songerein | This Flame That Burns Inside of Me

Entry tags:

This Flame That Burns Inside of Me | OTA

Who: Soldier: 76 & Anyone
Which: Open Log | March Catch-All
Where: Farmlands, Wildlands, room attached to The Wild Harvest
What: Helping clean up the farm lands for the farmers, falling back in to old habits of spending a lot of time out in the wildlands and visiting bees, and a flower surprise that 76 has brought back to his room that's attached to The Wild Harvest pub.
Warnings: N/A, will add as any come up

Days in the Sun
A.
[76 was no stranger to farm work, far from it; he was born and raised helping out on the arm his family owned on the outskirts of Bloomington. Wasn't a big one, but enough so that he always had farm chores to do every day growing up before and after school. Weekends, too. Always had free time with that, too.

Reason that he was more than eager to get out there, burn some of the anxious energy out of himself in cleaning up the planting fields and mend broken fences to make sure none of the cows or other grazing animals kept could get in to them that easily. Also mean shoring and patching up fencing for the fields those animals would be let out in to as well.

There was a yetox close by where he was currently working on clearing a field. Grazing on a pile of weeds he'd gathered and gave to it. Still wearing a harness, but the topless wagon it was hitched to was closer to 76, filled with other debris he'd been collecting already.]

Hope you've got multiple empty stomachs, big guy. You're goin to be eating well and burning it off today.

B.
[The yetox that was out with him was currently resting in the sun, while 76 himself had spread out some fabric to sit in the shade of the wagon itself, checking over the amount of nails he had and the condition of the hammer. Just beside him was a covered basket.]

Hey.

[Passing by? There was that gruff voice-]

If you feel like it, should sit down and relax a bit. Even if not working it's quite the walk to get out here. Got a bit of food and drink. Rest up for a minute, won't kill ya.

Shade of a Forest
[Was keeping himself far more bus than usual, more so after- well, felt like a good two months or more where he just couldn't get out here like he wanted. Given the work he was doing out by the farms? He was taking it a little more easy. Not camping out in the Wildlands as he had been, but it wasn't stopping him from re-visiting some places.

Been a while since he'd gotten a good eye on the dreamhoney bees after all.

Still would be a bit of a walk, stopping by other areas in the Wildlands between each hive he knew of.]

Should probably see what I can hunt-up to bring back to the Harvest with me.

[On occasion? A rather large dreamotion made wolf would be walking either alongside or a little ahead of 76. Blue eyes scanning the area and ears on the swivel. Sometimes there'd be two more to make it three total. Moving together as a unit and sometimes one scouting ahead if something caught attention.

Rather peaceful looking should they approach someone, at least.]

Thorns & All For A Blazing Dawn
[Once the second half of the month hits, and when not working in and around the Wild Harvest itself, 76 could be found in a room connected to the pub itself and the garden as well. The walls of windows that could be easily looked in to from either passing by or from the garden itself was blocked off by various plants in pots and some rows of very colorful jaws that acted almost like stained glass by how they were arranged; a rainbow of colors and patterns. Both the plants and filled jars gave him enough privacy, so he felt.

But he was sitting on one of the cushioned benched with a pot on the table, what almost looked like a golden rose bush with glass-like blooms and buds sat before him. A gloved hand cradling one of the blooms carefully, blue eyes narrowing as he'd taken off the tactical visor part of his mask once he'd gotten it in and sat down.]

How the hell did these come from me?

[He'd gone back out, looking for the area he'd finally been pulled free and, well. 76 had found a single rose bush, just a bit below his knee in height. Looked like it had actually grown on the trip back.]

What does this even mean.

(OOC: Feel free to hit me up/PM me if nothing here catches interest. I'll also be putting some planned threads in here throughout the month.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Consider it a trip after this one then, since it's in my room attached to the Wild Harvest. [Which was part of Kazuma's own home, and again which was near the Mikotoba treehouse; really, easily seen to.

A nod, and it was easy for 76 to pick up a pace in knowing where they were going, Blue taking up step beside him rather than hurrying on off ahead. Some concern on her own part given what happened last time she'd seen him off in the direction of the cave under a waterfall.]

