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[angel_of_death]

[Those who have met Walter before will recognise the face they see—a pale boy with obsidian-black hair. Said hair is drenched, weighed down and sticking to his face. He's out in the storm, tucked into a makeshift shelter that appears to be constructed with fallen branches. They shake considerably in the wind, and the wind itself is howling, significantly interfering with the quality of the sound.]

Right the-. [Right then.]

As you can see-- [And hear.] -- the wea--er's right foul --- here. If you're not already out, y-- probably shou--n't come out.

[The weather's right foul out here. If you're not already out, you probably shouldn't come out.

His frown turning into a scowl, the boy tucks back deeper into the shelter, cupping his hand near the phone's microphone. With his hand blocking the wind, there's less interruption, but the background noise of heavy pattering starts to come through as well. The branches and their leaves are visibly shivering under the assault, and seem to jerk with each gust of wind.]

There's hail ranging from mint imperial size right up to the size of golf balls in addition to the rain, so watch yourself if you do come out.

[One untimely hit with a golf ball sized bit in just the right spot is liable to knock a bloke out, he figures. He looks up, glancing off camera to his side as a few branches move on camera. There's the hint of someone moving in the periphery of the feed, apparently doing what they can to shore up their little shelter. His mouth opens as he speaks to check on them, but the words are lost to the feed as lightning flashes and thunder strikes.]

Swiving piss--!

[ That immediate answer was a response to the cracking thunder than what Walter asked, though it's clearer than the words that follow. Once again the microphone struggles to pick up the other's voice properly. ]

Aye, well--t'keep us livin' for a bit. It won't last f--under this much!

[ Even half cut by the noise, it's a voice that might be familiar to a handful of others: Cehd'ra's the one putting the shelter together. At least as best as he can with the tools he has available. Which are none. ]

--mazed that works t'all right now. Y'callin--help?

-o. I w-s warning --em about th- hail.

[The dark haired boy looks back to the screen, shielding the microphone again.]

I suppose if anyone that's completed the ritual that grants us so-called immortality wants to come out, the fellow building the shelter here might like some help.

[It's then that another strike of lightning hits. It's so close that anyone watching the feed can see the flash of it reflected in the boy's eyes. There's a horrific crack followed immediately by another crackling boom.]

—Well that tree just exploded.

[The boy is unruffled, but clearly annoyed.]

[ Whatever Cehd'ra might have to say at that subtle dig is overridden by said explosion. Quite suddenly Walter is no longer alone on the screen, Cehd'ra having decided the lean-to being 'good enough'. Or maybe he just didn't want to risk being pelted with heated splinters as well as hailstones.

His eyes are large and his ears flat, one can imagine how puffed up his tail is, but he offers the screen his best reassuring smile. ]

Wasn't ours, though! 'Picked a small one t'hide under, we'll be fine. For a bit. So...no rush!

[ Please rush. ]

[Walter, in the meantime, shoots his companion a wholly sceptical look. Even if he's confident they'll make it through, he doesn't believe that 'no rush' business, either.]

Comments

video; un: li_min

[kiss_it_better]

[...

He sighs, but when he does answer he looks as calm as ever.]

Do you know where you are?

[Since he did complete the ritual. Maybe he can find a box of a board that he can carry with him to protect him from the hail.]

Why are the two of you even outside?

So about that whole 'staying up at night is bad for you' thing...

[angel_of_death]

Brocéliande. Something put me to sleep.

[He hadn't thought to interrogate his current companion as to why he was also out there, them both being in a troublesome situation as it is.]

I woke up to this.

[It's definitely not high on his list of best ways to wake up. However, it's not top on the worst ways to wake up, either.]

LOL

[kiss_it_better]

[He wanted to make a comment about Walter's sleeping habits and the hours he keeps. But falling asleep outdoors for no reason also doesn't seem like something Walter would do.

It would also be wholly unproductive.

So he only sighs again.]

All right. Do you know what put you to sleep? And are there any landmarks nearby?

[angel_of_death]

[On the feed, Walter seems to be distracted for a moment before Li Min answers, speaking to his companion. The words between the two on the screen are muffled completely, as Walter's hand has settled more firmly over the microphone. He does, however, hear when his acquaintance speaks up, and is quick to turn his attention back to the screen.

He moves his hand off the microphone before he answers.]

