[EVENT] Something Dark in the Woods

[wooga Paes]

Though Kimaji had been pretty content with the expedition thus far, once they had descended into the sticky red stuff, well... it got a bit less enjoyable. Being more than just a little shorter than the others, it managed to get all over her, all the way up to her belly and chest. She wrinkled her nose, walking along and carrying her head high to at least keep her face above the... yucky stuff.

Fortunately, she was spared a red lap from the monkey, probably because at the time she had been walking almost beneath one of the big firekin. But at the commotion, Kimaji hurried up front to where Amali had pinned the beast down. "Hey!" She almost dropped the root then, but managed to catch it before it fell into the yucky stuff. Almost irritated, she placed it, carefully, on her back, so that she could talk more freely. "Maybe it's marking targets!" She suggested, amused by the idea. But probably inaccurate, it was likely the monkey would have slapped everyone if given the chance.

"The monster must be quite strong if he thinks he can take on so many of us." She mused. "Or at least very arrogant." That said, she grabbed the root once again, for safe keeping.

--

"Good job." Was all Spaki could say, once he was finally close enough to the commotion. The primate had come down with a few lions between it and himself, and so, though he tried to get close, he ended up quite useless in the whole situation. "How likely do you think we are to get some answers?" He snorted, for some reason not trusting the monkey to really talk to them.

Moto'spaki had kept rather business like, as usual, in relation to the red sticky stuff, and only paid attention to it when he had to watch his footing. Otherwise, he had only made note of it, and what others said about it.  

[Andranis]

Jahina recoiled at the monkey, lips curling back. She could only watch as Veru was slapped in the face, as well as a few others, before it was apprehended. She contemplated giving it the third degree, but instead went over to Veru. "Are you okay? Does that stuff burn or anything on the face?" But if the monkey was touching it, SURELY it was okay to have on one's face. Not that she wanted any.

Moshi wasn't as tepid about approaching the monkey as Jahina, going over and preparing to put a paw on its face. He stopped, though, thinking better of it. He'd never really liked the things... They liked to fling poo at him back home. "You better talk, monkey, and tell us what's going on and what this red stuff is."  

[Fairy Snails]

Mura was surprised by the money's attack. She watched her companions carefully, hoping she could protect them. However she was too slow when the monkey hit Tahir. "Are you alright Tahir?" She asked quickly, keeping her eyes on the monkey to make sure no one else would get hit.

When the money was finally pinned down she relaxed, giving her attention to Tahir. "I am sorry that I wasn't quick enough to protect you," she said with her ears pulled back. As one of the bigger creatures in their small band she felt that she needed to be there to keep them safe. "Is there someway we can clean it off? Maybe with a leaf?"  

[moineau bavarde]

Bluu did not relax, even once the monkey was apprehended. Instead she frowned, thinking back to what the healers had said about the victim they were treating.

"I do not wish to alarm anyone," she said, "but we had best keep our eyes on the trees above us as much as the terrain around us. All this time we have been speaking of the monster - but we know nothing. Many small creatures could do the work of one large one... and the healer said the wounds appeared to have been inflicted from above." She turned a pointed look at the trapped monkey. It was small, but agile - it had certainly taken a while to subdue the creature. All it had done was slap members of their group, but why?  

[Mogami]

While he found the strong scent and the sticky feeling rather unpleasant, when Pam looked down at his front paws he found very little amiss for the young swamp dweller. It was only when he looked back at his previously perfectly white back paws that he realized what was happening. The pale lioness he’d been eyeing discreetly had quickly pointed out that the substance wasn’t blood and he was grateful for the words because that had been his first assumption despite the strange sour scent. And then there was talk of a possible trap and the blue-eyed lion looked around with a narrowed expression. He’d been looking in the wrong direction when a small creature had dropped from the trees and slapped one of their companions – what a strange and foolish thing to do! – and proceeded to hit anyone who tried to catch it. For some reason, Pam was having some trouble restraining his chuckles and he ended up coughing quietly to the side.

