IC CLOSED ANACHRONISTIC Whispering Woods || SPIDER IC

[MaryGold]

Deep in the woods...

In the early few days of September, the weather gradually grows colder and the skies greyer. The leaves begin to wilt and spot brown, the grass loses its vibrancy and becomes dull, and the birds begin to tweet a little less. It is a sign that life is leaving, and the world is dying.

But many find that beautiful; death.

It is the time of year that death surrounds all, and instead of grieving we point and awe, basking in its beauty of numerous colors. Some seek that beauty outside of their front yard and in the land of trees stretching farther than the eye can see, where they're surrounded by the Earth's natural state, and the animals without a conqueror. They want the great outdoors spent under the vast night sky and twinkling stars, with a bonfire to sit around or dance around, laughing, singing, and holding one another. They blind their eyes to the dangers around them, the death, the predator versus the prey, the natural order that is uglier than what they convince themselves to see.

The same could be said for seven friends who took a little trip, camping in the woods around the city of Belbridge. They had spent three nights together, cuddled up against the growing cold weather. The last day they would spend together before returning to their places scattered across the country.

The day was turning into an afternoon. The sun would be soon to set. And if they hoped to make it home before darkness covered their path, they had to leave now.

@Lyrikai @peach @MrCalcium @Ghostie @DemonLordCry @Lulunopia

GM NOTES​

• Your characters should be packing up and getting ready to leave their camp area.
• Remember your post can be as little or as long as you'd like. Just give enough of a reply for members to reply to.

 

[peach]

Mobley sat crouched behind a well-worn army green backpack, a faded red rubber square perched in center of the tired fabric though the words had long since been rubbed off.

A chilling breeze ran through her hair, slipping down her fur-lined neck and into her patched jean jacket. She pulled her coat closed tightly, having quickly zipped her pack up, and let out a long sigh. It was always hard to say goodbye to her dearest friends, but something about the air around them made the hairs on the back of her neck stand still.

Mobley turned to look over her left shoulder at the friend to her left, Eden. " All packed up then?" Mobley queried, cocking a brow and looking up at Eden beside her. " I feel like I'm forgetting something," She chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her neck. "
Something really important."

Moe turned her eyes away and began looking around their campsite, unable to shake the anxiety that was quickly swirling up within her. "Is it my keys?" She wondered aloud, her hand reaching up to cradle her chin as she carefully peered over the area.​

 

[DemonLordCry]

Rue smirks as he happily put the left booz and weed overs in back for his grabbt hands. He was in no condition to drive and had no plans to, since he didnt bring a car himself. He was a responsible little shit, he wasnt about to kill someone over his own stupidity.

"Yo, Guys. Not to be sappy but..." He says loudly, "we should do it again, next year. All come up and hang out go camping at summer. It be funnnn~"

He wiggles his eyebrows at everyone as he stand on the side of one of the cars his thin tail flicking back and forth.

 

[Lulunopia]

The trip had been fun, but as it came to an end Eden felt a sense of sadness at seeing their friends leave. Well, all but Mobley whom they lived with. Zipping up their bag Eden couldn't help feeling like the group was being watched. But then again, this is the woods and anything could be watching.

A chill wind had them shivering slightly as Mobley's voice drifted over. Looking over at their bestie Eden couldn't help the sigh that came out before, "Have you checked your bags front pocket?" That was the usual place the woman would put it and forget, and of course that would always be the first place they suggest.

 

[Ghostie]

Xander pushes open the door of the camper with a smile, slinging his backpack off his shoulder as he came bounding down the few steps.

"Awh, Rue! Always so sentimental, aren't ya?" He only slightly teases as he throws an arm around his fellow tall-boy friend. They were all pretty sentimental. Enough to get together and do their camping trip every year. It was nice to get together away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

"But seriously guys, I do love getting together with y'all like this every year."

Looking over at Mobley's anxiety-riddled expression, Xander remembered. "Oh, Moe!" He digs into his pocket before pulling out a little beaded bracelet. One of many they'd made on a drunken craft night. "Here's your bracelet."

 

[peach]

Mobley glanced up at Rue as he spoke, a soft breath of amusement leaving her nose as she rummaged through the front pocket of her bag. She tilted her head back down, pulling out a pack of travel size wipes and a Hello Kitty lighter. " No, it's not in there…" Moe murmured, sounding quite disappointed.

