\|/ Turn 50, before early light
We have to hide. We aren't alone.
The weather turned horrible. What was an annoying wind is now wreaking havoc outside. We're lucky to have made it.
I was taking watch while Mik slept. At some point, I swore I could see an eye moving in the distance, but I reasoned it was sleep deprivation and exhaustion playing tricks on me.
The wind woke Mik up, and we both saw what was happening. I wrote "hide" and Mik agreed. Mik picked up a few branches from the embers and we ran for it. The torch was flickering the entire time and we could barely see, but I tried to keep us in the general direction of when we were heading to the ship. I had the bowls and Mik's water bottle.
We found a cave somewhere in the forest. Not quite Mik's height, but enough. We went inside and hid. It was so loud outside.
We went in a bit deeper since the wind was making the entrance impossible to be in.
And that's when we saw the eye.
I keep calling it 'the' eye, but I know what it is now.
The shadow, a new one, is smaller than the last one, being slightly taller than me. It's staring at us from between two rocks and hiding from the light. It's not making the air poisonous yet. The shadow knows it's outnumbered, and I think it's afraid.
Mik doesn't dare approach it, and I'm not too sure either, but I have a gnawing feeling that this shadow is the kin of the shadow I killed. I want to leave it alone, but we can't leave.
The torch is slowly burning away. We don't have much light left.
I just wanted to write what happened to us before it went out.
\|/ Turn 50, barely early light
Wer'e still here.
Spent entire dark with shadow. Itnot move. Barly write now, little light inside cave ,tracing with claw.
Shadow isscared. I tried to calmit, but it won't move. Writre later, still wind.
\|/ Turn 50, midlight
The wind is gone. Everyone survived, somehow.
Mik and I stayed in the cave for the entire dark. The improvised torch didn't last long at all, maybe a mark, likely less. The shadow I mentioned kept hiding behind the rocks the entire time; even when the light went out. Its eye was slightly reflective, so Mik and I saw where it was.
When the light went out, I glued myself to Mik. We were both constantly looking in the direction of the shadow. Mik made the entire cave taste of panicked fear. I thought that would provoke the shadow into attacking, but it didn't.
After quite a bit of both of us standing, I hissed something (I don't remember what) to Mik and sat down. My legs were shaking from how long we had been standing. Mik stayed standing for a bit longer, though it couldn't take it anymore, either, so it sat down next to me.
The shadow also changed position at one point, the eye moving down a bit. I felt a gentle thump on the ground. I think it sat down as well. We all knew this was going to last for a while, and the shadow was more than patient enough for something like that. One thing that horrified me was when I saw it blink for the first time.
Not a regular blink, but a nauseating wave effect over its entire "eye". I shuddered when I saw that and Mik gave a horrified whimper.
It was impossible to keep track of time. I felt drowsy and alert at the same time. Whether moments or spans passed, I couldn't tell. My sanity frayed from being in that position for so long, and I kept rethinking the same thing:
It's smaller, what if it's the child of the one I killed?
My stomach turned from the thought. Now, we were terrorizing the kin by cornering it. I decided to try and calm it.
I let go of Mik, slowly standing up and approaching the shadow.
"Maya?" Mik called out to me.
"It's fine." I hissed back lightly, taking very careful steps towards the shadow.
The shadow immediately got up, taking a step back. It blinked once.
Mik kept calling out to me, probably grasping at nothing in the dark as I approached the shadow.
I saw the shadow press against something as it backed up as much as it could. I still couldn't see its body, but I knew where it was.
"Don't worry…" I hissed gently. I crouched further to make myself smaller. At that point, I was about half the height of the shadow.
It didn't make any threat or defensive displays. No hissing, snarling or sudden movements. It was just pressed against the wall. I wasn't sure whether it even knew how to make a threat display; the species probably never had to.
Then, I realized that I was just approaching with no actual goal. I didn't have any food to offer to the wild animal.
I slowly turned around, trusting it wouldn't pounce on me with Mik still watching it. Fortunately, I was right.
At that point, I could barely make out Mik's color against the cave. I went back towards it, reaching for the bottle. When I did that, Mik grabbed me by my outstretched arm.
"Mik" I said, tugging my right arm back. Mik wasn't budging. "Stop it."
I put the bottle down and tried prying Mik off my arm. It still wouldn't let go. Mik kept saying things in a small tone.
