But The Cougar Has Learned Some Tricks Since Then

[Therdde]

Part One

- Unknown Lands -

Characters (In Order Of Appearance):
Darau – Male Wolf
Dichali – Male Bighorn Sheep
Chesmu – Male Cougar
Plisken – Male Rattlesnake
Therdde – Male Duck
Lotus – Male Wolf
Paoro – Female Cougar

Darau stretches as he gets up, still feeling generally ok. He looks around to see many of the group still resting near the large stone structure. As a precaution, Darau pads around staking out a small perimeter to make sure nothing is out of order before returning.

Dichali stirs a bit and looks around. "Oh...I think the world stopped shaking," he muttered, "But the marks still make no sense." He peered as said marks while looking irritable. "Curse your illusive meaning..."

Chesmu is also still staring intently at the markings. He just... he can't figure it out. He bares his teeth angrily and growls at it. "Damn it! What does it mean?!" He swerves away from the rock and takes a few paces away to clear his mind. "We need information..."

Plisken sits coiled in the sun, reveling in its energy giving heat, "I get the feeling your Paoro got the information she needed." he says, He lifts his tail towards Chesmu and waves it towards him in a c'mere motion, his eye glancing to Darau darkly before yawning wide, letting those long deathly fangs come into view.

Therdde managed to sleep well enough. Paoro's flowers and the wide expanse of area with no hazardous trees allowed him to fly without being ill, and that movement was enough to reduce some of his restlessness. Unfortunately, that kind of movement probably /wasn't/ what his body needed, and in his weakened, tired state, the disease seemed to progress. He has a hard time lifting his head up when he hears voices around him, and the words don't sound very good. Interrogative predators and scavengers, venomous snakes, and above all, the never-ending search for information, that has made some of his travelling companions desperate... but how desperate? The skeptical duck very slowly opens his eyes, a newfound distrust gripping him tightly.

Darau nods and agrees with Chesmu as he cocks his head in confusion at the markings on the stone. "I've never seen anything like this, and even the desert wolf said he wasn't sure about it." With a glance to the snake he frowns wondering if Paoro was in any state at all to understand much of anything. "I hope your right, but if she hasn’t we might have to split up and do our own searching." Darau notices the duck waking up and nods towards him, “How are you feeling?"

Dichali looks as if he wishes he could just get up and ram the thing over in irritation. However, he just continues laying there and persistently eyeing the markings as if they'll pop out at him somehow and start telling they're story.

Chesmu looks at the snake carefully. "If she had the information we need... we would have moved on by now. Why would she withhold it if she knew?" Okay, so maybe Chesmu fell for it. Who can blame him? He's been staring cross-eyed at the figures for hours, trying ot make heads or tails of them. "No, I don't think she has the information. She would have led us on if she did."

Plisken puts on a sorrowful face, an inkling, "She's sick, Chesmu." he starts softly, "I don’t think she even knows she has information at all.." he mumbles something angrily, "She appears to me as though her mind barely trudges through her thoughts. I believe her enlisting the wolves’ aid.." his voice lowers, "Was a mistake."

Therdde is far from feeling well. Whispers, things he has barely heard, have entered his mind, and taken a far more powerful grip than anything that has been said to him outright. It never occurs to Therdde that this disease has been affecting the minds of his companions, and that it could be affecting his own. The duck brings himself to his feet and stares for a second at each of his companions, not even bothering to answer Darau's question. Everything that he has felt over the course of this journey--anger, frustration, doubt, fear--it's coming back to haunt him, and he /knows/ that one, or perhaps many or all, of his companions are not trustworthy, that being here with them may be a death sentence. Something keeps him here with them, but what? With an acute need to be out of the immediate influence of his companions, he hops into the air. His wings, which feel abnormally heavy, scarcely allow him to become airborne, but he manages, and then attempts to land somewhere on the rock.

Darau shrugs off the markings, no since getting worked up over them right now. They were running out of time and he could feel everyone was getting tense. He grunts at the duck and notices Chesmu and Plisken talking to each other, but pays little attention as he makes his rounds. Stopping at the sleeping Lotus Darau makes sure he is still alive, which he is thankfully. He then moves on to Dichali and sits, looking at him. It had crossed his mind more than once to put the poor thing out of its misery, but Darau wasn't a murderer. Looking to the sheep he sighs, “Things aren’t looking good are they?"

