Plotlogs
Tea For More Than Two Sr Juniper 250205
In the heart of Matupiri State Park, Brazil, amidst the dense and vibrant Amazon rainforest, a group of individuals gathers by the riverside under a waxing gibbous moon. Elias welcomes his companions—Victoria, Sam, and Colton—to their mission: to protect a sacred plant with unique properties related to werewolves and local tribes. The plant, believed to enhance the psychic communication within wolf packs, is threatened by a rival tribe, prompting the group to protect it and restore its failing wards.
Guided by their local guide and accompanied by Juniper, the party journeys by canoe to a sacred grove, only to discover that the shaman responsible for the plant's protection has been taken. The grove's tranquil atmosphere quickly turns tense as they are surrounded by maned wolves, guardians of the land. Communication with the wolves reveals that the shaman has been kidnapped and more enemies are on their way.
The confrontation with armed mercenaries from The Golden Shadow, a group with ominous intentions for the grove, escalates rapidly. The party's efforts to defend the sacred site and restore the grove's wards involve a mix of modern weaponry, ancient magic, and the physical prowess of the wolves among them. Elias focuses on reactivating the mystical wards while his companions engage the attackers in a fierce battle.
Colton, in his lupine form, becomes a whirlwind of ferocity, devouring and dismembering mercenaries with little care for his well-being. Victoria, armed with poisoned blades and arrows, demonstrates lethal efficiency, while Sam employs a mixture of dark magic and brute force to neutralize the threats. Amidst the chaos, Elias completes the restoration of the grove's wards, unleashing a powerful storm that revitalizes the sacred land and repels the invaders.
Juniper's return from finding the shaman, alongside new wolf allies, marks a turning point. The enemy's gunfire and attempts at further destruction are thwarted by Colton's unorthodox yet effective method of wielding a massive tree as a weapon, causing havoc among the mercenaries.
As the battle winds down, the realization sets in that they have won. The grove is safe, the wards are restored, and their enemies have been vanquished or driven off by the might of a man using a tree as a club. In the aftermath, as Elias and Juniper discuss returning to their cozy haven, and Victoria and Sam consider the implications of their victory and Colton's unconventional tactics, the group prepares to leave the Amazon, carrying with them the knowledge that they have protected something truly extraordinary.
With the sacred grove secure and the maned wolves expressing their gratitude, the group paths home, leaving the vibrant life and hidden dangers of the Amazon rainforest behind, at least for now. Colton, however, paths to the clinic, a reminder of the toll their adventurous defense took on them all.
(Tea for More Than Two(SRJuniper):SRJuniper)
[Tue Feb 4 2025]
In At a riverside in Matupiri State Park
Matupiri State Park, located in the State of Amazonas, Brazil, is a pristine expanse of tropical rainforest characterized by rich biodiversity and stunning natural beauty. Here, the river, likely one of the many waterways running through the park, is bordered by lush greenery and dense underbrush, providing a habitat for various wildlife species. The water is typically clear and flows gently, reflecting the overhead canopy of towering trees that shade the riverbank. The sound of the flowing water creates a serene atmosphere, complemented by the calls of diverse bird species and the occasional rustle of animals in the surrounding foliage.
Along the riverbanks, you can find a mix of aquatic and terrestrial vegetation. Palm trees, ferns, and colorful flowering plants thrive in the humid, fertile soil. The roots of large trees extend into the water, creating natural habitats for fish and other aquatic life. Manatees, turtles, and myriad fish species can often be spotted in these rich waters, while capybaras and caimans may rest on the banks under the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves.
It is night, about 76F(24C) degrees, There is a waxing gibbous moon.
Standing at the edge of the river as other start arriving assumingly through pathing, Elias keeps his gray-blue gaze cast upon the water as is flows by. He turns, facing the others with a small smile, "Good evening. Welcome to the Jungle."
Amid a swirl of air, Victoria steps out of seemingly nowhere, swatting preemptively at unseen bugs and creepy crawly things on her thighs. "At least it's warm," she sighs, eye twitching as she glances about for nefarious insects.
A ripple through the air stills behind Sam as he paths in, nodding to Victoria, then Colton, then Elias. "Finally a mission to somewhere with sun!" He nods to Elias. "Good evening indeed!"
Opting to arrive wearing little in the way of protective clothing or specialised gear, Colton swats at a buzzing insect almost as soon as he shows up, letting out a disgruntled little huff.
"Howdy," he says, flashing his friends a grin. "Now, I'm an outdoors boy through and through. Nature cult and all. That said, fuck the jungle. So many bugs. So, Elias, what's this thing we're looking for, exactly? Special plant, right?"
"So, we are here to protect a plant. It isn't any typical plant, but one of very special properties. It has a certain type of affinity with werewolves, but I did not get the exact details on that, beyond it has a lot of cultural and spiritual meaning to the locals." Elias says to the others as he rests his off hand on the hilt of his sword lightly as he continues, "There is a rival tribe that will likely be problematic in this, but what we need to do is to protect the plant the best we can until we can restore its failing wards."
"Oh, like wolfsbane or something?" Sam nods to Elias. "Interesting. Just say the word, I can help with the ward, or the scrapping, whatever is most needed." He cracks a lobsided grin. "I'll even be a good boy and try not to draw too much on the bad juju, yeh?" He winks to Victoria and Colton, sticking out his tongue.
"The opposite to my understand, like wolf's boon." Elias corrects Sam.
Victoria wrinkles her nose. "Why would we save that?" she says to Sam.
Sam says "Eh, that's fair. "
The air is thick with the rich, earthy scent of damp foliage and the unmistakable oppressive humidity as the group stand at the coordinates provided by Juniper next to a river bank in the Amazonian rainforest of Matupiri State Park. A cacophony of cicadas and the distant call of howler monkeys fill the humid air, enveloping them in the symphony of the Amazonian rainforest. The dense canopy above causes shifting shadows across what would be vibrant green undergrowth in the daylight. Before them, the river meanders gracefully, its waters dark like liquid tar under the night sky. Dark, twisted trees lined the bank, their roots sprawling and gnarled, as if reaching for the very heartbeat of the earth.
A long, slender canoe bobs at the edge of the river, its wooden surface polished to a sheen, crafted by the skilled hands of a local artisan. Their guide, dressed in lightweight, breathable fabrics and adorned with beaded jewelry that speaks of his heritage, seems to arrive out of nowhere along the riverbank with a silence that is borne of his connection to the environment. He greets them with a wariness and sense of urgency. "Come, it is this way." No room for small talk or questions, he is gesturing with that same urgency for everyone to pile into the canoe.
Juniper, having arrived earlier with Elias, stands by his side and nods her confirmation to his words. "I can explain maybe a little more about the plant on the river, but they need our help protecting this plant and in exchange... a sample is ours." She is the first to step forward and climb into the expert watercraft as if to demonstrate trust and willingness to cooperate. "They said theyd take us to the grove but none of theirs will remain. It is a sacred place for them and they will not risk their spirits while their shaman is ill. Itll be up to us to get ourselves back."
Victoria eyes the canoe with a visible wariness, glancing to the others before a shrug of her shoulders. She straps her bow onto her back, attempting to balance while stepping in.
Reaching up to tug at his neck-gaiter at the humidity of the jungle, even though the temperature more than manageable, Elias seems to still be expressing some discomfort non-verbally, "Well, I am probably a different kind of shaman than they are used too, but we should be able to resolve their problem."
"Wolfsbane doesn't even have special fuck-you-wolves properties," Colton grunts. "It's just poisonous as fuck." Then, scratching his jaw as he listens to someone, he offers up a nod and says, "Shouldn't be a big deal, anyway. Elias can fly, Vicky and I are wolves, and either of us is strong enough to give Sam a ride if needed." He glances down at his thin singlet, then grunts, "Maybe I shoulda brought armour, though. Whatever." He steps in line with the guide, swiping a hand along the outside of his shoulder as a sheen of sweat begins to build up already.
"Wolfsbane doesn't even have special fuck-you-wolves properties," Colton grunts. "It's just poisonous as fuck." Then, scratching his jaw as he listens to Juniper, he offers up a nod and says, "Shouldn't be a big deal, anyway. Elias can fly, Vicky and I are wolves, and either of us is strong enough to give Sam a ride if needed." He glances down at his thin singlet, then grunts, "Maybe I shoulda brought armour, though. Whatever." He steps in line with the guide, swiping a hand along the outside of his shoulder as a sheen of sweat begins to build up already.
With a soft chuckle, Sam nods to Elias as he heads towards the water-craft, the jock's gear likely un-suited for the humidity of the jungle. Nonetheless, he straps the crossbow he is holding to his back. "If ya really are strapped for armor, Colt, I have an amulet with me." He taps the thing, a steel, sharp-edged thing.
Victoria says "Not that I'm advocating Sam riding on my back. No offense, Sam."
Colton says "I can shift in a pinch."
Sam says "Aight, keeping my arcane bullshit to myself. And none taken. I think I can handle myself, sorta. It'll be fine."
Looking skyward, Elias mentions, "It is a clear night. A shame. I am sure the storms here are legendary." He adds with obvious disappointment in his tone. He reaches skyward, his fingers outstretched. He clenches his fist, pulling it towards his chest, but says nothing else on teh subject.
As the expedition members settle into the canoe, the guide gives a firm push from the riverbank, and they paddle deeper into the heart of the rainforest, the towering trees twisting and turning, and the rustle of unseen creatures whisper dangers of life hidden just out of sight.
Keeping a low voice, so as not to carry over the waters, Juniper confers with the others. "This plant, as far as I understand it, has a lot of sacred uses for the Mura peoples. However, for wolves it is another thing entirely. It enhances the pack bond to include a sort of psychic communication of the verbal kind. I'm not sure how strong, how much, or how long it lasts... the research notes existing on it are severely lacking." She pauses, casting one of her trademark lopsided grins. "I'm also not really sure about the side effects either. If it's just one huge trip or what, but, I'm in it for the research." Plant nerding aside, she quiets, sensing the trepidation of their guide as they meander down the river.
