "What would be the harm in telling us if we pose no threat to you or your kind."

"And what would that -be- exactly little girl. The 'yote asks, almost playfully." It doesn't appear to really care enough to take the question seriously.

Kale attractively says, "Where is Crys's mate Sorien, and what happened to our two melted companions?"

The 'yote gives kale a look like she's stupid. "Dead, Dead, and oh yes, Dead." It laughs, and says, "And so shall you all be when my mate comes for you."

RosaSoul sighs and waits for a moment before adding "you know canine noses are really sensitive, really stings when you cut it, even a shallow cut, course i imagine a deep one is a hell of a lot worse, haven't felt it myself, maybe you can tell me yote~ I am so curious..."

Kale attractively says, "Well then if that's true where is Sorien's final resting place?"

Delu'meril reaches for a fresh magazine, swapping the one she entered the bus with for a fresh one and then pulling the bolt with that famous, ominous 'ka-CHIK.' Her attention stays on the outside of the bus while the others focus on their prisoner inside.

Sparhawk interrupting dragon, walks between Rosa and the subject of inquiry. "I am curious how long it has been since you were alone. No one listening to you, beyond the reach of any rescue. Farther away than the moon. Alone."

"In the blood, it dreams of her." It says, quite matter-of-factly. "I've answered your silly questions, now let me go." It demands, it's confidence growing.

Kale attractively says, "One final question from me."

The 'yote suddenly shivers at Sparhawk's question. "What... what do you mean?" The fear in it's eyes returning.

Crys falls back in pain as her hands begin to twist into paws, her fingers shrinking in and her sharp claws blunting a bit. Her arms slowly shifting thinner. She leans back letting the rest deal with the coyote while she tries to deal with the pain.

RosaSoul blinks thoughtfully and after a moment asks "do we have any lead? lead blocks signals, if this is nanites, then wouldn't blocking the signal between them and the hive mind cut them off? maybe even slow or stop the changes?"

Kale remembers a story Crys showed hir and goes for broke. "The dreamer is it midnight shadow?"

Sparhawk says mildly, "Deep space, where the light of the noon sun is a pinprick. Where none but I know the way, and I may choose to leave you there. Alone. Not even a way to kill yourself, because there is only emptiness. Alone. I can ask you questions here, where grass grows and rabbits run, or I can take you there and ask."

The coyote stares blankly at Kale's question, clearly having no clue as to what her question means, but when Spar begins to speak it's hackles raise, recognizing very quickly what Sparhawk is suggesting, "No, no, anything but that. Let me go, let me go." It struggles now against it's restraints and it's tail tucks under it's legs. A single howl can be heard in the distance.

Crys holds her now paws to her face, the pain having faded but her fate becoming more obvious by the minute.

Taggart rouses himself from a nap after having takin' night watch, uncurling from on top of the bus. Hearing struggling beneath him and the restrained coyote giving noises of protest, a loud thump resounds through the metal ceiling, a heavy fist slamming warningly against it. His ears perk at the howl though, and a little growl forms in his chest, lip upturning into a small snarl of frustration. "Bloody'ell... I jus' wokeup."

Kale whispers to Crys "Well if they are a hive mind of some sort can you detect and track them Crys? I mean you are transforming into one I assume maybe we can use that to find their lair?

Sparhawk walks slowly until there is a circle of dragon around the hapless yote. "The cost of your release is paid in truth. What actually happens to those whom you bite? Who is the dreamer?"

Crys shakes her head, "I... don't know what I feel. I felt dizzy at first, but that cleared and now I just feel the physical pain. I keep listening for something or flashes or vision or anything like what the others felt but nothing so far."

It whimpers, "I... I told you that already, they died, entered the void and were recovered in dream. They are of the People now, having chosen that over the void. Your friend over there will join them soon enough."

Kale attractively says, "Who is your mate?"

Delu'meril tips her head to keep her eyes on the dark field beyond the barrel of her mounted rifle while tilting an ear towards the interrogation. Her lips thin with a deep grimace, expression darkening with the news.

Almost in answer a howl can be heard again, closer to the bus this time. It's ears perk, and it tries to answer the call.

Sparhawk frowns and places a paw over the captive's muzzle, to prevent return howling. "I accept this answer, but demand another. Who is the dreamer?"

Sparhawk removes restraint after a moment too. >.>

RosaSoul growls softly "another question maybe, how does one get out of the people and back to themselves? the loss of just three would be better than the loss of all of them, wouldn't it yote?"

Taggart growls gently to himself as he strains to hear the conversation beneath him, but catches the next howl with high perked wolven ears. So, he responds as well. Standing up and throwing his head back, he howls loud and long, wolf head to the sky as the lonesome sound echoes across the forest nearby.

The 'yote struggles under Spar's grip, and whimpers for a moment, "This, us, the blood. We are all a dream, and it sustains us. Coyote himself made this true."

Taggart's howl is particularly chilling, and it goes unanswered. No howl returns.

Crys shivers as bones snap in her chest as her ribcage alters, and the changes spread down to her hips. She looks prepared for her fate.

Sparhawk tilts hir head around sinuously to watch all the scurrying about of preparations. "Is Coyote the dreamer? Remember your choices."

"He's too busy resting at his seat, at our birthplace, to waste his time with us." The 'yote continues.

Crys bends over as the pain in her hips continues and her hips adjust her posture, her tails twitching in pain at the response.

Sparhawk paces around the circle, which is possibly disorienting. "Then unless anyone else has any intelligent questions to add, I am preparing to release you. Without violence, because it is useless and futile. But remember who I am, and what I know. May our next meeting go as well."

Crys appears too busy caught up in her changes to protest.

RosaSoul points at Crys "you took her mate from her, how would you feel should we take yours from you? keep that in mind, because if she doesnt get her mate back, and is not allowed to stay herself... if we dont get her back and her mate and their mates... I will make sure we take yours from you, in the most irevocable way we can, so... I'd suggest telling how we can get our own back"

Delu'meril doesn't take her eyes from the window. "You're just going to let it go?" She half-growls.

Kale attractively says, "Last time I tried talking to a yote it went for my throat."

Crys' growls reach an inhuman level as she struggles with her body, and just as her hind-paws reach a coyote-like state, a bright white flash emits from her, blinding anyone who's been staring at her. She screams rather humanly, and the light pulses, cracks and flashes as she shifts harshly back to her familiar yet strange form. A moment of clarity enters her as her eyes stare into the distance and then she groans as her body returns having burned off the infection.

Sparhawk points at Rosa in turn. "There's one. What is the difference when you are dreamed out with us and when you are in--" The flash is very distracting, and gets Spar all turned about with fangs and claws pointed at the noise while shi examines the leftovers of the event.

In the group mind, Sorien appears to be a Native American woman in her mid-twenties, standing about five-foot-eight inches tall, with an above-average bust, athletic build and long, jet-black hair that falls to her mid-back. Her eyes are chocolate brown, and she seems strangely self-conscious in her nudity; a distinct change from her usual attitudes towards clothing.

Delu'meril turns towards REDACTED's scream and then immediately away, blinking her eyes shut and raising an arm instinctively over her visored gaze as she tries to make out the haze of that dark field again. Once the light stops flickering against the walls of the bus, she looks back towards REDACTED's form and breathes an audible sigh of relief before slowly returning to guarding the bus - or at least playing the part while her eyes adjust again.

Kale notices the flash from inside the bus and shouts "What happened?"

Crys groans, sick of feeling like a marionette, so many things toying with her body out of her control. She flicks her tails, realizing she's back in her old body. She growls lightly, "It took it long enough to kick in didn't it. That thing cheats me even out of dying with my mate." She frowns, looking up to Spar who is still hovered over the coyote.

RosaSoul stops trying to make sense of things and just rolls with it this time

Delu'meril calls up out of the window. "Crys is... back!" She clarifies after a pause to try and find a word for what just took place.

Sparhawk bites hir lip and murmurs something about separated pieces, but turns back to the yote who seems just as stunned as everyone else. "Tell me. How do you reach out here when the dreamer has a separate place?"

"Easy, I just force my will on it and wrestle control of one of it's parts from the dreamer. If you kill this one, I'll just return and take another. Now when are you going to let me go?.” The coyote asks.

Crys tries to prop herself up, sick of looking weak she just forces herself to her feet and says, "Did you get what you needed?" To sparhawk, "If so, get rid of that... thing." She bears her teeth, holding the coyote with contempt. "We must find their heart so I can rip it out through their throat."

Sparhawk smiles in a way not at all reassuring, but unwinds hir hindparts and exposes the aisle to the door. "Hear that? Wrestle something away from Coyote's leftovers! Think you can handle that, Our Lady of Righteous Anger?"

RosaSoul yawns slightly and stands eyeing her scalpel for a moment before saying "I'm almost disapointed" before she pockets it anyways and turns to cry crossing her arms and waiting, shi was curious what the next thing to do was, she still feels shes missing something right now at least

Crys moves to rip the bindings off the coyote while holding her steel vice like grip around it's mouth, and she lifts the thing into her arms while still keeping it muzzled. She whispers something really softly into the coyote's ear as she leaves the bus, and the creature whimpers.

[Bus] Sparhawk murmurs, "Suffering harms the one who inflicts it as much as the one who takes it," while rummaging through a clinking bag. And then some more, muttering less charitable things at the disarray of that bag. Eventually shi'll just take off the saddlebag and look in directly, coming out with one of two vials of blood. "This points at where Apostasy went. Let us follow."

[Bus] RosaSoul shrugs and shakes her head "suffering is part of life, I inflict it when i must, if it is to help a friend or someone i care about I would do whatever is required, I'm mearly disapointed I wasnt of much use this time"

[Bus] Taggart has settled back down on top of the bus after the short howling match, emerald eyes keeping close watch on the area surrounding. The large wolfman is otherwise quiet and somber, obviously thinking to himself as he keeps guard.

[Otherworld] The strange scenery of the completely blackened moon in the sky and the indigo purple that makes up the rest gives way to the four woman carrying an unconscious native american man through the tall empty grassland. The wind is sporadic, and the journey back to the cave seems much longer than it was away from it. The man begins to grumble and wake after a few timeless hours walking with no changes in scenery beyond the encampment behind them having long ago faded.

[Otherworld] Sorien asks, “You okay, Apo?”

[Otherworld] Apostasy slowly rouses himself fully. "Ugh... remind me not to try that again? Two uncontrolled free-falls is -more- than enough for me, thank you very much."

[Bus] Crys very loudly this time says, "You get -out- of here or I will feed you to him." And she points up at Taggart, tossing the coyote from her hands. She returns inside to find Sparhawk holding a vial in his hands and looks a little confused.

[Otherworld] Crys whispers something into Sorien's ear as they walk. She asks, "Are you not my sun and stars, the light of my life? Guide me here in this place for I feel lost."

[Otherworld] Sorien says, "I'm sorry that happened, sweetie. I didn't think that would happen."

[Bus] Delu'meril nods, detaching her submachine gun from its impromptu mount on the bus window and unscrewing the clamp to pack it away. She turns to Sparhawk and nods grimly, lowering her weapon in one hand to let the other pat across her armored body and check her kit to move out. "Anything that gets us closer to Sor," she agrees.

[Bus] Kale says, “So where do we go now?:

[Otherworld] Sori gently nuzzles Crys, and whispers a reply. "Love you, sweetie. I'm lost too- this place doesn't follow any real physical laws that I can tell."

[Otherworld] Apostasy chuckles. "Hey, not your fault Sor. I should have known better than to jump blindly into the magical teleportation fire thing." He climbs to his feet and looks around. "Still no sign of that weird cave?"

[Otherworld] Cilan chuckles happily as she notices Apostasy's awakening, "Yeah.. well, at least you're safe, and that's pretty much what matters here, isn't it?"

[Otherworld] Apostasy grins. "I suppose that's true, sis."

[Otherworld] Sori says, "I think I'm doing this... WE'RE doing this wrong. We should just decide to be there, and we will be. I mean, we're traveling now, but going nowhere. So... (and she decides that they're approaching the cave)

[Otherworld] River carefully says, "You must -want- to find things here or they will forever be out of your reach."

[Bus] Sparhawk looks out at the dark forest, waving the vial from side to side to optimistically try and find if the target has visible parallax, so it would be close enough to see from the windows. "If you were feeling cryptic, you could say the principle of Sympathy draws the blood to its owner. I, however, would say it's a magical compass pointing right where we need to go. So we should go!"

[Otherworld] Apostasy laughs. "Hey, don't blame me, I only just woke up."

[Otherworld] And the distance fuzzes as the cave mouth appears off in the distance, it's horrid snarled toothy grin inviting food into it's maw.

[Bus] RosaSoul comments with a raised eyebrow "And i would say you have lost your mind, but we don't really have any better leads right now do we? What does Cry's think?"

[Otherworld] Cilan closes her eyes briefly and attempts to picture in her mind the cave that she had woken up in, the entrance that looks like a coyote's head, and opens her eyes again.

[Otherworld] Sori grins! "Hah!" Figgered it out right before you told me, River!"

[Bus] Crys looks exasperated and shrugs, "I know the only thing I felt when I was changing was that I was far away from where I needed to be. I think spar might be on the right track, like I was being called somewhere."

[Otherworld] Apostasy prods Sorien gently. "Be nice. She's the only one of them bothered to actually help us in some way."

[Bus] Kale grabs hir medical supplies and is ready to leave with the group

[Bus] Delu'meril shrugs and lifts her rifle to a casual position slung over her hips. "Worth a try."

[Otherworld] Sori blinks? "Huh? No... If it sounded wrong, I didn't mean offense. I'm just glad I'm getting a grip on things. I didn't mean to offend if I did, River. And thank you again."

[Bus] RosaSoul nods "then i guess we should go, lead the way Spar"

[Bus] Kale attempts to carry Glaurang not sure is shi can carry it.

[Bus] Sparhawk holds out the vial half-full of ex-Apostasy for skeptics to examine. "Given that it is now pushed up against the side of the glass, something is going on. But it...yes, far away. Gonna need to drive, which is complicated."

[Otherworld] River says, "You seem to understand the dream better than most who have joined." She says to Sorien.

[Bus] Kale manages to carry Glaurang by focusing all hir pent up emotions at hir lost loves.

[Bus] RosaSoul well I could drive If no one else can, I Just suggest... well I guess buses don't have seat belts, nevermind, I can still drive though!"

[Otherworld] Sori shakes her head. "No... I'm just over the panic and anger phase and I'm starting to think again." She gestures at the cave. "Lets go in. Deep enough that there's no light, but we all hold hands and go carefully."

[Bus] Crys calls up to Taggart, "Can you drive? We need to drive apparently. I'm useless in this department."

[Otherworld] Apostasy grins and walks forwards to the entrance of the cave. He looks back and offers a hand. "Shall we go, then?"

[Bus] Kale lumbers into the bus With Apo's gun and sits in the back

[Bus] Meril grins. "Oh, this is gonna be *fun*."

[Otherworld] Cilan nods affirmatively as she follows Apostasy's lead further into the cave, a light shiver crossing her features as she remembers waking up in the pitch black area.

[Otherworld] Sori grins, then kisses Crys. She takes her lover's hand. "Of course, sweetie." She waits til hands are all linked, and the group starts in.

[Bus] Sparhawk sticks hir head out a window and raps on the wall once. "If you're not going to drive, can we at least get you inside rather than tied to the roof like a new mattress?"

[Otherworld] Apostasy joins hands with Sorien and Cilan as the group heads deeper into the cave.

[Bus] Taggart nods and hops down from the top of the bus, a heavy thud and small impact crater from the weight of the huge wolf. He stays quiet and stoic, stepping up and into the bus and sitting uncomfortably down into the small driver's seat, cranking up the engine.

[Bus] Sparhawk occupies the seats behind the driver, holding the vial up and ready to shout directions as needed.

[Bus] The bus heads vaguely northward continuing up the same highway, always hovering a bit to the east of the direction of the highway. It's a few hours of uncomfortable travel, when they see the border for orgeon and the compass finally begins to shift more eastward along with the road.

[Bus] RosaSoul sits behind the drivers seat and debates back seat driving just to pass the time, but likes her muzzle in one peice for now

[Otherworld] Sori leads the way down into the dark of the cave, staying near one wall so she can feel her way with one hand- she taps ahead with one foot as well, making sure of no 'surprises' in the pitch black.

[Bus] Meril stares grimly out at the road as they go, brooding as her fingers flick the safety on her rifle on and off, on and off.

[Otherworld] The cave's darkness is ever-present and engulfing and it feels like walking into a giant's stomach, the moisture in the air increasing with the depth. The cave walls aren't hard to follow, occasionally narrowing but the place doesn't follow any real logical path for a cave, rather heading just vaguely straight.

[Otherworld] Sori mumbles something about geological oddness.

[Otherworld] Crys holds Sorien's hand tightly, not wanting to get lost and shivering in fear of the dark unknown.

[Otherworld] Once there is NO light left to see, Sori finally speaks. "Okay... I think we can talk freely now."

[Bus] Sparhawk the fourteen-foot-long dragon rather occupies both left and right sides of the front rows of seats, keeping anyone else from annoying the driver. There is a lot of time to look out the windows and brood.

[Bus] REDACTED flickers her tails and broods, her anger having not left her, rather reaching a point of boil and has now stabilized at that point. She grumbles a bunch to herself during the drive north. Any comforting note on her part has long since passed.

[Bus] Kale touches hir armband and stares at hir medkit as the bus moves along

[Otherworld] Apostasy looks blindly in the direction of Sorien's voice. "So, why exactly are we here, Sorien?"

[Otherworld] River quietly says, "And your intent in coming to this sacred place was what exactly?"

[Otherworld] Sorien says, "Okay. Remember the Shadow? Well... It was imprisoned in the ground where the sun couldn't touch it. The reason being... A shadow can only exist if there is light AND dark. Here, there is no light. We can speak of it without it hearing us."

[Bus] RosaSoul risks her hide and tosses a pebble at crystala to get her attention

[Otherworld] Crys says carefully, "But love, you're here, there cannot be no light." and she squeezes Sori's hand.

[Otherworld] Cilan nods slowly, affirmatively as her arms move across her chest, "Mm.. well, you guys can talk all you want.. I on the other hand dont know a single word that could be said, aside from fuck shadow, and fuck the coyotes under its lead.."

[Bus] Taggart is quietly and calmly driving the bus.

[Otherworld] Apostasy's voice comes out of the darkness. "That seems reasonable enough. Though I'd sooner chase down that black haired girl and make her talk."

[Bus] Delu'meril sighs pensively, looking down from the window for a moment. Shaking off that melancholy daze, she reaches to her belt and pops something into her mouth.

[Bus] RosaSoul makes a note to disturb the peace with pebbles for Taggart, when she is out of his immediate reach

[Otherworld] Sori nods, not that anyone can see it. "I think the shadow found Coyote's pack and took it, or part of it. River, I don't know what of this you can confirm, but the girl who seemed particularly angry with me, I think she was touched by the shadow, and may be the touchstone of the Shadow. I could be VERY wrong there, but I don't think so. Crys... My love here, was touched by the shadow as well; when it controlled her, anger was the manifest emotion. The coyote pack is attacking people without provocation, drawing them into the pack. This isn't right. What wisdom can you share here?"

[Otherworld] River looks nervously about realizing she can't -see- anything. She sighs, uncomfortably, not really sure why she has followed these outsiders, but they seem to really be trying to stop whatever darkness has come. She speaks, "I... I guess I can tell you the tale my ancestors have passed down for generations. You've mentioned Midnight Shadow, and he indeed does star in a tale told since ancient times when the people were one. Coyote taught man to defeat it and stole his power leaving him sleeping. However as we all know, sleep does not last forever and he has come to retake his power from Coyote."

[Otherworld] Sori shifts closer to Crys. "So Shadow still has a touch of himself on Coyote?

[Otherworld] Apostasy grins. "Taught man how to defeat it, eh? I think that would be rather useful knowledge to have, if you'd be so good as to share."

[Otherworld] River softly speaks, "Raven is young, stupid and in love. She is not hearing whispers of the old one. I am afraid it is not her that has been spoken to but the dreamer itself. Coyote's child will be consumed and used to bait Coyote himself, unless he outsmarts it."

[Otherworld] Cilan speaks up again, "Is there anything we can do to tip the scales in coyote's favor?"

[Bus] The road forks, with signs showing the way toward Crater Lake national park, and Sparhawk nudges Taggart to follow in that direction.

[Otherworld] Apostasy chimes in again. "Who, or what, exactly, is the dreamer?"

[Otherworld] Sori grimaces. "Same questions as my friends have just asked, and... I should probably ask WHY this place is sacred to you. I should have asked earlier, as we might have been trespassing wrongly."

[Otherworld] River says, "I'm afraid my ancestors leave me with little clues. I can tell you the story I've been told, but I cannot think how that will help us here."

[Otherworld] Sori says, "Anything at all may help. We're... Pardon the pun, all in the dark here."

[Otherworld] "This is where coyote spoke to the dreamer and taught him to dream us all, pulling us from the void and giving us a chance at life once again. Coyote gave some of himself to make us, and woke the others." River squeaks feeling something brush up against her, but realizes it's just one of the others hands.

[Otherworld] Crys snuggles up tight to Sorien, having nothing to offer her, here mind at a blank for understanding this place.

[Otherworld] Sori asks, "Who exactly is the dreamer? Coyote or someone else? And is he here?"

[Bus] Kale says "Does anyone know anything about this area?"

[Bus] Taggart remains quiet and follows the directions given.

[Otherworld] Apostasy sits quietly in the darkness, waiting for River to continue.

[Bus] Meril shakes her head. "Seen photos before. S'beautiful. Or it used to be. We'll see."

[Otherworld] "The dreamer creates us all and we are a part of him. You've stolen from him before, as have Raven, and Atse, and that woman you met Shelley. I've never so I'm not even sure what it's like, and can only speak from what they've told me about it." River shifts a bit more and then says, "If you must know, Coyote was approached by a great hero, known to us as Quiet Whisper. It was through Coyote's great knowledge that Quiet Whisper learned to uncover Midnight Shadow's weaknesses, and Quiet Whisper was able to trick him to sleep. Coyote however made sure his slumber was permanent, by burying him deep inside his home, and sacrificing a part of himself to bind him."

[Otherworld] With nothing to say on her mind, Cilan quietly joins Apostasy, and sits next to him, waiting for something the woman could do.

[Bus] Oregon itself is full of deep forests, the air shows the sign of imminent rain, with a heavy mist overtaking nearly everything. The road that they are following is no longer a highway, rather a road cutting into the heart of the state forest to bring tourists deep into Crater Lake. Sparhawk is fairly certain that is their destination now.

[Otherworld] Sori sniffs, then realizes that her nose is human now.

[Otherworld] Apostasy puts his arm around Cil's shoulder, hugging her against him in the darkness. "Sorry to interrupt.... but what do you mean, we've stolen from the dreamer?"

[Bus] The signs for a campground and eventually the lake itself show them drawing near. The blood in Sparhawk's vial has begin to rhythmically vibrate, growing closer to the source of where it's being pulled.

[Bus] Sparhawk hums in turn, one of many weird habits shi has. Among other tasks shi tries to match the pitch on the vial, closing hir eyes.

[Bus] Kale whistles the theme to X-files

[Otherworld] Cilan releases a small sigh as she rests her head against Apostasy's shoulder, soon she muses to herself, "I.. I wonder how Kale is doing.."

[Otherworld] "Taking parts from him, that are his, for yourself." River says very matter-of-factly. "I only know that the Shadow's weakness is it's pride. It's so sure of it's power over us that it's prone to mistakenly undervaluing our worth."

[Otherworld] Apostasy squeezes Cilan gently. "I'm sure shi's alright. The others will keep hir safe."

[Bus] The bus nears the shore of the lake just as dawn begins to crack over the horizon. The dim light shimmering off the lake's surface. An island sits out a few hundred feet from the shore, and the area around the edge is ragged in a way that is very unusual for a normal lake.

[Otherworld] Sori thinks on that. "I don't know that I took anything, per se... But given we're aware... Did we take his awareness? Is that it? The sleeper is asleep because we're awake?"

[Bus] Crys scratches her an itch on her neck, her flesh unscarred but phantom pangs of her transformation still eat at her senses, and she feels strangely out of body at times, her brain still trying to catch up on her strange reaction to that infection.

[Bus] Sparhawk perks up suddenly as light comes off the lake. "Hey! I bet we could get a really great snowball fight up here!" Then shi goes back to humming, keeping the narrow end of the vial pointed where it wants to go.

[Bus] Meril narrows her eyes as they approach what looks like it has to be their stop before the lake. "Damn," she murmurs. "We'da never found anything the old-fashioned way."

[Bus] Taggart pulls the bus to a stop near the shore of the lake, glancing back over his shoulder at Sparhawk. "Need ta go any furt'er?"

[Otherworld] River says, "I'm afraid I don't have the words to be able to explain it to you." She softly sighs, "I would avoid calling Coyote into this world, or letting him be called, but you might be able to awake the part he left behind."

[Bus] The vial is practically jerking in movement, the compass-like effect ruined by proximity. Whatever it's trying to get to is close by.

[Otherworld] Sori says, "I think we have to. What do we do? What I did back at the camp?"

[Otherworld] River says, "Rather than trying to bring him here, try to wake him. So far we've been unable despite trying, so I'm not sure I'll be much more help."

[Bus] Sparhawk gets out a red hankie and ties it to the vial, turning it from a compass to a dowsing rod. "Not by bus, I don't think. Time to pick up what you want to carry for an hour and search."

[Otherworld] "Okay. Lets. I'm guessing... Deeper down?"

[Otherworld] Apostasy says, "What would we need to do to wake him?"

[Bus] The large wolf looks down at the vial and notices it's erratic behavior. Taggart gives a little shrug and nods, opening the bus doors and clambering down to look around, nose raising slightly to sniff heavily at the air around the lake.

[Bus] Kale hefts the gun and hir medkit straining under the weight but managing to handle it for now. "I hope i don't have to use this."

[Bus] A man emerges from the forest nearby with a shotgun. He's tall and looks well weathered, his features looking mostly human but there's -something- else to him that also gives the feeling they are something more. He hollers over, "Heyyyyyy, hey you, go away before you get yourselves killed!"

[Bus] Meril rises just in time to watch the human-looking man strolling out of the woods. "Well I'll be damned," she muses to herself, filing up to disembark with the others.

[Otherworld] River says, "I've never been farther in this cave, so I have no idea."

[Bus] Sparhawk regards the mountain man intently, with a vial of blood shimmying on a red knot. "I do hope that was a warning and not a threat, sir."

[Otherworld] Sori gives a gentle tug to the others. "Then lets see what there is to see; its a nice straightish path at least."

[Bus] Taggart catches sight of the man with the shotgun frowning gently as his hands set to his hips. "Mebbe's'wut we're lookin' ta do. Who're you? Wutcha don''ere?"

[Bus] "Do I look like I'um threatening you?" He shrugs, pulling the shotgun away, "I don't want the 'yotes to go feeding on anyone else. I've got enough of a mess to clean up as it is."

[Otherworld] Cilan finally rises to her feet and shrugs, adding, "Alright, not much else to do.."

[Otherworld] Apostasy stands with Cilan. "Sounds good to me."

[Otherworld] Sori starts leading the way deeper into the cave, still following the wall.

[Otherworld] Crys says, "Remember love, you need to believe you're going to find what you're looking for here, or we'll just walk this endlessly."

[Bus] Meril cants her head faintly. "And how is it you're not *part* of that mess, then?"

[Otherworld] Sorien says, "Its just ahead. We'll be there soon." (And she believes that.)

[Otherworld] Apostasy nods firmly. "Damn right it is."

[Bus] Sparhawk meanders around the edge of the lake where the bus is parked, assuming other people will handle the native life while shi plays with blood and string.

[Bus] He thrusts the gun in front of him, "And who's business is that, but mine?"

[Bus] Taggart strides forward, looking at the end of the shotgun with a bit of an amused smirk. "Ours, now. Tha coyotes've taken our friends. You know sumtin'bout t'at?" The Irishman's smirk slowly turns sour, scowling downturning his bushy eyebrows as his arms cross over broad chest.

[Otherworld] Bright lights begin to flame into existence, torches in sconces along the cave wall, illuminating a small central round area. There is a giant bearskin rug covering the center area and little white things, that once inspected are teeth scattered all over the place.

[Otherworld]Apostasy covers his eyes, blinking rapidly as the sudden light blinds him temporarily. When his vision clears, he looks around. "Well now. This is interesting."

[Otherworld] "Ah. This looks promising." Sori walks forward into the area, looking around for their possibly-sleeping host.

[Bus] "Oh you folk always having to pry. I know that there's sum people that have been taken of course. Harry told me, she's said they've been up to taking people down south. I've no idea what's gotten into them as they haven't really roamed far outta this area until now." He shifts to another foot and shrugs, turning to walk away, since the people clearly aren't listening.

[Otherworld] Crys shivers, shifting back a little bit into the darkness and trying to let her eyes clear. She quietly searches around at the edges of the light.

[Otherworld] Cilan blocks the glare of the light with an outstretched forearm until her eyes readjust to the light, "Uh.. isnt light a dangerous thing in this cave?" is asked, remembering the warnings said before.

[Bus] Kale gets out of the bus. "Um sir are you or anyone else injured. If so I am a trained nurse I could help."

[Bus] Meril scowls silently at the departing man's back and then turns her attention suspiciously to the treeline.

[Bus] The man before the gathered rescuers stands a good six feet tall. He's of obvious native american extraction and in middle age, with careworn lines in his heathered face and hands callused from long hours of physical labor. His hair is long, gathered back into a single ponytail, and grey is shot through it. His expression is of a man used to hard times and of doing what HE thinks is right... Though there is a glint of something more in his dark eyes.

[Otherworld] Apostasy smiles at Cilan. "I think it's allowed now." He takes another look around the room. "Well, at a guess, I'd say that breaskin rug was the bed... but it looks like the dreamer has gone wandering."

[Bus] Taggart frowns gently as the man turns about, emerald eyes weighing the other carefully. He obviously sees something of himself and takes off after the native american, "Oi! You live out'ere, then? Dangerous wit' as many coyotes about as we seen."

[Otherworld] There are bones along with the teeth, They look like canine teeth. There's a jawbone, some ribs, and what looks like a tailbone.

[Bus] Kale follows Taggart awkwardly , not used to the heavy gun. "Taggart don't run off without everyone else."

[Otherworld] "Heh." Sori grins, then starts gathering bones. "Anatomy 101. We get to put him together."

[Bus] "They'a harmless to a big old sap like me, but don't expect tha same treatment. Ya've been warned." He chuckles under his breath heading for a clearing past the wooded area.

[Otherworld] Apostasy laughs. "Jigsaw puzzle. Alrighty then, let's start gathering up the pieces." He hunts around the cave, looking for more bones, gathering them up as he finds them.

[Otherworld] River says, "It will take more than just bones to wake him." But she helps, finding a small little piece and handing it to Sorien.

[Bus] RosaSoul blindly follows the group, and tosses a single pebble at taggart now that shi's not in easy reach

[Otherworld] Sori takes the piece, and starts arranging the bits. "I know. But this is the first step. When we get that far, we'll figure it out."

[Otherworld] Cilan nods again, her mind set on a current task as she kneels infront of the various bones, her hands plucking at each bone that Apostasy drops infront of her, and organizes them, making sure that itd be easier to build if everything is neat, instead of forcing everyone to simply search for the needed part.

[Bus] Sparhawk comes around the far side of the bus and does a bit of hollering, "Anyone ask who Lady Harry is?"

[Bus] Taggart frowns at the reply, momentarily ignoring Kale's warning. "Oi! That ain't'ow it works, fella." The pebble tossed at his shoulder ricochets at a speed almost faster than which it was thrown, the large, muscular wolf not even noticing. "Yer diff'rent. How come? Wut you done?"

[Bus] Kale pants as shi continues to follow, "Haah.... I can't believe Apo can carry this around all day." Kale mutters to hirself

[Otherworld] Having gathered up all the bones he can find and given them to Cil, Apostasy moves out of the way to let her and Sorien put the skeleton together. He looks over at River "It might not be the only thing needed, but it's probably a good first step."

[Bus] A coyote suddenly leaps out at the man, not even flustered, he grabs it by the scruff and clocks it on the head with the butt of his shotgun. He glares angrily at the thing. "Mayhaps it's time I put them down, after I figure out what to do with your companions." He sighs, and throws the coyote in their direction as it's bleeding head begins to affect the rest of it's body decaying and returning to the earth quickly. He mutters to himself out of earshot.

[Bus] Kale gasps in surprise at both the sudden attack and the mans swift dealing with it. "That was amazing!"

[Bus] Kale gasps in surprise at both the sudden attack and the mans swift dealing with it. "That was amazing!"

[Bus] Meril's rifle sits halfway to ready as she follows along on the group's flank, scowling off both at the stubborn local yokel and the wilderness. She jumps when the coyote suddenly attacks, lifting her weapon to sight at the beast - but the man's even faster, and soon she's curiously watching the mutant bleed back into the earth.

[Otherworld] The bones collected aren't complete, but they do begin to pain the picture of something roughly humanoid, but also very much of a canine nature.

[Bus] RosaSoul "I think i like this guy"

[Otherworld] Sori looks for the missing pieces, even under the rug and on the periphery of the room.

[Bus] Taggart catches up with the older man, his voice falling quiet as he closes the distance. "Speak, fool... yer bein' more mysterious than the situation calls fer. We're worried about our friends."

[Lake] Kale follows less then 10 feet behind Taggart doing hir best to keep up. "Push through the burn." Kale whispers to hirself.

[Otherworld] Crys says, "I think love, that simply believing will be enough. But there's something else missing as River said. She moves forward and grabs a sharp rock from the ground and cuts into her wrist swiftly, letting blood drip onto the bones."

[Lake] Crys shakes her head at the man's attitude, but follows quietly, hoping he might have some answers.

