In the jungle at the foot of the Eggshell, on the Bakersfield side
2 Zorromes, 334
Fate
The path travels ever onward before them, shining like a beacon.
In short order the group moves out from the dungeons. The landscape opens up. There is a vastness to it which is felt but not seen—the whole place is shrouded in a thick, milky mist which conceals all but the hand from the face—excepting the shining path which seems to exist apart from the fog, drawing a clear path into what appears to be nothing. Beneath the runners the land slides.
And then there's a feeling of vertigo, as if everyone were in a laundry basket that was being upended. Before their eyes, the path shifts and twists on itself, then leads somewhere new. Still, it remains true.
After too long, the doorway stretches before them, framed in bright, gold fire. It appears more a curtain than anything else, which flutters at their approach.
And then, as they draw close enough to pass through, it opens.
Then they are hit with wet warmth.
(And, to Aaren, a song, an achingly familiar set of songs, with rhythms that feel so blessedly right.)
Jungle noise—nighttime jungle noise—swallows them whole until there is nothing to say that they were never here all along. Frog croaks, bat screeches, clicks and groans and hoots and, from somewhere distant, howls.
The dark is woven thick by the canopy above, blocking out any guidance the sky might offer. Behind them, the curtain flutters closed and the gold fire snuffs in a puff of smoke.
Aaren
"Oh thank Ken." Aaren breathes out. She digs instantly in her pockets for the reasuring weight of the Tsarbog's dagger, and nearly begins to cry as she can now hear the song as it was before. "Can we stop now?" Aaren asks Slavina.
She's already letting up on Nora's inability to move, since she suspects Nora will have to transition to this world like they did to hers, and that sounds like enough stress on her body.
Slavina
Slavina checks to make sure that everyone arrives in the same place, at the same time, in the same condition they left, then runs quickly through the steps her momochka taught her to properly orient oneself after a sudden way-shift.
Can I take an average on Wayfinding wits to see if it's safe to stop here?
Fate
Sure! It's safe... for now. Certainly not for the rest of the night, though.
Daina
Daina sighs softly and flumps down onto the earth, she digs her fingers in and greets the plants around them. "Oh Hi Guys" She'll get up fast enough if need be but for the moment she's still. "Frankie, can you let Seedless out to go find his pack, what's there to find at least." She'd warn the berrywoof to be careful and unseen. She'd call for him when it was time to go again.
Slavina
"Yes, for a short rest. We shouldn't camp here though." She tells Aaren.
Slavina takes off her nicest, best-travelling articles of clothing (in this case her boots, her coat, and a string of barnacles) and places them conspicuously in the crook of a tree with a stash of waxcloth-wrapped preserved food on top. She sings a song of thanks to Ken as she does so.
Fate
As the first thing as they enter their familiar world, Kelly sets Nora down, even going so far as to help keep her up as she finds her feet and her strength.
First thing Nora does is wait. A blue light sparks into nothing. And then again. Then she lets loose a string of cusses again. The blue spark becomes a full-on triangle prism of blue light, floating and rotating languidly in random patterns. It casts a dim illumination over everyone, making stark shadows, seeming to deepen the stains all over Nora—and all over Kelly now, too. It looks like a grisly scene.
The second thing Nora does is slap Kelly. It's enough to jerk his head to the side; enough to send a meaty crack! to echo through the trees; enough to send up a fluttering of flustered wings from somewhere nearby. The follow-through sends Nora weaving drunkenly after her blow, and then she falls to the ground with a hearty 'OOOF!'
Kelly... stands there. Chest heaving. Whole body tight, knuckles going pale. Completely silent.
Then Seedless rustles out of a shadow, and slips into the night.
Slavina
Slavina rounds at the sound of the slap. Her eyes widen just a bit and her face grows hard.
'Don't you dare touch my family again, you ungrateful puddle of vomit.' Slavina's voice splits the air like sleet through a wagon door. Quiet and hard. 'If you won't be civil you will leave.'
Aaren
Aaren goes from calm and relieved to angry in faive parts without so much as a breath between. She leaps on lanky legs to stand between Kelly and the fallen Nora, her skirts swirling, and hair lashing, and her eyes flashing.
But by the time she's landed, she's heard her own tempest—And of course Slavina's thundering insult.
'That was not appropriate.' Aaren sings, her voices turning flat and hard. 'If you have a problem, use your words to describe it.'
