Whooooaaa! Tuck froze and lay flat on the ground in fear when the rat leader came charging at him. He expected to feel teeth or claws in him any second, but all he felt were some hairs being pulled out and a whoosh of air go past him. He quickly looked up again to see the rat leader spitting blood out of its mouth and glaring at him from a distance. So… so the poison ivy had worked, then? YES! “Ha!” he shouted at the rat. “You didn’t like that, did you?” Maybe, then… Maybe he could defeat this rat leader once and for all! If only he could… get the poison ivy plants on him to reach over to the rat! He didn’t wanna risk jumping on the Lesser Gembound or anything because he didn’t want to be close to it in general.

Quickly, he attempted to reach his Magic and force the poison ivy to bend outward and away from him — and towards the rat leader — to wrap around him!

Words: 172

Zevruu managed to catch the rat in his claws. He dug them in, watching as the thrashing rat tried to escape, but in the end only made it worse. He wasn't entirely sure what to do now. The rat was close to death, he knew that, but how could he make sure it would die? Would just keeping it in his claws work, perhaps digging them in even harder? He wasn't able to think much further because he felt the other rat leap up onto his back and start biting. He yowled and leaped up, flinging the rat that was still in his claws.

Now he had another rat to worry about. He could feel it chewing at his hindquarters. He growled. Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He wasn't even sure what to do about this one. Would shaking him off work? He figured it was at least worth a try. So he began to shake as he had done the first time, praying that the rat would fall off and maybe knock into something.

"Speech" l 'Thoughts'

Quest: Will You Help Me?

The rat leader thought he was safe, hanging back as he was but that proved not to be the case. Tukluk, the tiniest one of all, was proving to be the most formidable for the Echoing Gray and as he kept his distance he found that the vines of ivy growing from the primate were coming straight towards him! Too late he tried to bolt but found that the vines were wrapping about his body and causing angry red welts on his skin beneath the fur. The rat leader screeched in agony and dismay as the itching started soon after.

He'd had enough of this! It was not worth eating this mottly crew and losing half of his pack! The rat thrashed and clawed and bit until finally he was free of the ensnaring vines. With his dignity barely in tact the rat leader bolted and called out to his crew --what was left of it-- while doing so. The one that Kin-Kin held (Rat 2) shook itself vigorously and managed to detach itself from her grasp though it left behind a filthy patch of skin in her grasp. The one which Zevruu shook off fell to the ground but suffered a nasty wound on its head from landing on a rock. The rat (Rat 5) managed to limp away a few feet before falling over, dead. Its companion (Rat 3) managed to escape but is bleeding terribly. The rats all turned as one unit and fled back to their holes, leaving the bodies of their comrades and the gembounds they'd attacked, alone.

With the dust settled it seems that everything in the foreboding tunnel is peaceful... Except... In one corner, obscured by the mist there seems to b something glimmering... Stepping closer will reveal a nest. It is unknown whether the nest belonged to the rats or not but hidden within there seems to be a few different items. An old golden chain necklace, a rusty dagger, some sort of ring of bronze inlaid with gems... and there appears to be a small piece of clear-purple kunzite in the shape of a orb about the size of a cat's eye... it might seem unremarkable at first but you're certain that it contains some sort of magic within.

Echoing Gray Leader has 0 HP. The rat leader has fled!
Rat 1 has 0 HP. Rat 1 has fled!
Rat 2 has 11 HP. Rat 2 has fled!
Rat 3 has 5 HP. Rat 3 has fled!
Rat 4 has 0 HP.
Rat 5 has 0 HP.

The quest is now over! Thank you all for participating! Feel free to have your character stay and interact with each other or claim a prize and exit!

@Septiezal @Zevruu @Tukluk @Kin-Kin

HA! Yyyyes! Tuck had just defeated the rat leader all by himself! And it had been bigger than him! Haha! He couldn’t help but stick out his tongue and blow a raspberry at the retreating vermin. And then he settled down again… and realized for the first time that the poison ivy growing all over his body, which had saved his life just now, was spreading its gross red itchy rash all over him. “Aah!” he screeched, and immediately began scratching himself, not knowing any better. This was a terrible idea! he thought to himself in a very whiny inner voice.

— Wait a minute, was there a shiny thing up there? Tukluk scampered forward quickly, ignoring the rash on his body, ignoring the now-dead plants falling to the ground around him, ignoring all the other Gembounds. He needed the shiny! He half-stumbled into the nest, hopping from one treasure to the next. Ooo, a ring with jewels! Ooo, a gold necklace! He turned and saw the rusty dagger, but stuck his tongue out at it. Nah, that wasn’t a shiny thing! Aww, was that it? The marmoset looked around in hope, thinking maybe he had missed —

WHAT WAS THAT? He scrambled towards it, now once again aware of the other three Gembounds in the room. THEY COULDN’T HAVE HIS SHINY! HE HAD FOUND IT! IT WAS HIS! He threw himself over the top of the shiny purple kunzite orb, his body drawn to it seemingly against his will, for it had felt the Magic within. HE NEEDED THIS… WHATEVER IT WAS. He wrapped his tiny arms and legs around the orb that was surprisingly smaller than he was, and if his tail had been prehensile, that would have also been wrapping around the Magical Orb. What was it? He needed to figure it out! Maybe it would give him amazing powers! Or maybe there was a baby Gemling inside! But whatever it was, it was his, his, his! And no one could take it from him now that he was covered in poison ivy! No one would wanna come near him! HA! THE ORB WAS HIS!