After a winding journey, the guide points ahead toward a break in the thick foliage. "There, just beyond the bend, lies the sacred grove," he announces, his voice low with reverence.
"I'll offer myself up for science if it does all that," Victoria says thoughtfully, drumming fingertips on one thigh, before another swat at a bug. Was it really there, or not?
"We're only getting a small sample," Colton grins, glancing aside to Victoria. "Might want Junie to grow what we get out a little bit before we eat it up. Besides; maybe I like being the psychic wolf in town." He leans forwards then, tracing the banks of the waterway for hints of ambush as he asks idly, "Any important rules for foreigners like us? Gotta go barefoot, anything like that?"
The very tip of Victoria's tongue extends to Colton as she makes a face. "Fine, fine," she relents before turning back to their guide.
Sam has an amused quirk around his lips as Colton and Victoria banter. He shifts a little, and looks over to the guide, looking about as much in place in a sacred grove as a sore thumb. However, he does seem to be listening, eyes fixed on the guide and Juniper.
"We are being given special permissions to be our gross selves," Juniper assures the others so eloquently. "In exchange for our expertise of course." That settles that, it seems, amd soon their guide has them banked expertly, quietly.
Emerging from the tangled arms of the forest, the group find themselves in a clearing where only the vestiges of magic can be smelled or felt (depending on their predilections) by those present. Something great and powerful once at play here has now ebbed. And as the last passenger climbs out of the canoe, their guide is quick to shove off from the bank and disappear into the darkness around a bend in the river, leaving them seemingly alone, but not according to their guts.
[OOC:] The room description has been updated to reflect the grove.
"Wolves," Victoria hisses, tilting her head. "I smell...some weird wolf smell." She frowns, glancing at Colton after a thoughtful look around.
Making his way out of the canoe, Elias slowly advances into the grove, taking a slow, but deep breath as he soaks in the feeling of this sacred location. The stormcaller, a shaman in his own right, closes his eyes, letting his environment seep into him.
Wrinkling his nose a little as he steps out from the canoe, Colton murmurs, "I can smell something. Wolves around, or this is marked territory, something like that." He offers a most gentlemanly arm for Sam to take in dismounting the little boat, but the theatrics don't do much to mask his wary mood. He nods his head at Victoria. "So," he says. "You thinking one of us should shift, make things clear for whatever or whoever is watching us?"
"They likely know what we all are. This is their territory. They likely were watching us long before we even made it this far." Elias says as his eyes are still closed.
Gladly taking Colton's hand, Sam dismounts the boat, and looks over the area of the grove. Stepping in, Sam looks around, taking note of the rune-stones, and glancing over to Elias. He does not speak, instead letting the shaman focus for now, as he himself closes his eyes, letting his arcane senses flow out.
"I'm not sure yet," Victoria takes a slow step before stopping entirely. "I'm adverse to torn clothing," she sighs, raking a hand through her hair.
Immediately, it becomes clear that Juniper finds something very wrong with the picture. "He's not here," she says in a clipped tone while her jaw sets visibly in stern worry. "Elias... the Shaman of the grove - he wouldn't allow them to move him back to the village for healing until we got here. He should be here. Something's not right." She looks to the dark-haired man with an apology already written in her expression and the group might be familiar with this look already to suggest that the woman is about to go rogue on them.
The tranquil atmosphere of the rainforest clearing is abruptly shattered by a subtle shift in the air - a tension rising like static, palpable and unsettling. The group suddenly becomes aware of an unsettling silence, the usual chorus of jungle sounds dimming to a whisper. From the shadows of the dense foliage, a pack of maned wolves emerges, their striking silhouettes intimidating in the darkness. Their long, slender legs gracefully navigate the underbrush, and their distinctive reddish-brown fur reflects the hues of the forest, making them seem both a part of the landscape and a formidable presence. The creatures move with an elegant fluidity, their keen eyes glinting with intelligence and curiosity, yet with a hint of predatory intent.
The wolves close in, their bodies low to the ground, ears erect, and nostrils flaring, catching every faint scent on the breeze. The leader of the pack, a particularly large male with a pronounced mane of dark fur along his neck, seems to survey the group with an air of authority, his gaze unwavering and intense.
An instinctive tension builds, there is a primal awareness, though they remain outsiders in this wild realm. The maned wolves encircle the clearing with a deliberate, almost calculated grace, their movements synchronized as they stalk closer. The underbrush rustles softly beneath their paws as they weave in and out of the shadows like phantoms born of the forest. Each member of the pack glances toward the gathered group of outsiders, their expressions betraying a mix of curiosity and assessment. The wolves communicate with silent gestures - a flick of an ear, a subtle shift in stance - signals that only they seem to understand. An unspoken question still lingers in the air: What do these magnificent creatures want?
As the wolves draw nearer, the leader pauses, lifting his head to the sky and letting out a low, melodic call that resonates through the clearing, echoing like a haunting lullaby in the stillness. His call goes unanswered, but the rest of the pack remains attentive, their postures tense yet poised.
And of course, the movement of the wolves advancing, Elias's stormy gray-blue eyes appear from behind the closed lids. At the response to the approaching alpha, Elias glances back to towards the Moorish Alpha they have brought with them, "Colton, I assume you got this taken care of?" He asks.
Victoria takes a deliberate step in front of Elias, reaching to pull Sam behind herself and Colton, and waits, scanning each pair of eyes with her own.
A shift in Sam's stance, and his eyes also open. He places a hand on a hidden sheath at his side, and he narrows his eyes. His gaze flicks from Elias to Colton, seemingly shifting who is in command. He looks at the approaching wolves.
Then he is pulled back. Seemingly allowing it, he uses that movement to attempt to /subtly/ fish a rather human looking fingerbone from under his armor, and crouch into a lower, snake-like boxer's stance, though he does not raise his hands just yet.
"I can only skip so much of the language barrier, if we're aiming for diplomacy," Colton grunts to Elias, though he does take a few steps forward. Unarmed and unarmoured, he may well provide the least hostile appearance of the party - if you can get past the half-feral mess of his hair. Looking the big one - the wolf who'd sent out the call - up and down, he pushes forwards with his mind to speak.
We have come for the shaman of this grove, he says. We have heard he is unwell. Where has he gone?
"You ever hear of the saying that a bullet speaks all the languages? I think that is where this is going. So unless you think you can do some wolfish magic here, I am going to start repairing these runestones, which needs to be done anyway, but I am sure they are going to be unhappy about that." Elias says as he raises his arms towards the sky, "So, unless you think we can avoid a fight, it is just going to be a fight. The contract is clear and the Forged never break a contract once agreed upon." And with those words, the clouds over head start to grow more dense.
Twisting aside from his telepathic conversation, Colton winces at the overt arcanism on display, then glances back at the wolves with his proverbial hackles up.
Victoria murmurs something about torn clothing under her breath, and sighs out a measured breath. "If there ends up not being a choice," she says, lifting one shoulder in a shrug.
Continuing his work on the stones while the others address the wolves, regardless how they decide to handle them. Elias reaches into his pocket as the winds start rustle through the tree tops of the jungle, pulling out a pouch with what appears to be powdered quartz, sprinkling it upon the stone as he works at restoring it.
Just as the atmosphere thickens with anticipation, a shift occurs. One of the other wolves, bold and inquisitive, takes a tentative step forward, momentarily breaking the spell of apprehension. Suddenly it becomes clear that these creatures are not malicious; they are simply exercising their ancient role as guardians of the land.
Time seems to stretch as the pack gathers around the clearing, and following Colton's attempt at communication, a silent understanding forms in the eyes of both the expedition members of the lupine persuasion and the wolves. In this moment of connection, a mutual respect is forged - neither predator nor prey, but fellow inhabitants of this wild, breathtaking arena of life. The stillness lingers, a delicate balance hanging in the air, as the two worlds converge, each waiting for the other to reveal its next move until finally, the large male at the front shifts.
The male in front of them is stark naked, but heavily tattooed in tribal markings. Many of them matching those found on the runes in this very grove. He holds his hands up and out, to show their empty status. "We. Protect this land. This plant." His English is stilted and forced. Heavily accented. "Shaman taken," he says with deep worry and fear that could be detected in any language. "More coming."
While the rest of the wolves seem to have relaxed some in the previous moments, the final words spoken have them raising their hackles once more, as if sensing the forboding in his voice. When he says 'more' it would seem he does not mean the friendly variety.
Ticking a nod to the now man lycantrope, Sam unsheathes his knife, taking hold of it as his eyes scan around for obvious entrances to the grove. "Then we will give them a warm welcome, I think." He ticks a nod to Elias. "If ya ned help there, Stormcaller, just shout, yeh?" He starts pulling back the bowstring of the crossbow he had on his back as he goes to take position, making sure either Victoria or Colton, likely realizing he's a touch more breakable than either of them.
Pausing to grab his top by the hem and roll it up off his body, Colton shifts slightly forwards the bare-skinned man, revealing his own tapestry of esoteric tattoos wrapping around his front and back. "We will help," he says, gesturing to Victoria and Sam behind him. "Our shaman is working on your grove. His mate is... a plant doctor." Would they appreciate him trying to explain the field of botany? He decides against trying it. "We will rescue your shaman once we have protected this place. Is he still alive?"
Giving Sam a nod, Elias continues at his work, his hand falling upon the runestone he was working on, closing his eyes as he seems to focus on it, not unlike a prayer, but somehow very different as well.
Victoria's lips twitch momentarily at Colton's description of Juniper. She nods her head toward the man, a brief, warm smile offered as she agrees. "Happy to lend the help."
