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 Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 1:23 pm
Big Macintosh + RarityHunkered down at a cave near some old battle field. Going to set up some kind of defense, find more food and wait out for rescue... hopefully.... maybe......
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Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 1:33 pm
Rarity had taken her pack, emptied most of the contents inside the cave so that she would have room to store the wood and hopefully any sort of food she came by.
It felt like she had been in the jungle forever, scavenging for anything useful she could find while also trying to stay close to the cave and the occasional grunt or sound from her traveling companion.
As some strange manner of luck would have it, she ran across several ideal piles of sticks and wood that could start a near decent fire. She even stuffed a few dried leaves inside to help kindle it along. The pack could only hold so much however and she was running thin on space. She may need to make a second trip.... Celestia forbid. "Oh my mane is an utter mess.... I'm never going to get it to brush out again.... " she sighed, trudging along lost in thought.
She took a different rout on her way back, finding a tree bearing fruit that not only looked delicious, but smelled delicious. It was a bit of a trek out from their cave, but it wasn't too far. Perhaps they could use this as a semi permanent food solution. At least until help found them or they were rested enough to try to finish the trek back towards the river.
She scooped up a few decent pieces that had fallen to the ground, sifting out the ones with less bruising and leaving the ones that were far beyond salvageable.
Heading back towards the cave... after getting momentarily lost and back tracked the wrong direction... she finally managed to find Big Mac again, setting down her pack stuffed to the brim with wood, sticks and leaves and her arms filled with four half decent fruits. "I found a tree not far from here that bares fruit. They smell ok to eat...." she said and set them down, removing her backpack and setting it down as well, a few smaller twigs falling out. "I'm far too short to reach the good fruit in the trees however and I wasn't about to go climbing and risk splitting a hoof or breaking a nail... but these four that fell off didn't seem to badly ruined...." she paused, taking a moment to inspect her nails.
Ahk! Dirt! This would take ages to get out at this rate.....
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Posted: Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:08 pm
Big Mac hobbled and grunted as he gathered the shields and spears and such. With the spears and staves, he shoved them into the ground at an angle around the door, keeping them spaced an inch or two apart and the pointed or broken tips he left pointing outward. He made a half circle around the entrance in this way, leaving a gap in the middle of the half circle so they could enter and leave at will. And so that anyone who dared to enter their cave would be forced to enter straight in and not from either side of the opening.
By the time Rarity returned, that much had been done. He leaned heavily on the staff he'd been depending on and nodded in her direction, then overturned one of the shields and began dropping the spearheads into it. Stone or metal... or even both, when they clanked together they made a noise that was far different than anything Nature could work up. It would at least give them warning that someone or something was approaching.
For Big Mac, there was always work to be done. No rest until his chores were complete. He felt weak from fatigue, but like how he often did at home, he pushed through it.
"You can show me later..." he offered with a pleased smile at her findings. Then he would be able to reach up or lift her up to reach the higher ones. And then his thoughts were back on his task. Midday was still far away, but at least now they could start up the fire again and get some smoke going.
"Let's get that fire goin'..." he started with another grunt as he snatched up the shield holding the spearheads and headed inside.
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Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 7:55 pm
Rarity nodded, setting the fruit down and gathering up her pack, stuffing the fallen twigs back into it. She brought it over and set it down where he was to start making the fire.
"Don't over due yourself... You are hurt, remember." she said to him, if only out of concern and worry for her friend. She felt it was partly responsible they were stuck out here anyways. "You just tell me how to do it and I'll set up the sticks! It can't be that hard that an ol' highly fashion adept gal like me can't do it!" she beamed, doing her best to remain as positive as her drama lama self could be.
She pulled out some branches, making room enough to turn the pack upside down and slide out the rest of the wood, then picked up two decent sized pieces and glanced at them with a look that suggested she expected them to just burst into flames all on their own.
Or maybe this will be too hard for a highly fashion adept gal like your self Rarity.... she thought.
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Posted: Mon Sep 23, 2013 8:17 pm
Big Mac made it inside, seeming to get rather used to the effort put into getting about with a gimp leg. He plopped his rump heavy down on the ground beside the fire pit and nodded. "Eeehy-Yup..." he answered to her first comment. He knew all too well of his situation. The throbbing in his leg was a constant reminder. By like he had been, he shrugged it off. Work to do....
Rarity's offer seemed to pique his interest a bit, however. It wouldn't hurt showing her how to restart the fire should it go out while he's asleep or something. Not a bad idea at all for a fashion diva! And if he showed her how well enough, her OCD of getting things juuuuust right would help make this all the more useful of an idea.
