IV. (closed-ish) i believe it is my duty to do my best to obey the scout oath and law

[oorah]

featuring: hotdog & his best eagle scouts
what's happening? boy scouts trip; hunting, fishing, camping, sound eatas
day: march 19-26
content warnings: animal death, general spookiness, sound eaters
notes: feel free to make your own toplevels encompassing whichever prompts you'd like, tag frank specifically, or create your own prompts!

day 1 | [ it's a regular expedition, and frank is feeling optimistic about the whole thing. the weather is clear and there should be a fair bit of game this time of year before the sound eaters get to them. he's spent over a day checking and checking over every detail, making sure they have everything they're going to need for the next six days. an abundance of sand, of course. from david and frank's personal stockpile but then he asked for everyone to bring along their own too. and then there are more normal supplies: flint, tents, sleeping rolls, knives and pots. it reminds him of bootcamp just as much as it reminds him of taking his kids out into the woods to disappear for days at a time. neither is an unpleasant memory on its own, but given everything that happened after, the framing of them seems all wrong. still, he's ready for this. and he knows the people who approached him about coming along need this too, whether they're coming to get away from the village, because they're hungry, or simply because they want to see the monsters who threaten their every day here.

frank goes around to every person on his list and collects them and their stuff in preparation to leave. it's a good mixture of ages and skillsets and he thinks they'll all have something to learn from one another out there. once they have everyone and everything (and a few tagalongs) they set out. a veritable ragtag troop of misfits. the first day is mostly just hiking and chatter. frank will stop along the path to show which berries are safe and which are poison. to teach them how to walk silently with and without sand. frank prefers not-sand, anything but sand. that it's a necessary evil here couldn't be any more soul-taxing, but as always he doesn't complain. he points out poisonous plants too on their way higher up into the overgrown cities. and when it's time to pitch camp for the night he patiently explains how to do so silently before passing out a meal of granola that micro made and berries they picked from earlier for dinner. ]

day 2 | [ when frank lays his head down on his roll to sleep the first night, all the sleepless nights and all his thwarted naps catch up with him. his exhaustion is complete and he sleeps on, unable to be awoken for the entire night and long into the next day. this is a lost day, where for once the steady presence of hotdog will be absent. he'll make his way out of his tent well after noon, upset with himself that he overslept and even more upset with micro and the other adults for not waking him. but everyone is doing alright without him, and maybe that's the true lesson here.

that night frank builds a small, quiet fire by the river, the current covering over the sound of the crackling flame enough to be safe for heating up some beans. over the fire he starts to tell a ghost story in sign language, directing everyone to raise their devices so they don't miss any part of the "scary" tale. he seems in better spirits than he's been in a long time, and he teaches lessons on knot-tying and knife-sharpening after that. then he puts out the fire and tells everyone to hurry on to bed. ]

day 3 | [ this day is an early riser, and it starts with fishing in the river they'd set up camp next to. passive lures are used to make the least noise and everyone participating is instructed to pull up the fish they catch with a sheet of cotton and then to stab the fish in the eye before they can thrash. next is rabbits, which are significantly easier to kill quietly if caught by surprise, but without the proper speed and accuracy they will scream. frank shows each person how to dispatch them efficiently and silently.

there's more hiking and foraging for the rest of the day and everything goes smoothly. they eat well that night and frank turns the floor over to anyone who might want to tell a story of their own or start a discussion. they'll see the sound eaters in the morning and he knows especially for those who haven't seen them yet, there's an anxiety that comes along with it. anticipation and dread both. he remembers exactly how it had felt his first weeks here and he wants to see them for himself again too. he wants to prove to himself that somehow it wasn't just a fluke. frank will encourage everyone, especially the kids, to go to sleep early, but if anyone should come by his tent he'll be awake most of the night. ]

day 4 | [ today's the day. there's a tension in the air that wasn't there previously, and they're close enough to the sound eater den to smell and taste copper now. the closer they get to the center of the city and the tower, the thinner the woods become. before they get too close, frank makes sure everyone understands: they must be perfect here. complete silence. he will understand if anyone wants to wait farther back but he's going in closer with the bulk of the group now. sand is laid with painstaking care to ensure they don't make a sound, up until the bramble-covered cobblestone disappears and all that used to be the eiffel tower park is now a pit of red dust.

