04th Anomaly . spam

[dinosize]

[ Stephen never quite relaxes. Even though he's in his element, even though it gives him a thrill every time breathing in the thick, pure air. Even as he finds himself smiling at the sun trickling down through the leaves. He can't quite stop expecting a monster to break the spell.

Find him:

At night, he makes campfire. Flickering light and shifting shadow. Follow the sight of the flames, the smell of wood smoke and cooking fish and meat. He will be close by his pack, rifle within easy reach, curled up in a hollow or against a log.

During the day: fishing. Careful hunting, making sure the shots he takes are to animals, not the little sentient bears or people from the Barge. (Try not to get in the way of a bullet, please, everyone.)

He pushes out and explores the forest.

Wades in the streams.

Swims in the pools, not particularly worried about nakedness. (This is probably the only time the rifle ends up away from his hands.)

Once, early on, he finds he's being followed by a group of creatures like little bears rustling the leaves around him. He calls out hello, and they burst out of their cover, brandishing spears. He raises his hands, slowly. - Help him? ]

Comments

[hearrrtofgold]

[During the day, Duke is not precisely hunting. The shotgun he's carrying is a precaution right now, just in case his movements through the jungle startle something hostile. Or someone, which is his immediate thought when he hears Stephen's shot. He spins, raising the gun to defend himself from the other gunman.]

Okay, don't shoot or this is going to get stupid really fast.

[dinosize]

[ The rifle's one shot then reload. This particular shot was an attempt to bring down one of the larger, deer-like animals drifting through the forest, the ones that never come very close. But, honestly, it's a bit artless, and Stephen wings a tree just beside it. He should never have taken the shot anyway; it wasn't going to be a one-shot kill, and it wouldn't have been very humane. He's just very eager to take a closer look at the triple-joined bone structure.

It was away from Duke, or he wouldn't have taken the shot at all. Even shooting parallel to someone else can be dangerous. He turns sideways after he takes the shot, facing half towards Duke, reloading, when Duke speaks. He twitches, and holds his hands out, a gesture for easy. The rifle is in his left hand, gripped above the trigger. Not even close to shooting position. ]

Let's keep it smart, then, shall we.

[hearrrtofgold]

[Duke had just been curious about the deer-like creatures as well, but his interest was limited to getting in closer for a better look. He hadn't noticed anyone nearby or thought they might be hunted, but then, they'd probably be quite a lot like venison.

The shot just set him on edge, as in the seconds between it and Stephen's gesturing he'd not known why it was fired. Duke lowers the shotgun again, nodding in his direction and giving a slight wave.]

Seems the best thing to do.

You need something to eat? I've got granola bars in my backpack. With sun-dried cranberries, mmm. [This is dryly offered up with the enthusiasm as a waiter describing the special du jour.]

[dinosize]

[ A snort. But his hands stay up for several seconds after Duke has lowered the shotgun. ]

Sounds irresistible. But I'm doing all right.

[ His campsite, just a little ways away, has some scavenged fruit and vegetables, and the bones of several fish and the little shrublike green-and-brown turkeys running around. ]

Duke, right? Name, not title.

[hearrrtofgold]

Right. And you're the dinosaur hunter.

[It's a cozy-looking campsite, and Duke looks over the small bones scattered around it thoughtfully. Stephen's had more success in hunting than he has, but Duke suspects he may be more interested in the skeletons than the meat.] In your element here, huh?

[dinosize]

Haven't seen any dinosaurs.

[ But he is in his element. It's easy to see, in the way he handles the rifle, settles it on his back. ]

I think I might follow that deer. Do you want to join?