>>32759915
>B) Consult Maurice
He's more up-to-date on our comrades than Leon.

Note - captcha's crapping out again. May not be usable long.

>>32759979
You decide to find Maurice, to settle your stressed mind. He is once again studying local plant-life, mostly orally, until you interrupt him. You move over to his useless form and kick him solidly in the ribcage, shocking him awake.

"Apologies, sir. Research has come to a bit of a crawl."

A) "I want to check on the others."
B) Other

>>32760531
>A) "I want to check on the others."

>>32761050
You tell Maurice you want to be sure the others are safe and on their way. He burps, and digs through his discarded robes for the deck of magic cards.

"Ugh, Star, Magician, Chariot...here it is." Maurice pulls a card out of his folded outfit and hands it to you. The face reads "The Lovers", and is decorated with a tree with heart shaped branches, and two silhouettes of a man and a woman on either side of the trunk.

A) Annalise
B) Pietra
C) Kor
D) Other

>>32761175
>A) Annalise
>B) Pietra
...where is everyone today?

>>32761439
You can only choose one

No idea. If it gets too bad we'll just pick up next week.

>>32761175
>>32761439
>>32761510
>A) Annalise

>>32761562
You look at the face of the card and speak Annalise's name. The image begins to shift and change, and eventually becomes recognizable.

It depicts a young, red-haired woman. She is beneath a small waterfall, stark nude in the sunlight and pouring water. Off to the side is an olive skinned woman and a larger woman with sun blessed skin, both as bare and combing out their hair.

You turn the card away, uncomfortable. You aren't sure where they are, but they seem safe, and the flora around them seem to signify that they are indeed in the forest.

A) Ride out to meet them
B) Wait at the station
C) Other

>>32761651
>A) Ride out to meet them

>>32761803
You decide to meet up with your friends sooner rather than later. But this poses problems of its own. You'd have to go on foot if you go alone, and you aren't sure where Leon is. Going alone is risky, as you might get lost.

A) Change plans
B) Other

>>32761920
A) Change plans
Wait for them to arrive play with the baby until then
Fucking CAPTCHA

>>32762294
You change your mind. They'll arrive in time, and you don't want to risk getting yourself lost or bothering Leon while he works.

You make your way back up to the treetops, and Leon's small and warm home. As you enter, you find Eva sitting in one of the chairs, and holding the baby gently. She greets you, and you realize that she is currently in the process of feeding the child at her breast. You're a little embarrassed, but Eva seems to think nothing of you coming in at this moment.

A) Try not to look
B) Act natural
C) Come back later
D)Other

>>32762394
A) Try not to look
B) act natural
I'm not sure what to say to a woman while breastfeeding
Tell her how we met leon

>>32763173
You approach Eva and the baby, trying not to look directly at them as they bond. It is slightly difficult to make eye contact without letting your gaze wander, but you do your best.

"You must want to hold her. Don't think I haven't noticed how close you two have gotten in the past few weeks. As soon as she's done you can have her to burp. I trust you'll be able to handle it this time." Eva hasn't stopped teasing you about the incident the other day.

You start up a conversation, asking if Leon ever told her about your childhoods. She admits that she knows little about him before he became a beret, and you gladly fill her in.

A) The cowardly lion
B) Leon and the spooky zombies
C) Leon the rebel
D) Other

>>32763406
>C) Leon the rebel
Duh.

>>32763739
You begin telling Eva the story of Leon's deeds in the desert. You begin with your ride there on noble steeds, and go on to talk about how you were captured, and split up by the powers that be. You tell her about Leon's bloody stand in the belltower high above the city, putting arrows in the eye-slits of armored sentinels from two hundred meters, felling row after row of spearmen and archers alike. She hangs on every word, flattering your storytelling skills.

When you finish, her cheeks are flush pink and her eyes are glimmering. She begins asking questions about every detail.

A) Exaggerate
B) Be realistic
C) Tone it down

Morning Spring

>>32763978
>A) Exaggerate
Only slightly, but enough to make him seem badass.
Morning.