Daina
Daina turns her head slightly and is shocked to hear Slavina come to Kelly's defense before she or Aaren even get a moment to get their backs up. She'd been waiting to give Kelly a chance to handle it himself but well... there we are. She slowly sighs and extracts her hands from the earth, glad to feel familiar soil under her nails again. She lightly dusts off her hands looks around to see if they are near any road the cart might be useful on. She wasn't going to add her voice to the drama but instead looks to Kelly and whistles softly to get his attention, she gives him a small reassuring smile and extends her hand in an invitation to step away.
Fate
'You tell him not to touch me again!' Nora shouts back. Then she flashes a dagger-filled glare Aaren's way. 'Oh, aye, he can put his hands all over me whensoever he fuckin' pleases but I'm but to do naught but cuss and scream and flop like a stranded fish, eh!? You "take consent very seriously, Nora" indeed!' Nora spits Aaren's words back at her in a mocksome imitation of, well, not really anyone in particular. Then her glare snaps to Slavina. 'I only paid him back in kind, I did—I won't be civil a moment sooner than that gobshite! And don't you dare call me ungrateful after I just bled more'n a moon's worth of blood to pull your arses out of the fire, you hypocritical, knock-kneed harridan!'
Kelly keeps staring straight ahead, strung tight. If he saw Daina's invitation, he doesn't give any indication.
Then he speaks, his voice cutting through. 'I'm sorry. It's my fault. Don't yell at them, please.' His voice is low, measured, almost as if he's issuing a threat rather than an apology. Neither his stance nor his hard expression have changed.
Nora's stricken silent, at least for now.
Aaren
Aaren is on her way to responding when Kelly's response cuts her short. She completely disagrees with Kelly, but she doesn't know how to continue.
'Nora,' Aaren tries a different track, her songs forced into calmness now. 'I explicitly asked you to tell me if something was wrong.'
What's happened to Kelly's song? Is he ptsd'ing?
Fate
No, he's just very, very angry.
Daina
Daina winces faintly and sighs 'Consent is important but waiting for it in that case coulda seen us all caught by the Bog King so... I'm going to say that was a goodly bit more pardonable than a violent strike at Kelly. He's apologized... you could do the same' She says mild like as she lifts her head and sniffs around them for the direction of home town. Moving over towards Kelly she leans up on her toes. 'Ready to start home for a bit?' she questions gently. She'd once more offer her hand, but not touch him as she's not sure he'd be welcoming of touch right now.
Slavina
Slavina relinquishes the conversation to Aaren and Kelly. She leans close to Aaren and murmurs, "I am going to do some wayfinding. Call me if you need me, I won't be between."
She separates herself from the group enough that they won't interfere with her dances or omen-finding and begins rituals to determine the best next-stage of the journey.
Aaren
"Thank you." Aaren murmers to Slavina. Her songs are still brittle-y calm.
Fate
'Convenient or stupid to ignore what's in front of your eyes,' Nora retorts to Aaren, though a lot of her ire has lost its momentum. 'Did I look like I was all fine and dandy with what was going on? Do you wait for a man to stop screaming if he's being torn apart by wolves to check and see if he's alright with it?' Then when Daina sees fit to put in her two cents, Nora says, 'Bully me all you like—I'll apologize when there's reason to apologize.' She huffs but continues before anyone can say anything else. 'Anyway. I got my apology.' After that she takes a deep breath. 'Since he was civil, I'll be civil: thanks for stopping me up and getting me out.' She shifts, flops a little, and gets herself over to a tree, struggling to get to her feet.
Daina
Daina shrugs and finds that good enough for her and looks to Kelly for his response. Smiling a little. Her tone quiet. "You ok man?"
Aaren
Aaren purses her lips, tight. Then she breathes out, and lets her songs return to singing how she feels. She is still very angry, but it's clear that Nora is a child—albiet a particullarly rude one, and children required specail consdieration. Because they were stupid.
Aaren turns to the Kelly-Daina space and enters the conversation, looking to Kelly. "Do you want to go on a run with me?" She asks, as a follow up to Daina's question.
Fate
He's still for a little while longer. But then he brings the back of one hand to swipe over his eye. He responds in Hometown, "I'll be fine." And then, to Aaren: "Not right now, thanks. It's too dark." And then, after that: "Does someone want to help her walk? She's having trouble."
I have letters, Frankie says, once there's an opening. Do you want them?
Aaren
"I don't. I'm too angry. She can ask me if she wants help." Aaren sings it low and quiet. "I will be back soon, I'll stay well in hearing range, shout if you need me." She sings, and she turns the insides of her eyes reflective so that she can see, hoists up her panchos, and leaves the clearing.
Slavina
At the edge of their clearing, Slavina finishes reading her dance marks. They're clear enough that the process was very quick. She scuffs them out and returns to the group, hovering until it's clear they want her report.
