[SE] Bringing me out the dark

Colt

Love's just one of them words
That gets thrown around
So I ain't gonna say it, no I ain't gonna lie
If you were my last breath, I'd just wanna hold ya

The day's just beginning to lessen in heat and pick up a breeze as the sun starts to gather all its pink and violet robes. Long, wispy clouds streak the colors fresh and bright, pleats in the sky's evening wear, and Colt's smile is upturned towards it as she pauses double-checking her pack to admire it for a moment. "You ever eat sand grouse?" she asks with a nose back to business as she glances over at Thal. "I'm partial to red meat myself, but it's pretty good fresh."

Having learned the hunting method from the locals last time she'd done this longside them and Marcus, she's back to gather more fresh food stocks to balance all the salted meat, jerky, nuts, and dried fruit the camps have been subsisting on. Once they get proper trade routes and a town established, they can start to consider better food and ingredient flows and storage, and start to build out some ranching and farming here. For now though, it's sand grouse hunts, and she means to share what they take down with the locals who have as much use for the meat as everything else.

"You're gonna want this, for the toxins," she explains, passing over one of the charcoal-lined bandanas she's been using whenever she goes into Suvahasi for longer treks. She swings her pack around onto her back, bow and quiver settling there too, and fits her own bandana on. "I'll show you one of the fresh water sources, that's where the birds gather around dusk, makes it easy to pick several off before they flap away." It'd take some hiking to get there.

---

Claiming req: interact with the land - Tracking, hunting and cooking sand grouse w/ some locals for food, camping in the region and element effects.

Sand grouse: The most common way of shooting sandgrouse is waiting for them over a water hole. The birds start coming to drink in groups as soon as the sun is up or down. The outfitter may set up a blind, but normally simply standing or sitting quietly under a bush is enough. Sandgrouse aren’t very tough birds, but they are fast flyers with erratic flight patterns.

Ghost story SE

If you were my last shot of whiskey
I'd press you to my lips, take a little sip
Swirl you around and around and around
Then I'd shoot ya down

Dressed in her usual characteristic black pants and long sleeves, Thal looks as comfortable as if she were taking a stroll across the deck of her ship rather than the sweltering evening heat of the desert that's soaked up the heat of the day. The muted warmth of the breeze rustles her blonde hair as she flicks a dagger in her hand, flipping it blade over hilt as she waits for Colt to finish with her bag. Not even bothering to look at the rancher, she flicks her tail at the question. "Nope. Red meat is superior to all else." And as the resident meat expert between the two of them, Thal feels completely confident in declaring such; in all honestly, she has no idea what a 'sand grouse' is, but based on the name alone, she suspects it's something small and pathetic, making her doubt it'll be worth the effort to peel the meat off its bones. But a hunt's a hunt.

Thal finally pulls her eyes away from her dagger to take in the charcoal bandana. She'd worn something similar the last few times she was out here, certain she didn't want whatever Tal had inhaled during their trek through the foliage. There's one tucked into the back pocket of her pants for this very reason, the dark blue fabric peaking barely out, but she takes the one offered by Colt, sheathing her dagger to tie it casually around her face. Her darker hair would usually make her eyes pop from covering half her face, but the blonde overpowers her features, the blue turning more silver as its mischievous glint lands on Colt. The pinch of skin at their corners hints at a matching grin beneath the covering, her tail waving excitedly behind her. "Lead the way."

I just want you to set me free.

Thalassa

Colt

Love's just one of them words
That gets thrown around
So I ain't gonna say it, no I ain't gonna lie
If you were my last breath, I'd just wanna hold ya

Thanks to Colt's hat, she's in about as good of shape as Thal is here, and it reminds her that she ought to write Deimos to thank you and let him know he did a fine job. She still wears the longer, thin fabric the locals have turned her on to, the material breathable to allow her heat out, but trap sweat in, better letting it cool her when the wind picks up. Her pants are back to jeans for this trek though, and her trusty boots, not wanting any fabric tearing while they fight the jungle.

With her own bandana pulled up, the blue fabric framed by her blonde wig hair, Colt ducks under the first vine to lead them deeper in. "That's why we get along so well," she decides with an unseen smile, clearly appreciating Thal's meat opinions. "Even better now that you're blonde. You keeping it until all my hair grows back?" Colt asks, glancing sidelong at the ancient as she skirts a particularly hungry-looking plant that moves a touch too much for her liking.

