Realistic or Modern If December Freezes (IC)

[Out Of Words]

IF DECEMBER FREEZES​

IC Thread - GM Post
Bridges Span Distances​

Bill and Hatsu took a moment to prepare for what would hopefully be a nice, simple treasure hunt. Hatsu made an attempt at coffee, while Bill set the witch brewed metal detector and a couple of wards. They had the map, they had supplies, and even somewhat questionable coffee before heading out. As long as they deciphered the map correctly, they might have some treasure by sunset.

Meanwhile, Indy and Bernard followed Rhevens to the house boat. It was a nice setup, and obviously well cared for. While Indy attempted to recover from some spirit-vision thing, Rhevens addressed the two of them. "I'll go in and check, please wait here. And uh.. I'll see if there's something he wouldn't normally leave behind." The young man gave them a little nod before boarding the boat and entering the cabin, leaving the others to themselves for at least a few minutes.

Still in a dream vision, Aódh charged toward the boundaries of the glade, where the whirling vortex of water waited. With a feral growl and dogged determination, he breached the water, and delved deeper still. Aódh became soaked in a near instant, but that wasn't the troubling part of it. No, instead it was the multitude of wailing that assaulted his ears. Voices, male and female, old and young, all crying out for help they didn't really believe would ever come. And maybe for these disembodied voices, it never did come.

Yet, there were a few that seemed stronger, felt more alive than the ghostly remnants hounding his hearing. Somewhere in the whirlpool they cried out, not yet devoid of hope. Not yet. Could Aódh find them in time to help? To answer the call of whatever spirits invaded his dream space? To find them. Help them.

WATER. TRAPPED. WATER MONSTER.

Meanwhile, Augie and Boy make it to the woods around Marasong. There's plenty for Boy to fetch, from some lovely acorns, to a couple of good branches the right side for a little carving without being too unwieldy. Augie puts everything Boy brings back into one of his sacks, always petting the dog as a reward for its hard work. And while Boy is busy fetching, Augie's working on climbing some of the smaller trees to check for nests. It's a nice peaceful time, even if the wind starts to pick up a little. This is fine.

And in the ranger station, another murder occurred. Leif snapped River's neck and took another taste to keep him sated while he waited for River's return. It was afternoon now, but if the other would return with answers before the night was anyone's guess. The body remained slumped against the wall, eyes open and unseeing. Yet still, the ranger hadn't returned to the station. It was quiet in the daytime. The phone didn't ring, no one came to get petrol or pester the ranger for assistance.

Something just felt off about it all.

Roje was having a similar feeling. Whooshed back into the darkness and absence of sound, it only amplified the sensation of the vines holding the vampire tight. Or the leaves brushing along her exposed skin, as if feeding. The energy spent during the focus left the vampire weakened and needing time to recover, but there would be no blood feasting under the water. At least she couldn't drown, but maybe that would have been a relief compared to this strange suspension of almost everything.

Everything but the touch of the leaves.




OOC Information

Bill and Hatsu BillieRoss silverwhere : Make your preparations, list the items you're taking along, who is carrying what, and where you're storing/carrying them. You're free then to head to the docks and start your treasure hunt. Be sure to detail where you go, direction and how many steps, feet, meters, etc you take based on your deciphering of the map. Please roll one d20 each in discord when you post your response.

Indy & Bernard Rhyme Worthlessplebian : Indy, you're still reeling from the residual effects of the spirit bridge you've experienced. The feline side is full of energy and adrenaline to get going and save the day. All the feline's impulsiveness is coming to a head, or is it just your impulsiveness? Please roll one d20 in discord when you post your response.

Bernard, you've been 'fed' somehow. Not to full, but you no longer feel on edge. It was almost as if there was something in the air, or something close enough to you where you were able to feed. Fingertips tingle and it feels like a breath of fresh air.

Aódh Larry : The water drenches you, head to tail. The force of the whirlpool does its best to push you off the path you can suddenly see before you through the water. There's a trail of kelp, vines and leaves, weaved with one another like a canvas on the ground. It will be a fight to walk the path, and you'll need to make three d20 rolls in discord when you post your response.

Riley KodakWolf : The wind definitely picks up, like there might be a storm today. A hint of rain is in the air, and for a few moments here and there, you can hear the wind howling. Or was that something else howling within the wind?

Leif KodakWolf : You're left to your thoughts again, and River's body. As you ponder the absence of the ranger, others begin to circle around in your thoughts. What became of the others you came with? Edwin? Clementine? How is Chase faring? Or Levi? There's a world still turning while you're body sitting in the ranger station, but what can you do?

Roje Britt-21 : You're drained of almost all energy and need rest. But what rest can you find in your current predicament? At least the little girl isn't in your head, and you don't sense her presence nearby. There's not much you can do at the moment, so it seems. Roll one d20 in Discord when you post a response, or start an encounters channel.

IF DECEMBER FREEZES
A story by Out Of Words​

Season One: A Night Bleeds​

 

[Rhyme]

Indy

Location: Sherlock and Holmes but it's a cat and a vampire
Tags: Worthlessplebian Out Of Words

"Why are you so distracted?"

Indy glanced through wayward strands of hair at Bernard, who seemed to have caught on to her mini prophetic moment. Did it count as prophetic if it wasn't technically the future? Oh, fuck--what if it had actually been a moment from the past? What if Roje was already dead?

Indy wrapped her arms around herself as a shiver wracked down her body. When Bernard bumped into a dock worker Indy impulsively lashed out, "Why are you so distracted?"

Her shoulders dropped immediately after. Sorry. This was all just a bit too much, honestly. Every part of her wanted to dive into the water immediately no matter how stupid of an idea that actually was; lord only knew what was waiting for them below the waves.

At least the houseboat looked normal enough. Indy had seen a thousand of them growing up in Marasong, all chunky and sharp angles like miniature barges. She'd always been a bit suspicious of the people who lived inside, always wondering what sort of psychopath believed themselves equal enough to the ocean that they could justify settling their homes upon her back. Dumbasses.

"Odd question, but has your father left an item or belonging that he normally wouldn't leave without?"

Indy glanced at Bernard sharply. The question had been casual enough but why ask it? Was he borrowing from some foreign cop show he'd seen on TV, or was there a growing pattern Indy was unaware of?

"I'll go in and check, please wait here. And uh.. I'll see if there's something he wouldn't normally leave behind."

When Rhevens disappeared onto the boat, Indy dropped to her knees on the dock. "I don't know what the fuck he's going to find in there," she said as she pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it onto the dock at Bernard's feet. "But he won't find my sister. She's somewhere down there. I think. I'm like, eighty-percent certain. Mostly." I think. She either said water or waiter. Shit, what if it's the fucking waiter at the Loving Spoon?

"I'm going to take a look, see if I can see anything--be ready to pull me back, yeah?" Indy began to lower her head toward the water, fingers burrowed into the dock's rotting wooden planks before she paused and looked back over her shoulder. "Wait, can you uh--can you touch water or do you, you know"--she waved her fingers--"go all...toaster in the bathtub."

coded by: @s e v e n

 

[Worthlessplebian]

Bernard Greve
Location: A Dusky Boathouse;
With: Indy;
Interactions: Rhyme Mentions: Out Of Words
Art by leevolt on DeviantArt
Mood: Ah, I cast indeed my net into their sea;​

Bernard stared as the distraught young adult disappeared to search the abode. The houseboat did not leave any prevailing, profound impression. Least in comparison to the ones in Denmark, that appear visually odd and attention-grabbing. From refurbished antic barges to cubic houses that gently float on the water's bouncy surface. A subtle breeze caressed him, the fiery surge in the blood subsiding to the tranquil reminiscence of the Fatherland.

The wind indeed calmed the Dane. The hairs on his forearms stood at attention, fingertips twitch as if the muscles revolted. The unbloodied hand drove up to his mouth, rubbing. Miraculously, the predatory edge abandoned the man. Alleviating much needed stress from his faculties. This inspiriting tingle sprawled through the shoulder then down the back in serpentine fashion. Hand then flattened his black hair in surprise. His left eye convulsed at this. What caused him to feed? No... What had fed this vampire. His gaze wondered without turning his head. Searching for signs of incongruity.

Indy immediately moved past Bernard and onto the edge of the wood rotten dock. He caught the shirt tossed at his feet before it hit the ground. Seeing fit to answer her question. "He won't find anything out of place. His father has been abducted by the same mystical force as your sister, I merely sent him away to talk..." Bernard draped the shirt over his forearm. He squat down then wrapped his fingers over the battered precipice of wooden planks for balance. "So it was a premonition." When she waved her hand and questioned him, Bernard answered truthfully. "In that depth—" Nodded with his head to the water. "If I don't pull you out in two to three minutes then we'll have our hairs in the mailbox." His eyes face the water, before turning back. "Oh, Danish expression: we'll be quite fucked if I fail."

Bernard then casts his net deep in this water. Hoping to not pull out the head of some ancient God. This will or would serve two purposes; however one depended on Roje actually being there. He feels the supranatural senses penetrate the restful water. He'll use it to track Indy and search for Roje if she even is there.

 

[silverwhere]

Hatsu Black
- He/Him -
Bill's Room |Treasure Finding
Tags: Out Of Words BillieRoss
​

Hatsu had finally realized that he had missed the magic show. Did it really take him that long to make coffee? Either way, he didn't really want to wait for her opinion on his barista skills and hurriedly poured the mixture out of the mug and into a thermos. Maybe he should have have just made the coffee in the thermo in the first place.

"Before we go, we should probably grab a few things. There aren't any metrics on the map."

The map that they had was so simple that it was hard to comprehend.

