Rock Hound Story and RP: Let's Face..... The Infection.

Caution, violence ahead. don your has-mat suits and dont touch ANYTHING white.


Edit: And YES this will effect her in-game. She will be sluggish and tired until the infection is cleared up. (Which she needs help with by the way, she has NO CLUE how to fix it and did not know of the Rock Hounds since she has been pretty much alone)

Spirited one did not want to stop running. Her lungs hurt, eyes stung, and side burnt. She thought it was blood sliding down her belly... but white ooze trickled down and made nests in her striped fur.

The trees whizzed by and she leapt through a few, the high-pitched noise and blue smoke clouded her vision and dampened her hearing momentarily. This was enough time for her hunter to gather speed and confront her. Spirited one let out a high-pitched, barking cry as the bones flew at her face. Her body sprang backward-sideways and began to run jauntily again. The beast was upon her in moments and Spirited One knew she had to stop the running and get to the brawling.

Whipping around, the exhausted doe raised herself on her hind hooves. She came crashing down like a large tree on to the beast that assailed her. Spirited One grunted as she felt her hooves break the spine of the beast. A white ooze spattered her as well as the earth about their battle. Leaping gracefully away, the startled doe watched with horror-swollen eyes as the infection knitted the spine of the skeletal wolf together. She crouched in fear for a moment before rushing the creature again. The unnatural green light that came from its eyes bounced and jostled as it leaped to its feet. The beast met her attack, knocking them both to the ground with horrible force.

The beast seemed to be rubbing itself on her stomach as it sat atop her, grasping her muzzle with its stinking maw. It clawed and battered her as she tried to right herself. Spirited one finally gave a powerful kick to the beast's literal ribcage and sent it flying off in to a tree. The bones clattered as it caught on a branch. Staggering to her feet, the doe kept her eyes trained on the beast in the trees.

The green light couldn't hide between the leaves. Like a cat, though, it stalked her from a higher angle. Ears back, the Kudu doe let out a mixture between a grunt and growl, though it gurgled as blood dribbled from her nose and chin. She shook her head, trying to clear it. Staggering, she tried to stiffen herself for the next attack as the Rock Hound plummeted from the tree and on to her back.

Strong, spasming bucks sent the beast through the air as Spirited One tried to get away again. She ran and ran until she reached the rocks that were known as the Playground. The wolf followed her the whole way, but did not quite make the jump on to the boulder, crashing in to it and losing a large portion of its skull. The lower jaw flopped wildly as it tried to right itself.

Spirited One gave one last attempt at killing the beast. She leapt down atop it and repeatedly stamped on its skull. The gem rolled out and the beast grew silent. It was over.

The doe sank gratefully in to the tall grasses. She let out a bellow as her cuts stung with the infection ravaging her system.

Crying out again, this time for help, the doe lay her head next to the stone. Rock Hound bone fragments protruded from her legs, causing them to ache and pulse with pain. The white Infection bubbled on her belly, spilling out over the grass.

Anyone, help! It hurts....heh....hel....HELP... ME! She cried, losing her breath more and more with each call. The infection nipped and nibbled at her wounds, causing her blood to clot quickly around her nostrils. The doe was slowly succumbing to the infection, but she knew she should stay awake. To sleep was to die.

HEEEEEEELLLLlllp. She cried out again from the shade of the stones.
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"Don't worry, you'll be

"Don't worry, you'll be okay.", someone spoke to her. She whipped around to find Quad there, who seemed to be concentrating deeply.

His fur glistened a brilliant white light, expanding and radiating out toward her. Spirited One closed her eyes, and at that moment, she felt the thick infection dissolve off of her body. When the light faded, she felt cleansed, though she would continue to be weary from the attack.

The stag smiled, "It's a long story...but you'll be okay now. Just try to avoid any more of those skeletal wolves. They'll still come after you if they spot you.", he spoke, and turning, he began to pick up the crystal laying near the rock hound's skull...

