Thursday: August 30, 2007
WHO: Open to All (more than one character invited to join!)
WHEN: Just after sunrise
WHERE: On the road to Helicharis
WHAT: Finding dead things

Sunrise brought many things to the land, but one did not expect that death would be amongst them. And yet it was there in the middle of the gravel road that led straight into town. The scent of blood and dead flesh attracted flies and carrion crows alike. They hovered over the dead animal, buzzing around frantically as they searched for a place to land. Occasionally they would scatter when the dark birds would swoop in, picking through the ashen fur to get to the meat, while others simply went for remains of the organs that were spilled upon the ground. They cawed loudly at one another, fighting over the animal that lay there with passive, grey eyes that still looked out upon the world.

It was not a pretty sight. One could tell that this animal used to be a beautiful creature when it was filled with life. The reddish-grey fur held dark, black spots all over its body. The lifeless eyes peered out from what seemed to be a sweet face. The same reddish-grey color here was marked with black lines instead of spots streaking outward from the nose. Black tufts decorated the tips of its ears while the fur around its neck ruffed out like a collar. The animal's paws were huge and heavily padded and one could imagine that this animal was a stealthy hunter, one that could tread the forests without being seen or heard.

And yet somehow it was lying in the middle of the road. Dead, the victim of something that was either much bigger, or much stronger than it was. It had no chance of survival though it was obvious that it had put up quite a fight. The claws of the predatory cat were covered in blood and there were slight remnants of fur — or was it fabric? — still clinging to them. The cat itself had suffered from slashes from its opponent as well before it had fallen. A victim of a broken neck, obvious by the position of the head, or perhaps it had bled to death from the puncture wounds in its neck? Even more likely was the large slice across its belly that spilled its innards. Most of the larger organs were gone now, scattered along the way as it was dragged across the land, but for the most part the sinewy remains of the intestines, both large and small, were hanging limply from its body.

Nevertheless it was dead and out in the open for all to see. The question was whether or not anyone would take notice before the carrion carried away the body one piece at a time.