The fawn opened her mouth importantly before pausing. "Uh. Not sure, but they sound nice. So Pica thought there might be some door thing that would be found through sound. You know." Truth was, she hadn't even really experimented with them at all - once she found out one made a sound she had run over to Acton. The sound of the bell-thing made Pica want to make all the noises, so hopping around, she made a game of hopping to each stone without touching the grass, different sounds coming from each stone she stepped on - and holding.
On the last stone, Pica perked her ears. Perhaps..?
The stag watched her with rapt attention, trying to fathom what was happening. At one point, watching the fawn, he wanted to reprimand her for playing around when they were trying to find a portal. But by then, he started to understand. The sounds were like locks on a door. Multiple locks for one door. He thought he could almost hear a click under each musical note. But why the twin gods? He didn't understand that part at all. By the time she had reached the end of the rock sequence he found himself taking a step forward, almost anticipating something to happen. Perhaps something magical like what happened with Drinkplaats? Maybe something much more subtle...he wasn't sure.
Last... wriggling her rump, Pica hops onto the last stone. The notes were fading, but something else was growing. Peering cautiously between the Whitestones, Pica withdraws her head quickly and backs away under Acton. The light hurt her eyes - shimmery and bright coloured, the fawn could only squint at the myriad of growing and swirling colours between the Whitestones, a stiff breeze picking up the usually still forest air. "..Yeah. I think this is a door." To state the amazingly obvious.
Actaeon backed up a bit, staring at the colors in a mix of awe and fear. He wanted to wheel about and flee in that second, but he stayed put asking the obvious response, "That's a door?"
Pica's face: :<
"Of course itsa door, what else? A star?" The fawn pushes off pompously, but like Acton, she was very insecure about this idea. Who would've known a door would turn out like this?! But, determined to show that she was a brave girl, Pica takes two tentative steps forward. Then backs up one step. A bit like a Cha-cha.
"I thought doors were more solid." he stated quietly, coming to step up beside Pica. "Do you just walk toward it?" He didn't know what to do. And frankly, he didn't want to know. What if they go through and and they don't come back?
Terrified yet exhilarated, the fawn tries to scrabble up her courage. In a strangled voice, she chokes out, "Uh. Think so?" Her voice rose another notch before she shook her head furiously, trying to clear the clamouring thoughts of run, fear, run. Instead, she began to move forwards a little faster. Just as she was breaking out into a trot, Pica flung herself through, suddenly emboldened by the thought of food.
Actaeon charged after her, more or less not wanting to be upstaged by a child, but mostly because he wouldn't be able to live with himself if something happened to her. He bounded through the door feeling more scared out of his mind than he remembered feeling in the past.
She had tried to yell a war-cry of sorts when she hopped through, but found a second later that it was pretty much impossible, since she felt sick in the few seconds of swirling colours. Whoops. Should've probably gone in with Acton. Too late, but she tried to twist around the see him anyways. Nope - the moment she did so the feeling of wanting to be sick pulsed stronger. Okay. Ahead - the fawn landed in grass. Grass? Scrambling up, Pica circles around the still glowing door, waiting for Acton. Had they really gone to another world..?
One second he felt he was weightless, like what flying must feel like...or something... Then the next his body was slamming into solid ground. He rolled on the grass, slowly picking himself up into a sitting position. He felt horribly dizzy, and for a moment he nearly panicked when he didn't see Pica anywhere. What if these were seperate doors...and then he spotted her little form in the grass. Okay, good. She was okay. He didn't get up from where he was, allowing the world to stop spinning before he tried to move.
Pica was starting to get worried, in this strange looking forest - it was much more overgrown and steamy, she noticed - when out of the portal tumbled Acton in a funny looking heap just as the portal began to make a funny noise and seem to shrink. No unduly worried, Pica holds back a giggle at the dizzy movements Acton made, proud at having managed to keep her dizziness under control, although she still had a faint urge to vomit. Yurk. "Hey - Acton, you okayy?"
"Yeah...I think so," the stag quickly shook his head, trying to clear it enough to get to his feet and compose himself. He was distracted by the scenery about them. For a split second he thought that nothing had happened, they were just in some other part of the Forest. But then he realized he didn't really recognize this part of the forest at all. Well then...the stag slowly made his way over to stand beside the fawn, "Are you alright?"
Pica glanced around warily. Sure, they'd come through a portal, but who would know if this place would even have good food. Well, at least they were the only of-sames around that Pica could scent out, which meant no competition of food if there were any good tidbits around. Fractionally leaning into the comfortimg bulk of the stag, Pica sniffs at the air again, humid and warm as it was, clogging her nose and pressing against her fur. Whispering, for who knows why, the fawn reaches up on tippy-toes to try talk into his ear with no sucess. "Jah. Pica's okay, but can we go find something to eat?"
He bent his head a bit to hear her, not the least bit surprised to find her interest lying in the thought of food. Of course she'd just want to find food, that was the whole goal of finding a portal. "Sure..." he glanced around them, hating the feeling of the humid air clinging to his throat and lungs. He felt like he was drowning on solid ground. He shot a nervous glance in the direction of the portal, "but before we strike off in some arbritary direction... we have to make sure we can find this door again. No good getting horribly lost here..."
Pica waved a hoof airily, not unduly worried about the thought of finding her way back as if yet. Instead, she began to edge a little way away, closer to the edge of the small clearing, trying to peer through the thick tangle of vegetation to perhaps some kind of interesting food source, but not completely ignorant enough to go off on her own. Reluctantly, the fawn wanders back to the stag to skuff at the grass. "Uh, any.. any ideas, Acton?" -shifty eyes-
Actaeon just stared from the fawn to the foliage to the door. "Uhhh..." he trailed off, completely at a lost. This wasn't his forte. Well...it got beaten out of him if it ever was. "Memory...I guess. Remember where it is...or just not wander too far....if there's a way we can mark our path while we're moving...and just not get confused..." he frowned behind the mask.
