The Other Other White Meat (Thundiirn)

[Gad]

Gad followed Thundiirn's lead now, as the Nuit found a secluded alcove for the two regroup in. Typically, Gad might have scoffed at the praise he was given as the corpse man removed the frosty spittle from his chin. But, Gad was earnestly impressed in his own right. Thundiirn had hardly introduced himself when Gad started to feel the full effects of his showy exertions. The throbbing from his brow became more acute, the pale landscape blurred in and out of focus, the puffs of steamy breath from his mouth became labored and irregular, and he felt as if his whole body had dried out like after a night of too much drinking. He at first doubled over, but then quickly gained composure and squatted with his back to the wall. All the while the chilly air sliced at him through his lightweight Benshira style clothing.

Gad wanted to rub his temples, but instead started massaging his limp palm. As he reunited his astral and physical bodies, he focused on the sensation and it helped give him a point of reference for the process. He started a half mumbling reply, but upon hearing his own voice, he self-consciously started to apply his typical bravado, not wanting to appear weak. "Well, I'd say it's nice to meet you Thundiirn, but all things considered..." Gad managed to stretch a wry grin over his mouth in between his panting. "So. You think we can head to the Community? Doubt those type'll just let us in..." Gad thought aloud. "Can't be much harder than giving those goons the slip. Certainly not harder than getting eaten." There was only two of them, versus the dozen plus pursuers, in Gad's mind those odds were in they're favor as long as the two avoided open conflict. His nostrils flared as he took in a second wind from the icy air, as he often did before taking action.

He wasn't sure if it was the cold or if he had perhaps overgave but his hands were a bit numb and it would be a long bell before he used projection again. Then again he might not have the luxury. Either way, he was braced for what was to come and prepared to do whatever necessary. One could tell by the way he held himself; his resolve was unwavering, even as he could hear the feral sounds of Myrian hunting calls closing in on their alley. "Well Thunder Urn! The time is fast approaching." His throaty Benshiran accent flavored the words and the entirely intentional misnomer and he peered around the corner to see the hunting party had fanned out and were systematically searching through each alley. Gad heard the voice of his father speak the words he often did when lamenting the surprising efficiency of the Devourers back in Hai. Fools equipped with patient anger and a tested method can cause pain beyond their normal means. This end of Sunberth wasn't so thick with the narrow streets to duck into as the city center just to the North, but if the duo could make it to the Community, Gad reasoned they could shake their captors.

Gad ducked low and began to slink through the deep snow, making his way down the alley and hopefully away from the man-eaters, who sounded as if they were coming from every direction.

[Thundiirn]

This wizard, Gad, didn't seem like too bad a fellow. Not a friend, no, but certainly did not need to be made an enemy. Also did not need to be made dead, and so he offered some words of wisdom. "We may have needed your little magic stunts to get out of the cage together, but if you start trying to pull any of that crap here on the streets where people can see, I swear I'll start screaming your location to the cannibals. It ain't right, using magic like that. Good ol' brains and brawn are how we fight here, and we have yet to burn our city to the ground so it must be alright." Only the slag heap, but who cares about that old thing? The thought popped into his head, amusing him, and his face was twisted into a small smirk. "Lets head to the Pig's Foot and sound the alarm. All we have to do is stay ahead of them. Just stick to the shadows and don't make much noise. Follow me." That said, Thundiirn began plodding through snow down the alleyway, staying as close to the wall as was reasonable, but it was soon clear to him that this plan would not work as well as previously thought. He had forgotten about the snow, and the fact that every step they took through it they were basically leaving a breadcrumb path that the goons could easily follow. They needed to get somewhere where the snow was already disturbed by hundreds of feet. Perhaps the Gated Community would do them well after all, as Gad had hoped for. He couldn't hear any cannibal voices this very moment, but that certainly didn't mean they weren't close by.

[Gad]

Gad sighed at the Nuit's tiresome reaction to his magic use. "Well brains and brawn are fine, and when you start to contribute either I'll be happy to rely on them, but in the mean and in between I'll stick to magic which has worked out pretty well for me so far. Oh, and please do yell. If by some chance those vultures don't swoop down on us, then I'm sure the gracious residents of Sunberth will hear out the Undead's story when he says he's not with the wizard." Gad marched ahead of the Nuit at his suggestion to follow, making little ceremony to hide the umbrage arising for his companion's remarks. Pfft, like using magic is worse than getting a guy eaten. Risk your neck to save a guy from cannibals, and this is the thanks you get. You're too nice a guy Gad. Gad would've been wiser to save his breath and let the issue go, considering the face that he would need to recuperate before using it again. Beyond that, arguing at a time like this was the worse thing he could do.

