𝐑 𝐄 𝐕 𝐄 𝐑 𝐈 𝐄 𝐒 [closed - pm if still interested]

[`silver]

𝐂𝐘𝐑𝐔𝐒 𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒
tags; mave, vas (?), leo (if he heard him) mentions; all shifters location; sopping wet, in the catacombs word count; 500 (exactly wao)

Swathes of black water encased him in their currents, wrapping him in their merciless vice grip that burned at his lungs and stung at his eyes. His mind grasped desperately at what had just occurred in an attempt to calm the flight that battered at his chest and threatened to drown him. The silver-haired boy around his age. He was a wolf. Cyrus had passed him upon seeing the struggle of the snow leopard. Who was she again? Tall, dark-haired, radiated something predatory like the rest of them. She’d struggled beneath the luminescent water, clashing with its putrid contents and the boulders that prevented her from maintaining her pride.

The rocks were heavy. It didn’t help that he kept having to raise his head up for extra bouts of air due to him losing grip on them a few times before he began tossing them to the side. The final push was achieved with Mave’s help, a small grin lighting up his wavering expression beneath the waters until the catacombs revealed the consequence of stirring their weathered walls.

Cyrus landed right behind Mave, blinking away the fragments of memories that had been established into his thoughts in order to center himself as he sat in the shallow pool. The soiled water had broken his fall a bit, but it didn't excuse the hard thunk of his landing to which he grumbled a prompt ow. He shook his head much like a dog shaking out it's fur, cobalt gaze flitting across the damp area that clung to him like a third skin. His clothes were plastered to his frame already, his extra clothing and materials likely just as ruined as his current ones along with anything else that his small pack might've kept safe for him. There was no use in fretting over it. He couldn't help but scoff at both Misha and Mave's initial reaction to Vas wanting to prod them forward immediately, sinking back onto his elbows as he rested a little bit. He was already soaked, might as well relax while he could.

"You act as if we're not already hundreds of feet beneath the cobblestone paths of the upper city." Cyrus scoffed in amusement at Mave's obvious distrust, the manner in which she was moving denoting enough. Her back was never turned to anyone, her eyes were constantly moving - no, studying - everyone else's actions as if awaiting an attack. Regardless of this, his words were warm as if he were teasing a friend. "Vas, has to be something big and cool. Like you." He tilted his head to the side, watching them all with curious, flickering eyes. "You're right though, Mave. We're missing one other member. Perhaps we should settle somewhere a little drier once he arrives?" Cyrus didn't want to admit how his legs felt like jelly after taking the brunt of his fall, the harsh scents of the waters burning at his throat and lungs enough that even just leaning back against some dry boulders sounded like heaven as long as he could dry off a bit.

[Stargazer3000]

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location the catacombs
mentioned other shifters
tagged alex, misha, mave, cyrus

Pain bloomed like an unwelcome weed, branching, reaching, growing through his body, sinking sharp thorns where it could - cuts and bruises the remnants of the catacomb’s embrace. Breathing hurt, standing hurt, walking hurt but still… Vas breathed. He stood. He walked.

Follow whichever path leads down.

His own words hung heavy in the air, the weight of them settling as yet another ache into his bones - the unfathomable depth below conjured no emotion save weariness. Water began to pool at his feet, dripping from his hair, his clothes, his skin, as he stood rooted, gaze fixed downward, stubbornly willing his sluggish brain to action. Find the path, find it now, and keep going. This is not the worst you’ve faced, and you are needed.

Tension laced through every muscle as his eyes scoured the caverns, keeping him upright, keeping him focused as a creeping sense of fatigue began to steadily pull at the corners of his concentration. Drop by drop an emotion he could neither name, nor place, rose in his chest -frustration? Exhaustion? A delayed horror? Nameless still, it filled him steadily, the ambient noise of the other shifters overtaken by the dull pulsating heartbeat thundering in his ears.

“Uhhhh…thank you. For earlier in the cave.”

