The Hidden Door-A Role Play (AKA The Most Dangerous Coffee Shop II)

[Yowza Wowza]

Blair glanced at the masked woman momentarily. She gave her strange vibes, even though so far she had proven herself useful and indifferent. Kit was glad to have company, though, and finally quit whining about not wanting to walk anymore. "No." She shook her head, keeping her gaze on the trail. "If I did, the group would be way further behind me then it is now." Silently, however, she doubted that they were this way. Her sense of smell was similar to a dogs, and even stronger if she let her wolf side have control, and if she couldn't pick up any scent from where she was...
Either it was washed away somehow, or they're in a completely different spot. The we-sa had wings, though, so maybe they flew...
"Take's safe, right now anyway. I can...feel it. But Emma and the others..." She knew Take was alive merely because she still felt the occasional flicker of emotion that wasn't the wolf's or her own, but she couldn't tell with Emma. She had hoped the soulmate bond had some other way of connection, telepathy or otherwise, but no. Nothing like the stories. "Let's just hope we aren't too late."

Hana gave the border collie a glance, a small smile forming for a moment. She never experienced the joys of owning a pet before since her family despised the idea of having a animal in the home. But she never developed a hate for them because of her family’s negative views. She gave Blair a nod in response, but didn’t completely understand how she knew Take was safe. Possibly a werewolf thing.

“How many days will it take to pass these mountains?” Kyle asked.
“Four, in the very least,” Korim said. “I’ve never been this way before, however. I might not make the best guide. The Rugæ would be faster at it. It’ll probably take longer.”
“That’s actually not as bad as I thought,” Cam said. She had been imagining a rather longer adventure.

Hana caught bits of their conversation, especially that the journey would take four days. Can the missing children handle another four days where they are?

 

[FrankieDoodle]

“They wouldn’t make you a meal,” Korim pointed out. “They’d knock you out and bring you to Mobrikum.”

Kevin looked at Korim, frowning. “And I take it no one knows what they do to you there?” He asked. I think I’d rather be eaten...

Kylan chuckled, shaking his head with a grin. "Dunno, man. Maybe they like that kinda stuff, who knows? Lookin' at them I'd say the eat garbage all the time so you'd be a change of taste. Or maybe you taste the same, who am I to judge?" He snickered to the taller man with a devilishly playful looking in his eyes before moving off.

Lilith turned back to him, remembering he'd teased her before she began speaking to Korim. "We just will, won't we? Oh, and you goin' easy on me as to not make me look bad? Nope, nada, not gonna happen. I'll be the one having to go easy on you, if anything." She folded her arms sassily. "Just you wait, bucko."

Lilith turned back to Korim, head spinning a little. Holding two conversations at once was not a good idea, Lili. She cocked an eyebrow, breathing in a little at the mention of the mythical creatures. Why am I surprised? I've seen dire wolves, manticores, and dragons. Nothing should shock me at this point. "Sound great, just bloody great... What's up with the Rugae people?" She asked, frowning a little. That didn't sound so good. But harpies are... Bird dudes? Right?
She laughed at his last comment. "Yeah, no. We don't even take English seriously half the time."

Kylan looked over at her, smiling sweetly. "How'd it go?" He asked softly, eyes kind. "Hope you didn't run into any wolves or manticores, 'ey?" He joked.

His jaw dropped. “Did you assume I tasted like garbage? Where are your manners?” Kevin joked, holding back laughter.
He glanced at Lilith, smirking. “Cocky, are we? Now, maybe I’m wrong, but I think I’ve used guns a lot longer than you have, Tsvetok. The only way you could beat me would be if I let you win.”

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

“How many days will it take to pass these mountains?” Kyle asked.
“Four, in the very least,” Korim said. “I’ve never been this way before, however. I might not make the best guide. The Rugæ would be faster at it. It’ll probably take longer.”
“That’s actually not as bad as I thought,” Cam said. She had been imagining a rather longer adventure.

Hana gave the border collie a glance, a small smile forming for a moment. She never experienced the joys of owning a pet before since her family despised the idea of having a animal in the home. But she never developed a hate for them because of her family’s negative views. She gave Blair a nod in response, but didn’t completely understand how she knew Take was safe. Possibly a werewolf thing.

Hana caught bits of their conversation, especially that the journey would take four days. Can the missing children handle another four days where they are?