[Bus] "You have every right ta be worried, your friends are dead. I'm sorry, but they are." The clearing ahead has a small encampment with a tent set up and a fire. The man sticks two fingers into his mouth and whistles sharply.

[Otherworld] Sori follows Crys' lead, and adds her own blood. "Time to wake; you're needed..."

[Lake] RosaSoul growls softly "their bodys maybe, but their minds are still somewhere right? could they not be brought back?"

[Otherworld] Crys' blood flows red initially, and then black like ink.

[Otherworld] Apostasy follows the lead of the other two and adds his blood to the bones. "Time to wake up."

[Otherworld] :blinks, then tries to prevent the shadow-blood from hitting the bones!

[Otherworld] Seeing the shadow pouring from her mate, Sori cups her uncut hand underneath the flow and shoves Crys back from the bones!

[Lake] The worn man chuckles, "It doesn't matter now does it? Either way they are lost to you."

[Lake] Taggart frowns softly, then nods a bit. "Well, I'd be believin' ya in most cases... 'cept that big dragon t'ing be'ind me's got some dousin' rod a'some sort... and it tends ta be tellin' us sumtin' else."

[Lake] Kale shouts emotionally at the man "How can you know that? I mean I have seen many weird things they could still be alive in the coyotes lair!"

[Lake] Kale says quieter "They promised they would be okay."

[Lake] RosaSoul replies simply "I refuse to believe that anyways, Not untill all possible paths have been taken, and all possibilitys tried, They are friends, I cant really just give up without trying"

[Otherworld] As Crys is knocked back and the black blood splattering off away from the bones, there is a rumble and smoke fills the room. Heat and fire erupt in quick bursts and when the smoke fades an Anthro Coyote is sitting there looking quite amused, the grin on his face is evident as he looks over.

[Otherworld] Crys tackled by Sorien doesn't struggle, she looks scared, and terrified by what was coming out of her.

[Otherworld] Apostasy looks at the anthro coyote. "Well now. That's new. You would be the dreamer, then? Or are you Coyote himself?"

[Lake] Sparhawk wanders over in a curving path, then nods politely to the shotguneer. "And with all that said, we are heroes. When things need saving, that is what we do. We could trade stories all day, but the lil' bit of my friend here wants to go join the rest of hir."

[Otherworld] Sori wipes the shadow-blood off on the floor of the cavern. "I'm sorry, sweetie... And I apologize that we nearly harmed you, sir."

[Lake] "I never said their minds weren't there. In fact, I'll let you meet Harry, she'll be able to tell you about the friend of yours she... met." There's a slight grin on his face at that comment. He whistles again, sharper and louder this time, and a quadrupedal partially transformed woman comes charging from the forest. She's covered with German Shepherd markings and her long tongue is lolling from her face as she pants.

[Otherworld] Cilan looks to where Apostasy had glanced and notices the new figure, prompting the woman to take on a curious gaze, but says nothing, leaving it to her companions to ask the questions.

[Otherworld] "I am neither, and both." The coyote-man says coyly in response to Apostasy's question.

[Otherworld] "You're part of Coyote, correct? We need your help."

[Otherworld] Apostasy groans. "Lovely. We're gonna play that kind of game. Well, even if you're part of Coyote, we need your help to get back to our friends."

[Lake] "Good." Meril murmurs simply, a hint of the cloud lifting from her grim expression as she watches the newcomer with measured interest.

[Lake] Kale stares at the woman "She is harry?"

[Lake] Crys quirks an eye at the incoming half transformed woman, wondering what the hell is going on.

[Lake] Sparhawk grins wider than strictly necessary. "Been a lot of good stories today, I hope this one is easier on the ears than the last one. Need t'trade some jerky for it?"

[Lake] Taggart can only chuckle gently. "I'magine, she weren't always a she."

[Otherworld] "And -why- should I help people who pollute the dream and steal from the dreamer? Have you come to take Coyote's strength from him, or help the shadows?" The coyote man questions carefully.

[Otherworld] Apostasy sighs. "Because we never wanted to come here, or steal anything from this dreamer. We were attacked by a pack of feral coyotes, and ended up here against our will. But I can assure you we are definitely no friends of the shadow."

[Lake] The man pulls out a piece of Jerky from his pocket and says, "Ya can have it, and tha story she'll tell if sha wants ta." "Harry" returning to the man and hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry I didn't hear your call, I was busy trying to track down what you asked me to." She finally notices the group of people staring at her, and blushes, the first time she's actually felt naked in ages.

[Otherworld] Crys continues to bleed out, trying to close her wrist, her blood turning back from solid black to red again.

[Otherworld] "I... Well... Most of the polluters are gone. Horrors were unleashed upon the world, and things aren't as they once were. On top of that, the mythic world has awakened as well- I would offer my own strength to you if you will help... THough it will break my heart to lose my love in the doing." (She hugs Crys tight.) "The world is more important. We need your help, and we, (she nods at her friends), are less important than stopping the shadow once again.

[Otherworld] The coyote man quirks his head to the side at the woman offering herself so freely. "That's entirely unneccessary, but I'm not sure what we can do in here to stop it. You've already brought it with you, and it's infecting the dreamer. Soon we'll all be, as we are a part of him, and through me, eventually Coyote himself."

[Otherworld] Sori nods, putting her hand on Crys' wound and applying pressure to stop the bleeding if she can. "Could you eject it, and us?"

[Otherworld] Cilan asks carefully, "Coyote, is there any way to stop this corruption? A way to stop the infection, or perhaps even reverse what we had done?"

[Otherworld] Sori continues after a pause. "I mean... Dump us into pack bodies, preferably our own?"

[Otherworld] "There must be something we can do! I won't leave Kale like that. I can't. I promised hir I'd always come back." Apostasy looks at the coyote with pleading eyes. "There has to be something you can do!"

[Lake] Sparhawk achs, and rummages for a minute. Shi apparently doesn't find what shi was looking for and turns back to Harry. "Madam, I would like to hear this story of yours. Stories have proved important thus far."

[Lake] Kale focuses on the woman's face "Um sorry to bother you... Harry was it? But we were hoping you could tell us 'tha story' ."

[Lake] RosaSoul seems to have lost any and all focus when the german shepard lady showed up, she would be drooling if her maw was any wider, her thoughts are fairly blank, cause all her blood is elsewhere, cause there are more character weaknesses than the flaws you buy... german shepards :Q

[Otherworld] "I cannot do anything outside the dream as that will need Coyote's magic, but I might be able to wake the dreamer at the cost of all of us. If we kill or wake it, we will be lost but the shadow along with us. Or, you can try to get Coyote to end it, and us. We are but figments so in truth we aren't sacrificing anything." He grins again, almost like he's having fun with it.

[Otherworld] Sori blanches. "We have to. Damn it, we have to. I'm in. Crys? We'll at least be together." She leans into her mate.

[Otherworld] Apostasy fidgets, looking torn, before he finally sighs. "Do it. Try to wake the dreamer. If the shadow escapes then Kale is in danger as well."

[Lake] Taggart stares very pointedly at the naked german shepard's female body parts, frowning gently, then turns his gaze away and looks back to the native american. The large wolf suckles on his canine tooth for a moment, head tilting to the side and his pointed ears flickering a bit as he listens to everyone settle and catch up to them around the fire.

[Otherworld] Cilan blinks at the options in front of the group, but noticing the other's choice, she breathes a deep sigh, and nods, "Alright.. Im with everyone.. while it means I will not make a promise that I had made to someone I care deeply about.. if it also means she will be safe, I will gladdly go with the plan.."

[Lake] She continues to blush and looks up to the man and he nods to her, and she says, "I... I was dealing with my heat when I found the coyote that was fixing it suddenly being driven. I thought it was one of the usual crowd but he said his name was Sorien, and mentioned that the pack has been up to some very naughty things."

[Lake] Sparhawk is somewhat stunned at the first statement, but sufficiently scientific to let the story run along without making incoherent interjections.

[Lake] "I told Carson, and he's been trying to drag one of them out to explain themselves but so far they haven't been exactly listening. He asked me to see if I could spot one of them." Harry says.

[Otherworld] Crys nods, embracing her mate quietly.

[Otherworld] Apostasy nods. "That's all of us in agreement then. Do what you have to do to try to wake the Dreamer."

[Otherworld] "Well I can force everyone here out, temporarily while I deal with the dreamer, or we can try to wake him from here. I will leave that up to you." The coyote man says, pointing at Sorien.

[Lake] Kale attractively says, "Any luck finding one?"

[Otherworld] Cilan looks to Sorien expectantly, waiting to hear her decision.

[Otherworld] Apostasy looks over to Sorien. "I'm fine with whatever choice you make, Sorien."

[Lake] Harry shakes her head, her long tongue still hanging out while she pants. "I've been looking for days. The packs been kind of agitated lately, and I've seen more than usual springing back out of the wellspring lately. You all wouldn't happened to have been, killing them would you?"

[Otherworld] Sorien says, "Wake him, I think. That's more important."

[Lake] RosaSoul has started to slowly approach the sheppy lady with wide eyes O_O

[Lake] Kale says "Well yes but I tried to talk to one and it lunged right for my throat then a whole pack came down on us."

[Lake] Sparhawk eyes nearby people. "Some of them. Some are glued to the floor way down south. And..." One of Spar's midlegs grabs Rosa's ankle in an immobilizing way. "Perhaps you know where the wellspring is, exactly?"

[Lake] Carson pulls his shotgun placing it directly pointing at Rosa, "I'd back off there miss." He says, quite clearly not taking no for an answer.

[Lake] RosaSoul doesn't seem to notice Carson but is caught anyways, wiggling against the constricting leg and whimpers softly "sheppy..."

[Lake] Taggart sighs and lets out an audible and warning growl at Rosa, standing up while his fists clench. "Rosa... it'd be wise iffun ya calmed down an'ad a seat... oterwise, you'll be forcin' me ta be doin' sumtin' unpleasant-like."

[Lake] Kale grabs Rosa's hand and stares deeply into hir eyes deeper and deeper. Kale concentrates and tries to bring Rosa's libido way down.

[Otherworld] The coyote man nods at the response, and then opens up what looks like a vent in the ground in front of him. Light and darkness streaming out of it in unison. The beam itself is blindingly bright, and bone chillingly dark and it writhes and twists in the air.

[Otherworld] Sorien braces herself, still holding Crys tight to her.

[Otherworld] Apostasy covers his eyes as the light sears his vision, and hugs Cil tightly.

[Lake] Carson says, "I'd be willing to show you were the wellspring is. I may need to be ending their time anyway since things have gotten so out of hand. However I'd be pleased if you would leave -that- one behind, pointing at Rosa.

[Lake] Meril frowns. "Seems clear enough, anyway. If they won't come out, us merry heroes should probably go *in* and see what the bastards are up to."

[Otherworld] Having watched the coyote again, Cilan quickly blocks the blinding light with her forearm again, her eyes squinting as she attempts to continue watching, her other arm meanwhile wraps around Apostasy, and holds him close to her, waiting in solemn peace, seeming stoic even in her final moments.

[Lake] RosaSoul blinks at kale and slumps if it works blinking again and looks at the leg around her "Oh... um..." she shakes her head "sorry?" and glances towards Carson with a frown "are there more sheppys inside? if so then perhaps i should..."

[Otherworld] The coyote man says, "Come closer but don't touch."

[Lake] Sparhawk has a reasonably firm grip and is looking at Rosa when her vision clears. "I think you should perhaps keep watch on the bus to make sure no one runs off with our ride. Yes?"

[Otherworld] Sorien does so, going where the being indicates.

[Otherworld] Apostasy nods and moves where indicated.

[Otherworld] Cilan follows suit with the rest of her group mates and steps toward the light.

[Lake] RosaSoul nods and folds her ears back "sorry... I really like german sheppards" she pushes at the leg "I'll just... watch the bus before i make a bigger fool of myself..."

[Otherworld] Crys follows quietly behind but trips forward pulling Sorien with her.

[Otherworld] Sori tries to prevent them from touching the light, shifting the fall-direction to the side if possible!

[Otherworld] Sori isn't able to shift in time, both her and Crys coming into contact with the beam, and then disappear. The coyote man raises an eyebrow and says, "That wasn't... good."

[Lake] Sparhawk fiddles with hir horn-mounted radio and makes sure Rosa's got one that is tuned to the same channel. "We might be going...out of range, but we can chat until then!"

[Otherworld] "Wasn't good? How not good is what just happened???" Apostasy shouts.

[Otherworld] The coyote man shrugs.

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 5|Click here to continue to Chapter 5.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 3

2013-04-25T21:20:50Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 2|Click here to return to Chapter 2.]]''

The three lost souls are sitting around in strange unfamiliar bodies, trying to make sense of their surroundings. A dark cave with a strange coyote shaped mouth is nearby. The mountains behind it seem to go on forever, hiding a sun never seen. The moon overhead still looks strange, the black shadow in the center has grown gradually and is quite noticeable.

Sorien slowly sits up. "That... Was weird. And I shouldn't have done that, but still... Who are you?" (she's looking at Cilan)

Cilan removes her palm from her face and grins, after a small chuckle she answers with, "Names Cilan, Cilan Averith.. one of the people sent here to rescue you.. but.. well, I suppose that plan has hit a small snag, huh?"

Sorien says, "Just a little one. "

Sorien says, "I just wish... I knew what the hell to do. I'm stabbing in the dark for the most part."

Cilan nods affirmatively and replies, "Yeah.. seems all we can do here and now.. but you never know, we might find some answers in an area I had found myself in.. a long tunnel that had an entrance that looked like one of the coyote's, I'd've searched it further, but it was pitch black inside.."

The ground underneath periodically rumbles still, almost as if it's angry at something. The wind is still as chaotic as ever, gentle breezes changing into strong gusts without reason or pattern.

Apostasy blinks. "Cil? You're here too? Oh come on, you saw what happened when I tried to use my adept abilities on that weird coyote infection... and you copied me?"

Sorien says, "What exactly happened to you two? I got knocked out before... Well, waking up here."

Apostasy says, "I got bitten by a coyote, and started feeling all... nauseous and dizzy. I tried using my adept abilities on the infection, and... well.. it was probably not the smartest idea. I had this...
vision... and then drowned... and woke up here.""

Suddenly coming to realize the second form was Apostasy, Cilan takes on an almost bashful expression as she stammers out, "E-erm.. uh.. well, sorry.. I just thought that if I had followed you I could assist in bringing you ba--.. huh?" finished abruptly, she turns to Sorien and asks again, "Huh? oh, one of the guys that acted as your bodyguard returned to Zephyr, and told us where you were.. after following we found some coyotes, we killed them, but in the meantime we got bitten, and well.. here we are.."

Sorien says, "Yeah. About the same here. I tried to get the hell away by going wyvern, but... "

Sorien says, "Kinda wonder how to get back to the bonfire though... Neither of you saw that?"

Cilan says, "Huh? seen what?"

It should still be easy to determine the relative directions based on the moon, although it appears... closer, here than it did earlier for Sorien.

Sorien says, "A bonfire, with people around it and some huts, or cabins."

Apostasy says, "I've seen nothing but this limitless field."

Sorien says, "(sigh) At least... I'm feeling calmer."

Cilan rises to her feet and presses her hands into her lower back, cracking it as she lets out a small grunt, "Well.. seems we're not getting much done sitting here.. so.. I suggest we set out and try to find that village, maybe there we can find more answers.."

Apostasy stands as well. "Well, I've no better ideas, so sound goods to me."

To the "east" are the cave and the mountains, behind it, while the north, south, and west appear to just go off into the distance in pure grassland.

Cilan says, "but first.. Id like to check out that cave again.. just seemed strange that the entrance looked like a coyote.. might also have some leads.."

Sorien says, "Yeah... Lets try West I guess. I'm not willing to try the cave; first, it screams 'ominous' and second, we don't have lights."

Apostasy says, "I'm with Sorien... don't really feel like walking into that cave without light, weapons... anything."

Cilan nods affirmatively and answers, "Alright, well you guys do make good points so.. Ill just go with the popular vote.."

After some arguments over direction, the trio head east, with intent of trying to find answers and the encampment. The timeless nature of the place is once again the most difficult part, but after a short while the cave appears far behind. The group stumbles over some smaller brooks, which the water is always still and not flowing but appears as fresh as any moving water. The night air is chilly, especially for the two that aren't clothed. Before long, the firelight of the encampment can be seen ahead, but strangely, the wind barrier rocks appear on the far side, as when Sorien had approached the encampment from the opposite direction.

Sorien says, "Man, this place gives me a headache."

The air begins to vibrate around the trio as they approach the encampment, as if it were a string being plucked. Along with it, comes a loud plinking sound, like a hollow piece of metal being hit.

Apostasy rubs has hir arms crossed, rubbing hir hands up and down trying to keep warm. "Damn. Been a long time since I've actually felt cold." Shi takes a look at the encampment. "Well. Looks like we found the place. What the hell is that weird sound?"

Sorien hands the coyote hide to Apo. "Here, sweetie."

Sorien says, "No idea. never heard it before..."

Apostasy looks at Sorien. "Uh, don't you need that?"

Sorien says, "I'll be fine."

Cilan folds her arms around her chest, as she walks, little noise is made from her direction until she notices the metallic sound, prompting her to say, "Huh?.. is someone there?"

Apostasy shrugs, and wraps the hide around hir waist like a crude loincloth.

The vibrating hum fades into the background noise of the world itself, eventually fading into silence beyond the rustling grass and wind.

Sorien looks around, trying to spot the people she'd seen before, and where they are.

Apostasy follows Sorien, looking about curiously.

Cilan moves to some of the various huts, peering inside, looking for any life signs, or even anything that could be useful to the three, clothing, weapons, food, or a light source.

In the encampment many more figures appear around than before. There seems to be activity, movement rather than the somber motionlessness of before. Sorien recognizes the elder, and the young girl who was by the fire, and the spear-holder, as well as quite a few new faces. They appear to all be sitting around the fire.

Apostasy says, "Well. It looks like we found some people. Quite a lot of people, in fact."

Sorien says, "Something's different..."

Cilan sneaks in without them noticing and enters one of the larger cabins

Cilan sees many Coyote furs that can be used as clothing hung up on the walls, and along the floors, but sees no specific weapons but one could possibly be created or improvised. She sees no food, but there are some wooden tools like a shovel that could be lit on fire.

Apostasy shrugs. "I've never been here before, so I'll take your word for it. I'm guessing that old guy is the one that... chucked you into the bonfire, before?"

Sorien says, "Yeah. And that one (she points) is Psycho Girl."

One member appears to be speaking to the others, she looks animated, her hand motions far more anglicized than anything Amerind in nature. What she's talking about is hard to make out from outside the encampment though.

Apostasy follows the direction of Sorien's pointing finger. "Psycho Girl? Sounds like a lovely person."

Sorien had pointed out a girl with dark hair that reaches down to her waist. She is lithe and looks dangerous.

Sorien says, "Lets see what's going on..."

Cilan notices the furs and grabs one or two pieces, enough to clothe herself comfortably and she leaves, leaving the shovel, making sure to not take more than is needed, finished she promptly returns to the other two and stands near them, waiting for anything she can do.

Apostasy shrugs. "Sure, might as well. Might get some clues as to what this place is."

Sorien leans against Apo for a moment, then strides forward.

Apostasy follows close behind Sorien, hir gaze moving from face to face as shi tries to note the ones that might be threats if things go bad.

Cilan watches Sorien carefully, watching for anything that would put her at risk, shortly after she follows suit with Apostasy and moves closer

When they move in range the group appears to be listening to the woman talk, they don't acknowledge the three at first, and rather are enraptured by her. "I don't care that you think this was a choice for us, it wasn't and now there are more of us and you still won't listen. What the hell is wrong with you? I've been trying to tell you this since I woke up here, and now you finally start to think there's a connection once you've stripped others of their freedom too? Why, oh god why, do you not see what you're letting us do this to more people? You can stop it, I know you can!" She speaks in a very distinct American accent, in fact you'd swear you've heard it plenty of times in Fairhaven. She looks Amerind in her skin tones and hair, but her motions scream something else entirely.

Sorien walks over to the talking woman. "Hi... We're like you. These... (she gestures at the staring throng) Don't get that we're no here willingly. I don't think they CAN get it."

And the air hums again, the same metal plinking nose is louder this time. It doesn't seem to interrupt the animated conversation though.

Apostasy looks around for the source of the sound, but still can't find one. Shi returns hir attention to the talking woman, and follows Sorien over. "I guess you didn't choose to give in either, then."

The girl looks up at Sorien and says, "I'm not sure there's any point to trying to get them to understand. I've tried many times, and tried even harder to win my freedom back but I /keep/ /getting/ /pulled/ /back/ /in/." She pauses to emphasize each word. The elder looks on impassive, but is clearly listening.

Cilan simply stands there, a few paces away from Sorien, with her arms held firmly across her chest, but rather remains silent, watching the exchange, and waiting for any opening she can enter.

Sorien says, "I was able to see out of the eyes of the coyotes... And some other things... But yeah, still stuck here. I'm Sorien. This (she points) is Apostasy, and this is Cilan. "

Apostasy nods in greeting, half hir attention still on the rest of the people present.

Cilan slowly inclines her head as her name is spoken, prompting the woman to break her silence with, "Hello.."

She nods to Apostasy, "I'm pretty sure I made that clear. In fact most of us aren't here by choice. Just ask around, only the four wackos don't. I have no idea where the hell -they- come from. She says indicating the elder, the raven haired girl, and another very Amerind looking woman, a bit older to the side of the elder.

The other unnamed girl that she indicated speaks up, her eyes a deep amber yellow tone that looks almost canine. She says, with a softness to her voice, "If you did not chose this fate, then why does this place dream of you?"

Sorien says, "You might wanna ask the place. I've no idea. I want to go back to my life, and my mate."

Apostasy says, "I haven't a clue. I just want to get out of here, get back to my mate, my friends, my life."

Sorien says, "Just because this place 'dreams' of us doesn't mean we EVER wanted to be here."

The original girl says, "I told you, they just don't make any god damned sense. By the way, my name is Shelley, nice to meet you. Or well, I'm sorry to meet you would probably be more appropriate here."

Sorien says, "Nice works. We'll get out. The three of us work with Zephyr in Fairhaven. You?"

Cilan says, "All I know is my body was suddenly morphed to a coyote shortly after I was bit by a coyote that had attacked me, and then everything went black, and when I woke up I was here.."

Apostasy chuckles. "Well... are associated with Zepyr, might be a better term for it."

The mention of Zephyr causes Shelley to quirk her eyebrow, "You work for those motherfuckers too? I'm surprised they haven't put a whole army in here by now trying to figure out how to profit off this god damned strain."

Sorien says, "What do you mean, 'too'? You with Z, or are there others from Zephyr here?"

A third plinking noise interrupts the conversation. This time it's nearly deafening, and the vibration shakes teeth, even the stoic natives reacting to it this time.

Sorien starts, and looks around.

Apostasy curses and looks around again. "Will -someone- please explain what the hell that is?"

"I'm here, as well as that quiet one over there." She points out indicating a nondescript female sitting with her arms crossed, looking somber and distant, in a very masculine pose. "Don't worry about Ryan, he's kind of zonked out these days."

Sorien says, "Zonked out?"

Sorien glances at Apo. "No clue. Prolly the tolling of doomsday or something."

Shelley shrugs, but the elder interrupts and says, "Unsure, seeking to welcome another to The People, problems."

Sorien says, "Dude, you are SO not in a position to say anything. You don't even know what is actually going on!"

Shelley says, "He's, never been quite the same since he was pulled out of the wolves. I'm not sure he's even whole right now. Sometimes he has vivid memories of his old life, and at other times he sits here unresponsive."

Apostasy says, "I'm guessing it's something to do with being female here, since the name Ryan suggests a man in the... real world, I guess. Or maybe it's just something in this place."

Sorien says, "Wolves? Wait. Wasn't that one... Dammit, I wish I'd done more than scanned that report. Portland wasn't it, or just outside?"

Cilan says, "Logcabin.. or something.."

The elder holds up a finger and says, "Should ask Coyote for help, he will know the answers for he is crafty and wise.

Apostasy shrugs. "I read the report, but can't really remember the details right now."

Sorien says, "... Oh, you're kidding."

Apostasy raises an eyebrow as shi gives the elder a look. "Ask Coyote? Seriously?"

Sorien says, "But you're not, are you. Great. How do we do that then?"

Cilan says, "Huh? I think I met him.. probably didnt really leave a good first impression though.."

Apostasy chuckles. "If it's the same thing that's controlling the pack of coyotes that infected us, he's not gonna be very willing to talk with us, I think."

He grins, "He sleeps, has not answered his children. He knows many things."

Sorien says, "I have a headache."

Sorien sits down and rubs her head.

Apostasy says, "So you're telling us to talk to this... Coyote... even though he won't answer? What the hell use is that to us?"

The fourth plink is so loud that it causes the air and space around to shatter, like a mirror, reality breaking revealing darkness and emptiness. Each of the three is alone in that darkness, emptiness. Calling out they can't even hear their own voice.

Sorien looks around, trying to see, or feel, her companions!

Void, nothingness. It's terrifying.

Apostasy casts about in the void, trying to see, hear, feel anything!

Cilan blinks in surprise as everything goes black, her face full of fear as she calls out, attempting to feel out for anyone, or anything.

Sorien tries to focus, visualizing solid terrain.

And that plink repeats, and time almost reverses, the mirror rewinding back together, and depositing everyone onto the ground. Many of the people around the fire are floundering on the ground screaming.

Apostasy climbs to hir feet slowly. "Well.... that was... different. Could probably do without having that happen again."

Sorien just sits and breathes for a moment, then goes to see if there's anything she ca do to help the floundering people.

And the fire bursts, growing into a huge plume, and a hand sticks out, the depression of a face on it's edges.

Her eyes still wide with surprise, she looks around again, "What the hell was that?!.." is called out, turning to the fire again her face turning to one of curiosity, "Coyote, I'm guessing?"

A voice can be heard in the space itself, a grunt of pain and anguish, and a voice. Sorien immediately recognizes her mate's cries and shivers.

Apostasy jumps back from the fire, and the suddenly appearing hand. "What the -fuck-?"

Sorien looks up in shock!

Sorien, heart in her throat, closes her eyes and tries to take her mates pain onto herself; she doesn't think she can prevent her from being dragged in, but maybe... She can make it hurt less.

Just as everyone around the fire begins to recover, another explosion and a body is ejected from the flames, still burning. It's writhing in pain trying to put itself out.

Apostasy runs over to the person that has been ejected from the flames, pulling the coyote pelt from hir waist and using it to smother the flames as best shi can.

Cilan blinks in surprise, and pulls one of the furs from around her shoulders and joins in Apostasy, smothering the flames as best as she can

Sorien hears the roar and impact, and opens her eyes- she immediately joins her friends in trying to help!

The fires are beaten off, the person still screaming, but her flesh appears unburnt, and her hair's intact. She has green eyes, otherwise Amerind skin tones as with the lot. She is too stunned to respond or think.

Apostasy tries to calm the woman down, taking hir by the shoulders. "Hey. Hey! You're alright! You're safe now!"

Sorien looks around to see what's happening now that the woman seems... Safe, if not quite alright.

The woman looks down at her hands and then up to the naked tall native American man in front of her and freaks the fuck out. Reaching to her side for something that isn't there, and backing up on her heels and palms.

Shelley appears to be the first recovering from the void, most are still shivering and frightened, many just outright crying. The elder looks to be praying.

Apostasy moves back from the woman and wraps the scorched pelt back around hir waist before raising hir hands to show shi means no harm. "Hey, hey, calm down. I'm not going to hurt you."

Sorien goes over to the elder and gives him a light shove, just enough to break his concentration. When he looks at her, she says, "NOW tell me that this is 'WILLING!' Did THAT look willing?

She says, "Who are you? Where the hell am I? Oh... oh... oh no. Am I dead?" She asks.

"She chose here, not darkness." The elder says, but even he seems flustered after the void.

Apostasy says, "I'm Apostasy, no idea - the woman over there claims we're being dreamed, whatever that means. As for whether we're alive or dead.... I wish I could tell you. Haven't a clue myself."

Sorien says, "You know what? For an 'elder' you're awful stupid. (She turns her back on him and goes towards the woman, moving to her without threat.)"

She shakes her head, and then leaps to her feet to hug the much taller man, "Oh my god, it means you're all right!" She says ecstatically.

Apostasy is taken completely by surprise, but returns the hug. "Ummm... for a given value of alright, I gues..."

She stops... "Sorien, Sori must be here, where is she?!" She looks around at all the strange faces with expectancy.

Sorien bites her lip, looks rather sheepish, and says, "Hi sweetie."

Cilan points to Sorien, "Heh.. welcome to ourside of the world, REDACTED.. oh, and she's Sorien.."

Apostasy blinks as realization dawns. "Crys...?" Shi quickly looks around, and spots Sorien by the elder. "Right there."

Up above, the dark spot in the moon grows wider, nearing the edges of the moon, leaving but a small ring visible.

Crys races forward to embrace her mate, "I... I knew you couldn't be gone. I knew it!"

Apostasy looks at the moon as it changes. "Well... that's probably.... not good?"

Sorien says, "No... I don't think it is. (She hugs Crys, and starts crying- partly in relief, partly in stress-reaction)"

The elder says, "The void comes for all." Looking up at the moon. His wrinkled and creased face and patchy gray hair show his age and he looks tired.

Cilan turns from REDACTED to look at the elder once more and she asks, "The void? what is that.. that black thing we were in earlier?"

Apostasy says, "The void comes? Pretty sure it just came and went."

"Coyote would know, stop Shadow." He looks distant.

Sorien just holds onto Crys for the moment.

Apostasy says, "Shadow... Shadow.... Crys. That legend. The one that had to do with the demon... spirit... thing. Weren't coyote and Shadow a pair of major players in that?"

The raven haired girl up til now has been silent but says, "This is your fault." And points at Sorien with hatred.

Apostasy moves hirself between Sorien and the raven haired girl. "Control yourself, girl."

Sorien looks up at the accusation. "How so?"

Crys looks dumbfounded for a moment and then nods, "I do think they called it Midnight Shadow."

The raven haired girl huffs and says, "You brought it with you. You called out to the void and told it where to find us."

When Crys mentions that name, the other native girl, who spoke once earlier shivers visibly. She's heard it's name before.

Sorien hugs Crys, then steps towards Psycho Girl. "You know... You're an idiot. You need someone to blame, and because I didn't kiss your ass and knuckle under, I'm elected. You got more than that? Do you have proof? If not, kindly shut the HELL up.

The raven haired girl points at Crys and says nothing. As if pointing at Sorien's mate proves her point.

Sorien says, "... Uh-huh. "

Apostasy laughs. "Yep. That's some real fine explaining you did there. Kindly shut the hell up, now." Shi looks over at the other girl. "You. You recognized that name, didn't you?"

Sorien says, "No... I think I see what she's driving at. Unfortunately, she's STILL a moron; I didn't bring Crys here. The pack attacked you guys, and THAT brought her here. And yeah, her connection to... Well."

The girl nods, her yellow eyes somber. "It's a tale that's been told many times. One of the People's greatest foes.

The elder snaps, "River, not wise, do not talk of it."

Apostasy shrugs as shi looks at Sorien. "I guess. But it's not your fault she's here. That's on whoever or whatever controls that pack." Shi looks back over to the yellow-eyed girl. "Tell us."

Sorien says, "If you don't talk about it, how can you fight it? "

"Tale speaks of how it lost, shadow here, listening."

Sorien says, "Can you call Coyote? "

The elder shakes his head, "Sleep after woke us. Then went walking."

Apostasy says, "Woke you? Woke you from what?"

Sorien says, "Fine. I'll try then. Worst case I end up looking stupid. (she steps clear of the group, closes her eyes and concentrates. After a bit, she opens her eyes and takes a deep breath to yell)"

"From nothing." The elder says, as if that explains something.

Apostasy rolls hir eyes. "Nope, back to useless again. And you were so close to actually being helpful."

Cilan says, "Probably means that blackness from before, after all, there /was/ pretty much nothing, no voice, no feeling.. just black.."

Crys looks with concern on her mate, watching her carefully wondering what she's planning.

Apostasy shrugs at Cilan. "Maybe."

After a moment, Sorien shouts, "Coyote! First Scolder! Old Man! Trickster, Teacher, Dog-Of-God! Hear me! Come to me, we need your presence! Your People suffer, and the innocent have bled! Fire-Bringer, come to me!"

Sorien feels dizzy, immediately after calling the last of the words. She topples and Crys catches her as she fells over passed out cold.

Cilan blinks in surprise as she runs to Sorien's side, "Sori? are you alright?!.. What's wrong?"

Apostasy runs over to Sorien as well. "She didn't shout -that- loud. I'm guessing Coyote showed up after all."

[Outside] Sorien suddenly feels an overwhelming but familiar series of images and sensations surrounding her, until it begins to clarify on a single point. A very odd images comes into clarity and she finds herself in a coyote's body once again. This time it's male, she can feel her cock thick and her knot protruding, and she realizes she is methodically humping forward into... something? At first she thinks it's another coyote, but as the eyes and ears of the body begin to become her own, you she hears a very human-like moaning.

Crys is busy trying to comfort her mate's fallen body, looking panicked and calling Sorien's name, over and over again.

[Outside] Sorien takes a scent in deeply, and what she recognizes is not coyote at all. Her new-found body urges her to bite down on the scruff of the neck in front of her, and it lets her see the back of their partner's head. You see the fur of what appears to be a german shepherd, but she's got many human qualities to her as well, including her husky voice, her moans still very human sounding.

[Outside] She really start getting into it, and eventually she starts moaning as well, the coyote's vocals shift from natural to her own voice. The shepherd female below her stops, suddenly recognizing the change. The shepherd says, "Which one of you decided this would be funny today?" And the shepherd pulls forward and throws Sorien off her back.

[Outside] The shepherd gets up on her feet, and growls at Sorien. "Which of you is it? I told you not to invade my privacy how many times now, but you never listen do you?"

