The Phoenix Colony

Fox stays there on her knees letting him check her ribs. "I know I couldn't have blocked that punch, so I just let it hit me. Relax, I'm tougher than I look, and I'm not crying because of the punch. Their has been enough violence for the time being, for know, we should just try to cool off." says Fox.

 

Smith let out a long sigh, and looked up towards the sky, then laughed. "My father would have beaten my A$$ if he ever found out i had hit you." He said looking past the stars to the place he was born, and raised. "I'm not even allowed to greive the loss of a freind on this planet with out someone trying to turn it into a life lesson." He said and offered Fox a weak smile. "This doesn't mean you're off the hook or anything." He said clarifying. "It just means i'm going to have to help you learn good people skills." Smith teased as he sat down against the wall, moving the rifle to the low ready posistion incase something tried to sneek up on them. He reached up and plucked a few more hairs from his head. "I should just go ahead and pull it all out so at least i could look clean shaven instead of balding old man." He complained. He was happy to be able to think that maybe he had gotten the wrong immpression of Fox. She needed someone like Allen around of course to counter her personality, but maybe she really did just need to relearn how to comunicate.

 

6:00 am about 42 degrees snow beginning to melt a bit

*** TIME ADVANCEMENT ***​

Time: 6:00 am...before daybreak
Conditions: 42 degrees F. Slowly melting snow, light warmer wind.

Reva had cried herself to sleep clutching the paper. She ordinarily would have woken about 6 but pure exhaustion and grief caused her to sleep longer.

((sorry...bit of a cop-out but I'm going to bed. I'll write in the morning a little then I'll be gone till noon. Try not to get too far ahead of me especially on the important stuff. You can assume that Reva asked you guys to build a bonfire outside for when Frank and his cronies show up. Keep watch. Also gather more food for the meeting, etc. and there are always fortifications that can be done.))

 

Fox sits down next to Chad, on the outside of the cave, as they remained on guard duty throughout the night. "Hey Chad, can I ask you a personal question? Have you ever been in love?" asks Fox as she stares into the crimson hole in the sky. She was suprised that it was still there.

 

Smith followed her gaze. Thinking seriusly about the question. He loved Chrys, but it was in a older brother way. He felt the love of a freind with Reva, but nothing more. "I can't say I have." He awnsered truthfully. "A hand full of crushes but nothing more." He added, and reached up plucking a few hairs from his head. He now only had hair around the ears left. He was going to keep at it till he had a head like mister clean, he thought almost determinedly.

 

Derek sat on a rock next to the stream, holding a makeshift fishing rod that he had just completed. He had made it out of a long stick and both of his bootlaces tied together. He then used a small, sharp rock to delicately carve a hook and attach it to one end of the string. It had take him nearly the entire night to make the stick in the darkness, but it kept his mind off of what had occured.

So, with his new rod in hand, he sat and waited for a bite. He hadn't had the opportunity to bait it, but he didn't mind waiting the extra time for a bite. He just leaned back and relaxed...as long as he could.

Derek could only suppress his thoughts for so long. He forced himself to realize that the tribe had lost two of its most important members the day before, and without him, he felt it was severely weakened if that other group decided to attack. At that point his thoughts were interrupted as he felt a tug on the string. He began to tug back, but whatever was on the other end of the line was large. The battle began.

 

Cody looked to Cull from across the bonfire, the flickering of flames outlined his face he was sullen, more then she’d seen it in the past. She could feel the stress the anger emanating from him. Cody couldn’t understand why he wasn’t able to let go. There would be no one to save them from here. It was time to make the most of the place they were trapped in make it home. Cody didn’t like the planet either. But as far as she could see it was this or rotting in prison, she liked this idea much better.

She moved to Cull’s side and put a hand on his shoulder. “Cull everything is okay, isn‘t it?”

 

Chrys sat a by herself in the forest, she had come to thisspot last night, needing some time to herself.

She was beginning to settle into a bit of a deprression and had begun a list of reasons why she was upset.

...Let's seee, since we arrived here..:
-I've become an orphan
-become a cat
-become the tribe pet
-had the crap beat outta me by the wind
-had the crap beat outta me by something I couldn't even see....I have to stop this, this helps nothing, I have to stop moping....good thought, think good thoughts....
goodies that have happened since got here...
-made real freinds for the first time in my life
-saw my dad one last time
-better eyesight
-better balance
-I have a tail, if that's a good thing
-regained my true self
-I finally began to live a life.... Chrys scaled up a tree, using her foreclaws, and rested on a branch, where exhaustion finally reminded her that it could not be ignored....dis wittle kit-e needs sum sweep...

