cordycepstion

[cordycepstion]

Hey I'm sorry for the disappearance again. Life's funky and my muse and energy here took a bit of a dive. I promise I've not dropped threads nor am I intentionally ignoring you all. It's just going to be kinda slow here until I get another burst. Thank you all for your patience

[cordycepstion]

Ugh. Cold. The Network didn't like that severe drop- he could practically feel the mycelium curling and hissing like a displeased feline.

No matter. Not yet, anyway.

Ignoto peeled himself out of the tree-crater, spitting something wine dark onto the earth before flexing his claws. The impact hurt, certainly, but if he died so easily then what would be the point? At the very least, the goading had done its job, and now he could get to work properly.

Threads of hyphae grew from his back, hardened, then boosted him into the trees on four spider like limbs. If she was to change the environment to suit her, then he would make use of his territory. The sound he made mimicked a Terrorshroom- screeching and inhuman and almost painful sounding, calling any and all fungal lifeforms to the area. Not all would respond. But some would. Enough likely for a minor distraction.

Of course, that wouldn't stop her first strike- and the bruises on his chest and back were joined by the shear, almost clinical cold pain of cryo blades against flesh. More of that dark blood splattered, dying the intricate framework of the slicing snow burgundy. Still, his expression was a blank thing.

Oddly impassive, even as one of those spidery limbs jabbed down, intending on impaling her shoulder. Even as the blizzard began to shred his coat properly, nicking at his face.

The only sign it was really bothering him was when the little icy needles left paper cuts on the actual fungal bodies- which made him wince more obviously.

It's an odd thing.

Just a hint.

A faint sound, a bit of a tremor.

Muffled, strange, undeniable.

He was laughing at her.

"Oh dove, I don't think we're on the same page. How about this?"

Dendro festered and warped, breaking gloves to allow his own claws to mirror her's. The candlesnuff bodies growing from him began to glow- the air around them growing strange and fuzzy with spore.

A smell like a forest after rain, like a log rotting from the inside, like water stagnant and mold in the walls would greet anyone nearby.

His own mouth stretches into a grin to match her's, showing off each and every one of those sharklike teeth. Yet still, nothing reached his eyes.

"Here's the addendum at the end of this entry: when I say finish, I mean a little extra dose of revenge. Clearly those ruffled feathers of your's say that doesn't sound quite so bad, does it? So come at me, little bird, or are you going to make me grab at the low hanging fruit, and make note of you being chicken."

[cordycepstion]

He's not technically venomous, since calling him an animal is a slippery sort of taxonomy fight. But he can assuredly put teeth and spores to work.. for the right person, of course.

[cordycepstion]

"Gaining your confirmation of awareness"

And an enthusiastic confirmation it was indeed. Willful enough to struggle and threaten, smart enough not to injure themself. Even still reaching full wakefulness, she was perfectly understandable. Good. She would be an interesting one yet.

Ignoto met her glare with a flat gaze, placid and falsely empty as a shark circling its tank.

"I'm also making sure you don't run off and get yourself killed. I'd hope those two points were obvious enough. You sense intention and feeling more than directly translated thought though, and I suppose for all your energy you're still a touch under. It'll be gone, or will be corrected, by the time I return."

And with that, he leaves through the door opposite to where she was facing.

Thudding steps were muffled by the heavy door that clunked once and clicked a few times after he shut it. Tem is left, for the moment, alone in the room. Alone save for the moss.. and what sounded like a cricket, honestly.

It's only about three minutes that he's gone, when the door clicks a few times, then clunks open again. He brings two carriers into the room and places them down in the center. One living thing exists within each- a set of large cave spiders, with the major difference being one was in the later stages of his own brand of cordyceps. The other was just peeved to be in a box.

"Verbal or non verbal confirmation that you understand that phase one, baseline test is begining now?"

Nothing to say just yet? That was fine, gave him a moment to give one last check over everything. The chill was an interesting sensation though, one that thankfully didn't slow him down with only a brief exposure.

Watches reset, journals organized, drop in temperature noted, time and date correct, etc.... looked in order and matched well, stowed safely in his coat. There was little actually in the room- just three doors and the bed she was secured to. The walls themselves were a sterile white Fontaine tile, but the floor appeared to be made of... Moss? It's such a verdant shade that it stings the eyes almost as much as the white tile, surprisingly soft and springy and fed by the light above.

But back to business.

He gives the restraints another look-over. One could never be 100% certain about anything. Not even death. But he could be at least reasonably sure that she wouldn't immediately break out, immediately harm their.. temporary roommate.

