[ Billy keeps eyeing the creatures apprehensively, especially one that just seems to be staring at him- it's a little creepy.
He can't get into their minds like Wanda can, at least not without more effort and concentration and he's otherwise distracted, but it doesn't surprise him when Wanda says food and they start pointing at their wagons. ]
Food? But, they look like they are made of rocks, what exactly do they eat? [ Not that Billy wants to give them their supplies, those are needed, but he might be able to conjure something if neccessary. ]
[Part of Aloy feels like they don't have time for this--sitting around and mind reading creatures that don't actually seem interested in attacking. She has half a mind to suggest that they simply find a way around the blockade, but if it's just a matter of finding them something to eat, a nonviolent approach (or an approach that otherwise does not aggravate their unwanted guests) is probably wise.
Billy voices something she's considering herself, and she takes a moment to think back to her brief excursion through the underbrush.]
There are berry bushes a little deeper in the forest. I saw some half-eaten apples, too.
[ as wanda slides off her horse, steve does the same, though he does still feel on guard, there’s less intense worry. instead, he steps a little closer to the ones nearest to the back of the cart and watches them - almost in sync with wanda’s words - point and gesture to the supplies.
food. okay, that’s not exactly dire. if the little things just hungry, that’s something they can work with, right?
steve, slowly and carefully so as not to startle the creatures, takes one and then another step towards them. ] They can’t want much, not with how small they are. [ steve asks, trying to remember what dustin had told him a couple years back about baiting. about the demodogs.
please don’t be like dart steve thinks to himself as he slowly squats down next to the closest one, taking his time to slip his hand into the pouch at his side and pull out half a piece of jerky of his own rations he hadn’t finished and holding it out to see if the creature thing is even interested, or if they’re dealing with more vegetarian type…rock things. ]
They for sure can’t understand us, right? [ steve asks, maybe a few seconds too late, as the closest one to him takes a couple of steps forward, sniffing at the offered dried meat. as if the survival instinct finally reaches him, steve sets the piece of jerky down and steps back away, just in case they have some kind of secret collection of super sharp teeth. ] Because we could just leave a little behind and and while they’re distracted book it out of here…
We could. We don't want us to bother later, though. These woods may go on for a bit longer.
[she finds interest in what aloy says about the berry bushes and the half-eaten apples. the important thing would be to keep them away from the wagons and from trying to get into the supplies meant for thorne—the last thing they want is for the equivalent of forest mice to arrive into thorne and for it to be considered an insult.
wanda walks up over to aloy.]
Let's get some of those fruit. [and then, turning to billy, she asks something she's been curious about.] Can you transmute things? We could make the half-eaten apples whole.
We get those, set them aside, and with any luck they won't bother us anymore.
[best to be respectful of what dwells in the forest than to try and trick it. she grabs a basket from one of the wagons, nods to aloy.]
[ Billy nods his head as he answers. ] yeah, I can do that, I can also conjure things if that would be easier. I'm just wondering why they would be stopping us for food if they just wanted apples and berries. Maybe they want something they can't just find here.
[ He moves forward towards the one that seems fixated on him and conjures up the first fruit that comes to mind- a pear. Similar enough to an apple but also not something he's seen here. he offers it to the little guy who sniffs it and grabs it and takes it back to the group. At the same time, the creature Steve offered the jerky to grabs it and does the same thing. The group of creatures seem to be examining the food and chittering among themselves before it disappears. More come forward including the original two almost like they are wanting more.]
Well, that seems to have worked. Why don't you guys get some berries and the apples and Steve and I can put together something here and maybe that will be enough to appease them and let us pass?
[Well, the good news is that they don't seem to be picky. This is still much more of a detour than she'd ordinarily like, but she's also aware this is a democratic situation. If the rest of the group wants to appease the creatures before they move on, she isn't going to stop them.
What she will do is continue to patrol the perimeter while all of this happens. She does her part to pick berries when she sees them, but she's mostly focused on making sure there aren't any other surprises, while this happens. Eventually, however, the group reassembles.]
Seems like enough.
[It better be enough--they've wasted enough time here as it is.]
[ steve watches as the little creature takes his jerky and then disappears into the forest, watching as if he could possibly understand anything that they're doing. it doesn't help, but after a moment billy mentions something about Steve and I can put together something here and maybe that will be enough to appease them and it pulls steve's attention long enough that he doesn't notice one of the creatures take a special interest in him, following him even as he heads back to the carts, as he starts to gather what he can.
after a bit, steve and billy have most likely gathered quite a bite of the supplies that are - more than others - expendable, and have started to collect them together. by this point, too, steve has noticed one of the creatures has crawled itself into his bag and has not, exactly, found its way out yet.
( it's possible that he's been feeding it small bits and pieces of the jerky and supplies they've found, but he's been attempting to be extra sneaky about it, so whether it's been noticed is up to everyone else. )
with the rest of the items stacked together, steve steps back from the many eyes watching him from the forest, unsure. ]
Would we know if it isn't?
