PM to join Among the Wild (Jaylani)

[Theo Popcampio]

I can't help it, fire's just that fun.

Twenty-seventh of Summer, 517AV

The important thing to remember about the jungle is that it’s not particularly hospitable, and so it only attracts the brave and naturalized, and so Syka’s jungle had very few people simply wandering about, and that made it the perfect place to blow off steam

Theo had been having these fits of inexplicable anger more and more recently. Perhaps anger wasn’t the word, rage was a better description. It wasn’t the kind of hostile feeling that caused you to scream at a child or throttle your friend, but the type that drove someone to squeeze their dog's throat within an inch of its life. Theo didn’t have a dog, and he was morally opposed to torturing animals, but he knew trees would take a beating without a fuss.

The trunk was covered in surface wounds, revealing the soft brown hues that dwelt beneath the trees rugged exterior. If he was an axe fighter, Theo would have cut through the tree with the fury of a woodcutter. His swings with his blade were vicious, imprecise, and without direction now, and surface wounds were turning into gashes. With each swipe Theo bellowed out a cry of rage that crescendoed with every third strike: ”Argh, argnh, RAAGHH!” There was no need for embarrassment out here, just hacking and slashing, letting the rage take control. Even if the townsfolk could hear him, they wouldn’t know it was Theo. The jungle made sounds far more horrendous than Theo did, and no one came to check up on them.

The unsatisfying part of it was that this cathartic endeavor only unmined more rage from the recesses of Theo’s heart. With each stroke the hate seemed to grow, until the point where Theo couldn’t see, feel, hear, or think beyond anything but his anger. What drove him? Why did he feel this way? These were questions left unasked once he crossed this threshold.

Theo planted his feet, and swung from his hip across towards the tree again. He was anxious to see just one more cut, how deep would this one sink? Lost in his red trance, Theo’s feet slipped out from under him, sending Theo spiraling towards the ground and the blade ricocheting off into some shrubbery.

Flustered, Theo pounded the ground, and he went to scream but a thought finally hit him What was he doing? This rage was only begetting more of its own kind. Sweat beat like raindrops on the ground before him. With his sleeve he cleared his forehead, the taste of salt so strong it flared his nostrils. He reached for his water and drank every last bit that the skin had to offer, closing his teary eyes and feeling release as the warm water coursed through him.

For now, he sat with his but on the ground, humbled by his own overbearance. It was better to feel than to act now, he thought. To hear rather than to yell. And as he listened, the jungle spoke. A cool breeze was coming off the coast into the hot jungle, and the sounds of birds calling and leaves crunching echoed from far and near alike. Finally Theo had found some semblance of rest.


Word Count = 3320+533=3853/50000

[Jaylani Rae]

Anyone who knew the mixed blood, Jaylani Rae, well enough to call her friend would have known that very little truly frightened her. It was not that she was necessarily brave, but more so that she did not know enough to let anything frighten her. When she came across new things, she often took pause. She acted cautious, but she was not afraid. Not like those who had more knowledge of the world were afraid. Some might have seen it as a flaw. Called her a fool because of naive ways and lack of fear. The one who used to be her caretaker had done as much. She had scolded the mixed blood as a younger girl and told her multiple times that her wild ways would one day cause her more trouble than good. Jaylani had once been notorious (among her caretaker’s friends) for her poor listening skills.

Jaylani had her boots on this day. The edges of her pants were tucked in at the ankles causing the fabric of the legs to look rather loose and billowy. Her shirt was loose and billowy as well, fabric blowing around her thin form with the wind. The bronze skinned woman did not care. She liked the wind. She liked the sand and the water. The smell of salt that was carried over everywhere and stumbling across the pretty shells that were some long forgotten home of one creature or another. Frequently she spent her days out just enjoying her new home. She would go barefooted and traverse as much of the beach as she could before day’s end. This day, however, was not going to be one of those days. Her boots were on and she was on a mission. A mission to find the thing she searched for.

The jungle was opposite the shoreline. The place was so full of life and Jaylani found herself drawn to it. She had not done too much in the way of exploring out past the border yet. Something was holding her back, but she was not really sure what it was. The one she had once planned to move here with had been adamant she learned how to take care of herself out in that jungle. She knew that as long as she did not go deep into those trees, she would likely be alright. It was silly to be worried that another outcome would occur. Yet, there was something within her that kept her from going past the border. Kept her from following her heart. It was aggravating. The woman who was like a child in many ways hated being held back from something she wanted, especially when no legitimate reason was given for the denial of permission.

Jaylani cast a weary glance over towards the trees of that jungle she so wished to enter. She was sure that the thing she searched for would be found beyond those trees. Well, it was not actually a thing. It was an it, and Jaylani was not entirely sure that she had really seen it or if it had just been her imagination. Perhaps it had simply been a dream? She did not know, but she was searching regardless. The creature had looked quite hurt. Hurt and scared. It had not let her get close, however, and that was why she as looking for it now. When she had try to get close it had run into those woods. She feared for it. What if it got further injured? What if the bleeding attracted something else? Something worse? Jaylani did not like the thoughts the answer to that question brought.