Dichali shakes his head a little. "No," he replied, "Things keep getting worse and these marks are all we have to go on...it's crazy thinking that anything could hinge on understanding some marks..." He frowns a bit as he decides to stop looking at said marks for a while.

Chesmu looks at Darau, then at the sleeping Lotus, then back at the snake. It is true that she has been quick to allow the wolves into the group... and he has been suspicious of Darau in particular for, like the other wolf they had met some time ago, was a bit too friendly to Chesmu's liking. "What are you suggesting?"

Plisken smiles very softly towards Chesmu, "Had you seen them yesterday? They seek an alliance together. For wolf-kind. Not the world." his shadowed voice narrows, "I worry they see the cure for their selves. For their people." He slowly unwinds, circling one of the feline's feet and looking up to him, tongue flicking about, that single slitted eye staring intently.

The fog obscuring Therdde's thoughts slowly begin to fade, though his sense of being among creatures he can't trust remains. Darau is among the ones the mallard doubts because, as far as the mallard knows, Darau is healthy. Same with Chesmu, Plisken, and even Camarin. He just wishes he could remember what it was he overheard to convince him that this group is destined to fail in its current form. From his point up high on the large rock, he can't hear any conversations below, and he's trying to figure out what he should do, since he has to do /something/.

Darau nods but tries to smile, all this gloom was starting to get to him and he didn't like it. "We need something to distract us, something fun..." But as hard as he thought, the wolf couldn't think of anything to do, and 'tag' wouldn't really make the situation better. It was then that he notices the glances and whispers between the cougar and the snake, "Hey, Chesmu...Maybe me and you should go look around for a bit, see if we can find anything to explain this rock."

Dichali nods a little. "Fun would be nice," he states, "I just wish I could do much fun things in my state..."

Chesmu looks over to Darau, then nods. "So... you think I should find a way to... prevent them?" Impressionable cougar that he is, he's hoping to find that cure for the group. His motives have changed. And suddenly it all becomes clear now. Those two wolves are *not* looking after the group. He looks over at Darau. "Perhaps you could go yourself at the moment?"

Plisken looks up and nods softly, "Do as you see fit, Chesmu..." he smiles, "I trust you." he uncoils from the furred leg has to concentrate hard not to smile too much.

Voices. Hmph. Why can't they be more quiet? Lotus awakens from an unusually deep sleep-- unusual for him, at least. The wolf yawns, not really sure what anybody's talking about, just that they were talking and that said talking woke him up. And his head is starting to hurt. Lotus looks to each of those present in turn, ears perked. Was anything important going on?

Therdde can't begin to explain why he feels the way he does to himself, but even as the piercing grip of illness-fueled paranoia fades, the mallard is left with a feeling of unease that extends far beyond mere skeptical pessimism. At least realizing that not all of the creatures down on ground level are a risk to him, and that an outright attack is unlikely, the duck finally flies down, as slowly as he can to avoid a rough landing.

Darau glares at Plisken as he slithers away, he didn't know what had been said, but anything out that /things/ mouth couldn't be good, especially talking to Ches. The wolf notices Lotus stirring and moves towards him casually, nudging him as he asks with a smile, loud enough for any to hear, "How you doing friend?"

Dichali just watches the proceedings of all the other creatures. He sees nothing wrong with anything that's happening. Granted, if he was in better shape, he might be at least a little suspicious of some of the goings on...but he's NOT in better shape.

Chesmu looks over at the wolves. Just what *are* they planning? The group finds the cure and they just... take it? How does the plan work out. Chesmu suddenly finds himself slowly, intently circling the wolves at a wide distance, not so much to look like he's circling them.

Plisken winds back towards Dichali now, "Any improvement, friend?" he smiles, glancing to Chesmu then, thinking on something, another angle perhaps? "You appear as though maybe the rest has done you well."

Lotus looks up at the other wolf with a bleary nod. "Oh, hello Paoro." He greets, not seeming to notice he just addressed Darau with the wrong name. "I'm doing fine, I think. But it hurts... hurts in my head." The one-eyed wolf tries to look positive; if that's the worst of his symptoms, he's really not that bad off. "What about you? You're still in well health, I hope?"

Not a single sick traveler is alone, except for Paoro, who still sleeps. Maybe it's better that Therdde doesn't express his thoughts to any of the group yet. There's evidence that his unease is founded in reality, he's sure there is. He just doesn't have it. So perhaps it'll be best to listen to his companions for a while. With that resolution in mind, he approaches Lotus and Darau, plotting in his mind what to say to the healthy wolf to explain his reaction upon waking.

