Colin's posts

Ryker was silent for a moment, and then sighed.

"Yeah, sure." he said, taking one.

"And there's a jacket on the leaf pile." he told him.

"It was being used as a pillow for you." he said further.

"I never notice the cold, anyway." he muttered, as he grabbed some slabs of wood that had been soaking in the river.

"Slow me down?" Ryker asked.

"That implies I'm going somewhere." he said. "Well, somewhere specific, anyway." he clarified.

"I'm nomadic. A wanderer." he went on. "I have nowhere to be, so... it doesn't matter how fast I travel." he went on, as he started to fillet the fish.

"So if you leave, it'll be YOUR decision, not MINE." he continued.

"...." he was then silent, not commenting on how he seemed to be lonely to Eke. He was probably right, but Ryker wasn't ready to admit it.

"........" Ryker was silent for a moment, and then sighed.

"Not gonna lie, part of me DOES want you to leave. To just go." he said.

"Whenever I'm around people, bad things tend to happen to them, or they get scared and run from me." he went on. "So may as well skip the end result immediately, right?" he reasoned.

"However, I also know that if you left because I told you to, I'd hate myself even more than I do now." he then said.

"But it's not like I dislike the company." he suddenly admitted. "...and I can't help but think that you could use some extra protection." he then muttered.

"Would you object to that?" he asked him.

"It's called 'scaling." Ryker responded.

"I'm removing the scales from the fish so we can eat it... and so I can see them later." he told him.

"Much like skinning the hide off of some land creature." he went on.

"And I taught myself to fish." he then said.

"The scaling and skinning was taught to me by a hunter and trapper a number of years ago." he continued. "He taught me them because he wanted to thank me for saving him from a Quill-Bear." he explained, talking about such a ferocious beast so casually.

"...even though my saving him was accidental and coincidental..." he mumbled further.

Ryker brought the fish over to the fire, and then took out a combat knife from a leather pouch on his leg.

"What's my story?" he asked.

"Nothing special." he said, as he started to scale the creature, the scales coming off like tiny glittering gem shards.

"I was a child slave for a dictator." he told Eke.

"He had me and about 50 other slaves digging to find some large gem called the 'Infinite Onyx'." he said further.

Ryker was silent as Eke grabbed the net, as the shadow moved closer to the line that was in the water. After a few seconds, there was a sharp tug on the line, and Ryker jumped to his feet.

He planted his feet and held on to the 'pole' as tightly as he could, wrestling with what was under the water. His muscles strained and his teeth clenched, as they fought for almost 3 solid minutes.

Eventually, the creature in the water seemed to lose just enough stamina for Ryker to yank it out of the water.

When it emerged from the river, Eke saw it had shimmering silver scales that seemed to glisten in the light that was just peeking over the horizon.

"Get the net ready!" Ryker commanded.

"This thing'll make for damn good breakfast, and the scales'll sell for some good coin!"

Chris caught the sais and managed to get ahold of them properly, before looking at Ashley as she headed outside.

"Hey!" he called out.

"Wait for me!" he said, as he quickly followed her.

Once they were both outside, he looked around, scanning the surrounding area, but saw nothing.

"Ok, I KNOW we're being watched now." he said. "This feeling is stronger than ever." he muttered, before Ashley heard a subtle rustling off to her left.

"............" Chris was silent, before shaking his head.

"I guess I always thought Vanessa would protect me." he said.

"But I suppose I should stop being scared. Death will be in my future, anyway." he reasoned.

"And I don't fight with my hands." he told her. "I've always been too physically weak to." he admitted.

"So weapons are always my preference."

"I see." Ryker muttered.

The two of them then sat in silence for another 10 minutes or so, before there was a large shadow under the water.

"...be very still and quiet." Ryker whispered to Eke.

"Get the net ready." he told him.

"You think you'll be able to handle it?" he asked.

"H-head on?" Chris stammered with a gulp.

He then sighed, and stood up from his chair.

"Well... whatever." he muttered.

"Guess we gotta do what's forced upon us." he said defeatedly.

"We going outside or staying in here?" he asked her.

"A fight?" Chris asked, suddenly on edge.

"Wh-what do you mean?" he asked her.

"Oh no..." he said further, looking around frantically.

"Oh no, were we followed?" he asked her further.

"Please don't let them be drows." he then pleaded.

"Hm. I see." Ryker responded.

"And don't mention it." he said.

"You just happened to be lucky to have found me." he told him.

"Seriously. Otherwise you would have been a snack for them." he went on.

"And what's that about you always being sick?" he then asked.

"........I am." Chris responded.

"I can't help but feel someone is watching us." he told her.

When Ashley looked out the window, she thought she saw something in the woods... something move out of the way.

It was fast and subtle... and odds are she would have missed it if she hadn't been a hunter.

But something was out there.

"Which means nothing now, essentially." Chris sighed.

"I thought I knew her. Guess I didn't." he said.

He was silent, and then looked around.

"...hm." he mumbled.

"Ever get the feeling you're being watched?" he asked her.

"Like someone is staring at you?" he asked further.