'I'll help you walk if you want, Nora.'
Daina
Daina smiles to Frankie "yes please, and can you go ahead and let Mom know we're on our way home?" She pauses a moment and her brow furrows. "um... let Jeri know we're on our way." She smiles awkwardly and holds her hands out for the letters.
Daina looks after Aaren "be careful" she calls out fairly quietly and sighing a bit as she takes off her shoes and tucks them under her arm. Feet on the ground she wiggles her toes and looks to Slavina "you feeling ok now that we're back? Strong as ever?"
Fate
Nora eyes Slavina up and down. She tests her weight on her legs, but they give. She catches herself on the tree, barely, and then she sighs and says, "Fine." After that, a pointed, "Thank you."
There is a pile of letters that spill out onto Daina's hand, slide off, and fall to the jungle floor. A much larger pile than expected.
Daina
Daina blinks "holy smokes" she bends and starts to count through the letters to see who sent the most... that's likely the most urgent right?
Slavina
Slavina holds an elbow out for Nora to grab (so that Nora won't be on the receiving end of another grab so soon after the last). "Yes Daina, I'm quite well thank you. Are any of those from Janin?" She eyes the pile with growing concern. "Or Borya? He may have addressed them as Boris or Bojic."
Fate
Luckily, they are each dated. Some Castormes... some Truchames... a few Vermes... a few Juramentomes... and then 1 Sashames, 334... and then 10 Bakemes, 334...
It appears it may have been almost a year. Possibly more.
Daina
... Daina blinks softly and double checks the writing. "Holy fucking shit" she whispers as she holds up the newest letter so the others can see.
Slavina
Slavina composes herself before she even uncomposes. "Renochka!" She calls (not so loud. Aaren can hear everything right?). She picks up a big handful of letters and starts sifting through them for ones from her friends.
Fate
Nora takes Slavina's elbow, in silence for a change.
Aaren
Aaren's voice rings out, "Coming!" In less then a minute she's back in the camp. She's already grown six inches, and changed to a dark blue-green that is hard to spot against the darkening foliage. As if she's had to keep her mind running as fast her body.
"That's a lot of letters." She sings, still lengthening her torso and changing the muscles in her legs. Since her voices are all busy, there is no inflection or emotional information, and her face is blank.
Slavina
"It's a year's worth of letters." Slavina says softly.
Aaren
Aaren's songs all stop at once. She blinks her eyes (glowing like cats in the dim light.) After a moment, she sings the 'excuse me, what? ' song, in one lone voice.
Daina
Daina sighs a little and looks to Frankie. "They know we're on our way yeah?" reaching out and doing a mimic of petting over the shadowy head as she rises. "I think we've been gone much longer than we intended." she murmurs trying to conceal her worry.
Fate
She insists that you do not come home yet, Frankie says. It is too dangerous for everyone if you do. And she has asked me to find where Ash's letter has gone and give it to you. At that, whoever's holding it at the time finds it disappearing. Shortly thereafter, Frankie silently horks up the letter.
Aaren
"Frankie, we need the cart as well." Aaren sings, with two vocies. She picks up Ash's letter and opens it. While she's doing so, she sings, "Daina, please call Seedless back, we need to get moving to somewhere we can camp safley."
Before she starts reading, she turns to Frankie again, "Frankie, please inform anyone who wrote us and doesn't know that we are back in this world, and are catching up on our corrisponence with all speed."
Then Aaren looks at the letter.
Daina
Daina frowns and sighs as she uses the plants around them, sending a chemical signal Seedless should get quickly enough through the air. She rubs her hand over her face and frowns softly. "Are they safe now?" she questions quietly.
Slavina
"There's a good camping spot not too far from here." Slavina says. "About an hour's walk north-by-south, it should be near water and inhabited by only friendly spirits." She waits for Frankie to produce the cart before she actually starts walking—this will be easier if Nora can ride instead of walk.
Fate
In short order, Frankie produces the cart. Soon thereafter Kelly gets his spear back.
With practiced ease, the group gets going at a steady clip. Nora, oblivious to the tense silence, begins to ask questions about where they are and why she's having such trouble. Kelly explains, to the best of his ability, that this is a different world, that they are close to home, and that there's ill tidings so that nobody really wants to talk to her right now. Perhaps surprisingly, Nora falls quiet without much fuss, occasionally reaching out to tear off a leaf here or pick up a rock there, and begins muttering observations to herself.
There proves to be plenty of time to peruse the letters, and figure out where in time they are arranged.
