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Post by V for Vizetta on May 30, 2009 18:30:02 GMT -5
Athair had been known as many things... among them being wise, patient... even stubborn. But he'd never been considered the type to panic, or approach a situation with anything but his practiced calm. Which is what made the fact Athair was now pacing, and mumbling to himself, all the more... bizarre. Of course, considering his granddaughter had been gone for more than a day, he couldn't find her, and Pachacamac was being his usual 'helpful' self... Yes. He was worried. Very worried.
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Post by DB on May 30, 2009 21:16:02 GMT -5
Meanwhile, Pachacamac sat to the side, his arms crossed and a look of deep displeasure etched across his face. Truth was, he was worried. Maybe for the wrong reasons, but he was worried. She never should of gone with those two outsiders...
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Post by V for Vizetta on May 31, 2009 22:58:21 GMT -5
The elder stopped his pacing, and looking out into the forest again, his grip on his cane tightening. Tikal... where are you?"
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Post by Leda on Jun 3, 2009 22:03:32 GMT -5
Meanwhile, just over the ridge, a pair of youths were finally making their way back to the camp... but Tikal stopped short. Her previously cheery and giggly attitude had retreated in lieu of a look of dread.
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Post by Lans on Jun 3, 2009 22:49:53 GMT -5
Manic, who had shared her mood for the most part on the remainder of the way back, noticed her sudden change. "Tikal...everything ok? I mean we're back, that's good right?"
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Post by Leda on Jun 3, 2009 22:54:21 GMT -5
"My... My father's going to be... displeased with me." Gulping anxiously, the echidna fidgeted and ran her free hand through her spines, the other tightly clutching her forage-filled cloak. " And the Elder..."
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Post by Lans on Jun 3, 2009 23:23:29 GMT -5
"So we tell em what happend. It was an accident, and we're, like, ok. No harm, no foul," he said reassuringly.
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Post by Leda on Jun 3, 2009 23:28:31 GMT -5
Tikal shook her head forcefully. "It happened because I was standing too close. I was gone too long... Daddy'll think I tried to run away again!!"
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Post by Lans on Jun 3, 2009 23:48:58 GMT -5
Manic snorted. "Pretty lousey way to do it though, don't ya think? Come on, like, why would he think that. You fell in a river and almost drowned."
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Post by Leda on Jun 4, 2009 0:00:31 GMT -5
Despite his sound reasoning, the priestess was unmoved by Manic's opinion, and ducked her head to bury it against the green bundle in her arms. Daddy's going to be so angry with me... And the longer I stand here and cry about it, the later I'm making myself.
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Post by Lans on Jun 4, 2009 0:09:10 GMT -5
Getting worried now, Manic stopped and placed a comorting arm around her. "Hey, it'll be ok. I'm sure your pop'll be just grateful you weren't hurt than mad about anything."
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Post by Leda on Jun 4, 2009 0:15:46 GMT -5
Tikal focused on drawing and releasing a deep breath, idly reflecting on how little Manic knew her father. Not that she lamented it; it was never in question that not being familiar with Pachacamac was almost always better. Steeling her nerves, the echidna girl forced herself to begin taking steps forward once more, but not before her free hand found its way to Manic's side and latched onto his own -- tightly.
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Post by Lans on Jun 4, 2009 0:27:14 GMT -5
He readily accepted her hand in his, and gave it a reassuring squeeze as well as a smile as they continued walking again.
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Post by Leda on Jun 4, 2009 0:31:18 GMT -5
Drawing closer and closer to camp, Tikal's stomach churned nervously. What would happen if her father wouldn't believe that she hadn't tried to abandon him again? What would the Elder think of her for such a large blunder? What about the boy she'd met while scavenging the attack site? What if he'd gotten worse since she hadn't brought back any food yesterday? As the party in question came into view ahead, the echidna's hand wrapped more tightly around her companion's, even trembling slightly. " Manic..." she squeaked, " h-help me."
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 4, 2009 1:11:20 GMT -5
The elderly echidna was still pacing, gripping his cane hard enough it caused the wood to groan in protest, before he felt the urge to turn. And obeying it, saw his granddaughter, and one of the others... the hedgehog, from his color, standing a fair distance away. For a moment, he just looking in their direction, before he started walking towards them at a decent speed, but not truly a run, or even a decent sprint. Once he reached them, either from him meeting them halfway, or covering the distance entirely, he stopped a few feet from them, only taking a slight notice of their clasped hands, and his granddaughter's distressed state... So his eyes turned to the green hedgehog. "Manic, was it? Could you go on ahead to the campsite? I would have a moment with Tikal." And Crash... was curled up next to a tree, asleep, and would remain so until I think of something for him to do.