W150N100NW5025

The only thing he need for almost certain, was the starting point had to be the shark pub. Bug, had also told him that they would most likely need a compass and some sort of metric to go off of, but who knew what the arrows meant. Either way, they would still have to input random metrics and hope that Bill's magic metal detector would refine the rough edges.

There was something he knew for certain though, there were some metrics you could rule out. No one would make a map based off of centimeters and there was no way he was going to be walking over 300 miles to find some treasure chest. So, he hoped that this was something based off of meters or yards. The next thing he hoped was the case, that they all were the same metric. Maybe the map maker was an asshole and made some meters and the others feet, if that was the case than Hatsu would burn the map afterwards without a second thought.

"We might be playing a guessing game for a bit as we try out different things. Hopefully your magic," hopefully that wasn't rude to say, if it was Bill would most likely tear him a new one, "can help out with that."

Regardless, it was going to be a hike.

They had to be prepared, he had been sure to charge his phone If he was going to die in the woods he was at least going to get a memorable photo of it.

On their way out, he stopped by the inn and quickly went to his room to grab a few things to stuff into a backpack that he had pushed under the bed. Now they had a few bottles of water, some fruit from the basket Bug had sent, a sweater, and a few extra pair of socks. He'd be damned if he had to walk in the woods with wet socks.

Bill had owned a trowel, and hopefully that would be enough to dig up some treasure. Although a shovel would probably be easier, he didn't want to carry one around the woods.

After that, they seemed ready to go and he meet with her again.

"Should we start with feet, yards, or meters?"

rolled an 11 :')

 

[Rhyme]

Indy

Location: Under the docks
Tags: Out Of Words Worthlessplebian

So Bernard had no idea what was causing chaos either, even if he was aware something was going on in Marasong. As discomforting as it was knowing so many nonhumans were lurking around town, all sniffing around the same mysteries, it was at least some sort of cold comfort to know she wasn’t alone.

“Right. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to getting hairs out of the mailbox.” Indy heaved one last deep breath. The dark water spun clumps of seaweed beneath the dock. Indy had made the mistake of playing in the water under the dock once, pretending the poles were pillars to a mermaid castle as she swam from one to the next.

She managed to keep the game up for an hour before a stray hook caught on an old line took a bite out of her arm. Dapper had been the one to find her and bring her back to Beth.

She could picture Roje beneath those same pillars, anchored by old fishing line and rusty hooks settled deep into her skin.

“Right.” Indy slipped her feet into the water. “Back in a sec.”

The water swallowed her easily as she slid off the dockside. It was mercilessly cold, greedily sucking away at her body heat until Indy’s toes and fingers went numb. Something wrapped around her face, though it was impossible to tell whether the slimy strands were kelp or her own hair.

It would be impossible to find Roje. Even early in the day with her eyes forced open, Indy could barely see more than a few inches ahead among the silt and murky debris. She couldn’t do it.

They would have to try something else. Maybe Bernard could sense something with some sort of echolocation—that was a vampire thing, right? Or, well, bats—but close enough yeah? Indy pumped her arms down and kicked up toward the light, trying to ignore the steady pressure on her chest.

She had just dived down a few seconds ago—how far had she sunk? She kicked her legs harder, feeling the water rush over her face as she pushed ahead but the light, the dock, the blurry smudge she was certain was Bernard’s face—all if it stayed far above.

And something was below. A weight at her feet, it was as if her shadow had gained mass and was pulling her like a waterlogged blanket down deeper even as she reached for the surface.

Her eyes bulged. Fuck. Fuck. She needed air. Bubbles escaped her nose and mouth. Her chest burned. The harder she swam, the farther she seemed to sink.

She was dying.

Her mouth opened in a muffled scream as what little air left in her chest escaped.

The tension snapped.

Whatever held her immediately released its grasp, the built up momentum springing her forward up through the water. Indy was certain she was going to launch into the air by the time she reached the surface but her face only poked through the water gently, her mouth filling with sour mouthfuls as she gasped in desperate mouthfuls of breath.

“Fuck…okay,” she gasped, clumsily pushing her wet hair out of her eyes as she looked to Bernard. “Okay, alright—fuck. I need to go back. I’m going back down. If you can see anything, if you sense anything, try and—wave? I can kind of see you, I have to go back. Gotta try…one more time.”

She took another gasp of air and allowed to the water to slip over her face once more.

Because, for that split second when the tension first snapped, she could have sworn she felt Roje somewhere in the water with her.

coded by: @s e v e n

 

[BillieRoss]

Bill
Location: Outside the Shark Pub
With: Hatsu ( silverwhere )

She tucked the thermos into her inner jacket pocket, eyeing the mess that Hatsu had left in the kitchen. The chances of this concoction being edible were fading before her eyes. Oh well. You couldn’t really expect much from a Mundie, she supposed.

She shrugged on her jacket and started stuffing things into the pockets. A few healing potions, just in case. A water bottle, just in case. A silvered hunting knife, just in case David Kessler or Count Chocula should cross their paths in the woods.

Her wand, stuck into the familiar front right pocket. She patted it to make sure it was secure.

She thought a while longer about what she might need, looking around the room. There was a battered deck of tarot cards, in case she needed to do any incomprehensible divination. The cauldron and hot plate, which needed electricity or a campfire. A half-burned candle, which smelled nice. Hatsu had already grabbed her offered trowel. Mary was eyeing her suspiciously from on top of the wardrobe. It wasn’t like she’d be all that much help anyway.

She briefly debated taking one of the spellbooks. Useful as they were, they were almost certainly too large and unwieldy, and all the important spells had long-since been memorised. Worst came to worst, she always had find the path. Hopefully it’d be a little while before they needed a particularly strong spell. She was still feeling a little worn out from calibrating the wand.

She stuck her feet into her hiking boots and followed Hatsu out, loitering at the Shark pub and waiting for him to come back.

He was carrying a backpack. Bill briefly wondered if she was maybe underprepared.

“Should we start with feet, yards, or meters?"

Bill shrugged. She hadn’t really given it all that much thought.

“I’d say paces? So…feet. I guess.”

She peered at the directions again. They seemed to be marked with the cardinal directions. She pulled out her phone and glanced at the compass map, tilting it a couple of times to make sure it was pointing correctly.

“You lead the way, Indiana,” she said, gesturing vaguely west.

[The powers that be have rolled a 16]

 

[Worthlessplebian]

Bernard Greve
Location: A Dusky Boathouse;
With: Indy;
Interactions: Rhyme Mentions: Out Of Words
Art by leevolt on DeviantArt
Mood: Great vampires do not swim in shallow waters;​

The Dane looked at the woman heaving breath to dive into the seaweed strewn water. A terrible sense of wrongness brained him from behind as the strands of dark hair on Indy's head disappeared into this fathomless pit -- analogous to a grave. The pores on Bernard's face tingled following Indy's unique bioelectric current even through her submerged state under the water. Those azure orbs in his skull served less purpose now, the water's depth with the seaweed vignette made it almost impossible to see Indy. He exhaled through spit-slick teeth then closed his eyes.

The beguiling darkness of his eyes gave way to a world of daisy-chained lights. Behind him, people walked. Dock workers or shop-goers, their bodies placidly illuminated. They looked like works of webbing. Two crescent hemispheres at the top with a multitude of branches or ropes trailing down, he recognised the spine immediately then the rest. Afferent/efferent signals fire through their bodies. This neural fire had always been so succulent to him, but this isn't his goal now.

His head swivels to the water. He sees... One nervous system. Struggling!

Indy had been struggling against a weight on her ankles, something had started to drag her down. Bernard wanted to dive after her, but stopped when he noticed her form growing larger as she moved towards him. His eyelids snap open with a snap, his fingers thumped against the gnarled dock edge, as he extended a hand towards the rushing Indy. She denied help as she simply must try one more time. "Very well," Bernard answered in a poised, yet neutral tone.

He closed his eyes as she went under again, but this time there was something. He could not discern it fully, but Bernard felt a pulse or a light in a vague direction. Bernard relaxed his arm, allowing his instincts to drive it. He pointed it in the pulse's direction then waved as precisely as possible. "It's there" Bernard called, even if Indy couldn't hear him.

 

[Larry]

Aódh McFaol
Location: ?
Mood: Coaxing out courageousness.
Interactions: n/A.
Mentions: n/A.​

It all seemed to pass in an instance: the summoning of courage that seemed to cling to the remote regions of his mind; the darting run towards that startling phenomenon; and finally, the leap and breach into its aqueous structure, his entire person becoming instantly drenched by the maelstrom of water. But, aside from the sound of the vortex's furious whirling, which Aódh expected all there to be, another sound, diminutive at first, seemed to grow exponentially as his hearing honed on its unlikely provenance. It was something, subsequently, that the young man wished he had not done. Wailing, incessant wailing, seemed to range down upon him from all corners of the vortex. Their dolorous tones, whether it be that of a man, woman or a child, all called, in a plurality of different ways, to be saved. But, if he could discern such a feeling out of their entreaties, the voices, the vast majority, seemed to call out despondently for someone to rescue them. The Irishman wondered, the existence of which having been strengthened, wretchedly so, in the past few days, whether this is what hell is like, of souls crying out for mercy that will never come. Aódh, his mind having contemplated and bore witness to weighty matters the last few days, felt his brow grow heavy witnessing the scene before him, his eyes seeming to slack and grow languid by the incessant pleas. Yet, every so often, through the rapturous din that assaulted his hearing almost without end, a voice trickled through to him. It was so faint however, that whatever quality made it stand out against that great mass of misery, soon found itself overwhelmed by the hopelessness of those souls who continually asked for the youth's assistance. Aódh, emotionally enervated by the continuous outcry and the knowledge that he couldn't help all of them, tried, as he had done earlier, to discover the source of this aberrant sound.