Okay. I'm gonna dump a month at a time, and wait for y'all to give me the go-ahead or ask me questions. Although you may want to ask questions until after you read everything, just in case they're answered.
Daina
here we go!!
Slavina
Roger that. Personally I'm fine with getting the whole year dump at once
Aaren
Same, specailly because the characters would be getting it all out of order. So, whatever is most convienent.
Fate
Hokay! All of them it is! Prepare for LOTS OF CONSECUTIVE POSTS, YO!
Castormes, 333
4-23 July
Janin
He made it home safe with Chauncy a little over a week ago. It was a smooth trip, a little boring.
Once he got back he settled in to work. It was a little strange for him—everyone was quite surprised to see him, and were also surprised to see he'd clearly changed. But many adjusted quickly.
Janin reconnected with Dui Hung and Sylvester. It's going well so far. Despite himself, he asked Dui Hung on a date and not only did the guy accept—it actually went well. Dui Hung had said that he seems a lot happier now. That, Janin says, was the highest compliment he's received yet.
Just the day prior Janin went over to his parents', both to re-introduce himself and to drop Chauncy off with Dad. That went... okay. Neither of them really know what to do or say, it seemed like, and the entire evening was stiff and awkward. (He says it's discouraging, but at least they don't hate him.)
Hometown
Jerri is healing at a rate that's entirely too slow for her. (She's been very irritable.) Draogmir has actually been a great help for her, and has gotten a lot better at being gentle, though he's still quite clumsy. When there's free time, Ash takes him to Guy Time with the others and (among other things) they play games like horseshoes, which has been helping Dragomir improve his coordination a lot. Also Pyotr has made a new set of clothes for Dragomir, since his others are alcohol-soaked and not very well cared for. (Quite a tragedy, Pyotr adds. They were fine clothes.)
More pilgrims arrived, seeking healing. Vir and Vanya had to explain to them that their resident miracle-workers were gone, but they were more than welcome to stay and wait until they came back. It went okay.
A few of those pilgrims, however, were Aurika, her brother, and her brother's wife. They were set up with accommodations and took the Swan Maiden House over from Maria and Quinn.
The rest is news everyone's come to expect: new babies, new people, new adults, new rabbits.
Borya
"I did not feel like writing this month.
None of us are dead yet. I am being sincere, believe it or not.
Love,
Boris"
Krissie
Their vacation (as in the one Slavina arranged for Krissie, Antonia, and Stevie) in Old Town got off to quite a start. They not only visited the Repository (for no more than an hour, as being there made Krissie anxious), but they saw quite a few sights of the more historical parts of Old Town.
There's still a lot of vacation to go as of writing, but Krissie thanks Slavina profusely for this opportunity.
Brian
Brian did end up moving in with his oldest son. It's been great so far—he's been helping with the grandkids and impressing them with his paint-dance moves.
Truong
Things are going as usual. (Though he certainly has stories to tell.)
Truchames, 333
24 July—12 August
Janin
Janin prefaces the letter with uncertainty that it'll be received, because his house is currently in ruins due to a fire—so he's not sure if the drop-off point is still valid.
He's had a little trouble keeping his head above water—turns out he's out of practice getting clients. It didn't help that there was also a fire in his neighborhood, so he was evacuated by Templars. The fire got his house (well after Janin was evacuated, so that was good). He volunteered on the firefighting team, and they managed to quell it, but not before more people were diplaced.
He's staying with Sylvester right now, while the mess is being cleaned up and his quarters are being rebuilt. Sylvester's quarters aren't too different from Janin's—except Sylvester is a lot tidier.
That aside, he went to a family dinner, and this time his siblings were there. Overall, his parents seemed to be a little more comfortable, and Vaidas didn't so much as blink. Elzie and Ulikas were a little weirded out, but Ulikas's wife and Elzie's boyfriend didn't have any trouble with it.
Everyone liked their gifts a lot. Janin's mom was especially moved to nostalgia. It was nice.
Chauncy's doing very well. He's gotten quite plump, since he mostly eats and sleeps all day instead of pulling around carts, although Janin's dad will take him on his routes.
Hometown
The news contained is mostly mundane.
Aside from that, Auntie Harley returned home from patrol. Jerri's begun getting up and about, though she's tires easily and aches for days afterwards. It's been really rough for her, emotionally speaking (so Ash reports).
Dragomir has really shaped up. There's still a lot of wariness and lingering doubt, but Vanya's begun inviting him along with her to various families' dinners.
Borya
"I missed your letter.
Love,
Boris"
Truong
More interesting stories from his time as a keeper of a Swan Maiden House.