You're right, Sholmes. [Easy to get side-tracked, but the sooner they got to the cave, the better.] Hopefully something of value is find- more information we find, the better for growing and working with these flowers.

There have still been deer with the flower growing off of them, or so I've seen, at the very least.

[As they walked, Yujin tries to stick to 76's other side rather than falling behind too far. Still, he knows Sholmes might want to stick closer to 76 and for that reason, he leaves a spot open for him.]

Where exactly are the flowers growing on these deer? Their bodies? Or their antlers, perhaps? [It's another one of those things Yujin hasn't actually seen with his own eyes- only heard about.]

[ Yujin's question, and really, the entire situation at hand briefly shocks Sholmes into a moment of awe. Truly, he's been dropped into one of the surreal Lewis Caroll novels Iris preferred for her bedtime fare. Equal parts fanciful and ominous. ]

A stag wreathed in mystical flowers? Ha! Sounds to me like quarry worthy of the Wild Hunt! [ Sholmes' usual long strides are curtailed by the uneven ground and occasional undergrowth. He grunts as a reaching bramble rakes his trouser leg. ] And no doubt capturing one may prove to be a similarly rowdy affair.

... Unless, of course, Miss Blue here can double as a sighthound.

[Fortunately 76 was good for walking and talking-]

Both, actually. [He gestured with a gloved hand as he spoke.] It grows like fur along their sides and backs, but also hangs from antlers. I don't now if that's just a thing with some of the animals here, since I've seen all sorts that have different plants growing off them- even mushrooms.

[His head still made sure to tip, all the easier to tell who he was speaking with when it couldn't be easily seen where he was lookin thanks to his visor.]

What I hunted mostly when I camped out here- not always specifically them, but other such deer with other plants growing off them. [Blue went a little ahead of them then, once she got the idea of where they were going. Still remaining to a side as not to block 76's vision of the path ahead, well trained in that-

76 made sure his pace could be well kept up with, the armor of his boots protecting legs from the underbrush.] I will say that those with the Glowing Dawn growing on them? It seems to give their meat it's properties as well, protects them from being corrupted by nightmare energy. Other beasts turn from it and rot a bit, but they don't seem to.

[He gestured between Blue and Sholmes then.]

She can hunt them all on her own, and proved as such when she dropped one off at the Mikotoba's door essentially while I was staying with them. [A look towards Yujin-] Sorry about that, by the way. She wanted to help make sure I was fed well, I think.

Still, she's a good hunting partner. Reason I tend to take her out here with me often. Some of those deer? Grow far, far bigger than the usual buck and maybe they are fair game for the Wild Hunt.

[Yujin raised a hand to his chin as he mulled the matter over. The flowers growing on animals had its protective properties pervade their flesh? Certainly, that implied a possibility that eating those specific animals would in turn transfer the protection to whoever ate them. However, it depended on whether the stomach's acid would have a damaging effect on the properties. They'd have to run some experiments. Furthermore, it seemed to confirm a hypothesis Kazuma had offered; that the ents had planted the flowers on 76 to help him.

He snaps out of his thoughts again when 76 addresses him.]

Oh, no, that wasn't a problem at all. A bit startling, certainly, but nothing we couldn't handle.

[ Much like his partner, Sholmes' mind latches onto that juicy bit of information and begins gnawing away. Unique chemical properties? Or is that too mundane? Maybe something more ephemeral. Something beyond the physical sciences as he understands them? This dreamotion energy that pervades this world ... ?

The thoughts flow until he's distracted by the mental image of the poor Mikotobas greeted with the grisly sight of a fresh deer carcass on their doorstep. He can't suppress a chuckle at the thought. ]

So cats aren't the only creatures wont to provide their masters with fresh-caught morsels. [ He watches the dragon dart ahead through the forest with ease. ] Pray, Mr. Seventy-Six, what are the chances that Miss Blue can bag another floral deer on this excursion? It would be useful to have a fresh specimen for full analysis.