[Outside] Sorien gets REALLY embarrassed. "Um... Uh... (ears go back) I'm Sorien... And ogeezI'msorry... I was trying to reach Coyote. Uh..." (She earheats and sits down, covering her... HIS obvious erection.)

[Outside] The german shepherd's partially transformed ears perk at the name. "A new one? Which pack did you come from? I haven't seen the 'yotes pick up anyone new since they destroyed the wolves a few months back.

[Outside] "They attacked several people. They... Took me, nearly killed my driver, then attacked and hurt my friends, three of whom were dragged in too. The idiots we met inside think we WANTED this." to REDACTED.

[Outside] "Wait what? Since when did the 'yotes start picking up humans? Why where you up here anyway?", The german shepherd girl indicates the area around them. Deep forest, but it looks nothing like the area Sorien was attacked.

[Outside] Sorien says, "We're NOT... Not here. We're outside of Fairhaven, in California. Where is this?"

[Outside] Sorien looks incredibly embarrassed still, especially since canids don't lose the erection til done, or a VERY long time. His ears stay down, and its almost a submissive posture.

[Outside] "Wait what? How in the hell?" She looks really confused now. "We're way up here in Oregon, how in the hell did you get attacked by the 'yotes?" She looks genuinely agitated, her tail is flicking back and forth. "You must be shitting me. Old Carson's going to be pissed."

[Outside] Sorien's ears come up, and her attitude comes back some. "Why the hell would I lie?"

[Outside] Sorien suddenly stops. "Wait. You said 'you guys'... Some of the coyotes are sapient? Not the ones WE met. There are minds inside the pack, but not... Not in the animals that attacked us."

[Outside] "I didn't say you were lying... but, this is going to be a probl..." Her comment is cut off by Sorien's canid body suddenly shaking as she is ejected back out of it.

Sorien begins to groan, Crys cradling her prone form.

Sorien says, "Nnnngh..."

Apostasy sighs in relief. "And she's back with us again. I swear, she needs to stop with the suddenly passing out thing."

Sorien says, "Mmmn... Help me sit up, sweetie?"

The raven haired girl just scoffs, "She acts overly dramatic about something a baby could do."

Crys carefully helps Sorien into a sitting position, taking care with her and is very, very gentle.

Apostasy says, "So, Sorien. What did Coyote have to say to you?"

Cilan looks to the raven haired girl and quickly flips her the bird before turning her attention to Sorien, "Yeah.. what happened in there.."

Crys says, "I just want to know if you're all right first, love."

Sorien directs her comments to the girl. "Really? Coyote has a companion who is a german shepherd female. He doesn't know that a part of the pack is down in California. Coyotes are NOT supposed to be grabbing people, yet they are. She was in Oregon, and girl, you don't know SHIT."

Sorien then kisses Crys. "With you, I'm always okay."

Apostasy says, "So the pack we fought... they weren't even meant to be there, let alone attacking us? Lovely. Coyote can't even control his people."

Cilan says, "So.. that's why those coyotes reminded me so much of the wolves in Oregon, huh?.. heh.."

The girl shrugs at Sorien, "It does what it wants."

Sorien says, "It disobeys. And I suspect I begin to see why." and then "Replace 'it' with 'you' and I think we know what's going on."

Apostasy says, "The angry little girl has taken control of part of the pack, has she?"

The ring that is the moon above flickers, as the shadow entirely engulfs it, leaving but a black hole in the twilight sky.

Sorien says, "Yeah, I kinda think that's about right."

The girl growls, and jumps into the fire.

Sorien says, "And her disobedience called the shadow to her weakness."

Cilan says, "So.. what do we do?.. get rid of the rebellious leader and hope the rest go back to coyote?"

Sorien says, "Shit."

Apostasy says, "Too late. Girly made her escape into the fire."

The fire shimmers looking like a splash of water rippling.

Sorien says, "Apo, if you think you can get her, go!"

Apostasy looks at Sorien. "Fuck it. Might as well." Shi turns and dives into the fire after the girl.

Sorien gets up, gently pulling Crys up with her and goes over to the Elder. "You need to take the control of the pack."

[Freefall] The air rippling around him, gusts barely slowing his fall as he tumbles through the air. He catches glimses of the fire lit encampment in his vision as he falls.

River begins to pray quietly, and the sky cracks open and the sky fills with rain. The torrential downpour soaking everything but not putting a dent in the fire.

[Freefall] Apostasy straightens out, trying to control hir fall, casting about trying to spot the raven-haired girl.

[Freefall] To add more pain, he feels pelted by down pouring rain as he spins. The ground getting closer he catches sight below that he's falling into what looks like a growing pool of water.

[Freefall] "Fuuuuck!" Apo yells as shi desperately tries to gain control of hir fall before shi hits the water.

[Freefall] He slams into the water, the expected splash sounding like a mirror cracking instead of water and he blacks out, not from pain but from the visions in his head. They are overwhelming, the sheer number of sights and sounds and his mind can't take it and shuts down.

"Your friend will need help." River says calmly.

Sorien charges to get to Apo out of the water.

Cilan rushes over to the pool where Apostasy had fallen promptly diving in, and clinging the body, and using Sorien to assist with bringing hir out, and back to safety.

Sorien starts checking Apo out, seeing if there are broken bones or other injuries, and making sure he's breathing.

Crys follows too, showing concern for her mate's friend and the person who supported her through past tragedy, but she avoids getting in the water, rather assisting once he's brought out by Sorien and Cilan.

No bruises, no injuries, he breathes, but isn't conscious. It's as if his brain shut down.

Sorien sighs. "He's... Just out. As far as I can tell."

Cilan nods understandingly, breathing a small sigh of relief as she drapes the fur she had used to smother the flames over Apostasy's form, and sits back, hoping that she will be okay in a few moments.

The rain does not let up. It almost looks like it might flood the place, but outside of this particular pool of water, the rain doesn't appear to be collecting anywhere specific.

Sorien says, "Lets get him back to the others."

Cilan nods again, and lifts Apostasy, holding an arm underneath his own pair, behind his back, and another underneath his knees and she promptly lifts, holding his unconscious form with ease as she moves closer to the fire, setting him down once at the destination of choice.

Sorien and Cilan return to the group by the fire, carrying Apo. "Okay... Elder, Can you tell where she went?"

"To find mate." The elder says gruffly. He looks tired, his features looking sad in the rain.

Sorien says, "Where is her mate? WHO is her mate? I'm betting I can guess..."

"Atse Hackee, been out for some time." He responds.

Cilan says, "Out? Out where?.. Somewhere in the forest? or.. somewhere else?"

Sorien blinks. "Huh. Guess I can't. Can we call her back?"

Crys fidgets, looking over at River. "You mentioned knowing of Midnight Shadow?" She asks again, hoping this time she might be able to prod more information.

"Comes and goes." He shrugs, he may know more but clearly isn't explaining further. Shelley says, "The two of them are always off in coyote bodies having fun."

Cilan says, "Huh.. off in coyote bodies?.. Like in the physical world? or this one?"

Sorien says, "I bet its more than that, Shelley. That (she points at the darkness on the moon) I think is infecting the pack; and I think her and her mate may be how it actually got in. It was just a dot when I got here, and its been getting bigger. She and her mate, or maybe her mate, probably ran into shadow and got suckered."

River shakes her head, "I'm not sure it would be wise for me to pass on our ancestors secrets when he is listening."

Sorien gets a grin. "Maybe now is the time for the cave."

Crys says, "But telling it might get Coyote's attention, perhaps?" still trying to nudge some information out of River.

Cilan says, "Heh.. I think you're right.." and with that she looks to River and asks, "Hey.. do you have any light sources? A torch or something we can use?.. Maybe a weapon too so if we need to protect ourselves?""

Sorien says, "No, Cil. No lights."

The girl looks a little dumbfounded. "You make what you need. It just happens." She shrugs confused by the question.

Sorien says, "Oh? OOooh. (She closes her eyes, visualizing herself in tennis shoes, blue jeans and a light blue blouse)"

And a coyote skin appears, it just is, it looks as if it was always there too.

Sorien says, "Ahhh.... SHoot."

Sorien says, "River, can you come with us to the cave, please? And no lights, Cil. I'm serious."

River nods. "I will come."

Almost seeming hurt, Cilan adds, "Alright, fine, fine, no lights.. dunno why though.. couldn't even see my hand in front of my face.." and with that she begins to mutter discontentedly.

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 4|Click here to continue to Chapter 4.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 2

2013-04-25T21:20:30Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 1|Click here to return to Chapter 1.]]''

Sorien comes to, her face on the ground again. Her eyes come into focus and she looks up, and there's the mouth of a cave, shaped like the muzzle of a coyote, maw wide, as if to make a snack out of her.

Apostasy comes conscious to the sudden feeling of falling, the air flowing over their face and the sickening drop is all they feel at first. It takes a moment for them to make sense out of what's happening and they try to stretch their wings, but nothing happens. They notice finally that they have very masculine human arms flailing in front of them. Purples and greys spin around them and doesn't stay still to make any sense.

[Sorien] The air hums, and a sudden swift wind picks up almost knocking the rising Sorien off the ground the gust is so powerful.

Sorien crouches to resist the force, using an arm to protect her eyes so that she can perhaps see what's coming.

Apo can't even hear their screaming over the sickening spinning and rushing air, but suddenly they feel slammed by a force that hits them hard like a rock. Air gusting underneath them and amazingly slowing their fall just before they crash to the earth below.

[Sorien] Sorien hears an odd noise and behind in the distance she sees something falling, and hitting the ground. It looks like a body.

Apostasy screams out in pain at the sudden, jolting stop, blacking out momentarily from the pain before coming to and looking about.

Sorien heads for the form carefully, not knowing who or what it is; she's still shaking-mad and frustrated, and not at all trusting of her surroundings.

The twilight sky above, and grass fields surround, waist high into the distance. There's the full moon in the sky, red and yellow, with a black dot in the center.

[Sorien] Sorien hears a scream of pain as the body collides with the ground, definitely alive. Or at least used to be.

Apostasy climbs to hir feet slowly, grunting with pain as shi does.

"That.... is gonna leave a mark..." Shi stops and stares at the bizarre looking moon. "What the hell..? Where am I?"

[Sorien] Sorien sees the figure get up, and a deep masculine voice talks, "That.... is gonna leave a mark..." and then a moment later "What the hell..? Where am I?" He appears deep red skinned, and completely nude, his genitalia hanging out in the cold air marking him as clearly male. He's very tall, bordering on seven feet, and muscular.

Apo sees someone female approaching them. She has dark black hair running down to her shoulders, and she's covered by a coyote fur, enough to cover her modesty. She's bare foot, and has clear Amerind features.

Sorien slows down, realizing that the person isn't dead, or even crippled. She becomes a lot more wary as she continues to approach.

Apostasy blinks at the sound of hir own voice. "Wha..." Shi looks down at hirself, and almost falls backwards in shock. "What the hell? What's going on? Where's my body? Why am I a -man-?"

The wind howls in the air above the two strangers, and the grass at their knees sways with it.

Sorien stops a distance away, at least two body-lengths, and waits for the person to react to her.

Apostasy finally realizes shi's not alone, and looks at the other person. Hir eyes narrow and shi fires off several questions, not even leaving enough time for replies between each. "Who are you? What is this place? Why am I here? Why have I got this body instead of my own? What the hell is going on?!"

Sorien blinks. "Um... My name is Sorien, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know and I don't know, but I think we've been absorbed into some kind of group mind thing?

Apostasy blinks. "S-Sorien? Sorien! You're alright! Well, sort of. It's... uh... me, Apo. Though I obviously amn't myself right now, in terms of body..."

Sorien says, "No... No I'm not alright. Not really. I wanna go home, I hate this place, the others here talk in fucking riddles, and I am SO gonna beat the living hell out of them on principle. (She sits down where she is with a sigh, tears in her eyes.) "

Another earthquake rumbles beneath, the ground shifting like waves of water, behind where Sorien came from, the cave entrance slopes upward, rocks begin to fall down the hillside as the earth rumbles in anger.

Sorien turns and looks at the cave. "Oh shut the FUCK up."

Apostasy moves over to Sorien awkwardly, completely unused to moving around without a tail and wings, and sits beside Sorien, putting an arm around her shoulders. "We'll find a way out of here. I made a promise to Kale, one I have no intention of breaking. And we have to get you back to Crys. She's near out of her mind with worry." She looks over at the cave curiously, but shrugs... it can be investigated later.

The cave itself looks like a coyote's maw, hungry and slavering. Rocks settle around near the entrance, giant bolders and smaller rubble a like.

Sorien sort of hugs herself. "I... I don't wanna be touched right now... We'll get out, over the dead body of whatever son of a bitch did this if necessary."

Apostasy takes hir arm off Sorien, and nods. "Sorry, sorry..." Shi chuckles and nods affirmatively. "Damn straight we will. you mentioned other people were here?"

[Cilan] Cilan wakes in darkness. Oppressive weight on top of her is overwhelming and she can't breath, choking on dirt. She feels as if she's been buried alive, and her instincts kick in.

Sorien says, "Not... Friends. " and then "Not that I can tell.

Apostasy seductively says, "What do you mean?"

Sorien says, "One old bastard who only talks in riddles if he talks at all, one psychotic woman, one warrior-wannabe with a spear who didn't say a thing, and some others. All totally acceptant of this being 'right' and none sympathetic at all."

Cilan wakes up in a strange area, and her first instinct is to let out a few dry heaving coughs, choking as she attempts to find the needed air, finished she slowly rises to her feet and groans, "Ugh.. where the fuck am I?.." anger at her vision attacker obviously still there

Apostasy sighs. "I guess all of them gave in."

Sorien says, “They're distinct personae. I don't think that's it precisely."

Apostasy shrugs. "I suppose I might as well gie talking with them a try. Where are they?"

Sorien says, "I was about to go all Bruce Lee on them and the old guy threw me into the bonfire, and I landed here. I dunno."

[Cilan] She sees no light around her obvious, in the darkness she shivers, not sure of where she is, she spins around trying to find something her eyes can make sense out of, until she finally sees a soft light in the distance.

Apostasy can't help but giggles. "I presume you attempted diplomacy first?"

Sorien says, "Yeah. Getting laughed at after everything else didn't exactly improve my mood."

Cilan blinks her eyes, rapidly, seeing nothing around her but blackness, "H-Hello?!.. Anyone there!" is called out in the attempt to find another voice in.. wherever the hell this is, noticing the light her eyes go wide, and she runs to it, hoping to find a way out.

Apostasy seductively says, "No, I can't imagine it would have. Still... maybe I'll have a bit more luck? Assuming you knwo how to get us back to them."

Sorien says, "No idea. And that stupid cave is just screaming 'bad idea' at me."

[Cilan] Cilan notices first her stride seems off, although it comes naturally to her, it's not right at all. The light begins to grow in size, and before long she realizes she's in some kind of tunnel, and the outside world is growing in size. Dim glowing twilight can be seen ahead.

Apostasy looks at the cave again. "Yeah, kinda does. After all, it was a Coyote's mouth that got me into this mess in the first place, and I'm guessing the same for you."

Sorien says, "Yeah... But a took down half the pack before the bastards got me."

Apostasy chuckles. "We had a hell of a brawl. Lost count of how many I took down before one manged to wing me when I was getting them off Kale. Still, shi's safe as far as I know, so at least there's that."

Cilan pays little attention to her stride, having been through many forms, she's gotten used to each style of running, and it continues until finally the sky shows itself, prompting the soldier to push herself even more to find out just where she is.

[Cilan] As she emerges into the light, she gets the creeps as she looks up above at the cave entrance, a large rock coyote's maw looks as if it's about to swallow her again.

Cilan turns to look at the maw and without thinking, attempts to jump away, diving to move out of its path.

Cilan lands with her head in tall grass. Behind her the stone maw looks down on her, hungry but unmoving. To the side of it rocks and boulders have slid down and are piled. The sky above is deep indigo tinged with purple, and red tipped mountains that rise up high beyond the cave look at if they are hiding a dormant sun just behind. And above the full red-yellow moon is bright and shimmering like a reflection on a water surface.

"Ooof!.." is called out as Cilan lands, finding her vision marred by tall grass, she rises to her feet once more and looks to the sky, still remaining silent she gives the entrance one last look, scoffing at it, before she moves next to scan her surroundings, attempting to find a familiar face, or at least scene.

Cilan looking around sees nothing but grass behind her, but scanning closely she spots two figures in the dim light sitting in the grass, one's head significantly taller than the other.

Cilan moves close to the figures she had seen, but rather than dashing frantically to them, she sneaks, attempting to make as little noise as possible just incase the figures are another of the coyotes she had fought earlier.

Apostasy sighs and looks up at the strange moon again. "I hope Kale and Cil are alright... the others better be taking care of them..."

Cilan notices as she's moving through that she's most certainly human, and she's quite naked, the waist high grass is actually quite bothersome because of that. Her skin is a lighter shade of soft red and brown hues, but the twilight hides some of that.
Sorien says, "I've been trying to snap loose of this... Fake place. I actually got kinda loose, only to see me attacking Crys as a coyote! God, I hope that wasn't real... I KNOW I can control things here. I know it... I just have to figure out how."

Cilan notices her skin as she creeps up on the figures, giving the sight a surprised look, blinking, but shortly shaking her head of the matter, figuring that she'd figure out what happened after seeing who those two were.

Cilan reaches just into hearing range without being noticed, having to get fairly close with her weak human ears. So far her presence has gone unnoticed.

Apostasy seductively says, "You'll have to tell me how you did that... if we can manage that, and actually take control of the coyotes we end up in... we can still help them from here."

Cilan sees two human figures, although she stays low in the grass to hide herself incase one looks her way.

Cilan kneels down, watching the two figures intently now that she had entered earshot, and listens, watching them intently, figuring out whether the two are friend, or foe.

Sorien says, "I want my OWN body back. I'll be damned if I let... Whomever... Win."

Apostasy seductively says, "First we need to get back into the real world. Once we do that, getting our own bodies back will probably be a bit easier than trying it from here."

Sorien says, "Sweetie... Our bodies are IN the real world. THis, (she gestures) is fake. A construct. THat much I've figured out. Our real bodies are coyotes now. "

Sorien says, "Only way back is to take them back."

"The real world?.. so.. where the hell am I?" is whispered as Cilan muses to herself, continuing to watch, and learn more about her situation.

Sorien says, Or to take over here. At least as far as I can tell."

Sorien says,, "I'll try again... Just to see."

Sorien closes her eyes, and tries once again to force her way back to her own body. She breathes slow and long, focussing on her 'self' and her body, knowing there's SOME connection on some deep level, and PUSHES to try to reach it!

Apostasy watches Sorien carefully.

Sorien feels dizzy and sick, and visions spin of many eyes and ears, but she feels a resistance, almost like a feedback.

Sorien suddenly passes out, falling to the ground.

Apostasy seductively says, "Sorien? Sorien!"

Sorien feels really odd as she slips into something. She wakes up, in a hut, and looks at her hands, still female, but they're -very- different hands than a few moments before. She realizes that she's in the Raven haired girl's body.

Her head spins as she tries to make sense of who she is and what's going on and realization dawns on her. "Hah! Hehehehehehehehe! She cries out and looks around, sees what she can, and writes in the dirt on the floor: "Bitch, Guess what- I can GET IN YOU." Then she feels a sucking sensation and is punted back into her own body.

Cilan continues watching, blinking in surprise as Sorien collapses and further surprise is added as she hears Apostasy call her name, "S-Sorien?" is called out, easily heard as she rises from her kneeling position, and promptly rushing to the two.

Apostasy blinks as another human woman runs up to them. Shi looks at her curiously for a moment and says "Who are you?" before returning hir attention to Sorien, concern clear on hir face.

Sorien sits up slow, and is actually giggling! "Hah. Gotcha."

Apostasy pokes Sorien in the side. "You... you! GAH! That was just mean." Shi tries to look annoyed, but can't stop a smile from tugging at hir lips.

Cilan rushes to Sorien's side, only then does she answer, "Names Cilan.. don't know who you are, but right now Sori--.. huh?" blinking as she rises back into a seated position, "Ugh.. you just had to make me fear the worst, didn't you.." her palm covering her face and she shakes her head as she says that.

Sorien says, "Sorry..." and "I didn't get you, I got someone else."

Sorien says, "I'd not do that, sweetie."

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 3|Click here to continue to Chapter 3.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 1

2013-04-25T21:20:27Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind|Click here to return to the index.]]''
:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Prologue|Click here to return to the Prologue.]]''

[[User:Cilan|Cilan]] rests her back against the wall near the entry way into the building, one foot resting on the wall, while the other is pushed outwards at an angle, in one hand is a flask that she occasionally nurses back, and in the other is a seemingly well maintained handgun.

The air is peaceful and quiet until the sound of a tractor trailer blaring on it's horn interrupts the courtyard of Zephyr. A big semi with a tank hitched is barreling down the road straight toward the main entrance way of Zephyr Tower. It starts to break, but it's going too fast and slams into the glass entrance way, a few of the steel columns taking the brunt of the impact and spraying glass into the lobby.

 [[User:Kale|Kale]] emerges from the buildings entrance, just coming off duty from the triage. Shi heads out to meet Cilan and walks up beside her.

[[User:Sparhawk|Sparhawk]] has been doing research! So the loud crash is muffled by busily trying to breathe underwater.

[[User:Loki|Loki]] dozes quietly, a book on his face. He jumps up at the crash, and the sudden blizzard of glass. He grasps for his book, finally managing to catch it. He glances around the room, casting a lazy glance at the carnage wreaked upon the building before taking a sip from his mug, frowning at the general lack of coffee. He pads over to the coffee machine, giving a lazy wave to Cilan and Kale.

Kale shields hir face and then looks to see that Cilan is alright.

Cilan grins as she notices Kale walk next her, prompting the small lizard woman to nuzzle hir contentedly, her attention completely on hir, until of course a loud crash is heard, prompting her to jump in surprise, her eyes going wide in surprise.

The cab itself is crushed, and the driver's door broken open,the truck driver falling out of the cab, onto the ground, he's covered in blood, and something looks -really- off about him.

[[User:RosaSoul|RosaSoul]] lets out a yelp dropping her food and darts to the side less she get smashed by the runaway semi "what the hell!?" and then grumbles over her lost food, so hard to come by these days, then again, she does suppose that right now it is the least of her worries "anyone hurt?"

Kale springs into action and grabs hir medkit and head over to the driver motioning for Cilan to follow. "Sir can you speak? Are you alright?" Kale asks calmly despite the look of tremendous worry on hir face. The truck driver is on the ground and cries out in agony, his hands and feet are twisted into paws, and he doesn't look as if he can stand, bleeding from multiple locations. His face is partially muzzled.

Kale takes a closer look at the driver to asses his injuries as shi pulls out various medical supplies to treat the man.

[[User:Taggart|Taggart]] is approaching the Zephyr lobby from the south, head down and fists stuffed into the pockets of his cargoes. Collar of his pea-coat is flipped up and hat is low on his brow, as if fighting off a cold chill, though it -is- California and decently warm. The loud crashing of the truck pulls his attention up, emerald gaze taking in the sight of the wreckage before he gives a soft sigh and shakes his head. He picks up the pace, but only slightly so, moving into a light jog to close the distance.

Cilan nods affirmatively at Kale as she runs over to hir, and the driver, her own medkit being pulled out as she follows the dragoness' instructions to the tee, hypos, and bandages scattered around her.

Crys is startled, but recognizes the voice of the cries, and the truck. She leaps to look inside the passenger cab to try to find someone.

The driver is young, and while part of him was human, he looks to be shifting into some kind of canine like thing, the fur markings a mixture of blondes, browns, reds and blacks.

To note, his paws look decidedly non-anthro.

Loki fills his mug, mumbling about much more noise than usual is in the room. He turns around, taking another sip of coffee. His eyes grow wide as he drops his mug, the clatter drowned out by the commotion as the situation finally dawns on him. He bounds over towards the truck, leaping upon the hood of the truck, gazing in. HE tries his best to identify the mutations of the driver.

RosaSoul moves over and kneels near him but out of the way for now, she didn't have any medi-packs on her so she wouldn't be much help in this particular case, and just waits for some way she could help, for the time being at least, she decides to check inside the tower, pulling away rubble to make sure no one inside had gotten crushed "if he managed to speak, ask what his name is"

 

Cilan grabs one of the hypo's and sticks it to the man's neck, the medicine seeming to dull the pain as her skills with the nanites, and with medicine slowly close up what wounds the man may be suffering from, "Its gonna be alright, sir.. y-you're gonna be fine!" is called out to him in the attempt to reassure him while she works.

[[User:REDACTED|REDACTED]] rips open the passenger's door and calls out Sorien's name, discarding the heavy door like tissue paper. Her tails are flickering in agitation and worry.

Taggart starts to hang back as he sees the crash victim apparently tended to rather well by the small crowd. The large wolf remains quiet, watching with somber green eyes before he notices REDACTED starting to tear apart the truck in search of her mate. A slightly pained expression, then stiffening and an aggravated groan before he moves closer.

Kale starts to treat the shifting mans wounds while Cilan tries to calm him down the current shifting making it very difficult."

The driver weakly manages to say "Wallace." before groaning and staring off into the distance as he's injected with more nanite. Almost in response, his hips pop further and a tail bursts through his pants.

Crys shouts out in almost a growl, "Where -is- she!"

Loki glances down at the driver. "Fascinating.... This man.. infected with coyote... a strain usually not infectious.. closest identical strain... Painted wolf." he mumbles, drawing a device out of his coat. "Perhaps a sample while its still fresh, if you two don't mind." he asks, glancing down at Cilan and Kale. "It may stabilize.. or shift in the time.. best get it now to be sure... and if its diluted."

Kale says calmly in a clear well practiced medical personnel voice "Okay Wallace you are going to be fine. Please tell us what happened."

RosaSoul blinks and spins around towards Crys "REDACTED? there only seems to be one person in the truck, come to the drivers side?" the only thing Rosa had heard so far, was the drivers Crys, as far as she knew Sorien wasn't in the cab, but she had a distinct worry that she was missing something important

Kale glares at Loki "No 'samples' until we know he is stable."

Loki frowns, scowling slightly. "Yes.. stable.. he should be quite fine I would think.. and he could be infectious... Cyote has not proven to be infectious before." he states, quickly taking a sample before lowering a hand to help mend the wounded individual.

Wallace groans his eyes going blank for a minute, and he growls at Kale and Cilan around him.

Taggart slips his hand into a pocket, flipping the switch on an odd device. Immediately, a non-visible bubble around him pops into place, making anyone within a five foot radius of him feel extremely uncomfortable. In addition, anyone in that distance minds it difficult to control their nanites as the wolf moves up to the crowd gathered about Wallace.

Kale looks to Cilan panic in hir eyes "Cilan restrain the patient!"

Cilan nods affirmatively and moves to where his head is located and leans over him, gripping both his arms, keeping him on the ground should he suddenly go feral and attack.

Crys joins the group surrounding Wallace and she shouts again at the driver asking where Sorien is, but is pushed back by Cilan and Kale.

Kale continues to treat the shifting form as best shi can "Loki you are better with nanites then me see if you can bring his mind back out>"

RosaSoul waves a paw slightly "and then he goes feral, this isnt going to be fun is it?" stepping away from taggart she moves towards REDACTED instead "Sorien doesn't seem to be here Crys, why do you think she is" wrapping an arm around her trying to calm her down, more interested in her than the now feral driver

Cilan successfully retains the flailing driver, and he barks at her. Once Taggart is in range he stops struggling as the field emitted by his device covers him.

Cilan lustily hisses, "REDACTED, when he comes to, we can question him all we want, but right now he'd be no good if he were to pass on.. I can assure you that we will find Sorien if anything bad had happened.."

Crys says very carefully, "This is Sorien's partner, they went out on an exploratory mission to retrieve a haul of Gasoline. He was her bodyguard and the driver since she can't drive a semi." She frowns at the shifting driver.

Loki nods. "Yes.. I will try to do so.. but this field of.." he glances over his shoulder. "Taggarts... Is interfearing with anything I can do." he grumbles, glancing down to the man. "Might have to wait for some results and see what I can bring up on his brain chemistry."

Kale finds it much easier to treat the more docile being, Kale quickly finishes up all shi can do for him here.

Kale slumps back mentally, emotionally, and physically taxed.

Wallace chokes at the air, his eyes returning to him and he looks around at the people holding him down. He screams seeing his body shaped so oddly.

RosaSoul tenses and nods after a moment before turning towards Taggart "Taggart may apparently be the only one whom can help with what we need, healing him isn't going to stop the nanites from turning him feral, Taggart seems to be slowing them or disorienting the nanites from what i felt near him, let him do his part, we need the driver sane" she releases Crys after a moment then and jumps up into the remains of the cab, since Crys hadn't found Sorien in there, her focus is instead on searching for any sign if she was ever in the cab, asking as she goes "which station did they go to by chance Crys? we should check there next?"

Taggart leans over everyone and very suddenly cracks Wallace expertly in the temple.

Kale suddenly tenses up "Did you just kill my patient?!"

Cilan blinks in surprise at Taggart, apparently his method of 'sedating' patients is not something new to her.

 Taggart snorts and looks up at Kale, "Why would I just kill him? Bloody knocked him out... let's take'im ta triage an' dope'im up so he dun' freak out every five seconds while he's awake."

Cilan lustily hisses, "Seriously, Taggart?!.. Erin, and now Wallace?.. What the hell is wrong with you?"

The strong odor of gasoline fills the room, perhaps the tanker truck is leaking?

Kale is too stunned at having Taggart punching out hir restrained patient to notice the smell.

Loki grimaces at Taggart's roughness, frowning as he looks up at him. "I don't think that was really necessary." he grumbles, taking out a pager. He glances towards the truck, sniffing the air. "Well.. this could get a whole lot worse..." he mumbles.

Wallace is slapped by Taggart and it shakes him out of his screaming long enough to focus. "What happened? He asks nobody in particular."

RosaSoul given her proximity to the truck, doesn't have a hard time catching a whiff of the gas "good news" she comments with a tone of dry sarcasm "they got the gas, we should move back now"

Crys is too concerned about finding out from Wallace where her mate is to care about leaking gasoline, but she does tap Taggart on the shoulder and whisper into his ear.

Taggart blinks and looks at Cilan, raising a thick eyebrow. He just shakes his head and slips his hand into his pocket, pulling out a palm sized device... looks kind of like a PDA. He hands it to Cilan, "Take that wit' ya... wit'im... down to Triage. I'm gonna clean this up."

Taggart smiles grimly and nods to REDACTED's whisper, "Workin' on it, lass."

Loki stands up. "I do think this sample should be studied as well." he says, handing a vial to Cilan. "Could you make sure this makes its way to Sil? Shi may be able to help."

Taggart very suddenly turns and glares at Loki. "Shut up about yer damned sample fer a minute... and get this dying man down to triage..."

Kale motions to Cilan to help hir get Wallace downstairs.

Wallace looks around him in confusion, like he's not sure where he is or what's happening.

Cilan nods to both Loki, and Taggart, promptly grabbing both the vial, and device as she hoists the driver up with the assistance of Kale, quickly taking the man to Triage where further care can be administered.

[Triage] RosaSoul eye-twitches and moves far away from the truck, figuring she might as well head downstairs and while Wallace seemed sane asks "YO, Wallace, do you know where Sorien is?" glad in part that at least they seemed to be moving away from the leaking truck

[Lobby] Crys stays behind and begins crawling through the cab trying to find evidence of what happened. She is rather unconcerned by the increasingly strong smell of gasoline.

[Triage] Kale gets a prepared gurney for the man and washes hir hands.

[Lobby] Loki blinks at Taggart. "Well.. people are much harder to kill... he may be worse off from that smack to the head." he grumbles, glancing around the scene, trying to decide between the triage and the lobby. He huffs before turning to the triage, following after the others.

[Triage] Wallace is hefted and bumped and around and finally asks, "Why, are, my, hands, paws?" He pauses between each word, trying to make sense out of this.

[Lobby] The wolf turns as they haul Wallace away, and starts to inspect the tanker part of the truck, looking for holes and leaks while pulling off his pea-coat and shirt, tearing the shirt into a few strips with which he can plug said holes. He know it won't stop the leakage, but it may buy them time and save -some- of the precious gasoline. "Start talkin', REDACTED."

[Triage] RosaSoul this turns around walking back out to the lobby and states simply "Wallace has no memory, he can be treated maybe but i doubt he will be of much help finding Sorien..." at this point she really doesn't care about him, more worried about her friends, given she doesn't exactly have many of them pointing behind the truck she comments "we could more than likely find more information as to what happened, by backtracking to where the truck came from

[Lobby] The wolf doesn't see any holes, but the gasoline smell is extremely strong around the attachment for the pump collecting gasoline. REDACTED calls from inside the cab, "I have no idea Tag, Sorien told me this wouldn't be a dangerous mission, they were only going a few hours north to collect gasoline from where she scouted a few weeks ago.

[Triage] Calmly says to the man as shi drys hir hands. "You have been infected with nanites sir they have changed your hands. Do you remember what happened?"

[Triage] Cilan assists Kale in placing the man on the gurney, next looking him in the eyes as she answers his question, "Its the nanites inside of us, sir.. they just.. made us different, but, in no way any less human!" her own proof showing that she's a complete lizard covered in albino white scales.

[Triage] Pads into the Triage, glancing around. "Well... you two need any help here?" he offers, glancing around, looking down at the man. "Cilan.. if you wouldn't mind.. I would like that sample back if your going to help here... otherwise... if you have no medical experience, would you kindly deliver it for me?". He sighs, looking at the man. "So.. can you remember anything at all Wallace?.. was it?"

[Triage] Wallace looks distant for a moment and then realizes what happened. "That fucker -bit my hand-, he almost growls. He collects himself enough to say, we... we got attacked by a big pack of coyotes. They were acting -very weird, and I wasn't able to get Miss Sorien out."

[Triage] Kale starts taking the standard samples required by the triage. "Where did you get attacked?"