...We're in a hollowed out tree, not that that's saying much in the middle of a forest. I'd say we're a little way south of that fountain that was at the end of the run last night.

[kiss_it_better]

[He's patient as he waits for him to answer.]

Well, that's starting point. [But that still leaves a huge chunk of forest...

The brush of his familiar's tail against his arm reminds him of something.]

Is your familiar with you?

[angel_of_death]

No.

[He'd wanted some time to himself after the participating festivities that night, and had sent his familiar away so that he could the rest of the time in solitude.

He's about to ask why Li Min asked, when his mind supplies a potential answer for him.]

...You want it to guide you to us?

[His Black Dog is exceptional at navigating. It would make sense.]

[kiss_it_better]

Your familiar is an exceptional guide, after all.

[And also, he felt even if the Black Dog couldn't guide him at least his pixiu could maybe sniff it out if it were with Walter.]

And dogs are useful for finding lost items and missing people, are they not?

[As he's speaking he's sort of moving around the cellar he's in now, looking to see what supplies are available that he might want to bring with him.]

[angel_of_death]

[Walter looks away from the screen by the time his acquaintance speaks, gesturing to the phone screen as he looks to the other person in his company. As such, the microphone of the device is again uncovered, the wind catching it and causing interference once again.

"-o wh-t y'--ed." The static-garbled words of his associate come through.

He registers Li Min speaking just before a hailstone of marked proportions strikes the lean-to of the shelter, knocking it off balance and letting the wind rip through. The gale-force currents howl against the microphone, overpowering the sound of the cat-eared man's hiss as he gets up to work on righting it. Once he's off screen, Walter turns his attention back to Li Min.]

Are you near the hotel? [From the surroundings he can see on the video feed, it doesn't look like his acquaintance is in his room.] I can send it to the front door.

[kiss_it_better]

[That hailstone was a surprise but at the same time...not totally unexpected. The sound of the wind howl is enough to make his pixiu jump a little and spread her wings in preparation to act.

Chang Geng decides the first question doesn't actually matter. He doesn't sound rushed but he's firm when he says...louder than before in case it can't be heard over the storm on their end,] I'll meet your familiar there.

[There's really nothing he could really use to protect against the hail but there's a lantern at least. So he takes that with him as he goes out, his pixu following at his side as he shoved the cellar door open. And headed for the hotel.]

Action;

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[ Walter had mentioned 'immortality' granted by the ritual...but Cehd'ra isn't feeling particularly immortal at the moment. He feels vulnerable enough that the first thing he did upon being woken up by the crash of thunder was seek shelter, grabbing Walter along the way.

A cave would have been ideal, but the stunted tree is hallowed out just enough to fit two, leaving Cehd'ra to throw together a lean-to that would shield them from the rest.

He doesn't know who Walter is, only saw that he was young and made his decision from there. Though it's quickly become obvious that Cehd'ra is more nervous than the boy... ]

Gods be good. 'Never seen a storm this wild...th'hells happened t'cause it?

Re: Action;

[angel_of_death]

I'm not sure. But I'd love to find out.

[Walter is still surly. His clothing is completely soaked, sticking to his skin in uncomfortable ways. It's unpleasant.

At least he had gotten redressed after the run last night. This would have been a lot worse had he only had a flimsy robe to clothe himself with.]

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[ Cehd'ra can attest: only having a flimsy robe in this downpour is much worse. He may as well still be nude for all the protection it gives him. ]

N'give those responsible a stern word, I'm sure.

[ If there even is a person to blame. And all that comes after surviving their current troubles, of course. Troubles that won't end anytime soon, judging by the way the wind never lessens and the constant roar of hailstones only seems to grow louder as more branches are torn away. Cehd'ra tries to match Walter's nonchalance but it's a struggle, even for him. ]

Let's see how well I can juggle continuity here...;;

[angel_of_death]

[Walter is about to reply when a sound from the person responding to their feed draws his attention. He has the earbuds in, so the voice coming from the other side is considerably muffled.]

...We're in a hollowed out tree, [he says, talking into the microphone of the device], not that that's saying much in the middle of a forest. I'd say we're a little way south of that fountain that was at the end of the run last night.

[Another few seconds of sound from the earbuds indicate the other person is saying something back.]

No.

...You want it to guide you to us?

[Having replied, Walter looks back to Cehd'ra and gestures to the phone.]

