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 Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 4:38 pm
 The game had been set in motion. The pale colored buck cast his gaze around the gathering. There was no one here that he had crossed paths with before, he thought. No one that he might be able to interpret their actions from previous observations.
How would he choose a name to vote for? he pondered. Do I wait for the others to vote and go with the majority? Night didn't like being passive. He preferred to make up his own mind rather than just follow the others. But what if choosing differently made him stand out as a target. This game did not appear to be as easy as he first thought it might be.
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 4:59 pm
 How satisfying to watch the small pale doe react to one innocent sniff; Flesh pressed on and lowered his massive scaled head and bared his sharpened teeth, clearly antagonizing Snake Flower for no other reason than she seemed easily frightened. Though they appeared stony and hard, surely immovable, the scales around Flesh's nostrils lifted to widen his nose, allowing the dragon to draw in another great breath. Not only Snake Flower's light and delicate scent alighted his senses, but many others as well. Apprehension mingled with excitement, while defiance held hands with confusion. The aged buck began to believe this game might just be fun after all. Ah- and then, the first vote was cast. So suddenly and sharp like an unsuspecting jab from a prickerbush. Fire Made Flesh found his attention stolen away and settled on the dark and rhythmic doe. His bright eyes narrowed upon her with intent focus, could she be dangerous? Flesh's perception of dangerous was grossly skewed, he would likely be at a huge disadvantage; hardly anything was truly predatory to the old and heavily-armored buck. Surprisingly, it was his pale little doe who cast the first vote of the game. It was likely that Snake Flower found quite a lot of things intimidating and dangerous, she seemed the type that was not readily trusting- whether tested by a game such as this, or not. He was not yet sure he would follow in her suit of voting. There was still much to observe.
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 5:36 pm
He watched, taking in all that was happening. He had not played this game before, but had heard about it. So, he stayed in the backround and waited for his chance. Nothing presented itself, abd so he reserved judgement before making a vote.
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 5:48 pm
When all had been said and done, Okay is Wonderful was left blinking owlishly at the slightly threatening turn of Merry Wanderer's words. "Killing seems so mean! Why not exile? Or - or imprisonment somehow? If the prey killed, would they not be worse than wolves?" But she fell back again when the remainder of the players began their debate. "Oh - oh, I think it's a little early to say much. I think I'll listen a bit." But she cocked her head carefully at The Once and Future King, and again at Snake Flower. "But all philosophy aside - killing does seem mean, but we're not really killing anyone! It's just a game!' It was perhaps true that Optimist wasn't much of an actor. "And I think if I knew there were killers among me I'd want to be sure I was safe. Even though I'd much rather exile them." There were probably enough prey among them that the risk of killing one was outweighed by the chance that the wolves' numbers were crippled from the start - right? Yet there was the rather large problem of lacking suspicion for anyone - or, well, really knowing much about anyone beside their name. Not that what someone was like out of game had anything to do with what they were like in the game. Oh, but this was frustrating! "What do you think?" she asked the kin next to her, more out of curiosity than anything else.
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 5:53 pm
Watch had been quiet and observant since her last words. She stood tall and poised next to the sweet Bare Trees beside her and nodded as the other doe spoke. Her eyes cast around she watched as the host announced the start. They were to decide whom was predator and whom was prey? They’d nothing to go by thus far. The aim of the game was to act, so even while certain kin seemed more dangerous than others, it was no clear indication as to whether they were truly predators… at least under this circumstance. Snake Flower seemed like a loose canon, easily frightened into action, Watch began to doubt she could convincingly play the role of predator. But it was much too soon to judge with any certainty so she disregarded the thought. Conversely the dragon-like kin that cheekily took joy in spooking the poor doe was hard to see as anything but a predator. Certainly outside this game he couldn’t be prey. Would he even allow it if he’d been assigned it? Watch supposed it would depend very much on his pride and what was more important to him, victory or appearences? She was willing to bet he’d choose victory. Which didn’t exactly help her place his alliance. Another buck, Watch had quietly taken notice of was one of beautiful soft moth-wing markings. She noticed because she knew the look in his eye, it was careful and analysing. She only looked at him out the corner of her eye, but he already had her respect, and interest. Watch was keenly aware of the risks of stating a vote so early, she was opening her self to judgement that she had little chance to control but she felt there was reasonable grounds to step in and cover for any intentions others might project upon her. “Good sir,” She addressed Fire Made Flesh. “Must you antagonise the poor dear?” She raised a disapprovingly eyebrow at the dragon-buck but kept a smile in place, she'd admit it was slightly amusing. “If we much judge by acting, I must say you are a poor player of prey and have attracted my first vote.”
