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Kyra, Zach, Thalia, and Rhea - Hunt for the Rainbow Tailed Weather Gobbler's feathers
So, she and Luce had been put into separate groups… Good. He will have his own challenges, and she her own. Though, would she get along with the people she'd been assigned to? Most likely not. By the looks of it, the boy that Luce healed not too long ago was put elsewhere; the closest person she and Luce had to a potential friend. A shame, but it was best she get a move on with the introductions and ability familiarity.
Kyra stuck with the two people she was assigned to, trying to peek at the piece of paper the swamp elf had in her hands. The word of the Rainbow-Tailed Weather Gobbler… She'd never seen or heard of such a thing, considering her homeland consisted of nothing but caves. But, all in all, the task was to capture a large bird. That shouldn't be too difficult, right? It was just a bird…
"I have some magic that will be helpful in the actual capturing part. I can reach long distances with it and completely bind the bird in place. I can climb higher places, but the illusions themselves will be a real pain..." Kyra commented before introducing herself. "Kyra Solsteisse. You wouldn't happen to have illusionary cancellation magic, would you?"
"I shall be able to draw the creature, and have no issues with the illusions it creates. Yet someone else will have to catch it as hunting isn't a strong suit of mine," the good Doctor added as he tapped the sight inserts in his mask. Then realizing names were being based he stood silent for a moment before realizing it was his turn. "Ah you may call me Zachariah Arstfall if you get hurt please let me know," he spoke ending his turn to the only one who had yet to speak.
Nodding to the other woman, Thalia turns her attention to the 4th in the group, who had yet to say anything, as she noods in reply to the hunter. "I don't think it will be that simple, we'll need to do this during the night or the morning, during the Day it takes off to fly high into the sky… Or that is what I was told. Though the landscape itself and needing to move in the darkness or early morning may be difficult."
"Rah, Tha, Dah" One syllable per person. It was all Rhea could manage without being overwhelmed by her own mind. It worked best if the person had an 'awh' sound in their name. She got really lucky this time around. She could at least call out to each teammate in a way. Otherwise, she'd be left assigning them different grunts to get their attention.
Originally, she had thought that being put in the four person team was unlucky and that she had somehow caused this but perhaps it was just coincidence this time around. With a relieved smile, she shifted the bunny into one arm and used her free hand to pull a small small book out from her bag and flipped it open to the first page. On it was her name, Rhea Asturias in a neat font. The page was worn and a bit torn from constant use but it was still very much legible. It was a simple introduction. She didn't need to tell them she was mute. Anyone with half a brain could figure that much out on their own.
Rhea had briefly considered not telling them anything else but flipped the page anyway, her friendly smile not faltering in the slightest. 'I'm cursed. Do not touch me if you can avoid it.' It would be wrong to not let them know if they were to work together. She didn't give out details but hopefully it would be enough to deter them a bit. Her luck had taken a turn for the better after coming into contact with Arjuna but it was hard not to worry about it rearing its ugly head from time to time. Arjuna could protect her but she could not protect others, right?
As for what she could do... Rhea pinched her chin and thought about what role she could take in the Elf's plan to capture the bird. She wasn't as physically able as most. It would be best to assist Kyra with capturing the thing. Bending down, she gently set the bunny on the ground and drew a simple circle on her right palm with her right index finger. Though it showed nothing, the mana could be felt surging in her hand. In a fraction of a moment a glowing yellow orb the size of a coin appeared and grew to the size of a small ball. It didn't need much charging to showcase what it was capable of doing. She crushed the ball in her hand and the light unraveled into a net that wove its way through the gaps between her fingers and tightly bound her hand, trapping it in the clenched position it was in when she had crushed the ball.
Stretching her arm out, she showed off what she intended to help with. With a wave of her other hand, she dispelled it and made the orb again. This time, she stretched it out into an arrow as a simple demonstration. Anyone with eyes could see her stringless bow popping out of her bag. Rhea did not feel the need to explain any further. She dispelled the arrow and let them think of it as they wished. Finishing her little demonstration, she carefully picked the doll up off the ground and returned to her usual role of casual observation.
Watching the mute girl carefully, well largely a mute, Thalia looks at her book, her same hostile glare present. A curse? Given her own magic's relation to curses, she was unsure if she could be of help with this, or have a natural defense against it. Either way that question and school for thought was neither for here, nor now.
The display of magic told what Rhea would help with, or at least would be suited for in this case. Looking at her compatriots, the Elf considers all four for a bit, then nods.
"We should go now. We'll get as close as possible to its home, then we'll make camp. Once the sun's first rays shine we go the rest of the way and attempt to snatch the bird. A torch may give us away if we attempt the whole journey at night and none of us have natural night vision I think."
Pausing for a bit, she wished to make sure none had an objection as she starts the trek, it was not ideal, but short of getting any supplies they may need for one day their course was set.
With Thalia on point, most of the long distance journey fortunately had trails, which in turn allowed for good time, the distance was not short in the least. With a couple hours of daylight left, a forest was at the foot of a large butte covered in grass and moss, overlooking the area. To confirm this was indeed the way they should be headed, a bird with a large wing span cries as it flies through the air. It's appearance looked vaguely like a cross between a hawk or parrot combined with the size and large wing plumage of a peacock. Though the difference was the huge variety of colors, giving it the Rainbow part of its name. Diving in for the butte, the sunlight seemed to reflect off of the bird, shimmering as rays of light and illusion struck out from its source, vanishing nearly as soon.