A huff was blown out through the half Myrian’s nose before her hands balled to fists. A determined looked settled in between her eyes. She was going to do it. Going to go into the jungle, alone, and search for that wounded animal. She had paced down the beach enough. It was time to either do something or give up completely. Think the thing just a simple figment of the imagination and get on with her day. A breath was sucked in. It was time. She was going to do it… a step was taken.. then another.. and then.. something was flashing in the sun. Her gaze was drawn over to a scene she had been too preoccupied to notice before now.

There was a male there, his sword discarded on the ground. The look on his face looked something akin to anger, but also there was tiredness found there. Jaylani was unsure what else his face could tell her. She did notice the more obvious things about him, however. Like the fact that his hair was dark and his beard was trimmed. He looked tall, though he was sitting now so she could not really be sure. He was.. interesting to look at. Why did that tree just behind him have so many gashes along its trunk? None of the others in the area had the same ailments. Jaylani was too oblivious to realize he must have made them with the sword that now rested against the ground.

The mixed blood stared at this new man who she had not met before for several ticks before she realized that he could potentially be of some use. What if he saw the wounded creature pass by this area?! He could lead her to it! Excitement filled the mixed blood in such a rush that she did not entertain the idea that he might not have seen anything for very long. Instead she simply found herself carried over to him by feet that were quick and sure on the sandy beach. Her eyes were wide and bright when she finally stopped not two feet from where he sat.

“Animal hurt here.. run in jungle. You see?! Yes? You see?” Jaylani spoke fast, the simplicity of her speech not a hinderance to her in the slightest, “you show me. Show me where it go.”

The look on the mixed blood’s face was certain. Certain and excited. Surely his answer would be yes and soon.. soon she would find the hurting animal. She was so happy that she stumbled across him! Still she did not think that it was possible for him to not have seen anything. This lack of thought was likely one of those things that would have fallen under her past caretaker’s list of "Lani’s wild ways in need of fixing".

Common | 'Thoughts'

Word CountPost Total: 1,078
Overall Total: 6,189

[Theo Popcampio]

I can't help it, fire's just that fun.

With his palms planted on the ground behind him, Theo leaned his head back and felt the broken sunlight on his face. Even through his closed eyes, Theo could see Syna’s light as it forced its way through to his perception. It felt warm and good, relaxing even.

Theo felt at peace, or what semblance of peace he could relate to right now. A light-rendered scowl sprawled his face beneath his dark hair when he heard footsteps. Startled, Theo surged his head to view the threat and reached for his blade. But what he saw was not a threat at all. It was a girl, not much younger than Theo, with a brightness in her eyes.

“Animal hurt here.. run in jungle. You see?! Yes? You see? You show me. Show me where it go.” The girl spoke with unappreciated enthusiasm. She had wild tawny curls that shaded her face as she looked down at Theo and skin of nearly the same color. Her bottoms were loose tucked tightly into her boots. She looked like a real trailblazer, all except her shirt which was loose enough for a whole bees nest to fit through the sleeve.

The young man thought she was fair, but she had taken him on such surprise that those thoughts weren’t immediate. Instead Theo collected himself and turned away from her, letting the questions hang. She was, after all, a little too excited for the mood Theo was in. He stood up methodically, no longer perusing his mind, one foot and one hand at a time. He dusted himself off as he stood and reached for his blade, the blade wissing as it reached its sheathe.

”I’m sorry,” Theo began, ”I haven’t seen any--” Then something popped into his head like a whisper. A sound, a howl. Was it a hurt cry? Who or what made it? The answers weren’t coming. Theo scanned his blur for any sightings he may have had of the creature. Nothing.

He was unsure of what to do. Did Theo tell her? The worry was that this girl would push on in the perils of the jungle aimlessly and get herself killed. But even if he told her the animal was dead, she seemed sentimental enough to go pay her respects. Either way, she was likely to end up in trouble.

The best thing Theo could offer was to help her, at least then she’d be somewhat less in danger in her naive quest. ”I heard something, although I hardly remember it. Old head could use a bit winding up. It probably came from deeper in, but I’m no animal rescueman and I’d fall flat looking for your friend out there. But you look like you can thumb your way through some dirt. I can’t just let you go alone out there, though, this jungle would swallow a little bird like yourself up.” Theo formed a mouth with his and closed them shut. He grinned and pointed the tip of his blade deeper into the jungle. ”Let’s find our furry friend. If we die, at least it’ll be for a good reason.”


Word Count = 3853+533(Yes, same amount of words lol)=4386/50000

[Jaylani Rae]

The first thing Jaylani witnessed the man do was stand from his spot on the ground. Well, maybe that was not truly the first thing. Really the first thing she had seen him do was breath, but that did not really count. It took very little conscious thought to keep breathing. Anyway, that was beside the point. The mixed blood’s overly excited, molten gaze watched the male so very intently as he stood from his spot and gathered up his sword from the ground. She watched as he replaced the blade to its spot sheathed at his side, the dots still not connecting that he had been the one to create those gashes on the tree. She was simply to preoccupied with her quest to question why the weapon had been on the ground in the first place.