"Now... over the course of this session, and likely subsequent sessions, you will be given instructions or asked questions. Compliance is rewarded. Disobedience is punished. Failure and success are both recorded. The standard situation you are familiar with."

The formality was the boring part. Something that helped with documentation, but honestly felt like the dull paper that hid the more appealing prize underneath. Still, the process was something he could respect. A framework he could grow on.

...Hm.

"Try not to break anything, would you? I'll be back with your first task. Nod or verbalize a confirmation, or it'll signify that a more thorough wakeup process is needed."

Clearly she was afraid, but even another frog impression would work, technically.

[cordycepstion]

It's an odd thing.

Just a hint.

A faint sound, a bit of a tremor.

Muffled, strange, undeniable.

He was laughing at her.

"Oh dove, I don't think we're on the same page. How about this?"

Dendro festered and warped, breaking gloves to allow his own claws to mirror her's. The candlesnuff bodies growing from him began to glow- the air around them growing strange and fuzzy with spore.

A smell like a forest after rain, like a log rotting from the inside, like water stagnant and mold in the walls would greet anyone nearby.

His own mouth stretches into a grin to match her's, showing off each and every one of those sharklike teeth. Yet still, nothing reached his eyes.

"Here's the addendum at the end of this entry: when I say finish, I mean a little extra dose of revenge. Clearly those ruffled feathers of your's say that doesn't sound quite so bad, does it? So come at me, little bird, or are you going to make me grab at the low hanging fruit, and make note of you being chicken."

"...Why would you indeed.."

He gives her a slow look over. It's not flirtatious in the slightest, rather it's more.. dissecting. Like he's trying to see every metaphorical cog in her body, right trough her flesh. A flicker o interest ignites when her claws unsheath.

"Perhaps your lack of caution is where the concern does lie. A byproduct of your powers returning? Or have you simply forgotten that you aren't the only one capable of learning from.. unfortunate mistakes."

And that was what that fallen segment was. A mistake. Unless it is part of an actual plan, the death of one part of the collective is a technically insignificant (even if sometimes financially costly) inconvenience that carries a needling disappointment. The knowledge that someone had bested them was evidence of only one thing: a weak link. A powerful foe sure, but it was their weakness in the face of the fridgid divine that led to the collapse of that lab.

Ignoto wasn't so fragile.

"Is traveling all you've done? Not even bothering to finish what you started?"

[cordycepstion]

Apologies for the sudden vanishing, digging into drafts now o7

[cordycepstion]

"...Why would you indeed.."

He gives her a slow look over. It's not flirtatious in the slightest, rather it's more.. dissecting. Like he's trying to see every metaphorical cog in her body, right trough her flesh. A flicker o interest ignites when her claws unsheath.

"Perhaps your lack of caution is where the concern does lie. A byproduct of your powers returning? Or have you simply forgotten that you aren't the only one capable of learning from.. unfortunate mistakes."

And that was what that fallen segment was. A mistake. Unless it is part of an actual plan, the death of one part of the collective is a technically insignificant (even if sometimes financially costly) inconvenience that carries a needling disappointment. The knowledge that someone had bested them was evidence of only one thing: a weak link. A powerful foe sure, but it was their weakness in the face of the fridgid divine that led to the collapse of that lab.

Ignoto wasn't so fragile.

"Is traveling all you've done? Not even bothering to finish what you started?"

"Plenty of things. One of which is to know why, exactly, you are here."

Was she so confident as to not even bother avoiding places with Segment or Fatui presences? Was there something of interest here? Regardless, while the beast from the ice had done rather impressive damage, he wanted to know why she wasn't more careful. Hadn't simply managed to flee to somewhere remote and insignificant.

The cold tone didn't seem to particularly bother him. It's not like it was even vaguely surprising.

"And if it's for a follow-up appointment with a proper doctor."

[cordycepstion]

Nothing to say just yet? That was fine, gave him a moment to give one last check over everything. The chill was an interesting sensation though, one that thankfully didn't slow him down with only a brief exposure.

Watches reset, journals organized, drop in temperature noted, time and date correct, etc.... looked in order and matched well, stowed safely in his coat. There was little actually in the room- just three doors and the bed she was secured to. The walls themselves were a sterile white Fontaine tile, but the floor appeared to be made of... Moss? It's such a verdant shade that it stings the eyes almost as much as the white tile, surprisingly soft and springy and fed by the light above.

But back to business.

