middleofsomewhere | Swirling Consequences Start

Swirling Consequences Start

On day Seven of the Month of Quicksand as passengers are beginning their day there is an announcement over the ICP system. “Attention voidtreckers and passengers of the Voidtrecker Express. Please give your attention to the following message from the void ministry.”

A blurring of the screen and it fades into a video of an elderly woman, skin a swirl of purple and blue sat behind a dark wooden desk hands folded neatly in front of her.

“Greetings crew of the Voidtrecker Express. I am commander Orlaith of the void ministry. As you will be very aware, you were recently involved in a dangerous and somewhat foolish experiment of the tethering system which we assume was initiated by your voidcraft. We received your call for emergency assistance, and were able to stabilise your craft enough to allow it to focus on ensuring crew safety. We are under the understanding that it was a crew member who used the emergency signal given by the Inspection Arm of the ministry, and that member should be commended. So too should you all, for we have reports that the crew of the Voidtrecker Express took part in a risky and difficult anchoring task to ensure the safety of all. As ever, the crew of the Voidtrecker Express exceed expectations for a crew with no formal training.

However, in less positive news, the actions of your Voidcraft have had a ripple effect throughout the void. Worlds that are non void active have reports of seeing void activity in their skies, with residents reporting dreams and uneasy feelings. In void active worlds there are more serious incidents. We have voidcrews in thousands of systems working towards stabilising the void access points.

We understand that after such an ordeal, your crew may be exhausted however we do need your help. System #5739 is a hub world that is extremely void active. It is used to weathering void storms and the barrier between the world and the void is thin. However, it is currently experiencing an unprecedented amount of void activity and world bleeding effects. We need a team to go in and help the citizens there, clearing out any issues and helping stabilise things from within.

The people there know about the void, and are used to void travellers. However, try not to stir up any extra trouble.” The last sounds almost exhausted. Their reputation may precede them.

The video ends.

I assume no one has any objections as voidtreckers have chosen to work with the Void Ministry. Please see your mission briefs. This is not a catastrophe mission."

They have a couple of hours before landing, a few hours to study their briefs and prepare for what is to come. Teams might chat, people might give out equipment gathered over the months, some of the passengers who have been on the train since the very early days of the month of Apple may have advice to give.

Either way a couple of hours later there is another announcement. “Shortly arriving at System #5739. Exiting the void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one...”

SWIRLING CONSEQUENCES: START

WEARY WANDERER ~ FOREST ~ SCRUBLANDS ~ FARMLANDS ~ COMMS

QUICKSAND 7-10 ~ TEAM OBJECTIVES ~ LOCATION INFORMATION ~ OTHER DETAILS
ASK QUESTIONS ~ SHENANIGANS ~ TEAM PLOTTING ~ MISSION TASKS/REWARDS

ARRIVAL

The train shakes as the view of the void leaves its windows, giving way to a cloudy and wet sky in its descent. There's a small bump, and they land on a set of tracks that lead them uphill. Grassy mounds can be spotted on either side, occupied by sheep, goats, and the occasional six legged antelope grazing. In the farther distance are secluded farm houses, or small clusters of buildings.

Things don’t seem so bad, until the clouds spark with colour that sends animals running, far skittish for anything they're used to.

The sparse hills give way to more trees as the train weaves through them, until finally comes to a stop at a small station, no more than a raised platform in the woods. With a sigh, the train doors open, and passengers can walk out into the clearing. Once everyone who wishes to leave disembarks, the train sets off once again, flying up into the air and out of sight.

"Oh good. You’re here!"

Looking over, voidtreckers will spot a young girl at the edge of the clearing.

"Ma said we should expect some void heroes any day now. She’s put some stew on."

And she’s off. For any who wish to follow her, she leads them to an inn, The Weary Wanderer written on a sign. It’s a large inn, larger than might be expected in such a remote place, and the innkeeper Albany quickly organises rooms and food for any who wish it.

“Well, there’s a whole lot more of you than there was.” She takes in the group after Maia explains that they are from the Voidtrecker Express. “Storms are getting worse, we’re getting reports of stampedes, landslides and monsters coming through the colours.” She explains. She has some maps of the area and happily allows her main common room to be turned into a planning station. She’s clearly used to void travellers.