No word from Krissie or Brian. (This isn't unusual. Neither are terribly consistent with their letters.)
Fortnight Post-Lughnasadh:
Late Summer
Esta
She made it home safe, is absolutely jubilant about being home, and wishes everyone well. She mentions that she was a little late getting to her letter and apologizes because first she had to find out why her skin didn't fit and then after that she had to find a place in town and AFTER THAT hadn't been feeling well so it took a while for her to get to town to hire a scribe.
She will try to send another letter later; and she also enclosed a rough sketch of a good location to drop a letter.
Vermes, 333
13 August—2 September
Janin
The letter says: "I haven't heard from you since I left. I hope you're all okay. Respond when you can."
Hometown
The news is all mundane, and a little more general, a little less descriptive. It seems a little more like a journal entry than anything else, by someone who doesn't know how to keep a journal.
Everything's going well—Jerri's still recovering, Dragomir's getting better at being helpful.
Borya
"I have written a letter to myself, pretending I am you.
It is enclosed.
Love,
Bojic"
It's clearly a flanderization, and it describes over-the-top outrageous adventures (most of which have been brought on by Daina). That being said, it took a lot of effort and was quite elaborately done.
(One letter goes to Slavina and Aaren each.)
Truong
Still business as usual.
No word from Krissie or Brian.
Juramentomes, 333
3-22 September
Hometown
The letter follows the trend of the last one, in terms of being not as descriptive. Still, it's clear that Jerri can function mostly on her own now, but she's sticking to erring on the side of resting (that is, with a lot of urging from pretty much the rest of the Arechavaletas, and Dragomir) so that she won't overdo it and hurt herself more. Auntie Harley in particular has taken to overseeing her physical therapy, steadily ramping up the difficulty of the exercises.
Nona the Golden Duck finally died of old age, but not before laying one last egg. Marian (the keeper of the duck) was sad, but glad that Nona went peacefully.
Vir called the town together and told them that something big was coming and that they needed to prepare to leave, or else they would risk. Vanya is organizing a mass evacuation, but a lot of people really aren't onboard with it. The Wirths in particular (while certainly not all of the same mind, just proportionally more of them than any other family) have headed the dissenting group.
Ash says that he'll write if anything happens, but until then he'll wait until he receives a response.
Borya
"Big letter forthcoming. May take some months.
You'd better appreciate it.
Love,
Borya"
Krissie
Apparently the summer vacation was fantastic and exactly what they needed. She details their excursions to various places (including Dis and Starbucks). Stevie in particular was really dazzled by the Starbucks baristas and now he wants to be one.
They also went on a riverboat ride, down to Heartbreak Lake. It was a lovely evening. And then, on their way back up Kern River, Antonia (with Stevie's help) proposed to Krissie. (Privately, of course.) They're tentatively planning to get married next spring. (Carefully not coinciding with Claire and her S.O., as they are getting married in the fall.)
Krissie is looking forward to the new school year. She really came back refreshed. (Apparently vacations are AMAZING. Who knew?)
No word from Janin, Brian, or Truong.
1 Sashames, 334
11 December
Hometown
Ash urges Aaren and Daina not to come home until they receive word again. He also urges them not to write back, for the safety of the generous souls who are taking the risk to get this letter delivered.
The rest is written in some combination of the language that Aaren had invented (albeit very crudely) and English.
(Perhaps worth noting are some smears and tear stains over the various pages of the letter.)
He writes that Hometown's been occupied by the Chlovak army.
Many Hometowners got up and left, some even heading to Bakersfield. Those who wanted to stay nearby moved to near the Hunters' Lodge and brought supplies and started building housing. But there wasn't enough notice—less than a month later the army arrived and took over.
It was a surprise to everyone. Hard decisions had to be made in a hurry.
Vir had decided to stay behind with the Hometowners, to protect them from whatever's coming in whatever way they can.
After a LOT of deliberation, Great Gramma Loretta, Gramma Lavern, Grantie Lilly, Gruncle Ed, Axel, Shea, Maria, Uncle Tommy, and Quinn stayed behind. The rest of the Arechavaletas—Auntie Jordan, Jerri, Ash, Aya, Tris, Pyotr, Logan, Jesse, Hana (that is, Aya's baby, who is now a person)—made it out.
Others who made it out:
- The Bogatyr (naturally, as they were prioritized)
- Vanya and her baby
- The hunters who weren't visiting home at the time (including Auntie Harley)
Overall, there are a little more than one-hundred people currently living in or near the Hunters' Lodge.
