[Official NPC]

OOC: This is a largely self-guided (meaning minimal posting from ONPC) Halloween miniplot. While I'd like for our younger members to be able to participate (and encourage you to spoiler out anything that's not suitable for under 16s), it is meant to be in the spirit of Halloween so fair warning.

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Greig stared in horror at the bloodied remains not nine inches away from the toes of his boots. There was a footprint in the semi-congealed circle of red that surrounded the body, where he'd stepped before realising what it was, and there was about to be a slightly more disgusting stain off to one side just as soon as he could move.

Beside him, Brody was already puking against the tunnel wall. The combined scents of copper and... Xanth knew what Brody'd eaten for breakfast... assaulted Greig's nostrils and he was finally able to move, pitching a hand against the rough-hewn rock and retching.

“Who is... Who was it?” Brody's voice was shaken, just like Greig's hands were shaking. Just like his whole body was shaking.

“Teague.” Pushing himself upright, Greig wiped his hand on his pants, wrinkling his nose as he tried to figure out what was sticking to him and how to get it off.

“How can you tell?” asked Brody quizzically, no doubt looking too hard at the remains instead of using his nose. Not that Greig could blame him; he wouldn't have been able to detect the intricacies of Teague's scent when he was Brody's age either, not over the smell of blood and vomit.

“His scent. And the ring.” Gesturing with a tip of his chin towards the thick Celtic knot banded around the man's skeletal wedding finger, Greig almost threw up again at the thought of having to tell Teague's wife and cubs he wouldn't be coming home. “We need to inform... someone.” Anyone.

When they reached the lit tunnels, they took off their helmets. Greig was still trying to scrub off the stickiness attached to his hand and now his pants leg as they described what they'd found to their boss.

The Sentinel's response was swift but the sniffers he sent into the tunnels could only find where the creature had been, not where it was. Soon, most of the searchers gave up and the community settled down, waiting with bated breath to see if it would happen again, hoping the culprit was only passing through.

As it turned out, it wasn't.

“That's the fourth body, if you can call what's left "bodies", that we've found in a week, sir. All in the deeper tunnels, all of them unrecognisable, and all with that sticky residue. You have to do something, sir.”

The Sentinel sat back in his chair with a sigh, obviously at a loss. “Close those tunnels down and post patrols. I don't want civilians down there until we can figure out what's doing this. I'll put word out that we need help with this, but it means opening our Sanctuary doors - to the deeper tunnels, at least - to outsiders. I'll have notices put up around the towns, too. I'm damned if I'll lose more of our people to this beast.”

Piper's Boutique • Dafont • KeyMoon • Beyond Tonight

[Kiel]

“No offense, kid, but you don't look like you could kill a fly, never mind something that's taken out five experienced diggers.”

Kiel pouted. Like, even the Therians were dissing him and they didn't have, like, Dracovarian tradition or biology to blame. Most of these guys weren't much taller than him, you know? “Like, whatever, man, I'm tougher than I look. And, like, way fast, man. You want help or not?”

Kiel had been shopping for his afternoon snack on his way home from his other job when he'd seen the sign. Like, one of those noticeboards where desperate people begged for help, you know? Kiel hadn't paid much attention to them before but, like, he was pretty sure his training was going well and, like, he totally wanted to prove himself to Zeph, man. So, like, he hadn't really thought this through but, like, since he had his sword and knives with him, and didn't have anywhere to be now until, like, work on Monday, he'd kind of gone with the flow, you know? A short hop through the portal, hitching a ride with a friendly merchant who was, like, delivering supplies to the Caverns so it only took, like, a couple of hours instead of an afternoon to get there, and talked his way into the Sentinel's office when they'd seen his eyes. Like, one of the 'Shifters had kinda creeped him out, man, sniffing at him like a dog or something, getting, like, so close and personal he'd been ready to yell "I'm not gay, dammit!" (except, like, for Zeph, but, like, well, you know) but he'd, like, backed off at a wave from the boss.

“We do need it. Most of the residents are civilians, not fighters, and this place has been a Sanctuary too long. They're not used to being in danger within these caves.”

Like, Kiel couldn't really imagine that. Like, his home was safe as houses, for sers, when it came to monsters and stuff, but, like, there was always an edge to living in Dardanos, knowing the volcanoes could take away everything you'd worked so hard for with, like, barely a hiccup. Living in absolute security kinda weirded him out 'cause, like, wouldn't people get complacent that way? Like, maybe it was just 'cause he'd been raised that way, but, like, he was pretty sure he'd get totally bored here, man.

“Well, like, you just gotta point me in the right direction, man.”

“It's not that simple, kid.” Wah, kid. He wasn't a kid, dammit! Just, 'cause, like, he looked young. Like, he was older than this dude's great grandfather, even if he was still way young by 'Varian standards. Kiel almost stomped his foot, but, like, he figured that wouldn't help convince the dude he was capable of sorting out their problem for them. “We've lost another to this beast. We've sent people in to track it down, but it's not something you can do by yourself. Even if it was, I'm not having outsiders running around the tunnels unescorted, and no one who's capable is available to escort you right now.”

Major suck.

¤ Piper Kin ¤ Dafont ¤ Ian Somerhalder ¤

[Aiden]

News travelled fast in the city, and faster still in the HQ. As such, Aiden learned the news in the morning at the New Alexandrian PD. He'd heard phrases such as "five dead", "closed tunnels", and "horrific mess". It took a while for him to realize that this was about the Rowan Caverns, but when he did, he was out the door in nano-seconds. He hadn't even thought to change out of his uniform. After a series of rushed phone calls to the Chief and his partner-in-patrol via payphone, Aiden maneuvered through the streets and literally dove into the portal to the Fae Tree.