A number of others were then visible from different angles, the butte likely was home to more than a few of them. Turning to look at the others, Thalia would speak;
"We can continue for a couple hours more, but I am not so sure about climbing the butte at night. We also need to find a semi open space near the foot of it to entrap one of the birds.. What say you?"
Kyra watched the mute girl with interest, keeping in mind her name and what her magic could do. Rhea would be great at assisting her in coming up with some kind of trap, or she and the doctor could lure the bird into whatever net Rhea had set out for them. Thalia could assist them in actually finding the bird. Seemed like a solid team.
Their journey towards the location was a long one, but it was not in vain. She could see the beautiful birds that they were supposed to capture; the animals themselves proving right away just how much of a hustle it was going to be to even get close to one. Assuming they weren't lucky enough to catch one before dark…
Damn, if only she could fly.
"Let's get searching. Maybe we can take this opportunity to study the birds' behavior and figure out a plan based on that."
Ah another cursed individual Dr. Arstfall was quite used to such company to the point it clearly didn't affect him as posture remained the same at the reveal of the info. He could offer her assistance, but would need to study the curse a bit first before concluding whether or not one of his skills could be helpful or dangerous for her. Yet for now the assignment was more important, and after a long trek their foot work had yielded proper results. As the team set up camp the good doctor removed his coat revealing rather than being a 6 ft tall hunched man he in fact had perfect posture as the coat was revealed to hide his own camping gear. Setting up a small tent in case any of his comrades wanted some rest before the hunt, it was revealed he, and Kyra had similar thoughts.
"A few clicks past the top of the butte is a perfectly flat area around their nesting spot. Probably where they primarily take flight from to shot for the sky. I note some good boulders our capture team can hide behind," he annotated to his team mates from atop a boulder himself when, and how he had got up there a complete mystery as he surveyed the area ahead with a telescope he had stashed. Though most of the birds were now inside the nesting cave some were still out, and about allowing him to observe their natural tendencies.
A bit curious how he had learned so much about the landmass around them, maybe he studied a map or some such on the way? However she still didn't agree with him or the more and rather only talkative woman in full. Speaking up in turn she gives a shake of her head;
"Maybe we can get away with just the feathers, there is no time to study them. We were given twenty four hours exactly to finish this and we've used up a good part of that getting here. They are birds as well, I would not trust some open area so easily.. Such areas rarely exist in nature without reason and most birds do not have a need for a running space."
Gazing back up at the small fortress of a hill, climbing it might be difficult, nevermind capturing a bird. "They aren't very small, I did not expect something a little larger than a Vulture.. Unless the Doctor brought a large bird cage with him, or wants to use his coat as a tarp, we may need to see if the feathers are tied to the magic rather than the bird.. I think I'll try and find us a food or water source.. Though this may mean a rethink of the plan is needed." She says, gazing at the others in her group.
For the past year, Rhea had thought she was strong or at the very least average but after that long trek, she felt a lot less confident about her own strength and even less about her poor stamina as she struggled along while her companions seemed more or less unfazed. The heiress had been bedridden for a good portion of her life. No amount of preparation would have readied her for the painful burning sensation in her legs. They felt like lead and trembled beneath her dangerously on the verge of collapse.
Though it was almost unbearably painful, it was also exhilarating in a way. Personally, she had never walked so far on her own. It was like she'd reached a milestone she didn't even think was possible prior. Reasonably, most would be disheartened but Rhea only felt pride and astonishment. It was this wondrous feeling of childish amazement and sheer willpower pushing her forward to this point.
When they had finally reached a safe open area to camp, Rhea was the first to settle down with a satisfied sigh, eternally grateful for the opportunity to rest her legs. Taking a seat on a large moss covered rock that had a smooth enough surface to get comfortable, Rhea pulled out the paper they had received and looked it over while the others made plans. She had already forgotten their goal halfway through the journey and needed a fresh reminder.
Based on what was written and from what she could recall of the elf's earlier intel, it was hard to make out whether they needed to capture and return with a whole bird or just collect its tail feathers. It wasn't as if the bird itself had much going for it aside from these feathers. She doubted it'd even make a good meal. Would it be a dumb question to ask?
It seemed the elf had thought something similar as she pointed this out, saving her the trouble. Regardless, it was still worrying. Rhea wasn't exactly smart but she was knowledgeable about some things. She'd done a lot of reading growing up. Pulling out her book and a quill, Rhea jotted down her thoughts, summarizing them into just a few sentences.
"Ah." She called out to them and wiggled her small book in her hands to draw their attention to it. If we only need the feathers, they'd likely be found around the nest. Molting can be painful and leaves most birds feeling vulnerable. They'd probably keep each other safe by grouping together there during those times if we're unlucky. Going by the original plan, they'd still be able to get the feathers but if they could find some by looking around, they may be lucky enough to not have to deal with the bird at all.
Problem was that the majority of the feathers would still be near the nest even if they didn't arrive during the right season. It was the one place the birds would definitely drop the darn things and also possibly the most dangerous. They could avoid most of them if they were to put it off until it was daytime. They may run out of time in doing so, however. They really didn't have much to spare and a confrontation with the birds may be unavoidable even if they dashed in, grabbed some and tried to leave.
Though she'd agreed to the skeleton of a plan earlier, Rhea wasn't sure she wanted to risk hurting the poor creatures if they could avoid it. It was a bird native to the land they stood and nowhere else. The locals may not want them getting harmed.