From somewhere deep in the rainforest comes a howl of warning and moments later, a series of sharp gunshots ring out, reverberating ominously against the trees. Each crack of gunfire seemed to pierce the fragile tranquility. Urgent glances are shared between Juniper and the pack of maned wolves, primarily the leader. "Found Shaman," he tells her, though it is clear that whoever found the shaman has found more trouble as well.
That same expression is back on Juniper's face, only stalled by the necessary meetings of these two groups before she is shouting at her faithful group of gathered mercs. "I'm going out there. He must live." And with that, she moves swiftly to the edge of the grove, shifting even as she runs with the tearing sound of clothing and flesh and disappears just like that - weaving through the trees.
Left behind to defend the grove but also to restore those wards, the rest of the team can only hear the sound of machinery getting closer and the shouts of command echoing through the trees in the distance.
Conversation time over, the leader of the maned wolf pack also shifts back to his animal form and turns to the sound, creating a formation with the Forged while half of them split off into the woods, loping after the burnished gold wolf from Haven.
"Hold my hand a second and slap me awake if this goes wrong," Colton murmurs to Sam, reaching out to grab the other man by the shoulder - not the hand - to steady himself. He grits his teeth, straining against something unseen.
"If what goes wrong?" Victoria asks Colton suddenly, casting a suspicious glance between him and Sam. "What are you doing?" She takes a step, frowning as her eyes flicker toward the direction Juniper has run.
A moment later, Colton relaxes, nodding appreciatively at Sam before he steps forward and drops to his hands and knees, letting out some rather horrific sounds as bones crunch and crack and move in very wrong ways. He is /not/ the most smooth of shifters.
Victoria immediately averts her eyes, muttering.
Firmly pressing his fingers against the runestone, and the air around him thickens with static, a faint crackling building at his fingertips. The scent of ozone sharp and electric mingles with the damp earth and flora of the rainforest. Tendrils of energy begin to weave through the carvings, dancing like ghostly lightning along the grooves of ancient symbols. The runestone, long dulled by time and neglect, pulses faintly as the stormcaller feeds his power into it. It is not a reckless surge of raw energy. Elias is measured, controlled, letting the magic seep into the stone rather than overwhelm it. Seemingly totally distant to what is unfolding around him with the gunshots and the wolves running about, as the power Elias channels breathes life back into the guardian stone.
Squaring his stance, Sam nods to someone, even as a barely seen shimmer covers his body, that amulet glowing up briefly. He narrows his eyes, shuffling to form as good a circle around Elias and the runestones as possible, preparing to rip and tear at whatever approaches.
He does not avert his eyes, but he also does not linger, instead focusing on the task at hand.
Squaring his stance, Sam nods to Colton(wolf), even as a barely seen shimmer covers his body, that amulet glowing up briefly. He narrows his eyes, shuffling to form as good a circle around Elias and the runestones as possible, preparing to rip and tear at whatever approaches.
He does not avert his eyes, but he also does not linger, instead focusing on the task at hand.
Shaking out his coat as lifts up onto four legs, Colton(wolf) looses a low, rumbling growl before Sam and Victoria's phones crackle out in a monotonous tone, "It is difficult to force the wolf so far." That's all, though; he's much less chatty in his lupine form. He does, at least, look absolutely deadly, pacing out to the treeline of the clearing towards the sounds of gunfire and machinery. He looses a howl that carries far over the canopy, lifting birds from their nests and doubtless scattering smaller prey back to their burrows.
Shaking out his coat as lifts up onto four legs, Colton(wolf) looses a low, rumbling growl before Sam and Victoria's phones crackle out in a monotonous tone, 'It is difficult to force the wolf so far.' That's all, though; he's much less chatty in his lupine form. He does, at least, look absolutely deadly, pacing out to the treeline of the clearing towards the sounds of gunfire and machinery. He looses a howl that carries far over the canopy, lifting birds from their nests and doubtless scattering smaller prey back to their burrows. (whoops)
Sliding a vial from her pocket, Victoria applies a bit of the liquid within to the blades of her daggers, and the tips of a few arrows, nodding her head. Her lips curl into the trace of a smirk that's left lingering on her expression. "My favorite part."
"If you focus on their leader, I can kill him with one strike, establish dominance." Sam shifts, preparing for battle with a cruel grin on his lips.
The sounds of the fight in the distance is met with another howl, and yet another as wolves join the fray. Immediately concerning the grove however, is the obvious approach of men with guns within the deep foliage of the forest. Currently having the distinct advantage of being within cover while the group stands in relative openness, the rustling of plants and underbrush seems to lessen and quiet as commands are subvocalized. Clearly, these men are not just mindless brutes - but do carry some battle training.
Colton(wolf)'s shift and movement to the treeline however causes one such gunman to either react in fear or sheer confidence of their situation and releases a shot at the giant wolf - breaking the barrier and indeed breaking the skin even as a painful zing passes over Colton(wolf)'s shoulder, leaving a burning reminder of what could have been in his skin.
Elias's focus unwavering even as tension grips the grove. The runestone drinks in the storm magic, its glow intensifying, and the once-faded carvings now pulse like veins coursing with energy. A faint hum rises from the stone, vibrating beneath his touch, responding to the power being poured into it. The static charge in the air thickens, the jungle itself seems to bristle, leaves rustling as if whispering to unseen forces. The balance is not yet fully restored, but it is shifting.
"No," Victoria states, narrowing her eyes and letting an arrow fly in the direction of the shot without a second thought. "Sam," she ticks her head, sweeping her eyes quickly from side to side in the direction of the sound.
A simple word is loosed, as Sam's blade cuts the air. That finger-bone hanging from a silver chain around his neck glows up angrily, and he points towards the sound of that shot. "Your sight is DEAD" He speaks, magic oozing from the tip of his blade into the shrubbery, hopefully hitting the gunman straight in his very blood-vessels.
Dropping low - or as close to it as the oversized lupine can manage - Colton(wolf) shifts away from the zipping bullet with his hackles rising significantly. He doesn't break through the treeline, though, instead holding the position. He could take bullets... even if he hoped they weren't packing silver.
Victoria's arrow is a well-trained arrow from a well-trained bow. Combined with acute senses for aim and the blinding efforts of Sam, the gunman has no chance when that arrow thuds into the meat of his shoulder and he cries out in a mannish sort of grunt.
The glow and the hum coming from Elias's efforts doesn't go unnoticed. "They're restoring the wards!" comes a shouted voice. "Get in there go, go!" And so, stealth attempts pushed aside, a rush of black uniformed bodies start to come out of the dense foliage while the maned wolves who had stood on alert until now, rush in to greet them.
The sounds of growls, snarls, yips and of course... gunshots and shouts soon start to fill the air. How many are there? It's hard to tell at the moment. But four bodies enter the grove with a spray of bullets blindly thrown to announce their arrival and potentially cover their movements - and they are of course headed straight for Elias. Those gathered here from Haven would notice the unmistakable designation now on these soldiers as members of The Golden Shadow.
There's an almost orgiastic pleasure in Colton(wolf)'s amber eyes as his fangs snap around limbs and midsections. With no Sanctuary to hold him at bay, he is a horrific combatant; dismembering most of those he meets and eagerly swallowing human remains down his gullet in the frenzy of it all. Little care is taken to avoid injury - he would rather suffer through the healing process than have to slow down the killing.
Wincing as the dark magic seeps through the air, clashing against his own storm infused energy. The runestone flickers violently, its glow fluctuating as if caught between two opposing forces. His jaw tightens, this was a delicate process, and the raw, unnatural power leaking from Sam's mancing grates against the natural balance Elias is trying to restore. Looking up from his work, he calls out to Sam, "Be careful over there. We need to be aware of the balance within the grove." Which seems funny to call out in the heat of battle, but the dark haired stormcaller seems serious. Regardless, he can't stop. The stormcaller grits his teeth and presses harder against the stone, forcing his will upon it, willing it to absorb his power faster in an effort to stabilize his efforts. The hum intensifies, a warning crackle sparking through the air as the runestone fights to reclaim its purpose.
Victoria twists and ducks, slipping forward a few steps in the hope of avoiding bullets. Her bow is forgotten in favor of daggers, one spinning fluidly in each palm before she raises both and arcs downward toward the midsection of one of those bodies, a wide smile overaking her expression. "We've got it, you be careful over there yourself," she calls to Elias.
"Gotcha, creating some distance!" He gives a nod, and then, stepping forward a few steps, Sam is there, then he is not, disappearing into the shadow, and re-appears behind one of the mercenaries, his blade flashing as he tries to slash the kris knife at the man's throat. He gives no quips, instead only offering the mercenary a baleful hiss of disdain.
There's a lot at work here. The trained fluidity of Victoria and her daggers in the face of gunfights and the sounds of men dying - her own contemporary dance - finds one of the mercenaries slashed in the midsection, though not downed. His own retaliation comes swift, though with some shock. The butt of his rifle makes connection with Victoria's ribs before she twirls away, causing some loss of air, but nothing like the poison that man will start to feel leeching his ability away in his bloodstream soon enough.
From her side, Colton(wolf) is tearing into two others who had entered the clearing, keeping them of course, quite distracted between his flurry of claw and tooth. He is stabbed at and battered, but nothing worthy of stopping the fury of the wolf. While in his feeding frenzy, more shots ring out from the foliage - some aimed at the unseen wolf allies within, but others definitely aimed at the great wolf just here. Luckily for Colton(wolf), it seems the mercs were not prepared for the wolf presence here. Misinformed? Or is there another use for this plant? Regardless, the bullets sting and maybe even slow, like a poorly timed blister on a long hike, but they do not stop Colton(wolf).
From closer to Elias, Sam disappears and reappears like black shadow - perhaps the cleanest and quietest and certainly confirmed kill so far as his kris knife slides across the giving, virgin skin of the gunman's neck. Warm, viscous fluid spills out and over his hand while the body goes heavy in shock and drops to knees and then ground when Sam steps away.
