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Post by jessimyre on Mar 26, 2009 1:48:21 GMT -5
Stone remained silent and prone. No need to move just yet, but soon somebody would expect a contribution from him. He listed to the discussion carefully as he lay with his eyes still closed, looking for all the world like he was still unconcious on the rough sick bed made for him.
Blood, there was a name he recognised; but not the name she gave herself; Rain. Blood gave him images of the mutilated survivor who had uttered her name last. A woman to fear, to be avoided. He even knew of several women who assumed the name successfully in order to escape pain or humiliation at the hands of scumbags who enjoyed instilling fear and control over the fairer sex.
Oh yes, he knew of her; but had never met her. He wondered if Rain was the real deal or another pretender using the name for the respect it carried. Time would tell.
Shades. The voice unfamiliar and as Stone hadn't looked around the name meant no sense to him.
Stone relaxed; he was in no immediate danger and decided to rest as much as allowable, Gunner by his side, until he had a need to move.
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gingherslayr
Chaos Initiate
95% of deadly is still deadly!
Posts: 12
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Post by gingherslayr on Apr 4, 2009 17:16:37 GMT -5
Gareth's eyebrows went up when he heard the name Blood. Who hadn't heard of her before? She was one of the few women in this desolate existence who actually scared the crap out of most, if not all, of the male population. He glanced unconsciously at his scythe, wondering if he should have repaired the damage on his scythe while the conversation continued. He looked back up at Rain and scanned her body calmly from behind his sunglasses, looking for any sign of possible attack or weapons.
"So that makes two of the group we know something about. What do we know about our unconscious friend over there?" he said, gesturing behind him at Stone.
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Post by blossom on Apr 5, 2009 17:15:11 GMT -5
They weren't dead.
That was somethng at least. She may have been a crap driver, but at least she could say she hadn't killed them or further injured them. Or almost driven them into any more walls because of idiots jumping on the hood of the car.
Shadow stayed huddled in a dark corner of the cave, knees drawn up to her chin, listening to the others make small take an introduce themselves. At the name Blood she glanced upward for a brief moment. She'd heard the name. Who hadn't? The girl, Rain, sat in cave wasn't exactly the image she'd conjured for herself though.
"So that makes two of the group we know something about. What do we know about our unconscious friend over there?" Shades asked.
There was a pause. They didn't know anything about him. Shadow had been 'acquainted', if you could call it that, with him the longest ... giving her three, four minutes more experience than the others.
"He has a large, unfriendly dog guarding him that will probably tear our throats out if we get too close," Shadow said eventually in a low, ironic voice. "Does it matter how much we do or don't know about each other? Soon as we're able, we're all just going to leave. Aren't we?"
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Post by twilightblade on Apr 9, 2009 17:01:45 GMT -5
"Before you say that, just how far are we from the road? Or the town?" Rain shrugged, her hand dropping to slide her shirt further over the hilt of her blades as she felt Shade's glance. "Our accquaintance with the dog is wounded, and should not be left alone out here."
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Post by Kage Chaos on Apr 29, 2009 15:56:09 GMT -5
Will was there, but his mind wasn't. While barely paying attention, he drifted off to memories of days past. His mother and brother. Eileen...his godmother. The world around, past and present, was certainly a depressing sight to behold.
He shook off his daze and heard the woman named Rain speak, "Before you say that, just how far are we from the road? Or the town? Our accquaintance with the dog is wounded, and should not be left alone out here."
"I can stay with him," Will volunteered, "I know a bit of first aid."
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Post by jessimyre on Apr 29, 2009 20:28:48 GMT -5
Finally Stone felt compelled to speak. He painfully eased himself up into a sitting position.
"I don't need babysitting." he said, his face and voice the deadpan tone he had so well practised. "I will be fine."
He turned his face away from them then, brooding into the dark shadows that danced across the walls of their hidaway. For a moment there was no sound bar the crackling of the fire and the light breathing of his companions. His own breath was sharper for the effort and pain that sitting up had cost him. He eased his back against the rough wall for additional support.
Gunner never moved, watching his master all the while.
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Post by twilightblade on May 5, 2009 20:16:08 GMT -5
"Say that again, like you mean it." Rain really hadn't meant her voice to sound so very hard, but she was nervous and could tell the man was lying by the way he moved. "I've seen too many wounded like you to believe that."
She rose abruptly and stepped back from the fire, working to control herself. Four or five people was right on the edge of too many people right now. She slowed her breathing and eased a bit away, one hand falling to her blades before she turned back into the light.
