Tribute 21
"Oh, oh it's back on! Ceaser it's back on!"
"I see that, Plurah. Now will you please stop your squawking so I can actually pay attention?""
"Right, right! Sorry!"
- X -
From his perch on one of the jungle trees, Toxic could see the entire arena. A dense maze of brush and trees that had once been full of tributes, running and fighting and hoping for glory. Now there were only six of them left. "Five." He corrected himself as another cannon blasted through the downpour. With a heavy sigh he retreated from the branch into the hollow tree. It was a welcome refuge from the rain. Everyone knew his species didn't do rain, him especially.
Toxic lay on his stomach, tucking his head between his paws and pressing his wings into his shivering flanks. His mask was big and bulky in the position but over the years he'd come to get used to it. Deana, his adoptive mother, told him he had to wear it because his lungs were bad. Something about smoke from one of the chickens' weapons? She was always rambling on about stuff like that. At some points it annoyed him to no end, but the woman did take him in after all. She didn't even mind the permanent stink that clung to his fur (the reason behind it is still unknown). A wave of sadness washed over him as he thought about her. He wondered if she was watching.
While the butterfly wolf was content to stay in his nest, a shape darting below the trees caught his attention. Toxic, who'd never been able to quell his curiosity, peeked out from his hiding spot and took a few steps out onto the branch. By the trunk was a fox that looked more like a drowned rat in the now slowing rain. Even from his lookout, the fox's leaf green eyes were startlingly bright. And they were staring right at him. "Hey! Hey, buddy!" The fox called up to him, pacing below Toxic's branch. "I-I need some help!" His eyes were dangerous and there were crimson spotches around his chest and legs. "Please I know you're up there!"
Toxic cocked his head. Help? Interesting. Maybe he was hurt? Then an idea popped up in the back of his mind: /Pick him off./ If he was hurt, it'd be an easy kill. But if he wasn't...no. Not an option. He needed to do this and even out the playing field a little bit. "Hold on!" He shouted down, somewhat embarrassed by the way his shrill voice sounded with the mask--something he'd never gotten over. "I'll be down!" Toxic retreated into the hollow, wrapped his beloved wire around his paw (it blended in with his fur), and made his way down the tree like a squirrel. The fox introduced himself as Cooper with a toothy grin that made Toxic uneasy. Cooper then scrunched up his muzzle and backed up a few steps. "Dude, no offense but you kinda smell like death."
"None taken." Toxic shrugged, glancing down at the ground. "I've been told that my entire life, as if I choose to smell like this. It's just part of the package."
Cooper shook his head and had such fake pity in his eyes that it made his blood boil. He became aware of the whip against his neck. Soon. "Man, that is terrible. I wonder why they even say such things. I mean, unless they fought in the war, they have no idea what death even smells like." Suddenly, his eyes became dangerous and a paw shot out, trapping Toxic's wing against the slick bark. Toxic gasped and scrambled to grab his wire but soon another paw shot out and smashed his face against the tree. "Thought you could kill me with conversation, insect?" The fox hissed and Toxic's heart rate became dangerously high, however he was done being afraid and humiliated.
"Don't call me insect, flea-bag." He choked out, voice hoarse from the lack of oxygen.
Cooper's eyes narrowed but instead of a retort he just began laughing. "Really? That's your big finish? 'Don't call me insect, flea-bag'." He said in a mocking tone and howled with laughter. Toxic kept his attention on breathing and stayed silent. Finally, Cooper composed himself. "Wow, you are just a hoot. Too bad we can't stay and chat more. But I have a game to win." Then with one quick snap, the deed was done. The cannon boomed and Toxic's limp body dropped to the ground. Cooper shook off his pelt and turned away to look further into the forest. There was nothing. No other tributes. No mutts. No nothing. Complete nothingness. Cooper took a deep breath and sauntered back into the forest, confident as ever.
- 4 tributes left -
"Oh, oh it's back on! Ceaser it's back on!"
"I see that, Plurah. Now will you please stop your squawking so I can actually pay attention?""
"Right, right! Sorry!"
- X -
From his perch on one of the jungle trees, Toxic could see the entire arena. A dense maze of brush and trees that had once been full of tributes, running and fighting and hoping for glory. Now there were only six of them left. "Five." He corrected himself as another cannon blasted through the downpour. With a heavy sigh he retreated from the branch into the hollow tree. It was a welcome refuge from the rain. Everyone knew his species didn't do rain, him especially.
Toxic lay on his stomach, tucking his head between his paws and pressing his wings into his shivering flanks. His mask was big and bulky in the position but over the years he'd come to get used to it. Deana, his adoptive mother, told him he had to wear it because his lungs were bad. Something about smoke from one of the chickens' weapons? She was always rambling on about stuff like that. At some points it annoyed him to no end, but the woman did take him in after all. She didn't even mind the permanent stink that clung to his fur (the reason behind it is still unknown). A wave of sadness washed over him as he thought about her. He wondered if she was watching.
While the butterfly wolf was content to stay in his nest, a shape darting below the trees caught his attention. Toxic, who'd never been able to quell his curiosity, peeked out from his hiding spot and took a few steps out onto the branch. By the trunk was a fox that looked more like a drowned rat in the now slowing rain. Even from his lookout, the fox's leaf green eyes were startlingly bright. And they were staring right at him. "Hey! Hey, buddy!" The fox called up to him, pacing below Toxic's branch. "I-I need some help!" His eyes were dangerous and there were crimson spotches around his chest and legs. "Please I know you're up there!"
Toxic cocked his head. Help? Interesting. Maybe he was hurt? Then an idea popped up in the back of his mind: /Pick him off./ If he was hurt, it'd be an easy kill. But if he wasn't...no. Not an option. He needed to do this and even out the playing field a little bit. "Hold on!" He shouted down, somewhat embarrassed by the way his shrill voice sounded with the mask--something he'd never gotten over. "I'll be down!" Toxic retreated into the hollow, wrapped his beloved wire around his paw (it blended in with his fur), and made his way down the tree like a squirrel. The fox introduced himself as Cooper with a toothy grin that made Toxic uneasy. Cooper then scrunched up his muzzle and backed up a few steps. "Dude, no offense but you kinda smell like death."
"None taken." Toxic shrugged, glancing down at the ground. "I've been told that my entire life, as if I choose to smell like this. It's just part of the package."
Cooper shook his head and had such fake pity in his eyes that it made his blood boil. He became aware of the whip against his neck. Soon. "Man, that is terrible. I wonder why they even say such things. I mean, unless they fought in the war, they have no idea what death even smells like." Suddenly, his eyes became dangerous and a paw shot out, trapping Toxic's wing against the slick bark. Toxic gasped and scrambled to grab his wire but soon another paw shot out and smashed his face against the tree. "Thought you could kill me with conversation, insect?" The fox hissed and Toxic's heart rate became dangerously high, however he was done being afraid and humiliated.
"Don't call me insect, flea-bag." He choked out, voice hoarse from the lack of oxygen.
Cooper's eyes narrowed but instead of a retort he just began laughing. "Really? That's your big finish? 'Don't call me insect, flea-bag'." He said in a mocking tone and howled with laughter. Toxic kept his attention on breathing and stayed silent. Finally, Cooper composed himself. "Wow, you are just a hoot. Too bad we can't stay and chat more. But I have a game to win." Then with one quick snap, the deed was done. The cannon boomed and Toxic's limp body dropped to the ground. Cooper shook off his pelt and turned away to look further into the forest. There was nothing. No other tributes. No mutts. No nothing. Complete nothingness. Cooper took a deep breath and sauntered back into the forest, confident as ever.
- 4 tributes left -
