[PQ] i can feel the pressure

It wasn't easy, but Tal had become a great deal stronger than he had been the last time he'd been stuck in the swamp, and there was something to be said for being able to simply muscle through problems. Sure, he still looked slender, but he was no longer quite as scrawny as he'd been, and the whipcord muscle hiding beneath his clothing was stronger than even he usually gave himself credit for. Soon enough he'd managed to haul himself out of the edge of the quicksand pit and he began to wipe himself off as best he could with a resigned scowl firmly in place--

At least until Soh made her apology. "What? Nah, we knew what we were signin' up for," he reassured her with a confirming glance to Jude, a wry snort punctuating his words as he scraped the crap off his legs and boots. "Sure, th'place is shitty, but I could use a map o' it for makin' deliveries. An' I'm fine. Nothin' hurt but my pride," he added with a heavy sigh. His pride was used to taking the licks, though, and he just shrugged as he straightened and started coiling up his own rope.

He made his way the long ways around the quicksand back to rejoin Soh and Jude, making sure the kid was unhurt before turning to see where Sohalia was pointing. "Mmm. Yeah, we can try that way," he decided. "Won't be able t'see much from th'ship, leastways. The mist makes it hard t'see anythin' below the canopy."

---

Tal votes to continue on foot!

Jude

The sand clings to his legs by time he makes it back to solid land, and honestly he isn’t looking forward to cleaning his pants later because of it. Retrieving his rope and re-coiling it so he can put it back in his bag, he turns towards Sohalia with a small, sympathetic smile at her clear stress. “It’s okay, we need to map it no matter what, and it’s a good thing we are here because if you’d come alone you wouldn’t have had help if you’d fallen in.” Which really just means he’s saying he doesn’t regret coming and isn’t put off by the quicksand mishap.

Agreeing with Talyson, Jude shoulders his backpack again and rocks on his heels, ready for more. “Let’s keep going. This isn’t nearly enough for your map.” If it was for Sohalia he’d soldier on when he might have otherwise turned back if he was alone.

- - -

Jude votes to keep going!

I wish you a kinder sea even if you do not sail with me

Sohalia

Honestly, Soh wasn't sure what she'd done to deserve friends like these. They could easily have voted to turn back, and yet they were willing to continue on at her side despite the unforgiving terrain and less-than-ideal conditions. She felt a lump form in her throat, and she swallowed hard. "Thanks, guys," she said, rather softer than she'd intended, her gratitude clear in her voice.

Then she shook herself. They were still in what felt like hostile territory, after all. She could be sentimental later.

She led the way forward, creeping carefully across the boggy ground, trying to avoid any other quicksand mishaps. Before long, the silence gave way to some kind of call in the background that she couldn't quite make out. "Okay, please tell me you hear that, too?" she asked nervously. The sound seemed to be coming from their left. "Do you think we should check it out?"

------

A spooky scary sound is coming from nearby. Should we check it out? No post order!

Tal knew better than to imply any of his friends might need help. He knew how prickly he got when someone did such a thing about him--

But this was Soh, and she didn't have the layers of grouchy hackles that Tal had built up over a childhood of solitude and a chosen trade that, until recently, had been a solitary one. (Excepting Boreal, who made sure she was never forgotten or far from her human companion.) So Tal just gave a half-hearted nod at Jude's words, and a more sincere one when he pointed out that her map was still woefully blank. "Yeah," he chipped in, gruff but making an effort to be supportive of both his friend and his future apprentice. "Can't quit now. Job's not done yet."

Boreal trotted over to lean against Soh's hip, crooning soft affection for the girl that Tal was afraid to show when he was covered in quicksand and she was still relatively clean. The dragon was far from stirling herself, but she had fewer qualms about the dirt than the humans around her seemed to.

Soon enough they were back on track, Tal pointing out a few uniquely twisted trees that they could use as markers from time to time until the silence was broken by--

"Huh. Never heard that one before," the courier admitted. "Guess we should check it out. Case we need t'put a warnin' on th'map for other travelers." Because whatever it was, it was probably bad... at least in Tal's experience with weird noises in the Feverlands.

---

Tal suggests checking it out!

...just not with very much enthusiasm.

Jude

Creepy sounds are equally out of Jude's pay grade (and he's not getting paid for this) so he is admittedly distraught when Talyson says they should investigate it. "Are we sure that's safe? Two of us aren't armed," he points out, not wanting to come off as a coward but wary of it being some kind of predator. Boreal could scout ahead, sure, but what if that put her in danger?

Still, there is logic to following the lead of someone who is both older and more worldly, so Jude merely stifles a sigh. If it's a danger they need to put on the map, he doesn't have much of an argument. "I think we should stay as far away from it as possible unless we recognize it though." It's difficult to speak up - especially in opposition of someone he respects - but Jude would rather not die on a map expedition of all things.

- - -

Jude incredibly reluctantly agrees to check out the sound.

I wish you a kinder sea even if you do not sail with me

Sohalia

Their progress was blessedly free of further obstacles. Soh was making good progress on her map, and she was more than happy to wrap things up soon... right up until they heard some distant noises. With her companions' reluctant agreement, Soh moved towards the sound, nervous and ready to flee, should something go awry. She'd halfway hoped they would vote to turn around, but as the leader of their little expedition, she felt that she should honor their courage.

As they grew closer to the noise, the sounds became clearer. "Eyes!" croaky voices called. "Meat!" Soh stopped, recognizing the calls. "I think they're gore crows," she said. "At least, that's what the books said they sounded like." The books had also said a great deal about how dangerous they were. "I think we should turn back. I'll just mark this spot on the map." And she did so without delay, peering through the fog to try to determine whether this was a nesting spot, or if there was simply a carcass that the birds were feeding on.

It was with some disappointment that Soh turned them away from the calls of the gore crows, following her map back to the relative safety of the ship, being careful to skirt around the quicksand. It wasn't a perfect map, by any stretch, but it was better than what she'd had before, and an improvement over what she'd seen in the books she'd read. Although now she understood what made cartographers want to steer clear of the region.

When they arrived at the ship, Soh turned to her friends with a smile. "Thank you both for coming," she said. "I've got some good information. I think we should go home now."

------

This wraps up the PQ - feel free to post one last time. I'll close out the thread in a few days. Thank you both! <3

Tal turned towards Jude at the younger man's protest and there was a strange look on his face as he tried to control his expression. "Whaddya mean, 'not armed?'" For a trip to the Feverlands... He drew in a deep breath, and then a second--

And promptly regretted it, breaking into a coughing fit as he inhaled a lungful of nasty yellow mist.

Boreal sneezed in solidarity and flapped her wings to give him a clear space to recover. Her scrubbed her scaly head in thanks and then sent her back up to glide from tree to tree in the branches above them as they made their approach towards the mysterious sounds.

And oh, he recognized those fucking noises. "Definitely gore crows," he agreed at a whisper, scowling in the direction of the hidden birds. "I got chased by 'em in the Climb before." The nasty bastards. Boreal still had a few scars from that aerial fight.

It was with no disappointment at all that Tal brought the dragon back to join them before she could plot a revenge raid and followed Soh back towards the ship. He hung back, taking the rear guard just to be safe, however - now that he knew that Jude didn't have a weapon, either.

Thankfully they made it back to the ship without further mishap, and Tal had rarely been happier to take off and leave a place behind!

~Tal out~