Susato did mention she took what you and she couldn't use at home to the Harvest, at least. [With all the times he'd fed Blue off of whatever he had caught? 76 wasn't really all that surprised she had wanted to do the same in her worry over his condition at the time; reason she was sticking as close as she was now as well. Only time she fully went out of sight was when she was circling above or off to hunt when she knew he'd tucked down for a moment.

At the moment she looked as if she were playing with the bit of light filtering through the thickening canopy above, the trees and underbrush growing a bit thicker the further they ventured in. Wouldn't be too long until they came across the stream at least-

He nodded.]

Rather high, given they likely aren't too skittish given not too many come out this far just to hunt. I know where they tend to gather to graze, given all of the time I have spent out here myself. [Had to do something with all the spare time on hand, once he was on the mend.] Take it you'd like one of the Glowing Dawn variety specifically, yeah?

Once we find the stream that the waterfall above the cave feeds, we're likely to come across some.

[Leave it to Sholmes to already be thinking ahead. And he was right to request it; a good look at one of these deer could provide some valuable insight into how these flowers connected with living beings, and vice versa.]

Excellent. Even if we end up learning nothing from these deer, at least we'll have some prime venison to take home with us. [It's not entirely a joke, but it is meant to keep a lighthearted air between them.]

[ As a city-dweller, Sholmes is duly impressed by the 76's rustic knowledge. Was that purely from his days as a soldier? Or did he often have to fend for himself this way? He certainly seemed like the lone wolf type. Curiouser and curiouser!

But as they walk, Sholmes is more than happy to pile onto Yujin's banter: ]

This is all so perfectly rugged. I have never experienced the distinctly masculine honor of returning home from the hunt, laden with game! [ He might give Blue proper credit. ] All I've snared are criminals, and I find them quite inedible.

Wouldn't hurt to field dress it- that way if it isn't too much for either of you to watch and learn, the insides can be examined and it will keep better for the walk back. [Knew a thing or two just from trips with his father and other family members- basic training once he hit the army and the second course for the Soldier Enhancement Program didn't hurt either.

His head tipped when he started hearing running water, a little whistle made as Blue followed direction and moved off the path to hit the stream. The water was odd, the light from above causing it to reflect some transparent and light pastel shades.

Took to walking alongside it, headed for the source.]

Some of it isn't that different from tracking down people; looking for sign, following track. Can even spot things like broken branches and disturbed areas of ground to learn more about what you're tracking. [He definitely applied hunting tactics to people sometimes.

Came in handy.]

[The field dressing sounds perfect, in Yujin's opinion. When it comes to examining insides, he knows quite a bit more than most would. And certainly, he's specialized in human bodies over animals, but some things are universal in any mammal. If there's nothing out of the ordinary to be seen in the deer's organs, that in itself is also an interesting clue.

But the water catches Yujin's eye and as they walk alongside the stream, he can't quite stop looking at it. The pastel shades are beautiful. Even so, he's listening to the conversation.]

As luck would have it, Sholmes is an expert at those sort of observations.

Quite so. People are not so different from animals. In fact, I often find them even more careless--

[ The stream gives Sholmes pause; his long legs fold into a crouch and he leans one way, then the other, observing the opalescent refraction--first through his own eyes, then through his goggles--cycling through lenses with a series of clicks.

Finally, he pulls his leather bag around, pops it open and retrieves an empty vial. This is dipped into the surface of the water before, almost as an afterthought, he reaches down to pinch some silt from the stream bed. He adds this to his sample before corking it tightly.

Sholmes shakes the extra water from his hand and rubs his wet fingertips together under his nose, testing for both viscosity and notable scent. ]

Mr. Seventy-Six, where is this water's source? The cave in question?

[76 did stop walking at least once he noticed the interest taken in the stream- and Sholmes stopping completely to take a sample. He supposed he had just gotten used to seeing it from all the trips taken out here. Blue had been curious about it the first time, and he'd certainly noticed the odd coloration that wasn't just a trick of the light and river stones that covered the bed.

