Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp [Completed]

In the heart of Ninraih's jungles, the Fae created the city of Ajteire, protected from the undead by the magic of fireflies and a pact with the Kerasoka. The complex network of trees, vines, and plants helps to keep unwanted visitors out. Read more...
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Harroc Crownegrove
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Disciples of Balance, Defender of the Woods
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Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

"Oh, may I massage you now? I do not want you to suffer because of my mistake needlessly." Harroc looked eager to make amends, his want plain on his features much like a child.

"I - uh," Chloe stammered. She was trying to take in all the information Harroc had thrown at her. "Put on pants and then once we have camp set up, I guess?" She shrugged, holding her palms up. Harroc nodded and immediately moved over to his clothing. With industrious silence he ran a spell over them, cleaning them of dirt and grime and repairing minor damage.

It took him several minutes, but when he was done he redonned his clothing, leaving his armor in a neat pile beside the table. Then he turned to setting out his hammock. Chloe had set up her hammock and was going through her pack by the time Harroc had finished staring at his pants and slid them on.

She wondered what that was about, but considering he had clothes on now, decided not to press the issue. "What do we need to do about the cook fire and all?"

"Nothing should be needed, I will mark this location as a camp for any other rangers who come this way," he said as he worked at getting the tension of the lines for his hammock correct. It looked like he was putting in extra support.

"Does any of your gear need repair? If we have the time it costs me only a small amount of energy," he asked over his shoulder as he finished anchoring his bed.

She thought for a moment. "I think it's okay, but let me check the straps." Picking through her pile of armor, she flipped each piece around in her hands to check for any damage. Handing over her vambraces, Chloe pointed to the straps. "These look a bit worn here."

Harroc nodded, examining them and placing them on the table. "Any wear and tear you wish repaired is equally simple, they do not need to be truly damaged," he said eagerly, settling down on the ground and working on the first vambrace in its entirety.

'Doubt it could do anything for my dignity,' Chloe thought ruefully. "I didn't really see anything else," she said, gathering up the rest of the armor and carrying it over to her hammock. "Useful skill though."

"It is common in my order, given we often roam far and return to civilization rarely the ability to repair and maintenance is invaluable," Harroc said as he finished restoring the first arm guard and picking up the second.

"What does your order do that makes you travel so much?" Chloe sat in her hammock crossways, swinging her legs idly.

"Ah, that is not something I can tell you without bribery. Suffice to say we seek to ensure balance is maintained," Harroc said with a grin as he worked on the second vambrace. He always enjoyed things like stains fading away beneath his efforts.

"Your order is so secretive," Chloe commented with a touch of disappointment. She walked over to take the vambraces back once Harroc had finished.
Last edited by Harroc Crownegrove on May 16th, 2020, 9:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Word count: 525
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Harroc Crownegrove
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Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

Turning the vambraces over, she noticed that all the marks and scratches were gone. They looked as though she'd never worn them. "Wow. They look new." She studied them, searching for any sign of wear and tear.

"Yes, if I focus I can restore anything non-magical in a similar fashion. The more complex the item the more difficult to restore, but any of your armor and gear should be simple enough for a complete repair," Harroc said with a proud smile.

"That's amazing. Could you work on the rest of my gear? I've never seen it look so nice," she said admiringly. She turned the vambraces, letting the light make them shine.

"Certainly, it is the least I can do for all the trouble I have caused. I will gladly teach you a mental exercise for increasing your shifting abilities as well if you are willing," Harroc said, looking apologetic but hopeful. "Simply place the items here and I will work through them." He patted the table beside him.

Chloe scooped up the rest of her armor and dumped it on the table. She perched on the edge, leaving plenty of room for Harroc to reach the armor. "What kind of exercise? How does it work?" Leaning forward, she watched him.

He collected a piece of leg armor and turned it over slowly, clearly examining and inspecting intently. "The first step in increasing your skill in all aspects of shifting is to understand how you inhabit a different form." He started to slowly run his fingers along the edges of the armor. "You may wish to take a form to more fully understand. When I was first taught my mother described it as though you were tightening vines around a bundle of stalks. Each stalk will have its oddities and they can be spun, shifted, and even replaced until you've tightened the bundle to act as a single piece."

Harroc stared intently at the armor for several seconds before the wear and tear began to fade away as if melting into the hardened leather. "She left her instruction at that for several weeks, I will not do such disservice to you. The vines are your will, the sense of self you use to control everything. The stalks, your control of each aspect of your shift. The knowledge of the mechanics and reflexes built into a form. These come with practice and intense introspection so we start with the vines first."