In retrospect, it would have been faster and less draining if he had taken the portal directly to the Therian sanctuary. But every healthy shifter had been ingrained to travel to the caves by foot, so most shifters, including Aiden, would never think of the simpler option. As he hit the forest ground, he shifted to ocelot form and began to run. Aiden was usually laid back, even during investigations; but this was personal, so he wanted to get to the site as soon as possible.

It was late afternoon when he reached the caves, and he'd had only a sparrow for lunch. Aiden was tired, but he tried not to let that show on his face as he slowly reverted to human form. After a brief explanation to the patrol, Aiden strode toward the Sentinel's Office. He nodded awkwardly at unfamiliar faces, realizing just how long he'd been gone from the caves. Five years ago, he would have known almost everybody in the caves, but now, he was just a stranger. The tunnels haven't changed, however, so Aiden found the office in a moderate amount of time. Somebody was already talking to Drystan and nobody stood outside the door, so Aiden stopped outside the door to listen in on the conversation.

“I'm not having outsiders running around the tunnels unescorted, and no one who's capable is available to escort you right now.”

They seemed to be talking about the incident, so Aiden decided to just enter the conversation. He rapped his knuckles on the door-frame, and when he thought they'd noticed him, he waved and smiled amicably. “Hey, I heard about what happened down in the tunnels. If you're sending people into the tunnels, I'd like to help.” To think reasonably, something that had killed the diggers could kill him just as easily. But the caverns had been his family and home when he left Dardanos for Elysia, and he would do anything for those he considered family.

[Kiel]

Kiel had no idea who the new guy was but he'd recognise that accent anywhere, even if it had mellowed a bit. Like, the Dardanian dialect was pretty distinct, you know? So, like, instead of being all "hey, hey, we're talking here, man", he eyed the dude and his uniform with curiosity and eagerness.

Kiel glanced at the Sentinel. “Like, the dude's a guard, man, he'll be used to this kind of thing, like, right?” Grinning at the newcomer, Kiel held out his hand. “Kiel Taskel. Like, you wanna help me get this thing, right? Like, whatever this thing is, I dunno, the description was kinda weird. Hey, hey, how do you get to be a guard, man, that uniform looks cool. There's a hat, right? Is the hat cool too?”

Drystan stood up, frowning like he was going to nix the whole thing but ignoring Kiel as if he was used to dealing with hyperactive and/or talkative children. Kiel wondered if he was friends with Zeph for a second, but, like, that would mean Zeph had friends to start with and, like, not to be mean or anything but the dude was a total loner, man. “You're Therian? Well, that does solve the problem with the escort. I'm assuming you have some skill in combat if you're wearing that uniform.”

“Hahaha, for sers, man, like, they don't hire pansies, right? Hey, hey, but, like, I don't see a sword.” Not that everyone went sword, but, like, it seemed like the most common weapon. “What's your weapon, man? Like, I'm pretty good with my katana but, like, my boss is teaching me to throw knives, too. Not, like, kitchen knives or the circus, you know? But, like, yeah, so my aim's not brilliant right now, especially in the dark, but hey, hey, do we get lamps or something? 'cause, like, I don't know about you guys but I can't see in the dark and my nose is kinda only good for sniffing out food.”

¤ Piper Kin ¤ Dafont ¤ Ian Somerhalder ¤

[Aiden]

Hearing Kiel, Aiden immediately felt that they'd get along. Although the 'Vari was so talkative that Aiden struggled to get a word in, Aiden liked the other's enthusiasm. And anyway, he recognized Kiel's accent and was excited about finally meeting another Dardanan on the mainland. They'd talk about it later though. Drystan looked borderline impatient.

“Haha, there's no hat, at least not for me. I chase after people so much that it'll go flying. I'm Aiden Roy from the New Alexandria City Guard.” said Aiden with a smile as he shook the offered hand briefly. To prove that he had come with weapons, Aiden moved his left hand to his belt and detached the wooden tonfa that was clipped to it. It was painted dark black and was a little longer than his forearm. A matching tonfa hung off the right of his belt too, but he left that one alone. “I fight pretty well with these, but I've only used them on delinquents and drunks, so we'll see about that beast. About the dark, I dunno, do we have lights down there?” As he reattached the tonfa to his belt, Aiden glanced toward Drystan for an answer.

“We string lights into tunnels as soon as they're created. Unless the creature's destroyed those lights, you shouldn't have a problem with the dark.” Drystan crossed his arms, appraising them. “I can see you're both set on going, so take a look at these. They'll give you a better idea of whatever's in the tunnels.” The Sentinel walked behind his desk and pulled out a manila folder. He flipped it them open. Clipped to the top were photographs of the attack scenes. The Sentinel spread them out over the desk, showing over a dozen pictures total. Some of them showed blood-stained footprints, others zoomed in on bite marks, and still more showed the entire scene.

From afar, Aiden already knew they'd look morbid. Nevertheless, Aiden leaned over the desk for a closer look. Immediately his eyes focused on a picture that showed the dismembered remains of one of the diggers. The photographer had mercifully angled the lenses away from the victim's face, but Aiden could tell that the victim's face had been torn off from the ear, and it was also missing limbs. Throat tightening from the brutal depiction, Aiden looked at the picture next to it. It was the photo of a shifter's pale-blue torso, and a bite-mark ran across the ribs Whatever did this was a medium-sized predator, but it somehow got the better of five experienced shifters. “Damn.”

((OOC: I'm not sure when we're ending this thread, but before I forget to mention this, can Aiden have a break for food before they go into the caves? He's low on energy after that half-day marathon. ^__^; ))

[Kiel]

“Aw, suck. I like hats, man.” Like, he wasn't interested if the uniform didn't come with an awesome cool hat, you know?

