Blood springs eternal {Half-baked vs. Bufflebara, Day 2}

[Python]

Ingrid Elwyn

As it turned out, there were resources within the prickly plants, and Potato had learned how to extract them. There were edible fruits and plants that could be used for healing purposes, all of which would be stored in the safety of his satchel until their inevitable injuries and stomach aches demanded immediate attention. After they discovered these small but cherished riches their journey north continued beneath a white treacherous sun. Its heat was an unrelenting source of misery that burned the dark hairs on her head until her scalp ached, and squeezed perspiration out of her body as if she were a fruit to be sapped dry of its juice. There was nothing but sand and spiny plants stretched as far as their weary eyes could see, not even a single source of water. There was not a day Ingrid had lived without a sip of water. I should’ve prepared myself for this. But who could’ve predicted such a sterile landscape?

The orange and pink sunset painting above a dimming horizon was admittedly a pleasant spectacle to behold as the sun crawled into its evening nest. Her body’s simmering started to fade, and she could feel hot breezes being replaced by an evening chill that made her skin tingle from the rapidly changing temperatures. Maneuvering through the deadly garden of sand and spines was more difficult in the darkness, but they soon reached the edge of the field and set up camp near the outskirts, far enough to avoid bumping thorns in their sleep but close enough to recognize the green columns as a landmark for the next day. As she settled in the soft sand – no longer searing from the day’s cruel heat – with her rucksack beneath her head as a makeshift pillow, music began to blare and pictures began to appear in the sky.

The Capitol’s prideful anthem; they always played it as if to pat themselves on the back for a good day’s work. It made her heart writhe with hatred for the drones who tried to pose as gods. According to the day’s events there were five people dead in total. She even recognized the one she had brought down with her whip, but she was not concerned about him. It was Siren she was thinking of – she was still alive somewhere, either stranded alone or perhaps reunited with her district partner. There was no point in trying to search for her or vice versa. They could be worlds apart by now, on separate ends of the arena. She wondered if there was any water on the opposite side, and if the three of them would shrivel into raisins before they could reach it in time.

She dreamt of bathing in lakes and feasting on fresh fruits until reality shook her back to full alertness. Instead of limitless water and juicy foods she had a dry mouth and insatiable cravings. There was also sand in her hair and a bad taste in her mouth. A new wave of heat made it harder to motivate herself. She would rather rest and conserve her energy than spend another day trudging through sand, but there was no shade or water or relief in sight. They would have to keep exploring to find something to soothe their bodies.

Replacing the spiny plants were red and brown towers rising from the sand like foundations of a fortress. They were taller than any tree she had ever seen, and red enough to remind her of the blood caking the edges of her whip. When she approached one of them and reached out with her hand she could feel warmth and small ridges, too thin to be scaled. It was a disappointment to say the least. Climbing one of these would’ve granted her a better view of their surroundings so she could search for water or tributes.

Or the mutts that were lurking around the corner, snarling as soon as they caught sight of her.

”Abominations,” she hissed, withdrawing her knife from the waist of her pants. They were mutations with tiny faces, bulky bodies and enormous horns certainly capable of skewering live humans. They looked and sounded aggressive, because that’s how the capitol makes them. They ruin animals and brainwash them into killing people. And if they planned to survive the encounter with no holes in their torsos they would have to vanquish them. Potato’s sword would definitely come in handy, especially when her knife felt so light and insignificant in her hand. As they charged, she performed a lunge of her own to meet them in the middle.

[attacks bufflebara #1 – knife]
eRmDZU6Fknife
Shallow Cut on Left Shoulder -- 3.5 damage

knife

[k!ah]

Turn tail and run. Thats what we did. We couldn't find her, her blonde hair was no where to be seen so we left. Ingrid lead us through the depth of the spiny green forest, our body twisting and bending to get past the spines that wanted nothing more than to make a home in our skin. Occasionally your skin scraps a bit hard against the spines making a small groan escape the cage of your lips. You were at the back of this conger line, Potato in the middle. You were still unsure, unsure of the intentions of the two Districts eleven. They were from the same place would they really want you around? Of course they would. They wanted you with them, be strong, be brave, believe in yourself. You are not just a piece of shit from the sidewalks. You had earned their trust, their resect. The words are only to you, your lips miming them as they fill your mind.

You look up again at Potato’s back and you remember the time you had tried to teach him that ninja roll or whatever you call it. You remember his sole and how polite he had been… He wouldn't try and kill you in your sleep. He was a decent- but this was the games, a creation by the Capitol…. It changed everybody. Sighing you push the thoughts to the back of your mind. You had had enough worrying about it for one day. For now you were safe, following the people from eleven though the column of green.