they're early enough to catch the tail end of the sunrise, casting an eerie haze over the scene. that same feeling of helplessness descends on him as the monsters make their climb from the tower, three distinct factions of the creatures that all move as one towards the middle of the clearing. there are younger ones than the young even, perhaps newborn. they have no eyes or mouth and the older ones seem to gather around them. every way they move is calculated; coordinated, like parts of a whole. the screams and cracking bones of the shambling, deformed middle children punctuate the silent space. the whole thing is eerie, of course, but frank doesn't feel fear the way he did the first time. there's something about these things that he identifies with, that he almost feels for. when he looks at them, it's like he knows them and it's on the tip of his tongue, but the words never come out.

they'll spend most of the day there, just watching. he encourages people to take video and pictures, but also to take breaks so no one gets overwhelmed and slips up. there's no dying on his watch -- not this time. not when he doesn't know what the consequences of it truly mean. almost reluctantly, he packs them up to hike some more, knowing it isn't safe to set up camp so close to theirs. there's no fire or lively stories tonight, just cold meat and beans and another early bedtime. ]

day 5 | [ they set out on their first day winding way back to town, but frank has his mind set on big game today. the farther they travel from the sound eaters the more life there is and when he sees a small cluster of deer in the distance he knows they have an opportunity. he instructs everyone to pour sand into a clearing up ahead, then to set out a pile of found berries and wait. it's a long and tedious stake-out, but frank is used to that. he signs Patience for all the kids watching, and finally one of the larger does wanders into their trap. frank aims his crossbow and as she looks up he takes his shot. the arrow lands clean and perfectly and she doesn't suffer, falling back into the sand with a soft noise of the granules being displaced. he holds up his hand for everyone to wait and make sure it wasn't enough to attract the sound eaters. when nothing comes, they'll load their bounty onto the cart and gather back up their sand before carrying on.

there's something about the day after seeing the beasts that's calm, a complacency that comes with knowing your enemy and looking him in the eye. well, teeth. they cover a lot of ground on this day, in attempts to make up for the lost day before the sound eaters. as it nears dark, there seems to be a colder front moving in, creating a layer of fog that has them winding up the day earlier than frank had anticipated. the fire is more for warmth that night than it had been previously, and with all the excitement most of them seem inclined to stay up and stay out late into the night. for the adults (and young adults???) frank brought some whiskey and now seems as good a time as any to break it out. ]

day 6 | [ the journey is beginning to wear on everyone, especially the children. frank will offer his shoulders or a piggyback to anyone who needs to take a load off for a while. there's more fishing as they cross through the other side of the river and the crisp air of the day feels welcome after the slight balminess that begun their trip. there's some urgency today to return to their routines. it feels weird to be out here instead of in town hall, airing their grievances to the town at large. though frank can't actually say he misses it. he would rather be out here even without the opportunity to speak and make noise.

another day of hiking passes more or less without incident. frank will be open to telling some war stories today and tonight if anyone should show interest. there are things he's getting better with: opening up used to be something he'd only do with his unit, even his family didn't get the full frank castle story all the way up until the end. this place has been about breaking patterns and cycles for him; about not making the same mistakes. he wants these people to know him, and to rely on him. it isn't as though he has anything to return to when his job here is done.

later on in the night, just after they've eaten supper, the rain will start up. it comes on sudden and without warning, drenching the party and extinguishing their carefully built fire. this can only mean one thing: frank runs to his tent and grabs his guitar. just don't request stairway to heaven. ]

day 7 | [ the next morning it's still raining, but with some effort they get an early start. and it isn't long before they see the outline of the village through the trees. they return before noon with 0 incidents and a lot more food than they left with. hopefully they've also gleaned some survival skills and a deeper understanding of one another and the terrain, to say nothing of the monster's lair they visited. it still feels like cheating death every time.

though it's a rain day, frank will find himself hard-pressed to do anything of worth today. he will most likely reunite with his dog and beeline for castle castle and take another long siesta if anyone wants to join him. feel free to open your day 7 prompts up to everyone for reunions and sharing what was learned! ]

Comments

Clara (ota)

[bossily]

Day 2
[Frank sleeps in, and while Clara peeks in on him from time to time she doesn't wake him up. He does so much to take care of everyone else that she knows he needs the rest. She keeps the children busy for as long as possible that day, having them help her with gathering food and playing games. By the time Frank wakes up, she won't hear his grumpiness that she's one of the adults that let him sleep. She just hushes him up and gets things back on track, trying to make the most out of having a lost day.

That night she sits by Frank as he tells his ghost stories. She watches the way the others in the group look at him as he goes on, taking note of the way he seems to be the center of everyone's universe in the moment. When the fire's put out, Clara doesn't head straight to bed. She stares at the remains of the fire and lets her thoughts go in circles until she finally feels drowsy.]