>>32764208
You stretch the truth a bit, fluffing up Leon's fighting ability as much as you can without going over the top. Several times, as you describe various amounts of gore and viscera being liberated from human bodies by Leon's twins, you can hear Eva giggle with excitement. Once, as you tell her about Leon's single handed fighting of two dozen men in a burning mansion, while blinded in both eyes, Eva gets so excited that she lets out a squeak. It's so sudden that it disturbs the baby, and she must soothe her before you are able to continue.

"I had no idea Leon had gone on such amazing adventures before. He really is extraordinary."

A) "He is."
B) "He was useless before I started teaching him."
C) "Makes me wonder why he's such a bore now."
D) Other

>>32764327
>B) "He was useless before I started teaching him."
aaaaand make fun of him

>>32764400
You assure Eva that before coming under your tutelage, Leon was quite a dunce. She laughs as you tell her about his inability to so much as make the first strike against Annalise when she was still half his size and armed with a sword made of a rotten tree branch.

"The baby's done eating. Would you like to burp her?"

A) Accept, you've learned your lesson
B) Decline, never again
C) Other

>>32764514
>A) Accept, you've learned your lesson

>>32764575
You hold out your arms, and Eva gently passes the baby over to you, along with a rag. She explains proper rag use, and you throw it over your shoulder before propping the cooing baby up. You begin patting her gently on the back as Eva tucks away her assets, finally relieving the nervous tension in the room.

The baby lets loose with a number of short, shockingly loud burps. You can feel her kicking her legs again. She seems quite fond of it.

"She really likes you, you know. She's always so cheerful when you're around."

A) "I have a way with pretty girls."
B) "I'm glad, because I'm nervous as hell."
C) Other

>>32764699
>B) "I'm glad, because I'm nervous as hell."

>>32764754
Eva is amused by your surely not a joke. Eventually the baby runs out of steam, and you wipe her mouth before changing hand positions to cradle her. She looks up at you with her big, green eyes. Her hair is really starting to thicken, and even curl a bit. You play with her a bit, wiggling your fingers to amuse her. She grabs a hold of one in each hand and bends them, smiling.

"She's coming up on her name day soon. Rangers don't name babies until they're six months. It's bad luck. Leon refuses to think about a name, but some of the other Rangers are generous enough to shout them at me when I pass by."

A) "I'm sure he'll come through."
B) "I wouldn't wait for him. He's not the most decisive guy."
C) Suggest a name
D) Other

>>32765028
>B) "I wouldn't wait for him. He's not the most decisive guy."

>>32765130
Eva nods. You continue playing with the baby a while longer, until you notice her slowing down a bit. It seems like she's ready to fall asleep.

A) Give her back to Eva
B) Hold her a bit longer
C) Other

>>32765253
>B) Hold her a bit longer

>>32765312
You continue cradling the baby until her eyes slowly shut, and she begins breathing deep and long. Eventually Eva notices and offers to carry her to the bedroom. You hand her over as gently as you can, treating her like fine crystal. Eva takes her and makes her way to the room, just as the front door begins to open.

Leon enters, looking dog tired and filthy. He strips off his cloak and weapons before slumping into a chair and kicking off his boots.

"You'd think people would stop trying to come hunting big game in the forest after a few dozen grizzly animal attacks. What is it about people that makes them want to tackle Owlbears in the middle of mating season?"

A) "We've gone looking for worse trouble."
B) "How bad could it be?"
C) "The others have made it to the forest."
D) Other

>>32765601
>A) "We've gone looking for worse trouble."

>>32765621
You joke with Leon, hoping to make him feel a bit better. He does smile, but still seems a bit down.

"There's my man. My big, strong, blindfighting man." Eva enters the room again and sits in Leon's lap, planting a long kiss on his cheek. "Gods, you're covered in mud. The baby just went to sleep, we can go catch a bath." Leon smiles.

"I would, but I'm beat. Let me have a nap first." Eva stands, disappointed, and takes a seat between you. "On top of everything, some smartass has been cutting tripwires and disarming snares in the forest. They're goof enough to avoid getting caught, but it's gonna kill our food stores if it keeps going."

A) "I may know who it is."
B) "You mean to say even you can't track them?"
C) "I'm sure it's just hooligans."
D) Other

>>32765721
>A) "I may know who it is."