I pointed my claws into Mik's hand as I pried. I felt them dig into the weird flesh, but I made sure that they weren't actually drawing blood.
Mik finally let go with a yelp. I quickly picked up the water bottle and took a step back, not allowing Mik to grab me again. Mik tried a weird gesture by bringing its hands out to me.
I tuned back towards the shadow and poured some water into the bowl. There was very little remaining in the bottle when the bowl was partially filled.
I put the bottle down and started going back towards the shadow. It had moved forward a bit, but it quickly moved back as I approached.
"I'm not going to hurt you." I hissed gently. I hoped that the shadow would understand my tone.
When I got close, about four lengths away, the air started stinging. The horrific sweet-acidic taste. The shadow was breathing deeply.
I powered through the agony. I got to about three lengths when I lost my sense of air taste again. I heard Mik coughing loudly behind me.
I put the bowl down about two lengths away from it. From the perspective I was in, the shadow was towering over me, and the air was more and more intense.
I started slowly moving backwards, facing the shadow. My lungs were burning, and dark thoughts started resurfacing from the first shadow. I bit my hand to keep grounded, almost chipping my teeth against my scales.
I managed to get back and collapse next to Mik. Mik had pulled its shirt over its face and had mostly stopped coughing. I felt the air slowly get less painful as I wheezed on the ground.
When I turned around, I saw the shadow staring at the bowl.
It then brought its head down to the bowl. I couldn't see exactly what it was doing, but the eye was tilted downward.
After a moment, the shadow brought its head up again and I heard water dripping. It had actually drunk the water. I should've felt relieved that I minimized its suffering, but I didn't.
There was enough light for me to see Mik placing its palm on its head. I didn't understand the gesture.
Then came the sound.
Suns, it was the same damn sound.
The shadow made the same sound as the one I had killed made. The only sound it ever made. The vibration echoed off the cave rocks, making it piercing for the otherwise silent cave.
Mik immediately tensed up and picked up the hatchet, quickly standing up. I covered my head and whimpered.
The shadow pinned itself further from us again. I heard a clack from its claws as it stepped back more.
Mik breathed deeply and slowly sat down again. Mik didn't know that noise, but I did.
It felt like the world collapsed in on me. Making the identical noise all but confirmed it was the kin of the shadow I had killed. I felt horrible, and I couldn't do anything to change it.
I couldn't undo what I had done, and I would always remember it.
That damn sound, buried in my memory, buried in my arm.
More time passed. I sat, leaning my side against Mik's back, but I wasn't watching the shadow anymore. I couldn't. That gaze would kill me. I kept myself from crying so the shadow wouldn't get provoked.
The wind slowly died down, at least from what we could hear underground. More light filtered in.
Everything felt hazy and muffled after that. At some point, we left the cave. I don't even remember when or how, just that we were out. I just remember light and walking.
Mik and I went somewhere. We never got the bowl back.
I'm writing all of this in some bush now. I feel as if I wasn't conscious after that sound. The wind has died down.
Mik is still sleeping, it tastes exhausted, and I feel like I haven't slept. The hatchet, bottle and one bowl are here.
I just checked the bottle. It's nearly empty. I almost hurt Mik by giving the shadow water. I'll go find water, so I don't kill Mik too.
\|/ Turn 50, dark
I'm barely writing this at this point. I can't stop shaking.
After my last entry, I went out of the bush with the bowl to find some water. I walked in a wide circle, trying to orient myself on where Mik and I had gone, but there was nothing to guide me. We must've just chosen a random direction after the cave, which meant I couldn't go back.
Go back for what? What am I even writing anymore?
…
After the circle, I decided to try a random direction to see if I could find any clearing or some water source. There was no specific taste in the air or noise, aside from the usual singing. I saw different bushes and fungi than I remembered, but there weren't any fruits yet, just flowers. I tried to keep focus, but I felt as if the world was blurred.
I saw the destruction the storm had truly made. Some trees were even completely toppled and uprooted, and I was constantly stepping over branches and debris. I passed by a shattered egg on the ground.
The sight haunted me. I started thinking about the shadow and I hurried away.
As I was walking, I tasted a strong sense of… ozone.
There was faint ozone in the air from the wind itself, but this was potent. I followed the taste.
I got to a clearing and saw an electric grass valley.
When I got close enough, I saw that there were scorch marks everywhere. I kept my distance for a moment, trying to figure out what had happened.
