(no subject)

[balancedwire]

WHO: Xie Yun and YOU
WHEN:During Stage II of the Siege of Alem
WHERE:Around a few different places
WHAT: Foraging, hunting... being hunted, losing memories
WARNINGS:Ghosts, talk of death, memory loss and will add more as needed


[ Want anything else poke at me here and let me know, I can do up a starter for you. ]

Comments

The Hunter Becomes the... [ For Lan Wangji ]

[balancedwire]

[ It should be no surprise that when it comes to finding food for those around them that he'd grab his not-twin. Why wouldn't he? They were both good with the sword and he's sure that Lan Wangji would want to help. Okay, so he might have asked somewhere in there if the other wanted to help.

His sword, which is far pretty than him (how rude), is at his side in case he needs it. There was no telling what could be within the forests of the place. No telling if something might decide to try and make them its food... again. If something tries to come for them then they'll both be ready, hopefully. ]

If you're not sure of something let me know.

[ Not that he thinks Lan Wangji will need the help but he doesn't know if the other can cook as well as he, himself, can. Doesn't know if he'll know what to look for besides just food. ]

[downswing]

( He is... past the depths of his natural element, submerged in the iminent confusion that greets an exorcist learned of fist, fight and sword, when he is entrenched in beds of snow and... legions of bushes.

Gaunt wilderness, recoiled into itself. The forests are untamed, but far too burdened by frost to bear fruit. What little they encounter here is more the product of happenstance or centuries-long resilience — wreaths of wretched, shrivelled plants that Lan Wangji consults on the tip of his grazing blade, morning's greyed light shaping the swell of their beads. Nicely fattened, showing promise. A fine red.

...now, to ascertain if there is poison. Wen Qing might know, on sight alone. Others of their medical ranks. But Lan Wangji, more petrified by the possibility of plaguing their party with indigestion than the risk to their person in Rathakku's woods, can only turn to Xie Yun, holding the berries out between thumb and forefinger as if he showcases the finest filigree of a first-rate guan: )

Are these palata — ?

( Only, he stills in his step, Bichen lingered to tickle the shapely tips of far-reaching branches. Eyes slant, gaze bitten, sharp. He listens. )

...Xie Yun. ( The stifled skidding of nearby steps, crackle of thin, husked branches. A foot too heavy to accuse wild animals, searching. They are not alone. )

[balancedwire]

[ Raised by Taoist monks one learned quite a bit. Then again, one learned quite a bit when roaming the world and avoiding Emperial duties, wanting the carefree life of the common people. Being Emperor had been something that he had left to others. So, the wilderness around them wasn't as unfamiliar to him as it was to Lan Wangji.

Unfortunately, most of the forest still held frost and could not be salvaged. That did not mean there were not some berries that couldn't be. Berries could make food and could be made into good dye for clothing and other things as well. ]

Those are...

[ His words are cut off when he hears his name spoken like that and he draws his own sword, narrowing his eyes. ]

I hear it.

[ Who had followed them out here? Someone didn't want them around but they were ready, hopefully, for whoever came after them, even if they had to take to higher ground. ]

[downswing]

( Heard, if not yet sighted, the weight of the sound suggesting — weight. The obstinacy of a step. Movement, staggered and hard, obstructed carelessly by the curtain of thickened, accrued, frozen snow.

He does not flinch, when trailing Bichen on hard ground catches her blade briefly on ice. When he forgets himself, fist curling instinctively at his side, crushing the berry fruit, red smeared on fingertips. Drawling a long smear on the nearby tree's bulk. )

You asked reinforcement?

( Companions, assistance. Perhaps spoke of their venture to others in their group, summoning their pursuit. If there is a chance of friendly encounter, best Lan Wangji not greet them at sword's tip. )

[balancedwire]

[ Those footsteps were far too heavy for anyone that he knew. He isn't sure if Lan Wangji knew anyone with footsteps that heavy either.

At the question, however, he shakes his head. ]

No. I didn't ask for any reinforcements.

[ Not when he knew that himself and Lan Wangji would be just fine on their own. ]

Who Are You... Who Am I? [ For Xie Lian ]

[balancedwire]

[ He'd headed out toward the forest for the sake of the people and meeting up with Xie Lian. They were going to make sure that everyone got fed, if it was the last thing they did. Of course, the one thing that comes with that territory is... well, things that roam through the forest.

Foraging for food ends up with them in a battle, it seemed. Sometimes he hated what they went up against. Werewolves... the undead... What else was going to get thrown at them? He probably shouldn't even think that, not when he's been at death's door before. As in for most of his life until his precious wife came into the picture.

His qinggong isn't usually a cause for miss step but somewhere along the lines a seal is broken. Some magical... something. Of course, some weird creature has something that he's sure belongs to him and he doesn't like having things taken from him, he just can't remember why.

Unfortunately, he's not sure what is going on and he turns, sword wielded at his companion before back at the weird creature. That doesn't, of course, stop them from being crowded (or is that chased) by the undead in the area. ]

[scrapgege]

[Honestly, given Xie Lian's usual brand of luck, this sort of chaos is almost... not enough to even register as bad. It juts comes with the territory of doing anything while being Xie Lian.

he did hear the sound when Xie Yun stepped on something, and the weird magical energy that seems to have discharged, but he doesn't really get to investigate until they seem to have fled far enough away that they geta few minutes to catch their breaths.]

Are you alright? Something happened, there was a spell somewhere...

[balancedwire]

[ Neither of them had time to really investigate before running as far away as possible. Better to run and stay alive than to stay put and get killed by unknown creatures and other assorted things out in the forest.

When Xie Lian asks him if he's alright, though, he shakes his head. ]

I don't feel any different.

[ Or well... He doesn't think that he does anyway, except that he's got the nagging feeling that he's forgetting something and he doesn't like that feeling. ]

[scrapgege]

... Are you sure?

[Xie Lian doesn't know Xie Yun well enough to be able to tell if there's anything different about him right now... but he'll trust the man if he feels sure enough.]

Those undead feel a bit different. I guess it's normal since they're controlled by a different undead lord... You didn't drop the food, did you?

[balancedwire]

No, I'm not sure.

[ He wasn't sure, unfortunately. If anything? He was only more confused now than he was a few moments ago. ]

What do you mean they feel different? Why do you know what they feel like?

[ As for the food... ]

No.