Flipping the page after she was sure the others had time to read what she had written in its entirety, she finished up with her thoughts on helping out with the camp. She was tired but she was still more than happy to do her part. We should avoid harming any birds if possible. I'll help find some firewood. It was a short break but it was worth it. Though her legs were still sore, they no longer trembled. They needed to build a fire. With the night always came a cold chill. It wouldn't do if they froze to death before they even got started.
Looking down at the stuffed rabbit in her arms, she briefly wondered if Arjuna would be fine walking around the forest if she were to take her along. The demon had been awfully quiet though. It was possible she was silently observing or asleep. Honestly, it was hard to tell when the rabbit's eyes were always open. Perhaps it was for the best that she kept her presence a secret for now. With great care, she set the rabbit alone in the tent that the doctor had set up. She could have left her on the rock but she didn't want to offend the being inside the rabbit or damage its temporary shell.
Once the rabbit was safe, she busied herself with tying her long green hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of the way and got ready to go help search for necessities. It was best to allow Thalia to choose what time they'd go out to hunt. She seemed more experienced in these sorts of things than the rest of them. She'd also led them around the forest almost naturally. The woman's gaze had frightened her at first but it was clear she was a very capable person and not exactly unkind either. It really was a blessing to have such good teammates.
Kyra nodded once in acknowledgement to the plan. She was glad they weren't going to just blindly charge those birds. All that was left now was for them to set up camp or execute said plan whenever they got the opportunity to.
And now that things had settled down for a bit, she didn't really want to stick around with the plague doctor and a woman who reminded her of the demon she had a pact with. So, coming up with the first excuse in mind, she said "I'm going to keep her company. Just in case something happens." then started following Rhea.
That wasn't a bad thing, right? If the girl was mute and needed help, she wouldn't be able to get their attention through writing. With Kyra as company, the two could get firewood twice as quickly and be able to watch out for one another.
"Rhea!" She called out to the girl, catching up with her rather quickly. "Hey, let me help you. I know it's just firewood, but with the both of us we'll be done in a couple of minutes."
As the two leave off, Thalia plants a hand to the ground as her eyes gain a slight glow, two little tree sprouts uplift themselves from the earth, twitching a bit, it was clear with how they moved about and looked around that they were Ents, one could correctly assume short lived rather than not. Thalia had grown up among the thickets of trees, of roots, fog and unnatural things. And right now those senses warned her about the forest closer to the butte and that likely played a role in why this area seemed so avoided. The Forest of the Lost, Whispers in the Woods, Thalia had heard details of this, though she had not seen fit to warn them yet.
"Wa...it." She says as the two girls wandered off. It was one thing for her to 'see' through this magic, to know some of these tricks, but it was another to explain these to some. For now all she could do was task one of her Ents with finding them and leading them back if they got too far away in the search for firewood.
As the two start their search for firewood it would be of little surprise if the two girls distanced from one another, or if one attempted so, however firewood would be forthcoming, but oddly so, pieces lead to one another, going deeper in, as the two girls ventured further, the sounds of footsteps and hushed whispers could be heard, the leaves would rustle and nature around them would both pick up in pitch and yet go complete still.. To the ears of the mute would come the stillness, to the ears of the broken half, the noise, then all would be still minus the sound of rushing footsteps leading away, firewood suited sticks in its wake.
Rhea was almost painfully oblivious to any dangers. After her parent's passing, Arjuna had somewhat taken up the task of telling her not to do dumb things. Now that the demon was out cold, she was free to do just that.
Unexpectedly, someone called out her name. Turning back to look, she found Kyra making her way towards her with the intention to help. "Mn!" Rhea happily agreed and expressed her gratitude by curling her fingers into a heart shape in front of her. Was there any better way to say thank you than with affection? Rhea didn't seem to think so as she held the heart up for Kyra until she caught up to her. Everything was always better with a companion around.
Though she was grateful for the assistance, Rhea was still aware enough to keep Kyra at some distance as they made their way deeper into the forest. It was quieter than she had expected. There was the rustling of leaves here or there but no longer did she see any birds flying about. It was weird. 'Did they go eat or something? Though she was curious, she didn't make much of it.
It didn't take long to find firewood. She thought nothing of the trail of wood that led them in as she found one after another. It seemed the trip would be a short one. Carefully, she gathered pieces into her arms and hummed the tune she had heard onboard the ship before to fill the silence. It was a catchy and oddly persistent tune that would get stuck in one's head for some time.
"Oh dear seems our teammates don't fully understand the situation," Zachariah noted as he got off the boulder he was on as it was agreed that they would simply collect some feathers. The problem was these woods were just as much affected by strange magic equal to the rumors of the bird's magics. The swamp elf had sent a ent out to try and retrieve them, but even as he was back on ground level the two were far gone.
"Do you believe the ent is enough? Or shall we fetch them before this test escalates?"
Heart hands. Been a long while since Kyra had one directed at her. She couldn't help but smile at the other girl.
Off to a good start.
Kyra looked around at first for some kind of item to try and leave a trail so that that could head back if they needed to. No rocks, or anything that stood out to help them. She thought about using her magic to dig into the ground and leave a prominent trail, but she settled with leaving scratches into the trees as their guide. It's not like the trees were going to be falling any time soon.
As they searched, something caught her attention. Something that made her pause and look around. She read Rhea's question and lightly shook her head.
"A few birds would leave if it was just food. Not all of them." She responded, suspicion lacing her voice as she listened further.
As the two ignore the whispers of the woods, they would for the time being be more or less left alone, though the way they had come was now unmarked, or rather, it was simply just gone. Bushes and trees seemed to be in the way, or had they actually gotten turned around?