“Does it speak?” he asked to the one who restrained the small beast, realizing belatedly that the male was oddly familiar. Unless he was mistaken, the brown lion was one of his fellow pride members, probably also on his name quest as well.  

[Zosie]

They hopped from rock to rock and descended into the mist, paws sinking into a strange substance until they were attacked by a creature! What was it, a monkey? Bataar was shocked at both how fast and crazed the monkey seemed, he didn't expect the attack and recoiled at the monkeys touch but did not lash out. Despite his mindset, he wasn't a great representative for violence and preferred to talk things out where possible. He nodded to agree with Pams question. "Maybe if it does speak, it can give us an idea of whats been happening!"  

[Tanakako]

Golden eyes narrowed as the lion turned and stared right back. Well, at least the jedi was aware of his presence now.. that should make things a little easier. It meant Ruyken wouldn't have to hide from him. Turning away from Sandor, the red and black leopard huffed his contempt at the useless chit-chat the majority of the group was indulging in. Such pointless murmurings were not going to get this expedition over any faster, and as far as the Sith was concerned.. it couldn't be over with fast enough.

Grumbling to himself he turned off the path everyone else was following like prey-beasts, and took to the logs and low branches. As a consequence the leopard didn't slip and slide down into the valley, but he did have to work at finding the right branches to allow him to move along at the same pace. He wasn't a local in this particular patch of forest so he was perhaps not as smooth as a native would have been, but he managed, and avoided getting the red goo all over himself. Eventually though, his tree-top pathway ran out and he was forced back to ground level, where he sat up on an old fallen log while the lions milled about, sniffing at the gunk they had just traipsed through.

Had he known the area he might have anticipated the ugly monkey's arrival, but Ruyken was almost as surprised as everyone else when the creature dashed down and started slapping everyone, smearing even more of the gunky stuff over fur and faces alike. A faint smirk curled across his muzzle at the sight of the uproar the monkey produced. But all of a sudden he saw the thing racing towards him and flattened himself on the log with a furious snarl. Yet it seemed the monkey was either extremely brave or very stupid as he darted right up to Ruyken and slapped the leopard directly across the muzzle. Sharp teeth closed over sticky monkey fur, making Ruyken growl and hiss as he flinched away, the monkey passing on minus a bit of fur and leaving the leopard fuming and spitting out goo. But at least the red didn't show up on his already red coat.... mercy for small blessings he supposed.



Souzan was quite happy to follow where their legate told them to go and when the large gathering of rogues started to head deeper into the woods, he followed along, staying with the smaller band of firekin. Talk of bones garnered his attention but as there was quite a crowd round the things by the time he looked over, he left it be.. letting the rest examine the bones and draw their conclusions. After all, he wasn't there to lead the way, but there as the legate's muscle. A job he was confident in and could do well.

Patent as events unfolded, Souzan found himself pa-deep in red goo, as did almost everyone else aside from the smart few who had picked alternate ways down into this small rocky hollow. Lifting a paw he sniffed at the stuff, but had no idea what it could be. "Maybe tree sap?" he commented to no one in particular as he debated tasting the stuff, but couldn't quite bring himself to stick his sensitive tongue into something that smelt bad enough as it was...

Suddenly a whole new commotion broke out as a monkey came flying down, slapping lions left and right with its sticky red hands. Souzan was so shocked by such an odd spectacle that he never even saw the little beast coming for him. Yelping in a rather undignified manner as something cold and wet slapped him on the rump, he spun round just in time to see the hateful little tormentor captured. Wrinkling his nose as he twisted round to peer at his behind, he huffed a breath. "Great, now we all stink..."

 

[Mimsey]

Veru lifted his paw to wipe his face, only to remember it was still red. Sighing, he sat it back down. He chuckled faintly at Jahina's question. "No, I am afraid the only thing burning is my good looks. And my nose." It was certainly sticky enough to be some sort of sap. Maybe a concoction of sorts of berries, tree sap and...