Based on their intel, once the army arrived, a few major things happened:
- Most of the men, from boys as young as 13 to middle-aged men, have been conscripted by the army and sent to Bakersfield. (This includes Uncle Tommy, Axel, Shea, and Maria.) Every last one of the hunters and woodsmen—man or woman—who were caught in Hometown proper were also conscripted.
- The army slaughtered all the rabbits for food and re-purposed the hutches as prisons. Much of the livestock has similarly been slaughtered.
- Anyone judged to be a "sorcerer" was immediately imprisoned. Lesh, Geraldine, Milox, Susana, and Geraldine's baby in particular were all forcefully detained upon the army's arrival and terribly mistreated. Geraldine's tree was cut down and burned to ashes in the middle of town. Just a couple weeks later Noi-Noi and Grandpa Robbie Ash and Geraldine's dad, as well as a couple Wirths, a Babineaux, and a few Litzes, freed them and fled with them. They were promptly chased and shot at by the army's ranged weapons. Among the confirmed dead were Milox, Grandpa Robbie, and Lindsay. No one's heard from any of them since.
- All the Skittles were confiscated, including the ones given to the gods. They were going to destroy the Tree People too, but Vir stopped them by explaining that these gods were simply the Chlovak ones with different names.
- Everyone else in Hometown is being put to work mining metal or collecting purple stones or whatever else the Commanding Officer tells them to do. It's hard work, especially in winter, and there have been a number of injuries and deaths, especially among the older folk.
Luckily thanks to Daina there seems to be enough stores so that, even with the army there, the Hometowners won't starve. Vir has been negotiating almost constantly with the Commanding Officer to ensure that the Hometowners are cared for, with varying degrees of success. There's a rumor that, once the snow clears, they'll be importing engineers from Domochlovek to make machines.
It's been hard and stressful for everyone. It's winter, so most everyone's time is spent cooped up. As a result, emotions are running high and some fights have broken out. But the drills and general physical activity are helping a lot. (At least from what Ash has observed. Which, of course, isn't the case for everyone.) And Prepekti Kovač (as in, Vanya in her official capacity, as a man) has been assigning a lot of projects and jobs to squads of people, which also seems to be helping.
Dragomir and Kovač have been working on a plan to take Hometown back. Kovač is brushing everyone up on military protocol and discussing tactics with the tactically minded. Ash has been busy showing him the area. They may be ready for their first mission come spring.
10 Bakemes, 334
30 March
Borya
"Bakersfield compromised by Chlovak army.
They just marched right on in!! Can you believe it!! Fucking Bakersfield!!
K. and I are no longer at this address.
M. has been notified.
Here's your incomplete letter.
Yesen keep you."
It's quite a volume of all the things which could have possibly gone wrong with Aaren, Daina, and Slavina's adventure. A lot of it is scratched out, edited, and scribbed on and around. The context around many of the scratched-out parts seem to indicate some kind of horrible death, but it's hard to say for sure.
Fortnight Post-Imbolc
Early Spring
Esta
It took a long time for her to retake her territory. But she's got it back now, and now she's been settling in and making a home for her daughter, Vivia. Esta took her into town for her first Imbolc festival. It was a grand time.
She sends more well-wishes; and enclosed another sketch for a different location.
Slavina
Megan, our assumption is that we read these all out loud but in their original languages.
Fate
Okay, thanks!
Aaren
I think Aaren would have tried to keep Nora at least a little in the loop if she wanted to know, since it's going to take most of the evening and she's traveling with us right now.
Daina
Daina goes quiet. Still. Save for the beat of her heart, the breath in her lungs and the ticking pulse at her jaw. The grass under her singes and then burns, the ground under that soon getting it's share of the intense heat rolling off of her.
She rises and steps away from the letters and the group so they aren't harmed. Her golden eyes even seeming ablaze as she turns towards hometown. "Frankie, how do you like the smoke of burning bodies?" Her question is quiet as she lets her hands hang to her sides though they are fisted.
"Oh I know... how about you eat half of them and I'll burn the rest" she suggests with a worrisome note of ... glee? She puts one fist in the opposing hand and cracks her knuckles then switches to repeat the process.
"oh wait ... Aaren can sing them to sleep yes... that's the safest bet and then... then Frankie swallows them all up... and brings them here... and -then- they burn."
Slavina
Slavina takes it all in and grows utterly, completely composed. A sort of rigid composure tightly laced up to keep herself from falling apart. She waits, tense, for Daina to wind down a little and asks, "Frankie, where is my family?"
Her fingers tighten around her skirt, white-knuckled.
Fate
I cannot go into the Tsarbog's palace, Frankie responds. I cannot provide an exact location.