Chaos, threat... a cacophony of sounds are whirling around while Elias tries to restore the magics that would keep all outsiders from finding that which they seek. The grove grows darker as clouds overhead gather in ominous fashion to some, though comforting to others. From the distance the gun noises seem to lessen, but victory is not yet assured as hidden fire still gets unleashed upon Colton(wolf) and another body bursts in from another entry point, trying to flank the team and tosses a smoke grenade between them and Elias.
The moment the final surge of Elias's power sinks into the runestone, a ripple of energy pulses outward, sweeping through the grove like an invisible tide. The stormcaller exhales sharply, his breath misting in the sudden chill as frost creeps along the ground in intricate, branching veins. The air vibrates with residual energy, crackling softly like distant thunder. The ward is restored. Then theres the smoke, rapidly obscuring his vision as it spreads between him and the others. Gritting his teeth, he straightens, hands still crackling with latent storm magic. The momentary reduction in vision from the smoke doesnt bother him, his power hums beneath his skin, waiting to be unleashed. The enemies may have thought the grove was theirs to take, but now, with the ward renewed and the storm gathering above. The clouds start to swirl overhead, getting much denser, darker, blotting out the stars over head. Then the rain comes.
Frowning and gasping for air, Victoria manages a scathing look toward the body she managed to slash, but then her attention is caught by the newcomer. She glances between those around her, and then one blade is thrown, end over end toward the direction of the grenade-tossing man as she attempts to move away. "I hate those," she sighs.
In a singular smooth motion, Sam pulls a gas-mask from his pack, in a quick-draw pouch. Almost like the grenade was an eventuality the jock planned for. Then, a burst of a sickly light envelops him, and wings sprout from his ankles as the jock launches himself back towards where Elias is, the bright light a strange, unearthly beacon as he tries to provide some support to Elias, eskewing the arcanism for pure demi-god speed and resilience.
A thick hide and unparalleled healing will take a wolf to far places. On the contrary, the bodies Colton(wolf) leaves in his wake aren't going anywhere at all... except maybe his stomach. He must have a bottomless pit in there, because while he's large, he should hardly be able to fit so /many/ body parts inside him. All the smoke and blood in the air does a lot to confuse his senses, and it's no surprise that's taken advantage of - the wolf rears up and away from the burst of gunfire at his flank, panicking for a moment as his side gets chewed up. He's not indestructible, after all, and the size of him makes him an easy target. He retreats into the treeline for a moment, leaving Sam and Victoria alone in protecting Elias as he hastily licks his wounds, abandoning his lupine form for those few, precious moments.
As the natural magic rolls through the sacred grove, a palpable energy thrums in the air, resonating with the pulse of the earth below. The energy feels warm and vibrant in direct contrast with the cooling rain that begins to fall upon them. As the ward begins to settle back into place, a shimmer envelops the grove - only enhanced by Sam's glow. It feels as if the very essence of the grove is waking up, stretching and sighing in relief as the protection restores its sanctity.
But sanctity is not yet restored, as malice still lurks within in the form of the one who threw the grenade. Malice, that is quickly ended by Victoria's timely throw of her dangerously beautiful dagger. She'll probably want that back, from where it sticks out of the eye socket of what was once a, well, not so good looking mercenary. Now a not so good looking dead mercenary. With a skewered eyeball.
Elias's rain and wind carry away any lingering threat from the grenade, and each droplet seems to revitalize the grove even more, awakening slumbering spirits and turning the mundane into magical. If it were not night, perhaps colours would even deepen. A delicate balance is restored and slowly gaining strength, drawing from those within and around.
It would be then that the group would realize it sounds strangely quiet from where they stand within the ward's circle. That quiet would be interrupted as maned wolves leap in from the trees, a pulse of energy being felt as each of three furred bodies enter the grove, as if they ward stones recognize their very carbon signature. Their body language radiates victory and elation, even if they appear a little harried and matted in blood of who knows what variety.
Colton, who was in the trees when the wards began to strengthen, would not sit in silence. He, from his naked crouch of respute would hear the confused shouts of Golden Shadow members, calling them to branch out and search the area as they lost sight of the target. As if they could not recall, the very place they stood so very close to just a moment ago. Unfortunately for him as well, in his current human form it would seem he too, has lost track of his companions in the Amazonian rainforest.
Looking around, Sam nods to Elias, then Victoria, then blinks a little. "Uh..." He glances around, skidding to a halt as he pulls off that gas-mask. "Colt?" He looks over to Elias, as if the stormcaller somehow might be hiding the rather large moore in his back pocket.
"Ahm..." He scratches the back of his head.
Reaching his hands up towards the sky as the threats seem to fade away with the grove's magic, Elias soaks in the rain as it comes pour down over him with a large smile on his face. Nothing for him to do but wait for his wolf lover to return from her hunt for the missing shaman.
Victoria wanders over to the body, grimacing as she plucks her dagger out of an eyeball, flicking a bit of residual gore from its tip. "We all...where is he?" she blinks in concern, spinning on her heel.
Colton's not so disturbed by the disappearance of the grove as the feeling of that magic on his skin - there and then gone. He lets out an unhappy sound, straightening up as bullets push themselves out of his skin and wounds seal shut, then lets out a haughty sniff. He'd go mop up the rest of the Shadow while his friends did their work within the grove. It wouldn't be hard for them to keep track of him, either, as he wraps his arms around the trunk of a tree and heaves.
The sound of roots tearing their way out of the earth precedes the groan of the mighty cudgel bowing under its own weight. "I'M ALRIGHT!" he calls out, unsure if his friends can hear him. "I'M GOING TO CRUSH THE LAST OF THEM. FIND THE SHAMAN!" The mobile tree bobs amongst the canopy as the man sets off after the scattered enemy - a handy little plumbob to keep an eye on his location with.
While Colton does the most valiant and absolutely hare-brained thing that anyone has Never thought of, his tree bobbing off into the distance - Juniper returns with more maned wolves in tow and simply leaps into the grove as if there were no issue in detecting it. Again, the ward stones beat like a heart, welcoming its brethren to its centre of tranquility where the plant everyone seems to want to get their metaphorical, and literal, paws on is safe.
Another series of snaps and tears has the large burnished gold wolf turning back into the blonde woman. Naked and not running through a rainforest with an oversized baton, this wolf tells the others in triumph, "We found him. I can tell you what happened with him later but, Juro will bring him back here just as soon as they can move him. The shaman knew when the ward was back - sent us back here..." She runs a hand through her hair in a disbelieving and relieved sort of manner, releasing a sigh. "Is there any-" Her sentence is interrupted by the sound of more bullets ringing out in the peaceful aftermath they had been enjoying for the moment. This is promptly followed up by a loud 'CRACK' like the sound of a great tree being felled. But perhaps in this case, it is the sound of something or someone being felled by a great tree.
"That'd be Colt," Victoria tells Juniper calmly, as though nothing at all were unusual. "Glad you're okay." She still casts a look of concern out toward where the sounds come from, and then turns toward Elias. "What about you. Are you good?"
Seemingly swept away within the storm, Elias snaps out of himself as he hears someone' voice, returning to the world of the living. The man's smile broadens even more as he see the blonde haired woman as he makes his way over to her, "Oh, my love. It is good to see you back safely." He pauses, looking back to Victoria with a raised eyebrow, "Why wouldn't I be good?" He asks, his hair drenched from the downpour of rain.
Seemingly swept away within the storm, Elias snaps out of himself as he hears Juniper's voice, returning to the world of the living. The man's smile broadens even more as he see the blonde haired woman as he makes his way over to her, "Oh, my love. It is good to see you back safely." He pauses, looking back to Victoria with a raised eyebrow, "Why wouldn't I be good?" He asks, his hair drenched from the downpour of rain.
Utterly deadpan, Sam looks over to the tree. "I'm... confusedly impressed." He just shakes his head, looking out of the clearing towards that bobbing baton of carnage. He just tucks his gear away, seemingly confident that no target in the jungle is a bigger target than the New England Tree-wolf.
"The climate is not too bad here. It is no volcano temple." Elias says to Victoria, nodding to her.
Somewhere in the distance, yips of wolves that sound almost like encouraging laughs follow that bobbing tree, eager to join the strange looking and smelling wolf-man in his sweep of the enemy and eradicate them from their territory.
From within the grove, Juniper wipes rain from her brow with a grin for Elias. "It's the rainforest, at least there's rain to counter his dislike for the warmth," she replies prudently. Then with a covetous look towards the plant they came all this way for, she swallows hard. "I'll have to wait, for the Shaman to take the clipping or else I fear the wrath of the wards," she states, the hair on her arms already tingling from the magics here. Indeed, even the maned wolves have begun to carefully circle the grove and draw close to the plant, as if protecting it from any change of heart the group might harbour. "I'd say we're... free to path ourselves out but what about Colt?"
At a distance, Colton's best spotted by the drifting treetop - now with far fewer intact leaves and branches - and the sounds of the occasional splattered Golden Shadow member. His Sanctuary is likely to be blown out for a whole month or so. At least... he seems to be enjoying himself?
"Hey Sam, think you can get his attention?" Victoria grins to Sam.
Tapping at his phone, Sam mutters some. "I'll let him know to head home." He presses send, and smirks a little.
"Already on it!" His phone, for some reason... HONKS like a clown.
"This is why I don't do magic," Victoria says slowly, narrowing her eyes with a glance over the offensive goose like phone.
"Well, that seems like it is settled." Elias says as he turns his attention back to Juniper, "Shall we head back to our cozy bed?"
Sam says, utterly deadpan, "He is pathing to the clinic to remove lead from his urethra. We're good."
"Cozy and cold," Victoria huffs to Elias. "What the hell?" she blinks at Sam. "His...right. Yep, I don't want to know. I'll send my condolances."
