The good news was that the team managed to stay dry this time, able to use their sticks to find the edge of the cenote hidden beneath the thick leaves and greenery before anyone slipped over it again. There was a slowly rising sense of anxiety among them, however. Whether that was from the dangerous jungle, their recent near-drowning experiences, or some outside source was difficult to say... but it seemed to be stronger towards Maea's side of the group.
And it was not without good cause, as it happened.
Thalassa was unable to capture any of Maea's fire before the Orchids attacked, but she managed to dodge the snapping teeth of Orchid 2. Instead it accidentally bit its ally as it lunged after her and Orchid 3 got in the way, but it didn't prevent Orchid 3 from taking a bite out of Thal's leg, and it latched on tight!
Maea did, indeed, aim just a little too high on her attack and the fire passed harmlessly over the predatory flowers. Steam and scorch rose from the parts of the jungle that were not so mobile, but Orchids 1 and 4 were startled back enough to disrupt their attacks and their teeth closed on only air.
"These are terrible flowers!" Tal complained as Maea drew his attention down to the level of the floral fuckery going on at knee level. And then at rib level as they pulled themselves from the dirt on skittering roots. His Dagger lashed out, neatly severing one in half and eliciting a dramatic, high-pitched whistle as the Preying Orchid collapsed beside itself. "Th'fuck is wrong with this place??"
Maea: 210/210
Thalassa: 44/54
Tal: 720/720
Preying Orchid 1: 25/25
Preying Orchid 2: 5/5
Preying Orchid 3: 5/15
Preying Orchid 4: 0/10
Preying Orchid (uncommon) - If looked at from far away, it simply looks like a flower. However, upon closer inspection, instead of a pistil, it has a mouth with sharp teeth, and its stamens are replaced with eyes on tall stalks. However, by the point most notice, the Preying Orchid has already attacked them and ran away on its roots. When its roots are in the ground, the flower is less than 1 ft. tall. However, when standing on its roots, it becomes around 3 to 4 ft. tall.
And it was not without good cause, as it happened.
Thalassa was unable to capture any of Maea's fire before the Orchids attacked, but she managed to dodge the snapping teeth of Orchid 2. Instead it accidentally bit its ally as it lunged after her and Orchid 3 got in the way, but it didn't prevent Orchid 3 from taking a bite out of Thal's leg, and it latched on tight!
Maea did, indeed, aim just a little too high on her attack and the fire passed harmlessly over the predatory flowers. Steam and scorch rose from the parts of the jungle that were not so mobile, but Orchids 1 and 4 were startled back enough to disrupt their attacks and their teeth closed on only air.
"These are terrible flowers!" Tal complained as Maea drew his attention down to the level of the floral fuckery going on at knee level. And then at rib level as they pulled themselves from the dirt on skittering roots. His Dagger lashed out, neatly severing one in half and eliciting a dramatic, high-pitched whistle as the Preying Orchid collapsed beside itself. "Th'fuck is wrong with this place??"
Maea: 210/210
Thalassa: 44/54
Tal: 720/720
Preying Orchid 1: 25/25
Preying Orchid 2: 5/5
Preying Orchid 3: 5/15
Preying Orchid 4: 0/10
Preying Orchid (uncommon) - If looked at from far away, it simply looks like a flower. However, upon closer inspection, instead of a pistil, it has a mouth with sharp teeth, and its stamens are replaced with eyes on tall stalks. However, by the point most notice, the Preying Orchid has already attacked them and ran away on its roots. When its roots are in the ground, the flower is less than 1 ft. tall. However, when standing on its roots, it becomes around 3 to 4 ft. tall.