((ooc: Sorry if jumped the gun there XD))

((no problem ^^ much

((no problem ^^ much appreciated))

Wait. What did you just do, what was that stuff on me, and why did that wolf attack me?She was confused by both her lack of knowledge and the light that Quad radiated. She still felt weak, but the bone fragments were cremated and the dripping white stuff was not writhing on her anymore.. her wounds from bites and scratches were harmonized... but her fur was not the least bit singed.

She caught eyes with Quad by stepping between him and the gem.Picking it up, she tilted her head in question again.
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The blackbuck was surprised

The blackbuck was surprised when she stopped him, but smiling, he said, "Well...that thing that attacked you was the work of Iugulare, who I have been fighting for quite some time. She wants to take over the world, but the Twin Gods and I have been stopping her from succeeding. They gave me this ability to produce light from my fur, which was able to destroy that infection on you. I know it really hurt, trust me...", he lowered his head here. Quad has been engulfed by Iugulare before, his whole body being ripped apart by her infection. It was probably the most painful and horrifying experience he's ever been through, and the fact that others were suffering similarly...he felt really guilty.

"But it doesn't really matter. What matters is that you're okay...I hope...", he said, his eyes on the strange crystal now in her mouth.

She nodded lightly. Yes, she

She nodded lightly. Yes, she felt a good eighty percent better. The cuts on her muzzle crackled as flakes of dry blood fell off of her fur. She placed the crystal between her hooves. It still glowed, which was odd. Where does that need to go? Oh... and I am worried about this part.... She sent the crystal rolling down the hill. The glow faded, the farther from Spirited One it rolled.

Trotting after the gem, she picked it up and it started glowing again. Spirited One brought it back to Quad. She let it drop at his hooves. I should probably pray... being tainted by the infection gives me the creeps. She shivered lightly, all the way down to her tail waggling. Her muscles were a little stiff, but she could most definitely pray to the gods in thanks for sending Quad to help her.
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Quad tried to answer her, but

Quad tried to answer her, but she ran after the gem. He chuckled a little, not trying to be rude, but he thought it was pretty funny seeing her chase the crystal.

When she returned up the hill, he answered her, "The Twin Gods are collecting these, actually. So I'll walk with you there. They've been learning more about those creatures with each one of these we bring to them."

He bent down and grasped the crystal with his mouth, and then motioned to her to lead the way.

{Hope you don't mind me

{Hope you don't mind me jumpin' in as well, seems like a good time to use Hrym

He watched her. Like a great lion, sated of its hunger, watches over passing herds of zebra.


“Thine tender fruit, not spoiled by the worms of new but by the tree that bore it… ripened not into ambrosia but a rotten, hollow core…”

it were as if the sky itself were speaking, the sun and moon and a thousand crumbling, dying boulders.

He was darkness, a mountain of slithering, living infection, bones beneath the mass to be seen when the darkness writhed, stained gray with time and taint.

The slime within his eyes dripped down, a stream of virus, the horror's of pandora's box made tangible.

The grass withered and died at his touch, and as the sunlight slid across him, the blackness sizzled, and fled to other, shaded areas, leaving great expanses of barren skeletal plane in its wake.


"thou shalt think thineself lucky"

he rumbled.

She looked at Quad, realizing

She looked at Quad, realizing now that she had to give up the little crystal. Her wide ears seemed to shrink a little as she let them fall for the briefest of moments. For some odd reason, the doe had become attached to the crystal. If the gods want it.... She thought.

Thank you for walking with me, Quad. I think I dont want to be alone for a little bit of time... seeing as I will probably be the brunt of a lot of scorn for surviving, you know? It is a pity that I will have to give this up, though. I need to be grateful. She again picked up the crystal and set off, Quad with her. Though she could hear another in the distance, a grumbling voice, she only tilted her ears to listen as they walked. Blinking in agreement, she smiled, letting a little bit of the crystal's light leak from the corners of her mouth for a brief second. She was very lucky, was she not?