A scowl marred the pretty features of the half Eypharian when the male began to deny having seen anything at all. Her forehead wrinkled and her hands became fists when he started to deny her truth. She was so sure he had seen something. So very sure. That she was possibly wrong was not something she was willing to easily accept. Not when there was some injured beast out there all alone in the jungle. It could bleed out. It could get attacked or eaten by something bigger than it. Get trapped somewhere and not be able to get out. The possibilities were endless and Jaylani’s mind was tortured by them all. It seemed that she had found something she was afraid of at last.. an animal in need and her not being able save it.

“You… but you..” Jaylani muttered, frustrated and desperate, “Caiyha.. please?”

The woman’s scowl turned into a face of pure devastation. How could he not have seen? He was right here! Right here and the animal.. the animal could have been anywhere. She was ready to go chasing after it, but where to start? How to track it down? Looking into that big jungle with all of its green.. it felt impossible. Jaylani felt her heart grow heavy. She looked back to the man with those pleading eyes. Even upset she was pretty. Not that she meant to be, she just was. Her mother’s blood, though she did not know it. Nor did she care. Her mind was focused on one thing and that was to get this male to admit that he had seen. It was like she thought that maybe if she just wished hard enough than it would simply be. Even though she knew very well that things in the world did not work like that.

“I heard something, although I hardly remember it..”

Jaylani’s face shifted again. This time from pure devastation to a bright light of hope. So he had seen something! Well heard something.. Did not matter. He knew something. A potential lead. The mixed blood became so excited once more that she almost did not listen to the rest he said. She was beaming again, her hands relaxed, and her muscles rolled as she shook out her shoulders. Things seemed like they might be alright again. Like maybe the gods really were looking out for that poor little creature. Well, Caiyha at least. Jaylani revered the goddess of nature above the rest and gave her the credit when it came to the plants and animals of Mizahar and all concerning them.

The buzz moving through her made it hard to listen to the rest of what the male had to say, but Jaylani made herself take pause. She hung onto every word as best as she could. There was some she did not understand. Such as the talk of needing to “wind up the old head”. She did not understand that in the slightest. His head did not look old and she saw no place in which it could be wound. Her own head had no such place. Other things were understood, however. Such as the creature being further in the jungle and him not being a rescue man. Not all were. Especially not on there own. She felt him lucky because now she was here and they could go together now. No one had to go alone!

“Dirt not bother,” Jaylani assured with a wave of her hand, she never minded getting dirty, “I can hold own, but with other.. better. Safer.”

He called her a little bird. She did not know why, but she decided that she liked it. Birds were pretty and free. They got to dance in the skies and were never hindered by chains such as feet. Instead they got wings and got to go up high. Jaylani liked the idea of being like a bird. Of being able to go high and soar free. Surely she could have found the injured animal much easier then. Oh, if only she had been born like a bird! Jaylani sighed at the thought.

“Not die. No die. Not ready,” the mixed blood assured matter-of-factly before giving the male a smile, “find friend. Yes. Let’s go!”

Jaylani was still beaming, quite happy that he had agreed to come with her. She flipped her hair off her shoulders and let it fall behind her before she headed towards the jungle. He had the blade so she was sure not to go far without him, but she was unafraid now that she was not alone. They were going to do this. They were going to find the injured creature and they were going to save it!

“My name is Jaylani Rae. In case we do die, you should know,” Jaylani offered him as they passed the border into the tropical forest, “some call me Lani. You can if you wish. What do I call you?”

She did not stop. Did not look back to him despite talking to him. She was on a quest and now.. Now she was going to complete it.

Common | 'Thoughts'

Word CountPost Total: 995
Overall Total: 7,184

[Theo Popcampio]

I can't help it, fire's just that fun.

Emotions rolled across the girl's face as Theo shifted his thinking throughout their talking. She was struck with utter sadness one moment and bouncing with felicity the next. She had a certain degree of innocence about her that caught Theo’s affection, a youthful excitement about the wonders of the world that Theo did not share even at his age. In truth, he was in part jealous, but he was also curious to see where this encounter would lead him and what he would find out about her.

She introduced herself as Jaylani or just Lani. ”Lani, I like it.” Theo said to her. Lulled by her demeanor, he had managed to drop his sarcastic defense, if only for a moment. ”I’m Theo, but you can call me Theo.” He chuckled as she peddled through the dirt with her boots. She didn’t seem much for humor, but he couldn’t turn it off at all.

Theo wasn’t much for a fast-paced walk, he was too relaxed, but he had to call on something to get her to cool down a little bit. Lani was jumping out of her skin at the pace she was walking. ”Shouldn’t we slow up and look for something first, a sign that something ran through here? We could be dashing right past something that could be valuable to us.” Theo said, surprising himself with just how persuasive he sounded.

Taking an assertive step, Theo began to check the nearby foliage for any signs of what to look for. In truth, he had no idea what he was looking for, but now he was in open doubt about what Lani brought to the table as well. Maybe blood? Perhaps some tracks, but what kind of tracks were they looking for? How did trackers do it? Did they smell the animals?

”Lani, you got a hunch out here? All I see is bushes, trees, green, and brown. It’s all the same.” Then, as if from the wind, a smell entered Theo’s nose. It was rancid, but he couldn’t tell if it was a body or dung. How do I know what a body smells like? Nevermind. ”You smell that, animal lover?”



