273 leads towards the drive through area. As he does so he turns his head to talk with his Companion.
"So, do you have any real reason to travel with everyone else? For example, I'm following along to get to Gilroy."
273 leads the way, his pipe a comfortable weight in his hands.
The rear of the building has a small loading area with a battered green dumpster to one side, and bright red ladder leading up the roof. A corrugated metal shutter leads into the building proper, currently closed.
Tick tick tick
Unfortunately, tobacco had not been a urgent requirement to grow in the few attempts at farming she'd seen on her wanderings down towards the coast. Still, quitting (even if it was involuntary) had been good for her, right? Ha. As if it'd matter long term...
At that cheery thought, she grimaced. All the others had gone, but she was sure she could find something. Or them, at least. Either way, she'd find something.
Still, it was a nice day, really, and that made her smile. She'd whistle a tune, but that'd alert her prey! If she found prey. She was pretty sure she remembered how to make a snare from that youtube video.
Like the others, go hunting for something obviously edible and not poisonous - or try and meet up with the others. Or both.
Animals live in the forest, right? Maybe she can catch a rabbit.
React (+2)
1!+2=3
Enemy gets a +1 against Ebony in the next combat round!~
Ebony is greatly distracted by the thoughts of fresh meat, tobacco, and youtube. All the things she'll never have again.
So much she is completely taken surprise when four people step out of the brush, levering crossbows and longbows with arrows drawn. Each of them wearing camo gear, and a sort of...net made of leaves and grass over them...like something you would expect soldiers to wear when sneaking into enemy territory, back when there was soldiers. No wonder she didn't see them. They were dressed like shrubs. This might be funny in some situations, but certainly not here.
The leader speaks to Ebony in a gravelly voice.
"...Put that pigcutter down, Lady. Lay it on the ground nice and easy. Then you'll come with us. Got it?" He says, motioning to her Katana. His bowstring vibrates with barely restrained tension.
Rad the Situation (+2)
4!+2=6Ebony is too shocked by their sudden appearance to figure anything out about them, except they are a mix of men and women with pointy weapons aimed at her groin. She notes the strangers encircle her on all four sides in an uneven square...she knows enough about positioning to know they are clearing firing lines, so they can shoot her without harming the person across from them.
What to do, what to do...
Ebony is still thinking, when she hears a muffled thump somewhere in the distance. The Leader makes no visible reaction, but seems to nod to one of his people.
"...Go check it out."The person nods back, and slips into the forest-vanishing like a ghost. Then his attention turns back to Ebony.
"We're just going to leave a message for your people. They need to know to leave us alone. It doesn't have to be your body, but it can be. So make your choice. No stalling..." He says, his tones relentless and merciless.
At least they only outnumber you a paltry three to one now.
Good odds for any Greek!Head back to the sign, slow and quiet, and look for Ebony, revolver at the ready but pointing to the ground, just in case.
Read the Situation (+2)
1!+3=4
Enemy gets a +1 against Doc in the next combat round!Doc, feeling panicked, moves a bit quicker than is advisable. In retrospect, he knew he wasn't cut out for running in the woods like this...he's a Doctor, not a Forest Ranger! His clumsy foot catches a tree branch, and he falls face first into the dirt.
That's when he sees the shrub moving toward him.
An exceedingly odd thing, surely. It looks more like a mound of brush than a person...something clicks in his mind. Of course, camouflage is meant to break up the silhouette of a person-the set of their shoulders, the arch of the neck, the details of the body...
The shrub is wielding a crossbow in it's...her...hands. He thinks it's a woman.
React under pressure (+1)
3!+1=4Her foot lashes out, kicking his revolver out of his hand, sailing into the nearby trees. She quickly aims her bow at Doc's face.
"...You! You...j-j-ust surrender!" She barks.
Read the Situation (+2)
10!+2=12
Success!Doc realizes the moment he hears her voice crack, that behind her weapon and fearsome warrior dress, she's actually quite young. Maybe even younger than Gianna. There is a minute tremble in her voice that betrays her youth. Her dark blue eyes, shaded in dark paints, are sick with fear. Her hands aren't shaking, though-they're as steady as a Surgeons, an apt term, since he is one. He thinks she may not have killed anyone before...but, she's been trained to.
Gianna hears Doc's laying out of the choices, and instantly gets to work harvesting and packing the choke berries.
Jason helps gather the chokeberries.
Help Gianna harvest them for everyone, taking some effort to avoid the ants and the bees and the brambles. Holding branches out of the way for the others, waving the bees away, that kind of thing.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team happily picks and packs chokeberries, occasionally snacking on one, chatting with one another. It's nice to be among friends, doing something that's not dangerous or morally conflicting.
This is a job that will occupy them, for at least a short time...