Welcome to Gaia! ::

The screams and cries of the creatures were getting louder and louder as Xiu hurried over to where Sevilin was. As it were, things were looking pretty grim for the team.

A sudden bright flare cast the forest and its occupants into a garish shade of red. Xiu instinctively shielded his eyes from the glare but was soon obliged to cover his ears from the dying screams that surrounded them instead. What had originally started out as a screech of triumph as the creatures found their prey was soon turning into a scream of pain and desperation as one by one the creatures disintegrated into nothingness. It was like a bad chain reaction. Not an unwelcomed one mind you, but a bad one none the less. Even after the last of the demons had died out the forest still rang with the aftermath of their screams.

Gingerly Xiu made his way over to where Sevilin was. The poor raevan and his guardian looked terrible but at least they were alive. “Where’s Lette?” asked Xiu suddenly feeling very tired now that there was no longer any immediate danger about them. “Did she get separated?”

While Sevilin and Werika both had wounds that needed looking after, they would have to wait until everyone was accounted for. Xiu shook his head. The scent of blood in the suddenly empty forest was ...distracting.

The sound of the flare still echoed in her ears as her world became awash with a color similar to that which was seeping from her skin, soaked up by her clothes, and dropping to the ground. The blood flow from her palm was already slowing, though it still retained a sluggish escape from body. Her scratches, though they were plenty and varied, were not life threatening in the least. Even then, they would be a pain in her a** as they itched their way back to health over the next week or so. If they were ever going to escape. If creatures such as this were what awaited them around every tree trunk, she severely doubted her ability to survive and increased her empathy for the poor Doctor trapped here. This was going to be a struggle to continue on with if she didn't arm herself soon.

Picking herself off the ground gingerly, maneuvering to grab the gun, hissing at the pricks of the thorns she couldn't avoid and racking up more cuts to the count, Lette straightened and adjusted her backpack once more on her back. From the cries that had filled the night, she felt safe to say the women and children, that could very well haunt her dreams for some time, were dead. For now.

Taking a deep breath, realizing how tired and achy she was as her adrenaline drained away, the mechanic began her trek to the other side. If her mind wasn't playing tricks with her, she was pretty sure she could hear the telltale cries of Sevilin careening through the night air. Smirking a little to herself, Lette realized she might actually be happy to see the snarky little blue man and his oaf of a guardian.

Despite the rather painful looking wound on the frei’s head, Xiu was impressed that Sevilin still had it in him to call out for Lette. Only once did the thought of warning against shouting in the dark forest crossed Xiu’s mind but it was quickly brushed aside. As it were, this forest was already beginning to exhibit characteristics Xiu had never read about. Logic, as it were, was fast becoming second fiddle in this nightmare of a forest.

But Sevilin’s call had paid off as the worn out figure of Lette appeared from the darkness. “Lette,” said Xiu with apparent relief and delight. Floating quickly over, Xiu was quick to note the scent of blood coming from the woman. “Are you hurt badly?” asked Xiu with concern as he led her over to We’rika and Sevilin. Finally, the group was one once more; albeit a little worse for wear.

“S-Should we carry on or…do you think this place would be as safe a place as any to set up camp?” asked Xiu uncertainly. Personally, the Sigel would have liked to put some distance between them and the area where they had been ambushed but it really depended on the group. Besides, it was probably a good idea to stop the bleeding and treat the wounded first.

“I can keep first watch while you rest and umm…I can stop bleedings too,” said Xiu as he tried to be helpful.

She was exhausted. With her adrenaline draining, her muscles began throbbing with the effort she had exerted in her escape, while the pain from her numerous cuts and scratches became an incessant hum in the back of her mind. Every step she took felt like she was trekking through sludge, her feet dragging with the utmost effort. Time seemed to warp and she didn't even realize when she had made it out of the bramble patch and rejoined the group.

Looking up at the sound of her name, and glancing around the group, she smirked slightly before her world went dark.

She didn't even feel her body hit the ground as she passed out, her mind succumbing to the exhaustion.

“Miss Lette!” exclaimed Xiu as he floated over to where the unconscious woman lay. Gingerly picking her up, Xiu quickly brought her closer to the other members of Team B. “Looks like we would have to camp here tonight. Sorry Sevilin,” said Xiu as he placed the unconscious woman down. “I think...the excitement got to her. She isn’t as...badly wounded as you seem to be Sevilin,” said Xiu. “Perhaps if We’rika could start a fire?”