He’d nearly drowned moments before, had suffocated on the rancid water, had fought for air and to keep himself afloat - but still he had not buckled under the horror of the situation. He had not gasped and sputtered, had not allowed himself to panic, but now he turned, chest heaving with a sudden, sharp inhale, concentration now broken in full. For a beat he stood stock still, eyes dark, and laced with that unplaceable emotion as he took in the shifter beside him, his gaze slowly moving from her face to outstretched hand with a flask.

Wordlessly he took it, the burn of whatever it contained sharp enough to cover the rancid taste that lingered in his throat. Don’t mention it. It was nothing. Are you okay? “Hmmm,” rumbled up from his chest, whatever response he’d have liked to say if he was a better man, a more considerate man, drowning in the liquid from the flask. Pressing it back into the lynx’s hands he allowed his eyes to catch hers, holding them for a beat longer than intended, tension returning to his jaw. Why did you run that way?

Vas opened his mouth - whatever was going to come out was more a mystery to him than what lay below their ledge - but a brush of fur against his side pulled his attention away from Alex. Misha. Vas’s nails had dug crescent moons into the skin of his palm, as he only now registered the tension in his fist, his jaw, his whole body. With an exhale, whatever had overcome him since he hit the water was gone - suffocated by the warmth of his companion. He pressed his hand against the soft fur of the coyote, murmuring low sentiments of praise to the smaller shifter as he turned his gaze once more to the depth below.

From behind, the leopard’s voice cut through his thoughts and he turned now fully away from the ledge to face her. She looked like he felt, and as she spoke Vas took her in as well as he could in the dim light, registering her bloodied hands and face flickering with emotion. Instinctively he took a step closer. His face betrayed no reaction as he listened to her speak, but like water poured on a mounting fire, the stress in her voice pulled Vas from his desire to continue down into the unknown. He barely had time to register that she was…angry? Scared? Embarrassed? Whatever mix of emotions swam in her dark eyes, he couldn’t parse them before she lapsed into silence, the wordless void quickly filled by another.

The tall, dark haired man spoke up from his reclined position, and as he had done with the Mave, Vas regarded him with a silent, piercing gaze. He hadn’t spoken with the man, had never exchanged more than a glance or two, but he wanted to talk. Maybe it was the smile. Maybe it was kind eyes. Whatever it was…he could not trust it. Could not trust this stranger who was so horribly familiar.

Perhaps the leopard was right.

Something that might have been mistaken for warmth flickered through the bear’s eyes as the man debated what exactly his shift was, though it was quickly replaced by a hardness at the suggestion of rest. We are needed, people need this winter to end, we-

Warm, wet fur pressed against his fingers.

A low noise of agreement served as his response as Vas moved away from the precipice, his feet slapping wetly against the cavern floor, reducing the intimidation of his prowl towards where the two were residing. “An ice bear,” he murmured somewhat distantly as he passed by the pair, pulling off his soaked tunic when he reached the edge of the pool - he could wait if needed, but he saw no reason to be soaking while he did. Silently he set about wringing out the water-logged garment before replicating the action with his socks and boots. His belt was next, laid out on a rock as he set about pulling out the contents of the attached pouches, face darkening at the sight of thoroughly soaked jerky.

Without looking up, he spoke gruffly while continuing his task, “I’m from the northern woods. I work for the crown more often than I should,” - small vials of medical ointment remained blessedly unsmashed, and he silently pushed one in the direction of the leopard…she seemed like the kind to not accept help so he simply left it for her to take if she chose - “but I don’t like to venture much further south than here.” Vas paused to add some slightly damp bandages next to the ointment from the growing pile of belongings pulled from his pouches. “I work alone, but this one,” a quick jerk of his head towards Misha, “and I go back.” He paused, his belongings now laid out fully, “I think that’s it - what’s important about me.”

Vas raised his eyes from his completed task, and made sure to catch the leopard's gaze, dipping his voice low as he attempted -and likely failed - to alay her earlier concerns, echoing her sentiment with a murmured, “I don’t want to travel with strangers either.”

[borahae.]

