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Description
Bark as bad as the bite

The world they lived in was a very strange place, this area particularly. Especially since they didn't even live there, it was only supposed to be a simple holiday. But a fire later and this is how it turned out. A spaceman, a dwarf and a scientist, away from their home land, away from their friends, with no means of contact. Attempting to make their way in a town with strange monsters, talking clams and random events. And while the dwarf liked to joke about the talking clam, this place just wasn't home.
"Hey Xeph, what you thinking about?" Lalna asked, climbing the stairs to the warehouse. The spaceman looked up, too involved in his work to realise someone had been there.
"Oh... Nothing." He smiled. "How long have you been there...?" He asked, sheepishly.
"About twenty minutes. You seemed to have something on your mind, I was sorting the chests but figured I'd better ask." The scientist smiled. "Anyway, I gotta get back to Jamie."
"You mean Ashley?"
"Shit, yep. See ya later." The scientist waved and wondered off back to his little home. Something about the spacemans friend hadn't seemed right since the second or third week at this new town. And though they were building up quite a community here and there were plenty of people now, and he still had his friends, he couldn't help but feel homesick. Not that he would tell them that obviously. This town needed their help, and as the only survivers it was their duty! Still, he couldn't help but feel their work here was enough, the town had enough people to survive without them... Right?
Oh well, he stopped building for the day and wondered back to the temporary town hall, where Honeydew was already tucked in bed, waiting for him before he slept.
"G'night Xeph." The dwarf yawned, stretching and falling fast asleep.
The scientist was probably asleep by now with his newest wife and kids, so the spaceman jumped into his own bed and curled up. The cobblestone room wasn't exactly as warm as the Jaffa cafe back home so he spent most of the nights shivering, or he'd sneak out of bed and put the furnaces on to heat up the room. Either way, his body could tell he wasn't home.
This night he managed rather well at getting to sleep, though woke with a cold face and spent the first ten minutes of the day sat near the furnace with his blanket wrapped around him.
"Morning Xeph." The dwarf yawned, walking to the chest to get some food. "Want anything?"
"No... Thank you." The spaceman answered, staring at the flames protruding from the front of the furnace. "I'll be heading to the smeltery soon."
"Doesn't mean you can't have breakfast! Hey what's up?" Honeydew asked, plonking himself down next to his friend.
"Just cold..." The spaceman shivered slightly and hugged the blanket closer.
"Ah, I don't get what you mean cuz I'm used to colder than this, but makes sense. I'll make you another blanket and maybe you should start using the sleeping bag with your bed, might help. We don't want you catching a cold now do we." The dwarf smiled and stood up. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing... Why?" The alien looked to his friend, blue eyes glowing.
"Because I know that look. It's your thoughtful look. I can also tell because your eyes are pulsing and that means you got stuff on your mind that's beginning to stress you out." The dwarf smiled, happy that he knew his friend so well.
However, his deduction did not go down as well as he had hoped, as the spaceman now stood, opened the chest next to his bed and grabbed his contacts.
"There's a reason why I wear these things sometimes... So people can't act like they can reach my mind based on how I'm feeling." He sighed. "I'm sorry Honeydew. But you know exactly how I'm feeling. So don't pretend you don't."
"Homesick... I know, you looked the exact same when you first crashed in Tektopia. Scared, staring up at the sky every night. Don't worry, we'll go home soon." Honeydew smiled, and threw the spaceman some chicken.
"When?"
There was a silence and the spaceman gave a small nod. "I'm happy with what we're doing here. But there's always gonna be more to do... I miss home. I miss my friends. I miss Rythian and Lalna fighting and Sjin and Sips calling me silk shirt. Most of all? I miss my life. This isn't it..." He looked down, a couple tears falling on the floor. He looked away. "I've been through this once before... I don't want to do it again..." And with that he left, heading to the smealtary. The dwarf decided not to follow, knowing he shouldn't. His friend hardly ever talked about that sort of stuff. Though he understood, it must be hard for the spaceman, especially since he can be quite jumpy with things in general, being in a completely new area with these strange creatures and people must be weird for him.
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"Well I'm not surprised he's missing home." Lalna said, cooking some meat for himself. "Even I miss everyone. He'll come around."
