Just a Small Bite

[Key]

Just a Small Bite
By Key and Spedlord

Capitol Park and the fairly obvious Trod that starts there is only a few scant blocks away from the in process clean up that was the Four Seasons Hotel, the original center of the entire Freehold that now lies more or less forgotten by the fickle changelings of Sacramento among piles of hard-working government-paid workmen.

Here in the Park things are much quieter than they had been when the dragon attacked at the beginning of the season; it was so near and so far, at least the resilience of Changelings allowed the horror and fear of such a time be able to slide past them when they could.

But now, for one reason or another, changelings were filtering into the park, meeting at the central point the archway that any changeling who had been in Sacramento for long knew was an opening to the Hedge. Some came for the adventure, some came for the bounty of the Hedge, others still came to reestablish what was real in their eyes...and perhaps to fulfill that small barely perceptible desire to return to the way things were when they were taken by the Others.

It is early morning, the sun has not yet crossed the horizon, though the light of colored sky is starting to grow at the presence of the star. The grass is sprinkled with shining dew, and although it is still summer there is a chill of the oncoming autumn and beyond that even the quickly following Winter.

When you arrive, please note that this MUST be early morning, you will likely have some sort of backpack with supplies in it; despite the fact that I do not like pulling this sort of thing but I need to know EVERYTHING that you are bringing into the hedge. Got a knife, I need to know. Got a length of rope, I need to know, Got an umbrella, I need to know. Okay?

Good. Put it in a Spoiler tag, Remember that Weapons need to be on your character sheet too, you may call for the resources buy before you post in this thread, if you need to.

REMEMBER WHAT YOUR RESOURCES ARE, AND WHEN YOU MAKE RESOURCE BUYS REMEMBER TO INCLUDE THE RESOURCE COST!

@Cl4re @TheMalkCat @moreau @Origins @Princess @Yumyumcrow

[Malcolm Green]

Green lumbered through the park with plodding, measured steps. He was on his way, slowly, to the trod and nothing was going to stop him. Privately, the mountain was relishing the relative cool of the morning, taking a kind of strength from it, knowing that that the year had turned and was now on its inevitable path to Winter.

Ready for the Hedge, the mountain wore a much patched greatcoat, over stout shirt, jeans and work boots, and a backpack. The pack contained a thermos of coffee, a packed lunch, and some oversized gloves purloined from work. There was also a small ax that had stretched his finances - it was more effective than a knife given his great, meaty hands. He doubted he'd be using it as a weapon though: but something sharp for cutting through Thorns could always come in handy.

Equipment

Great Coat, 0/1

BACKPACK: Thermos, packed lunch, small ax (1 resource) and gloves

[Morgan Bellanar]

Morgan was nervous. Not anything new really but this case it was a little justified. She was heading towards the Capitol Park trod but ws unsure if she was going in or not. She was perpared, or at least more so than last time she went amongst the Thorns, but not eager. Her clothes of choice were close fitting sweat pants and hoodie, a pair of track shoes, her repaired riding jacket, and a modest sized backpack. Her new purchase resting in the backpack were a small comfort. Put simply, she was a little scared. And she felt justified in her fear but was smart enough to know she couldn't simply avoid the Hedge forever. She was a Changeling and as such was forever connected to that fae realm. She'd have to revisit it eventually.

Of course, there were other trods aside from Capitol Park, some even closer to home for her. Morgan had a different reason for choosing this one than convenience, Please let others be here. Others 'lings would be very good good. Safety in numbes, very much so, yup yes. Never go in alone, nononono. She may have to venture amongst the thorns again, but that did not mean she wanted to do so alone. If enough folks showed up looking to trek amongst the thorns she'd go. So she'd bought a breakfast and sat down beside the sitting statue, hoping some 'lings would show up. She'd finished it, trashed it, and resumed sitting with the statue before anyone showed up.

Even with the statue's obstructing her view, Morgan easily spotted the mountainous elemental making his way towards the trod. Malcolm was a little too big to not be noticed. The large changeling's presence was a relief, he certainly looked capable of fending for himself so things were looking up. The Beast rose up from behind the statue and waved greetings to Green, "Um, heh-heh, how ya doin? M-Malcolm, right? From the club we met at some events before now I think. Nice day today, yup-yes. Um, good for a group outing?"