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𝐋𝐄𝐎 ! ! ───────────


wolf shifter ✩ twenty-five ✩ tag: shifters ✩ location: catacombs

In a flurry of uncomfortably wet fur and uncontrollable limbs, the wolf found himself spiraling downwards, fighting with all his might to surface long enough to catch his breath before again being dragged down under the force of the water. Trying not to let panic take hold of him as he felt his body being pulled in varying directions, vaguely processing an oncoming pain in his hip as he bumped against what he could only assume to be a rock or cave wall, Leo continued his trajectory down with his eyes closed and a silent prayer that he might finally be able to catch his breath and get out of this godforsaken waterfall; fortunately, after a few more moments of falling and a sudden loud splash, the boy's wish was granted.

Registering the sudden peace and feeling the weight of his limbs once again, the wolf paddled to the surface and took an audible gasp, accepting the sudden onflow of oxygen with much needed relief. Taking his time to regulate his breathing once again, keeping his back paws going at a constant pace in order to stay afloat as his chest heaved with the force of his breath, Leo slowly peeled his eyes open and took the time to look around the relatively dark cavern with his enhanced vision in hopes of finding some sort of sign of the two shifters he'd followed down in the first place. Seeing little more than algae and the same varying bioluminescent plant life from the tunnels he'd just fallen from, the water extensive and surprisingly bare of either a leopard or deer, Leo tilted his head upwards in hopes of finding the others' location through scent instead; unsurprisingly, however, the motion was utterly useless. Given that his nostrils were filled with an uncomfortable amount of water and that keeping his muzzle above the surface was practically impossible, his body exhausted from the earlier drop, the wolf's ability to pick up scents was momentarily muffled and all but gone. So, with a dramatic exhale that sounded a bit more like an irritated whine than anything else, the boy continued to paddle forward and decided to just hold out hope that he'd be able to find someplace dry to haul himself up onto sooner rather than later.

Seeing an edge only a moment later, surprised and suddenly aware that his depth perception may have been off earlier after all (the pool of water he'd fallen down into little more than 10 feet wide, unlike the endless waves of water he'd thought he'd seen earlier), Leo shifted back into his human form and threw a leg rather gracelessly onto the stone as he all but crawled up and out of the water. Collapsing onto his back and closing his eyes as he took his time to appreciate the solidity below him, vowing silently to never again swim by choice, the boy lay motionless for a few minutes before suddenly catching whiff of something other than the invasive water that had been trapped in his nostril since the fall.
Furrowing his brows, his face reading something between angry and confused, Leo sat up faster than he probably should have and ignored the aches and pains of his hip bone and muscles as he followed the direction of the scent with his head; past the water still trapped and the mixing of the scents of the shifters, Leo could more easily pick up on the smell of food, particularly meat. His infinite stomach suddenly growling, hyper aware of the toll shifting took his body and his instant hunger, Leo scrambled to his feet and followed the scent with rekindled energy.

Shaking his hair as he walked and wringing out his clothes, frowning as his previously loose attire stuck uncomfortably to his every limb like an extension of his skin, Leo caught sight of the group of shifters in little to no time but bypassed them silently as they continued their conversations in search of the scent he'd been following all along. Catching something along the lines of 'important about me' and a murmured 'don't want to travel with strangers', Leo snuck past what he could decipher as the deer, leopard, and coyote, and, just as the bear turned his attention away from the spread-out belongings, the silver haired wolf attacked. Swiftly reaching down and snatching a couple pieces of the ruined jerky, hardly caring about the fact that it was soggy as he breathed in the scent with a deep inhale, Leo moved a few feet away before squatting down and shoving a piece into his mouth with haste, outwardly moaning at the taste.
Pleased as the food hit his stomach, downing an entire strip in little time at all, Leo went for his second piece with a little more class; electing this time to take a bite and chew it instead of simply inhale the stolen food, holding the rest in his hand as he sat down and let his legs stretch out, the wolf then took the opportunity to look at the rest of the group and was surprised to find a couple sets of eyes on him suddenly. So, with his face suddenly reddening in embarrassment (unsurprised that his luck would have him looking absolutely rabid in front of his traveling companions as an introduction), Leo cleared his throat and finished what was in his mouth before speaking "...Smelled it, back there." Then, with evident awkwardness, the boy added "and I was hungry. Starving, really."

