Machine Fur Project IC

[Lavender_Stripes]

"It's our only option for shelter against the cold. We have cold-bloods, we can't survive in the elements. If it makes you feel better I can go and scope the place out when we get closer. Ask questions, get a feel for life there. But I wouldn't advise staying too long." She cast a glance back toward the facility, shivering rather harshly. "But, in any case, we must keep moving."


The girl hopped to the ground and started to lead the way back, occasionally clamoring up a tree to get a feel of their direction and placement. She would smile back at Five, One, Four and Nine, trying to reassure them the best she could. She popped two more pills, bringing her gift down once again. She could still hear, but if she focused she could hone in on specific thoughts.

[AJ Fawxe]

Alex kept pace with them and just acted as rear guard using his tele optics to keep track of the facility till even to him it was just a smudge a midst the trees causing him to heave a sigh of relief. Seeing them stop up ahead he took the chance to slow and walk up to them. Working past them he caught some words that meant nothing to him. "Town, what? What are you talking abo-" the fynx cut off mid-word and just stared. In the distance there were rows upon rows of red buildings. They looked nothing like the walls of the facility and that made them more appealing.


The fynx's ears twitched madly and he himself kept making little twitch like movements as if he kept trying to move but stopped. As the others pressed on the hybrid suddenly bolted past them, running headlong towards the town for a few minutes before he stopped and leaned on a tree.


'You don't even know what a town is, you moron, and you're running right at it. It's a miracle you haven't lost that stew.'

Ears twitching again he looked down and indeed not a drop had been spilled, the fynx looked back and realised he'd gotten a bit ahead and simply set the stew down and then groaned. "God I didn't know how sore I was from carrying it till I put it down.." Sitting back against the nearest tree he let his whole body rest. His hunger to see this town thing and their odd shelters was playing into his natural hunger for data.

[Suzumibachii]

One kept running as best as she could even as sparks dances across her features. Stopping and turning back before feeling the faint tremor followed by a distant rumble, almost instantly she jumped up into a tree and glanced back at the facility, her eyes went wide as she felt the heat and could see the faint light and smoke of a raging fire. Jumping back down she dropped down onto her knees her mind going blank for a second. "My home..." she whispered out softly before picking herself up the sparks instantly going away as she pushed forward. Looking at Thirteen as she knew the cat was trying to reassure them. "We dont have a choice anymore.There is nothing to go back to." she said rather coldly glancing back in the direction of the facility.

[Fitzwilliam Jinglesworth]

Four nodded to One in agreement. "Yeah...like it or not, this is the only thing we have. We can just hope it'll work out..."

He adjusted Two on his back, trying to balance the load before continuing. "We should probably keep moving. We want to get these guys some place safe. They can't defend themselves in case we get caught in the elements. Or worse."

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen pressed on, her numb paws crunching through the snow. She felt as if she would collapse by now. Her chest heaved for air, looking for a single breath that wouldn't burn her insides with the sheer cold to no avail. The girl's tail pressed to her body, and she felt exhausted. Still, for the good of the others, she kept walking. She kept going, despite her brain screaming at her to stop. Her own thoughts, not anyone else's, shouted and pleaded with her body to stop walking. To simply sink into the snow and stay there. But she didn't.


She just kept going.

[Suzumibachii]

One noticed that Thirteen faltered slightly. Moving forwards towards the cat as fast as she could. "Thirteen...are you ok? Cold?" she said softly while taking her coat off, her scales shimmering slightly as they were exposed to the cold air. "Take this...please." Tiny sparks dancing over her skin once more. "I can keep warm like this for a while so just please take the coat and keep warm, okay?"

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen huffed against the cold, looking up at One. She shook her head, determined to press on. "I-I'm f-f-f-fine...honest. You n-n-need it more. I c-can make it out to the t-t-t-town..." She lied through her teeth to keep One okay. To keep everyone okay. The strain on her from the elements wore down her medication quicker than she would have liked, and as the group drew nearer, she could hear the faint thoughts from the people living there grow louder and louder in her head. She shook it about, trying to ignore everything and just press forward. That's all that mattered.

[Fitzwilliam Jinglesworth]

Four kept moving forward, following the procession closely. He could see how Thirteen was straining herself and breathing heavily and picked up on the stutter in her voice.

"Do you think we should stop at some place with supplies..?"

[shkkf]

Three was still being carried by Five, a bit to his dismay as he noticed what was occuring before him and he grunted slightly at the others their reaction. "Do you honestly think that wise?... Look at us! We are in tattered clothing. A whole group of us. We look like escaped convicts if you ask me." As the feline shook his head trying to shake his tail to no avail, before his eyes tried to pinpoint Two. "We need decent clothing and some food. And we got no money no nothing... How do you guys think we can get supplies?!"

[Fitzwilliam Jinglesworth]

Four looked back over his shoulder at Three. "Exactly! We just...there has to be like, stores or something around here, right? That should be our first stop. We can't continue on such little. If we find a place that's empty, we can try sneaking in...god, what am I talking about any more..."

[Lavender_Stripes]

Look, there it was. She made it. They made it. Her aching paws rejoiced, and she allowed herself her reward. She slumped forward, collapsing into the snow. Her heaving breath barely shone against the white blanket upon the ground, her expression every kind of relieved. Her eyes grew heavy. She just needed to rest. Here. Yes, here, it's alright. No more walking. It's okay.