Word Count = 4386+376=4762/50000

[Jaylani Rae]

The male was talking and while Jaylani was listening, she was not giving him her full attention. She was instead focused on pushing the many plants that blocked her path out of her way. The molten gaze looked for clues that led to which path their little friend had taken through the jungle. She did not know really what she was looking for though and was instead searching blind. Probably not her brightest idea.

“Theo,” Jaylani murmured his name, testing out the sound of it on her tongue as she pushed a leafy plant out of the way, “Theo..Theo.. just O.”

A playful smile broke her lips before she shook her head. She did not like that idea. Not the right nickname for him. Besides, they did not know each other so well yet. Maybe with time she would find her own nickname for him. Not something she was too concerned with at the moment. She was much more interested in finding the hurt creature. Perhaps after she would worry about getting to know her new acquaintance.

“Slow?!” the mixed blood interjected before he could finish, appalled at the suggestion before she heard the rest of his words.

A blush colored the half Eypharian’s cheeks when she realized that he was right. It was very possible that they would miss something going at this pace. She knew she was moving very fast and was acting overly eager. The passion moving through her to find this animal had made her blind and hasty. It was likely a very good thing that she had not entered the jungle alone before running into Theo. As he was showing now, he was the dose of reality that she needed to keep her heart from running off without her.

“Oh right, signs. Signs should be looked for,” she agreed, her voice downcast and that blush of foolishness still very present, “you are right. Sorry.”

Jaylani slowed herself down to a walk and met Theo’s pace. If they found the beginning of the path than perhaps the pace could be picked up again. The mixed blood hoped so. This slow walking would get them no where in her opinion. That gaze of brown looked at all the green that surrounded them, looking for anything. What was she to look for though? That was her problem, she had no idea. Having convinced herself earlier that Theo had seen the subject of her mission pass by at some point she had not planned for this. She had not planned for having to track the poor creature in need down like this.

The only thing Jaylani had for a lead was that the thing was bleeding. She did not even know what it was really. Canine? Feline? Something else that walked on four legs? She had no idea. Panic was settling in again. What if she could not find it even with Theo’s help? What if this all was for nothing? What if the animal died before she even got close to helping it? Breaths came faster as fear of failure settled in. She had to do this. That was what she told herself. She could not fail. Not at this.

“Blood.” That was Jaylani’s answer to Theo’s first question. “I saw blood on it. Seeing some around here would lead to it.”

That was all the girl could think of. What else could help? The girl wracked her brain for what she could remember of the creature. She remembered the blood and the body was dark colored. That could have just been the shadows that surrounded it though. It had been so early in the morning when she saw the unknown beast. Its eyes had looked sad and desperate, but scared. Jaylani remembered what color they had been. A bright golden color. Not quite brown, but not yellow either. Somewhere in the middle with maybe a hint of green. She was not sure of that though, she had not been able to get close enough to really tell before it ran away from her. Did that even really help? How many animals had golden colored eyes?

“Smell what?” Jaylani asked, brought out of her mental pondering of what could help them find the hurt creature.

Jaylani’s forehead wrinkled in concern as she inhaled deeply. At first nothing hit her besides the scent of citrus and sea that always surrounded her. The scent was slightly stronger than what was the usual, but she did not care enough to notice or question why. It was only after she turned slightly to face the same direction that Theo was and inhaled again that she was able to catch onto what he was talking about. Her nose wrinkled in disgusted. What in Mizahar was that scent? She inhaled more deeply despite the repulsion the scent created within her. Could that be blood? She did not think so because of how strong it was, but there were no other leads and she was desperate.

“I smell, but do not know what,” she admitted, concern written across her features, “let’s follow. See what. Maybe lead?”

The half blood did not move from her spot without Theo’s approval that they go in that direction, but her bones were aching to move fast again. What if that was the animal she searched for? Anything making that bad of a smell could not be good. Could not be in good shape at least. Jaylani was worried, very worried. She looked to her travel partner, those pretty eyes of hers looking desperate again.

“We got to go. Find. Maybe our hurt animal. Yes, must go,” she decided before nodding, “come on.”

Jaylani did not wait for his answer anymore, but surged forward in that direction. Her hands pushed plants out of the way and her feet could not move fast enough for her. She hated that she could not run here. Too much risk of tripping because of the unfamiliar territory and falling was not something she needed to do. That would not get her to the location of the smell quickly. She just tried to move as fast as she could and she hoped that Theo was following, moving as fast as he could as well.

Common | 'Thoughts'

Word CountPost Total: 1,040
Overall Total: 9,547/50,000

[Theo Popcampio]

I can't help it, fire's just that fun.

The wind had been taken out of Jaylani’s sails as Theo begged her to slow down. He felt slight sympathy for her naivety as she stopped. At first she seemed tense, angry perhaps, but then she realized the wisdom in his request. Theo wondered what she would be doing out here had they not had they not accidentally made acquaintance. It was a pain to wonder, as she had such a good heart, but coming to jungle unarmed was begging for trouble.

Upon reflection, Theo was mired by his own foolishness. Was soothing his rage in the jungle really the best thing to do? Obviously not, he could've easily been pounced on by some opportunistic predator with all the noise he was making. Better yet, the practical use of this cathartic swordplay was null. Theo felt like a fool. Once again, he had to remind himself, Theo was lucky to be alive.