As the water spout, or what he reasoned it to be, continued to fling him around its whirling mass as though he were a ragdoll, there was no doubt that those voices, whoever they belonged to, seemed to call out to him with more conviction, for lack of a better term, than all the others. Almost as though they still had hope. As he continued, amidst travail, to focus on their echoes within this vast vortex, Aódh found his attention drawn to the lower parts of the whirlpool. His mind, however meaningful and noble were his salvific intentions, seemed to oscillate between going further within, and staying exactly it was. Another outcome, despite self-preservation's best efforts, was called against it, the winner urging the young man forward, ever deeper into the maw of the vortex. Whilst the effort was difficult, surprisingly, given the ease in which he first breached the spout, the venture was rewarded with a commensurate increase in the audibleness of those errant voices. Establishing that as a principle for action, he continued onwards. With every descent, those voices grew ever more clear, so much so that the idiolectic peculiarities of their particular messages became discernible. Even though they didn't displace the preponderance of the vast majority, it did, maybe as a sign of his focus, seem to muddle those voices in favour of distinguishing those who stood out. It was then, as this pattern continued, whilst the whirlpool's resistance seemed to abut and repel his intentions, that he heard it.

WATER. TRAPPED. WATER MONSTER.

This, these few words, thrummed with more life and exigency than anything he had heard so far. Almost as though the vortex seemed to concur with his remarks, there appeared, or rather Aódh took cognisance of, a trail of vines, leaves and kelp that seemed intertwined, if not grafted together. But, when the impetus drove him in the direction of the trail, Aódh found himself repulsed, making the barest headway before being flung back to where he started. He attempted this a few more times, each without success. With each failure, and the supposition driving him that this person was running out of time, frustration gradually took the reins. It was then, after his latest attempt bore no success, that Aódh realised there was no other choice. A person's LIFE was on the line. Under no circumstances, would he allow them to die. Closing his eyes for a brief moment, in order to concentrate, the youth slowly opened them, revealing them to have taken on a violent, electric blue colouration, before his countenance took on that of a grimace. It was a comfort that this was taking in place in the water, since the sound of bones snapping, re-adjusting, elongating never ceased to disgust him. Aódh looked down at his hands, observing his nails lengthen and sharpen, soon taking on the forms of talons. Thick, coarse hair erupted from his skin, the latter soon finding itself discoloured from paleness to a browner tint, though this was quickly overcovered by the brown hair that seemed to spread. Limbs, disconcertingly and painfully, distended in size as the bones within likewise grew. Aódh frames expanded, broadening and growing in height, causing the clothes he was wearing to split apart at the seams, and sink further into the vortex. It seemed like an eternity for the Irishman, who could do nothing else but roar, the water dulling the increasingly bestial-sounding youth's cries. Then, perhaps the most painful aspect of the entire transformation, was the manner in which the young man's skull found itself distorted into that of a wolf's, in what one, depending on their viewpoint, might consider a travesty or a miracle of biology. Brown hair soon sprung up from around Aódh's forehead, quickly foresting the youth's now unrecognisable, lupine face. His body, after having undergone such a strenuous metamorphosis, soon hung limply, his frame bent over, his eyes, almost lifeless, gazing down at the trail below.

Then, as his thoughts turned once again to the one in need of rescue, the beast, balling its fists, lurched upwards, letting out a roar that drowned out those other souls.

Steeling his resolve, Aódh, taking on a form he wished he never had, dove once again to do battle against the whirlpool, in order to save this person who called out to him.

 

[Out Of Words]

IF DECEMBER FREEZES​

IC Thread - GM Post
Can They Hear You Scream Underwater?​

Bill and Hatsu start off on their adventure, like Goonies in search of one eyed Willie's treasure. Only, this was more open, but people were too busy elsewhere to pay the duo much attention. At first, it was easy, counting one's steps, however after around forty to fifty, it was getting tricky. Not to mention there were sometimes obstacles in the way. A fallen log, a bit of a sinkhole, not to mention the possibility of stumbling, like what Hatsu wound up doing around step eighty-two.

Something gave way beneath his feet, the sand didn't make for very sure footing anyway, as they were now on the shores to the west of the pub. Hatsu landed hard, with tiny little seashells that dug into the palm of a hand, and his breath was knocked out of him. It would take a moment to regain focus, much less remember what step he had been on.

Meanwhile, father down the shore, Indy dived under the boat, but there wasn't anything there. Or rather, nothing in her line of sight, so she went even deeper, where the silt stirred with the motions in the water and clouded the visibility. There was a struggle, possibly externally, but it could have all been internal and in Indy's mind as her lungs cried for air. It certainly felt for a moment like something, or some force, was trying to puller deeper still.

Bernard attempted to give her some directions, based on what his senses felt. It was toward the columns of the dock pier. The old wooden posts that always seemed to extend deeper than one could fathom. It was covered in barnacles and algae, old trash only slightly decayed, and schools of fish weaving in and out. Shadows played with the eyes, but it definitely looked like something was tangled up deep under the docks.

Aódh was still in his room, presumably in his bed, being a dream warrior in a battlefield of the mind. Yet, everything felt so real, so vivid. The soaking of the water lowered his body temperature, drenched his fur after his change, and caused the ground to be slippery beneath his paws. The trail of interweaving vines held the water like small puddles, and at first, Aódh succumbed, his body hitting the ground, but only for a brief moment.

Determination filled the warrior and he used the small fall to bolster his adrenaline, surging upward and forward. The whirlpool obliterated nearly everything in his vision, save for the path. Even then, he could only see a few feet in front of him at a time. It felt like a half hour before he could spot anything else, but eventually, small blue lights seemed to pass on either side of the wolf. And something else.




OOC Information

Bill and Hatsu BillieRoss silverwhere : Hatsu, one palm is cut open and bleeding slightly. It's not life threatening, but definitely an annoyance and possible infection if not cleaned. However, as you're down on the ground, it's enough of a distraction to let you see what looks like a singular dock much father down the shoreline, and a boat tethered to it.

Bill and Hatsu, roll a d20 to remember where you were on land, and the number of the steps taken thus far, or you'll need to go back and start from the beginning again.

Indy & Bernard Rhyme Worthlessplebian : Indy, the singing in the back of your mind changed when you were underwater fighting against the lack of air. The melody changed, and more than that, the feeling was different. Still akin to a lullaby, a nighttime serenade, memories of warm blankets, kisses to the forehead, and a mobile of the sea gently turning above. You haven't yet experienced a stronger sense of being home. You do hear Bernard's words, and see him point toward the underside of the docks. Roll a d20 if you go to investigate.

Bernard, you can sense a lot of 'life' under the water, but it's easy to discern differences. It's only after your initial probing, after your guidance to Indy, you can most definitely determine what it is, is not alive. There were some electrical impulses around it, but they were brief, and not quite the same as a human's system. Perhaps something around it, maybe in it, but it does not feel like life as you know it.

Aódh Larry : After the blue lights, you can see standing shapes briefly. You can't make out any details, but it moved, you think. At least one of the shapes moved. However, your lungs are burning with the need for air. Underwater is not meant for wolven kind. Roll another d20 with your action please.

Riley & Leif KodakWolf : Encounters will continue in the Discord.

Roje Britt-21 : Briefly, you feel as if there's someone else, or something else near. A small surge of hope flares within, but there's still nothing but darkness and silence. Is this what humans experience when dying? Aware, but trapped, unable to do anything to help themselves? It's going to be a struggle to keep that hope when everything else is whispering for you to give up. You don't have anything in the GM post this week, because actions of others' will determine the next course of action for you. Hang in there.

IF DECEMBER FREEZES
A story by Out Of Words​

Season One: A Night Bleeds​

 

[Britt-21]

Maybe being trapped underneath the water was the least of her concerns. She could've been put into a stone room with flames that licked her skin and made her scream in agony. But instead, she was floating in some water while tangled up in some kelp and just hanging out with some weird water monster girl. After a while, thinking these types of scenarios are just normal after being in a situation for so long. How long has it even been? Time is basically nonexistent and with me being a vampire, well, it could be decades before I know it. Fuck, am I a prune yet? Ah fuck it, I'm too tired to care at this point. Despite being exhausted, she moved every now and again to keep herself awake. I guess this is how it feels to be dead? A thought that she could really consider at this point. Sitting in darkness and silence, the only thing that was even remotely sound was her own thoughts. Being down here forever was not on her bucket list and all she wanted was to get yanked out and see that damn sun again.

In the background, she can feel this tingle of hope, a sense of someone being nearby. It certainly didn't hold a presence similar to the monster girl in the water. Otherwise she'd grow more alert and cautious of what she'd think or say around the creature. In all of this, she had to thank the cat. After all, it was the only reason why help may be coming sooner than she had originally thought. Without that cat, she'd be literally swimming with the fishes forever. As a person stuck in the water, there was only so much she could think or talk about, so for the time being it was silence and movements every so often.​

 

[BillieRoss]

Bill
Location: In the forest
With: Hatsu ( silverwhere )

Bill surpressed an eyeroll and offered a hand to Hatsu, pulling him to his feet.

What a mess this whole thing was turning out to be. She had at least two little monsters skulking around the town, and something watching them through the seaglass, and some kind of mystery about the thing fucking with her magic.

And here she was. In the woods. Watching a mundie trip over his own two feet. Great.

That was uncharitable, and she felt bad for thinking it. The ground was uneven and they were cutting their way through the wilderness. It wasn’t like he could be blamed for stumbling.