The heat beats down onto your skin making it burn, their was no shade here, the plants not tall enough to conceal your body from the suns touch. Of course it had to be like this, of course nothing went right, nothing made us feel comfortable. Spitting on the ground you finally see what looks like it might be the end to this spiny forest. A small smile plays on your lips and you pick up the pace a bit, coming up so that you were right behind Potato. “Is this the end? No more spiny ass trees? Please say yes.” Your voice is hopeful as you try to peak over the tall shoulder of your ally. You cant see over him of course but that doesn't matter because after a few steps you are clear from the imprisonment of the spines and a blast of rater chilly air bites at your skin. You hadn't realise that the sun had crept blow the horizon. You shiver and move to hug yourself tightly.

Ingrid takes a seat, placing her bag behind her before laying down and using it as some sort of pillow. You watch as she closes her eyes only to be interrupted by the blaring music that was to be the anthem. You fight the urge to roll your eyes before taking a seat, using the bag as a chair, your hand always hovering close to your blade. You watch as five faces appear into the sky. Five faces of those who had not made it past the first day. You heart squeezes as the face of Cystine, your district partner s shown to you. You knew he had fallen, you had watched as Ingrid as thrusted her whip at him because you were bot to do the same…. You look away from the sky and place your face in your hands. You stay like this, your heart racing, your throat aching your body numb to everything that was happening around you.

You had tried to kill someone that you had promised your self to stay away from.

The next time you open your eyes the sun has begun to crept above the horizon, its fingers grazing the earth which was to be our new home for ‘adventure.’ You sigh, closing your eyes for a moment before climbing to your feet and throwing your bag over your shoulder. You were no longer surrounded by spiky plants but tall pillars of red earth. Your tongue claps onto the top of your dry mouth as you watch Ingrid takes a step forward and place a steady hand on its surface before pulling back almost immediately, a loo if disappointment painting her features. Curiously you do the same thing, your fingers slowly reaching your to touch the surface of the red stone. As soon as your fingers connect your del and intense burnt sensation and you pull away. Damn those things are hot. Wiping your hand on your pants you quickly catch up to your allies.

”Abominations.”

The word escapes Ingrid’s lips and you look at her in surprise only to see that her eyes were concentrated on the two beasts that had come up before us. They were broad creatures. Horns that looked like they were made for spearing flesh. You swallow hard and take a step back as Ingrid moves forwards, her blade in hand- “Ingrid be careful!” You shout before curing and grabbing your blade. “Come on Potato we have to help her.” Potato could have been two steps ahead of you for all you knew and you could have been talking to yourself, but that didn't matter right now, what mattered was help Ingrid, and defeating the two beasts. “this is going to hurt, a title,” you murmur as you come up behind Ingrid, pushing your blade out to dig into the flesh of the beast.

[attacks bufflebra #1]
W_p|dWiiknife
[Shallow Cut on Neck -- 4.0 damage]

knife

[gamemaker kelsier]

[presto][/presto]

P O T A T O E A R N E S T

I was used ter ther sun bein' hot 'afore all this. Two years of no rain turned my land inter a desert waste an' I've known well the heat the sun can make on yer skin. I know well ther need for water with no hope in sight a' gittin' any. I know the feelin' of slowly starvin' ter death. I know it all well. It makes a sick feelin' form in ther pit a' my stomach anyhow, like all the water left in me is poolin' in ther pit a' me, puttin' up walls to protect itself from my dry lips. I cain remember the thirst that comes on an' off like a nightmare, relentless an' torturin', turnin' a man' tongue ter gibberish.

Our biggest enemy ain't any t'other kids but ther sun. She's ther one ter watch out fer, she's ther one who'll win this. The knowin' a' that makes me grim an' I save my moisture, refrainin' from speakin' much to stop my mouth from goin' dry with it. Ther first thing ter do would be ter find water but I reckon that's what most folk'll be doin' too. I was wonderin' if there even is water in this here slice a' hell or if we'll have ter be waitin' fer a rain. Miss Ingrid an' I know jus' how long that cain take.

We might die 'afore it rains agin'.

So's I c'ain't help takin' this here arena in a personal way 'cause it sure seems like a slight ter the drought that was afflictin' ten and eleven. If it ain't then the gamemakers have gotter be oh-bliv-yus or jus' lyin'.

