With this, Jaawu looked at the stick he had picked up, and slowly moved it to his side.
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Strange, very strange. Cheshie thought. Though she was complaining at the lack of Hunters, just a little unnerved perhaps. Then what else did the child’s actions mea-
Cheshie tensed, freezing in her tracks, eye locked on the child.
What’s it doing? What’s it doing? What is it doing?
“Out of the question.” Cheshie snapped back with more harshness in her voice than she had intended.
“We let it go, and it will just alert any others of our location.” She replied without taking her eyes off the hunter, trying to keep her anxiety from creeping into her voice.
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“Well what other choice do we have?” Katau replied indignantly to the stone Okotan. He gestured frantically with his hand towards the Hunter child, then continued sardonically, “Wait here until they kill us all?” Then the blacksmith stopped his rant and considered something. “Hmmm. Could I use my sword to heat up the ground to try to scare it off? Would that be tactically wise?”
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“Then we kill it.” Palios sidestepped out from behind Tussel—Gah! he was being a real pain at the moment, he almost regretted complementing his poncho. “What other choice do we have? Who wants to drag a Hunter who, may I remind you, has burned our villages, raided our caravans, and destroyed almost every attempt we’ve made to make a home here.” Palios was tired, tired of Ilya’s inaction. Actually, scratch that he was being active only that action was having an anxiety attack, it didn’t help that their guide had the grace of a jagged brick.
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Cheshie seemed to ignore Katau’s comment, her free hand slowly grabbing the rope on her belt while she inched around the side and closer to the child.
Anger simmered in Cheshie.
Palios is right. It is the easier option, the most logical option, the right option, but…
“Ilya said we capture it. So we capture it.” Her response was terse. Someone had to do something. That someone was her.
Without waiting for a response from the others, or even giving herself enough time to think her way out of it, Cheshie lunged at the child, rope in hand, aiming to tackle and grapple it to the ground.
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“That cannot be completely true Palios. Also,if we capture,kill or any of that stuff,we are outmatched in every way. They know the terrain and are faster. We will be snuffed out like flames from a sandstorm.”
Henan attempts to stop Cheshie from attacking the Hunter.
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As soon as Tussul noticed Palios had sidestepped, he moved to intercept his line of fire yet again.
At the mention of Ilya the Hunter looked at Cheshie. His eyes had been on Ilya during the arguing, but Cheshie was now his focus.
Unfortunately, this meant the Hunter had the perfect advanced notice of Cheshie’s attack.
Using the stick as leverage, the Hunter jumped using the foot he placed halfway up the staff, launching him towards the spot he had eyed so intently just a moment ago. Due to Henan being at the back of the group, he had no possible chance of intercepting the lightning-quick maneuver of Cheshie, and all Cheshie had to show for her endeavor was a walking stick with cord tied around it.
Tussul darted forwards and leaned into the treeline, his head snapping from one direction to the next, but outside of momentary rustling of leaves, there was no sound. The hunter-tracker stamped his foot on the ground in frustration. “Blast it. One thing I absolutely despise - you can never track a Hunter.”
With a weary sigh, he turned to face the rest of the group. “He could be hiding behind a tree right now, or he could be at the top of his speed silently hopping from trunk to trunk to avoid disturbing anything on the ground. It’d be almost impossible to find him now.”
(@Winger @GoodGuy2006 @N01InParticular @Rukah @MakutaOisli @TheMOCingbird)
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Cheshie cursed as the Hunter sprung away.
Dang it, Chesh, should have gone for the kill. You knew better, and now it’s out there, probably telling the whole Dark we’re here. Cheshie thought, though she felt she should have been more upset than she was. In fact, maybe she felt a little relieved? Either way, there was nothing they could do about it now.
She picked up the stick. It was probably too dark to get a good look at now, but she could examine it in the morning.
Cheshie turned toward the rest of the group putting on a confident air to overcompensate for her embarrassment at failing to catch the child.
“Well, we had to do something, or it was just going to run off anyway.” Too caught up in the moment, she didn’t seem to notice Henan’s failed attempt at stopping her.