[Stargazer3000]

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location Wooden City
mentioned other creators
tagged Verena

Steam obscured her vision as Nym squinted at the tracks, her eyes watering as the sulphuric air clamped down on her senses. Even if the swirling pool of water below then wasn’t on the verge of eruption they couldn’t stay here long - they simply didn’t have the time, the potent mix of vapors making Nym feel as though the whole world was beginning to swim in a way that was wholly unpleasant. Her grip on the rung was vice-like, and she couldn’t quite stop the hysterical laugh that bubbled up between her lips; I’ve come so far just to die underground? There’s a good joke in there somewhere.

I wonder how quickly I’ll be replaced.

Verena’s voice sounded farther away than it likely was, but it pulled Nym from her increasingly erratic thoughts nonetheless, something horribly akin to hope lodging itself in the linguist’s chest - she’d been ready to fling herself at the tracks with no rope, no safety. Like a rat in a sinking ship she’d allowed fear to take control, forgetting herself, her mission, her name in the process. Had those years in the sky city truly made her so weak? She’d blame the steam.

“Verena, right now, you’re the love of my life! If I had a ring, I think I’d propose!” Nym called up, adjusting her position as she waited for the rope to be passed down to her. Securing one end to her waist was no easy task, her hands trembling slightly as the weight of exhaustion coupled with a small burst of adrenaline fooded her system. Still she managed to tie it tightly before securing the other end on the ladder.

In, out…in, out, the silent matra tumbled over itself in Nym’s mind, her breathing growing steadier with each inhale and exhale. She braced herself, and locked her eyes on the track before her. In, out…in, out. The steam rose steadily now, partially obscuring the track from her vision. In, out…in, out.

GO.

She pushed off the ladder with what seemed like the last of her strength, felt the rungs give way to nothingness beneath her feet, felt the rush of air, felt her open hands reach forward and pierce the veil of steam. Felt her body collide gracelessly with the track - it was closer than she’d assumed and for a sickening moment she felt herself began to slip downwards, backwards…and then her hands found purchase on the metal rails. She hauled herself onto the mining tracks, body heaving from the effort, taking a moment to breathe as she lay in a crumpled heap on the metal rungs.

And then the smell of burning filled her nose. Glancing down she saw her gloves beginning to smoke where they rested on the track - the metal mining rails were more directly over the geyser than the ladder and were burning. A stream of expletives left her mouth as Nym sprung to her feet, balancing precariously on the track as she untied the rope around her waist, letting it swing back through the steam for the next of her companions to make the crossing.

“I made it - I’m fine…er, I guess I’m alive is more accurate, but we have to move. I’m pretty sure in a few minutes I’m going to be more ‘ball of fire’ than ‘person’.” She paused, following the track’s path with her gaze as far as she could - there was no doubt in her mind that it would eventually make it into the cavern’s walls but with each moment that passed she had to fight to keep the panic down, shifting from foot to foot to try and minimize contact with the track. It was, perhaps, the most graceful dancing that she’d ever done.

[Crazycookiemonster]

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ALEX schmitt ▪ 27 ▪ shifter - lynx ▪ located catacombs ▪ tagged Vas/shifters
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Alex watched his dark eyes peer straight through her, as if there was if he wanted to scold her and hug her at the same time. There was a little warmth there that caused just the corner of Alex's mouth to twitch up as Vas took the flask from her hand. Her flask looked minuscule in his large hands, though as he returned the flask to her hand he just kind of grumbled. It felt like he was going to say something as he stood over her by nearly a foot and his eyes just pierced straight into her, as if he were asking what was she thinking. Alex of course didn't have an answer to that even if he had asked that, she has spent so much time alone that she lets her instincts completely take over her body with little concern for the people around her. A little bit of blush appeared on her cheeks in embarrassment as she took in the moment that she had put herself in danger as well as Vas, but more importantly the whole mission and reason why the whole group was down here. Though she looked up at Vas with a tentative smile, not really how to start her apology, but waited for a sec as it seemed like he was about to say something. Though right before he said anything Misha showed up and the moment was gone, Alex took a step back allowing them a moment.