She glanced at the cut on his palm, bleeding a little. She felt around in her pockets and tutted - she’d forgotten bandages. That had been stupid. Ah well.

She pulled out her bottle and poured some water over the cut, washing out any dirt or sand he’d picked up. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small vial full of pale-purple liquid.

Healing potions fixed all kinds of ailments. Sped up the healing process. It seemed a bit of a waste to use it on one little cut, but hey, she'd brought several. It was what they were for. And she could make more later on anyway.

She pressed the vial into Hatsu’s uninjured hand. “Drink that,” she said, “It’ll fix…” she gestured vaguely to the cut.

She glanced around the forest, trying to remember what pace they’d been on.

[The powers that be have rolled a 19]

 

[silverwhere]

Hatsu Black
- He/Him -
The Woods|Bottoms Up
Tags: Out Of Words BillieRoss
​

Hatsu had been so deep into what metric the map could be using that he missed an obvious first step. Paces. He didn't think about it for long before he started to lead the way. Hopefully, Bill kept count as they moved along. It was something he had to concentrate on which meant there wasn't much conversation between the two as they tracked further along. The last thing he could fully remember was hitting a tens before he felt his ankle buckle. The only thing he could do was yell out a curse as he managed to catch himself on the ground. Nothing felt broken or twisted, but his pride was bruised. It was embarrassing to trip. Hatsu wanted to pull himself up from the ground and act like nothing had happened, but Bill was already there offering a hand to help pull him up.

He took it and looked at his now cut hand and did the graceful thing and rubbed it against his pant leg to get the dirt off of it. Hopefully, she didn't see. There was no way he was going to turn back to wash and bandage it up. He'll worry about it later.

Bill had other plans. She took the cut and poured water on it cleaning it better than he had before pulling out a small purple vial and pushed it into his other hand.

"Drink that, it’ll fix…”

There had to be some kind of rule to this. It reminded him of stories that parents would tell their kids about not drinking unknown things. Hell, he was pretty sure that Alice in the Wonderlands had this warning. This, was different. He knew that this was something magic and he honestly trusted Bill. Maybe that'll be his downfall but she seemed like a decent person. Hatsu did feel like, this was some sort of waste but wasn't in the mood to argue the point. He was pretty certain he had lost count, and he didn't want to risk Bill losing hers due to his unnecessary arguing.

He just nodded before taking it like a shot.

Rolled a 12

 

[Rhyme]

Indy

Location: Under the docks
Tags: Out Of Words Worthlessplebian

The water slid over her face, sealing her off from the world and starting the struggle anew. It was too early for her lungs to burn, but it was as if the fresh oxygen had turned to embers in her chest. The heat pulsed in her chest the deeper she dove, every pulse of her arms through the water against instinct--everything pushing her back up, to the surface, to air, out.

She went down instead. Not out of strength or self-control, but at the mercy of something else. Something that wanted her to go deeper--an anchor tied to her hips where her hands were tied to a balloon above, both pulling in opposite directions while Indy was left navigating a balance. Neither could win; not until she found Roje.

And there had to be something. She could see it in Bernard's eyes too, his brow just a bit furled as he sensed the strangeness within the water. It was the only extra validation she needed, even if she hadn't seen the ghostly shadow of his arm through the murky water as he pointed further down the dock.

She kicked her feet, gliding forward as the silt swallowed his form.

The underside of the dock was near wholly devoid of light. Only a few beams managed to sneak through the planks, evenly spaced like steps on a ladder as Indy swam from one to the next, her hands reached outward as she blindly felt for any stray hooks or dock spiders. It couldn't be Roje below the deck, because that would mean Roje was dead. Or harmed, to at least some extent. Maybe vampires couldn't drown--but if she had been caught under one of the sunbeams, that would be enough and that was what Indy refused to consider.

The silt and murk eventually became too much for her. Seaweed clung to her face and hands, old fishing line caressing her legs as she tried to shorten her kicks. Every five seconds she would peel one eye open, trying to peek through the silt for any sign of life; it was too painful and too dangerous to keep them open any longer.

Her lungs burned. Her mind began to stray from thoughts of her sister toward thoughts of land, of air, of how it felt to talk a fresh breath and feel her lungs expand--she needed it. Nothing had ever felt so tempting, so simultaneously foreign yet necessary--the contrast unsettled her mind and balance, her limbs falling out of sync as she lurched in the water, trying to make sense of it, trying to remember why she needed to breathe.

Something soft slapped into her arm.

Spoiler: Content Warning: Grossness

Indy jerked, a stream of bubbles escaping her nose as her eyes flew open. The silt still clouded most of her view and she was too deep for the light to truly reach, but she managed to recognize a decidedly strange form embedded in the messy environment below the dock. It was massive, larger than her by maybe as much as a foot--possibly a set of old cushions fallen off a boat and stuck between the pillars? She pressed her hand into it, expecting to feel old foam dissolve under her touch and instead feeling a rubbery material stretched over wood--or maybe steel--as she pulled away a handful of kelp. She swam closer, trying to identify the strange texture of the object as the silt finally began to settle.

It was pale, with large purple and yellow splotches. Her hands glided over it, feeling for any recognizable shapes as she tried to determine what it could be--whether this was what Bernard had sensed.

She paused as she felt her thumbs glide over two symmetrical soft orbs, followed by an arched bump settled between them. Below that, rubbery skin peeled back to reveal pearly teeth.

Indy's scream was muffled by the water.

The body had to have been under the dock for hours. Fishing line had wrapped around its extremities, making the already purpled skin bulge monstrously. As she pulled more kelp away she could see all its clothes were gone aside from a pair of boxers that ballooned with water. A thousand small chunks of flesh had been torn away, a few pale stringy chunks still floating like bait as they clung on.

Bile rose up in Indy's stomach as unwelcome memories of exploding heads and the sound of fresh corpses falling onto marble floors flashed before her eyes. The anguish over breathing was forgotten as Indy tried to remember how to live, how to swim--how to fucking cope with a corpse right in front of her because god dammit.

Get it out. Focus. Make a goal: get it out. Remove the body. Dead or not, it was a person. A person had people. People would want to know the person was dead; get it out.

Indy grabbed the man around the waist as much as possible, using the pillars to leverage herself back as she attempted to pull him free of the fishing line and seaweed. To her horror, as she attempted to adjust her grip, her fingers sunk into the skin of his back as though it was soft cheese. She tilted her head over his shoulder, looking down to see that something had not quite shredded his back, but...unsettled the skin. The space between his shoulder blades was full of rolls as if someone had shoved it back like a big coat sleeve, whereas further down she could see every ridge of his spine nearly poking out of the thin flesh.

Her stomach rolled as she looked away and squeezed her eyes shut. Get it out.

The body sprung loose with a shockingly small amount of effort, only mostly difficult to maneuver around as she dragged it back away from the dock. Every muscle ached and she knew every muscle would only ache even more the next day, but the entirety of Indy's purpose had become set on getting the body back above water. Still, exhausted and light-headed, it took several attempts before she was able to push her face above water long enough to ask Bernard for help as she dragged the body closer to him and the edge of the dock. Its face had tilted back, blistered mouth puckered open as though it was taking a long breath of its own.

coded by: @s e v e n

 

[Out Of Words]

IF DECEMBER FREEZES​

IC Thread - Discord Compilation (Leif)
Booty Call​

One thing he knew, he couldn't sit in the station for another several hours. Everything was strangely quiet, and Leif couldn't help but feel that something might’ve happened to the ranger. He had to find Bug, he had to find Chase, and hopefully all the others he arrived in Marasong with. And perhaps even the ranger’s mother in the clinic. Yet the thought of handcuffing River's body to the station to make sure he wouldn't get away if he happened to wake up before Leif was back suddenly didn't sound like such a good idea anymore. Perhaps Leif should allow the man to answer that calling for everyone's own good, if in fact there'd still be time to answer it after River came back to life.

Perhaps trusting River was the best call right now. So instead of making sure the man had no means of getting away, he left a piece of paper and a pen sitting on the floor right in front of his body, with a little note on the paper saying “put in the desk cabinet”. That way, River would hopefully be able to leave the answers behind if he had to leave upon waking up, if he did happen to wake up before Leif came back. Hopefully not.

Leif also left a glass of water nearby within sight and reach, and made sure to close River’s eyes this time and move him so he was lying on the floor instead of slumped against the wall. He then made his way to where the third box with Chase’s stuff was, and made sure to take anything that seemed to contain relevant information, such as the drawings and the ancient coin and stuff them in a pocket. Lastly, he made sure to return the ranger’s notebooks to where they originally were, and close the drawer, before carefully exiting the station and locking the door behind him, then slipping the key under the door.

Leif didn't encounter anything abnormal, or anyone he recognized as he made his way back to Marasong. The Imported Booty store was the destination, and Leif found a sign on the door 'Closed for Cargo'. In fact, many stores had similar signs on the doors, though lights were on inside, and sounds could be heard though no one was visible.

For a place full of so many familiar faces, it was strange to walk through town to the docks and not see a single person he knew. And Leif was definitely looking. His mind was busy keeping that bit of anxiety at bay, convincing himself the others would eventually show up, that he hadn't switched dimensions again, when he finally found himself standing before the doors to the Imported Booty. So it took him a minute before he finally read the sign on the door that said the place was temporarily closed.

Just as a frustrated huff escaped his lips and his eyes started scanning the surroundings for his next stop, he heard sounds coming from inside the store. A more careful inspection revealed the lights were on, but he couldn't really see anyone inside. It was a good bet to assume it was Bug. If not, he just had to deflect and move on. Been there, done that. So he knocked on the door.