>>32765813
You tell Leon that you may have an idea who the culprit might be. He looks at you with a raised eyebrow. Before you can say a word, he rolls his eyes.

"Figures. It's bad enough I have to watch you, now that sun-dried snake is messing with my stuff." Leon begins strapping his boots back on. "I'm gonna ride out there and give her one on the jaw."

A) Go with Leon
B) Stay here
C) Other

>>32766057
>A) Go with Leon
Sorry, got caught up in Poker Night 2

>>32766532
You stand and go to join Leon. Eva tells you both to be careful as you exit the room together and begin making your way down to the ground floor.

A) Bring Maurice
B) Leave him here

>>32766707
>A) Bring Maurice

>>32766785
While Leon has a few horses prepared, you find Maurice passed out face down in a puddle of mud. You grab him by his long hair and pull him up, informing him of the situation. He spits up a bit of dirt and agrees to accompany you.

Maurice dresses in his robes as you walk back to Leon. Together the three of you mount horses and ride east, to the area where most of Pietra's work seems to have been done. The ride is quick and effortless on horseback, and when you arrive you can already see the field of sprung snares and snipped wires.

"Damn her. It's gonna take a whole day to sort this out."

A) Split up and search
B) Call out to them
C) Other

>>32766939
>B) Call out to them

>>32767112
The three of you make no effort to mask your presence, and begin calling out the names of your companions in the hopes that they hear and expose themselves sooner.

Suddenly there is a sharp pain in your arm. You look down and see a long bit of wood with a feathered end jutting out of your shoulder. There is a quick and quiet whistle, and Maurice is knocked from his saddle.

A) Get away
B) Take cover
C) Grab Maurice
D) Other

>>32767336
>B) Take cover
>C) Grab Maurice

>>32767564
You slide out of your saddle as arrows begin to fly all around you. There must be a dozen archers at least. You quickly move to scoop up Maurice, taking several arrows as you struggle to lift him. Leon is already on the ground and crawling behind a stone. The horses are hit several times and panic, running away at top speed , leaving you to your fate.

"Damn! Damn! Damn! I don't have any weapons with me!" You search yourself. Nothing. Arrows continue to fly, and you can hear whistling of the human variety now. You inspect Maurice. He seems to be in pain, even though the arrowhead only grazed him. You look to Leon and see as many as four shafts standing at attention in his back.

A) Check Maurice for weapons
B) Keep moving
C) Other

>>32767913
>B) Keep moving

>>32767955
You snap Maurice out of his daze. You wonder if the plants he's been eating are the cause of his sudden intolerance for injury. Nevertheless, you go with him to keep pulling away from the source of the arrows.

As you leave to cover of the rock, more shafts fall around you. There are less now, meaning that some of them are advancing on your position. You move from tree to tree to avoid being his, but the ones that have already hit him are tearing away at you.

A) Pull them out
B) Grit and bear it

>>32768122
>B) Grit and bear it

>>32768448
You leave the arrowheads in, not risking making the wounds worse for the sake of mobility.

You keep dashing away from your aggressors, until the arrows cease their assault. You stop and collapse by a large tree, and look over your collective wounds. A dozen arrows between you, and you got the worst of it. You wonder how people live without armor.

"Shit. I think those might be raiders from the north. They never come this far south."

A) "What do they want?"
B) "Let's get back to the outpost."
C) "We have to fight back."
D)Other

>>32768606
>B) "Let's get back to the outpost."

>>32768910
You tell Leon it's best to return to the outpost, where you'll outnumber them. He agrees. You turn around the trunk of the tree that provides you cover. The coast seems to be clear.

Suddenly, a glint of light warns you to an incoming missile. Your reflexes are guided by fate, and you manage to catch an arrow by its shaft just as it is about to pierce your eye. You take it and duck back behind the tree as four more follow, hitting the trunk and ground beside you. You tell Leon that you'll need to get moving now if you want to survive.

A) Move from tree to tree
B) Run fast, forgoing cover

>>32769168
>A) Move from tree to tree

>>32769395
The three of you begin dashing from tree to tree in hopes of evading the incoming arrows. This does not work in your favor, as the archers are quick enough to aim as you dash past the thick trunks. You receive several more arrows to the legs and side before finally falling behind a small cliff. Leon rushes to your side, not exactly unscathed himself.