Juniper swats at some voracious bug that lands on her naked skin and decides it's definitely time to collect her clothes and grab Colton's while she's at it. Tugging on a torn shirt and some boyshorts, she states, "Let's get out of here then." And without much else worry or fanfare, it would seem the group path home successfully with the sound of grateful wolves howling their farewell in their wake.
Guided by their local guide and accompanied by Juniper, the party journeys by canoe to a sacred grove, only to discover that the shaman responsible for the plant's protection has been taken. The grove's tranquil atmosphere quickly turns tense as they are surrounded by maned wolves, guardians of the land. Communication with the wolves reveals that the shaman has been kidnapped and more enemies are on their way.
The confrontation with armed mercenaries from The Golden Shadow, a group with ominous intentions for the grove, escalates rapidly. The party's efforts to defend the sacred site and restore the grove's wards involve a mix of modern weaponry, ancient magic, and the physical prowess of the wolves among them. Elias focuses on reactivating the mystical wards while his companions engage the attackers in a fierce battle.
Colton, in his lupine form, becomes a whirlwind of ferocity, devouring and dismembering mercenaries with little care for his well-being. Victoria, armed with poisoned blades and arrows, demonstrates lethal efficiency, while Sam employs a mixture of dark magic and brute force to neutralize the threats. Amidst the chaos, Elias completes the restoration of the grove's wards, unleashing a powerful storm that revitalizes the sacred land and repels the invaders.
Juniper's return from finding the shaman, alongside new wolf allies, marks a turning point. The enemy's gunfire and attempts at further destruction are thwarted by Colton's unorthodox yet effective method of wielding a massive tree as a weapon, causing havoc among the mercenaries.
As the battle winds down, the realization sets in that they have won. The grove is safe, the wards are restored, and their enemies have been vanquished or driven off by the might of a man using a tree as a club. In the aftermath, as Elias and Juniper discuss returning to their cozy haven, and Victoria and Sam consider the implications of their victory and Colton's unconventional tactics, the group prepares to leave the Amazon, carrying with them the knowledge that they have protected something truly extraordinary.
With the sacred grove secure and the maned wolves expressing their gratitude, the group paths home, leaving the vibrant life and hidden dangers of the Amazon rainforest behind, at least for now. Colton, however, paths to the clinic, a reminder of the toll their adventurous defense took on them all.
(Tea for More Than Two(SRJuniper):SRJuniper)
[Tue Feb 4 2025]
In At a riverside in Matupiri State Park
Matupiri State Park, located in the State of Amazonas, Brazil, is a pristine expanse of tropical rainforest characterized by rich biodiversity and stunning natural beauty. Here, the river, likely one of the many waterways running through the park, is bordered by lush greenery and dense underbrush, providing a habitat for various wildlife species. The water is typically clear and flows gently, reflecting the overhead canopy of towering trees that shade the riverbank. The sound of the flowing water creates a serene atmosphere, complemented by the calls of diverse bird species and the occasional rustle of animals in the surrounding foliage.
Along the riverbanks, you can find a mix of aquatic and terrestrial vegetation. Palm trees, ferns, and colorful flowering plants thrive in the humid, fertile soil. The roots of large trees extend into the water, creating natural habitats for fish and other aquatic life. Manatees, turtles, and myriad fish species can often be spotted in these rich waters, while capybaras and caimans may rest on the banks under the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves.
It is night, about 76F(24C) degrees, There is a waxing gibbous moon.
Standing at the edge of the river as other start arriving assumingly through pathing, Elias keeps his gray-blue gaze cast upon the water as is flows by. He turns, facing the others with a small smile, "Good evening. Welcome to the Jungle."
Amid a swirl of air, Victoria steps out of seemingly nowhere, swatting preemptively at unseen bugs and creepy crawly things on her thighs. "At least it's warm," she sighs, eye twitching as she glances about for nefarious insects.
A ripple through the air stills behind Sam as he paths in, nodding to Victoria, then Colton, then Elias. "Finally a mission to somewhere with sun!" He nods to Elias. "Good evening indeed!"
Opting to arrive wearing little in the way of protective clothing or specialised gear, Colton swats at a buzzing insect almost as soon as he shows up, letting out a disgruntled little huff.
"Howdy," he says, flashing his friends a grin. "Now, I'm an outdoors boy through and through. Nature cult and all. That said, fuck the jungle. So many bugs. So, Elias, what's this thing we're looking for, exactly? Special plant, right?"
"So, we are here to protect a plant. It isn't any typical plant, but one of very special properties. It has a certain type of affinity with werewolves, but I did not get the exact details on that, beyond it has a lot of cultural and spiritual meaning to the locals." Elias says to the others as he rests his off hand on the hilt of his sword lightly as he continues, "There is a rival tribe that will likely be problematic in this, but what we need to do is to protect the plant the best we can until we can restore its failing wards."
"Oh, like wolfsbane or something?" Sam nods to Elias. "Interesting. Just say the word, I can help with the ward, or the scrapping, whatever is most needed." He cracks a lobsided grin. "I'll even be a good boy and try not to draw too much on the bad juju, yeh?" He winks to Victoria and Colton, sticking out his tongue.
"The opposite to my understand, like wolf's boon." Elias corrects Sam.
Victoria wrinkles her nose. "Why would we save that?" she says to Sam.
Sam says "Eh, that's fair. "
The air is thick with the rich, earthy scent of damp foliage and the unmistakable oppressive humidity as the group stand at the coordinates provided by Juniper next to a river bank in the Amazonian rainforest of Matupiri State Park. A cacophony of cicadas and the distant call of howler monkeys fill the humid air, enveloping them in the symphony of the Amazonian rainforest. The dense canopy above causes shifting shadows across what would be vibrant green undergrowth in the daylight. Before them, the river meanders gracefully, its waters dark like liquid tar under the night sky. Dark, twisted trees lined the bank, their roots sprawling and gnarled, as if reaching for the very heartbeat of the earth.
A long, slender canoe bobs at the edge of the river, its wooden surface polished to a sheen, crafted by the skilled hands of a local artisan. Their guide, dressed in lightweight, breathable fabrics and adorned with beaded jewelry that speaks of his heritage, seems to arrive out of nowhere along the riverbank with a silence that is borne of his connection to the environment. He greets them with a wariness and sense of urgency. "Come, it is this way." No room for small talk or questions, he is gesturing with that same urgency for everyone to pile into the canoe.
Juniper, having arrived earlier with Elias, stands by his side and nods her confirmation to his words. "I can explain maybe a little more about the plant on the river, but they need our help protecting this plant and in exchange... a sample is ours." She is the first to step forward and climb into the expert watercraft as if to demonstrate trust and willingness to cooperate. "They said theyd take us to the grove but none of theirs will remain. It is a sacred place for them and they will not risk their spirits while their shaman is ill. Itll be up to us to get ourselves back."
Victoria eyes the canoe with a visible wariness, glancing to the others before a shrug of her shoulders. She straps her bow onto her back, attempting to balance while stepping in.
Reaching up to tug at his neck-gaiter at the humidity of the jungle, even though the temperature more than manageable, Elias seems to still be expressing some discomfort non-verbally, "Well, I am probably a different kind of shaman than they are used too, but we should be able to resolve their problem."
"Wolfsbane doesn't even have special fuck-you-wolves properties," Colton grunts. "It's just poisonous as fuck." Then, scratching his jaw as he listens to someone, he offers up a nod and says, "Shouldn't be a big deal, anyway. Elias can fly, Vicky and I are wolves, and either of us is strong enough to give Sam a ride if needed." He glances down at his thin singlet, then grunts, "Maybe I shoulda brought armour, though. Whatever." He steps in line with the guide, swiping a hand along the outside of his shoulder as a sheen of sweat begins to build up already.
"Wolfsbane doesn't even have special fuck-you-wolves properties," Colton grunts. "It's just poisonous as fuck." Then, scratching his jaw as he listens to Juniper, he offers up a nod and says, "Shouldn't be a big deal, anyway. Elias can fly, Vicky and I are wolves, and either of us is strong enough to give Sam a ride if needed." He glances down at his thin singlet, then grunts, "Maybe I shoulda brought armour, though. Whatever." He steps in line with the guide, swiping a hand along the outside of his shoulder as a sheen of sweat begins to build up already.
With a soft chuckle, Sam nods to Elias as he heads towards the water-craft, the jock's gear likely un-suited for the humidity of the jungle. Nonetheless, he straps the crossbow he is holding to his back. "If ya really are strapped for armor, Colt, I have an amulet with me." He taps the thing, a steel, sharp-edged thing.
Victoria says "Not that I'm advocating Sam riding on my back. No offense, Sam."
Colton says "I can shift in a pinch."
Sam says "Aight, keeping my arcane bullshit to myself. And none taken. I think I can handle myself, sorta. It'll be fine."
Looking skyward, Elias mentions, "It is a clear night. A shame. I am sure the storms here are legendary." He adds with obvious disappointment in his tone. He reaches skyward, his fingers outstretched. He clenches his fist, pulling it towards his chest, but says nothing else on teh subject.
As the expedition members settle into the canoe, the guide gives a firm push from the riverbank, and they paddle deeper into the heart of the rainforest, the towering trees twisting and turning, and the rustle of unseen creatures whisper dangers of life hidden just out of sight.
Keeping a low voice, so as not to carry over the waters, Juniper confers with the others. "This plant, as far as I understand it, has a lot of sacred uses for the Mura peoples. However, for wolves it is another thing entirely. It enhances the pack bond to include a sort of psychic communication of the verbal kind. I'm not sure how strong, how much, or how long it lasts... the research notes existing on it are severely lacking." She pauses, casting one of her trademark lopsided grins. "I'm also not really sure about the side effects either. If it's just one huge trip or what, but, I'm in it for the research." Plant nerding aside, she quiets, sensing the trepidation of their guide as they meander down the river.