Eyeing the dude's weapon with curiosity, Kiel huddled close to get a good look. “Like, cool, man. I never seen anything like this, you know? Does it have a hidden blade or something? It has a hidden blade, right? That'd be awesome, man.” But, like, the dude clipped it back to his belt so Kiel couldn't get hold of it or take it for a practise swing, so when Drystan started talking again, Kiel actually paid attention. Like, he needed to look like he knew what he was doing, you know?

“Oh, hahaha, at least we don't have to, like, worry about the dark then, although, like, you know. A miner's hat or something would have been totally awesome, man, especially if I could have kept it as a souvenir or something, hahahaha.”

Crowding in to get a good look at the photos, Kiel frowned. “Ew, man. Like, no disrespect or anything but, like, you got a serious monster infestation or something here, man. Like, look at the way the flesh is all creepy.” He pointed out the way some of the victims looked like they'd been digested from the outside, then peered at one particular photo as he spotted something weird. “Like, what is that? Looks like it's stuck to the wall or something.”

“It's some kind of sticky residue. We found some on a few of the victims, too. By the way, I should mention this so you two don't accidentally kill the wrong thing, but there are several other parties helping us search the caverns. That's why I didn't have anyone to escort you,” Drystan noted, nodding at Kiel. From his tone he was still, like, totally reluctant to give Kiel the job here, and he'd glanced at Aiden a time or two, but, like, blood ran thick underground, you know? Especially with a uniform like Aiden's. “Personally, I'd rather not have outsiders running around in my tunnels, but we need all the help we can get, so I'm thankful for your assistance. Just don't come crying to me if you get your head bitten off.” Well, like, okay then.

“Chill, man, I know the risks, you know? Red eyes, dude. But, like, any chance I can get, like, a snack or something before we go? Like, I have a couple of chocolate bars in my pockets or something, you know, but I'll need them later.”

“Fine, you can use the staff mess. I don't want you disturbing civilians. Aiden, would you take him, please? Do not leave him unattended at any time.”

Pulling a face at the dude, Kiel grinned at Aiden and hopped to his side, ready to be led by the hand. “But, like, that doesn't include toilet visits, right? 'cause, like, I'm not gay, man.”

¤ Piper Kin ¤ Dafont ¤ Ian Somerhalder ¤

[Aiden]

Aiden had been hungry before because he had travelled on foot to get to here. But having seen the pictures, he felt his appetite disappear. As a shifter who occasionally hunted his own food, Aiden didn't care a lot about seeing blood and gore in the form of small birds, mice, and rabbits. But to see beings of his own race mutilated like that disturbed him immensely. Having seen pictures of the victims and how they had been thrown around like prey, Aiden was angry at whatever monster had done this to his kind. Predator-prey relationships were part of nature, but here, Therians were supposed to be at the top. The creature must be eradicated.

Kiel on the other hand seemed to take things in stride. The 'Vari kept a casual yet inquisitive tone, as if the pictures were merely things from a research book. Remembering that 'Varis were generally very old, Aiden wondered if Kiel was simply used to seeing these sorts of things. Following the 'Vari's line of vsion, Aiden glanced at the trails on the walls. He had more questions about it but then Drystan started talking about the other parties, so he let it go for later. As Drystan scrutinized Kiel, Aiden could tell that Drystan was uncomfortable with the idea of an outsider in their caves and frankly, Aiden vaguely felt that way too. Territorial instincts, perhaps. But from their brief encounter so far, Aiden judged Kiel as somebody who would readily support others in a fight, and that the 'Vari had only good intentions for the Therians. Aiden nodded solemnly toward Drystan and then Kiel. “I understand. I'll keep a lookout for the others.”

He wanted to start the mission, but all parts of logic told Aiden that he needed a break. The run from the Fae had sapped his energy, and already he could feel his senses dulling from fatigue. Realizing that, he nodded politely at Drystanas he turned to leave the room. “Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him. See you later...”

“But, like, that doesn't include toilet visits, right? 'cause, like, I'm not gay, man.”
As Kiel followed him into the halls, Aiden chuckled at the 'Vari's comments about bathroom visits. “No way dude. Well, unless you plan to smuggle top secret info while you're in there. I've always thought that our sewage systems were a security hazard. ” He grinned jokingly, and then paused by a map that was carved into the wall. The drawing showed the Cavern's very intricate tunnel systems, and as he skimmed over it, he quickly found the mess hall. “That way,” he tilted his head to the left, and proceeded briefly down the hall. As he entered the dining area, he immediately became aware of the aroma of food.

“I thought I was grossed out by the pictures, but apparently I'm hungry again. Woah, barbequed sparrow! I've always liked how they make them here.” Making his way to the food areas, he grinned and waved at Kiel to follow.

[Kiel]

Sparrow kinda tasted like chicken. Not that Kiel would ever have it again 'cause, like, it had looked kina pathetic on his plate and nowhere near enough to sate his appetite, but, like, you know. Kiel never said no to new foods. It had been cool reminiscing with Aiden about his homeland, too, and Kiel totally felt like they'd become buddies over dinner. Aiden seemed kinda laidback but his uniform lent him, like, an air of authority or something, enough that Kiel automatically trusted him.

“Dude, where do you think the others are looking?” The whole time they'd been traipsing through the tunnels, Kiel had been, like, having a hard time focusing. Like, he'd never been underground before, you know? so, like, pretty much everything down here was vying for his attention. The atmosphere was so different, and, like, now they'd left the main tunnels the lights were fewer and farther between so it was dimmer too. Kiel had been wondering how this thing could, like, get the jump on even civilian Therians, especially once they'd, like, started responding to the threat, but now he could see how easy that could be in the dim tunnels, and, like, always got totally paranoid when they passed through dark spots, practically tripping himself over in his efforts to, like, twist three-hundred-and-sixty degrees as he walked.