[Triage] "At the a Valero gas station about an hour and a half north of the city. I was assigned to guard and drive for Miss Sorien. I guess this means I failed, doesn't it?" He looks a little bit sad at that thought.

[Lobby] Crys shouts from inside the truck. She throws out a lumpy chunk of furry flesh that was stuck to something, it flinging from the cab onto the ground. "This is gross." But she continues anyway, trying to find something that shows exactly where her mate had been.

[Triage] Cilan looks over to Loki and passes him the vial, obviously caring more about the man's life than she is the sample. Speaking next into her com in an attempt at speaking to those tending to the truck outside, "Wallace told us where Sorien is, Valero gas station, hour and a half north of the city."

[Triage] Kale finishes taking the samples "Maybe sir, maybe not. Did you see Sorien get bitten?" Kale whispers to Loki "Do you think his mind will make it?" Kale heads over to the locked cabinet and pulls out a precious vial of the vaccine they give all zephyr employees to protect their minds.

[Lobby] Taggart growls gently and does his best to wrap the cloth around the leak, at least trying to keep the coupling from gushing everywhere. "How far nort', REDACTED. It ain't safe up there. It ain't bloody safe anywhere. Wut tha HELL she doin' goin' off wit' only one ot'er person?" The muscular man growls and grumbles to himself, moving up to the truck cab to start looking for a toolkit that he could use to possibly fix or patch the leak properly.

[Lobby] RosaSoul prods the lump of flesh with just one toe and makes a face "that is very gross indeed... but wouldn't it be better to go to where they where? she wasn't in the truck was she? we could likely learn more at the gas station, signs of the fight, a clue which way they went if they took Sorien with?"

[Lobby] The radio in Crys' pocket hums with Cilan's voice. She calls out "It appears Wallace remembers, about an hour and a half north apparently.

[Triage] Loki remains rather grim as he receives the sample, He nods to Kale "Yes.. his mind could well make it.... But it relies on a combination of his will, the vaccine, and getting a good deal of information on these nanites... It may also help us combat whatever is out there." he states, handing the vial to a technician and instructing him to deliver it to Sil.

[Lobby] Loki grimaces. "These nanites.. seem to be actively ignoring the vaccine... This could be bad."

[Lobby] Crys calls out of the cab one last time, "I'm going to find a ride, I would suggest telling someone at Zephyr to get this thing dealt with this leaking truck." She says to Rosa, "I'm going to find her. I hope I can figure out how to drive though." She frowns.

[Lobby] (RosaSoul) "Crys dear, I can drive, I'm sure some of these fellows can to" she does neglect to mention she never actually got her license before hell broke out, and would kick the tank of the truck "We can siphon this sucker for the gas to, anyone got a hose?"

[Lobby] Taggart pulls a walkie from his back pocket, speaking gruffly into it and the Zephyr security team, requesting assistance with the cleanup and to block off the area for safety reasons. "Ya dun't 'zactly'ave a motor vehicle, Crys..."

[Lobby] Crys shoulders past Rosa almost rudely, she appears to be heading off toward the main parking area for Zephyr.

[Triage] Wallace passes out after a while sleeping off his injuries while still in the field.

[Triage] Kale places the gurney's restraints on the passed out Wallace and puts him in an isolation room "BEtter safe then sorry." Kale sighs sadly.

[Triage] Kale starts to fill out the necessary paperwork.

[Lobby] RosaSoul sidesteps not exactly intending to get in the way, mainly because she agrees with this current plan, but also cause cry could kick her ass if she tried "I'm coming with cry, you two are friends, I'll do whatever i can to help" turning as she speaks and chases after her less she leave without hir

[Triage] Kale heads back upstairs to see if anyone else needs help.

[Triage] Cilan sets the small device Taggart had given her by Wallace's gurney, before heading back up the stairs, heading to the main group.

[Lobby] Apostasy comes in through the doors, just returned from a hunt. "What the hell happened here? Why is there a truck sticking out of the side of the building? What's going on?"

[Lobby] The large wolf can only sigh as REDACTED stomps off toward the garage, shaking his head and moving after her.

[Triage] glances up, and heads to the Lobby, hurrying after the others. "I miss anything?" he asks, glancing around. "Also.. bad news. The infection seems to bypass the inoculation. Be careful."

[Lobby] Walks up stairs , "Love calm down!" Kale hisses "Small accident, injured man is safely downstairs, and Sorien is missing. Problem is all current recovery teams are busy."

[Parking Lot] Crys is busy looking for a specific vehicle, searching among the abandoned and parked vehicles that employees own. She finally spots something and heads over to a small beat up car. She opens one of the doors with keys from her hip pouch and searches through the car for something before pulling out a siphon rig.

[Lobby] Kale glimpses Crys leaving and follows motioning to Cilan and Apostasy as shi does so. "Come on before Crys get hurt."

[Lobby] RosaSoul claps her paws together "that's one problem solved, how many of these are still running? need to conserve gas but it might be a good idea to bring as many as we can with as possible, to few and we will only make things worse by going"

[Lobby] Apostasy double-takes. "Sorien is missing? The hell with a recovery team. We can do this." shi states firmly, following hir after Crys.

[Lobby] Cilan nods affirmatively as she follows after Kale, "Alright, but lets see if we can find a flatbed truck to follow her with.." is called out as the dragoness makes hir way into the garage.

[Parking Lot] Crys sighs, "I doubt Sor's car will make it that far and I can barely drive, and my weight would probably crush the tires. We'll need to find something else." She says to Rosa. "I came to get this." Referring to the siphoning kit in her hands.

Sparhawk runs around like crazy in Zephyr's basement, recoiling from Triage like some people recoil from skunk blasts. A long robot with smooth curves makes loud stomping noises that stop upon seeing the feral truck crashed into the lobby. "So, what the crap?"

[Parking Lot] Emerges into the parking lot and looks for the others, spotting REDACTED Kale approaches slowly waiting for Apostasy and Cilan to catch up.

[Lobby] Loki pads over to REDACTED, glancing at the car. "Sorien missing? Well.. if you need another hand.. I don't think I can sit Idly by while a friend is in danger." he nods. "I don't think that will be enough."

[Parking Lot] RosaSoul nods there's a truck south of here, its been humped by gryphons before so a little messy, or a bus, those are designed for the weight, and i have already said i can drive, there may be others able as well" first though we should get the gas before it all leaks onto the ground and becomes useless"

[Parking Lot] Crys pulls out her radio and her voice hums over it, a bit staticy but level headed. "I don't know how many of you will be coming, but I am going to requisition a bus, it'll be the thing largest enough to carry my weight. I need at least one person to drive and will accept anyone willing to help me get my mate back, no questions asked." Her voice is cold, anger seething in it under the surface.

[Parking Lot] Apostasy follows Kale out into the parking garage. "So what are we after out... oh, nevermind" shi starts to say, trailing off as shi sees the siphoning kit Crys has gotten. Shi nods firmly when Crys asks for help. "I'm in. I can't drive, not like this, but I'm with you all the way."

[Parking Lot] RosaSoul waves a paw "so im a two inch tall fairy, i still think i can drive!"

[Parking Lot] Looks at Cilan and Apostasy and says softly "I will help."

[Parking Lot] Cilan follows into the parking lot after Kale as the three dash over to the bus, "I.. uh.. have my regular license, but I dont think a bus counts with the class 5 license.."

[Parking Lot] Kale looks at Cilan and Apostasy and says softly "I will help."

[Parking Lot] Loki leaps on top of the bus, perching above it. "I'm coming too. I may end up flying though. An Aerial view may be useful." he says with a nod.

[Parking Lot]"Well sis, since nobody else appears to have any license... barring the two-inch tall fairy... it looks like you might be learning on the job." Apostasy says, looking at Cilan with a grin.

[Parking Lot] Sparhawk hums the Transformers theme as shi clomps out to the parking lot, peering around for the alleged bus. "So, apparently heroes are needed. That is my job description. Must be a heck of a thing if Taggart is up here and the Anathema is in the basement. Any actual drivers yet?"

[Parking Lot] RosaSoul huffs "i can push the gas with my cock and turn the wheel by walking to the side, like a hamster wheel, its not my fault i cant control my shape"

[Parking Lot] Cilan nearly pales as she gulps at the aspect of driving something that requires the class 2 license.

[Parking Lot] Sparhawk eyes the tiny fairy. "If you can't control your form, I can. Is there something human-shaped you are familiar with?"

[Parking Lot] Apostasy pats Cilan on the shoulder. "You got this, sis. No problem." Shi grins at Rosa. "I don't think 12 inches is gonna reach from the steering wheel of a bus to the gas pedal, short stuff."

[Parking Lot] RosaSoul blinks and nods after a moment "Shadow vixen actually, i spent quite a while in that form i came to like it, just couldn't train on them any more"

[Parking Lot] Sparhawk shrinks dramatically to a small dark foxtaur, then scrounges up makeshift wire and magnets from a bag. Shi blows into it, and the fairy reaches toward the ground as (nearly) everything goes vulpine.

[Parking Lot] RosaSoul shakes out her fur and stands up, after a moment she glances down at her tattered miniature cloths, pretty much naked now "well that was to be expected, but hey, I can drive now after all, I assume this might be safer outside of the bubble?"

REDACTED forces the keys from a zephyr employee to one of the companies buses. The team siphon out gasoline from the tanker including extra supplies if they should need to travel far further. Most of the group is able to fit into the bus with the exception of the largest, whom either fly above or are riding on top of the bus. The buses frame creaks in the load but it manages to drive.

[Sky] Apostasy grins. "Looks like I've got over-watch for a while." Shi takes off, and starts circling over the bus, keeping an eye out for anything that might be a threat.

[Sky] Kale rides on top of the back of the bus.

[Bus] RosaSoul slips into the bus and looks around "so did we decide who was going to drive?"

[Sky] Sparhawk leaps into the air following the foxhacking, heading east at all speed. Shi returns, in fifteen minutes, a golden ribbon of dragon appearing in the southern parking lot. If the party has left by then there will be a chase, probably of the other flying dragon.

[Sky] Kale sitting on top of the bus watches Apostasy fly around and prays briefly for Apostasy's safety before flying up to join hir.

[Sky] Apostasy wobbles a little bit as shi feels a surge rush through hir body, and then turns, spotting Kale. Shi grins. "Thanks love!"

[Bus] RosaSoul takes a seat wherever required and begins singing "its five o'clock somewhere" to pass the time

[Sky] Loki's coat bursts into a shimmering cloud of nanites as he snaps his wings and takes to the air, the cloud following him on his way up as he gains a fairly decent amount of altitude before re-absorbing into his body.

[Sky] Kale flies behind and above Apostasy before saying "Lets just get Sorien back safely. We still have to visit their place after all."

[Bus] Cilan suddenly feels.. different, an uncomfortable look pressing at her features as the bus continues on, her breathing becoming weathered as she looks on, watching the road in silence.

[Sky] Sparhawk soars around overhead with Apostasy, one of many dragons flying cover. It should be reasonably easy to keep pace given the condition of roads. Over at least REDACTED's radio comes Spar's voice, "Anyone else got communications devices?"

The group passes out of the city, the bubble gradually weakening as they leave. It feels like a lost limb for those not in tune with the nanites, for the adepts the feeling is even worse. The journey northward is relatively quiet, beyond having to navigate abandoned vehicles on the highway starting about a half an hour north of the city.

[Sky] Apostasy looks back to Kale and flashes a grin and a thumbs up before pulling out hir comm-unit and speaking into it. "I've got my Zephyr comm-unit, seems to be picking up your signal fine."

[Bus] REDACTED's tails flick in agitation as she watches the scenery around. She looks very worried about her mate, and while she doesn't snap, it's easy to tell how furious she is at the world, or whatever has done this. She doesn't seem to be phased by the loss of the nanites, and anyone that knows her well enough would know she isn't even remotely in tune with them, or affected by them at all in fact.

[Bus] RosaSoul cuts off her terrible singing and places a paw over her chest coughing sharply and looking pained for a moment before commenting in a strained tone "what the hell was that..." never having been out of the bubble beore, and does not have a com device of any sort, nor any idea what 'the room' is

[Sky] Kale looks to the other fliers "Ugh what was that feeling just now? I feel like... like something inside me just flickered off."

[Bus] Cilan suddenly feels.. different, an uncomfortable look pressing at her features as the bus continues on, her breathing becoming weathered as she looks on, watching the road in silence, the lizard almost seeming like she'd break out in a cold sweat within moments.

[Bus] Taggart stands up from the back of the bus and makes his way to the front, suddenly, and heavily sitting down next to REDACTED. The wolf remains quiet, emerald eyes thoughtful and not really focused upon anything in particular. The hulking mass of muscle also doesn't seem to mind the lack of nanites, though he is more in-tune than most might believe. He almost breathes easier.

 Around the coastline can be seen off to the west on occasion, and to the east fields and empty towns they pass. There's the occasional wildlife, and the bus has to avoid a heard of anthro deer at one point but passes onward north.

 [Sky] Apostasy's flight becomes unstable for a while as the group passes out of the bubble. "Ugh... son of a..." Shi breathes heavily, trying to adjust to the strange sensation of dullness.

[Sky] Sparhawk flaps rather a lot more after leaving Fairhaven city limits, but doesn't appear bothered and sounds just as warm over the radio. "So out here, most things are less explosive than we are used to. Also we will heal less well, so regard even regular claws as dangerous. If you need assistance, make sure to call because we all may find things unfamiliar."

[Sky] Apostasy pulls hir comm-unit up to hir lips as Spar talks. "Copy that Spar. I presume my bullets should still work fine, though?"

[Bus] RosaSoul given that she doesn't have a com unit, is unaware of these warnings, this could come back to bite rosa in the ass, potentially literally

The bus arrives without being accosted and pulls to a stop just south of the Valero station.

[Sky] Shivers in flight, bothered by the emptiness he feels as he leaves the bubble. "It.. kind of feels like dying in a sense." he mutters to the others, not noticing his pants meld back into his flesh, leaving him quite bare.

[Bus] When the bus comes to a stop REDACTED leaps out, and slides open the bus doors manually, popping them off the hinge in impatience. She runs ahead, trying to use her sense of smell to detect her mate.

[Bus] Taggart very suddenly turns and looks at REDACTED, seriously, before they depart the bus. "Crys... you dun' lose yer'ead out'ere, ya'nderstand? I know this is rough... trust me, do I know... an' I know it sounds odd comin' from me wit'wut I been doin' ta meself. But there's a big diff'rence batween what I been doin' an..." He growls gently as REDACTED suddenly bounds over him and out.

[Bus] RosaSoul does her best to follow after Crys "hold on, we should go together really, whatever attacked overwhelmed sorien and the guard, It would be a really bad idea to go off alone, if you get attacked alone the situation can only get worse, because then we will be trying to save two people, with less help"

[Gas Station] Apostasy lands rather less than gracefully as shi's still trying to adjust to the disconnect within hir after leaving the bubble. Shi looks around carefully, keeping watch for anything dangerous, or any clues as to Sorien's whereabouts.

[Gas Station] Kale banks and glides downwards landing near Apostasy.

Anyone exiting the bus or entering anywhere near the gas station is going to almost vomit from the stench of gasoline. In the two hours since the truck left the pump emptied the tank it was siphoning all over the ground.

[Gas Station] The wolf pulls himself up and heads outside, picking up his pace to catch up with REDACTED, soft growl in his throat. "REDACTED! You bloody git! Git back'ere 'afore I do sumtin' not nice!"

[Gas Station] RosaSoul promptly stumbles and claps a paw between her legs "OF ALL THE TIMES?!!!" given that she JUST went into heat

[Gas Station] Crys almost collapses as she takes in the scents, the smell is overpowering and it hit her in a way she wasn't expecting.

[Gas Station] Shi rummages around hir medkit coughing "Ugh that smell!" Kale shoves a bunch of cotton balls into hir nostrils, then offers some to Apostasy.

[Gas Station] Cilan slowly makes her way out of the bus and into the gas station, pulling her handguns out their respective holsters as she takes up the tail end of the gathered group, the look of uncomfortableness still evident on her face as she moves.

[Sky] Sparhawk soars around overhead in hir habitual post of watching-from-above, enjoying the thermal plume much more than the people enjoying the aromatic hydrocarbons hundred feet down.

[Gas Station] Apostasy snorts at the overwhelming stench of gasoline. Shi clamps hir jaw shut, muttering "This would be a -very- bad time for someone to see if they can still breathe fire."

[Gas Station] Taggart wrinkles his nose at the smell, though, he's a bit more used to it than most. He -does- make it himself, after all. Coming up behind REDACTED, the wolf offers a hand as she reels from the stench, leaning in to whisper harshly.

[Gas Station] RosaSoul coughs and trys to ignore the start of that blasted heat cycle, approaching crys slowly and rests a paw on her shoulder "rushing off will make this harder, you want to save your mate? let us help, we need to stick together Crys" and while she speaks, she takes out a cloths pin for her nose

The field just south of the Gas station is the obvious scene of something nasty, the field is dug up and tire tracks have run holes into the ground when it was escaping.

[Gas Station] Crys takes Taggart's hand when she finally recovers enough to notice and accent's Taggart's offer. She listens to his whisper but seems preoccupied.

[Gas Station] Pulls on Apostasy's arm and motions to the field. "We should check that out."

[Gas Station] Loki lands atop the bus, sliding across the roof before stabilizing himself in an odd sort of crouching perch. He glances at the others. "So what are we looking for here?" he wonders, his ears swiveling as he listens for potential disturbances, his eyes scanning the horizon. He shifts uncomfortably a bit, as he finally realizes his general lack of garb. "Well.. this is embarrassing... and a little uncomfortable."

[Gas Station] RosaSoul sticks clothespin on Crys' nose to get her attention

[Gas Station] Kale Pulls on Apostasy's arm and motions to the field. "We should check that out."

[Gas Station] Apostasy looks in the direction Kale gestures. "Definitely. Hey, people! We should probably check out that field!" is called out to the group as shi head towards it.

[Gas Station] Taggart straightens up, shaking his head. "You ain't gunna listen, then yer only gunna do more harm." The wolf sighs gently and glances around the station, letting up on REDACTED's hand to move to the gas pump, turning it off so that it didn't -add- to the already incredibly dangerous situation.

Off in the distance the trees rustle. The wind is calm so this stands out. The field itself is open, and from a distance some dark red stains can be seen on the concrete, although the gasoline has stripped most of the area.

[Gas Station] Crys winces in pain when Rosa sticks something on her nose, and she swats it off, rubbing her snout. "I don't have time for this!" She growls, she begins trying to look through the field, at the tire tracks.

[Gas Station] RosaSoul doesn't wait for Crys reaction to the cloths pin on her nose and points towards the rustling trees "a clue?" while attempting to grab one of Crys' tails before she goes to run off again "Crys, how much time do you think we would lose if say... someone ran off and got attacked, captured, and had to be saved before we could go after Sorien?" at which point she turns and looks over the gas pump

[Field] Kale looks over the field and examines the blood, blanching at the sight.

Sparhawk's voice comes over the radio, "Something that lives moves in the trees. Be wary, we do not know who it is." The sound of wing-flapping is audible over the field, which is less warm and Spar has to work harder.

Most of the blood Kale sees has seeped into the ground, but she notices one particular area that is stained heavily. She bumps into a shoulder pouch laying among it.

[Bus] Keeps his perch on the bus, scanning around the field. He glances over to Kale, and over to the station, ready to assist wherever trouble springs from first, or if he is needed.

[Field] Kale shakily picks up the shoulder pouch and shouts "I Found something!"

[Pumps] RosaSoul prods one of the buttons curiously "how did they get these to work after so long anyways? it much have been years since these where last used..." she turns away again though and watches kale for now, keeping an eye out for anything of potential importance

[Field] Kale slowly opens the pouch and looks inside

[Field] Crys looks up from inspecting the route of the truck up to spot Kale holding up Sorien's bag.

[Field] Apostasy keeps a careful eye on the treeline as Kale inspects the area, looking carefully for a sign of the creature Sparhawk mentioned. When Kale yells, shi looks over hir shoulder. "That's Sorien's bag!"

Rosa sees that there's a hose sticking out of the area where the underground tanks where being drained into the tanker truck. The hose and pump lay still, having exhausted the supply from the tank.

In the bag there is a standard Zephyr radio, a wallet with freecreds and Sorien's identity card, various brushes and combs, various bric-a-brac and weirdly enough a set of polyhedral dice. On the strap is her name-tag.

[Pumps] RosaSoul makes note of this and kicks the gas pump "well that answers that doesn't it..." walking over to the hose/pump "Hey..." she turns, moving over to the group and murmurs "I bet i know what attracted them, that pump must be very loud"

[Bus] Taggart moves away from either scene, returning to the bus, whereupon he leans against the front and crosses his muscular arms over his chest, watching the various peoples running about doing various things. He doesn't seem to be in a particularly good mood, nor does it look like it would be wise to bother him.

[Pumps] Close enough to the forested area on the other side of the road, anyone near the pumps can see a lone coyote standing in the bushes observing the group.

[Field] Apostasy returns hir attention to the treeline, but calls out "Anything that might give us a clue in there?"

[Field] Kale looks grim and shouts "Yea confirm its Sorien's all right!" Kale slings the bag over hir shoulder for now and looks for any other signs in the nearby field for what may have happened.

[Field] Kale shakes hir head "No not that I can see love."

[Field] Crys moves forward, whispers something to kale and holds the pack for a moment, sticking her muzzle into her mate's pack and breathing deeply.

[Field] Cilan makes her way out of the bus and over to Kale and Apostasy, once there she asks, "Erm.. anything.. anything I can help with?"

[Field] RosaSoul pauses and turns after a moment narrowing her eyes "We are being watched, I can hear someone else around"

[Field] A crease forms on Crys' face. "It smells of -their- stink." She says referencing the coyotes scent she's been smelling a lot recently.

[Field] Kale smiles softly at Cilan "You are a much better tracker then me Cil, any signs of where Sorien went?"

[Bus] Loki stands up, peering at the coyote. He takes out his pager, and sends a hushed message to those in the vicinity. "there's what looks to be a coyote watching us... Just watching.. I would advice against sudden moves, but be prepared."

Sorien's medkit is also with the shoulder-bag

Cilan nods affirmatively, her look still showing disorientation, obviously having been hit quite hard without the feeling she had grown comfortable with.

[Field] Apostasy moves over to Kale, Cilan and Crys. Shi sniffs the air. "You're right. There was a lot of coyotes here." Shi grins as Loki's voice comes over the radio. "And it looks like there's one still here."

[Sky] Sparhawk continues soaring, observing a straggler or scout or diplomat. "Be a good time to have a Promethean with diplomatic skills," follows Loki's warning on the radio.

The tracks around the field start to tell a story to those who are looking. The tractor trailer drove in a hurry over the ground, and there are some impact marks where creatures fell off of it. The area around Sorien's pack appears to have foot prints recognizable from the coyotes, but it doesn't seem to have an exit path. Either she was carried, or ended up like Wallace.

The impact marks around her pack show that there was a pretty large carnage and fight going on before Sorien surrendered. Many coyotes limping off from the scene, and blood stain remnants.

[Field] RosaSoul glances towards the watching coyote nearby and murmurs "I wonder, why is it just watching and nothing else?" before turning, and whether or not she is followed, starts approaching it, slowly, to see how it reacts, and keeping her paws out so as not to look threatening

[Field] Apostasy looks slowly at the scene. "Well, Sorien sure as hell didn't go quietly. Good for her. Now we need to figure out which tracks to follow."

[Field] Kale follows behind Rosa cautiously.

The Coyote still stares at the approaching figures, quietly, until they reach within 10 yards. It quirks it's head, looking up at those coming close.

[Field] Kale folds hir wings and bends down trying to look as friendly and and non combative as possible for a dragon.

[Bus] Loki whispers into the comm-unit "I would advise caution when dealing with this... potential feral. Don't do anything rash." he advises, peering at the treeline as well, trying to observe any potential lurkers.

RosaSoul is continually reminded of her heat, and wonders for a moment if this was a really bad idea, but comes as close as the coyote allows before she speaks "can you talk? or understand me at all? i certainly hope so..."

[Field] Apostasy returns to watching the treeline, though shi glances over to Rosa and hir mate frequently to keep tabs on them.

[Field] Kale slowly and clearly speaks "We come meaning no harm nor do we wish to infringe on your territory."

[Field] Crys eyes those approaching the coyote with caution.

The Coyote leaps forward toward Kale, with no warning, going for her throat.

[Field] Cilan quickly fires off a round from her handgun, aiming towards the attacking coyote

Kale falls flat on hir back panic clear on hir face!

[Field] Kale tries to cover hirself protectively

[Bus] Loki perks up as the shot is fired. He takes to the air, circling above the group, scanning the trees as he passes by.

[Field] Apostasy whirls round at the sound of the gunshot, bracing hirself to fire, the motor on Glaurung spinning up.

Cilan's bullet hit's the coyote just above the eye, taking the top of it's skull off. The coyote falls to the ground next to kale, twitching, before it could bite her.

RosaSoul flinches and takes a step back surprised before she could even respond to the attack "well... that was impressive, and I guess that means we wont be getting any information from it"

[Field] Apostasy quickly moves up to Kale and Rosa. Shi helps Kale back to hir feet. "Are you alright love? That thing didn't harm you, did it?"

Sparhawk is not faster than bullet! The start of hir dive flattens quickly, sending the dragon and its shadow over the forest at only 60 feet up, close enough to get assaulted by a territorial squirrel in the top branches.

Next to Kale the twitching body begins to melt, the flesh turning to crimson blood and it melts into the ground in a puddle next to her.

[Field] Kale opens hir eyes and breathes a sigh of relief. Kale stands up and turns hir back to where the coyote was and smiles at Cilan with a look full of thanks and love.

[Field] Kale stares at the body... "That is not normal... even for ferals."

RosaSoul kicks dirt on the dissolving body "normal is debatable, just think of it as a goo-yote" and turns to stalk away from it back towards Kale, nodding her thanks to Cil, though clearly irritated that it had attacked and they where unable to ask anything of it "I want a gun" she adds with a huff

[Field] Blows away the faint trail of smoke emanating from her handgun before holstering it once more, once she does that she moves back to Kale and nods, "Of course, love.. Id rather die than let -anything- attack you.." a look of concern evident on her eyes now, "Now then, are you alright?"

Kale smiles at Apostasy "I am fine love. It didn't touch me."

[Field] Apostasy smiles. "Glad to hear it." Shi starts to scan for any more coyotes, determined to prevent any from getting that close again if shi can prevent it.

Cilan moves to the patch where the coyote had once laid, a look of curiosity crossing her features as she attempts to remember something.

Sparhawk swoops back, encountering no rabid squirrels in this chunk of America, landing with a series of thumps in the field. The puddle gets some attention. "That was either a heck of a gun, or these critters are stranger than they first appear."

[Field] Kale rubs at hir leg before looking up at Sparhawk.

RosaSoul comments "I have a sword, I want a gun now, Where can i get a blueprint for a gun"

[Woods] Crys enters the treeline where the Coyote was and sniffs the ground. The coyote scent is strong, they frequently have been marking their territory. She says, "I wonder if these were the same ones that attacked me when I was out bio-mapping the forests. It's hard to tell since they all have the same -stink-.

[Field] Apostasy chuckles as shi hears Rosa. "Talk with a dragon called Shido and he might make you one. Or somehow get into Chandler Hospital and buy one of those crazies."

RosaSoul [woods] follows crys just in case and comments "It would be hard to tell, but considering you and Sorien are both far stronger than i am a least, I would be more worried about the fact they overpowered Sorien at all... perhaps we are missing some important detail"

[Woods] Crys' ears twitch, the smell is strong. "There are more of them, be on your guard." She shouts.

[Field] Apostasy notices Kale rubbing hir leg. "Something the matter, love?" Shi looks more closely, and looks worried. "Is that.... did that thing scratch you?"

[Field] Loki continues to circle around the fields, frowning at the lack of a body. He lands next to Cilan, Kale and the others, about to ask a question before he turns his attention to the woods at REDACTED's shout. He crouches down in preparation for taking to the air again, his wings spread wide.

[Field] Kale ignores Apostasy "It is nothing love... we shouldn't leave the group." Kale follows after Crys.

[Field] Sparhawk sniffs at the puddle a little, but gets dragged away by REDACTED running on ahead. "Subduing at least one for study would be grand, o adventurers! For one thing, goo-people should not survive out here unaided."

[Woods] RosaSoul perks her long ears and lowers down close to the ground, making herself a smaller target and ensuring she could move quickly if she needed to, none to keep on the thought of more of those things approaching "Gather together, It would not do well if we where cut off from each other"

A howling call can be heard in the distance to the north. It's long and mournful but a different pitch than a wolves'

[Woods] RosaSoul says “I don't think they will be happy we killed one of their pack..."

[Field] Apostasy frowns, but follows after, and stands next to Crys. "I'm not the only one who heard that howl, right? Should we wait and see what happens here, move towards it, or move back into clear ground? Your call Crys."

[Woods] Cilan makes her way into the woods, one hand is used to pull a handgun out of one holster, and a trench-knife out of the other, the lizard preparing for both ranged, and melee combat depending on the situation.

[Woods] RosaSoul draws her one and only weapon... a chain sword, this girl has not been keeping up on the equipment of today

[Woods] Crys looks very dark and says, "I'm not much one to wait, I will tear them apart til they give my mate back to me."

[Woods] Apostasy chuckles. "So lets take the fight to them, then, shall we?"

[Woods] Kale shakes a little and hides behind Apostasy "Careful love I saw no emotion of any sort in the last one's eyes."

Sparhawk fishes out a laser pistol that looks tiny in hir forepaw. "Set lasers on atomize!" Shi trots toward the woods line to join the war-party but makes sure not to get anywhere within Apostasy's front facing.

RosaSoul readies her long raking claws and growls softly still waiting for whatever was coming next "should we continue? Crys?"

[Woods] Apostasy fiddles a little with a switch on the side of hir gatling cannon. "Burst limiter set down to 5 round bursts. Gotta conserve ammo, after all."

[Field] Loki springs into the air, Circling around the field, attempting to spot any coyotes that may lurk within the grass.

RosaSoul huffs and starts creeping forward, she wasn't so much taking the lead, as just getting tired of waiting, impatient as always

Crys suddenly slams her hand to her eyes and groans. "Don't... don't kill them! One of these could be Sorien! Cilan, you could have killed Sori!" She shouts out.

Sparhawk points at Apostasy with the explosive bullet gun. "If you could kindly stay on the left flank with me while less ranged people advance in the middle, your firing line will be more likely to be empty of people I have to fix. And...that, yes." Shi starts moving toward the howls on the far left side of the group.

Cilan muses to herself as she continues through the woods, her voice easily heard by those close by, easily noted that it sounds disturbed, ".. Could.. could it be.. Oregon again?.. no.. it.. it cant be.."

"I'm all for taking the fight to them. Be nice to have some support on that." Apostasy says flatly, as shi starts advancing. Shi stops as Crys speaks. "Well. That changes things. Glaurung is kind of an all-or-nothing weapon... doesn't really do non-lethal."

Kale rubs at hir leg again as shi stays between Apostasy and Cilan. "What happened in Oregon?"

RosaSoul jumps in surprise at the shout and turns "Crys! relax... Do you think Sorien would have been so quick to try and kill Kale? It wasn't her"

Crys snaps at Rosa "How would you know what this infection does to the mind? Did you see the way Wallace was acting, for all we know she could be one of them now!"

RosaSoul nods after a moment before she replies in a softer tone "You're right, but would it be Sorien if her mind is gone?, i think we all agree to try not to kill them for your sake, but what choice was there? it would have ripped out her throat if it had not been shot, Sorien will be ok, we will find her, promise" smiling slightly and really, really hopes that she isn't lying

Apostasy moves over to the flank as indicated by Sparhawk, but keeps an eye on Crys. "If we're going non-lethal on this, life just got -much- harder."

Loki circles around the field, spotting nothing of particular interest. He darts back into the woods, taking to the treetops, trying to move from branch to branch stealthily, and gain a better vantage point. He smiles as he overhears Apostasy. Non Lethal combat is his specialty.

Sparhawk lightens the woods in hir passing, commenting occasionally on some passing bird, or a mulberry tree that has somehow overshadowed the local oaks. This does not distract completely from staring everwhichway.

Kale turns to REDACTED "We have to believe that Sorien is okay, Even if Sorien became infected who is to say she couldn't resist the effects." Kale rubs at hir leg again idly.

Cilan shakes her head, clearing her mind as shes spoken to, turning to Kale she answers, "Just that coyote had shown signs of another race of dangerous wolves we had found in Oregon.. it had shown characteristics, especially in its death, how it decayed like that..the flesh is hard to kill.. it'd always get re-absorbed into the stronger creatures, it.. it was almost like they had a hive-mind.. and hive-body too.."

RosaSoul frowns darkly at Cilan's words "that is not good, If that's so then they will get stronger any time we killed one anyways, sounds like Non-lethal might actually be a REALLY good idea, since it would keep them weak"

Crys stiffens hearing Cilan talk about the infection. "If that thing -absorbed- Sorien into itself I... I have no idea what to do."

While everyone is talking the woods shuffling grows louder, their conversation has attracted attention, and their time idling given a chance for the pack to spread out around them.

RosaSoul murmurs "Crys... Don't think of that, we can deal with it when the time comes, right now, we are searching for Sorien, and that's all" she rolls her eyes at the realization they where not surrounded "well... say your prayers, this is about to get interesting"

Loki smiles in his perch in the trees. "Fascinating... these things will prove quite entertaining to study... hive mind... perhaps a true one..."

"Crys, it's crunch time. Are we staying non-lethal, or not? Need an answer -real- fast here." Apostasy says, twisting at the waist to cover a larger section of the woods with hir firing arc.

RosaSoul comments to Apo "non, if we kill them there's a chance they get stronger instead, and then we really will be overwhelmed, disable them any way you can, don't kill"

Kale whimpers and looks around rapidly. "This isn't good."

