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Optimist blinked in surprise at the acha's words - but was a bit more surprised to hear Nightingale's. It was nice to hear that she was paying attention to the game, though she could hardly imagine what could make Nightingale think she was a wolf. She met first the white doe's eyes and then Story's. "I think those are both good points!" Optimist began. "To the first, I don't believe Apathy has been as aware of what's happening as I'd prefer she be. She kept talking about dogs yesterday when Kiss of Death was talking about healing, and she keeps calling people strange names." She shrugged. "I suppose you could say it's all been an act, but I haven't met her outside of this game, so I couldn't tell." She had to acknowledge that the doe's defense of Kiss of Death - who she found increasingly suspicious, now - was rather singleminded, though. "So the word choice could be a slip, or it could just be Apathy."

"And I'd argue that you're right - I have been talking a lot!" She beamed, then shrugged. "But I don't think the fact that I'm not dead yet is indicative of anything. I couldn't tell you what the predators are thinking - most of the people who died hardly talked at all." They were prioritizing kills that gave little, if any, information - or so it seemed. "I think mostly the deaths so far have only served to confuse us - Arctic Waste didn't even speak yesterday, and the predators waited to kill Snake Flower on the night after she didn't speak at all. Eyes of the Night rarely spoke, and Watch the Skies just told Fire Made Flesh to not be so mean. Sleepless spoke, of course, but from the story...it doesn't sound like the predators killed her?" Arctic Waste hadn't even voted.

"And anyway...I don't think I'm that compelling of a target. Even though I talk a lot only one of the people I've voted for has died - Trouble, a few days ago. It might just be that they're leaving me alive because I'm just not persuasive enough." She paused, frowning. "I'd think the interesting people to them would be those who can both figure out who they are and successfully get them killed during the day. I don't think a predator cares how much someone speaks, if they still can't get anything done. Anyway, I think my loquacity has otherwise served us well enough - I've been encouraging people to talk and trying to ask questions, or answer them when they're posed to me. I think if more people speak up then we have a better chance of making predators give us information when they kill people. Whether that makes me look like a predator in your mind is really up to you." To finish the spiel she glanced over at Story. "I...don't know what you mean by strange behaviors, though. I think I've been consistently pressuring kin for the same things. If you could elaborate, I'd gladly answer!"

She shrugged. Then of course she turned to Look-See. "Anyway, I'm very sorry that you're having trouble! My name's Optimist, if that hasn't been repeated enough already. I appreciate that you were trying to work with the group but I think...all it really takes to win the game together is for everyone to listen. Unless it's too much trouble, it'd be very helpful if you tried to keep the train of discussion straight. Is there anything we can do to help?"

After falling asleep for so long during the previous rounds, Wolf Dream did his best to stay sharp and follow the action of the game. He was glad that the group had followed his initial vote and decided to eliminate As the Sun Burns from the game -- his dream and the corpse of the crane around the buck's neck were more than enough to make him uneasy. But the description that Merry Wanderer gave of how the prey chased him down and beat him to death with their hooves were more than unsettling, to say the least. "Even though we're the prey, it seems like this game is just teaching us how to become the predators," he worried out loud, frowning. "And now the wolves can kill two in one night? I don't understand what's prompting these killings now any more than I did at the beginning of the game."

When Nightingale spoke up, Wolf Dream found himself nodding along in agreement. "Optimist does seem quick to explain an awful lot, almost to the point where I can't follow the trail she's trying to lead us on with her logic. That, coupled with last night's killings, may be enough to suspect her." He glanced over to the group of 'dead' kin, as if there was some answer there. "But what is the pattern in these killings? And why do I feel like we're still missing something terribly important?"

"Hmm, so Sleepless was unaware of her own status as lover to Arctic Waste... I wonder if Arctic knew at the very least? Or did someone else make them lovers? Arctic is clearly a member of the prey but can the same be said for Sleepless?"