We finally rest when the sun starts ter set, Ingrid decidin' where an' when we stop. I don't mind that. She seems like she knows what she's up ter. The desert is colder at night then I was thinkin' it would be but I reckon it makes sense. There ain't no earth ter trap ther heat, jus' sand an' it won't do ther same tricks as ther good earth. Only the top layer seems ter be good ter ther touch, the rest is nearly freezin'.

I use my satchel fer a pillow that night, the moccasins and paisley scarf inside helpin' with a cushionin'. We watch the anthem in relative silence but with a jolt, I recognize the face a' ther girl who's collar bone I broke. It chills my insides and makes my chest pound. I ain't ther one who killed her, I know that, but I helped ter. I helped ter make her weak an' I sunk my teeth inter her like a dog who's gone feral. I stare at her face until it fades away an' then I shut my eyes an' will myself inter sleep so I don't have ter think 'bout it.

In ther mornin', the sun is jus' as hot. I take the scarf out an' tie it 'round my head. I know I ain't lookin' the most fashionable but I ain't in the mood ter get heatstroke jus' 'cause I ain't wantin' ter look dumb.

We make it out of the stupid, spiky trees an' I hear a sigh a' relief from Sonja. I weren't knowin' that they bothered her so much. I weren't dead yet so they ain't poisonous, jus' spiky. Only slightly hazardous I reckon. It seems that the tall pointy rocks ain't much better. As far as I kin tell, Ingird reckons they're hot an' so does Sonja. I ain't needin' ter feel up ther rocks too, I'll jus' trust they're judgement.

Outta nowhere, a snarl erupts an' all a sudden Ingrid an' Sonja are attackin' some odd lookin' animals. Panic grips at me an' I stand still as a statue, unable ter move, my hand grippin' my sword hilt. I ain't wantin' ter hurt no animals.

“Come on Potato we have to help her.”

I c'ain't let my friends git hurt. I c'ain't. I fold myself up agin' like I did 'afore an I stow all thought an' feelin' away, I shut my eyes tight fer a secon' an-

He stepped forward, actions smooth and comfortable, one hand unsheathing the sword in a fluid motion even as the other reached forward, as if grasping at air. He analyzed quickly, taking in the site of his allies attacking some mutts. He looked at their teeth and thought of the best spots to hit them and felt Opal Earnest in his head, whispering instructions on how to stand properly, how to move, how to lunge forward and attack. Unfeeling, emotionless, he jumped forward, snarling back at the creatures, "Don't you dare hurt them."

[potato attacks Bufflebara #2]
yTajn0TLsword
[1099 -- Severed Left Ear -- 8.0 damage]

sword

[Rosetta]

~Appa

Appa never wanted to be a father.

Upon the birth of his only daughter, Naga, he took one look at the crumpled, matted mess and groaned his displeasure. She was ugly. She cried too often. And she was his.

His partner died shortly after birth, leaving Naga only to Appa and she grew quickly, soon nearly surpassing his girth. At first, he rejected her, feeding her when he had to, out of duty, and, largely, ignoring her cried...but soon, he had to admit, she grew on him. She often padded up to him and licked his horns gleefully before tramping off to cause more trouble. He looked forward to those intimate moments, her running up to him where he lay and even took to bringing Naga to his Butte in the entire area.

Today was no different. He lay in their nest, listening to Naga running around just around the Butte, as she usually did. The sound soothed him. Soon, she'd be returning.

He didn't realize that he'd dozed off until her heard her cry. Appa pulled himself to his feet and frantically padded loudly around the Butte, following her cries and saw, to his horror, blood pouring down the side of her head. There were strange humans around her, sporting weapons, hurting his baby girl. There came pain on his side--they were attacking him too! Appa cried his displeasure and ran forward, head pounded downward

[attacks Potato, horn/spear]
s3fP1vhFspear

~Naga
Naga guessed that her father's indifference was often an act. Perhaps at one time, he really disliked her, possibly for causing his mate's death with her birth. Now, he loved her and she felt reassured. Reassured enough to run out of his sight and to play on the other side of the Butte.

She never saw them coming. One second she was sniffing the ground, the next in unbelievable agony, a sheet of red running down one of her eyes. She could hear his father's voice and she stumbled around trying to reach him, barreling into the humans who had attacked her.

[attacks Ingrid, body/blunt]
blunt

spear�blunt

[Python]

Ingrid Elwyn

”Ingrid be careful!”

She was not afraid.