Crys grimaces, not sure what to do. She's pissed as hell at these things for taking her mate, but she is really worried about hurting her mate in the process of getting her back. She screams out, "I don't know." And charges toward a coyote just emerging from the bushes in front of her.

Sparhawk curls up a bit, forepaws hanging in an imitation of taurishness. "Nonlethal. Need to rescue, might be infected. Also, killing one makes the rest more awesome, and that is no good."

Coyotes all around begin to pop into view. Four of them charging straight for Cilan, one with a spark of intelligence and ANGER in it's eyes.

Having been prepared for this, Cilan lashes at her attacker with a quick swipe of the trench knife.

Kale seeing the coyotes head for Cilan takes a deep breathe and rushes over and help roaring as best shi can "Stay away from her you bastards!"

The slender, smaller intelligent looking female, stops right as the others charge for Cilan, letting them take the knife. Cilan slashes into two of them but the third lands it's mouth down on Cilan's wrist.

Apostasy grimaces. "Fuck!" Shi drops Glaurung to the ground, and crouches into a fighting stance, claws at the ready, hir tail lashing about. Shi drops any that come close with quick slashes of hir claws, trying hir utmost to incapacitate without killing.

Kale grimaces as shi isn't fast enough to reach Cilan to stop the attack.

RosaSoul launches forward raising an arm and twisting aiming to slam the entire aim into said coyotes head, intent on knocking it to the side and away from the others intending to keep at least one of the number away from the rest, she knows she isn't the strongest and thus intends to at least try and take them on one at a time

Sparhawk drops a gleaming mirror shield between Cilan's hand and the teeth, recoiling the damage onto the coyote's own person. Then shi turns to face the incoming mob, the mirror used up for this phase of fight, and probably not lingering long enough for another attacker to be foolish.

Crys leaps onto two coyote, taking her arms around two necks, and begins to squeeze, holding her arms around both necks.

Loki drops out of a tree, attempting to leap upon the one actually showing sentience. He bristles with bio-electricity, crackling lightly as he descends on the ground. A faint prickling can be felt in the air near him, but it otherwise seems harmless.

The female coyote intent on seeing Cilan down, does not notice Rosa until it gets kicked in the stomach and yelps flying away. The two that Cilan knifed lay bleeding, their necks leaking lifeblood. The third's teeth shatter against the force of Spar's mirrored effect.

Kale reaches Cilan and checks her over eyes glistening "Are you alright?"

Loki's flesh begins to electrocute the coyote below him, and it howls out in pain. A bigger Coyote tackles him from behind, looking very pissed.

More coyotes charge out of the woods, a few going for Apo one of the larger targets, and a few others again for Cilan.

Cilan recoils as she notices the coyote's blocked attack, noting the flash coming from Loki, her other hand, the one holding the handgun points towards his attacker, promptly squeezing off a few shots, the adrenaline pumping too hard to for her to notice Kale's question.

RosaSoul grins and is actually suddenly pleased that she doesn't seem to appear as a threat to the damn coyotes, aiming a hard kick at the downed females skull in the hopes of knocking it out this time to ensure it stays down, her long ears perking then and swiveling trying to detect how many are around them, and where the nearest group of them where, uncoiling her long tail to sweep it across the bushes in an attempt to strike a few at once (scythe sweep) :3

Apostasy stays in motion, never standing till for long, claws lashing out at hir attackers, using hir tail as a lash and a bludgeon as required to keep them back. Shi does hir best to prevent any from getting past hir to the rest of the group.

Sparhawk tries to coordinate fisticuffs with Apostasy, weaving nimbly to expose the backsides of coyotes attacking hir flanks as well as pounding the back of anything that favors the flailing dragoness.

Kale protects Cilan's back, striking with claw and tail at any coyote that tries to attack Cilan's rear with an intense ferocity.

The largest of the coyotes takes two bullets to the flank, but continues it's motion toward Loki, landing on top of him and begins to go for his throat. One of the coyotes attacking Apo makes it past hir defenses and goes for hir ankle in an attempt to trip them, but Spar manages to smack it off before it can. The coyotes Crys is choking begin to slow, but another jumps on top of her, going for her throat as well.

The four coordinate around trying to flank Cilan and Kale from multiple angles.

Loki attempts to maintain his grip on the smaller coyote, grimacing as he is tackled. He releases a larger burst of electricity, attempting to stun the attacker, and the one he has grabbed. He aims for the smaller one's head, attempting to mess with its thoughts. He does his best to kick the larger in the gut and send it over.

Apostasy nods a quick thanks to Spar as shi fights, kicking out at a leaping coyote and catching it in the gut. "This would be SO much easier if I could us my goddamned GUN!"

RosaSoul lets out an almost wild laugh as she kicks forward again, towards the next group, this time bringing both arms out and attempting to hook as many as she can and slam them into each other with all her might, the wild swing hopefully knocking a few more of them out "Anyone happen to have a count on how many there are? lets try not to get killed"

Kale desperately tries to protect hirself and Cilan, but hir lack of combat training really shows. Kale tries to make up for it in sheer desperation and ferocity.

Cilan attempts to use Kale's attacks to both of their advantage, her handgun continuing to squeeze off rounds, an arm held out to nudge Kale to move in certain directions, the two almost becoming an army of two, one incapacitating, the other finishing.

Sensing weakness the four coyotes around Cilan and Kale feint going for Cilan and then all go for Kale. One going for her throat, two for her legs and the other just tries to tackle into both Cilan and Kale. Rosa watches as more emerge from the wood cover looking directly at them, three sets of golden eyes making vicious snarls. The one on Crys bites down into her neck and she cries out in pain. Loki manages to throw the 'yote off on top of him while trying to knock the coyote out below him. Spar and Apo become the center of focus as another dozen Coyotes emerge from cover, going specifically for the two of them.

RosaSoul turns hearing Crys cry out and immediately abandons her own fight to go after the one on her, grabbing it by the scruff, her long claws digging into the skin and twists trying to cause as much agony to the beast as she can to force it to let go of her neck, before throwing it hard at a try, hoping that would break its back, quickly kneeling by REDACTED and should she be bleeding, presses a paw against the wound applying pressure to slow it "which of you had the medipack and knows how to use it? help her, I'll keep them off you while you do" looking worried now

"Is there no end to these things?!" Apostasy yells as the pair of dragons is rushed by even more coyotes. Shi's too focused on the fight at hand to really be aware of what anyone else besides Sparhawk is doing, and so has no idea of the danger hir mate is in.

Kale roars in surprise and anger and thrashes violently. "GRaaaawr!"

Sparhawk laughs joyously as shi fights, more careful to leave non-fatal wounds than incapacitate. "Our cause is just! Our vengeance is proportionate! Right makes Might!" Being draped in multiple layers of armor and being annoyingly nimble for such a large target might cause some foolhardiness in defense.

Cilan does everything in her power to protect Kale, if it means she'd get bitten, she'd live with it, mutation, and mind change without a second thought, pushing herself to squeeze off round, once the need to reload is opened, she switches to attacking with the trench knife, her arm still held out to nudge Kale in certain directions, using tactical maneuvers to keep hir behind the lizard girl body shield.

Loki continues to clutch the coyote, creating a much strong burst of electricity as he takes to the air, and attempting perching in a tree. He tries to observe any effects the electricity may have upon the intelligent looking coyote.

The three that were going for move for Cilan and Kale. Cilan's first shot hits the one trying to tackle her and she brains it, but it's weight still impacts her throwing her off balance. Spar and Apo each manages to take out part of the dozen going for them, but they are quickly flanked by the remaining four that got past their defenses. Loki watches as the intelligent coyote stops breathing and begins to melt into the ground, dead like the others. The coyote recovers and heads for Rosa and Crys. Cilan manages to take out two of the coyotes going for Kale after recovering from being knocked down but a third puts it's mouth into her leg biting in and begins to drag her into the wood.

Crys pushes herself off the ground, her neck bleeding and anger glaring in her eyes, her entire eyes have turned a dark pool of black, and her Khanda are in her hands. She screams in furious rage and charges at the wolf with her blade out in front of her, "Give me her BACK" coming out as little more than a growl.

Apostasy growls and leaps up, powering the jump with hir wings, evading the coyotes that have gotten under hir guard. Shi lands a few feet away, coming down feet first on the back of another coyote, and snarls at the ones shi just evaded. "Come get some!"

RosaSoul just grabs a rock off the ground and with a sharp twist throws it much like a baseball at the nearest coyotes skull, waiting for that sickening crack, "this is getting to be QUITE enough" at this point she to is getting to be irritated, angry, and with another glance to make sure REDACTED was alright despite her bite she goes back to her own fight, kicking sharply at another in an attempt to connect her foot with one of their chins

Kale's eyes narrow and shi pounces at the coyote grabbing Cilan and tears into it with incredible violence. Kale roars "You bastards I said stay away!" Tears run down Kale's eyes as shi fights.

Loki frowns as the coyote melts into the ground. He glances around, trying to spot another 'intelligent' coyote like the first, ready to throw any feral that may pass by him. He glances over his shoulder in the melee, trying to glean the exact state of the others.

Having been grabbed and pulled, Cilan reaches in a vain attempt to pull the third firearm from around her shoulder, this being the Tac-50, if the movement is available, she points it to her attacker and pulls the trigger, caring little about the recoil the rifle would have with only a single arm holding it.

Sparhawk growls, "Shit, moral emergency." There is a another rush of wings as the as-fast-as-transhumanly-possible dragon charges at REDACTED's target, intending to trample it underneath in ways less deadly than the sharpest of swords. Given time shi will return to Apo's new post, barreling back into the least wary one of the mob.

Kale manages to unseat the one dragging Cilan, knocking it to the ground but four of the six surrounding jump on top of her. Rosa's rock takes out one of the remaining two, and the last turns toward Spar and Crys. Spar manages to push the big one out of the path of Crys' blade. Two emerge from the wood behind Rosa, and the four attacking Apostasy and Spar turn toward where Apo leaped, and charge hir.

RosaSoul hears the two coming out behind her and just smirks flicking her tail low to sweep their feet out from under them before they even get a chance, and spins around to strike them each across the sides of their skulls to take care of those two, suddenly very pleased she had decided to master the long ears

Apostasy roars in fury as shi sees Kale pounced by four from hir new position, and bull-rushes through the four charging hir, charging towards Kale and clearing the coyotes off hir with great sweeps of hir claws. "STAY! AWAY! FROM MY! MATE!"

Cilan rises from her attacker with the assistance of Kale, and finally gives into her innate mutant powers, slapping the attackers on top of Kale away with a firm lash with her long lizard tail.

Sparhawk pauses a long enough moment to meet the black rage of REDACTED's eyes and say, "Death is the enemy. Remember who you are fighting." Then shi is off again, trusting REDACTED to do things that are both right and effective, pouncing upon the four scattered in Apostasy's wake and administering an immobilizing mass of silk to any yote who is so wary as to be adjacent to hir hindquarters.

Loki leaps down into the fray, one again crackling with electricity, a little more intense than usual, but not enough to cause pain to the normals. He heads towards Apostasy and the others, where the fighting is the thickest. He unleashes a rather large burst of energy, attempting to mess with their nanites as much as possible without being lethal.

Kale in a fit of rage gives in to hir feral instincts and rends and tears any coyote shi can get hir hands onto.

One of the four that was attacking Apo catches hir off-guard as she leaps to save Kale. Shi manages to grab hold of two of them on top of kale and snaps their necks, but she looks down at her bloodied hip in pain. Cilan knocks the rest off with her tail. One of Rosa's slams into a tree and the loud resounding crack is followed by the usual death signs. Loki manages to snag two of the ones attacking Apostasy with his lightning, pushing each quickly unconscious with a singe on their fur. Spar snags two of the remaining coyote's with some silk webbing.

Taggart slowly enters the edge of the forested area, his pace stoic and steady. His face is somber, almost sad, and the large wolf raises his head and lets out a howl of challenge. It rings out through the trees, echoing across the wind before he drops his head and pulls off his hat and pea-coat, cracking knuckles and rolling his shoulders.

RosaSoul turns on the spot since only one seems to have gone down and aims her bare fist for the remaining coyotes skull intending to make it fall back against the tree to, she did not intend to kill any of course, but the tree could be effective in finishing the job of knocking it unconscious "hey guys here's a thought, if Sorien was one o the intelligent ones, would she attack us? I think we can safely assume we can slaughter the smart ones whom attack right?" grasping a rock and turning towards that remaining intelligent one "OR we can tie it up while its out and learn from it"

Apostasy stays in a low fighting stance by Kale, snarling almost ferally, looking around for any coyotes still capable of posing a threat, tail lashing about and claws twitching. Shi barely seems to notice the bloody wound on hir hip.

Loki glances over to REDACTED looming over another similar looking coyote. He rushes out towards her, unleashing another burst of electricity in an attempt to knock out the others, landing beside REDACTED. He appears ready to intervene should she try anything lethal to the apparent 'commander' of the coyotes.

Kale sniffles, Tears still in hir eyes looks over Cilan and Apostasy "No...noooo , why couldn't I don anything to protect you two..." Kale automatically goes for hir medkit and inspects their wounds.

Crys growls in fury at Sparhawk taking her kill, but her friend's words snap her out for a moment, and puts one of her swords back. She looks around for a moment, and then feels really light headed, before passing out. Blood has been streaming down her back and apparently adrenaline was keeping her up.

Cilan lets out a tired, and obviously weak chuckle as she falls to her ass, "D-dont.. dont worry about it.. love.. now.. before I change and become a threat to you.. leave me in peace with my flask.." resting her back against one of the trees she reaches over to the said flask and takes a large gulp from it, passing it next to Apostasy.

Sparhawk growls again, "That was too far the other way." Shi curls up a moment, examines one of the two active coyotes around hir to verify it is a male, then lashes out with a vicious kick upon those parts of males that hang helpless. Then shi turns to dash at REDACTED's smartyote, leaving the regular one behind hir with a long scaly tail making a loop.

Not sure if it's Taggart's frightening howl, or if for some reason the coyotes are simply going to wait for something to happen, no more emerge, in fact some can be heard running off. The only remaining conscious coyote is the big male, which Loki and Spar are dealing with.

Kale glares at Cilan " NO Cilan we promised that we would stay with each other always. I will restrain you if I must but I am not leaving you here."

Apostasy pulls Kale into a tight embrace, and then holds hir out at arm's length, looking hir over carefully. "Thank the gods, you're unharmed." Shi pulls Kale back into the embrace and nuzzles hir. "I promised you I'd -always- come back to you. That hasn't changed." Shi looks over at Cilan. "As for you, sis.. you think I'm going to let you give in that easily? Back on your feet, soldier! You're not done yet!"

 Taggart waits for a moment, but sensitive ears catch the fleeing off the other forms in the trees around him. The large wolf just nods a bit and picks up his coat and hat, pulling them back on as he moves further in the direction of the screams and fighting.

Kale begins to use hir medical skills to disinfect and wrap Cilan and Apo's wounds, Kale puts on a stern face and holds back further tears. "You two are going to recover or I will never forgive you."

Loki gives a worried glance to REDACTED, staring at the wound on her neck. He stares at REDACTED, frowning. Even if he could attempt to control nanites out here, he wouldn't be able to help her, and he lacks any sort of medical equipment. He glances downwards to the male, holding it to the ground, studying it intently.

Sparhawk herds the last hapless canine for a tasering courtesy of Loki, paying more attention to watching REDACTED lay flat on the dirt. By the time shi's done with that the bite wound has been identified and the old medkit begun to be dug out of the bottom of the bag where it was stuffed months ago, gauze and antiseptics and regular old medical supplies. "I may have to start charging for my services, if it keeps being this frequent!"

Cilan lets out another chuckle, replying to both Kale and Apostasy with, "Fine, fine.. but.. if I go all bitey, Ill leave whatever happens next up to both of you.." finished she rises to her feet, and gives the two of them a peck on the cheek.

(Cilan and Apostasy both feel -really- sickeningly dizzy, as a wave of nausea overcomes them.)

Grins at Kale and snaps off a salute. "Ma'am yes ma'am!" And then staggers, a hand going to hir head as a wave of nausea washes over hir. "Ugh... that's not a good thing..."

Cilan drops again, this time to a single knee as she clenches at her stomach with one hand and her head with the other, shaking her head and blinking rapidly as she notes, "Ugh.. I think that whiskey isnt sitting too well with me.. damn.."

The large, male wolf steps slowly into the clearing where everyone is gathered, catching Cilan's comment. "That's cuz yer drinkin' tha wrong sort." He seems as stoic and unfriendly as before, emerald eyes moving slowly around the group to take count of injury and such. Gaze landing upon the ripped and torn REDACTED, Taggart can only shake his head, moving over to the group of her, Loki, Sparhawk, and the coyote.

Kale hides hir concern behind a well practiced nurses smile "Its going to be alright, both of you lay down and just focus on your breathing. In and out, just keep focusing on that. The nausea and dizziness should pass. Tell me if you feel anything else."

Loki gives a worried glance as he hears the chatter between Cilan and co. His gaze drops down to the coyote. He hesitates for a moment. He glances up to Taggart as he heads over and gives a small nod. "Hey. This one seems smarter than the others. I would think restraining this one and attempting to communicate could be useful."

Sparhawk medicinizes upon the bleeding neck wound to make REDACTED less leaky. "We are, of course, going to pursue them because they will be keeping whatever they want us to not have in their lair. And it will be even more their turf than these woods. In other news, I need to get a portable microwave."

Kale stands up and looks at the others " We need to get to a better position, I say we move back to the bus. We our sitting ducks in the woods. Plus the Gas might mask our scent."

Apostasy slowly sinks to the ground, shaking hir head and trying to clear it. Shi murmurs "We need to... clear out of here.... regroup.... at the bus. Don't forget to take.... Glaurung...." as shi lies back, eyes closing as shi tries to fight back the nausea.

Kale leans down "Quiet loves you need your rest. I will make sure everything is all right." Kale says with total determination

Loki glances down at the coyote. "Anybody want to give me a hand dragging this one back with us?" he asks, looking up to the others.

Taggart pointedly seems to ignore the small scene of Kale, Apostasy, and Cilan, wincing slightly as he looks at the coyote. He promptly leans over and swings his fist to the things temple... his usual method of restraint. He peers at the thing to make sure it's properly unconscious and nods, moving over to pick up REDACTED from in front of Sparhawk, not really waiting for the okay or not. After this, he turns about and starts walking back to the bus.

Sparhawk shuffles around and eyes Taggart. "I need your help. If you would be so kind as to carry our super-dense leader, I will transport the pair of people who are suffering progressive infection." And then Taggart does it anyway, yay!

Loki sighs at the wolf's brutality, and hoists the coyote on to his back, carrying it to the others. "Hey.. Cilan.. Apo.. Kale.. you three alright? Seemed like you guys had quite the scuffle there."

Kale looks up at Sparhawk and gestures to Apostasy "Help hir to the bus, but be gentle." Kale hoists up Cilan carefully and cradles her in hir arms.

Sparhawk can drape one whole entire Apostasy down hir back, holding hir up with wings that get a few red marks on their gleaming surface. "You got Cilan there? I think we are prepared to decamp."

Kale points to Apo's gun "Pick that up as well Apo will need it."

Kale Kale begins to carry Cilan to the bus

Cilan offers little resistance to being hoisted up into Kale's arms, occasionally letting loose a groan as her nausea and dizziness hit her.

Sparhawk regards the gun with distaste, but straddles it and picks it up between two pair of midlegs. This gives Apo a much more lumpy transit than if all four pair were on the ground, and hir spine is bent up in the middle.

Kale reaches the bus and lays Cilan gently down nearby and reinspects the wounds shi wrapped.

Loki glances to the others. "So.. where the heck should we put this thing?" he asks, gesturing to the coyote he is carrying.

Taggart moves up into the bus and sets REDACTED onto one of the long benches inside before coming back outside. "Stick it underneat'... luggage space."

Kale rummages through hir supplies in desperation looking for anything to stop the infection even though shi knows nothing like that is in hir kit.

Loki gives a nod to Taggart. "Sure, that should work for now... May have to end up moving him sometime though." he mumbles, shoving the coyote in the compartment and closing it.

Sparhawk tote tote carry, kneeling near the bus for someone to take the dragon off te dragon's back. "Presumably someone knows where this giant gun goes, yes?"

Kale says quietly "Set it near me Sparhawk."

Loki glances at the lethal weapon Sparhawk is carrying. "Well, I would say it should preferably be smelted down into something less lethal.. preferably something not intended for killing at all, but its Apo's so.. well, next to her I would think.

Cilan lustily hisses, "Ungh.. t-try.. to find something.. to bind us with.. if we change.. I want to make sure we don't hurt anyone in these.. tight quarters.."

Taggart glances about with emerald gaze, making sure the area looks secure enough before heading back up into the bus to sit across the aisle. His gaze flits to her on occasion, making sure she isn't bleeding out, then turns and looks outside, unfocused and staring at nothing.

Sparhawk notes the yote being stuffed into cargo, and examines Cilan and Apostasy. "Can do. Make sure you are in a comfortable position, though." There will be heavy silk applied once they indicate preparedness, or unconsciousness.

Crys groans, her eyes fluttering open. She looks around at the bus, wondering how she got there.

Kale props up Cilan and Apo's heads and makes them as comfortable as possible.

Loki clambers into the bus, making his way over to Apostasy and Cilan. He peers over the edge of the seat, staring intently. "You two ok? Feel anything abnormal? Odd? You don't look so well." he says, rapidly firing off questions, looking quite concerned.

Apostasy seductively says, "Nnngh... ready... to be silked.... whenever you are... Spar."

Kale smiles at Cilan "Sorry I don't have your Triage bed for you."

Taggart glances to the side as he hears REDACTED groan, then looks back outside. His voice is fairly monotone, if a bit accusing. "I'm bettin' ya went and did sumtin' stupid."

The wounds on Apo and Cilan have mostly closed up. Which is unusual in itself due to the lack of nanite driven accelerated healing out beyond the bubble.

Kale grimaces after checking the wounds and whispers "No don't heal like that i-if they are healing then... no their fine.... its fine the nanites just must be working better then I thought."

Crys' ears perk at Taggart's voice and she says, "Wuh?" slurring a bit in her speech.

Apostasy curls hir tail around Kale's waist. Shi murmurs "Don't worry... love.... I promised I'd always come back...."

Taggart remains quiet and staring outside at the trees.

Kale fights back tears and nods "You did... you both did. I am holding both of you to that promise."

Apostasy smiles. "I won't... be breaking it.... any time... soon. Come hell or... high water..."

Cilan lets loose a small, weak chuckle as she tries to lighten the mood with a bad joke, "Heh.. love.. dont you know.. even death itself couldnt tear me away from you.. trust me.. it tried, only left with a gunshot wound to the skull.."

Taggart twitches slightly at Apostasy's, Cilan's and Kale's words, standing and moving outside. The bus tilts slightly to one side as the large wolf climbs the side of it and thunks about on the roof before it passes.

Kale can't help but giggle at Cilan's bad joke

Crys finally becomes fully conscious, and looks around a little more coherently. She doesn't look as dizzy as Apostasy or Cilan, and she notes Taggart's leaving and tries to say something before he leaves but fails. She tries standing up, and manages to get her balance but has to use Sparhawk as support.

Loki nods, staring grimly at Cilan and Kale. He remains silent, his questions ignored. He slumps against the edge of the bus, closing his eyes in thought. He frowns, his tail twitching.

Kale breaks into a smile and deeply kisses both of them "Rest now you two you will need your strength when we attack."

Cilan leans her head back, her eyes slowly closing as she takes Kale's advice and rests.

Apostasy smiles back at Kale. "I just... wanna try one thing... after Spar restrains me..." Shi looks at Sparhawk. "Spar.... silk me up.... please..."

Crys begins to stagger her way out to the front of the bus to try to get to Taggart. She's a bit wobbly, but about as much to be expected from losing the amount of blood she did.

Taggart is on the roof of the bus.

Spar moves to restrain apostasy, wrapping hir up with sticky, strong silk strands. Taking special care not to prevent hir breathing, but enough to try to prevent escape should body mass change.

Loki glances up at Kale. "I'll keep an eye on em... I may not know you as well as I know the two.. but.. well, I consider em both friends... well, maybe Cilan more of a friend, and Apostasy as an abusive older sister.. but hey..." he says, trying to lighten the mood a little, and flashing a cheesey smile and 'thumbs up'.

Apostasy smiles hir thanks to Sparhawk. "Wonder if... I can.... get in tune... with the nanites... gonna... try." Shi closes hir eyes, hir breathing slowing as shi focuses on the new infection.

Crys pulls herself out of the bus, looking up for where he went. She doesn't seem to be able to pull herself up but says, "No, no I wasn't stupid. At least thanks to Spar. I tried to stop the coyotes without killing, but one got to me when I was distracted." She calls up.

Kale nods to Loki "Thanks but for now I would like to sit here and watch over them if you don't mind."

Loki nods to Kale. "Well.. I'm just not sure what else I can do.. Kinda.. lost everything as we left the field." he says, gesturing to his bare form. "Gotta make a note not to rely on nanites so much... still.. this should prove an interesting thing to learn from should I make it out of here alive." he sighs, looking a tad stressed at not being able to help more.

Apostasy gasps and looks at hir hand, wriggling the fingers, hir eyes looking strangely unfocused. Shi lets out a long, loud scream.

Kale inspects Apostasy "Whats wrong!?" Kale hisses in panic trying to follow Apostasy's gaze.

The gruff wolf's voice. "Go rest, REDACTED."

Bones can be heard popping, as Apostasy's mass shrinks, hir hips and groin adjusting to quadruped stance, and hir long dragon tail, falls off.

Kale pounds on the ground and shouts "Love talk to me damn it, I don't care about your body, if your mind is okay."

Sparhawk inspects Apostasy as much as shi can, without the benefit of extra-tiny senses; neither the local field nor a nanite infection itself should spread like this, and Spar's not set to interfere meaningfully.

Cilan is abruptly awoken by the loud scream, another surge of adrenaline attacking the lizard as she reflexively uses what little she can do from her lying position on the bench, that being her own nanite abilities!

Apostasy shudders and shakes as the changes rip through hir body, shaking hir head in denial as shi looks at hirself, eyes still strangely unfocused, still screaming.

Loki stares at Apostasy, giving her a worried glance. He waits, and observes what may happen.

Kale leans down to Apostasy Ear "Concentrate love, remember when you asked me to be your mate. Remember all the fun we had that night." Kale switches tactics "Precious I order you stay with me. Don't lose yourself to this!"

A soft, resigned sigh between the screams of change from the roof of the bus.

More bones crack and apostasy's feet shift into digit-grade coyote paws, fur sprouting where once there were scales.

Crys staggers back into the bus to see what's going on.

Apostasy's eyes close and hir jaw snaps shut as shi thrashes about, as if trying to escape something. Shi's straining to raise hir head, as if trying to keep it above something.

Cilan calls over to Apostasy as she lies on the bench, unable to do anything to help hir, "Hang on, sis.. if you die here, and now, how am I going to raze malls, and convenience stores with?"

Loki glances over to REDACTED. "Looks like Apo is shifting into a coyote... possibly." he notes, before glancing back to her.

Kale continues to whisper and say various things in Apostasy's ear, Kale is clearly trying everything shi can think of.

Kale glares at Loki projecting hir frustration unfairly at him "Damn it aren't you supposed to be some sort of genius nanite researcher can't you do anything you bird brain?!"

A loud thump against the roof of the bus, sounds like a fist banging once to keep the shouting down.

Apostasy's arms twist, while the fur covers hir shoulders heading up for hir rapidly changing muzzle

Apostasy whimpers out "I... love you.... Kale... always. I'll.... find my.... way.... back... somehow..."

Loki sighs, and looks at Kale pitifully. "No tools. Cant. Dissolved upon exiting the bubble... Could if I would. I feel just as useless as you do now... The coyotes... well... if I was to give Apo a jolt, she might melt like the others. Didn't take much at all." he sighs, looking rather frustrated at his inability to do anything.

Kale sobs into Apostasy's chest

Sparhawk says mildly, "I am reasonably certain there are more than nanites at work here." Shi watches, not taking any action while the bonds hold and the obviously painful changes continue.

Kale chokes out "You will come back or I will drag you back."

Loki glances over to Sparhawk. "Really? What gives you such a hypothesis?" he mumbles.

Cilan struggles at the silk webbing keeping her down, the soldier attempting to tear her way out to move to Apostasy's side, occasionally screams of anger, pain, and hate is heard as she goes on.

Apostasy's muzzle finishes transforming, and then shi begins to cough up blood. It spilling all over her as shi writhes in the webbing. The final changes happen to hir body as it shifts fully, and then shi begins melting the way the coyotes have in the past.

Kale looks desperately at the melting pile and then turns to Cilan hearing hir screams of anguish checking to see if shi is 'changing' as well.

Sparhawk tilts hir head to regard Loki with an ear-hole. "Because your nanites cannot dance, and--what the crap." A vial is swiftly ejected from hir collector, and a chunk of currently-coyote is attempted to capture, and hir nose dents into the melty pile as shi tries to sort out an Apostasy-scent from a generalized coyote background.

Thus far, the adrenaline has caused Cilan to shake off her dizziness, and she exhibits no physical changes.

Noticing the fact that Kale had moved to her side, and the sounds coming from Apostasy, Cilan can only fear the worst before hir struggling finally comes to an end, a whispered, ".. No.." is said as she looks pleadingly to Kale, "What.. what happened?.."

Loki perks up, looking quite worried as Apostasy begins coughing up blood. He jumps up, peering over the edge of the seat. "That's not.. good at all... Very bad.." he murmurs. "Well Sparhawk.. I would REALLY love to hear your hypothesis now... I'll be damned if we can actually bring her back... As far as I know... her mind may be quite warped.." he continues, glancing at Sparhawk as he tries to sort Apostasy's nanites. "I don't think.. a mind can be replicated... she may be able to be duplicated physically though.. but.. well, I hope I'm wrong here."

Kale puts on a brave face and looks at Cilan. "Shi..... is ...gone." Kale then just stares blankly at a bus seat for a little while.

Cilan blinks, a blank stare as she realizes, a nod is made before she lets out a sigh, and again she turns her vision to Kale, a righteous vigor in her voice as she says, "Love.. I promise.. I promise that there is not a single force in heaven, hell, or anywhere the fuck else that wont make me bring hir back to us.. just hold on.. please.. hold on!" her hyped up mind doing the only thing that comes to it, she closes her eyes and begins to focus on the infection coursing through her body, attempting to follow Apostasy's path, and find hir wherever she may be.

Sparhawk watches until events stop happening, then says, "Tell you in a minute." Shi goes to check on the continued existence of the coyote in the cargo compartment, then will return to say, "Not gone. No more gone than the individual fingers of the greater coyote organism that we put holes in. My current theory is they are a single large creature, with the smarter-looking ones being human minds it has subsumed. As such, rescue is possible." Spar exudes confidence, which none of the assembled except possibly REDACTED can penetrate, trusting that no one else knows what is going on any more than shi does and applying Weaponized Hope to the problem.

Loki grins, giving Sparhawk a nod. He walks over to Cilan and gives her a kick. "Hey! Don't bail on us! We need you here! The shiny dragon over here says that we can rip her out of something, before his look changes to one of horror. "Wait.. a cluster of minds... did that mean.. how many.." he says, his legs wobbling slowly. "Did I just... kill.. how many.."

Cilan's paws shift first, twisting painfully, although if she feels it she doesn't show it. Her nails turning into thick canine claws and her feet growing small and digit-grade.

Cilan opens her mouth, and clenches her eyes shut, making it seem as though she were attempting to scream, but no voice leaves her, aside from that, little can be seen as her body has been tied firmly to the bench she rested on.

Kale stares into Cil's eyes "God damn it Cil! Not you too!"

Sparhawk applies science to Cilan, squeezing her hand for texture while it changes and while it melts, sniffing noisily the entire while. At one point shi mutters, "Really, anyone with a Promethean psychologist friend can speak up any time now."

The shifting continues up her legs to her hips as she sprouts a coyote tail. Cil's thrashing though does not match her body's changes.

Cilan speaks, its voice wracked with pain as she looks firmly to Kale, "Don't.. watch.. please.. I don't want.. to see you like that.. I.. I promise Ill be back, just.. hold on.. please!" and finishing, her body is wracked with obscene pain, obviously seen by the horrible thrashing seen underneath the webbing.

A rough, gravely voice from on top of the bus. "Yer tha one bringin'er tha pain. Accept that, fer yer selfishness, gurl."

Kale puts on hir best fake smile and closes hir eyes "Okay Cilan ... but I am going to kick both yours and Apo's ass when you get back for putting me through this."

Kale doesn't even hear tag talk

Loki grumbles. "What about Zephyr? I don't think the prometheans can solve everything as they claim they can." He slumps down, putting a hand on Kale's shoulder. "Easy.. I'm sure.. we can bring em back.. Hell, I would venture into hell itself if it means I can save them.. and whoever else probably met this fate..." he mumbles, glancing over to Sparhawk. "Hey! Dragon! You think... are the memories and minds really tied to one individual? Or.. are they mutable like this?... Simply absorbing into the next... if its like that...."

Loki continues "what I mean is... If you kill a "Brain"... do they transfer knowledge to another? Or.. is that the end?"

Kale begins to mutter every little poem, charm, and prayer for safe return shi know. "O eternal one, who alone watches us, and rules the tides and storms, be compassionate to your children, preserve us from the perils that plague, that we may be a safeguard for others."

Sparhawk does not glance away from Cilan. "My study on souls is incomplete. I can neither confirm nor deny their existence. I know nanites can dissolve brains and preserve their contents though, with goo girls as the base example."

Cilan's body shift, it reaching up to her chest, her arms beginning to shift into paws.

Kale whispers "Your bed will be waiting in the triage like always Cilan."

Looking at something that isn't there, Cilan wears a small grin, letting loose a pained chuckle, "I.. suggest a new.. option.. one that involves PUTTING A FUCKING BULLET IN YOUR SKULL!"

Another gravely sigh from above.