As they climbed the hill to the gods, Spirited One became a little hesitant. She did not want to give up the stone, but she knew that she must do so. The Gods could find much more about the infected wolves and help stop them. The glows of the hallowed pictograms were visible now, so the Kudu picked up the pace a little to reach them. She dropped the glowing stone between the gods and herself. Michael? Aureia? Quad needs a great reward. He saved me from the white infection... and said to bring this to you? The last words held a hint of upset that she would have to give up the little glowing stone. She stepped back, the stone losing a little bit of its glow.
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They waited for a moment.

They waited for a moment. The Twin Gods did not reply. Quad tilted his head, "Something's wrong. They're usually here.", he spoke. He would never notice Spirited One's change of voice, as all he had his mind set on was taking the crystal to the gods and nothing more.

He turned, sniffing the air. Something filled his nostrils, and at that moment, he felt a chill go down his spine. "We're in danger. There's something else close by that smells like the infection...though I can't tell if it's Iugulare, another rock hound, or...something else...", he spoke.

He was slow, in some ways,

He was slow, in some ways, and yet the sheer length of his legs, width of his steps, moved him swiftly.
He exhaled, think rivers of infection pouring from the holes that were once a nose, the darkness binding about the bone, giving the illusion of flesh.

Turning his head, would-be eyes turned to quad before the tarry substance dissolved once more, seeping down the bone.


"Quad I assume"


The infection knew little, but it knew enough.
And yet it made no violent move.

Great chasms were left in his wake as the flora that he passed by sizzled and browned.

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"Get behind me.", Quad

"Get behind me.", Quad instructed Spirited One, both of their eyes locked onto the newcomer.

He mustered the courage to reply, "Yes...I am Quad...and if I may ask, what are you?" The great antlers were what was scaring him. Quad has dealt with infection before, but sheer strength was a different matter. He's had very little sparring experience, and the thoughts of locking antlers with another, stronger deer scared him deeply.

The doe spun around at Quad's

The doe spun around at Quad's words, just in the moment that the infected bones appeared before them. She pulled her ears tight to her head, tail raised in alarm. A snort came from her battered nostrils before she positioned herself in a manner that suggested her confidence. It may be a bigger animal in the infection, but damned if she would become infected again.

What is it you want? The ruffle of fur on the Kudu's neck seemed as stiff as porcupine quills as she spoke with a confidence that bordered on angry protectiveness. Damned if she would be afraid of an Infected again.

The crystal glowed green at her hooves, reflecting off them and giving a tinge as if the doe had walked through very wet grass. Spirited One kept her eyes on the Infection, not turning to see what Quad was doing.

What was he? "I am Hrym" he

What was he?


"I am Hrym"

he settled down, as if melting into the ground he lay before the deer looking down at them.


"I am a virus, an infection, I am bone and death and pillar and kingdom, lapping at the belly of the clouds, I am me"

his tongue split, fell to the ground, writhed and sizzled even as it was obsorbed back into his body and a new one formed.


"I need nothing. Want, little"

he laughed, slowly,

"I wish to know, what thy know. About me"

the infection bubbled and spit and sizzled, and he stared down, forever smiling, at the two cervines.
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The blackbuck tilted his

The blackbuck tilted his head. It doesn't want to kill us? But it's got every characteristic of a rock hound or some other of Iug's creations. I've never seen anything like this before..., he thought.

"Err...well...you probably know the one who created you, the stoat that is made entirely of that blackness that drips from you. I'm confused that you're not doing what she wants, though...I've never seen one like you. Considering you look like the bones of a great big deer, you probably had a life before you came to the world like this...", Quad spoke, hoping he was making sense to this newcomer.

He knew the next question was stupid, but he was extremely curious and just had to know, "You're one of the stoat's creations, yet you're not here to attack me?"

