{-|Apocolypti|Semi Literate|Accepting|-}

[bellamy.]

Aleu

Aleu squinted as the scorching heat hit her pale face. She didn't believe this world, but she had to. It was the only way of life she knew. Aleu put her bandanna in place above her nose, and curled a strand of hair behind her ear.She trekked further into the forest of Tailsen. She was leaving the damned place. After several years of pure running, surviving, she was happy to go. She coughed when a cloud of dust passed her way,her old bandanna couldn't keep all of it out.
"Stupid thing.."
She mumbled under breaths. Her multicolored eyes scanned the clearing, dead grass was scattered everywhere. Aleu watched a young Camriq fly through the trees. New animals, they only things in this world who could survive without having to scavenge. Aleu could barley remember the old animals.Aleu stuffed her gloved hands into her jacket pocket, before stepping off trail. The last thing she needed was followers.

[the murph]

{-Atec-}

Atec would have stopped and fought if he wasn't outnumbered, and obviously not out skilled. In the new world survival was key, and if you stood and fought every time a fight came around you'd just end up gutted or worse. He had learned that in this new world nothing was worth fighting, or dying, for. In the survival game a scavengers' life was the most imporant thing they had, no sense in letting it go to waste.

He continued on until he didn't hear anyone behind him, and then he stopped. With a cough he sat down at the base of a hill, which cast a little shade on the ground beside it. Quickly he went through his bag to make sure nothing had been stolen while he slept, or if he had dropped anything. Everything was there: extra clothing, a canteen half full of water, two small bags of instant oatmeal, a couple pieces of bread just starting to get moldy, and an apple already gone soft. Everything a scavenger needed to survive in the wastelands.

With a sigh he took the canteen from the front of his bag and took a gulp of the dirty water. The taste of dirt made him want to gag, but he still took it anyway. He had had his fair share of contaminated and dirty water, this the 'cleaner' variety was no different. Just a loose canteen he had managed to get off an old merchant heading to Calligar. Just enabling him a few extra days out in the desert before he had to head back into one of the cities.

{-Jayrin-}

He could already tell he was getting close to Swamp city. The number of merchants and scavengers he had seen so far had increased as he went deeper into the wet lands. Many stuck around Swamp City, where all the good healers and traders were. It was where everyone went at least once and awhile. The only reason he kept going back was to get more supplies for his treks across the desert. But maybe this time he'd go East, heading to the sea. He had heard it wasn't that bad over there, and that you didn't need radiation gear to walk around or a gasmask to breathe.

As Jayrin appraoched the city limits, he saw more and more people: doctors wearing gasmasks as they tended to injured patients, merchants walking around showing what they had to trade, herders herding animals back to the river, hunters and gunners standing about an old drinking place. Jayrin watched them all as passed, his own rugged looks blending well with the hard lifestyle there. No one would guess he was just another missionary.

{-Kasri-}

Kasri woke to the sound of laughing and talking. When she opened her eyes she found herself in the cave she had found near Arthvul, where she had found what she hoped to be a safe water supply and a number of roots and plants to eat. She saw movement at the head of the cave, and saw the outlines of two people, a man and a woman. From the way they spoke she could tell they were educated, and as they became clearer in her view she saw the white coats they were. Scientists? Doctors maybe?

Quietly she got up and crawled toward them, careful not to make a sound on the leaves and loose stones. As she went closer she began to hear their conversation.

"You have to understand, Clark. We are doctors, not miracle makers. When someone comes in dying from radiation poisoning, there is nothing we can do! No one seems to understand that." Kasri heard the woman say. It was obvious they were doctors now, probably part of one of the alliances.

[Korra's Left Foot]

It was afternoon, hardly the time to be out and about. Of course, the sun's rays here weren't as deadly as those to the west in the deserts, but it would be ill advised as a time of sunbathing. Seraphina Knights, with a pang of curiosity and maybe a hint of homesickness, was on a return trip to her home of Swamp City. She spent the last few months traveling from the northern colonies during the nights for safer conditions.

She knew her way in and out of Swamp city, and most of the outskirts, which is where she was right now. The Mississippi was her guide - what was left of it anyway. Seraphina stuck to the shaded areas from what remaining trees could give. She looked up from her gaze at the dead ground to see the beaten aftermath that was Swamp City. Some type of mist appeared to be clinging to the area from a distance, but the closer one got, the more the misty substance seemed to evaporate.

Over the years, things has obviously started to revert back to the way it was before civilization started to pave roads and construct towering buildings. The land in the area has become more swampy than last time Seraphina was here, almost giving it a new look. People were slowly popping up here and there as she approached.

Sera didn't want to go directly into the city yet, deciding that night would give her better cover. For now, she was seeking out a place to rest for the day. Up ahead, the form of what a car use to be was slowly being eaten by the ground. Where paint use to be, rust now eats away at the frame. Perfect, Sera thought as she smiled.

She inspected the car for any further details, just in case it might have a current inhabitant. Which she soon found that it didn't. Seraphina easily crawled inside through the pathetic excuse for a door, and settled herself in the shreds of a seat.

[nightiff-]

As Liam drew closer to the edge of Tailsen, he stopped, reaching into his pocket and rummaging around a bit. He had a facemask in there, and knew he would need it - he probably should have had it on the entire time he was walking, but it was nice just to breath without something surrounding your nose and mouth.
Finding the piece he was looking for, Liam took it out, pushing the string around his head and letting the mask fall into its place. He always thought he looked ridiculous while wearing it, and not to mention it muffled his voice - but when he came across a promising looking group, he'd take it off to speak. Just his tone could change someones opinion if he was a credible merchant or not. And he made sure that he was, for the most part - it usually wasn't his fault if he exchanged tainted water for food.

