“I’m not better. Thats beside the point. the point is, the point is that Cherry, over here decided to do the most idiotic thing when facing against the one of the greatest hazards in this journey. I guess the cherry doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
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“Most idiotic thing?” Katau replies in disbelief. “You’re one to talk with all that shouting, rockhead. You could’ve caused more Hunters to come into the area, and I highly doubt all your boasting and shouting would’ve scared some fully-grown ones off.”
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“Again.Besides the point.”
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“That Cherry’s name is Cheshie and she is by far the most capable out of all of us, not to mention a Guard.” Palios retorted as he brushed past Henan. “And no matter how much Ilya screwed up back there he’s still the leader and he gave that order.”
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Ilya stiffened, but otherwise ignored Henan’s parting shot. This would need to be dealt with later, though.
Ilya had such a sensation of tripping and falling on his face that he almost tripped and fell on his face.
Don’t let there be more people to fail.
Was this what Ilya wanted? What he wanted was to lead, but how he was going to do that was more complicated. He didn’t want to be like Makuta, to rule by fear - at least, he didn’t want Tussul to fear him. Or any of them, really. But respect - and discipline - were also needed. Not flowers, but not metal, either. Both, and maybe neither.
Ilya smiled a little bit.
What would a leader say?
Maybe something gruff, short-winded, or maybe a little bit condescending, a threat if Tussul broke his promise. Like Makuta would. Ilya shuddered.
Flowers.
“Thank you, Tussul …” Ilya’s tone was less than calculated, a quiet murmur without much emotion. “But … Tussul, I’m the first to admit my own incompetence, so … please don’t, not … backtalk, as you say. I need your loyalty, but I need your honesty first.” He lapsed into silence for a moment “…But thank you.”
Steel.
Ilya turned his head to look behind. He took a deep breath, a cold disdain sliding over his features.
“Shut up, all of you. The danger isn’t anywhere close to being past. Mistakes were made, but we don’t have time to quibble on fault. Not now. We need to get to the Jungle capital, and find a place to rest and eat. The next person who keeps putting the lives of everyone here at stake over trivial quarrels will be punished after this ordeal.”
And speaking of which …
Ilya didn’t know where they were going to rest or find food. Since the trip between the City of the Mask Makers and the Jungle Capital was not a multi-day event, there wasn’t foraging to worry about, but they would still need food when they reached their destination. And even then, what were they meant to do in the Jungle? Would they reveal their Mask Maker-sanctioned mission, or remain discreet? Would anyone even believe them? Where were they supposed to start looking, anyways?
Ilya shut his eyes for a moment, squeezing his face. He needed to ask someone, someone with more experience. And ask it in the stance of asking for advice, and not being unable to make his own decision - whether that was true or not.
But who to ask? Katau seemed quite level-headed, and mostly neutral towards Ilya. But he didn’t want to give the appearance of catering to those who agreed with him. Henan and Palios were both clearly at odds with Ilya, but Palios seemed to have experience … but Palios … Ilya’s face reddened as he remembered the jungle Okotan’s outburst. The rock-cutter seemed to be a little less … proactive. Tussul didn’t seem to best for decisions, and Ilya didn’t want to distract him.
The idea of Cheshie was vaguely nauseating.
It was already clear that she was far more competent than he, and was likely going to be the rallying point for any possible - or inevitable noshutup - mutiny. Turning to her would make him look weak, or boost her ego, or both. But she was likely his greatest asset, except for maybe Tussul - that’s another thing to do in the Jungle capital, assess everyone’s capability - and to not make use of her knowledge would be foolish.
He shuddered again. This fight between insecurity and calculation and insecurity and the need to be confident and insecurity was difficult. He turned his face again, trying to catch Cheshie’s eye and nod her to join him and Tussul.
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Henan whistled.“Well,finally you take charge. I’m not mocking you. Nice. I mean,this probably doesn’t help. I’m guessing me talking isn’t helping. I’ll stop.”
He start to take out a rock and chisel it.
