Set the morning after this thread.
All Welcome!

---

Skill - Ranger

It was still deluging come morning. She'd tried to wake up Mal, because she was hungry, and a rainy morning was the perfect time to fish.

But Mal lacked the discipline of a sailor and wouldn't fucking get up. He didn't want to go out in the rain. The shitehawk was contented to let her do the hunting while he lazed about, apparently.

Well, she'd eat her fill then! If she happened to have any spare, she might let him snack on it.

...

Who the hell was she kidding? She had no intention of sharing with a lazy idiot. She kicked him on the way out.

Quickly the onpour soaked her to the bone. The Cur didn't mind. Out at sea, a good rain might be the only bath you got for weeks. And water had always felt more like home than dirt. Even after this long ashore, she still felt landsickness at times, the solid ground beneath her feet unnatural after a lifetime at sea. Food wouldn't fix that, but it would make her happier. So she followed a game trail downhill, to freshwater.

A lake was close. Pausing on the edge, she watched the shadows for a while — rain and mud masked some scents, and the direction of others. But nothing else came to drink except for a couple of deer and a flock of ducks. None with glowing blue eyes.

Well... safe enough then. But she'd stay cautious. Loping over to a fallen tree that stretched out over the water, she balanced atop its slippery surface as easily as going aloft in a brigantine. Where the branches stretched out like rigging, fish would no doubt gather. She set about her task of breakfast.

---

hope its ok if i hop in!

yunxu was lost.

he had no problem admitting that to himself. this place was alien, still, with only the lingering reminder of his scent to tell him what path not to venture down. but then it had started raining, and what little direction he had had washed away under the downpour, leaving him soaked to the bone and wandering in blind circles. he'd sheltered in an overhang of the mountain for the night, hoping it would let up by the morning, but it's no better- it might even be worse.

he was certain, in fact, he'd come upon this lake before.

yunxu looked out at it, scowling. objectively it might have been a pretty view, when it was not raining so hard as to obscure the forest on the other side, but now it only stirred frustration and the simmering anxiety that had not left since he washed up on shore.
home was a familiar routine. he knew when to wake, when to hunt, when to patrol, when to sleep. calm lived in those contours, in stability. he needed to find it again.

still frowning, yunxu shook mud from his paws and wandered gingerly down the bank to drink. he was not thirsty, but knew he would be, and that it was better to fulfill the need now than to wait for it to find him. beneath the surface, barely visible under the wild rippling, he caught the silvery shapes of fish darting away.

he wasn't hungry, either, but knew he should.

yunxu stood there, hunched over the water while the rain poured over him with the force of a breaking wave, for a long several moments. when he lifted his head, there was-

a figure.

he went stiff, squinting suspiciously into the rain-spray, a flare of hope in his stomach that faded the moment the shape resolved into black-orange and cream. nothing he knew, but at least the old woman had not followed him here.

yunxu lingered warily on the lake's edge, wondering whether, if he stayed quiet, he would be ignored, or attacked. or if he should just abandon the hope of a meal and move on.

Absolutely!! :D 💜

---

Skill - Hunter

Fishing took patience. And focus. She held very still, leaning over the water as rain cascaded down upon calico fur. She was a bony thing, even from a distance it was readily apparent beneath waterlogged pelt. A lifetime spent fighting for scraps left little to grow with. But when a fat trout swam beneath her shadow, she darted like a viper. Teeth closed on slippery flesh, claws sprang off slick bark, and there was a great cacophony of splashing before the Cur’s head flung back out of the water in triumph.

She paddled back to her perch, claws scrabbling for purchase only briefly before she hauled herself onto the log again. Which was difficult and ungraceful, with a two-stone fish flopping madly in her jaws.