If you were my last shot of whiskey
I'd press you to my lips, take a little sip
Swirl you around and around and around
Then I'd shoot ya down

Thal cocks her head, following close behind as Colt ducks under a low-hanging vine. There's a cockiness in how she straightens, eyes laughing as she says, "Funny. I thought it was your obsession with me." Or maybe it was their vicious banter. Or their shared dislike for love and emotions. 

Regardless, they've become annoyingly close. Hence why Thal is trapsing through suspicious plants in the middle of a desert. 

Snagging at a strand of blonde hair, she tucks it uncaringly behind her horn, shrugging her shoulders. "Not intentionally. Didn't realize this bleach was going to be so stubborn. I'm hoping it'll be gone by LongNight." Blonde hair doesn't make it easy for her to blend in with the shadows, and there's been the unfortunate side effect of people thinking she's 'approachable' or something. If it doesn't grow out by LongNight, Thal might just dye it back herself.

I just want you to set me free.

Thalassa

In the distance, the sand seems to darken, shimmering with the unmistakable gleam of water. Light dances across its surface, rippling invitingly as though a pool lies just ahead.

The illusion holds even as it is approached, the promise of relief growing stronger with every step. Only subtle distortions — a flicker too sharp, a sparkle that moves against the wind — hint that something is wrong.

The Mirage Crab waits within the deception, unseen and patient. Getting too close would mean discovering the truth far too late.

---

Mirage Crab Areas Found: Hak Etme — Uncommon The mirage crab has a large, flat body, over 5ft in diameter. It has six legs, and two 10ft long tentacles. It can be found on beaches and in desert regions, where it burrows under the sand to wait for its prey. The mirage crab can create a minor illusion around itself, making itself appear like any naturally occurring creature or object. lts preferred mirage is that of a small oasis, with the appearance of a pool of water over its mouth, and its tentacles appearing like two tall palm trees. When potential pray comes over to investigate or drink the water, the illusion fades away and the mirage crab latches on with its tentacles and consumes its prey with its sharp mandibles. Challenge Rating: Difficult HP: 4,641 | To Hit: +62 | Dmg: 61 Movement: Walk 20 ft.; Burrow 20 ft.; Sand Swim 30 ft. SPECIAL SKILLS Mirage Veil: creates a minor illusion over itself to appear as a naturally occurring creature or object; Oasis Lure: commonly mimics a small oasis: a pool of "water" over its mouth with tentacles posed as two tall palm trees; Sand Concealment: burrows just beneath the surface, leaving no obvious mound; Tentacle Latch: 10-ft tentacles whip out to seize prey the moment the illusion fades

TRAITS Flat Carapace: a broad, low profile that vanishes beneath shallow sand; Six-Legged Scuttle: stable, lateral movement over dunes and rock; Heat-Hardy: tolerates desert heat and glare; Ambush Instinct: lies in wait rather than chasing prey ACTIONS Tentacle Snare: lashes out with a tentacle to grab and reel a target toward its mouth; Mandible Shear: sharp mandibles crush and cut once prey is in reach; Sand Burst: erupts from hiding in a spray of sand to blind and disorient; Recast Mirage: drops and reapplies its illusion to mislead additional onlookers

Colt

Love's just one of them words
That gets thrown around
So I ain't gonna say it, no I ain't gonna lie
If you were my last breath, I'd just wanna hold ya

A stark laugh rings out, and its fortunate they're still starting their little trek, else all the grouse would flap away with the noise of it. "Oh, I'm obsessed with you, am I?" Colt wonders, a brow arched as she glances over her way. "Are you doing that thing where you try and manifest by putting it out in the world or some shit?" She shakes her head, dismissing the notion. Colt can certainly circle thoughts or memories more than she should, but obsession isn't a word she'd use in most cases, least of all with Thal, who half the time she's as likely to want to slap as she is hug.

Humming in response to the hair color, not seeming to fully believe the excuse, but not trying to pick at that scab more than necessary, not wanting her own torn off either. Ahead, an image of fresh water comes too soon, and she pauses suddenly, holding out a hand to barr Thal's path too. "Wait...this is way too early for the watering hole. Something's not right here." She has seen this creature before, in another time, but it's deceptive. "Run," she tells Thal suddenly and grabbing her she begins to spring through the jungle.

If you were my last shot of whiskey
I'd press you to my lips, take a little sip
Swirl you around and around and around
Then I'd shoot ya down

Returning the stare, she flicks her tail playfully behind her like a cat prowling for the pounce. "Mhm. Can't ever seem to leave me alone." Amusement dances like fire in her eyes, one closing in a wink as Colt accuses her of 'manifesting' or some shit. "Don't have to." Not when the rancher rivals her in stubbornness and a seeming lack of friends. Why else would they be trapsing through the desert together? 

