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[wierd]

CHILD-ONE?  GREEN HAIR. KEEP ONE EYE CLOSED, SO KALYA SAY. MASK ONE BIG-- EVEN FOR TALL-ONE.  HARD KILL. SPEARS NO HIT. FAST. SENTRIES NO TRY KILL ANYMORE-- JUST HIDE.  SEE CHILD ONE? WHOLE VILLAGE HIDE.

the long-ear once more requested that the treeman be freed.  Perhaps her long ears were just for show?

TREEMAN STAY ON TREE.  ME? CHIEF. MUST DO RIGHT FOR VILLAGE. CHIEF TRUST LOOSH-- LOOSH KNOW ALL TREEMAN BEFORE CHANGE. OLD.  LOOSH SAY "FROM OUTSIDE", THEN TREEMAN FROM OUTSIDE. REST OF VILLAGE? STRONG FEELINGS-- HATE TREEMAN. WANT DEAD.  TREEMAN ON TREE? CHIEF ABLE PROTECT-- ASSIGN WATCHER.  LOOSE IN VILLAGE? NO PROTECT, NOT SAFE. TROUBLE.  STAY ON TREE, UNTIL LEAVE.

[The Centipede]

Dixie pauses as she takes hold of the last of seven spears, to look at Jack and Linea. "Sounds like Sally... Linea, didn't you leave with her a colleague--"

[Slyph]

"I am not about to let him wander off in your village, I just wish for him to be released when we depart and he will be your trouble no more."

Dixie pauses as she takes hold of the last of seven spears, to look at Jack and Linea. "Sounds like Sally... Linea, didn't you leave with her a colleague--"

"I did, and I had my suspicion back then, that's why I assigned my..." Linea stopped momentarily as if trying to recompose herself. "I didn't know she was this dangerous, but even so I didn't think she and her bodyguard are threat two CSA agents cant handle. But if it's true she regularly comes to this forest for god-knows-what, then my guts tell me we should go back immediately. Two alive CSA agents are worth more than dozens of MIAs. But even if we know Little Sally is this dangerous do you think coming back to the village would worth it?"

[The Centipede]

Dixie rips the final spear off of Mama's body, and as the wound is healed back, she pets Mama's head even firmer and whispers "Good girl. You've endured well. Jack, how's she feeling?"

Dixie turns to Linea, then turning back to Mama mid-dialogue, patting her head. "I'm more worried about your agents killing Sally if they deduce that she controls that bodyguard of hers. Worst case scenario, Sally will have the entire town to deal with anyway, and they're a lot stronger than us."

She thinks a little more. "I think Sally's just a misguided child. I hope." Keeping this transactional partnership Sally and Dixie would be great as well. However, if Sally does die, could Dixie find where Sally stashed her artifacts much like this Ring of the Mimic? Anyway, "I think she needs an actual guardian that could fix her." Maybe Lucy?

She continues, turning back to Linea. "More importantly, we've already traveled this far. It's been half a week. Let's find your missing friends."

[wierd]

"I am not about to let him wander off in your village, I just wish for him to be released when we depart and he will be your trouble no more."

...I app'rciate yer vote a confidence.... Jack drawled sarcastically.

Dixie rips the final spear off of Mama's body, and as the wound is healed back, she pets Mama's head even firmer and whispers "Good girl. You've endured well. Jack, how's she feeling?"

Jack looked at Mama, and let her feelings flow all around him.  She was feeling a lot better, but did not really appreciate the experience.
He invited her to come up, and see him like she had wanted to before he stopped her, relishing the happiness and excitement as she accepted the offer.

The connection broke, and he felt heavy paws on either side of his shoulders, and a big aggressive head pressed against his nose and face. He made happy murmurs, and nuzzled her back, wishing he could use his hands.

SHAMELESS.  muttered the old bogling, Loosh. 

Jack ignored him.

She doin' jus' fine---- jack drawled, in between bouts of being lick-mauled.

She wanna know why I is all strapped to the dayum tree-- and I's tryin ta help 'er get the picture, but she thinks its right dumb, same as I do. But I thinks it'll be a'right.