Darau looks slightly confused at Lotus but decides to ignore the name confusion, maybe it's just because the other wolf is sleepy..."I'm doing good, still healthy, as far as I can tell. Let’s hope it stays that way. Can you make anything out of the markings on the stone?" He then notices the duck coming his way and smiles as he approaches.

Dichali blinks and peers down at Plisken. "Well yeah...I'm ok," he replies, "Well...ok for what state I'm in." "I think the rest did me well," agrees the ram.

Plisken looks up to the ram, "I'd be very nervous, friend. Two wolves, a couple of cougars... was that another ram carcass the other day I happened by?"

Lotus looks over at the markings thoughtfully. "They may be a message, or a story." He suggests, staying vague to hide the fact that thinking is especially hard for him right now. "I've seen things like that before, but a little different." He is quite well travelled, after all. When Therdde approaches, Lotus gives a glance. Chesmu's circling goes unnoticed.

Therdde decides not to say anything unless he is asked. Most of the others seemed to have not noticed his reaction to Darau's earlier question, so he won't draw any attention to it. Inserting himself into the conversation, he asks, curiously, "Where have you seen them before?" The migratory duck is as well travelled as they come, and he's no stranger to markings, but he has never paid them a lick of attention, and he couldn't begin to recall a specific location where odd markings existed.

Darau nods at the ducks words and turns to him speaking softly but trying to look casual, "Watch the snake..." He also has noticed Chesmu's funny behavior, but ignores him, aside from not turning his back to the cat. He looks to lotus and encourages the ducks question, "Yes, please think. Anything might help us /all/."

Dichali nods a little. "Yeah, Paoro had to eat," explains the ram, "Can't really blame her for that..." He tilts his head a little. "And I'm not really nervous cause they obviously don't /plan/ to eat me," he adds, "Besides, as a ram I have to be brave."

Chesmu finally approaches the wolves. "We are running short on time. We will have to investigate as much as we can, as fast as we can or we can't find this cure. I'd hate to imagine how much further this illness will progress if we don't find a cure. If either of you have *any* ideas, I would *love* to hear it." He'll have to deal with Paoro's situation later.

Plisken humms some, "You're right... a very compassionate way of thought. I suppose I worry about them more for my own safety." he looks up, "I know I am not a primary prey animal...but these, friend, are desperate times, and my venomous bite may fail me should they turn hungry eyes in my direction." he pauses, "But you... you're still strong. Dizzy, but strong... aren’t you, Dichali?" he smiles.

Lotus frowns. Why are they all looking at him, now? "I've seen etchings like them before, in places not unlike this." He starts, eye moving again to the markings. "I don't know how they're made, but there's a certain reasoning... behind..." But the harder he thinks, the more his thoughts are eaten away. And why won't that pounding in his head just go away? "Where was I?"

The snake was not the first creature who came to Therdde's mind when the paranoia struck. Even Chesmu did not strike Therdde as the sort to deliberately sabotage their efforts. Accidentally, sure, but Therdde doesn't attribute Chesmu with enough intelligence to do the kind of scheming that would account for his unease. Nevertheless, as Darau mentions the snake, Therdde looks around, and sees Plisken speaking with Dichali. His eyes remain on his ram friend and the serpent for a few moments, wondering what they're talking about at Lotus trails on about the markings on the rock.

Darau nods as Lotus goes on trying to stay positive for everyone, "Well, at least that’s something!" He then turns to Chesmu and, trying to be as polite as possible, "I assure you, If I knew or find out anything about these marks, you'll be one of the first to know, I like to think you have a level head in this time of sickness."

Dichali nods a little. "Well not as strong as I was before," he answers, "But I'm sure I'm still good..."

'One of the first.' Chesmu suspects he would likely be the *first* of the losers who *isn't* a wolf to get paws on the cure. Those two cure themselves, then take the cure, hide it somewhere, *then* they get the information needed when the cure is no longer there. He sees what's going on! "Of *course* I would have a level head through it."

Plisken smirks, "I know you’ve still got your strength... I may need it soon, friend." he smiles and slithers off into the sun again.

Lotus stops paying any mind to everybody else for now, his attention focused solely on the markings. Almost trace-like, the wolf moves over to the rock, studying the carvings with intense scrutiny. He's sure that if he stares at them long enough, all the knowledge and secrets behind them will unlock and pour into his brain. Unfortunately, he's going to be waiting a long time.

