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 Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:03 pm
((Because it doesn't fit in the subject line already.. CURRENT list of characters is: Riley/Calder/Savior/Barth/Christof/Malodore/Jericho/Israfel/Damien))
After she'd said her piece, she didn't necessarily wait for anyone to announce their choice. She just started walking. Keep moving, the mysterious figure had said. This would keep them safe, right? She hoped that meant she could come back to camp and check on the new arrivals often. Going out to get a better view of things, and then coming back - that still counted as keeping yourself moving, right?
She wasn't going to up and abandon the camp completely until she knew her friends were safe.
Still, as she walked, she could hear steps behind her. She didn't turn to look at who had followed, just yet. She simply started climbing the rocks that led a straggled path towards the mountain. Hopefully if they got higher up, the fog would clear and they could see what they were dealing with.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:28 pm
Calder followed Christof who was following Riley. For him, the fog wasn't a bother. It was nice, and he walked behind what he assumed was Riley. Being more animalistic in nature, he had gained a certain familiarity in his enemies' scent. While some would assume someone who looked somewhat glossy and slimy at times would have a pungent oder, hers was more….sweet? Like nectar with a thick heat. Seeing as he wasn't navigating just by sight, he followed that, moving up the hill with her. Yes, even horses could climb mountains. He did so rather well.
It seemed others were having a harder time. Calder paused when he noticed Barth was trailing behind. He only knew this because he sort of felt it moving back, his footfalls growing fainter, and that soft smell that Calder knew from doing the demon's laundry. Often times he smelled of scented soaps and oil, but the smell wore away with days at sea and was now diluted with the scent of sea water.
Sighing, Calder moved through the fog before he reached out and felt the soft plush of Barth's jacket. "Hey? What's up? Tired already?" The demon did sleep 24/7. Standing this much probably killed him.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:32 pm
Following someone was easy for Savior - it was what she was made for after all. It didn't take her too long to catch up with the large purple thing, her steps a lot more sure on the uneven ground thanks to the whole "not wearing shoes" and "spends a lot of time climbing things she shouldn't" bit. Eventually she was side by side with the strange purple thing and she pulled ahead in her climbing before she stopped, looking down with an eager and curious expression.
This thing...had no mouth.
Of all things to be surprised over, Savior found that to be the most interesting. Of course she didn't say it was, she merely stood there, she tapped the tip of her mask with her finger once or twice before she searched from her dictionary-in-the-make mind for what would be proper to say to approach this situation. "Boat crash."
That wasn't it.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:35 pm
"Where, ah...you're not going up, are you?" Barth squeaked to Riley. There was no telling how far up went, but any kind of long, rocky up meant...well, staying at the bottom.
Calder came back for him. Barth turned the growing expression of wobbly despair onto the kelpie.
"It is hard to sleep. When you're lost at sea." Barth said pathetically. He had slept anyway, but that was beside the point. "Did she say she was going up?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:41 pm
It was a good thing there was fog enough to keep others from watching, but Calder was there, close enough to see Barth's sad expression. If the guy had a bit more horse in his blood, he could have pulled the pony eyes rather well. Instead, he just looked exhausted at the IDEA of climbing up a hill, and Calder knew from all the times he came into the demon's room, that he usually didn't move at all. This was like asking him to run a marathon. It was a miaracle he managed to get up the steps to his dorm each day.
"Looks like we're going up, Barth." He said, clearing that matter up. Looking ahead, he knew that the group was going to leave them, if they even knew they were falling behind. He didn't want to loose Christof. Then again, would he even notice or CARE?!
Sighing, Calder turned about and knelt down. "First off, no Hi Ho Silver Jokes or Giddy Ups. Do it and I buck you off." He said, and looked up at the boil.
Was Calder going to give Barth a piggyback ride?
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:53 pm
Christof had been hurrying along beside his Mistress diligently, intent on keeping by her side like a good Igor. He had offered to carry her things for her, but she had declined. She wasn't one of those sorts of Mistresses. He was about to let himself fall behind, ready to drag Barth up after them if necissary- (He was relieved Calder was at least tailing him to make sure he was not eaten,) when suddenly a strange ghoul he had never met before and an even stranger face suddenly spoke to Riley.
He leaned around her, brows furrowing as he peered at the new face on the other side of his Mistress, tensing anxiously. Boat Crash? That much was obvious. The girl was more than likely simple. At least she didn't seem like a threat, and he relaxed a bit, pausing to let the Kelpie and Sloth catch up. He had almost lost sight of them in the thick fog.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:00 pm
If it seemed impossible for Barth to get any droopier...it wasn't. He wilted at Calder's confirmation.
"Then I'll just, err," he started, unhappily, before Calder sighed and suggested an alternative.
"Wouldn't dream of it," Barth said, immediately perking up. He had some experience in these sorts of mountain-climbing venues. The carrying kind, anyway.
He happily looped his arms around Calder's shoulders, getting a comfortable grip, and waited for him to stand. "...Thanks. Really."
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:08 pm
Riley seemed disinterested in Barth's obvious dissent about the idea of going up the mountain. This may have something to do with the fact that he could choose not to go up all he wanted.. but in truth, the main reason why Riley wasn't reacting much to those around her was that she was trying, very hard, to keep from thinking about turning around and cracking their skulls open like coconuts.
She was listening, very intently, for wildlife. She needed SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Or else her little excursion into the mountaintops with her friends would turn into a bloodbath. She didn't want to walk back to camp alone. She was pretty sure the faculty would frown on her behavior.
So she struggled to maintain a distance to those who were talking to her. Unfortunately, one ghoul in particular who she had never met yet made such distance impossible. Savior was suddenly in front of her, tapping her mask and making the strangest sounds. Riley understood that there were words coming out of these sounds, but the sounds themselves were so disturbing.. hollow and vibrating, they made Riley wince slightly. Her mind did not appreciate them at all.