The wind…?
Wait…
I realized that the scorch marks were from friction from the wind. There must've been so much electricity here that it turned air into plasma.
Suns…
I still had the problem of finding water, however. I had a theory on the grass itself.
I did this, and I have to fix it.
I gathered my courage and approached the valley. I didn't immediately get arced to death.
I got to the very edge of the field and touched the edge of where the "mesh" began. Nothing happened to me.
Must've discharged…
I grabbed a handful of the grass and started pulling. It was surprisingly durable, and I struggled to get it out.
Until it suddenly ripped off, creating a blinding spark.
I fell backwards, managing to catch myself with my arm.
My left arm.
"AAAAAH!"
The pain was unbearable when I landed on it. I screamed into the valley from agony.
I kept crying to myself that I deserved it.
And I did.
When I finally calmed down, I put a handful of broken grass into the bowl. I crushed it.
My theory was correct; it was full of liquid.
It released some dark green liquid that didn't have a specific taste. When I crushed the grass further, I felt my fist getting small shocks and tingling. I threw out the crushed grass, leaving only the liquid on the bottom.
Afterwards, I got more, being careful to lean forward so I didn't fall.
It was late light by the time I had filled up the bowl.
I decided to try it on myself before bringing it to Mik. I poured a small amount on my thorns, since I hadn't drunk for a long time as well.
It felt fine, so I started heading back.
I got to the edge of the clearing and realized:
I hadn't made any kind of way to get back to Mik.
Mik was in a random bush I barely remembered. It wasn't Shlika or the lake, and neither of us knew this part of Tau. I had just left Mik without a note.
I did it again…
Now I would have to find Mik before it got dark, or I wouldn't find it ever.
I left the bowl at the clearing, hoping I would manage to guide Mik to it, and burst into a sprint towards the general area.
I was running like an idiot, screaming "Mik!" constantly. I was basically a walking dinner for any predator within earshot.
It kept getting darker and darker, and I hadn't found Mik yet.
"Oh no oh Suns" I panicked.
Then, when a light gust of wind hit me, I caught a hint of Mik's taste.
I immediately bolted in that direction, hissing "Mik" as loud as I possibly could.
Relief washed over me when I heard Mik say "Maya". I ran even faster, tripping over roots.
And crashed into Mik.
"Mik! I'm so happy to see you!" I cried, holding onto its arm.
Mik then pushed me off, and I rolled off to the side.
"Wha?"
It groaned loudly, crouching next to me. Only then did I see the spilled water bottle from the fall. When had Mik found water…?
"fu- Damn it all!" I yelled out. "How bad could a turn possibly get?!"
Mik breathed deeply, picking up the water bottle. I got up and grabbed its arm, beginning to lead it to the valley.
Mik pulled its arm away, grabbing its journal.
"Where? Dark"
I took the journal and wrote "Have water"
Mik stored the journal and waited.
I offered my tail. Mik didn't take it.
I grabbed Mik's arm. I wasn't going to lose it again, not matter how much Mik wasn't happy with me.
But as I jogged, pulling Mik along, I started feeling sick: like I had too much water.
I stopped, Mik almost falling over me. It asked "Maya?" as I started clutching my abdomen and breathing deeply.
I fell on my knees and vomited.
Mik crouched next to me, patting me on the shoulder. I was surprised how suddenly I felt sick.
After a few spans of recovery, we got back to the trip, but I was much slower. I was shaking the entire time.
It was just before dark when we got there. We barely had enough time to set up a fire near the electric field, though the fallen trees and thrown around branches made it quicker. I found the bowl where I had left it.
When the fire was done, I took the bowl and approached Mik. Mik stared at the bowl. I brought the bowl up to Mik's face.
Mik moved its head away, confused on what I was doing.
I didn't want to explain "water maybe monster", so I tried again.
Mik pushed me away, making me fall. Most of the liquid spilled onto the ground.
To say I cursed at Mik would be an understatement. I hissed at it for so damn long.
That's happened recently. Mik drank what was left from the water bowl. It didn't apologize.
I'm not sure whether I should be mad or begging for Mik's mercy at this point. What I do know is that I ruined everything I possibly could have this turn. I'm starving due to vomiting, but it's something I've unfortunately gotten used to.
I just hope I don't dream that sound and that gaze.
I just want that small mercy.