Welcome to Gaia! ::

Harrison bit his lip as another option of responsibility was flung his way however this time he didn’t even give it a second thought before glancing over at Anita and then towards the cliff face. If the bugs were nonvenomous then their big worry was the nausea slowing Pasha down down and the fever dehydrating her. That was a definite reality, one that caused real concern too. He flushed at the reminder of his previous training. Something he honestly didn’t like drawing too much attention to. Thems were the facts, honestly. He flicked his gaze to Anita again and bit his lip.

“I was taught years ago, darlin’. We gotta do this quick…” He took a breath and looked down at Pasha, “I’ll carry her once we're moving. I can tourniquet the hand but for no longer than 20 minutes. Suck out the venom? That’s what we were taught, that’s how we used to do it. I’m fairly certain it’s crazy unorthodox here. The poison won’t kill her or it wouldn’t kill a full human. Pasha, you’re only halfway to full body… That concerns me.”

He also had to take into consideration that the venom has probably already traveled a bit into her bloodstream and sucking at the wound wouldn’t do anything at this point. Either way, cutting circulation off to the hand would give some relief to the frei. He also had a few painkillers and a med kit in his back that had antibacterial cream. He ran through the CLS and the medical training he’s seen. They’d want to put pressure on the welt, wrap it up tight and that would keep the pain from being unbearable. He nodded. It would ooze but the gauze would soak up the venom and puss from the wound. Good drainage system without the lips on skin action.

“Either way, move her. I’ll clean up here and we’ll set camp up like… maybe 10 meters in. They’re not making it up the cliff,” He breathed slow and looked to Cruz, “tell her to rack out, close her eyes and ignore it all while we handle this.”

The pilot gestured to the cliff edge, He'd need a new stick and now that things were settled, a new shirt. A moment of self consciousness creeped in at being very shirtless and bare in front of the two females.

Her head was throbbing. Melisande squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out cliff silhouetted by the last thread of the setting sun and the silent antennae that waved like grass as they crested the ridge. Cruz would take care of them, and Anita and Trox would take care of her.

Pasha turned her head to the side, eyes still shut, as they administered to her injured hand. A little thought reminded her that she could ask for a flare, and in minutes, be winging away from the terrible jungle, but...

She would also be leaving the Doctor. She would be leaving Cruz, and the rest of her team. She would be leaving Cesc and Rivener and everyone else to travel the jungle alone.

"Thank you." To all of them. They were strong, she would be too.

Melisande would be fine, she resolved. The pain had steadied, and exhaustion was starting to take its place. The Muse kept her eyes shut. Perhaps, if she could just fall asleep, everything would be better when she woke...

Harrison didn’t feel the need to stand around and monitor something Anita was perfectly capable of doing. Instead he moved away, taking her word for it and only half hearing her reiteration of the guide for their specific nature walk into Satan’s backyard. La ti da, he all but nodded and moved onto preparing himself for the next leg. With his jacked crumpled at the top of the bag and his shirt now in a flaming mass at the bottom of the cliff, the pilot began to realize just how bare his torso was. The elevation and modest clearing before the dense underbrush allowed for a breeze to cross his chest and arms. Goosebumps rose over his skin and the sweat dried salty and caked. He slid his hands down the small of his back, scrunching his face at the slick skin. Ew. That was a fair amount of man sweat was pooling back there.

Thankfully the item in his search was still safely strapped into the belt holster, the 9mm berretta still secure. Maybe he wouldn’t be killed by his boss when this was all over. He bent over his rucksack and dug inside the deep recesses to find another shirt. He pulled the moisture wicking shirt from his bag and gave it a few shakes before donning it. That was better. Less bites, less scratches, less discomfort raised in the group- he was sure. Speaking of discomfort.

His heart dropped at the sound of Anita’s primal outburst and he quickly spun around and watched wide eyed as the woman all but shanked a centipede. He could only stare in silence and a fair amount of fear, swallowing slowly. Okay. So this sweet young thing was actually a psycho that might slit his throat. Terrorists? No problem. Autorotations? Too easy. Kit him up and send him at the enemy. Young, small females pissed off and arm with a cheap hunting blade? Nuh uh… He called it quits there. Trox slowly spun around, wincing as he bent back over to repack his bag. He grabbed his flashlight, the hulking beast and slowly pulled the ruck back in place. His lower back was protesting something fierce.

Without a word he started to beat back the brush. They needed to find a new place to catch some sleep. Up high was probably better but no less populated he supposed. Hopefully the centipedes would lose interest and stay at the base of the cliff. He yawned. He really needed some sleep. It had been a long day of driving and he was used to crew rest after all. Honestly though? He’d be fine. He looked back at Anita and noted with some relief that she had taken on carrying Pasha. The cliff face had done a number on his upper body stamina and he didn’t think he could hack it.

It wasn’t until he’d cleared a semblance of a path to the less dense forest area that he turned back to the group and cleared his throat. “Hey y’all… let’s keep plowing to a new campsite. Not long now.”

He assumed lead again, flashlight by his shoulder and a new stick for beating the brush settled in his hand. His ruck still illuminated by the blue chemlight. They pushed forward a distance until the cliff edge was no longer visible in their wake.

Melisande endured the disinfecting, and the wrapping, and the low comments about proper care. Her head was still throbbing, and she kept her eyes shut. If she couldn't sleep, she could at least could save her energy.

She only jerked a little at Anita's shriek, opening one eye to watch a centipede be skewered mercilessly. "Shouldn't kill them." Pasha murmured, closing her eyes again with a wince. "Killed one, and a thousand came."

Clinging to Anita as they traveled was slightly more difficult. By the time they made it to the clearing, Pasha was exhausted from keeping her hand elevated and trying to keep ahold. She sank gratefully to the ground, resting her back against one of the vine covered trees.