After a winding journey, the guide points ahead toward a break in the thick foliage. "There, just beyond the bend, lies the sacred grove," he announces, his voice low with reverence.
"I'll offer myself up for science if it does all that," Victoria says thoughtfully, drumming fingertips on one thigh, before another swat at a bug. Was it really there, or not?
"We're only getting a small sample," Colton grins, glancing aside to Victoria. "Might want Junie to grow what we get out a little bit before we eat it up. Besides; maybe I like being the psychic wolf in town." He leans forwards then, tracing the banks of the waterway for hints of ambush as he asks idly, "Any important rules for foreigners like us? Gotta go barefoot, anything like that?"
The very tip of Victoria's tongue extends to Colton as she makes a face. "Fine, fine," she relents before turning back to their guide.
Sam has an amused quirk around his lips as Colton and Victoria banter. He shifts a little, and looks over to the guide, looking about as much in place in a sacred grove as a sore thumb. However, he does seem to be listening, eyes fixed on the guide and Juniper.
"We are being given special permissions to be our gross selves," Juniper assures the others so eloquently. "In exchange for our expertise of course." That settles that, it seems, amd soon their guide has them banked expertly, quietly.
Emerging from the tangled arms of the forest, the group find themselves in a clearing where only the vestiges of magic can be smelled or felt (depending on their predilections) by those present. Something great and powerful once at play here has now ebbed. And as the last passenger climbs out of the canoe, their guide is quick to shove off from the bank and disappear into the darkness around a bend in the river, leaving them seemingly alone, but not according to their guts.
[OOC:] The room description has been updated to reflect the grove.
"Wolves," Victoria hisses, tilting her head. "I smell...some weird wolf smell." She frowns, glancing at Colton after a thoughtful look around.
Making his way out of the canoe, Elias slowly advances into the grove, taking a slow, but deep breath as he soaks in the feeling of this sacred location. The stormcaller, a shaman in his own right, closes his eyes, letting his environment seep into him.
Wrinkling his nose a little as he steps out from the canoe, Colton murmurs, "I can smell something. Wolves around, or this is marked territory, something like that." He offers a most gentlemanly arm for Sam to take in dismounting the little boat, but the theatrics don't do much to mask his wary mood. He nods his head at Victoria. "So," he says. "You thinking one of us should shift, make things clear for whatever or whoever is watching us?"
"They likely know what we all are. This is their territory. They likely were watching us long before we even made it this far." Elias says as his eyes are still closed.
Gladly taking Colton's hand, Sam dismounts the boat, and looks over the area of the grove. Stepping in, Sam looks around, taking note of the rune-stones, and glancing over to Elias. He does not speak, instead letting the shaman focus for now, as he himself closes his eyes, letting his arcane senses flow out.
"I'm not sure yet," Victoria takes a slow step before stopping entirely. "I'm adverse to torn clothing," she sighs, raking a hand through her hair.
Immediately, it becomes clear that Juniper finds something very wrong with the picture. "He's not here," she says in a clipped tone while her jaw sets visibly in stern worry. "Elias... the Shaman of the grove - he wouldn't allow them to move him back to the village for healing until we got here. He should be here. Something's not right." She looks to the dark-haired man with an apology already written in her expression and the group might be familiar with this look already to suggest that the woman is about to go rogue on them.
The tranquil atmosphere of the rainforest clearing is abruptly shattered by a subtle shift in the air - a tension rising like static, palpable and unsettling. The group suddenly becomes aware of an unsettling silence, the usual chorus of jungle sounds dimming to a whisper. From the shadows of the dense foliage, a pack of maned wolves emerges, their striking silhouettes intimidating in the darkness. Their long, slender legs gracefully navigate the underbrush, and their distinctive reddish-brown fur reflects the hues of the forest, making them seem both a part of the landscape and a formidable presence. The creatures move with an elegant fluidity, their keen eyes glinting with intelligence and curiosity, yet with a hint of predatory intent.
The wolves close in, their bodies low to the ground, ears erect, and nostrils flaring, catching every faint scent on the breeze. The leader of the pack, a particularly large male with a pronounced mane of dark fur along his neck, seems to survey the group with an air of authority, his gaze unwavering and intense.
An instinctive tension builds, there is a primal awareness, though they remain outsiders in this wild realm. The maned wolves encircle the clearing with a deliberate, almost calculated grace, their movements synchronized as they stalk closer. The underbrush rustles softly beneath their paws as they weave in and out of the shadows like phantoms born of the forest. Each member of the pack glances toward the gathered group of outsiders, their expressions betraying a mix of curiosity and assessment. The wolves communicate with silent gestures - a flick of an ear, a subtle shift in stance - signals that only they seem to understand. An unspoken question still lingers in the air: What do these magnificent creatures want?
As the wolves draw nearer, the leader pauses, lifting his head to the sky and letting out a low, melodic call that resonates through the clearing, echoing like a haunting lullaby in the stillness. His call goes unanswered, but the rest of the pack remains attentive, their postures tense yet poised.
And of course, the movement of the wolves advancing, Elias's stormy gray-blue eyes appear from behind the closed lids. At the response to the approaching alpha, Elias glances back to towards the Moorish Alpha they have brought with them, "Colton, I assume you got this taken care of?" He asks.
Victoria takes a deliberate step in front of Elias, reaching to pull Sam behind herself and Colton, and waits, scanning each pair of eyes with her own.
A shift in Sam's stance, and his eyes also open. He places a hand on a hidden sheath at his side, and he narrows his eyes. His gaze flicks from Elias to Colton, seemingly shifting who is in command. He looks at the approaching wolves.
Then he is pulled back. Seemingly allowing it, he uses that movement to attempt to /subtly/ fish a rather human looking fingerbone from under his armor, and crouch into a lower, snake-like boxer's stance, though he does not raise his hands just yet.
"I can only skip so much of the language barrier, if we're aiming for diplomacy," Colton grunts to Elias, though he does take a few steps forward. Unarmed and unarmoured, he may well provide the least hostile appearance of the party - if you can get past the half-feral mess of his hair. Looking the big one - the wolf who'd sent out the call - up and down, he pushes forwards with his mind to speak.
We have come for the shaman of this grove, he says. We have heard he is unwell. Where has he gone?
"You ever hear of the saying that a bullet speaks all the languages? I think that is where this is going. So unless you think you can do some wolfish magic here, I am going to start repairing these runestones, which needs to be done anyway, but I am sure they are going to be unhappy about that." Elias says as he raises his arms towards the sky, "So, unless you think we can avoid a fight, it is just going to be a fight. The contract is clear and the Forged never break a contract once agreed upon." And with those words, the clouds over head start to grow more dense.
Twisting aside from his telepathic conversation, Colton winces at the overt arcanism on display, then glances back at the wolves with his proverbial hackles up.
Victoria murmurs something about torn clothing under her breath, and sighs out a measured breath. "If there ends up not being a choice," she says, lifting one shoulder in a shrug.
Continuing his work on the stones while the others address the wolves, regardless how they decide to handle them. Elias reaches into his pocket as the winds start rustle through the tree tops of the jungle, pulling out a pouch with what appears to be powdered quartz, sprinkling it upon the stone as he works at restoring it.
Just as the atmosphere thickens with anticipation, a shift occurs. One of the other wolves, bold and inquisitive, takes a tentative step forward, momentarily breaking the spell of apprehension. Suddenly it becomes clear that these creatures are not malicious; they are simply exercising their ancient role as guardians of the land.
Time seems to stretch as the pack gathers around the clearing, and following Colton's attempt at communication, a silent understanding forms in the eyes of both the expedition members of the lupine persuasion and the wolves. In this moment of connection, a mutual respect is forged - neither predator nor prey, but fellow inhabitants of this wild, breathtaking arena of life. The stillness lingers, a delicate balance hanging in the air, as the two worlds converge, each waiting for the other to reveal its next move until finally, the large male at the front shifts.
The male in front of them is stark naked, but heavily tattooed in tribal markings. Many of them matching those found on the runes in this very grove. He holds his hands up and out, to show their empty status. "We. Protect this land. This plant." His English is stilted and forced. Heavily accented. "Shaman taken," he says with deep worry and fear that could be detected in any language. "More coming."
While the rest of the wolves seem to have relaxed some in the previous moments, the final words spoken have them raising their hackles once more, as if sensing the forboding in his voice. When he says 'more' it would seem he does not mean the friendly variety.
Ticking a nod to the now man lycantrope, Sam unsheathes his knife, taking hold of it as his eyes scan around for obvious entrances to the grove. "Then we will give them a warm welcome, I think." He ticks a nod to Elias. "If ya ned help there, Stormcaller, just shout, yeh?" He starts pulling back the bowstring of the crossbow he had on his back as he goes to take position, making sure either Victoria or Colton, likely realizing he's a touch more breakable than either of them.
Pausing to grab his top by the hem and roll it up off his body, Colton shifts slightly forwards the bare-skinned man, revealing his own tapestry of esoteric tattoos wrapping around his front and back. "We will help," he says, gesturing to Victoria and Sam behind him. "Our shaman is working on your grove. His mate is... a plant doctor." Would they appreciate him trying to explain the field of botany? He decides against trying it. "We will rescue your shaman once we have protected this place. Is he still alive?"
Giving Sam a nod, Elias continues at his work, his hand falling upon the runestone he was working on, closing his eyes as he seems to focus on it, not unlike a prayer, but somehow very different as well.
Victoria's lips twitch momentarily at Colton's description of Juniper. She nods her head toward the man, a brief, warm smile offered as she agrees. "Happy to lend the help."
From somewhere deep in the rainforest comes a howl of warning and moments later, a series of sharp gunshots ring out, reverberating ominously against the trees. Each crack of gunfire seemed to pierce the fragile tranquility. Urgent glances are shared between Juniper and the pack of maned wolves, primarily the leader. "Found Shaman," he tells her, though it is clear that whoever found the shaman has found more trouble as well.