"Four days?" Blair caught the conversation behind her, and turned sharply. Panic rose inside her, clawing at her, suffocating but she quickly turned it into anger. Boiling, choking, fear-laced anger, her own anger, unadulterated by the wolf. "No. We don't have four days, kid."
I can get us there in two.
No, we can't leave them behind. But... four days. Anything could happen.
Anything.
"Four days could mean death for them. Death for his brother," she pointed a finger at Kylan, almost accusingly. "Death for Noah. Death for Kipp and Haddie and my Emma and Take." She leaned over Korim, nearly balancing on the balls of her feet. She wasn't angry, she was scared. But fear got her no where, anger, however, got her far. "Anything can happen in four days. Hell, anything could happen right this second." Only takes a second to pull a trigger. Or to throw a lethal object. Or anything, really.
"There has to be a quicker way. You live in a place with dragons and manticores and dire wolves. There has to be something quicker, some other way to get there." Her flare of anger was coming to a shuddering halt as she leaned back, but her gaze was eerily blank. "There has to be."

 

[Yowza Wowza]

Take could only remember fragments from being apprehended by guards and forwards. It was as time progressed at a fast pace but he remembered quick flashes of overwhelming pain from being injured and beaten. A soaring stinging pain sprawling all across his body, being subjugated to the worst torture possible. He couldn’t completely comprehend it while he slipped in and out of consciousness, thoughts running through his head of why he was able to feel pain this severe, because he usually never felt pain. Which messed with his mentality when he eventually awoke. His eyes flickered around the transformation chamber, I’m on the table. When he attempted to move his arms and legs, but they were held down by shackles. Take took a glance about his trapped limbs, twisting his face when he saw no sign of injuries or abrasions. They healed already? How.. long have I been here? Kipp and the others haven’t gotten here yet have they? He held no concept of time from when he got here till now, so he was left clueless, not knowing how many seconds and minutes slipped by, which fed his aggravation.

 

[ladybugchickenfarms]

Ashira finally sat down again. She hated being in here because she felt like there were better things she could be doing. They hadn’t caught her slacking off last time, so why should they now? She needed time to think anyway.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Chion's eyebrows shot up in concern. "Yes it's me." She sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth spotting a guard coming their way. "Come on, I'll help you up."

Fred clung to her for support as he bit his lip to keep from crying out. The pain was excruciating and it felt like someone had tipped a whole heap of petrol on his back and lit a match setting his back on fire. “Thank you” he whispered, it was all he could manage to say.

 

[Amer]

Kevin looked at Korim, frowning. “And I take it no one knows what they do to you there?” He asked. I think I’d rather be eaten...



His jaw dropped. “Did you assume I tasted like garbage? Where are your manners?” Kevin joked, holding back laughter.
He glanced at Lilith, smirking. “Cocky, are we? Now, maybe I’m wrong, but I think I’ve used guns a lot longer than you have, Tsvetok. The only way you could beat me would be if I let you win.”

"Four days?" Blair caught the conversation behind her, and turned sharply. Panic rose inside her, clawing at her, suffocating but she quickly turned it into anger. Boiling, choking, fear-laced anger, her own anger, unadulterated by the wolf. "No. We don't have four days, kid."
I can get us there in two.
No, we can't leave them behind. But... four days. Anything could happen.
Anything.
"Four days could mean death for them. Death for his brother," she pointed a finger at Kylan, almost accusingly. "Death for Noah. Death for Kipp and Haddie and my Emma and Take." She leaned over Korim, nearly balancing on the balls of her feet. She wasn't angry, she was scared. But fear got her no where, anger, however, got her far. "Anything can happen in four days. Hell, anything could happen right this second." Only takes a second to pull a trigger. Or to throw a lethal object. Or anything, really.
"There has to be a quicker way. You live in a place with dragons and manticores and dire wolves. There has to be something quicker, some other way to get there." Her flare of anger was coming to a shuddering halt as she leaned back, but her gaze was eerily blank. "There has to be."