Her knife grazed its pelt and scratched a red line across its bulky shoulder. Her body danced around its horns to evade the stampeding, but one of its hooves managed to bruise her shin and disrupt her balance. She wobbled in the sand and caught herself against one of the red towers, feeling its surface heat like a shock against her sweaty skin. She turned in time to see a flash of silver and a spring of crimson, like an ugly stain spreading in the creature’s fur. Potato’s sword was proving its resourcefulness; its edge had severed one of the beast’s ears, and it was glowing like a red jewel in the yellow sand, slowly sinking until the scurrying footsteps of humans and beasts buried it completely. They needed to bury these beasts as well, but the blade weighing practically nothing in her right hand was an unreliable weapon. Four-legged beasts with horns and speed were not so easy to puncture with a knife, even in the throat or the lungs. She needed what Potato was wielding – she needed a sword.

But her sponsors were not so considerate. They sent her the necessities and that was all. She supposed she should be grateful for their generous donations, but who did they think they were saving? A District Eleven runt stood no chance in this battlefield. The knife was a blessing for her own sake and the canteen was a relief, but the medical kit would only delay the inevitable. She would use it to anchor herself to this world for as long as possible, especially if she could pose as the hand of her angels and drown the souls who deserved it before the savages could sever them piece by piece. But in the end, her fate was the same as the rest. She was going to perish, whether it was today with a horn lodged inside of her chest or tomorrow with a sword splitting open her throat.

A knife was useful for stealing humans lives, but the sword her sponsors had neglected to send would fare better in a dance with horned beasts. Her friends were a second worry – they would die as well, but perhaps she could defend them today and further their lives to feed their illusions of hope, Potato’s in particular. He was fighting for a wife that was desperate to donate his necessities and more – but what was that he had said? ”Don’t you dare hurt them.” It was a shout into the void, no animal would heed his words. He shouldn’t be so selfless when he had loved ones to fight for. Let them hurt me. If today was her reckoning, then let it come at the hands of these abominations and their horrid creators. Even Potato’s silver prize could not stop fate.

But fate might favor me, just a little, because she knew what everybody else didn’t and she dreamt what nobody else could even imagine. To be blessed with such insight and knowledge, it should mean something right? That she was a step above the rest, that she could control more than what the average soul could. So maybe she could protect them until it was her turn to leave this world, and the rest would fall into fate’s hands. Sonja and Potato were deserving, after all. Surely they would drown without her help, fate would make sure of that.

She fearlessly stepped forward, the edge of her blade aimed for the injured mutation. If they were going to perish, it should be by natural causes, not by these monsters. If fate was on her side, then they would see this through. They would help her.

[attacks bufflebara #2/Naga – knife]
W3tYep_Oknife
Shallow Cut on Left Hip -- 3.5 damage

knife

[k!ah]

Ingrid moves out the way, her knife slicing the surface of the beasts skin. But as she moves the beast lashes out at her, its hoove catching her body. Your lips open slightly in an O shape before you lash out with your own blade watching it create a thin line of red against the beasts dark fur. It was like you were painting onto its skin, painting with crimson paint in long jagged lines. An image that effected the way you felt. You pull way from the beast escaping any further attack, your heart racing in your chest making your blood run fast with energy.

Behind you, you see the ear of one of the mutts hit the dusty ground. Ruby drops rained towards the ground as the beast screamed in pain, its angry eyes turning towards Potato. Your heart drops and you want to scream out for Potato move, to doge but you cant find the words so you just silently scream.

You had experienced death before. You knew what death was like, hell you had killed those Avoxes back in the Capitol. But it had all felt so different back then. The death of screaming, burning flesh was so much different to the rather quid one of knives and swords. In a way it felt like a totally different scenario, one that you would prefer. You didn't want to have to see fire again. Never again. You had gotten your revenge, you had cooked those avoxes until they were nothing but a crisp and you had left the room to lay in your own vomit. Images of what you had just done burnt into the lids of the back of your eyes like a brand. Thinking about it now makes your stomach churn and you forcefully push it to the back of your mind.

Your hands shake, the knife bouncing around in your loose grasp. There was no way you were going to be able to hit something firmly when you couldn't even control your own blade, you had to- little, girl, little girl, the voice is nothing but a whisper into your ear. Why not put the knife down, your know, on the group and place yourself right in front of those dangerous looking hors? they look like they cloud slice through the flesh of your bones in the matter of moments. You would die painfully, your life begin sucked away from you with each dying breath, but wouldn't it be fun? Wouldn't it be fun to feel its solid surface break your skin? Come on little girl, do it? Remember, you cant trust these two, remember? The other one, what was he name again- Siren? Look at her, she has already ditched and i bet the next time you see her she is going to be smiling when she tries to remove that pretty little head from those shoulders? So why not… why not end it all?

