thisavrou_log | ( open )

( a local chef asks ana to go to the jungle and take care of a monster who has destroyed a bridge that leads to the best place to find truffles )

( ana could have gone alone, it seemed like a simple request, but she knew better than to assume such a thing really was true. having back up could never hurt, and she knew that bringing jack along would only benefit the both of them. she'd have good eyes and skill, and he'd be less bored. they'd made a stop by the bridge, trying to see if they could find some information about the monster before heading into the forest )

It seems like a strange place to attack.

[Jack isn't terribly interested in running errands for people, and has so far managed to say no to the strange requests offered to him, but he can't say he's surprised that he's along for the ride anyway. Ana doesn't even need to ask for his help--as soon as she mentions that she's taken on a task, it's a given that he'll be coming with her. They're perfectly capable of handling something like this alone, but they both know they do their best as a team.

So here he is, brand new sword at his hip, gazing down the long stretch of ruined bridge, trying to figure out an alternate route.]

Not really. If it doesn't want anyone crossing the bridge, just get rid of the bridge.

[Maybe it just wanted to keep the villagers out of the truffles.]

If it has enough mind to think that.

( she hadn't been able to get much detail from the man about what exactly this monster was, which didn't best please her, but it only meant that they'd tread more carefully )

Either it wants the truffles, doesn't like bridges, or there's more than we know.

( or all of the above )

All of the above, maybe.

[Jack is quick to voice what she leaves unsaid. He wants to believe that the correct explanation is the simplest one--that perhaps this monster hated being bothered by villagers combing through its territory for truffles, so it destroyed the obvious access point. Part of him wonders if they shouldn't just leave well enough alone, but Ana's already gone and agreed to carry out the favor.

This is her mission. He's just along for the ride.]

Lead the way.

( there's a nod as jack echoes her thought, standing from where she'd been examining the damage. they'd find something soon, though whether it was what they wanted--

she leads them on, routing their steps carefully through the forest. with the bridge destroyed they need to find an alternate path around )

It's concerning that they knew little about what could have caused this, or at least they offered little.

Edited 2018-01-22 19:23 (UTC)

[It's going to be the long way around, but Jack doesn't mind. Better to take this slowly and safely than rush right across the river, even if that's usually his plan of action. Having Ana around tempers him, encourages him to be a little more careful. They follow the river for a mile or so, until the banks slope a little more gently, and it looks like they could feasibly cross.]

There.

[He points it out, an area of the river that's shallower--stones close enough that they might be able to cross them.]

Want to give it a shot?

( his answer comes in ana making her way towards the stones, carefully testing one with her foot before putting her weight more steadily on it. so far so good )

They seem solid enough.

( they're slippery from the water but they both know how to cross a river, and it's shallow enough in case they do slip. even so she's taking slow, careful steps on, checking out where her foot is going before placing the full weight down )

[There's no rush--they're not being pursued, and he can't sense any immediate danger. There also doesn't seem to be any time limit on the errand, so he's content to take a little time being careful as they make their way across the river. Jack is fairly certain he could clear it in just a few steps with the help of his enhancements, but Ana doesn't exactly have those to fall back on.

He keeps his arm out for her in case she needs it for balance, taking things one stepping stone at a time.]

Makes you wonder why no one from town has tried this.

[Since it's clear now that the bridge isn't the only way to cross the river. Perhaps it simply never occurred to them?]

Perhaps there's something in the river we don't know.

( which, considering how little they know, wouldn't be too surprising. she doubted that the monster lived here, just as a guess, but there was something to keep the townsfolk away.

or they just hadn't considered it )

Seems like we're getting across it just fine.

[No, Jack has a simpler explanation, even if it doesn't really bode well for them.]

The people in town seem a little, uh. Basic. [If trying to hold a conversation with them had been any indication.] I'm not sure critical thinking is their strong suit.

Perhaps not.

( she's looking back towards the bridge, then again at the ground )

There's tracks nearer the bridge.

Yeah, I see them.

[He follows her gaze, and they're easy enough to spot. Gives them a better idea of what they're working with, not that it's very comforting.]

Looks big.

We've handled bigger.

( though depending on what exactly they found at the end of the tracks, and how many there were, would determine whether or not ana wanted to rethink that statement )

We should keep moving before it gets dark. We don't know how long we'll have to go.

Yeah, but we aren't twenty anymore.

[Pessimistic, maybe, but considering this is a world beyond the scope of their knowledge, Jack knows they have to prepare for anything. Going in cocky just because the villagers are morons isn't going to do anyone any good.

What he can agree with is the assessment that they should do this before night falls, and Jack nods in agreement. Soon enough, he's helped them both across the river and up the bank on the other side, continuing deeper into the woods.]

Maybe we should try to lure it out.

( she'll accept the comment. if they were still at home, even being older, ana would consider their chances more favourable -- they knew the locale and the people, could predict the attacks. on this world they knew little, and the people were hardly helpful. they could afford to be more cautious )

I agree.

( it would give them the advantage, causing the creature to fall into their trap rather than the reverse )

We should find somewhere with minimal entry points.

( she didn't need to tell him. they'd been doing this long enough )

With any luck it's backed itself into a wall.

[It's some kind of creature or monster, right? If it's holed up in a cave, it's done half their job for them. All they'll have to do is hold things down from the front--Jack isn't really in the mood for a chase, given the nature of this mission.]

I don't suppose you have any heftier firepower.

[Because he is. Walking into this with a sword.]

( she's thinking on his comment, hand slipping beneath her coat to offer her pistol. it's all that she has, other than her rifle, but it's certainly more than the sword that he's brought. why he has a sword... )

Into the forest, then. We can start with the caves.

[Because it's period-accurate, that's why! Still, he's not one to pass up a gun if he thinks he might need it. Depending on what kind of creature this is, leaving his pulse rifle behind might turn out to be a bad idea, but it's a little too late for it now. He's good at improvising.]

You hang on to it.

[She's a much better shot than him, even with one eye. Better that she's in charge of their limited ammo.]

See any more tracks?

[He's looking himself, with the hopes of narrowing their search.]

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