Pica stared up expectantly, obviously believing that the of-sames were the ones who did most of the thinking while she got to go off and play. Didn't they always? The fawn's eyes became confused, however at Acton's falthering talk about path and marking and wandering. Well maybe he was still trying to get his thoughts in order. No problem - Pica could go stick her head in some bushes while the stag did all the responsibilities, but just to reassure Acton that this indeed was a good decision, the brown fawn gave a nod as if she understood.
"Whoa, don't just go wandering off now. We'll take this slow, okay? We'll break branches or something just so we can find our way back, but just don't go wandering off, we don't know what this place is...it doesn't seem like a forest we're accustomed to." Actaeon muttered, stopping himself from completely freaking out. He started after the fawn though, slowly moving closer to make it seem like he was in control of himself rather than being scared of being left behind or separated from her.
"M-hm." So blissful was this fawn that she did not completely notice the stag's discomfort.
So, so exciting! She'd found a door at last, with new sights, new plants and new food - perhaps she could explore around here later, and visit this steamy green whenever she felt that grass and bark wasn't enough to sustain her. Always seeming to be dictated by thoughts of food recently, the fawn spies.. a gleam of off-white?
Glancing back quickly to see that Acton could see where she was going, Pica snickered happily as she crawled under, failing to hear a rustle nearby that was not of her making to poke her head out the other side, shaking out her ears and stopping quite abruptly to stare.
What were these.. funny looking things? Never seen them before. Keeping her big eyes on the funny white things, Pica hisses out the corner of her mouth, "Hey, Acton. Acton?" Hopefully he had followed. Otherwise Pica would have to go through the trouble of lugging one of the white-things over to show him.
Actaeon felt his heart sink a bit when Pica crawled off into the brush. It reminded him why it wouldn't be a good idea for him to have children: he would worry constantly over them. The stag gave one last, quick look after the door before struggling his way through the undergrowth after her. When he found she had stopped not too far away he felt relief flood through him, but that was short lived when he saw why she was paused. Giant eggs. Either they had stumbled into a land of really big chickens or there were ostriches running around. Even if the last one was possible, they'd have to be pretty big ostriches and those things could be a force to be reckoned with. He couldn't remember how many men he had seen that were paired to fight one that came back alive, but it wasn't many. He just remembered being relieved he hadn't been signed up to fight animals.
"Those are really big eggs," he stated quietly, glancing down at her after halting at the young doe's side.
Pica stayed still, half-mesmerised by how the light played off the smooth and faintly textured white of the stones before hopping forwards, with all intent to retrieve one to bring home as she flung back happily to Acton, "So them called eggs. Pica like eggs."
Nearing the small depression of dug-up dirt, the fawn slows and shoots a glance and Acton, but it was pretty hard to see what his expression was like since he had that mask covering his face, but assuming that he approved of taking one of the 'big eggs' the young doe reaches forward with a tentative hoof and pats it. Pats it and then drags it towards her, surprised at it's weight.
Actaeon wasn't sure how good of an idea that was, but by the time he was done studying the eggs and the area around them the doe had already scampered over to take one. Well joy...
Slowly, he made his way over, muttering something along the lines of "This isn't such a good idea," as he lifted up his mask to nudge the egg with his nose. He gave the rest of them a passing glance before moving the one they did have. "Do you even like eggs, Pica?"
She was having trouble trying to pull it out of the shallow depression where it had sat with the others, but straining, inch by inch she managed to get it onto level ground with Acton's help, which made things much easier. Wow.
So engrossed with the egg she was, Pica failed to notice any kind of change in the atmosphere, didn't hear the small pad of clawed feet as she gingerly stretched her neck outwards to scrape her teeth against the shell. Didn't taste all that good, but perhaps it would taste better once she really got nibbling. Rubbing her cheek against the shell, Pica takes a moment to consider the stag's question, and as she did a small twitch of movement caught her eye. It demanded attention. Absently, the fawn nods, "Yes, yes, Pica like eggs, but Pica thinks there's another egg over there. Got big eyes."
"Eggs don't have-" Actaeon felt his words die in his throat as he looked up to see the 'egg' Pica was referring to. It looked like the offspring of a lizard and a chicken. A tall chicken. It had feathery down covering its body, longer feathers on a pair of arms, head and at the tip of a tail that was half as long as its body. Pointed teeth lined the jaw as the creature stared at them, doing the classic head tilting of a bird that was focusing on something interesting. Like them. He stared at the creature, feeling a cold dread wash over him. "How attached to that egg are you, Pica?" he muttered, his jaw hardly moving. His entire focus was on the lizard chicken.
Maybe they could be friends with the egg? What a misleading conception, Pica. When the eggy came into view though, it looked less like an egg and more like.. like a toothy. Instant red light behind Pica's eyes, especially when the egg - or was it toothy, now? - had bad eyes and bad feet. Sharp. Stiffening, the fawn stops snuggling the egg and stares, rather horrified when it tilted it's head.
Chills were running around everywhere, and Pica barely gave any answer but a choked whimper and clutch the egg tighter to her body.
Actaeon glanced down at her to see Pica whimper and clutch the egg. He forced his gaze to go back to the bird thing, which looked closer in the half a second it took him to look from it to the fawn and back. Dismayed, he decided to reason with her, "Do you realllyyy want the egg?" He didn't want to go on to add that they'd be cut up in ribbons over it. Or question her just how she thought she was going to get it back to the door.
"Uh - uhuh. Want... want the egg..." Seemed like a foolish thing to do, but what the hell it should be better than grass and blueberries. The toothy moved - was it even possible to be that fast? -the fawn eyed the creature fearfully hoping somehow that they hadn't moved away from the 'door' so much that she couldn't drag it over fast with Acton helping her.
Of course...she wanted the egg. He lowered his head, allowing the scarf to drape between them, "Use this then, roll the egg onto it and drag it back to the door," he stated quietly, eyes never leaving the giant lizard bird. It seemed a bit drastic, even for him, but if she wanted the egg, this thing wasn't going to let them have it without a fight. At least...he didn't think so. "I'll distract this thing..."
Twitching with nerves, later the fawn would vow never, to never ever never go through a door again, but for now Pica did as she was told with quick, frantic movements, fearing how the toothy poised as if about to launch itself towards them. Grabbing the scarf with her teeth Pica bundles her egg up and hastily begins to draw it, bottom first to the gap in the underbrush, eyes always on those teeth and claws and only vaguely understanding how Acton intended to distract the toothy.