Whatever the case may be, for now that would be left undiscovered in part. Back at the camp, the elf seemed a bit distant in her gaze and attention towards Zachariah, with subtle movements of her hand, one Ent moves into the woods while another stays near Zachariah.
"..nothing here should harm them seriously.. I will follow the path they left and try to get them back. If you wish to scout the birds out or look for food, this one will help you return. They can follow my aether back.. It will not help us with the feathers but.." With that she returns to her had gestures and distant gaze, every so often she would 'return' her attention placed firmly on the here and now. With a bitter smile to her face, she wished she had developed this magic more, but for now it did the job.
And with that the only one sane enough to stay close to camp was the medical element of the group. With a sigh followed by facepalm the doctor reviewed the surrounding area as he pulled out his gun as well as his cane oddly motioning the ent to follow.
"Well let us go find some food, and keep this fire fed I feel the opposition those three are running into will be quite stamina reducing," Arstfall exclaimed rather oddly talking to the ent as they went off to examine the resources in the immediate area to avoid the camp being left unintended.
The Ent would offer no words in response as it's glowy green eyes study the landscape, whatever food they found short of mushrooms, roots or edible plants would be from Arstfall as the small shrub would lead him back once done.
On the other side of things, the Ent would emerge from the forest, waving his arms and passing through a 'tree' that had shown up on their path, waving its small branch arms, Kyra would be led back to the trees she scratched, something that no Fae, Instructor or even the birds could so easily replicate, regardless of what was the cause of the attempted trap.
Vanishing down into the earth, the small ent gives a little wave, gone and it's work finished. Time would swiftly pass into the night with a few things learned about the surroundings and the behavior of the birds. A rather modest dinner would await them and baring he shared or allowed one of the girls his tent a night of outdoor sleeping, well if they slept at all in an alien woodland none of them knew about.
Having just laid on the ground, Thalia did sleep a little, as the sun was coming up, she puts back on her tunic top, having used it as a pillow during the night speaking aloud, she points into the sky, speaking up to awaken the rest, if they were every asleep or still asleep in anycase.
"Look! They are leaving, now is our chance to get up there." Putting her tunic back over her undershirt, she points forward, calling them to follow with a gesture of her hand. Going through the woods care was taken to mark their way back as they reach the butte. Along the way a few lingering illusions or the machinations of another seemed to get stronger, threatening progress in the hike, leaving the masked man, or Thalia with her Ents to pathfind the way forward as Kyra or Rhea marking the way back.
It was here however that things would need to be decided upon, the climb up the cliff would not be easy, walking forward and touching a hand upon the soil and rock, Thalia causes a pile of vines to grow up the side, reaching roughly the halfway point, keeping her focus upon it she speaks.
"You three must decide amongst yourselves who does what and who can aid in going the rest of the way. I must stay here, my magic is not so good as of yet to leave this as a permanent feature as more experienced of my kindred may do."
"Aight since we know they devour clouds I will place a shot at the fair opening hopefully leading away any straggler birds, and distracting any returning. From there it's best I stay at our escape point so I can respond to any of you getting in danger in equal measure time," Arstfall pointed out as he loaded a precariously strange bullet into his flintlock pistol. He then pulled out a small insert handing it to Kyra "If you run into any immediate illusion this should help you two see through them momentarily."
Kyra didn't say it outloud. She didn't have to. They had definitely gotten lost. Rhea had been so focused on following the trail of wood that she didn't even know where to begin on how to return. Could they follow the sun? Did they head away from it or towards its retreating brilliance? She couldn't remember.
It was getting dark quickly. Before the bitter chill could set in, they were found and led back to the camp. After eating what Arstfall provided and sharing some of the snacks she had brought along with the others, Rhea soon found herself unable to sleep. She'd already taken a nap earlier. To sleep now would be pointless. Instead, she spent the night leaning against a tree and adding these teammates of hers into the journal.
When morning came, the birds left their home to eat and it was time to strike. Since the other two were playing support, it would be best for the other two to focus on collecting the feathers. Rhea nodded and drew a quick feather and what seemed to be a bag to show the others her intent. She'd collect them and stuff them into her bag. Unless there was a bird to catch, she doubted anything in her arsenal would be of use at this point.
Kyra knew damn well that she had marked their way back, so seeing them get lost despite it made her swallow the lump in her throat. This did teach her a lesson though; never split from the group unless for life or death reasons. Especially if one member in their party actually knew where they were going.
Nothing to be ashamed of. Lesson learned.
After the plan was discussed, Kyra was offered the insert. The elf and the doctor had pretty much verified her and Rhea's roles in this mission. She took the insert in her hand. "Thank you. My magic can help with grabbing the feathers from a distance; that should be of help."
As the two girls complete the climb, with some help from the other two time to time, the effects of the illusions would increase, false climbing points or beams of light and reflections. But it would not be enough to stop the climb, upon reaching the top some of the more tired birds and young were on various perches and nests scattered about the butte. Keeping to themselves, a few did display their brilliantly bright feathers to scare off the two girls or to conceal their own presences. Not much time could be spent here and only seemed to agitate the birds further, it would not be long till they would attack or call back the others.
It did seem however that the feathers had an ability to process mana through them, which lead to the magic showcased by the birds and at least some of the illusions in the surrounding woodland. Collecting what they could and returning unharmed, Thalia greets the pair and studies the feathers with aid of the doctor, picking out the best looking of the batch for the test turnin.