She could smell the sap and hear the gentle call of an owl, and that was the last thing Melisande remembered. Trying to ignore the pain, she slipped into a numb, fitful sleep. Hopefully the others would be okay with out her, even just for a few hours...

Troxel had made quick work of scrubbing the underbrush away from their small clearing. He used some of the brush to make a small fire just enough to keep the bugs away at least. Luckily it seemed their elevation aided to that cause. After all was said and cleaned he set his ruck as a pillow and laid his jacket down. He was wary after seeing the fiends crawl out of it but so long as the back faced him he gathered he’d be fine.

There he sat, exhaustion tugging at his arms and lower back but otherwise he was content to be awake. He was just coming off of a week of night shifts and was a bit used to this rhythm. When Anita spoke though, he felt an emotion well in his chest. Duty and responsibility. The kid looked so young. As she spoke he slowly shook his head in disagreement.

“Get a nutri-bar in your system, drink water and your body will be ready to conk out…” He’d seen this. Adrenalin only lasted so long before you passed the ******** out. It was like a sugar high only faster down-rate. “Although rotations for sleep are a good idea. We call it fire guard.”

He shrugged and poked a stick into the fire, eyes searching the licking flames as he thought. He had to think of a fair system for sleep, they shouldn’t have too long of shifts, he thought as he checked his watch. An 90 minute shifts would work, between the three of them. Melisande was obviously out. If she slept most of the night, she’d have more of a fighting chance in the next morning. In all honesty, Harrison had no qualms firing a flare for someone, with or without their consent. Pasha’s fever shouldn’t last too long, he wagered. She’d be refreshed but if she didn’t improve he’d be making a few calls.

“90 minute rotations to sleep and eat. Just between Cruz, you and myself. Y’all sit and chow for a bit. I’ll work on this,” He motioned to the fire. It needed work.

Anita wasn't sure she agreed she'd be ready to conk out as soon as she got some food at water but she definitely didn't intend on hesitating with that any longer. She nodded to Trox, gave her forehead a quick rub, then moved over to her pack nearby the two Raevans. Melisande looked like she was completely zonked but after a few minutes she seemed to shift and go for water as well. While she did, Anita beckoned Cruz over for the same, handing him one of the water bottles she brought which he took gladly.

Hydration was very important, even to Raevans, but as a frei Cruz couldn't do a whole lot with the food they packed. It was a bit lethargic in delivery but Anita rested her lips against Cruz's forehead while he drank and gave a few lazy pecks, which instantly blossomed into a small bit of energy and caused his rune to glow more brightly. They weren't as good as cheek kisses and they certainly could not compare to a kiss on the lips but that wasn't how Anita worked, he knew, and he wasn't desperate. Especially if she was willing to give out multiples then it wouldn't matter much what kind of kisses he fed from. By the time they finished their water, Anita had downed a bar like Trox suggested as well as a few other things she'd packed. Trail mix and the like. Just as he said, as well, she instantly felt heavy and tired but there was a slight bit of nausea that accompanied her aching muscles and pounding head. She adjusted her pack, making a space for herself near Melisande, and laid back while covering her eyes with her arm.

Now it was just Cruz and Trox, and Cruz was tired but he didn't want to sleep yet. It might have been preferable if none of them had to but he knew that was impossible. The frei floated over to the fire, rubbing one of his upper arms. He extended the back of one hand toward the fire and felt the heat lapping gently at his skin. It was still humid but it was much cooler now that night fell, which meant he would need to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. Cruz watched the flames silently for a few moments, brows slightly upturned with a lingering discomfort at the situation he didn't realize he was showing, then glanced to the man and offered a tired but short lived smile. He had questions he wanted to ask, things to discuss, but he couldn't persuade his mouth to form them. He wanted to be back home, snuggling with Anita and the dog on the couch while they watched movies or Anita played video games. He wanted Melisande and Trox to be back safe in whatever homes they had.

Thankfully for the group, the rest of the evening passed by uneventfully. None of the centipedes seemed to come so far to chase after them. Although it would be a safe bet to not go back there anymore either.

The peace that the morning sun brought seemed so surreal as the first pink rays of sun broke through the thinner tree canopies in this elevated space easily. The owls made their flight home and were replaced by woodpeckers and chirping of other day birds. It was like the horrors of the night hadn't happened at all, if not for the fact that they are cooped up at a less comfortable space with lesser equipments, and a teammate feeling unwell.

Perhaps as the day get brighter and the weather gets warmer, the team will find the energy to move through the forest once more.

When Trox tried to get Anita to switch, Cruz was still awake. She stirred and mumbled but the frei urged her to go back to sleep, offering to take her shift so she could rest a little more before her turn. Beyond that, the shirts turned normally; after Anita it was Trox again, then Cruz, Anita again, until dawn overtook. It was Cruz's turn again by this time and he noted Melisande's movement with a subdued startle.

He watched hesitantly as she maneuvered herself to hide the expulsion of water as best she could, brows knitting worriedly. Hydration was important to every living thing -- to varying degrees -- but if Melisande couldn't hold water down, that was bad wasn't it? He'd never thrown up himself, of course; that tended to be difficult without the use of a stomach. All the same, he had been privy to Anita, her mother, and even their dog throwing up and the immediate course was almost always to get more water down. Despite her condition, she was definitely relieved and that made Cruz a little less wary, even prompting a tired smile as he floated over to her.

"Morning," he whispered, pausing a few feet from her to make sure she had enough space. "Sleep okay? Feeling better?" If she felt alright maybe it wouldn't be a big deal. All he knew was that as soon as Anita and Trox were awake and ready they would want to move on and Cruz did too.