Dead Empress Backwater the trees have eyes

April 19th, 2021 Vayko's symptoms have started to show. He is experiencing delirium, diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and stomach cramps... oh, and delirium. Open to any DEB members. TW: Swearing, graphic thoughts about mutilating a turtle

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

God, he felt absolutely miserable. He was fairly certain this was the worst he had ever felt in his life. He hadn't been able to keep anything down and his lack of mobility with his broken paw meant he was severely dehydrated as well. Clover had been doing what she can, bless her angelic heart, but it was just something that needed to run it's course. He hadn't used the word 'floozy' once since his injury, though whether or not that was the infection or the fact that he was relying on Clover for pretty much everything at the moment was really anyone's guess. He had been trying to nap, but the heated sweat from the fever had woken him, a pant as the mix of the high fever and dehydration started to really get to him.

His eyes widened at what he saw. The trees were running at him. They were laughing at them and their teeth were massive. God, he needed to get away... but god he couldn't put any weight on his paw. "No, nonono, not today, Satan." The ramblings came out incoherent as he stared off, distant but panicked expression on his features as he rode the worst acid trip of his life. Stupid fucking turtle. He wanted to boil that turtle and drink it's innards, but he feared about it making him sick like the bite had.

Viorel had known that his cousin and co-leader had become ill after being bit by a turtle. Which, frankly, was probably the stupidest thing that he had ever heard. Firstly, who picks a fight with a snapping turtle? When they were younger he had heard that a turtle could take a paw off if you’re not careful. And second? Who gets sick from a bite from a turtle? It wasn’t like a spider or a snake that had poison, at least not that Viorel knew of.

It was that thought that was fresh on his mind as the leader went to check on his cousin, who Clover had been keeping a close eye on. The second he saw Vayko squirming on the ground and begging at some threat, apparently Satan, he changed his mind. Maybe turtles did have poison in their bites. The healers weren’t around currently, but the scent in the air was strong which eased his nerves. If there were an emergency Clover would have called, but she hadn’t.

Glancing around to assure himself that there wasn’t any real threat in the clearing, yellow eyes were met with nothing but trees. Approaching cautiously he called out from a couple meters away, ”Vayko? You good?” The answer to that was obviously no, but the Valle man couldn’t think of anything else to say. He hoped Clover or Vanadis would come back soon.

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

The fever had settled in for the long haul. His breathing was labored as he started to hyperventilate. Another approached, a wolf that Vayko didn’t recognize at first. He was squirming and wincing as weight hit his paw which was definitely still recovering and would be for quite some time. “The trees are trying to eat me. What did I ever do to them? What the fuck did I ever do to them?” At least he was able to recognize the question and didn’t hallucinate Viorel into something equally as terrifying. Apparently his brain had enough of an acid trip going on to spare him that.

“Tell them to stop. Make it stop. Make it stop.” He was panting again as he twitched lightly. It was all a lot to deal with. “Get away. Get away.” He hissed the words out, though it was incredibly vague and the tone wasn’t clear enough to decipher whether or not he was talking to his cousin and co-lead or to the trees that had eyes and teeth and were encroaching on him. He missed the ocean. The ocean had never tried to eat him!

The words that Vayko answered him with were even more bewildering than the pleading with satan. Shifting on his paws, ”The… the trees are, right um.” Looking back towards the empress trees around them which were most definitely not moving or eating anything. Honestly between his grandmother’s delusions and now Vayko, Viorel was beginning to wonder if maybe there was something in the air that was driving them all mad.

Glancing back at his cousin’s rather pathetic cowering he furrowed his brows for a moment and then sighed. He was beginning to feel more like a full time actor than a leader of a pack, but, at least he thought he was somewhat good at it. Turning back towards the demon trees, he stretched to stand tall and used as booming of a voice as he could and demanded, ”Stop now you demon trees! I will not allow you to take any member of my pack, and you must stop and stay still where you stand!” Glancing back towards Vayko he waited to see how this would go.

Unsure whether or not the get away was aimed at him, Viorel stepped a little farther to give Vayko some space. He wasn’t sure what else to do, it wasn’t like he had any healing advice or techniques here, only some reassurance and maybe company.

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

Somewhere deep in his brain, there was a rational part of Vayko that was screeching because he knew he was never going to live this down. His cousin spoke, and all he heard was a voice swooping in like a god as the delirium swooned. The voice of an angel swept through but the trees were still quite aggressive. At least they were keeping their distance… and then they morphed, oh god they morphed. He trembled lightly as he did his best to shift himself into a corner with a slightly crazed look in his eyes. Do not pass go and do not collect 200 rabbits.

Was this how his grandmother felt all the time? Poor old bat.