"I don't know Lalna." The dwarf answered, sat on the scientists bed. "I'm a bit worried. He's been through this all before and I think taking him from a familiar environment isn't too good for him..."
"He's not a pet Honeydew. He's gonna be fine. Trust me. I've done many a mental test on him and everyone else, physicals, that sort of thing. I can perform one while we're here if you want but honestly I think this is just a case of overreaction." The blonde sighed and handed the dwarf some meat. "We'll be leaving soon as we're done here anyway."
"And when's that?"
There was silence for a moment.
"Exactly. He asked me the same thing and I couldn't give him an answer." The dwarf shrugged. "As soon as we know this place will be fine we will go home. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
------------
"I'm gonna go to the mines, gotta collect more gold..." The dwarf stated, turning to look at the spaceman and scientist. "Back soon. Anything you guys need?"
"Nope." The scientist smiled.
The dwarf wondered off, heading toward the mine.
"Notification..." The blonde spoke, turning to the armourer and checking his device. "Root riot." The scientist chuckled. "Another event. I'm gonna go check on Ashley and the kids. Back soon!" He rushed off, chopping through a couple alive bushes and plants as he went.
The spaceman shook his head, continuing with the smelting. The shamblers wouldn't be too much of a bother after all. He turned to Ezra, grabbing some supplies from him before turning back to the crafting benches. As he did so he spotted a black coloured shambler, different than the others and larger. He jumped slightly, shocked at first. He readied his sword but didn't swing, just moved back from it. He wasn't usually one to be scared in combat with these strange creatures, but there was something about this one that got to him.
Behind him he heard Lalna readying and firing his crossbow at other shamblers, and the spaceman felt a little relieved, though didn't take his eyes from the large black mass that was making its way toward him. It moved, revealing a set of gloopy, black teeth, and the spaceman shivered. Even at his height he still felt dwarfed by this creature as it loomed over him.
He wanted to attack, but couldn't bring himself to. And before the scientist could help the shambler had latched itself onto the aliens shoulder.
Xephos cried out, feeling something oozing into his his veins as the world around him seemed to shrink, blacking out as he heard the scientists cry become fainter and fainter as the light drained from the world.
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Cold bed... That's what the spaceman had said about it. That it was cold. The dwarf remembered this, and had turned on all the furnaces and had wrapped the spaceman up in his sleeping bag and blankets.
"What did it again?" He asked the scientist, turning to look at the blonde.
"A dark shambler or something like that. Big black shambler. Bit him right on the shoulder, before I could get to him he'd passed out." The blonde was whipping up something, presumably a health tonic or golden apple. "I manage to kill it but now I need to clean the wound and see what I'm dealing with. He feels freezing yet he has a fever. He was convulsing. But quickly stopped, and he won't keep still. Here, use this wet cloth and wipe his forehead." He handed the dwarf a thin wet cloth and continued making his concoction.
"Will he be ok? That's the main question? Have a feeling he'll haunt me if he doesn't survive to go home." The dwarf gave a small smile.
"He won't die Honeydew... Just need to get rid of any chance of infection etc." The scientist came back over. "Now, move to one side."
The dwarf edged back down the bed and sat at the bottom, watching.
"This may hurt a bit..." The scientist whispered, pretending the spaceman could hear him. He lifted a swab and bowl, dipping the wool bud into the liquid, and placing the bowl back down, removing the spacemans jacket and handing it to the dwarf, pulling down the sleeve and dabbing the mixture onto the bloodied, mutilated shoulder.
"Nasty..." He whispered, turning to the dwarf. "I need that cloth." He took it and wiped carefully across the shoulder, gentle at the holes as they dug deep and we're sure to be agony. "You can get back to work if you want to, It'll take a while to clean this.
The dwarf finally agreed and wandered back to the mine, leaving the scientist to check the damage.
------------
The spaceman frowned. His head was a strange place, and at the moment it was difficult to find his way around. Most doors were locked or it hurt to attempt to go through them. So he sat in his own mind, running his hand through his own hair, looking around at the increasing darkness that followed down the corridors closing in on the little room with all the doors.