There were too many questions. Doubleback was surprised that the wolves had yet to target any of the more vocal players, but if they were targeting quieter players... It meant that either they were hoping to hide among the targets, or they were vocal participants. The current focus on Optimist she found stupid, the chatty doe was contributing more than anyone else. But. More importantly, before these suspicions could be examined.

"Forgive me for stepping into an attempting lynch squad, but didn't we already agree who we would kill this round? Kiss of Death yet lives and has provided us with no new information."

Her eyes widened at the next morning, head tilting to the side. Two deaths? That.. was interesting. As well as Sleepless' desperate plea, it was quite sad to hear these deaths being played out...

She listened attentively, eyes moving from kin to kin. "Well.. the information is--if we're looking at the chatty ones would certainly be Optimist and Kiss of Death." Bare Trees started, though she wasn't going to disregard the more quiet ones either who just seem to be voting based on how the wind turns. "So you say every kin that had voted for you are prey? That would be three." But she was quick to add -- "I still don't really fully believe in.. really anything," she sighed, "Certainly, our suspicions on Kiss of Death yesterday --- well, she's alive but it may be for the wolves to throw us off or she really is a wolf after all.." It was true that the wolves seemed to be attacking the less vocal players-- but that really didn't make much sense at the moment.. She still wasn't convinced but she'd wait till there would be more things to reveal.

Wolf Dream frowned in confusion as he listened to Kiss of Death speak. For his own part, he didn't find her particularly suspicious -- and if anything, the genuine frustration in her voice at being singled out by Optimist in this way made her more trustworthy in his eyes. It was usually when people were at their most desperate that their truest nature came out, and Kiss's desperation certainly seemed genuine. Without knowing her character, however, he couldn't really tell. She might just be an excellent actor.

Still, Wolf Dream tended to trust his heart more than his head at times like these, and he was inclined, for now, to give Kiss of Death the benefit of the doubt. There was one thing he genuinely didn't understand, however -- her claim to 'healing'.

"Pardon me, Kiss of Death, I don't mean to be rude," he began, feeling a little intimidated by the tensions that were popping up around him. It seemed more and more like everyone was forgetting that this was just a game. "But I genuinely am curious -- how is it that this saving power you claim you have works? I don't remember there being a character like that mentioned initially -- just the wolves and the predators. Maybe if you explained a little more, we would understand better...?" He trailed off, unsure of himself in addressing the doe so directly in front of a crowd, and beginning to feel uncomfortable with all of the anger starting to seethe underneath his fellow player's voices.

Optimist was ready to hear arguments, but she wasn't comfortable with the way Nightingale was manipulating her words. "I am well aware that I haven't voted for anyone dead, but that wasn't what I was saying at all." She turned her head at the doe. "The only kin I've voted for, who's also died, is Trouble." She shrugged. "I voted early for Kiss of Death, and she was quick to sway other kin to vote otherwise. I voted for As the Sun Burns, and Kiss of Death changed the course of that particular vote." She shrugged. "And while I didn't object to his death yesterday I certainly can't say that I lead it - it was lead in large part by Kiss of Death." She shrugged.

"Anyway...I would certainly object to the thought that my conversation leads nowhere. I've been trying to address individual kin directly so that they might have something to say instead of thinking they can't contribute. Because everyone is valuable! I-it's just that in large part, people don't really reply. I suppose I understand that it's hard to follow everything that's going on, though." She shook her head. "I don't see why I would make the game interesting for myself at the cost of winning it, either - it'd be much easier for me to sit by and vote when large amounts of votes are gathering. The quieter kin are being eliminated at night no matter how you look at it, and with them, sources of information. If everyone talked, then the predators' kills would have to give us information." Besides, Optimist should think if she were predator she'd pick people to kill who she at least disagreed with more.

She nodded carefully at Doubleback. "Somehow I think Sleepless was a member of the prey, too," she said, thoughtfully. "She seemed to try to defend her points of view, and she responded enough to people who talked to her." Although mostly Bitter End. Next she turned her whole body to face Kiss of Death.

