Saving Your Own Skins (Salar, Pelham, Invite Only)

[Sserapelham]

26-27th Summer 512 A.V.
The Dhani Diva didn't exactly finish what she wanted to say to Salar. She felt a hand wrap around the her neck. Pelham wasn't able to speak and tell Svanri to 'get the hell off her' and perhaps that was the best thing right now. Any more insults to Svanri probaby would have caused her to do something even worse to Pelham.

The Diva felt every last bit of the grip. It cut off her air, she couldn't get any oxygen into her body. After a little bit she began to feel head pains.

Pelham struggled at first but the angry mother was much much stronger than Pelham. More than Pelham could even begin to imagine. Slowly Pelham began to fade away. There was no way to show anyone that she was afraid. But inside this was taking an emotional toll on Pelham. She didn't want to die.

Not only did she fear death she would feel even more insulted if she were to die by her own kin's hand. This time the words actually got through to Pelham. No more words would escape the diva's mouth. She had no desire to ever end up in a position like this again.

Pelham heard Svanri's voice, she told Salar to know his place. But Pelham didn't think that was punishment enough for the disrespectful male. Pelham thought to herself 'Once I get the chance to get at him. It's over.' Her lips sealed Pelham looked over to Jyaharis nodding to her. As a thank you, Pelham didn't realize that she was too afraid at this point to even utter those two simple words -thank you- She slithered some to catch up with the rest of the group.

Katashk's words stuck with Pelham. Svanri wasn't really trying to hurt Pelham? It didn't feel that way. Pelham still wanted to dig her golden Kama into Salar's back. But she decided she had to stop making noice. For her own safety.

[Schism]

The sun was setting, the final chimes of the bell ticking away as Syna said her final good-byes to Leth. Only for the night, tomorrow they’d meet again! Oh the pain the lovers endured to keep balance in the world. Their love was not enough, however, to keep the Dhani and Myrians from eachother…or was it? In the jungles of Falyndar, the troop moved with a cautious pace. “Beware the blockade”, they were taught since they were young. Alas, the blockade seemed to vanish. It would be a sense of déjà-vu for Salar. Dating back to the djed storm, he could recall the silence that set in when the Myrians had vanished into thin air. The scent of blood might fill his nose, a powerful flash memory taking hold of him. Pelham would have a confliction with such a thing. The blockade had been there her whole life long. Had the events of the djed storm been enough to persuade her that the Myrians were just mortals, or did her self-inflation do that for her? They were missing in either case. The feeling was…unsettling. A snake tongue in the coming dark,”Something is amiss…” it said. Jyaharis was unsettled by the quietness, the stillness. Zinrah itself wasn’t quite so busy itself, but it was known even there that the blockade was always on the move. She received nothing more than a hiss in return. The reprimanding of a mother cursed the priestess for her sowing doubts. Svanri was determined to retrieve her child, if that had not already been made crystal clear for some. Katashk was silent, though ever vigilant., always watching…always listening. “Where are the Myrian savages?” “Hold your tongue before I do, girl. have you bothered to consider we’ve evaded them?” “We have not yet moved past their perimeter…” A look of confusion crossed Svanri’s face. She managed to shrug it off and lead the troop forward. Katashk was right though, and Jyaharis’s concern now held weight. Just where were the Myrians and what were they doing? Why were their tigers so silent? “It is dark. Maybe we should turn back?” She was asking Pelham. Jyaharis’s voice, a discreet hissing in the dark, was kept low enough for Pelham to hear clearly. Salar himself could easily eavesdrop, however, given their proximity. Katashk was too far behind, making sure their tracks were covered, while Svanri forged a path of her own, her passions ready to burn the jungle to the ground in search of her child.

[Kara Sunderwater]

Cowardice! Fear and cowardice! Salar bristled at the sound of it. To fear was one thing, as natural to most creatures as eating and sleeping. Jyaharis was letting her fear control her thoughts and give voice to her doubts. She was not master of herself anymore. And Salar despised weaklings. The jungle consumed such weaklings daily, it was the law which had existed long before Salar was born and would continue to be so long after his children's children were dust. But the male Dhani was smart enough to keep such judgments of females to himself. If Pelham and her ego didn't set Jyaharis straight, then it would be him, Katashk and Svanri who would see the next sunrise. Nonetheless, it was his duty, as a warrior, to tell his superiors. The agitated mother would probably slay them on the spot, getting the group nowhere. So Salar slowed his pace to put distance between himself and the females. "Elder, they are talking of going back. Should we be so worried about the Myrians' silence?"

