The Field

Who: Ryan and Delilah
When: at dusk
Where: temporary camp, on the way east

( I want to be okay, so I usually am )

Who: Kenneth and Bazzer
Where: Sweetgrind fields
When: night of the 20th day
Rating: PG
Warnings: may be added, but none yet


Kenneth was on edge, not that there was any help for it. The expected full out attack of laughers hadn't yet come and Kenneth had gotten everyone into a small circle. The carts had been emptied and turned on their sides, the stuff in them forming another layer of protection between the things in the dark and the people he was protecting. Sharpened climber sticks were pushed into the ground pointing outward and torches ringed the entire thing. They'd pulled up the grass for about three feet all the way around so nothing could sneak out of the grass. It was the best he could do...he just hoped it was enough.

Kenneth himself was patrolling the edge of the camp, carefully avoiding looking at the torches so he wouldn't ruin his night vision as he scanned the field around them, his weapons ready. It was a familiar feeling, the being on edge, senses alert to every sound and he found it somewhat comforting. At least this was something he knew. When he heard someone walking up, he didn't turn to see who it was because it would mean looking at the light. "Who is it?"

Who: Aaron and Delilah
When: Late afternoon
Where: Within sight of the wagon train
What: Finding something cool.
Rating: G

( Lead To A Place We Don't Belong )

Who: Sophie and Quinn
When: Later afternoon
Where: A little ways south of the wagon train
What: Keeping a lookout and defacing a grave for baby goods.
Rating: PG for the slight downer and urine mention?

( Don't Peek! )

Who: Cross and Helena
Where: on the island
When: late afternoon
What: Preparing the first meal of the day.

( We Walk On Them )

Who:  Jasper, and the NPC kids (Ashwin and Corbin)
Where:  Field Camp
When:  Late Afternoon/Early Evening
What:  The exact opposite of a finding.  Would that be a 'losting'?
Rating:  PG (with a lot of muttered curses)

"Oh, you are fu.... um, goddamn well kidding me."  Jasper muttered to herself, and moved the sleeping baby to her other arm.  Everyone was gone.  Everyone.  Even that bloody tanning pit Bazzer'd made was emptied.  The baby made a sleepy protest and stuck his thumb in his mouth, settling back down as soon as she stopped moving him around.  There were dead laughers laying around, but they were obviously rotting and had a fair portion of

"Where's the people?  You said there'd be people!"  The six year old girl, Ashwin, demanded, stomping her foot in what Jasper recognized as an impending temper tantrum, thanks to a neice and two nephews.  Jasper didn't blame her, since she felt like having a minor meltdown herself.

Who:  Jasper and a couple of NPCs
Where:  On the edge of the desert
When:  Late morning
What:  A Finding (sort of)
Rating:  PG (for language)

Jasper was never so glad to be out of a desert as she was five minutes ago.  Oh, it was still hot, there wasn't any question of that, but there was more moisture in the air, undoubtedly due to the fact there was more vegetation on the ground, and it continued getting thicker as she went on.  In fact, Jasper was pretty sure she'd get back to camp within the next couple of days, and she thought she might take her time about it because she had a pretty nasty sunburn.  Huzzah for deserts.  She loved them, except somewhere closer to the opposite of love.

But she was out of it!  There was definitely an increased amount of grass plants, like that sweetgrind stuff, growing, and single or stands of trees littered the landscape.  Jasper was heading towards one such singular tree, the closest one, in the hopes of finding fruit that wasn't more damn melon or cactus.

Who: Kenneth and anyone/everyone leaving on the 20th
When: Mid morning
Where: Heading east
What: Taking a break


There was no way to keep up the grueling pace all day, at least not for most. Kenneth made sure to call plenty of halts, at least as many as he possibly could, but they still weren't making the speed they'd need to get to the safe camp. Fortunately, he'd sort of planned on that, his worst case scenario. If they didn't make it, he'd circle the carts, build a fire and people would just have to stay awake. The Laughers were smart, he hoped if he took down enough of them, they'd just back off. Did Laughers have a concept for unacceptable losses?

Kenneth didn't know, but he did know that would burn through his ammunition, something he'd already decided was worth it to protect those coming with him. He looked around and squinted up at the sun. Sacrificing a blanket, he tore strips of it with his knife then handed them to the closest person. "Soak these with some water and get people to put them on the back of their necks and heads. It might help."

The ferocity of the competition between male laughers (who seem to comprise the bulk of the laugher hunting parties) has not let up so much as an inch. The laughing doesn't even pass for the sickest type of mirth anymore, it's all malice. There aren't even enough fit male laughers to drag all of the bodies of the dead male laughers home for the babies. As a result, the camp and field are littered with corpses this morning when the sun rises. Truly a vile sight.

The night was a little bit warmer than the night before, dipping no cooler than 18C (64F) and the day warms up as they move out from under the canopy and out into the dazzling sunny grasslands.

Upon waking up, everyone bundles their bedding into the carts made by Ken and start the arduous journey. This is a long, slow trek involving hoisting the loaded carts over roots and around boulders. There are no beasts of burden to pull them, so people must push and pull the contraption which runs on wheels which are not perfectly round.

Out in the grass the sun is hot and bright enough to cause sunburn or sunstroke. People are encouraged to drink from streams as they are found. It's possible that people discover new plants or animals along the way. Sadly it won't be a fun day for people who arrived without shoes. All you can do is grit your teeth and carry on!

When the sun sets, they are still half a day from the spindle tree camp. With no way to climb up off of the ground or save the carts, no doubt a little bit of panic sets in. Mercifully, when the dark truly settles in, the laughers never make it out into the grassland, being far too interested in each other - for the time being.