It took a minute before Bug came wandering from somewhere in the back to see what was a knock knock knocking on his door. He opened it up a smidge, "Oy! Is the sign smudged?" He made a show of looking at the sign. "Nope. Looks legible to me. How about you?" There was a hint of a grin in his eyes though, and a smile under the tone. Like he was used to people not paying attention to the closed sign.

Leif felt a wave of relief wash over him as Bug's face apeared in the narrow speace between the door and doorframe when he answered. Yet the vampire's expression was soon replaced by confusion at the man's unexpected (and if they hadn't been directed at him, quite funny) words.

"Oh, I can read..." Leif was quick to recover, but he was careful not to let his words sound smug or demanding. "... but I was looking for you, not your store." There was a short pause in which he watched Bug, hoping he'd show any signs of remembering their previous conversation. "You told me to come back later, I'm here. Do you have a minute?" Considering the man apparently didn't have any customers, this seemed like just the right time.

Bug grinned wider with a lifting of an eyebrow. He moved aside and held the door open for Leif to enter, then made sure it was closed before beckoning the man to follow. "We can jibber jabber as I sort the inventory. This way." And he led the way through the clock and into the 'secret' back room where the clothing items were on display and apparently Bug sorted his cargo.

"So what's on your mind?"

Bug's grin was met with a smirk, and the vampire quickly followed him inside, keeping his eyes peered for fireglass as they made their way through the clock. The man spoke as soon as they were inside the secret room and it took Leif a few moments to sort out an answer. A lot was on his mind. Way, way too much information. But he still kind of remembered where his last conversation with Bug stopped.

"I need to find Alyce and ask her for help. Any tips on that?"

There wasn't any fireglass, but there was sea glass. In the boxes in the front, meant for the tourists, sea glass baubles and necklaces and what not. However, through the clock and in to the back room, there weren't any baubles, just clothing and whatever may be in the crates Bug was working to sort.

However, Bug paused when Leif asked about Alyce. "Oh no, no, nononono. I'm out of that one. I have enough dealing with Tucker, I'm not going to get myself in the cross hairs of that one. Not these days."

"As much as I wish I did, I'm afraid I don't have that option." Leif took a deep breath and his tone remained calm. "I've reason to believe Tucker's involved in whatever's going on. Perhaps you already know that." He made a brief pause. "But are there any other options besides Alyce?"

Bug crinkled his nose and then rubbed at his face with both hands before seemingly focusing on the contents of the crate. He was quiet, picking up some of the items for inspection. They looked like clothing, fabric, hats and scarves. He did continue talking after a minute or two.

"Honestly? Your best bet is to leave." Bug leveled a look at Leif, before clicking his tongue and adding quieter. "But somehow I don't think you will." Insert heavy sigh. "Second best option... find a witch, get a potion of.." He paused and cleared his throat, which was clear after he said the next it was to try and get the accent right. "...cuimhneacháin. Convince Alyce to drink it, then ask for help."

When Bug went silent for some time, apparently focused on sorting through his new items, Leif just stood and waited. He'd speak eventually, the vampire bet, and the man hadn't exactly asked him to leave.

And when Bug did speak, he spoke the truth. Leif had no plans of leaving yet, even though leaving was probably the best decision for anyone not yet caught in that mess. He would leave. Just not yet. Not alone. Then Bug proceeded to finally give pretty clear instructions.

"Right... thank you. A potion of remembrance. Not the most exotic thing in the world. Now finding a witch in Marasong... might be tricky. Might not. After years studying with Adrien, Leif was almost confident he'd be able to brew it himself. Yet almost confident wasn't good enough here.

"Now why is it everyone's afraid of Alyce? I'd really like to know what I'm dealing with. Besides the Undaria."

Bug stood up straight, one hand waving a shirt with a near cheesy pirate chest on front, and some text with 'booty' emblazoned below. He looked like he was going to answer, but stopped himself at the last moment with a near audible snap of his teeth.

He appeared to be giving it some real thought before he mumbled, "Can't sayyyyyyyy." And there was a very slight head jerk toward the main room.

Leif observed every minimal movement Bug made, and again it seemed like they ran into the same problem. People wanted to speak, but couldn't. Better than people unwilling to help, for sure.

He shot a quick glance toward the main room, and Leif stepped closer, so he wouldn't need to speak as loud, but just as he was about to say something he stopped himself, and instead fished the phone he had from his pocket. He opened up a blank document, typed something in it and showed it to Bug.

I can read. Can you write?

Bug let out a loud snort, "Of course I can re.... ooooooohhhhhh." Light bulb was there, just sometimes took a bit to warm up. He looked around for something to write on, not assuming he could use Leif's phone.

Didn't take long before he found the back of a cargo receipt and he always had a pen on him somewhere. After some patting down of pockets, he found it and wrote. He was the type to write with his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth, the type who didn't scribble, but made sure it was legible. Most of the time.

He handed the paper over and what he wrote.

I can write!

IF DECEMBER FREEZES
A story by Out Of Words​

Season One: A Night Bleeds​

 

[Out Of Words]

IF DECEMBER FREEZES​

IC Thread - Discord Compilation (Riley)
A Misstep​

Boy fetched the nicest branches and acorns he could find, making the best use of his newly acquired eyesight. And depending on Augie's reaction, he'd change his selection criteria to pick better and better acorns and branches.

It was a nice time, and it was easy to forget all the eerie things that'd been going on. All the dog could hear was his and Augie's footsteps, Augie climbing trees here and there, the breeze and the rustling of leaves. Until the wind started picking up. It might just be his own paranoia at this point, but the occasional howling left him on edge, a howling he had to keep reassuring himself was just the wind.

He could smell rain in the air. Perhaps it was time to end their little field trip for the day, yet the thought of returning to the shore wasn't that appealing. Perhaps a trip into town instead. He trotted to the bottom of the tree Augie happened to be climbing and sat down, looking up at him as he waited for the man to come down.

Augie grinned down when he saw Boy waiting for him, and he started to climb down. Something tickled Boy's right ear, as if trying to get the canine's attention. When he did look, it was himself, clad all in black, with glowing eyes. The figure was in a crouch, and had been touching Boy's ear with a finger.

Dark Riley grinned wide, showing rows upon rows of sharp teeth as echoing voices whispered in the dog's head. "Watch this." Then he blew air out his mouth, like blowing candles on a cake out.

With it came a very strong gust of wind, just as Augie was trying to find footing on the branch he used to climb up. The unexpected gust made him miss, and in a moment, he was falling backward toward the ground.

It seemed like things were kind of alright. Too alright to be true, of course. The dog wagged his tail when Augie looked down and started climbing down, but the happy moment lasted perhaps a second.He sensed the presence an instant before he felt something tickle his ear. And his whole body tensed up as he turned his head in slow motion to meet the crouched figure beside him.

Having seen that version of himself before didn't make it any more natural. All he could do was stand there frozen, half expecting to be sucked into those rows upon rows of sharp teeth that were almost hypnotizing. When the echoing voices finally spoke, they sent a chill down his spine. A chill that was followed by his heartbeats quickly speeding up the moment he realized the figure's attention was no longer solely on himself.

He felt himself still unable to move as thoughts crashed and collided in his distressed mind. What was happening? Who was that and what did it want? Why Augie? Not Augie, he had nothing to do with anything! It felt like a minute or two had gone by, although perhaps in reality it'd been just an instant.

His mind didn't know what to do to stop it from targeting Augie, yet the sound of that gust of wind instantly got his attention, and as he watched Augie lose his footing in slow motion, it was suddenly like the dark figure beside him was no longer there. Perhaps it wasn't. It didn't really matter.

The dog broke out of the freeze the moment Augie started falling backward, and he did all he had time to do. He jumped up in the air in an attempt to meet Augie halfway, knowing he wouldn't be physically able to catch him, but hoping his own body might cushion his fall, if anything.

Boy collided with Augie somewhere in his descent. It didn't completely stop his fall, but it did knock him away from a half buried rock that would have caused more damage than just the hard ground he did land on. The wind was knocked out of him and he lay there dazed, but there had been the sound of something snapping. Augie landed on his right side, and just a glance could see his arm bent in a not usual manner. Yeah. Broken for sure.

Boy would have done what he did anyway, but when he'd taken action he'd completely ignored the other effects it'd have besides cushioning Augie's fall. Augie probably weighted almost twice as much as his scrawny dog form, and the impact against Augie and then against the ground sure did knock the wind out of him as well, just as he tried to let out an involuntary yelp of pain.

But the sound of something snapping outside of his body made him quickly recover and wiggle his way out from underneath Augie with some effort, only to quickly spot where the sound had come from. A broken arm. As the sight of the sharp rock right next to where Augie had fallen sent chills down Boy's spine, a broken arm suddenly didn't seem like such a big deal anymore. It could've been way, way worse.

He felt anger start bubbling up inside of his chest, but it remained on the background. He was more focused on making sure Augie was fine, and that his arm was indeed his biggest problem as he anxiously circled around him a couple of times, then started nudging and licking the man's face.

Augie was dazed, but at least it looked like he wasn't feeling any pain, yet. He took in several deep breathes before attempting to roll off the broken arm and lay on his back instead. Then he muttered, "Ow."

There was the dark whispering in the back of Boy's mind again. Chuckling. "It's a weakness, to worry about others. A flaw. A vulnerability. One that can easily be exploited for another's gain." Hair raised on the back of the dog's spine with the next bit.

"I should take care of it for you now. You'd thank me later."