Therdde watches as the snake slithers off and Dichali lies back down to rest, probably the wisest thing anyone here is doing. Without someone who has a strong knowledge of humans and the symbols on the stone, they're unlikely to decipher them anytime soon... Glancing to Chesmu, the mallard asks him, "What did that snake say to you?" Plisken's name escapes him. If he ever knew it, which he suspects he might have, it's not coming to him now.

Darau looks intently at Chesmu, they had never really gotten along but, "Listen Ches..." But there was really nothing the wolf could say, "Nevermind..." so he just turns and pads out some distance to keep watch to make sure nothing sneaks up on the group.

That's what Chesmu thought. Plisken is right... the wolves are up to something. Ignoring Therdde for the time off, Chesmu walks back toward Paoro. He sits and looks down at her.

[Therdde]

Part Two

- Time Passes –

Waking up from a deep illness-induced sleep, Paoro is groggy as she stirs from her bizarre dreams. She blinks as she glances around, beginning to remember her new surroundings from the night before, taking a mental census of who's nearby. The large butte looms over them, casting a cool shadow on the barren ground. "Did anyone go scouting yet?" she asks the being closest to her.

Darau wanders back in from his post just in time to notice Paoro waking up. He sighs at how quickly the group went downhill, everyone seems to be getting sicker and sicker and their hardly closer to understanding the strange stone. "Well, I was going to go out with Chesmu earlier but, he's been acting weird around me, not that that’s anything new." He sits down and stares up at the rock until his eyes glaze over and he has to shake his head to come out of it, "And /that/ thing hasn't been any help at all."

Chesmu has been gazing at the stone from time to time, but mostly whilst keeping an eye on the wolves. It is clear as daylight that they are not planning to share their knowledge with the rest of the group. The snake is right. He eyes Darau, and says in a soft murmur. "Paoro... we must speak."

If Lotus hears Paoro at all, the wolf doesn't show it. Currently, he's preoccupied with the markings on the rock. Every time he /thinks/ he's made some breakthrough in understanding them, it all just slips away again. Eventually he'll have to admit defeat, but he's persistent to a fault, and shows no signs of taking a break any time soon.

Plisken now sits in the shade, the constant beating of sunlight starting to phase even him. Since his recent success he has slowed down operations. Why work so hard when someone else is working for him now. He had manages a faint nap and yawns again, however as Chesmu's words, he snaps to attention and slowly inches towards them, listening now as silently as he arrives.

The worst of Therdde's paranoia has passed by the time Paoro awakens. The unease remains, though, and he still doesn't know what to /do/ about it. He turns his head to look at Paoro when she speaks, and he appears ruffled as Chesmu, who couldn't spare him a few words, insists on speaking to her. None of this is right. As such, he keeps an eye on Paoro and Chesmu, but he doesn't speak up.

Paoro frowns at Darau's response, her eyes swiveling towards Chesmu even before he requests an audience with her. Rolling onto all fours, she slowly ambles her way over to the other cougar, settling down on her haunches again when she's close enough to maintain a private audience. "Yes?" She has a sinking feeling that her guidance was the only thing keeping them together, and her prolonged sleep, just a few hours long, was all that was needed to break the already-strained bonds between them all.

Darau makes his way around to Therdde and again approaches him with a sincere smile, though his hushed words seem much darker, "I have a bad feeling...Something is going to happen soon and I don't think its going to be pretty. You have to swear if things get bad in the group you'll continue on to the cure. I don't care if you have to fly blind, keep searching for it." He glances over at Chesmu and can't help but let out a small growl before looking away, "I think that legless wonder has gotten to Ches, and i'm afraid of what he might be thinking now."

Chesmu looks suspiciously at the wolves. "I am concerned that you're not fit to lead us the whole way... in your state..." Eyes back on the wolves, back to Paoro. "And I also suspect some of our companions of a... treachery... hording the cure to themselves."

Plisken cannot here them, but he watches intently. He's sure by now /someone/ doesn’t like him, but this is a fact he has lived with for a long time.

If it weren't for Darau, Therdde still probably wouldn't be doubting that snake. Therdde hasn't heard a word from Plisken that he can consciously remember. The serpent sure has made his rounds, though, and the very fact that Therdde can't remember a single word... Might mean nothing at all. For all he know, the snake can't speak very loudly. But he has to start with someone in finding who has made him feel this way. Whispering back to Darau, he says, "We're getting through this." Sure, he's pessimistic. But he's in denial about being pessimistic.