With a bit of a grunt, he leaned over, grasping his pack barely by the fingertips and dug in for his matches. Once those were in hand, he nodded. "Alright, Miss Rarity..." he started, then grabbed up a few of the sticks that were in reach.
He showed her how to stand up the wood so that it would form a teepee of sorts and then how to put a sizable amount of kindling with some of the smaller sticks beneath it. He then struck a match, and started the kindling, which gave him a small stroke of luck when it proved to be stubborn in doing much else than smoldering slowly. The perfect example of when to gently blow onto them to get the fire really going.
He smiled, tilting his head towards Rarity as the fire started to pick up and swarm the small pile that was there. "Think yeh got it?" he asked, shoving the matches back into his pack and butt-scootin' back a bit before the flames could lick his fur.
He peered up at the ceiling of their cave. The hole there was big enough to allow more smoke to exit than what was currently being sucked out of there. To which he nodded happily to himself.
"We'll need some of the big green leaves to make darker and thicker plumes..." he then added, pointing to the smoke that was drifting upward already. "The darker the smoke, the more likely someone'll come lookin'..."
He leaned back against the wall next to the doorway and gathered up his shield with the spear heads in them.
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 1:00 pm
Studying carefully how he did everything, she nodded her head, peering at the fire as it slowly began to rear up. Probably too close as she suddenly scooted back to avoid bits of her mane being scorched. "I think so..."
She mused, watching the fire, her head slowly trailing up to watch the smoke drift out of the cave. She was equally glad for this, but for her own motives. It smelled absolutely horrid and smokey. The fumes would certainly ruin her sense of smell along with her vanity.s No telling what smoke could do to her mane. She could wake up black instead of brilliant purple for all she knew.
She then screwed up her face as she allowed her self to get lost in thought. "Could make the teepee shape a little less... crooked next time though..." she scrutinized.
Her stomach then rumbled and she was quickly reminded how hungry she was and glanced over to the fruit again, wondering if it was safe to eat one. Certainly it might be a good idea to get them gone before they deteriorate anymore from the fall off the tree.
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Posted: Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:48 pm
He chuckled at her mention of making the teepee shape less crooked and shook his head as he gathered up his bandana and began shredding it into long thin strips.
His stomach grumbled as he worked and he sighed, closing his eyes for just a brief second. "Hand me the fruit yeh found, Miss Rarity." he offered then gestured towards his pack. "You go on an' have the last banana while I test it to be sure it ain't gonna hurt us none." He figured he might as well be the brave soul that tests it between the two of them. He was already injured... and he also had faith that his "ox-like" immune system would counter any side effects better than Rarity's petite figure would...
While he waited for Rarity to bring the fruit into reach, he continued to work on his little project. With the strips, he tied the spear heads to the worn handles of the shield. When they fell, they clanked, making a rather loud but abrupt sound. Perfect for what he had in mind for his finished project.
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 1:39 pm
Nearby the Faun pair's camp is a very large, very tall tree. Dangling from this very tall tree is a rope ladder, covered in moss with a few vines snaked around it. Even though the ladder is potentially hundreds of years old, it is sturdy enough to support the weight of two fauns. Even Big Mac.
The ladder is long and goes up higher than the small trees, so its hard to tell what it leads to from the ground.
What it leads to is a decrepit treehouse. The wood is broken and decayed in spots, the windows are broken, and it appears the jungle has claimed it, as its covered in vegetation and vines. However, flimsy as it may appear, it's sturdy enough the pair won't fall should they choose to explore it.
Further exploration of the tree house would reveal an attached bridge. The bridge led to another treehouse. Looking out over the way, they'd discover a whole network of tree houses connected via rope bridges and ladders. It was an entire abandoned village built in the trees.
In each treehouse, remnants of a family would be scattered about, indicating that the occupants were friendly and peaceful, not like what the battlefield might have indicated.
((Jungle trees are very, very tall; over 100 feet. So should they choose to go explore, they will be very high off the ground. You can make up whatever you want to find in the treehouses.))
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 6:35 pm
Nodding, Rarity got up and brought over one of the fruits she had found before going back to dig out the last remaining banana. Truth be told she was glad he decided to test it, as it were. Her spirits felt tensed since he fell and hurt himself, and while she was in no mood to have him hurt again, she wasn't exactly keen on getting sick in the jungle.