IF DECEMBER FREEZES
A story by Out Of Words​

Season One: A Night Bleeds​

 

[Worthlessplebian]

Bernard Greve
Location: Straddling on the edge;
With: Indy;
Interactions: Rhyme Mentions: Out Of Words
Art by leevolt on DeviantArt
Mood: So that's why cats don't like baths;​

The quieting of his unnecessary senses ensured Bernard one-hundred percent increase in analytical strength for the chasm that is Marasong's oceanic pit. Yet the foul wind that brushes against the Dane's dried cheeks proved to be distracting all on its' own, he fought to ignore that mischievous wind —almost supplying it with a will of its own. Life teemed down there, he thinks. It almost feels as though the water laps against his knuckles, seaweed seeping to be caught under his trimmed nails. He knew that this is simply a sensory phantasm concocted by his brain, if he opens his eyes then there would be nothing there. Yet he cannot shake the feeling that an invisible, slimy, hand clenches his wrist sometimes. A hand of seaweed... His eyes tremble beneath the lids, he dares not will them to open to confront whatever is gripping him for fear of losing sight of Indy's target; and perhaps, Indy herself.

That rickety form in the depths could not possibly be living, Bernard immediately concluded without reproach. It is possessed of an electrical charge, but the inherent keenness of his vampiric nature alerted him to the categorical difference between healthy organisms... And machine-corpses. Rather that is what Bernard assumed it to be, despite it potentially being composited of organic material such as skin, hair, muscle, and bone, it might as well be a vending machine. Bernard shook his head, this could not be Indy's sister. Unless an event of heavy trauma occurred. Suddenly however, his body, from compacted toes to the hair strands on his head, shivered as Indy's bioelectrical energy flared as her form struggled to rid herself of that morbid undersea article. His head jerks to track her movements. The contours of his face sneer at the display with hushed eyes, exposing a touch of his white teeth. He can't jump in yet, she needs to get closer.

"Come on, come on," - The Dane clutched hope by the reins.

His fears were proven unreasonable immediately, as Indy's form grew larger by the clock's tick. His eyes snap open as soon as she breaks the water's surface, carrying that aquatic carcass. The Dane's hands lunged at the water-inflated corpse, blemished by purple-yellow splotches and spiderwebbed by kelp. Extensive decomposition catalyzed by the sea's necrosing effect. Fishes affect the process as well, sad end for when an animal gets its fill from a murdered victim. "Ved Herren," Bernard called not out of pity for the victim's demise, but that fusty, putrid smell. The cold water of Marasong delayed the formation of gases, coupled with the fish hooks and or kelp meant that this corpse would not have ballooned to the surface unless it broke apart.

Gentler hands were given to Indy, assisting her to the docks. A soaked hand of his rested on his knee, eyes examining the body. The head had been thrown back from the force of exiting the water, Bernard's fingers bit into shriveled armpits, loosening a chunk while leaving dead skin and sinew under his nails. Grey, rubbery material with almost no elasticity. The puckered lips looked as though they were frozen in time, the moment he tried to gasp for air. His wrists bend at an odd angle, could be post-mortem damage but Bernard is wholly inexperienced to these matters. Barely green behind the ears as it were, yet he remained alarmingly somber.

"Judging by the stages of his decomposition... He has been deceased for more than twenty-four hours, though the damage disallows me to estimate cause. Foul play?" He wonders aloud.

 

[KodakWolf]

Leif Hjalkarssen

Leif half expected Bug to take his phone to reply, but the man was quick to find paper, which worked as well. But when Bug handed him back his answer, it was hard to hold in a half snort, half chuckle at what was written down. Of course. Bug was a very literal person, he knew it from other timelines at this point.

*What is Alyce? Why is everyone afraid of Alyce? How should I deal with her?*

He wrote the next questions on his phone. Took less space, and was easier to erase.

 

[KodakWolf]

Riley Adler / Boy

Boy watched Augie attentively, and gave a few quick steps back to give the man space when he started moving. Yes, it was going to hurt, and there wasn't much the dog could do about it, unfortunately. He could try to call for help, for sure. Or drag Augie to the clinic.

As he was entertaining those options, he sense the whisper even before he actually heard it, and just like before, it made his fur bristle and hia muscles freeze. The words spoken, however, were unexpected. It took the dog a good half a minute to process them, and try to understand why he was hearing them right now. So the magic intended more than to just torment him, just for the sake of it?

Regardless of what it really wanted, its words made him angry, and the dog shook his fur off several times, as if trying to shake the voice away. Because what it was saying was total bullshit. Yes, Riley knew what not caring about others had led him to, what it'd brought him. And on the opposite side, what caring did. And his own personal experience spoke enough by itself, for sure a lot more than whatever lecturing words his magic was trying to force down his throat.

He looked around and sniffed the air, hoping the magic would shut up. Hoping he'd sniff out someone he could trust that'd be able to help Augie, perhaps.

 

[Out Of Words]

IF DECEMBER FREEZES​

IC Thread - GM Post
GM Updates​

Bug smirked, all proud of his answer while Leif typed out something else on the phone. There might have been a small widening of his eyes, but Bug seemed eager to write out a reply. Again the tongue peeked out the corner of his mouth, and one could tell he was doodling slightly as he wrote.

While in the Eastern woods, Augie did his best to sit up without jarring his broken arm and keep Boy reassured. "It's... We'll go to .. the clinic. It's near." Augie tried to reassure himself and the canine at the same time, while finding his footing with as little movement as possible. The clinic was close, just between the Eastern woods and the town proper. They'd be able to help, surely.

For Hatsu and Bill, between the forest and the shore, they worked to remember where they were on the treasure hunting process, while the healing potion mended Hatsu's palm. Steps, paces, feet, somewhere the treasure beckoned. Just as a level of confidence filled the duo, a recollection of exactly where they were, a cry broke through their concentration.

Farther along the shoreline something was happening, and it didn't feel good. At first, there was just motion. Someone's house boat docked at, presumably, what was a private dock. Two figures pulled something out of the water, then a third outline on the deck of the boat. Then came the anguished, grief stricken screaming as the third quickly made it's way to the shore. Their movements bore a desperation not often seen.

"Dad? Dad! DAD! NO! Nononono!" His cries tore at the heart, sounds overflowed with emotions no one wanted to experience. "DAD!"

Rhevens didn't know if he wanted to touch the body, yet he kept reaching toward the form. It was clear the young man knew who it was, despite the ravages of the ocean and whatever caused the rest of the damage. He collapsed to his knees in the sand, howling out his grief. It was loud enough figures on the docks heard and rushed to the obvious sounds of distress. It wouldn't be very long before Hatsu and Bill were quickly passed by, being between the town and the houseboat along the shore. There was an urgency in the hurried steps of the dock workers, it cut through the air like a knife.

Indy and Bernard had first row seats to raw emotions in Rhevens' expression, and body language. It was a small testament to his inner control, the way he did his very best to not touch the body, or maybe it was a way to shield himself from the truth laying lifeless before him. Fingers curled into the material of his pants, they could see the hint of claws piercing the material as Rhevens' grip dug deeper still. Physical pain was another way to let out one's agony when screaming wasn't enough.



OOC Information

Hatsu, Bill silverwhere BillieRoss : You remember where you were in the treasure hunting, but a decent sized throng of people run past the two of you, toward the scene along the shore. It might take another minute to get your bearings if you want to continue with the treasure hunt and ignore the drama farther down. Then again, you'll wind up with possibly quite a few witness to your digging ventures.

Indy, Bernard Rhyme Worthlessplebian : Rhevens is nearly beside himself with grief, giving you high confidence of just who the body used to be. It's a strange mix of decay and damage caused by fishes, and something else as yet undetermined. A crowd from the dock run toward the scene with the screaming, though to your ears, it definitely sounds more like a howling wail.

Roje Britt-21 : There's a strange shimmering in the darkness of your vision. Like invisible ripples causing a disturbance in the void. Something's going on, but you cannot hear anything aside from a water roaring in your ears.

Leif KodakWolf : The sound of screaming interrupts Bug's writing, as he inevitably has to go see what is going on. Several people are doing the same, while a large number of the workers on the dock are running toward the West. No one knows what's going on, but the emotions in that screaming are real.

Riley KodakWolf : The darkness doesn't seem to say anything more, and the presence dissipates as you shake your fur out again and again. There is a strange sound in the air, but it's distant enough to not be clear. It still brings a shiver, and a sense of foreboding in the air, or maybe that is the aftermath of dark Riley. Regardless, the clinic does seem to be the best bet to head to.

Everyone else not mentioned : You may use Discord encounters, build upon your posts with this week's updates, or message me if you need assistance.

IF DECEMBER FREEZES
A story by Out Of Words​

Season One: A Night Bleeds​

 

[Silver-]

SILVER
Tags: Out Of Words | Mentions: N/A | Location: Eden > The Deep End of the Pool​

How long have I been resting here?

A crisp wind sifted through the verdant foliage that was scattered across the glade that thrived in hues of autumn. Vibrant golds clashed with gradients of red to rich orange, crinkling into somber browns dedicated to fallen leaves shed by the myriad of boughs that perpetually reached skyward. Rich loam still provided enough nourishment so that the arbors could show off their seasonal hues, the grass still as lush as it had been the other day even when leafy colors had a tighter reign on the appearance of the glade. Part of Silver told her that she'd been wandering around the threshold of the den her and Rhevens had found for quite some time, considering the colors of the trees were changing with increasing prominence in how many times she'd closed her eyes and awoken to still brandishing a coat of stark white fur and fang.

It wasn't a bad thing - resonating with her wolf held a different perspective. It's significance had never cast a shadow on her life, in fact, discovering her connection to her wolf was likely her most redeeming quality. To be able to shift into the form of a powerful keystone predator when she needed to most, sense it's presence in times of hardship or sudden panic more so than before or the ability to finally confirm a single link she could truly say was tethering her to this world and prove herself that perhaps there is a reason for her to be here.

