[Samhain] Fox hunt game

[Wardwood Mule]

MoonRazor

You stop to examine a leafless buckthorn shrub covered in eggplant-colored berries. Some of its lower branches have been bent and broken, but these branches appear to have been dead for a long time, so there's no telling when the event occurred. This is poor evidence of an animal's trail, but it's better than nothing.

You win one point this turn.

Total points: 1  

[Capricorn Sunchai]

Thorne frowned at the muddy footprints, but began following the trail besides the point. Some tracks were better than none, at least. He didn't want to have come this far out and return empty-handed.  

[As Told By Ginger]

Eloise looked up at the large looming forest before her, unsure if she really wanted to enter into it. She really wanted to make sure that the creatures of the forest were left untocuhed by the hunters who sought to kill them for sport. She heard a sudden shout from deep within The Wardwood and she plunged into the forest ready to protect any animal that needed protecting. The curly haired woman glanced around at the high trees that seemed to stretch straight up to the heavens, it was all a little bit overwhelming to her but she new it was her duty to protect the innocent.

Eloise picked up the hem of her dress and started to wander deeper into the forest, listening for any noise that would alert her to an animal being chased or an animal who was already wounded. Not too far off from where she currently was she thought she heard a branch snap. She shifted her feet and headed into that direction.  

[Wardwood Mule]

Capricorn Sunchai

You spy a splash of blood on a single yellow leaf on the ground. When you examine it, the blood looks fresh. Strangely there are no trees in the area with such distinctly golden foliage, but this is still excellent evidence of an animal's trail… isn't it?

After some time of continued searching, however, you are forced to come to the conclusion that you've been waylaid by a prankster — or an unnaturally clever fox.

You lose two points this turn.

Total points: 0  

[Wardwood Mule]

As Told By Ginger

You turn a corner to find a man standing with his back to you on the path you're walking or riding. He's wearing an expensive-looking dark blue jacket, his hair is auburn and a touch curly, and when he turns around there's a single spot of blood on his spotless but slightly rumpled cravat. His eyes are an unnatural shade of purple. If you have ever met him before you will recognize him as the spirit named Llyr.

"Good evening," he says to you politely, and then points toward a copse of yellow ashes in the distance. "You may find that direction somewhat more fruitful."

When you look back, he is gone.

You win two points this turn.

Total points: 2  

[Amorpheous]

When the fairy wren was free, Conri smiled faintly, but it was not necessarily warm. Of course, he cared for all creatures of the Wardwood, but he was only looking for one. He moved on, leaving the fairy wren behind to continue searching for clues. The sound of the wren faded as he got farther and father away until it only existed in his mind. He did not like to think of the other things that may only live in his mind, so he pushed it all away to focus on what was in front of him.  

[bobaTJ]

Well, hair at least meant that you were going in the right direction. Gabriel's father had taken the time to, if nothing else, teach his son how to hunt. Still, it had been years. He rolled the fur in his fingers and stood again., ducking under a low-hanging branch to continue the search.

Morai bowed his head, snuffling the ground like some kind of hunting hound.
 

[thyPOPE]

Lucterius did not, naturally, recognize the spirit. He seemed friendly, though, and of course he'd heard the news - who had not? A baronet, too, needed to be careful to keep up with the news, especially if it might have an impact on managing his estate. He nodded in gratitude, and set off in the direction that the spirit had indicated: if it was Llyr, he would probably be in good enough hands, and if it was not, Lucterius might see what he'd be up against...

He had a squire with him, in any case. The boy swallowed quite audibly and Lucterius turned to smile, as if in reassurance: he merely looked away, though. "Do you hear something?" Lucterius asked, not unkindly.  

[Nyx Argyros]

Jack crouched and studied the print, careful not to disturb the leaf. For all he knew, it could have blown in from anywhere, but the mud from the print looked heavy enough that he suspected it was in its original location. The soldier had little interest in rabbits as he was not on a hunting expedition, however, it was at least something to go on. Besides, if he was following the trail, something else might be, too. Deciding that he had nothing to lose, he decided to see where it lead.  