He'd seen this so many times. But each time a different type of dark. One time it was small black bats, making their way slowly down the corridors and crawling over the walls. Another was like shiney black spiders webs, sprawling towards the room. This time it was an oily, tarry substance, glooping, slowly growing and bubbling toward him.
He could feel the black mass digging deeper into him, pulling away from the open wound so the scientist couldn't see it. Clever.
He found himself chuckling slightly, when a loud, ear piercing screeching began verberating through the corridors.
He stopped laughing, and slowly looked up. Opening his eyes and sending the doors slamming shut.

Description
Bark as bad as the bite

The world they lived in was a very strange place, this area particularly. Especially since they didn't even live there, it was only supposed to be a simple holiday. But a fire later and this is how it turned out. A spaceman, a dwarf and a scientist, away from their home land, away from their friends, with no means of contact. Attempting to make their way in a town with strange monsters, talking clams and random events. And while the dwarf liked to joke about the talking clam, this place just wasn't home.
"Hey Xeph, what you thinking about?" Lalna asked, climbing the stairs to the warehouse. The spaceman looked up, too involved in his work to realise someone had been there.
"Oh... Nothing." He smiled. "How long have you been there...?" He asked, sheepishly.
"About twenty minutes. You seemed to have something on your mind, I was sorting the chests but figured I'd better ask." The scientist smiled. "Anyway, I gotta get back to Jamie."
"You mean Ashley?"
"Shit, yep. See ya later." The scientist waved and wondered off back to his little home. Something about the spacemans friend hadn't seemed right since the second or third week at this new town. And though they were building up quite a community here and there were plenty of people now, and he still had his friends, he couldn't help but feel homesick. Not that he would tell them that obviously. This town needed their help, and as the only survivers it was their duty! Still, he couldn't help but feel their work here was enough, the town had enough people to survive without them... Right?
Oh well, he stopped building for the day and wondered back to the temporary town hall, where Honeydew was already tucked in bed, waiting for him before he slept.
"G'night Xeph." The dwarf yawned, stretching and falling fast asleep.
The scientist was probably asleep by now with his newest wife and kids, so the spaceman jumped into his own bed and curled up. The cobblestone room wasn't exactly as warm as the Jaffa cafe back home so he spent most of the nights shivering, or he'd sneak out of bed and put the furnaces on to heat up the room. Either way, his body could tell he wasn't home.
This night he managed rather well at getting to sleep, though woke with a cold face and spent the first ten minutes of the day sat near the furnace with his blanket wrapped around him.
"Morning Xeph." The dwarf yawned, walking to the chest to get some food. "Want anything?"
"No... Thank you." The spaceman answered, staring at the flames protruding from the front of the furnace. "I'll be heading to the smeltery soon."
"Doesn't mean you can't have breakfast! Hey what's up?" Honeydew asked, plonking himself down next to his friend.
"Just cold..." The spaceman shivered slightly and hugged the blanket closer.
"Ah, I don't get what you mean cuz I'm used to colder than this, but makes sense. I'll make you another blanket and maybe you should start using the sleeping bag with your bed, might help. We don't want you catching a cold now do we." The dwarf smiled and stood up. "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing... Why?" The alien looked to his friend, blue eyes glowing.
"Because I know that look. It's your thoughtful look. I can also tell because your eyes are pulsing and that means you got stuff on your mind that's beginning to stress you out." The dwarf smiled, happy that he knew his friend so well.
However, his deduction did not go down as well as he had hoped, as the spaceman now stood, opened the chest next to his bed and grabbed his contacts.
"There's a reason why I wear these things sometimes... So people can't act like they can reach my mind based on how I'm feeling." He sighed. "I'm sorry Honeydew. But you know exactly how I'm feeling. So don't pretend you don't."
"Homesick... I know, you looked the exact same when you first crashed in Tektopia. Scared, staring up at the sky every night. Don't worry, we'll go home soon." Honeydew smiled, and threw the spaceman some chicken.
"When?"