Kale clearly realizing that Cilan's words were meant for somebody only she sees, continues to do all shi can which amounts to little more then muttering words of protection. "Oh spirits of the world, send your gaze to my loved ones with benevolence, watch over them and protect them from peril."

Sparhawk does glance at the thing that isn't there, and frowns back at the subject. "Earthquake pills. Much more effective and longer-lasting."

Cilan's body begins to finalize it's shifting, the coyote infection overtaking her face.

RosaSoul sighs sadly not entirely sure right now what was going on, taking a seat near by and rests her head in her paws, though now worried that REDACTED's bite might have consequences too.

Cilan's eyes remain firmly set on whatever it is she's seeing, speaking one final time, her voice sounding like its being said with a lack of air to say it, "Ill.. hold you to that.. promise love!"

Cilan's body also passes, it's breathing and heart stopping, and it slowly begins to decompose as well. The pools of blood disappearing into the metal of the bus itself.

Kale quietly gets up and lays down in the back of the bus facing away from the others

Sparhawk says tensely, "Please confirm lack of normal nanite activity if you can, Loki. Or anyone else." Another sample gets bottled, assuming it doesn't evaporate inside the vial itself.

The blood remains in the vials.

RosaSoul murmurs softly "How is REDACTED doing? She cant be fairing too well with this..."

Crys looks pained, wondering if this is what happened to her mate. She looks sick, but not dizzy like the others were. She appears to be recovering although her wound, unlike the others has not healed.

Sparhawk slumps tiredly in the middle of the bus' aisle, passing the vials of ex-adventurer back to be filed in the proper bag. "Run out of cheery, gonna pretend to nap now."

Kale mutters "We need a plan of action..."

Loki continues to slump in his spot, his eyes closed, deep in thought.

 Otherworld -

 Walking with distinct stride and perhaps a slight limp, the elder man is heading somewhere with intent in his motions. He's covered by Coyote furs, beads and painted bone jewelry. His graying hair is patchy, and despite his darker red skin, his eyes shine blue.

Sorien follows, trying to not be annoyed enough to do anything stupid. She inventories what she has left, which is a short list that includes a body (not hers but nice), a coyote skin (Warm, but creepy), and her skills. She's less than happy at the moment, but continues to follow the apparently-older man.

Walking barefoot over the dirt and waist high grass is harder than one would think, the elder man having not provided shoes. He remains silent and stoic, and the journey takes what could be hours, although the sense of time is very distorted from the lack of a night and day cycle.

Sorien gives an annoyed sigh, but knows better than to push matters; she wants to know what exactly the hell is going on, and pissing off her one possible information source isn't going to help matters. She continues on, wishing that she were still in her proper form.

The elderly man pauses for a moment to stop at a brook and bends forward, bringing his face down to the water. He says nothing, and splashes some of the water across his skin. He does not acknowledge Sorien, nor instruct her, but returns to his feet, and continues onward, silently.

Sorien stifles a growl, but imitates the man's action, attempting to be respectful and continuing to follow.

The elder softly chuckles, but continues onward ahead without looking back. In the distance Sorien can see a fire burning and smoke rising into the night sky. The moon itself remains the same brilliant gold mixed with a bubble of more reddish orange. There are some dark patches on the sky that might be clouds, but it's hard to tell.

Sorien decides to take the chance. "Are we going anyplace in particular, or are we walking until I start asking questions? I'm not meaning to be disrespectful..."

The man simply nods, although he doesn't say what exactly he's responding to in her question. Nearing in on the fire there are more obvious structures, wooden with stretched skins. There are a few fires in fact, and smoke coming out from the top of many of the buildings.

Sorien shakes her head, and continues to follow the man. She knows no answers are forthcoming until he gets where he wants them to be, so she shrugs the coyote hide a bit tighter around her, letting him lead on without another question.

Some figures can be seen in the area ahead, it looks like the gathering is populated, one is huddling by a big fire in the center are. There are stones breaking from the ground around parts of the area, offering perhaps a wind barrier, the structures creating large black shadows from the firelight across their surface.

The elder holds up a hand, and begins to hobble forward in his odd gait. He makes a soft call of an animal Sorien doesn't recognize, into the air and it gets returned with a sharp whistle by a figure not seen. He then turns back to look at Sorien and waves her forward.

If she could, Sori'd be laying her ears back; she's not comfortable being essentially naked (in the undefended sense) in front of a bunch of total strangers. She's not comfortable, and trusting this situation, given how she got here, is not in the cards. When the man waves her forward she hesitates, quickly scanning visually for who (and what) is around her and where before moving forward.

Sorien can barely make out figures in the twilight and firelight among the shadows with her now human eyesight, she counts what looks like at least six among the area, the one by the fire, two sitting on the stairs to one of the larger structures, and three in different areas around. One of them leans on a long tall spear, but Sorien doesn't see any other obvious weapons.

The elder says, "Don't be silly child, you are welcome here." His tones are far softer than anything he's said previously, and his voice while still raspy has a warmth she hasn't heard yet.

Sorien says, "You'll pardon my skepticism, given I just got assaulted by a swarm of coyotes. I can't and don't trust this situation. No offense intended."

The man raises an eyebrow but remains silent at the comment, he finally shrugs and moves on ahead, leaving her behind.

Sorien says, "I'd be more inclined to trust if I knew what was going on."

The elder has left earshot by the time Sorien manages her reply, it's clear he doesn't care what she thinks. He's gone over to the huddled figure by the fire, the brightness of it making them black silhouettes. The figure is female, and she appears to be rubbing her eyes as the elder looks down at her and he places a hand on her shoulder.

Sorien approaches the fire warily, not saying more; she thinks that she may have offended. Not that she hasn't done that before.

Eyes follow Sorien as she moves in, she makes out a large imposing male figure and a smaller female next to him sitting on the stairs, watching. The one resting on his spear is a much less imposing male, and he looks a bit haggard and exhausted, but watches Sorien with suspicion.

Sorien takes a spot by the fire, and sits; warmth is a bit higher on her list of desires at the moment. She tries to sit where she can see the others around her, and is hoping that someone says something to her.

After some time the elder finishes talking to the girl, she appears younger than the others in the community, although is definitely not a child. He approaches Sorien and sits down next to her. He sits quiet for a while staring at the sky, saying nothing to Sorien.

Sorien fights the overpowering urge to fidget or ask stupid questions.

After some time he says, "You are now of the People, child of many.", as if this means something to Sorien. He continues, "You will teach, and bring more."

Sorien says, "Um... No."

"Not a Choice." He chuckles, gruffly, his voice sharp in the twilight air. The fire in front despite it's size isn't making the usual crackling pop, and despite the time it's been burning, no wood has been fed onto it.

Sorien says,"I was assaulted, my companion hurt and you want me to join you? Sorry, bullshit." the anger she'd been fighting is definitely boiling up.

He smiles, "You are here." He indicates the space around, although he's vague as to what he's referring to. If he knows what Sorien's talking about in terms of coyotes he has not indicated.

Sorien frowns. "Try an explanation, sparky. I'm no longer real inclined to politeness. You took me from my MATE. I'll not forgive that.

The elder, raises to his feet, and places a hand on Sorien's shoulder, pressing firmly but not aggressively. He looks at her and says simply, "The People did not take from you, you gave to us." He smiles and says, "Mate will join."

Sorien shrugs the hand off. "I really don't advise you EVER touch me again. Not if you want to retain that hand." SHe glares, stands and moves away from the fire, partly dropping into a casual fighting stance. "I'm not staying. I don't know how to leave, but I'll find my way one way or another."

The elder chuckles and waves to Sorien, returning to stare into the fire. Not one even bothers to resist Sorien leaving.

Sorien glares at the people around the fire. "Anyone here willing to give answers? Or are you happy just sitting around doing not a damned thing?" If she doesn't get an answer, she snorts and heads towards the mountains.

Silence is returned.

Sorien says, "Fine. (And she heads off.)"

Sorien strikes off toward what look like mountains in the distance. Their peaks are cherry red in the dim light, as if the sun is hiding behind. Sorien walks for hours, them not appearing to get any closer. Up in the sky the moon sits lonely, the dark wisps of clouds around it moving in their own dance. She crosses endless fields of grass and the occasional creek, before she finds herself at a larger stream, and she sees a depression in the muddy dirt, clearly the place she woke up in.

Sorien bends down and looks as the ground where she'd lain, trying to see if she dropped in there, or crawled out of the stream.

Sorien can't make any sense how she appeared there, it's as if she grew -out- of the stream.

Sorien looks around, seeing the odd pattern on the ground as if she'd grown out of the stream; she dips a toe in the water, just to see if there's an effect.

Sorien notices the water in the creek appears still, it's not flowing and yet it looks nothing like stagnant water should. There are her original footprints along with the elders heading off, as well as her footprints on the opposite side where she came from.

Sorien tries stepping into the stream.

The water is cold, and wind blows her hair in front of her face, she looks off into the sky and feels incredibly alone, the emptiness of it is terrifying. There are no stars, and the only movement in it has been the dark shadow-like clouds.

Sorien grrs to herself and takes another step forward.

The water flows around her feet as she walks along the bank, the sandy water bed envelop her feet gently as she steps along it.

Sorien looks around, then tries to 'feel' her old form; she isn't sure if she's conscious or not, and is trying to determine that- She wants to reach her own body- this stream seems to be some kind of border to her, so if there's a way back it might be here. She concentrates, using the focus she'd learned in her martial arts training and tries to reach out in a nonphysical sense.

The sky shimmers a bit, and Sorien has a hard time breathing, but she keeps focused and the sky above her ripples like the surface of a pond. She hears the sound of a single drop of water hitting the surface. She has a hard time focusing and her eyes roll up into her head feeling dizzy.

Sorien grits her teeth, squatting into a more balanced posture before she mentally PUSHES to reach her own form! She thinks the dizziness may be a hint that she's on to something, given that it was how she felt when she was bitten; worst case, she WILL be herself, here!

Sorien is overwhelmed by the sudden feeling of nausea as she sees through hundreds of eyes, the images moving so fast she can't grasp onto any single one, many sounds, and images and tastes, she tastes the fresh feel of blood in her mouth. Suddenly she feels herself toppling forward as she falls into the water, and into something else. The images and senses begin to clarify. She sees in front of her mouth a neck. The sweet taste of blood on her mouth is unfathomable to describe. She can't help but savor the taste as her jaws compress on it. The images start to clarify, she can hear the sounds of screaming and fighting, and languages she doesn't understand. Below her the creature has two coyote under it's arms, and it's screaming in pain. Sorien's brain finally recognizes the image, and the scents, her mate, she's killing her mate.

Sorien rips herself free of that, forcing the BODY doing the attack away! If she can, she forces it to run, trying to resume control!

The jaw releases, but the muscles do not cooperate, she sits there stunned for a moment until RosaSoul approaches her, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck and throwing her against a tree. The agony of the impact shatters her completely and she feels her body dying. The sound of shattering and she tries to scream but feels nothing but water surrounding her. She realizes she's drowning again.

Sorien pulls her head out of the water, gasping.

She's back in her human body, the cold water of the stream is around her, and air fills her lungs again. The eerie twilight has not changed, but there is a black spot in the center of the moon. It's small, and circular, and makes the moon almost look like a contracted pupil.

Sorien looks up at the dot. "If you're someone, and you're behind this, I will fucking kill you."

There's no answer in the silence, beyond the twisting wind and the rustling of the grass.

She rests a bit, then focuses again... Slowing her breathing, she tries to reshape herself where she is, into what she sees her 'self' as now- her mostly-skunk form.

Nothing happens, she feels no connection to her old body, her weak form she sees now is the only connection she feels. She can still taste her mate's blood in her mouth though, and the pain of the coyote's death she experienced was incredibly real.

Sorien gets out of the water, picking up the coyote hide again. She goes back to the fireside, looking at the people there once again.

When Sorien returns to the encampment, the man with the spear watches her closely, he's not overly large in his frame and his dark brown hair matches his almond eyes. He waves to her as she passes, and she sees no sign of the elder she had been speaking with. The younger girl remains, in the firelight her eyes appear amber, almost yellowish orange, the light flickering off her paler than Sorien's own skin. Seeing the anger in Sorien's eyes she leaves the fire, heading for a cabin. Sorien suddenly hears a sharp laugh from the steps to the largest building, the female who had been with a male earlier was sitting there with cold anger glaring in her eyes as deeply colored as the wine dark sea. Long raven black hair runs down toward her waist. A female in the far back of the encampment is hard to make out beyond her profile.

Sorien walks to the woman who laughed. "Something funny?"

Sorien's posture is bordering hostile, but not yet indicating violence being likely.

The woman with raven hair smiles and says, "You come back for answers, when you already know the truth. So much posturing that we've done something to you, and yet your kind kill without mercy or thought." Her lip curls slightly as if she's trying to bare her flat human teeth in a threat. She snarls, "Soon there will be no reason to keep struggling, for you have already helped us bring more to The People, even as you try to fight us."

Sorien says, "Bullshit. I just saw your freak coyotes nearly kill my mate. This is a false reality, as monstrous as anything you think humanity's done. What I know is that you fuckers are doing EXACTLY what you claim is wrong with mankind: forcing your will on others."

Sorien says, "I'll get myself out, and there isn't a damned thing you can do to stop me."

"There is no out." She says waving her hands about, "This is all there is, and you made your choice. You are one of us because you chose to be." She cups her lithe chest with her arms and crosses them.

Sorien says, "Wow. I chose to be gnawed on by some mangy mutt? I ran from a PACK of mangy mutts to protect someone else to CHOOSE to be with a bunch of self-important, egotistical assholes? Somehow I thing you have that wrong. And on my FIRST try I nearly got out. You think I'm stuck here? Wanna place any bets on that? Either I'll get out, or I'll take over and get out THAT way. "

She starts to laugh, deep from her chest when Sorien mentions getting out, she laughs hard enough she falls to the ground. The irritating sound of her laugh strikes a nerve in Sorien.

Sorien doesn't hear the elder approach from behind until he places a hand on her shoulder again.

Sorien is angry enough that she reacts without thinking; the moment the hand touches her, she spins, grabs and throws the man over and down, ending the martial arts move kneeling on the man's chest, arm drawn back for a palm-strike!

The raven haired girl leaps to her feet and shoves Sorien toward the fire. The impact is surprising and throws her into the air.

Sorien catches herself, grimacing. "Oh, bitch wants a dance? FINE." She drops into stance and advances in full-mantis, ready and perhaps looking forward to the release of combat!

The girl screams and charges, carrying Sorien in the air with her as she jumps -into the fire- with Sorien in her arms.

Sorien sidesteps, and 'assists' the girl along in her charge.

The girl disappears into the fire like the surface of the ocean, sinking in with a strange ripple.

Sorien blinks, coming out of the anger a bit. "Well... That's not something you see every day..."

The elder has returned to his feet, and is looking somber at the young woman in front of him, Sorien's confusion evident on her face.

Sorien steps back, less angry now but still in defensive stance. "I'm not here cos I want to be. Not a chance," she says, keeping an eye on the fire as well as the older man. She doesn't trust that the psychotic woman won't pop back out.

Above them, the sky ripples again, and the circular black dot on the moon has grown larger. Sorien hears screaming, in a language she can't understand, but she recognizes the voice as Apostasy's.

Sorien says,"No. No, you FUCKERS!" She spins, shoving the man away and charges to wherever she thinks the screams are coming from!"

The voice is coming from everywhere around. Sorien feels dizzy and sick again, stumbling on the ground. She feels as if she's drowning as well.

Sorien focuses and shouts, "NO!" and tries to shove the false reality AWAY!

Blood begins to drip from Sorien's nose, she feels it's odd cool flow coming from her, and then it begins to float up, into the air.

Sorien doesn't understand what's happening, and just... SHOVES mentally at the images around her.

Sorien hears Apostasy's final words shuddering in the air around her. She can feel hir choking and the words cross the barrier of language, "I... love you.... Kale... always. I'll.... find my.... way.... back... somehow...", she hears. The sadness and the pain. And suddenly the feeling as explosive and overpowering as an orgasm fills Sorien, and everyone around her.

Sorien huffs a few breaths out, finally standing up once more. She opens her eyes and looks around. "I hope you know... What you just did... I am going to kill you for hurting her." There is ZERO mercy left in her eyes.

The raven haired girl's voice emanates from the sky itself "What we did? You mean what you did." And then that -laugh-, the horrible laugh.

Sorien says, "Come out, bitch. Come on out. I'm real tired of puzzles and cowards."

And the fire this time the ground quakes. Throwing Sorien off balance, the ground appears to ripply like the sky has.

Sorien turns in a circle, staggering as she does from the distortions. "BRING IT THE FUCK ON! NOBODY TOUCHES MY FRIENDS!"

Cilan's voice is recognizable but the words make no sense. The ground quaking again.

Sorien looks for the old man, who seems to be the core of all this.

The man has moved away toward the fire, he looks on dispassionately.

Cilan's pain fills the air raw, Sorien is overcome by a wave of nausea so strong it's debilitating.

Sorien heads right for him. "Explain. NOW!" The nausea staggers her, driving her to one knee before she reaches him, but she forces herself up, gasping, and continues forward, now with tears of pain in her eyes for her friends.

Sorien hears quite clearly Cilan's words, "I.. suggest a new.. option.. one that involves PUTTING A FUCKING BULLET IN YOUR SKULL!", and still overcome by nausea Sorien is not able to resist as the man grabs Sorien by the hair and throws her into the fire.

:''[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 2|Click here to continue to Chapter 2.]]''

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

Coyote: The Packmind

2013-04-25T21:20:24Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

As an introduction, the thematics of this plot are intended to give the visceral and strangely literal feel of Native American mythology, and involve multiple ongoing storylines and an infection mode created in another plot. Anything inconsistent with the world is a mistake of the author, and does not reflect upon the canon of Flexible Survival, however it is written with the intent of fitting in.

{|width="40%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="1" class="wikitable"
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Prologue|Prologue]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 1|Chapter 1]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 5|Chapter 5]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Interlude|Interlude]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 6|Chapter 6]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 7|Chapter 7]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 8|Chapter 8]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 9|Chapter 9]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 10|Chapter 10]]
|-
|[[Coyote: The Packmind/Elaine's Dream|Postscript: Elaine's Dream]]
|}

[[Category:RPLogs]][[Category:REDACTED Events]]

A Guide to Reading REDACTED's Events

2013-04-25T21:20:23Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

Alynna/BGLog

2013-04-25T21:20:22Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

Alynna just sighs softly, and goes for broke, the worst thing that that can happen is she'll be killed on sight, after all. "Here, heres the best way I can summarize my life since I became an adult. I've always felt since I was 7 i was not supposed to be human. I've always been gifted with computers and programming. Fast forward to college. I got into the study of artificial intelligence. Fast forward to end of college, I was recruited by Zephyr to work on nanite programming. Got all relocation expenses paid for to move to California, Sacramento specifically. But theres more.." she goes over to the counter and gets a glass of water..

Sparhawk nods again. "Still putting off the argument about sapient minds until later." Shi holds the warm wing open to keep Alynna's space preserved.

Balina has wandered into story time again! Somewhat amazed at her own timing, she drags a chair a little closer, requisitioning a fresh mug of coffee to listen in more or less silence.

Cilan shifts her head, burying it further into the fur covering REDACTED's shoulder, though aside from a few glances up from the novel she's reading, the soldier does little to interact with the people, and friends here.

You yerf, "I wasn't specifically trying to make my way upo in the company but I did. I invented a query and processing language that could be distributed on even tiny computing cells. I get to sit in on meetings between Zephyr and RSX. Many of the ideas they discuss, concern me greatly because they are very profit and control motivated, I don't really want to get into specifics there. Now this entire time, I have to say i'm a spiritual person. I've been a practicer of druidry for most of my adult life. I retired from Zephyr, pretty much with the reasoning that, gee, i've made enough money and I would like to concentrate on other fields of study... and this is a pretty true statement because I went into the study of fringe science."

Mickey grins a greeting to Balina when she wanders over, and offers her one of the peanut M&Ms from the quickly-diminishing bag. Storytime indeed was a pleasent one, although already as Aly speaks of RSX and Z she can't help but get the feeling this was going to weave and intertwine with a lot more.

Sparhawk looks a little blank at the actual programming of nanites. "I'm just a reverse-engineer-er. You almost certainly know more about how the wee things work than I do."

You yerf, "I can tell you its a stack based language where data goes into operands and pop back out. Where bytes, chars and integers are stored in molecular bonds, I can tell you that nanites can make even smaller nanites, sur... ok lets try to get back on track.. sometime I will get into why its important to read the source later.."

You yerf, "I was approached by an organization, whatever the parent organization was, they wanted to keep things hush hush, but what they were doing was exploring what they called 'hotspots'. Places where seemingly supernatural things happened, or at least paranormal. I was exploring a place nearby here, a place I have seem to lost. Something happened there, something I can't really explain. I have this suspicion that something affected me, it may have been nanites but if it was, they weren't ours.."

"Got a few Milky Ways with my name on 'em back at the Mall. I'll bring by for you sometime," Mickey comments with a mysterious grin. Just where the hell did they find this candy anyway? She trails back off into silence as she watches Aly; now resting her chin along Spar's side after a brief adjustment to her necklace and collar.

You yerf, "I could advance a dozen theories about what happened there. Wherever THERE was. I got lost. I couldn't even tell you what city it happened in. I was never planning on going back, or coming back. The whole memory of that is fuzzy. Maybe its intentionally obscured. I have no idea. Some of the theories i've considered are.. possibly alien nanites, supernatural or divine acts, other alien technologies, perhaps even a secret organization of nanite makers or programmers that noone knew about.."
Sorien softly churrs, "I vote aliens. The nanite tech is insanely in advance of anything seen before. "

"There are lots of things happening around here," Sparhawk says, "Some of them even being nanite-based. They seem to all be compatible with each other thus far, even ones out in the wilds where our corporate-headquarters bubbles don't go."
Balina considers asking Alynna a question, but eventually decides to just let it ride. Spar did tell her to tell it at her own pace, after all.

Mickey quivers her whiskers. "Still can't wrap my head around that some times," she squeaks with a sigh. Never was much of a divine rat, perhaps. When she spies Vex enter it takes a moment for her to recognize the human, yet once it kicks in she raises a wave in greeting from where she was sprawled alongside Spar. She doesn't quite squeak out; not wishing to interrupt Aly's tale.

You yerf, "There's one of the reasons I dont talk about this much, theorizing can get circular fast. I mean nanites could have programmed me to think anything. Anyways. I went back to Denver, and tried to study the issue for a while, I didn't make very much progress on it before I found out through the grapevine that, well, Zephyr and RSX were having a breakdown of general order inside their organization, and that nanites were missing. Now I tell you that Zephyr didn't have the best inventory system in the world, and I did have a supply of my own nanites. Special ones, ones that you could flip into debug mode, but i'm going to try to quell the boring tech stuff. The fact that they detected a leak of nanites out of the company means that whoever took them didn't even care if they were caught anymore."
Balina does raise a question this time. "What do you mean by debug mode? That's awful vague, and my brain is going everywhere from 'report errors' to 'cheat codes'."

Loki peeks his head in from up above, an ear twitching. He sniffs the air and then creeps down the stairs, looking around for a moment. He shifts a little in place, and hobbles in, casting a wave to those present. He can see there is a lot of conversation going on, but he elects to remain quiet.

You yerf, "At a molecular level not much room for cheat codes are left. But my nanites CAN tell me what is happening to them. When I programmed these fuckers inside me, I left only one 'backdoor' and it was not even meant for me. I knew what is called p-day was going down, and that it was not preventable. Maybe I could have called the press, but really. What defense would they suggest you put up? It would only serve to paint a fat target on my back and most likely, place the blame for p-day on me."

Vexander listens intently to Alynna's explanationg about... something. But, the technical talk is far too much for this happy creature. Shi casts hir green eyes over to Mickey, smiles, and mouths, "Do you understand any of this?"

Balina puts her hand down. "Damn," she says, then the moment passes and she settles back down. "I guess that's fair, though. Disappointing, but fair."

Sparhawk murmurs, "That'd be useful all in itself, knowing what's actually happening instead of through...metaphors and guesses."
Loki remains quiet for a while, thinking as he listens, though it is hard to tell how much he may have caught. He shifts a little and frowns. "I do not think that just because one made something that they can be blamed for how others have used it." he says, shuffling a little and slumps. "It does sound like I missed something important though." he sighs.

Mickey chuckles under her breath when Vex asks hir questions. "Somewhat," she nods simply as she preens her Master's feathers throughout the story. "Makes sense, Aly..but, -was- P-day an accident? It sounds..well, from the way you recall it, I'm sure you won't see that in any offical release." That to her was the most important question. Right up there with the moon landing being real and if Titanic -really- went down by iceburg and not AlienCraft.

You yerf, "Anyways. About my nanites. That one backdoor is that my nanites can pick up programming hints and instructions from electromagnetic radition between microwaves and visible light, also known as the terahertz band. It was never meant as a way for people to program them. It was more of a.. spiritual inspiration. The nanites were meant to give me some measure of control over what other nanites could affect me, but I had not yet developed a way to look into the future and see what infections would exist. So, I threw the question to the gods, and opened my nanites up to a portion of spectrum they would be most likely to affect things without having other things affect them. I pretty much knew that the terahertz band is opaque from space, very difficult to broadcast at except by other nanites, and relatively free of spurious signals, since atmospheric water can absorb the signal."

Sparhawk squawks, "That's....pretty clever, actually. The next part is where you say what success or failure came out of that, yes? Or does something else come in between?""

You yerf, "When I put these into my system, I had no idea what i'd become, but what I expected to become, would come from my spirit, because I expected from study of signals that did occur at the terahertz band, were the same ones that occured in spectral imaging. I expected to become what my spiritual nature demanded of me. And over time I gravitated to what you see.. well saw. I became the fairy fox.."

Balina tries to pipe up again. "So, you just opened up a tiny little microphone on yourself, figuring that anything that happened as a result was divine intervention?" Her confusion deepens as Alynna continues, "And it *worked*?"
Well, that flew right over Mickey's head. She manages to paint a rough mental image of the skill Aly's describing, and as she resumes her idle comb and stroke of her fingers. "Very out of this world, huh?" she sniggers at Balina's breakdown. It was actually roughly what she was thinking..honest.

Loki scratches his head. "What would make one conclude that such a result is divine intervention and simply not an engineered signal?"

Alynna glances over to Balina and giggles a bit. "No matter what I became, even if I had died, one could rightly say it worked. I became what I was always meant to be. People have spirits and they have souls, that seems to be a plain fact. But to measure them. to be able to quantify them, my very last scientific discovery before p-day is myself. Because only nanites themselves are small enough to measure the electromagnetic activity associated with the spirit."

Sparhawk grabs at a saddlebag, and then lets it go slowly. "Seems hard to reproduce those results nowadays. Um...if you have anything written down about soul quantification, I would very much like to read it."

Loki nods, looking to Sparhawk, then to Alynna. "As would I. It could prove an intersting read... and the spirit simply electromagnetic energy? It seems to be a feasible thing, if perhaps a bit simple and anticlimactic to its typical presentation."

You yerf, "Written down? No. On a hard drive buried in the middle of Denver? Yes, I have all the data. Interesting. I just thought of an complication. I bet my soul is encoded on that hard drive someplace from the imaging. I wonder if I could reproduce my spirit after death.. anyways..""

Balina points a thumb at Spar while still facing Alynna, saying, "I'd like to ask for the same, by the way," before hopping back half a topic. "I'm not talking about the danger, though; I'm just amazed that you put out a feeler for the gods, and they just answered."

Mickey's whiskers quiver as she watches Spar grab the bag; curiously glancing to it as if seeing what shi was looking for. Either way she's once again tending to and preening those feathers. "Sounds like more spooky action at a distance," she chitters.

Alynna tilts her head at Balina, "Thats inconclusive as of yet. I may have just put out a feeler for the spirit and detected it. I have to admit that when I injected myself, I was kneeling in front of a pagan altar when I did it. I begged to be my true self manifest, and I begged to know what had affected me, and most of all, I begged for understanding."

"I /am/ spooky action at a distance," Spar says firmly. "So, did you get the understanding you wanted?"

Balina continues to play conversation slalom, as her expression goes through about six different phases in as many seconds, eventually settling on what amounts to hopeful confusion. "Sorry, could you try that one about a hard drive again? Did you just suggest that souls can be replicated just by writing them down?"

Alynna looks over at Spar and shakes her head. "No, but I have been guided here. When I say i'm following my nose, I mean i'm being led where I'm supposed to be led, and I do not believe it is random."

Alynna then answers Balina too. "Also inconclusive. But I have that suspicion now that i've thought about it a little more."

Loki chuckles and looks to Balina. "Now that would be something interesting in and of itself. I have wondered if I could replicate a mind through copying it... It could be entirely possible to program another with a copy of yourself..." he trails off, furrowing his brow as his mind goes on a visible calculating spree.

Mickey snickers at the correction. "Right, sorry. So that's..spooky godspeak at a distance," she redoes with a grin to Spar, then looks to Aly. "That is quite the impressive gift," she nods safely, then renews her sprawl.

You yerf, "It was about 17 days after that p-day was fully in swing. I couldn't leave the house anymore, I did figure out how to become a non-morphic fox after a bit, and go outside without being detected as anything but a fox. I lived that way for a long while. At first it was just to hide from humans, but then it was to hide from the infected. I buried most my important stuff, left the rest behind, went into the forest, let my nose guide me."

"You have, inconclusively, possibly completely blown my mind tonight." Trying desperately to appear nonchalant, Balina scoots back off of the edge of her seat and clears her throat. "It's a true shame your research is all the way in Colorado, then." After a few moments of contemplation, she adds, "And having a real direction is better than a lot of us get."

You yerf, "I stopped a few places on the way, usually they didn't last more than a few days or weeks until i was told to leave, most the time I spent in the forest. And to say I have a real direction, sounds great at first, but I dont know what that direction is, only that I have it."

Alynna/2012.01.03

2013-04-25T21:20:20Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

Alynna glances across the bar, looking at Taggart again. "If it helps any, yer the first human I'd ever been attracted to." her ears lower a little bit. "Not that i'm sure it'd ever work out."

Cilan decides to set the novel she was reading aside and join the group at the bar, at her destination she asks Taggart, "Hey Tag, can I get a shot of whiskey?"

Captain perks up at the mention of whiskey.

Crys says softly, "Do you remember when you broke my jaw? You were going down that path. I don't want to see that ever return, although I don't mean that to sound like I am accusing you of doing that now."

Neterros blinks. "Oh, really?" The wolf immediately looks to the bartender. "Two vodkas, please!"

Taggart glances to Alynna at the mention of attraction, head tilting to the side as he regards her a moment. "Hard ta say. I've high standards. Not ta say that anythin' lower is shite, jus' that..." He frowns a bit, "I've high expectations of everyone... an'old meself even higher than that." He shrugs and nods, quite sure what he's trying to say isn't being translated properly before his attention turns to the requests of drinks. He goes about his business, pouring them out as he answers REDACTED, "I ain't nowhere near that place, Crys... don't worry."

Alynna starts to nod slowly, glancing at other peoples drinks now momentarily. She tries her best to not let her ears lower in response, but there is a bit of a lowering nonetheless. "It's alright. I didn't really have an expectation." she yips.

Cilan raises her glass in a short, and silent thanks to Taggart before bringing it to her lips and taking a short sip.

Crys nods at Taggart, taking her hand away after squeezing his. She turns to Alynna, "Give the old dog some time, as I mentioned earlier he broke my jaw before he openned up to me. Life's strange, and Tag's even stranger." Her tails are flickering around behind her, clearly teasing Taggart a bit in her choice of wording.

Alynna glances to Crys now, her eyes displaying a wish to have some liquor without actually having to order it. "It would not matter in the end. Its not like I would leave Aidan after all." looking like she was about to bite her own tounge through on her face. "Gods damn my own heart. Why the fuck can't I just turn it off..."

Taggart scowls just a bit at REDACTED before giving an exasperated and slightly frustrated sigh, mostly directed at his own inability to properly put thoughts and feelings into words, turning to Alynna. "I... am a selfish bastard. And I..." At Alynna's words and mention of Aidan, "Ah, see... an' then there's that." He nods and then seems to think it's best to stay quiet and not try to talk anymore.

Crys shifts back to lean against the bar counter, propped up on her arms. She looks at Taggart and says softly, "I am sorry for putting words in your mouth my friend, but this barrier you build is old, and rotten. At the very least you need to build anew if you do want to wall yourself off, truly. Somehow though I look at you and see your heart ache. Sori and I both want you in our lives, and Kay's life. Remember that." After that little comment, she lifts herself up, nods to everyone in the room, and heads up the stairs heading for her room in the bathhouse.

Alynna quietly murmurs under her breath. "Whatever the hardest you have here, an' leave the bottle please."

Taggart frowns softly at REDACTED's words, mulling them over for a bit before Alynna askes for a drink. He frowns a bit more, then, looking at her with brow furrowed. "You sure about that, lass? Ain't exactly yer style..."

Alynna glances across the bar and tilts her head, letting a tear roll off her face and hit the bar. "What do you think?" she yips softly.

Agata looks to Alynna with a fair bit of concern in her eyes, "Miss...I do not mean to give advice when it is unwanted..but that is a bad way to resolve anything..."

Taggart raises both of his eyebrows, then, reaching down to pour her a small glass of vodka. He doesn't leave the bottle, however, sitting down in front of her while taking up his own whiskey to sip at. "Wut's got ya twisted?" He glances to the coyote with a raised eyebrow, "How ya gunna drink wit'out hands?"

Alynna takes a full swig of the glass placed in front of her, not willing to call him on not leaving the bottle for the moment. "My heart, is what. It gets twisted all the time." Another swig is taken.

Sparhawk gives a blank look and a "Huh?" to Balina at the greeting. No coyotes around hir table, no sir! Strictly bellying up to the bar, although it involves forepaws on the root.