So far there'd been no sign of the creature, but Kiel swore he'd seen, like, a whole batch of rubies or something. Or, like, maybe they were ruby weevils or something, 'cause, like, he hadn't had chance to stop and look properly. He'd heard voices a couple of times, too, like, coming from off-shoots in the tunnels that he'd figured were the "others" Drystan Black had mentioned.

“Ew, like, dude. I think I stepped in something, man. Ew, it's on the wall too.” Kiel had reached out to balance himself so he could unstick his foot from whatever he'd stepped in, but, like, whatever it was had latched on, for sers, man. “Ewewewew, getitoff, getitoff!”

¤ Piper Kin ¤ Dafont ¤ Ian Somerhalder ¤

[NPC]

(( The NPCs Aithne, Enid, and Bran are being played by Colleen. ))

There was a thudding of booted feet as someone traveled at a fast clip down a tunnel. What was strange about the noises was that they weren't consistent. On occasion they would pause for an indeterminate amount of time, only to once again take up their frantic pace. It was almost as if the person responsible would run along, stop, then start running again. During the lull, it was easier to make out the less distinct sound of unhurried footsteps. Who so ever was charging down the tunnel in spurts was not alone. That was made all the more evident when voices echoed down the tunnel, voices that Kiel was more than likely to hear without trouble, especially the first and loudest of them.

"We already checked down this one. Didn't we already check down this one? Enid, tell Bran that we already checked this one!"

"Shh ... Aithne, you will alert the creature of our presence. Please try to express yourself in a quieter fashion."

"But we already checked it, and why do I have to be quiet? Don't we want it to come out of hiding? Hee-eere I aa-aam! Coo-oome and gee-hey! Enid, that's no fair! Lemme go!"

"Quiet, Aithne."

There was a muffled noise after that, as if someone was trying to talk but something was pressed against their mouth and prevented it from being clear. When the second voice spoke again, it was so low as to barely register for normal hearing.

"Lead on, brother. We will follow."

Silence. Terrible, ominous silence.

Something stirred in the shadows. A hand shot out from the darkness closing in around Kiel, one that sought to clamp its palm across the 'vari's mouth to shut off his verbal demands. It was large enough in mass to belong to a man, with enough evident strength to further enforce the presumption. It was as bare as the arm it belonged to, the skin smelling faintly of sweat and an almost bestial musk. If it were licked, or even bitten, it probably would taste of dirt and salt.

Whoever had made the attempt obviously wasn't one of the two girls who had spoken earlier. A warm body was behind Kiel, and its contours were certainly male. Not to mention tall. The presence was there for less than two seconds, just enough time for the guy to lean down and whisper in a soft voice remnant of the wind whispering through leaves. "Be silent. Do not move."

Then the hand, its arm, and everything else that came with them were gone, leaving but an afterglow of warmth where they'd so briefly rested.

(( Let me know if you need editing, Emma. ))

[Kiel]

((Is it bad that I'm laughing my socks off? ))

Kiel had figured out by now that, somehow, he'd been separated from Aiden. Like, he was pretty sure the dude wouldn't just leave him alone in the dark like this, you know?

Like, right?

'cause that would totally suck if he had.

When he heard voices, Kiel immediately started yelling louder. “Hey! Over here, man! Like, dude, help! I'm stuck to the wall or something!” Maybe Aiden hadn't ditched him after all. Like, maybe the guy'd just gone off to get help, you know?

But he was kinda starting to panic now. Like, he really couldn't get this goo off him, man, and he was hyper aware of the darkness. Like, it wasn't pitch dark or anything, but the spaces between the lights were way creepy, and he was stuck there like a total lemon. “'kay, so, like, this is one trip I'm not bragging abo-wf. Wamph!”

Kiel's immediate response to having something paw his mouth was to shriek (totally not like a girl) and, like, flap his whole body around like a flag in a strong wind. Of course, the energetic struggle didn't get him very far because, like, you know. He was kinda stuck. But also 'cause there was more energy behind it than any actual movement. Kind of like jogging on the spot or something.

“Be silent. Do not move.”

Like, okay. Kiel stilled, eyes wide in the darkness and straining to, like, roll back in his skull or something so he could see who's hand was clapped over his mouth. And, like, ew. Smelly, man, like the dude - and it was distinctly a dude, which brought the knee-jerk reaction of I'm not gay, I'm not gay! to the forefront of Kiel's mind - had been working out or something. Which could have been appealing if the dude was Zeph or this was any other circumstance, but, like, you don't just creep up on a guy in the dark, man.

Kiel was silent for all of a second after the dude retreated, and then held up his free hand, finger pointing to the hidden sky. “Like, this might be a bad time or something, but, like, could you, like, I dunno. Like, get me the hell out of here?” 'Cause, like, Kiel was pretty sure something else was moving down here, man. There, like, just outside the edges of the nearest pool of light like dark on black, something long and spindly.

[NPC]

(( The NPCs Aithne, Enid, and Bran are being played by Colleen. ... and it's a little know fact, but socks were designed to be laughed off. ))

If Kiel had been expecting a response, he didn't get one. There was just that annoying silence again. Wherever the man had come from, he'd gone right back without a sound.

Creepy? Probably.

The shape Kiel suspected was lurking in the darkness shifted, and the slight rasping in the dirt didn't do much to identify what the heck it was. It seemed to be watching. Waiting for the right moment.

It was like a scene from a really cheesy horror drama. There was the monster, waiting just out of sight, and the blundering hero had gotten himself stuck in a trap.