She bit her lip, thinking. "So knowing your will is one of the most important aspects in a shift?"

"Knowing your limits is critical in all aspects of improvement, but is often one of the most difficult things to master. Understanding who you are, what gives you strength and weakens you, where you lack, these are all things that improve your control. To become another completely, knowing the self is paramount." Harroc lectured, as he examined the armor for any additional wear.

'That seems to be a tall order,' Chloe thought. "So you have an exercise or something for that?"

"Yes, many," he grinned up at her as he set aside the repaired armor and selected another piece.

She frowned at him. "You gonna tell me or not?" Crossing her arms, she raised her eyebrows and glared at him.
Word count: 550
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Harroc Crownegrove
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Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

"Of course, apologies. It is almost a rite of passage to have a question answered so," he said chuckling to himself. "See your form, visualize a seed of power in your palm. You might want to hold an actual seed, it helps some. Let the seed fall into your palm and drift to the end of each finger.” He moved his hands around as if following the seed.

“Feel it move, the cord of muscles it travels along, the bone it inhabits, the skin that contains it." Harroc recited as he returned his concentration to the piece in his hands. "When it has travelled your entire palm, remove it and repeat with the other palm. When you have mastered both hands, then I will teach you the next exercise."

Chloe held out her hand in front of her. "Oh, I have an idea that might make this simpler," Harroc said suddenly. "May I place a bead of essence on your palm?"

Chloe looked up at him for a second, startled. "Didn't you say your essence was, uh, what you release? I'm not really into having people jerk off on me."

Harroc looked confused for several heartbeats before he flushed and held up his hands. "No no no, it would be like- Let me just show you," he said, stopping himself mid-sentence and placing the half-repaired armor on the table. He held out his palm and stared intently, much like when he was repairing the gear. There was a flicker of power, like a subtle shift in the breeze, and suddenly a brilliant emerald sphere appeared in the middle of his hand.

The sphere was about the size of a ripe chestnut, suspended on his hand. Chloe examined it, reaching out to pick it up. She stopped herself before she touched it. "It is safe to handle, though you may feel some lingering absorption. I am still mastering the skills necessary to compress my essence so finely," he said lifting his palm slightly.

She picked up the colorful sphere gingerly and placed it on her opposite palm. Tilting her hand slightly, she let it roll around. It seemed drawn to the lines of bone and sinew. It tingled faintly and seemed to move if she concentrated.

"Good, move it around some more and then pull it in. Do not lose track of it, or you might accidentally absorb it completely. That would have an effect similar to when I imbued you with knowledge, but much more intense and long lasting," Harroc said evenly before returning his attention to the armor.

Chloe concentrated, using her willpower to draw the sphere along her hand. It was not entirely different from the meditation techniques the Rangers taught any trainees. Once she'd traced her hand completely, she envisioned the bead of energy sinking into the flesh but not dissipating. The tingling became a warmth that seemed to radiate outward. She focused and the sensation grew more concentrated, but the warmth increased proportionally.

"Why is it so warm?" she asked as she started to shift the sphere around.

"Your body wishes to absorb the essence. It recognizes it as a fuel source now," Harroc offered as he set down a piece of repaired armor. "I have been told it can be a relaxing sensation, but do not feel it myself."

Chloe nodded her understanding as the sphere started following the lines of her hand's structure. This turned out to be both easier and more difficult. Easier, in that the sphere could move with just a thought, but more difficult to control as the essence eagerly tried to follow every little path it came across.

As she reached the tip of her finger she noticed a faint calm settle around her. Her emotions began to feel muted and controlling the sphere became much easier as her focus narrowed in. “I think I feel what you mean, it’s like a blanket is on my emotions,” she said neutrally as she slowed her movement of the sphere, tracing the tendons in her hand carefully.

“Interesting, I wonder if this is always the case. I have had few companions to discuss the matter with,” Harroc said as he moved to the next piece of armor. “You may grow tired, but it should not be overly strong unless you lose track.”

Chloe noticed the lingering sense of exhaustion as he mentioned it. It was like she’d become fuzzy at the edge of her feelings. She pushed the sensation away and concentrated on her sphere, completing her first circuit. “I have done one. Should I keep going or switch hands?” she asked as she stared at her palm.