It wasn't a matter of pride, it was more so being able to find a purpose. To say she'd found it within her wolf would be an understatement. To live life as a human with the mindset of there being something else that was guiding her forward and challenging her to continue to struggle against the normalcies, to refuse to conform - not out of intentional effort, but out of a natural tendency to do so without really understanding why - until it all had to come crashing down into one instance of clashing intangibilities. Even so, it felt like she'd only hovered over the surface of it.

So now she could be a wolf, what exactly was she supposed to do now? There would be no home to return to, no person to explain the phenomenon and how exactly she could fully control it or what else she could do. There was also no way to really know what she was. Werewolf was too obscure, but it was the easiest way to keep it in mind.

You could just stay here. A voice called in the back of her mind, the ever-present temptation to succumb to complacency after being tossed around mentally for so long. The longer she stayed here, the less she wanted to return to whatever reality she'd been thrown into and she couldn't even say it was only the desire of her wolf alone. In fact, her wolf was almost restless in her thoughts, not quite desperate to forcibly take the reins but enough it would've been a bigger cause for alarm if she hadn't entered this place feeling exhausted from the beginning. Silver couldn't say that she always shared it's urgency.

Being outside of the glade meant going back to a world she knew nothing about, attaching herself to people with the risk of losing them the same way and then going into an endless cycle of highs and lows - trusting and not trusting, losing and regaining. This was a situation where she didn't want to stay forever, but a little rest wouldn't hurt either.

A twinge of nausea swept across her senses as they had when she'd been human. It normally denoted some kind of hunger or an involuntary tightening of muscles from entering a stressful environment, but this time it felt a little different. With a quiet growl of disdain, she flopped onto her side as if it might ease the feeling that had followed her from the mundane, but to no avail. Pinning her ears back, Silver sat up slowly so as to not stir the contents of her insides that were so nicely making their presence known to her. It was odd for her to be feeling such things in this place and for a moment she wondered if the gut-wrenching sensation was being spurned by the act of someone or something else. Are you trying to tell me to get off my ass? Her ears flicked irritably when her only audience seemed to grow silent after having paced around enough in her thoughts that she believed it would somehow manifest itself next to her on it's own. Whatever the case, Silver opted to do a good stretch and allow her paws to dig up a bit of earth before slipping out into the sunlit forest.

Almost immediately there was some sort of heaviness in the air and in tasting it, it was.. salty? The forest where the seemingly magical cusp of trees sat was definitely close to the ocean, but not enough that it should be as fresh as it smelt. The more she noticed the prominent brackish scents that were replacing the chillier, autumnal ones, the more a trickling noise tickled her ears. She could've sworn it sounded like water just dripping from a leaky shower head in how familiar it was. Was she waking up? Or was she even asleep in the first place? Half the time she'd ended up in the glade, she couldn't even remember having left town let alone found the place on her own even with Rhevens having shown her how to do so. The scents in the air grew stronger the more she wandered away from the den.

A certain petrichor-like dampness was riddling zephyrs into thickets of humidity that were making her swivel her ears in different directions as she tried to map out the general scale of an oncoming storm. It didn't feel monstrous, but it was a definite deluge like the one that had scathed the town back when she met that one mysterious townsperson. Tucker might've been his name, if she remembered correctly. A storm was brewing off the coast somewhere for sure and for some reason she wanted to get out of it's way. It felt off.

This is a dream though, so why does it matter? The hairs on her spine bristled at the sudden loudening of churning water, earthy and salty scents uproaring from her right flank. She could taste the seawater in her mouth all over again. It tried to fill her lungs as a result of her not being able to feel the sandy floor beneath her nor could she tread water even with the help of a friend that had been shoulder-to-shoulder with her. They were both struggling in the currents. The uncomfortable feeling of helplessness that had forced her to raise her voice and the desperate cry for help that she'd breathed into the air. Something she never would've done if she'd been alone.

Help had come all too swiftly as did Silver's recollection of a memory that had somehow placed itself into the reality she was now staring down into. A pit had somehow opened up right beside the den, foaming at the brim with seawater lapping hungrily at the entrance and it was just about to swallow something up. Someone. It was a someone. A tail, thick like that of a canine's was halfway above the surface before it disappeared beneath the water. It couldn't have been Rhevens, she would've at least sensed him. Maybe there was a curious animal wandering around that had somehow slipped past her and her wolf? There was no way, unless she really was dreaming.

The gut-wrenching feeling from before twisted into a nausea that had her whole body going rigid. Who or what was that? Was she actually dreaming? Something told her to follow it, to give chase to the tail going down the only tunnel she'd ever seen in her life. I can't. Her paws danced at the edge of the tunnel as it felt like every moment she spent above the water, she was losing track of something important and with every hesitation the knife that was twisting in her gut was only growing in pain. An irritated growl cut through the sounds of water crashing and seconds later, Silver threw herself into the tunnel, meeting seawater instantly but the weight of it not quite registering to her body.

Paws easily kicked their way through the currents as kelp lined the inside, acting as a curtain whenever she caught too long of a look at that tail she was following. She tried her best to not get too distracted at the gross feeling of kelp against fur nor how the longer she kept swimming, the heavier the water seemed to get as if the pressure were growing and the walls were narrowing until she was basically squeezing through. The mouth of the tunnel's waters provided no resistance when it came to breathing, but now that she was beginning to lose sight of the tail from being unable to get any purchase, her wolf was also weakening in it's efforts despite how fiercely it wanted to keep following. You can swim, I can't! Her chest burned at the oppressing pressure that sat on it, hands replacing paws as she tried to swim forwards, tearing the kelp away and partially using it to pull herself forward until she was within arms length of that damned tail.

Bubbles erupted from her lips as she pushed herself forward, kicking with her legs in an attempt to keep up. This whole situation felt all too familiar. Entering a tunnel and following something down it, something that held such importance that all she could do was chase it down like her life depended on it. The last time she'd done this she'd been injured, freshly shifted into her wolf. Thorns had raked at her coat, the scent of her own blood filling her lungs like the water that was beginning to choke her now. She couldn't remember if she'd gotten to where she'd needed to be back then. She had been with someone back then though. Who was it that she'd been pursuing?

Black specks lined the edges of her vision, her whole body beginning to ache from struggling through water and kelp, but if this was important to her wolf, then it must be something urgent. She couldn't remember how many times she'd had dreams of being thrown underwater, never quite drowning but always floating in a perspective that made it feel like a definite possibility. Not to mention almost drowning twice in reality. This felt like both of those concepts colliding together at the same time. Silver swam and clawed her way through until her hand hovered just above the tail, digging her stinging fingers into encircling walls with one hand and briefly grabbing the fluffy tuft of fur with her dominant hand until a name flashed into her thoughts.

Midnight?

 

[Larry]

Aódh McFaol
Location: ?
Mood: Trudging tortuously.
Interactions: n/A.
Mentions: n/A.​

It was always strange to the young man, regardless of how numerous the instances were, to experience, to feel, to navigate the world through the modality of his assumed, wolfish form. There was no doubting, nor did he, that this was inextricably him, his physiology; the pain by which he found himself transformed into this form was evidence enough of the processes that produced such a medley of man and wolf. Yet, as it would be painfully aware to Aódh, this capacity, however inhered it may have become over the years, was forced, imposed upon him - almost as though it were a curse. Even as the water drenched his fur, dulling it to an even darker shade of brown, whilst simultaneously causing his body temperature to drop tremendously, these thoughts always seemed to raise their head, bubbling from within his mind, tinged with a philosophical hue. For the time being however, such considerations would need to be put to the side, as far more exigent matters concerned the wolfman, his electric-blue eyes staring so intently at the trail that it may have found itself hewn by the werewolf's sheer focus. In fact, he would become more intimately acquainted with the trail, for, once he had descended to it, the beast slipped, a combination of the ground's slippery surface and a lack of focus, perhaps borne out by the effort exerted in getting there in the first place. He laid there for but a moment before urgency enjoined him to take to his feet once again, earnestly impelling him to continue down the path. Aódh snarled at the mishap, mentally castigating himself for every moment lost when someone's life was on the line. So, hefting his hulking form aright, the werewolf continued upon the trail, though with one arm outstretched in front of him, to prevent the ferocity of the whirlpool from blinding him, and thus lead him away from the path.

The Irishman continued along the trail, and continue the trail did as well. To Aódh, it felt as though it had been an age since he had embarked along the vine-strewn path, with no end seemingly in sight. And, not only was there no clarity for his efforts, but the whirlpool did not abate in the strength by which it thrashed against his body, but, on occasion, seemed to intensify but then suddenly wane. As he lurched onwards, for the briefest of moments, the young man felt the slightest squeeze on his tail. The young man, eager to verify what it was, reasoned to himself, albeit with a prodding need to keep focused on the trail, that it must have been a strand of loose kelp, whipped up by the fierce motions of the whirlpool, to entangle itself with his tail. It isn't important, the young man re-adjusted, foisting all his intention on the trail, we have to keep moving forward. Another, seemingly interminable stretch of time seemed to pass upon this unfathomably long trail, before something, through the almost-imperceptible rush of the whirlpool, asserted itself against the water. Lights, astoundingly, appeared on both sides of the trail; whatever they portended, something good, the young man no doubt hoped, it indicated to Aódh that he was heading somewhere. Or rather, it was to something. Suddenly, against the outline of the water, further along the trail, the faoladh espied the faint, almost diaphanous, form of a standing person. As he honed his gaze on the novel visage, it seemed to move, ever so slightly, but enough to give him hope that this might be the person calling out for help. Determination thrummed in every sinew and synapse, and though he wanted to bound in the direction of the figures, he dropped to his knees.