Day 3
[Try as she might, Clara doesn't really have the heart for hunting. She understands the necessity of it, and is willing to do what it takes to feed the children that are with them and gather enough food to bring back to everyone else. Dealing with fishing is one thing, but the rabbits are another. She does what she's taught and is efficient with it, but after assisting others with their kills and then getting one of her own she can be found crouching at a stream. She scrubs at her hands until they're nearly raw, and then stays withdrawn for the rest of the night. While everyone else eats she keeps near Eddie, and still seems fixated on keeping her hands clean. When it's time for bed, she retires before just about everyone else. Whoever she's sharing a tent with is ignored when they come to sleep, though not to be rude. She just needs some time to be alone with her thoughts.]

For Frank:
[She goes to sleep early, and wakes up in the middle of the night. After laying there staring up at darkness for a while she shifts and moves around whoever she's sleeping near to stand up and stretch her legs. Knowing what's coming tomorrow combined with the weight of today's work makes her a little manic. It's not safe to just walk around out here, so she heads over to check on Frank. She peeks into the tent he's in and sees that he's awake. It's not really that surprising, so she just flips her hand up in a wave. ]

Day 4
[Clara spends the entire time observing the sound eaters. They're fascinating to her, and since she's seen so much shit in her travels these really aren't the worst things she's seen. She tries to take note of their movements and they way they seem to communicate with one another, and she stares on solemnly at the ones that are clearly children. Her protective instinct wants to go to them and steal them away, afraid that they might be actual children that are twisted and harmed into being this way. She doesn't move from where she's rooted though, not until she notices someone edging out a little too far.

She moves quickly then, silently going over to grab hold of their hand. There's not a chance she's letting anyone die or be harmed on this trip. With a little shake of her head and a stern look on her face, she pulls them back. ]

Day 5
[Whiskey's just about the eleventh most disgusting thing she's ever put in her mouth, but she needs it after the day before. She's exhausted now, and the drink does nothing to help. But it does help ease the pain in her sore feet, and helps take the edge of the anxiety she's feeling. This journey was supposed to answer questions, but so far it's only created tons of new ones. They swirl in her mind and mix with the warmth of the whiskey, leaving her drowsy and sitting out alone long after everyone else starts to head to sleep. If anyone wants to keep her company she definitely won't turn them away.]

Day 6
[As the rain falls and Frank brings out his guitar, Clara is more than happy to have an excuse to smile and laugh. She doesn't care what songs he plays, just as long as he keeps them coming. Getting up on her feet, she grabs hold of whoever's nearby. Whether it's a child or another adult, she just pulls them right into a dance. Something about doing something so carefree in the rain after what they've just traveled to see feels wrong. But that's exactly why she does it. The bad things out there make the rare occasion like this all the more special.

At some point she even goes to Frank and starts trying to get him to dance too. She's good at charming people into things, so maybe she'll be successful.]

Day 3

[oorah]

[ the sudden appearance of clara in his tent isn't so shocking and he waves her in before it can get awkward. frank sets aside the book he'd been reading treasure island and sits up on his bed roll, going over the sight of her as if it will tell him what he needs to know. after a minute of wrestling with it, he'll dredge out his device and type a simple message over to her. ] can't sleep?

[bossily]

[She bites at her lip and shakes her head. The sign language here is still something she's in the beginning stages of learning, but she's clever enough to have picked up a few useful words. One she knows is actually helpful in this situation.]

Earlier.

[Meaning she slept a little earlier. ]

I've been lying awake for a while now.

[Too much thinking is exactly why she can't sleep now. At least he had enough common sense to bring a book. She doesn't even have any to call her own here.]

[oorah]

[ he nods in understanding, remembering staying up all night before seeing the sound eaters the first time. that was before he had his brother and these kids to take care ofhe remembers talking to mike about not wanting their friends to come here and have to face the horrors; and talking to eleven about how this wasn't her fault or responsibility. he tries not to think about how he misses her, knowing how selfish that is. ]

Normal. [ he signs simply. it's normal for anyone to be wired before a day like tomorrow, and as standoffish as he pretends to be, frank doesn't mind the company now. ]

[bossily]

[There's a little nod, because she knows it's normal. Big things like this are always prone to keeping people awake. It's a bit like children on Christmas Eve, except there's no presents involved in this. No Father Christmas, either. Just sound eaters that might kill them all.

But there's also something else weighing on her mind too. Something that's starting to make her feel guilty even if she's not sure she has any right to. So she fidgets with her device a little before getting out with what she's here to talk about.]

I need to talk to you about something. But it can wait if you'd rather stick with reading.

