'I'm scared.'
Yew shivered, huddled in on herself, trying to hide tight in her cloak, pressing against @Mercurius if he would allow it.

'I want to go home.'
But it was for he that she had signed up, and it was for he that she stayed.

He had treated her kinder than she had ever known. Had helped her learn, to not be afraid. Well, to be less afraid. There were... so many, she'd never seen so many Gembound in one place before, didn't think she even knew so many.

Had turned her into something that Ma-Jayberry would despise, would try to tear apart and ruin.

So she wanted to prove herself to him.

Wanted to prove herself to herself.

And then a loud honk startled her, the others were lurching forward, and she bounded forward, sharp claws finding purchase on the ice.

For all the shortcomings Hemlocke had about staying on-track and -task twenty-three hours, fifty-nine minutes, and fifty-nine seconds of the day, it was mildly appreciative of the chance to do something different. Patrolling up and down Tunnel P and standing careful watch over either end was proving to be exhausting, and greatly impeding the time it had to train its apprentices. It wouldn't be caught dead complaining about that, though. Merely making an aforementioned request to the Overseer - similar face, completely different level of professionalism - was all it had done.

Now, it was at the starting line, caught for a moment in the memory of so many trials run before. There was snow in lieu of sand beneath its feet, but the various shapes crowding in its periphery were familiar enough. Hemlocke had to remind itself of the lack of stakes. It wouldn't be ripped apart by eyehooks or mesmerized into death by spiders and scorpions.

All it had to do was run, and represent what it was that made the Sentinels and the old ways so great.

So, it did - it bolted from the start, sprinting for a few paces before moving at a steady pace and avoiding slipping. The odd alien bounded over every rock pile in its way, launching off of them to maximize efficiency. So long as it kept moving, it could stay warm and mobile.

Crown wasn't sure why he was here. The distant, logical part of his brain said that it was to distract himself, but then his heart would start to ache and make his eyes sting again. Dad... had been a good father and protected him and his brother, but he didn't prepare them for when he died. Just showed them the very spot they'd both been devoured by a dragon.

The lamb bleated softly at the finish line, and shook his head. It was better to not really think about it.

Ghost-white, tired eyes stared straight ahead, ears and mind hyperfixating on the kind-looking goose's voice and the signal to go. Maybe, maybe he'd feel better if he started running. Maybe he'd feel better if he paid no mind to all of the people, sights, sound, et cetera around himself.

His hooves clattered near-soundlessly against the backdrop of others moving and clamoring to get to the front of the pack. Every chunk of ice just about caused a slip, and he almost stepped on slick mushrooms more than once.

Then... tragedy. One leg slipped out from beneath him, and his whole body toppled. Crown bleated harshly as he fell, and again on impact with the slippery ground. He slid a few feet, but curled up first and hollered, "please - ! Don't step on me!"

The last time Hunter had been around this many gembound, he has been just a child. His fourth cycle has passed only a few days prior, and now he was finally old enough (though there might have been children in the competition, what did he know?) to participate in the BIGGEST EVENT in the entire caves.

He mostly just wanted to have fun... but wouldn't it be cool if he actually won? He wanted to give everyone a reason to know the Elenya household name. He was almost overwhelmed by the crowd, though he raised his hand to wave at Orthoclase-Alpha when he spotted the big fella. Did it remember him? After this, he really wanted to apologize for that time he threatened the massive beast with a spear for standing near his sister. Everyone had been kind of keeping their distance, but if it was friends with Vivi, how bad could it really be?

Distractions aside, Hunter made a point of introducing himself to his competitors. The upright, purple-furred and brown haired girl dressed in layers of pelts to keep the cold at bay in the brisk tunnel was all too eager to offer a hand to the handless with a, "I'm Hunter, good luck!" He said this every two seconds to just about everyone who would make eye contact, but before long it was finally time to begin. The little bug and the eyewheel were going to judge, huh? Hopefully they could keep up! He grinned from ear to ear as he crouched, readying for the sprint ahead of him.

Good luck! He thought eagerly, knowing that his dad was probably watching (or waiting at the finish line). It was time to make him proud.

The signal was given, and off the crowd went. Hunter scrambled forward, trying to keep up with the wide variety of animals and beasts. He wasn't particularly fast, which wasn't a problem, but the terrain kept catching him. A number of times only a few moments into the race he slipped, ending up on all fours. He wasn't particularly built for running on all fours (though, at a push, he could scramble for a little bit) but the ice and slippery shrooms kept catching under his feet.