Dixie turns to Linea, then turning back to Mama mid-dialogue, patting her head. "I'm more worried about your agents killing Sally if they deduce that she controls that bodyguard of hers. Worst case scenario, Sally will have the entire town to deal with anyway, and they're a lot stronger than us."

She thinks a little more. "I think Sally's just a misguided child. I hope." Keeping this transactional partnership Sally and Dixie would be great as well. However, if Sally does die, could Dixie find where Sally stashed her artifacts much like this Ring of the Mimic? Anyway, "I think she needs an actual guardian that could fix her." Maybe Lucy?

She continues, turning back to Linea. "More importantly, we've already traveled this far. It's been half a week. Let's find your missing friends."

I ain't never met 'er-- Sommin I should know? asked jack absently, continuing his administration of love nibbles and nuzzles. Soun' like she need' a good whoopin'.

Dixie pauses as she takes hold of the last of seven spears, to look at Jack and Linea. "Sounds like Sally... Linea, didn't you leave with her a colleague--"

"I did, and I had my suspicion back then, that's why I assigned my..." Linea stopped momentarily as if trying to recompose herself. "I didn't know she was this dangerous, but even so I didn't think she and her bodyguard are threat two CSA agents cant handle. But if it's true she regularly comes to this forest for god-knows-what, then my guts tell me we should go back immediately. Two alive CSA agents are worth more than dozens of MIAs. But even if we know Little Sally is this dangerous do you think coming back to the village would worth it?"

Ain't muh place, but I thinks we shoul' go kick sum rickety tree arses. Sounds a'like ey's been nuttin' but trouble. Do da worl' a favor. Maybe git yer friends back. We kin go spank some naughty green haired youngin's when we's git back.

[Slyph]

"It's settled then. All right Chief, we kill your treemen, but I need your corporation. I need all of my friends to come with me including the old Jack and his pet bear. Now, I know you too have to think what your people will say if you release this old druid. For this, I have come up with a plan."

"I will make fire. A big one. The tree he is tied on will be burned, leaving nothing but ashes. A lot of ashes. Then you tell them story, the treeman became one with the tree, to get bigger, stronger, overgrowing the ropes... because he is... well a tree. Long ears had to burn it with her fire.

Before you tell them the story, we leave. Early in the morning would do, before the sun rises and all is still dark. Nobody know we leave but you. Sounds good?"

[wierd]

CHIEF NO LIE TO VILLAGERS. LIE THING TALL-ONES DO-- BAD NOSES.

The chief looked pensively at Jack, getting love-mauled by the bear.  He really did not look that harmful at all. Just gross.

CHIEF OFFER--  YOU GO, TAKE TREEMAN-- BUT SENTRY FOLLOW-- FAR BEHIND. WATCH---  YOU BETRAY, BIG TROUBLE. .. YOU WIN....

He paused for a moment, trying to assess the chances of the elf woman actually succeeding--

SOLVE BIG PROBLEM FOR VILLAGE-- SENTRY WATCH-- "OUTSIDE" TREEMAN KILL CHANGED ONES? SENTRY SEE. COME BACK WITH PROOF? GOOD THING. MAYBE VILLAGE ACCEPT.

WHAT SAY, LONG-EAR?

[Slyph]

"I can't promise you anything, but I am fine with the sentry. Maybe we can bait him to the treemen...  I mean use him to relay a message, he is an important witness after all." Linea chuckled then waved rather dismissally. "Right, just tell us the direction then you will know it."

Then, as if not overlooking one, very possible details, Linea looked at Jack, her tone was cold. "I will incernerate him myself if he somehow turned into one of those mutants."

"Now, what you are waiting for? Untie his bloody ropes!"

[wierd]

Jack headbutted Mama playfully, and nudged her face aside for a moment with his chin, then turned to level a raised eyebrow at Linea.