Turning Alex looked upon the rest of the group, who all looked worse for wear. It was clear they all needed a moment to compose themselves after plummeting from such a height not to mention the rats that still loomed above them. Alex looked at the ceiling of the cavern that they were all standing in, it was hard to make out just exactly where they all fell from, but there was a tingle on the back of her neck hoping that whatever caved in the cave behind them would continue to hold. Nothing good would come from a shifter getting bit by a rabid animal, Alex had only heard stories of it happening. The person slowly lost their mind almost become like a savage animal and would shift between forms stalking the night. The tingle caused ehr whole body to give a shiver as she started to walk over to where the group of shifters were sitting. As she made her way over there a pinched nerve cause her to curse, she had landed on her hip and it was coming back to haunt her. Pulling her shirt up a little bit and her waist band every so bit down, she could see the redness on her hip bone. Only time would tell if it was simple just a bruise or if something worse had happened, she tried to remain positive since the swelling and paint didn't seem so severe.

As the group started to come together and introduce themselves, Alex couldn't help but let out a little laugh when people were questions what shift Vas was, Alex had sniffed them all out in the beginning, though she would say Vas was the hardest. Bears themselves don't have a very pungent smell, they mostly just smell like woodsy moss. Finding a dry spot Alex looked around and hobbled over to an area that was much dryer and felt around trying to feel for something tat was dry or at least dryer. Not having to much luck other then some twigs and some less damp moss she just grumbled knowing that it would either be this or nothing. She brought her spoils over to a dry spot and sat down next to it. Letting out a deep sight, "here we go," she muttered to herself, as she let her body start to relax a little. Shifting her cross body bag around she started to dig through it, she always carried a dagger, a flask, a tin containing bear fat, a sparking stone for fires, a spool of thread and a bag of bear jerky. Though with how wet everything was Alex resorted to just dumping the bag and the water with it, grabbing the tin of bear fat first. Taking a small amount of fat out she rubbed it onto the moss and twigs, before grabbing in her spark stone and dagger. It did take a couple tries but eventually the spark landed on a piece of fat and it started to slowly take to the twigs and moss.

"This place sucks," Alex let out in an angry burst as she put a small piece of damp jerky in her mouth not enjoying that it was now to mushy, but it was better then nothing. Taking another small amount of bear fat out she rubbed it on her hip, causing her to wince and whine a little due to the pain. She almost even started to fake cry, she didn't want to be here anymore. She wanted to be home in her mountain of furs drinking vodka and listening to the wind whirl outside, but down here their was just silence. The air was so still would could only hear the pit or pat or a water dropping from the cavern ceiling.

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[Cats&Cucumbers]

† Mave ❅ The Snow Leopard ❅ 26 ❅ Female ❅ Underground (Beneath the Old Wooden City)
Tagged: Vasily, Leo
Mentioned: All shifters
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_____Mave held Vas' gaze for a moment as he turned to her, the hardness in her countenance almost challenging, as if daring judgment or consequence, until he took a step forward and they flickered back to the rest of the group, unwilling to risk resembling anything close to confrontational with such a formidable and unfamiliar opponent.
_____Cyrus was the first to respond to her request, at which her shoulders sank subtly in relief at someone else's voice taking the attention. Her eyes narrowed incrementally as he spoke, not so much so as to appear hostile, but in a subconscious reaction to being made fun of. His voice was warm and inclusive, though, and she resisted the urge to hold his jests against him, figuring she owed him that much at least. At his flattery of her shift, she answered only with a blink, her eyelids remaining shut a millisecond longer than usual. It was an instinctual catlike response of gratitude, reserved and subtle, and unlikely to be recognized by anyone other than perhaps Alex, although even for a shifter, it was an oddly animalistic habit to carry over into human form.
_____At the mention of the wolf, she raised her eyebrows. She had thought they were all operating under the assumption that he hadn't made it. As her gaze flitted over the group to see if anyone else thought the idea of waiting for the dead dog was ludicrous, she caught a glimpse of movement in the distance behind Vasily's shoulder and tensed, her hand flinching toward her sheathed dagger, before almost immediately recognizing the silver glint of shaggy hair in the darkness and relaxing. So he wasn't dead. That was good— if it was a team they had to be, the more the merrier.