Jaylani’s apprehension peaked once she too noticed the smell. She claimed to have seen blood in her vision, but Theo wasn’t putting much stock in that. Theo was skeptical of prophecies and gods, even after having firsthand experience of such. There was too much room for misinterpretation in the supernatural, and charlatans and the delusional were more common than prophets and genuine psychics, or so he thought. This was a fool’s errand, he was beginning think, but Jaylani’s dream offered her determination that was going to overpower any rationalization he threw at her.

Her reluctance was short lived, however. After pleading him to lead, she dashed off again to find the smell, leaving Theo in her wake. As he followed, he too noticed the smell was getting stronger.

”Slow,” Theo pleaded, but it was no use, she kept on marching ahead. Theo lept up to keep pace, wary of what they might be coming across. That’s when it hit him, it was rancid. It had to be a body, no animal could excrete a smell so foul.

Instinctively, Theo held his arm out in front of the girl. The odor was radiating from behind some tall shrubbery not five feet from them. Slowly Theo grabbed his sword, the steel making a low hum as it emerged from his back-mounted scabbard. Slowly stepping forward, he spread the shrubs with his right hand as he waded through the flora.

What he found was no living animal, but equally shocking to those of weak stomachs. A pig, well gored, lie there dead and festering. Theo poked his head closer to see what exactly was its condition. The carcass was such like spoiled milk, manure, and simply death; Theo could feel his eyes burning. Theo kneeled down and put his sword away. The bowels, or what was left of them, were spilling out onto the ground and had become a mix of red, black, and grey. The tender meat was either eaten or decomposed, and now maggots were breeding flourishing on the dead flesh. This pig was long dead.

Theo turned back to Jaylani, emerging from the shrubbery. ”It’s a dead pig,” he began. ”It’s been dead a while, I’d say, definitely not what you’re looking for. Also, it was probably dragged here, the pigs live by the water in Syka. Something likes to feed here.”

He pulled out his assassins dagger from his hip. He had to consider his next words wisely, being that Jaylani wasn’t exactly fluent in common speech. He placed the dagger in her hand. ”The animal you’re looking for, it could be dangerous. You have to be ready to protect yourself from it or anything else.” He lightly grabbed her wrist, looking her in the glowing golden eyes to portray some earnestness. ”If you get scared, stab it like this.” He pulled her wrist forward. ”And then twist like this.” Theo turned her wrist clockwise. ”This is going to hurt real bad, and will make the animal.. sick, but better it than you.”

Theo waved his hand deeper into the jungle. ”Let’s be careful from here on in. You lead, I'll be following closely.”


Word Count = 8221+693=8914/50000

[Jaylani Rae]

Jaylani heard Theo pleading with her to slow again, but the mixed blood did not listen this time. Her heart and mind were moving as one wildly and unpredictably through the forest. She was following that rancid smell. Worry had filled her that it was the one they searched for. That it had become to late. She had to find out for sure though. Something within her would not just believe one idea and take it as truth. She had already done that earlier in the day when believing that Theo without a doubt had seen her lost animal. Though she did make a lot of mistakes, Jaylani was not eager to make the same mistake twice. At least, not so soon after having made it the first time.

“Theo! What?!” Jaylani snapped when an arm shot out in front of her and forced her to stop.

The mixed blood had not thought the male so closely behind her, but it seemed that he could keep up well. That was a good thing. She did not wish to leave him behind and despite her snapping, did wish for him to stay with her. Though she would go alone now that she had found a trail to follow if she had to. She had let herself get too worked up by this point to just stop. So it was anger settled in her molten gaze and flaring her nostrils at this halting of her body. She had it in her head to shove him away and keep going, but his pulling out his sword silenced her actions before she could do anything.

Jaylani swallowed and watched him, confusion on her features now. She smelt the smell though. It was bad here. Much worse than it had been when they started on this trail. Seeing that sword out just added weight to the situation. What was Theo expecting to find behind those bushes? The mixed blood watched as he began stepping towards the shrubbery. She followed behind, hiding behind his larger form. If something were to attack it seemed best to let the man with the sword deal with it, seeing as the woman was weaponless and talentless in the ways of self defense. Both things that were very foolish on the mixed blood’s part.

The smell just got worse the nearer the pair got to it. Jaylani had to reach up to her face and plug her nose, her eyes squinting as the smell began to make them water. She no longer thought that such a horrid smell could possibly be made by just blood. She did not know what it could be, but she did not have to wait long to find out. Though his form was too big for her to see over, Jaylani was able to tilt to the side slightly and see past Theo at what lay on the ground before them. A squeak filled her throat and she retreated from the scene instantly. She had not even gotten the chance to figure out what the poor animal that lie dead even was.

Jaylani was back where they had been before on the other side of the shrub, tears sprung in her eyes. She felt a little sick, but not so much so that she was willing to run all the way back to the beach by herself. It was not so much that she was scared of what had done that to the other creature or that she was so simply disgusted that she could not handle it, but it was more of a profound sadness. Something had done that to another life. Destroyed it and left it to rot on the ground. It was the ways things went. Natural, a life cycle that Caiyha oversaw. That, however, did not mean Jaylani was like stone in when seeing such things. The death of any who once lived continued to sadden her.