"I think the problem is that no one can verify that 'truth,' and you haven't explained how it helps to flush out the predators," Optimist frowned, looking at the doe carefully. "We don't even know who you've saved, although Doubleback asked you specifically yesterday." In all honesty Optimist wasn't sure that she'd saved anyone, although the presence of two deaths this night did make it an option. "And I think it's silly to think that people are predators just because they voted for you early, and it's an outright lie to say that everyone I've voted for so far is out of the game." She nodded at Kiss herself. "I think the most prominent example of that is yourself!"

"Anyway, the game is built on the constant that the prey don't know each other. Not everyone accusing you is a predator - there's only five of them." And Nightingale, for one, was reasoning things out and trying to seek predators in a way that wasn't blindly voting in alignment with people. It wasn't what a predator did - it was likely that she was just misinformed prey. But she was more convinced than ever that Kiss of Death was a predator. "You've been one of the most influential kin this game, Kiss of Death. You're clearly good at convincing people to follow in your footsteps - yesterday is an excellent example of that. But you omit truths when you talk. There was a third kin who voted against you yesterday - Story. Not all of the people I've voted for are dead. You claim you're both a healer and a source of information. And the wolves have, significantly, left you alive." She wasn't even going to address the fact that Kiss of Death thought stating she was prey was a good argument for her being prey.

"I'm slightly confused by what you're talking about, Bare Trees. Do you mind addressing us by name? I don't think anyone has voted for me so far." She inclined her head at the doe. And Kiss of Death had instead accused those who voted for her of being predators.

Optimist nodded at Story. "I'm sorry if I'm confusing you - but as you know, I'm more than willing to talk! If you ever have questions, I can answer them if you direct them to me." A brief pause, and then: "I know we can't become best friends in only a few short hours! But I think it's less that we can get to know each other - we can't, and we can't rely on our knowledge of each other outside of the game, either, because it seems to me like few of us have that. But exchanging information and opinions about each other is the only way to learn more about the game." She paused. "I don't know why you're calling it a luxury - if everyone just spent the whole day voting without talking, then the predators would surely win. Communication is super important in a game like this!" She shrugged. "Even if you think I'm a predator, please at least take that into consideration. I don't think words are a luxury when they're all we have."

She shrugged, last, at Wolf Dream. "You're right - but last night's circumstance wasn't mentioned either." She paused, cocking her head. "I don't personally believe Kiss of Death, for reasons that I think have been talked about a bit overmuch already. But I think I am willing to believe that there are things going on that weren't mentioned in the beginning. I just...don't think it's possible that Kiss can both heal and obtain information usable to out predators."





[highlighted names in red because i know this is a textwall! smile ]

Bitter End was in shock. Not only was her companion out of the equation - almost certainly from being obsessed with plants talking too much, she was astounded by the roundabout, explicit story solely created for eliminating two at a go. She was in shock for so long that she missed her companion's meaningful looks, and barely heard a thing until the repetition of Sleepless' name woke her from her incredulous stupor.

"This game is constructed to confuse," she hissed, brooding on the ground. "No one's reasons make sense unless we feel like we want them to. Nothing makes sense unless we desire it to. Up to now, I suspect we've been voting on a gut feeling that makes sense to us."

She took a deep, philosophical breath.

"I know I have. Talking is just to sway impressions. If this...Kiss doe is doing it to sway people," Bitter was really not good with names, "And this....swirly black and yellow doe is doing it too," she lifted her head briefly towards Optimist, "then we are at an impasse. But we have been for many rounds now."

Her head whipped 'round to the two bucks she'd found suspicious (almost) from the very beginning, and her eyes narrowed. She paused for a moment, and decided. "I'm honest to my fallible nature as an insignificant member of this mob. That good-looking buck?" She gestured to Wintershadow. "He liked to talk too, for someone who kept looking like he hated standing out. Now he speaks less as the crowd thins. I vote him because that's what my gut says, and that's all I have to fall back on here."

Bitter End flicked her fringe back out of her eyes, stretching a leg as she waited for the others' conclusions. "You all do what you like. In the end, I doubt it'd make much of a difference as to who you vote for if you've already had your suspicions."