He moved once more, brown eyes scanning the road. There were a few stragglers out, but he was more of a group person. If he could trade something valuable for perhaps a groups share of food, that would be ideal - and he had plenty of small items worth at least a days worth of water. A slightly damaged pearl necklace, as unnecessary as that seemed, some of the previously rich women adored the items. Anything to make them feel a little more at ease when radiation, poisoning and starvation was killing people every day.
And of course there were weapons he kept on him for trade only. He wasn't one for fighting - ever. He simply was not good at it. Trading weapons for other things was completely worth it.
And finally, after he had spent the past minutes mulling things over in his mind, Liam made it to the border. He decided the Forest Colony was the way to go. After all, they were known for growing food.
Making a quick pivot on his right heel, hands still in pockets, Liam ventured on.

[AtticusWeir]

The herders of the Forest Colony wern't used to the hot weather; the canopy of the thick trees kept them from at least most, of the terrorizing shade. Except for today. Today, the scorching rays of the sun had somehow blasted through the evergreens and into the eyes of the Colony's citizens. The adults seem to be unharmed by the blazing star's uv rays, but the children were another story.

It seemed every youth was inventing of new ways to escape the heat. One adolescent for example, Talasyn, has decided to take a few animals, that had surprisingly gained her trust pretty quickly, down to the river that flowed through all the regions. The young herder smiled to herself. Her mother had told her that she had a rare connection with the strange animals in the "new" world. A gift that had supposedly skipped a few generations in their family.

Folding her hands together the female teenager raised her arms above her head, giving her muscles a good stretch. Feeling more relaxed Talasyn grabbed her flask from her hip holster (her hunting knife was on the other side) and took a small sip. She was running low and would need to replenish her water supply at the river.

Talasyn made a mental note to pick up a few berries for a pie she planned on baking later. ((Very random I know, I took a guess and decided that herders can bake, well... some of them.))

((Oh, quick question. Can there be small animals from the "old" world that they can hunt? Like squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits... birds. For trade and stew... things like that?))

[the murph]

{Yes. ^^}

[the murph]

{-Atec-}

Atec coughed, his eyes burning as a sudden wind kicked up dust. Slowly he stood, drawing his bag over his shoulder. He might as well get going before someone found him again. After the 'world ended' everyone had seemed frantic to find someone to be with, someone to talk to, but Atec just wanted to be alone. That was all he had ever wanted. Whenever he went into town he avoided contact, only if he really needed something did he approach a merchant or trader.

Without a sound he started off again, pulling his bandana over the bridge of his nose to keep the dust out of his mouth. He had never been lucky enough to gain a gasmask, which was practically a luxury if you were out in the desert alot. With all the radiation floating around, mixing with the smog and dust, it was almost dangerous to breathe at all. But Atec settled with what he had, which hid most of his features and disguised his voice. The bandana wasn't as good as a gasmask though, and Atec found it increasingly harder to speak without coughing, but it worked. It kept out what a gasmask kept out.

{-Jayrin-}

Jayrin moved farther back into the rag tag 'city'. As he came closer to the eastern side of the city he began to see more and more medical tents set up. Doctors, scientists, and missionaries were common here. When people went across the desert and plains without proper protection, they would need all the help they could get once they reached Swamp or Calligar city. He moved deeper into the chaotic mess, moving aside as doctors and children hurried past.

Things had changed since the ending of the original human civilization. People had begun to see how bad the things they had done were, and had started moving toward a brighter future in this new landscape. Jayrin knew that many of the orphans who had used to occupy the deserts were used as assisstants in the medical tents, and that the gunners and hunters were used as a sort of law enforcment. But everything was different than it had been before. It would never go back to the old ways.

With a sigh he walked into one of the bigger tents set up around Swamp City. When he pulled open the flaps used as doors the smell of plastic and disinfectent hit him. He hated the smell, but he had gotten used to it. It was something you could smell everywhere: disease and the medications used to help. It was just no one seemed to have the proper medications to help. And that was what scientists and doctors were trying to improve.

Near the back of the tent he heard a radio being played. Not everything had been 'destroyed', just abandoned. People had begun to think that maybe old radio stations would cheer everyone up, so some people had set up a radio station in Arthvul. Not many had radios, but whenever people could, they would find one to share with others and would listen to the music of the past.

{-Kasri-}

Kasri moved closer to the two doctors, careful not to move so quickly as to attract their attention. She had been alone for way too long, yet the possability of human interaction scared her. She was independent, and she thought she didn't need anyone else besides herself. But as the years had dragged on, this had become increasingly harder for her to believe.

[the murph]

{Bump}

[Korra's Left Foot]

Seraphina fidgeted around in the passengers seat, trying to get comfortable. The windshield was completely shattered and gone, the only evidence of it being there were shards scattered over the floor of the two front seats. Seeing this as an injury waiting to happen, Sera climbed over the seat and dropped onto the tattered cushion of a backseat.

These windows were also knocked out, but they must have been either kicked out from the inside or removed intact, because there wasn't any glass in the back. The dangerous rays of the sun didn't penetrate through the remaining roof, which thankfully was stable. There was nothing more to do than sit out the rest of the day inside the rotting car until Seraphina could go further into Swamp City after the sun sets.

She laid down, sprawling of body over the entire back seat. She was hidden this way, but who knows who might come to inspect or scavenge metals from the car. She propped her feet up on the window frame, its dented metal both cool and scratchy. If anyone happened to stray near to the vehicle, Sera's exposed feet and legs would serve as a warning that it was already occupied.

[the murph]

{Bump}