Ever since he nearly drowned in the hot springs, Grimshaw found little reason to leave the Armada lately. Things were getting serious around there, and quickly others were becoming infected with either mushrooms or crystals growing out of their head, or a massive amount of ooze leaked out. Grimshaw considered himself lucky to have not been infected, but he had spent much of his time lately trying to do what he could for the pack while so many suffered from the pain and blindness the infection brought on. He was careful when he went out, always making sure to avoid hunting animals with the strange pelts or animals eating the strange plants or animals. Grimshaw didn't want to risk any further infection, so he often dressed the kill immediately, to make sure there wasn't any infection present.

He was out on another trip today, eager to hunt something larger within the woods nearby. As the winter was turning over into spring, animals would hopefully begin to return soon. However with the endless nights, infections, and winter still gripping on to the land, it would still be some time. Hunting was difficult these days unless you want to get infected.

Grimshaw had done his best to avoid thinking about Malachai since the incident. It hadn't been hard, with every dream ending in a violent struggle for air underwater. With the lack of sleep and overworking himself to make up for what the others couldn't do, Grimshaw was wearing himself out quickly. If it hadn't been for the incident, he'd likely be fine... but doubled with almost no sleep, he was having a hard time. He hid it well though, but nothing hid the exhaustion in his face as he wandered the woods looking for something safe to hunt.

"Speech."

For how callous the young man was even Malachai could not help but feel worried. He worried for his sister and his pack as many of the members had fallen suddenly ill and though he himself had been spared he had to feel at least a little spooked by what was going on. It all felt a little too heavy for the young man and he felt helpless in the face of such suffering. But he had noticed the proliferation of the new glowing "bugs" that seemed to feast on the flowing flora and somehow he'd gotten it into his mind that if he chased them down he might solve whatever the fuck had gone wrong with the world.

So Malachai left the pack lands, his paws carrying him after the lights that danced through the fog. It was so thick he didn't even smell the other young man whose path he kept crossing until Grimshaw was visible. A brief moment of emotion thrilled through Malachai and he abandoned his initial chase. "You're alright!" He said, his tone so sincere and full of relief as he approached Grimshaw. He'd had been worried that like so much of his family the other young man would have been caught up in the sickness that had taken over the continent.

"Malachai Cain Klein"

Art by Cebochka

Grimshaw wasn't having much luck finding anything to hunt today. He wasn't even finding the infected animals, but it wasn't slowing him down. Perhaps where he was searching just wasn't a good place today. Or perhaps fate had something else in mind. It really did seem to enjoy fucking around with him lately.

When he heard his voice ring out behind him, seemingly excited to see that he was alright, Grimshaw could only cringe briefly before turning around and faking an awkward smile. He was, in fact, not alright. Had he forgotten that he nearly drowned? Sure he wasn't covered in crystals or mushrooms and oozing a weird goo, but -

he.

was.

not.

alright.

Grimshaw swallowed hard before he could speak, and even once he opened his mouth words didn't come out. Not at first, anyway. It took a minute for them to come, and he did his best to sound as normal as he could. He didn't want to answer any questions he didn't want to be asked, although it was all he could think about. Truthfully, he just wanted to run and get out of this situation, but.. he didn't want to run, either. Just the fact that Malachai was acting like nothing happened, like he didn't literally just save his life a few days ago, was confusing enough and not to mention everything else.

"Uh, I guess.. The Armada though, it's bad. How's Ashen?" He couldn't bring himself to look at him, so instead his silver eyes looked literally anywhere else. When he spotted a cluster of crystals near by, he instinctively took a few steps to his side and away from them. He couldn't help but feel like the crystals had something to do with the incident.

"Speech."

Malachai's face dropped into a frown as he heard the words coming from his friend. He wasn't exactly the most empathetic wolf but even he could tell something wasn't quite right. He shook his head when Grimshaw asked about Ashen. "It's a shit show. Guess it's a little comforting to know things are a mess elsewhere too though." He noted the way Grim shied away from a crystal outcropping and Malachai moved without thinking, he placed himself between Grim and the crystal a minor protective instinct rearing its head. "Are you actually alright?" He asked, fixing Grim with his mismatched gaze, before he turned his attention back towards the crystal.

"Is it these things?" He asked, looking over his shoulder as he kicked out at the thing with a hindeleg. He spun around and peered down at them. Why was everyone so damn focused on these things?

"Malachai Cain Klein"

Art by Cebochka

It was reassuring to hear that it wasn't just the Armada with infected wolves, but due to their close proximity, he wouldn't expect anything else. Was Malachai out here for the same reasons as him, doing his due part since he wasn't infected either? Grimshaw was trying to be helpful, but it was hard right now with the wild thoughts going on in his mind.

