they called us {a n i m a l s} | (TLD Day 2)

Heaven. That was the one word that could describe the comfort that Opal felt. Even after two weeks in the training centre she had not found the bed, or the floor, or even the corridor was comfortable as the moss felt. It was also the smells, of nature, the wilderness and the wild. Her heat was slow, her breathing was easy, a deep and peaceful comfort emitting from her. Her hands were relaxed and not one strayed to the hilt of her sword, instead they lay flat outwards, holding onto the moss. For a moment her eyes remained opened, staring straight ahead, then she closed them, as the sound of the anthem rose into the air. Squeezing them tightly shut she listened, the loud tunes blaring into the peaceful serenity that had wrapped itself around her. And in those few minutes it all shattered, but she refused to look, not wanting to see who was dead or alive, unwilling to see Erik, Motel, Akasha or any of them. She didn’t need to know who had fallen and who death had claimed. All she needed to know was that she was not up there and as long as her face did not appear she was safe for another day.

Xanthus Grimm had become a part of their alliance. Opal said nothing, secretly pleased with the prospect of having another reliable ally, even though her trust was deeply embedded within Locust. Locust said nothing, and she knew from a single glance that Drace was in total agreement. So it happened, Xanthus joined their little band and even though that would make it harder to see them die, she knew it would make the days easier and to her, right at that moment, that was all that mattered. For a brief moment her eyes flickered open, the world turning back to a stunned silence as the loud music was cut off. There was no sound, and Opal could imagine the forest around her holding its breath, exactly how she was. Then all at once the world seemed to return to normal and the hum of insects filled the air. Opal breathed, shutting her eyes once more and letting the world tug her into sleep.

When she woke up, she sprang to her feet, a bright smile plastered on those cheerful lips of hers. Stretching she eyed her allies; they did not look as well rested as she did. That sleep had been amazing, the comfort of the moss around her had done wonders. It had been cushioning and had lulled her into a sense of security. Opal Shore wasn’t scared, in fact, if anything, right at that moment she was positively bouncing to get going. Quickly she looked over at Locust, just to make sure the female from district four was alright, after that she glanced at Drace and then finally she found herself staring at Xanthus. For a moment her smile faltered, as she took in the red dots that had appeared on Xanthus’s skin. Then, after a moment of shock she bent over, laughter rippling through her body. Stumbling forwards she lost her balance, and slipped to the ground, but that didn’t matter because she was still laughing, one hand incidentally pointing at Xanthus and at the red dots that littered his skin. It was rather ironic in her eyes, the boy with the fear of dirt and the one the most clean getting the itches. After a few more moments of laughter she managed to pull herself together. With tears in her eyes she scrambled to her feet and followed Locusts’ lead as they headed out and away from the sleeping place, and deeper into the Arena.

Then the moss disappeared before her. Opal halted, her feet meeting the edge of her little world of comfort. Before her were bare plains and amongst those planes were piles and puddles of black stuff. Her sotmch clenched, and she took a step backwards, unwilling to enter such a world. There was no life here, there were no plants and from a single glance she knew that this stuff was tar, tar extinguished all life. And this was one place she did not want to find her doom. IF she was going to die, it had to be near other life, plants, breathing plants. Not thick, disgusting tar, not the very substance that suffocated and killed. ”No, this place is bad, there is no life here… no plants, no.” She whispered, her voice tight, and weak. Locust seemed far more interested in the perils of this new landscape, and she turned to face a pale Opal, saying delightedly, ”now I understand why your sponsors sent you an empty jar.” All she can manage in response was a numb nod of her head. Breathing shallowly she stepped forward, the sense of security she had gained in the moss forest disappearing with each step, as though some piece od rope was being drawn and cut and within moment it had snapped, and Opal felt as alienated as she had the day her name had been called.

It was then that she heard the inevitable curse from Drace. Slowly, every fibre of her being screaming otherwise, she turned around, eyes widening as she took in the horrifying site of an elephant covered in tar. Faster than she had ever done so before, her sword leapt to her hands, the danger before her pushing that fear from her mind. Smirking slightly she listened, for the briefest of moments the smirk faded as another beast, as tall, and big and as black as the first seemed to appear from the tar before them. Swallowing she stepped forwards, her sword oddly heavy in her hand. Then with a final smirk she leapt forwards, Pyrite swinging in her hand.

[attacks Combustiphant #1 - Dao]
[dice=200+1000]
[Shallow Cut on Right Thigh -- 3.5 damage]

Ripred, Pyrite you suck.

I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals
I'm breaking in, shaping up,
then checking out on the prison bus

Opal Shore had hit the beast this time. She could see its blood; she could see how her blade had left a gaping wound in its leg. It de her feel better, it made her feel good seeing how it bleed. Anything that bleeds can be killed and this beast bleed blood. And then that meant she and her allies could kill it and they could get away and flee and not have to face death. Just yet. Yanking her sword back she stared, momentarily, at the blood that dripped from it. Dark, and ruby red, just like her own blood. But this thing was not human, this thing did not hold the same values and skill and worth as they did. But who was she to judge that? Was she not? Was she not attacking it and killing it and thrusting her sharpened blade into it in the hopes that she could kill it before it killed them? Yes she was. Was this beast not fighting for survival as well? She did not know that, she did not know if it was just some mutt that attacked because it was blood thirsty and that was all it knew. Maybe it had children, maybe it had a family, and maybe she was killing to lovers or a father and son. She didn’t know what they were and who they were.

The beast, however, did not seem to share the same view as her. It looked powerful, big and very threatening and even with its wounds it did not look nearly as tried and dead as it should have. Instead it only seemed to look angrier and scarier. It was much bigger than the second one, and Opal wondered if they had made the right choice in attacking the bigger, more intimidating one first. Shrugging she adjusted her grip on Pyrite, they could hardly change now. The bigger of the two roared and looked angrily at them, large, giant head swinging to face them, before landing on Opal. All Opal could manage was a startled yelp, before it charged at her. She did still have enough wit about her to try and move out of the powerful beast’s way and was, instead left with what was a smaller wound then she had expected. Breathing heavily she stepped backwards, eyes flickering briefly to the small cut before moving back up and at the beast. This time she scowled at it, eyes darkening with anger. No one attacked her and got away with it. All Opal knew was that these things were putting her life in peril, and that these beasts were attacking the people she cared for and the only way to fix that was to attack back. Besides they had attacked her, and so she would attack back. That was just what she did.

[attacks Jafar - Dao]
[dice=200+1000]
[Severed Right Ear -- 8+1, blades, total 9 damage]

I'm waking up to ash and dust
I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust
I'm breathing in the chemicals
I'm breaking in, shaping up,
then checking out on the prison bus