[split] just smile and wave (se)

Oh, Oliver will have to answer that once the world stops swimming. Like two unwanted fish, the two of you are flushed down the metaphysical toilet.

There isn’t time to answer any questions as everything feels wrong. His nerves twitch and he has no time to respond before the world is swirling around him. Hands clutch at his head and he lets out a groan of pain, shutting his eyes tight due to the over abundance of feelings around him.

Immediately, he partially shifts to show two fox ears, trying to figure out when it was safe to open his eyes up again. ”October? Are you okay?” Was his immediate thought. What was going on? Was she safe? He didn’t know how strong she was or if this was even just happening to him.

Finally, he’d make an attempt to try an open his eyes, hoping to figure out this whole mess.

let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair

Oliver

i feel smal, but so are stars from a distance

Is she okay?

No. No October is very much not okay.

Inhaling the blistering warm desert air, Tobi looks around with wide eyes that seem unable to comprehend what's around her. The sky is so pale blue and without clouds that it almost looks fake, but that's nothing compared to how unreal the massive protrusion of bones around them are. "Uh.." Tobi tries, forcing herself to remember her training and stay calm.

"I'm alright." She manages, blinking hard as if that might help clear her thoughts. "Are you? Are you injured at all?" That was at least something she could help with.

Having been in a light jacket with a scarf, Tobi now strips away her top layers, noting that she's already beginning to sweat. She hadn't thought to bring water, given how much there was in King's End. But wherever they were was clearly not King's End, and they were going to need water soon.

The two of them both seem just as dazed and confused.

Now able to open his eyes and look around, he does not look happy wide eyes and a slightly agape mouth get a good view of... pretty much nothing. It’s barren and desolate. There isn’t much for them to work with and it’s safe to say: they’ve kinda been fucked over by some entity. Whatever caused this had reasons, surely, but he didn’t even have an inclination on what happened.

Thankfully, Oliver came wearing rather light clothes but he may need to start cutting things short with his blade if needed. For now, he’d just need to make do with it. ”I feel fine now- but what the fuck?” His mind goes to his Fox shift- it was made for areas just like this.

There is a soft sigh. ”Ill make this quick. I came in as an abandoned but then Safrin blessed me with my first shift, a Fox made for areas just like this. Now, I don’t know if you’re attuned but if you are I can shift and maybe use it to help us.” Well. Hopefully that answered her question because she really didn’t seem happier earlier. People didn’t like the Abandoned but damn, hopefully she’d be able to move on and work with him on this mess.

let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair

Oliver

i feel smal, but so are stars from a distance

'I...I have no idea.' Tobi mumbles, glad to hear that Oliver is alright, but now feeling entirely out of her element.

She'd forgotten entirely what they were talking about before, and so as Oliver begins to explain, his story is met with a frown and furrowed brows. Quickly though Tobi remembers, nodding along. It's good, that he was made an attuned after, not that she has much of a choice about sticking with him for the time being.

"Oh, I am actually. But..no, my shift won't help here. I'm made for cold climates." Looking around and feeling her mouth go immediately dry if only because she knew she didn't have any water to drink, she nods at Oliver. 'Shift if you like. I'll be able to still talk to you.'

Looking around and tying her jacket around her waist, Tobi feels the first real sense of panic she's experienced in a long, long time. "Do you..have any idea where we are?"

Oliver

There is a soft sigh and Oliver seems pretty exhausted already, but it’s mostly just him showing a sign of annoyance. Not at October: at this damn place. ”Glad we are both just as confused.” It was soooo helpful and he just couldn’t wait to see what other chaotic things they’d be shoved into. Yep. Couldn’t. Wait.

With that confirmation he nods. It was super unfortunate that she couldn’t use her shift, but it was fine. They could work with it. He holds out his bag to her, confident that she wouldn’t just run off with it. ”Theres two empty water pouches in there. Once we find some we can fill them up and have one for each of us.” With the hand off made, he’d then shift on down to the itty bitty fox shift.