With that out of the way the four would find leaving the forest a good deal more easy than when they had entered. With the evening sun looking down, the four would return to their fellows, prize in hand, or in bag in this case, as Thalia holds on to them, taking a set on a bench where she awaits the instructor and from there to collect her things from the gardeners.
Kyra stuck with the two people she was assigned to, trying to peek at the piece of paper the swamp elf had in her hands. The word of the Rainbow-Tailed Weather Gobbler… She'd never seen or heard of such a thing, considering her homeland consisted of nothing but caves. But, all in all, the task was to capture a large bird. That shouldn't be too difficult, right? It was just a bird…
"I have some magic that will be helpful in the actual capturing part. I can reach long distances with it and completely bind the bird in place. I can climb higher places, but the illusions themselves will be a real pain..." Kyra commented before introducing herself. "Kyra Solsteisse. You wouldn't happen to have illusionary cancellation magic, would you?"
"I shall be able to draw the creature, and have no issues with the illusions it creates. Yet someone else will have to catch it as hunting isn't a strong suit of mine," the good Doctor added as he tapped the sight inserts in his mask. Then realizing names were being based he stood silent for a moment before realizing it was his turn. "Ah you may call me Zachariah Arstfall if you get hurt please let me know," he spoke ending his turn to the only one who had yet to speak.
Nodding to the other woman, Thalia turns her attention to the 4th in the group, who had yet to say anything, as she noods in reply to the hunter. "I don't think it will be that simple, we'll need to do this during the night or the morning, during the Day it takes off to fly high into the sky… Or that is what I was told. Though the landscape itself and needing to move in the darkness or early morning may be difficult."
"Rah, Tha, Dah" One syllable per person. It was all Rhea could manage without being overwhelmed by her own mind. It worked best if the person had an 'awh' sound in their name. She got really lucky this time around. She could at least call out to each teammate in a way. Otherwise, she'd be left assigning them different grunts to get their attention.
Originally, she had thought that being put in the four person team was unlucky and that she had somehow caused this but perhaps it was just coincidence this time around. With a relieved smile, she shifted the bunny into one arm and used her free hand to pull a small small book out from her bag and flipped it open to the first page. On it was her name, Rhea Asturias in a neat font. The page was worn and a bit torn from constant use but it was still very much legible. It was a simple introduction. She didn't need to tell them she was mute. Anyone with half a brain could figure that much out on their own.
Rhea had briefly considered not telling them anything else but flipped the page anyway, her friendly smile not faltering in the slightest. 'I'm cursed. Do not touch me if you can avoid it.' It would be wrong to not let them know if they were to work together. She didn't give out details but hopefully it would be enough to deter them a bit. Her luck had taken a turn for the better after coming into contact with Arjuna but it was hard not to worry about it rearing its ugly head from time to time. Arjuna could protect her but she could not protect others, right?
As for what she could do... Rhea pinched her chin and thought about what role she could take in the Elf's plan to capture the bird. She wasn't as physically able as most. It would be best to assist Kyra with capturing the thing. Bending down, she gently set the bunny on the ground and drew a simple circle on her right palm with her right index finger. Though it showed nothing, the mana could be felt surging in her hand. In a fraction of a moment a glowing yellow orb the size of a coin appeared and grew to the size of a small ball. It didn't need much charging to showcase what it was capable of doing. She crushed the ball in her hand and the light unraveled into a net that wove its way through the gaps between her fingers and tightly bound her hand, trapping it in the clenched position it was in when she had crushed the ball.
Stretching her arm out, she showed off what she intended to help with. With a wave of her other hand, she dispelled it and made the orb again. This time, she stretched it out into an arrow as a simple demonstration. Anyone with eyes could see her stringless bow popping out of her bag. Rhea did not feel the need to explain any further. She dispelled the arrow and let them think of it as they wished. Finishing her little demonstration, she carefully picked the doll up off the ground and returned to her usual role of casual observation.
Watching the mute girl carefully, well largely a mute, Thalia looks at her book, her same hostile glare present. A curse? Given her own magic's relation to curses, she was unsure if she could be of help with this, or have a natural defense against it. Either way that question and school for thought was neither for here, nor now.
The display of magic told what Rhea would help with, or at least would be suited for in this case. Looking at her compatriots, the Elf considers all four for a bit, then nods.
"We should go now. We'll get as close as possible to its home, then we'll make camp. Once the sun's first rays shine we go the rest of the way and attempt to snatch the bird. A torch may give us away if we attempt the whole journey at night and none of us have natural night vision I think."
Pausing for a bit, she wished to make sure none had an objection as she starts the trek, it was not ideal, but short of getting any supplies they may need for one day their course was set.
With Thalia on point, most of the long distance journey fortunately had trails, which in turn allowed for good time, the distance was not short in the least. With a couple hours of daylight left, a forest was at the foot of a large butte covered in grass and moss, overlooking the area. To confirm this was indeed the way they should be headed, a bird with a large wing span cries as it flies through the air. It's appearance looked vaguely like a cross between a hawk or parrot combined with the size and large wing plumage of a peacock. Though the difference was the huge variety of colors, giving it the Rainbow part of its name. Diving in for the butte, the sunlight seemed to reflect off of the bird, shimmering as rays of light and illusion struck out from its source, vanishing nearly as soon.
A number of others were then visible from different angles, the butte likely was home to more than a few of them. Turning to look at the others, Thalia would speak;
"We can continue for a couple hours more, but I am not so sure about climbing the butte at night. We also need to find a semi open space near the foot of it to entrap one of the birds.. What say you?"