The only sign of surprise in the cougaress' expression is a slight lifting of the eyebrows. "And who would you suggest become the new leader? Yourself? You have already shown a lack of diplomacy with the herd - what if we have to deal with them, or some other group, in order to finally obtain the cure?" Her words are spoken calmly, but the message is harsh nonetheless. "And what are your reasons for believing such? But so long as /they/ are not in charge, should we find the cure first, then they will not have a final say." She glances around at their group. "So if we are to rule out the presumably-selfish and the sick, that leaves us with the mare as the sole candidate for leading us. Is that your suggestion for our new leader?" She doesn't beat around the bush, does she?

Darau nods gently, "Some of us anyway, it’s the ones back home I'm really worried about." Back home? that was an odd statement for a loner. Who was he thinking of that he had a home to go back to? It didn't matter, the cure was the goal regardless and until that point, the details were pointless. "I'm going to check in with lotus, coming?" He then trots over to the other wolf and sits beside him, "Please, please tell me you have figured this thing out."

Chesmu looks at Paoro in surprise. The mare? He's not trying to get a leader position but... okay, maybe the snake's talk has convinced him that he does want to be. "Frankly, I think I *should* lead. I don't have confidence in the mare... and no one else is well enough to do it. And there's the staunch possibility that your confusion might make you violent at any moment." He looks over at the wolves again, then back to Paoro. "We must keep the wolves in sight at all times. I don't trust them."

At first, Lotus doesn't react to Darau. He's close, /so close/. It's... it's... "Nothing. It's nothing." Rather abruptly, the one-eyed wolf slams his head against the rock, cracking pain anew across his skull. "It doesn't make any sense, none of it." Then he turns to Darau, eye narrowing. "Please forgive me, friend, but what was your name again?" Yeah, memory, who needs that anymore?

Plisken watches Chesmu's surprise and laughs aloud now, but stifles his soft outburst. This feels so wonderful! He almost can’t hold it back. His rattle titters softly as he pulses with another chuckle.

The two wolves are two of the travelers that Therdde does /not/ suspect. It is beyond Therdde to understand that anyone who might be scheming to bring about Bad Things wound draw attention to potential scheming within a group. He follows Darau to the rock and Lotus. Speaking on an idea for the first time since it occurred to him, he says, "Do either of you know anyone who has an intimate knowledge of humans. Paoro thinks these designs are of human origins. We need someone who has seen them before, often, who may be able to offer some insight." Not just someone who has disregarded them as unimportant in the past. And then the snake laughs, drawing Therdde's gaze...

"You may not have confidence in the mare, but no one has confidence in /you/," Paoro responds - her tone is not malicious, but her words are honest. The truth hurts. "A leader is only as strong as his followers." At his mention of violence, Paoro laughs quite gaily, as though he had told her a joke. "The few times I have ever been violent in my entire life was when my family was at stake. But should I become violent anyway, how will being a follower make me any less dangerous than if I were still at the head?" She suddenly turns from her private meeting with Chesmu - not soon enough to see Lotus' painful head-smack - and addresses the entire group aloud: "Friends, it appears to me that a vote might be necessary in such times as these. All those in favor of myself continuing to function as leader as best I can despite my illness, say aye. All those in favor of another that you believe might be better suited for such a role, announce their name. And those of you completely unhappy with the way things are going now, I'm certainly not stopping you from splitting off and searching on your own." This last comment is directed towards no one in particular, at least not obviously so, though she does peer down at the snake when he laughs himself - being not quite the same sort of laugh she had previously uttered.

Darau smiles and shakes his head, "I'm Darau friend...We actually never got introduced, I just heard your name from the others is all." He looks up at the markings and tries to figure it out as well. Was it a story like lotus had thought earlier, or more direct, like directions. there was even the grim chance that this rock would tell them nothing at all about the cure, but he tried not to think about that. When he hears Therdde speak the wolf scoffs, "Like who? A dog? My kind don't mix with theirs, but maybe a bird that’s been around them...I don't know." It's then that Darau turns to hear Paoro speak and considers the possibility. Darau had nothing against Paoro personally and she had seemed a capable leader in almost every aspect. But then again, it might be best for himself and Lotus, and possibly even Therdde to break out on their own. He speaks up and says, "I vote for you Paoro, pending discussion on what may be best for all parties."