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Post by Lans on Jun 4, 2009 3:31:31 GMT -5
Manic hesitated, unwilling to just go while Tikal was in the state she was in at the moment. He looke dto her for her decision.
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Post by Leda on Jun 4, 2009 11:57:26 GMT -5
She really didn't want to let go. The last thing she wanted to do was face down whatever words her grandfather had for her by herself -- but then again, she also didn't want Manic to hear them, either. Reluctantly, and looking vaguely ill, the young echidna's hand unwrapped itself from her escort's, giving him a silent nod as she caught his eye.
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Post by Lans on Jun 4, 2009 12:28:03 GMT -5
"Like, if you're sure..." he said, reluctantly, before slowly turning to head to the camp as instructed.
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 4, 2009 15:27:13 GMT -5
The elder turned slightly to watch Manic walk off towards the camp, before turning back towards the young echidna. He was silent for a long moment, just taking in his granddaughter's condition... Before he dropped his cane, and took the few steps separating him from the young woman, hugging her tightly. "Thank Lidah you're alright..."
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Post by Leda on Jun 4, 2009 18:29:28 GMT -5
In a mixed state of relief, guilt, and still a small amount of panic, Tikal awkwardly hugged Athair in return, the green bundle falling to their feet with a dull thwump. "Please forgive me, Elder," she eventually said upon finding her voice. "I promise I wasn't wasting time or running away or... anything else! It was an accident!!"
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 4, 2009 19:13:34 GMT -5
Athair chuckled softly as Tikal started speaking, moving his hands to his granddaughter's shoulders. "Be calm, child. I'm not angry with you... what happened?"
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Post by Leda on Jun 4, 2009 20:02:06 GMT -5
"Manic and Ridgy were checking out the problems with the plants and we ended up at a river and they were talking about it being contaminated and I got too close and slipped and fell in and they both tried to help me but I couldn't hang on and Manic saved me but we didn't know what happened to Ridgy and when we made it out of the water we were cold and tired and had to camp because it was too late to make it back and when we got up we got right to work coming back and I DID try to find Ridgy but nothing was working and Manic said he went home and I thought Manic would go home but he came with me instead and when we got back to the greater forest we found some food like I was supposed to yesterday and we came back here..." All of a sudden Tikal took a gigantic breath.
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 4, 2009 20:36:53 GMT -5
And she'd find Athair calmly shushing her. "And you're all right, which is what matters now. And you didn't get hurt from falling in the river?"
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Post by DB on Jun 4, 2009 21:04:21 GMT -5
Noting that his daughter had returned, and that the Elder was currently talking to her, Pachacamac instead turned his attention to the hedgehog. "What happened to the other who was with you?"
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Post by Lans on Jun 4, 2009 21:43:30 GMT -5
"He's not here?" Manic asked, rhetorically. "Huh. Well then he must have, like, headed back to the village like we thought."
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Post by Leda on Jun 5, 2009 12:49:15 GMT -5
"No, sir," Tikal replied, her nerves gradually settling down with Athair's kindness. "Just some bumps and bruises. Manic seems okay too..." Her eyes drifted to the campsite.
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Post by V for Vizetta on Jun 5, 2009 20:02:26 GMT -5
"Good." The elder smiled, turning towards the camp, softly patting Tikal's head. "Now, let us return to the camp. you've had a long day. ... And I will explain things to your father."
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Post by Leda on Jun 5, 2009 20:22:49 GMT -5
The priestess frowned and gathered up the green bundle of foragings she'd dropped, glancing aside at a passing shrub as she followed Athair back to the campsite. He's not going to be happy...
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Post by DB on Jun 5, 2009 21:18:04 GMT -5
The echidna's nose wrinkled to the hedgehog's reply, less due to it's content and more due it's delivery. Like.Though, the message had it's own bitter notes with him. Go figure that the non-echidna would be so seemingly quick to abandon them. However, he made no comment, his attention instead turning to the approach of his daughter. Rising from his seat, he went to greet her. "Tikal, where have you been?"
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Post by Leda on Jun 5, 2009 21:34:16 GMT -5
"U-Um..." the younger echidna squeaked, focusing her attention on the wrapped cloak in her arms. "I had an... an accident... I was stupid and got to close to the water and slipped."
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