Equipment

Small back pack: first aid kit , 2 throwing knives, flashlight, powerbars, bag of homemade trailmix, water bottle x2, lighter, a roll of duct tape, a small bungie cord, an empty tuperware. She also has a pair of work gloves (one slightly burned) along with her riding jacket. Said jacket is discolored on the back from where it was repaired.

[RebornSeas]

Supplies

Back Pack holds: One Basic Survival Kit, Change of Clothes, sunscreen, three empty containers

Nevada trudged into the park, weighed down by her pack and wearing one of her over-sized hoodies, jeans, and hiking boots. She didn't bother with her Mask - they were heading into the Hedge regardless. She was hoping to get some Hedge fruit, maybe to make some healing compotes. Well, there was other uses for hedgefruit, but that one was her priority.

She wasn't quite sure where to go, but luckily she recognized Green's giant form. She headed over to the Arch and nodded to him. "H-hello Green. how are you today?" She quickly found a nice Shadey spot to sit.

[TheMalkCat]

Thao arrived at Capitol Park in a faint buzz, caffeine and glamour filling his veins. He stepped along at a brisk pace, rubbing the sleep away from his blue and brown stained eyes. It had been a long day at work last night and the Wizened dreaded when the artificially induced bounce in his step from the cup of Starbucks would fade into weariness. It would be a fine thing indeed to be caught mauled and mangled in the jaws of some foul Hedge-beast after nodding off in a stupor among the Hedge's treacherous brambles. How apt, to be led into the Hedge by a string of disjointed and vaguely threatening dreams of running through the Thorns only to meet an end in the embrace of slumber.

A morbid and curious thought flitted through the Chirurgeon's head. Iffen Ah got eaten by a Hedge-Thing while Ah was asleep in th' Hedge, would Ah wake up? Or dream Ah'd gotten eaten as Ah was gettin' eaten? Thao mulled over his possible mortality with a sense of detachment. It really was too early in the morning to fully grasp his foolishness in not putting off the patient case papers the night before so he could be fully rested for this morning. He finished off the granola bar in hand and wiped the crumbs off of his dark green longsleeves.

After doing a cursory bit of online reading regarding wilderness survival, Thao decided to dress lightweight, forgoing protection for mobility. A cotton dark-green longsleeve and dirt colored slacks were the closest thing he could find in his limited wardrobe to camouflage. His pale yellow flesh would stick out like the proverbial sore thumb in the Hedge and would probably be gnawed to the bone just as fast. A hefty backpack over his shoulder jostled with supplies.

Inside was a medical kit full of equipment scrounged up from the supply closets of Sutter Memorial Hospital and an on sale survival kit packed his shoulder as he strode towards the Trod. Bandages, sutures, pain-killers, smelling salts, antibacterial cream, and a scalpel. Basic stuff really. He had planned on bringing more, but a certain nurse had taken note of his hoarding tendencies and begun refusing the doctor his supplies out of some ambiguous and ill-defined slight that Thao had done her. Something about a child and mother and his ineptitude in dealing with both parties.

There was also an on-sale survival kit somewhere in there, containing a sleeping bag, a flashlight, a glowstick, a matchbox with about 50 or so matches, and three MREs. Enough calories for about a day. He had taken out the water filled canteen in the kit and secured it tightly to his backpack's side for easy access. A notebook and some empty tupperware also filled up his bag; Thao was ready to document his observations and take specimens of any thing that he could fit into a small plastic container. Preferably something that wouldn't try to kill him.

At the Chirurgeon's waist was a holstered Bowie knife. In accordance to Sacramento city law, Thao had neither concealed it nor intended to loiter with it on his person. He felt somewhat safer with the giant of a knife at his waist. Nothing gave him a more soothing sense of reassurance than to have a well-crafted tool within reach in times of need. He had spent a few nights giving the knife a few practice swings, to get a feel for its weight. It had been a while since he had practiced using a knife as a weapon. Thao had been getting a work-out each night as he struggled to relearn how to cut and stab. But with time, he got back into the groove, the knife feeling natural in his hands. This was not entirely a good thing.