Siren. Ditched. Kill. The voice had gone on and on and those were the only words I had heard. Siren, that bitch! Had she really ditched us, left us waiting for her when she knew that there was a huge chance that we could have been devoured by those career tributes? She should have looked harder. You wanted to see her, you wanted to scam at her to tell her to go fuck that boy in District four as it seems he is worth so much more than you, than Ingrid, than Potato.

Suddenly your hands were no longer shaking, a new found anger cursing through your veins. “We’re not going to fuckin die by these monsters! Capitol is going to have to try better than this!” with a scream you run towards the one in which you had attacked earlier,distracting it from attack Potato and Ingrid. You aim your blade at its skin your mind thinking about nothing but painting another stroke of crimson paint onto the surface of its skin.

[attacks Appa]
bqfGrOYoknife
[Stabbed in Calf -- 8.5 damage]

knife

[gamemaker kelsier]

[presto][/presto]

P O T A T O E A R N E S T

He felt his blade make contact and it elicited a slow grin, pleasure taking over his features in one foul swoop. Blood marked the sand for what this place really was, a battle ground, not the fabricated desert it seemed to be. The blood was illuminating, a way to see the truth. There should be more of it.

With surprising dexterity, Potato danced out of the reach of the charging mutt, clumsiness suddenly gone for this moment. His grip tightened around the blade as if he were reassuring himself of it's presence in his hand. His eyes narrowed as the animal turned back around, ready to charge again. He calculated what side would be best to hit on the beast.

It was as if someone had taken the brain of Potato, the boy from Eleven and switched it out for someone else, like his sister's who had always been highly logical and deeply intelligent. The way his brain was working was so similar to her's that no one would be shocked that they were siblings. Maybe he had always been capable of this cool, detached way of looking at things, maybe he had always been capable of violence and death and he had just been waiting for an instance to let it out.

There was an insistent calm holding down his emotions, dampening all other senses but those focused on the fight happening in front of him. his eyes were different, that was what was off here, his eyes. They were hollow. Like looking into bottomless pits and seeing nothing but darkness. Anger, they were angry, filled with dark flame, raging like chaos inside of him. The flames were more likely to set the rest of him on fire too than be of any assistance.

There was no thought, no emotion other than reacting to what was happening right in front of him. He didn't think of Opal, he didn't think of that girl who's collar bone he had broken. Everything else was wiped away.

He didn't care, he couldn't care less, not with the animals charging back at them, at Ingrid and Sonja. He would not let the animals touch them. He swung his sword again, not holding anything back.

[potato attacks Appa]
uaGONjz4sword
[1106 -- Shallow Cut on Back -- 4.0 damage]

His blade skimmed across the back of the muttation, cutting a fine line along his flank. Blood beaded from the wound and he knew that a hit like that would only serve to further enrage the animal. He prepared himself for another attack, adrenaline surging through him.

sword

[Rosetta]

~Appa

Appa was inches from Naga when he suddenly crumpled forward. One of the humans had stuck him in the calf with something pointy and he bent under the agony, moaning loudly. Meanwhile, Naga was crying out in her high-pitched way as one of those humans got her on the side. Her blood spilled the ground and Appa gave another great cry, his breath cut short as agony rocked his back, blood spilled out over his fur.

His mind flashed back to his mate's body, streaked with blood from childbirth, eyes wide, but blank, little Naga a dirty mass at his feet. This was it? he remembered thinking. This is all you leave me with?

No, that image wouldn't come again. Naga wouldn't turn into that mass again, a bloody one, barely blinking her eyes. He wouldn't leave her and she wouldn't leave him. He lunged forward towards his daughter.

[attacks Potato, blunt/body]
du27WOnHblunt


~Naga

Naga didn't know where to turn. Everywhere she seemed to look there were the humans, brandishing their weapons, speaking their strange language, loud enough to hurt her ears. She tried to catch sight of father, but her eyes were watering in agony and he seemed to spin before her. Was this his blood staining his skin? The site frightened Naga and she moaned as a sharp pain jolted her on her side. It was hard to see them; they moved too quickly and to fully catch them in view, she had to lower her head completely. What if she did so, striding forward, and accidentally hit her father with her horns, newly grown, newly sharpened?

He gave another cry, a cry that sung Naga's ears and she realized that she had to take the risk. Surely her horns would hurt less than these humans. So, she lowered her head and charged forward.

