[SE] The Void Creature Claws

Life is a grand adventure.

With all the care of a woman with far too much confidence, Nova made her way over the hills and through the woods to the Dreaming Well. Vespy had mentioned going there and she'd heard of the lore surrounding granted wishes and what girl doesn't want all her dreams to come true?

A giggle and shimmer of sparkles followed her as she skipped up to the stone structure, immediately leaning a little too far forward to peek inside its dark depths. Who knew what kind of alternate universe she might have ended up in if she hadn't righted herself on the stone with a burst of various magics? Anyone watching probably had a miniature heart attack at the sight, but Nova let out another giggle, the orange and blonde strands of her hair flaring around her face as she beamed a smile down at the black pit. 

"Hello!" Her shout echoed against the stone, getting sucked down then thrown back up at her. Bouncing with delight, she did it again, making her dark blue sweater dress with lace sewn into the edges shift pleasantly against her skin. 

However, unbeknownst to Nova, the sound and movement attracted more than just her own amusement.

Nova

Go out and explore!

Callum

What's the worst that could happen

Callum is in King's End for a job, but that doesn't mean that he can't do some sightseeing while he's here. It is for that reason that he makes his way out of New Haven and out into Mourn, aiming for the Dreaming Well. He's heard all manner of rumor about the old wellhouse, and though he suspects that the stories are just that, he brings a sparkly stone to toss - just in case. There is, after all, something to be said for tradition.

A shouted hello has him slowing his pace as he approaches the well. A girl with orange in her blonde hair leans over the edge, shouting down into the water that Cal assumes is at the bottom. She seems precariously perched, but for all that she should be falling down the well, she seems to be having a grand time. The mercenary approaches comfortably, his hands in his pockets, where he fingers the stone he brought along to toss.

"Wish I could throw my voice," he comments idly as he watches the girl. "Make the well say hello back."

When two worlds collide

Life is a grand adventure.

Enthralled by her own enthusiasm and vocal entertainment, Nova's blissfully unaware of the Void Viper that slithers along the bottom of the stones, melting into the shadows as naturally as her brother. And just like Vesper, it's patient, waiting for the right opportunity to make its appearance, waiting for the energy to lull in a breath between moments, waiting to strike.

For now, the humming of her excitement is enough to ward off the creature, only heightened by the sudden appearance of a new person to enjoy it with her. The smile on her face widens, the freckle stars on her cheeks stretching with the motion as she beams at the tall man. "Why don't you come give it a try?! It's a lot of fun!" 

There isn't a lot of room around the well, but she doesn't move, apparently unbothered at having a stranger suddenly in her midst. And just to prove that he can do it too, she leans precariously forward to shout into the well again, "Hello!" And the well answers back with a resounding echo that sets her giggling.

Nova

Go out and explore!

Callum

What's the worst that could happen

The girl is bright and bubbly, and Callum leans against a post holding the wellhouse up as he watches her, amused by her excitement. Though he's never been one to shout into wells for the fun of it, he has to admit that watching someone else do something so ridiculous is entertaining - especially as the girl leans forward precariously again, prompting Callum to make a stilted half-motion, as though preparing to grab her, just in case.

Then he sees it - a Void Viper, coiled along the bottom of the stones. Suddenly serious, he straightens, taking a step towards the creature (and, by proxy, the girl). "Don't panic, but you might want to take a step back," he cautions, gesturing towards the ground. "There's a Void Viper by the well."

When two worlds collide

bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones, bones.

---

You've encountered the OG random event! This allows you to skip one levelling requirement with the character in this thread. (Unfortunately does not count for characters over level 10, how sad.)

Life is a grand adventure.

The fading echoes of her greeting elicit another colorful laugh as she turns to the stranger, waiting impatiently for him to give it a try. He doesn't look like he's getting ready to shout down the well when he's leaned so comfortably against the post of the roof; but then he's taking a step forward and she pushes up a little higher on the stone edge, preparing to help him with the difficult task - he looks really concerned about it for some reason. 

Opening her mouth to reassure him, she's interrupted by the very serious tone he uses. "Hm?" Looking to where his eyes wander, she spots the familiar inky black scales that spell trouble. Her nose wrinkles in disgust, recalling her last run-in with the creatures. "Ew. It's rude to stalk people, and we were in the middle of having fun. Go away." 

When it doesn't immediately do as she says, Nova jumps away from the well with a pointed flick of her hair. "Fine. Be that way." A low growl starts in her chest as her fangs peek through her mouth and the tide jaguar form pushes from beneath her skin. She's barely finished shifting before she's lunging for the creature.

Nova

Go out and explore!

Callum

This is a black market reformation

Much to Callum's surprise, the girl doesn't immediately scream or screech or back away, instead advancing on the Void creature with a flick of her hair. He's about to warn her not to get any closer when she shifts, and the mercenary chuckles as the tide jaguar lunges for the snake. Well, if they were shifting, he might as well join in the fun - and it's only a moment before he sits perched on the edge of the well, peering at the jaguar and her prey through the golden eyes of a peregrine falcon.

Need any assistance? he drawls, preening his chest feathers as he keeps an eye on the girl and the snake, ready to jump in at a moment's notice if needed. But she seems capable enough, and he waits patiently for her reply before doing anything else, unwilling to steal her kill if it's something that she wants.