THE WEARY WANDERER

The inn has a large and open floor, the entrance close to where a fire crackles, chairs and a table beside it. To the right are places for eating, and kitchen doors that lead in and out, while to the left is where a counter separates another route to the kitchen, and to the family's own private quarters. By here too are the stairs leading up into the bedrooms, with some also available on the ground floor.

There's enough room for the voidtreckers to squeeze into the front at once, and the tables can be joined to create a more team atmosphere.

The problems are everywhere it seems. Farms need help, dralite chicks need rescuing, and their parents reassured before they go on a murderous revenge spree. Voidtreckers can stay or plan or jump right into things - the forest and scrublands are the closest to reach with both behind the inn, while the farmlands will take half a day to reach. Alabany will mark on the maps where to go for the farmsteads, or ones she knows about, and allow her inn to be used as an intiial base.

For those whose skills lie more in cooking and maintaining camp, she will happily take their help in the kitchens, or suggest They go down to the nearest farmsteads and lend a hand there. It'll take about half a day on foot to reach the nearest few, but many hands are needed. They will have better tools for moving debris and making repairs; she has a few, but not enough for everyone, and she'd rather they be used around the forest if anywhere. She needs those!

Albany will warn about the dralites, and to plug your ears if you're going through the forest. Their screeching can stun and slow people even at a distance, and with everyone worked up, it makes it hard to get through. They happen to like bugs, and a fruit called matts - similar to dates, fruits that grow off certain small trees in the forest.

YELLING HEIGHTS: FOREST

Location of: Dralites, young and old, their nests; monkeys, voidblobs (uncommon), fruit cups and purple stars. Displaced people.

The Yelling Height's forest reach spreads far, wrapping around the lower third of the great Ciyesia mountain and its budding fellow heights, with trees as tall as redwoods making up most of its wood. This gives plenty of space for travellers to move through, but the treetops create thick canopies that shroud the world below, the dots of penetrating light visible in contrast. Against some trees can be found what look like bushes, and there's plenty of them around, along with moss; but looking closer, these have hollow middles, made up of pin needles, twigs, feathers and all sorts. Some have been ruined, some have eggs inside.

High-pitched cries can be heard echoing, but it can be hard to tell how far, or what distance they come from - there's too many, making what should sound distressing, sound like a racket. While there's paths that can be followed, some of the wood has fallen, with ways disturbed by rubble that's tumbled all this way down from the mountain. There are signs to aid - those that haven't been knocked over - to give some sense of direction. Still this wood is hard to navigate, and Voidtreckers will want to be careful about rushing in without a plan. Trouble lurks in all manners...

Dralites can be found scattered around this forest, big and small - Albany will tell them as much. The youngest are easy to locate, unable to fly, and make a lot of noise. Slow-moving and dragging their heavy wings, they need help moving with any speed. They can be found alone, or attracting the attention of the great chinchillas or monkeys (who see them less as prey, and more as something to bully and take out their frustrations on).

Some will accept help from the first person that approaches them, jumping on them and wrapping their wings around their neck or head, clinging on and accepting them as their ride. They will need to be returned to their nests, and will reject any nests that aren’t theirs. It'll be very similar to escorting a toddler, often throwing screeching fits if they don’t think their helper is trying hard enough, which can make it difficult for people to move around.

They are hard creatures to please, even so more the adults who are furious that their nests have been disturbed. As large as a sheep with larger wings and powerful talons they might just swoop down and grab smaller unsuspecting voidtreckers and carry them to their nests as workers to help fix them. Some of these adults may be near their nests, or will be seen swooping around above-head at startling speeds, searching for their young.

There are eggs that have gone missing too. A place they can hatch safely is essentia, since they can easily become pray or be snatched by the monkeys who live in the forest and steal from the inattentive.

As well as helping the dralites, there are herbs that can be collected here. Purple Stars are leaves that grow at the top of tall trees. These can be found deeper into the forest, and are different from the other trees by their branches only growing at the very top, their bark stripy. They will need to be climbed, or flown up to - not getting startled by adult dralites is essential, or becoming target practice to the monkeys. They have rocks.