Now, were things to go by true "dramatic logic", only two resolutions were possible. One, the monster would get the hero. Such definitely wasn't in Kiel's best interest. Two, the hero would somehow manage to escape the situation, defeat the monster, and bed a wench, though not necessarily in that order. An exception could be made in Kiel's case, because who knew how Zephr would react to being called a wench?

Yet Aithne was never one to follow logic, no matter how dramatic.

"Hah! Gotcha, sis!" she crowed, wriggling free before running full out, right into the pool of light between Kiel and the what's-it that was stalking him.

So it was that Kiel and the strange company he was keeping got to witness the absurdity of a four foot one female pointing at shadows while she verbally mocked their potential danger. "Come on out, beastie! I can handle you any day of the week. Just try me!"

Wild and curly orangish hair poked out about the young woman's head. Someone had tried to tame the stuff, but it still half resembled a cheap clown wig. She wasn't wearing much, little more than a loincloth and a wrap around top that tied in the front, which was why it wasn't hard to see that she was much more mature (physically, at least) than her height gave away. Aside from being nicely put together, she had some serious muscle tone going on. "C'mon!" she dared the presence in the shade, curling the fingers of her once pointing hand to beckon her target out of hiding, "What, are you scared?"

Someone was moving down the tunnel, probably the lady who tried to silence the spitfire standing off against the who-knew-what. She was certainly in a hurry. With any luck, maybe Kiel would have two women between him and the dangerous whatever-it-was soon?

[Kiel]

If nothing else had happened, Kiel might have figured that, like, he'd imagined the whole thing with the hand and the voice creeping out at him from the dark. He was alone and totally not scared, deep under a mountain where he was totally not welcome and where several people had been eaten. It was natural for him to get freaked out.

Like, right?

But, like, Kiel might be plenty of dumb things, but his bravado meant he didn't scare himself silly. Like, get terrified? Sure. But not totally freak out enough to start hallucinating.

Not that he got much chance to even consider the possibility that the hand hadn't been real. All he had time to know was that some dude had groped him in the dark, and it wasn't Zeph. That kinda censored him off, man.

And then, as he was tugging frantically to free his hand and foot, while simultaneously straining to pick out the shape of both the dude that had covered his mouth, and whatever beastie was coming towards him, Kiel heard a chick's voice filled with bravado yelling down the tunnel.

It was kind of like seeing - well, hearing since it was too dim to really get a good look - a mirror image of himself. Only, like, you know. Shorter and with girly parts. That was pretty much all he could make out from her voice and her silhouette, though: That she was tiny, even compared to him, and definitely a chick.

He totally would have asked her for a date right there and then, except, like, you know. Zeph woulda killed him or turned him into an ice machine or something. Besides, all the yelling had apparently attracted attention, 'cause first one spindly leg and then another skittered forward into the pool of dim light cast by the nearby lamp, and someone shrieked like a total girl.

Again.

Clapping his manly free hand over his mouth, Kiel's struggles kicked up a notch. “Like, dude, man! Quit making like lunch and get me out of this thing!” 'cause it was totally clear what he was stuck in now, and the thought was making him want to upchuck for sers.

Kiel Taskel hated spiders and there was a freaky huge one headed their way.

[NPC]

(( The NPCs Aithne, Enid, and Bran are being played by Colleen. ))

There may have been an unladylike snort from Kiel's vertically challenged defender, but it was kinda hard to tell, since the 'vari was shrieking like a banshee. She did wait until after he was done with his display of panic before tossing, "Don't be such a baby," over her shoulder.

Which of course took her attention off of the approaching spider at a rather vital moment. Luckily for her, help was on the way.

The stench of burning tar filled the air as a white furred animal barreled down the tunnel, heading right for the scuttling spider. The creature was of a good size, rippling with muscle under all that beautiful fur, and it was moving fast. Maybe not as fast as Kiel when he wasn't stuck to a wall or something, but speedy enough to be a blur of luminescent fur with flashing blue eyes and pearly teeth. Once it got close enough to potentially singe the spider's front legs with the burning end of the torch it carried, the animal growled and kept going, thrusting its head to the side in an attempt to jab the spider in the eyes with the hot end of its stick as it passed the creepy creeper by.

The orange haired girl yelped with surprise, then spun to face the direction the white blur went. "Nice one, Enid!" she shouted, already on the move to follow up the thus identified Enid's actions with a flash of metal. She'd drawn two dagger-like weapons from her boots, then flicked her wrists to align the blades to protrude just below her knuckles as she wrapped her fingers into fists about the handles. "My turn!"

Something was rolling across the floor. It wasn't headed towards the fight, if it could be called that. No, it was a heavy glass bottle, and it was spinning towards Kiel's unstuck foot. If he jerked out of the way, it probably would end up in the same webbing that had his hand and other leg so frustratingly immobile.

(( I realize that the Carser's Hound just came out, but my intention is for the bottle to be half full of Carser stomach acid. I figured that would eat up the webbing nicely. Let me know if such needs to be changed, Emma. ))

[Kiel]

((Sweet use of the carser, there! I wasn't sure if you meant for it to shatter when it hit the web, but I didn't think so since it's heavy glass so I hope Kiel's reaction is okay. ))

“Wah! I'm not a baby and you're shorter than me, so the-arh!” A flash of white and the sudden acrid smell of something burning hitting his nostrils was about the only thing Kiel glimpsed of the new guy. His first instinct was to shrink back and raise an arm to shield his face, jumping to the totally natural conclusion that he was being attacked by whatever had been eating people down here. Like, not that his reaction would have been fast enough if it had been the beastie, but it was the thought that counted, right?

When his brain caught up with his eyes, though, he let loose with a loud whoop!, cheering the pair on. The kumo, accustomed to the darkness of the deeper tunnels, apparently didn't like having a torch shoved in its bristly face 'cause it shrank back with a shriek that hurt Kiel's ears. It didn't stay back long, though, rebounding with a one-two jab of its foremost legs at the passing white blur, though thankfully too slow to catch her.