So in the midst of this, perhaps not surprising she failed to notice the stranger at first. Not until he was already on the shore. She froze, though her fish didn’t, and received a few good wrenches to her teeth in the effort it took to assess this new potential danger. Since her mouth was full she couldn’t ask him who the hell he was, or tell him to fuck off, and she wasn’t prepared to lose her fish just to ask. Even if he did end up being one of those dangerous blue-eyed monsters, she wasn’t ready to relinquish breakfast if she could escape with the meal intact.

And, well… he’d been there long enough to vaporize her, or transform into some unnatural thing if he had been one. So… best not to run, yet.

Instead, she made the unsteady walk back down the fallen tree to shore, keeping a weather eye on the stranger. Maybe this was just a vagabond looking for scraps. A twinge of anger flushed her at the thought of her hard work being stolen. Absolutely not!

Mal's going to lurk a bit <3

---

Mal disliked rain.

There was something about being wet that made the cold sink deeper into his bones and left him itchy and irritable until his fur properly dried. So no, he hadn't jumped at the idea of dragging himself out of a nice, warm bed at the ass crack of dawn to go splash around in a pond. Even if it meant fish for breakfast.

Initially he'd rolled over with every intention of going right back to sleep. But once he'd woken up—been woken up, actually—by a rough kick from the feisty little pirate girl he'd taken up traveling with, Mal found he couldn't fall back asleep.

And the more he thought about it, the more the idea of having something to eat today appealed. No way in hell was Myna going to share her catch, Mal already knew her good enough to know that,  so if he wanted some, he'd either have to help her catch it or steal it.

It still took Mal a few minutes of indecisive pacing on the ground floor of the cabin before he worked up the determination to actually leave. Head low, he slipped off into the pines, following the sporadic bits of Myna's scent down an old game trail to the lake.

In the downpour, she was hard to track, so Mal settled for simply picking the most likely direction and circling the shore. He kept away from the muddy bank-edge and cold looking water, paws comfortable on firmer ground, and stayed alert for—well, anything.

After spending the evening having his head filled with warnings about all the strange, dangerous things he was likely to encounter here, Mal decided to err on the side of caution. He tread lightly and kept his senses sharp, ears pricked for any sound other than the hissing rain.

---

sorry for slow reply!! back from my trip so i should be on a normal schedule again :-)

yunxu continued staring. he was unsure what he was expecting, as even if she lunged for him he had plenty of space to make a retreat- that she would notice him and take that as a cue to leave with no words needing to be exchanged? that was ridiculous, even for him.

but he continued, for lack of the confidence to do anything else.

the nervousness had mostly dissipated by the time she lunged, with the ease of a practiced angler, and came out with a fish squirming in her jaws. he blinked, impressed despite himself. she wasn't of his blood, and he saw few enough wolves who could fish in a way that didn't look like a child flailing at their first lesson.

nonetheless. she retreated down the rain-slick tree trunk, without falling and sending her catch scattering into the water, and yunxu noted the eye that now lingered pointedly on him. his hackles made a valiant attempt to bristle, thwarted by the rain, before he forced back the instinct. if he thought on it, this could be an opportunity. she might have information the old woman didn't... though from the look of her, and the look she was giving him, she was more like to snap at him than senka had been.

...perhaps less like to treat him as a child, as well.

yunxu waited until she'd slunk her way off the rotting log and set after her at a trot, head down and tail low so as to avoid any... immediate confrontation.

"你好," he tried, once he thought he was near enough to be heard over the pouring rain, and then, more tentatively, "hello?"

Rune Discovery : 「 Rune failure - Parasite present 」 

---

The plague, despite the bitter malice of Dre Klage, had yet to reach these lands and their towering canopies of trees. In these woods, one could still discern what peaceful times Mythris had once supported. The flowers still grew, blooming tall and wide and swaying with each daytime breeze. Even the downpour that rolled through the skies was not sent with the intention to burn or devour as many of the land’s water sources had become.

These inhabitants were safe.

Or so it had seemed.