Curiosity overtook her fear

Curiosity overtook her fear again, as it often does when she senses threatening lessen. She stepped out beside Quad, melting chocolate eyes staring at the sockets where the bones had once had them. She gathered her courage and let her oversized ears fan out, tilting her head lightly as she gently replaced the green, glowing stone at her hooves. Quad... I do not think he does. She spoke, more dried blood flaking off her muzzle and letting white fur peek through. Speaking again in her normally soft voice, she addressed Hrym.

Hrym? Do you even hold any like for the one who gave you life again...that Iugulare?She made a little face at saying the stoat's name. It felt thick and ugly on her tongue. Licking her lips to rid her poor tongue of the feeling, the doe peered at the Infected's black ooze. It was different than when she was infected. Was it dying?

"My will is mine. And mine


"My will is mine. And mine alone"

he stated,
"I care not for the quarrels of the she-stoat. Hers is a foolish will. Hers is a foolish method"



His head turned to the doe, and he lowered his head, extending his neck impossibly far.

"I do not Like. Nor do I dislike, I do not feel for her"

his tongue rolled from his mouth over her muzzle, clearing away blood and wound alike.

He returned to his normal position.

"I would kill her should the chance arise. But I do not seek out such things actively. I do as I see. When I see fit."



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The blackbuck shook his head

The blackbuck shook his head barely. He wasn't sure how this creature would be able to kill Iugulare, from his own experiences facing the stoat. He was eager to ask him what he wanted, but before the words could come out, he sniffed the air. The irish elk skeleton provided much of the stench of infection, but Quad could tell that more was coming.

He turned, and his heart immediately sank. Approaching was a rock hound, the blue glow within it's eyes locked onto Quad.

He didn't know if he could trust Hrym, but the newly arrived rock hound was much more threatening. Quad turned toward the creature, expecting the worst.

Spirited one was a little

Spirited one was a little startled when the tongue cleared her muzzle and closed the wound. She bowed her head in thanks and smiled. That was just about when the hound came. A bark came from her throat as she whipped about to face the beast. Umm... so if you are on our side, Hrym... we need to kill that. It really really wants Quad... and we want the blue thing in its head. She could see the beast's hunger as it approached the buck. She took a step back hesitantly, then forward she marched with a head in line with her backbones. Sure, she was not a hundred percent healthy, but she would try and defend her new friends.

Stopping between Quad and the blue-eyed beast, she let out a growling grunt. She stomped her hooves and pinned her ears, her ruff standing tall like quills. Nobody was going to hurt anybody... but everyone was going to hurt the Rock Hound. Another low growl and stomping happened as she tried to direct the beast's attention on herself.

His head turned, then lifted,

His head turned, then lifted, great rivers of infection flowing from his mouth as he let loose laughter.

"mindless beast"

it took in the sight of the rock hound.


"thou are weak"

tendrils slid from his body, coiled like ropes, a million thin fingers.


"Like a small child"

he ebbed and flowed, snaking about the legs of the two cervines, never touching them.


"These are mine. Thou shalt not play with me and mine."

he smiled, slowly, eerily. Calmly.
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"Don't...move...", Quad spoke

"Don't...move...", Quad spoke softly to the Spirited One, noticing the irish elk had sent it's own infection toward the rock hound. He didn't want his friend to step into the infection.

The rock hound opened it's mouth as if it was snarling, and then unexpectedly, it pounced toward the two deer.

Hrym's tendrils caused

Hrym's tendrils caused Spirited One to tense, but she stood still as Quad instructed... that was... until the damn hound decided to leap. That was when the antelope-bred doe leapt too. She caught the thing mid-air with a pair of forehooves and sent it crashing back in to the Infection that was laid out for it.