Keep your lips closed

When it rains, look for rainbows.

Her paws reach ahead with a loud MEOWR bursting forth as her battle cry. The viper realizes its mistake but doesn't manage more than a hiss before she's pinning its head. The tail wriggles, trying to wrap around her leg. It smacks at her nose, making it wrinkle as she growls Hey! That hurt! before biting and smacking the end into submission.

She only takes her eyes off the Void Viper for a moment to notice the falcon that now sits perched on the well. There's a flicker of surprise followed by a sparkling giggle down the bond. Nope! This guy doesn't stand a chance! As if to prove her point, Nova sits, her paws confidently spread across the serpent to keep in it in place. There's pride puffing her chest and a near-perceptible grin on her jaguar features as she flexes her claws around the creature, making it squirm and hiss in frustration. 

Nova flicks her ears in light dismissal as her tail waves playfully behind her. Maybe see if it has a friend nearby you can play with?!

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova

Callum

This is a black market reformation

Callum watches all of this unfold, impressed in spite of the girl's first impression. A shimmer of that admiration sparks in the Attuned bond as the mercenary casts his gaze around, looking for any secondary vipers that might be hiding nearby. Sure, he says, taking flight just long enough to perch atop the wellhouse, scanning the ground outside. Sure enough, he spots another snake slithering through the grass, though it's unclear to Callum whether it's moving to help its friend or fleeing the wrath of the tide jaguar.

The mercenary leaps into the sky, careful to keep an eye on the viper as he climbs - and then plummets, claws outstretched, with a ferocious battle cry as his talons sink deep into the snake's scaled flesh. He carries it off with him, hissing and spitting, until he is high above the treeline. Then, he drops the snake, watching as it thunks against the wellhouse roof, sliding off with a soft thud into the grass.

Keep your lips closed

When it rains, look for rainbows.

Content to let the man find his own friend to play with, Nova continues her assault on the Void Viper trapped beneath her claws, faintly aware of his admiration. She lets out another giggle, reaching down to clamp the serpent between her teeth, her paws bracing on each side. Leaning back, she pulls on the hissing creature until she feelings a tearing and a resonating pop. The viper goes silent, and Nova stands to shake her head, whipping its dead body back and forth like a victory streamer. 

Suddenly, a thud sounds next to her, almost hitting her on the head and making her jerk away. She definitely prefers falling glitter over falling serpents. Flicking her tail, she looks up at the falcon with a low growl of annoyance. Hey! Give a girl some warning!

Letting out a huff, she drops her own viper, not finding it as fun when it's not fighting back. She looks back up at the Attuned hopefully, her blue eyes sparkling. Did you see any others?

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova

Callum

This is a black market reformation

From his perch atop the wellhouse, Callum wonders if the tide jaguar can even reach him; her growl of annoyance is noted, but ultimately ignored. The mercenary doesn't think that the girl is a threat to him - not because she couldn't be if she wanted, but because he doesn't get that vibe from her. My bad, he drawls, if only to keep the peace.

With two dead Void Vipers in their midst, Cal scans the clearing again. The only movement he sees is the grass in the breeze, and he offers a noncommittal, No, just those two. He pauses. I'm sure there are other things around to hunt, if you're interested. Otherwise, perhaps it is time for Callum to take his leave.

Keep your lips closed

When it rains, look for rainbows.

Giving another small huff of dismissal, Nova flicks her tail again, deciding she'll let him off with a warning this time. She pokes at the serpents, making sure there's no more fun to be had with the creatures before determining that they are very, truly dead. There's a pang of disappointment until he's bringing up hunting, and a new shimmer of excitement sparkles down the Attuned bond.

Bouncing lightly on her paws, Nova looks to the falcon. Ooh! Like what?! She turns to assess the small spattering of trees around them, curious what other animals may be lurking in their depths. Hopefully, they won't be plagued by the same nasty purple stuff that the vipers had.

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova

Callum

This is a black market reformation

Blink hares, for one, Callum offers. They're a bit tricky, but satisfying. There's a couple over to the west. He thinks of the fat piebald creatures and their uncanny ability to dodge just when they're about to become dinner. He's been tricked by them a few times, and he's always eager to even the score.

He hops to the edge of the wellhouse roof, peering down at the tide jaguar through golden eyes. She seems perfectly capable of holding her own, but he's encountered very few with the sort of bubbly (albeit slightly airheaded) personality that she possesses, and it intrigues him to find that alongside a deadly ability. I'm Callum, by the way.

Keep your lips closed

When it rains, look for rainbows.

Already nodding her enthusiastic approval, Nova bounces forward on light paws towards the trees. Those sound cool! Let's go find one! It doesn't take much to get her excited, and the prospect of hares that teleport sound like something really fun, even if he may think they're 'tricky.' 

Turning to look at the falcon, her tail waves in greeting, rainbow rosettes glowing in the shadows that cast from the Leafchange sun. Her eyes glow a bright blue as she tilts her head. Hi Callum! I'm Nova! Very impatient and not one for traditional conversation, Nova gives him a feline grin and inches closer to the coverage of trees like she might just dart away at a moment's notice. Are you coming?

When it's dark, look for stars.

Nova