Took the time to see if he could spot a little sign of any deer passing by recently while he spoke-]

More or less, yeah. A waterfall above the entrance of the cave -the waterfall is what has kept the entrance hidden- is what feeds this stream. From what I can tell from my times spent in the cave, that waterfall has to be coming from an underground stream somewhere in the cave system itself that's routed itself above it. [This is what kept the Glowing Dawns hydrated, the cave moist, from what 76 had figured.

Sholmes would find the water had a very faint and almost mint like scent, was cold to the touch, and otherwise had a normal natural stream water feel.] Which, from my best guess, means there's an underground spring in there somewhere, too.

[Water which springs from underground, flows upwards through a cave and then circles back around to hide it from view... There's certainly something very beautiful and poetic to that idea. Even more so in a world of dreams. Yujin's gaze follows the river upstream, but there isn't anything to be seen just yet.]

Hmmm, indeed. If there is a spring, I'd like to see it. This very same water may have been feeding the Glowing Dawn inside the cave as well, and if it holds certain unique properties to it, I may need to attempt watering some of the flowers in the greenhouse with it.

[ Sholmes nods at Yujin's suggestion, reaching into his bag again to pull out what looks like an old pickle jar. Probably because it is one: he'd taken the liberty of raiding the Wild Harvest for containers, both for this journey and to collect samples elsewhere around Songerein. Unfortunately, he had to eat a lot of miscellaneous condiments in the process and is now paying the price in diabolical heartburn.

Once the jar is full, he returns both samples to his bag and rises to his feet, signalling he's ready to continue. ]

This is a most interesting development! It could very well be that the properties are not inherent to the flowers themselves, but rather gleaned from this spring.

That or the nutrients in the soil from the flowers have transferred in to the water- it happens sometimes, and it's the reason some farms have gone to hydro-farming in the world I'm from. Water can carry nutrients pretty well; a cycle of growth and death of plant and animal matter carries with the water to re-supply and keep a plant pretty healthy. [There came the old farm boy popping up briefly. Not to get in the extremely technical process, but that was a pretty basic view of it without getting too in to it.

He wasn't a scientist, but he sure as hell grew up on a farm and helped out as part of his chores.] Either way it'd be good to find out.

Ready to head on?

[Was still a bit of a walk, but at least once it was in sight there'd be an unmistakably green hill with a jagged rock-face that waterfall was following down. Some deer along the sides of it grazing on grass and other flowers that had fought hard to come in early after a harsh winter.]

[What 76 says is true; it could be the other way around. The best way to find out would be to locate that spring, so they can compare the water. Here's to hoping they will find the spring, whether it's somewhere in the cave or not. Until then, getting samples along the way is another very good bet. Sholmes is right to take them.

As they move, Yujin will make sure to keep an eye out for other interesting little things. Nothing seems worthwhile to take, though. It's not until they see the cave and the deer that he begins to slow down. They shouldn't startle those poor animals by accident. Definitely not when they want to catch one.]

I'm unfamiliar with the practice, Mr. Seventy-Six. I should like to hear more once we've returned. [ Yet another odd tidbit; there's certainly more to this old American than meets the eye.

Sholmes follows the two other men, his mind entirely occupied by thoughts of experiments and hypotheses. So much so that, once they're in sight of the cave, he strides headlong into Mikotoba's back. So much for being the observant one? Maybe this is why the two operate as a unit.

He steadies the both of them with a hand on Yujin's shoulder and lets out a soft ah when he sees the deer ahead. Not only is the sight startling, it's beautiful. ]

I can give you a basic run down, or help make a functioning model? Could be good to have something like that here, honestly. [He knew how he could rig one up out of scrap gotten from helping farmers out, wouldn't be perfect but functional and show how the system worked.

Blue had tucked in closer, head even ducking down as if to make herself more difficult to be spotted, eyes right on the herd of deer.

76 had stopped as well. There were a few deer that were definitely much, much larger than the regular ones and they had far more green amongst their fur than the other floral deer. The glowing flowers very obvious in their coats and growing on antlers as well, a few vines hanging from there. Others were at least 'normal' in their size. A few drinking water from the waterfall's base, rainbows forming where sunlight hit mist just right.