Yes, we all crashed. I'll thank you to continue walking, Miss.. my apologies, what is your name? I don't believe we've met. My name is Riley.
Her thoughts were open, even though she spoke only to the ghoul - the group was small enough that Riley felt comfortable keeping her thoughts public domain. Unfortunately unbenownst to Riley, her thoughts would reach everyone BUT their intended target.
She turned her eyes back to Barth and Calder, and then rolled them. Really, Barth? Really? Sometimes she held a string of respect for the sloth demon's sly ways. This was definitely not one of those times.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:11 pm
"Just....don't get comfortable with it, and be glad we're not around water." He pointed out, and heaved him up. By no means was Barth light. He was a lot taller and bigger than most kids, and older than Calder. Still, the kelpie was taller than most boys his age and he was sort of designed for a good haul. Still, uphill, boil on back, and two packs. This was going to kill him, but it was better than leaving Barth behind to be alone and possibly get hurt by some reaper - or whatever Mr. Table Flipper had in mind for them.
Grunting, he had to work up some momentum before he could even get up the hill, and slowly made his way up, having to work his bag around his arm up to his shoulder, his book in his bag, and grabbed Barth's legs up to keep him from dragging.
It wasn't easy by any means, and it was slow going, but they were working to get up the hill. Still, it was his size that was really getting to him, and so he wondered, considered, and decided to finally test just shifting. He could just prance up the hill then. No sweat, right?
He breathed deep and tried to let himself change, but ....nothing happened. Not a single molecule out of place from before. Frowning, he huffed. "Oh you have got to be kidding me. No shifting?"
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:24 pm
Christof was boggling when the Kelpie and his load came into view through the fog, seething with just how LAZY his other Master really was... with a sigh he shook his head. He shouldn't be so surprised, really. He moved to reach and take both Calder and Barth's packs from the poor enslaved kelpie, shouldering them easily before gesturing down to Calder's ankle. Was it feeling better? He hoped so- offering to help Barth was usually opening a can of worms.
He inched forward, not wanting to let his Mistress vanish in the fog. Hopefully wherever she was leading them would lead to some place above the mist where they could get a better view of things.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:26 pm
"Wut." Savior tilted her head to the side and tapped her mask as the purple thing continued to approach, and her eyebrows knit themselves with worry. She didn't move even though she'd be asked to all for one simple fact - she didn't hear Riley. Well actually. . . it was more like she couldn't hear Riley, for it was very possible that the Marrowstripe's limited mind prevented her from understanding or having her thoughts invaded. Lucky her. "Wut."
The Marrowstripe tapped at her ears instead of her mask, utterly and totally confused as to why this person wasn't talking. Was it because they had no mouth? Maybe that was the reason, seeing as Savior knew sounds had to come from a mouth. Of course she was a pot calling a kettle black in the regard that she didn't have much of a true mouth either but details were details. "No. Wut. Hear?" The monster did her best to show off her plight, but she was limited in few words.
Also, her face hurt and the speaking she was doing made the skin itch. The Marrowstripe moved her mask down a bit, still having it carefully attached to her face, and she scratched at the healing scabs of what very, very clearly was a massive burn.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:36 pm
Calder perked to see Christof come over, and was glad he took the bags. Honestly, the less weight, the better. He had hoped he would stick around, and had actually thought to ask about his leg. How did he find out? He shook his head, looking exhausted already, but a bit better that Christof had noticed. "No. It's better." And just like that, Christof was off to his mistress again.
His ears dropped, and he sighed, looked back to his hooves and the ground. So much for that.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:38 pm
Riley stopped cold, her eyes narrowing to thin slits as she glared at Savior dangerously. Though the ghoul's capacity for conversation was obviously limited, she was getting her question out loud and clear.
She couldn't hear Riley.
Unsure as to how to handle the matter - because all Riley now wanted to do was crack HER skull open and see what was wrong inside (for science!) she plopped down on a rock and paused her walking to allow the rest of the group to catch up.
She began to say something to Savior, but stopped herself. Instead, she gestured with a single finger for the ghoul to sit down as well. Perhaps she would just mimic Riley's actions for now.
Riley slung her backpack into her lap, and began rifling through it. This was as good a time as any to figure out just what was inside. She was disappointed, however, to find only a flashlight and a note. She read the note quickly, before moving on to the flashlight. It turned on easily, proving that it worked.
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:45 pm
The conversation was getting nowhere fast (or so Savior assumed) and the Marrowstripe was a bit more than relieved when motions started to be used. If she had any form of higher thought she may have understood she was being mocked, or maybe she'd have pity that this stranger could not speak, but instead the monster just took it upon herself to sit down as motioned and scoot herself rather close to the purple thing. They were pretty interesting to look at, that's for sure, and they seemed to be rummaging through a pack.
Oh hey, Savior had one too! The motions that Riley performed where easily repeated though Savior cut out the middle man by just. . .dumping it all onto the ground. The flashlight bounced against her leg before turning on and rolling off, causing the monster to emit a low growl of unease and displeasure at the sudden change.
"Wut." She poked at the object with her foot rather than her hand, knowing that she could survive without a foot easier than without a hand, and she looked over at Riley as though she expected an answer. Maybe one of Riley's companions could answer, whenever they came?
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Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:45 pm
"Riley!" came a sudden, familiar shout from the direction of the camp - and, a moment later, Malodore hurried towards the group. The plague doctor was still clearly quite damp, and both its feet and the lower part of its coat were caked in sand. And a bit of seaweed (or maybe a bit of Steve?) was tangled around its tail. But it was in one piece, with the same brown backpack as everyone else slung over one spiked shoulder. "There you all are!"
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