Through the scattering of raindrops that were carried by the billows of cloud and wind, microspores of a new beast had seemingly emerged. They fell, unaware of the three that stood at the edge of the pond, and hungry for something that Mythris had yet to see.

With each drop of rain, these spores infected the water, the reaching trees, and the muggy dirt. Nothing more than dust to the naked eye, they seeped into the moisture and clung readily to the bits of life they could.

Has it already contaminated the fish? Or even the rain that seeps into your skin?

The heavy crack of thunder is paired with a familiar voice that sings to your lonesome thoughts. Not safe… It wails through a panicked hiss. Take shelter, NOW.

Parasite Event Present

---

You have several options as a player when confronted with infection.

You may either
1. Choose to automatically fail in repelling the spores, becoming infected
2. Roll for infection (1d100 - 50 and under fails, 51 and over succeeds in repelling the parasite)
3. Choose to repel them, but suffer a crippling migraine and muscle weakness for two in-game weeks

This keeps things fair enough where players can still have some autonomy while also ensuring they participate in plot developments.

Lyra rolls to repel the parasite with an 81 \o/
Gal's used to eating mouldy fruit and wormy hard tack u think a few spores can survive whatever the fuck kind of iron gut she's got going on?? hahahaha

---

She understood 你好, ears pricking in obvious recognition at his greeting. Still felt at least a little relief when he followed in common tongue. She knew a smattering of his words for trading and threatening, which — aye, probably useful, since she expected that he wanted her fish and she had no intention of sharing it (her tail lifted high, a snarl ready on her lips even through a full mouth, and eyes stared hard in challenge.) But there was less likely to be confusion if they could meet somewhere in the middle.

In theory.

If it mattered.

Because the Cur was debating whether it was worth putting down her fish to answer him when that pox of a ghost decided now was the time to start prating at her again, as if lightning itself channeled their voice. Not safe. With a fear unbecoming of dead voices. She felt a sharp sick twist of anxiety burn through her, as if the bolt had struck her outright.

Fur bristling, she spun for a source of consternation, but the rain fell, and nothing new appeared in the fog. An emerald gaze fixed hard back upon the stranger. Blue eyes. Was he the threat? Could she trust an unnatural voice over her own instinct?

... Better not to take any chances.

Knowing full well he could follow her if he chose, the Cur bolted back into the forest, towards the ramshackle inn where she had left Mal that morning. Fish in tow.

---

i didnt know if mal was going to post or it was just meant to be a single lurk post let me know if i should wait!!

also yunxu failed the roll with a 34 because he is bad at life. trust me i am too lazy to copypaste the link

he was keeping his tongue to himself. he'd a track record with violence- one fallen not remotely in his favor at that- and knew better than to bare his fangs, but the lifted tail and glare he received drew him up short, head lifting and seafoam tail lifting level in turn. it was hard to scent much beyond rain and earth, but he knew this wasn't claimed land. he had just as much right to be here as she did.

he had just opened his mouth (likely to make the situation worse) when something-

-spoke.

at first he thought it was her voice. but she had the fish gripped tight and it wasn't the sound of someone talking with their mouth full, he knew from experience. then she spun on her heel, fur bristling, and yunxu's hackles rose in turn. he darted a nervous glance to the left and right, only to find nothing but dense forest and sheets of silvery rain. his lips peeled anxiously over his teeth.

he wanted to dismiss it. but something about it stoked an anxiety he couldn't find it in him to brush off. it wasn't a thought- it was something at his ear, wailing in a voice that was somehow familiar but that he couldn't place. it wanted him to hide.

he hesitated.

he glanced at the woman, and found her glaring back at him with twice the venom. for once he managed to ignore it.

"do you-" he started, but before he could get the sentence out, she turned and bounded away.

yunxu was following before he'd thought about it, ignoring the mud he was spraying over his sodden fur. if she knew something, he wanted to be told. if she didn't, well, he'd know he was going insane.