When Malachai moved between him and the crystals that made him uncomfortable, it didn't go unnoticed. Actually, it was the only time he could actually say he looked up at his face, although it was only for a fleeting moment. The question that followed made him frown and his gaze fell do the ground beneath his paws. When followed up with another question and removing the crystals from which they grew, Grim nodded a bit. It took him a few moments to speak, but he didn't want to leave him unanswered.

"At the hot springs the other day.. the crystal underwater seemed to... I dunno." He stopped, embarrassed. What possibly could the crystal have done? It didn't make any sense, but it also didn't make sense that so many others had crystals and mushrooms growing on them.

"Speech."

With his back turned Malachai couldn't see Grimshaw's reaction, nor his nod but when the other young man confirmed he snorted. Poking at the crystal with a forepaw, curiously. His ears perked when Grimshaw mentioned the other day in the hot springs. "Yeah you seemed to be struggling." He wouldn't mention having to help heave him back up to the surface, if it'd been him Malachai certainly wouldn't have wanted to be reminded of that. "What?" He glanced over his shoulder at the other boy, a brow quirking. "You think it tried to drown you?" His voice wasn't mocking, but rather genuinely curious.

Malachai might have doubted this line of inquiry before things turned themselves upside down and wolves started growing crystals from their bodies, now he was willing to entertain any notion.

"Malachai Cain Klein"

Art by Cebochka

Firefly Shoppe- Grimshaw

The sickness deepens... Your eyes begin to water, but then a glowing blue substance starts to fill your eyes instead. The blue tears streak down your face and blur your vision for several minutes before stopping.

Your attention blurs and refocuses. It feels as if you are in a dream as you find yourself alone in the mist. Fireflies gather and light the way to a table with a figure waiting behind it. On the table lay three items, with their prices beside them. "Choose w̶̢̧͉̥̻̟͈͙̽̉̆̿̈͒͋̓̇̍͌̇̎͠͝ì̵̢̝̄͐́͆̓̚ṣ̶̛͙̟͎̤̞̤͎̹̙̭̪͔̓̐̾̂͆̄͆͌̈̈́̏̚͜͝͠ȩ̴͔̱̗̜̾̉̀̓̀͆͛̊̂̍̕̚̚̚ͅl̵̢̦̲̼̠̖̜̺̮̜̺͋̈́y̴̧̨̧̪̗̥̘͇̾͑͗͜͠, and only choose o̷͕̭̊̃̌̊̏̀ņ̸̼͚͉͔̒͐̊e̵̮̯͛̔̀̑͜," the figure says, looming over the table as his eyes seem to peer into your soul. Are they... moving? "If you can afford it, that is. Beware, however, for there are many d̷̡̯͉̎̊̈́͐͠á̴̬̪̣̝̞̅̀̈́̄ṉ̸̢̠̤̹̥̙̜͋͆̚g̷̛͍̹̣̬̙͖̝̘̃̈e̷͓͕̖͓̝̤̿͐͐͜͠ŗ̵̤͚͔̟̹̳̽̒͝ş̸̛͓͔̩̥̦͛̊̈̾̐̒̓ ̴̺͔̃̇̆ahead." He does not seem like he's in the negotiating mood...


I̵̜̖͎͓͒̑̕n̸͓̗̘̫͉̗̻͐̔̿̊͆̋͝v̵̦̹̠͉̖̼̮̎̌͆ȩ̸͕̦͔̳̩̈́͜n̶͍̝̙̯̣̹̫̩͋t̶̟͈̟̲̜̙̣̋̿̓̆̅͊͝͝ŏ̶̼͊r̶̖͎̙͔̥͎͙͈̊̍͝͠y̴̧͔̭͒͆̉̕͝:

• Pungent Potion- 1 /
  This tiny bottle contains a green globby liquid, the label claims it was made from local mushrooms.
  
• Coat Hanger- 3 /
  It’s just an everyday coat hanger, but you are a wolf, and you do not know that.
  
• Xtra Grow Potion- 2 /
  It comes in an extra large bottle. There’s way more than one drop!
  

Firefly Shoppe- Malachai

It comes for us all... but you are safe... for now.

Your attention blurs and refocuses. It feels as if you are in a dream as you find yourself alone in the mist. Fireflies gather and light the way to a table with a figure waiting behind it. On the table lay three items, with their prices beside them. "Choose w̶̢̧͉̥̻̟͈͙̽̉̆̿̈͒͋̓̇̍͌̇̎͠͝ì̵̢̝̄͐́͆̓̚ṣ̶̛͙̟͎̤̞̤͎̹̙̭̪͔̓̐̾̂͆̄͆͌̈̈́̏̚͜͝͠ȩ̴͔̱̗̜̾̉̀̓̀͆͛̊̂̍̕̚̚̚ͅl̵̢̦̲̼̠̖̜̺̮̜̺͋̈́y̴̧̨̧̪̗̥̘͇̾͑͗͜͠, and only choose o̷͕̭̊̃̌̊̏̀ņ̸̼͚͉͔̒͐̊e̵̮̯͛̔̀̑͜," the figure says, looming over the table as his eyes seem to peer into your soul. Are they... moving? "If you can afford it, that is. Beware, however, for there are many d̷̡̯͉̎̊̈́͐͠á̴̬̪̣̝̞̅̀̈́̄ṉ̸̢̠̤̹̥̙̜͋͆̚g̷̛͍̹̣̬̙͖̝̘̃̈e̷͓͕̖͓̝̤̿͐͐͜͠ŗ̵̤͚͔̟̹̳̽̒͝ş̸̛͓͔̩̥̦͛̊̈̾̐̒̓ ̴̺͔̃̇̆ahead." He does not seem like he's in the negotiating mood...