“Truly? You are a quick study, perhaps I could teach you more difficult lessons on the return. Though the truly complex work will need to wait until we are safe again,” Harroc said, clear admiration in his voice. “Try to move faster, but have care the seed will become- slippery,” he said before returning his focus to the armor.

Chloe felt a rush of satisfaction at his praise. She knew she was skilled, she had been told so by many instructors before, but to hear it from someone clearly powerful was a different matter. “I will keep that in- what the fuck.” She had begun moving the seed faster and felt it was in control until it reached her second finger and shot off.

“You said slippery, not like lightning,” she said with annoyance as she tried to search for the seed. “Where did it go?” she muttered to herself.

Harroc chuckled to himself and tapped the side of his head. “Close your eyes, stop trying to see what you cannot. Follow the flow, you will find it, I have no doubt.” Chloe blinked several times before shrugging and doing as he said.

She immediately felt a flow, like a small stream, moving from her palm and up into her chest. She traced the sensation, moving her concentration along her body with barely restrained speed. She found the seed, or at least the feeling of warmth pouring from it, resting just above her heart. She curled her focus, as if trying to twist a net around a slippery fish.

“Hah,” she barked out as she felt her control of the seed return. “I got-” she felt the soft ground collide with her face and was overcome with confusion.

“You have a very greedy body,” Harroc said beside her head, his strong hands lifting her up slowly to a sitting position. “The seed is already half eaten, and was taken into your center, where it will spread to all of you.” He grinned, giving her a gentle squeeze. “Release your control, or you will fall unconscious soon enough. Seems as though it is time for bed. May I carry you?”
Word count: 1137
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Harroc Crownegrove
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Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

Chloe felt like she was wrapped in a very fluffy and freshly sunbaked blanket. Harroc seemed very far away even though he was right there beside her. It took her several seconds to understand what he’d said and that he’d asked her a question.

"Yeah- tired now," she got out through a bone-rattling yawn. Harroc nodded and scooped her up easily, holding her to his chest as he moved across the camp. "You’re so warm, like the sunshine," Chloe murmured in her addled state.

"I have heard, my body warms with the movement of my essence," Harroc said back as he stepped over the armor he had scattered when he dashed over to catch her sudden fall. "Speaking of, I can restore you completely while we sleep, but I will need to be able to pass essence through you."

Chloe murmured several words into his chest before she came more awake for a moment. "What does that mean? You’re not going to spray your essence on me are you?" she asked with a laugh that became another yawn partway through.

"I will need to touch your skin in two distant places. The further apart the more effective, but nothing else is required. It will feel much the same as you feel now, and I will be able to restore both my strength and yours." He stopped in front of the hammocks and looked down at her staring up at him with unfocused eyes.

"Seems unfair, but you’re really warm. Okay- but no sexy stuff or I’ll bite you in the not fun way," she mumbled before trying to curl up into his chest further. Harroc chuckled softly and placed Chloe gently into his hammock before moving around the camp to gather her equipment.

He spent several minutes getting everything spare settled into her hammock before squeezing her arm gently. "I need to get in now, please do not move suddenly," he said softly before sliding his arms under her and lifting her up. He spun slowly in place before sitting back down and turning to settle into the hanging fabric.

It took him several tries to get Chloe to not be either uncomfortably atop his middle, or shoving her elbows into his side. She was wrapped around him, her arms splayed across his chest and her legs making a jumbled mess entwined with his.

Chloe murmured and shifted the entire time, making the process far more difficult than it should have been. When he finally managed to find a reasonable position he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and placed his other hand on her hip. With a careful push, he ran a thread of essence through her, widening it slowly as he got a feel for her pathways.

She sighed softly, releasing all the remaining tension she’d been holding in, as the relaxing blanket of warmth and calm became amplified manyfold. "Rest well trainee Chloe, tomorrow will likely be one filled with dangers," Harroc whispered, before loosing his own tension and setting his mind to idly continue channeling his essence.
Word count: 518
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Harroc Crownegrove
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Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

Chloe felt amazing, like she'd slept a week in a sun-warmed bed made of the softest furs. She felt so good in fact, that she didn't want to open her eyes yet, and instead just enjoyed the sounds of the jungle and the calm pleasure of an invigorating rest coming to a gentle end. She lay there for several minutes, reveling in the rare treat and enjoying small wisps of dreams.