...he didn't want to think of what else a monkey might put into it.

At the very least, they'd caught the little ruffian. Both An and Veru moved towards where Amali had him pinned. The small creature was wriggling around nervously, mumbling words he couldn't make sense of, and thrashing his tail. Occasionally something could be made out, and it sounded a lot like 'no, no, no."

An flattened her ears. "Well...he can't possibly be the monster. Not unless there are a thousand of him hiding up in those trees."

"Suspicious enough," Veru started, leaning his head down towards the monkey. He thought about putting his own red paw on the monkey's face, but decided it might be best to avoid any monkey related injuries. He wasn't about to have that be his first scar. "Hey, hey you. Talk words with your mouth. What's with all the red?"

While time outside the Motoujamii had given her a broader perspective, along with it came a certain amount of empathy. An felt a little sorry for the scared thing. "Maybe we should let it up."

"It will just continue its reign of terror," Veru reminded.

"No, no, no-" the monkey continued nervously. And that was when a branch fell from a tree, clanging onto the red painted stones. Something was up above!

arrow Overhead assault! Next five people roll a dice 1-5. The first person, if any, who rolls a 1 will find themselves pounced by something up in the trees!  

[Princess_Feylin]

Sandor's rumbling growl eventually tapered off with the capture of the party's assailant, but in his opinion not enough was being done to contain it. It was with an effort that he remembered punishment of the sort he was envisioning was not appropriate or in keeping with the beliefs of the Jedi. In fact, punishment, like revenge, was not a part of the Jedi duties at all. Too bad, that.

If nothing else, it was satisfying to watch the monkey squirm. Right up until an entire branch fell from a tree.

It occurred to him then that there could indeed be more of the monkeys. He had rarely heard of the filthy creatures occurring singly in nature. Once more the white lion's thoughts and his seemed to be running along a similar track. Sandor sort of hoped that the white lion was not limited by vows of neutrality and could show the monkey the foolishness of attacking a band of predators on the hunt.

His claws slid from their sheathes and he waited, ready.  

[Andranis]

Moshi scowled at the creature. "Maybe we should smack it. It's starting to irritate me..." Normally he was a pleasurable lion, happy to do anything and talk to anyone, but all this monkey was doing was making him mad. "We should decorate its whole body in this stuff... Maybe THEN it'll talk." What were these woods doing to him? Something about this place was beginning to make him feel different, like another lion. He has no explanation with it.  

[Tanakako]

Turning round as the sounds of the trapped monkey caught his attention, the irritated leopard shouldered his way through the milling lions with the very deadly intent of showing just why no one ever messed with him back in his pride.. a pride full of deadly enough warriors with hate in their hearts. No damn monkey would make a mockery out of him and live.



Souzan sighed as he eyed his sticky, smelly fur. He was already black and red, and it wasn't vanity that made him frown. It as the smell. It would take days to get it out of his coat now. Turning at the monkey's gibbering, he caught sight of the rather angry looking red and black leopard slowly stalking towards the monkey and its captor.

"Uh Oh."
 

[Mogami]

Pam nodded when the grey male spoke and focused his attention on the creature. He found his cries cringing and uncomfortable so he took one step back from the ruckus. He felt as though he was being watched but a quick examination of the group’s surrounding put him slightly at ease. He was probably just getting carried away by the strange situation in which he had found himself in: surrounded by strangers in an unfamiliar ground, covered in strange substance that looked like blood and trying to track down a murderous beast. Yes, it was enough to make anyone anxious.  

[Dulcea]

Margulis felt her heart in her throat as the branch crashed to the ground. There was something up there after all, watching them, and it certainly didn't sound like monkeys. She reared up into a shout when she figured out what the captured monkey was saying. No no no, no he wasn't the beast he was frightened of it too! "I think our little captive was trying to get away," she said softly, her eyes scanning the canopy again this time more suspiciously. "Whatever it is that's up there I don't think it's very picky about its prey." that would explain the odd bones they had seen before.