forum “What’s your greatest fear?” // 5/5, closed // Stalkers welcome!

Started June 19, 2023 by @the-void-phantasmic language

tune

Salmook huffs at the danger-lady. He's fully inclined to bite, but there's a good chance she'll hit him like an avalanche afterwards. Salmook holds out on that idea for the time being, instead pouting and looking away from her.

Blaze looks slightly upset.

"Kid, look. . . if I had any ill will towards you - meaning if I meant to hurt you - I would have done so by now," she says softly.

She kneels.

"Please, at least trust that I will do my best to keep you guys alive."

Salmook snorts.
"They say that all-time. 'Me not going hurt Salmook, me just want to help.' Salmook-friend, and blah-blah-blah."
He's genuinely ticked off by that, and he gestures wildly as he talks, trying to emphasize… something.
"And then!" Salmook raises his arms above his head. "Hurt Salmook even more! No trust in them because they scary!"
"And you scary." He points a grubby finger at her. "So what that mean?"
He's having a full-blown tantrum now, and he adds in a few incomprehensible threats. Something about putting worms in your boots? He's not making sense anymore, yelling every word he knows in a slurred mess of language.

Blaze watches calmly and patiently.

"I know a way to get you to believe me when I say I have no intentions of hurting you. Do you know what a blood pact is, Salmook?" she asks quietly.

Salmook glares at her, still shaking with anger.
"Me… me think Salmook know."

Blaze nods, and carefully pulls out a knife, trying not to startle Salmook.

"I'll make one right now. Will that make a difference?" she smiles.

No matter how slowly and carefully a knife is handled, it's still a knife. Salmook flinches away from the blade, starting to shiver. He fluffs his cloak again, hiding more of his body, and he takes a step away.
"Mmmmggghhhh."
He makes a distressed groan, but otherwise, he's silent.

Blaze steps away from Salmook a bit, and places the knife to her palm.

"I swear on my blood that I bear no more ill will towards anyone of the people captured from their homes," she says, looking everyone in the eyes in turn as she slides the knife, quick and sure, across her palm.

Salmook doesn't want to look. He pulls his cloakhood over his head, and he can't bring himself to risk a glance back up.
"Salmook… no mean. No mean…"
It's pretty impressive how fast he's gone from childishly irate to downright terrified. He shudders, imagining the visual, and he rubs at his temples. He's just imitating what he's seen other people do before- there's a jankiness to his actions, like he's not too sure what he's doing.
"No mean… don't do that again. Nobody. Except for jabby-people. Give them all the ouchies and stabbies and blams."

Tseth watches Blaze as she cuts her palm. He wasn’t too sure how to react. The only time he slit his hands himself, it certainly wasn’t for a good purpose. He was somewhat hoping he wouldn’t be included in the hand-cutting. He wasn’t fond of the memories that would come with it. He looks down at Daphne, checking on her.

Daphne hasn’t moved an inch, shuddering when Blaze pulls out the knife and cuts her palm. She looks incredibly uneasy, and decides to stare at the floor instead of paying attention to Blaze.

Blaze grips the blade of the knife, her face set with a little pain and determination as blood starts to drip from her fist in thick red, nearly black, drops. It seemed way too thick, even, the drops collecting and falling like heated honey.

"I swear it," she repeats.