Aaren
Aaren sings the songs of the letters as they go through them, and her thinking song. When they are done, she gets up, leaves the cart, and buries the last of her skittles.
To Ken for the captives, to Yesen for those who moved and those who stayed, to She-Who-Hungers for the dead, and finally to Black Sun, as if appeasing him will take his long dark presence from the world—the wrath and insanity that seems to hang over these actions.
Then she pours out the last of her stored mead for Svantovit, for wisdom in war for her family and friends.
Slavina
"They are in the Tsarbog's palace, though?" She asks. Her voice does not shake. You just imagined it.
Daina
Daina frowns "why can't you go there... do you know if they're there by choice?" her ire dimming as she feels concern for the Ludzi
Aaren
Aaren goes back to the cart and sits, still singing her thinking song.
Fate
Kelly is just silent. Shocked. Overwhelmed. Curled up and staring at the wall of the cart.
They are. And then, after a pause, I cannot because the way is locked to me. Another pause. They have been imprisoned.
Aaren
(To Fate) From Aaren's years with Kelly, what might help him right now?
Fate
(To Aaren)
Time. Something useful to do. Crying. Any combination therein.
A walk with Dad.
Aaren
(To Fate) Oh man, Aaren hears that one.
Daina
She takes a few slow breaths calming herself. "I ... do you guys think it's safe for me to peek in at the lodge, just through the fire?" she swallows thickly "I just want to see them... see they're ok"
Aaren
Aaren shakes her head. "No." She sings, and her voices turn to calm sorrow and compassion. "We'd better ask before you do that. They may have moved again since their last letter."
She sings a pause, and then continues, "I think the first thing we need to do is establish new letter exchange areas with people who have moved, so we can get reliable news again."
Slavina
Slavina swallows her panic and tears. She doesn't seem to hear Daina's question. She sits frozen in place while the gods talk amongst themselves.
Daina
"didn't they say not to write?" she murmurs as she rubs her face and her cheeks are hot and red, her eyes wet with unshed tears as she starts to pace. "We can't let this stand... "
She pauses a moment "Frankie... how ... how big of a thing can you swallow?"
Aaren
Aaren begins singing the groups calm song, sans Nora since she hasn't had a chance to talk to Nora about it yet.
(She waits for Frankie to respond before continuing to talk to Daina) "Yes. That is because our letter would have appeared in Hometown. Can you please ask Frankie to go speak with everyone we corrispond with and set up new letter exchange sites? As soon as that is done, you can ask if it is okay to poke in at the lodge."
Aaren looks to Slavina. "Slavina, what do you need?"
Fate
I am not allowed to swallow anymore, Frankie replies, his voice coming faint from the trees.
Aaren
Aaren is again stunned into silence.
Daina
Daina sighs "fine that sounds... like a good start." She murmurs before looking to Frankie. Giving him a chance to answer her, she sighs softly and nods. Then going into detail about Aaren's instructions and being very very careful about details that involve him being caught spotted or hurt, and the same for the others. "If that is still allowed?" she murmurs as she resumes pacing after a pause.
Slavina
Slavina opens her mouth to answer, remembers she needs to breathe before she can speak, and finally replies. "I need to know if Janin and Krissy and Truong are safe....." it's totally incomplete and insufficient, but it's all she can think of right now.
Fate
(Briefly, in the air, the idle drone of a few bees. Peaceful. Reminiscent of a calm spring noon.)
Aaren
Aaren nods to Slavina, jerked back into action. That will have to wait for Frankie, or for Slavina to be together enough to way find an answer. Aaren returns to her calm song.
"Kelly, will make dinner, please." She sings it with fatuige and resignation. It's already been a long night, and they had spent most of the day running from scary monsters in a bog—and escaping.
But then something changes.
Aaren looks up, frowning. "Did you sense that?" She asks.
Daina
do we?
Slavina
Megan, what time of day is it?
Fate
Night.
Possibly midnight or later.
Slavina
so defintely not bee-time
Fate
Aye.
And yes, you do sense it.
Daina
Daina makes a faintly gruff growling sound at the idea of so mundane a task as cooking at a time like this. She pauses though at the drone of bees the ... gentle warmth that somehow reaches her past her firey anger.
She quiets and listens, sniffing the air and waiting for the entity to present themselves.
Slavina
Slavina doesn't at first. But Aaren's call to attention brings her back to awareness her current role—including the negotiations she has recently (or not?) made. She runs a hand over her mouth, her neck, as a mnemonic to increase her awareness of the god's presence.
