Adventure Time[callypso/open]

[drewsky]

Xopek stared at the trees around him. they were dark and the silence of the woods was very oppressive. Xopek thought back on Emery's idea to go exploring. Though it did sound interesting. Even though he was well versed in legend and lore, he had never been here before.

"Wow, Tulgey woods is dark. What do you think about it Emery?"

He looked over at his small Ace companion. The silence was thick like pea soup. Suddenly there was a loud crashing nearby. Xopek did not know where it was coming from. There seemed to be white shapes flitting around them through the wood. He was not sure if the shapes were making the noise, but either way it was unsettling.

"What was that noise? Emery do you see anything around us?"

[Callypso]

Emery was terrified. When asked earlier why his fur seemed a little fluffier than usual (he was trying his damndest to keep from showing his nerves) he had blamed it on the moisture from the fog that seemed to saturate everything in the dense, twisting woods. He was relatively certain that he could find his way through any city or town without much problem. Most civilized areas were set up in similar fashions: a marketplace, school or main road leading out to less prominent businesses that ebbed away to homes, back roads and agricultural fields. But this? This was an entirely different game. He felt lost the moment they had entered the woods and he had to suppress the notion that the woods were changing around them with every step. After all, woods didn’t move, right?

Looking around in the ominous gloom (wasn’t there a sign by that tree a moment ago?) he secretly wished he had spent more time in preparation for this trip. As it was, Emery and Xopek had pored over every form of text they could get their hands on. Unfortunately, most literature on the famed Tulgey included the stuff of legends and myths and both of the companions had been characteristically skeptical of such fanciful nonsense. Reflecting on the fact that every map they had come across had been radically different from all the others, Emery now wished they had regarded the various tomes with more respect.

Though Xopek was definitely the more experienced traveler of the two, Emery doubted that even he had anticipated the landscape the pressed in all around them.

Very dark, Emery agreed, And eerie...

He left it at that. It wouldn’t do to complain too much, after all, Xopek was already putting himself at risk by agreeing to let him come with him. But he couldn’t help but wonder what had possessed them to attempt the Tulgey before anywhere else. They could’ve had a delightful stroll through the Kahmden or Avington forests… In retrospect, if they survived, everywhere else would seem a cakewalk. Except for, maybe, the Bog.

The Ace’s little chipmunk ears flattened against his head when a loud crashing sounded throughout the woods and he tried to fight the panic threatening to overwhelm him. He was pretty sure that Something was out there and that that Something was probably going to try and eat him.

I don’t know… I can’t see anything through this haze!

They were supposed to be meeting their guide sometime soon and prayed that it was them crashing around nearby. If not, he hoped that whatever happened next was swift... and painless.

[Kari Muffin]

(( OOC: I hope you don't mind. <3 ))

This was home. The Woods were nothing to her. But even so she shouldn't have wandered off too far. Now she had no specific landmarks to go by, and she was simply guessing where she was.

At least she was at the edge of the Wood. And she had no doubt that her mother or father would find her. And if someone else did they would simply follow the screaming.

So she slowly wandered through the Wood, enjoying the surroundings. She had never expected to stumble upon Outsiders in the Wood. As soon as she caught sight of them she slipped behind a tree. The fog was thick enough that they didn't seem to notice her, and the loud sound in the opposite direction was probably a good enough distraction.

An Esterberry and something with swirls? Daddy had spoken a lot of the Outsiders that she would never be allowed to interact with. And that one was most definitely an Esterberry... perhaps she should try to scare them off?

After a few moments of silence, she spoke. She made sure to keep herself hidden, simply because she didn't want to spoil the fun right away. Daddy had said that people would run at the sight of her, and Daddy never really lied about things like that.

"What are you doing here, Outsiders?"

[drewsky]

((Not at all, come on in))

Xopek saw how Emery's hair stood on end. Even though they had studied everything they could find on Tulgey didn't help much. The woods were terrifying. The loud racket going on nearby didn't help soften the mood.

"If its a wild Jubjub bird we are seriously dead. If its anything else we'll probably get eaten anyways."

The voice made Xopek leap into the air. He couldn't tell where it was coming from in the damned fog.

"Who ever you are we mean you no harm. If you live here could you help us. We are lost and don't want to be lunch."
Xopek looked around hoping that the voice was friendly or at the very least not dangerous. Where was the damn guide, he should have been here long before they got this lost.

[Callypso]

((Kari!!! Tarot baby!! Awesooooome!))

There was Something. And Something was talking to them. Emery was trying to keep his cool, and dammit if it wasn’t fast becoming impossible. He prided himself on his skills at quick and adept adaptation… but it seemed that everything he had ever learned was escaping him at the moment. Okay. Calm down. That’s all he had to do. If Something was talking to him, it meant that there was going to be a least some sort of delay in his ultimate demise. He could use that to his advantage! Giving himself a moment to gather his nerves he finally addressed his partner.

I... don’t remember any texts that mentioned speech being attributed to Jub Jub birds.

Right. It most likely wasn’t a Jub Jub, so that meant that Something wasn’t going to dive bomb them from above and shred them to pieces. If he was lucky... Right. That didn’t mean it wasn’t going to slaughter them anyway. Why the hell were they in the Tulgey again?