He gives the restraints another look-over. One could never be 100% certain about anything. Not even death. But he could be at least reasonably sure that she wouldn't immediately break out, immediately harm their.. temporary roommate.

"Now... over the course of this session, and likely subsequent sessions, you will be given instructions or asked questions. Compliance is rewarded. Disobedience is punished. Failure and success are both recorded. The standard situation you are familiar with."

The formality was the boring part. Something that helped with documentation, but honestly felt like the dull paper that hid the more appealing prize underneath. Still, the process was something he could respect. A framework he could grow on.

...Hm.

"Try not to break anything, would you? I'll be back with your first task. Nod or verbalize a confirmation, or it'll signify that a more thorough wakeup process is needed."

Clearly she was afraid, but even another frog impression would work, technically.

❝ so, you’re finally awake. ❞

(mun waves hello!! No pressure to respond or anything like that)

cowboy bean bowl

　　. . . WHAT? Awake? When had she even gone to sleep? The Snezhnayan girl struggles to pick through her foggy brain for details, for any recent memory that will bring some clarity. She's still too out of it for any anxiety to really take hold, mostly overcome by confusion for now.

　　Familiar...that's her next feeling. Why? Who the hell is talking to her? Tem attempts to straight up, and finds herself unable, which finally kicks her into alertness, dark eyes snapping wide open as she searches for the other person. What greets her is...also something familiar, and wholly unwelcome. But it's also unfamiliar, what with all those...things? Adorning? Growing out of it?

　　She realises she hasn't spoken, but the worst part is that she can't. Not because of some gag or physical inability; mentally, she's become frozen. How has she ended up back here? ...Where, and why, even?

　　Mortifyingly, as that comes out of her is something between a grunt and croak, as the air temperature directly around them begins a steep drop in tandem with her rising fear.

[cordycepstion]

"Plenty of things. One of which is to know why, exactly, you are here."

Was she so confident as to not even bother avoiding places with Segment or Fatui presences? Was there something of interest here? Regardless, while the beast from the ice had done rather impressive damage, he wanted to know why she wasn't more careful. Hadn't simply managed to flee to somewhere remote and insignificant.

The cold tone didn't seem to particularly bother him. It's not like it was even vaguely surprising.

"And if it's for a follow-up appointment with a proper doctor."

"Now now, if it isn't the little bird in the ice? Quite a spectacle you're capable of."

Isolde quickly turns around, the sight of him made her freeze in place. Paralyzed by fear. Her mouth moved, but nothing came out. She just stood there, frozen in place. Ironic for a woman made entirely of cryo energy.

But then, something boiled inside her. The goddess was still frozen in place, this thing... He called her a little bird. He also referred to her icy encasement. That got her heated. Gods, the one thing she wanted to scream was 'fuck off', but atlas was stuck in place.

This couldn't be about...? Oh, it is... isn't it?

Finally, she finds it in herself to speak. "What do you want?" Her voice is cold.

[cordycepstion]

Ignoto reeled back- light exploding in his head and radiating out from the point of impact. Smell, taste, both registered the taste of metal and dirt.

He spat out the blood his nose had so graciously gifted to his mouth, and let out a rumbling snarl. Useless mutts, dropping her like she was actually helpless. He clicked new orders and they took off- though this might be their last mission now. Stupid, pathetic, but it was something he shouldn't be so upset about. Biology was an imperfect machine he'd decided to make his claim to- work with imperfect parts, get imperfect results.

But pain and anger were old friends with one another, and that was why Collei and his spilled blood remained in that fateful spot, as he lunged alongside his tigers.

While the injury had given her a head start, the entire exchange had given the group time to breath. To recover. So while she was recovered enough to run, so were the tigers. So was he.

So now when claws and teeth missed her, it was the flat of a claymore that rushed to greet her. Because her corpse really would still be valuable-

but it would also be a pain to fix.

"Creative".

Sarcasm, this time.

"I'm hazarding the guess that you don't want to bother with choices. Perhaps if your guardians do bother to look for you, they'll decide they value such things.. Like whether or not they want cells close enough to hear you scream, and vice versa. It's an unavoidable noise if one isn't interested in permanently removing the ability to do so."

He draws himself up- a tower of trial and error and mycelium- before crouching down closer to her head again. He's close enough then for her to see the lines creeping down from the actual visible mushrooms, a web of information living in his body.

"As for why, well. You were useful before, to plans that were before. And now that new plans exist, you are useful again. Could be as simple as that. You also bounce back relatively well- and that makes you useful to my projects, specifically. It's a useful... and satisfying trait of your's, among other things."