"Mmph, 'kay. Hurry, Acton!" And yet Pica couldn't help but feel like a thief.
Actaeon moved to place himself between Pica and...whatever it was. His fur bristled down his spine, half because he was terrified, half because the adrenaline was starting to kick in. He felt some frustration that the nest that they had found had to belong to something like this...if Pica wanted a damned egg, he could have found her a bird nest back in the forest. She could have had all the eggs she wanted if she just learned how raid the little songbird nests. Course, then she'd just break her neck and he'd be to blame. Always blame the foreigner.
The absence of the scarf on his left side bothered him. He was used to the comforting feeling of the fabric against his shoulder, but at the same time, it seemed to wake him up a bit. This was just another opponent, wasn't it? Teeth and claws instead of metal. Just as he traded his shield and sword for tine and hoof. Besides...Pica needed him to keep her safe. That would happen even if he didn't live to see the door himself, as far as he was concerned.
The reptile charged forward without any recognizable warning, the male scrambling to try to charge it and cut it off from reaching Pica. At least, he thought it was aiming for Pica. The creature easily switched directions and bolted around him, causing Actaeon to wheel about in time to stop the monster from leaping at his flank. Well...alright then. He started to pick up on the monster's game after a couple of those charge attacks, trying to keep his tines between it and his body. He knew if he allowed it to leap onto him and find some purchase, it would skin him alive with those daggers for claws.
He really would prefer seeing his intestines staying inside his body. The black and gold stag fought to keep the creature on one side of him, trying to act like some living wall and bide Pica the time she needed to get back to the door. Except...he didn't know how long that would take. So he aimed to fight it as long as he could. At first it seemed easy enough. After the initial sneak attack, the creature was easy to figure out. Bluff, scream, charge some more before trying to circle around to find its opening. He focused on the elongated, snapping jaws and the knives for talons the most. The rest was just a brittle body he could snap if he got ahold of it. In some ways, it was like fighting in the arena. Though there, the men were either deranged, or desperate, or both. They charged headlong without much thought, trying to overpower the will of their opponent with pure desperation alone. It rarely worked. He knew their weaknesses, and if he couldn't see them right away, he knew how to find them.
The reptile was fast though, he could give it that. It easily got a couple of small nicks into his side before he could get his head around and strike it with his tines. More than once it nearly had its talons wrapped around his ribs if he didn't leap out of the way quick enough. He was able to jab his tines against it a couple of times, though, earning lizard blood that dripped down onto his neck fur and stained the bone of his antlers. Some of it channeled down into his neck scars, making them seem fresh again. After several minutes of their strange dance, he was exhausted. It was more from fear than it was from physical weariness. The reptile didn't seem to tire. The blood that dripped down from its sides didn't do anything to slow it down, just mingled with the dust that painted its scale and feather. The eyes were just as bright as ever; just as cunning as it had when it started to fight.
That was when he realized what it was doing: it was trying to tire him out first. It was trying to find an opening, just as he was buying his time for his. He made more of a conscious effort to stay in one spot then, still fast, just more of a wall. Something that seemed more formidable than a scrawny black and gold buck that was getting too old for fighting. He held off a couple more attacks before everything seemed to happen at once. A rustling sounded somewhere behind the monster, distracting both of them for a split second, Actaeon more so than it. The reptile watched it, but saw its chance to lunge. Before Actaeon knew what had happened, he saw a brown grey flash in his vision and felt agony flare up his foreleg. He felt the ground under him, a bit of stability over the pain, and wondered why there wasn't any teeth in his neck yet.
That was when things sort of settled into place. He heard two distinct screeching sounds. One from the little one he was fighting, and one from a much bigger monster. The brown grey thing had gave up its attack for a dead creature that the bigger one had been dragging back with it, something that was twice the size of the little one and only a bit smaller than the newcomer. The new reptile, he realized with some heightening panic over the pain, had spotted him and charged with a speed that he didn't think possible. They had just switched places. Little one made for an easier kill, big one went after him. Move!
Actaeon's limbs scrambled for purchase as he leaped to his feet. He wheeled, slipping on his own blood and the dusty ground as he made a blind, wild charge in the direction Pica had gone. He heard the beast behind him over the wild hammering in his chest and the weird twittering rumble that passed for its growl. As he ran, he tried to ignore the pain, leaping over brush and trying to duck under trees all the while hearing the monster inches behind him. The black and gold sent a silent prayer to all the Gods he knew that Pica had not only found the portal unscathed, but was through it. The last thing in the world he wanted was Pica stuck with these weird lizard chickens. She wouldn't last an hour, at most.
He continued running as he felt a weight strike his left side, talons slicing into his flesh as teeth latched onto the back of his neck. It was heavier than he was and he ended up slamming both of them into a nearby tree trunk. Dazed, he struggled upright and charged forward without so much as a backward glance as the beast remained collapsed and dazed behind him. Bloody and stumbling by that point, he continued his haphazard run for the door, nearly ready to collapse when he entered the clearing.
While Acton started to square up with the raptor, the fawn had been steadily dragging the gigantic egg away, fear in her eyes as she glanced around periodically with the sounds of hoof-beats and furious rustling in her ears alerting to her that the toothy and Acton had begun to fight. Fighting - fighting was bad, and in her own logic deduced that if she could get the egg back to the door faster, then Acton would be less hurt and she continued pulling and yanking over the tough bits of grass, the small roots and indents, breathing quickly with small little huffs from the effort - but it was an egg. Her egg.
Pica was in mid-pull over a particularly determined tree root when there came from that direction the sound of two terrifying screeches and in a frantic tug scrambled on, shoving her way through brush, eyes wide and desperate to reach that patch of grass - and she was inside the clearing. If not the drool-soaked scarf in her mouth reminding her of her mission she would have breathed a sigh of relief but as it was, the fawn furrowed her brow and pushed onwards to that pretty, pretty door. One she hoped she'll never go through again when a dull thud of flesh hitting tree sounded, and she jerked involuntarily to the sudden noise.