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“YOU BLEEDING IDIOT! YOU’VE ALL CONDEMNED US! I CANNOT EVEN COMPREHEND WHY YOU MAY HAVE DONE THAT!”
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“Quite the predicament.”
“A shame, but I’m sure that the trip ahead will be as dangerous as if we had the little one along for the journey.”
Jaawu said this before Henan’s little statement.
OOC
lol i spilled paint while typing this
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A golden glow rudely intercepted Cheshie’s eyeball.
It was the sun, climbing just above the trees to the east, where the party had been heading. In its light, the staff appeared to have two different types of cord wrapped near the top, and generally appeared to be little used. On the side of the stick a figure had been engraved, then filled with some kind of reflective sap and hardened:
Tussul jumped quite a bit into the air and made a large number of hushing motions with his hands. “That was really dumb please don’t do that!” He hissed. “If there are ANY more Hunters in the area they’ll surely know we’re here thanks to you!!”
Tussul looked up at the horizon. “We need to run. If we tarry around here with this commotion, who knows what else could be waiting for us. The capital isn’t very far from here, but we need to hurry.”
(@Winger @GoodGuy2006 @N01InParticular @Rukah @MakutaOisli @TheMOCingbird)
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Palios threw his arrow aside; He Was Done. “Oh no no no no no no! You don’t get to blame this solely on him. If my memory serves me correct You stepped in front of my clear shot, You carry just as much blame as him.” Palios turned his head towards Ilya. “And You! you have done nothing but stand there and give orders, the sad part is that they’re not even good ones.” Palios jabbed a finger towards him. “I’m thoroughly convinced that you were solely chosen by Makuta because He has a personal vendetta against you. You are an egregious example of an ignorant and imbecilic leader.” He returned his arrow to its quiver. “We Are A Team for Karz sake lets at least attempt to act like one, especially you Ilya, you either need to step up or step down.
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“I’m gonna have to agree on that, but, how bout’ we try and get out of here with our masks on our faces. Please.”
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Tussul threw his hands back in surprise at the sudden outburst from from Palios, but as the angry Okotan turned his sights on Ilya, Tussul’s expression grey angrier and angrier.
“We will discuss your impudence later.” Tussul snarled, the patented fire Okotan temper showing. “For the time being, we need to move. You can stay behind and hold your petty pride, or you can walk and fight about it later. But we can’t stay here with all this ruckus.”
Tussul returned his bow to his back and glanced at Cheshie before turning back down the road to the capital of jungle.
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Cheshie seethed, her fist clenching. She really wanted to slug this man in the face.
She gave a sharp exhale, trying to keep her temper under control. In an even, almost too calm voice, she replied.
“I did that, Henan, because Ilya, our designated leader, said we were to capture it. If I didn’t do that, then as I said, it would have definitely run away.”
She could go on. Scream about how idiotic it is to reprimand her, when it was Ilya’s idea. Or how yelling at the top of your lungs in the middle of dangerous jungle was one of the worst things he could be doing right now. Or how he failed to contribute anything productive throughout the whole encounter aside from advocating to not show aggression and just, what, let it go? In that case, it’d end with the same result with what they ended up with, the child getting away.
She could go on, but she didn’t. Not now. They could discuss whole, thing, later, but Tussul was right. They had start moving, and start moving fast.
Cheshie seemed to agree, still holding the walking stick, and reattaching her rope, readying for the swift, and likely graceless, run for safety that awaited them.
The explosive argument immediately drew Cheshie’s attention, her eyes flicking from the guard to the hunter as they spoke. She understood Palios’s frustration, but Makuta did make Ilya their leader.
She honestly wasn’t sure if Makuta had a good reason for it, in fact, chances were he didn’t, or at least not a reason that had the group’s best interests in mind.
But, despite knowing this, Cheshie chose to believe the contrary.
“This struggle of leadership will either make Ilya rise to the occasion or crack and crumble under the weight.”
Maybe cracks were showing, but he hadn’t crumbled yet. After all, she had decided to follow his lead. And she would continue to follow his lead…
“Be there to pick up the pieces.”
…for now.