A gloved finger pokes briefly just between her eyebrows. More testing than adding to her restraints. One hand goes back into his coat, removing another stopwatch. He studies the face of it- then quickly resets it.

"Any more comments before the next test? I'm sure they'd be as riveting as everything else you've been crying about."

[cordycepstion]

"Creative".

Sarcasm, this time.

"I'm hazarding the guess that you don't want to bother with choices. Perhaps if your guardians do bother to look for you, they'll decide they value such things.. Like whether or not they want cells close enough to hear you scream, and vice versa. It's an unavoidable noise if one isn't interested in permanently removing the ability to do so."

He draws himself up- a tower of trial and error and mycelium- before crouching down closer to her head again. He's close enough then for her to see the lines creeping down from the actual visible mushrooms, a web of information living in his body.

"As for why, well. You were useful before, to plans that were before. And now that new plans exist, you are useful again. Could be as simple as that. You also bounce back relatively well- and that makes you useful to my projects, specifically. It's a useful... and satisfying trait of your's, among other things."

A gloved finger pokes briefly just between her eyebrows. More testing than adding to her restraints. One hand goes back into his coat, removing another stopwatch. He studies the face of it- then quickly resets it.

"Any more comments before the next test? I'm sure they'd be as riveting as everything else you've been crying about."

"You know."

The spidersilk vanishes from his voice.

"I have rather steady hands. However-"

His grip tightened. A bruising kind of warning, one that was echoed by the slight pressure increase around her throat.

"-your movements are your own. If you impale yourself on their teeth or break the needle, that is your waste. Your corpse, after all, is still a valuable subject. So hold still, or roll the dice on never. Moving. Again."

The loogie was a disgusting display, but it was to be expected. As was the thrashing and the not-quite-hollow threat of that particular duo on a rescue mission. Or warpath. The risks had already been considered, after all. And still, hadn't he wanted a fight? It was still worth having to scrub his boot of that filth. And it would certainly need scrubbing- even if driving the shoe into her side the instant he removed the needle did help with that cleanup.

Speaking of- the reservoir that the blood drained into now filled properly, he removed said needle none too comfortably. Not enough blood had been taken to kill her- nor even make her too wobbly to walk. But it was full, hidden in some pocket of his coat, and that was as it needed to be.

"Now. Do you want a choice?"

[cordycepstion]

"You know."

The spidersilk vanishes from his voice.

"I have rather steady hands. However-"

His grip tightened. A bruising kind of warning, one that was echoed by the slight pressure increase around her throat.

"-your movements are your own. If you impale yourself on their teeth or break the needle, that is your waste. Your corpse, after all, is still a valuable subject. So hold still, or roll the dice on never. Moving. Again."

The loogie was a disgusting display, but it was to be expected. As was the thrashing and the not-quite-hollow threat of that particular duo on a rescue mission. Or warpath. The risks had already been considered, after all. And still, hadn't he wanted a fight? It was still worth having to scrub his boot of that filth. And it would certainly need scrubbing- even if driving the shoe into her side the instant he removed the needle did help with that cleanup.

Speaking of- the reservoir that the blood drained into now filled properly, he removed said needle none too comfortably. Not enough blood had been taken to kill her- nor even make her too wobbly to walk. But it was full, hidden in some pocket of his coat, and that was as it needed to be.

"Now. Do you want a choice?"

"And there it is."

The fight that he'd been promised. The fire in flora that could retain some structure even after destruction. The woody part of a plant that remained even when everything else withered. Proper tenacity. Defiance instead of just begging. That's better, certainly. Many things could benefit from that kind of framework. And the recognition too- a delightful kind of terror, even if this part hadn't personally inflicted it. Perhaps he'd get his chance yet.

The Dottore Segment, designation: Ignoto, moved out of her line of sight. The watch is stowed away and the discarded items are laid on the ground. All was for the purpose of drawing out another tool. The cover on the sterile needle is removed with a quiet, pressurized pop!, and one hand comes down to grip her wrist.

"Now.. hold still. Needles make terrible splinters."

Another series of clicks- and now it's easier to tell the sound is coming from him. The tiger at her throat flexed it's jaws. Still not crushing anything, but reminding her that it was going nowhere.

Then metal met the skin of her inner arm.

[cordycepstion]

"And there it is."