Deep in the most dampest sections of the fores, Fruit Cups grow in a tangle around spider plants, that will ensnare the unwary into it’s sticky grip. For every few flowers, there's a wide trapping of the spider plants, vines impossible not to get stuck to. But as difficult as they are to collect, they are useful, and the potions they make will be handy to the communities that require help. Some voidblobs have gotten trapped here too, and they'll become active once people get close.

YELLING HEIGHTS: SCRUBLANDS

Location Of: Farm animals, some voidblobs, great chinchillas, farmers in need; ruined paths, craggle leaf. Some dralites, mostly adult. Displaced people.

The trees eventually give way to a mix of rock and dirt, stone jagging up from the ground underfoot that travellers will need to watch out for. Vegetation is littered around, patches of shrubs as often easy to catch the eye as grazed grass poking out around mossy-coated stone. There are paths, or were, but only the remains of them can be found, the area reshaped by landslides.

Animals can be found isolated or in some groups, spooked by any newcomers around, and the odd shepherd trying their best to get their herds under control. But there's further trouble than blocked paths to deal with - because these jobs can never be simple.

The farmers' plans are to bring the grazing animals back down to the lower ground and to their farms, but they'll need help clearing up paths and guiding them off the mountain and back to their farmsteads. Not only will it mean moving debris and locating animals, it will also mean protecting them from the predators in the area - and other trouble.

The horned goats, often a worry on these slopes, have grown even more aggressive. They ram into herds and farmers alike, even attempting to send them rolling. They need driven off, away from the herds. The chinchillas are also more aggressive, running rampage through the hills and attempting to down the livestock and to take them back to their nests.

There will also be sightings of the voidblobs for the more unfortunate, dubbed such by the locals. Gelatinous and luminescent, they are a mess of what were likely multiple creatures that have been fused together, patches of fur and teeth and claws held together with thick veins of colour. They attack indiscriminately and without reason, and are difficult to take down, never responding to blows of any type. You only know when they're taken out by when they stop moving - otherwise, they will continue.

During the first night there is a disturbance on Ciyesia. Trees are felled, the mountain seems to rumble and more animals flee, spilling panicked down the mountain to the farm lands below. For whatever aid is giving to the area on the first day, this event causes more damage to the surrounding areas.

LOWER LANDS: FARMLANDS

Location of: Voidblobs (common), great chinchillas, a few horned goats; ruined pathways, farms in need; people to craft balms and potions, access to tools.

While not as high as the Ciyesia mountain, nor as shrouding as the blanketing forest, the rolling countryside shows its sloping and uneven distance, varying fields split by tones and sandy paths - or what should be sandy paths. But the damage to the earth is noticeable, chunks of the various mounds ruined, broken at parts. You can see trouble, ensuing or approaching, just by looking around long enough.

And the biggest trouble will be reaching it.

Buildings squeeze against fields and fencing, separated far from anyone that could be called a neighbour. But there's a few of what can be called villages, where trades are conducted and visitors are sure to stop. There's usually a singular inn, but people looking to call on the help of a void traveller to help with this mess. They can promise hot meals and some goods in exchange, but first needs to come the help.

Though moving the herds closer to the farms is a sensible idea that doesn’t mean the farmlands themselves are safe. Landslides have cut communities off, some of the chinchillas and horned goats have made their way down the mountain and angry dralites stalk the plains looking for their young.

The shaking of the earth and the landslides have caused damage and debris. Trees have been felled bolders moved, barns and houses have been damaged. There’s a big clean up operation required. Farmers have wheelbarrows and shovels and Albany has some more that can be borrowed. It will require a team effort to clear the roads and make sure essential supplies get where they are needed.

Most of the farms and villages have protections in place, but they are overstretched and exhausted. Villagers take turns patrolling, protecting the herds and the people from creatures should they be goats, chinchillas or the new and terrifying void blobs.

Extra people to set up perimeters are very welcome, as are those who can drive the creatures back into the forests. It’s not just the homes themselves that need protecting but also the paths between them, so voidtreckers and others can deliver supplies to the further afield communities.

