Ruby-Beta stalked through Pisces, many eyes narrowed with slight displeasure. Now that the Overseer's eyes were no longer on it, it was harder and harder to actually motivate itself to go searching for other to fulfill the tasks that had been set out for it. Without a watchful eye, all it wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep. Would the Overseer really noticed if he decided to just slack off all the time? Would it really matter?

No, it convinced itself that it would matter. And, besides, it wanted to impress the Overseer. It wanted his approval. That's what was important. It had been given these tasks directly from him and it would carry them out to the letter because that's what Ruby-Beta had decided was the purpose of its life - to do what the Overseer, and only the Overseer, told it to do.

It stepped through Pisces, but even with its senses alert, it did not know if it was coming upon anything soon. It didn't know if there was even anything else in this cave to begin with. Well, that would be extremely disappointing, if it came all the way here only to have nothing to hunt. Maybe it should have stuck to Lessers.

@Imp

ALL POSTS from Imp, in this thread, should be assumed to be M for language

"WHY, the FUCK, is it FEATHERS?!"

The screech, barely-audible in the distance, came from nearer the waterfall. It might not have been entirely clear what the hell it meant, without more context. In fact, it likely wasn't.

But for Imp, it was way, way too clear.

He still had no idea that the chrysalis had bestowed upon him white spots where a bat's nipples would be, in some sort of sick cosmic joke; he couldn't see himself. He only felt the feathers. They were warm, sure--here in Pisces, with its damp chill, especially--but he'd been warm enough before! -Mostly! They smelled, and they got in the way.

And he had these TUFTS of them on his head, and chin.

The hybrid tossed his head back, and went sniffing along the shallow pools again. He wanted fish; being blind was easier when you could just make bananas to eat but you got sick of bananas. A carnivore wanted fish, sometimes--at least, a half-alligator did.

The shallow puddles, at least, didn't really let the fish escape him, so he was vaguely splashing around in an attempt to find something by touch.

He found: nothing.

"Come on, you shitty fish."

@Ruby-Beta

Ruby-Beta heard the voice. It wasn't hard to miss, but it still had to locate the source of the sound. It was some ways away from the epicenter of the very angry shouting and it began to open it senses, to find the one that was yelling so angrily. Nostrils flared to take in scents and its many eyes raked across Pisces's open grounds. It would do better this time. Not that the Overseer was watching but it did want to improve. Best improve by setting goals higher then what you'd done before.

Eventually, its eyes spotted Imp by the edge of the river, fishing. If Vargas had ever talked about Imp, then Beta would still not be able to recognize it, all covered in feathers and such, and without realizing that he did not, in fact, have eyes. But it was talking, and shouting, so Ruby-Beta figured that this was a Greater Gembound.

It did not approach - yet, keeping its distance as it decided the best way to stalk up to the creature.

@Imp

Imp grumbled, sticking his snout into the water and feeling quickly about. He didn't feel the telltale flick of fish scales against his face, and the fear that something bigger might somehow be in the few-inches-deep pool (a fear stemming from being unable to see said pool) had him pulling back and swearing under his breath.

His back was half to Ruby, and he still had no idea the other Gembound was there. But he tried to call on his magic--just to find a fuckin' fish--but there was nothing.

Imp swore, under his breath, and started forward--picking his way along carefully, half-worried he'd fall into the lagoon, looking for the next pool of water.

There had to be fish in here somewhere.

@Ruby-Beta

The creature had not noticed him yet so Ruby-Beta crept out from behind the rock, sending magic out to dim the world around it, casting it in light shadows. It wasn't as deep as the ones that the Overseer created, but hopefully it would be enough with its dark pelt to hide it from view. There was a good amount of cover, at least, between it and its prey so perhaps dodging behind the rocks would help it out as it got closer.

It began to creep across the floor, staying low to the ground, sticking close to cover in case it needed to dodge behind something should the creature turn to see it.

@Imp

Imp was erratic on the best of days. Or maybe 'erratic' wasn't the word; 'perpetually angry' was perhaps a better phrase. As he splashed fruitlessly through the water, anger again welled up in him, erupting volcanically with a shout that echoed through Pisces, for no real discernable external reason:

"FUCK YOU, NEMEAN, YOU TINY PIECE OF SHIT." He didn't think to insult Vargas just then, which was probably just as well; the fuckface was just a lackey, anyway.

Stupid slave.

His back was wholly turned to Ruby a moment later as his magicka finally flickered up; and Imp crept forward, himself, at last spotting a couple of fish. They'd take sneaking up on, and fucked if he knew if they had eyes, or could see him. He couldn't see them, bar the faint magical glimmer of red, anyway.

@Ruby-Beta

Beta crept closer, eyes focused on its prey, a small, twisted smile threading across its face as its quarry began to, quite loudly, insult Nemean. Oh, it was going to have fun telling the Overseer that its first Greater prey had been one this disrespectful towards the Master. It continued creeping forward, getting closer and closer to the creature, unaware of its blindness, dodging behind rocks and making sure to keep its pawsteps as light as possible. It was not perfect by any means, but it was better then it'd been doing before.

It was silent, at the very least, pawsteps blending in with the echo of the falling water. At least, to it it sure sounded that way. It grinned, pleased with its ability to stay silent. It was getting closer now. Any moment now...would be the time to strike.

@Imp

Imp remained oblivious to the creeping predator behind him; he was blind, after all, and too caught up in hunting his fish. Had the roar of the waterfall not been so close, perhaps he might have heard Ruby-Beta--or perhaps, with its soft pawsteps, he might not.

But the trickle and rush of water all around him made that point a moot one.

Quietly he prowled, himself, and then leapt for the fish he could sense beneath him, in the puddle.

Leap. Splash. "SHIT!" There was nothing beneath his hind feet. He caught nothing, with the frantic swirl of his jaw.

Fuck, he didn't want to eat bananas for dinner, again... Imp gave a quiet sort of howling-moaning-groan of dismay, and settled himself to reluctantly try again.

@Ruby-Beta

It was close now and, still, it didn't know it was there. Good, then. It's simplistic strategy of "find prey. Sneak up. Attack" seemed to be working pretty well so far. Now that it was behind him, it stopped and positioned itself, crouching down on the rock. It waited there for a moment, waiting as the creature tried, and failed to fish, waited for the moment just after it had yelled out its frustration to strike.

Muscles bunched and it gripped the stone beneath it before leaping forward, claws scrabbling on the stone and instant before it leaped. It wasn't a very practiced pounced, about as good as its half-ass rat hunts, but, at the very least, it was a pounce, intended to grab the creature and hold him to the ground.

@Imp

He was preparing for another go at the fish when suddenly, the blind hunter became the fucking pinned down hunted.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed, loud and frightened, too shocked for words just then. He went down hard, onto his side in the water, flailing, and in reflex--after half a second of realization--thrashed out limbs with a flash of desperate defensive magicka.

It'd be obvious, close up, that this Gembound was blind: no eyes in his sockets.

But his extremities flared up smoking-hot, tail and feet thrashing for whatever had hit him. "GET OFF ME!" he yelled, quite a bit higher-pitched than normal. Most likely, the frantic jump in heartrate would be noticeable, his pulse hammering under the stranger's paws.

@Ruby-Beta