[Soldier of Song]

He tried hard to ignore Zharkov, setting his jaw and keeping his back to him, unwilling to go over the same argument. He wouldn't give the man the satisfaction of getting worked up again, as he was convinced Zharkov would get a kick out of that, too, as he was undoubtedly reveling in his floundering about the forest now. In Kozel's mind, the forest lurked only with beasts and the dangers they brought, and other people only laughed at him, even if they didn't outwardly show it. Kozel's mind was a miserable place.

Still, as hard as he tried not to listen, Kozel did hear that final, insolent mutter, and could take it no longer. Stopping in place and rounding on Zharkov, he finally burst out, bitter words made harsher by how wound up he was, "You like being a criminal. I do not. Do not expect my help again when—"

His diatribe was, fortunately, cut short by the sound of a scream cutting above his own voice, and Kozel inhaled sharply, nearly letting out a matching shriek of his own as he looked about frantically for the source of the horrifying sound. When nothing followed it, Kozel turned his watery gaze back onto Zharkov with unconcealed fear. That interruption managed to change his tune completely.

"Zharkov," he whimpered, still at least dignified enough not to move closer to him, and not just because he was frozen with fear. "What was that."  

[kamileunaire]

Zharkov didn't seem to care much about Kozel's silent response, but when his friend wheeled around to growl at him, he leaned back, a small, s**t-eating grin spreading over his countenance. Kozel could be so touchy, especially if he was uncomfortable or stressed out. He was almost guilty to cause such distress, but Kozel refused to accept what had happened to them both. Zharkov felt that they had been destined to come across the strange tree. Did Kozel not feel the connection to the funny little toy he'd picked? Baffling though it was, Zharkov wasn't nearly as superstitious or paranoid as Kozel. He was about to make a smart-mouthed reply when the scream startled him as well, and he looked off toward the source of the sound, eyes wide for a moment.

"Sounds like someone's caught their dinner. A rabbit, if I'm not mistaken, or something similar." He observed knowledgeably, not bothering to mention how or why he knew such a fact. He began to walk again, nudging Kozel as he passed him up.

"We should go and look. Might see something interesting." He didn't even wait to see if Kozel would agree, knowing that he would likely follow, for fear of being left behind. Zharkov would need the time anyway, to try and wipe the massive grin off of his face. Why was the sight of a terrified Kozel so amusing to him?  

[Wardwood Mule]

Amorpheous

You turn a corner to find a man standing with his back to you on the path you're walking or riding. He's wearing an expensive-looking dark blue jacket, his hair is auburn and a touch curly, and when he turns around there's a single spot of blood on his spotless but slightly rumpled cravat. His eyes are an unnatural shade of purple. If you have ever met him before you will recognize him as the spirit named Llyr.

"Good evening," he says to you politely, and then points toward a copse of yellow ashes in the distance. "You may find that direction somewhat more fruitful."

When you look back, he is gone.

You win two points this turn.

Total points: 4  

[Wardwood Mule]

grasshopper pie

Mist began rising from the damp forest floor not too long ago; now it's all around you, muting the autumn colors behind a ghostly bluish veil. You can still see well enough to stick to the path you've chosen, but as you walk or ride on you begin to catch glimpses of something white showing through the sparse yellow leaves of a buckthorn hedge.

You investigate.

Unfortunately it is only the skeleton of a large stag, stripped of flesh but otherwise almost perfectly intact; time has bleached its bones to the stark paleness that distracted you. A single wild rose has grown up through one of its eye sockets.

You do not win or lose any points this turn.

Total points: 3  

[Wardwood Mule]

thyPOPE

You disturb some leaves, and beneath them you find a perfect fox print pressed into the damp mud. Was the fox trying to hide its tracks? Regardless, this is excellent evidence of a trail.

You win four points this turn.

Total points: 6  

[Wardwood Mule]

Nyx Argyros

You happen upon a clearing. At the very center lies a fairy circle of mushrooms, unusually large, and within it several rabbits, which are all staring at you. Their gaze is unsettling. They seem to know something.

1. Amorpheous 2. Chrystali 3. Umbrology 4. Amorpheous 5. Chrystali
All five rabbits are companion pets, not familiars!

You may choose to either take a rabbit or walk away with two points. Please quote me with your decision! If you choose a rabbit, provide your order of preference (omitting any you aren't interested in). If we don't hear back from you within 24 hours, you will be given two points and the game will move on. Rabbits whose uncert links are crossed out have already been claimed.

Total points: 1