Flashback A trip gone bad(balderdash)

[Seryk]

56th Spring 513 Seryk put a comforting pat on niko's neck as they were trudging through the swampy ground. Letting out an annoyed whinny. “So anybody knows how long we are still going to have to trudge through this sludge? It's been day's since we have walked on something even resembling solid ground. Or that I've had dry feet. Or a dry sleeping place” He looked towards his companions. Including him their group had six people all of them experienced travelers with their weapons by their side in easy reach. Although only one of them had ever made the trek towards nyka. The woman who had already made the treck once, Celia if he remembered her name correctly. “It's going to be swampy almost all the way to nyka from now on Seryk. So better get used to it.” Seryk lot out a sigh. “I guess my clothes can't get soggier.” Two of the others burst out in laughter. “If you think this is bad then you should wait till the end of this trip. You'll be thanking the gods when your underwear finally dries again!” “Could both of you keep it quiet!” The sole remaining man hissed From what seryk had seen during the travels marvin was a surly man, though at least he looked like he knew what he was doing. “Do you want the wildlife to hear you!” The group once again fell into an uneasy silence, everybody had their minds once again pulled back to the numerous dangers that lived in the forest. Seryk grabbed the heft of his spear in a tight grip keeping it at the ready if sudenly a pack of wolves or worse jumped at them. He kept his ears open for anything that might sound like a threat. only the squelching sounds of their horses trudging through the slime could be heard however.

[Balderdash]

A quick series of small splashes soon followed them. One of the horses snorted and slowed, perhaps sniffing something off. And there was indeed something rustling in the brush. Rustling... Ominously... Marvin's brow creased, and she drew a machete strapped to his belt with a sharp scrape. "Be on your guard." he said, "I've heard bad rumors about the wilds around Nyka." Suddenly, the leaves parted, revealing the horrid... Technicolor stoat? It was much smaller than a stoat, granted. Almost mouse sized, really. And so adorably violet! By the Gods, it even stood up on two feet and started cleaning its little ears! It was just so precious!

[Seryk]

The sounds of movement tore through the silence like an axe through wood and Seryk almost dropped his spear from the fear. For a brief moment he wanted nothing else then to give Niko the spores and get the hell out of there as fast as he could. When instead of a growling pack of wolves or some kind of horrific creature that would drive most people mad with fear just by looking at it, a small mousy animal jumped out of the bush. It didn't even have the gall to try and bite at the ankles of their horses. But just sat there, cleaning it's ears. Almost as if it was expecting a pat on it's head. Seryk didn't trust it one bit. His father had drilled the fact that you never should try to pet wild animals. They might look and sometimes even act like cuddly little pets. But they were wild animals all the same and small or not, he didn't want to find out if it was poisonous or something. After the djed storm of last year who knows what kind of strange abilities that creature had. A few tense moments went by as everybody except marvin and seryk began laughing as the tension dissipated. "Yes marvin. It's ability to coordinate colors is downright horrible." One of the women joked as she got of her horse and began walking towards the rodent. "What are you going to do Anna?" Seryk asked. "Keep away from that thing. It might be dangerous." Anna laughed. "Oh come on, it can fit in my hand. What is it going to do, bite my toe?" She bend down next to the rodent and tried to pick it up. Making cooing noises all the wile.

[Balderdash]

It was very adorable and cuddly when picked up as well, even rolling over onto its belly for a widdle scwatch! Amidst all the cooing and cuddling, the sound of earth being disturbed was almost unnoticeable. Almost. Marvin was the first to react, his head perking up and snapping to a nearby tree. Seryk would hear it next- along with a thick, rust-like stench. And then the high pitched "yuk!" Of course. Seryk would soon notice that most of his party was drooling and staring absent-mindedly into space, perhaps giggling once or twice, while the little adorable stoat thing bit Anna's thumb. Because Lhex seemed to have had bad tea that morning, the first squat, ugly yukman decided to choose that moment to burst out of the underbrush and charge directly at Seryk.

[Seryk]

One moment anna and two of the others had been messing around with the cute little stoat and in the next a small human-like creature jumped out of the bush and charged directly at him. If Seryk had been in a sound state of mind he would have prayed too preskil for protection or guidance. But all he could do was scream in freight and point his spear towards the creature out of pure instinct. To make matters worse his horse reared back in fear when the thing got to close, batting it's hooves at the strange creature most likely trying to break it's skull. Unable to hang on Seryk fell on the soft ground with a dull thud. He barely managed to keep his spear in his hands. He let out a curse and scrambled back on his feet. At the same time everybody who hadn't been drugged yet drew their weapons. Unlike him, marvin and the others had managed to keep their horses under control. "Seryk, get up!" Marvin barked out before yelling out more orders towards the others. Half of the still lucid group moved towards anna to see what the hell was going. One person moved to help him and the others tried to spot any other yukman coming out of the woods. "And on't touch that stoath with your bare hands!" Seryk scrambled back on his feet and pointed his spear to the yukman. Trying to take advantage of the fact it was hopefully still focused on his horse he took a few quick steps forwards and yabbed at the yukman's chest with his spear.