“Pig?” Jaylani choked when Theo came back from the scene, “dead long.”

The mixed blood sighed and looked at her hands. No, that was not the one she looked for. The one she had seen had been hurt just this morning, not many days ago. Not long enough ago that it would like like this had when it was gone. Jaylani sighed a trembling breath before nodding and lifting her hands to her eyes. She wiped away her own tears and attempted to get over herself. It took her many ticks, maybe a chime or two, but she did mostly return to how she had been before. Tearless and determined to find the right injured creature.

“Well, we must keep going. Start again. I am sure it is out here,” Jaylani said, ready to keep going.

They did not get going right away, however. Much to Jaylani’s surprise, Theo had something to give her and words to tell her. The dagger he placed in her hand felt foreign in her grip. She was instantly not fond of it, but he seemed sure that she should have it. That something dangerous might come at her and she needed to have some chance to protect herself against it. It did not seem to matter that the idea of hurting an animal, any creature really, was completely appalling to the mixed blood. Theo showed her how to use the dagger anyway.

Jaylani found the man’s touch to be light against her wrist and allowed him to show her what to do with the mean looking blade. She even focused and did her best to remember what he showed her. The directions did not seem to be too hard, she did understand most of the words he said. Stab away from herself, towards the enemy, and twist the blade in a clockwise direction. Simple enough, easy to remember. Theo said it would make the animal sick, but Jaylani did know what a blade would do to an animal. Death would likely be dealt or at least a nasty wound that might not be able to heal easily would be given. The girl did not like that idea, but she did not say anything. Theo seemed to think her life was worth more than any she might harm with the blade and she was not going to contradict him, even though she was not so sure of she agreed with him about that.

“Alright,” Jaylani agreed, letting her hand carrying the dagger drop down to her side, “I lead, you follow. I go slower.”

Jaylani flashed him a grin before she began walking through the jungle once more, being careful to avoid the scene of the dead pig. Her hand carrying the dagger was at her side, the blade pointed down towards the ground. She did hold the grip tight, but that was more so she did not lose it. It did not belong to her after all and it was unkind to lose another’s belonging. The mixed blood just walked in a somewhat straight line, her eyes kept wide open for anymore signs of the hurt animal she was searching for. Though she did not know it, she was leading them in the direction towards where her tent was set up. This was taking them not deeper into the jungle, but actually sideways from where they had been.

“Seeing anything Theo?” Jaylani asked after a long spell of time of wading through the foliage of the jungle.

Jaylani had stuck true to her word and walked at a slower pace, but doing so was only causing her anxiety. All the *what ifs?* were crowding in on her thoughts. She worried that she was too late. That maybe the dead pig had been a sign. A sign to stop, that the effort was futile. A sign to end her search and go back. Jaylani was worried that she had made a mistake. That she had drug Theo into a dangerous situation. It did not matter that he had offered to help. The weight of the dagger in her hand just worked in making her aware of the situation she had potentially put them in. Of the potential that an animal could pounce on them any moment and all they would have would be blades to use against it. In her case, a blade she only knew in theory how to wield.

“Did I make mistake?” Jaylani asked, a wrinkle of worry across her brow, “danger, jungle. What if we do not find?”

Jaylani sighed, feeling useless again. She had not seen any blood, no path. There were no sounds besides the usual sounds of the jungle. Not even anymore rancid smelling scenes after the first one with the pig. What if it had just been something in her dreams? Something she had just woken up from and made herself believe was real? Jaylani raised her free hand and wiped it down her face before letting it fall back to her side. There was doubt in her now. A seed that was growing, flourishing, and spreading throughout her. The mixed blood stopped walking now and looked at Theo, her features almost desperate. Had this been the right thing? Should they head back and give up?

“I…” Jaylani did not finished her sentence, but instead was rendered silent as her gaze landed on something beyond her acquaintance.

The mixed blood stepped towards Theo and pointed towards what she saw. She had not noticed it before, but she knew where they were now and she knew that she had led them in the wrong direction. Not deeper into the jungle, but actually opposite and to the side. That was her tent there just beyond the jungle border and to the side several yards. She could only see the corner of it, but she knew it was hers because of how it was set up. The way she had her plants out in pots, the way her stack of firewood was misshapen and haphazardly thrown together, and even the shape of her tent seemed familiar. Even if everyone’s tent looked like that.

“That is my home,” Jaylani revealed to Theo, an idea sparking, “I saw it first there. Blood be in leaves or sand around there. We go there!”

Excitement at the idea worked in reenergizing the mixed blood. Her worries and doubts were pushed off to the side as she plunged once more into the jungle and made it towards her home. At least it was easier to move here. The jungle was less thick near the border. Jaylani did not run though, she just moved faster in hope that Theo would keep up. He had before so she was doubtful that he would not be able to now.

“See anything? See anything? Tell me when you see,” Jaylani told Theo once they reached the area of the jungle just bordering her home, excitement and enthusiasm vibrating through her voice, her eyes eagerly looking for signs of their injured creature.

