forum Rules of Hunt - PRIVATE - CLOSED - STALKERS WELCOME! (POSSIBLE M.)

Started April 23, 2019 by @Mojack group

tune

Pretty sure you know the rules and basic plot already - any questions before we start?

To any stalkers, just a gore and violence warning. Swearing too.

In the wilds, it was currently winter. It was generally cold, unbearable even, but the residents were suited to dealing with it, and travellers hope they came prepared, otherwise their fate was uncertain, but most likely death would be it if they did not have any contacts nearby. The area was mostly uninhabited - it used to have a village, but that village was no more. The only thing around there now was corpses and stains on the buildings - a grim reminder of what occurred there only a week earlier.

A creature lurked in the woods, just at the edge of the village. Clouds covered the skies and for once, there was no snow falling. It stood, almost motionless, with the occasional movement from its head.

Ateris watched the village, not yet satisfied by the massacre it had preformed, or even the occasional deaths of a deer or two. It simply left the bodies around to rot. Ateris knew it was well within its power to hide the bodies, yet it decided on not. Instead, Ateris decided that the bodies could be slightly useful. In the future, at least. Finished with its thoughts, Ateris went further, into the thicker parts and shelter of the woods.

The helicopter moved overhead, loud and alerting any beings still alive of its presence. The village was spotted, and Whiteout tapped the shoulder of the man by him, pointing it out. With a single nod, and a couple spoken words, the helicopter descended to the ground, snow flying around them, even after the blades stopped spinning. Whiteout exited shortly after the rest of the people - all adults, mostly men, but you did see your females. In total, there were about 12 of them, 14 counting the pilots.

Currently, their orders were to find survivors, if any. Just keep to the village, at least. Whiteout approached a home, to his surprise the door wasn’t even shut properly. Then, upon further inspection, he noted something; a rot, in the wood. It was probably just coincidental that he noted that, but hand moving closer to it, it radiated heat, despite the cold. Hesitating, he looked back, then readying his gun, entered the house.

He didn’t smell it, at first. It was probably just the cold. He moved in further, before catching glance of something out of the corner of his eye. Turning around, ready to fire, he lowered his weapon but was slightly disturbed by the sight before him. The eyes now dark, empty sockets and flesh decaying, the mouth was open as if what was once a living human being was calling out for help. Obviously, the person had been propped up against the wall.

Whiteout stared at the body for a moment longer before clearing the rest of the house without error. He exited out via the back and was greeted by the sight of the woods. Staring directly at it, he began to approach for a reason he did not know.

It captured a presence approaching its turf. Or rather, correction, the entire world was its own territory, but that is only to certain perspectives. Ateris turned slightly, if only for a moment, before vanishing into the shadows that seemed to grow larger for a moment, as if something were entering a different reality. But such was not possible, right?

Whiteout halted in his steps, breath catching in throat for a second. He saw something, but his mind could not tell him what he had seen moving in those trees. Part of him told himself to move in, but another part of himself said to return to his duty.

At the tips of the trees, silently forming was a mold like the one the human had seen before. Or similar to it. It grew in size, thin needles growing into similar form like a hand. Then, seemingly out of the tree, crawled Ateris. It seemed impossible. Ateris watched from above, before speaking, and you’d typically expect for this creature to not even speak; maybe snarl, like a monster; it spoke in a feminine voice, calling from the forests.

“Help me..”

Whiteout stiffened, hearing the voice. Now, most of him told himself to get out there and see what was happening, maybe help; but a little bit of him said that something wasn’t right. However, seemingly overpowered, he began his trek into the woods.

Ateris only waited, like a predator stalking its prey. And that’s what Ateris expected to happen, like this time. Ateris was a complicated creature. It did not require food, yet it still killed, and sometimes ate. Yet if you didn’t require something, why would you waste? Ateris didn’t know, for sure. There were..complicated reasons.

It began to slink down the tree, going silent to follow the human being.

Whiteout risked it, but he had no idea where the woman was. “Hello? Where are you?” He called out. His voice echoed out into the cold wilderness. His eyes scanned the area.

He did not see the woman. He wondered if he should call out again, but held off, feeling as if something was approaching him. Not wanting to waste ammo, he spun around, pointing his gun at what was once behind him but not in front. He did not see anything. But he felt suspicious. And dare he admit, confused.

This one is intelligent. More so than the others. We should get rid of it.