Pica entered the swirling vortex rear first, eyes on the crashing and swaying undergrowth which alerted her that Acton was coming. Now, only her head was remaining, body feeling light and she could see Acton's bloodstained antlers and faltering run, the precious egg wrapped up in his scarf. The fawn dropped it for a second to whimper as the stag stumbled into the clearing, urging Acton to find the strength to fling himself into the portal and yet also a reaction to the horrible wounds that bled red. Redredredredred, feeling sickened by what she perceived she had been the one to make him hurt so much. Redredred.
"A..acton. Over here." A small hoof emerged from the portal to tap at the ground and in the same motion drew the egg into the void.
Pshaw, it would have been better if I wasn't so tired. But thank you though.
At the sound of Pica's voice Actaeon faltered mid step, redirecting his course to follow after the young doe. Dim relief flooded through him, almost enough to send a thank you prayer to the Gods if his mind wasn't starting to slip. Agony was the main focus on his mind, paired with the equally strong will to live. He wasn't going to die there. Not if he anything to say about it, at least. Each step put more and more weight on a leg that most likely wouldn't hold him a second or a third step, but fought every warning of that leg buckling.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Behind him he was only vaguely aware of a screeching monster, but it sounded so distant he didn't give it a second thought. In front of him the portal seemed farther and farther away, no help from his tunneling vision either. With one last push of energy, he leaped at the door, welcoming the weightlessness that followed.
It felt longer this time, for some reason. Though before he realized it he was slamming into the ground on the other side, his own momentum dragging him around until he came to a stop in the dirt. He didn't try to get up for several moments, focusing on breathing and not getting sick from the nausea like he almost had earlier. If tried to get up and got dizzy, he wouldn't have been able to handle it. The world was spinning lazily, his vision still tunneled. The mask seemed cruely tight around his throat. It was after several moments of gasping that he started to frantically try to rip it off. Each attempt failed, he couldn't get a good enough angle to cut the rope with a hoof. He still tried though, though it was weaker. His mind was shutting down, trying to fight the pain that was steadily growing as the adrenaline burned off. The only conscious thought was that Pica was okay. She had to be. She had gone through the door before he did.
Worriedly, Pica watched the agonising progress of the stag with large, anxious eyes, eyes that twitched up to see the raptor scrambling up woozily, eyes that saw it catch sight of Acton. Tensed and completely resisting the strong instinct to run into the portal the fawn gave bug-eyes at the faltering stag in a Pica-like fashion for him to hurry up.
It was way too close, at the edge of the clearing now and in a few more strides... Pica ducked her head into the portal with clenched eyes as Acton flung himself through with a great surge of determination.
The fawn wrapped herself up against the scarf-covered egg and clenched her eyes tightly until suddenly, she felt pressure around her as she was flung into the gently swirling dust motes of the Forest with a soft oomph upon impact. It took her a moment to adjust to the dry, crisp air until she scrabbled up to see how Acton was going and cringed. Didn't look good. Didn't look good at all - especially his breathing. Tentatively, the fawn took small steps closer to sniff at him ad did a small little hop of shock when Acton began to gasp heavily.
Why..? He was spasming funny. Trying to reach for his neck or.. mask? Gently placing down her egg, Pica leans down to inspect the ruffled fur around his neck and sees a string, cutting cruelly over his neck. "Oh. Hey, Acton, did you want your mask? Because if you do you'll have to stop trying to whack me and relax." Dodging another flail Pica reaches down delicately and began gnawing at the thin rope, seeing that taking it off seemed impossible.
Actaeon didn't catch on right away, or at all, he continued his frantic attempt to get the mask off his neck mumbling something about getting Pica to leave him alone, let him get it. Except he couldn't reach it with either of his hooves. He tried to find purchase with his bad leg, but that only made the pain more pronounced. His head spun then, his whole body feeling heavy as Pica's voice sounded very far away. His breathing slowed down as he fixed the fawn with his gaze. The black and gold fought to keep his eyes open, despite how much he wanted to fall asleep.
"Shh. Of course you need Pica's help. Lookit you, all hurt up. Stop moving, Pica's lookin' after you."
Humming quietly to herself as she worked on the rope, Pica felt an uncontrolled trembling in her limbs. Which was weird. Then her legs gave way and she was yanked sideways by her fall, and the rope broke with a wet snap. "Yeech."
Spitting out the rope fibres, Pica swiped a tongue around her mouth to clear it, accidentally swallowing a few of the fibres.
"There - Hey. Acton. Acton. Woohoo." Worried now by the stag's faint movements, Pica taps his bad leg hesitantly. "Hey, Acton you needa get this cleaned up and - wooaah. What's dat." Her eyes had caught onto something dug into his ravaged flesh and the fawn bustled over to get a better look. It was a strange shape. Very strange. All weird and curved with a broken off part.
He bit back a grumble as pain shot through him, momentarily dragging him out of his daze and back to the present. At least he could breathe a little bit better.
"What's what?" he mumbled, slowly bringing his head around to assess the damage along his back. It looked like a lion took a swipe at him. "Probably just bone," he said quietly, sounding not the least bit concerned, starting to lower his head back down.
Probably just bone --!!! Pica had no idea what 'bone' was but it didn't merit him being so calm about being ripped up. Pica whipped her head around frantically before getting the genius idea to get him into the cold water. After all, cold water made you feel better, right? Shoving the near-motionless stag gently, Pica whispers urgently into his ear, "Acton - gettup. You needa stop bleeding red."
How would getting up make the blood go away? He thought but tried to follow her direction, pushing himself upright to his hooves, but he swayed, unable to put weight on his bad leg, "Where're we going...?" his head was just going in circles, refusing to think clearly.
Pica had no idea what she was doing - after all, she was just a fawn. A fawn who could perhaps help get all this blood off in the water. Picking up her egg - still in it's scarf - Pica dragged it a distance away to look out towards the big water. There. We gonna put Acton's hurts into the water."