She looked back up at Xander, smiling brightly. "Oh! Thanks, Xee!" Moe chirped, standing up and moving over towards him to collect it. She slid her wrist into the beaded accessory and held it up proudly. " May this be the good luck charm I need to find my keys." She said in a huffy British accent, bowing politely to him. " I'm gunna dump out my bag and make sure it didn't get mixed up with my things." She announced awkwardly, her face and ears growing hot with embarrassment.

Of course everyone would be ready to go and I lost my keys…

 

[DemonLordCry]

Rue rolls his eyes when he feels Alexander arms around his shoulder, and chopping motions at him, "I'll show you sentimental, No touchy" once Xander buggers off Rue put the last of his bags away in the camper, he pulled out a cigarette and pat himself then rub the back of his head confused till he turned to Mobley.

"Don't worry Princess, maybe you dropped it during clean up. We can look around the camp site while you check bags?" He slaps Xander's back with a smirk then winks at Mobley, "I lose things all the time so if we can't find it, blame me"

 

[MrCalcium]

Su-han would still be in the camper, trying to make sure that every item she had brought, foraged or received, was in the right place of her massive backpack. Even after having checked every little pocket three times beforehand, she would check them for a fourth time. JUST to be sure. After confirming that indeed all of her items were in the right places, she would zip up her coat and step outside.

She took a look around at all of her friends that she had finally gotten the chance to spend time with again and a feeling that was a mix of happiness and sadness would well up within her. She would sit on a nearby log and stretch her arms before looking up at the beautiful orange sky. "So this is the end of this year's get-together. I can't help but feel a bit sad knowing it'll be another year before we can have a big trip like this."

She looked down and towards the group with a bit of an awkward smile as some tears rolled down her cheeks. "Times like these, with you people I can truly call good friends, are the reason I want to keep going through the motions in life. Just because I know that soon enough I will get to spend time with everyone again."

Su-han would lean over and cover her head, tears still dripping down onto her lap. "I'm sorry for getting so fucking sentimental. I know I shouldn't but I can't help but love all of you." The last part was followed by a faint giggle as Su-han's face would turn a bit red, the crisp air starting to be felt on her face where her tears had rolled down, even felt while covering her face.

 

[Lyrikai]

Packing up was honestly the saddest part about this whole camping adventure. It had been one hell of a great time just spending time with his friends. Though Danny was a pretty quiet individual on his own, he did have his moments where he could be loud and rambunctious and crazy as ever. Usually his social energy drained his mental batteries pretty hard and he was going to need amount a week just to recover from this. He was already feeling the mental exhaustion, yawning loudly as he checked and re-checked his bag for everything. Nothing was left? Nothing was missing? That was a good sign.

It was pretty bittersweet and it was showing on everyone as far as Danny could tell. He could hear Su-han being awfully sappy and that made him smile. "It's sad now, but it was fun," he remarked, "I had a great time. I uh... I love you, too, guys." His face felt hot even just saying that he felt a little silly. Turning his head into the collar of his coat, he hid it away out of embarrassment. Damn, maybe he would have been better off saying nothing at all!

 

[peach]

Mobley nodded to Rue, squatting back down to unzip her backpack. "Yeah, I'll double check my backpack and suitcase." She replied, flipping the bag over and emptying its contents onto the ground. She picked through the clutter carefully, a romance novel, a pair of knitted fingerless gloves, a green Keroppi pencil case, a matching sketch book, a few almond granola bars, a bottle of cherry perfume, and a Keroppi pocketbook. After giving the bag a final shake, a pink and green candy striped lanyard fell to the ground, and with it, her keys.

Mobley looked up again at Su-han's speech, a smile forming over her lips under a crooked septum piercing. " Yeah, I love you guys so much. It's always nice to see you, even if it's just once a year. I hope we never stop hanging out." She added sincerely, offering Su-han and Danny a reassuring smile.

"Glad I didn't lose my keys for real though, that would've made the drive back pretty hard, huh?" Moe mused halfheartedly, letting out an awkward laugh.

 

[Lulunopia]

A simple surprised look crossed their face at Mobley, before they shrugged and looked to the others with a warm smile. As always they looked at them as their family, a group of people who they can be themselves around. After all these people have been here for them for a while now. "You guys are so mushy!" They teased lightly. "But, I will miss you guys, too."