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Tussul’s brow seemed to betray his worry. He didn’t resume eye contact.
This, however, did draw Tussul’s gaze. He kept a worried expression as he returned to the road ahead, although another thought crossed his features.
“Boss,” He whispered, then catching himself, “Sorry, sir. I believe if we give everyone a little alone time at the capital, they may come back with cooler heads and possibly some helpful information.”
It was incredible how quickly the sun was climbing. Even now, the sky was almost completely blue once again, and there appeared to be some kind of archway in the distance.
(@Winger @GoodGuy2006 @N01InParticular @Rukah @MakutaOisli @TheMOCingbird)
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“Good idea.” replied Katau. This time, Henan would notice that there wouldn’t be any snide in the blacksmith’s statement.
Katau sighed heavily once again, but it wasn’t in annoyance.
“That sounds like a good idea to me. Let’s get there, and then we can settle our differences.” The blacksmith looked around at the entire group, settling his gaze for a bit long on Henan, and then looked forward into the forest as the group continued onward.
Cheshie kept her mouth shut and her eyes on the road as the others quarreled behind her. Sure Henan may be raking her name through the mud, but he was likely hurting his own reputation more, though he was getting on her nerves.
For a split second, her stoicism cracked, the slightest of grins playing at the corners of her lips at Palios’s retort. But she kept walking, they had argued enough, and at this point keeping it up was foolishness, even if a part of her did want to turn around slug Henan.
Cheshie’s smiled deepened again at Ilya’s speech, but only for a second. Not the glib, petty smile that Palios’s response provoked, but a thankful, pitying, admiring smile.
Cracking, but not crumbled.
Again, Cheshie kept walking, not looking back, content with her decision not to get involved.
It took a second, but Cheshie noticed, and quickened her pace, catching up to the two at the front, but not initiating the conversation.
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Ilya wanted to disagree, but he knew Tussul was right; and it irritated him, that he hadn’t thought of it himself. The entire concept flew in the face of efficiency, flew in the face of Ilya’s entire process - and that needed to change. Flowers. Remember flowers.
Ilya let a short silence stretch before speaking.
There was no time for insecurity, right now. Only calculation.
“Cheshie, I …” He considered derailing his intent to apologize for the mistakes made, but that would go against what he’d already said. There was no time for that. “What do you think would be the best thing to do, once we get to the jungle Capital? Do you think we should find whoever is in charge to ask for help, or answers? Because … what I’m saying is, if all of the Elders have disappeared so suddenly, then do you think it’d be … wise, for us to be so brazen about our mission? If someone … or something … is behind the Elders’ disappearance, then maybe it’d be better to be discreet.”
He looked at her fully now. He wanted to close his eyes rather than meet hers. The entire scenario with the Hunter child was replaying in his head, fast, so fast, only slowing to a snail’s crawl at every bad order and too-long hesitation that Ilya made.
Ilya seemed arrested by the sight of the arch.
“Tussul are we … we aren’t … are we there?”
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Katau got a heavy glare from Tussul in return. Evidently that whisper had been in confidence.
“Hm?” Tussul turned back around and squinted at the arch. “We could be, or this could simply be a lookout point. But that’s strange, I don’t see anyone near it…”
(@Winger @GoodGuy2006 @N01InParticular @Rukah @MakutaOisli @TheMOCingbird)
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Ilya would have a hard time discerning Cheshie’s emotion. Was that a haughty smile behind her eyes, or annoyance? Maybe neither. Maybe she was just as scared as him, knew just as little.
If it were true, she didn’t seem to show it.
“I think asking around would be wise, but don’t start at the top. Something about this whole thing does feel… off, and discretion couldn’t hurt. Just a casual question at the tavern; ask the locals first, get the word on the street. A group of travelers asking simple questions when they get to a new city shouldn’t cause much suspicion. Then once we get a better picture of the whole situation, maybe we start asking the people in charge.” Cheshie responded in a voice too quiet and calculated to determine any real emotion, though did adopt a slightly more supportive tone toward the end.