Yeah...that seemed like a good idea. Part of his mind clicked back on and he stumbled after her, taking careful note of the condition of his scarf as he left his mask behind. He'd try to find it later. The adrenaline left him an exhausted husk of his former self. The blood loss was probably making that worse. Stop the bleeding... he took what he remembered and put it to the forefront of thought. Stop the bleeding, but with what? Pica was on the right track with water, but there was no gauze around here, or linens. Cobwebs...he knew old stories of people who used cobwebs, but that was a lot of it...and that might not help in this situation anyway. He'd have to brave getting sick to look over his wounds, but he settled for that, at least, until he looked at the pond, "It might be safer to use running water, Pica," he said quietly, starting to turn himself toward the Idol, "Harder to get to, but safer."
"Hm? Oh, yes. Running water. Okay." The fawn was still beleaguered by the echoing screeches in her head and sometimes even just a harmless squirrel running by the corner of her eyes sent her twitching away. She twitched even more upon seeing the gigantic extent of the stag's wounds and felt like drowning in her guilt. She'd made that happen to him. Because of this egg.
A pointed and accusing glance was thrown at the egg. It acted like it didn't see that. Beginning to grown frustrated with her inability to help the fawn took her time to examine the 'bone' poking out of his shoulder. It didn't look like a bone. Looked like.. like a small branch, or curled leaf.
Actaeon didn't really notice Pica's twitching about, in fact he sort of tunneled everything into a stare that ended with the Idol. He needed to get to the Idol. What happened after the Idol, he didn't know. All he knew was that the fountain of water was better than the pond. The pond was stagnant. Stagnant water could just make wounds fester and get worse...and he couldn't afford that.
After several minutes of limping his way along he allowed his sights to stray, glancing back to check on the fawn, his scarf and the egg. He felt laughter bubble up his throat, but he killed it before he could laugh. In any other situation, it would have probably been funny. He pulled his gaze back to realize that he was about to go falling into the little trench of a stream. Actaeon's legs pulled up short- save for the injured one that he held off the ground- before he slowly, slowly started to pick his way down. He didn't want to just fall into the water, but he couldn't fight the gravity and the angle of the slant. The black and gold stag settled for half falling into the water, side stepping enough to settle down with the tears falling across his back and side.
That was when he started to notice the pain. He closed his eyes with a grimace, refusing to cry out, or do anything that might scare Pica. He didn't want to worry her.
It would seem rather ridiculous after what the pair had just been through, but Pica still treasured the gigantic egg and it's milky-smooth surface, perhaps it was a sign to her of the pain that Acton was going through for the egg that made it all the more precious. In her weird logic, it must've rang true as she hoisted the egg above ground-level with an effort as they neared the thundering torrents of water from the Crystone, anxious also that his scarf might get even more grubbier than it could.
As they neared the little trench that held the cold water, the fawn looks worriedly around. Where to put the egg so that both the cloth and the egg wouldn't get muddy in the small droplets that splattered around? By now the stag was inching down the steep slope and suddenly his antlers dipped as he fell in - and Pica rushed the the edge to look down at the heavily wounded of-same to shrink back again noting the tensed posture Actaeon held himself in.
It looked horrible. The red was all eddying out in pink and in a horrified fascination the fawn watched the red slowly fade into pink, then nothing as it made it's way down to the bigwater and wondered, where did it all go? It wasn't possible for so much red to just disappear. Pica returned her gaze to Acton, hoping to see a miraculous sign of recovery but it didn't seem to have much effect other than showing pale pink flesh and a darker curved thing in his shoulder. Hefting up the now-dirtied scarf and her burden inside it, Pica picked her way down delicately and slowly, tensing and digging in her heels whenever the mud gave way a bit but with her smaller size and lighter weight the fawn was able to slip safely into the shoulder-high water well away from the pink-and-red water.
Stepping softly on the mud as to not disturb it, the fawn dips the scarf down and jiggles it around in an attempt to wash out the dirt, letting go of it at one stage to wash it's spit-covered end. Once it was clean, Pica struggled her way up the slope to sit the wet bundle in the poppies, snapping a few off to present to Acton ashamedly from above him. "Um. Thanks, Acton for letting me keep the egg an' - an' Pica's sorry for you gett'n hurt."
Actaeon half heard her over the water, raising his head to stare up at her with her poppies.
"I'd rather let it rip me apart than hurt you. I couldn't live with myself, otherwise..." he trailed off, wincing as he shifted his weight. It was a sting, like a bee's sting, sharp and painful. He glanced back at his shoulder, staring at what he had once thought was just a bone, but realized that wasn't the case. Either that or the bone broke in a really odd way. "That's a tooth or something...a claw maybe...not a bone..." he muttered more to himself than to the fawn. He tried to reach it, but the motion made his head swim a bit and he had to rest his head against the bank for several moments before he reached around to grasp the claw, wrenching the object out of his shoulder with a single quick motion. The movement only caused more blood to flare up from the wound on his shoulder, quickly fading as the water pulled it away. He placed the claw on the bank, resting it a few inches away from his head as so he could inspect it with the simple tilt of a head.
Pica smiled hopefully - least Acton sounded better than he looked. Which probably wasn't helping, but now he could talk okay, despite the numerous hurts across his body."SO Acton's gonna be alright, yeah?" She knew that those mean raptors couldn't kill Acton. For one, he was HUGE, with HUGE spikies, so no problem. He was gonna live like before. Right?
Shuffling her feet excitedly, Pica saw Acton look over to his funny-bone thing. "Yeah, Pica didn't think it was a 'bone' either. Hey - Acton! You shouldn't pull it out! See, now you got more red comin' out." Her peeved exclamations didn't last long, however as she leant in for a closer look at the sharp, lethal claw. If they had done that kinda damage to Acton, then woah. Acton was waay stronger than he looked. Eying the the claw with almost bug-eyes Pica sneaks a small hoof forward to tap it gently. "It's.. sharp. Very sharp. Sharper than Acton's spikies, Pica thinks."
Spikies...? He raised an eyebrow at that until he realized she must have meant his tines. Okay then.
"Yes much sharper," he agreed quietly, "that's why it had to get out. If it stayed it'd just make more of a nuisance of itself." He realized, if only vaguely, that he was lucky that that thing hadn't skinned him alive in the first five seconds and went running after Pica.