Making the herbal remedies will mean finding the right people for it, but locating the villages is a good bet. Tinctures and teas are the best method, boiling the plants and breaking them down over hours. Even if you're not experienced, people being around to help monitor the pots and bottle them will be helpful. The craggle leaf are good as they are to feed upset livestock, but also as medicine, for helping against the voidstorm's headache-inducing effects.

FROM THE VOID...

DISPLACED PEOPLE: Once or twice a year, people can be found in the Yelling Heights, wandering around dazed and confused, hailing from a whole other world. Since these storms have begun there have been at least two a day, perhaps more that have yet to be found. They have no memory of arriving, some might not even have memories of who they are, or where they come from.

For now they need found, gathered in once place and care given to them.

VOIDBLOBS: The voidblobs, as they have been dubbed by those who have seen them, are truly monstrous creatures. Perhaps once multiple creatures they have been fused together, a mess of fur and teeth and claws held together with thick veins of colour these creatures have one instinct and that is to kill.

They are rampaging, strong in their urge to destroy. Fighting them is difficult as nothing seems to slow them down until they die, it’s hard to know how hurt they are and injury doesn’t seem to stop their brute strength or will to kill. They rarely will stop and fight either, requiring a team just to keep up with them as they will lash out and fight but keep rampaging on, drawn towards groups of people or creatures. They can be found anywhere.

VOIDTEARS: For now, it's Red Team's task to find these tears and secure a perimeter on them - a difficult enough job that will take the first few days of the mission. They aren’t visible except in the storms, and so finding them requires braving them, where the wind sings with void music, rain pouring with hail, and a strong sense of unease growing until it too unbearable to endure. But the exact point of the tears must be found: a spot where the kaleidoscope of colours shines down onto any under it, only visible in that area.

STORMS: These are scattered around the lands, never moving despite the clouds that do. In the storms, the voidtears pulse with colour. Being near them is uncomfortable, and there is always the risk of a voidblob coming through. Being near the voidtears for too long even outside of voidstorms will lead to headaches, and so it is wise to rotate who is guarding them.

THE FIRST NIGHT: Late into the first night, there will be loud noises, the earth rumbling and a worrisome show of lights as the full moon hangs in the sky above. There may be word from fellow voidtreckers what's going on, but either way, this disturbance will bring out trouble into the night, breaking fencing and some buildings that were on their last legs.

OOC NOTES

OOC Post ~ Questions ~ Shenanigans ~ Tasks Check-In & Mission Rewards
This log lasts for 7-10 Quicksand, with the next log going up on the 21st March (11 Quicksand). Please remember that we will be determining the progress of the mission by task objectives being fulfilled, so PLEASE visit the task objectives toplevel and let us know what your character has been working towards! We accept handwaves (especially if your character is around but you're on hiatus), but actual thread links will count more towards success!

An extra list of prompts for ideas, arranged by team (click):

RED TEAM

You've either wandered into a group of voidblobs or see some approaching. They're annoying on their own, but as a group, they can cause serious damage.

The voidstorms are easy to find by the literal storms they bring, but the tears themselves? They're a pain to, only visible once you're right under them. How will your character persevere in the search? Flying, if you can, might seem the quickest option, but a closer level to the sky seems to make the headaches and disorientation worse.

You've somehow been convinced into fixing up a fence during watching the perimeter. Yes yes, that's important, but the area is clear for now, and what if an animal gets loose? More hands will get this done quick.

BLUE TEAM

What kind of people will you find out there in the wild? Someone desperate for an offer of aid, or someone suspicious, distrusting? Are they even human, or some other race - or sentient object?

The dralites aren't good at in any way but wailing. But their eggs are unique, obsidian in appearance. So if you see a monkey carrying any such thing, or see one being carried by a great chinchilla - that's no lucky lump of goal. That's your way of calming down the ticking time bombs of angry parents.

PURPLE TEAM

Farm work isn't your chore, but the farmers need all their herds before they go anywhere, so you're getting involved whether you want to or not.

Make a good impression on the farmers, and they're likely to help you out. Need to borrow tools? Or can you convince the farmers to let you and your friends borrow some, passing them onto the people who need them?