Fate
After a very long moment, Frankie's voice rises up from the jungle floor. Boris, Janin, Kristiina, and Truong will establish new letter drop sites. Axli will not, as he is a prisoner and therefore has no access to writing materials or a safe place to exchange letters. Brian's letter site will remain the same. He apologizes for not writing for so long. Esta states that she will send another drawing when she can.
Aaren
Aaren's thinking songs (all six of them) are cycling rapidly. With one voice, she sings, "Frankie, can you still swallow letters?"
With another, she asks, "Slavina, it was a bee-goddess you asked for protection from those... those mechincail, wolf, things?"
Slavina
"Yes." She speaks without inflection, since any gap in the basket would let all the contents spill out. "Her presence is still around us, unmarred."
Fate
I am allowed to carry letters in my mouth. I may not swallow them.
Daina
Daina moves to the cart. "Why is that Frankie? did I send to much stuff that way or what?" she climbs up to where the butterflowers are on top of the cart. Kneeling and rubbing her chin as she considers her plan, dust like soil flaking from her fingers as it was roasted by her rage. Slow deep breaths still the call of the moment.
Fate
Kelly, after Aaren suggests that he make dinner, immediately stands and moves, silent and almost mechanical, and sets to his task.
Nora, meanwhile, watches all this, her own silence... respectful? She doesn't even speak to Brian, just watches with wide, curious eyes.
Yes, Frankie responds to Daina.
Daina
Daina nods a little and sighs "I guess that makes sense... can't just swallow all the problems... sadly."
Aaren
"Alright." Aaren sings. "Thank you very much, Frankie." Then she transitions to listening for a long moment, seeking out the sudden source of bee-goddess song.
Can I..... roll? perception to figure out why the bee-ness suddenly was so obvious?
Slavina
Slavina stands up. Looks around as if utterly lost, not quite seeing her surroundings. Then she crumples to the ground at Aaren's feet in a bow so deep her forehead brushes the ground.
"Please, Aaren, please let me go to my family." The words are distorted around the edges, melting into tears. "Please. They need me. Please..."
Aaren
5
"Slavina." Aaren sings, diverting one of her listening songs. "You can go whenever you like. But will you let me calm you down before you make that decision?"
Fate
(To Aaren) The bees still have the lingering remains of a searching song within them. They only just found you.
Slavina
A jostle of her head passes for a nod.
Aaren
Aaren relaxes, having figured out what she needed to know, and turns her listening songs to calming SLavina down. It takes only a few moments for Slavina to be just less then completely calm.
"Okay, you're calm now. Should we talk about helping you get to Domachlovek?"
Fate
(The droning begins to get a little louder, a little more multitudinous.)
Slavina
Slavina—now that she's calm—nods. Then shakes her head no. Then says, "I... I need to ask La Dam-" She blinks. Frowns.
May I roll mystery+wayfinding to figure out what's up with the bees?
Daina
Daina tilts her head gently to one side. She hops up and does a bee butt wiggle dance of. 'what's up guys?'
Fate
You may.
A bee lands on the cart wall and begins an intricate pattern of dance. Predators nearby.
Slavina
7
Fate
(To Slavina) Something wicked this way comes.
Slavina
(To Fate) Can she tell anything about it?
Fate
(To Slavina) It comes with a very familiar existential dread. One which drove the most recent rift between her and Daina.
Daina
Daina growls softly "Predators nearby..." she butt wiggles "where? how many?" before sniffing the air. "Frankie do you sense danger?" Hopping down from the cart and cracking her knuckles.
Fate
(To Daina) The bee tells a tale of distance and multitude with its next dance. Daina gets a decent sense of where and number.
Daina
(To Fate) so it's fairly far at the moment but a great many?
Fate
(To Daina)
Not a great many.
In fact, a number which feels familiar.
Daina
(To Fate) like... how many berry wolves we had before the presumed slaughter sort of familiar?
Fate
(To Daina) No, more like the number of mechanical hounds kind of familiar.
Slavina
She's calm thanks to Aaren, so it's not alarming. Slavina says (definitely not alarmed), "Something evil is coming for us."
Fate
Always, Frankie responds.
Slavina
She repeats it in Nora's language.
Fate
Nora straightens. "We got a plan?" She pauses. "Such as... I dunno... run?"
Slavina
"The machine-hounds." She says. "We can't outrun them. We might be able to kill ourselves and allow our spirits to escape, but I don't think I'm allowed to do that."
Daina
Daina sighs at Frankie and nods "yeah I'm starting to get that... enemies everyw... " Daina stills and her eyes widen. "Fuck that... we fight" She starts to gather flame in her hands and is ready to spring into action in the direction of the enemy.