The fight that he'd been promised. The fire in flora that could retain some structure even after destruction. The woody part of a plant that remained even when everything else withered. Proper tenacity. Defiance instead of just begging. That's better, certainly. Many things could benefit from that kind of framework. And the recognition too- a delightful kind of terror, even if this part hadn't personally inflicted it. Perhaps he'd get his chance yet.

The Dottore Segment, designation: Ignoto, moved out of her line of sight. The watch is stowed away and the discarded items are laid on the ground. All was for the purpose of drawing out another tool. The cover on the sterile needle is removed with a quiet, pressurized pop!, and one hand comes down to grip her wrist.

"Now.. hold still. Needles make terrible splinters."

Another series of clicks- and now it's easier to tell the sound is coming from him. The tiger at her throat flexed it's jaws. Still not crushing anything, but reminding her that it was going nowhere.

Then metal met the skin of her inner arm.

As soon as she was down, the first tiger puts its other paw on the leg it isn't holding. The other presses one to her chest- and opens its mouth.

Jaws encircle her throat, teeth pressing into her skin-

Then a click. The ticking stops. The pressure does not increase, the fangs don't draw blood. It's just. Still. The only movement being the rhythmic huff of breath that smelled like stale rain and meat.

"..That's enough now."

The voice rolls over the scene. Quiet footfalls bring a man towards Collei, standing over her and allowing more of his visage to be seen. Light blue locks drop down like the tentacles of some toxic jellyfish, eyes that stared down with a dissecting intensity despite the dead shade of burgundy. Mimics of candlesnuff fungi grow on his person, dissolving any notion of normalcy that one that didn't know him might have had.

"My.. you're Collei then."

He draws back out a stopwatch, tsking once.

"Obviously there's been progress, but I'm disappointed. Throwing your weapon down, abandoning your route, prioritizing begging over saving your breath.. you're not a very thoughtful mouse, are you?"

[cordycepstion]

As soon as she was down, the first tiger puts its other paw on the leg it isn't holding. The other presses one to her chest- and opens its mouth.

Jaws encircle her throat, teeth pressing into her skin-

Then a click. The ticking stops. The pressure does not increase, the fangs don't draw blood. It's just. Still. The only movement being the rhythmic huff of breath that smelled like stale rain and meat.

"..That's enough now."

The voice rolls over the scene. Quiet footfalls bring a man towards Collei, standing over her and allowing more of his visage to be seen. Light blue locks drop down like the tentacles of some toxic jellyfish, eyes that stared down with a dissecting intensity despite the dead shade of burgundy. Mimics of candlesnuff fungi grow on his person, dissolving any notion of normalcy that one that didn't know him might have had.

"My.. you're Collei then."

He draws back out a stopwatch, tsking once.

"Obviously there's been progress, but I'm disappointed. Throwing your weapon down, abandoning your route, prioritizing begging over saving your breath.. you're not a very thoughtful mouse, are you?"

...But nobody came.

Her kicks did eae the tiger's grip- but that caused the teeth to drag down a few inces before it readjusted with a snorting huff. It was taking advantage of her slackening hold to start pulling her downward. Not chewing, not trying to rip her leg off, but dragging her down, back to the lush ground. To the other tiger. To their observer. Perhaps they wold make decent time yet.

A taste of blood seemed to shift something, however. The sound that left the climbing tiger was most certainly a growl, but it was wrong again. Confused. Nervous, almost, this time.

It ceased such nonsense when another rumble rolled through. Some other malfunction to hammer out, so to speak.

With that, the tiger gave a harsh pull once more, and the other beast readied itself to greet her.

[cordycepstion]

...But nobody came.

Her kicks did eae the tiger's grip- but that caused the teeth to drag down a few inces before it readjusted with a snorting huff. It was taking advantage of her slackening hold to start pulling her downward. Not chewing, not trying to rip her leg off, but dragging her down, back to the lush ground. To the other tiger. To their observer. Perhaps they wold make decent time yet.

A taste of blood seemed to shift something, however. The sound that left the climbing tiger was most certainly a growl, but it was wrong again. Confused. Nervous, almost, this time.

It ceased such nonsense when another rumble rolled through. Some other malfunction to hammer out, so to speak.

With that, the tiger gave a harsh pull once more, and the other beast readied itself to greet her.

The scramble seems to have done little more than give the tigers time to recover ground, stacking on top of the chance they got by tearing down her scarf. Said scarf is removed from where it lay discarded, adding to the list of things that needed to be carried. An annoyance, but not that major of one, far overshadowed as it was by the cries that rang out from the fleeing ranger. Such a convenient pity that she could be as loud as she wanted- and neither good-willed citizens nor her fathers would know to come help. Impossible? Never. But likely? About as likely as unassisted lightening striking twice.