“You are a really strong raevan,” said Xiu to Sevilin as the Sigel inspected the head wound. “I don’t think...I would be able to bear that...,”

Placing his hand over the wound, Xiu then focused on stopping the bleeding before using the first aid kit to clean it. The scent of blood this close to the Sigel was starting to smell very tempting but Xiu forced the thoughts out of his mind. The night was going to be long enough without him craving blood.
---------------------------------

While the morning’s light was a welcomed sight, the day did not seem to start off on the right foot. Already the air was humid and there was a restlessness that permeated the jungle’s environment. Packing the remainder of the first aid kit after changing the bandage on Sevilin’s wound, Xiu noticed the narrow path leading away from their campsite. Nodding in its direction, Xiu enquired if they should follow it. Perhaps when Lette had gotten her strength back after some breakfast?

The nights sleep had been unshadowed by nightmare, her imagination seemingly just as exhausted as her body. And what could her mind think up that could challenge the outrageousness of what she had just experienced. At least she could be comforted by the thought that she had made it back to her group before passing out on the forest floor.

But she couldn't sleep forever. Almost as if her mind was holding on by its fingernails, her consciousness slowly dragged back to reality. Cracking her eyes open to the sight of an equally exhausted We`rika and Sevilin floating over his shoulder with a scab nestled amongst his blue hair, Lette groaned loudly, slamming her eyes shut tightly and throwing an arm over her face.

"Gross, We`rika. If you're gonna come up in my bubble like that and not offer breakfast in bed, the least you could do is brush your teeth first."

The team had barely packed their meagre camping equipments when the rusting and chittering and scampering of small forest animals occurred. At first Xiu was amazed by the sight of these animals as they bounded quickly and agilely across the forest’s canopy. Then, he was confused as several of the larger animals made their appearances by bounding quickly past them. The Sigel got really worried when a herd of forest deer practically swept around the group as they dashed through the dense forest with their panicked barking. This was then followed by a jaguar who seemed no less eager to be up and away from the place.

What was happening?

More rustling. The quick yet heavy pattering of a large hoofed animal. The ear splitting squeal of an enraged animal who was as confused about the whole situation as the group was.

A large boar barrelled out of the (now heavily squashed) undergrowth; its mad and beady eyes rolling and its mouth frothing. Xiu had never seen such a large creature before and was horrified now that he had.

But at least the animal was real. He could sense its blood and smell its matted fur as it charged straight for the group; it’s snout drawn back in mad rage and it’s tusk ready to gore the first thing stupid enough to be in its path.

But it had blood. That was the important thing. Extending his hand, Xiu took a deep breath and focused. It was harder manipulating blood from a distance when he himself had had none for quite a while. But it worked. The wildboar’s mad rush was halted when the beast stumbled and squealed in pain as cramps took a hold of its legs.

“Let’s go!” said Xiu as he made his way down the path of least resistance. The path that the group had seen but had not taken earlier. The panicked squeal of the wild boar was still ringing in the background as the group hastily departed from the area. Xiu supposed that...he could undo the cramps but that would not be to the group’s advantage. Firstly, the wild animal may very well turn on them once it was cured and secondly...

They needed a decoy. Whatever it was that could spook the animals to that degree was something that the group was certainly unprepared for; especially after last night’s incident.

It was unfortunate but if the trashing wild boar could buy them time, then so be it.

Picking herself off the ground, groaning as her muscles protested the effort, Lette smirked as the man stalked off. Good to know none of them had lost their spunk, though Sevilin was looking a little worse for wear.

"No worries, I was just getting under your old man's skin. I'm sure we'll figure out food here in a minute." Stretching, Lette could feel her muscles quivering as they did their best to release the tension in them. Before she could twist to the other side, her stomach rumbled, letting her know just how hungry she really was.

Wait.

Was that her stomach growling? And were her muscles really that tired? She did heavy lifting and moving for a living as a mechanic, she shouldn't be this sacked for stamina. Looking across the packed up campsite to the frei, Lette could hear the rumbling sounds getting closer and closer before a slew of animals burst through the foliage and streamed through the area, heading back towards where the group had come from.

"Holy he--", before she could even finish her sentence a wild boar flew at them from the undergrowth in front of their site. Then, just as suddenly as the boar had arrived, it crumpled to the ground in squeals of agony as Xiu blasted through the site and made for a path on the opposite side, exclaiming for them to leave. Intending to ask questions later, Lette sprinted after the floating raevan, tugging at We`rika's clothes and exclaiming at the pair to follow.