In a normal time, he’d bask in the attention his cuteness typically brought, but dammit, now was not the time to be a narcissist. No- I mean. I’m sure we are still in the Wilds. But I couldn’t say where. I’d guess we aren’t near Torchline, though, it’s far too tropical to immediately go straight to a place like this. Gods. He hoped they weren’t sandwiched between two completely unknown places. That. Would. Suck.

His ears flutter as he tries to listen around, sniffing at the air at the same time and trying to find. Place to go.

His tail wags slightly and he sniffs at the ground before pawing at it. Creatures need water somehow from places like this, yeah? So... where do they get it? Either it’s underground or there’s a place we can get water. I think- right? There’s no other places they could get it.

Chase your stars fool

life is short

Base Code by Sky!

i feel smal, but so are stars from a distance

Accepting the bag, and as an attuned herself knowing why it was he'd need her to hold it, she watches as he shifts. Tobi is an animal lover of course, but in this moment Oliver's cuteness is the last thing on her mind.

"That's true..Maybe...near the Climb?" It was an absolute shot in the dark, Tobi just matching the two areas based on heat alone. "I have a friend..if we can find a bird I can send a message to him." Surely Finn would know where they were and what to do.

"Uhh..maybe inside of plants? Or underground, yes." Not for the first time this trip, Tobi would kick herself for thinking she was at all prepared or capable of tackling the Wilds on her own.

It's a good idea. I don't know much about geography as it is- all the stuff I've learned is through books... my parents weren't rich enough to afford all the travel stuff and even then, it was so chaotic and new to all of us. Traveling was a thing, but never to places such as the Climb. He had heard of volcanoes but hadn't even met someone who had seen one in his old world.

Times had changed and he had to figure this out. The Climb does make sense, yes. Potentially between the Climb and somewhere else? It was hard to think but he shook his head.

Paws begin to dig at the sand, trying to tunnel on down and figure something out. While it would be easier to use his Telekinesis... something kinda told him that a certain someone wouldn't be a fan of utilizing that kind of help. It was shitty seeing as he didn't ask to be Abandoned but whatever, whatever. His mixed bag of emotions was most likely felt, but it really just felt like Confusion, Frustration, and a small bit of Worry.

Do you see any cactuses nearby? Those have water, right? He knew of cacti, yes, but still didn't quite get down why it was called "Cacti" instead of "Cactuses" because obviously, cactuses makes WAY more sense.

let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair

Oliver

i feel smal, but so are stars from a distance

'Well, but if you aren't from here...?' Tobi's confusion is evident, but she quickly shakes her head. Outlanders aside, if neither of them knew where they were, it didn't matter much why or how that was the case. As someone from Stormbreak and a Natural, if anyone had cause to apologize for a lack of geographical knowledge it was Tobi. She doesn't though. It wouldn't change anything now.

"Maybe we're near Torchline then? Somewhere between it and the Climb? Though...I've been to Torchline, and...I don't remember hearing of anything like this." It was at least closer to her home, as if that lent any credibility.

"Uhh..no, but maybe if we walk a bit? Besides, all those bones don't make me feel all that safe here. " Tobi says, looking toward the boneyard where the skeletons of creatures larger than anything she could have ever imagined poke out of the sands.

Well- I was hoping using outside knowledge would help... but that's not the case. He was reaching for anything he could and absolutely grasping at air. He didn't see it as too confusing but then again, he also just went on a rant for no reason.

There's a shake of his head and he shifts back into a human, seeing as they were ditching the digging idea. "No, it's a jungle. No places like this at all. If we are near it, there should be a jungle nearby, yeah? Which means tons of water and shelter." It was a long shot but having a place to rest for the time being would help them.

His eyes land on the skeletal remains and it's eerie, yes, but it doesn't bring him the same sense of discomfort. "Sure, lets hope we can find something." And with that he moves right on along.

And it also meant he'd be given the chance to chat again. "It seems our prior conversation was cut short- I came here a little after the barrier fell. Right before LongNight." Should he mention the Abandoned subject? Eh, why not. If she's gonna be a prick about it then go ahead, he wasn't gonna treat her badly out here in this hellhole.