Taggart stares at the coyote, brow furrowing a bit further. "Call me a loon again." He smiles, warningly, flashing the large canines in obviously intimidating manner. Eyes flash back to Alynna, brow raising. "Hearts've a tendancy ta do that. Part a'bein'uman, see."

The coyote unabashedly proclaims, "You can either be a bartender or a loon, and I know which one I prefer! Loons are canadian, and don't have as good beer."

Alynna shakes her head vigorously. "Eh, screw that. Human hearts know when to turn off. Mine does not. Mine loves and doesnt give a shit. I pretty much knew this is how it would be, noone raises the bar high as yers expecting more than one to get over it..."

Loki shifts a little in place, unsure of what to do. He waves again to Balina and smiles. "Hello again Bal! I miss anything in my absence?" he asks, then looks to a face he has not seen before and offers a hand in greeting to the silvery mouse. "Hello there! The name is Loki! I am somewhat of a scientist and doctor." he says.

Taggart turns his attention to the coyote again, watching it for a moment before he turns to Sparhawk. He simply shakes his head, and pours a beer for both, however, both are in pint glasses. He looks back to Alynna and sips his whiskey again, shrugging. "Sounds ta me, as if you've already got a mate. Shouldn't ya be more focused on that rat'er than tha bar I'm puttin' up'n'wut?" He looks to Captain and shakes his head, "Sober up a bit, first."

Captain pouts. "I've only had three beers." Captain spins herself around and right side up again.

Balina shakes her head. "Not that kind of help. They went from teasing to trying to tell him he's

The coyote has a brief staring contest with the beer, then hops up onto the bar entire and laps into the excessively tall glass. Should be a while before he needs to actually make a decision, with the long pointy grinning muzzle he's got.

Alynna takes another swig of her liquor, mming softly, "You'd think, yea. If only it were soo easy. Well it is to everyone else it seems. Just not me. My heart don't work like that, and I can't make it do that, i've tried. Maybe I just oughta accept that i'm inherently a slut, thats just how i'm wired."

Loki smiles and accepts the hand. "Nice to meet you too Agata! And aerospace engineering? Such a fascinating field!" he says, then wandering over towards Balina and taking a seat. He tilts his head. "So.. erm.. what do you do now?" he asks the mouse, then looking to Balina and furrows his brow. "Ah.. really? Sounds very odd... a mind addled by nanites perhaps?"

Balina stares at Loki. No, he's really being serious. Well, one thing for that. "Hey, Taggart? Is your mind addled by nanites, by any chance? Loki wants to know."

Taggart looks up at the ceiling for a moment, as if trying to think how to word something. "I'll let ya in on a secret... I'd very much... like ta have sex with quite a few people in this room... a few of them at tha same time." Yes, he appears to be serious. "I jus' don't. Simple. Bacause... I feel... I daserve something diff'rent. I daserve one. One person who wants jus'me. Someone... that I'm special fer. An'vice-versa." He answers Balina without looking back. "Trick question."

Agata smiles faintly at Taggart, "You have admirable restraint, Mister Taggart. It is...very hard to find now..."

Alynna sips at her liquor a little more. "Noone has ever been able to explain to me why this exclusivity makes a relationship special or somehow better. Your heart still yearns for what it wants, and anyone I feel love for is already special to me." she takes another sip of her liquor. "Doesn't make any bloody sense.. to deny ones own heart."

Sparhawk is either sitting and observing silently, or talking to people in hir head. Or both. The few minutes of easy beer have expired for Eliot, and he's circling the pints trying to stick his tongue ever deeper in. The deep conversations going past his head are clearly much less important than that.

Balina finally catches on to a tiny detail from earlier. Turning to not-Doombringer, she asks, "Okay, since nobody seemed to know what I was talking about, who's your guest, Spar?"

Captain leans back on her stool, staring at the ceiling.

Sparhawk squawks, "Huh? Oh, Eliot? Haven't you met the most complicated relation available? Dreamed-up copy of Elaine, who you may have heard of, who Mister C died shortly before making real. And I thought the Matriarch made a family cobweb..."

Taggart tilts his head slightly to the side, "Has ta do with choice. Tha mind's ability to rule. Iffun ya went and did wutever ya felt like... then yer nothin' more'n'a beast. Followin' instinct. Maybe that's jus' yer way. It is gonna give ya a label, though. However, I'd say yer way is a might more common these days than it used ta be. Me own way is far gone. I'm just a sucker fer that sorta shite, I sappose." The man just shrugs, as if that's enough explanation.

Balina thinks for a few moments. "Okay, I think I caught the tail end of him previously. Did some things I'd really not discuss in mixed company, if I recall." Turning to Eliot, or at least making a reasonable guess as to where he is at the moment, she calls out, "Sorry! Thought you were someone else there."

Captain grins at Taggart. "That's exactly what I'm telling people all the time! All these people around here are just totally going native. Stripping off their clothes, screwing in the streets... nobody ever seems to remember what it means to be human!"

Loki blinks looking to Balina and then facepalms. "No... I was not talking about Taggart's mind being addled. It was the other person who shifted from critizising to being friendly." he explains, scowling a little at the still juggly cow. Sure he may have zoned out there... and.. er... well... yeah he responded late.

"Feh, humans. Coyotes are better in nearly every way!" Eliot's voice sounds a little funny, as it comes from an anteater snout. Better-adapted for human-sized glasses.

Agata smiles and nods at Taggart, "I completely agree, Mister Taggart...though everyone should be able to have their own way, of course...as long as they don't do it in public..."

Alynna finishes her drink in one last swig, preparing to respond to Taggart, but after Captain speaks and the rest of them chime in, she swings her head to him then practically shouts. "Fuck humanity, fuck your holier-than-thou dissertations. Every time you fucks try to feed me that line of bullshit about how humanity is inherently better than any animal it makes me want to vomit. Your crimes against your own kind are enough to implicate you for a thousand years, let alone the rest of nature!" She then slams her glass on the bar, embedding half of it into her paw, bleeding immediately and profusely.

Agata blinks alarmedly at the outburst, not entirely certain what to say.

Balina snickers a little at Loki, but doesn't otherwise respond. Instead, she addresses the room at large. "Humanity is over. This is the age of People, and People are exactly what they were three years ago." After a few moments, she adds, somewhat sheepishly, "...Even if almost all of them have superpowers now."

Agata sultrily squeaks, "For some people, it is disturbing to see others doing those things in public, Miss..."

Captain looks over with a scowl.

Alynna then raises a bloody paw, half the glass still in it, pointing at Captain. "I know your kind and I know your ass! If it weren't for p-day both Zephyr and RSX would have tamed the human race into mindless consuming drones until the very meaning of wealth was gone, you'd live in a world that would make George Orwell blush!"

Taggart scowls very suddenly, "Oi! Everyone upstairs but you." His eyes are still focused upon Alynna, looking quite upset.

Neterros twitches. "Orwell..."

Captain lustily murrs, "Present status as some kinda foxy wet dream not withstanding, I'll have you know I still identify as being human, and that's-"

Captain is cut off by Taggart's outburst.

Agata sultrily squeaks, "RSX is not my favorite but...Zephyr is not so bad...they are a business, but without them, many of us would be very lost..."

Balina reacts slowly to Alynna's outburst, blanches as she sees blood on the table, and, in a move she'll hate herself for later, relaxes as soon as it's clear that Alynna is the one bleeding, even if Tag is yelling. It's amazing how fast one can get up, find your things, and get to the stairs when you're in a hurry.

Captain turns around, looking to see who Taggart meant by "you."

Alynna starts to growl loudly, nearly ready to follow Captain where he was going. "You fools know nothing, what do you think nanites were going to be used for? The betterment of mankind? When was the last time humanity used ANYTHING for that?"

Sparhawk's idea of upstairs is rather different than other people, blinking out with a flash of blue. Eliot, for all being a anteater-yote two seconds before the shouting, grabs up the two pints in two hands and walks out the door.

Neterros chuckles. "Alynna, based on that, we never should've built any tools since the dawn of man, because we would eventually abuse it."

Taggart growls very suddenly, wolf-like and dominant. "Alynna!" A fist slams on the bartop, chest rumbling constantly now as people decide to argue rather than listen to him. "Iffun tha rest of ya don't get out in five seconds... yer gunna see one real pissed off wolf."

Neterros blinks, and looks over to Taggart. "O-oh... bad timing. On my part."

Agata sultrily squeaks, "prothsetic limbs, blood transfusions, vaccines, democracy, medicine in general...all for the betterment of mankind...but i think we should leave..."

Neterros nods, and stands up with Agata. "Any particular place in mind?"

Agata stands up and hurries up the stairs, quite startled by all the shouting

Neterros looks over to T'Chen. "Uh, sweetie? Bad timing. Taggart's upset." He rushes over and gives her a quick hug.

Captain slides off her stool. "I was just here for the booze. Not looking for a fight or anything." She makes her way towards the stairs, pouting.

T'Chen blinks, and hugs Net firmly. "Why?"

Captain has left.

Alynna ears lowerto their sides, turning towards Taggart, for a moment, before her attention was stolen again. "There is no profit or power in utopia," is her last words before she goes dead silent.

Loki rises slowly from his seat, frowning as Balina scurries out. He sighs, and walks over to the pair, shifting agitatedly. "Alynna. Enough." he says, quite stern compared to how he usually is. He waits to the side, observing the others. He seems quite tense, eyes observing Taggart and Alynna, and then the others to the side. He seems to relax a little when she goes silent, but remains on guard.

Neterros holds onto T'Chen, and kisses her. "I don't think it's safe here..."

Taggart turns his attention to T'Chen and Neterros, emerald eyes glaring as a bit of red starts to creep in to the edges. "Get... tha fuck... out of me pub..." Glare turns toward Loki against the wall, next, fingers clenching firmly against the edge of the bar. His nostrils are flaring and he's breathing deeply, obviously doing his best NOT to change.

Neterros grabs T'Chen and pulls her toward the door. "No time!"

Alynna's ears lay back now, stepping a few steps back away from the bar, and she seems to be cowering at this point.

Loki looks from Balina to Taggart, the dragon then doing his best to stand tall. He walks over to Alynna and puts a hand on her shoulder. "I would suggest you leave if you can." he notes, then glancing over his shoulder. "Come back and apologize later."

Alynna shakes her head slowly at Loki. "He said to stay." is her only words to him.

Taggart grits his teeth, eyes flashing back and forth between Alynna and Loki. "I told'er ta stay, Loki. You... leave." His attention refocuses upon Alynna, doing his best to keep his lips closed over his teeth and baring them at her openly.

Loki continues to stand his ground, scowling at Alynna, then to Taggart.

Loki continues to stand his ground, scowling a little at Alynna's response. "So you are going to listen to somebody that seems to intend to cause you harm?" he asks, then looking to Taggart. "Yes. I am aware of that... still... I cannot bring myself to leave while you are in such a state with another who can be harmed should you lose control."

Alynna growls softly at Loki. "If he was going to harm me, i'd already be dead." she says quite bluntly.

Taggart seems to be struggling to speak, "Loki... iffun I'd intended her harm by now... it'd have happened. You... however... are quickly raising on my list of intent to harm." Fingers clenching and splinter wood in the bartop.

Alynna takes a few steps away from Loki at this point, and decides to start plucking bits of glass out of her handpaw.

Loki thinks for a moment, regarding the wolf. He sighs, and then seems to relent. "Ok then. I shall take your word for this Taggart..." he says, then turning to walk towards the stairs. It appears to be something hard for him to do despite some good points being raised.

Taggart doesn't stop him.

Taggart does, however, turn his attention to Alynna, teeth still gritting and eyes closing for a moment as the red slowly slips away from the green. His breathing starts to normalize and the splintered wood beneath his fingers is unclenched.

Alynna stays very still at this point, some of the glass has been removed from her hand and placed, actually dropped on the floor in front of her. Her ears are laid to their sides, she is still somewhat affected by the voice he used earlier.

Taggart tilts his head very slowly to one side, cracks in his spine resounding as muscles relax and hunching of his shoulders slip away. His eyes open and he looks at her, sternly. Anger and frustration is still there, intimidation and dominance veiling it as well, but he's obviously restrained that part of him. "You... are..." He searches for a word, "Yer a bit daft, sumtimes... ain't ya?"

Alynna seems to relax just a little bit, and isn't sure whether or not to nod or shake her head. "I s'pose I have a few of my own personal traumas.. theres only so much I can take of that.. attitude. Self-righteous, superior, its like a new era of discrimination. I can respect that monogamy is what you want, but when others try to tell me, that my heart is wrong, that I am a lower creature for the way I am.."

Taggart raises both of his eyebrows at Alynna, fingers finally releasing the bartop as his attention focuses upon them, scowling slightly at a few pieces of jagged wood in his flesh. He picks a few pieces out as he speaks, "If it ain't you bein' discriminated against, it's sumone else. I built this place bacause I was bein' discriminated against. Your way won out when it came to Zephyr, so I left. I might note... ya did seem quick ta jump on tha defense. None of'em really said that YOU were wrong... jus' that they agreed with me."

Taggart adds a bit more, "Everyone's so caught up in bein' right. Like it's all black'n'white er summat. It ain't."

Alynna starts to nod slowly, "Maybe, probably you are right. In fact I may have even gotten on you for insinuating that my heart being this way, was animalistic, had everyone else not jumped in. I was never monogamous before p-day, even. This isn't something that just happened to me, and just because my heart is not exclusive, does not mean it is not loyal. I do not believe I am a slut, i've only had sex twice even since i've come to this city. Yet thats what I have to hear from people, just because I cannot shut off my heart."

Taggart shakes his head, giving a light shrug. "I never meant ta say that you weren't loyal... or that those you love weren't special ta you. People often assume... that bacause I think sumthin'... that I obviously think the opposite is true or bad. It ain't the case. I jus' meant, that fer me, monogamy is special. It's something more. That jus' ain't how it werks fer you. You get labeled a slut. I get labeled a tight-arse prude." The man shrugs and picks a few more bits of wood out with a bit of wincing, watching the muscle and flesh reknit over exposed bone.

Alynna nods and starts to smile a little bit, leaning very lightly against you, watching your body grow back, then she turns back to her own paw, picking out more shards of glass. She does react to the pain of it now, but only slightly, as if it was at the level of 'great annoyance'. "Thank you, for clarifying, but i'm sure the others meant differently. The words, the tone, the arrogance behind it... anyways. Those people haven't seen the shit I have when I worked in Sacramento, nor sat in on the meetings I have. As I said, utopia is neither profitable nor a source of power, and p-day is a blessing. I left the company, and I call them the company because they were far more joined than they are now, because I disagreed with their future."

Taggart doesn't seem to mind the leaning, but doesn't lean back as he flexes his fingers and gives another light shrug. "Eit'er way... tha people revolt. Too many wit' too many diff'rent ideas. Utopia can't bloody exist. Even a slightly universal idea of it. In destroyin' tha werld, they destroyed a lot of wutever they were tryin' ta do." The man shrugs again and wraps his newly healed fingers around the last bit of his whiskey, downing it in a gulp. "Bloody hate philosophy. Gives me a headache."

Alynna starts to nod quietly at him. "Some people are out to create utopia, and I suppose thats perfectly fine if they can accept that the chase is worthy but the goal is impossible. I try not to throw my own philosophy around too much, but sometimes, I jus' hear a little too much for these ears to take. I am sorry that I lost it there though." she glances down at her paw. "Gee. I didn't even get to finish getting drunk."

Taggart snorts gently, "This place... is fer everyone that kin' handle me rules. Spoutin' philosophy starts fights. Take Spar'n'me fer instance. Can't bloody agree on shite. But, shi gen'r'lly follows me rules, so shi's welcome. I let all sorts in'ere. People whose ways I daspise... but they follow me rules in'ere... so I let'em stay. It's a place to get away from it all. Ta simply enjoy tha relaxation. Too often tha shite comes in with'em. Me included." The man shrugs, yet again.

Alynna's ears lay back a little bit. "I probably broke some major rules, almost started a barfight but i'm not sure who was going to fight with a foxtaur with glass embedded in their left paw... I got alot to apologize for, I s'pose, though hopefully it'll be enough to make them all to you. I'm sorry about your glass." she yips softly, holding up a bloodied paw. "An yer bar.. I suppose we can't ban the discussion of such things, people would be very quiet.."

Taggart chuckles a bit, shaking his head. "No, we can't ban that shite. It'd happen anyways, more'n'likely." He shrugs... again. "Yer apology is appreciated. Jus'... don't do it again, 'er ya might end up wit' more'n'jus' broken glass in yer paw. 'sides, I break enuff of tha damned things on me own." A sigh slips from the man, a hand slipping up to brush dried hair back over his scalp. "Think it's about time fer bed, meself. You gunna be alright?"

Alynna nods a little bit, licking the rest of her paw clean after the glass is out. "This will heal faster than expected I expect, i'll just retire to my room for the night... thanks for talking to me and not killin' me, and stuff.

Taggart nods a bit to Alynna, a hand slipping to give her shoulder a friendly squeeze before he slips away from her and into the back hallway.

Aidan/Contacts

2013-04-25T21:20:15Z

Hinoserm: Text replace - "Crystala" to "REDACTED"

[[Lylianna]] - 

[[Zarwae]] - 

[[Alynna]] - 

[[Felandi]] - 

[[Rosalyn]] - 

[[Kirstan]] - 

[[Ashling]] - 

[[Lowell]] - 

[[Snowblind]] - 

[[REDACTED]] - 

[[Sorien]] - 

[[Rsp]] - 

[[Magicpaw]] - 

[[Darklunar]] -

File:2012-01-17 21.33.51.jpg

2012-02-26T03:23:10Z

Hinoserm:

Multiplayer Updates

2011-08-11T04:12:47Z

Hinoserm:

The following is a list of updates made to the game since it entered open beta in 2011.

==March==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=134

Too spread out across dates. See above link.
* Thread starts on March 12th.

==April==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=250

Too many pages to sort through. See above link for full account.
* Thread starts on April 28th.

==May==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=262

'''1st'''
*Boss Vials are now FREE FOR ALL! At least mako wise.
*Team battles now give better rewards!
*Monster previewer now displays balls properly.
*Fixed doubleposting
*Optimzed setting statuses, code side.
*Pets get damage resistance from upgrades properly now.
*Confirmed that EMP gear does block nanite adept shifting.

'''2nd'''
*Some big bugs bit the dust today.
*Items with floating point AoE will now work way better.
*People in a room while a fight is going on will no longer impact XP or cause the enemy to waste rounds.
*ws/+glance/smell now omits the 'gender' part of a species, making for much better messages.(You smell like a female Husky vs You smell like a female female husky, also allows you smell like a MALE husky.)

'''3rd'''
*The combat stall bug is, at last, dead dead dead.

'''4th'''
*You can now leave +groups on your own(+group #control, 12).
*Monster editor edited for extra awesome, especially staff side.
*Started work on a new area(mysterious).
*Ocean is coming along, Kazard needs your water critters.
*Human monsters are being submitted, thanks guys! We do need more though, +5 mako bounty!
*Resource purchasing is now BLAZING FAST.
*'Bred' status removed, it's handled more discretely by a timestamp instead of a confusing and gameable status.
*Males no longer can smell 'virile'.

'''5th'''
*Ok, Resources no longer BUYS anything.
*You can now buy global items at any level right up to level 50!
**Type list items
**Type list items (a level)
**buy item=(level you want)
*Upgrading prices for levels adjusted to be competitive(a little cheaper, 25% cheaper) than just buying an upgraded item, meaning upgrading is cheaper, meaning crafters have a job still.
**[[Efficient Tinkering]] helps of course.
*[[Connected]] now gives 10% discount in NPC stores.
*[[Fell Off The Truck]] now gives 10% discount in the global store.
*Newbies now get starting gear.
*Stepping out of water instantly 'dries' you and removes the water penalties or bonuses related to water.
*The dying status removes itself properly.
*Inventory is now limited to 60, in part to combat lag. If you are at/over 60, you will find yourself unable to gain new items. Your collector will not collect, and you won't be able to buy from shops.
*Drop & /+gear/trash now offers full stack deleting.

'''6th'''
*Wow, repeatattacks was a holy mess. I fixed several HUGE errors. Your repeatattack powers should now work way better. Try it out.
*Aura attacks (such as Slime Toss) no longer announce when they miss.

'''8th'''
Happy Mother's Day!
*As a gift to the game for the holiday, in game mothers can now look forward to a chance of twins or triplets. Most births will be single still, but there is a small chance of twins, and a small chance of triplets.

CRAFTING:
*Go to your favorite training spot, type train, see those awesome new skills?! Those are crafting skills! Currently mechanical and electronics work(1 recipe each).
*You can modify what you make with awesome modifier recipes!
*We have two modifiers currently, poisoned, and basic spread.
*Combine with the weapon we have and you have options!
*But what do you use to make these? Not just creds! While you're fighting, you will gain salvage to assemble new things out of. Scavenging battle skill helps, as does crafting skill.
*Want your two free recipes? Go talk to the friendly gent in the zephyr nanite workshop.
*Crafting is in at early alpha level. Talk to workshop guy at zephyr craft area.
**Command is make.
*More recipes at the mall!
*Two new recipes.
*You can now exchange salvage, give 3 level 2 common mechanic salvage to joe
*Expendable craft items work great!

'''9th'''
*Made it possible for base recipes and modifiers to adjust status strength/duration/chance AND expendable stat adjustmens.
*If you make a Heavy Energy Snack, it will restore more energy!
*If you make a Poisoned Light Melee, its poison won't last that long, since the light weapon is made to be fast.
*If you make a Poisoned Aerosol, it will be a heavy poison that lasts longer!
*Oh yea, fixed Lamie poison bite to not be negative.
*Oops, one more thing. Out of combat speed/regen is now 50% faster.

'''11th'''
*Damage improvements now scale items that have regen or damage over time(+dam on a poisoned aerosol, yes please)
*More recipes!
*Children appear without strange sex change messages, and without machinegunners being mentioned.
*AI now understands custom made items and can use them properly.
*Custom made items appear in your active power list.
*Custom power modifiers now have seperate ally and enemy statuses. Poisoned is useful on stuff that affects allies!
*Expendable Custom items now obey targetting and can only affect enemies/allies properly.
*Expendable Custom items now have AoE code.
*Custom items properly take up Upkeep and Loadout.

'''13th'''
*Phew, ok, ATB given a serious optimization and now uses a lot less CPU time getting the same job done, yay!
*Fixed severe underlying bugs with repeatattacks.
*Uncommon loot is now possible at the end of instances.
*Added support for global procs that affect all your powers.
*Used support for item summons, so if you summon something with a modifier, the modifiers will apply to the powers the summon uses.
*Combat speed improved!
*Increased odds of uncommon loot from instance completion.
*Added awesome colors to instance maps so you know where you've been.
*Subscribed players now have +10 item allowance(70) while subscribed.
*Misc. bugfixes.
*AI should work better for custom items(use the name you picked).
*Also, you forgot to mention +pj #loot implemented!

'''15th'''
*Major debug on DoTs. DoTs were ignoring resistance, now they don't. DoTs from dead/wierd things should also stop happening.
*More recipes!
*The survivalists have a recipe for you, for sale.
*You know all those parts you've been bringing to Rod? Well he figured out something to make with them all!
*You can now role (combat skill) to quickly swap out your roles to focus on the named skill.
*Players can be skipped with 'pass' if over 2 minutes idle.
*String parsing now supports time of day.
**<nowiki>[if time is day]</nowiki>Look at that sun!<nowiki>[end if]</nowiki>
**<nowiki>[if time is evening]</nowiki>The sky is becoming soft swirls of red.<nowiki>[end if]</nowiki>
*Supports day, night, evening, morning, and afternoon
*You can also specify a not time:
**<nowiki>[if time is not morning]</nowiki>The cookies don't look freshly baked, darn.<nowiki>[end if]</nowiki>

'''16th'''
*Added several new recipes and scattered them over the grid.
*The library is now a recipe source with several for sale.
*Craft items should accept upgrades properly.
*Minor improvements on the battle assistant, more to come on that soon I think.

'''19th'''
*Your energy recovery now increases automatically with levels.
*Vitality revised, you can unmaster it for free(and will want to, to retrain it with valid improvements)
*You can now craft items with more than one modifier, make light melee=poisoned,heavy
*While mentored down in level, your lost xp will be turned into freecred.
More recipes!
*If your recharge falls below 0(due to debuffs), it will extend the recharge of fired powers by a percentage equal to the current negative amount at time of use.
*Before, -50 recharge meant double recharge time, -100 would be capped to -80, then cause FIVE TIMES the normal recharge time.

*Now:
**-50 recharge means 50% more recharge time.
**-100 recharge means 100% more recharge time
**-200 recharge means 200% more recharge time.

*If you idle mid combat, you will eventually go automatic on your own.
*Many optimizations, thank you Hinoserm for helping out!

'''24th'''
*Yes, we did get a whole new city, Woodfield, a human centric city with lots of fun humanesque transformations ranging from commando, amazon onwards towards elves and undead.
*We also got a new faction, Rsx Solutions
*We also got a new dedication, Rsx Operative.
*Wait, there's more. You now choose your faction ties at the end of chargen.
*I'm not done, because now you can +rpinfo dedications!
*You know that kid object you have? You can turn those into players with the Youth Liberation Device now available at your local elite store!

'''26th'''
*+haz will show you mutant info in your current area, and provide 'audible' warnings when *Changing zones (which can be turned off with +haz mute).
*+mut will show you what mutations you or your pet (or anyone, with Xeno 2) has.
*+who now shows faction.
*Groups now have new perks available to increase the crafting abilities of their members.
*Implemented AreaBlock, which lets tanks reduce the AoE damage taken by team mates.
*Added AreaBlock status to Front Row Role, making it more awesome for tanks.
*Returndamage is now calculated BEFORE resists, making it much more effective.

'''27th'''
*There is now a 'target' command. While you have a target, it is used as a target for any power you use that doesn't have a target specified, this includes AI chosen actions. Enjoy!

'''28th'''
*You can now customize your avatar on the web page with eyes and mouths!
*Recipes now show more intelligently in +rpinfo, no more cut off salvage.

'''30th'''
*Significant changes to Knockdown! It can now delay powers that are already being charged, and only the largest knockdown applies if a target gets hit with it multiple times before its next turn.
*Colored group and faction chat, made to resemble public channels
*Group crafting masteries are now prompted for level to use
*Can't talk or check while dead
*+pj uses cred instead of gil
*Scrubbers to clean up old effects should result in increased game speed
*Spoof #show to see who's spoofing
*Fleeing now uses true level when mentored down
*Sticky modifier uses less loadout

==June==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=313

'''3rd'''
*Nuku now added beautiful colours to Faction and Group chat
*Also he added this nifty new feature: +census request
*Added a background process that will look for and scrub out " plaque builds up in your ATB *directory with tons of old, expired, statuses just lazing around." Which he stated slows things *down, so there should be a noticeable improvement in combat.
*+pj now says freecred instead of gil
*You can no longer talk/check while dead.

'''5th'''
*New command, commend. Type commend (critter) to say you really like a critter. It can get the author more rewards!

'''12th'''
*New donation options (recurring subscriptions)
*Role Removal for 5 mako
*AOE Change: Each additional splash target of an enemy AOE will receive a cumultive accuracy penalty. It will hit as many targets as possible until accuracy goes negative. The penalty applied is reduced by the rank of AoE on power/item. This does not affect toggles, grenades or Ally AOE
*Can chargen from web now
*Doing Target on a creature now makes your pets also target.
*Crafting: charge reduced on [[Light Melee]] items
*Crafting: [[All Natural]] now gives a bonus to custom crafted items.
*Crafting: Upkeep was incorrectly calculated on some crafted items
*Crafting: [[Poisoned]] modifier was changed to deal "Poisoned Energydamage". Rumor is poisoned pierces some DR, but not clarified.
*Crafting: Aerosol statusmag increased to +100%
*Crafting: Salvage cost miscalculation bugfix
*Bugfix:Glance now recognizes "[[Looks Human]]" perk
*Bugfix: A bug that caused very inconsistent freecred gain in groups
*Bugfix: Big Nasty combat bug fixed (unknown this is what Nuku called it)
*Several new creatures added to map ([[Tarragon]], [[Crested Wyvern]], [[Farm Hen]])
*Monsters have an additional 30% energymod (not a change but something Nuku clarified)
*Nuku fixed a bug with factions being required for judge created NPCs that were locking up combat. Solved simply by setting a different faction for the than default.

'''17th'''
*DoTs now obey the 20% maximum reduction rule.
*XP>Freecred conversion rate significantly increased when xp capped
*Crafting: [[Subtle]] recipe added to game
*Science channel added for theorycrafting
*Attack drone upgraded (this is the template used for children)
*Readiness buffed
*Softcaps on resists at 50% and 75% removed
*Mission debugging turned on. Shows kill credit percent at end of mission. Need 33% kill credit to get a roll. Credit is granted if you get xp for a kill. (AFAIK no changes except for debug messages, but lots of new info)
*Work in progress: Patrols for webgrinding interface.
*XP/Freecred group contributions wiped if you switch groups.
*Pets should get proper genital sizes everytime

'''21st'''
*Buff stacking changed. Can't have two powers of same name in effects. If I [[Howl|howl]] and you howl yourself, you get the better duration and better magnitude of the two but not both. Item stacking isn't affected since they have different accessory slot numbers.
*[[Nano Fine Tuner]] added to mako shop
*Mutation priority changed, female mutations should prefer to remove male parts and vice versa
*A bug was fixed for [[Kangaroo|kangaroos]], they can now breed despite oversizedness in either direction.
*DoT obeys damagebuff
*NPCs heal more often, use nurse less often (10 rounds)
*[[Controlled Burst]] now has roles (+rpinfo controlled burst)
*Commend now works on infection name or critter name.
*[[Pounce]] defense bug fixed
*[[Ink Cloud]] cooldown upgrade fixed (Also note ink cloud was changed to a buff at some point, not previously documented in change log)

'''26th'''
*Children now take 5 upkeep
*Children split reflected buffs, so if you have 2 children out your armor will now be half value for each.
*Returned damage is now capped at your own max hp
*[[Anole]] icon added to web
*Multi-roo pet exploit removed
*Rest now works at 0 energy
*[[Slime Toss]] energy cost raised
*[[Enduring Minions]] reduced in effectiveness
*Death scripts on creatures won't activate if you're over 5 levels under them (no quest credit)
*AI now uses buffs better.
*Web combat has had some pretty major changes. I don't understand them all so hope I get it right:
**Web-combat now follows your location correctly
**Web battle actually obeys your commands, and waits for you to make a move in manual mode
**Gives combat summary at end of combat now (an accuracy bug was also fixed on this)
**Fixes to targetting on the web battler
**If you're in an invalid zone, the page just tells you that you found nothing

'''27th'''
*Can perk kill 2 perks for free now.
*Enduring Minions fixed to match the new numbers reliably.
*Looks Human perk now displays breasts/pregnancy. It also sounds human when they talk
*Mission command now lists the instance you will go to.
*Kids now have birthdays. Future births will assign it. Previously born kids will get a birthday the first time they are summoned to the current day.
*Creatures should spawn with full hp
*[[Converter]] no longer works on summons
*+Mako/smell added for custom smells
*<nowiki>[Public]</nowiki> Nuku says, "By demand, there are now benches, and even a fountain, at the new dawn crossroads."
*+Mut now shows groin instead of cock

'''28th'''
*Loadout/upkeep now shown in equip listing
*Loadout calculation on crafted items fixed. Before it did integer math that caused large rounding errors.
*Deep healing mutant power added (male version of lactaid) but not placed on any creatures yet.
*[[Kangaroo (dedication)|Roo]] recognizes if you were once a roo and lets you use teat without retesting; Easier rededication.
*[[Cock Slap]] added to two creatures.
*[[Centaurs]] have been relocated
*[[Liberated Youth]] inherit childs birthdate

'''30th'''
*Powers rebalanced. Almost all offensive powers have been changed. See normalization thread for details, I won't go into any more detail her.
*Fixative should give a message if they wear off mid fight
*AI updated, it shouldn't keep re-summoning kids/pets that are already there
*Training should now be 'quiet' and not alert the room. (All but epic)
*DoT ticks in combat should now use their customized name, if applicable
*[[Nanite Adept|Adepts]] who shift should now do so quietly for the rest of the room, it will be a single summary line now.
*+help bodypart powers added
*Consuming boss vials now causes a prompt to be sure.
*All Natural now gives +3 loadout every 3 levels
*Pets/children should now appear with all toggles -ON-.
*PET SCALING ADJUSTMENT: If you have 1, just 1, pet, it will not lose a level.
*[[Born Leader]] perk added
*If you @force a pet who is stuck at a prompt, it will now LEAP TO ACTION. A: It tells you what program it's stuck in. B: Gives you the option to terminate the program."
*Builder: It is now possible to give critters custom AI, making them use powers under specific circumstances, talk to the room, pose, and otherwise act organically."
*Builder: Rooms can now be disabled for riding
*Builder: A monster can now be set with a 'spawn time' property. It string parses. If the string parse returns 1, it can spawn otherwise it won't."
*[[Crafting]]: Recipe Shop added to woodfield
*Crafting: Make menu system reordered to be more sensible and provide a summary yes/no prompt
*Crafting: Craft Upgrade has been revamped. Now only items that actually CAN be upgraded will display.