It dawned on Emery (once again) that he had no means of defense other than to hope he was fast enough to elude capture and to hunker his little chipmunk butt somewhere until the coast was clear. He was ridiculously vulnerable and there was nothing he could do to help Xopek (or himself) if they were attacked. If they ever left the Woods alive, he was going to find some trinkets to aid him, so help him Hearts.

For right now, they had to figure out what Something’s intentions were and move on from there. He wished Xopek hadn’t outright admitted they were lost. That could definitely cost them. Taking a gamble, Emery decided to join the conversation. If they were going to be mauled it wasn’t going to matter whether he was an Ace or not. Besides, his rank might not be visible through the thick fog, anyway...

We’re supposed to meet someone soon. Perhaps you’ve seen them?

[Kari Muffin]

The little girl's ears twitched at the words. Daddy had said that most Tulgey would never ever lead Outsiders into the Wood unless they wanted them to die or had intentions of doing something with them. If an Outsider was ever alone in the Wood it was simply a death wish. So whoever they were meeting wasn't going to meet them.

Kafziel lightly tapped her nails on the tree in thought. What was she supposed to do at a time like this?

"You're going to die you know," she said after a moment. "Outsiders aren't welcome in the Wood. And the person who you were going to meet won't come. If they were a Tulgey they took your money and are leaving you to die! Otherwise you'd have met him Outside of the Wood."

She wanted to peak around the tree trunk but her mother's warning of "Outsiders are dangerous" wasn't something she could easily forget. Even if people ran at the sight of her there was a chance these were the people who would try to kill her. Never trust Outsiders no matter how friendly they are.

[drewsky]

{{sorry ive bean gone so long. My muse has bean out to lunch for forever}}

Xopek's fur stood on end. He was assured a little that if the voice was talking to them then it wouldnt eat them yet. He knew Emery wood have no chance against anything and protecting his little buddy was very important.

He was however really angry that they got cheated out of money and left here to die.

"That guide, when i get my paws on him. tricksy little son of..." His words trailed off as he relizied that this could be the end of them.

"Whoever... or whatever you are could you please help us. Since you have bean talking to us it doesnt seem like your going to indiscriminantly eat, maul, or maim us. If you have any good in you, help us... please." He said this as tough as he could to not sound weak, but it is hard to sound tough when it seems like your singing all the time.

[Callypso]

((Yaay! I missed our little adventure! Welcome back!))

The promise of being left for dead didn’t jive well with Emery’s already rattled nerves. What little control over his body he had left him completely - his fur fluffed out to Scared Shitless and he began to tremble. They’d only just begun their adventure and they were going to die.

Wait.

Emery was an Ace. It was practically in his life description to be expecting death at every turn. More Cards than not thought he would make a better coat than a person. And at least he’d be going out like he said he would, right? Embarking on a journey to have it ended abruptly in the Tulgey were the fates of Cards ranked much higher than he! Beside, when they found is body – if they ever found his body – maybe they’d write something charming on his tombstone like, “Here lies a brave little Ace, who died for his dreams…”

PFFFT. Like anyone would care enough to even bury him, let alone set up a marker… The thought was so ludicrous his lips couldn’t help twisting themselves into a cocky little grin.

Right. The little chipmunk mix silently thanked Ye Might Gods of Self-Deprecation for allowing him to face reality. This situation was no different than any other. Except for the fact he was pretty sure he’d wet himself any second. Okay then.

You’re right. We are Outsiders, and it would be best if we left the Wood. We don’t mean to be a bother, but we could really use some help. If you could just… direct us in the right direction or lead us to the very edge of the Wood, we’ll leave and never come back. We don’t have much to give, but we would do our best to repay your kindness. And if you won’t help us, could you at least kill us quickly? Before something else gets to us?

Hey, at this point it was manage-to-get-out-alive, die-mercifully-by-the-Something, or be-left-to-get-mauled-by-Something-Worse. He’d really prefer one of the first two options.

Though his voice managed to not warble, Emery was pretty sure he was going to keel over from terror any moment. Whatever happened to them, he hoped it would happen soon. This waiting-for-death thing was not the kind of excitement he had hoped for.

[Kari Muffin]

Daddy had said never listen to Outsiders. Mommy had said the same. No matter how much they begged you weren't supposed to listen to them. And it wasn't like she was obligated to help them. They weren't offering her any sort of compensation. That was important, right?

She peered around her tree. The only thing visible was the top of her head. She didn't stick out amongst the trees though, so they might not notice. If they did she was fairly certian that they would try something stupid. She couldn't quite see their ranks from here, but they both seemed fairly intelligent. They could be extremely dangerous.

"If I help you, what do I get out of it? Nothing. You'll stab me in the back as soon as I let you out of the Woods." She said flatly. "I should just leave you here and let the Jubjub birds eat you."

[drewsky]

Xopek's fur bristled at the idea of being extorted out of money or valubles for safety. He had a little gem he had found on his travels and he would hate to give it away, but if it saved him and Emery it would be worth it.

"If you will help us i will give u this gem i found. I took it to an appraiser and he said it might be magic. We promise not to hurt you and we are cards of our words."

Xopek tried to look for the voice, but he was having difficulty finding it in the fog. Wait a minute, he thought i think i see something over there. He looked over inbetween these two trees and he saw a little face looking at them. He couldnt see the details but he saw a white face with big dark eyes. It looked kind of like a bird, but he couldnt be sure.