[PQ] [se] we learned to be more

Lilliane took the makeshift spear offered to her and looked at it for a moment. She had never tried to fish, let alone doing so with a spear. Then she shrugged. Might as well try it. What's the worst that could happen, right? She stepped towards the edge of the water, glancing over at Maeve and trying to mimic her stance while holding the spear. Then she waited, staring at the water intently, waiting for any kind of movement. As soon as there was a movement, she quickly poked the spear into the water, hoping that she'd aimed well enough to hit whatever had moved there.

---

Lilliane tries to spearfish as well.

Lilliane

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

Come to find out, perhaps none of them could fish (based purely on dice rolls, of course).

In all her excitement, loudness, and exuberance, Melita’s stab wildly missed its mark, crashing into the lakebed with a chorus of “Shit!” blasting and billowing through the fog. Maeve’s careened much in the same manner, though hers found stone and dirt instead of just emptiness and rampant curses (one would hope).

Lilliane, however, might’ve had beginner’s luck – as she ended up with the tiniest, slowest little morsel at the end of her sharpened stick, and there could be doubt the water horse would even sense its presence – let alone be enamored or enticed by it.

Melita glanced up and grimaced at their trials – wrinkling her nose in frustration. “Maybe if we just…go in?” Would it be lured, hoping to catch someone unawares, yearning for a ride?

--

Turns out the girls aren’t great at fishing – Lilliane is welcome to try using her fish, and Melita suggests going into the water. What do you want to do?

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

Taking in the whole situation around her, Lilliane couldn't help but laugh. They seemed certainly ill-equipped for any such tasks. She was surprised she ended up catching anything at all, even if it was a fish so tiny she wouldn't be able to feed a cat with it, let alone a horse. Either way, it might be at least somewhat helpful, so she decided to take the fish for now. Maybe to appease the horse with it if it appeared.

As she looked over at Melita again, she shrugged. "I don't really have a better idea. Other than maybe hiding and waiting for it to appear again." Which would probably be the safer option. But it might also turn out a waste of time if the horse still knew they were there. "But what if it appears beneath one of us if we go in and carries us up to drop us to our death, as you said earlier?" She certainly didn't feel like experiencing death by falling.

---

Lilliane takes the tiny fish along. She partially suggests hiding and waiting for the Ceffyl Dwyr to show itself again.

Lilliane

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

Maeve wasn't the best swimmer. After her lesson with Remi she was doing much better. Then there was the outing with Sunjata. Which had resulted in a fairly unnerving encounter with marine life that left her a lot more wary than comfortable. The Nightshade purses her lips, considering their options with the distinct lack of fish to tempt the creature with, but Maeve takes a breath as she nears the edge of the water. "I'm not a great swimmer, but maybe one of us being in the water will entice it closer." She suggests, taking a step forward, stopping to pull her boots off.

"Melita, you might be the best choice." Maeve turns to look at the honeybee, arching a dark brow as her head cocks to the side, a smirk curling on her lips in what would likely be taken as a challenge.

---

Maeve thinks someone should go in the water to attempt to lure the creature.

Maeve

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

The whole situation was a bit silly and nonsensical, even as it bordered on potentially dangerous, hazardous, and lethal. Melita was certainly blasé about the latter, pausing momentarily to wrinkle her nose and puzzle through the next set of tribulations. She managed a brief snort at Maeve’s challenge, because the inkling had already been there. “All right,” convinced quickly and efficiently, the set of plans and motions unfurling as she went along, making it up on the fly.

Stepping back towards the water’s edge, the honeybee handed her staff over to Lilliane. “You hold this,” and use it, if need be, with an unspoken warning that if it was lost, the other Accepted would pay dearly. Her eyes went towards Maeve, presuming that whip of hers would be capable of dealing out some damage. “I suppose I’ll venture out, and if any of you see it coming too close,” or underneath, maybe? It was a bit of a gamble. “Hit it.” The Cheshire grin returned with all of its feral components, as she skipped out onto the water.

For yes, the youth was a fool, but not in every waking moment.

The charms and anklet coiled around her skin ensured she remained along the surface, tiptoeing, while Fangorn growled and grumbled along the edge of the embankment. “Keep a sharp watch,” she whispered to any of them, pumpkin included.

And perhaps, if someone was intent on observations, they’d see bubbles forming a few yards away.

--

Melita is walking on the surface of the water, while the rest can arm themselves! Do they see anything suspicious?

Melita is using:
Type: Light | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Water Dancer | This delicate anklet, when worn, allows the user to step upon the surface of water as though it was solid as the ground. Can be used once per thread.

Melita has handed her staff over to Lilliane to use:
Type: Dark | Style: Other | Level: Basic
Siabhran | A staff reinforced with the sap of a Wicker Woman. Black as pitch and veined with amber, this staff is nigh unbreakable. Those who are struck with it may experience mild hallucinations lasting up to ten minutes.

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

Slightly surprised at the readiness with which Melita agreed to a crazy idea like this, Lilliane took the staff Melita handed her. She nodded, the unspoken warning not unexpected.

While she was focused entirely on Melita for a moment, bewildered at the fact that instead of in the water, the woman started to walk on the water, she then focused back on their surroundings. There would be time to ask questions later.