Day 4

[gotyourselfapilot]

[ All he really wanted to do was get a bit of a closer look. Poe couldn't stand squinting for so long and wished for a pair of quadnocs. But he had edged in quietly hoping no one spotted him doing so. He has the device out in one hand while trying to get a better angle on the Sound Eaters. He opens his mouth to want to release some air in annoyance but he feels a hand grabbing his own.

No, he wanted to stay here so instead he goes to try to yank in whomever had taken it. Upon glancing up at Clara all he could do was give a small smile before looking down a bit in disappointment. Poe didn't mean to sneak further up closer to the things that could get him killed. He only wanted a better view. ]

[bossily]

[He had stopped her once, and now she's returning the favor. Only this time, the sound eaters are close enough that she really worries he might get himself or others hurt. So she smiles a little in return before pulling her hand away so she can quietly type.]

This is definitely a situation where we can't get too close. One wrong move and we're all dead.

[With the children here, it's not a risk she's willing to take. No matter how fascinated and curious she is.]

[gotyourselfapilot]

[ He knew that Clara was right when he read her message. That had gone through his head but he was being reckless anyway. Poe presses his lips together while he types quietly back. ]

I only wanted to inch forward a bit more. I know that it's risky because of that thought alone. But, you're right, another adventure another time.

[ There's a bit of sadness with that last line. Poe truly hadn't been on adventure. He wanted to get closer but knew that it wouldn't be possible this time. After a bit of staying there he stands up slowly and silently as he could while looking at Clara. ]

I really need quadnocs or something similar that would be found here on this planet.

[bossily]

[She gives Poe a sympathetic little smile, understanding his desire to get in closer. She wants to too. But as she turns her head to glance over at Eddie who's nearby to make sure he's safe, she remembers that she has to protect him. Him, and all the other children.]

What're quadnocs? I've never heard of them before.

[Maybe talking will keep them both distracted enough that they don't try venturing out further.]

day 5

[deadboywalking]

[Will's been quiet.

Quieter than usual. Quieter than they're expected to be. For a kid his age, he's almost unnoticeable, especially since seeing the monsters. Somehow it made it all more...

...real.

Still, he notices when someone else has that same eerie, unnatural stillness. He doesn't really know any of the adults except for Frank and Majima, but he inches a little closer, chin in his hands, watching Clara carefully. Eddie seems to like her, and that's enough of an endorsement for Will.

So have a little message:] are you okay?

[bossily]

[Clara's noticed Will during the trip. He hangs around Eddie, and since she also tends to spend a lot of time with Eddie, it's only natural that they eventually speak. She notices Will observing her before she ever gets his message, but she doesn't look his way with a smile until after she sees what he says.]

Me? Oh, I'll be fine. I've just got things on my mind is all. What about you, hm?

[She worries about all the children here. Particularly the ones who seem like they may not be any better suited for camping than she is.]

[deadboywalking]

[Will shrugs a little bit, like that'll do anything to hide how visibly weary he is. He'd managed to keep up, barely, but it had clearly been a struggle.]

okay. kinda tired. there's a lot of walking.

[bossily]

Hey,

[Clara signs the word, giving the boy a light nudge. She can tell that he's tired. She, Will, and Eddie make quite a trio when it comes to all this. Which makes what she wants to give him important, she wagers. ]

It was your birthday yesterday, last I remember.

[She reaches into her messenger bag to dig around, and produces a little burlap wrapped gift. Thanks to Mike sending out a message, she had known to grab something to bring along. All children deserve a decent birthday. Even when they're stuck in a place like this.

Inside the wrapping are two things. one is a worn down wooden toy rabbit puzzle that she had found. The other is a glass prism. They're simple and probably a little childish, but finding gifts for a boy you don't know well is a challenge in this place.]

day 6

[oorah]

[ frank shoves the guitar into micro's hands when clara starts trying to drag him to his feet. there's no music to dance to without him since david never bothered to learn, but maybe that doesn't matter with the rain beating a steady pattern all around them. it reminds him of maria and his heart catches in his throat, watching her move without a care. he dances with her after a moment's hesitation, surprisingly light on his feet. ]

[bossily]

[Clara's pleased when he eventually gives in and decides to dance with her. It's meant to be fun, a distraction from the tension and the exhaustion that's settled in over all of them. There isn't any music that he's playing, but she still hums a song that they can dance to. Her laughter accompanies her attempts to hum, and she feels weightless for the first time since arriving here.]