Seeing the chick's eagerness to get out her daggers spurred Kiel to action of his own. Like, his grandpa might have told him there was no point in trying to slice his way out of a kumo web, but that didn't mean he shouldn't try, right? Maybe he'd get lucky or something. So with his free hand, he unsheathed his katana and swung just as the chick said it was her turn. Despite himself, he was grinning 'cause, like, woah, man. That chick was crazy awesome!

Something collided with his foot. Kiel yanked his arm back midswing to stare down at the bottle for a moment, torn between panicking ("wah, it's a bomb!") and confusion. He glanced up at the chick to see if she'd tossed it, but she seemed kinda preoccupied 'cause, like, that kumo was shooting out webbing like nobody's business between going for her with its dagger-sharp legs and ugly pincers. “Watch out, man!” Except he couldn't do jack while he was stuck here. Total suck.

Figuring the bottle was, like, a strength potion or something that might help him break free, he tore himself away from thoughts of being all heroic and resheathed his katana to bend over, nudging the bottle into his grasp with his boot. It wasn't a strength potion, but the label was pretty clear when he held it up to the light. “Oh, sweet! Thanks, man!”

He wasn't sure who he was thanking, but he didn't care just then. He was too busy pulling the top off with his teeth and upending the contents all over the web that had trapped him, trying not to get any of it on himself. Like, the last thing he needed was to go home without an arm or something. His folks wouldn't get a chance to freak out all over him, 'cause he was pretty sure Zeph'd do it for them.

And finally, he was free! “Woo! Dude, I'll save you, man!” He still had kumo web wrapped around his hand and foot 'cause he hadn't dared go any closer to his skin, but, like, at least he was free of the wall. As long as he didn't hold onto anything too long until the webbing was completely dry, he'd be totally fine, like, right? Good thing he was right-handed, hahahaha.

Raising his katana over his head, Kiel darted forward to help the little girl defeat the big bad monster. So far, it had tried to stay out of the light, and it sure hadn't liked that torch thing. “Like, you got any more of those torch things, man?”

[NPC]

(( The NPCs Aithne, Enid, and Bran are being played by Colleen. A little known fact about Bran (But only because he's the polar opposite of a social butterfly): The guy keeps really odd stuff around just in case it'll be useful later. ))

"Oh, sure!" the girl enthusiastically confirmed, "Enid brought a whole bunch of 'em. They're down there." she gestured with a gleaming blade to further back in the tunnel, in the direction she and the 'white blur' came from. "Course, she might not be able to light 'em up without changing back," she reasoned brightly, seeming to not be bothered by that at all, "But don't worry, I got this!"

Of course, while Aithne was chatting she was also dodging kumo pincers, legs, and slung webbing. The spider had nicked her legs a few times, but thus far had only scored some deep scratches. "Finally decided to join in, eh?" Aithne flashed Kiel a fierce grin full of teeth. "'Bout time! Now that I don't need to worry about your ass, I can get to work."

"Hey, sticky feet!" she mocked the kumo, following up a quick punch at one of the spider's legs with a sidestep to avoid getting another stuck in her belly, "How'd you get so damn slow, huh? Been drinking too much? You know what they say, heavy in the blood, light in the brain!"

She wasn't doing much damage with those dagger things of hers. It seemed like the most Aithne could manage was to fend off incoming limbs. She was just censored the kumo off. Which was exactly what she wanted, since it kept all of its attention on her and not what she knew was sneaking around in the dark beyond the kumo. "Hey, Handsome," she shot Kiel's way, wincing when the spider opened up a cut on her thigh, "When I say 'Run!', think you're fast enough to get outta harm's way? It's gonna get really hot in here in about a minute."

"Aw, censored," she muttered as she spotted a jar glowing like a million lightning bugs spinning end over end through the air from behind the spider, headed straight for the rear of the thrice damned kumo. "Run!" she bellowed, proving that just because some folks are lacking in height that doesn't mean their lung capacity can't be huge. She crouched as if to flee, her weapons at the ready ... but stayed put. "Get outta here, moron!" she barked at Kiel, her form starting to waver. It was weird, and maybe even a little disgusting, how her skin twitched. "I can take the heat, but you sure as Xanth can't! Run!"

(( The jar is full of lampyridae. I think you know what that means, Emma. ))

[Kiel]

“I'm not leaving you!” Kiel had yelled back, all heroic and stuff now that he was free to move around. He'd glanced down the tunnel in the direction the short chick had pointed out, but he couldn't see very well and he was reluctant to leave the chick to fend off the kumo alone. Like, she could handle herself it seemed, for sers, but he wasn't the type to run off and leave someone to fight by themselves. He might squawk and squeal like a girl, but he was total hero material, you know?

Like, right. Hahahahaha.

“'Bout time! ... How'd you get so damn slow, huh?”

“Like, wah! It's not my fault I got stuck to the wall, man! And I'm totally faster than you!” he exclaimed, taking her insults the wrong way and totally putting actions to words. He whipped his katana over his head and yelled a battle cry that totally didn't go high-pitched at the end, and set to the kumo with enthusiasm. He was totally displaying his skill, too, except it was probably too dark in here for her to catch the crazy awesomeness.

“Hey, Handsome.”

Kiel didn't get a chance to be all "well, yes I am, thanks". He heard the wince, though, and, like, knew he had to take some of the heat off her. Like, she might be a tough cookie, but she was tiny, man, and brought out his protective older-brother instincts.

“It's gonna get really hot in here in about a minute.”