A serene scene, really.

He had moved a hand on Blue, 76's voice quiet as he spoke-] This is only one of the herds I've seen of them. Always one or more outside with another inside the cave itself. Could be more.

[Yujin should've known better than to stop walking without verifying where Sholmes was, but it's been quite a few years since they were last on an expedition quite like this one. It's a good thing that hand lands on his shoulder, or he might've stumbled forward quite unceremoniously. Now he manages to stay upright, still frozen so as not to startle the deer or disturb the beautiful sight ahead.

They'll have to disturb it eventually, though. Yujin feels quite bad about it, now. Animals are killed for their meat all the time, but there's something about these ones that feels... sacred, somehow.]

... They're beautiful.

This our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything. I would not change it. [ He whispers this by way of agreement, still perfectly still behind Yujin. It's a rare thing, when Sholmes is moved to invoke the Bard--with an appropriate quote, anyway.

He drinks in the tranquillity of the scene for a moment before glancing first to Soldier 76, then to Blue. The dragon's posture so reminds him of Wagahai, crouched and stalking one of her toys. ]

Shall we strike while the iron is hot?

They're not as skittish as most deer, reason I don't hunt out this way too often to keep it that way. [But they were dangerous in their own ways, deer had sharp hooves and those antlers could pierce. Deer were a mix of majestic and horrifying given what some could live through, and just how- well, to be blunt, stupid as hell they could be.

Didn't take away from the sight for him, had been a while since he'd been up tis way. The water flowing down that fall was the same as what flowed through the stream, those colors reflecting some of that sunlight creating rainbows through the mist. No wonder the entrance to the cave was so well hidden behind it.

76 kneeled down beside blue, a hand up near his visor and another rested against ne of those somewhat flared feather covered wings. Briefly the tactical visor lit up, displaying a target field, every deer lighting up with a white cross; tracking little movements and positions-]

I can send her in after one for a quick take-down so nothing beyond that point will hear us. Might scatter the herd on the one side she goes after, but they'll settle again. [His had tipped, all the better to get Yujin and Sholmes in the corner of his vision.] Leaving that call up to you two if you want to get this part done now.

[Color Yujin impressed by that quote. Indeed, it was accurate and appropriate. That's rarely ever the case with Sholmes. He turns his head to send a smile his friend's way.

But then comes the big issue raised by 76.]

Do you think... If we were to go into the cave first, they would still be here when we return? It feels rather inefficient to take it inside with us, doesn't it? [He's absolutely not saying this because he's getting cold feet about killing a deer. No. That is not what this is.]

[ Sholmes suffers a moment of brief conflict, but pragmatism and a morbid desire to witness Blue in action wins out over any pacifistic awe. ]

We needn't haul it with us, Yujin. Certainly Miss Blue can hang the carcass from a tree--well out of the reach of opportunistic scavengers. Then we may fetch and dress it on our way back.

[ He follows suit with a crouch and swaps a lens in his goggles to refract more of the low, ambient light. Whatever happens, he wants a clear view. ] I say get it over with, Mr. Seventy-Six.

Be hard to say for sure. At worst- [He kept that hand on Blue's wing, her moving in to a low crouch all the same, focused on one of the bucks already as her tail tip flicked, the feathers ruffling. She was certainly ready, waiting on a word.] -I can temporarily ice the carcass once it's been dressed to keep any bacteria from growing.

Once killed it's a race against time to keep the meat clean. Blue can stay out here and guard the iced thing and have her fill of the organs she enjoys while it hangs once you've both had you look-over.

[He pressed on that wing and let Blue go, her bolting surprisingly soundlessly as she made a sharp turn in to the trees, vanishing in to the shadows created by the leaves and limbs.

76 was able to track her movement through the visor's display, the target that fell over her moving right along with the hidden dragon.]

Now's the time to call it if you don't want to do a quick examination of one of the deer before going in to the cave. Blue'll still take one down, but it'll be her meal for the day.

[Point was? Once the dragon set in to motion, she'd have probably taken one out while they were in there.]

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