He was running out of air.

But, if he were to turn and ascend to the surface again, what were the chances, that he would get so close to these figures again? Though a discharge of water burst out from his mouth, indicating how little air he had left, the werewolf stood up gradually, before taking off in the direction of the visages, hopeful of reaching them.

 

[silverwhere]

Hatsu Black
- He/Him -
The Shore | Everything's FINE
Tags: Out Of Words BillieRoss
​

Hatsu rubbed his palm as he felt a slight warmth take over his body and the radiating pain in his palm dulled down until it eventually stopped. "Thanks," He uttered out as he rubbed his palm against his pant leg again. The potion that Bill had given him worked and it meant that he could focus on the treasure map again. They were past 60 steps and they hadn't hit the 100 steps yet, that was all he could recall. Hatsu didn't want to have to restart their search, they had already made a good amount of head away. He hoped that Bill's makeshift magic metal detector would be enough to correct any margin of error. He was forced out of his thoughts when a horrible cry echoed from the docks.

"Dad? Dad! DAD! NO! Nononono!"

From the docks, he could see three figures. The one that had just cried out had just exited the boat house and he could make out the other two pulling someone out of the water. Soon enough, people pushed past him and Bill and ran towards the docks to offer help.

He didn't need to see to know what had happened. Cries like those were filled with death and despair. Since it echoed from the docks, it meant only one thing; someone fell in and didn't come back up until now. He couldn't make out the figures, but he had a feeling it was Indy, maybe Bernard, and a third he didn't recognize. Indy was looking for her missing sister and he hoped that he wouldn't have to hear a second grief ridden cry. He hoped that her sister was okay.

Hatsu took a deep breath.

He wanted to ignore it, and go back to their silly treasure hunt. He wanted to prepend that nothing terrible just happened and that the screaming was just due to a bad dad joke. In the end, he knew he wouldn't be able to. It made him sick to think about turning away from people who obviously needed help. Their treasure hunt could wait, this was more important.

Another deep breath, "I'm going to go help, we can do this later."

He didn't wait for a response before taking off towards the docks. He didn't want to waste any time to see if Bill would protest. He watched his steps and was sure to stay out of the way and avoid getting pushed in. There wasn't much fencing here, so he could easily fall in and become the next body that they pull out the ocean.

 

[KodakWolf]

Riley Adler/ Boy​

Suddenly, just as the atmosphere seemed to be settling into something normal again when Boy could no longer sense any dark presences nearby, a distant sound startled the dog again. Not just a sound he could hear, but a sound he could sense, a sound he could feel. It made him shiver, and he felt his stomach sink a bit, a bit only because the sound was far, far away. A glance shot at Augie revealed the man didn’t seem to have heard it, or was in too much pain to care.

It could’ve been that same dark magic, moving finally away from them for however long, going to bother someone else for the time being. Or it could be something else entirely, one never knew in Marasong. But all that really mattered at the moment was that the sound, whatever it was, didn’t seem to be located anywhere between their current location and the clinic, which meant they should start heading to the clinic regardless of what it was.

It was nice to have that clear priority set on his mind. It meant he could push every other thought aside for the time being, and focus solely on making sure Augie got to the clinic safely as quickly as possible. It meant he was making a huge effort to keep one specific thought at bay while they made their way through the woods. The thought that maybe it was time to get away from Augie. For his own safety.

 

[Rhyme]

Indy

Location: On the docks
Tags: Out Of Words Worthlessplebian

Indy practically tossed the body toward Bernard as she saw him reach out to help. The waterlogged flesh had to be dragged upward and she tried her best to avoid glancing at the already shredded skin on its back, where she knew the uneven wooden edge of the dock was only digging further into existing bloody trenches. Once Bernard helped pull her onto the deck, she flopped onto her ass with her head tilted back as she pulled in desperate gasps of air.

Bernard was already on the case, looking like an authentic detective as he analyzed the body now stretched out on the planks between them. He seemed shockingly unperturbed by the fact an actively leaking corpse was sprawled out like a freshly caught fish at his feet--maybe she would have been similarly undisturbed at a time before all of this weird shit began.

"Judging by the stages of his decomposition... He has been deceased for more than twenty-four hours, though the damage disallows me to estimate cause. Foul play?"

How much experience did this guy have with dead bodies? Indy's expression was pinched as she forced herself to glance over toward the corpse in question. "Wouldn't be the first time a tourist got drunk and ended up in the water. If he's local though..." Locals knew better.

A broken screech ripped through the potential of any further conversation. The kid had reappeared, his face twisted with anguish as he looked at the body. Fuck.

Indy struggled to her feet as she watched the kid's hands reach out hesitantly, his voice already hoarse from building sobs. Her own hands flexed at her sides as she quickly glanced between the boy and the water, unsure whether she needed to be worried about dragging two bodies out of the water. Before she could grow too concerned, the kid crumbled instead into the sand with heaving sobs.

He did not touch the body. Not a single time, even as Indy could see the tension in his hands as he gripped onto his pantlegs and sobbed. She understood. Ultimately, she and Bernard were strangers. She played no role in his father's death aside from the discovery, but watching Rheven face the destruction of his reality made her feel as though the fault lay solely in her bloody hands.

Indy slowly edged toward Bernard, her lips pressed tightly together as she looked toward the start of the docks where people were gathering, drawn in by Rheven's howls. "Shit. You any good with crowds?"

coded by: @s e v e n

 

[KodakWolf]

Leif Hjalkarssen​

Expectations were at a high when Bug was writing the answer to the second question. A true answer, the information he'd been seeking, that seemed so hard to get, was just inches away, finally. When it felt like nothing could possibly happen to somehow prevent the vampire from finally reaching it, something did.

Screaming, and not just any screaming. Even from inside the Imported Booty, Leif could easily tell how loaded with emotions the voice was, emotions so intense they hardly ever meant something other than one’s encounter with death. The death of a loved one. Leif had yet to make a wrong assumption after hearing something like that. One would think after living so many years, it’d become easier to hear, but that wasn’t really true. With all his circumstances considered, those screams of pain and grief made the vampire’s blood run cold, a lot more than any scream of fear or horror ever possibly could.

He’d no other option than to follow Bug outside, already dreading what he could possibly meet there, but eyes never lost track of the paper Bug had been writing on, as he had to make sure it wouldn’t be lost in the rush. The man held onto it as he left the store, which hopefully meant that’d be one less thing Leif’d have to worry about.

The vampire was greeted by the powerful stench of death the instant he stepped foot outside. A stench that’d been looming towards town since Indy started stirring the waters under that dock in search of her sister, a stench whose source now lay on the dock in plain sight for everyone to see. And it did look like everyone in town was heading that way. As he half walked, half ran towards the source of the screams, it was easy to spot what seemed like a private dock, and the figures standing on it. Well, two of them were standing.

The closer he got, the clearer the scene became, and by the time Leif finally reached said private dock, he knew at least half of those directly involved in whatever was going on. Indy, one of the people he’d arrived in town with, although none of the others were around, which potentially meant problems. He didn’t know the dark haired man standing beside her, but he did know the man on his knees in the sand, the obvious source of the screaming voice. Ravens was the name Leif knew him by. And the memories of that village by the water, still fresh in the vampire’s mind, didn’t let him mistake who the figure laying on the dock was.

He was able to stare at the corpse for a good half a minute that seemed to last an eternity, a good half a minute during which everything else in their immediate surroundings was slowed down and muffled. And then it all became blurry, everything but the sight of Dusk’s decayed corpse and the stench emanating from it, a stench that almost seemed to take physical form and wrap itself around the vampire’s throat. It traveled through his nostrils to build up a throbbing headache right behind his eyes, one that forced him to step away a few steps, sit down in the sand and squeeze his eyes shut before a wave of lightheadedness almost took the best of him. It was also right on time for him to suppress the sudden urge to vomit. There was no need for a bloody mess on top of the spectacle the townsfolk were already getting.

It wasn’t the sight of a decayed, half eaten corpse that got to him. Despite the putrid stench of rotting flesh and seaweed that filled the air and intensified itself through his extremely sensitive sense of smell, the one thing that made his throat close up and his heart pound inside his chest was the thought that Dusk might not be the only one. Where there was one, there might very well be more, and while he’d been able to find Chase, he hadn’t been able to find Turid. River hadn’t been able to find Turid yet. And she could very well be under the sea right at that very moment, her body being eaten away by the fish, the water, the salt and the time. Even after having coped with her death once, in a different timeline for sure, the thought of it wasn’t any easier to entertain.

It was a good few minutes before he was able to recompose himself enough to breathe and open his eyes again to face the scene that was still playing around him. Sitting there would bring him no closer to finding Turid, or saving Chase.

He slowly turned around to face the scene, then moved to get back up, still consciously breathing in and out, eyes searching the crowd for Bug, and then for any known faces. Any at all. And they kept searching while he stepped closer to Indy, laying a heavy hand on her shoulder as he whispered to her, offering the dark haired man beside her a quick glance and a nod. If she was with him, it probably meant he could be trusted. Probably. Whatever.

“We need to talk.” He whispered. And it was then that he finally took in the fact that she was soaking wet. That she’d been in the fucking water. “And don’t ever get into that water again.” Eyes drifted toward Ravens, but Leif had simply no idea what to do about all that. No idea how to move on from that point, in terms of dispersing the crowd, dealing with the body and all that came after that. Even talking to the grieving man and offering him help, or a few words, which the vampire’s instincts nagged him to do, would prove to be a challenge, given that even though Leif knew him and his father, Ravens most likely had no idea who Leif was. Not in this timeline, anyway.