Kyra watched the mute girl with interest, keeping in mind her name and what her magic could do. Rhea would be great at assisting her in coming up with some kind of trap, or she and the doctor could lure the bird into whatever net Rhea had set out for them. Thalia could assist them in actually finding the bird. Seemed like a solid team.
Their journey towards the location was a long one, but it was not in vain. She could see the beautiful birds that they were supposed to capture; the animals themselves proving right away just how much of a hustle it was going to be to even get close to one. Assuming they weren't lucky enough to catch one before dark…
Damn, if only she could fly.
"Let's get searching. Maybe we can take this opportunity to study the birds' behavior and figure out a plan based on that."
Ah another cursed individual Dr. Arstfall was quite used to such company to the point it clearly didn't affect him as posture remained the same at the reveal of the info. He could offer her assistance, but would need to study the curse a bit first before concluding whether or not one of his skills could be helpful or dangerous for her. Yet for now the assignment was more important, and after a long trek their foot work had yielded proper results. As the team set up camp the good doctor removed his coat revealing rather than being a 6 ft tall hunched man he in fact had perfect posture as the coat was revealed to hide his own camping gear. Setting up a small tent in case any of his comrades wanted some rest before the hunt, it was revealed he, and Kyra had similar thoughts.
"A few clicks past the top of the butte is a perfectly flat area around their nesting spot. Probably where they primarily take flight from to shot for the sky. I note some good boulders our capture team can hide behind," he annotated to his team mates from atop a boulder himself when, and how he had got up there a complete mystery as he surveyed the area ahead with a telescope he had stashed. Though most of the birds were now inside the nesting cave some were still out, and about allowing him to observe their natural tendencies.
A bit curious how he had learned so much about the landmass around them, maybe he studied a map or some such on the way? However she still didn't agree with him or the more and rather only talkative woman in full. Speaking up in turn she gives a shake of her head;
"Maybe we can get away with just the feathers, there is no time to study them. We were given twenty four hours exactly to finish this and we've used up a good part of that getting here. They are birds as well, I would not trust some open area so easily.. Such areas rarely exist in nature without reason and most birds do not have a need for a running space."
Gazing back up at the small fortress of a hill, climbing it might be difficult, nevermind capturing a bird. "They aren't very small, I did not expect something a little larger than a Vulture.. Unless the Doctor brought a large bird cage with him, or wants to use his coat as a tarp, we may need to see if the feathers are tied to the magic rather than the bird.. I think I'll try and find us a food or water source.. Though this may mean a rethink of the plan is needed." She says, gazing at the others in her group.
For the past year, Rhea had thought she was strong or at the very least average but after that long trek, she felt a lot less confident about her own strength and even less about her poor stamina as she struggled along while her companions seemed more or less unfazed. The heiress had been bedridden for a good portion of her life. No amount of preparation would have readied her for the painful burning sensation in her legs. They felt like lead and trembled beneath her dangerously on the verge of collapse.
Though it was almost unbearably painful, it was also exhilarating in a way. Personally, she had never walked so far on her own. It was like she'd reached a milestone she didn't even think was possible prior. Reasonably, most would be disheartened but Rhea only felt pride and astonishment. It was this wondrous feeling of childish amazement and sheer willpower pushing her forward to this point.
When they had finally reached a safe open area to camp, Rhea was the first to settle down with a satisfied sigh, eternally grateful for the opportunity to rest her legs. Taking a seat on a large moss covered rock that had a smooth enough surface to get comfortable, Rhea pulled out the paper they had received and looked it over while the others made plans. She had already forgotten their goal halfway through the journey and needed a fresh reminder.
Based on what was written and from what she could recall of the elf's earlier intel, it was hard to make out whether they needed to capture and return with a whole bird or just collect its tail feathers. It wasn't as if the bird itself had much going for it aside from these feathers. She doubted it'd even make a good meal. Would it be a dumb question to ask?
It seemed the elf had thought something similar as she pointed this out, saving her the trouble. Regardless, it was still worrying. Rhea wasn't exactly smart but she was knowledgeable about some things. She'd done a lot of reading growing up. Pulling out her book and a quill, Rhea jotted down her thoughts, summarizing them into just a few sentences.
"Ah." She called out to them and wiggled her small book in her hands to draw their attention to it. If we only need the feathers, they'd likely be found around the nest. Molting can be painful and leaves most birds feeling vulnerable. They'd probably keep each other safe by grouping together there during those times if we're unlucky. Going by the original plan, they'd still be able to get the feathers but if they could find some by looking around, they may be lucky enough to not have to deal with the bird at all.
Problem was that the majority of the feathers would still be near the nest even if they didn't arrive during the right season. It was the one place the birds would definitely drop the darn things and also possibly the most dangerous. They could avoid most of them if they were to put it off until it was daytime. They may run out of time in doing so, however. They really didn't have much to spare and a confrontation with the birds may be unavoidable even if they dashed in, grabbed some and tried to leave.
Though she'd agreed to the skeleton of a plan earlier, Rhea wasn't sure she wanted to risk hurting the poor creatures if they could avoid it. It was a bird native to the land they stood and nowhere else. The locals may not want them getting harmed.
Flipping the page after she was sure the others had time to read what she had written in its entirety, she finished up with her thoughts on helping out with the camp. She was tired but she was still more than happy to do her part. We should avoid harming any birds if possible. I'll help find some firewood. It was a short break but it was worth it. Though her legs were still sore, they no longer trembled. They needed to build a fire. With the night always came a cold chill. It wouldn't do if they froze to death before they even got started.