Uncaring whether Colt believes her reasoning, Thal continues on their course, dipping her head beneath another low-hanging vine. Water shimmers ahead, suggesting they may be close to their destination, and the 'sand grouse' that wait for them. She steps casually, fingers moving to play over her dagger hilts as she anticipates the hunt, senses perking just in time for Colt's hand to snap out. Narrowing her eyes, she looks indignantly to the barrier before scanning the watering hole. There is something off about the sight, but she's not sure she would have noticed it, and she's more curious than scared when the command comes to 'Run.'

More than capable of running on her own, she doesn't expect when Colt is grabbing for her hand. Running might not be something she likes to make a habit of, but she does have two feet, and enough self-preservation to make them move. In fact, she'd probably move faster if they weren't linked, having to follow Colt around trunks and beneath branches rather than just forging her own path. Still, she doesn't have time to complain as they sprint through the foliage to escape whatever beast hid behind the mirage. 

It's only when it's deemed safe that Thal stops, huffing an airy breath as she looks perturbed and wholly unimpressed, trying to nonchalantly unwrap a vine from her horn. "I could always fly us out next time." Save them the trouble of rearranging their clothes and hair with the latest of nature's fashion.

I just want you to set me free.

Thalassa

Colt

Love's just one of them words
That gets thrown around
So I ain't gonna say it, no I ain't gonna lie
If you were my last breath, I'd just wanna hold ya

Thal's humor lands a little awkwardly for Colt's tastes. She's not the kind to go along with being called out for something that isn't true. Talk shit all you like, however uncomfortable the truth, so long as it's true. That, or poke such obvious fun that the lie is too blatant. This hits the mark somewhere in between, because Colt does enjoy Thal's company, usually, but she can't reason that she's relied on her more than most, and being told she uses people too often and is selfish, it salts old wounds. A pettier side of Colt is inclined to show Thal just how 'obsessed' she is by never calling on the ancient again. Fortunately, her brows do all the talking for her before she can lodge her booth between her teeth, and by the time she's processed the remark fully, the mirage has well and truly stolen her entire focus.

With the command to flee as much on her voice as in her bones, Colt carries them at a breakneck pace until her ribs develop a stitch and she's forced to slow out of thicker landscape and withering endurance. Gasping for breath, she releases the lock on Thal's hand, lifting one arm over her head and sitting it there to stretch out her side while the other hand fights with the vines. Her charcoal-lined bandana flutters in and out with the sharp, demanding breaths she takes. "Fly us out, in this thick jungle?" Colt asks a bit disbelieving, shooting a glance towards Thal that's near exasperated. She might not know all of Thal's shapes or tricks, and certainly her mind doesn't jump to the potentials of magics and shifts when she herself has none to rely on, but she doubts the vines and tree canopies would have leaned away with eager hospitality for a larger, aerial shape being born among them. "Well, we made it free just fine. Nasty things, mirage crabs." Colt says with a sigh, getting her lungs better under control. "They trick people easily and they're extremely strong. They tend to sit and wait, but it was too close for comfort." She'd prefer to run than be taught how hungry that particular predator had been.

"At any rate," she says more easily now, her hand slipping off her head to her hip. "We made good time now, and that's the actual watering hole ahead where the grouse gather." Colt's pace slows to a more deliberate creep, her hands reaching back to gather her bow and a sharpened arrow in preparation for their quiet approach to take any birds already present by surprise.

If you were my last shot of whiskey
I'd press you to my lips, take a little sip
Swirl you around and around and around
Then I'd shoot ya down

Thal shrugs at the disbelief, pursing her lips as she tries distractedly to untangle the vine. "Once you find a gap in the canopy, it's not bad." A little bit of fire would have done the trick too - as proven when she lets out a frustrated growl and impatiently lights her horns on fire. The vine dissolves to ash, flaking into her blonde hair and leaving a small whisp of smoke to rise into the air, leaving her horns blissfully free of plants and a fading halo of dissipating fire. 

While Colt drags on about the mirage crab, Thal adjusts the cloth over her mouth, raising her own disbelieving brow as she asks, "How did you know it was a mirage crab? Just looked like a watering hole to me." Which makes it all the more frustrating to have almost been caught unaware.

Regardless of whether she would have been trapped in the creature's clutches without Colt, she's grateful for the shift in attention, eyes scanning ahead to a different watering hole. It sparkles a little brighter, the soft lap of water echoing in her ears as Thal lowers her body in a crouch. "Good. I'm hungry," she whispers quietly, sharp daggers appearing in her hand and a sharper grin on her face.

I just want you to set me free.