[attacks Sonja, horn/spear]
spear

blunt�spear

[Python]

Ingrid Elwyn

Sonja’s battle cries were words of encouragement, and the beasts’ bellows of pain invigorated her. Their blood and weakness fed her friends’ determination for survival. Perhaps confidence was all they needed to remain one step ahead of these simple-minded mutations. That is one weakness they have; they’re not as intelligent as we are. They were smarter than the average animal due to their origins in the capitol, but it was not enough outmatch them. However, an animal’s instincts and lack of wit – allowing them to be driven only by rage and by fear – were powerful weapons. A cornered animal was the most dangerous animal any human could ever encounter. Instinct was the only present force, and any creature manipulated by one force and one force alone would be overwhelmed with the power to obey that force. It was a difficult power to match. If her friends’ confidence spiked too high they would tilt closer to death’s wavering ledge, and the horned beasts would be at their heels to push them over the edge.

As if to prove her point the beasts charged with more enthusiasm than ever, but not toward her. She heard the faint crack of a bone, and she knew it didn't belong to one of the mutts. She knew it was bone because she recognized the sound; she had broken one of her own when she was a child, another adventure of hers gone amiss. Imelda had scolded her and wrapped bandages around it, forbidding her from stepping outside until the bone was healed. She was not the only one, of course – all of the Elwyns were creatures of the forest, always spending their leisure among thorns and tree stumps and ponds rather than in the safety of their home. There were always scratches and scabs to be healed, but pain was a part of nature. Blood would always be shed for the sake of life.

Sonja’s own blood was now among this mess of painted sand, but it was not for nature’s sake. This was for the capitol drones and their brainwashed minds - a sickness that needed to be cleansed and drowned.. Was this bloody backfire a response to Sonja's earlier taunt? I should keep silent for all of our sakes. The beasts were more riled up than ever, with death dancing in their black eyes. But they were bleeding from heavy wounds, and soon their bodies would begin to tire. She didn’t know if the heat would affect them as it did humans (making us miserable and angry for no good reason), but if it could then it would work to their advantage. If they could draw this out, keep the beasts sprinting in circles and charging left and right as their blood ran dry, they could win. The beasts would collapse eventually no matter how sturdy they were built. Every Capitol design had a flaw, just like nature had its flaws. Nature can die, and so will your disgusting creations.

She wanted nothing more than to be the cause of these deaths.

[attacks Appa – knife]
Hxxoy9bKknife
Shallow Cut on Right Forearm -- 3.5 damage

knife

[k!ah]

Your blade digs deep, burying itself into the flesh of the mutation. An animalistic screech escapes it lips and it takes all you have not to let go of your imbedded blade and cover your ears. It hurt, though, to hear such a sound come from the mouth of this animal because you were the one who inflicted the pain. It hurt to think that it was because of you this animal was like this- but it was because of the animal you were doing this. It attacked you, it attack Ingrid and Potato and you would not let that go. But there was a stronger urge pushing you through this now. This beast, this beast was stopping you from seeing Siren, from seeing the girl who could have cost you your life and the life of the only people that you could actually look to too care about in this place and you weren't going to let that slip by. Your mother once told you that you were a girl who had trouble letting go of grudges and how right she was. You couldn't let it go, you had to see her, to rip her throat out with your own hands because people like her deserved no place in the world. People like Potato and Ingrid did though, because they were kind. Yes you still may have trouble trusting them, but in all honesty that had let you join them. They didn't know you but yet they have put their trust in your hands, so even if you couldn't exactly become best buds with them you would respect them and try your best to prolong their life…

You look up in time to see the beast that you had been attack run towards Potato crashing into his body. Even from here you can hear the sickening crack that comes from Potato. It was the sound of bone breaking. Your heart flies into your chest and you steam out to him, your eye swimming with worry. “Potato? Potato are you okay?” You scream running over to his side, your heart racing in your chest. You clutch your knife tightly, drops of scarlet flying in all directions as you reach his side. “Are you-“

Your words ate cut off as something solid and sharps rams itself into your body. You are no longer on your feet the air beside Potato now occupied by one of the beasts. Your body hits the ground hard, knocking your breath out of you, making it extremely hard to breathe. It hurt. It hurt so much. You mouth opens and you want to scream but nothing comes out, your mouth just stands agape in a silent scream. Tears fill your eyes as you struggle to breathe, as you struggle to handle the pain which seem to be spreading through you like wild fire.