Looking down at the stuffed rabbit in her arms, she briefly wondered if Arjuna would be fine walking around the forest if she were to take her along. The demon had been awfully quiet though. It was possible she was silently observing or asleep. Honestly, it was hard to tell when the rabbit's eyes were always open. Perhaps it was for the best that she kept her presence a secret for now. With great care, she set the rabbit alone in the tent that the doctor had set up. She could have left her on the rock but she didn't want to offend the being inside the rabbit or damage its temporary shell.
Once the rabbit was safe, she busied herself with tying her long green hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of the way and got ready to go help search for necessities. It was best to allow Thalia to choose what time they'd go out to hunt. She seemed more experienced in these sorts of things than the rest of them. She'd also led them around the forest almost naturally. The woman's gaze had frightened her at first but it was clear she was a very capable person and not exactly unkind either. It really was a blessing to have such good teammates.
Kyra nodded once in acknowledgement to the plan. She was glad they weren't going to just blindly charge those birds. All that was left now was for them to set up camp or execute said plan whenever they got the opportunity to.
And now that things had settled down for a bit, she didn't really want to stick around with the plague doctor and a woman who reminded her of the demon she had a pact with. So, coming up with the first excuse in mind, she said "I'm going to keep her company. Just in case something happens." then started following Rhea.
That wasn't a bad thing, right? If the girl was mute and needed help, she wouldn't be able to get their attention through writing. With Kyra as company, the two could get firewood twice as quickly and be able to watch out for one another.
"Rhea!" She called out to the girl, catching up with her rather quickly. "Hey, let me help you. I know it's just firewood, but with the both of us we'll be done in a couple of minutes."
As the two leave off, Thalia plants a hand to the ground as her eyes gain a slight glow, two little tree sprouts uplift themselves from the earth, twitching a bit, it was clear with how they moved about and looked around that they were Ents, one could correctly assume short lived rather than not. Thalia had grown up among the thickets of trees, of roots, fog and unnatural things. And right now those senses warned her about the forest closer to the butte and that likely played a role in why this area seemed so avoided. The Forest of the Lost, Whispers in the Woods, Thalia had heard details of this, though she had not seen fit to warn them yet.
"Wa...it." She says as the two girls wandered off. It was one thing for her to 'see' through this magic, to know some of these tricks, but it was another to explain these to some. For now all she could do was task one of her Ents with finding them and leading them back if they got too far away in the search for firewood.
As the two start their search for firewood it would be of little surprise if the two girls distanced from one another, or if one attempted so, however firewood would be forthcoming, but oddly so, pieces lead to one another, going deeper in, as the two girls ventured further, the sounds of footsteps and hushed whispers could be heard, the leaves would rustle and nature around them would both pick up in pitch and yet go complete still.. To the ears of the mute would come the stillness, to the ears of the broken half, the noise, then all would be still minus the sound of rushing footsteps leading away, firewood suited sticks in its wake.
Rhea was almost painfully oblivious to any dangers. After her parent's passing, Arjuna had somewhat taken up the task of telling her not to do dumb things. Now that the demon was out cold, she was free to do just that.
Unexpectedly, someone called out her name. Turning back to look, she found Kyra making her way towards her with the intention to help. "Mn!" Rhea happily agreed and expressed her gratitude by curling her fingers into a heart shape in front of her. Was there any better way to say thank you than with affection? Rhea didn't seem to think so as she held the heart up for Kyra until she caught up to her. Everything was always better with a companion around.
Though she was grateful for the assistance, Rhea was still aware enough to keep Kyra at some distance as they made their way deeper into the forest. It was quieter than she had expected. There was the rustling of leaves here or there but no longer did she see any birds flying about. It was weird. 'Did they go eat or something? Though she was curious, she didn't make much of it.
It didn't take long to find firewood. She thought nothing of the trail of wood that led them in as she found one after another. It seemed the trip would be a short one. Carefully, she gathered pieces into her arms and hummed the tune she had heard onboard the ship before to fill the silence. It was a catchy and oddly persistent tune that would get stuck in one's head for some time.
"Oh dear seems our teammates don't fully understand the situation," Zachariah noted as he got off the boulder he was on as it was agreed that they would simply collect some feathers. The problem was these woods were just as much affected by strange magic equal to the rumors of the bird's magics. The swamp elf had sent a ent out to try and retrieve them, but even as he was back on ground level the two were far gone.
"Do you believe the ent is enough? Or shall we fetch them before this test escalates?"
Heart hands. Been a long while since Kyra had one directed at her. She couldn't help but smile at the other girl.
Off to a good start.
Kyra looked around at first for some kind of item to try and leave a trail so that that could head back if they needed to. No rocks, or anything that stood out to help them. She thought about using her magic to dig into the ground and leave a prominent trail, but she settled with leaving scratches into the trees as their guide. It's not like the trees were going to be falling any time soon.
As they searched, something caught her attention. Something that made her pause and look around. She read Rhea's question and lightly shook her head.
"A few birds would leave if it was just food. Not all of them." She responded, suspicion lacing her voice as she listened further.
As the two ignore the whispers of the woods, they would for the time being be more or less left alone, though the way they had come was now unmarked, or rather, it was simply just gone. Bushes and trees seemed to be in the way, or had they actually gotten turned around?
Whatever the case may be, for now that would be left undiscovered in part. Back at the camp, the elf seemed a bit distant in her gaze and attention towards Zachariah, with subtle movements of her hand, one Ent moves into the woods while another stays near Zachariah.