Cheshie strained her eyes, trying to make out if the structure matched any Okotan architecture she was aware of.
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“It’s the latter,” Palios spoke as he walked up to the other three before realizing he had just interrupted them. “I mean, Hunters usually don’t risk getting too close to large settlements alone, plus it hasn’t been that long since.” Palios felt a tinge of embarrassment, he should’ve done better back there—injured the Hunter so it couldn’t get away, Alas that was in the past. “Cheshie can I see that stick?” Palios blurted out desperate to Change topics.
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“Not now.” Tussul motioned with his hand to dismiss Palios, eyeing the structure and scanning for any figures moving on or around it.
It was a mix of wood and carved stone, with an architectural style very clearly Jungle Okotan. As the party approached, it appeared to be even more ornate than at first. Were those… Decorations?
Tussul sniffed the air twice, reaching for his bow. “There’s definitely been someone here very recently, if not currently, but I can’t see any sign of- For crying out loud…”
Tussul’s quiet complaint was followed up by a sigh and a comical shrug. There was an Okotan, very well camoflauged in a blanket of vines, leaves, and twigs laying partially on the side of the structure’s top.
And it was serving its purpose, as the Okotan was sound asleep. As the party approached, he began to snore obnoxiously.
(@Winger @GoodGuy2006 @N01InParticular @Rukah @MakutaOisli @TheMOCingbird)
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That’s the conclusion you should’ve had. She put it in words, though. A medium.
Ilya didn’t reply, but nodded sharply, smiling for a brief instant in Cheshie’s direction.
Ilya raised his eyebrows. Either Palios had an inflated self-image and was talking about things he knew nothing about, or he could prove to be much more useful that Ilya had struck him for…
Assuming you get the chance.
As the party approached the arch, Ilya’s heart started to flutter. It could be a trap, or the aftermath of a battle, or-
Ilya scowled. Incompetence, no matter how much he personified it in his current situation, was not a quality he particularly appreciated in other people. He considered passing by without saying anything, but decided against it.
“Hey!” His voice was sardonic and clipped. “There’s an entire group of Okotans approaching the city, you’d better keep an eye out for them, they’re on this path.”
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A faint smile snaked its way across Katau’s face, but was quickly replaced by one of interest and confusion as the blacksmith’s gaze fell upon the strange arch jutting out up of the jungle. As the group moved closer, he also noticed a strange Okotan at the base of the arch.
“Who’s this guy?” Katau blurted, confused.
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“Go to the festival,” Came the half-murmured reply, followed by a sharp and sudden realization, flailing, and falling off the arch with a thud.
“Yeouch.” The Jungle Okotan stood up, rubbing the back of his head. “Buncha killjoys, are you? There hasn’t been a Hunter attack in six months and I can’t even nap while I’m stuck here on guard duty and everyone else gets to…”
“Never mind. You’re clearly here for the party, and you’re clearly not a Hunter. Go on, whatever.” He began to ascend the arch again, dragging his camo blanket behind him.
(@Winger @GoodGuy2006 @N01InParticular @Rukah @MakutaOisli @TheMOCingbird)
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“Uhh…” Katau begins nervously, then continues. “Who exactly are you?” the blacksmith asks uncertainly, studying the strange Okotan.
Cheshie was about to, but stopped when she noticed the snoring Okotan. She paused, obviously a little confused.
“Yeah, the party. Hope we aren’t too late to it, how many others have turned up so far?” She called back, hoping she sounded confident enough in what she was talking about, despite having no idea what she was talking about.
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Leadership.
Steel.
What do you need? Information. Respect.
Like you’d know. You don’t. You don’t know what you’re doing stop doing it stop-
Ilya crossed his arms. Maybe being somewhat severe would help. He wasn’t sure why, but severity definitely seemed the way to go in this situation.
Ilya winced.
Or … not. He frowned for a minute, but resisted directing it towards Cheshie and Katau.
“And how far is it to the city?” He spoke in a lower tone than the other two, but still loud enough to get the Okotan’s attention.
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