Slowly you manage to gain some control over you body, your head looking down to examine the reason to why you felt like your whole arms was in a pot of boiling water. Instantly you are struck by the amount of blood that was flowing from your body rapidly. It was like your arm was another canvas in this arena and that the mutt who had begun its creation was one filled with anger and pain. At the set of the ruby liquid your head begins to spin and you feel like you are about to faint. Your body court handle this, you weren't used to pain. Yes your mind had tried to end your life countless times but each time Ruby had stepped in to stop the and you always ended up safe- where was she now.

Hastily you try to climb to your feet, your knife shaking in your grasp. You are on your hands and knees now, and as you try t stand your body has a different idea and decides that this is a great moment to expel the contents of your stomach- which was close to nothing- out into the ground in front of you. Your throat burns as the bile climbs, your whole body tensing as it retched trying to expel the foul liquid.

Gathering all the strength you can you manage to climb to your feet. You watch as Ingrid’s blade nicks the surface of the beast that had broken Potato’s wrist but you don't focus your eyes on it you turn to the one that had sliced your bloody arm open. Swallowing your pain you try to clasp your knife tightly, your body moving toward the beast.

[attacks naga]
z6qjANkkknife
[Shallow Cut on Left Bicep -- 3.5 damage]

knife

[gamemaker kelsier]

[presto][/presto]

P O T A T O E A R N E S T

He heard his bones snap.

It was a new sound, one he hadn't heard before and it was odd how he could not only hear it but feel it as well. It was an audible pain that made him jerk his arm backwards in reflex and tuck his arm in tight to his body. It was odd how he could feel the disconnection there. The chords were all there, holding tight but the bones were chipped and loose, split and broken. He cataloged the pain that skyrocketed through his body, attempting to cloud his vision. He would have time for it later, but for now, all that mattered was the endangerment to his alliance. He didn't take his eyes off of the mutts.

Carefully, he flicked some blood off of the end of his sword, as if he were a wild beast pawing at the ground, getting ready to charge. In truth he had decided not to waste the energy needed to chase the thing, he let it come to him.

This was a change from the boy who used to cry over the loss of even one potato plant to rot. Where was he? He wasn't there, it was as if someone else had taken over his body, someone far more capable, like he had hidden inside of himself because he was unable to cope with the strangeness and charm of the battlefield. Someone else had been let lose, or something. Maybe he had always been capable of this, whatever this was. Maybe he had inherited some of his sister's cold demeanor and it was finally coming to surface now.

He turned his head as Sonja moved towards him, to check if he was alright. His heart was beating fine, regular, with calm. He watched as the mutt moved towards her, how she didn't see it because she was so worried and he moved forward to take the blow himself but he moved too slowly and she was speared, stuck through the thigh.

Anger flowed through him, racing through his bloodstream like a coming dust storm. He swung his sword in response.

[potato attacks Appa]
YovQkBKRsword
[Shallow Cut on Right Hip -- 3.5 damage]

sword

[Rosetta]

~Appa
Appa was trying desperately to catch his breath. It seemed every time he sucked air in, there was a stabbing pain in his ribs...or maybe that was the humans, relentlessly stabbing at him. His vision was blurred with tears, sweat, blood and desperation. This was not how he was meant to die. He had made a promise to his mate before her untimely death, clicking his horns with her, that he'd live and protect Naga, the unsightly mass she has. He was her father. He needed to stay.

Her cries came to his left. Surely there were humans atop her! Appa lowered his head and charged forward towards his baby.

[attacks Ingrid, spear/horns]
MLk|JVaispear

~Naga

Naga was doing no better than her father. Stumbling this way and that she felt there would be no end to her pain. Even if these humans did leave her alone, would she ever recover? The ground, usually so dry and dusty, was a muddy red, splattering her. She fell against the rock structure with a moan. Father, she wished to cry, Father, please help, please.

They were outnumbered...if her mother were alive, this would be a fair match, but the humans had contented themselves with a cruel advantage. Naga's insides seethed. She and her father needed to get of here now! She lunged at the closest human.

[attacks Sonja, body/blunt]
blunt

spear�blunt

[Python]

Ingrid Elwyn

To her dismay she did not strike anything vital or draw enough blood to render their enemy defenseless. They were merely adding more scratches to the mix, leaving insignificant scars in tough hides, and with Potato’s broken bone and Sonja’s gaping wound leaking blood across her bicep there was little time to waste in weakening these stubborn beasts. The heat seemed to have no effect on their maneuvers – it was the gashes and lacerations that made their lunges awkward and their actions careless. As a team they were no longer powerful, not when they were outnumbered by one body that happened to wield a sword, but this did not make them any less dangerous. Within layers of their own sweat her friends would be made miserable by these temperatures, and perhaps it would enfeeble their bodies just as the blood loss drained their horned enemies. We’re baking out here.