_____Her eyes darted back to Vas at his hum of acquiescence, noticing Misha looking quite relieved to not have to travel into the darkness quite yet. She wondered how deeply the broad-shouldered shifter's care for the coyote went. They seemed like an odd pair, and they hadn't acted particularly romantically thus far, but the quivering coyote seemed attached at the hip to Vas, who seemed just as willing to serve as their protector. She let the train of thought die, not finding herself very invested in getting to the bottom of it. Regardless, if there was anything important to be uncovered there, she was sure it would make itself known as they travelled.
_____"An ice bear."
_____Mave's attention was brought away from the canine as Vasily approached, and she inched back from the hulking figure, not interested in getting within striking range of him. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion at his meaning until she realized he was answering Leo's speculations. An ice bear? No wonder he hadn't shifted back in the tunnels— he wouldn't have fit. She had encountered as few white bear shifts in her life as she had snow leopard, and she had only ever seen one in its shift form. Its size had made enough of an impression to motivate her to shift her course entirely that trip, not wishing to cross paths again with the massive creature. From the northern woods... she was struck by the jolting— and embarrassing— realization that the bear she remembered could very well have been him. What a different world that had been, with ice-blue skies and powdered pines. It was strange to think of the others existing in that same world— she couldn't picture them anywhere other than dark tunnels and wooden corridors.
_____Her cheeks tinted slightly as a muscular expanse of skin was revealed, not having seen the male body in some years, and she averted her gaze as he stripped his tunic, the sound of water dropping from the wet fabric awkwardly loud in the relative stillness of the cavern. She was relieved, though, he had taken the initiative to disrobe. Her heavy outer furs clung uncomfortably to her frame and she peeled her fur-lined wool parka over her head, wringing it out in a similar fashion and splaying it out across the rocks. More closely aligned to traditionally men's hunting garments than women's dressing styles in the north, her parka and lighter undergarment (linen, which she had purchased from the city) reached only her knees, rather than her ankles, and she wore leggings for warmth, rather than a full-length tunic. She didn't require nearly as many layers as others might, her snow leopard making her run naturally hot. After removing her shift, she was left in her bindings and leggings, and sat down to undo her soaked leg wraps. Once everything was stretched out and her boots and socks had been removed, it didn't take long for her shivering to abate. She was relieved to find her small, watertight containers, strapped over her leggings around her thighs, had endured minimal leakage, leaving her firestorm materials safe. She made most of her belongings by hand, but the watertight containers, among a few other survival possessions, she traded for in the city. Things like that were only made by Creators— how, she didn't know, but they took up less space than seal skin and worked much better. The extra bag she carried in her mouth while shifted was soaked through, but that was fine— she was in the snow often enough to only keep wet-safe, non-essential gear in there.
_____That Vasily was from the north was expected— his entire appearance was that of a snow-capped mountain, but the work for the crown surprised her— as well as incited a good measure of skepticism. He didn't strike her initially as the groveling type. But then, she was biased— to work for or with anyone other than yourself was inherently distasteful to her. Her thorough investigation of this new information was interrupted as he slid some sort of vial toward her. She finally looked at him again, wary confusion coloring her expression and overwhelming her vague sense of modesty. Bandages were soon added to the offering, and she realized his wordless charity was likely some sort of medicine for her hand. A healer? Now that was unexpected from a giant bear. She had some crude remedies back in her hut, but she never thought them worthy carrying around when they could be replaced by food or weapons. This vial looked clean and intentional, as though he owned the little containers specifically for this purpose. She still wasn't sure if she was supposed to drink it or not, though.
_____She continued to ponder the medicine silently in her mind, hesitant to accept a substance she knew neither the contents or the purpose of, let alone one from a stranger. But the ease with which he gestured to the coyote, and the attachment which the meek creature seemed to have to him, softened her to their natures. Misha seemed so sincere in his trepidation that she found it unlikely they had not found some redeeming quality in the ice bear. So she reached for the vial with a pale, lean arm, slender fingers closing around the small vial and hooking the bandages with it as she drew it back— a tad quicker than necessary— to her lap, where she let the bandages rest. She fingered the vial questioningly for a moment, hoping to gods she wasn't supposed to drink it, before she uncapped it and took a swipe with one of her good fingers, dabbing a microbial amount of the substance onto the smallest of her injuries, the edge of her bottom lip held between her teeth in concentration. Finding her skin remained attached to her body and the substance didn't cause any immediate agony, her confidence grew exponentially and, glancing up at Vas to be sure he wasn't eagerly awaiting her demise, she took a larger amount to put on her more seriously wounded nail bed. After all, who knows what kind of horrors were lurking in the stagnant water— hopefully the strange ointment would provide some measure of protection from infection.
_____She was careful not to take too much from the vial, still very much wary of causing any reason for conflict with the white bear shift, who seemed even larger now that she was devoid of the wider silhouette from her fur ruff. She moved onto wrapping, a soothing process which dulled the throbbing pain of an open wound and one which she was able to perform quite briskly from years of practice. Her hand slowed, though, as a pause in Vas' activity caught her attention, and she looked up from her activity to find herself fixed in a rather intense black gaze. Her eyes widened— he was closer than he seemed when she was more curled in on herself— now, leaning forward, she found herself disquieted by the proximity, though, to someone more accustomed to interaction, the few feet between them probably wouldn't seem nearly as shocking. She quickly grew aware of the openness of her face, and her mouth, which had parted slightly from being caught off-guard, quickly schooled itself into neutrality.
"I don't want to travel with strangers either.
_____She swallowed at his low intonation and her nostrils flared defensively at the directness of his statement. Her angular brows, still raised in surprise, subsequently lowered as she inspected his expression. His eyes, shadowed by unkempt brows, were dark, but rather open for such an imposing figure, and upon close inspection she realized they were a deep forest green, rather than the cold black she had initially assumed. His nose was a strong feature of his face, but the dark stubble— different from the rest of his hair— balanced it well. His mouth was relaxed. She saw no unusual tensions in his jawline or neck that would lead her to believe he was underhandedly mocking or threatening her. She had never been very good at reading people, but he didn't seem like he was particularly cruel or manipulative or aggressive; he just seemed... stoic. As the silence lapsed longer and she held his gaze, battling the compulsion to lower her eyes, to show submission, she found herself growing less uncertain. He had offered up quite a bit of information, the crown thing had her on edge, but the fact that he publicized it made her think he probably didn't consider it awful enough to lie about, and if the worst thing about him was a social deficit, well... she wasn't quite in a position to throw stones, was she? So, after a tense few moments of eye contact, her silver-grey eyes grew a touch less severe. "Hm." She answered in a low hum that somehow communicated quite strongly: "good", and slowly resumed her bandages, finally breaking the connection to finish the last few wraps around her hand. She picked up the vial and slid it back toward Vas with a thankful blink, but simultaneously realized her mistaken communication and cleared her throat to speak. "Thank you." She murmured, searching again to see any inkling of a hint in his expression as to why he had helped her, before giving up with a sense of finality and chalking it up to the strange team dynamics others seemed to enjoy.