I's thinks 'ats s'posed ta be threatnin-- but I finds it a bit comfortin act'ally.  What'ere happ'ned ta 'em barstards seems worse an being dead. Gettin' put outta my misry, ifn' its a promise, aint a gift I'd complain about.

Jack huffed, and looked at Mama's expectant and confused face, then back at the chief and Linea.

I'd like ta try 'an get em off m'self, ifn' ya don' mind... Need da practice.  he finished with a wry smile and a twinkle.

The chief looked at Loosh, who just shrugged, then at Masha who just raised one hand indicating the same indecision, before huffing and nodding at the old hobo, giving him a dismissive assent with a wave of his hand.

Jack smiled, then focused his attention on the mushroom Linea was sitting on. When he had cultivated it, it had devoured the heart of the dead tree he was strapped to. There hadn't been enough moisture proper in the wood, but the roots were waterlogged in the muddy soil. He had guided the growth to leverage that water. Now, he just needed to guide that growth a little more.

He took a deep breath, closed his eye, and concentrated on the mushroom's thin, fibrous root system, as it snaked its way through the inside of the dead tree.  He guided it further, out of the bark,  and into the ropes securing him in place.

White fuzz sprouted from the sides of the tree, and engulfed the ropes.  A few seconds later, the ropes began snapping in half, or outright falling away where they had not become rooted in place by the growing mass of white fuzzy matter.

He gave a good tug with his arms, and the ropes popped off like they were hundreds of years old.

Easy Peasy..

A little more struggling later, and the old codger had his legs and feet free as well, then proceeded to stretch his extremeties, making cranky moans and groans.

I's too old fer 'is $&@$. he growled. Treatin' ol' people like 'is...

The old bogling, Loosh, let out an amused chuckle, before unconsciously popping his own neck while reaching for his pipe.

The noise caught the chief's attention.

LOOSH-- YOU GOOD HIDE FROM TREEMEN. HIDE LONGER THAN ANY. YOU GO.

Shocked exasperation erupted from the old bogling as he suddenly choked and coughed on his smoke.

Jack laughed, from where he had leveraged himself to the ground to reciprocate the affection he had gotten from the bear.

I tells ya ol' timer, 'ey jus' don' treat tha aged like 'ey should!

Jack looked around the tree in sudden consternation--

'EY! WHERE'S MUH STUFF!?

[wierd]

The chief let out an exasperated sigh.

This was not going at all like he had wished.  While getting rid of the treemen was potentially a very great deal off his plate, and the much more probable outcome was that these foolish travelers would end up very very dead meant he wouldnt have to deal with them anymore-- the fallout of this decision would be really hard to address with the village, especially in light of how banged up his hunters were after dragging the foolish creatures here all night.  His own lack of sleep was wearing heavy on him.

The old treeman was raging impotently about his things being missing, and Loosh was giving him the stink-eye. Masha at least was in good humor, standing there with a smirk on her face, and her arms crossed.

It was petty, but he was oddly comforted by spreading his misery around a little.

MASHA-- GET TRAVELER THINGS. BRING HERE.  TREEMAN THINGS TOO. ME NEED SLEEP, AND NO GET WITH OLD PERVERT SCREAMING. he said, holding his head.

Why is ever'body callin' ol' Jack a pervert taday!? the smelly old fool rasped, while continuing to gesticulate furiously. Tellin' ya-- Ain't even got muh boots on! Got muh clothes all dirty at 'he stains ain't ne'er gonna come out, and nary a tool on meh! ... 'spectin us ta go out an' off em rickety tree barstards, and ain't got a weapon on one on us.... Fer #$*&'s sake---...

The chief facepalmed again, wishing very much he could stop hearing that man's voice, doing the best he could to ignore what was being said, considering it was little more than an expletive laced monologue to begin with.

His attention was again drawn back from his tired revery as the booming voice started fading off.

....... Swears... Gotta start all o'vr-- Leavin' is old barstard ta scrounge up what'er 'e can get 'is grubby paws on.... Got naw respect....Lesse... We needs somma dis.... an' dis........

The chief turned his weary attention to Linea again.