“I'm lightning, man,” he assured her with a grin, then squawked when he was forced to duck under a spider leg. Dude, he couldn't even get close to that thing with all the sticky stuff it was shooting at them. It wasn't a minute, though, before the chick cussed and Kiel spotted a glowing jar sailing through the darkness, and figured that "when" she was talking about was coming too late. Even if he'd seen the way her skin was changing, or understood what she meant about standing the heat, Kiel wouldn't have listened. He dashed off, for sers, but as he went he held out his arm so he could grab her around the waist and take her with him. She slowed him down, but he was crazy fast, and even then the heat blast as the jar of bugs exploded followed them, right on the tail of a totally unholy scream.

They were damn lucky her little stunt hadn't singed their eyebrows off, although he was feeling a little warm around the seat of his pants when he stopped running. “Dude, like, dude, man.” Setting the chick on her feet, Kiel staggered against the wall, yanking his hand back just before leaning. Like, he didn't want a repeat performance, you know?

“Like, dude. You think we got it?”

(( Ah, I hope the GM of the girl is okay. Kiel just wouldn't leave her behind. ))

[NPC]

(( The NPCs Aithne, Enid, and Bran are being played by Colleen.

And the GMing is perfectly fine with me, Emma. Of course, Kiel might not be prepared for what he actually hauled off ... ))

Aithne was more observant than most folk realized. It was her action oriented manner that did that. People tended to believe that she leapt into things without stopping to think first. Well, just because she liked to jump into the fire didn't mean she couldn't check out the color of the flames first.

From what she'd so briefly observed, she could tell that the guy they were helping was definitely three things: fast, confident with his pretty blade, and reactionary. Add to it all that he was cuter than a kit and just as loud, and Aithne's motivation to keep his bod intact soared. Sure, she'd never date the guy, but she could dream a little.

Her opinion of Kiel flip-flopped the very moment he snagged her middle with his arm. What was the moron doing?!

"Oof!" Well, damn. There went all of her air. She'd already started to shift, and unlike her sister, Aithne had only focused on how to speed up her transformations, not on how to abruptly stop them. She writhed against Kiel's arm, gasping for oxygen with shrinking lungs as she clutched at his skin with hands swiftly changing into paws.

When the 'vari stopped, rather than him setting her on the ground, Aithne slid from his likely clawed limb and yipped up at him, bushing up her tail to display her annoyance. She would have been fine, had he just let her be! Still, there was that little voice in her head stating firmly that Kiel had meant well, so she swallowed her indignation with a huff, and trotted into the smoke billowing from where the explosion had gone off. If the kumo had somehow survived, she was going to light that dung roller up!

(( In case it isn't obvious, Aithne has shifted into a firefox. ))

[Kiel]

“...

Holy fish, man, I think that kumo thing bit me or something!” Maybe it was adrenaline, or just sheer dumb, but, like, Kiel had only just noticed. It hadn't actually hurt at first but, like, his arm where'd held the chick was covered in scratches, man, and it was starting to hurt something fierce. And his first thought? “Hey, hey, maybe Zeph'll gimme some TLC, hahahaha. Wait, where'd you g-augh!”

Definitely a case of the dumb.

“Woah, man! You're a fox! Hahahahaha, you were a fox anyway but now you're just, like, a total fox for sers, man.” There was actually a compliment in there somewhere, but, like, he was too busy peering at the small form at his feet. “Like, that's you, right? You're not, like, you didn't get eaten by a critter, right? 'cause, like, that'd totally suck, for sers.” He paused, then added, “'cause I don't know my way outta here, hahahaha.

Hey, hey, you think we killed it, man?” Turning to face the way they'd come while cradling his injured arm against his chest, he peered up the tunnel and held his breath so he could hear if something was coming. The embers of the explodey torch thing were still glowing a bit, but, like, it'd mostly burned out. “My arm hurts, man. What was in that thing, anyway? Like, oil or something? It went up pretty fast but I didn't see a spark or anything. How'd you set it off? Wait, like, who set it off?”

As he said the last, he stepped towards the glow cautiously, his arm still tucked against his side. Like, it didn't hurt too bad, but he couldn't see the damage and that kinda made it feel worse than it probably was. “Hey, hey, you think I should go poke it and see if it's dead yet?”

(( I think being torched by lamps is plenty. ))

[NPC]

(( The NPCs Aithne, Enid, and Bran are being played by Colleen.

Warning: Some of the content below is Rated 16+ ))

Aithne paused for two ... okay, three reasons. Kiel's really silly joke about her having eaten her humanoid form was at the tippy top of the list. What the heck was that guy on? She huffed again, breathing in smoke. Hacking and coughing, she shot a foxy glower over her furry shoulder and barked the vulpine version of, "Quit talking and follow me, you idiot!"

She mentally grumbled over the other two causes after she got moving again, her tail an orangish blur behind her. She'd hurt him. Unintentionally, but she had. Bran was going to be censored, and Enid wasn't going to be very happy, either.

She didn't let that get her down, though. Kiel had helped in his own way. Him calling her humanoid form foxy had perked her right up, and upped her opinion of him from "cute wanna-be hero" to "hot wanna-be hero". Besides, it wasn't like she'd made the luscious lug grab her or anything.

"Get your mind outta the gutter," she reminded herself, jerking her trail of thought away from just how she'd prefer the 'vari to grab her. Bran was right. She really needed to get laid. Not by the 'vari they'd rescued, either. Maybe that hot piece of tail she'd glimpsed a few tunnels over. Mmm. That guy had a really tight looking ...

The smell of cooked kumo filled her nostrils and ruled out any other trace of thought. Curling open her muzzle to bare some very sharp teeth, she planted all four paws in still smoking ash and sounded off a challenge. She yipped, barked, and growled. It was all very unnecessary, but she hadn't had much chance to glorify in a battle good and won for at least two months.