I̵̜̖͎͓͒̑̕n̸͓̗̘̫͉̗̻͐̔̿̊͆̋͝v̵̦̹̠͉̖̼̮̎̌͆ȩ̸͕̦͔̳̩̈́͜n̶͍̝̙̯̣̹̫̩͋t̶̟͈̟̲̜̙̣̋̿̓̆̅͊͝͝ŏ̶̼͊r̶̖͎̙͔̥͎͙͈̊̍͝͠y̴̧͔̭͒͆̉̕͝:

• Creepy Contact Lenses- 3 /
  The fireflies help you to equip this item that once applied cannot be removed or traded. Can look however you like. May not change color, rotate, or otherwise alter once in the eye.
  
• Crystal Bath Bomb- 2 /
  It looks like a bunch of crystals, glitter, and plants rolled into some mud. The seller assures you it’s good for styling your coat texture exactly how you’ve always wanted it.
  
• Opaque Sack of Mushrooms/Crystals- 1 /
  Running out of event currency and not sure what else to spend it on? Gamble on this mysterious pouch and potentially find more mushrooms/crystals within it! Or perhaps something else!
  

Struggling was an understatement, but he supposed that Malachai knew that. He had pulled him out of the springs, after all and the boy would have had to been blind to miss it otherwise. He didn't answer him though, finding little reason to actually agree with him. He went on to ask if he thought the crystal was trying to drown him, but as ridiculous as it sounded he did actually kind of believe it. He didn't understand it, but what else could it have been? Things had changed once he tried to move the crystal, so what else could it have been?

He didn't have any time to answer however before his eyes started to water uncontrollably. He wasn't actually about to cry, was he? He certain wouldn't have allowed himself if he was, but this was out of his control. Moments later the wetness turned thick and it was like he was like he was looking through a strange, blue glowing tint. It lasted only long enough to streak down his face before stopping and he pawed at his eyes, wiping the goo away so that he could see better. However, it only changed again to a blur only to refocus again on some fireflies leading him to a cloaked figure with a table between them, readied with items they seemed interested in selling.

Grimshaw approached with a heavy swallow, uncertain and nervous. When he looked at the items set before him, he wasn't exactly sure what he was looking at. There were two bottles of a strange liquid, though they were different, and something else. He didn;t know what that was, but the bottles seemed interesting. One of them in particular, pictured with two wolves and a mark over the largest one. Well, he was a large wolf. And with the bottle being larger than the other, and more full, he motioned to it easily. "The bigger bottle, please." He wanted this over with anyway, and if this bottle got rid of any of his problems, he was open to it. With more crystals than he was comfortable having, he quickly shoved two of them over.

"Speech."

Firefly Shoppe- Grimshaw

The cloaked figure wasn't surprised by the already large wolf's interest in something that was equally as large. With a flick of his hand he pushed the bottle toward Grimshaw, disappearing before he had a chance to go back on his purchase.


You gain:

• Xtra Grow Potion- It comes in an extra large bottle. There’s way more than one drop!
  

You lose:

• Currency (x2)- Used in Firefly's Shoppe, and perhaps elsewhere...
  
  

Grimshaw didn't seem to respond, and Malachai was fine to let the silence stretch but as he tapped at the crystal he felt his body jolt for a second, like the moment before true sleep sets in, and suddenly the body jolts itself awake. His vision slipped and when he blinked and shook his head the crystal, Grim, it was all gone. He spun around, mismatched eyes narrowing.

Malachai slowly approached the table, eyes sliding over each item. Then he remembered the mushroom's he'd stashed away, he placed one down on the table with a smack and gestured towards the sack. "That one." He said gruffly, nodding. He was so over all this weird shit!  
"Malachai Cain Klein"

Art by Cebochka

Firefly Shoppe- Malachai

You gain:

• Opaque Sack of Mushrooms/Crystals-- Running out of event currency and not sure what else to spend it on? Gamble on this mysterious pouch and potentially find more mushrooms/crystals within it! Or perhaps something else!
  

You lose:

• Currency (x1)- Used in Firefly's Shoppe, and perhaps elsewhere...