ORANGE TEAM

Herb collection is hard enough with tall trees and spider plants but watch out for the monkeys who want to steal the prize.

Once herbs are collected they can be made into potions. They aren't too difficult to make and Albany has recipes if asked.

Herbs aren't the only things monkeys want, there's a group converging on a dralite nest, those eggs look very shiny.

ALL TEAMS

Distance is a real concern. Who will go where, where are places and people in need? Scouting is a good idea, and so is organising who will be best, where. ... or, you can just go and do your own thing.

Image Sources: Top header - Tavern - Farmlands - Void coours

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If Inigo wasn't so caught up in his ideas for possible meals to get out of this mission, then he surely would have fainted at those simple words - especially since they're coming from Roland of all people. The other telling him that he is proud of him, exactly the kind of words Inigo longs to hear from a father figure, means so much.

So even though he is half-distracted, it does seem like Inigo blossoms a little at those words, under the pat on his shoulder. His eyes start to sparkle a little, and he shifts on his chair, almost like an exited dog that's wagging its tail.

"Well.. I just thought-- if we have to get rid of them anyway, why not make the most out of it, you know?" Especially when Inigo comes from a place where food was so scarce. The idea of wasting meat like that just doesn't sit right with him. ".. unless it's really gross meat. But it would be pretty good if it does taste like pork!"

(And it sure helps that Inigo, indeed, has absolutely no idea what chinchillas are.

It's not exactly a species indigenous to Ylisse, after all. It might be why he's looking so excited here, like he's just imagining some kind of Wild New Wildlife To Fight.)

...How? How is Roland going to tell Inigo that if he ever came face to face with a real, regular earth chinchilla, he might not have the heart to turn it into mince meat?

Look at those sparkling eyes. Do you think Roland's heart to be made of stone? Evan used the same tactic on him and the one time it didn't work was the one time his actual life was on the line!

He clears his throat.

"I have an idea," He says lightly, a small smile on his face. "How about we figure that out for ourselves before we go hunting for a whole pack? Let's find one and see how hard it is to slay."

One, to make sure they'll never be outnumbered. Two, Roland has no clue how great the great is in great chinchilla.

His sword sparkles to existence from his arms band and he sheathes it against his hip for ease of movement. He nods to Inigo with determination. "Lead the way, pup."

"Right now?"

Apparently Inigo does not have to be told twice, because he's already shooting up to his feet the moment he hears that from Roland. He almost forgets the paper, even, in the middle of his haste, though he thankfully manages to make it disappear into his own arms band before he can accidentally leave it behind.

Because the next moment he's already moving. He's indeed leading their way out of the inn. Does Inigo know where exactly these creatures can be found? No, but he figures that if they go outside, they're surely bound to run into one.

The people inside of the inn talk about them way too much for that to not be the case.

But while they're not out of the inn quite yet, just making their way through the crowd towards the exit, Inigo can't help but look at Roland with big hopeful eyes. Youthful eyes.

"Oh, man, I'm so excited!" .. to eat innocent creatures, apparently. Or, well, maybe not so innocent. "Thanks that we can already go out to take a look at them this quickly, father!"

Look how easy it is to make Inigo happy with little things sometimes.. Just this one action from Roland, and he already seems to be over the moon.

"Heh. Careful, now. Let's not get too carried away. Are you prepared? Do you have enough supplies? How about your sword?"

The paternal instinct to make sure he's always three steps ahead of Inigo is an easy one to follow, given how often he is prone to thinking in that direction regardless of the circumstance. While he does make it a point to look over Inigo's general gear, ready to supplement anything missing before they set out, he doesn't stop them from leaving the inn - though he's sure to grab a marked map courtesy of the kind owners.

Inigo's excitement can get infectious, after all.

"It looks we have to go west. There."

He points to the imposing collection of tall trees that cover a majority of the cloudy summit leading up the mountain. He crosses his arms.

"...Cozy." Roland quips, dryly.

Don't worry, Roland. Inigo definitely got everything. Even if he wouldn't have thought to bring along supplies, surely Tidus would have shoved some in Inigo's direction. This teen has another teen looking out for him for sure.