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Post by jessimyre on May 5, 2009 22:35:05 GMT -5
Unable to resist the challenge in Rain's voice, Stone turned to face her. She had gotten up and moved, but he caught her eye as she turned back toward the fire.
"I said I don't need babysitting." he told her levelly, staring at her and daring her to contradict him. Now he was leaning against the wall he felt much more comfortable but he knew he was in trouble.
He cursed his resentment of having to accept help from anyone. He needed their help but he didn't want it. He didn't want to be at anyone's mercy, he didn't want to have to rely on anyone bar himself.
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Post by twilightblade on May 5, 2009 23:09:24 GMT -5
"Hah." Rain stepped around the fire and toward him, all of her attention focused on the wounded man. "And you're leaning on the wall just so you can sit up."
She took another step closer, moving past stone and the fire to stand in front of the man and his dog. "It's just common sense to have everyone in a group in the best possible shape when out in the wilds. Nearest a town is the worst for attacks; you should know that. It isn't babysitting, it's being smart."
Her hand slid away from the hilt of her katana, and she glanced toward the man who'd said he could do first aid, then back at the wounded man. "Let him work on you."
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Post by jessimyre on May 6, 2009 0:25:13 GMT -5
Gunner began to growl warningly, the sound deep in the back of his throat, predatory eyes fixed unwaveringly on Rain as she stepped closer to his master than he liked. His animal senses picking up the tension in the air and the aggressiveness in her voice.
After a moment Stone reached out to touch the dog. "Wait." he said and Gunner subsided his threatening pose, still maintaining a fixed stare.
Stone held Rain's gaze himself. The moment stretched out into minutes, again the only sound the crackling of the fire and the breathing of their unwilling companions. Stone struggled internally with himself. On the one hand he needed medical attention. On the other, he felt helpless and stubbornly wanted to deny his need. So as not to be seen as weak.
Finally after many minutes, he nodded once in aquiensce. At the very least he now didn't owe the other girl anything... he would now owe the other man instead. A debt he intended to repay as quickly as his healing body would allow so he would be free of moral obligation again.
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Post by twilightblade on May 6, 2009 0:56:53 GMT -5
Rain ignored the dog, keeping her eyes locked with the gaze of the wounded man. It was an obedient dog, though, she noted that even while staring hard at the man. This was on arguement she did not intend to lose. This was a strong man, but he would be stronger if he let himself be assisted when it was needed.
It took a while, just like she'd expected, but he finally nodded once. She let herself relax and backed off, giving him his space. She even allowed herself the tiniest of smiles. It was dark. It wasn't as if anyone would really be staring at her hard enough to notice, was it? She shook off the thought and reseated herself by the fire, between Shades and the other girl, her back slightly toward the wounded man. It wouldn't do to press.
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Post by Kage Chaos on May 7, 2009 14:20:43 GMT -5
Will watched as the two had a silent struggle. An argument with their eyes and their own willpower.
The man finally nodded, and Will approached cautiously, noting the dog's reactions to his movements. Will remembered a dog that lived nearby his mother, back when she was alive. It was a nice dog. Friendly and free.
Maybe this man's dog had been like that at one point. Will didn't imagine he'd ever find out though. This man was a loner if ever he'd encountered one.
Will crouched down and took some lengths of bandage out of his pack, then replaced the bandages already on the man with his news ones, making sure to try and clean the wounds again, then wrapping them tightly.
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Post by jessimyre on May 8, 2009 17:58:32 GMT -5
Stone remained still and silent as his wounds were checked and re-dressed. The ones on his back hurt like hell but he was damned if he was going to show it. He wondered bitterly how long he was going to be incapacitated for. How long he'd be stuck here whilst the others played nurse-maid. He expected that they would resent the situation as much as he.
When the other man was finished, Stone leaned his undamaged shoulders and part of his back against the rock again.
"Didn't anyone think to have somebody keep watch?" he asked. Without waiting for an answer, he pointed toward the mouth of their cave.
"On guard." he commanded. Gunner obediently trotted out of the cave and into the night. The dog's keen senses would warn them of anyone approaching long before they realised there was a problem.
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Post by twilightblade on Jul 17, 2009 21:59:29 GMT -5
Rain shifted, her head coming up as she watched the dog leave, then flowed back to her feet and stalked silently to the edge of the cave and out of the firelight once more. She understood the reason for the man's action with his dog, but she still didn't like the implied criticism. What? Did that man think they were babes, new come to this ruined world? Of course they had checked and were alert and aware for approaching danger. Her lips curled. And she had left twigs and sticks scattered about strategically as a distant alarm system when she'd gathered wood. Shaking her head, she let her face relax again and lifted her gaze to what she could see of the night sky. The stars were so beautiful tonight.