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:18 pm
Rhyming? A doe who spoke in rhymes? Sun Sinks Down flicked an ear as she listened. The question, of course, was whether it was intentional or just a quirk of the way she spoke. Given that she'd called attention to herself, commanding everyone's attention, the evidence came down on the side of intentional. That made Sun Sinks Down squint a bit. "Of course we have to vote today. Waiting until after the wolves have done something is too late. That's just common sense." Or not so common, as the case appeared to be. "That's the only absurd thing anyone's said here yet."Said, yes. Done? Her attention flickered to the dragon buck again. Nope. He won the prize where behavior was concerned.
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:32 pm
"No, I agree - I'd much rather move first; I think the larger question is who to pick." Optimist cocked her head at Sun Sinks Down and wondered briefly at The Once and Future King's current silence. "I hardly think the suggestion that we not vote is worth death so soon, though - I'd rather wait to hear what everyone has to say for themselves!" At this point it was probably best to pick either someone with a bad sense of strategy or who didn't seem to want to play the game - so both of the voted-for targets made sense. Still, there were plenty of people who hadn't spoken yet, and the silent would be better targets for voting. It might be that they'd lost interest in the game, after all - or that they were predators afraid of outing themselves with a suspicious amount of knowledge. "I do agree with, um, with - oh, no. Um. Watch! That's your name, right? I don't think it's a good idea to be antagonistic just to be antagonistic. We have to work together to root out the predators!"
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:34 pm
It stung like a slap to the face, hearing his name called out as a vote cast. Would he be brought down so soon? He had only just began to have fun! Flesh began to growl, a low and gravelly sound like grinding a hoof into loose stones- but the buck thought better of it and kept his rebuttal in check. Whether he played predator or prey in the game was irrelevant, it simply boiled down to that he could not stand losing. So the dragon smartly stepped back from Snake Flower and allowed a wide berth between himself and the pale doe. He shrank back from Watch's words as though he had been visibly struck. Wisely, an internal voice urged him to tread carefully as the game progressed. Outwardly, he was an easy target what with such an imposing demeanor and being known as more the predator-type within the Swamp. But it was hard to repress all of his impulses, and Watch would bear the brunt of his silent scrutiny. She had not gone unnoticed surveying all the kin gathered, carefully considering each one in turn. She was calculating and smart, and Flesh watched as her attention flitted from doe to buck and on to another. The splotched doe was clearly being careful, and Flesh suddenly wondered- if she was prey, and had nothing to lose by picking another kin at random, why was she being so conscious in such an early stage of the game? At least in the beginning rounds, Flesh thought it required less intense thinking and some random selections could work out as beneficial. " Watch the Skies," Flesh responded to the doe. "I do not need to antagonize her," he admitted but provided no explanation as for why he had been doing it. "If we must judge by perception, then you seem like one who has something to lose. You've earned my vote."
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 6:53 pm
"Yet judging first seems paranoid,
the lot of us will be destroyed," The Once and Future King replied, turning to Sun Sinks Down. There was no malice in her gaze, only curiosity. After a time regarding the stranger, she shrugged lightly.
"Take from me what you will,
but today I will not call to kill," she continued, then turned back to the group.
"I may be the only one,
but today, I choose to vote for none."
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 7:02 pm
It seemed an odd idea to suggest not voting at all which made her wonder about The Once and Future King but then she did not like, at all, how Fire Made Flesh was purposely antagonizing Snake Flower. She had to remind herself it was a game; would any predator want to be as obvious as the dragon buck? Then again maybe his obviousness was to make them doubt he could be a predator. She frowned; every action or word seemed to be able to have multiple meanings. She was glad when Watch the Skies' words or accusation made the buck back off. But she still wasn't sure a predator would draw so much attention to itself so soon. Of course that was assuming any of the predators had even spoken yet. This was a lot harder than the word game implied.