Even just a claw-thing could make a nuisance! That - that was horrible. What if it had wormed it's way into Acton and never came out again? With this sudden realisation, Pica gave a withering glare at the claw-thing, a bit like the one she gave to the egg but much more hostile and accusing. "Well good it didn't stay in, cos' it woulda made a noo-sance of it-self."
He nodded, before giving the claw the best serious glare he could, adding a simple "Yes..." before he stared up at the bank, trying to decide if he had the energy to get out of the water. He experimented as he pushed himself upright on his three good legs, but barely managed to get himself standing out of the water before he fell back. Well. Nope. Not happening right now. He sighed, "You don't have to stay around if you don't want to Pica. I'm just going to be resting here."
The fawn opened her mouth
On the last stone, Pica perked her ears. Perhaps..?
Hello, new page.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
The stag watched her with
Shakes fist/
Last... wriggling her rump,
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon backed up a bit,
did I ever track this O_O
~ C.S. Lewis
Uhh... I don't think so? Now
Pica's face: :
"Of course itsa door, what else? A star?" The fawn pushes off pompously, but like Acton, she was very insecure about this idea. Who would've known a door would turn out like this?! But, determined to show that she was a brave girl, Pica takes two tentative steps forward. Then backs up one step. A bit like a Cha-cha.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
"I thought doors were more
Terrified yet exhilarated,
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon charged after her,
She had tried to yell a
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
One second he felt he was
Pica was starting to get
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
"Yeah...I think so," the stag
Pica glanced around warily.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
He bent his head a bit to
Pica waved a hoof airily, not
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon just stared from the
Pica stared up expectantly,
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
"Whoa, don't just go
"M-hm." So blissful was this
So, so exciting! She'd found a door at last, with new sights, new plants and new food - perhaps she could explore around here later, and visit this steamy green whenever she felt that grass and bark wasn't enough to sustain her. Always seeming to be dictated by thoughts of food recently, the fawn spies.. a gleam of off-white?
Glancing back quickly to see that Acton could see where she was going, Pica snickered happily as she crawled under, failing to hear a rustle nearby that was not of her making to poke her head out the other side, shaking out her ears and stopping quite abruptly to stare.
What were these.. funny looking things? Never seen them before. Keeping her big eyes on the funny white things, Pica hisses out the corner of her mouth, "Hey, Acton. Acton?" Hopefully he had followed. Otherwise Pica would have to go through the trouble of lugging one of the white-things over to show him.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon felt his heart sink a
"Those are really big eggs," he stated quietly, glancing down at her after halting at the young doe's side.
Pica stayed still,
Nearing the small depression of dug-up dirt, the fawn slows and shoots a glance and Acton, but it was pretty hard to see what his expression was like since he had that mask covering his face, but assuming that he approved of taking one of the 'big eggs' the young doe reaches forward with a tentative hoof and pats it. Pats it and then drags it towards her, surprised at it's weight.
"Hey Acton, wanna help?"
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon wasn't sure how good
Slowly, he made his way over, muttering something along the lines of "This isn't such a good idea," as he lifted up his mask to nudge the egg with his nose. He gave the rest of them a passing glance before moving the one they did have. "Do you even like eggs, Pica?"
She was having trouble trying
So engrossed with the egg she was, Pica failed to notice any kind of change in the atmosphere, didn't hear the small pad of clawed feet as she gingerly stretched her neck outwards to scrape her teeth against the shell. Didn't taste all that good, but perhaps it would taste better once she really got nibbling. Rubbing her cheek against the shell, Pica takes a moment to consider the stag's question, and as she did a small twitch of movement caught her eye. It demanded attention. Absently, the fawn nods, "Yes, yes, Pica like eggs, but Pica thinks there's another egg over there. Got big eyes."
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
"Eggs don't have-" Actaeon
Maybe they could be friends
Chills were running around everywhere, and Pica barely gave any answer but a choked whimper and clutch the egg tighter to her body.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon glanced down at her
"Uh - uhuh. Want... want the
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Of course...she wanted the
Twitching with nerves, later
"Mmph, 'kay. Hurry, Acton!" And yet Pica couldn't help but feel like a thief.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon moved to place
Always blame the foreigner.
The absence of the scarf on his left side bothered him. He was used to the comforting feeling of the fabric against his shoulder, but at the same time, it seemed to wake him up a bit. This was just another opponent, wasn't it? Teeth and claws instead of metal. Just as he traded his shield and sword for tine and hoof. Besides...Pica needed him to keep her safe. That would happen even if he didn't live to see the door himself, as far as he was concerned.
The reptile charged forward without any recognizable warning, the male scrambling to try to charge it and cut it off from reaching Pica. At least, he thought it was aiming for Pica. The creature easily switched directions and bolted around him, causing Actaeon to wheel about in time to stop the monster from leaping at his flank. Well...alright then. He started to pick up on the monster's game after a couple of those charge attacks, trying to keep his tines between it and his body. He knew if he allowed it to leap onto him and find some purchase, it would skin him alive with those daggers for claws.
He really would prefer seeing his intestines staying inside his body. The black and gold stag fought to keep the creature on one side of him, trying to act like some living wall and bide Pica the time she needed to get back to the door. Except...he didn't know how long that would take. So he aimed to fight it as long as he could. At first it seemed easy enough. After the initial sneak attack, the creature was easy to figure out. Bluff, scream, charge some more before trying to circle around to find its opening. He focused on the elongated, snapping jaws and the knives for talons the most. The rest was just a brittle body he could snap if he got ahold of it. In some ways, it was like fighting in the arena. Though there, the men were either deranged, or desperate, or both. They charged headlong without much thought, trying to overpower the will of their opponent with pure desperation alone. It rarely worked. He knew their weaknesses, and if he couldn't see them right away, he knew how to find them.