Finally, a small seed of restlessness sprouted in her thoughts and she sighed before starting her ingrained wake up habits with a stretch of her legs. As she went to lift her feet up, she felt a warm pressure holding her down. Her eyes snapped open, but her emotions didn't keep up. She was no stranger to the pranks of her fellow trainees, but what should have been confusion, anger, and perhaps a desire for revenge only became a mild annoyance.

She pushed away the oddness as she was confronted with the sight, sounds, and warmth of Harroc. He lay beneath her, his arms wrapped around her protectively. His long-fingered hands were splayed against her skin and emanating a tingling warmth she was beginning to associate with his essence magic.

All her memories of the previous night flooded back, but they felt distant and lacked much of the emotion she knew she should feel. Thankfully, Harroc seemed to be asleep, or at least his breathing was light and even. Maybe she could figure out what was going on before he woke up.

She felt a faint wisp of emotions as she tried to fight back at whatever was forcing her to be calm. [speech]"Harroc,"[/speech] she whispered, starting to feed a growing fear in the pit of her stomach.

Harroc grumbled and squeezed her closer, talking without opening his eyes. "I will not hurt you again, and I hold no lingering anger," he said softly without making any further moves. "I made a mistake, acted on instinct when I was in no danger. I will be even more careful now."

Chloe frowned as she felt the sudden absence of something, it took her a moment to realize Harroc had removed his hand from her hips. With his hand gone the link of essence was broken, and she realized the true feeling was the sudden loss of power flowing through her body.

Her memories began to flood back into focus, the disorienting haze slowly retreating. They had been all over each other, and then suddenly she's taken a chance, pushed the boundaries he'd set, and poked the proverbial bear.

He'd reacted with absolute aggression, but not actually done her harm, up until he dropped her unceremoniously at least. Chloe wasn't sure how she felt about all that yet. In the aftermath, she'd learned and declared all sorts of things. The most important, Harroc had a large gap in his understanding of civilised society.

He also had a violent side, an understanding of how to wield all the strength and speed he so clearly had. It had frightened her, and she had difficulty combining her emotions in that moment with the man who currently held her like some sort of prized possession.

The fact he was holding her so after all that had happened felt like it should have bothered her more, but it didn't. She whispered softly to him, wary of sudden movement. "What's going on, why do I feel so calm? This isn't right."

Harroc's eyes came open, confusion and concern plain on his face. "What do you mean? Are you hurt?" Even his voice sounded like a man incapable of what had happened.

Chloe felt the haze continue to retreat and tried to quell the fear that was threatening to overwhelm her. "It's fading, but I couldn't feel- anything. Just calm and comfortable," she said With an edge of panic leaking into her words.

"Oh no, that's what she meant," Harroc said, his eyes widening as he realized- something. "I need to touch you again, but I can fix this," he added after a moment.

Chloe nodded, just wanting whatever this was to end. Harroc reached out to rest his hands on her hip and upper back. There was a pulse of power, and suddenly everything was normal again. Her emotions came rushing back like waves from a landslide into a lake.

She shuddered as they all overwhelmed her in a maelstrom. It felt like her thoughts were all fighting against each other as she lay there trying to just make sense of everything.

"Is it better?" Harroc asked softly, not moving from where he held her.

She considered silently for several seconds, her thoughts finally falling away into a more regular flow. "Getting there, what the fuck was that?"

"I think- I believe I was suppressing you with my essence. It is apparently a side effect of the filtering process if I do not take precautions," he provided, sounding like he had committed a grave mistake.

"Well, don't ever do whatever that was again. It was awful, I felt like- like a shadow in my own head," Chloe snapped back with more bite than she intended.

Harroc nodded, "I am truly sorry. I did not know I could do this, it is apparently a somewhat uncommon effect."

"Well, don’t think I’ll just forgive you like that," she said, the hint of bite still in her voice. She wiggled slightly, as if to get up, and was pleased when Harroc loosened his grip immediately. He still felt terribly warm and comfortable, and she felt a small part of her pushing for just leaning up and kissing him, everything else be damned. Instead of rolling out of the hammock, she simply moved herself around. Now that she wasn’t panicking or being forcibly comforted, she realized the position she’d fallen asleep in was mildly uncomfortable.