Korim’s smile morphed into a sad one. “I’m sorry, did I say four days? It won’t take four days, it will take longer. I said for days with a Rugæ guide. The Rugæ have been our enemies for a long time, ever since the Bornish Wars. There haven’t been Rugæ guides for over thirty years. We of Portsma have tried going and saving our children. We’ve really tried. But no one returned. So I would not get hopeful that we will be successful.”
Cam’s face morphed into a frown. “So you’re telling me we’re taking a journey from which no one returned?” She sighed. “This is great. My parents will never know what happened to me.”
Kyle actually didn’t appear to be bothered by this revelation. This was the sort of life he wouldn’t mind living, he had always been the adventurous sort. For once his small size could be an advantage. He and Rylie were fast and inconspicuous. “I believe we’ll be able to do it. We got the bugs, didn’t we? I think these people have it in them not just to survive, but to be heroes.This cat was pretty heroic too,” he said rubbing Rylie behind the ears. He frowned, looking at Kit. “And I guess that dog contributed.”

Ashira finally sat down again. She hated being in here because she felt like there were better things she could be doing. They hadn’t caught her slacking off last time, so why should they now? She needed time to think anyway.

CRACK! A warning crack of the whip. A gruff voice “Get back to work, or I’ll use this,“ he barked.

 

[ladybugchickenfarms]

Korim’s smile morphed into a sad one. “I’m sorry, did I say four days? It won’t take four days, it will take longer. I said for days with a Rugæ guide. The Rugæ have been our enemies for a long time, ever since the Bornish Wars. There haven’t been Rugæ guides for over thirty years. We of Portsma have tried going and saving our children. We’ve really tried. But no one returned. So I would not get hopeful that we will be successful.”
Cam’s face morphed into a frown. “So you’re telling me we’re taking a journey from which no one returned?” She sighed. “This is great. My parents will never know what happened to me.”
Kyle actually didn’t appear to be bothered by this revelation. This was the sort of life he wouldn’t mind living, he had always been the adventurous sort. For once his small size could be an advantage. He and Rylie were fast and inconspicuous. “I believe we’ll be able to do it. We got the bugs, didn’t we? I think these people have it in them not just to survive, but to be heroes.This cat was pretty heroic too,” he said rubbing Rylie behind the ears. He frowned, looking at Kit. “And I guess that dog contributed.”

CRACK! A warning crack of the whip. A gruff voice “Get back to work, or I’ll use this,“ he barked.

“I just need a moment to breathe! Please...” She was scared that he would use it.

 

[Cluckcluck1215]

Korim’s smile morphed into a sad one. “I’m sorry, did I say four days? It won’t take four days, it will take longer. I said for days with a Rugæ guide. The Rugæ have been our enemies for a long time, ever since the Bornish Wars. There haven’t been Rugæ guides for over thirty years. We of Portsma have tried going and saving our children. We’ve really tried. But no one returned. So I would not get hopeful that we will be successful.”
Cam’s face morphed into a frown. “So you’re telling me we’re taking a journey from which no one returned?” She sighed. “This is great. My parents will never know what happened to me.”
Kyle actually didn’t appear to be bothered by this revelation. This was the sort of life he wouldn’t mind living, he had always been the adventurous sort. For once his small size could be an advantage. He and Rylie were fast and inconspicuous. “I believe we’ll be able to do it. We got the bugs, didn’t we? I think these people have it in them not just to survive, but to be heroes.This cat was pretty heroic too,” he said rubbing Rylie behind the ears. He frowned, looking at Kit. “And I guess that dog contributed.”

CRACK! A warning crack of the whip. A gruff voice “Get back to work, or I’ll use this,“ he barked.

"So this is just a suicide mission, then, huh?" Blair couldn't bring herself to be shocked, or to even care about what ever war he was talking about. "Yes, Kyle, we got the bugs. But just barely. They are children." She looked over the group, wishing she could bring herself to be more angry at both of them. Most of the group were still children, too, or just barely adults.
"This is your fault." She turned one last burning glare a Kyle, before turning and heading the direction they were intending to go. Can't waste time arguing. Not worth it.

 

[RiverStorm]

“They’re wary of outsiders. A little rough around the edges. Savage, is what I mean. They’re not the biggest reason why we’re avoiding them, though. As I said: Griffins. Phoenixes. Dragons. Rock slides. Trolls. Well... those aren’t so bad. Goblins. Also, it takes a long time to go through,” Korim said.

Lilith shuddered, feeling a cold wind pass through her bones. Great. Sounds so safe. So flipping safe.

