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Willow

Member

Registered: 2018-10-31

Posts: 87

Dreams in the smoke - Hullabaloo RP

Who:
Gaheris - Skipper of Camp Willow
Rionach - Camp Willow Carpenter
Deniz - Otter
Aqua - Camp Willow Healer

LOG:

The sun had set after another rowdy day, not that ever seemed to stop the otters. As the bonfire roared tall though Gaheris had retreated to the edge of the camp with a bottle of something. Sitting comfortably on the sand where it was quieter but most importantly away from the flames. He was more comfortable watching the bonfire from a distance where he could only just smell the smoke.   

The Skipper isn't the only one with such aversions, but it isn't with her usual scowl that Rionach drops to the sand beside him. "'Nuff t'share?" She grunts, lifting the corner of her eyepatch to scratch at the scar beneath it; her other paw, however, is occupied with a shoddy, wooden bowl. It smells strong and spicy - no doubt the last dregs of that evenings meal, but it still smokes in slow, lazy curls.   

Deniz walks along the shore and looks around.He kicks a lone rock and jumps back as a hermit crab comes out and yells out when it connects with his toe.He sort of jumps around and a couple look at him, one otter laughs at him as he just frowns and shakes his footpaw, finally the hermit crab flies off and quickly crawls away, somewhere less loud.   

Gaheris is accustom to random otters joining him and Rionach only has to start sitting down before he's pulling another bottle out of a little stash he's got behind him and offering her it "Always" he sees the scratching at the scars but tries not to look too closely or start staring "It botherin' y'?" he asks before nodding at the bowl "Y're eatin' late" he quickly looks round at the yell from Deniz, ever on the alert but relaxes as he hears laughing. He snorts, a little smirk appearing as he works out what happened "Those rocks'll get y'sometimes" he mutters before nodding Deniz's way "'e's new, last I 'eard 'e was thinkin' f'comin' back with us" he says to Rionach.   

Hearing a new eruption of laughter, Rionach turns to see the source of this newfound mirth: someone got pinched by a hermit crab. With a soft snort, "Always." She replies to Gaheris' question with another snort of irony. "But less'n it used to." She follows the explanation of their newest member with a slow nod as she accepts the extra cup. "It'll be good t'see some fresh faces around back at Camp." She sets her bowl in the sand next to her so that she can cup a paw around her muzzle. "Hoi! Rockhopper! Join us, eh?"   

Deniz looks over and offers a smile before he decides to join them "Ello thar ...friends I was just walking around, been quiet today so far"   

Gaheris smirks, amused at the rockhopper nickname "Ah sure, y're tired f'all our old faces" he says before Deniz gets closer and Gah reaches round to get another bottle to offer to him as well "If y're lookin' f'all the noise it's tha' way" he points the bottle towards the bonfire "This 'ere's the bit tha's seekin' a little quiet"   

"Th'lame ol'fogies, if y'will." Rionach adds to Gaheris' explanation with a twisted smirk. "Names Rionach." She introduces herself, but doesn't offer out a paw to shake. Her's are full of drink and leftovers. "An' this is th'last of tonight's dinner, so yer on yer own if ya git a hankerin' fer seconds." Another shadow of a smile.   

Deniz smiles "Deniz and as for dinner I ate something ealier"He chuckles lightly and nods "I been thinking more on maybe goin' ta Camp Willow when ya all head back"   

"Aye, I was just tellin' Rion tha' y'were thinkin' on it. Always welcome t'a new face" Gaheris says before sipping from his drink and looking back towards the fire and the partying otters "Almost startin' t'miss the place, if only we could taken the sea 'ome with us too"   

"S'a nice place." Rionach agrees. "So is this, bu' -" She stretches, yawning wide. "M'a river beast through an' through. Too much sand 'ere - s'never truly quiet at sea, neither. Always waves an' gulls an' wind... Nah, gimme th'forest any day. Green an' silence far as th' eye can see an' the ears cin hear."   

Deniz nods "Well..seems ya here a few days yet..I will get back to ya then"He waves and wanders off to where the bon fire is   

Gaheris chuckles and nods a little "I could live without the sand" he agrees before quietly listening to the rest and slowly nodding occasionally "Y'paint a picture I guess I'd stopped lookin' at" he raises his drink to Deniz as the otter departs "'ave fun" before he thinks again "..I 'adn't been thinkin' f'the silence or tha' enclosed feelin' the woods give y'. I just kept thinkin' about the work" he takes a deep breath trying to catch the sea air but snorting as he gets more smoke scent than he'd like.   