[oorah]

[ her laugh is contagious and he smiles along, trying to call upon the memory of a man he knows is long dead. this place had a way of making him remember anyway, calling on being a soldier and being a father both in equal measure it seemed. he takes hold of her hand and spins her around once, laughing softly under his breath while he tries to place the song she's humming. ]

[bossily]

[She hasn't known him all that long. But it's still good to see him smiling and laughing. Something tells her that he doesn't do that often. So she keeps humming Blackbird, up until her throat gets sore and she has to stop. She guides him into spinning her another couple of times after that, because spinning is fun.]

Where did you learn to dance?

[He's managed to impress her.]

day 5

[gaits]

[ david's not really fond of whiskey either; being married to sarah has changed his preferences these days to rose more than anything else. but beggars can't be choosers, especially here, where resources are limited and reims seems to have more than enough whiskey to satisfy frank and jessica. but that's neither here nor there.

it's too stuffy in the tent and david's been drinking outside despite the chill, wrapped up in a hoodie and a jacket while nursing his own bottle. there's a book laid face down on his thigh (catcher in the rye) that he'd been trying to read but couldn't get very far, and when he stands up to stretch, he thinks he's probably the last one still awake. but it's only when he moves to put out the fire that he notices clara, remembering her from arrival day and more recently, seeing her hanging around his and frank's shared tent. he glances at said tent then back at her, debating on whether he should try waking frank for this, but in the end he goes over himself.

he waves at her when he approaches, a smile on his face despite his exhaustion. he points at the spot next to her, tilting his head a little as if to ask is this seat taken? ]

[bossily]

[Of course she's seen him around. On her first day here, and all around on the trips. She's spoken to him very idly here and there, but this is really the first time they've ever been alone and left to their own devices. The warmth of the whiskey is keeping her calm, despite the questions and anxiety she has on the inside. Sleep isn't really a thing that's going to happen soon, and she wonders if he's awake because of what they've just seen or because he feels bad leaving her outside all alone.

Either way, she gives him a slight smile and gestures for him to sit down. Her device is sitting on her lap, but she doesn't make a move to use it yet. Instead, she tries using some of the sign language she's been learning.]

No sleep?

[She means can't sleep, but doesn't really have any idea she's messed up the words.]

[gaits]

[ he's never been very good in social interactions; being married and having kids made him a little better at it, but going into hiding for a year sort of nixed most of his progress. it's just as worse in reims, but with the amount of children him and frank have taken in, he's forced himself to get over it enough to at least fake it enough. texting and signing have always suited him better anyway, so he tries to relax a little more as he hunkers down next to clara.

it's a little bit of both, admittedly. david always has a habit of caring too much even if he's always been awkward around people, but again, the kids here have made him try to reach out more and clara seems nice anyway. though she may have messed up the words, david gets it, shrugging a little. ]

Not tired. [ more like he can't even fall asleep even if he wanted to. ] You?

[bossily]

[She gets that, and gives a little shake of her head. Sleep is something that she needs, but she doesn't really know if she can stomach laying down and trying it. Not now.

Her hands idly fidget as she tries to think of what to sign back, but without knowing enough of the language she reluctantly opts for the device instead. She really hates texting, it makes her feel young and like one of her students back home.]

I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep. Not after seeing those things.

[Are they what's keeping him up? Or is it her fault he's out here instead of passing out? She glances back toward the tent he shares with Frank before smiling in amusement and sending on another message.]

Does Frank not need you tonight?

4

[historyrabbit]

[Lavi gives a silent huff, more so the "look" of the action than the actual noise, before wringing his wrist free. The light annoyance at being stopped is—for the moment—halting any of his usual issues about being touched without seeing the contact coming. Hand free, he starts to sign:]

I wasn't going closer. I was going to sit away from the others. I can't stand the atmosphere anymore. [The building fear, the paranoia about making noise. A guy had limits. But he still wanted to watch.]

[bossily]

[She's thankful she has her device pulled out, otherwise she wouldn't be able to pick up on that. She's still new enough that she's learning how to sign, so conversations are difficult.]

We could turn back and walk away. You don't have to stay here.

[There's a nod of her head toward her shoulder, gesturing that he should follow her in the other direction. She's seen enough, she doesn't mind leaving.]

[historyrabbit]

[It helps because most of his signing is still a combination of the language they use here and his old BSL.

Lavi shakes his head.] I've lived with monsters like this before. Even if we can't fight, I'd rather know everything I can from observing them. I'm not leaving.

[He's actually even faced monsters from her world. And found he doesn't like angels anymore.]

I am so sorry this took so long plz forgive me

[bossily]

[Clara watches him and as much as she wants to argue, she understands. She's curious about the sound eaters and wants to observe them, particularly closer. She really can't fault him for trying. So she nods a little and gives a little motion of her hand. They can move a little closer and watch together.]

You've seen monsters like these before?