“I don’t think they liked that!” There was a panic in his voice as he started to allow himself to sink into that mindset, into that panic that he clung to. He couldn’t do anything. He was useless and worthless, which were two things he did not like being. He thrived off of the fact that others needed him for one thing or another but right now he was the most vulnerable he had ever been and now fucking trees were going to eat them. “Run. Get everyone out and run!” He called out to Vi.

Viorel had hoped that the booming voice and the confidence would have been enough to calm his cousin. Things were not going to be that easy it would seem. From the corner of his eye he could see Vayko cower and tremble and the leader could not help but to let out a deep sigh. This would be a funny situation later he was sure, but right now it was nothing but annoying and taking time away where he could have been productive. Or with Vanadis, or Clover.

The trees were not moving, they were showing no signs of becoming more upset or whatever Vayko thought. All that happened was a slight breeze went through the clearing and the leaves rustled in the wind. Was this what his cousin was freaking out about? A little bit of wind. Oh god, and now he was going to try to run.

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Viorel put on his brave acting face again and leapt into action, literally. Jumping in front of Vayko to prevent him from trying to run on his broken paw he shouted, ”No Vayko, don’t run! If you stay perfectly still they can’t get you.” They couldn’t get him anyways, but staying still was going to be what was best for his infection and his mangled paw.

One more round after this one and we can wrap and claim LP?

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

He was certainly not going to live this down, but the delirium would do that to a wolf, would it not? He’d like to think that if the situations were reversed, he would be equally as annoyed as Vi was with his behavior. Then again, it didn’t really take much to annoy Vayko, even on a good day. He heard his cousin’s voice again and he appeared in front of him, his eyes widened. He was equally as nutty as his grandmother at the moment, and that was truly a feat the boy had never hoped to obtain to begin with.

Still, Vi broke his eyesight connection with the trees, instead amassing in his vision as he just focused on him and he froze, doing as he was told for once in his life because he trusted that Vi knew what he was doing… something he likely would not have thought had he been in his right mind. It was Vi’s lucky day, or perhaps unlucky since he’d had to deal with this to begin with!

sounds good!

It would appear that his new tactic was more successful than the last. Vayko did not respond to him, but at least settled and was no longer trying to get up and run away from a group of trees. The salt and pepper wolf was thankful, sure that if the Valle had managed to get up and start running he would only make his paw worse. That, and the fact that they now lived amongst the trees, it would take them a hell of a long time to run away from them. Which would come first for Vayko had he run? Exhaustion, or completely damaging his paw beyond repair?

Letting out a small sigh of relief, Viorel carefully, and slowly laid down in front of his cousin. Taking up a defensive position in hopes that it would further calm his nerves, his ears flicked to slap away a bug. The trees might not be attacking, but there seemed to be a lot more flies here than there ever had been back at the coast. Glancing back towards Vayko and seeing a completely terrified, albeit still face, he smirked a little, but only with his mouth, careful not to show his teeth. One flash of his jaws and Viorel was sure he would be labelled the next demon.

Whispering, still trying to sell the ruse he inquired, ”Feeling any better now?” Please say yes, please say yes.

(This post was last modified: May 13, 2021, 07:55 PM by Viorel.)

what i really need now is a double shot of crown

He felt tired, and drowsy, and… he didn’t really like it. He didn’t like the vulnerability that came with it, he was pretty sure. Still, the blocked line of sight from the trees allowed the hallucination to start to fade from his mind with a soft groan, slumping slightly as he rested his head on his paws. He wasn’t certain he could lift it if he tried, or perhaps he was just being melodramatic as usual. He felt like death and he once again cursed that fucking turtle who had ruined his life. What had he ever done to it? It was it’s fault for following him!

The question came, and for the first time in their conversation he found himself somewhat alert. “No.” He answered flatly though it was clear he was more himself. “I feel like death.” He answered again glumly. “And embarrassed… we can keep this between us, yeah?” Clearly he hadn’t been in his right mind, and would continue to not be in the future, but for now he had a moment of clarity to talk to his cousin.

At the very least Vayko was beginning to settle down. Viorel watched him like a hawk as his head settled down onto his paws and eyes opened and closed drowsily. He himself stretched out into a more comfortable lounging position rather than the full alert pose he had held before. He had a feeling they were going to be here for a while.

Snorting at his cousin’s rather dramatic cousin he wanted to tease him that he might feel like death but at least a tree isn’t eating him. At the last second he thought better of it, lest he trigger the visions again. Instead he tried to look away and hide his smirk, probably unsuccessfully. Nodding sagely he spoke in a mock serious tone, ”Cross my heart and hope to die, I won’t utter a word.” He may have responded sarcastically but Viorel knew better than to go back on his word. This was going to be their little secret.

FADE