_____Mave had absent-mindedly kept track of the wolf-boy's progress throughout their exchange, and any tension lingering in the air from the previous exchange was thoroughly broken by Leo's dive for the jerky. Her lip twitched at his rather vocal enjoyment of the meal, although she personally couldn't imagine taking pleasure in the soggy meat. She wondered if Vas would challenge the boy over the stolen food, although she was feeling strangely confident in his character after their exchange. She looked over to Cyrus again impulsively, wondering at the similar sense that she now found emanating from him— not comfort, per se, but rather a lack of apprehension— and realized the word for the feeling was camaraderie. She realized she hadn't even been paying enough attention to notice Alex unpacking her fire start materials, and the uncharacteristic lapse in attention unnerved her. Normally, she'd have heard the first sound of a bag opening, on guard for whatever might come out of it. She hadn't been in the presence of people this long, unabated, for years. Even when staying at the city, she frequently retreated to her room to unwind. She glanced over at Misha, wondering if camaraderie was what made them seem so defenseless and feeble. If that was the case, she'd be having none of it.
_____With that new concern fresh in her mind, she tamed the small smile that had curved her lips at Leo's awkward explanation into a politely neutral line, distracting herself by turning to her extra bag and taking out her tin of dried fruit. It wasn't enough to fill her up, and her body wanted more food, but she didn't want to share her fattier sustenance with the group, and she'd wait until the rest were asleep to catch up on real fuel. For now, she savored the sweet fruit, eating very slowly to avoid having more than absolutely necessary.
_____She was startled by Alex's sudden outburst, and a flash of irritation caused her lip to curl imperceptibly. She wondered at the other feline's behavior, finding it confounding. She seemed strong— she carried bear meat around, which spoke to significant hunting prowess, yet allowed herself to be manhandled and rescued— not only allowed, she seemed to enjoy it. She took the initiative to start a fire, something that spoke of wilderness survival abilities and foresight, but then began whining about their underground campsite. It occurred to Mave that she might be from one of those sport-hunting families, so wealthy and comfortable in their homes that they ventured into the wilderness for fun, but the exclusive diet of jerky and general rough-and-tumble attire spoke to a lack of riches beyond abilities. Still, she kept her expression ambivalent and let out a hum of acknowledgement, never one to issue an unnecessary challenge.
_____Normally, she wouldn't be one to push forward a conversation, either, but she was glad for the excuse to turn away and address Leo, who had already called attention to himself, so she figured he wouldn't mind the question. She was curious about Misha, but didn't want to single them out, both out of reluctant sympathy for their nerves and because making them uncomfortable seemed like a fast-track to Vasily's bad side— a place she sensed wise to avoid. "What about you?" She questioned, catching his eye and hoping she sounded relatively friendly. Leo she wasn't quite as nervous about— although the knowledge that she could neither outrun him nor hide from his sensitive nose was not something she overlooked. Still, he seemed much more oblivious than the likes of Vasily and Misha, and if he wasn't aware that she could turn on him, she thought it unlikely he was planning to turn on her. "What's your story?" She added for clarification, a hint of humor edging its way into her voice at the cliche. It was no mistake, of course, that she hadn't followed up Vasily's answer with her own— she'd make a valiant effort to keep all of her personal information to herself until she knew as much as she could about everybody else. She already planned not to report her antler business, given Cyrus' shift, and she knew there was probably more things to omit from or add to her story to make herself likable.

