He waited, and waited.. and waited.
No deer.
He had just about given up when a boar trotted out of the treeline and through his line of fire. He held his breath, then made the shot. A heartbeat later, the beast fell to the ground, with an arrow just beneath the crease of the foreleg, and through the heart. He hated shooting boar; They were heavily armored in muscle like a bear was, making clean-kills near impossible. This was the best possible shot. Death would happen in under a minute, but was not instant. It killed him a little every time something else had to die like this, just so others could stay alive. ---Especially ones that were young, and healthy, like this one.
Mama had been watching, continuing her evening snack on the sedges living in the forest edge space, and raised her head to look and sniff in that direction with interest. She was thrilled that he had "managed to get one", but not too thrilled at the idea of having to share. For a minute, Jack worried she would try to take his whole kill; She was still very hungry, AND a bear. Some sweet-talking later though, such as it was, managed to prevail. Promises of the more choice parts (for her anyway) now, with tasty cooked bits later, were sufficient (though she did make some other demands best not mentioned in civil company.)
It was flat out dark by the time he took the cleaned and skinned carcass to the campsite.
The grass had been scorched, but not too distant. He thought maybe the two knuckleheads had let the fire escape the fire pit, but it didnt really fit. The grass was too green to really burn like that. He didnt like the implications, but at least the burn scar was small and well contained, and had not spread anywhere near taller, more combustible vegetation. He doubted that the wizard who lived here would ever be coming back, and a small burn like this was actually an opportunity for other kinds of plants to get started. This area was mostly grass and sedge at the forest edge. Too homogeneous for his tastes to begin with.
Tired, and dirty from the work, he presented the catch.
The bubble-headed girl paladin took it excitedly, and about tripped over herself as she carted it back toward the fire, where she laid it out over one of the dead trees he had lugged up there hours earlier. He watched with a raised eye as she brought out her heavy sword, and commenced cleaving the corpse up. He wondered wryly if she had worked in a butcher's shop at some point in her life, before turning to leave.
"Aren't you going to stay?"
It was the clever girl, still leaning on that old goat of a man who had put her back together after her mishap in that damned darkened room in that fool-assed tower. (damned gaudy place...)
I gots te get cleaned up firs-- he explained, demonstrating all the remaining gore and blood all over him from the cleaning process. His hands were literally filthy. Gimme a bit-- I'll be back fer some grub af'er I gets a bit cleaner.
"Oh." she said, "Be careful out there.."
Always am... (always am...) he muttered, more to himself than as a response to the statement, but he visibly nodded ascent, before turning and sauntering off into the gloom once more.
He saw mama, still chewing on the boar skin he had given her, and was content with her safety, as he slipped past, and just under the trees nearby, where he sat his bag down, then peeled off his clothes. Just after he hung them over a nearby branch, the sound of small limbs breaking and rustling in the underbrush caused him to instinctively turn to face it, just as a pair of heavy paws landed on the limbs either side of him, and a pair of sparkling eyes in a familiar face pressed in on him, and pinned him to the tree.
Hello(handsome)
you smell nice/tasty (No need for walls here.)
Jack blushed uncontrollably as that warm tongue practically assaulted his face, then started smirking as it moved elsewhere, and her attentions bowled him over onto the ground.
He hoped there werent any more magical teleporting shenanigans out here---
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(about an hour later)
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Jack had just finished up cleaning the last of the mud and other filth off his clothes in the dim flickering firelight as it filtered through the foliage, by carefully scraping and combing the fur, and using just enough vine water to rinse it without actually wetting it. Mama was happily rolling around in some leaves she had scratched together for them, trying to entice him to come to bed early. She was incorrigible that one-- He wondered if she would ever let him be-- (then again, if it weren't for all the company and need for propriety, he probably wouldn't want her to.) The after-thought tickling the back of his mind, as he made an amused smirk, before putting the clothes back on. He had already seen to getting his actual person clean (or as clean as one can get with about 2 quarts of liquid) before hand, and felt pretty good about it-- He didnt reek of perspiration and dead animal guts anymore at least.
He slipped on his boots, as mama groaned at him, expressing her displeasure at his continued motions at getting dressed. Somewhat irritated, mingled with much more amusement, he asked her how she expected him to make good on his promise to bring back tasty cooked pig meat, if he did not get dressed first. She just let out a huff, and rolled around playfully in the leaves some more, before instructing him to hurry back, with the implication she would drag him back if he dawdled. He wondered just what he had bitten off when he had decided to accept her affections.
He kept his conversations at the campsite to a minimum, and collected his portion of the evening meal. The girl paladin had apparently been busy, and there was a small selection of cuts and prep methods to choose from-- Most were flame broiled, because of what was available, but she had done a pretty good job with limited smoking, and grillng as well. He wondered absently what she had done the latter with, since he still had his pan in his bag-- but he didn't press it. He just grabbed up a fat hunk of cooked pork, spoke what pleasantries and appreciations he felt he could muster, then once more retreated into the gloom.
He kinda wondered what the rest of the group felt about his habits of wandering off at night, as vague feelings of being anti-social washed through his unconscious. He brushed them aside as best he could. He fully expected to have to answer them eventually. Someday.
He took a big bite of the roast pork. It was fully cooked but still juicy, with melted fat seared in. Very delightful to a starving body like his. Misgivings over killing something to get it mingled with the sensation, tainting the experience, but he continued to wolf it down-- It was too late now though. Reaching the spot Mama had picked out for them, he gave her the lion's share, and stroked her neck and shoulder amusedly as she greedily dug in herself. She had none of the reservations of after-thoughts he had, that was for sure.
He listened to the wind rustle through the branches overhead, and looked at the stars as they twinkled in the sky. He could be happy here, if there wasn't a calamity going on.
He waited for her to finish her meal, as he finished eating his share more slowly, then took off his boots, and laid down in the leaves. He had placed the blanket on the ground beneath them when she had picked the spot initially, to her confusion, but the combination was both soft, warm, and insulated from the ground. It was very nice indeed. He layed back and got comfortable, before she plopped down over him like she had become accustomed to doing, pinning him down, but also blanketing him in her warmth. He smiled, and looked into her happy face as she threatened to lick him some more.
(Need to)wake early(before they do)
He told her, before rubbing his cheek on the bridge of her nose.
They would need to get a head-start on getting some food in her before they started traveling again. He looked into those eyes again. She had once again misinterpreted the statement in a way only a truly single-minded and driven being could have, and his cheeks colored as he smirked, before offering correction that it was about getting food, not fun.
She radiated disappointment, but understanding, then wiggled to settle down on top of him. He wrapped an arm over her neck, and pawed in her fur absently. There were worse ways to live. Despite the problems, this had been a very pleasant evening.
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Topic: Mystville [Game Thread] (Read 119599 times)