Madhukar waited and... nothing. Not even a twitch. Was anything even here--? No, something had to be, what else would've made those tracks?! Oh, if only she had Kitty's ability to tell the past from something. Little speck got taller, the funky creature that the giant feather came from... what could've made those tracks, and why was it immune to big scary noises? Even without the crazy mind-controlling mushrooms, this place was suspicious!

"Was that your doing?" Without really stopping to think about it, Madhukar answered with a grunt and a nod. She made storms. Loud noises, rain, lightning, etcetera. That was what she did. She was... the only person she knew who did that. Did this James-like Gembound know Tahi-shei or Sunny? Sunny could make some pretty wild allies. If so... was it something she should ask? Had she given herself away?! Oh dear--

No, no. She had to be calm. Except now she was wondering if Sunny was still missing... NO! NOPE! What were they here to do? Let's focus on that, alright? Even if things were looking bleaker and bleaker the more they were out here. Even if she knew for a fact that running away was the opposite of everything she needed right now. At this point it was just delaying the inevitable-- What-- wait. inevitable. There.

Now question: what could this giant Gembound here do? Clearly Madhukar's 'doing' wasn't working. Did this one have abilities besides being tall and intimidating? Madhukar paused her movement and tilted her head way up to look at this James-like being. "You have magic?" It was kind of an invitation to use it if they had it. It was just a vague invitation.

NOTE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD READ: Madhukar is disguised, as usual. Her disguise DOES NOT USE MUD this time. Assume her disguise is a mess but functional, because I can't roll for it but her skills with setting it up are improving!

Disguise includes a mask and a heck ton of plants.

@Tsetse

SNAKE TONGUE, SPLIT AND BITE

Tsetse looks down at the other Gembound with a tilt of her head, her body language and a short huff-click of her vents signifying amusement.

Because—why yes, she can use magic, although she's been too caught up in, ah, other things to really train with it. She's well aware she's out of practice, really. The thing is that the magic of plague requires a living target, and as amusing as it would be to use it upon the Gembound before her... (a phantom cackle in the back of her head accentuates the thought, something excited flaring in her veins) she doubts she would be quite happy about it. And at the moment, her storm magic takes precedence over that. Tsetse would rather like to learn more about it.

"I can, indeed," she says, at length, "Although it requires a living being to be cast on."

It's with this statement that she takes a few purposeful steps forward in the snow, gaze lingering upon the other meaningfully. "If we continue this hunt, I may be able to provide a demonstration, if you would so like?" she asks. One way or another, she will be providing flesh for this feast—she's set her mind upon it, and so shall it be.

...although she does hope she can actually convince her magic to fire, when they finally sight prey. To fail with another set of eyes watching would be—ah, embarrassing.

@Madhukar

The way this stranger's words came out without their mouth moving, Madhukar suddenly realized, was freaking eerie. Her brain had registered this and made its decision kind of out of nowhere, perhaps because now she was actually paying attention to the stranger, inquiring about them and such. She kind of wished the revelation hadn't hit her because now every time they spoke the cogs in Madhukar's brain were sent spinning as she wondered, you know, how the heck are they doing that and why is that so weird and kind of intimidating?

It didn't stop there. The way this stranger described their magic was a bit ominous, and then the fact that their gaze had lingered on Madhukar was downright suspicious. And then... the offering of a demonstration if they continued the hunt... Madhukar nodded a 'yes', then forced out a warning tone: "Not on me."

Madhukar could've summoned lightning or something to make this warning seem as serious and threatening as she intended it to be -- give 'em a taste of what they ought to fear, you know? But that flaunting of power to threaten someone was exactly what Madhukar was trying to be better about NOT doing, and besides, she did actually want to get on with this hunt. If that was even possible.

So Madhukar would focus on the terrain, searching yet again for life more suitable for this creature's magic. And would you look at that! To absolutely no one's surprise, Madhukar couldn't find anything and she was just getting colder and colder! At least she had the motivation of not being attacked by a giant James beast to keep her going now, so that was fun. So very fun.

NOTE THAT PEOPLE SHOULD READ: I just realized that keeping this note here in every post might have come off as Condescending, i'm sorry ;u;

@Tsetse (imagine having the worst luck,, couldn't be me)

SNAKE TONGUE, SPLIT AND BITE

Not on me.

The other Gembound's warning earns pleased laughter from her. Soft and dark and maybe just that little bit sinister, but pleased.

Oh, so she's finally realized the danger Tsetse might impose? Or, perhaps, she's somehow picked up on her own dark thoughts; sometimes, the chaos whispers so loudly to her that it feels like it may be audible.

"You have my word, then," Tsetse promises, the words having a contented purr to them, her tone delighted by the gembound's savviness. This one—this one has promise. More than her magic, even, although she is still quite curious…

...ah, but that will come later. First, the hunt.

Tsetse strides forward in the snow, tail carving a trail behind her, hooves slow upon the icy ground to make sure her hunting partner could keep up.