[vega.]

the chemist | tagged: all creators | mentions:

After helping Nala attach herself to the rope and hop down to be caught by Nym on the cart tracks, Verena acknowledged it was her turn with a deep breath in and out. The air was thick with moisture, and she used her arm to wipe more sweat from her brow. Her pack suddenly felt heavier, and her palms slicker. She had to stop herself from overthinking. From experience, she knew it was better to take action than dwell on the possibilities. People were relying on her and she had to think about them instead. Moving down to the last rusted rung of the ladder, She pulled most of the rope up to her with one arm and got a firm grip before internally saying f**k it and swinging in a small arc to the tracks. Her feet hit solid ground, she wobbled, catching herself by instinctively throwing her hands on the ground and regretting it when she flew back up with a sharp gasp. The rails were smoldering, and she held the tender part of her hands that now stung.

"Damn it." She breathed, steadying herself off Nym before helping the final member of the team swinging ungracefully to the platform. It took the both of them to catch him, but they all somewhat made it safely. Getting a quick headcount and making sure everyone was alright to continue, Verena turned to look behind her to the tunnels, and the tracks winding their way into the darkness. Passing one last glance to the menacing geyser below, in which the water had receded drastically, ready to erupt any time now, she looked up to the rest of her team. "We should go." She prompted, stuffing her dampened parka into her pack and hoping everyone else would ignore the dark stains on her shirt where she sweat through. Verena liked to hope they were getting close to the Springs, but she felt that where was still a long ways to go.