It seemed like he was falling behind already... Okay... But he wasn't about to be discouraged. A bleat caught his ears and he slowed to a stop as he caught up to the fallen. Despite the scrapes he already had on his hands and knees, and the pack of racers getting further ahead, he knelt down next to Crown. "Hey-- are you okay? Here, I can help you up," he offered, extending his hand gently toward the stranger. "We're not out of the race yet, I promise!"

@crown

They were told to go - and go the group did. Sniffles' many eyes watched others around them going, skidding on the ice, some not. Shaking their head, the snake slithered forward, hoping their scales would give them some form of traction on the ice, and the other slippery things there. Even if their own goo would be just as slippery as everything else.

Claws skidded through the ice, not offering any purchase for the extremely long snake as they went through. Hopefully they didn't slip.

[Origin Cave]

Round Two has begun!

So far, so good...

Most of the group starts without too much issue, galloping over the slick ground with quite a bit of ease! Some unlucky runners slip and fall, but don't lose hope - there's plenty of chances to go.

You might say... it's a little unfortunate that so many are ahead. Madhukar's surely cackling as the racers approach her hairball minefield... ew. Fingers crossed for those barely successful rolls, gang.

Current Sections

1. Slip and slide! Tahi-shei, Lady, Crown, Tupu, Hunter

2. Um... electrifying. Hemlocke, Kalama, Ruby-Beta, Sorda, Yew, Sharp, Pumpkin, Doug, Ivory, Bug, Sniffles, Huckleberry

For your point-tallying convenience, here's a link to a Google Sheets detailing rolls on the current section and who we're waiting on!

@Hemlocke (Crown) @Bug (Ivory) @Tahi-Shei @Kalama (Tupu) @Yew (Lady) @Sniffles @Hunter @Sharp @Sorda (Doug) @Pumpkin

pumpkin smiled, he wasnt too far in, but he'd made it, with any luck he could get in front. a little friendly competition didnt hurt, right?

he let out a small gag at the hairballs everywhere, stepping on one couldn't be pleasant electric or not.
well, here goes.

he tried to run through the terrain, losing his footing and twittering in distress as he slipped and stepped on an electric hairball trying to catch himself, zapping himself harshly.

he stumbled backward with a dazed groan, sitting down for a second, sticking his tongue out in disgust.

After helping Crown get back to his feet, it was time to really begin this race! Sure, almost everyone was out into the next stretch, but it wasn't a sprint, right? It was a marathon! Stretching his legs, Hunter tried to follow the footsteps of those that came before, taking the most trodden path and hoping that most of the ice was crushed.

Unfortunately, he had been so busy looking ahead toward the rest of the group, that he missed bit of ice that was jutting up out of the ground (from where someone had crunched it) and with a yelp, the mustelid-elf hybrid came crashing down to the ground again. "Ow, owww, oww!" He winced, dragging himself up to his feet once more.

"Don't worry!" He called to the onlookers, and to the medics on standby. "I'm okay, really!" Oh, gosh, he hoped he hadn't sprained an ankle or anything. Okay, just walk it off.

Not a sprint. A marathon. He could do this! Really!!

Tupu heard a familar voice. She had heard it at the start, and then again, now. As she chewed on her berry bush. The sounds were nice. Tupu's head raised. She turned from the bush, still chewing. She didn't see who had spoken to her. Her ears flicked to the noises around. There were more around her. Making their weird sounds. The voice had moved on. Tempted to both follow, and sit there and wait for herd, she ripped a few more leaves. Then took a few steps forward. She decided.

Tupu launched herself forward, stick legs pushing her forward as she galloped after the voice. She weaved through the mushrooms, more instinct and luck than actual avoidance. The entire time, Tupu's mouth continued working. Rapidform chewing as she multi-tasked like a pro--both eating and running at once.

Kalama felt the wind race around her. She laughed as she passed the gembound around her. She was getting to show off her strength and prowess, once again. She was a blur. She was speed incarnate. She was strength incarnate. She was winning. She was--she was getting beaten. Someone was ahead of her. It didn't look half as cool as Kalama, either! She clucked, sharp and angry.

"You're winning over my broken chrysalis!" She yelled. She wouldn't be beaten. Today was her day. Her victory. Only she was allowed to win. In absolutely everything. A wad of--something? Crackled ahead of her. She barely had time to stop. Her wings spread out, as she slowed her forward momentum, stepping to the side of the wad. She didn't know what that was but she wasn't touching it.

There were a bunch more of those things out there. The realization came that the movement had cost her time, and she let out a loud, angry crow. "I'm winning! I'm a winner." She was sure to be more cautious after that. Weaving through them, instead of plowing straight ahead.

think "speak"