"Are you alright? You gotta get up!" You try, and manage to get to your feet, but you can hear footsteps closing in. You won't be able to keep going if you have to carry Maurice.

A) Send Leon and Maurice, use yourself as a decoy
B) Abandon Maurice
C) Other

>>32769523
>A) Send Leon and Maurice, use yourself as a decoy

>>32769557
You hand Maurice off to Leon. He seems surprised and confused. You tell him to head back with Maurice while you hold them off.

"What?! No! Hell no! That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" You shout at Leon, commanding him to go and bring help. He bites his lip, shaking with anger, but then turns and dashes away.

You crouch and look around. There is movement in the trees, but none of your attackers mean to show themselves yet.

A) Try to run
B) Other

I wonder if I should stop using the multiple choice format

>>32769688
>B) Other
Find the closest thing you can to a weapon and stay low.
Sometimes I wonder that too, both systems have pros and cons, I guess.

>>32769797
You search around you nearby. There must be something usable; a branch, or a stone. Anything that will help.

The gods smile on you this day, for buried deep in the fallen leaves and grass you find something tangled, and long forgotten. Pulling it up, snapping several roots in the process, you discover it to be an old wood axe. It must have been left there years ago. The metal is rusted, and the wood fares no better, but it will serve to split a few skulls surely.

You look around and above. Seven, eight, nine men approaching from different distances. This will be difficult.

A) Wait for them
B) Charge
C) Other

Well since it's dead, there's no point experimenting now. Hopefully we'll have more people available next time.

>>32769920
>A) Wait for them
Go on the defensive, wait for reinforcement.
Yeah, next time, maybe.

>>32770090
You plant your feet. They'll have to come get you if they want you.

In a few moments, two men fly over the ridge above you, coming down with clubs and hand axes. They are covered in furs, and have their faces painted in blue and white.

A) Take down the axe user
B) Take down the club user

>>32770145
>A) Take down the axe user

>>32770270
As he touches ground beside you, you surprise the axe user with a heavy swing of your newfound weapon, burying it in his neck and spreading his blood all over the forest floor. He gurgles and collapses, pawing at his injury.

You feel a sudden pain as you're hit from behind. You whirl around and see the club user, dancing from side to side and waiting for you to strike at him.

A) Aim for his head
B) Aim for his arm
C) Aim for his leg
D) Other

>>32770331
>D) Other
Finish off his companion while he's waiting to be attacked.

>>32770364
You turn away and bring the axe up, then down. you bury it in the first man's skull, creating a sickening crunch and splat as his last is taken from him.

You feel something collide with your head, assumedly a club, and are knocked to the side. You turn around, feeling your head pound, and see the club wielder coming at you again.

A) Clash
B) Evade
C) Parry

>>32770465
>B) Evade

>>32770500
You try to dodge to the side of his blow, but your disorientation slows your reaction time and you take the strike to the knee. You fall on it, crying in pain as the fur covered brute brings his club back for another attack. He hits you square in the side of the head, knocking you onto your side. There is a terrible pain and a ringing in your ears now. As he comes up for another blow, you

A) Bite his leg
B) Try to knock him into the dirt
C) Sucker punch

>>32770562
>C) Sucker punch

>>32770614
You go for a desperation attack. You make your hand into a flat surface, and lightly but swiftly tap his jewels. He immediately drops his weapon and falls to his knees, groaning in pain and affording you the chance to get back to your feet and swing your axe down and into the back of his neck. He is dead on impact.

Another arrow finds a home in your thigh. You look up and see two archers and two other men with a club and knife coming at you.

A) Charge
B) Run

>>32770714
>B) Run

>>32770891
Oops, forgot to put name back on. Sorry for getting your hopes up Rags.

>>32770891
>>32770913
You turn and run deeper into the forest to avoid being overtaken. More arrows sing as they tear past you, and three dig into your back. You're beginning to feel the blood loss take its toll now.