It might be why he doesn't answer Roland's cautious questions. Or maybe he's just too excited and ready to get to business, not wanting to waste time on that.

It seems to be the latter, because the moment they're outside and Roland points off in the direction they're supposed to go in, Inigo is already starting to run there. While Roland is still busy quipping.

Sorry, dad, the life of an old man is hard, isn't it..

"Come on, father! What are you waiting for?!"

Yes, he's even calling that out as he runs. And it's not even Inigo being cheeky on purpose - it's just that his excitement is making him a little more shameless.

"Hey, wait!"

Poor guy's gonna have to keep up with his youthful boy a bit better next time, because by the time Roland notices he's dashed off into the forest, he's already gotten a significant lead ahead. Roland takes a deep breath and runs after Inigo, eyes roaming the immediate perimeter to ensure nothing nasty would ambush them as they crossed the distance. No matter how used a world is to these kinds of things, it's best to err in the side of caution at all times.

Eventually, Roland manages to catch up to him, not quite out of breath yet feeling the strain already. The path curved downhill, so there was more effort in preventing a nasty fall than anything else.

"Okay. Let's figure out where we can find one of these chinchillas. The map should give us an idea...Maybe around here, where there seems to be taller trees?"

It's not the most welcoming forest, not by a long shot. He hopes Inigo stays close to him as he studies the resources more carefully, though it doesn't escape his notice that without even stepping too deep into the redwood, Roland can already feel a change in the air. He holds Inigo's hand while he has the chance.

"We're gonna need to play it safe, okay pup? No heroics for now. We just want to see what one chinchilla can do."

Teen management is his life now, don't question a father-on-duty!

"Awww.."

Even as Inigo lets out that childish, whiny noise, he's not straying from Roland's side. Maybe he would have, under different circumstances. But the man is holding Inigo's hand, and that makes it very hard to get away from him.

And it's not like Inigo ever - ever - is going to be the first person to break hand holding contact. It's like a sacred rule. If someone offers him their hand, he's got to keep holding onto it. And that means no breaking away from Roland in this moment.

But no breaking away doesn't mean no whining, right?

"They're just animals," Inigo protests, as if animals can't be super dangerous.. Clearly someone here has never seen a show about shark attacks before. "What's the worst they could do?"

Inigo really just has the natural ability to turn Roland's paternal instinct on overdrive. Not that he answers him with less kindness or patience; only that he wants to drive the point home about prioritizing Inigo's safety above all else. He says these knowing full well Inigo was more than capable of handling himself.

The hand in his is squeezed just a little bit tighter.

"Maim you. Surround you. Potentially cutting us off from help is what I'm worried about. I don't know how many giant chinchillas comprise a whole pack." Still. They can't afford to linger by the outskirts. He pulls Inigo along and makes a compromise. "Stick close to me until we find one. Let me keep you in my sights."

If he grew a tad bit more protective after his brief return to Evermore, he won't say or acknowledge it out loud. Just that he has a better grasp of what's important to him.

Inigo does definitely think that Roland is being a little overprotective here. He wouldn't have found this so odd if they were facing anything actually dangerous, but thinking of wildlife as dangerous is certainly an ability that's way beyond Inigo. He feels like he could handle anything like that with his sword, after the sheer amount of Risen he's faced before. They're scarier than any big furry rodent.

Still.. this is Roland. Of course Inigo isn't going to fully talk back to him. He's got a weak spot for the man the size of a small country, so he allows the other to pull him along, walking after Roland like an obedient little duckling.

"Okay.."

Even if Inigo definitely sounds like a sulky kid in the process, looking around them as he's walking. It still seems quiet now - but who knows for how long.

"Are these chinchillas such dangerous creatures in your world, father?"

Clearly that's got to be the only reason the other is being this fussy right now, right. Obviously.

...

...

...

Roland only moves further into the redwood, the light slowly dwindling under the cover of thick canopies and shadows of overarching vines. His hand just holds Inigo close, though the pause between answering him and not even looking at him are probably good enough indicators that he's trying to word this out as nicely as possible.

Eventually, he manages to respond in the most even-tempered tone possible:

"Nope. They can be house pets."

At least Roland is being honest here - bless his heart.