[Sserapelham]

26-27th Summer 512 A.V.
The Diva Dhani's expression went completely cold after she heard the two words 'turn' and 'back.' Pelham wasn't exactly known for retreating from anything. The only time Pelham refused to go into a fight was if she deemed it wasn't worth her time. But this was different. The diva felt disrespected. Jyaharis thought Pelham was on the level of the common coward. That or maybe Jyaharis was.

Pelham whispered lowly so the angry mother couldn't hear her. Pelham was bold but she still wanted to live. "Look, you all can call me a bitch. You can call me cocky, ignorant, or anything you want. But I'm no coward. Understand? We continue forward. Or at least, I will"

Pelham straightened her body out. This is why the Diva limited the people she tried to talk to. Saxani was Pelham's only real friend. Everyone else was either too low on the ladder or just plan retarded. Pelham wouldn't waste breath on a coward.

"I've been too damn good for too damn long to pull a stunt like that." Pelham finished it off. She then stopped speaking.

OCC: Sorry this one is short. But at least I'm posting again<3 Luv u Schism.

[Schism]

Jyaharis snorted at the thought. Pelham’s values were misplaced with pride as far as the priestess-t-be was concerned. As a healer of her people, Jyaharis would not let this expedition go forward if lives were at stake…well, if they were at stake beyond the typical norm. The silence made her weary while others found structure in it. Svanri hisses back at Pelham and Jyaharis. They were being loud, deafening in comparison to the quiet of the jungle. The birds cooed, yes, but that was no reason to dismiss all danger. The jungle worked in mysterious ways. The moment they stepped through a thicket of vines could just as well be their end to a carnivorous plant. One needed to remain utterly alert. Not much longer on, some distance ahead deeper into the lines of the blockade, the tracker strumbled upon something. He pointed along the ground, hoping to show others what he saw. Svanri and Jyaharis saw it, but did the young Dhani of the party? Whatever trail he followed, it led them to a tree that was also rather uneventful. Had they seen it? Had they seen the trail of blood, the shattered arrows, or the telltale shuffling of leaves? There had been a chase, and it brought them to this scene. Several other arrows lay scattered about, most broken, obliterated by the force of impact. There were other signs and trails left by Myrian and Dhani alike. Small serpentine forms lead to the tree and then disappeared. The arrows were lodged as high as one could see. Svanri suddenly became animated, calling out to her child. Katashk’s every attempt to silence her failed, and in heart he too believed the child might be near. There was no telling how the struggle had ended, only this dead end. Jyaharis quickly mirrors Svanri’s agitation with her own concerns. The younger knew such loud noises would attract the jungle’s predators, or worse. “Silence, Svanri. Your child is dead. Let us turn back and live to tell his peers such they too will not fall victim to this savage menace.” The mother quickly spiraled around from her search and squared off with Jyaharis. Katashk was nowhere in sight. “You too dare challenge me? I thought your young minds were impressionable. Stay home, I said, if you would not dare the jungles. I will not leave my child behind!” She was shouting now, for any Myrian to hear. “Oblivious woman, we will die out here with your child if you do not quiet yourself. Enough. Enough,” she said, ultimately clasping her hands around Svanri’s mouth to silence her. The younger’s anxiety had won her over. Was she wrong though? Would this screaming indeed bring the Myrians crawling back? A quick snag of fingers, twisting and pulling, removed the youth’s hands from Svanri’s mouth. She threw them down. The mother elevated herself above the young priestess in training, her hands poised to directly punish the youth for her disobedience. “How dare you lay so much as a finger on me! Your cowardice, girl, will be the end of my son!” That and many other curses followed. It was the friction of the moment, no one could have even noticed before matters were heating so quickly. A second rebuttal from the youth sent the mother into a fit of rage. Svanri lunged out at Jyaharis, and soon the sounds of debate were overtaken by the noise made among the leaves, their constrictor forms smashing into the earth and trees. Seeing neither would win by strength of will, the challenge was answered directly. The birds scattered. This was turning into quite the scene; while entertaining, yes, it was also distracting. Would the youngest of them heed the wise words of a priestess - well, almost-priestess, or would they too find strength in pride and confidence and seek to face the darkest horrors of the jungle in this quest for life, whatever they might be? In due time this physical debate would elevate to a full out battle between the two opinionated women.