In his blustering offense Gad nearly didn't notice the form in the shadows. He'd almost entirely rounded the corner when his eyes flinched at the peripheral glimpse of a man creeping around on the roof across from him. He froze for a second as the jarred gears in his head resumed their slow spin of processing information. It was definitely one of the cannibals, and he was scoping for the two on a building just feet away. The man's back was still to the pair, which was compared to the rest of the day, absolutely wonderful. Gad held his breath so no clouds of it would escape upward and give away his position, and crouched down low to the ground. Instead of taking steps, he slid his feet next to each other as to not crunch the snow, and he crept over to the building as best he could and then pressed his back up close to the wall. These guys work quick, already scouting us out from a vantage point. Gad cursed his luck and stayed still, hoping Thundiirn would notice in time to avoid detection.

[Thundiirn]

Gad's eyes widened as his eyes turned upward, and he shrank quickly into the shadows set by the side of the building. It was clearly a fear response, and it wasn't hard to imagine what the source likely was, so Thundiirn followed his lead and drew a dagger from his boot. Thundiirn may dislike magic, but he couldn't help but admit this particular mage's reflexes were an asset. And he couldn't help but be jealous of them now that his mind lived in a corpse, so stiff and hard to control. The Nuit had prided himself for his reflexes in life, but that was just another thing which he had lost. Now that the wizard had shut up, he could hear footsteps on the roof of the building they were hiding along, and a quiet cursing. Luckily, they were protected from sight by an awning above, at least for the moment. But they clearly couldn't stay here long without being discovered. Thundiirn held a finger up to his lips, and another towards his comrade, indicating that Gad wait here a moment. He still didn't trust the mage, so it was hard to believe that the mage would trust him and listen to this request. Oh well, a man could hope, and so could a Nuit. Hopefully if he chose to be a pain and follow anyway, he'd at least follow Thundiirn's lead and do so quietly. One foot, another foot, Thundiirn moved along the edge of the building as quietly and as quickly as he could, and turned the corner. No way onto the roof on this side, either, and so he repeated his steps to reach the next corner, peeking around it cautiously. Here, the newborn found what he wanted. The roof sagged on this side, and a crate stood against the wall right below the sag. Footprints could be seen on top of the crate and surrounding it, but thankfully no more cannibals in sight. Thundiirn turned back once more, to see whether Gad had been a good boy and waited, or had been a typical meddling mage and followed him.

[Gad]

For a moment Gad considered the gesture Thundiirn had sent his way and thought he might heed the Nuit's suggestion to stay behind. Then the moment passed. When Thundiirn turned around, he saw Gad crouched there in the snow just a few feet behind him. Gad thought he was so clever by stepping in the Nuit's tracks, but apparently he hadn't been stealthy enough as Thundiirn seemed to expect him there. Gad's smug smirk dissolved further as he caught on to what the Nuit had. A way up, the same one their pursuer had taken. It'd be quick work to sneak up there and shove him off. Gad considered it. Was it high enough to kill him? Would the snow cushion his fall? Or muffle his death? Ever impulsive, Gad chose rash action over patience and made his way towards the crate.

The wizard was just prepared to climb up when clumps of cold white powder smacked against his hair, and the footsteps again were right above him. From where Thundiirn was, he could probably duck behind the corner and remain unseen, but Gad was right where the cannibal was about to step down. Moving quickly and quietly as he could, Gad positioned himself between the crate and the wall. The snow crunched and the wood smacked beneath the feet of the hunter as he jumped down onto the crate. His feet were just a few inches from Gad's face. The wizard was holding his breath and was crouching as low as he could. Miraculously he'd gone unnoticed thus far, and as the boots of the murder caked in human blood stepped down from the crate, Gad thought he was home free.

[Twister]

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Grade on Hold.

Both of you are inactive and your ledgers are outdated. You have yet to account for Seasonal Expenses in your Ledgers, and I need you to do so before I can post any grades. In the event of your returns, please shoot me a PM once you've addressed it and I'll happily post your grades here.

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