You duck behind a tree for a short rest. Your breathing is loud and shallow. You need to finish this fight quickly, or you're done for. Just then, you hear footsteps drawing close. You begin to turn around the tree trunk, but arrows fly by before you get a good look. An attacker can only come from one of two directions, so you'll have to gamble and hope.

A) Strike left
B) Strike right

Hopes. Yeah right.

>>32771071
>A) Strike left

>>32771071
>A) Strike Right

>>32771315
You bring the rusted axe up and swing left. You hit nothing.

Something slams into your back and you are knocked to the ground. There is a sharp pain just beneath your ribcage. You struggle to flip onto your back and see a man, scraggly and filthy and wielding a knife coated in fresh blood.

Your strength begins to fail you now. You try to get back up, but he pushes you back down effortlessly. He begins straddling you and trying to post your arms behind your back.

A) Struggle
B) Fake unconsciousness
C) Other

>>32771323
I knew you'd come back for me ;_;

>>32771372
>B) Fake unconsciousness

>>32771372
>A) Struggle

<3

>>32771423
You go limp, ignoring the urge to fight back against the man assailing you. In a moment, he releases you to pull something from his pocket, and you take the opportunity to strike. You twist around and slam your fist into his mouth, making splinters of his yellow teeth. He falls off of you, and you

A) Grab his throat
B) Stomp on him
C) Kneel on him
D) Other

>>32771470
>B) Stomp on him
specifically the throat

>>32771470
B) Stomp on him
on his throat and head, curb stomp a motha' fucka', I wanna see a shattered jaw or a collapsed windpipe here.

>>32771495
>>32771511
You bring the full weight and power of your leg onto his throat. He coughs as you raise it again, but you've seen this before. He's dead in a few minutes with his airway smashed. To save him the pain of such a slow demise, you bring your boot down upon him at least six more times. By the end, his face resembles an rotten carved pumpkin.

You reach down and take his knife. More footsteps approach you, but you are running low on stamina.

A) Stand and fight
B) Run
C) Other

>>32771544
>B) Run
and
>C) Hide

Aww shit, it's the Po Po, Cheese it!

>>32771544
seconding >>32771575

>>32771575
You turn again and try to gain more distance. Only a few arrows come at you know, leading you to believe they are running low and aiming more carefully.

You make it to another decent sized tree. Your vision is beginning to blur now. Another two men are approaching from behind you.

A) Use the knife
B) Use the axe

>>32771671
A) Use the Knife
Shank a foo.
It's easier and less exhausting to shank somebody than it is to swing a rusty axe.

>>32771671
>A) Use the knife

>>32771733
As one of the men comes around, you lash out with the knife, driving it into his stomach. He drops his axe and clutches at his wound, and you grab him, turning him around to become a living shield.

You jam the knife between his ribs and use it as a handle to steer him. As his comrade comes around the other side of the tree, you turn him and force him to take a club to the back. His comrade, shocked, backs away. You kick the wounded man forward, knocking them both down and giving you a chance to finish them both off with the knife.

A) Use one as a shield to advance
B) Keep running

>>32771856
>B) Keep Running
Fly you fool!

>>32771856
>B) Keep running

>>32771891
You continue your mad dash through the deep forest. In a few moments, you stumble and nearly fall. Your peripheral vision is going dark, and you can hear your heartbeat in your ears. You drag yourself behind one last tree. You cannot get back to your feet now. Your only hope is a last stand. You draw the knife and prepare to go down fighting.

There are no more footsteps, or sounds of leaves and grass being trampled. You try to peek around the tree to see what's happened, but you haven't the strength. Suddenly, something warm lifts your face. The world goes dark, and cherry scented for a few long moments, as something soft presses against your lips. Something else, soft and wet and likely related, invades your mouth. When your vision focuses again, you see Pietra's face up close. She pulls away from you slowly.

"Mmm. That's good. More of that later."

>>32772001
Gonna fall asleep now. Not continuing tomorrow because I'm flat out depressed. Thanks for sticking around with me guys, I love you.

Thread is already archived, so don't worry. Hopefully next week Wren will be back and it won't be so lonely in here.

>>32772012
I hope you feel better soon Rags.
<3

>>32772012
See ya next week Rags. <3