[Kara Sunderwater]

"Only the strong and smart survive out here for long. We must press forward until we find the snakeling alive. Or dead. We cannot turn back while there is hope! That would be weakness on our part to allow ourselves to be cowed by the dangers of Jungle or the Myrians. Each moment we waste, the snakeling's survival diminishes. We must press ahead," He hissed softly but audibly in support of the mother. She led, for better or worse, the group. Seniority was hers. Salar was not going to turn back now, without proof of the snakeling's demise or survival. Now was a time for action, not logic or debate. If the female priestess wished to depart, then it was on her head. Salar had committed to this expedition and it was a sign of weakness if he backed out now. What kind of Constrictor would he be to allow the risk of danger to make him afraid? If he, and the Constrictors, were so weak of mind, then they deserved to be swallowed by the Jungle and Falyndar. Only the strongest would rule in Falyndar. And that would be the Constrictors. Not the grubby Myrians, not their savage Tigers, but the Siku-blessed Constrictors would rise to the top of Falyndar as its champions and conquerors. Salar would see that day or die in its cause. That much he was certain. Jyaharis, however, was a set-back, an obstacle to that glorious event if she continued as she did. There was no room for the weak, who depended on the strong to carry their load, in Zinrah or Falyndar. And Falyndar would remember this mental weakness, that its mere presence was enough to cause caution and fear in Jyaharis. She would suffer for it and the Constrictors would suffer likewise. Salar looked to the older male for his approval.

[Sserapelham]

26-27th Summer 512 A.V.
Pelham was much to absorbed with wondering what rewards she'd have been getting if they came back home, alive. With the child in hand. The diva saw it then, HER, the hero. Coming home with the snakeling in her arms and the mother kissing her feet in gratitude. Pelham was then pulled back into reality.

The angered Svanri attacked the healer. "You do know lashing out on your own damned rescue squad won't bring your baby back home. Right?" Pelham dared to hiss to Svanri. Now the diva was really starting to become angry. An angry Pelham was never a good thing. The time for fun and games were long gone.

"I mean really, you kill us and your snakeling is dead. So from now on you might want to stop throwing your strength out there pushing us around. We get it. You're pissed. I'm pissed. We're all pretty pissed to have to be out here. This healer is worried about us. We're so hell bent on killing each other we're not seeing the bigger picture. Those SAVAGES out there could have your child's head." The Dhani diva thought she had one over on the angry mother. Hopefully she'd listen and calm down before someone in the group really did die.

Pelham just wanted to go on with this. They were out in the open, anything could have happened. And based on what Saxani told Pelham in the caves the open wasn't a safe place to play in. The group had to get it together and fast.

[Schism]

OOCSo…long…overdue. My B. The accompaniment was very right in thought, now was no time for bickering, and indeed there was a greater enemy around them. Alas, even in good thought, all failed to act. Through the brush, a frenzied Katashk darted into the fray, his arms bloodied and arrows in his hide. The brawl continued, a large hollow tree collapsing under the combined weight of the Dhani as they plummeted in their deadly dance. Katashk paid them almost not attention now, his hunter instincts in the works. "Curse you both. Run, run now!" Katashk said no more as he rushed through the green out of sight faster than… Faster than the Myrian tiger that now erupted from the jungle and sank its claws into the mother. Jyaharis, eyes wide, let go of the mother and began to flee herself. The troop had been caught off-guard and from the cries in the background it seemed to be by an entire fang. Forty plus Myrians, well-armed and trained to kill were en route. The mounted tigress was already on the hunt far ahead of them. There were simply too many for even five of Zinrah's greatest heroes. Svanri, her nails sharpened to daggers, slashed through the fleshy nose of the tiger. A horrific bellow droned from the beast, deafening silence overcame the immediate area as the birds and rodents exploded from all around in flight. The order had been given long ago: flee. The hissing Dhani and tigress squared off, the mounted captain drawing her swords. Katashk screamed out from the foliage reminding Svanri of her child. A quick joust let the Dhani and Myrian exchange blows, the tigress missing its pounce by the ever-so-slightly more agile Dhani. The skirmish was quickly at an end, the rest of the fang emerging. Dozens of Myrians in full dress revealed themselves. There were archers, swordsmen, even a damned tracker. Katashk had led those who followed ahead into the jungle wilds. Through stream and mud, he tried to slick her way through. The fang kept on them, and would keep on them relentlessly. It took the Dhani hours to get this far, and in a quick two minutes their whole operation had been blown apart. The child could wait, it was time to survive. Salar and Pelham should have seen the obvious, it was time to run. They didn't need to be the fastest, just faster than the slowest. Jyaharis, their only healer, seemed to lag behind, despite her head-start.