Ateris paused. Should it? Should it not do has planned, but quickly take out the human? There were others, after all. And many more, it remembered.

No, no. Intelligent and interesting. It wanted to play with its prey. But no, it might be different. Smarter. It could figure Ateris out.

With a screech, giving away its position, Ateris leapt from its cover in attempts to pounce on the human, though was slightly off target due to its conflicting thoughts.

Whiteout, facing the direction the creature had decided to attack him from immediately slid to the side, out of the way. Although he probably would’ve been save, either way. He had no time to study the creature, as he aimed his gun, firing a few shots at the creature as first reaction.

Ateris did not react due to the pain; in fact, it seemed to not care, though that was up to the human to perceive that it felt of the bullets. Though it hissed, long tail lashing like a cat, seemingly annoyed at its failure. It turned towards him, on hind legs, walking over.

Whiteout knew no animal with that appearance. Though his bullets seemed to do damage, he was fairly surprised that the creature did not run away at the sheer sound. He did not have the weapons for this battle, so he turned tail and ran off.

Ateris laughed at the human’s foolishness. Does it really believe it can escape us? However, an attempt at the laugh was only a horrid coughing, the creature spitting out blood. From its shoulder, blood dripped from the spaces between its..bristles and thorns, to which Ateris did not seem annoyed by.

Ateris chased after the human.

Whiteout was completely aware the creature was chasing after him. He wasn’t sure if he even ran towards the village, which he silently cursed at himself. But while those thoughts drifted in his head, he’d trip over a branch. Stunned at the impact for a few seconds, he’d turn onto his back, and attempt to get back up, the creature approaching fast.

(I’ll give you permission to autohit or do whatever, he’s in no position to move out of the way right now)

((How nice of you.))

Ateris burst through the trees, landing on the ground, not gentle at all. Its tail hovering lowly above the ground, it cackled out, “how pathetic of you.” The voice was hard to describe, and while one could say it was a male voice, it was low and guttural; beast like and the creature seemed to snarl the words out.

Ateris grabbed the human, putting him up against the tree. It seemed to be prepared to attack..

Well, this was the end. Or so Whiteout assumed. There wasn’t much he could do besides attempting to kick the creature, to no avail. It was much larger and stronger physically than him. So, he could only stare into the ‘eyes’ of the creature, with fear in his own, awaiting his fate.

There was a pause. Hesitation. A whirring noise overhead of them, and Ateris paused, looking up. A helicopter. It seemed familiar to it. Ateris stopped in what it was doing. He has seen too much. So, what should it do? Kill it, in its original plan? Or… Stop thinking! The helicopter will get away, we must see where it is heading, and before its scent fades!

Ateris lowered its claws, releasing the human if only for a moment. It then grabbed the human, turning around and running in direction of the helicopter, though careful not to injure the human.

Sharply inhaling in surprise, he grabbed out at the creature to get a steady holding. He had seen the helicopter, moments before. Where were they going?

Ateris darted between branches and roots, for what might feel like hours to some though the creature seemed to travel quickly. It finally stopped as the helicopter began to hover. Ateris lowered itself to the ground, releasing the human if only for a second before standing over the human and keeping him close to the ground; like a mother defending her cubs. Though this time it was more like an eldritch horror keeping a human from giving it away.

The helicopter began to land, and Ateris leaned forwards, interested in what they unloaded from the crates. Whether it was good interest or bad interest wasn’t clear.

Whiteout nearly choked from surprise. “Huh?!” He winced, feeling the prick of the ‘thorns’ from the odd creature’s skin, but blinked a few times before realizing the creature was focused on something else. He leaned forwards and realized it was a helicopter, but he was unable to see exactly what Ateris was seeing, besides the fact they seemed to be getting off.

Weaker vision, we suppose.

Ateris glanced at the human but said nothing. Instead, the humans took the crates and began to escort them off as the helicopter left.

I smell it..salvation!

Ateris let out a low growl, lowering its long, spiky tail, and releasing the human from its grip. Instead of grabbing the human, it began to stalk forwards in direction of the yard..with negative intentions.

Whiteout was on his feet as soon as he could recover, ducking to avoid the dangerous tail of the thing. He realized the creature’s behaviour was not good - it was ignoring him; prey right on a platter, ready for taking; in favour of something much larger.

He considered his options. Finally, before the creature moved too far ahead, he ducked into the foliage, trailing behind the odd creature.