Words: 330+ omfg Tuck is literally crazy help

Zevruu heard the rat crash into a rock when it fell. He had managed to knock it off, much to his relief. He watched as rat 5 walked away a bit before falling over. He had killed it. He was ready to go after rat 3 when they suddenly all ran as one away. Was the battle over? Had they won? They won! He had won!

He looked around and noticed others that he hadn't paid any attention to until now. There was Kin-kin, the golden wolf as well as the only one he knew. He thought about going up to her when a sound caught his attention. Turning, he saw a tiny, tiny monkey clutching a purple gem. Oh. Were those...prizes?

The serval walked closer, seeing what all there was. He looked at the purple gem for a moment but knew he had no chance of getting it. What a shame, it was pretty. He looked at what else there was. There was a bronze ring with gems that he stared at for a bit. It was interesting, sure but he found that he didn't really want it. Next, there was a rusty dagger. He hesitated. He could perhaps fight better with it but...he didn't really want to fight ever again.

Lastly, there was a golden chain necklace. He pawed at it for a moment. It was pretty, and a beautiful golden color. He wondered if it would be even prettier if infused with light. He was fairly certain he didn't have the spell to do that, but maybe one day he would.

Carefully, he scooped it up with a claw and brought it closer to him. Now that it was even closer, he thought it would definitely look even prettier if infused with light. Sadly, he couldn't do that now. Maybe one day. For now, all he could do was wear it. Slowly, he brought it over his head and then dropped it, allowing it to go around his neck. It wasn't very long, but Zevruu decided that he liked it.

//ooc: written on my phone so no table

Septiezal did not relax his muscles until he felt the life leave the rat's body. Exhausted from the struggle, he released the limp body and let it slide off his torn coils with a sigh of relief. He did it, he finally killed it. Despite the damage the rat's claws did to his skin, Septiezal could not help but to feel proud of himself. He even felt a little more confident. The snake flicked his tongue over the rodent's face and wondered if he could swallow it, but then something caught his attention. He noticed the other Gembounds walking towards something. The python raised his head to get a better look and what he saw was a nest of odd items.

Septiezal slithered over with the other Gembonds and peered into the nest. At first glance, none of them seemed too special, and he was about to turn around and leave, but then, one item grabbed his attention. It was the rusty looking dagger. Compared to the other items, it was unimpressive, but to Septiezal it was a jewel. The magic that radiated from this strange object, it played with his serpentine senses, and the python found himself captivated by it. He quickly scooped it up in his mouth before the other Gembounds could snatches it and slithered back to the rat's carcass, happy to have found it.

"Speech."
Thoughts...

Oh no! Two of the other Gembounds were coming over here, closer to him — closer to his Orb! No, no, no, he had to get out of here now! He glared at the cat and the snake. Neither of them really seemed to notice him, aside from a cursory glance, and he took this chance to begin pushing and shoving the Orb out of the nest and down the tunnel. Honestly, he wasn’t getting very far at all. He had to keep stopping because everything itched. Ugh! He’d given himself a poison ivy rash! But he was determined, and kept pushing and pushing and rolling the Orb across the tunnel floor a few inches at a time. He tried to pick it up a couple time but it was a little too big and too smooth for him to lift it without opposable thumbs. Hmm… He’d just have to do his best, he supposed…

[Exit Tuck]

Words: 156

Zevruu enjoyed the feel of the necklace around his neck for a moment before stepping away from the nest. He looked around at the others. He was about to go over to Kin-kin and talk to her for a bit before deciding against it. Who said she would even want to talk to him? It would be best for him to just leave. His work here was done.

He began to walk away, over in the direction of Orion. He wanted to go and grab the baubled stone that he had hidden away while he traveled and look at how it was fused with light. He was determined to do the same thing to this necklace, but he wasn't sure if he knew how to yet. One day he'd do it, though. He was sure of it. For now, he'd just wear it and show it off as it was. It was interesting, as well as quite unique. He didn't recall seeing anyone with a necklace like his.

Zevruu came across the entrance to Orion and stepped through, entering the place he tended to call home.

-exit Zevruu-

"Speech" l 'Thoughts'

The python felt his stomach growl as approached his kill. Septiezal's body ached from the fight, he was tired, in pain, and wanted to go back home to his den in Canis were he felt safe and sleep for a million years. However, he was curious about the rat's body. He wanted to see if he could swallow it whole. He placed the dagger next to him and unfurled his coils next to the carcass. It did not seem bigger than his stomach. He drew his body across its fur and wrapped is jaws around its head. If he was going to eat it, he'd better do it quickly, as rat's body was growing cold. He hated eating cold things.

Septiezal struggled as he stretched his jaws wider. This was the biggest creature he was shoving down his throat so far! The ripped flesh on his body throbbed with pain as his muscles contracted and worked to slide his fallen opponent further into his body. The young python found swallowing this monsterous creature an utter work out and his jaws were stretched at their limit. Eventually found himself reaching the skinny, naked tail and it to disappear within his mouth along with any evidence of the fallen Echoing Gray.

"Uugh." The snake grumbled before he pressed his head against the floor. Relief flowed over him when he felt his jaw pop comfortably back into place. With a meal like this one, he might not have to eat for a while! He lifted his head and peered into the hole the other rats escaped. He hoped they saw him consume their comrade and he sincerely hoped they were shaking in their bones.

That's right, you're my prey now.

Stuffed to the rim, yet satisfied, Septiezal picked his dagger back up and slither towards the open maw of Canis to digest and heal.

-Exit Septiezal-