"Say..... what are you making?" she asked curiously, peeling back the banana and eyeing the contraption. She took a bite of the banana, chewing it happily and gulping it down in a rather un lady like fashion in attempts to quickly quench her growing hunger. "It looks rather curious... will it ward off beasties?" she asked, going over to the mouth of the cave and peering out cautiously.
She was finished in no time with the banana and having need to dispose of the peel, tossed it outside quickly once she determined it was safe to poke her head out. But as she did so, something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. At first, thinking it was something coming to get the, she let out a squeak before realizing that it was just something lightly jostled by the faint breeze.
It looked like a strange tangled mix of vines almost like some kind of.... "Ladder!" she exclaimed, following it with her eyes as it went up....and up... and up... and up... and up..... aaaannnnnnd up.
"Big Mac, get a look at this!"
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:03 pm
He nibbled at the fruit as he worked, fashioning together an alarm of sorts. Now he just needed another vine. A long threadlike one that would be invisible to the unknowing eye so he could put a trip-wire of sorts across their door...
He was too engrossed with his project to manage a response to her inquiries of it...
Maybe Rarity carried some thread with her? You know, in case of emergency tailoring?! It was highly possible. He smiled at the thought and began to open his mouth to inquire if she in fact carried string with her on the trip, but his words never met his lips.
.... Ladder? Now what in Eques-- er... Laisidhiel was that mare talking about? Now there was a term he was still getting used to...
With an audible grunt, he stood and stepped into the doorway behind her, peering over her shoulder in the direction in which she was pointing. Sure enough, there was a ladder there. But how come he had missed it before? Perhaps the sun needed to be in the right angle for them to see it?
His brow furrowed and he gently brushed past Rarity to investigate further.
He approached the ladder with some caution, peering up into the canopy as it were to look up... WAY up to where it led. He could make out some sort of structure, but curiosity compelled him to investigate further.
He tugged gently on the ladder, testing it's stability then carefully (but heavily) pulled on it to see if it would support him. Satisfied with the outcome, he looked over to Rarity. "I'ma look to where it goes. There might be somethin' useful up there..." Or someone...
He looked up and readied himself, focusing a bit on his inner strength to help him up on every other step... Celestia knows he needed it, being fatigued a bit already...
"I'll let yeh know if it's safe." he then added before making his way up.
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:14 pm
Having forgot her previous question, she watched with extreme curiosity as he tested the rope and then eventually.. to climb it. She peered at him as he told her to wait here and she placed her hands on her hips as he began his ascent.
"Oh No you wont! Your hurt! And I'm not staying down here by myself..." she whined, watching as he started steadily making his way up. She darted over to the ladder, testing it with a faint squeak, before starting her own climb upwards.
"Your not leaving me behind anymore Big Macintosh, we're in this one together!" she shouted up at the sight of his swaying tail and rear...
... and then blushed and glanced at her own two hands, mumbling something as she trailed after him, also trying not to look at the fleeing ground beneath her.
She gulped.
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:29 pm
He began to open his mouth to protest, but thought better of it. Could he blame her? No. Should he blame her? Definitely not. And he knew telling her otherwise - at this point - was pointless.
He inhaled deeply and put forth his strength into climbing at a decent rate. It proved a tad bit difficult with a leg that was now more so irritating than useless, but he at least made climbing with it seem less effortless than it actually was.
He eventually made it to the top and thanked his lucky stars. His arms were starting to shake in their efforts to try pulling him much further. Sleep would definitely need to come soon. Once at the top, he knelt down - one leg kicked outward to avoid more irritation to his wound - and offered a hand down to Rarity. Once she was up, he stood, leaning on a wall of some sort for support while he gathered some strength back.
They were in a treehouse. A rather... abandoned treehouse. And by the looks of it, it had been many moons since anyone had been there. He frowned a bit. The likeliness of finding anything edible or someone who might know the area better was dwindling. Though, by initial glance they might be able to find something they could use back at the campsite. If anything, he could fashion up a pulley system and lower down a bunch of things for them to use - mainly wood for their fire... There was definitely plenty of that.
With his free hand, he gestured into the treehouse, allowing Rarity to enter first. Manners and all that.... he had them, even when exploring.
"Just mind yer step..." he added before she'd enter. "It doesn't look like anyone's been here a while. There might be some week spots..."
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 7:46 pm
"This... was... a... terrible... i...de...aaahhh!" she burst out in panting gasps as she FINALLY made it to the top after that most irritating climb.
Gladly taking his hand, she hoisted herself off the rope and into the treehouse. Blinking, she attempted to catch her breath though her features looked like that of silent wonder. "Oh..my..."