While Aithne made her noisy racket, a dark shape slowly solidified in the smoke beside the charred spider. Burnt meat and chitin flew as it struck with no warning, there was only the blur of human looking arms ending in wickedly curved and jagged dark blades. It was accompanied by a snarl, the sound of a wild cat's fury made in a man's throat.

Aithne went silent, her whole body quivering, all of her attention on that shape. She didn't seem alarmed, as long as observers understood the firefox body language of perked ears and an arched tail. She was waiting for something, listening with all of her being.

"It is dead," growled a slightly louder version of the voice that had ordered Kiel to "be silent" earlier. There were twin gleams at what could have passed for eye level if someone was crouched down, however the eye color was either too dark to be distinguished or the guy was wearing a seriously small pair of shades.

The smoke was clearing somewhat, enough for Kiel to possibly make out what might have been the guy's head jerking in the direction of one of the tunnels. Even from what little could be made out in the semi-darkness, there was no disputing that this person's height and build was impressive for a therian, if he was one. "Follow the white fox," the voice directed the 'vari in the manner of someone used to others obeying without question. Then, with what might have been a smile, he added, "Lampyridae," with a nod toward the black and purple smear across the tunnel floor.

Then he was gone. Not ninja "Poof!" gone, but gone. He must have slipped back into the deeper shadows of the tunnel or something. Not long after, Kiel might get that lovely "heeby jeeby" feeling of being watched. Perhaps the man hadn't left at all and was waiting in the darkness. Kinda like the kumo did before being provoked. The kumo whose head the mystery guy just split open like an overripe melon.

The firefox snorted, gave her tail a toss, then ambled over to Kiel to try and headbutt his leg gently in farewell. She yipped once, letting her tongue loll out afterward like an overly enthusiastic puppy, before practically doing a flip to turn about and scamper into the shadows and out of sight.

If Kiel looked around thoroughly enough after that, hopefully he would notice that there was in fact a white furred fox waiting for him not far away. She had positioned herself so the glow of the torch held between her teeth would make the brightness of her fur all the more evident. That was tricky, since she had to also make sure the fire didn't set all that pretty fur alight at the same time.

(( If Kiel notices Enid, she'll prick up her ears and wag her tail like a puppy dog. Not very foxish behaviour, but she's trying to appear friendly and harmless. She might even do a happy little whine and scuff the dirt with her front paws. ))

[Kiel]

“Ew, man, that stinks. Barbequed kumo. Hey, hey, I wonder if anyone wants to eat this stuff. Like, you know, 'Vari eat kraken, you know? I don't think we'd stomach spider, though, like, that's just gross.”

He was talking a little faster than usual. Like, it was way creepy being down here with the acrid stench of burnt spider and smoke stinging his nostrils, and the dark closing in around him again now the last embers were dying out. His eyes stung, too, making him blink rapidly and, like, totally see things. Otherwise, he'd totally swear the foxy chick was making a meal out of that thing, and that was just gross, man.

The weird roar sounded even weirder as it echoed down the tunnels, and Kiel froze, wide-eyed and looking around frantically. Like, he thought they'd killed the beastie, man, had they got the wrong thing? And yet the fox wasn't being all "rawr bad", and she'd totally know if something else was stalking them. Like, right? And then that creepy voice was being all creepy again, and Kiel's hand dropped off the hilt of his katana. Hahahaha, he hadn't even realised he'd gone for it, man, that was awesome.

“White fox? What white - oh, hahahaha. Hi! Okay, man, that's cool, I get it, you know? Like, I lost my escort, so you're gonna be all replacement-y, right? But, like, hey, hey, before I go, you - wah? Like, are you still there, man? He was there, right?” He directed this to Foxy Chick, since he was only talking to dead space otherwise and even he didn't talk to himself. Like, normally. “I so wasn't imagining that, man. I mean, like, I know it's dark and creepy down here, but I'm cool, you know?” He did have smoke in his eyes, though, which, like, totally explained everything.

Like, right.

Feeling a nudge against his leg, Kiel looked down and giggled. “Hahahahaha, that's cute, man. Hey, hey, you wanna be my pet? I'd totally feed you the good stuff and, like, snuggle with you and everything.” Except that sounded kinkier than it should've, knowing she wasn't really a firefox, and that was even before she just took off. “Guess that's a no, then!” he called down the tunnel after her, still grinning even as his shoulders slumped a little.

“Man.” Turning around to face the white fox, Kiel stepped over the burnt remains gingerly, trying to avoid putting his hands on anything sticky. Or gross. “Like, this was awesome, man, but I don't think I'm gonna tell anybody about it, you know? My boyfriend'd totally laugh his head off if he knew I was the bait, you know? And, like, I kinda like his head where it is, hahahaha.

Hey, hey, you want me to take that thing, man? That looks kinda awkward, you know? And, like, you can probably see better in the dark than me, anyhow, hahahaha.” Reaching to take the torch from the fox's jaws, Kiel grinned ruefully. “Like, so you're a waterfox and that was a firefox. Does that mean the dude's a rock fox? Hahahahaha, I'm so funny, man. But, like, for sers? 'cause that's kinda awesome. Kinda creepy too, but mostly awesome.”

Deep down, Kiel was feeling a little shaken. He'd come close to being digested from the outside in, and he knew it. This outer layer of talkative, ignorant bliss was mostly a cover until he could shake it off and be, like, get back to himself, you know? But, at the same time, he just wasn't the type to let something like that bother him for long, so by the time he started walking back up the tunnel with no idea where he was or was headed, he'd already started to forget that sense of vulnerability. “Like, you think Zeph'd believe me if I told him the bits that didn't involve me getting stuck to a web?”