With a few shifts, she settled in against him without the slight pain in her shoulders. "You’ll have to make it up to me by teaching me everything you know," she added as she felt Harroc reflexively retighten his hold. "Maybe I can teach you some things too, after I win the challenge." A small grin curled the edges of her mouth at the thought.
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Harroc Crownegrove
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Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

Harroc chuckled softly and moved his hand slowly, still clearly wary of his mistakes. When Chloe didn’t react, or even tense, he ran a sliver of power into his fingers, gently stroking at the edge of her shoulders.

Chloe groaned, her eyes closing tight as she felt a faint pop of tension unravel. There was a lingering discomfort, but the overwhelming warmth of Harroc’s fingers quickly washed that away. He began working further, and she simply enjoyed the caress against her skin for a moment before patting his chest.

“That’s all there was. Probably time to get up anyway,” she said with a sigh. “What’s the plan for today?” her question came as she lifted her head up to look into his eyes. They were shifting slowly, a gentle glow against the pre-dawn light.

“We will hopefully face a completely undamaged lake and rivers, spend some time gathering some interesting aquatic plants, and then begin the return home,” Harroc offered, visibly forcing a smile onto his face. “Though, there might also be serious danger from the spirit or guardian, or even displaced predators.” His expression hardened at the thought. “It is why we are entering fully rested, do not waver in your vigilance.”

Chloe dropped her smile as well, nodding sharply before flopping back down onto his chest. “Understood, Instructor,” she mumbled into him before pushing up and rolling her way out of the hammock. He followed after her a moment later, immediately moving to his armor and lifting his chest piece over his head.

“I still can’t believe how nice all this looks, thanks for fixing it,” Chloe said as she eyed the vambrace she was buckling. “I’m going to feel bad at the end of the day when it’s all scuffed up again.” Harroc said nothing as he worked at the straps and ties that held his armor in place. Chloe shrugged as she cinched the piece tight and moved to grab the next.

In several silent minutes before they were fully armored up and Harroc looked to his student with an eager nod. “We will eat as we walk, more berries so as not to upset the stomach,” he said as he offered out a small handful of the ripe and delicious fruits.

Chloe took hers and popped one into her mouth, shivering slightly at the overwhelming flavor of juice spilling onto her tongue. “These are still delicious,” she said through a juice-soaked grin as she followed Harroc past the edge of the camp.

Harroc nodded his thanks, carefully looking over the path forward as he moved them around a massive tree. “I will have to offer you a taste of my experiments when I next make them. If I can convince my Honey to share.”

“I’m sure you can be quite convincing,” Chloe offered with after a flash of a frown at the mention of Colle. She bounced a bit on her legs, moving up to be beside him, eager to spend some of her overflowing energy. “Anything I should watch for in particular?”

Harroc looked at her without turning his head. “Dangerous plants are likely, they will be drawn by the water and perhaps difficult for me to recognize. Please lean on your knowledge, and mention even the smallest oddity,” he said with deadly seriousness.

Chloe immediately began intently scanning their surroundings. She spent a few seconds adjusting her sense of the plants as she realized they were even more dense than the rest of the deep jungle. “Not that it’s anything, but there’s way more plants than I was expecting, even for this far out.”

“There are, this is closer to what I would expect another two days further from the city. Likely a response to the plant-eaters combining with the verdant magic in the water.” Harroc said as he moved them down through a small gulley. “The jungle is eager to grow with whatever it can. Even more so when it feels it is under attack, and I doubt the plants she the lack of predators as anything but a grave threat.”
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Harroc Crownegrove
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Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

Chloe finished adjusting her frame of reference several minutes later. Suddenly the myriad of vibrant plants around them seemed to lose their lustre as her mind began to categorize them as background noise. First the inedible but docile plants faded away. Next, she removed the over-common ones that were simply rampant in the area. Finally she was left with a stark contrast of foliage as the remaining plants were either dangerous, or ones she’d never seen before.

"There’s a lot of poisonous stuff over on that side of the river," she said warily, pointing across the gurgling waters. "On our side, mostly it looks like things related to briar and nettle are the only real worry. Though, I definitely don’t know what those are," she pointed past Harroc, indicating a dark purple plant with hundreds of thin glistening leaves.

Harroc stared intently at the clump of purple, wracking his memories for mention of them. "I believe it is a form of Oxalis and should be harmless, but I can see why you do not recognize it. That coloration is unique to the deeper parts of the jungle, and is often found only near magically enhanced areas." When she offered no additional insight into the foliage around them, Harroc got them moving again.