Thalassa

Colt

Love's just one of them words
That gets thrown around
So I ain't gonna say it, no I ain't gonna lie
If you were my last breath, I'd just wanna hold ya

The jungle might disagree with arson, much more humid and wet than the drier plains and grasses of the Hollowed Grounds or King's End, places that had growth aplenty and the natural fires that sweep in after that vegetation dies. What withers and rots here does so with a heap of moisture, rot and stink more likely to settle than flame. All the fresh growth certainly means to smother out any spark, turgid with moisture and the deep green of a healthy plant. Maybe it'd catch, eventually here, but they'd be smoked out first, most likely. It's one of the major advantages, in Colt's mind. It doesn't burn easily.

"Exactly," Colt breathes, in response to the mirage looking unassuming. "Seen one before, when I was here a year or so ago." She'd had much the same inclination then as now, screaming a run into the wind before setting her heels so fiercely into Vesper's sides they'd tumbled into a tangled heap in this very jungle. "It'd been more obvious, then. Very enticing out in the desert portion." She makes a sour face, the thought resurfacing the memory and how damn appealing the mirage had been after so long wandering through the heat. "Here, it's more normal, but I was hunting here not long ago, and there was no watering hole right there. I might not have this whole jungle memorized, but I know that the fresh water is hard to come by, and this path is one I have made sure to learn." She would need to know where the water would be for the town, after all.

All her reading on the desert gave her some bestiary information, especially the texts from the Wild Watch, but the smaller details of where the water is, how to best hunt sand grouse, how to grow dream cacti, those have been secrets she's traded with locals in exchange for goods, coin, or work. All depends on the secret and the person, she's come to find.

Quieting as they creep upon said watering area, Colt crouches into the brush, glancing over at the hungrily grinning Thal with a nod and a point through a gap in the foliage. A small flock of grouse are gathered, and will fly erratically right away, something Colt had warned Thal of before they entered here. Moving her weapon around, Colt nocks her arrow and lines up her shot. She blows out through her mouth, then whistles, the command to spring whatever method Thal means to use, right as Colt fires her bow. It has to be a coordinated strike, else the birds will flap away and limit their chances severely. For this reason, Colt readies a second arrow at once, bow lifting as she tries to take down another bird as it climbs.

---

The Pencil Sharpener | An earthen quiver that sharpens any arrow placed inside.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Mastered | Cost: Action

If you were my last shot of whiskey
I'd press you to my lips, take a little sip
Swirl you around and around and around
Then I'd shoot ya down

Thal nods her head at the explanation. "I'll keep that in mind." She might not know the deeper story behind it, but she can respect the underlying method: experience. Whether through having seen the creature before, or familiarizing herself with the jungle's path, Colt was only able to recognize the signs through hard work rather than natural skill or knowledge, which give Thal a better chance of doing so herself next time. She won't be as easily fooled by a cool drink of water.

Following the nod, she places the birds in her sights, focus narrowing to the rustle of feathers, the stillness of her body - the sharp whistle Colt gives.

In the blink of an eye, Thal is vanishing and reappearing amidst a flicker of shadow. Her fire rises around her as she strikes out with her obsidian dagger to pierce at one bird, seeking to fry another while keeping out of the arrow's trajectory. She can already feel her shift read to emerge, prepared to launch skyward in pursuit of any they might miss.

---

Thal darts forward, attacking with fire and dagger. 

Dart (Ancient): Can teleport up to 15 ft away
Type: Grey | Rank: Mastered | Cost: Action

Scorch (Ancient): Can generate and manipulate flames within a 30ft radius.
Type: Dark | Rank: Mastered | Cost: Action

Flametouch Daggers | A pair of obsidian daggers licked with crimson along the blade edge. On hit, the daggers become wreathed in flame.
Type: Dark | Style: Offensive | Level: Basic | Cost: Action

I just want you to set me free.

Thalassa

Colt

Love's just one of them words
That gets thrown around
So I ain't gonna say it, no I ain't gonna lie
If you were my last breath, I'd just wanna hold ya

Colt's arrow pierces through her selected grouse, ending the small life in an instant. Her second arrow snatches the other body trying to rise into the air, the small enough forms not struggling with the dense growth here. Thal's attempts are equally successful, if not more so due to her greater extension and variety of tools. The !darting dagger earns her one bird, and the flame that leaps forth at another pair close by roasts them both into a smoking heap back on the ground, and Colt will excitedly notice later when collecting said bodies how nice it is to not have to pluck those ones for their meat.