The reptile was fast though, he could give it that. It easily got a couple of small nicks into his side before he could get his head around and strike it with his tines. More than once it nearly had its talons wrapped around his ribs if he didn't leap out of the way quick enough. He was able to jab his tines against it a couple of times, though, earning lizard blood that dripped down onto his neck fur and stained the bone of his antlers. Some of it channeled down into his neck scars, making them seem fresh again. After several minutes of their strange dance, he was exhausted. It was more from fear than it was from physical weariness. The reptile didn't seem to tire. The blood that dripped down from its sides didn't do anything to slow it down, just mingled with the dust that painted its scale and feather. The eyes were just as bright as ever; just as cunning as it had when it started to fight.
That was when he realized what it was doing: it was trying to tire him out first. It was trying to find an opening, just as he was buying his time for his. He made more of a conscious effort to stay in one spot then, still fast, just more of a wall. Something that seemed more formidable than a scrawny black and gold buck that was getting too old for fighting. He held off a couple more attacks before everything seemed to happen at once. A rustling sounded somewhere behind the monster, distracting both of them for a split second, Actaeon more so than it. The reptile watched it, but saw its chance to lunge. Before Actaeon knew what had happened, he saw a brown grey flash in his vision and felt agony flare up his foreleg. He felt the ground under him, a bit of stability over the pain, and wondered why there wasn't any teeth in his neck yet.
That was when things sort of settled into place. He heard two distinct screeching sounds. One from the little one he was fighting, and one from a much bigger monster. The brown grey thing had gave up its attack for a dead creature that the bigger one had been dragging back with it, something that was twice the size of the little one and only a bit smaller than the newcomer. The new reptile, he realized with some heightening panic over the pain, had spotted him and charged with a speed that he didn't think possible. They had just switched places. Little one made for an easier kill, big one went after him.
Move!
Actaeon's limbs scrambled for purchase as he leaped to his feet. He wheeled, slipping on his own blood and the dusty ground as he made a blind, wild charge in the direction Pica had gone. He heard the beast behind him over the wild hammering in his chest and the weird twittering rumble that passed for its growl. As he ran, he tried to ignore the pain, leaping over brush and trying to duck under trees all the while hearing the monster inches behind him. The black and gold sent a silent prayer to all the Gods he knew that Pica had not only found the portal unscathed, but was through it. The last thing in the world he wanted was Pica stuck with these weird lizard chickens. She wouldn't last an hour, at most.
He continued running as he felt a weight strike his left side, talons slicing into his flesh as teeth latched onto the back of his neck. It was heavier than he was and he ended up slamming both of them into a nearby tree trunk. Dazed, he struggled upright and charged forward without so much as a backward glance as the beast remained collapsed and dazed behind him. Bloody and stumbling by that point, he continued his haphazard run for the door, nearly ready to collapse when he entered the clearing.
And here...have a passage from a novel. Lol.
This is AMAZING. While Acton
While Acton started to square up with the raptor, the fawn had been steadily dragging the gigantic egg away, fear in her eyes as she glanced around periodically with the sounds of hoof-beats and furious rustling in her ears alerting to her that the toothy and Acton had begun to fight. Fighting - fighting was bad, and in her own logic deduced that if she could get the egg back to the door faster, then Acton would be less hurt and she continued pulling and yanking over the tough bits of grass, the small roots and indents, breathing quickly with small little huffs from the effort - but it was an egg. Her egg.
Pica was in mid-pull over a particularly determined tree root when there came from that direction the sound of two terrifying screeches and in a frantic tug scrambled on, shoving her way through brush, eyes wide and desperate to reach that patch of grass - and she was inside the clearing. If not the drool-soaked scarf in her mouth reminding her of her mission she would have breathed a sigh of relief but as it was, the fawn furrowed her brow and pushed onwards to that pretty, pretty door. One she hoped she'll never go through again when a dull thud of flesh hitting tree sounded, and she jerked involuntarily to the sudden noise.
Pica entered the swirling vortex rear first, eyes on the crashing and swaying undergrowth which alerted her that Acton was coming. Now, only her head was remaining, body feeling light and she could see Acton's bloodstained antlers and faltering run, the precious egg wrapped up in his scarf. The fawn dropped it for a second to whimper as the stag stumbled into the clearing, urging Acton to find the strength to fling himself into the portal and yet also a reaction to the horrible wounds that bled red. Redredredredred, feeling sickened by what she perceived she had been the one to make him hurt so much. Redredred.
"A..acton. Over here." A small hoof emerged from the portal to tap at the ground and in the same motion drew the egg into the void.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Pshaw, it would have been
At the sound of Pica's voice Actaeon faltered mid step, redirecting his course to follow after the young doe. Dim relief flooded through him, almost enough to send a thank you prayer to the Gods if his mind wasn't starting to slip. Agony was the main focus on his mind, paired with the equally strong will to live. He wasn't going to die there. Not if he anything to say about it, at least. Each step put more and more weight on a leg that most likely wouldn't hold him a second or a third step, but fought every warning of that leg buckling.
Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Behind him he was only vaguely aware of a screeching monster, but it sounded so distant he didn't give it a second thought. In front of him the portal seemed farther and farther away, no help from his tunneling vision either. With one last push of energy, he leaped at the door, welcoming the weightlessness that followed.
It felt longer this time, for some reason. Though before he realized it he was slamming into the ground on the other side, his own momentum dragging him around until he came to a stop in the dirt. He didn't try to get up for several moments, focusing on breathing and not getting sick from the nausea like he almost had earlier. If tried to get up and got dizzy, he wouldn't have been able to handle it. The world was spinning lazily, his vision still tunneled. The mask seemed cruely tight around his throat. It was after several moments of gasping that he started to frantically try to rip it off. Each attempt failed, he couldn't get a good enough angle to cut the rope with a hoof. He still tried though, though it was weaker. His mind was shutting down, trying to fight the pain that was steadily growing as the adrenaline burned off. The only conscious thought was that Pica was okay. She had to be. She had gone through the door before he did.
Worriedly, Pica watched the
It was way too close, at the edge of the clearing now and in a few more strides... Pica ducked her head into the portal with clenched eyes as Acton flung himself through with a great surge of determination.