[ like...should they be wary of some kind of unimpressed attack? or do they thing think thing will just. work? ]
[as wanda and aloy return to set the berries and apples they've found with what billy and steve have stockpiled, it should honestly be enough—as aloy states. the creatures start to move closer towards them, and wanda motions for them all to let them just go about their business.
it is certainly enough to distract the lot from blocking the wagons' wheels and being in the way.
maybe they've managed to actually avoid disaster (whatever that entails for these creatures). so, with a flick of her wrist, she sends a telepathed message to the mules pushing the wagons to start moving. they better not waste any time while the creatures are distracted eating their food.]
We'll find out.
[if nothing else, at least they'll know how else to distract them. she heads back to her horse.]
[ Billy takes up his position back in the front of the caravan with Aloy knowing Wanda and Steve have a handle on the back. If they get stopped again they will be ready, but the creatures seem to be content with the food that they found for them. He wonders if they will stop them again on the return trip. At least they will know what to do if that happens.
It's not much further to their destination and they find themselves getting there without another block in the road. Delivering their supplies to Thorne seems a little too easy after that but Billy isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. They got it done and that's the most important thing. ]
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no subject
He can't get into their minds like Wanda can, at least not without more effort and concentration and he's otherwise distracted, but it doesn't surprise him when Wanda says food and they start pointing at their wagons. ]
Food? But, they look like they are made of rocks, what exactly do they eat?
[ Not that Billy wants to give them their supplies, those are needed, but he might be able to conjure something if neccessary. ]
no subject
Billy voices something she's considering herself, and she takes a moment to think back to her brief excursion through the underbrush.]
There are berry bushes a little deeper in the forest. I saw some half-eaten apples, too.
[A shrug.]
Worth a shot.
no subject
food. okay, that’s not exactly dire. if the little things just hungry, that’s something they can work with, right?
steve, slowly and carefully so as not to startle the creatures, takes one and then another step towards them. ] They can’t want much, not with how small they are. [ steve asks, trying to remember what dustin had told him a couple years back about baiting. about the demodogs.
please don’t be like dart steve thinks to himself as he slowly squats down next to the closest one, taking his time to slip his hand into the pouch at his side and pull out half a piece of jerky of his own rations he hadn’t finished and holding it out to see if the creature thing is even interested, or if they’re dealing with more vegetarian type…rock things. ]
They for sure can’t understand us, right? [ steve asks, maybe a few seconds too late, as the closest one to him takes a couple of steps forward, sniffing at the offered dried meat. as if the survival instinct finally reaches him, steve sets the piece of jerky down and steps back away, just in case they have some kind of secret collection of super sharp teeth. ] Because we could just leave a little behind and and while they’re distracted book it out of here…
no subject
[she finds interest in what aloy says about the berry bushes and the half-eaten apples. the important thing would be to keep them away from the wagons and from trying to get into the supplies meant for thorne—the last thing they want is for the equivalent of forest mice to arrive into thorne and for it to be considered an insult.
wanda walks up over to aloy.]
Let's get some of those fruit. [and then, turning to billy, she asks something she's been curious about.] Can you transmute things? We could make the half-eaten apples whole.
We get those, set them aside, and with any luck they won't bother us anymore.
[best to be respectful of what dwells in the forest than to try and trick it. she grabs a basket from one of the wagons, nods to aloy.]
Let's be quick about it.
no subject
[ He moves forward towards the one that seems fixated on him and conjures up the first fruit that comes to mind- a pear. Similar enough to an apple but also not something he's seen here. he offers it to the little guy who sniffs it and grabs it and takes it back to the group. At the same time, the creature Steve offered the jerky to grabs it and does the same thing. The group of creatures seem to be examining the food and chittering among themselves before it disappears. More come forward including the original two almost like they are wanting more.]
Well, that seems to have worked. Why don't you guys get some berries and the apples and Steve and I can put together something here and maybe that will be enough to appease them and let us pass?
no subject
What she will do is continue to patrol the perimeter while all of this happens. She does her part to pick berries when she sees them, but she's mostly focused on making sure there aren't any other surprises, while this happens. Eventually, however, the group reassembles.]
Seems like enough.
[It better be enough--they've wasted enough time here as it is.]
no subject
after a bit, steve and billy have most likely gathered quite a bite of the supplies that are - more than others - expendable, and have started to collect them together. by this point, too, steve has noticed one of the creatures has crawled itself into his bag and has not, exactly, found its way out yet.
( it's possible that he's been feeding it small bits and pieces of the jerky and supplies they've found, but he's been attempting to be extra sneaky about it, so whether it's been noticed is up to everyone else. )
with the rest of the items stacked together, steve steps back from the many eyes watching him from the forest, unsure. ]
Would we know if it isn't?
[ like...should they be wary of some kind of unimpressed attack? or do they thing think thing will just. work? ]
lmao steve...when u r scared but want a cute pet
it is certainly enough to distract the lot from blocking the wagons' wheels and being in the way.
maybe they've managed to actually avoid disaster (whatever that entails for these creatures). so, with a flick of her wrist, she sends a telepathed message to the mules pushing the wagons to start moving. they better not waste any time while the creatures are distracted eating their food.]
We'll find out.
[if nothing else, at least they'll know how else to distract them. she heads back to her horse.]
Let's keep moving.
no subject
It's not much further to their destination and they find themselves getting there without another block in the road. Delivering their supplies to Thorne seems a little too easy after that but Billy isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. They got it done and that's the most important thing. ]