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 7:09 pm
Watch was taken aback by the buck’s response and malice, but she masked it well.
“As, I suppose, is fair in turn.” She nodded her head to him in a small polite bow.
The vote against her she’d somewhat suspected, but the growl she most certainly had not. She’d taken him as an old soul, powerful, self assured and prideful which may well still be true but she’d expected, or perhaps merely hoped he’d have brushed off her vote with confidence, maybe even laughed. Truthfully she didn’t expect others to follow her lead, in many ways Fire Made Flesh was too obvious to be predator. It had been an attempt at a “nothing” vote, as at this point there was truly nothing solid to go by.
She needed to act with more care in future. She hadn’t wished to burn bridges so to speak, perhaps her decision had not been the best, but, she reasoned with herself, she had to pick someone, or else the game would not move forward.
She smiled at Okay is Wonderful as she was addressed and agreed with, readying herself to reply until The Once and Future King spoke-
-and Watch was quietly dismayed. She hadn't been aware that she could choose to simply not vote and now greatly regretted the words that had put her at odds with Flesh.
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 7:15 pm
Wolf Dream had been quietly sitting on the edges of the crowd of kin while everyone milled around, waiting for the game to start. At first he had been doing his best to listen and observe his fellow players, but soon the drone of voices had lulled him into a daze, and he had nodded off, head drooping to his chest and hair falling over his eyes. Merry Wanderer's voice snapped him out of the dream of a creature he could not quite remember -- all little paws and pointed nose -- and he did his best to bring his attention back to the game. As the acha stepped aside to let the gameplay begin, Wolf Dream stood slowly, stretching first his front legs and then his back as he moved to enter the grove. The conversation around him seemed like it had already gotten quite lively. He had little experience interacting with other kin, and at a quick glance none of the faces in the grove seemed familiar to him, so he supposed he would have to go with his gut. But admittedly, he feared he might have missed some of the instructions when he fell into his doze. When the poetic doe spoke up to say she would vote for nobody today. Wolf Dream frowned in confusion. "Vote for no one?" His voice was not as low as might have been expected, and slightly reedy, as if it had not quite grown out of colthood with the rest of him. "Are we allowed to do that?"
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 7:16 pm
Watch did what he was best known for; he watched. He watched as kin after kin spoke their introductions, or kept quietly to themselves. He noted a few familiar faces from many other gatherings from many moons ago and wondered if they would recognize him. He hoped not, for he was hoping that his anonymity may help him in this game. He drank in their words and debates, his old mind already starting to spin the beginnings of this tale. And then, the first vote was cast. A small, tentative looking thing, and yet, such dark words. Interesting. Her vote was for a doe who would make a very interesting story teller. Her love of rhyming would make the task a true challenge, and for that, Watch already liked her. He'd have to speak with her some day, when someone's "life" wasn't on the line. Another vote, this one for the dragon. Eerie and creepy in his ways, he was not a creature to toy with, Watch could tell immediately. But was cunning truly his talent? He wasn't too sure. The larger female, ironically also called Watch, now she caught his eye, tugging a grin from his old lips. "The black and yellow one seems to have the truth of it. This is just a game, we would do well to remember that. Be that as it may, it is also more than just a game, don't you think? This will be a wonderful story that will spread through the swamp like its many rivers." Watch smiled, eyes drifting, "And for that exact reason, I will cast Watch the Skies as my vote, for nothing more than, well, you can't have two characters with the same name. Too confusing for the listeners."
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 7:35 pm
Well, this was an interesting turn of events, thought Night. The option of casting your vote to select no one was an intriguing thought. Would this really be of any benefit? In this vote, it was too late though. Names had been spoken. Even if no others were named, one of the few already voted on would be eliminated.
It was just a game the Acha had said. No real harm would come upon them, he'd said. Somehow, watching the drama unfold as real personalities came to the surface, those words no longer reassured him.
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Posted: Tue Apr 28, 2015 8:10 pm
Watch held a tight smile as her name was called once more by a buck whom claimed to have the same name. He smiled at her as he did. Watch swallowed her displeasure and annoyance and gave him a short nod to acknowledge his words. She now had two votes to her name and felt the pressure of the game’s first tugs.
“So you may say,” She spoke without hostility, conversationally even. “But are you more character or storyteller yourself?”
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