To Collei's credit, climbing the tree was a good move. Combining dense foliage with no longer being on the ground gave the tigers pause. Enough pause to actually be noticable. An unfortunate- or fortunate- flaw, depending on what end of the blade one was on.

If it wasn't the smell of fear and exhaustion that gave her away though, the weakened plea certainly caught their attention. One takes to the trunk- clawing its way up towards her. The other circles the base. Waiting.

Jaws split open- and aim for her leg.

[cordycepstion]

The scramble seems to have done little more than give the tigers time to recover ground, stacking on top of the chance they got by tearing down her scarf. Said scarf is removed from where it lay discarded, adding to the list of things that needed to be carried. An annoyance, but not that major of one, far overshadowed as it was by the cries that rang out from the fleeing ranger. Such a convenient pity that she could be as loud as she wanted- and neither good-willed citizens nor her fathers would know to come help. Impossible? Never. But likely? About as likely as unassisted lightening striking twice.

To Collei's credit, climbing the tree was a good move. Combining dense foliage with no longer being on the ground gave the tigers pause. Enough pause to actually be noticable. An unfortunate- or fortunate- flaw, depending on what end of the blade one was on.

If it wasn't the smell of fear and exhaustion that gave her away though, the weakened plea certainly caught their attention. One takes to the trunk- clawing its way up towards her. The other circles the base. Waiting.

Jaws split open- and aim for her leg.

The tigers miss their mark, tearing the grass and leaving brushstrokes of fresh earth in their wake. The bow is mostly ignored- save for when it hits the growths on one of the tigers, causing it to let out the first noise it's made since it showed up: a high, pained kind of snarl that doesn't last.

A few clicks and they're off again, her scent in their noses and her flesh missing from their claws. Like their initial attack they flank both her sides. This time though, there's no weapon. Nothing to consider. They had their orders: avoid other humans, and get this one. Jaws aimed themselves on anything that would slow her down- how convenient was that lovely scarf then! For the tigers are fast, but to dash in the thick brush was asking to miss.

Something follows the hunting trio, carrying the discarded bow with them as they do. It did not pounce, it did not slash, nor did it stay long in the patches where the treeline broke and hiding places were minimal.

It did, however, tick softly.

Her screaming though? Oh that wouldn't do. Another series of clicks and one of the tigers snaps at her heels- whether she dodges it or not, it would hopefully solve that problem. Not that it really should be much of one- with the rangers still stretched thin and the nearest village a bit a ways away.

A quite possibly useless plea, then. Better to be safe anyway.

[cordycepstion]

The tigers miss their mark, tearing the grass and leaving brushstrokes of fresh earth in their wake. The bow is mostly ignored- save for when it hits the growths on one of the tigers, causing it to let out the first noise it's made since it showed up: a high, pained kind of snarl that doesn't last.

A few clicks and they're off again, her scent in their noses and her flesh missing from their claws. Like their initial attack they flank both her sides. This time though, there's no weapon. Nothing to consider. They had their orders: avoid other humans, and get this one. Jaws aimed themselves on anything that would slow her down- how convenient was that lovely scarf then! For the tigers are fast, but to dash in the thick brush was asking to miss.

Something follows the hunting trio, carrying the discarded bow with them as they do. It did not pounce, it did not slash, nor did it stay long in the patches where the treeline broke and hiding places were minimal.

It did, however, tick softly.

Her screaming though? Oh that wouldn't do. Another series of clicks and one of the tigers snaps at her heels- whether she dodges it or not, it would hopefully solve that problem. Not that it really should be much of one- with the rangers still stretched thin and the nearest village a bit a ways away.

A quite possibly useless plea, then. Better to be safe anyway.

Field Physiology check, initiated.

A low sound- the sort that vibrates in your ears more than is actually heard- rumbles out from somewhere unseen. As if in response, movement from two directions can be noted- shapes moving with the cautious steps of something inhuman, approaching Collei in a sort of pincer movement.

The bodies of the Rishboland Tigers come into view- mared oddly by antlerlike growths sprouting around their head and upper back. Neither made a vocalization as they watched Collei. Both were staring. Watching. Guaging. Seemingly uncaring of the weapon held in her hands.

A click, the soft tick of a stopwatch, and another rumble.

The tigers pounced without so much as a peep.