“It went fine” she said looking At the ground. She glanced back up giving him A quick smile

“How many days will it take to pass these mountains?” Kyle asked.
“Four, in the very least,” Korim said. “I’ve never been this way before, however. I might not make the best guide. The Rugæ would be faster at it. It’ll probably take longer.”
“That’s actually not as bad as I thought,” Cam said. She had been imagining a rather longer adventure.

"Four days?" Blair caught the conversation behind her, and turned sharply. Panic rose inside her, clawing at her, suffocating but she quickly turned it into anger. Boiling, choking, fear-laced anger, her own anger, unadulterated by the wolf. "No. We don't have four days, kid."
I can get us there in two.
No, we can't leave them behind. But... four days. Anything could happen.
Anything.
"Four days could mean death for them. Death for his brother," she pointed a finger at Kylan, almost accusingly. "Death for Noah. Death for Kipp and Haddie and my Emma and Take." She leaned over Korim, nearly balancing on the balls of her feet. She wasn't angry, she was scared. But fear got her no where, anger, however, got her far. "Anything can happen in four days. Hell, anything could happen right this second." Only takes a second to pull a trigger. Or to throw a lethal object. Or anything, really.
"There has to be a quicker way. You live in a place with dragons and manticores and dire wolves. There has to be something quicker, some other way to get there." Her flare of anger was coming to a shuddering halt as she leaned back, but her gaze was eerily blank. "There has to be."

Kylan had started to answer Aria, but froze as he overheard Korim's words. Four days? No, no... That can't be true. It's already been three days, that'd be seven. Torin can't make it alone seven days with those things... Can he?
He still shivered under Blair's eyes and finger, but agreed with her words. "Blair's right. There has to be another way, c'mon. There has to be a bypass through the mountains or something." He said desperately, staring straight at Korim. "We got here through portals, could there be more of those leading there?"

Kevin looked at Korim, frowning. “And I take it no one knows what they do to you there?” He asked. I think I’d rather be eaten...



His jaw dropped. “Did you assume I tasted like garbage? Where are your manners?” Kevin joked, holding back laughter.
He glanced at Lilith, smirking. “Cocky, are we? Now, maybe I’m wrong, but I think I’ve used guns a lot longer than you have, Tsvetok. The only way you could beat me would be if I let you win.”

Kylan didn't reply, too focused on Korim as he fidgeted nervously.

Lilith tipped her head to the side, forcing back a loud laugh from escaping her lips. "Yeah, well... Maybe I'm just good at it." She said lightly, before shaking her head. "But I'll let you have being the best gunman here, until I can prove differently." She added, her lips twitching into an even bigger grin.

Korim’s smile morphed into a sad one. “I’m sorry, did I say four days? It won’t take four days, it will take longer. I said four days with a Rugæ guide. The Rugæ have been our enemies for a long time, ever since the Bornish Wars. There haven’t been Rugæ guides for over thirty years. We of Portsma have tried going and saving our children. We’ve really tried. But no one returned. So I would not get hopeful that we will be successful.”
Cam’s face morphed into a frown. “So you’re telling me we’re taking a journey from which no one returned?” She sighed. “This is great. My parents will never know what happened to me.”
Kyle actually didn’t appear to be bothered by this revelation. This was the sort of life he wouldn’t mind living, he had always been the adventurous sort. For once his small size could be an advantage. He and Rylie were fast and inconspicuous. “I believe we’ll be able to do it. We got the bugs, didn’t we? I think these people have it in them not just to survive, but to be heroes.This cat was pretty heroic too,” he said rubbing Rylie behind the ears. He frowned, looking at Kit. “And I guess that dog contributed.”

Kylan stared at him, his mouth literally hanging open. "Then you darn well better believe we're getting a Rugæ guide if it cuts out that much time. They've been at war with you, not us. And they've probably lost people too, which could mean they might help us."
He glanced at Cam, having already came to the same sad revelation long ago. His parents had been missing both their kids for three days now, and who knew what they thought happened to them.
He shook his head, looking at Korim for another split second before beginning to walk faster and stare ahead with a callous expression. "Never mind, let's just hurry it up."

Lilith frowned. She'd been speaking to Kevin and hadn't heard most of the newer conversation, but caught some of Kylan's words, and all of their emotions that made her stomach twist.