It looked far different from the tree they were now accustomed to staying in, not to mention long abandoned. But remnants of the beings that lived here still lay littered about the floor.
Carefully placing each hoof down to test the floor, she worked her way over to something covered in dirt, dust and growing vegetation. Once she deemed the floor quite safe, she began to dig out the object, holding in her hand a wooden cup. "Someone once lived here..." she ventured to state the obvious before peering around. A few more wooden bowls were littered in one corner, bits of broken pegs and splinters that looked as if they may have been a small seating area for the house's occupants.
Rarity wandered over to the window and peered down below. She could spot the smoke rising and the small form of their make shift campsite they had set up. She laughed softly. "We must look like ants to anyone up here!" she mused, before turning to look around more.
Another door lay creaking off its hinge and she peered beyond at what looked like a bridge of sorts leading to yet another tree house. "And another, look!" she pointed at the joining tree house and just slightly to the left she could make out other house shapes and even some in branches of other tree's higher yet. "Suppose... its safer than the ground?" she wondered aloud.
Sure whoever lived here was gone now.... but it looked much more welcoming than down below.... "I mean... surly we would hear something combing if it could climb.... right? And maybe those other houses lead somewhere... or at the very least we could spot the river from here..."" she asked, suddenly sounding full of hope. Maybe this was their key to getting rescued and her ticket back home to a nice bath and hooficure!!!
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:11 pm
Big Mac was quiet for a while, looking about the remnants in deep thought. Did the "battle" they found down below have something to do with the inhabitants that once lived in these trees? He hoped not, but it was clear that it was some time ago...
His lax hoof bumped against something as he carefully picked his footing across the room. Green eyes shifted downward to a blanket with a peculiar lump under it. Cautiously, he knelt down and pulled back the blanket. What he found was a saddening sight. Lifting the object up and dusting it off, he sighed. The doll - though now crude in appearance and tattered from age - he held suggested children lived here as well and it tugged on his heart-strings a bit.
He gave the small doll a hug and gently set it down on what looked to be a book shelf of sorts, but if there were any books around, they clearly weren't there anymore. He fashioned the doll into a sit, straightening out its hair and positioning its arms as if its hands would be folded in its lap before leaving it be and walking forward to the other side of the room where another doorway invited them further.
He peered out of the doorway to what looked to be a bridge to another tree harboring a house. Looking beyond that, he noticed several more bridges connecting several other house like structures.
"By the looks of it, several someones..." he spoke finally and gestured to the other trees.
He then went into a deep thought. It was possible for the treetops to be safer than their current hovel... But if someone was to come looking for them, would they know to look to the trees...?
"Mmmmaybe..." he then answered to her mentions. "We're pretty high up. S'pose someone finds our cave, but we're up here. How would they know to look up?" he mused back.
Looking at the bridge before them, he judged it as safe. Many of the growth around them had grown around the bridge and most likely made it more secure than it had been moons ago when it was actually used. But the next treehouse seemed more promising to Big Mac. There were beds in this one! They were covered in dust and age... but if they could shake them out a bit and add some bigger leaves as bedding... There were tables and chairs in this one too. This one looking more like a home and less like a single spot to merely dine in.
His curiosity was now piqued beyond reason. What other things could they find in this place?
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Posted: Thu Sep 26, 2013 8:27 pm
She turned to watch him, gently kicking at bowl with her hoof as he found another doll. She smiled softly as he hugged it then gently posed her on the self, taking care to fix her hair and little arms. "Little Lucy should have a friend...." she smiled, laughing softly before following after him.
Perhaps then that thing you were building? Maybe if we see someone..." she paused, adding silently to herself not threatening... "... you can shake it? Those noise it made would make them look up and see us! Oooh and then we can be rescued and home. I can bathe and brush my mane and my tail. Aloe and Lotus must miss me!" she beamed brightly, seeming to bounce along indeed with renewed spirits.
When she crossed the bridge and spotted the beds, she let out a pleasant coo. "Its filthy, but with a bit of dusting could be right as rain for now at least." she nodded, though she made sure to keep her hands and hooves inside the vehicle at all times close less she get covered in more dirt than was already building on her.
Setting the cup down on a table, she glanced out another window. She could still see the cave from here. She could also more clearly decipher just how many more houses were built along the tree tops. "My, if I'm not Celestias Sister..... which I should be if anyone knew just how fabulous I was..... I'd dare say an entire village lived here! ... Wonder what happened to them?" she added silently as an after thought in her cute baby like wondering voice, head tilted to the side as a finger came up to her lips in contemplation.
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