A wide open area of flat, grassy land and rocky trenches, supposedly a wide range of ancient civilizations once lived here. Species that like wide, open areas, such as Gyrophants, Serraptors, and Sahound, thrive here, though only the agile survive. (+3 Speed)

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What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 7:59 AM

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Bella sat by the campfire, poking the hot coals with a thick stick so as to keep them lit. The pot dangling over the fire bubbled merrily, and the log she had dragged over with her team made a decent seat.

The air was cool, but not unpleasant; they had spent nights in far less pleasant places. She hoped her companions wouldn't be long; they would need to rest, as their assignment would begin early the next morning. She had planned this out to the finest details, and she hoped all would go smoothly.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 8:35 AM

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Melline finished chewing the drakel she had barbecued on a stick over the fire, and licked her lips. Naturally stealthy and a great hunter, she had found it trivial to capture the creature, together with the two cuniflare which were currently simmering in the pot.

Bella had sniffed as she had speared the drakel and held it over the fire, but she liked it crunchy. At least she had taken the fur off of it this time, she had joked.

Bella hadn't found it funny, but there again, she rarely had a sense of humour anyway.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 8:39 AM

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Merpsichore chewed happily on the bone she had found. Granted, she had found it in a yingshee carcass which smelled and looked like it had died some time before, so she was happily chewing a little way away from the camp. Bella had no fear; she was a fast little creature, and her plates would protect her from anything this place could throw at her.

She raised her head, and sniffed the air, tasting the scent carried from the cooking pot. She preferred her meat raw and bloody, however, and so the cooking pot smell was pleasant but held no interest for her.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 8:43 AM

Bella sniffed in disgust as her companions enjoyed their meal, and stirred the stew in the pot. She was no stranger to roughing it, and would eat whatever Melline would eat, but she had her preferences and hot food was one of them. Besides, for all the show she put on, Bella was well aware that Melline would want some too, as the growl coming from the werecain's stomach testified.

Ladling the stew into two bowls, she passed one of them to her companion and took her seat on the log. She removed her mask, and picked up the spoon she had prepared.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 8:45 AM

Melline did not look at Bella as she began to eat, content to focus on her bowl. She always found it strange when Bella removed her mask; she did not do it often, and the crisscrossing scars that littered her face always put Melline on edge. She too bore scars, but the tattered remains of what had once presumably been quite an attractive face were a bit too much to bear.

Besides, she reasoned, Bella didn't like being looked at without her mask, otherwise she wouldn't make a point to wear it all the time. It made sense that she did not look at her now, respectfully, of course.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 8:49 AM

Merpsichore stretched a little as she gulped down the last of the necrotic flesh from the bone. She was looking forward to this part; the marrow would likely have liquidised inside the bone, and she would be able to lap it up like a putrefying gravy once she cracked open the bone itself.

She had considerately placed herself downwind of the camp, knowing her companions did not have the stomach for the smell her food gave off. She would eat fresh meat as the situation demanded, or if she was hungry, but eons of evolution had made her species scavengers primarily, and she always preferred her food a little past its use-by date. She crunched the end of the bone off with her hard jaws, and widened her nostrils as the stench of the decaying marrow filled the air.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 8:53 AM

Bella sighed; Melline was decidedly not looking at her, and it was a combination of appreciation and self-consciousness that clouded her thoughts. She was very badly scarred, unrecognisable as the person whom she had once been, and was very aware of it. She did not remove her mask often, only to eat and shower when necessary, and had at first tried to hide it from her companions. She had not been prepared for a far too nosy and stealthy werecain to fall in front of her and apologise for invading her privacy.

She blew on her spoonful and chewed, letting the rich flavour of the broth settle into her mouth.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 8:55 AM

Melline chewed the chunk of cuniflare meat slowly, releasing its juices into her mouth a little at a time. She thought about the first time she had seen Bella without her mask, about how she had been so shocked at the damage she had dropped to the floor and apologised without thinking. Bella had never talked about what had scarred her, just as Melline never talked about the academy. They were as they were, and that was that, and it worked for the job they did. They were friends, of a sort, but the rivalry between them had always flourished and they thrived off of one another's competition.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 8:58 AM

A loud cracking sound echoed around the camp, signalling that Merpsichore had finished with the marrow and had now moved on to eating the bone itself. The yingshee carcass lay some way behind her, having been dragged close to the camp and then further away, to alleviate the smell. Most of the maggots had fallen out along the way, but Merpsichore was looking forward to the bloated interior of the carcass and what contents it would hold. The only bit she would probably leave behind would be the horns, and that would depend on how dry they were. She hoped they would be moist, or at least chalky on the inside.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 9:01 AM

As they ate, Bella glanced over the camp with a careful eye. There was no cover nearby, so it was unlikely that anything would try sneaking up on them, but she had learned to always be wary. In the nature of their business, both clients and targets alike were dangerous, and she took no chances with any of their safety. They had all they needed in packs which were generally not unpacked, lest they needed to flee or fight in a hurry. They lived and travelled minimally, and it suited their lifestyle well.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 9:03 AM

Melline's ear twitched, and she growled at the small buzzing insect that had come to disturb her dinner. She swatted at it with one of her tails, and the blade cleaved it neatly in two, dropping it out of its motion. She grinned, and glanced at Bella before averting her eyes. She enjoyed her profession, really found it gratifying, and she was sure Merpsichore did too. Bella was a bit of a mystery, but she accepted her leadership, though not always gracefully.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 9:23 AM

Merpsichore licked her front legs, to catch up all of the bone fragments that had escaped her crushing jaws. Equipped for survival, she could eat any part of any creature and digest it, could defend herself against all but the strongest with her plated hide, could move quickly and bled slowly. She was an ideal companion to the team, and together they had flourished. Highly intelligent, she could not speak but was able to follow commands and give basic information. Granted, it had taken Bella a while to learn how to interpret her attempts at non-verbal communication, and Melline still didn't quite get it, but they were getting there.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 9:25 AM

Bella finished her share of the stew, and pulled her mask back on. Immediately more comfortable, now that she was shielded from exposure, she set about clearing up the things they had used. The pot still had a little stew in it, so she left it over the fire; Melline would likely want seconds anyway.

She went over to the hole they had dug until they hit water (Merpsichore had been most helpful) and washed out the bowl and spoon, drying them with a cloth she had brought from her pack. She breathed a little easier now that she was slightly away from Melline.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 9:40 AM

Melline breathed a sigh of relief, once Bella put her mask back on. She knew it was unfair, but she just couldn't help herself. It wasn't that Bella was unspeakably ugly or repulsive, but there was something very intimate and vulnerable about her removing the mask, and it made Melline uncomfortable. She actively avoided intimate and vulnerable situations, and this one was no different. As Bella walked away to clean her utensils, Melline glanced after her, before focusing back on her food.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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Re: What Are We Here For? [Quest][Self]

Postby ToxxicRenegadeAngel » 04/09/2017 9:44 AM

Merpsichore licked her chops, and wandered over to the yingshee carcass. She could see the haze of insects that hovered above it, and the maggots made it appear to move, though it had long ceased breathing.

She grasped the remaining hind leg in her jaws, and pulled; the necrotic tissues holding it together gave way easily, and a wave of stench washed over the area. Merpsichore revelled in it, happily carrying the leg back to where she had been eating before. She would have preferred to stay by the carcass, but did not wish to be too far from camp lest she was needed; she was fast, but it was better to be close by.
"I remember who I was, who I've always been. Sometimes I forget I'm not that person any more."

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