Cheshie gave Tussul a sympathetic nod in return, before turning her attention to Palios, placing a hand on his shoulder as she walked by.
“Trust me, I’m frustrated too, but Tussul is right, we need to keep moving, and we can talk about this later.” She said in a low whisper as she gave his shoulder a squeeze before releasing her gip and and giving him a solemn nod. (@N01InParticular )
Cheshie turned back to the road ahead, ready to move once the others were.
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Ilya blinked, a very long blink. Things - specifically Cheshie and the Hunter - had moved too fast, too much. That odd whooshing in his ears had begun again, and his face was heating. He’d lost control of the situation. Actually, he’d never had control of the situation that’s not what leaders do what are you doing don’t- what are you doing to do-
Take control.
Ilya spun to face Henan with a glare that was in actuality closer to a snarl, but before he had time to say anything, was cut off by Cheshie addressing Henan - you should have spoken sooner - and Palios adressing-
Oh.
He blinked again, and something else came over him. The rage in his eyes was still apparent, but now hidden behind a veneer of confidence. He looked down.
“I’m … sorry …” He raised his head again, and smiled with his mouth. “… That you disapprove of the Makuta’s choice. I’m sorry that Tussul prevented you from directly disobeying my orders. And I’m also sorry that I’m not as bloodthirsty as Makuta - or you, since that’s so obviously your aspiration.” He sneered.
Ilya looked like he was about to say more, but at Tussul’s instruction, he nodded in the fire Okotan’s direction, turning his back on Palios without another word, nodding curtly as Cheshie approached Palios.
He wants me to be like Makuta, then. Fine.
As he passed by Henan, he spoke, quietly enough to keep it from being an overt example, but loud enough to be an overt example.
“Henan. If you so brazenly and idiotically try to get all of us killed again, you will be removed from this party. Shut. Up. If you don’t, I will make you.” @MakutaOisli
The whooshing was a roaring, now. Ilya was nowhere near crying, but he almost wanted to be. A spectacular failure. He was already getting himself deposed. He needed more time. He knew Palios was right - he needed to step up or step down. And he wanted to step up - he did - but he needed time. Or maybe that wouldn’t count - maybe he would have to make do with less time.
Survive, for now.
He followed Tussul for a while before finding it in himself to speak, and he did so in a lowered tone. Not that he was intentionally trying to exclude everyone else-
No.
He was trying to exclude everyone else.
“Tussul. What are the chances that we’ll need to stop before we reach the Jungle capital?”
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Henan snorted. "Oh yes. Illya is must certainly be the best leader,stinkin tellin us to try and attack a child,whom,by the way,is completely innocent. Sooo…
Cherry, i believe you really,really,have a dense head.
“Nice Makuta imitation. Y’know its funny,you are supposed to forge your leader ship from metal,not flowers. I should have expected it from someone like you.”
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Tussul turned to look at Ilya, something reflecting in the back of his eyes. Could it have been based on the scenario that just occurred? Had the Hunter getting away hurt his ego?
No, on closer inspection his body language made it clear Ilya was the source of the emotion. And it wasn’t some kind of offense taken by his actions.
It was fear.
“I don’t believe so.” He said after an uncomfortably long stare. “Sir,” He turned away, looking at anywhere except Ilya. “I don’t think I’m always going to agree with your methods, but unless you, I don’t know, go insane or something…”
“What I mean is, I don’t want to backtalk you, sire. Er, sir.” Tussul began twiddling his thumbs involuntarily. “But I’ll try to be both honest and loyal, if you’ll let me.”
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Palios sighed and slipped his bow over his shoulder. “We got lucky, but that luck isn’t going to hold; we’re no longer sparing, remember?” Palios grabbed his short-sword and turned to Katua. “The Hunter seemed wary of you, perhaps that same caution is shared by the other hunters.” He turned and followed Chessie. “We can use that.”
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Katau sighs loudly.
“And so I expect you think you’re any better?” the blacksmith grumbled. “If I remember correctly, you were the one that was most likely to get us killed with all your shouting. Anyway, let’s get the Karz out of this forest, clearly there’s nothing but trouble.”
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