With one last yawn, Chrys allowwed the inevitable, and dozed in the coming dawn.

 

When Reva woke it was with a keen hunger, an aching throat from last night's sobs, and a deep desire for a shower. She also would have killed for coffee, event the battery-acid type liquid that the prison had served under the same name.

For one moment she forgot where she was, then her hand bumped the rock wall. She sat up, moved to rub her eyes and found the paper still in her fist. She carefully uncrinkled it, smoothed it on her knee, and folded it away again into the pocket of the leather jacket which she draped over her arm. The warmth in the cave made it unnecessary as of yet.

She returned the blanket to Raylene's pile, noting that she seemed to be sleeping easier, and greeted Cull and Cody as she combed her fingers through her hair. It was beginning to lose its shagginess, getting longer, soon it would reach her shoulders. She felt bad that she hadn't spent any time with these newcomers.

"How is Raylene doing, Cull?" Reva almost called him Doc.

 

Viva blinked as dawn descended upon them. She had basically passed out since the beast hunt - or oblivion hunt since she didn't understand most of it - and had been singing MJ songs in her sleep. She now stumbled forward, feeling a bag roll under her legs.
"Hey, did we catch a live hunt this time?"
She asked, and then yawned, looking down at the slithering hide. She removed the hide and then screamed.
"What is that?!"
The busy, snakey creature sneered at her and then looped around her neck before she could blink. She then yelled harder:
"HELP!"
Her female instinct had formerly kicked in, but then she started to cool down. She felt the slimy part of the creature lick her as she tried hard to breathe and not scream.
"Well, you're loved."
By a snake with hair and agility? I'm charmed.

 

Cevin chuckled as he slowly roasted some ape flesh. He watched as the furry snake thing cuddled up to Viva and began licking her. It looked so cute and harmless, it was ahrd to believe that it would grow up to be a monster. He tapped Viva on the shoulder. "Looks like you have a new friend."

 

Viva felt a tickle of joy and fear jump roll inside of her as she grinned.
"Where'd you get this thing?"
She asked, and then yawned.
"Actually, you should tell me what happened yesterday. I was totally zoned out and can't comprehend a thing."
The snake then climbed down her back, into her shirt.
"Hey, that tickles!"
She giggled, at which the creature meowed and poked its head out of her collar. Viva petted it and then looked at the ape meat. She wondered if her new 'friend' was hungry.

 

Fox stands up and walks into the cave. She sees Reva over by Cull and Cody. "I guess I should just get it over with." thinks Fox.

She walks over and taps Reva on the shoulder. "Um....Reva. There is something I need to say to you. In private." says Fox.

 

With Fox's interruption the desire for coffee became a sharp pang. How on...well, not Earth...wherever they were...was Reva supposed to deal with all this WITHOUT COFFEE?

"Yeah," Reva muttered, trying to keep an acid bite out of her tone, "sure."

She led Fox out of the cave and to where they were mostly out of earshot. The snow was beginning to melt and the temperature had risen a little, Reva crossed her arms out of pique, not from bracing out the cold and waited for Fox to say her piece.

 

Pasha tried to stay as close as he could to Viva without getting close enough to touch the beast. He wasn’t fond of the thing all ready. It was a monster, no matter how young it was. It was too large, and possibly too many to exist in this world. That’s why the dinosaurs no longer existed.

“We just ran into the beast.. kind of. He dashed past us, and we took that thing from her cave.” He explained.

He poked the fire with his knife, sending a few embers into the air.

“You know, it’s not nice to keep calling it the beast. This one isn’t trying to eat you.” He heard his mother say.

“Yeah. He’s quite nice by the looks of it.” Yuri added.

“She.”

They started their normal argument, but he quickly put them into the back of his mind.

“We should name it.” He said, looking at them both.

 

"Look, about yesterday. I'm sorry about argueing with you. I was upset about what happened to Brit, and I lashed out at you. It won't happen again." says Fox, as the looks at the ground.

 

Viva had started to like the animal already. She petted it as in wiggled around her shoulder, giving her a hearty laugh.
I don't want to play drug addict anymore.
"Not like you were doing a splendid job."
Viva chuckled, letting her happiness out.
"It's so cute!"
She said in a soft, surreal tone. She then kissed the head of the snake.
“We should name it.”
Pasha said, at which Viva giggled and tickled the animal's stomach.
"How about Tatee?"
The animal meowed at the mention, at which she giggled and said out cheerily:
"She's given her opinion!"