Instead, she kept an eye on the water, watching for signs of the water horse. Or anything else that might lurk within it for all she knew. That was when she saw the bubbles rising, not far away. Not wanting to startle the horse, she gestured towards Maeve instead of talking, pointing her towards the location in case she hadn't noticed yet.

---

Lilliane keeps an eye on the surroundings and notifies Maeve about the bubbles silently. (If she hasn't already noticed them)

Lilliane

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

Maeve whistles for Aidon, directing him to circle above the water so she might have an aerial view of the scene, but he would also be close enough to swoop down to aide Melita if needed. She uncoils her whip, not snapping the tip yet to ignite it, unwilling to potentially scare off the creature more than they already had. Approaching the bank's edge, Maeve narrows jade eyes, peering through the mist after Melita. She notices the bubbles just as Lilliane points them out, nodding minutely in acknowledgement, muscles coiling tight should she need to suddenly spring into action.

"We've got bubbles, Mel." The Nightshade calls out softly incase the Honeybee girl hasn't noticed them herself.

---

Maeve sends Aidon out to circle above Mel and prepares to strike!

Maeve

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

Bubbles, bubbles, indeed.

Then a muzzle, followed shortly by a set of ears moving back and forth, and eventually the head of the horse.

It was difficult to tell if it was irritated, annoyed, vexed, or simply curious. Melita remained stock still, gauging the opportunity, the notions, of what they would want to do next. “You’re seeing this, right?” She whispered – since it had been the goal all along.

But for whatever reason (probably dice rolls), its attentions weren’t solely focused on the honeybee. Instead, the equine’s noble crown swung directly towards Lilliane. And then it dove back underneath, the bubbles trailing, flickering, towards the embankment again.

Melita, probably stupidly, followed, beginning to draw back on her bow. “Get ready,” she uttered again, just in case – as if the creature couldn’t hear her.

Then there was a wicked, wild splash seemingly coming from all directions, soaring towards all three – like a wave, sent to ricochet and volley over the lake.

--

The water horse has made its appearance – attention on Lilliane – and sending a wave of water towards all three! What will you do?

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun

With the horse starting towards her, Lilliane held the staff in front of her in a hopefully defensive position. She had no damn idea how to use it, but at least she could swing it at the horse if it attacked her. Or hope to look more intimidating with it -  which she wasn't.

With a wave of water coming towards them, however, there seemed to be more pressing matters than the horse itself. "Get down!?" Lilliane shouted, though at the same time unsure whether it was the right course of action. But better have a small contact surface, she thought, for the water to have less impact on them. True to her own statement, she dropped to the ground.

---

Lilliane drops to the ground in hopes to give the wave less contact surface to hit her with.

Lilliane

I get them all worked up and down on their knees, you see

The sudden surge of water is unexpected and Maeve curses under her breath, ducking down in an attempt to better escape the wave, "Don't let it get under you!" She shouts, getting her feet back under her, snapping her whip to life. The coil ignites in a bout of flame, a sonic boom following the motion as the phoenix feather flares to life and the Nightshade begins to move. A whistle is the only command Aidon receives to swoop down towards the creature, releasing a flood of flame as soon as it surfaces.

Maeve readies her own strike should it get close enough, hoping to catch it unawares and put an end to this madness.

---

Maeve tells Aidon to attack and prepares to use her whip!

Type: Light | Style: Offensive | Level: Upgraded
Phoenix Whip | A magical 15ft whip that creates a small sonic boom and ignites the phoenix feather on its tip when snapped to cause fire damage. When not in use, the feather on the end looks like smouldering embers but is not hot.

Maeve

Melita

Eating fire is your ambition
to swallow the flame down

It became a series of chaotic movements – which, really, seemed to be on par with the rest of the situation overall. Lilliane’s shouting, and subsequent maneuver downward, didn’t save her from getting pummeled by the wave – as it rose over the top of her, immediately soaking her to the bone.

And had it not been for Maeve, Aidon, and Melita’s actions, she almost certainly would’ve been the intended victim.

The water horse rose from nearby, only a head brushing from the surface of the water, when Maeve’s whip came cracking and flashing. And the dragon fire ignited. And then Melita’s bow was drawn in an electrifying, dazzling, snapping display.

Which was suffice to say, it was a bit too much for the predator. Knowing when it was outmatched, at least for this round, it gave a loud, raucous snort, before disappearing altogether. Maybe into vapor. Perhaps into the lake.

Melita took a few seconds to breathe, blink, and wonder just what the fuck happened. “Holy shit,” came on a whisper, and then streamlined into a laugh. “Well, we certainly saw it.” Eventually, she made her way back to shore, easing a sigh of relief. “I’d say that was enough for one day. And we’ll have a story to tell when we get home! Everyone all right?” Still jovial despite the haphazard mess, she ignored any shaking of her hands, helping Lilliane if she needed steadying. After another few moments, in between some other bouts of astounded giggles, she shook her head, relenting away from the chaos for now. “Let’s head back.”

And they could do exactly that.

--

Lilliane, Maeve, Aidon, and Melita have scared off the water horse and lived to see another day. This concludes the PQ! Thank you!

{FIN}

to be lit up from within, vein by vein
to be the sun