{ GM PRP } The Hidden Forest (Hunter Base) (PAGE 2)

[Rown]

[ entering ]

Ofelia was dumped rather unceremoniously on a cot as she was brought in, her eye still wide open and the rest of her pretty immobile.

This sucked.  

[Zoobey]

The Hunter addressing Herryk frowned as the message was relayed through the headset. "Well, looks like it's your lucky day. Christmas is comig early for you."

Before Herryk could ask what that meant, there was a loud humming, as a full portal, glowing pale blue, was brought to life. Several Hunters, some carrying the injured in stretchers, were already heading inside. She looked at him and shrugged. "Evacuation, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do."

With that she turned to move into the portal: whether Herryk followed was his choice entirely and always.

pinchmonster

Evacuation time! Time to move here!

You can go ahead and interact with Hunters in the base too (as you please)

 

[Nio Love]

The last thing Freya saw with enough understanding to recognize it, was Herryk's face as he turned to look at her one last time. There, in that hardened gaze, was an answer she loathed to receive. The hunter was promising him something - what, she couldn't know. He had to know, somewhere deep down, that this was probably just a trap. He had to understand that he was just walking forward to his own demise, if he chose to take that hunters offer in hopes for some kind of fresh start. And yet, as he glared down at her for the last time, she realized he was willing to take that chance if it meant getting away from her.

Freya broke, in that one moment, under his scrutinizing gaze. She stopped rocking, and her eyes met his. Her expression burned with powerful anguish, as she wished more than anything in this world that she could have been enough for him. That she could have been his answer, instead of that cold hunters promise.

But she wasn't. She was just a stupid, broken little ghoul.

She pulled herself up just enough to watch him, heedless of her hiding place anymore. Her haunted eyes followed him until he disappeared into the portal, and they continued to stare at the glowing light, beckoning her to join him in oblivion. It was there, and only there, in death and endings, that they could still be together they way they'd been meant to. This world was no longer for them.

Freya shuddered and stumbled to her feet, crawling and clawing her way back into the forests until she collapsed somewhere in the trees and remained there, for whatever end came for her. She hoped it would come soon.  

[medigel]

( Enter because no man left behind )

Seconds before they entered the Portal, Mort remembered something. There were a couple of missing heads from his group - Sharra he knew was on the battlefield somewhere, but Freya . . . Freya had gone missing shortly before the vortex chaos began. It was a little shameful in hindsight that he hadn't thought to look for her before, but Mort had honestly thought she was there with the rest of them on that battlefield. And now that it was cleared up, well, he couldn't simply leave her behind.

So he had diverted his and Belladonna's path away for a bit, telling Alex and Sophie they'd meet them in the Lair just as soon as they found someone. And as they passed by the fallen Hunters and rejoicing horsemen, Mort bent down to slide a pendant off one's neck.

Maybe it was useless now, but any piece of Hunter tech was worth investigating.

The forests seemed to tangle around them as they moved away from the crowded reunion, the witch kept close as they walked. Hunters might still have been about, who knew? They had to come from somewhere. "Mrrr . . . Hold up." Mort paused and turned his head; a splash of color against white and brown caught his eye.

Blond hair. A figure curled and broken on the ground.

"Freya," he breathed with alarm, trudging forward in the snow to pull her up. "Jack dammit . . ."

AyeAvast

 

[AyeAvast]

(Enter because Ghoul Friends are 5ever)

It might have been best for Mort to have explained to Belladonna what exactly it was they were looking for, since otherwise her hands clamped around his arm the moment they passed into the Hunter's Portal. This was not the reality she wanted. She wanted to be accepted by the Horsemen, not the Hunters. But then, in her horrid selfish hindsight, she realized that Freya had been on the battlefield too. And the realization that maybe it was something else that brought the Valkyrie to this side of the world made the witch's spine grow colder than it already was. Though she clutched to the zombie's side, it certainly didn't make her feel any safer, mostly because strength in numbers was exactly the thing she feared. This was their territory and after the insane battle from earlier, there surely would be no mercy for those only hoping to rescue their own.
The forest rose up to greet them, shielded them from prying eyes and became a maze they could be lost in if they weren't careful. Still, it wasn't too awfully long before they came upon their goal.

Where Mort had dared say her name, the witch could only manage a gasp before she rushed forward. The snow impeded her path so that she fell a foot from the ghoul and had to shuffle the rest of the way.
"Oh, Freya darkling, no, its alright..." It didn't at all matter that she didn't honestly know what had happened, all that mattered was pulling her from this pit enough to get the three of them out of here. Gentle hands pushed blonde hair off her face, attempted to impart some warmth to her chill skin.
A worried, broken look was cast to Mort, a silent plea that he could make this right because he'd been friends with her first, with both she and Herryk and that this needed to be made right. Unsure of anything else to do, the witch temporarily curled herself around the fallen ghoul, a small embrace in the snow that meant she was there, she'd help carry her out of this, that despite what Freya might think, she wasn't alone.