Looking over to Mobley again they joked back, "I mean, walking can be fun." Eden snickered to themself as they swung their bag over their shoulder. A chill ran down their spin as a cold breeze slipped up their coat. Damn, wind. "Everyone got everything?" They called out, doing final checks so they could get out of the cold.

 

[peach]

Mobley pocketed her keys, the pocket of her beat up denim jacket jingling as she hurriedly packed her things back into her book bag. " Yeah that should be everything on my end, thank goodness." She sweated, letting out a sigh of relief.

Moe stood up tall, looking around the group with a cheery smile. "Jeez, I want to just stall forever and never leave." She chuckled, letting her shoulders relax as she took in a deep breath.

 

[MaryGold]

In these woods

Not far from the camping site, an alarming roar interrupted the parting of friends. The direction it came at first was unclear, but as it grew louder, it also grew nearer and clearer. It came from the path of the road they were traveling from and were meant to travel back onto. Only once the familiar noise of wheels on a dirt path could be heard through it, was it obvious that the roar was that of an old exhaustion pipe and not that of an unknown beast.

The loud truck that came up the path drove past them, seemingly unaware of the campers or uninterested. However, as soon as it was out of sight, it showed up again, driving hastily in reverse, nearly crushing its rear into a tree but successfully parking outside their spot, and blocking the path. The noise from the pipes was nearly deafening, taking over even the space of sounds in one's mind.

The truck was as old as it sounded, worn white paint covered it, tarp was spread over its bed where a few bumps poked out. The dirt-covered wheels and dried mud on its body told of how it frequented the terrain. Oddly, the windows were tinted. Only a shadow of a man could be seen.

It was but a moment, but the noise could compete with the silence of the arrival of the truck driver to make it feel as if time had stretched out far longer. The only movement came from the passenger seat where the window rolled down just a crack for a pair of gray eyes to look through. The second the noise stopped and the truck was turned off welcoming only the sounds of the forest was nearly as startling as when the noise began.

The driver opened the car door and slammed it shut behind them as they rounded their truck to meet them. They were a he. An older man, with brown hair, graying on the sides, and a face with just enough wrinkles to indicate he was at least a hundred. His species was not obvious, but it was one higher in the hierarchy of creatures. His clothes gave the impression he was someone who worked in the woods, and by the way, his eyes were drinking in each of the friends without saying a single word, he must have been a man who worked in these woods.

Silently on his lips, he counted each of them and tilted his head up just slightly. He remained unsmiling as he spoke. "You shouldn't be here. This is private property. You need to leave." He was curt and though he looked as if he would sound gruff, his voice was smooth and his body language spoke of discomfort.

@Lyrikai @peach @MrCalcium @Ghostie @DemonLordCry @Lulunopia

 

[Lulunopia]

Nodding at Mobley, Eden turned to others and just as they went to talk to the others a loud roar stopped them. Body tensing into a more survival mode their head began to swivel, looking for the location of the roar. Though, a few moments later Eden could hear the sound of tires on a dirt path coming closer and closer. "Anyone expecting someone?" They asked the group a worried look on their face.

However, a truck appeared and a rather grumpy looking man stepped out. Stepping to be slightly more in front of their friends, Eden stared the man down unsure of his motives. What was his angel? No one mentioned this being private property. AND they were leaving until he showed up. "We were packing up before you arrived, but I don't think any of us knew this was private property," Eden spoke up.

 

[Lyrikai]

Well if there was one thing to break Danny out of being a sappy gushy dope, it was the loud roar of a something! He jolted in his spot with a sharp yelp and clasped a hand to his chest, bursting out a loud, "What the hell was that!" before recognizing it as the sound of a vehicle. What had that been? An engine backfiring or something? Yeesh, out in the middle of the woods one couldn't make noises like that! Scared the absolute hell out of him!

The arrival of a strange truck and an even stranger driver didn't really help settle his nerves much at all. Actually honestly it just made them a great deal worse. Danny wasn't sure if he should back off, step forward and look tough, or stick his hands in the air like an idiot like he was about to be arrested! He settled for shoving his hands in his pockets instead before they wound up in the air and he started calling this guy 'officer' or something equally as dumb.

Nodding his head in Eden's direction, he answered as well. "Yeah yeah! We're sorry, sir. We had no idea this was private property. At least I didn't." If anyone else knew, they sure as heck didn't tell him about it... unless they did and he wasn't listening. That was extremely likely actually. Sometimes he just didn't listen at all!