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Post by blossom on Jul 19, 2009 16:28:39 GMT -5
Shadow kept her seat in one of the cave's dark corners, watching the others as was her wont. The injured man and Rain seemed to have had a battle of wills before he finally acquiesced to let himself be tended to.
He sent the dog out to guard with a critical tone that seemed to offend Rain, and if she had thought she would be in his company for a while Shadow, too, might have cared about his opinion. As it was, she doubted they would stick together for more than a few days, if that long.
That was all people did anyway. Stayed with others as long as they were useful, then left and made it on their own.
Shadow turned to glance outside. The sky was deepening to a bruised indigo, stars beginning to appear in a glittering array. Beautiful, but not what Shadow was thinking about. She was calculating the time until dawn, when they'd have to venture out for supplies.
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Post by jessimyre on Jul 20, 2009 5:37:30 GMT -5
The night passed peacefully, quietly. Stone slept for a good five hours at least, more than he was used to at once. He awoke uncomfortable but refreshed. Not caring who was awake and who wasn't, he began to get up.
Slowly, and exceptionally quietly for a big man he eased himself into a sitting position, wincing at each new agony the movement brought. He wondered exactly what the damage was and how long he'd be forced into this weak position.
After sitting he rested himself for a few minutes, breathing hard through the effort it cost him. And then, he began to stand, using the rocky walls as support. Finally, he made it to his feet. His head spun and he rested it against the cool rock for a moment, eyes closed whilst he waited it out.
After a little while he felt able to move and again using the walls as support he picked his way around to the entrance of the cave and without glancing around, he stepped gingerly outside.
The entrance was among natural towers of stone and he had to spend a few minutes easing himself painfully along the rocky walls until it opened out somewhat. Sighing with relief, he saw what he was after - a couple of trees a few feet away.
Gunner appeared by his side as he finally reached them and leaned one hand against the trunk to steady his body whilst he relieved himself. When he was done, he turned and one hand resting on Gunner's head he made his way further along until he found a rock to sit on and another to lean on.
Easing himself down into a sitting position, Stone and Gunner both sat silently and still - awaiting the sunrise.
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Post by twilightblade on Jul 31, 2009 16:00:22 GMT -5
Rain hadn't gone back into the cave, despite the warmth and dryness it offered. Instead, she'd found a tree just a few feet from the cavemouth and spent the night high in its branches. Morning found her stretched out along one particuarly large branch, watching carefully for any sign of approaching danger. When the injured man and his dog came out, she slipped higher into the trees until they'd passed, then resumed her watch while they found a place in the sun on the rocks. She wasn't all that far away from them, but the wind was blowing the wrong way for the dog to catch her scent, and being still meant that no sounds would alert them either. At least for a while. She took her time to observe them, then glanced back toward the cave as she heard a noise from that direction. (yay, post! Openings for Gunner/person from cave!  |
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Post by jessimyre on Aug 2, 2009 4:13:35 GMT -5
Stone waited for the newcomer to appear, Gunner had turned his head and given the m away before Stone himself heard them. Rain was around somewhere also, most likely watching him, she wasn't in the cavern when he'd left it. She would naturally be suspicious of him - hell weren't they all? And not without good reason. Stone's reputation was not quite the same as Rain's, but was of concern enough for most people.
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Post by Kage Chaos on Aug 3, 2009 1:42:44 GMT -5
Will slept through the night, thinking over what had happened so far. All of them seemed so reluctant to trust each other, yet they still managed to do so. To a point.
Will got up and got to his feet as the wounded man was walking out of the cave, and followed shortly after.
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Post by twilightblade on Aug 25, 2009 20:54:07 GMT -5
Rain watched the healer man come out of the cave, looking from him to the man with a dog for a long moment before dropping out of the tree. Leaves and twigs crunched loudly underfoot as she landed in an easy crouch, but she ignored the noise as she straightened and walked by the healer man with a brief nod. The bird eggs she'd gathered from the nests in the trees would help with breakfast, and she'd go back out to look for greens after she left her offering at the cavemouth.
She glanced down at the eggs she carried with a small sense of pride. She hadn't taken all of the eggs, of course, but even so there were enough of them to give everyone an egg and a half to eat without decimating the local bird population. She crouched by the rocks of the cavemouth in the sunlight, setting each egg carefully into dips and hollows in the stone yet still keeping alert for movement around herself.
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