Nio Love

Ol-j-man

 

[Nio Love]

Very few thoughts penetrated the delightfully hazy fog that Freya's mind had slipped into. It was this same haze that she'd worked so hard for when she'd starved herself, and she gave into it now, welcoming the thoughtless abandon of reality with open arms. Her eyes were open, but she didn't see either person as they came to her and spoke her name. There was no reaction, even as Bella curled around her. But one thought did manage to get through to her as she sat there in the snow. She felt warmth. Belladonna's skin was warm against hers, and that realization was the only one she allowed herself to understand.

Because if it was warm, that meant it wasn't Herryks.

Did she really expect him to come back for her, somewhere deep down? Was there always a part of her that clung to the desperate notion that she would lie there in the snow until those giant arms wrapped around her, carried her home, and chastised her for being so stupid?

Yes, she admitted to herself. It was always there. But whoever saved her now was not Herryk. She couldn't comprehend who it was, but it was not Herryk. Herryk was still lost, both to her, and to their world.

Freya's eyes blinked, just once, but that was the extent of any movement she would do for a long time.  

[medigel]

Belladonna didn't know, but Mort did. He knew all too well what - who would have caused this. Herryk had been on the battlefield, and she had stumbled after him just before they had separated. It didn't take much guessing to put the pieces of the missing timeline together here.

Herryk had been here. And now he wasn't.

She was lucky he hadn't tried something. The fact that the draugr didn't actually unsettled him more than if he had tried, because after his own violent encounter with his friend Mort couldn't imagine the damage that would have been wrought if Herryk had wrapped his hands around her too . . . Something had happened. Something bad.

He had to fight not to interrogate Freya right then and there, the questions burning within him. Mort surveyed the two reapers curled together with a grim look, allowing Bells her brief tender moment before touching both of their shoulders. "Need to go," he said in a low voice, almost apologetic even to have to stop her consoling. "Not safe. Could still be Hunters around."

He gently but firmly pulled the valkyrie up from the ground and, with a grunt and some adjusting with her wings, held her bridal style or close to it; she looked too lifeless to try and force her on her feet, and Mort didn't want to leave too much of a trail behind. He staggered a bit at first, but the last battle hadn't been too tiring for him - or at the very least, helping another overrode any other tiredness he might have had. The contrite look was gone, covered by a neutral, distant expression. "Keep alert," he told the witch as he began to lead them back towards the portal, strictly business until they were out of the danger zone.

Feels could wait.

(( Exit ))

Nio Love

AyeAvast

 

[AyeAvast]

To see another in this distraught and forlorn position, to view another in the throes of deep sorrow but to have the whole thing compounded with the idea that Freya was a friend, nearly kept the witch on the ground with the ghoul. Belladonna had been there, maybe not in the snow, but on the ground, broken and alone. The witch had not had good friends to pull her up, not like Freya now had and while she knew in this moment it didn't matter, it might later. Now was the time for sadness, but in the morning, surely the Valkyrie would see the luck she'd stumbled upon. Things were bad, but she wasn't alone. Freya could see that... Right?
The witch's arms tightened around the ghoul, desperate to show that she was there, that someone had once bestowed this kindness to her and that Belladonna would give it to another. The hand on her shoulder made her jump, made her sit up quickly though she kept both her hands against the ghoul in a protective manner. It didn't matter that she didn't know what had happened, for she could easily guess what had caused this. Though she knew Mort was nearby, she wasn't sure who else might be around and the witch had gone into protective mama-witch mode the moment she saw Freya on the ground.

But her fears were unfounded, it was only Mort, only their protector. The witch looked up at him imploringly, another silent plea to help. There weren't any words to express that this ghoul on the ground had been Belladonna only a month ago, that she knew this sorrow and knew what it was to need this help. So when he only reached down to pull Freya up, Belladonna rose with them, one hand locked around her friend's. It was difficult to keep watch and hold onto her, but the witch would not let go. Not when it was a kind hand that was needed, regardless if it was the one that was wanted. Companionship was still the cure to loneliness, though she knew this would not be so easy a fix. Still, the witch would not relent and not give up. Quietly she followed Mort out, an occasional glance thrown behind her and to their sides, but otherwise occupied solely on just going home.

((Exit))

Ol-j-man

Nio Love