==July==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=345

'''1st'''
*Mutant power upgrades removed from all players. Mako for innates refunded. (Training is still free temporarily)
*[[Tumble]] is now on [[Rubber Balls]]
*[[Costume Slip]] is now on [[Cat Girl|Gat Girls]]
*New mutant power: [[Scent of Victory]] (added to [[Skunk Girl]]/[[Mutated Brute]])
*Faction command disabled
*[[Grenade Launcher]] improved
*[[Heavy Beam]] improved
*[[Fast]] modifier created
*Spam of 'use power while auto' fixed

'''2nd'''
*Defense mechanic reworked. See Nuku's post.
*Grenade Launcher buffed (again)
*[[Banner]], Fast and [[Thunderous]] recipes added to Jacks Hardware
*Defensive resistance now applies to DoT magnitudes.
*[[Deep Healing]] placed on [[Clydesdale Stud]]
*Debuffclear powers should be more effective against dots ([[Purr]], [[Cleansing Milk]], and [[Morning Song]] all changed)

'''5th'''
*[[Woodfield]] overworld map added
*Consignment Shop added in Prommie lands
*Home renovation kit added to Jack's hardware. Allows you to redesc rooms.
*Can "home" more then once an hour. It will cost 100*levelscale freecred to do it while on cooldown
*Help convert added (helpfile is new, command is old)
*[[Pack Loyalty]], [[Leap]] and [[Quill Wag]] significantly changed
*Effects duration is no longer refreshed by powers/items with weaker mag. (Skins/armor weren't descaling when mentored down)
*Knockdown is now affected by dodgeresist
*[[Flame Bearer]] now gives its salvage bonus to uncommon instance chance and +pj salvage checks
*+request has new categories, and lost some ones that made no sense
*+census faction added
*The pet summon AI bug is laid to rest.

'''7th'''
*Nanite presence has appeared in [[Point Zero]]. Scientists are accepting donations to research it.
*New item, [[Nanite Funnel]] causes you to share your infections with the target victim."
*DoTs are now much more reliably removed when the critter dies."
*[[Strategist]] role added
*Folks who are OOC or IDL set will NOT receive +pj rewards
*Infection lab volunteer opportunities fixed
*+haz now reports if there's a PSAS unit in the area.
*+lotto is now functional"
*[[Uber Fox]] dedication added
*Wi flags added: No Combat, Science, Submissive, Dominant

'''10th'''
*Smell should now omit the gender part of species
*[[Forgetful Nibble]] added
*New power building options. Target notuser added (hits allies except caster) and secondary target effects added.
*[[Reconstruct]] replaces cure for [[Nanite Adept]].
*"f who" now only shows online people (faction)
*Dying statuses should fall off
*Forest changes: the [[Giant Bat]] will only spawn at night, the [[Fox Boy|foxes]] and [[Bunny Boy|bunnies]] will not spawn at night or evening, and the [[Ebony Raven|raven]] will not spawn at night or in the morning. Female snow leopardtaur and wolfen predator will spawn at all times of the day.
*Penelope added to RSX for quest offering
*New creatures on grid: [[Wolfen Predator]], [[Fox Girl]], [[Kobold Herm]], [[Hair-Bound Woman]], [[Cerberus Herm]], [[White Unicorn Mare]], [[Plump Tigress]].

'''11th'''
*New mutant powers: [[Perplex]], [[Terrible Pun]], [[Trivia]] (dunno if placed)
*[[Arena Champion]] role added
*Ian The Shark has higher bets available
*The web page now obeys private areas.
*Funnels no longer give total badges

'''12th'''
*AoE Powers that use Breasts as its AoE modifier have had the base AoE increased to 2.
*Powers that use Cocks as its AoE modifier may work the same way. Testing needed.
*Promothean church is partially open (nonbosses).
*AoE on non-AOE powers is now AOE+2 targets.
*[[Health Snack]] recipe created (not placed)
*Disabled quest/xp/creds/rewards for parties over 8. (Pets don't count)

'''13th'''
*Freecred rewards from earning badges is now capped at 5000 each.
*Overworld locations can now be jumped to directly by using their respective #.

'''14th'''
*Nanopacks are now available in the Mako Store to increase your inventory capacity. They require a small but constant supply of Mako Batteries to maintain functionality.
*There is now an interface for buying and selling mako from other players. +mako/list to see what offers are currently available, and +mako/buy or +mako/sell to set your own. Note that you can only have one (of each?) up at a time.

'''17th'''
*Items can no longer be created using more than one of a single modifier.
*Items can be used in web combat.
*Clicking the question mark next to powers in web combat now works.
*+Reward funnels fixed for caps.
*Fast fixed.
*Many new craft modifiers entered, but not yet placed.
*Several new web missions to play!
*Negative Energymod now scales mildly with level to keep it competitive with the scaling recovery rates.
*+Census freecred shows new info.
*Web: Using web combat resets your idle time.
*Web: Web fights should now do turns correctly.
*Web: Using the travel button on the page now costs 2 patrols, instead of draining your patrols to 0.
*[[Parthenogenesis Enabler]], [[Nanite Carnal Equalizer]] and [[Nanopacks]] added to mako shop
*Mako batteries now come in packs of 4, by popular demand
*Wiki now has a new URL, +url is updated.
*[[Breast Pump]] now resists breast size reduction when going human
*Consignment shop listings appearance improved.
*Infection vials should now, again, give badges

'''21st'''
* [[Erotic Dance]] power created and added to [[Busty Succubus]], [[Zombie Stripper]] and [[Knockout Mouse]].
* Tutor command now displays who among your students is online, and a total count of your students.
* [[Nanite Adept (dedication)|Nanite Adept]] shift command now sorts available forms by sex.
* Marketing Kit, 3 mako item, allows you to scrawl a message in a room. Lasts one week.
* [[Rogue]] role added.
* Terminal now highlights creatures you have the Total badge for.
* [[Nanite Buffer]] recipe added to Jack's Hardware.
* Various creatures listed as sexually neutral had unnecessary bits trimmed, including Harbinger Lynx, Masked Angel, Rabid Squirrel, and Raised Pharaoh.
* The "0" mutation is no longer transferable via Nanite Funnel.
* Items that raise hp (such as Health Snack) are now level-scaled.
* [[Supernova]] has its Upgrade options tweaked.

'''22nd'''
* [[Giant Size]] power created, associated with the [[Kaiju (dedication)|Kaiju]] dedication that is allegedly available on Monster Island in the ocean.
* +mako/cred command now sells to the current highest +mako/buy bidder, rather than for a flat amount. The bid amount is visible in +mako.
* [[Royal Delight]] DebuffClear buffed to bring it in line with the other DebuffClear powers.
* +lotto no longer limits the number of tickets you can buy.
* New help files added: HELP GIVE, HELP PLAYER SHOPS.
* 'smell here' no longer detects dark objects.

'''23rd'''
* New power type! +HP: Allows a power to recover health, without the AI treating it as a healing effect (allowing energy recovery powers to have AI scripting distinct from true heals).

'''24th-27th'''
* String parsing changed: [if stat of player] changed to [if stat of [player]] to prevent misparsing of words like 'closer' as 'c[loser]'. Creature database updated to the new syntax by Damaged.
* [[Virgin]] added to character creation as a 0-point perk. Eliminated upon pregnancy check; associated badges added for the various consequences that ensue.
* Monotreme Activator introduced; a drug that causes the imbiber to store impregnations as eggs, allowing for multiple simultaneous gestations.

'''28th'''
* Damaged: Hotel Oblivion is fixed. It will no longer set your danger/pheromone levels too high. Players that had this bug have been fixed too.
* Hinoserm: Fixed an issue in server code that caused the game to crash repeatedly. This was due to running into stack space limits from a recursive MPI program.
** "Cron" inherited a system limit from an unknown proccess after a crash forced the server to restart. As a result it set the stack limit to 4000.
*** > grsec: From xx.xx.xxx.xxx: denied resource overstep by requesting 8790016 for RLIMIT_STACK against limit 8388608 for /home/nuku/fs/game/protomuck<nowiki>[protomuck:1559]</nowiki>

* New option in editplayer to suppress the 'glance' action automatically firing with each move.
* Pronoun substitution string parsing overhauled.
* Ability to master and upgrade powers added to web interface under SKILLS.
* [[Uber Fox (dedication)|Uber Fox]] dedication powers [[Forgetful Nibble]] and [[Lustful Musk]] received several improvements.

==August==

'''1st'''
* [[Tiny Chain]] added to Jack's Hardware: Consumable applied to inventory items or stacks, preventing them from being trashed. Applying another to the same item or stack cancels the first one.
* [[Stockings]] added to the general vendors. Exact effects currently unknown.

'''2nd'''
* Bugfixes:
** Mako market no longer selling phantom mako for 99999 creds
** Passive effects only fire 1/round now, preventing [[Heavy Armor]] energy hemorrhages
** [[Monotreme Enabler]] no longer producing infertile eggs
* New role: [[Artillerist]]
* [[Looks Human]] now displays indivdual body parts (and Total) under +mut as Human

'''3rd'''
* New +census options:
** +census mako
** +census online level

'''6th'''
* [[Scuba Gear]] recipe added
* [[Giant Pound]] added to [[Kaiju]]

'''10th'''
* Added support for email services:
** Mail sent to <anyplayername>@players.flexiblesurvival.com are delivered to your in-game +mail
** Email can now be sent through the +mail command e.g. +mail name@domain.tld=Email Message
** Mail sent to your character through +mail or page-mail will be forwarded to your +account email address if you are not logged in.
** You can change your email preferences via the web interface Settings tab, if you do not want to receive email from the game.

Multiplayer Updates

2011-08-11T04:12:23Z

Hinoserm:

The following is a list of updates made to the game since it entered open beta in 2011.

==March==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=134

Too spread out across dates. See above link.
* Thread starts on March 12th.

==April==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=250

Too many pages to sort through. See above link for full account.
* Thread starts on April 28th.

==May==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=262

'''1st'''
*Boss Vials are now FREE FOR ALL! At least mako wise.
*Team battles now give better rewards!
*Monster previewer now displays balls properly.
*Fixed doubleposting
*Optimzed setting statuses, code side.
*Pets get damage resistance from upgrades properly now.
*Confirmed that EMP gear does block nanite adept shifting.

'''2nd'''
*Some big bugs bit the dust today.
*Items with floating point AoE will now work way better.
*People in a room while a fight is going on will no longer impact XP or cause the enemy to waste rounds.
*ws/+glance/smell now omits the 'gender' part of a species, making for much better messages.(You smell like a female Husky vs You smell like a female female husky, also allows you smell like a MALE husky.)

'''3rd'''
*The combat stall bug is, at last, dead dead dead.

'''4th'''
*You can now leave +groups on your own(+group #control, 12).
*Monster editor edited for extra awesome, especially staff side.
*Started work on a new area(mysterious).
*Ocean is coming along, Kazard needs your water critters.
*Human monsters are being submitted, thanks guys! We do need more though, +5 mako bounty!
*Resource purchasing is now BLAZING FAST.
*'Bred' status removed, it's handled more discretely by a timestamp instead of a confusing and gameable status.
*Males no longer can smell 'virile'.

'''5th'''
*Ok, Resources no longer BUYS anything.
*You can now buy global items at any level right up to level 50!
**Type list items
**Type list items (a level)
**buy item=(level you want)
*Upgrading prices for levels adjusted to be competitive(a little cheaper, 25% cheaper) than just buying an upgraded item, meaning upgrading is cheaper, meaning crafters have a job still.
**[[Efficient Tinkering]] helps of course.
*[[Connected]] now gives 10% discount in NPC stores.
*[[Fell Off The Truck]] now gives 10% discount in the global store.
*Newbies now get starting gear.
*Stepping out of water instantly 'dries' you and removes the water penalties or bonuses related to water.
*The dying status removes itself properly.
*Inventory is now limited to 60, in part to combat lag. If you are at/over 60, you will find yourself unable to gain new items. Your collector will not collect, and you won't be able to buy from shops.
*Drop & /+gear/trash now offers full stack deleting.

'''6th'''
*Wow, repeatattacks was a holy mess. I fixed several HUGE errors. Your repeatattack powers should now work way better. Try it out.
*Aura attacks (such as Slime Toss) no longer announce when they miss.

'''8th'''
Happy Mother's Day!
*As a gift to the game for the holiday, in game mothers can now look forward to a chance of twins or triplets. Most births will be single still, but there is a small chance of twins, and a small chance of triplets.

CRAFTING:
*Go to your favorite training spot, type train, see those awesome new skills?! Those are crafting skills! Currently mechanical and electronics work(1 recipe each).
*You can modify what you make with awesome modifier recipes!
*We have two modifiers currently, poisoned, and basic spread.
*Combine with the weapon we have and you have options!
*But what do you use to make these? Not just creds! While you're fighting, you will gain salvage to assemble new things out of. Scavenging battle skill helps, as does crafting skill.
*Want your two free recipes? Go talk to the friendly gent in the zephyr nanite workshop.
*Crafting is in at early alpha level. Talk to workshop guy at zephyr craft area.
**Command is make.
*More recipes at the mall!
*Two new recipes.
*You can now exchange salvage, give 3 level 2 common mechanic salvage to joe
*Expendable craft items work great!

'''9th'''
*Made it possible for base recipes and modifiers to adjust status strength/duration/chance AND expendable stat adjustmens.
*If you make a Heavy Energy Snack, it will restore more energy!
*If you make a Poisoned Light Melee, its poison won't last that long, since the light weapon is made to be fast.
*If you make a Poisoned Aerosol, it will be a heavy poison that lasts longer!
*Oh yea, fixed Lamie poison bite to not be negative.
*Oops, one more thing. Out of combat speed/regen is now 50% faster.

'''11th'''
*Damage improvements now scale items that have regen or damage over time(+dam on a poisoned aerosol, yes please)
*More recipes!
*Children appear without strange sex change messages, and without machinegunners being mentioned.
*AI now understands custom made items and can use them properly.
*Custom made items appear in your active power list.
*Custom power modifiers now have seperate ally and enemy statuses. Poisoned is useful on stuff that affects allies!
*Expendable Custom items now obey targetting and can only affect enemies/allies properly.
*Expendable Custom items now have AoE code.
*Custom items properly take up Upkeep and Loadout.

'''13th'''
*Phew, ok, ATB given a serious optimization and now uses a lot less CPU time getting the same job done, yay!
*Fixed severe underlying bugs with repeatattacks.
*Uncommon loot is now possible at the end of instances.
*Added support for global procs that affect all your powers.
*Used support for item summons, so if you summon something with a modifier, the modifiers will apply to the powers the summon uses.
*Combat speed improved!
*Increased odds of uncommon loot from instance completion.
*Added awesome colors to instance maps so you know where you've been.
*Subscribed players now have +10 item allowance(70) while subscribed.
*Misc. bugfixes.
*AI should work better for custom items(use the name you picked).
*Also, you forgot to mention +pj #loot implemented!

'''15th'''
*Major debug on DoTs. DoTs were ignoring resistance, now they don't. DoTs from dead/wierd things should also stop happening.
*More recipes!
*The survivalists have a recipe for you, for sale.
*You know all those parts you've been bringing to Rod? Well he figured out something to make with them all!
*You can now role (combat skill) to quickly swap out your roles to focus on the named skill.
*Players can be skipped with 'pass' if over 2 minutes idle.
*String parsing now supports time of day.
**<nowiki>[if time is day]</nowiki>Look at that sun!<nowiki>[end if]</nowiki>
**<nowiki>[if time is evening]</nowiki>The sky is becoming soft swirls of red.<nowiki>[end if]</nowiki>
*Supports day, night, evening, morning, and afternoon
*You can also specify a not time:
**<nowiki>[if time is not morning]</nowiki>The cookies don't look freshly baked, darn.<nowiki>[end if]</nowiki>

'''16th'''
*Added several new recipes and scattered them over the grid.
*The library is now a recipe source with several for sale.
*Craft items should accept upgrades properly.
*Minor improvements on the battle assistant, more to come on that soon I think.

'''19th'''
*Your energy recovery now increases automatically with levels.
*Vitality revised, you can unmaster it for free(and will want to, to retrain it with valid improvements)
*You can now craft items with more than one modifier, make light melee=poisoned,heavy
*While mentored down in level, your lost xp will be turned into freecred.
More recipes!
*If your recharge falls below 0(due to debuffs), it will extend the recharge of fired powers by a percentage equal to the current negative amount at time of use.
*Before, -50 recharge meant double recharge time, -100 would be capped to -80, then cause FIVE TIMES the normal recharge time.

*Now:
**-50 recharge means 50% more recharge time.
**-100 recharge means 100% more recharge time
**-200 recharge means 200% more recharge time.

*If you idle mid combat, you will eventually go automatic on your own.
*Many optimizations, thank you Hinoserm for helping out!

'''24th'''
*Yes, we did get a whole new city, Woodfield, a human centric city with lots of fun humanesque transformations ranging from commando, amazon onwards towards elves and undead.
*We also got a new faction, Rsx Solutions
*We also got a new dedication, Rsx Operative.
*Wait, there's more. You now choose your faction ties at the end of chargen.
*I'm not done, because now you can +rpinfo dedications!
*You know that kid object you have? You can turn those into players with the Youth Liberation Device now available at your local elite store!

'''26th'''
*+haz will show you mutant info in your current area, and provide 'audible' warnings when *Changing zones (which can be turned off with +haz mute).
*+mut will show you what mutations you or your pet (or anyone, with Xeno 2) has.
*+who now shows faction.
*Groups now have new perks available to increase the crafting abilities of their members.
*Implemented AreaBlock, which lets tanks reduce the AoE damage taken by team mates.
*Added AreaBlock status to Front Row Role, making it more awesome for tanks.
*Returndamage is now calculated BEFORE resists, making it much more effective.

'''27th'''
*There is now a 'target' command. While you have a target, it is used as a target for any power you use that doesn't have a target specified, this includes AI chosen actions. Enjoy!

'''28th'''
*You can now customize your avatar on the web page with eyes and mouths!
*Recipes now show more intelligently in +rpinfo, no more cut off salvage.

'''30th'''
*Significant changes to Knockdown! It can now delay powers that are already being charged, and only the largest knockdown applies if a target gets hit with it multiple times before its next turn.
*Colored group and faction chat, made to resemble public channels
*Group crafting masteries are now prompted for level to use
*Can't talk or check while dead
*+pj uses cred instead of gil
*Scrubbers to clean up old effects should result in increased game speed
*Spoof #show to see who's spoofing
*Fleeing now uses true level when mentored down
*Sticky modifier uses less loadout

==June==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=313

'''3rd'''
*Nuku now added beautiful colours to Faction and Group chat
*Also he added this nifty new feature: +census request
*Added a background process that will look for and scrub out " plaque builds up in your ATB *directory with tons of old, expired, statuses just lazing around." Which he stated slows things *down, so there should be a noticeable improvement in combat.
*+pj now says freecred instead of gil
*You can no longer talk/check while dead.

'''5th'''
*New command, commend. Type commend (critter) to say you really like a critter. It can get the author more rewards!

'''12th'''
*New donation options (recurring subscriptions)
*Role Removal for 5 mako
*AOE Change: Each additional splash target of an enemy AOE will receive a cumultive accuracy penalty. It will hit as many targets as possible until accuracy goes negative. The penalty applied is reduced by the rank of AoE on power/item. This does not affect toggles, grenades or Ally AOE
*Can chargen from web now
*Doing Target on a creature now makes your pets also target.
*Crafting: charge reduced on [[Light Melee]] items
*Crafting: [[All Natural]] now gives a bonus to custom crafted items.
*Crafting: Upkeep was incorrectly calculated on some crafted items
*Crafting: [[Poisoned]] modifier was changed to deal "Poisoned Energydamage". Rumor is poisoned pierces some DR, but not clarified.
*Crafting: Aerosol statusmag increased to +100%
*Crafting: Salvage cost miscalculation bugfix
*Bugfix:Glance now recognizes "[[Looks Human]]" perk
*Bugfix: A bug that caused very inconsistent freecred gain in groups
*Bugfix: Big Nasty combat bug fixed (unknown this is what Nuku called it)
*Several new creatures added to map ([[Tarragon]], [[Crested Wyvern]], [[Farm Hen]])
*Monsters have an additional 30% energymod (not a change but something Nuku clarified)
*Nuku fixed a bug with factions being required for judge created NPCs that were locking up combat. Solved simply by setting a different faction for the than default.

'''17th'''
*DoTs now obey the 20% maximum reduction rule.
*XP>Freecred conversion rate significantly increased when xp capped
*Crafting: [[Subtle]] recipe added to game
*Science channel added for theorycrafting
*Attack drone upgraded (this is the template used for children)
*Readiness buffed
*Softcaps on resists at 50% and 75% removed
*Mission debugging turned on. Shows kill credit percent at end of mission. Need 33% kill credit to get a roll. Credit is granted if you get xp for a kill. (AFAIK no changes except for debug messages, but lots of new info)
*Work in progress: Patrols for webgrinding interface.
*XP/Freecred group contributions wiped if you switch groups.
*Pets should get proper genital sizes everytime

'''21st'''
*Buff stacking changed. Can't have two powers of same name in effects. If I [[Howl|howl]] and you howl yourself, you get the better duration and better magnitude of the two but not both. Item stacking isn't affected since they have different accessory slot numbers.
*[[Nano Fine Tuner]] added to mako shop
*Mutation priority changed, female mutations should prefer to remove male parts and vice versa
*A bug was fixed for [[Kangaroo|kangaroos]], they can now breed despite oversizedness in either direction.
*DoT obeys damagebuff
*NPCs heal more often, use nurse less often (10 rounds)
*[[Controlled Burst]] now has roles (+rpinfo controlled burst)
*Commend now works on infection name or critter name.
*[[Pounce]] defense bug fixed
*[[Ink Cloud]] cooldown upgrade fixed (Also note ink cloud was changed to a buff at some point, not previously documented in change log)

'''26th'''
*Children now take 5 upkeep
*Children split reflected buffs, so if you have 2 children out your armor will now be half value for each.
*Returned damage is now capped at your own max hp
*[[Anole]] icon added to web
*Multi-roo pet exploit removed
*Rest now works at 0 energy
*[[Slime Toss]] energy cost raised
*[[Enduring Minions]] reduced in effectiveness
*Death scripts on creatures won't activate if you're over 5 levels under them (no quest credit)
*AI now uses buffs better.
*Web combat has had some pretty major changes. I don't understand them all so hope I get it right:
**Web-combat now follows your location correctly
**Web battle actually obeys your commands, and waits for you to make a move in manual mode
**Gives combat summary at end of combat now (an accuracy bug was also fixed on this)
**Fixes to targetting on the web battler
**If you're in an invalid zone, the page just tells you that you found nothing

'''27th'''
*Can perk kill 2 perks for free now.
*Enduring Minions fixed to match the new numbers reliably.
*Looks Human perk now displays breasts/pregnancy. It also sounds human when they talk
*Mission command now lists the instance you will go to.
*Kids now have birthdays. Future births will assign it. Previously born kids will get a birthday the first time they are summoned to the current day.
*Creatures should spawn with full hp
*[[Converter]] no longer works on summons
*+Mako/smell added for custom smells
*<nowiki>[Public]</nowiki> Nuku says, "By demand, there are now benches, and even a fountain, at the new dawn crossroads."
*+Mut now shows groin instead of cock

'''28th'''
*Loadout/upkeep now shown in equip listing
*Loadout calculation on crafted items fixed. Before it did integer math that caused large rounding errors.
*Deep healing mutant power added (male version of lactaid) but not placed on any creatures yet.
*[[Kangaroo (dedication)|Roo]] recognizes if you were once a roo and lets you use teat without retesting; Easier rededication.
*[[Cock Slap]] added to two creatures.
*[[Centaurs]] have been relocated
*[[Liberated Youth]] inherit childs birthdate

'''30th'''
*Powers rebalanced. Almost all offensive powers have been changed. See normalization thread for details, I won't go into any more detail her.
*Fixative should give a message if they wear off mid fight
*AI updated, it shouldn't keep re-summoning kids/pets that are already there
*Training should now be 'quiet' and not alert the room. (All but epic)
*DoT ticks in combat should now use their customized name, if applicable
*[[Nanite Adept|Adepts]] who shift should now do so quietly for the rest of the room, it will be a single summary line now.
*+help bodypart powers added
*Consuming boss vials now causes a prompt to be sure.
*All Natural now gives +3 loadout every 3 levels
*Pets/children should now appear with all toggles -ON-.
*PET SCALING ADJUSTMENT: If you have 1, just 1, pet, it will not lose a level.
*[[Born Leader]] perk added
*If you @force a pet who is stuck at a prompt, it will now LEAP TO ACTION. A: It tells you what program it's stuck in. B: Gives you the option to terminate the program."
*Builder: It is now possible to give critters custom AI, making them use powers under specific circumstances, talk to the room, pose, and otherwise act organically."
*Builder: Rooms can now be disabled for riding
*Builder: A monster can now be set with a 'spawn time' property. It string parses. If the string parse returns 1, it can spawn otherwise it won't."
*[[Crafting]]: Recipe Shop added to woodfield
*Crafting: Make menu system reordered to be more sensible and provide a summary yes/no prompt
*Crafting: Craft Upgrade has been revamped. Now only items that actually CAN be upgraded will display.

==July==
http://web.flexiblesurvival.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=345

'''1st'''
*Mutant power upgrades removed from all players. Mako for innates refunded. (Training is still free temporarily)
*[[Tumble]] is now on [[Rubber Balls]]
*[[Costume Slip]] is now on [[Cat Girl|Gat Girls]]
*New mutant power: [[Scent of Victory]] (added to [[Skunk Girl]]/[[Mutated Brute]])
*Faction command disabled
*[[Grenade Launcher]] improved
*[[Heavy Beam]] improved
*[[Fast]] modifier created
*Spam of 'use power while auto' fixed

'''2nd'''
*Defense mechanic reworked. See Nuku's post.
*Grenade Launcher buffed (again)
*[[Banner]], Fast and [[Thunderous]] recipes added to Jacks Hardware
*Defensive resistance now applies to DoT magnitudes.
*[[Deep Healing]] placed on [[Clydesdale Stud]]
*Debuffclear powers should be more effective against dots ([[Purr]], [[Cleansing Milk]], and [[Morning Song]] all changed)

'''5th'''
*[[Woodfield]] overworld map added
*Consignment Shop added in Prommie lands
*Home renovation kit added to Jack's hardware. Allows you to redesc rooms.
*Can "home" more then once an hour. It will cost 100*levelscale freecred to do it while on cooldown
*Help convert added (helpfile is new, command is old)
*[[Pack Loyalty]], [[Leap]] and [[Quill Wag]] significantly changed
*Effects duration is no longer refreshed by powers/items with weaker mag. (Skins/armor weren't descaling when mentored down)
*Knockdown is now affected by dodgeresist
*[[Flame Bearer]] now gives its salvage bonus to uncommon instance chance and +pj salvage checks
*+request has new categories, and lost some ones that made no sense
*+census faction added
*The pet summon AI bug is laid to rest.

'''7th'''
*Nanite presence has appeared in [[Point Zero]]. Scientists are accepting donations to research it.
*New item, [[Nanite Funnel]] causes you to share your infections with the target victim."
*DoTs are now much more reliably removed when the critter dies."
*[[Strategist]] role added
*Folks who are OOC or IDL set will NOT receive +pj rewards
*Infection lab volunteer opportunities fixed
*+haz now reports if there's a PSAS unit in the area.
*+lotto is now functional"
*[[Uber Fox]] dedication added
*Wi flags added: No Combat, Science, Submissive, Dominant

'''10th'''
*Smell should now omit the gender part of species
*[[Forgetful Nibble]] added
*New power building options. Target notuser added (hits allies except caster) and secondary target effects added.
*[[Reconstruct]] replaces cure for [[Nanite Adept]].
*"f who" now only shows online people (faction)
*Dying statuses should fall off
*Forest changes: the [[Giant Bat]] will only spawn at night, the [[Fox Boy|foxes]] and [[Bunny Boy|bunnies]] will not spawn at night or evening, and the [[Ebony Raven|raven]] will not spawn at night or in the morning. Female snow leopardtaur and wolfen predator will spawn at all times of the day.
*Penelope added to RSX for quest offering
*New creatures on grid: [[Wolfen Predator]], [[Fox Girl]], [[Kobold Herm]], [[Hair-Bound Woman]], [[Cerberus Herm]], [[White Unicorn Mare]], [[Plump Tigress]].

'''11th'''
*New mutant powers: [[Perplex]], [[Terrible Pun]], [[Trivia]] (dunno if placed)
*[[Arena Champion]] role added
*Ian The Shark has higher bets available
*The web page now obeys private areas.
*Funnels no longer give total badges

'''12th'''
*AoE Powers that use Breasts as its AoE modifier have had the base AoE increased to 2.
*Powers that use Cocks as its AoE modifier may work the same way. Testing needed.
*Promothean church is partially open (nonbosses).
*AoE on non-AOE powers is now AOE+2 targets.
*[[Health Snack]] recipe created (not placed)
*Disabled quest/xp/creds/rewards for parties over 8. (Pets don't count)

'''13th'''
*Freecred rewards from earning badges is now capped at 5000 each.
*Overworld locations can now be jumped to directly by using their respective #.

'''14th'''
*Nanopacks are now available in the Mako Store to increase your inventory capacity. They require a small but constant supply of Mako Batteries to maintain functionality.
*There is now an interface for buying and selling mako from other players. +mako/list to see what offers are currently available, and +mako/buy or +mako/sell to set your own. Note that you can only have one (of each?) up at a time.

'''17th'''
*Items can no longer be created using more than one of a single modifier.
*Items can be used in web combat.
*Clicking the question mark next to powers in web combat now works.
*+Reward funnels fixed for caps.
*Fast fixed.
*Many new craft modifiers entered, but not yet placed.
*Several new web missions to play!
*Negative Energymod now scales mildly with level to keep it competitive with the scaling recovery rates.
*+Census freecred shows new info.
*Web: Using web combat resets your idle time.
*Web: Web fights should now do turns correctly.
*Web: Using the travel button on the page now costs 2 patrols, instead of draining your patrols to 0.
*[[Parthenogenesis Enabler]], [[Nanite Carnal Equalizer]] and [[Nanopacks]] added to mako shop
*Mako batteries now come in packs of 4, by popular demand
*Wiki now has a new URL, +url is updated.
*[[Breast Pump]] now resists breast size reduction when going human
*Consignment shop listings appearance improved.
*Infection vials should now, again, give badges

'''21st'''
* [[Erotic Dance]] power created and added to [[Busty Succubus]], [[Zombie Stripper]] and [[Knockout Mouse]].
* Tutor command now displays who among your students is online, and a total count of your students.
* [[Nanite Adept (dedication)|Nanite Adept]] shift command now sorts available forms by sex.
* Marketing Kit, 3 mako item, allows you to scrawl a message in a room. Lasts one week.
* [[Rogue]] role added.
* Terminal now highlights creatures you have the Total badge for.
* [[Nanite Buffer]] recipe added to Jack's Hardware.
* Various creatures listed as sexually neutral had unnecessary bits trimmed, including Harbinger Lynx, Masked Angel, Rabid Squirrel, and Raised Pharaoh.
* The "0" mutation is no longer transferable via Nanite Funnel.
* Items that raise hp (such as Health Snack) are now level-scaled.
* [[Supernova]] has its Upgrade options tweaked.

'''22nd'''
* [[Giant Size]] power created, associated with the [[Kaiju (dedication)|Kaiju]] dedication that is allegedly available on Monster Island in the ocean.
* +mako/cred command now sells to the current highest +mako/buy bidder, rather than for a flat amount. The bid amount is visible in +mako.
* [[Royal Delight]] DebuffClear buffed to bring it in line with the other DebuffClear powers.
* +lotto no longer limits the number of tickets you can buy.
* New help files added: HELP GIVE, HELP PLAYER SHOPS.
* 'smell here' no longer detects dark objects.

'''23rd'''
* New power type! +HP: Allows a power to recover health, without the AI treating it as a healing effect (allowing energy recovery powers to have AI scripting distinct from true heals).

'''24th-27th'''
* String parsing changed: [if stat of player] changed to [if stat of [player]] to prevent misparsing of words like 'closer' as 'c[loser]'. Creature database updated to the new syntax by Damaged.
* [[Virgin]] added to character creation as a 0-point perk. Eliminated upon pregnancy check; associated badges added for the various consequences that ensue.
* Monotreme Activator introduced; a drug that causes the imbiber to store impregnations as eggs, allowing for multiple simultaneous gestations.

'''28th'''
* Damaged: Hotel Oblivion is fixed. It will no longer set your danger/pheromone levels too high. Players that had this bug have been fixed too.
* Hinoserm: Fixed an issue in server code that caused the game to crash repeatedly. This was due to running into stack space limits from a recursive MPI program.
** "Cron" inherited a system limit from an unknown proccess after a crash forced the server to restart. As a result it set the stack limit to 4000.
*** > grsec: From xx.xx.xxx.xxx: denied resource overstep by requesting 8790016 for RLIMIT_STACK against limit 8388608 for /home/nuku/fs/game/protomuck<nowiki>[protomuck:1559]</nowiki>

* New option in editplayer to suppress the 'glance' action automatically firing with each move.
* Pronoun substitution string parsing overhauled.
* Ability to master and upgrade powers added to web interface under SKILLS.
* [[Uber Fox (dedication)|Uber Fox]] dedication powers [[Forgetful Nibble]] and [[Lustful Musk]] received several improvements.

==August==

'''1st'''
* [[Tiny Chain]] added to Jack's Hardware: Consumable applied to inventory items or stacks, preventing them from being trashed. Applying another to the same item or stack cancels the first one.
* [[Stockings]] added to the general vendors. Exact effects currently unknown.

'''2nd'''
* Bugfixes:
** Mako market no longer selling phantom mako for 99999 creds
** Passive effects only fire 1/round now, preventing [[Heavy Armor]] energy hemorrhages
** [[Monotreme Enabler]] no longer producing infertile eggs
* New role: [[Artillerist]]
* [[Looks Human]] now displays indivdual body parts (and Total) under +mut as Human

'''3rd'''
* New +census options:
** +census mako
** +census online level

'''6th'''
* [[Scuba Gear]] recipe added
* [[Giant Pound]] added to [[Kaiju]]

'''10th'''
* Changes to interlink +mail with physical email services:
** Mail sent to <anyplayername>@players.flexiblesurvival.com are delivered to your in-game +mail
** Email can now be sent through the +mail command e.g. +mail name@domain.tld=Email Message
** Mail sent to your character through +mail or page-mail will be forwarded to your +account email address if you are not logged in.
** You can change your email preferences via the web interface Settings tab, if you do not want to receive email from the game.