The rest of the journey to the lakeside was calm and quiet, filled with the same slowly rolling landscape and oppressive plant life Chloe had become used to in their short trip. Suddenly, Harroc shot a hand out and crouched almost onto himself. She followed the instruction immediately, holding back her curiosity as he scanned the area ahead.

"I feel a powerful essence, as though a vine beast is near, but I see no indications and smell no signs on the moving air," he whispered softly to her, turning his head to speak even quieter. "This concerns me, as one that has gorged on the lake could grow quite quickly if unopposed."

Chloe hovered behind him, her eyes carefully scanning across the open ground nearby. There was nothing strange that she could see, though the sound of the river was much louder here without the dampening groundcover.

Several long minutes passed before Harroc rose again. He looked to her and frowned, clearly still wary of the unidentified source of power nearby. "We should move, but remain vigilant." Another hour passed before they reached the edge of the lakeside.

The land suddenly all sloped slightly down, everything seemed to be accomodating the broad expanse of crystal clear water. The sun that reached down past the grand canopy was coming off the lake with blinding brilliance. This gave the entire area a huge amount of reflected sunlight, making the usual undergrowth battle for light a veritable feast for an explosively overwhelming riot of vibrant colors.

Chloe stopped, her brain overwhelmed by the display. "Wow- I- I thought I’d seen crazy colors before. This is just excessive," she said, sweeping her arms out to include the entire lakeside in her wonder. Harroc laughed beside her, but his eyes continued sweeping the area with slow careful consideration.

"So, see anything we need to deal with?" Chloe asked, lowering her voice to match his reserved mood. "Maybe that thing over there? It looks like a bunch of uprooted lily pads." She pointed at a collection of roots and dirt on the far side of the lake.

Harroc looked at the mass of mud and plant and narrowed his eyes. "This is not terribly recent, the water around is clear. Perhaps some sort of building animal, or a larger creature fell on a prior day." He looked to Chloe and pointed back the way they had come. "Plot us a route this direction, we’ll want to avoid the briar so don’t follow the river too far."

"Understood, Instructor," Chloe said with a small grin.
Word count: 646
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Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

Chloe spent several minutes just looking over the terrain they’d need to cross. There weren’t a lot of options for crossing the river outside of an area where it left the lake end. Everything else downriver was briars or was clearly moving too fast even from this distance.

"That’s a lot of water moving, where does it all come from? I’m not seeing any inbound sources and there’s no clear wellspring in the lake itself," she squinted at the brilliant reflection on the far side of the lake as if urging it to reveal the waterway’s secrets.

"My best guess is that the lake is much deeper than it appears and feeds in from the bottom or sides," Harroc offered with a shrug. "Are you ready to proceed?"

"Yep, we’ll need to cross there at the river source. Too many briars otherwise, and I doubt you want to tromp into the water unless we have to." When Harroc simply nodded, Chloe set off towards the source. They stayed well back from the shore line, making better time moving at the edge of the cleared area the lake naturally formed.

When they reached the source she stopped, looking over the rushing water ahead as it poured from the lake and into the river. There was a series of broad rocks and logs haphazardly arranged that were slowing the flow, but only just. "Very fast moving, we’ll need to be careful," she said to Harroc.

He thought for a moment and nodded. "I see no cause for concerns beyond what you have mentioned. Lead on, trainee," he said with a small smile and wave of his hand. Chloe wasted little time judging her route, instead she moved quickly forward. Her hops and strides were controlled and made without hesitation.

Soon enough her momentum carried her across the rushing water and she stepped aside for Harroc to follow. He waved at her, moved back several strides, and then sprinted forward. His long legs gave him a strong advantage, his strides easy and sure as he leapt over most of the water with only two movements.

He had to take several steps to come to a stop on the far end, but was clearly pleased with himself. "Show off," Chloe said with a roll of her eyes. "I think we shouldn’t need to worry too much about the terrain from here." Harroc nodded and fell in step behind her again.

They reached the lake shore near the large pile of mud and aquatic plants without further trouble. Harroc stopped them in the foliage cover and pointed at the pile. "It is clearly constructed. We should have care for inhabitants," Harroc said quietly as he examined the structure.

Large heavy logs with chunks taken out of them were integrated into the mud, forming an organic-looking shape with many crisscrossing supports. "That looks a lot like a beaver house," Chloe said with clear confusion. "They’d have to be massive-" she was interrupted by the distinct sound of something emerging from the water at speed.

