Effluvium had left Canis in a hurry. It had consumed many bones, both dust and long dead. Eventually, its stomach would reject the slurry of minerals and fossilized bone it had consumed. But for now, Effluvium was happy. Effluvium's mind was on the feast to come. A source of food endless.

Regenerating as Effluvium ate it. Effluvium had never even dreamed of such a thing happening. A draft blew by, chilling the mucus at its sides. Effluvium shook itself out. The tunnel was silent. Only sound the slide of its skin and the growl of its breathing.

"When I speak."

When I think.(Will never be used)

A chitter from high above. Effluvium's eyes flicked upwards. Dark shapes shifted above. It occasionally saw the flash of an errant pink or purple eye. But otherwise, the creatures were nearly invisible in the already dark tunnel. There were so many of them. Effluvium hoped they could not talk. So Effluvium could take one and eat them. Its muscles squelched as it prepared to scream.

"EAAAAT," Effluvium bellowed at the ceiling. Its voice reverberated off the tunnel walls, shattering the near choking silence.

"When I speak."

When I think.(Will never be used)

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gore

violence

The ceiling rustled.

Effluvium's single-word bellow was answered by the abrupt and sudden screech of a Dragonbat. The voices of a second, and a third joined in, the flash of bared fangs and the glint of eyes and gemstones visible amongst the shifting black leather of their wings.

There were seven, all told: territorial, aggressive, and Effluvium was threatening their colony. Wings unfurled, and bodies dropped from the ceiling:



The Dragonbats were vicious, and though not as intelligent as some other Lessers they did exhibit at least some rudimentary teamwork. None of them latched on, or even came close to Effluvium's jaws or claws, if they could help it: instead, like crows, they swept past with silent dive-bombs while others whirled and screeched. Each time Effluvium turned toward one, another would strike from behind: long and lacerating claws slashing for her flesh, and aiming to draw blood.

Effluvium would likely be very badly wounded by even this initial attack. She could choose to flee the Dragonbat territory, and they might--if she were lucky--not chase; or she could press this attack, and risk her life in the process.

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Effluvium realized quickly that these did not talk. That was good for it, at first. But then it was swarmed. Within a matter of seconds, Effluvium was slivers of red beneath a mass of black wings and hair. Dragonbats tore at it, ripping its flesh, and Effluvium was not fast enough to turn on them. It could feel its mass lessen by the second. Chunks torn off in an attempt on its life. Blood sprayed from cuts. And sometimes, a claw or a fang cut close to bone, and Effluvium felt sharp, searing pain. It roared, high pitched and furious, swiping and snarling at any it could see. There was a deluge of red fluid beneath it, and it wasn't all mucus.

Effluvium saw red. Both literally and figuratively. It was angry it couldn't hurt any of them. It was angry it could feel its mass fall in chunks. And it was angry it could feel pain. Blood ran down its face from the cuts the bats had inflicted. It screamed again. It had forgotten its previous plan quickly, and it aimed its jaws at one closest.


"When I speak."

When I think.(Will never be used)

@Game Master Dark

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The Dragonbats, at first, merely wished to drive an intruder away. But as it refused to leave, they grew more ferocious: and then they learned a very, very important lesson.

Effluvium was edible.

The tearing hit-and-run rips became a flurry of dragonbats descending, latching on to every free part of Effluvium's back and flanks. The creatures were cunning enough to stay clear of the gnashing jaws, and the poor flesh-beast soon found itself overrun, flapping black beasts feeding on it--ripping free chunks, tearing at its flesh, feasting, whilst it was still alive. They were not large. It was not fast. But it was relentless: it was unstoppable.

The splatter of blood became a stream, and then a pour, and Effluvium would feel itself weakening, even if its senses of pain were dulled: a faintness, a fading, as its lifeblood flooded out across the dusty rock beneath. Its struggle was in vain. These creatures were faster, fiercer. The paltry offering Effluvium had brought was ignored in favor of the banquet laid out before them: its own flesh.

At the last instant before death, its gemstone took over: the red jasper cracking and spreading, Effluvium's last breath an exhale into creeping stone. Moments later the chrysalis lay glinting atop the puddle of blood, the Dragonbats circling it, scratching at it, screeching.

In time, they left it alone. In time, they returned to their shadowy nest above; and in time, they settled in to watch.

____________

Effluvium is returned to its chrysalis. When it awakens, it will find a new Chrysalis Consequence affecting it.

FISSURE - A large portion of the front of Effluvium's underside--whatever might translate to approximately its chest--will collapse into a geode-like rift of its Red Jasper.

@Effluvium

violence

gore

Within a opaque jasper chrysalis, a beast laid in rest. Effluvium came back to awareness slowly. Its' thoughts were swimming, unclear. Memories drifted towards it. More instincts than rationalized thought. It remembered the searing pain of flesh being torn from it. It remembered being reduced. Reduced to almost nothing. Not having the energy to fight. Feeling its own blood pool beneath it. Before, in the end, all going dark.

Effluvium thought of the searing pink eyes of the bats, and felt fear. Genuine fear. It was an enemy, a devourer of the buffet that was its body. The bats were stronger than it. Like the fire. No burning. No sharp heat. No, it was different. Slicing, tearing, unstoppable. Bad. Fear welled up in the creature, drove it to move, and Effluvium outed it in a series of attacks on its chrysalis.

The chrysalis crumbled. And Effluvium burst from its chrysalis. It screamed, fury, fear, and desperation combined. But it knew, now, there were things you didn't fight. You didn't consume. It knew to run. Effluvium didn't get far. It's arms buckled. It had forgotten how to walk, after so long in the chrysalis. The variety of smaller limbs surrounding it scrabbled at the ground, in a desperate attempt to keep moving.
"When I speak."

When I think.(Will never be used)

@Game Master Dark ((aw shit, here we go again))

There was a quiet twitter somewhere high and far along the ceiling, but for now, nothing was close enough to note the sentient hamburger's emergence.

So long as it moved away swiftly, quietly, it would be safe.

@Effluvium

Effluvium stood, shaking itself out. The beast snuffled, random nostrils expanding and contracting. No bats. No creatures to hurt it. No black wings and pink eyes. It did not recognize any scent, but the musk of a tunnel. It put a foot forward. Gentler. Slower. It padded through tunnel J in a strange manner. Starting and stopping. Raising its head to the sky, or to the side. The motions looked off. Unsure. Unfitting on such a beast. And then, eventually, the purpose was clear.

Effluvium was appropriating the manners of prey. Behaviors it had learned from its many days hunting. It did not know what the motions, the gestures mean. Only that, when stalked, prey did them. Their motions were exaggerated. Wide eyes, ears tuned to the word. Searching for sound. Scent. Anything to warn it of its nemesis, whether it was in the vicinity or not.

The beast's path carved a way through, and then its feet found the rocky, quartz illuminated path to Orion. It paid no attention to the artistry. Instead, it turned a fearful head back within tunnel J. Licked its snout once. Then hurried out, not wanting to dally. To risk being consumed once more, facing the same fate as it had done to many others.


"When I speak."

When I think.(Will never be used)

;exit dumby