By the enterance of the Trod saw a group of figures. Once again, he determined at a glance that they were Changelings by the mighty mountain of a man towering over the rest, the same Lost he had encountered at Marginalia Books. Thao approached the gathered Changelings with a nod of his head. "Mornin'." He felt a smile come on when he saw Morgan; he seemed to be bumping into the Beast more often over the last few weeks.

"G-good t' see you again, Morgan. Might say Ah'm a b-b-bit surprised." He didn't say that a Hedge Gate was the last place he expected her to be after her brush with death at the hands of some eerie chimera. Thao looked to the other Lost assembled. Jack, the shiny liquor-dripping man from Edna's, was here in a long leather jacket that drew a hint of jealousy from the Wizened. The mountain man was familiar but Thao never got his name. Lastly, the odd pale woman in a hoodie, jeans, and hiking boots drew his attention. He pointed to the Capitol Park gate and his words came out half lost in his mumble. "Ah t-take it we're all headin' t' th' same p-p-place, right?"

Equipment

1 Bowie Knife in waist velcro holster, Backpack which holds: One Basic Survival Kit, One Medical First Aid Kit, One spiral notebook, and three small tupperware plastic containers

[Malcolm Green]

"Hey!" The taciturn Elemental replied with a wave that took in everyone and no one. "Yeah. Sure. Taking a wander... and stuff. Good to see you, uh, Morgan?" His mighty head inclined back and forth - the gesture had meaning somewhere. To Nevada he simply grunted, as one would grunt to a trusted colleague. "Uh. Fine. I guess. Nice weather for some... uh... adventure, huh?" At last, he turned to the Darkling, looming over him like a great stone pillar: at first, his eyes were as flinty as he impassive stone countenance. Then he felt the tug of the Wyrd and the faint blurring of the Mirrorskin's form. The eyes softened slightly. "Green," he said at length. "Good to see you."

[Morgan Bellanar]

So many big jackets today. Just get Thao and the hoodie lady some too and we'd be the Coat Party! Nonono, focus. Shaking the thoughts away, Morgan hops down from her perch to approach the gathering group outside the archway. Continuing to lean over a statue to talk would probably have seemed anti-social anyway. That and she recalled the archway was the Trod's gate. She'd never seen what an opening Hedge Gate looks like from the side opposite the entrance, and lacked any desire to do so.

She gives a wave to the other new arrivals all but one of whom is familiar. "Heh-heh, group adventure today? That'd be great. More is better too, heh." Socializing could be a good distraction from her worries about going into the Hedge. The Beast started with who she knew, "Hiya Jack, and y-yup got my name right, heh. Hope things going good at Betony's place for you." She turns to Thao next, her eyes focused on the obvious Rambo knife he had. That raised her eyebrows, but so to did Thao's concern. Which defeated Morgan's attempts to ignore her own fears, "Well can't really-exactly avoid the H--ahem, that place forever. Like you said, just take steps, right? Been doing that, and this kinda the next step. A-a-and it was not like I was gonna go alone. I learn from my mistakes. Never solo without a tank." She looks around at all of them, "Heh-heh, was just waiting around to find a group outing. Hope this is one." Sounded like it was but if not, she'd just wait some more.

There were still others folks she'd not greeted yet. Like Green, whom she addressed next: "Um, heh-heh, thanks Green. Were you and your friend--uh, miss hoodie-lady planning a...group outing? Is more the merrier aplino...applicable?"

[RebornSeas]

Nevada shrunk further back in the folds of her hoodie at nervous girl's nickname. On the other hand, listening to her was interesting. Clearly the poor thing had had a bad experience in the hedge. Well, she might as well correct her and introduce herself to anyone else who didn't know her. "N-Nevada Neige...if you were w-wondering."

[Mary Lee]

Mary strolls through the park, dressed in bright and eccentric fashions with her tote over her shoulder. She was 'exercising' in about as intense a manner as she ever would - she was outside.

Spotting the familiar face of Nevada, she meanders over so long as Nevada doesn't walk any further away - doing stuff was hard.

She even offered a wave as she walked up, her eyes still wandering around the park.