You're good! I wasn't originally sure how involved Mal would be so I purposely left it so he could be skipped. I'll join the posting order now <3
He also managed to roll an 86, which is surprising considering his luck is usually horrible (not linking, but it's in the discord).

---

Heavy rain obscured almost everything. It dampened sound, masked scent, and washed away tracks, but Mal had always had a knack for picking up on subtle, often missed clues. Despite poor conditions, Myna had left a trail.

Which meant she had to be close.

Mal picked up his pace.

Sure he was traveling the right direction now, he focused on the bank, peering through the sheeting rain for any sign of her distinct silhouette and coloring. Or, given her track record since he'd known her, maybe he'd hear her cussing out the fish, first.

Mal snorted. Yeah, actually that sounded more likely.

'Not safe...'

Operating under that assumption, it took Mal a split second to realize the voice crashing into his skull didn't belong to his companion.

'Take shelter, NOW.'

No. That wasn't Myna's distinct accent. It wasn't her tone, or pitch, or someone talking with a physical body at all. It just...was. Like a thought that wasn't his own, clear as day and loud as a warning bell.

Shit.

Paws skidding on wet grass, pine needles, and mud, Mal stopped so abruptly he left furrows in the latter. A deep growl rose in his throat, hackles rising to bedraggled points. Green-hazel eyes scanned his surroundings, and he retreated a few steps further into the treeline, putting a towering, sharp-smelling pine to his back.

What the fuck?

A voice. In his head. Drenched in pressing anxiety and sharpened by purpose. Telling him to—hide?

Mal was well acquainted with fear. With being outclassed. Outnumbered. He knew how to recognize when it was more prudent to run, or hide, than fight, and when he was smart enough to listen to his instincts, Mal found they rarely steered him wrong.

He didn't trust the voice. But he did trust his intuition. And right now every single speck of his being was humming in frantic agreement: he needed to run.

Something was coming. Something terrible was coming. Something he couldn't fight with teeth and fury, something that struck a horror in Mal so deep it pierced marrow. The knowledge loomed, rose like a blade poised to fall.

Nope. Absolutely fucking not. Fuck the fish, and fuck breakfast, and fuck the rain and whatever cursed-ass bullshit was about to happen, Mal was gone.

He turned to run. Hesitated.

Shit, Myna...

Mal was heartless in a number of ways, but he didn't make a habit of stabbing allies in the back. That tended to come back to bite you more often than not, and Mal tried to avoid it if possible. Sure, they'd only just agreed to work together, but Mal had promised to fight with her, and he had enough personal scruples not to spit on that in the same breath.

Indecision cost him a second. Then rendered it pointless as the sound of a body pelting full speed down the shore past him cut through the rain. A blur of red, white, and black through the grass—small, sodden-wet, glinting with gold bangles. Mal did a double take. Nearly missed the signs of a second wolf hot on her heels. A stranger with black and white fur.

Mal snapped out of his daze.

Whatever the hell was going on, it was happening in that direction. Mal ran, following them like his life depended on it.

Skill - Ranger

She swerved with a startled growl at the sudden appearance of a red figure, but it took only a moment to recognize that fucking amadán who hadn't wanted to go out in the rain. He wasn't getting any of her damn fish, either! She wondered if the voice was his fault, and he'd followed some faerie out here and gotten himself bewitched. Not her problem, either.

Valiantly sprinting with her trout, she leapt mossy logs and skidded down muddy banks, until the silhouette of her shelter appeared. The Cur didn't waste time looking over her shoulder, ears pinned with fear for whatever danger stalked them that she couldn't name.

The house had been abandoned, but its threshold offered her the safety of at least one night spent under its roof already, which was better than having no door against evil at all. She leapt at the sturdy wood, flinging it open with a rusty creak, and barely broke stride as she leapt out of the storm. Wet pawprints followed her over dusty floorboards.

Stashing her catch in the far corner, she crouched into the shadow there with bared teeth and bristled fur at any who might have followed.