That same expression is back on Juniper's face, only stalled by the necessary meetings of these two groups before she is shouting at her faithful group of gathered mercs. "I'm going out there. He must live." And with that, she moves swiftly to the edge of the grove, shifting even as she runs with the tearing sound of clothing and flesh and disappears just like that - weaving through the trees.
Left behind to defend the grove but also to restore those wards, the rest of the team can only hear the sound of machinery getting closer and the shouts of command echoing through the trees in the distance.
Conversation time over, the leader of the maned wolf pack also shifts back to his animal form and turns to the sound, creating a formation with the Forged while half of them split off into the woods, loping after the burnished gold wolf from Haven.
"Hold my hand a second and slap me awake if this goes wrong," Colton murmurs to Sam, reaching out to grab the other man by the shoulder - not the hand - to steady himself. He grits his teeth, straining against something unseen.
"If what goes wrong?" Victoria asks Colton suddenly, casting a suspicious glance between him and Sam. "What are you doing?" She takes a step, frowning as her eyes flicker toward the direction Juniper has run.
A moment later, Colton relaxes, nodding appreciatively at Sam before he steps forward and drops to his hands and knees, letting out some rather horrific sounds as bones crunch and crack and move in very wrong ways. He is /not/ the most smooth of shifters.
Victoria immediately averts her eyes, muttering.
Firmly pressing his fingers against the runestone, and the air around him thickens with static, a faint crackling building at his fingertips. The scent of ozone sharp and electric mingles with the damp earth and flora of the rainforest. Tendrils of energy begin to weave through the carvings, dancing like ghostly lightning along the grooves of ancient symbols. The runestone, long dulled by time and neglect, pulses faintly as the stormcaller feeds his power into it. It is not a reckless surge of raw energy. Elias is measured, controlled, letting the magic seep into the stone rather than overwhelm it. Seemingly totally distant to what is unfolding around him with the gunshots and the wolves running about, as the power Elias channels breathes life back into the guardian stone.
Squaring his stance, Sam nods to someone, even as a barely seen shimmer covers his body, that amulet glowing up briefly. He narrows his eyes, shuffling to form as good a circle around Elias and the runestones as possible, preparing to rip and tear at whatever approaches.
He does not avert his eyes, but he also does not linger, instead focusing on the task at hand.
Squaring his stance, Sam nods to Colton(wolf), even as a barely seen shimmer covers his body, that amulet glowing up briefly. He narrows his eyes, shuffling to form as good a circle around Elias and the runestones as possible, preparing to rip and tear at whatever approaches.
He does not avert his eyes, but he also does not linger, instead focusing on the task at hand.
Shaking out his coat as lifts up onto four legs, Colton(wolf) looses a low, rumbling growl before Sam and Victoria's phones crackle out in a monotonous tone, "It is difficult to force the wolf so far." That's all, though; he's much less chatty in his lupine form. He does, at least, look absolutely deadly, pacing out to the treeline of the clearing towards the sounds of gunfire and machinery. He looses a howl that carries far over the canopy, lifting birds from their nests and doubtless scattering smaller prey back to their burrows.
Shaking out his coat as lifts up onto four legs, Colton(wolf) looses a low, rumbling growl before Sam and Victoria's phones crackle out in a monotonous tone, 'It is difficult to force the wolf so far.' That's all, though; he's much less chatty in his lupine form. He does, at least, look absolutely deadly, pacing out to the treeline of the clearing towards the sounds of gunfire and machinery. He looses a howl that carries far over the canopy, lifting birds from their nests and doubtless scattering smaller prey back to their burrows. (whoops)
Sliding a vial from her pocket, Victoria applies a bit of the liquid within to the blades of her daggers, and the tips of a few arrows, nodding her head. Her lips curl into the trace of a smirk that's left lingering on her expression. "My favorite part."
"If you focus on their leader, I can kill him with one strike, establish dominance." Sam shifts, preparing for battle with a cruel grin on his lips.
The sounds of the fight in the distance is met with another howl, and yet another as wolves join the fray. Immediately concerning the grove however, is the obvious approach of men with guns within the deep foliage of the forest. Currently having the distinct advantage of being within cover while the group stands in relative openness, the rustling of plants and underbrush seems to lessen and quiet as commands are subvocalized. Clearly, these men are not just mindless brutes - but do carry some battle training.
Colton(wolf)'s shift and movement to the treeline however causes one such gunman to either react in fear or sheer confidence of their situation and releases a shot at the giant wolf - breaking the barrier and indeed breaking the skin even as a painful zing passes over Colton(wolf)'s shoulder, leaving a burning reminder of what could have been in his skin.
Elias's focus unwavering even as tension grips the grove. The runestone drinks in the storm magic, its glow intensifying, and the once-faded carvings now pulse like veins coursing with energy. A faint hum rises from the stone, vibrating beneath his touch, responding to the power being poured into it. The static charge in the air thickens, the jungle itself seems to bristle, leaves rustling as if whispering to unseen forces. The balance is not yet fully restored, but it is shifting.
"No," Victoria states, narrowing her eyes and letting an arrow fly in the direction of the shot without a second thought. "Sam," she ticks her head, sweeping her eyes quickly from side to side in the direction of the sound.
A simple word is loosed, as Sam's blade cuts the air. That finger-bone hanging from a silver chain around his neck glows up angrily, and he points towards the sound of that shot. "Your sight is DEAD" He speaks, magic oozing from the tip of his blade into the shrubbery, hopefully hitting the gunman straight in his very blood-vessels.
Dropping low - or as close to it as the oversized lupine can manage - Colton(wolf) shifts away from the zipping bullet with his hackles rising significantly. He doesn't break through the treeline, though, instead holding the position. He could take bullets... even if he hoped they weren't packing silver.
Victoria's arrow is a well-trained arrow from a well-trained bow. Combined with acute senses for aim and the blinding efforts of Sam, the gunman has no chance when that arrow thuds into the meat of his shoulder and he cries out in a mannish sort of grunt.
The glow and the hum coming from Elias's efforts doesn't go unnoticed. "They're restoring the wards!" comes a shouted voice. "Get in there go, go!" And so, stealth attempts pushed aside, a rush of black uniformed bodies start to come out of the dense foliage while the maned wolves who had stood on alert until now, rush in to greet them.
The sounds of growls, snarls, yips and of course... gunshots and shouts soon start to fill the air. How many are there? It's hard to tell at the moment. But four bodies enter the grove with a spray of bullets blindly thrown to announce their arrival and potentially cover their movements - and they are of course headed straight for Elias. Those gathered here from Haven would notice the unmistakable designation now on these soldiers as members of The Golden Shadow.
There's an almost orgiastic pleasure in Colton(wolf)'s amber eyes as his fangs snap around limbs and midsections. With no Sanctuary to hold him at bay, he is a horrific combatant; dismembering most of those he meets and eagerly swallowing human remains down his gullet in the frenzy of it all. Little care is taken to avoid injury - he would rather suffer through the healing process than have to slow down the killing.
Wincing as the dark magic seeps through the air, clashing against his own storm infused energy. The runestone flickers violently, its glow fluctuating as if caught between two opposing forces. His jaw tightens, this was a delicate process, and the raw, unnatural power leaking from Sam's mancing grates against the natural balance Elias is trying to restore. Looking up from his work, he calls out to Sam, "Be careful over there. We need to be aware of the balance within the grove." Which seems funny to call out in the heat of battle, but the dark haired stormcaller seems serious. Regardless, he can't stop. The stormcaller grits his teeth and presses harder against the stone, forcing his will upon it, willing it to absorb his power faster in an effort to stabilize his efforts. The hum intensifies, a warning crackle sparking through the air as the runestone fights to reclaim its purpose.
Victoria twists and ducks, slipping forward a few steps in the hope of avoiding bullets. Her bow is forgotten in favor of daggers, one spinning fluidly in each palm before she raises both and arcs downward toward the midsection of one of those bodies, a wide smile overaking her expression. "We've got it, you be careful over there yourself," she calls to Elias.
"Gotcha, creating some distance!" He gives a nod, and then, stepping forward a few steps, Sam is there, then he is not, disappearing into the shadow, and re-appears behind one of the mercenaries, his blade flashing as he tries to slash the kris knife at the man's throat. He gives no quips, instead only offering the mercenary a baleful hiss of disdain.
There's a lot at work here. The trained fluidity of Victoria and her daggers in the face of gunfights and the sounds of men dying - her own contemporary dance - finds one of the mercenaries slashed in the midsection, though not downed. His own retaliation comes swift, though with some shock. The butt of his rifle makes connection with Victoria's ribs before she twirls away, causing some loss of air, but nothing like the poison that man will start to feel leeching his ability away in his bloodstream soon enough.
From her side, Colton(wolf) is tearing into two others who had entered the clearing, keeping them of course, quite distracted between his flurry of claw and tooth. He is stabbed at and battered, but nothing worthy of stopping the fury of the wolf. While in his feeding frenzy, more shots ring out from the foliage - some aimed at the unseen wolf allies within, but others definitely aimed at the great wolf just here. Luckily for Colton(wolf), it seems the mercs were not prepared for the wolf presence here. Misinformed? Or is there another use for this plant? Regardless, the bullets sting and maybe even slow, like a poorly timed blister on a long hike, but they do not stop Colton(wolf).
From closer to Elias, Sam disappears and reappears like black shadow - perhaps the cleanest and quietest and certainly confirmed kill so far as his kris knife slides across the giving, virgin skin of the gunman's neck. Warm, viscous fluid spills out and over his hand while the body goes heavy in shock and drops to knees and then ground when Sam steps away.
Chaos, threat... a cacophony of sounds are whirling around while Elias tries to restore the magics that would keep all outsiders from finding that which they seek. The grove grows darker as clouds overhead gather in ominous fashion to some, though comforting to others. From the distance the gun noises seem to lessen, but victory is not yet assured as hidden fire still gets unleashed upon Colton(wolf) and another body bursts in from another entry point, trying to flank the team and tosses a smoke grenade between them and Elias.