IT YOUR PROBLEM. ME TIRED.  MASHA RETURN WITH THINGS SOON-- KEEP PERVERT TREEMAN QUIET-- ME SLEEP.

He turned to Loosh, who was still giving him a baleful, incredulous stare.

I HAVE OTHERS GET GOOD SMOKEWEED, YOU COME BACK. PROMISE.

the squinting old eyes just narrowed.

TREEMAN MAKE SO MUCH NOISE, LOOSH NOT NEED TRY HARD. Joked the chief.

GIVE LOOSH SAME HEADACHE CHIEF HAVE. groused loosh, shaking his head side to side.

[The Centipede]

Dixie looks at the way Jack set himself free from the flimsy rope shackles and just uttered to herself, "That's creepy."

She eyes the chief for any reaction as he even so much as glances at her for a split second, while squatting there between Jack and Linea's location and just hugging her knees waiting for this whole peaceful charade to end.

Part of her wished to just cut these boglings' tongues off, speaking ill-mannered of these... friends? Was Dixie about to say friends in her mind? Maybe.

Her vision dims slightly and she lets out an aura of lies for a brief moment, the latter part only boglings can notice. She's only quite under her absolute limit after taking a short breakfast of roasted mushrooms, but the lethargy nearly takes hold again after fully healing Mama back to full.

Dixie sharply inhales, and exhales again. No time to be tired.

[wierd]

Jack was not about to just wait patiently for his 'hosts' to bring his stuff back.

While most (most) of the crass language was mostly just stress-relief, not really meant to be listened to, he still babbled on in a heated low rumble as he gathered long, supple branches from nearby trees (that needed the pruning anyway), using a small bit of rock he found and a freshwater clamshell that a raccoon had apparently drug further ashore to snack on.  Makeshift tools sucked, but they were better than trying to use your bare hands.  He had a fairly sizable bundle of potential arrow making material cobbled together by the time the weary looking female creature glided back across the mudflat, with 3 others in tow, all carrying large oversize(to them) burdens of equipment and weaponry that had been confiscated.

Mama had been following him as he sploshed through the muck from tree to tree, exuding an air of amused curiosity at her companion's irritated vocalizations and activities.  She had taken an interest (out of pure curiosity, not because she wanted to learn) in his handicraft antics-- always being surprised and also dismissive in equal measure of the utility of the end product.  If you couldn't eat it, or it couldnt bring you food, it was not sufficiently valuable or useful enough to keep her attention as something to learn-- but still entertaining to watch be made-- and Jack was giving her quite the amusement show.

Returning to the tree, he sat down next to Linea on the mushroom shelf, collected his recently returned bag, rifled inside for his boots (which contained his boot knife with the antler handle), the tied up bundle of chicken and goose feathers he had collected in town before they set off, along with his roll of twine and the gathered assortment of choice rock troll bits, then set to work, still grousing under his breath (and therefor significantly less audibly) about the working conditions.

Absently, he reached into the bag and pulled out a small bit of the elven baguette, tore it in half, and gave half to mama, while scarfing down the other half himself.  It had been quite some time since either of them had eaten, and it was a welcome feeling to work without hunger pangs.

Linea had apparently continued interrogating the two remaining boglings after the Chief had dismissed himself.  He only partially caught wind of what the others had been discussing in his absence, but it was along the lines of where in the forest the rickety tree bastards called home, and other bits of information about the mayor's son having been sighted.

He was much too engrossed in his work to pay strong attention though.

[darkwarlock3]

Dula continues to be in his burrow waiting for prey to enter his range

[Naturegirl1999]

((Sorry for leaving for so long))
If I’m able to, try getting to the lake, if I feel more drained, get out of the deadwood and try making my way to town

[Silversky]

Despite everything, it seemed Linea had clearer pointer now she could focus on. Her instruction was strictly for him as fellow CSA operators, but sounded as if directed for everyone else.

"Let's move."

Linea seemed eager to move on ASAP, but what about breakfast? Bath and other amenities? Meh, knowing Linea, probably later, when they reached drier ground.