The doe barely missed landing in the infection herself, finding four tendrils perilously close to her. Ohhhhdearohdearohdear. That was too close. she mumbled to herself as she stood, straddling a tendril of infection. She turned her head to look back at the calmed Hrym and the quite upset Quad. She gave one of those sweet oh-I-know-I-am-in-trouble smiles.

He acted, swift as a bolt of

He acted, swift as a bolt of lightning as the skeleton was thrust downwards, strands of black tangling around bone.
It looked painful
masses of dark twined their way into bone crevices, and shortly.
It shattered.
The bone exploded, as if bombs had lined the marrow-walls, sizzling and dissolving.

A tendril wrapped about the precious gem, holding it close to the skeletal face.

"thine power is not but an illusion"



The gem was dropped, the infection slithering away.

"naughty children must be taught a lesson"

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Quad did not believe his eyes

Quad did not believe his eyes - Hrym, who was created by Iugulare, not only just attacked a rock hound, but seemingly destroyed the variety with the toughest skeletons. He didn't know whether to breathe a sigh of relief or to be even more wary of the irish elk skeleton.

He slowly turned toward the irish elk, and finally mustered the courage to ask, "What would you like? What can I do for you? You're obviously not here to kill me, and you just obliterated one of my enemies. So what is it you wish?"

He had a terrible feeling of dread from asking the question. What if he was wrong? What if Hrym really did intend to kill him? There was something terribly off about this whole situation...

Spirited One picked her way

Spirited One picked her way over to Hrym. She longed to nuzzle him in thanks, but...well that was out of the question. Smiling, the doe thanked him generously. Hrym might not be as scary and horrible as she first believed.

Walking to the crystal, she picked it up and placed it next to her's, two now in offering to the Gods, no matter how reluctant she was to give up the shimmering green one that she had won herself. Placing them in front of the statues, she hoped and hoped that the gods would get here soon. Staring up at the pair of pictograms floating above the statues, the doe wondered what it would be like to see them...in person. Would she hide, or would she bask in their glowing auras?

Turning around, she trotted to Quad. Quad, too many questions for any living being to handle is just too many! Relax and start with one! She nudged his shoulder with her scarred yet soft muzzle.

I have nothing to want" the


I have nothing to want"

the beast replied to the blackbuck, head lifting, gazing for a moment at the god statues.

"Such trivialities such as 'wants' are below me"



a pause.

"giveth me a strand of thine fur"

a tendril coiled up, motioned to the two deer.

he would find himself reaching out to others, taking small pieces of them as mementos. these are the things he felt were important, the things that made these people significant.
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The request seemed odd to

The request seemed odd to Quad, but he felt like he owed Hrym something for dealing with the rock hound. Bending his head, he grasped his own fur on his chest and pulled, ripping off a small locke of his white fur. Approaching, he dropped it onto the tip of the outstretched tendril.

Stepping back, he gave the new creature a bow, and said, "Thank you, I hope one day you find what you are looking for."

He turned to Spirited One and spoke, "The Twin Gods must be busy, but they will find the crystals. If you'd like, we can find someone to look at those wounds you've gotten. I know there are a few deer who can mend them for you."

She was a little wary of his

She was a little wary of his request, but turned her neck around to pull a tuft from her ruff. It was placed in the tendril, then she gave a bow as well, echoing Quad's sentiments toward the beast.



She considered Quad's words, worrying a little that the crystals would be taken when they left. Spirited One nodded to Quad before she spun and covered the stones with some brush. She would not have them found. Quad... you are sure the stones will not get stolen? She asked, walking over to him. Her legs wounds kept opening and closing as she strode, though the sheer power of Quad's light harmonized them so that they would not bleed. Sure, she wanted them healed.

He took them, burning them,

He took them, burning them, devouring them, their essence consumed and nothing remained.
He could burn the wounds closed.
He said nothing though, merely watched, seeming to be thinking very deeply about something, following the two, more out of the fact that he needed an excuse to move from the god statues than anything else.

He did not like those statues.