The moment the final surge of Elias's power sinks into the runestone, a ripple of energy pulses outward, sweeping through the grove like an invisible tide. The stormcaller exhales sharply, his breath misting in the sudden chill as frost creeps along the ground in intricate, branching veins. The air vibrates with residual energy, crackling softly like distant thunder. The ward is restored. Then theres the smoke, rapidly obscuring his vision as it spreads between him and the others. Gritting his teeth, he straightens, hands still crackling with latent storm magic. The momentary reduction in vision from the smoke doesnt bother him, his power hums beneath his skin, waiting to be unleashed. The enemies may have thought the grove was theirs to take, but now, with the ward renewed and the storm gathering above. The clouds start to swirl overhead, getting much denser, darker, blotting out the stars over head. Then the rain comes.
Frowning and gasping for air, Victoria manages a scathing look toward the body she managed to slash, but then her attention is caught by the newcomer. She glances between those around her, and then one blade is thrown, end over end toward the direction of the grenade-tossing man as she attempts to move away. "I hate those," she sighs.
In a singular smooth motion, Sam pulls a gas-mask from his pack, in a quick-draw pouch. Almost like the grenade was an eventuality the jock planned for. Then, a burst of a sickly light envelops him, and wings sprout from his ankles as the jock launches himself back towards where Elias is, the bright light a strange, unearthly beacon as he tries to provide some support to Elias, eskewing the arcanism for pure demi-god speed and resilience.
A thick hide and unparalleled healing will take a wolf to far places. On the contrary, the bodies Colton(wolf) leaves in his wake aren't going anywhere at all... except maybe his stomach. He must have a bottomless pit in there, because while he's large, he should hardly be able to fit so /many/ body parts inside him. All the smoke and blood in the air does a lot to confuse his senses, and it's no surprise that's taken advantage of - the wolf rears up and away from the burst of gunfire at his flank, panicking for a moment as his side gets chewed up. He's not indestructible, after all, and the size of him makes him an easy target. He retreats into the treeline for a moment, leaving Sam and Victoria alone in protecting Elias as he hastily licks his wounds, abandoning his lupine form for those few, precious moments.
As the natural magic rolls through the sacred grove, a palpable energy thrums in the air, resonating with the pulse of the earth below. The energy feels warm and vibrant in direct contrast with the cooling rain that begins to fall upon them. As the ward begins to settle back into place, a shimmer envelops the grove - only enhanced by Sam's glow. It feels as if the very essence of the grove is waking up, stretching and sighing in relief as the protection restores its sanctity.
But sanctity is not yet restored, as malice still lurks within in the form of the one who threw the grenade. Malice, that is quickly ended by Victoria's timely throw of her dangerously beautiful dagger. She'll probably want that back, from where it sticks out of the eye socket of what was once a, well, not so good looking mercenary. Now a not so good looking dead mercenary. With a skewered eyeball.
Elias's rain and wind carry away any lingering threat from the grenade, and each droplet seems to revitalize the grove even more, awakening slumbering spirits and turning the mundane into magical. If it were not night, perhaps colours would even deepen. A delicate balance is restored and slowly gaining strength, drawing from those within and around.
It would be then that the group would realize it sounds strangely quiet from where they stand within the ward's circle. That quiet would be interrupted as maned wolves leap in from the trees, a pulse of energy being felt as each of three furred bodies enter the grove, as if they ward stones recognize their very carbon signature. Their body language radiates victory and elation, even if they appear a little harried and matted in blood of who knows what variety.
Colton, who was in the trees when the wards began to strengthen, would not sit in silence. He, from his naked crouch of respute would hear the confused shouts of Golden Shadow members, calling them to branch out and search the area as they lost sight of the target. As if they could not recall, the very place they stood so very close to just a moment ago. Unfortunately for him as well, in his current human form it would seem he too, has lost track of his companions in the Amazonian rainforest.
Looking around, Sam nods to Elias, then Victoria, then blinks a little. "Uh..." He glances around, skidding to a halt as he pulls off that gas-mask. "Colt?" He looks over to Elias, as if the stormcaller somehow might be hiding the rather large moore in his back pocket.
"Ahm..." He scratches the back of his head.
Reaching his hands up towards the sky as the threats seem to fade away with the grove's magic, Elias soaks in the rain as it comes pour down over him with a large smile on his face. Nothing for him to do but wait for his wolf lover to return from her hunt for the missing shaman.
Victoria wanders over to the body, grimacing as she plucks her dagger out of an eyeball, flicking a bit of residual gore from its tip. "We all...where is he?" she blinks in concern, spinning on her heel.
Colton's not so disturbed by the disappearance of the grove as the feeling of that magic on his skin - there and then gone. He lets out an unhappy sound, straightening up as bullets push themselves out of his skin and wounds seal shut, then lets out a haughty sniff. He'd go mop up the rest of the Shadow while his friends did their work within the grove. It wouldn't be hard for them to keep track of him, either, as he wraps his arms around the trunk of a tree and heaves.
The sound of roots tearing their way out of the earth precedes the groan of the mighty cudgel bowing under its own weight. "I'M ALRIGHT!" he calls out, unsure if his friends can hear him. "I'M GOING TO CRUSH THE LAST OF THEM. FIND THE SHAMAN!" The mobile tree bobs amongst the canopy as the man sets off after the scattered enemy - a handy little plumbob to keep an eye on his location with.
While Colton does the most valiant and absolutely hare-brained thing that anyone has Never thought of, his tree bobbing off into the distance - Juniper returns with more maned wolves in tow and simply leaps into the grove as if there were no issue in detecting it. Again, the ward stones beat like a heart, welcoming its brethren to its centre of tranquility where the plant everyone seems to want to get their metaphorical, and literal, paws on is safe.
Another series of snaps and tears has the large burnished gold wolf turning back into the blonde woman. Naked and not running through a rainforest with an oversized baton, this wolf tells the others in triumph, "We found him. I can tell you what happened with him later but, Juro will bring him back here just as soon as they can move him. The shaman knew when the ward was back - sent us back here..." She runs a hand through her hair in a disbelieving and relieved sort of manner, releasing a sigh. "Is there any-" Her sentence is interrupted by the sound of more bullets ringing out in the peaceful aftermath they had been enjoying for the moment. This is promptly followed up by a loud 'CRACK' like the sound of a great tree being felled. But perhaps in this case, it is the sound of something or someone being felled by a great tree.
"That'd be Colt," Victoria tells Juniper calmly, as though nothing at all were unusual. "Glad you're okay." She still casts a look of concern out toward where the sounds come from, and then turns toward Elias. "What about you. Are you good?"
Seemingly swept away within the storm, Elias snaps out of himself as he hears someone' voice, returning to the world of the living. The man's smile broadens even more as he see the blonde haired woman as he makes his way over to her, "Oh, my love. It is good to see you back safely." He pauses, looking back to Victoria with a raised eyebrow, "Why wouldn't I be good?" He asks, his hair drenched from the downpour of rain.
Seemingly swept away within the storm, Elias snaps out of himself as he hears Juniper's voice, returning to the world of the living. The man's smile broadens even more as he see the blonde haired woman as he makes his way over to her, "Oh, my love. It is good to see you back safely." He pauses, looking back to Victoria with a raised eyebrow, "Why wouldn't I be good?" He asks, his hair drenched from the downpour of rain.
Utterly deadpan, Sam looks over to the tree. "I'm... confusedly impressed." He just shakes his head, looking out of the clearing towards that bobbing baton of carnage. He just tucks his gear away, seemingly confident that no target in the jungle is a bigger target than the New England Tree-wolf.
"The climate is not too bad here. It is no volcano temple." Elias says to Victoria, nodding to her.
Somewhere in the distance, yips of wolves that sound almost like encouraging laughs follow that bobbing tree, eager to join the strange looking and smelling wolf-man in his sweep of the enemy and eradicate them from their territory.
From within the grove, Juniper wipes rain from her brow with a grin for Elias. "It's the rainforest, at least there's rain to counter his dislike for the warmth," she replies prudently. Then with a covetous look towards the plant they came all this way for, she swallows hard. "I'll have to wait, for the Shaman to take the clipping or else I fear the wrath of the wards," she states, the hair on her arms already tingling from the magics here. Indeed, even the maned wolves have begun to carefully circle the grove and draw close to the plant, as if protecting it from any change of heart the group might harbour. "I'd say we're... free to path ourselves out but what about Colt?"
At a distance, Colton's best spotted by the drifting treetop - now with far fewer intact leaves and branches - and the sounds of the occasional splattered Golden Shadow member. His Sanctuary is likely to be blown out for a whole month or so. At least... he seems to be enjoying himself?
"Hey Sam, think you can get his attention?" Victoria grins to Sam.
Tapping at his phone, Sam mutters some. "I'll let him know to head home." He presses send, and smirks a little.
"Already on it!" His phone, for some reason... HONKS like a clown.
"This is why I don't do magic," Victoria says slowly, narrowing her eyes with a glance over the offensive goose like phone.
"Well, that seems like it is settled." Elias says as he turns his attention back to Juniper, "Shall we head back to our cozy bed?"
Sam says, utterly deadpan, "He is pathing to the clinic to remove lead from his urethra. We're good."
"Cozy and cold," Victoria huffs to Elias. "What the hell?" she blinks at Sam. "His...right. Yep, I don't want to know. I'll send my condolances."
Juniper swats at some voracious bug that lands on her naked skin and decides it's definitely time to collect her clothes and grab Colton's while she's at it. Tugging on a torn shirt and some boyshorts, she states, "Let's get out of here then." And without much else worry or fanfare, it would seem the group path home successfully with the sound of grateful wolves howling their farewell in their wake.