"..nothing here should harm them seriously.. I will follow the path they left and try to get them back. If you wish to scout the birds out or look for food, this one will help you return. They can follow my aether back.. It will not help us with the feathers but.." With that she returns to her had gestures and distant gaze, every so often she would 'return' her attention placed firmly on the here and now. With a bitter smile to her face, she wished she had developed this magic more, but for now it did the job.
And with that the only one sane enough to stay close to camp was the medical element of the group. With a sigh followed by facepalm the doctor reviewed the surrounding area as he pulled out his gun as well as his cane oddly motioning the ent to follow.
"Well let us go find some food, and keep this fire fed I feel the opposition those three are running into will be quite stamina reducing," Arstfall exclaimed rather oddly talking to the ent as they went off to examine the resources in the immediate area to avoid the camp being left unintended.
The Ent would offer no words in response as it's glowy green eyes study the landscape, whatever food they found short of mushrooms, roots or edible plants would be from Arstfall as the small shrub would lead him back once done.
On the other side of things, the Ent would emerge from the forest, waving his arms and passing through a 'tree' that had shown up on their path, waving its small branch arms, Kyra would be led back to the trees she scratched, something that no Fae, Instructor or even the birds could so easily replicate, regardless of what was the cause of the attempted trap.
Vanishing down into the earth, the small ent gives a little wave, gone and it's work finished. Time would swiftly pass into the night with a few things learned about the surroundings and the behavior of the birds. A rather modest dinner would await them and baring he shared or allowed one of the girls his tent a night of outdoor sleeping, well if they slept at all in an alien woodland none of them knew about.
Having just laid on the ground, Thalia did sleep a little, as the sun was coming up, she puts back on her tunic top, having used it as a pillow during the night speaking aloud, she points into the sky, speaking up to awaken the rest, if they were every asleep or still asleep in anycase.
"Look! They are leaving, now is our chance to get up there." Putting her tunic back over her undershirt, she points forward, calling them to follow with a gesture of her hand. Going through the woods care was taken to mark their way back as they reach the butte. Along the way a few lingering illusions or the machinations of another seemed to get stronger, threatening progress in the hike, leaving the masked man, or Thalia with her Ents to pathfind the way forward as Kyra or Rhea marking the way back.
It was here however that things would need to be decided upon, the climb up the cliff would not be easy, walking forward and touching a hand upon the soil and rock, Thalia causes a pile of vines to grow up the side, reaching roughly the halfway point, keeping her focus upon it she speaks.
"You three must decide amongst yourselves who does what and who can aid in going the rest of the way. I must stay here, my magic is not so good as of yet to leave this as a permanent feature as more experienced of my kindred may do."
"Aight since we know they devour clouds I will place a shot at the fair opening hopefully leading away any straggler birds, and distracting any returning. From there it's best I stay at our escape point so I can respond to any of you getting in danger in equal measure time," Arstfall pointed out as he loaded a precariously strange bullet into his flintlock pistol. He then pulled out a small insert handing it to Kyra "If you run into any immediate illusion this should help you two see through them momentarily."
Kyra didn't say it outloud. She didn't have to. They had definitely gotten lost. Rhea had been so focused on following the trail of wood that she didn't even know where to begin on how to return. Could they follow the sun? Did they head away from it or towards its retreating brilliance? She couldn't remember.
It was getting dark quickly. Before the bitter chill could set in, they were found and led back to the camp. After eating what Arstfall provided and sharing some of the snacks she had brought along with the others, Rhea soon found herself unable to sleep. She'd already taken a nap earlier. To sleep now would be pointless. Instead, she spent the night leaning against a tree and adding these teammates of hers into the journal.
When morning came, the birds left their home to eat and it was time to strike. Since the other two were playing support, it would be best for the other two to focus on collecting the feathers. Rhea nodded and drew a quick feather and what seemed to be a bag to show the others her intent. She'd collect them and stuff them into her bag. Unless there was a bird to catch, she doubted anything in her arsenal would be of use at this point.
Kyra knew damn well that she had marked their way back, so seeing them get lost despite it made her swallow the lump in her throat. This did teach her a lesson though; never split from the group unless for life or death reasons. Especially if one member in their party actually knew where they were going.
Nothing to be ashamed of. Lesson learned.
After the plan was discussed, Kyra was offered the insert. The elf and the doctor had pretty much verified her and Rhea's roles in this mission. She took the insert in her hand. "Thank you. My magic can help with grabbing the feathers from a distance; that should be of help."
As the two girls complete the climb, with some help from the other two time to time, the effects of the illusions would increase, false climbing points or beams of light and reflections. But it would not be enough to stop the climb, upon reaching the top some of the more tired birds and young were on various perches and nests scattered about the butte. Keeping to themselves, a few did display their brilliantly bright feathers to scare off the two girls or to conceal their own presences. Not much time could be spent here and only seemed to agitate the birds further, it would not be long till they would attack or call back the others.
It did seem however that the feathers had an ability to process mana through them, which lead to the magic showcased by the birds and at least some of the illusions in the surrounding woodland. Collecting what they could and returning unharmed, Thalia greets the pair and studies the feathers with aid of the doctor, picking out the best looking of the batch for the test turnin.
With that out of the way the four would find leaving the forest a good deal more easy than when they had entered. With the evening sun looking down, the four would return to their fellows, prize in hand, or in bag in this case, as Thalia holds on to them, taking a set on a bench where she awaits the instructor and from there to collect her things from the gardeners.