"Aren't ye always working, Skip?" Rionach laughs. "Least no beast needs carpentry on holiday... Cannae say th'same fer leadership." As if listening in, a beast full of too much drink goes tumbling, sending up a cocaphany of dinner-things: the cauldron, wooden dishware, cups, the barrel of fresh water... The otter sighs, giving him a wry grin. "I'll 'andle this one, ye keep livin' yer break out." The remainder of her dinner and drink are consumed in a flash. "Give ya time t'plot out th'little sea shack ye cin build when ye finally retire an' leave th'rest of us poor sods t'our means."   

Gaheris snorts "Tha's the problem. I ain't got time f'anythin' else back 'ome" he waves off the idea of working here or dealing with whatever that din was "There's a dozen other Skippers 'ere t'andle things too..." he looks at the mess in question "Granted I think tha's one f'em an' the rest look one drink away from joinin' 'im face down in the sand" he snorts and lies back in the sand "Y'know wha'? They're all yers, 'andle away"   

Groaning as she pushes herself up out of the sand, Rionach adjusts the cape at her shoulder. "Dun' think I'd ever want yer job, Skip, but ya got a whole Camp'a otters t'lean on when ya need it." With a rare, genuine smile, she twirls around, squares her shoulders, and throws her head back with a shout. "Hoi! Ya lump! 'elp me with this, aye? Dun gimme that; ye cin bet yer left ear tis yer responsibility, I saw ya feedin' 'im drink afore he set all this a-tumble!" Rionach barks, grunting as she rights the water barrel. Maybe half of it managed to remain inside. "Aye, start pickin' dishes an' stackin' 'em here. You! Yer only 'alf drunk, get that set back up agin." And off into the night she goes, but Rionach does not go quietly...   

Gaheris keeps an ear perked to her shouting and smirks as she orders them around "s'too bad, she'd be good at it" he mutters to himself with amusement before he rests back to drink, watch the stars and eventually drift off with hopefully few nightmares to wake him.   

----Several Hours Later----

It was dark, the bonfire had gradually died down, the rowdy drunks had dozed off and there was just a few quietly chatting by the fire side. Gaheris had fallen asleep on the sand, resting peacefully until a shift in the wind brought the smoke from the fire his way and with it the nightmares. It took a while but he'd finally woken with a start, quickly clambered to his paws and drawn his swords as he stared around wildly. He was lucky it was late and he was away from the fire so few noticed as he started to stumble away, not even seeing tents as he bumped in to at least one and just continued even after he nearly knocks one down. He can't catch his breath, he's just trying to get away and headed out of camp to the dunes.   

Aqua groans, she was starting to have trouble sleeping, being with dibbun can do that to a beast after all, she peeked out and tilted her head "Skipper?" She asks and hmmms, she gets a couple things and goes to see if he is ok, walking not to close but close enough to where she can speak and he should hear her "Hey..Skipper, ya alright?"   

Gaheris doesn't seem to hear the first call and keeps going, rounding a sand dune. He drops a sword when he stumbles in the sand once but gives up completely and collapses to sit at the base of the dune when his footpaw slips again on the loose sand. He's still having trouble breathing and his paw is shaking as he presses it to his forehead. When she catches up and speaks again this time he hears and his head snaps up to look at her before he recoils as if she's something terrifying. He quickly gestures by holding up a paw to her "Back!...Just back"
   
Aqua backs up a little "Whoa...calm down Skipper. its just me..Aqua, one of your fellow otters."She edges closer "You..ok? You seem to be having trouble breathing..I might have herbs for that...or for a headache."   

Gaheris scrunches his eyes closed as if that'll help. He keeps his paw up warding her off but drops his second sword so he can press that paw to his head instead "Just -pant- stay back" he says firmly before he draws up his legs so he can rest his head on his knees "Just need t'think..." he says before muttering for himself "just a dream...all just a dream"   
   
Aqua frowns as she stays close but not like right up beside him"I can stay back" He is the Skipper after all, but she stays where she is still."Not sure it's...good to wander too far on your own..the dunes seem.."Slightly spooky to her as she frowns."And we are on the Western shore..the Hallballo is still goin' on"   

Gaheris just sits there for a while, one paw rubbing the back of his head "I know, I know" he mutters in response to Aqua but he doesn't look up though his breathing is getting slowly better.   