[Isoke]

 As the group finally emerged from the tree line, they were able to see the light bustle of the townsfolk carrying about their business.  Sunlight was now able to shine directly upon them, though its radiant warmth ultimately did little to combat the chill in the air and the single two-lane road separating them from being in the town proper might as well have been a moat for those who were pressing the limitations of their endurance against the cold.
 
It was to women hares who noticed the half-frozen group as they exited a building together.  Immediately their eyes went wide with concern and they hurried their way across the road.  “You poor dears are nearly frozen to death.  Come, come; we need to get something warm around you and inside you.”  The pair did what they could to put a little more life into the sluggish steps of the group as they led them back into the building which they had just recently left.  The building itself turned out to be a community center that had just finished their weekly Sunday lunch and though only a fraction of the volunteers remained, the building was still unusually warm from all the bodies that had occupied it until only recently.
 
The remaining workers set about reheating a pot of soup and shredded chicken sandwiches as the two women that found them retrieved blankets from one of the store rooms draping them over shoulders, ignoring protests with unyielding insistence.
 
“Oh no, this one is out cold.  Maeve, could you please give Doc Hammons a ring and tell him to come quick to check some hypothermic wayward joggers?”
 
One of the younger volunteers in the back replied with an affirmative before the woman returned her attention to the group.  “Is your friend okay?”  She said, referring to Two as she put an extra blanket over him.  “How long has he been out?”
 
Meanwhile the other woman hare came out with a tray of coffee mugs containing an unknown and unfamiliar semi-hot brown liquid that had white things floating on its surface.  Each of them was given a cup of hot cocoa and told that the food would be ready shortly, apologizing that the best they could offer under short notice were leftovers.  Once they saw that their guests were taken care of, one the woman began introductions pointing out her and her hare companion and Bonbori and Suzumi, the young human girl in the back as Maeve, and her parents Michael and Janet.
 
“I don’t think we’ve ever seen any of you before and in a town this size, it is safe to say that you don’t live in these parts.  I don’t mean to pry into your affairs, but it isn’t often we get visitors this time of year and it is normally the summer that we need to be concerned about joggers getting lost in the woods.”

[Suzumibachii]

One gasped before dropping down on one knee, forcing herself back up her mind flooded with determination to keep going strong for the rest of the group. She was staving off the cold but the cost was starting to show as she gasped and cringe in pain. Seeing the trees end she looked at the road and the houses, even though it wasn't a  large road she knew in their physical condition crossing even that distance was a heavy undertaking.

Seeing the hares approach One instantly turned slightly defensive but she was too drained and couldn't even muster the strength to case a light spark to jump between her fingertips, besides it would not be wise to refuse help at this point she thought. Helping the hares carry the others as much as she could. Once inside of the building she just leaned against a wall before collapsing, sliding down in and bringing her knees up to her chest and sitting holding herself like that. Slowly warming up she kept looking around.

"He...He will be fine, the effect should ware off soon enough. He is tougher than he looks, but hes been out for a while now.... 10 maybe 30 minutes. I lost track of time." One replied from her position, looking down at the strange liquid placed next to her she rather cautiously reached for it before feeling the warmth of it wash over her hands. Her eyes followed each of the people as they were introduced. "I..its a pleasure to meet you." she forced herself to say not really sure how to interact,and clearly not even stating her name since she didn't have one. Saying anything about what they were would just cause problems she thought to herself.. "You could say that we aren't from around here." She replied trying to no cause a scene. She tried her best to grip the cup but the method she was using to keep her cold blooded body warm finally caught up to her as her muscles twitched and spasmed painfully in protest. Setting the  cup next to her before even able to take a sip she cringed in pain as the muscular cramps and twitching continued.

[Lavender_Stripes]

Thirteen felt her cheeks flush as the warmth met her, her already brittle legs turning to jelly as she sat, curled in a blanket. She remained quiet, feeling as if her jaw had frozen itself shut. She could hear their thoughts ringing in her head; they were all she had to focus on when she found she couldn't reply. She managed to smile, absolutely falling in love with the kindness shown by everyone here. It was when she attempted to focus on specifics that she became afraid. They had no names, no pasts. What do they say?

Her mind raced with thoughts of her own, as well as those of everyone else. She hesitated to take two more pills. Partly for fear of overdose, partly in trying to avoid a confrontation. She looked at her family, or what she considered to be family. She worried for Two, One, Three; everyone was in her writhing thoughts. Her jaw clamped tighter as she kept quiet, her bloodshot eyes dancing about the room.

[Fitzwilliam Jinglesworth]

Four looked down at the table at which he sat, confused at first. He hadn't expected to be this well-cared-for outside of the Administration, having accepted that living with them was the only way he could possibly survive. But this...this was different. If places and people like this really did exist in the outside world, maybe he - they - had a chance after all. He began to smile a little at the corners of his mouth, letting out a deep sigh of relief. He hugged the blanket around his shoulders closer to him, taking in its warmth. As the cup of strange liquid was placed in front of him, Four prodded at it at first. He was unsure of drinking anything he was unfamiliar with, especially when it had smoke rising from it, but when he looked around he saw the other subjects drinking it happily - and these didn't seem like the kind of people who would poison him, either. He took a drink himself. The heat startled him at first, but when he felt it trickle down his throat and warm his insides, it began to grow on him. He turned to the next seat over, ready to praise the drink, only to see that One was spasming in her seat.

"One! Are you okay..?"