Common | 'Thoughts'

Word CountPost Total: 1,827
Overall Total: 16,408/50,000

[Theo Popcampio]

I can't help it, fire's just that fun.

Theo followed Jaylani further into the jungle, or at least that’s where he thought they were going. Theo hadn’t much knowledge of the jungle yet, he could backtrack home and that was the extent of his inbuilt cartography so far.

The girl still slightly worried Theo as she pushed on. She had accepted his dagger sure, but did she know the importance of such a thing? Jaylani had a purity about her, a purity he admired greatly, although this wasn’t obvious yet to the spellsword. The blade he had given her was meant to kill. It left deep gashes, those that no normal healer would have any control over. The wound it left would be beyond stitching. If the blood loss did not kill the target relatively quickly, deep infection would set in after, and from there sepsis was a short time away. The contrast was striking: A pure spirit carrying an assassin’s dagger; a sellsword protecting the untainted.

It was with this dichotomy that kept Theo quiet, despite Jaylani’s calls for his attention. He hadn’t the faculties about him that allowed him to notice her flickering determination and growing anxiety. Besides the clear language barrier, Theo hadn’t a clue of what to say. He was, for once, lost for words. Jaylani had brought to the surface a different, more selfless and speculative version of himself.

He had stopped looking for clues altogether in his existential wonder. He found himself suddenly in the middle of a camp ground. As Theo stepped back into consciousness, Lani explained that this was her home. It was a precarious place for a girl such as herself, yet it made sense that she chose to be among the wild. Her camp, much like the girl herself, was situated on the border of danger without much of a thought. This was, apparently, the site of the creature from her dreams, she told him.

Theo kneeled down, only half looking for something. He was still in a kind of wondrous haze. Words began to flow from his mouth without much conscious forethought: “You and I, Lani, we’re different. Me, I would have left this thing to die. It’s gonna’ die anyway, I figure. How long you think it’s got, a week with that injury? Even if we save it and it lives a full life, it’ll live in this brutal jungle, constantly attacked by predators, endangered by parasites, harassed by defensive vegetation, and squabbling for resources with its own kind. Its life will be full of suffering.”

Theo stood up and looked towards Lani. He thought of his life: The running, the amnesia, the knowing that he may actually be someone different than who he is now. That was suffering too. ”There was this time when I lived in Syliras. I was, and have been, perpetually lost. I didn’t, and still don’t, understand anything. You wouldn’t understand, but I’m missing a part of myself. I prayed to Yahal for answers, silly thing that was. And I had visions of my own, of a person who I knew who apparently had these answers I seek. I waded through snow, hoping to meet his ghost. I never met his ghost, but I learned something about faith. I found myself on my return drowning in snow so vicious it was practically up to my waist. It had covered my tracks, I was practically freezing to death in it, and the horse given to me was deeply suffering.” Theo paused and looked at Lani. ”It was too old for that snow, I should have never brought it out there, and I had to cut its throat for mercy.” Theo scoffed and his eyes wandered down. ”It was the right thing to do, but it never should have been there. But, through some work of magic, just when I had given up, I found my path again. I think I recognized a tree or something, and I managed to find my way home. To this day, I am lucky to be alive.” Theo looked back into Lani’s eyes. ”The point is, if you believe in your vision, you should find this animal, and I’ll help you do it, because I know the feeling. Until now, I’ve been too dumb to see it, but I think your right.”.

Theo turned back to the ground, fiddling with the dirt in aimlessly. What had he just said? She was sure to only get pieces of it. But as he felt the ground, he felt some moisture. He rolled the coagulated soil through his fingers until it dropped down back to the earth. His fingers were now black with a hue of red: Blood.

”Quick, Lani, come! Blood!”

Word Count = 9228+795=10023/50000

[Jaylani Rae]

Theo was full of lots of words while the pair searched around the wild girl’s home for signs. Jaylani was only catching parts of what he was saying. From the communication barrier of course, but also because she was once more not paying great attention to him. Her soul was burning with her newfound excitement. She was once more so sure that they would be able to find the injured creature. It had all started here. The blood trail had to have begun here. Why had she not thought of it before? Jaylani scolded herself internally for suck lack of thought in the beginning. She did not scold herself too harshly, though, because she knew if she had found the trail at the very beginning than she would not have picked up Theo along the way. She was mostly glad for his continued presence so she decided it was best things had ended up the way they had.

“We do not know how injured it be,” Jaylani interjected with a blunt and flat toned voice, having caught his question before she went back to searching the leaves and dirt surrounding her home.

The mixed blood’s gaze was constantly moving, as was her body. Unlike Theo, she did not just find one place to kneel down and search. Of course, she was not distract like he was either. She was not pouring words out for another to listen to and she did not pick up on all those words being words the male likely wished for her to listen to. At least she caught some. She caught that Theo thought they were different. That he would not have searched if it had been left to him because the creature was going to have a pitiful life likely anyway. That was not the way things were suppose to work, though. At least, that was what Jaylani believed.

“Life is hard, but it is life,” Jaylani said, taking pause in her search so that she might look to Theo and give him a fraction of her attention, “How do you know it sees life as suffering? Do not all things want life more than death?”