Aqua hmmms softly and sits down, standing too long is not fun, yeah she wiill likely have isssues getting back up but "SO...a dream, just a dream..dreams can't hurt anyone, but I ..I know they can seem real at times, till you wake and then your with friends again and know your...safe"   

Gaheris eventually calms down enough to open his eyes but he avoids looking at her, he just stares at the sand "It's fine...I'm fine" he laughs bitterly, his expression pretty grim "Heh, feel like I'm goin' t'throw up but it's fine" he takes a deep breath now he actually can again.   

Aqua frowns, she rumages in her bag and finds something, and finds it, Ginger Root. "You can try a little of this in water, it might help."She edges closer and adds a little powder to some water in a canteen and sits it beside him "And you don't..seem ok, better maybe but not fully ok?" She talks calmly, she is quiet a little while "Maybe..talk about it some, or not if you rather not..some beasts say its good to talk of things, I dont know if thats always wise advise or not."   

Gaheris still avoids looking at her but he takes the canteen and sips from it "It'll pass" doesn't sound like it's the first time it's happened. He sighs heavily and just rests his head on his knee again "The smoke just goes t'me head sometimes an' stirs up memories. I try not t'sleep too close t'it"   

Aqua nods"Guess thats good advise..its bit less now and once back at camp wont need a ...a bonfire"She sighs a little, home will be good though she might need to be on the boat."Likely heading back soonish....right?"   

Gaheris rubs his head one last time and finally chances looking at her. He lets out a breath, apparently relieved that she looked normal now. He sighs and shakes his head "We've got fires at 'ome too an' it ain't like bein' surrounded by the camp 'elps sometimes" another sigh "Just somethin' 'ave t'live with" he nods slowly at her question but his mind's elsewhere "Aye, I guess"   

Aqua nods slowly and manages a smile..sort of.."Still some..fun to be had of some sort, and maybe just have someone at ya door when back so..ya dont sleep walk into real danger" Walking into the river wouldnt be too bad, otters swim and it would likely wake him up or she would hope anyways."And who knows..memories may...ease..some"She shrugs, she has her own but keeps that to herself.   

Gaheris rests back against the sand trying to relax further "Ah, it ain't sleep walkin', not really. It's just panic or somethin'...'ell, I 'ope it fades one day" he sighs, just staring at the sky for a minute "...Sorry t'worry y'"   

Aqua nods "Yeah...maybe will fade, never know...I have heard where smells or even certain memories..trigger things for some beasts. Least the sea os..somewhat relaxing for most..I am ok being by it, wouldnt like to be on it though"
   
Gaheris grunts "Just my luck tha' somethin' as common as smoke sets it off..." he rubs the back of his neck but seems mostly back to normal if a little disgruntled "The sea 'elps. Can't smell it on me fur if I'm swimmin'" he looks around the dark dunes "Not all trips t'sea end badly but y're lucky, we're river otters. Not so much as a waves f'yer t'worry about back 'ome"   

Aqua nods"Not so much..waves"She slowly gets up, though its the 2nd try that gets her up on her footpaws fully as she snorts"Should head back to tents, luckly...most are asleep"
   
Gaheris gets up as she struggles and goes to help her up the second time "Probably the best idea" he stops to grab his sword and the second sword on the way back as they walk back "I might just sit up by the shore. Y'sleep well"   

Aqua nods as she listens, he was helpful in helping her up"You should try and get some sleep, maybe some sort of tea to help you sleep better at night could be made"   

Gaheris nods slowly "I'll try, it's fine...I'm just goin' t'clear me 'ead first. If I go t'sleep thinkin' about this we might just be doin' this again later t'night"   

Aqua nods "Well...do something relaxing then, not sure what, late night fishing"
   
Gaheris nods along and heads for the shoreline "Aye, not a bad idea, might try tha'...Y'stay safe an' get some rest an' I'll promise not t'bother y'again"
   
Aqua nods "I will try and sleep, not always easy but will try"