A gigantic creature with thick coarse fur of brown and greens shot out of the water, landing with a loud squelch of mud beside the curious structure. It was perhaps the size of a wagon, stocky and clearly quadrupedal. A long leathery tail smacked the mud behind it with loud squelching noises as it looked around in clear agitation. It’s coloration seemed to be a strange mix of algae greens and rich dark browns.

"That’s definitely something like a beaver, but I’ve never heard of them being that big, or being that color," Chloe whispered in awe. Harroc silently agreed, staring at the creature with worry on his brow.

"I believe it is corrupted in a way. Afflicted with magic, perhaps of the water, perhaps of the plants and soil," he whispered back, sharing his concerns. "This should not happen, even if the waters are infused." His frown deepened as the creature turned away and moved back into the water.

"Prepare yourself for battle initiate, I will speak to the creature," Harroc said, his expression shifting from concern to cold unyielding strength. Chloe looked confused, her body reacting to the order reflexively despite Harroc using the wrong title.

He strode out of the foliage, planting himself out in the open with his feet spread as he held his staff at an angle to deflect or attack. {"What has harmed you, creature of the lake?"} he whined out a series of rising and falling calls in a strange language Chloe did not recognize.
Word count: 773
User avatar
Harroc Crownegrove
Character
Disciples of Balance, Defender of the Woods
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
21 / 21 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Elemental and Shapeshifter
Class: Druid
Posts: 141
Joined: August 5th, 2019, 1:48 am
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 4 times

Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

The giant beaver-creature immediately reappeared, only its head emerging from the murky cloud of mud it had created. It watched Harroc warily, clearly uncertain how to respond and choosing caution. Harroc repeated his question, {"What has harmed you?”}

The beaver chittered and wiped its face, waddling onto the shore but stopping a good distance away. Chloe could tell roughly how the creature felt, but lacked the understanding Harroc had. Right now, the beaver looked confused about the Druid.

After several seconds of face wiping, the beaver chittered and smacked its tail gently a few times. Harroc frowned intensely at the creatures' words, relaxing his stance and keeping his expression only to his face. The two spoke for a long time, and Chloe settled in to wait when she felt her fingers start to tingle from gripping the plant she'd been hiding in.

Finally, Harroc made an entirely new sound and the beaver slapped its tail loudly before retreating into the water. Chloe scrambled to her feet, trying her best to look like she hadn't been bored for a long while.

"What'd he say?" she asked eagerly, hoping to distract Harroc as soon as he reached her.

"Many things," Harroc answered unhelpfully. He remained silent as he looked around warily before refocusing on her. "We need to leave, I will tell you more as we move. We will cross the river and make our best speed eastward. Run until you cannot and I will fill you with the strength to continue."

Chloe felt a thread of fear spring up in her thoughts. Harroc sounded very serious and that could only mean there was something extremely dangerous here. She nodded sharply and turned to move, hoping she wouldn't fail him during the run.

When they had made it up and over several gulleys along the river in dead silence, Harroc spoke up. "The beaver said a stick-walker, like me, came and gave them gifts to eat. They grew large and strong and the walker has not returned yet," he said almost effortlessly.

Chloe bit back a request to slow down, she didn't want to appear weak. The jungle was going by quickly, and it took all her concentration to avoid hazards while still listening to him. It was made all the more frustrating because the sound of her breath and heart nearly drowned out his casual tone.

"He also said he had not seen any water horns since the walker left, but he has heard and seen signs of eaters nearby recently." Harroc stopped talking as they moved down a particularly steep incline. When they crested the far side, he called for a halt.

"Let me reinforce you now, before you start stumbling," he said as he jogged over to her.

"Oh- okay. Can you translate any of that while you work? I'm not sure I got what you meant," Chloe said, trying not to think about her lungs crying out for all of the air.

"A Druid of some kind came and gave the beavers food that corrupted them. The water guardian has not harassed them since. Predators are starting to return to the lake side," Harroc summarised as he placed his palm to her cheek and flooded her body with essence.

Chloe moaned as the warmth of his hand suddenly became the best thing she'd ever felt. Her eyes fluttered open and she was immediately entranced by the swirling layers of Harroc's pupils. "Almost forgot how that feels," she whispered as she felt a flush rising in her cheeks.

"I am sorry to force so much into you, but we must keep moving. I am concerned a powerful caster is meddling with the beasts in the area and we are not equipped to handle anything so dangerous," Harroc said as she pressed into his palm.