 

Reva was surprised at Fox's apology. She felt bad for feeling grumpy.

"Look, you helped me when we got here, I haven't forgotten that," Reva replied, "I appreciate the apology and I really feel bad about Brit's death. I know this can't be easy for you. It's just that I know that if we don't pull together...if we keep scrapping and fighting and it's everyone for themselves we won't make it."

Reva looked at Fox narrowly.

"You're exhausted and you're walking funny."

It was true, Fox was walking a little hunched and gingerly. It looked as though breathing hurt. Reva suddenly wondered what had happened the night before.

No time to find out. Reva had asked for preparations to be made for when Frank and his men came back but she saw precious little happening.

"Fox, you were up all night. I bet you don't remember the last time you slept. Go. Get some food and get your head down for a few hours."

Reva's face tightened.

"When Frank's bunch get here I think we all need to be on the ball."

((GM ruling...Fox has 2 broken ribs. ))

 

"Um...yeah. I guess I could use some sleep. Don't worry, I'll be ready when Franks group comes back." says Fox, as she holds her ribs. She walks back to the cave and lays down in a quiet spot. "I won't let you sacrifice go in vain. I will accomplish amazing things and I'll make you proud." thinks Fox.

 

After what had happened last night everybody was on edge. Allen hadn't been able to get any chance of getting away from camp, so he went back to sleep.

Allen went over to Chad and sat down.

"Do you know what the difference is between animals and humans?"

 

Raylene was sweating under the mound of furs. The sun was rising, the fire was roaring and the shivering was gone. She pushed the blankets off and stood up, unsteadily. She swooned from the dizzy feeling that surrounded her skull and felt the lump on the side of her head.

She managed to walk out of the cave and blinked at the brightness compared to the dim cave. She moved to a side where the snow hadn't been disturbed by feet or animals and scooped up a handful and began to eat it. She was thirsty and the stream seemed to far at the moment. Taking a seat on a rock, she scooped up another handful and ate it. It's just a sno-cone with no flavor, she thought. Looking around, she sees Reva and weakly waves at her.

"Remind me not to go out in the cold anymore."

 

Smith looked up to see Fox limp by, he didn't have the guts to ask her how she was, he had done it after all. Then Allen appeared out of no where sat down and asked, "Do you know what the difference is between animals and humans?"

"Animals can't reason." He said without more than a moments thought. He didn't think Allen had talked to him since he had appologized to him. He wondered what this was about.

 

"That's not true. Many animals have shown that they have reasoning capabilities. Chimps make tools, so do some dolphins. They have emotions. Elephents mourn their dead. Animals can think, they feel, they hold grudges. The real difference between us and them is that we refuse to play the hand we are dealt. Animals adapt to their surroundings. People make their surrounding adapt to them. we bring water into the deserts. We cut down forests and level mountains to make room. We build bigger and more complex tools to do what we want, and we make weapons to kill animals that are bigger, stronger, and faster than us."

Allen looked around at their little camp. It would have to do for now. This creature had killed a lot of people in a short time, and he needed them, much though he hated to admit it.

"We should change our environment."

 

As Fox walked away Reva reflected that she hadn't seen Derek, at all. Just then she saw Raylene stagger from the cave, sit in the melting snow and start eating it. Well, that made sense. The poor woman looked as though she'd been hit and dragged.

"Remind me not to go out in the cold anymore."

"I doubt you will after that experience." Reva grinned at her and looked more curiously for Derek.

She ducked back into the cave and looked but he was nowhere. She stood indecisively for a moment. Chrys was gone, too.

Derek and Chrys were gone. At the same time. Reva frowned, she was almost sure where Derek might be but suddenly was sure that if she went after him there she would find he and Chrys together.

And perhaps not wanting to be disturbed.

Reva sighed and went looking for something to eat, smiling at Chad and Allen as she walked by, wishing her thoughts away.

 

Smith had understood what he was saying about the difference between man and animal, but had been totally lost on what exactly he wanted changed. "You want me to kill some one or biuld a house." He said kind of jokingly, and smiled. "Really though, what are should we change?" He asked and hopped that Allen didn't want him to kill someone, or biuld something. He though of Ben. Ben's death actually, remembering the part about killing bigger stronger faster animals.