The fawn wrapped herself up against the scarf-covered egg and clenched her eyes tightly until suddenly, she felt pressure around her as she was flung into the gently swirling dust motes of the Forest with a soft oomph upon impact. It took her a moment to adjust to the dry, crisp air until she scrabbled up to see how Acton was going and cringed. Didn't look good. Didn't look good at all - especially his breathing. Tentatively, the fawn took small steps closer to sniff at him ad did a small little hop of shock when Acton began to gasp heavily.
Why..? He was spasming funny. Trying to reach for his neck or.. mask? Gently placing down her egg, Pica leans down to inspect the ruffled fur around his neck and sees a string, cutting cruelly over his neck. "Oh. Hey, Acton, did you want your mask? Because if you do you'll have to stop trying to whack me and relax." Dodging another flail Pica reaches down delicately and began gnawing at the thin rope, seeing that taking it off seemed impossible.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon didn't catch on right
"Shh. Of course you need
Humming quietly to herself as she worked on the rope, Pica felt an uncontrolled trembling in her limbs. Which was weird. Then her legs gave way and she was yanked sideways by her fall, and the rope broke with a wet snap. "Yeech."
Spitting out the rope fibres, Pica swiped a tongue around her mouth to clear it, accidentally swallowing a few of the fibres.
"There - Hey. Acton. Acton. Woohoo." Worried now by the stag's faint movements, Pica taps his bad leg hesitantly. "Hey, Acton you needa get this cleaned up and - wooaah. What's dat." Her eyes had caught onto something dug into his ravaged flesh and the fawn bustled over to get a better look. It was a strange shape. Very strange. All weird and curved with a broken off part.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
He bit back a grumble as pain
"What's what?" he mumbled, slowly bringing his head around to assess the damage along his back. It looked like a lion took a swipe at him. "Probably just bone," he said quietly, sounding not the least bit concerned, starting to lower his head back down.
Probably just bone --!!! Pica
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
How would getting up make the
Pica had no idea what she was
She nodded self-importantly.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Yeah...that seemed like a
"Hm? Oh, yes. Running water.
A pointed and accusing glance was thrown at the egg. It acted like it didn't see that. Beginning to grown frustrated with her inability to help the fawn took her time to examine the 'bone' poking out of his shoulder. It didn't look like a bone. Looked like.. like a small branch, or curled leaf.
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon didn't really notice
After several minutes of limping his way along he allowed his sights to stray, glancing back to check on the fawn, his scarf and the egg. He felt laughter bubble up his throat, but he killed it before he could laugh. In any other situation, it would have probably been funny. He pulled his gaze back to realize that he was about to go falling into the little trench of a stream. Actaeon's legs pulled up short- save for the injured one that he held off the ground- before he slowly, slowly started to pick his way down. He didn't want to just fall into the water, but he couldn't fight the gravity and the angle of the slant. The black and gold stag settled for half falling into the water, side stepping enough to settle down with the tears falling across his back and side.
That was when he started to notice the pain. He closed his eyes with a grimace, refusing to cry out, or do anything that might scare Pica. He didn't want to worry her.
It would seem rather
As they neared the little trench that held the cold water, the fawn looks worriedly around. Where to put the egg so that both the cloth and the egg wouldn't get muddy in the small droplets that splattered around? By now the stag was inching down the steep slope and suddenly his antlers dipped as he fell in - and Pica rushed the the edge to look down at the heavily wounded of-same to shrink back again noting the tensed posture Actaeon held himself in.
It looked horrible. The red was all eddying out in pink and in a horrified fascination the fawn watched the red slowly fade into pink, then nothing as it made it's way down to the bigwater and wondered, where did it all go? It wasn't possible for so much red to just disappear. Pica returned her gaze to Acton, hoping to see a miraculous sign of recovery but it didn't seem to have much effect other than showing pale pink flesh and a darker curved thing in his shoulder. Hefting up the now-dirtied scarf and her burden inside it, Pica picked her way down delicately and slowly, tensing and digging in her heels whenever the mud gave way a bit but with her smaller size and lighter weight the fawn was able to slip safely into the shoulder-high water well away from the pink-and-red water.
Stepping softly on the mud as to not disturb it, the fawn dips the scarf down and jiggles it around in an attempt to wash out the dirt, letting go of it at one stage to wash it's spit-covered end. Once it was clean, Pica struggled her way up the slope to sit the wet bundle in the poppies, snapping a few off to present to Acton ashamedly from above him. "Um. Thanks, Acton for letting me keep the egg an' - an' Pica's sorry for you gett'n hurt."
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Actaeon half heard her over
"I'd rather let it rip me apart than hurt you. I couldn't live with myself, otherwise..." he trailed off, wincing as he shifted his weight. It was a sting, like a bee's sting, sharp and painful. He glanced back at his shoulder, staring at what he had once thought was just a bone, but realized that wasn't the case. Either that or the bone broke in a really odd way. "That's a tooth or something...a claw maybe...not a bone..." he muttered more to himself than to the fawn. He tried to reach it, but the motion made his head swim a bit and he had to rest his head against the bank for several moments before he reached around to grasp the claw, wrenching the object out of his shoulder with a single quick motion. The movement only caused more blood to flare up from the wound on his shoulder, quickly fading as the water pulled it away. He placed the claw on the bank, resting it a few inches away from his head as so he could inspect it with the simple tilt of a head.
Pica smiled hopefully - least
Shuffling her feet excitedly, Pica saw Acton look over to his funny-bone thing. "Yeah, Pica didn't think it was a 'bone' either. Hey - Acton! You shouldn't pull it out! See, now you got more red comin' out." Her peeved exclamations didn't last long, however as she leant in for a closer look at the sharp, lethal claw. If they had done that kinda damage to Acton, then woah. Acton was waay stronger than he looked. Eying the the claw with almost bug-eyes Pica sneaks a small hoof forward to tap it gently. "It's.. sharp. Very sharp. Sharper than Acton's spikies, Pica thinks."
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
Spikies...? He raised an
"Yes much sharper," he agreed quietly, "that's why it had to get out. If it stayed it'd just make more of a nuisance of itself." He realized, if only vaguely, that he was lucky that that thing hadn't skinned him alive in the first five seconds and went running after Pica.
Even just a claw-thing could
Thank you, Tuo and Kohva!
He nodded, before giving the