His words were like a splash of cold water, and the tendril of fear she'd been feeling exploded into a looming dread. She pulled from his hand and shook herself sharply before turning and begining to run again.
Word count: 673
User avatar
Harroc Crownegrove
Character
Disciples of Balance, Defender of the Woods
Level
01
24 / 24 HP
21 / 21 MP
0p / 0g / 0s / 50c
Race: Elemental and Shapeshifter
Class: Druid
Posts: 141
Joined: August 5th, 2019, 1:48 am
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 4 times

Re: Thyme in the Wilds - Root Camp

Post by Harroc Crownegrove »

They had made good time moving away from the lake. Harroc hoped it was far enough to be outside the range of notice for whatever caster had corrupted the beavers. This was a very large problem and would need an organized response he and his student could not give alone.

"Chloe, slow, we should adjust our path now to move away from the river," he said to her as they left another gulley to enter a broad flat clearing. Chloe took several more long strides before coming to a stop and looking back at him. She still glowed with essence, and Harroc hoped it would not affect her too harshly when it faded.

He felt the shift in the air just as a bit of foliage snapped. He shouted, flooding his body with power and straining all of his senses to their limits to defend them, but it was too late. The first of the beasts came from deep in a tangle of thorns and vines, bursting out into the open at a sprint straight for Chloe.

The creature was like the jungle made flesh, and even moving in the open, hard to spot. It was as if a powerful wolf had been consumed by thorns and moss. ‘Mossdogs, dangerous pack predators that ambush prey,’ Harroc heard the thought unbidden as he tried to force his body to react.

The beast collided with Chloe, slamming her to the ground and bringing its fury to bear. Its powerful jaws snapped open, thick and sharp spines dripping with brown liquid as the creature prepared to bite into her throat.

Harroc’s arm came out with the force of a landslide, vines and stone spikes bursting from the ground at his command to strike and impale the beast. The creature yelped and lept aside, clearly damaged but still capable. It whirled on Harroc, gnashing its jaws in an open display of power.

He frowned, knowing the display for what it was - a distraction - and snapped his head around just in time to spot the charging packmate of the first beast. He brought his spear up, ducking down to try and toss the creature past him. Instead, the beast twisted its body so his weapon only grazed its side.

The dodge and counter strike would have been acceptable, until the moment the first beast slammed into his side. Its long thorny mane sunk into Harroc's armor and sliced at his exposed arms. The druid cried out in pain, the scrapes going numb and feeling aflame in the same instant. "Venom!" he managed to choke out before a second wave of pain wracked his body.

Chloe had gotten to her feet and shifted, taking the form of a cougar and roaring to catch attention. Harroc felt dread in his stomach as the two mossdogs turned their attention on his student. She was no match for them together, and as soon as one cut her she’d be ripped to shreds.

Images of his last student to die flashed through his mind. They’d been crushed by a shift in the earth, and then trampled by the ensuing stampede of creatures from the collapsing basin. Harroc hadn’t been fast enough then, hadn’t been strong enough, couldn’t cast spells through the choking dust. He’d spent weeks afterwards finding ways to hone his essence, build his skill beyond the need for word or motion.

The poison attacked his lungs, he felt the burning need to breathe as he struggled to rise, to defend her. He needed to be stronger, to be more than he was. He turned his thoughts inward, slamming down his iron will to block out all sense of pain or fear. He was the stillness of the morning, the strength of the rock, the power of the relentless vine.

In his mind, Harroc roared his defiance and did something his mother had said to never do. He forced his essence out of his body, ripping his own life force out to be bent to his will. In a wave of power he became as stone, his muscles and skin hardening with a coating of dense rock and earth.

He felt the earth beneath him as his own body, the plants around him as his limbs. He let loose a gravely roar and slammed his massive arms forward. Every plant, vine, and loose stone near him shot towards his enemies with unimaginable violence. They flew forward at hip height and higher, leaving space for the fallen trainee to be protected.

Where his earlier attacks had injured the mossdogs, this wall of destruction tore them to shreds. They yelped in surprise before they simply ceased to exist. Harroc tried to sprint forward, to ensure Chloe was alive and perhaps uninjured. Instead he fell apart, his stone limbs and earthen body crumbling and collapsing.

He felt true terror as his awareness toppled forward. He understood the dangers of what he had done, understood it was difficult to return to his true form, that he’d sacrificed his essence to enact brutal violence. As he struck the ground, he hoped he would remember his mate.
Word count: 862
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