Not as slow as she could be going, however. She's testing the gembound beside her; seeing for herself how fast she could run. Both because speed is necessary for the sake of a hunt, and, ah… simple curiosity, if one would.

Head raised, sickly green pits stare once again into the flurry around them, searching. Seeking tracks, or, perhaps, if the two of them are lucky—movement.

@Madhukar
( MOM HOLY FUCK WE DID IT )

It was a great distance to peer down through the snow, along the bitter slopes, in those brief moments of clarity between snow-driven gusts.

But Tsetse, against all odds, would spot the tiniest bit of movement far down there: a shift of white-on-white, something large but distant lying along the mountain's slope.

It would take some time to reach it, but the creature in question was a Ghostbird: some thirty pounds of poultry meat hidden beneath a carpet of beautiful white feathers. Its enormous wings were splayed out to either side, one clearly wounded somehow and lying at a slightly awkward angle; it seemed it could not return to the "sky" it had lived its entire life in.

Blue-gray beak was parted in distressed panting, and silver eyes would stare with helpless terror at the strangers' approach, if they chose to come so close.

@Madhukar @Tsetse

SNAKE TONGUE, SPLIT AND BITE

There. In the distance; white against white, the only thing that distinguishes the body of the bird from the snow falling in flurries all around them is the slighted movement of wing against the ice.

A bird? But like no kind she's ever seen before.

Nonetheless, the sight is—intriguing. And a welcome break from the monotony of no prey at all. She was getting bored.

Rapid hoofbeats slow, then stop, the pits set in her face straining to make out any more detail. "There, in the distance," she hums to her hunting partner. "Do you see it? It appears to be some manner of bird."

Meat, flesh, rip, tear, something in her croons, and she nods appreciatively to nothing.

There is… one problem, however. It is quite a distance away from the two of them; Tsetse is more than confident she can cover the gap, but of the hunter beside her…

...well, that is another story. On one hand, Tsetse would like to find out the limits of her exhaustion. To push her, running, until she stoops to asking for aid—or, perhaps simply crashes in the snow, chest heaving, limbs worn at last.

But it would be quite inconvenient for her to collapse now, while Tsetse owes her a demonstration of her own magic.

Thus…

"Would you care to ride? The distance will be easier if I carry you."

She sees no shame in this. Only a distinct amusement, that she has to help this smaller creature. How tiny she is.

@Madhukar

Apparently Madhukar had their word. What that meant exactly was an unsettling concept to Madhukar. What word? None seemed to be actually spoken, at least not through the normal speaking pathway. The felinoid, perhaps against what should've been better judgement, made herself look up at the James beast yet again entirely for the purpose of leering. Whether or not they noticed it was left a mystery... The hunt continued on.

Madhukar was, indeed, having a bit of trouble stumbling after this giant. It was kind of a jerk move for them to be moving that fast, but hey, it was a hunt. She'd grant the benefit of the doubt... just this once. And perhaps her fellow hunter deserved it -- they'd seen something! Madhukar strained to see it as well. White against white... some manner of bird. Ah, thank goodness she had eyes of a predator, built to track movement and such. Seeing presented a bit of a problem however -- a problem with a solution Madhukar wasn't so sure about.

Madhukar had never ridden on the back of anything or anyone. Never asked, was never offered, never wished for it. This was an unsettling first. Madhukar would survey the James beast with extreme caution. Alarm bells were blaring in her head, but... well, this might be the only chance they had to get something out of being here. So... "...Fine." Hardly a grunt. Madhukar really didn't like needing this kind of help, especially coming from someone so stupidly big. This thing- ah, person- didn't even know the start of what she was capable of! 'You have to keep calm Madhukar. If you can't stand--' yeah! YEAH! She knew. She knew...

So up the felinoid went -- way, way up, higher up than she had expected. Now she was on a James. What the HECK was she getting herself into-- AND THEY WERE OFF! Madhukar gripped hard onto anything she could, absolutely terrified, trying her darndest not to let some ridiculous noise slip from her maw. This was extremely unfamiliar movement for her, like bipedal walking but worse somehow. After... perhaps a bit too long, Madhukar finally felt adjusted enough to look ahead at what they were chasing.

That was a big freaking bird.

It seemed... it seemed... did it seem like it was-- no, yeah, that looked-- AH-- "Slower!" Madhukar ordered, without even really thinking about it. If she could've kicked her out shin right now she would've. If this James beast had a shin Madhukar could suitably kick, she also would've done that, because they weren't slowing down. Gosh darn it. AGH!

Madhukar would force herself to get a grip, training her eyes and doing her best to train her mind on the bird. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt-- She was going to kill it get this thing down, she was going to kill it get it down fast. Charging up courage and magicka as one might charge up a leap or a battery, Madhukar finally released.

A volley of arrows like no other. The bird didn't seem healthy enough to dodge any.

You monster.