"When I came in I didn't know what I was- wasn't sure if I was Accepted or Abandoned... I found out I was Abandoned but I still wanted a connection with the Gods. I wanted to be with them... and then I prayed to Safrin and she blessed me. I love her with all my heart and I owe her so much for everything."

let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair

Oliver

i feel smal, but so are stars from a distance

"Oh, sorry!" Tobi immediately mumbles with an apologetic smile toward the small creature. "I thought you meant in terms of geography here."

He mentions the jungle which has Tobi shaking her head. "No, no, on the other side. The west. Torchline borders on the Climb I thought...but maybe there's an area in between?" Similarly her idea was a long shot, and Tobi had a sneaking suspicion she wasn't right.

'Oh! Right!" Tobi chimes with a wide smile. Having inherited a craving to know about the lands that existed beyond Caido from her parents, the doctor is wide-eyed with interest as they stroll through the sands. "Well that's probably for the best. Everything I've ever heard or read suggestions it was...not great in the barrier." Tobi's expression doesn't really change as he mentions being an abandoned without knowing it—he'd already told her he was after all—and she nods along. "Safrin has always seemed the most willing to convert those who truly want it." She murmurs with a small smile. Even the goddess couldn't fundamentally change what the abandoned were, though.

"I was born an accepted. I was made an attuned by Rae when I was quite young, actually." Tobi explains as they walk. 'I always thought I would grow up to work with animals, but being one...it has actually made me a better doctor for people."

There was a simple shake of his head. It was his mistake for not being specific enough. You’re okay. I’ll try to be more specific next time. And that was all that could actually be said. It was in the past and the two had come to an understanding. Oliver could only learn and grow from the experience.

A hum and Oliver tilts his head to the side. ”You could absolutely be right. I’ve never made it up there- so hey. If that’s the case, we could try to find the ocean and follow it?” Now would’ve been a good time for October to actually share her shifts with him. It sure would make traveling a lot easier. By the sound of it, she seemed to have only one, but who knows. Even just knowing what that one was could maybe help them.

He couldn’t comment on the barrier. He never experienced it himself but damn did it sound miserable. The Safrin comment brought many questions to mind but he chose to remain calm. ”Yeah... I haven’t met Ludo yet, but in my experience, Safrin has really helped me learn and grow as a person. She’s truly great.” And October should absolutely pray to her and give her love and offerings. Yes.

To hear that Rae turned October into an attuned clearly shocked Oliver. His eyes widened and he stared at her for a moment. He couldn’t even dream of meeting one of the Major Gods himself- damn. October must be pretty damn important! ”A doctor... it’s fitting. You seem like someone I’d trust if I had a broken bone. I don’t know why, I just feel it.” Here’s to hoping she’d actually help him if he got injured. Sure he could use his magic, but only so far.

let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair

Oliver

i feel smal, but so are stars from a distance

'That could work.' Tobi says with a slight nod. 'Given how many fishing boats and things there are, I don't even know that we'd have to follow it for long before someone found us." If she was right about where she thought they were. Which, she wasn't.

Chuckling, Tobi can only shrug. "Well, I wasn't a doctor at the time." She points out. "But, yeah it was—"

Whatever Tobi might have said next is cut off by the roar of a sudden wind. It tugs the reddish sands all around them from where they lay, thrusting them up into the sky in a whirling vortex. It's so thick that Tobi instinctively drops to her knees, coughing and doing her best to cover her nose and eyes. It hardly does any good, and quickly Tobi finds herself shifting so that her thick coat might provide some respite from the sudden hurricane-level winds.

Oliver? She calls out, running away from the winds as if that were possible, though having no idea where she was going.

The girl was right- fishing boats could easily help them out. ”Itll come at a cost, obviously, but hopefully we will be able to negotiate something if it comes down to it.” Thank fuck he actually had something useful he could do. Otherwise, well, he’d kinda be fucked. Nobody wants to buy art, hell no, they want knives and swords and other methods of maiming.

Excited to hear more about October, Oliver watched her with keen eyes but a gentle expression, showing no inclination towards any thoughts. He didn’t want to judge her too early and wanted to learn more.

His expression shifted to one of shock and then to one of worry.

Arms reach up to cover his face and he attempts to use his earth magic to secure him safely.

I’m here. Hold on. Continue talking to me so I can make sure you’re safe.

let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair

Oliver