As Thal shifts to tear after the rest, undoubtedly taking down any survivors in quick fashion due to the overall small stature and docile nature of these creatures, Colt stands back up to full height. Or, as much as she can manage as she creeps forward to gather their spoils, ducking occasionally under brush and vine, head on a swivel to look about for those toxic flowers and avoid disturbing them. "Roasted jungle chicken for dinner!" she calls out cheerfully to the ancient as she hoists some of the little bird bodies along a string across her shoulder.

"C'mon, let's get further away from the water to make camp," she advises, knowing this place will attract all manner of beasts throughout the night. The jungle is rather thick, blocking light during day time as it is, but now that the sun has well and fully set, starlight has no hope of piercing down here. A lantern or torch would help, but she'd rather they hole up, and she knows just the spot the other hunters like to use, pressed into smoothed out stone to keep their backs safe.

If you were my last shot of whiskey
I'd press you to my lips, take a little sip
Swirl you around and around and around
Then I'd shoot ya down

Her dagger connects, bursting into flames to roast the meat from the inside out while the two behind her fall with strangled squawks at their feathers disintegrate. But Thal doesn't pause to consider the success, hearing the flutter of wings as the last few attempt to escape their coordinated attack. Muscles bunching, adrenaline and bloodlust flood her system, blue-black scales spread across her body as the Ancient leaps, massive leathery wings sprouting from her back to shove the air down and propel her up into the sky. The birds flap a frantic rhythm, but they can't escape the hungry lyvern's neck that extends towards them like an outreached arm. The sharp fangs snap them out of the sky with a sickening crunch of bones, blood exploding in her mouth. 

Feathers scatter to the ground, twirling as she gives a victorious flap of her wings, a bloody, reptilian grin spreading around the purring grumble of her delight. She glances once to Colt, noting the collection of bodies littering the ground. Her stomach sings with anticipation as she drifts back down, releasing what's left of the mangled birds (she swallowed half of one) from her jaw as she shifts casually onto two feet, catching them in her hands to present to Colt. "They didn't stand a chance," she crows, fangs and lips still painted in blood when she flashes the woman a smile. 

Gathering the rest of their prey, Thal follows close on her heels, running her tongue along her lips to sate the growing bloodlust, resisting the urge to tear into the meal where they stand. "Are we roasting the rest?" she asks, purely to distract herself. Her tail flicks quickly behind her, blue eyes bright in the dimming light, fingers clutching the kills with all the possessiveness of a predator expecting a fight.

I just want you to set me free.

Thalassa

Colt

Love's just one of them words
That gets thrown around
So I ain't gonna say it, no I ain't gonna lie
If you were my last breath, I'd just wanna hold ya

It never truly gets old, watching someone shift. It's too quick to see the in-between, then the body changes and folds around itself. Just a blink of motion and they're different, and in this case it's Thal's lithe reptilian body arrowing through the canopy and beyond. Colt pauses only briefly to look up and watch, something of admiration on her face, before she bends back to her task. Nothing worse than killing one just to leave it to rot, so she's mentally checking off all the places she remembers them striking.

"I'd expect not," Colt laughs faintly, because Thal's talents have definitely made it overkill. Nothing wrong with assuring success and plenty of food though. "I'm sure you could take down one of these fifty times this size without effort still," Colt muses, glancing at the half-eaten bird with a firm understanding of the might just displayed.

Taking up the remaining ones and leaving Thal to guard her own, not about to wrench meat away from an Ancient just after a kill, Colt waves her along on their path to the campsite. "Most definitely!" Colt chirps back, a glance tossed over her shoulder with a smile. "If you like 'em raw, be my guest, but I mean to have them cooked by fire and it'll be easier to keep the others that way too." The ones she collected for the locals that is. "I'm sure you can make quick work of it?" It's a question, but only partly, because she already knows the answer, but the rest is an invitation. "Hopefully without burning them," Colt teases with a wide smile as she slings the bodies off her shoulder and drops them gently by the firepit. It's got burned out remnants, and Colt kicks them absently before starting to rustle around in the surrounding vegetation and drag out possible kindling. The pickings are slim.

The fire is as much for cooking as it is light, and some warmth needed to push back on the chill that settles in the depths of the evening. Nothing enough for Thal to worry about, but certainly a bit nippy compared to the stark heat of the day. "If there was a fifty sized grouse, I imagine it'd make quite the tale around here," Colt murmurs, stacking up the bits of material to burn before crouching near the stone ring that keeps the flame contained. "Gods know we had lots of spooky tales about creatures when I was growing up."

If you were my last shot of whiskey
I'd press you to my lips, take a little sip
Swirl you around and around and around
Then I'd shoot ya down