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[ Not even the Miqo'te's ears can pick up the voice Walter's speaking to but Cehd'ra can guess well enough that he's not being flat out ignored. The gesture is answered with a nod and vague wave for Walter to continue. Let him sort out their rescue, Cehd'ra will continue seeing to their immediate shelter. ]

Do what y'need.

[ Which is around when a ball of ice the size of a child's fist crashes clear through the canopy and clips the lean-to, knocking it askew and letting the wind and rain in. Cehd'ra hisses a curse and rushes to try and fix it. ]

[angel_of_death]

[Approximately thirty seconds later, Walter emerges from the shelter, the pouring rain instantly re-drenching his shirt and turning the white fabric practically see-through, the heavier, dark wool of his waistcoat the only thing preventing the weather from revealing any of the details of the boy's chest.

The pattering water and striking hail are noisy, the wind that comes in bursts even more so, but Walter takes a deep breath and lets out as loud a whistle as he can muster, running a current of magic through his own body to act as a homing signal for his familiar to track.

It takes a dozen or so seconds more, but eventually, the sound of something large running on all fours can be heard against the backdrop of rain and wind.]

[stabbersinyerfambles]

[ It will be easy to see that, for all Cehd'ra's efforts, he's fighting a losing battle keeping their shelter intact. Hail is making it through more and more easily, taking broken branches down with it, and the wind is stealing away much of the debris Cehd'ra could be using for repairs.

Walter isn't acknowledged until he lets out that whistle, the piercing sound making the sharp-eared Miqo'te double take. Though he's new he's picked up enough about familiars to figure that's what Walter's calling for--his own wouldn't be much more than another body to try and keep out of harm's way. ]

Th'guide, eh?

[ Cehd'ra is half-leaning out of their hollowed tree, shouting to be heard and just as soaked with rain. Through the thin robe a number of old scars can be made out, including what looks like it was once an ugly bite wound on his forearm.

It might not be strange, then, when the specific heavy panting that accompanies the black dog's approach makes him still. ]

[angel_of_death]

That's right!

[Walter is likewise raising his voice to be heard. The splashing and the panting draw nearer, a black shape appearing through the sheets of descending rain. It's large — over three feet high down on all fours —, with long fur weighed down by the damp, just as Walter's hair is also weighed down.

It comes to a stop in front of Walter, the young man looking down at his familiar and speaking to it in a firm tone.]

Go to our hotel. Mister Li Min will be waiting for you there. Bring him back to us, and guard him if he gets into danger.

audio. un: credo

[honorkept]

[ Credo sees this much later, but he can't help but ask: ]

It sounds like someone came to help you both. But really... why are you sleeping out in the woods in the first place?

Text. Still an anonymous boy.

[angel_of_death]

[Oh, great. It's that bloke who threatened to kill him. A lovely day this is turning out to be.

At least he has somewhat more enjoyable company in person... said company being why he decides to respond in text instead of any of the other available mediums.]

I already said I was put to sleep.

[He wasn't just sleeping in the woods for the hell of it.]

[honorkept]

Forgive me for asking you to repeat yourself, but how were you put to sleep?

[angel_of_death]

[He pauses, only a few seconds of deliberation lapsing before he decides to answer; even if he might not get along with this fellow, perhaps someone will get some use out of the information.]

Of that, I am unsure. I was out in the woods after all things regarding the ritual wrapped up and suddenly found myself unusually fatigued. I am used to being out at night, so it was quite out of the ordinary for me. Yet, when I woke up, aside from being drenched, nothing appeared to have attacked me or otherwise taken advantage of my unconscious state.

[honorkept]

Something with the ritual that went wrong, perhaps?

That isn't anything that we were warned about, but perhaps, it is because we are not of the fae?

[angel_of_death]

It's possible. [Any number of things are possible at this point.] Was anyone up at night in the city affected?

[honorkept]

I'm afraid I don't know.

There's been no message of others suffering the same and with the storm as it is, I'm

[ Ah, but what if there are others that are asleep in the forest right now? Would they wake up the same as the anonymous individual? ]

I'm headed into the forest right now. Just in case your situation is not unique.

[angel_of_death]

If the lightning and thunder haven't woken them up, they're either deaf or dead.

But if you're coming out anyway, mind the trees. Just because we might have magical protection for a little while longer doesn't mean it will be much help if a bloke ends up pinned underneath a fallen trunk.