Jaylani tilted her head to the side, looking at her acquaintance curiously. Her forehead wrinkled in thought and her eyes dropped down to his hands in the dirt. She just stared for a moment before she shook her head slightly and went back to her own search. His thoughts on life and death confused her greatly, but she was not one to dwell for long amounts of time on things she did not understand. She found doing so just caused mass amounts of frustration.

The mixed blood heard Theo talking again as she was pushing aside some of the foliage in the jungle. They were still technically where there was dirt and not much sand. A few steps forward would have put them on the beach where plants grew and then a few steps after that would put them right on top of the mixed blood’s home. She could see it from where she was, but she was not looking at it. The injured creature had been somewhere around this area when it ran away from her. She was sure of that. At least, she thought that she was. The idea of being wrong again was almost too much to bear. So instead, she tried to listen to what Theo was trying to tell her as she continued her pursuit for any sign that could lead the direction of their quest.

The male talked about a place she had never heard of before. He talked of being lost, of not understanding. He said that she would not understand, but she did. At least she did understand a little bit. She understood what it was like not to understand, not to know who she was. The mixed blood knew enough to know she was of a race that she had not grown up around. She knew that her caretaker had not been her mother and that even Malla had not been her mother. Her real mother’s name had been Roshia, but that was all she knew. There was a whole family out there that she did not know. A whole people that she was apart of, but did not even know the name of. In a way, the mixed blood was lost too.

Jaylani paused her search so that she could turn to look at the male who accompanied her. Her eyes were curious, attentive. Many of the words he spoke escaped her understanding, but she caught some. Enough to catch the gist of what he was trying to convey. He had prayed to a god for answers, Yahal. Jaylani had heard the name before, but did not know the god. Malla and the last caretaker had pressed the names of many deities into the mixed blood’s mind when she was a young child, but not much of any of them had been remembered besides echoes of their names. It was Caiyha, really, who was the only one who had stuck with the girl for all this time. Jaylani did not agree that praying for answers was silly, but she kept her mouth shut. What did she know? It was not like she had ever met or been directly answered by a god. Only wished to.

There was a lot after talk of the god that the mixed blood did not go. Something about searching for a ghost. Then snow and a horse. He had killed the horse. Jaylani glared at him for that, but kept her mouth shut. He did seem at least sort of remorseful for having been the dealer of that death. His eyes were cast down and the words he spoke were about how it should have not been out there in the first place. How it had been a mercy killing. Jaylani understood that, at least. It was unkind to let anything suffer. Truly suffer. Like this animal she searched for now. If there was no chance of saving its life so that it might return to whatever its previous existence had been, she would do what had to be done. Well, she would allow Theo to do what had to be done. Even with the brutal blade held in her grip she did not know if she could ever do that herself. Only if she absolutely had to. If there was no other way.

“Vision?” Jaylani questioned once Theo reached the end of his many words, “maybe. Maybe real. I do not know. I think real though. I do.”

Jaylani sighed and ran the fingers of her free hand through her tangled locks. Had it been real? Concern lined her features. How she hoped it had been. If it had really just been in a dream.. that would mean this had all been for nothing. The anxiety was slowly coming back. The excited heart once more becoming disheartened. Jaylani cast her gaze down to the ground, feeling lost within a mind crowded by doubt. What if she was wrong? It would not have been the first time, but knowing that did not really make anything better.

“I hope I am right,” Jaylani muttered, sighing again after.

The mixed blood went back to her searching, but it was with a heart heavier than before. She really was just poking around after awhile. Moving leaves to the side so that she she might see past them, using her foot to roll over dirt and rocks. There was not the same vibrancy or motivation at before. It was like she had accepted failure, but was not quite yet ready to admit it. Good thing too because it was just ticks after when Theo proved their search was not yet over.

“Blood?” Jaylani’s voice was quiet as Theo’s exclamations hit her, it took a moment for what his words meant to register, “you found something?!”

The mixed blood ran the few steps it took to get over to the male. She crouched down beside him and put her callused hand into the dirt where he had found the blood. When she raised it to look, she saw the same thing he had. Dark colored dirt with a tinge of red. Blood and it was not so old yet. Not older than the morning that had happened not so many bells ago. Jaylani looked to Theo, her eyes suddenly wide and more excited than ever before. This meant she was right. This meant that the animal was real. They really did have something to search for!

“Blood,” Jaylani confirmed, “we must go! We must find. Quick, look for the trail. The has to be trail.”

Jaylani stood to her feet and looked around frantically. She found something on a rock not too far off. It was dark red, the same color that had been in the dirt. The mixed blood beamed. She never thought the sight of blood would cause so much joy to swell within her before.

“More!” Jaylani pointed the rock out to Theo as she went over to it. “This way!”

The young woman was moving again. She was leading Theo at a pace that zigzagged as much as the signs she was following. The blood was never more than a few drops in any one place. It was sometimes in the dirt, sometimes on a rock or in a plant. Why had she not seen any of it before? Jaylani was frantic with excitement now, but she did take her time so that she would not miss the signs. She did not want to lose her chance to help this one who she was so convinced needed her.

Common | 'Thoughts'

Word CountPost Total: 1,624
Overall Total: 20,142