Especially since it would have been so much easier to claim that chinchillas are something ferocious, and that it's why he's so protective of Inigo here. And with Inigo not knowing better, he'd instantly believe it, making sure to stick by the other's side just in case.

But this.. Well, this just makes him blink in confusion.

"You think.. I could be beaten by a bunch of slightly bigger house pets?" Granted, there's nothing saying they're only slightly bigger, but Inigo figures that's probably what the locals meant! So he's just imagining something like a bunch of large cats now..

He could fight a bunch of large cats.

Probably.

"...No. You're tough."

Well. He deserved that. Caught in his own web, Roland stops for a moment and sighs, looking over Inigo with his free hand resting against his hip.

"I guess I'm just playing it safe. You never know how these things go. I trust you'll be fine on your own. I worry, is all."

Roland doesn't make it a habit to lie to Inigo, so the candidness comes from the same place of concern as his initial worries do. But the more logical thing to do is to let Inigo do his thing. He gently nudges his cheek with the back of is hand now, before letting go of him completely.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Go on. Let's go hunt. I've got your back."

Inigo does look like he's about to start moving the moment Roland lets go of him.

But then something seems to stop him. He instead just stands there, lingering.. and looking at the other man, staring straight into Roland's eyes. Inigo's gaze is a little hard to read, but there's something soft - so typical for Inigo - lingering around the edges of the look he sends the other.

".. did I do something?" He asks. His tone is a little soft, and there's a hint of 'guilty puppy' about Inigo, but at the same time he looks like he's trying to not make it too obvious or overwhelming. "I mean.. something that'd make you extra worried about me?"

H-He didn't disappoint dad, did he?

Roland looks a little shocked at such a question, wondering where it comes from, before he understands that it's just Inigo making sure he did nothing wrong. He chuckles warmly and pulls him into an embrace, arms around his back, his chin tucked into Inigo's shoulder.

"Nope. You didn't do a thing. I...just want to keep what's important to me close, now more than ever."

Guess that off-screen trip back home did him more good than anything else? He lets go of the hug and pats him on the shoulder encouragingly, his expression very much go on, then. Let's get some chinchilla.

Though he always wonders if it's an odd association to make, this kind of warmth coming from Roland always reminds Inigo so much more of his mother than his father.. even though he's pretty sure he's supposed to make the mental comparison to the latter, since he views Roland as a father as well.

But he can't help it. The warm hugs whenever he reassures Inigo. The way he's so gentle about it, yet attentive, always making sure to say these sweet little things just because Inigo is a little worried. Not brushing him off, even though Inigo should be tougher at this point.

.. it leaves the boy with a faint blush on his cheeks by the time he pulls away from the man, before nodding and then turning away, starting to run further into the wild.

"Chinchillas, get your butts over here..!"

Yes, he's screaming that at the top of his lungs.

At this rate he might chase away more wildlife than anything else, especially when coupled with the running and the wild waving of his arms..

Without much time left to ruffle any of that hair or to even extend his hug, Roland amusedly watches him shout out, challenging any nearby chinchilla to a death. He shakes his head somewhat, though doesn't stop Inigo's forest rampage. Not even when he can hear a rustling further into the redwood, just bordering close to the position he takes behind Inigo's retreating figure.

"Inigo- come back!"

As soon as he spots that familiar figure and mop of dark hair, Roland will hold his fingers up to his lips and smile knowingly, gesturing to the right. They might have more luck in there?

It's a good thing at least one person here is listening for actual wildlife, because Inigo was far too busy running around like an idiot to really do as much.. You know, like some sort of animal might actually jump out of the bushes at his call and challenge him for a duel to the death.

It's a small miracle he even notices Roland calling out for him. Inigo quickly turns on his heels, heading back to where the guy is standing. His mouth is already opening, ready to ask what's going on, when he's suddenly shushed like that.

.. slowly the sound gets through to Inigo, and he stares at the rustling bush.. and then back at Roland, tilting his head sideways with a confused look on his face.

As if he's asking him how to handle this. Do they just jump into the bushes? That doesn't seem like the patented Roland Way of Handling Things, even if it's very much Inigo's own way of doing it.

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