The heels of her leather boots skidded across grains of stained sand as she turned and surveyed her attacker. He was already reeling and charging for a counterattack in front of a backdrop of red simmering towers and miles of yellow sand. It was like an ocean without moisture, just tasteless sand and sinister promises. Its texture made maneuvering difficult and her balance tricky, but as long as she could plant her two feet on a somewhat solid surface she could fight and rely on her reflexes. Instead of driving her knife forward in some bold attempt to gouge its eye out, she dove out of its path at the last second and evaded its spear horns. She felt ivory graze the metal in her hands. It was a close call that left her bones tingling from the shockwaves of the clash, but she remained unharmed and unfazed.

She switched her knife to the other hand, shaking out the right one to banish the unpleasant tingling. She was just as handy with her left hand as she was with her right; it was a talent she had learned on her own accord as a child, because why rely on the superior strength of one hand when she was born with two? They were meant to be equally functional. Neglecting one would make the other useless, and one useless arm meant an entire half erased from the whole. It seemed like such a trivial thing to worry about, but now it would prove its practicality by saving all three of these lives for another day.

[attacks Appa – knife]
jn12zM0Gknife
Miss

Accuracy Reroll
knife
Shallow Cut on Forehead -- 4.5 damage

knife�knife

[k!ah]

Your feet stumble as you move towards the beast which and shred your arm making it hard to keep your balance. But you keep moving, your body determined to pain a new line into the mutts skin. You had to right? You wanted to live you wanted to make it out of this alive. Lunging forward the beast notices your attack and manoeuvres its body so that your blade only just nicks the top of its arm. With the momentum you stumble forward. One bloody attack and you feel like you are the walking dead. You were weak, you weren't string. What had victor meant when he said that you were strong? Had he just been truing to sooth your beating heart because he knew that you didn't stand a choice? And what about Rafe- had he said the things he did because he knew that you weren't going to make it home and he didn't want to frighten you? You were pathetic.

Grunting you stand up straight, your body aching under the heat of the sun. You mouth felt like it hadn't seen water in days, you tongue lie a wooden board desperate to be soaked by rain. You try to lick your lips but only get a mouthful of dust. This was a nightmare, this was really a night mare. It was just like when my family was killed. Death and pain and helplessness all mingled into one. You cast your gaze over to Potato and you could tell that he was mad. You look away, your eyes finding Ingrid as she ran towards the beast which was slowly becoming weaker- like yourself…. Maybe there was hope. You watched as she ran and it dodge but she didn't even pause before turning around and arming her blade into its skin one last time. Thats when it fell, is body hitting the sand with a loud thump. You expected it to get back you, to bad its teeth and lash out at the girl from eleven. But it doesn’t, it doesn't move, its lifeless. Dead.

Despite yourself a smile plays on your lips because you feel like there is hope. You feel like you guys could make it out of here alive. Turning away from Ingrid you notice at the last moment as the body of the other beast rams into you- hard. Before it had reached you you had put up your left hand, in efforts to block the beasts advance but that seemed to be a mistake as it didn't slow down making your wrist bend back in an awaked way. A grunt of pain escapes your lips and you jump back from the beast. Moving your wrist causes sharp pains to climb up your arm, but you knew it wasn't broken because first all you could move the damn thing and second you knew that you cold be in agony if a bone had of snapped.

Clasping your blade tighter in your hand you run at the beast once again, new hope flowering in your chest. You don't scream out like you have before, you just ran at the beast silently, you eyes blazing. You wanted to end this, you had to end this.

[attacks naga]
HZEmtDbrknife
[Severed Thumb on Left Hand -- 8.5 damage]

knife

[gamemaker kelsier]

[presto][/presto]

P O T A T O E A R N E S T

Through the mist, through the woods,
through the darkness and the shadows.
It's a nightmare but it one exciting ride.
Say a prayer, then we're there,
at the drawbridge of a castle,
and there's something truly terrible inside.

It's a beast, he's got fangs razor sharp ones.
Massive paws, killer claws for the feed.
Hear him roar, see him foam,
but we're not coming home,
'till he's dead, good and dead. Kill the beast.

b/c nyte said i could and she knows things

[potato attacks Appa]
PZ3dtAaesword
[Stabbed in Foot -- 8.0 damage]

sword