Humans? Lotus knows those all right. "I've seen them more than I would care to remember." He answers the duck, a moment of clarity in the sea of fog that makes up his thought process. "I did meet somebody who lived among them, however." If only he could remember her name... "She was a dog." Paoro's words catch his ears, and the wolf doesn't need to think long for his reply. "Paoro, of all the leaders I've met in my travels, I have never met any I would trust my li... " As he speaks, the wolf's speech slowly tapers off. Whatever stirring, poignant spiel he was about to go on dies on the wolf’s lips. He stands there, his mouth partially open, for a moment. "Oh, who are you?" He asks of the cougaress in his most mannerly tone.

Plisken's tail slides over his eye, "Oh for the love of-" he comments towards Lotus, "This is not an overly fortunate turn of events." he pauses and then looks to Paoro and Chesmu, "I would put a vote down for Paoro." he thinks on this, "Chesmu what has brought this? Are you sure you are not ill as well?"

Therdde listens to Lotus and Darau. A dog could very well be what they mean, far more likely to have repeated exposure to human symbols than any of them have. He marks this idea as potentially important. Then Lotus seems to forget the second person of the day. "I think you hit your head a little too hard there, Lotus." He then turns to Paoro. "I have to agree with Darau, though. There is no one more fit to lead us. Ill or not." His final sentence is said as he looks to Chesmu.

Chesmu looks over at Plisken, then back to Paoro. What the devil? Losing all semblance of confidence in himself, Chesmu backs away... "Paoro." He turns away from his leader. The snake turned on him? But why?

"I am Paoro," the cougaress gently suggests to the one-eyed wolf, her own pair of eyes revealing concern. Seems he is no longer well, either. She turns to look back at Chesmu, awaiting his response, and receives it. "Very well. As the renewed leader, I'll not tolerate any further rumors or sniping or in-fighting among us. If you don't follow this ultimatum, you will be left behind. We are running out of time, I fear, and I cannot and will not let us waste it bickering like imbeciles." Her words are stern, leaving no room for argument. "We can learn nothing further here right now. I suggest that the rest of you get some sleep" - she's had plenty herself - "and we'll begin heading back at dawn. We'll figure out what to do and where to go once we've all rested our obviously very exhausted minds."

Darau cocks an eyebrow at Lotus, wondering if he would be any help at all in a fight, if it came down to it. But oh well, can't blame him for being sick, and he seems harmless enough. Not to mention he's the only other beast here Darau really understands...well, too a point anyway. The big surprise comes when Plisken speaks though, and Darau's jaw almost hits the floor. Either this snake was completely innocent and Darau was wrong about him, or the snake is far more deceptive than any of them thought possible. The first option seemed unlikely though, Chesmu may have trust issues, but he didn't seem intentionally deceptive. And anyway, Ches was just looking out for his best interest, much like they all were at the moment. Once again hearing Paoro he nods in agreement and lays down to rest once more, trying to ignore the hunger growing in his belly.

Lotus winces as Paoro re-introduces herself. Now that she mentions it, he really /did/ know that. Frowning, the wolf follows her advice and slides to the ground. Now if he could only remember who that cougar near her is. With a troubled sigh, then wolf lays his head between his paws and tries to get some form of sleep. Maybe the pain in his head will go away then.

Plisken is beginning to realize the sickness alone will not sway Paoro to be manipulated by anything. She's strong of heart even as her body fails her. Only briefly does he consider attempting to kill her. A single bite could do the trick, but.... no... no something her size would die slowly... he would be discovered. The pack here truly has very little to worry about a snake bite... only his serpentine treachery. Perhaps by tomorrow her condition will have worsened. This bout with Chesmu is not seen as a failure. Treachery like this is simple geology, the application of pressure over time. His eyes fall on Paoro, watching her quietly.

Therdde is convinced that he voted the right way when Paoro puts her foot down, so to speak. His own uneasy feeling is still present, but at least Paoro has shown a willingness to deal with what may be wrong with the group as a whole. Without another word, Therdde removes himself from the immediate surroundings to nest down a few feet away. He just hopes that, come dawn, one of them will have a more concrete idea of where to search.

Dichali twitches his ears as he wakes up from another nap. Did he hear something? Goodness knows the sickness made him sleep so dead to the world that he could wake up with a leg missing. "Huh," he mutters as he blinks a little.

Chesmu's confidence is entirely shattered... he's never felt quite as desolated as this. That snake manipulated him! He had to have! But rather than get angry, Chesmu just stares ahead, wondering just how much damage he's done. "I must have made a mistake."