There was a silence and the spaceman gave a small nod. "I'm happy with what we're doing here. But there's always gonna be more to do... I miss home. I miss my friends. I miss Rythian and Lalna fighting and Sjin and Sips calling me silk shirt. Most of all? I miss my life. This isn't it..." He looked down, a couple tears falling on the floor. He looked away. "I've been through this once before... I don't want to do it again..." And with that he left, heading to the smealtary. The dwarf decided not to follow, knowing he shouldn't. His friend hardly ever talked about that sort of stuff. Though he understood, it must be hard for the spaceman, especially since he can be quite jumpy with things in general, being in a completely new area with these strange creatures and people must be weird for him.
------------
"Well I'm not surprised he's missing home." Lalna said, cooking some meat for himself. "Even I miss everyone. He'll come around."
"I don't know Lalna." The dwarf answered, sat on the scientists bed. "I'm a bit worried. He's been through this all before and I think taking him from a familiar environment isn't too good for him..."
"He's not a pet Honeydew. He's gonna be fine. Trust me. I've done many a mental test on him and everyone else, physicals, that sort of thing. I can perform one while we're here if you want but honestly I think this is just a case of overreaction." The blonde sighed and handed the dwarf some meat. "We'll be leaving soon as we're done here anyway."
"And when's that?"
There was silence for a moment.
"Exactly. He asked me the same thing and I couldn't give him an answer." The dwarf shrugged. "As soon as we know this place will be fine we will go home. Agreed?"
"Agreed."
------------
"I'm gonna go to the mines, gotta collect more gold..." The dwarf stated, turning to look at the spaceman and scientist. "Back soon. Anything you guys need?"
"Nope." The scientist smiled.
The dwarf wondered off, heading toward the mine.
"Notification..." The blonde spoke, turning to the armourer and checking his device. "Root riot." The scientist chuckled. "Another event. I'm gonna go check on Ashley and the kids. Back soon!" He rushed off, chopping through a couple alive bushes and plants as he went.
The spaceman shook his head, continuing with the smelting. The shamblers wouldn't be too much of a bother after all. He turned to Ezra, grabbing some supplies from him before turning back to the crafting benches. As he did so he spotted a black coloured shambler, different than the others and larger. He jumped slightly, shocked at first. He readied his sword but didn't swing, just moved back from it. He wasn't usually one to be scared in combat with these strange creatures, but there was something about this one that got to him.
Behind him he heard Lalna readying and firing his crossbow at other shamblers, and the spaceman felt a little relieved, though didn't take his eyes from the large black mass that was making its way toward him. It moved, revealing a set of gloopy, black teeth, and the spaceman shivered. Even at his height he still felt dwarfed by this creature as it loomed over him.
He wanted to attack, but couldn't bring himself to. And before the scientist could help the shambler had latched itself onto the aliens shoulder.
Xephos cried out, feeling something oozing into his his veins as the world around him seemed to shrink, blacking out as he heard the scientists cry become fainter and fainter as the light drained from the world.
------------
Cold bed... That's what the spaceman had said about it. That it was cold. The dwarf remembered this, and had turned on all the furnaces and had wrapped the spaceman up in his sleeping bag and blankets.
"What did it again?" He asked the scientist, turning to look at the blonde.
"A dark shambler or something like that. Big black shambler. Bit him right on the shoulder, before I could get to him he'd passed out." The blonde was whipping up something, presumably a health tonic or golden apple. "I manage to kill it but now I need to clean the wound and see what I'm dealing with. He feels freezing yet he has a fever. He was convulsing. But quickly stopped, and he won't keep still. Here, use this wet cloth and wipe his forehead." He handed the dwarf a thin wet cloth and continued making his concoction.
"Will he be ok? That's the main question? Have a feeling he'll haunt me if he doesn't survive to go home." The dwarf gave a small smile.
"He won't die Honeydew... Just need to get rid of any chance of infection etc." The scientist came back over. "Now, move to one side."
The dwarf edged back down the bed and sat at the bottom, watching.
"This may hurt a bit..." The scientist whispered, pretending the spaceman could hear him. He lifted a swab and bowl, dipping the wool bud into the liquid, and placing the bowl back down, removing the spacemans jacket and handing it to the dwarf, pulling down the sleeve and dabbing the mixture onto the bloodied, mutilated shoulder.
"Nasty..." He whispered, turning to the dwarf. "I need that cloth." He took it and wiped carefully across the shoulder, gentle at the holes as they dug deep and we're sure to be agony. "You can get back to work if you want to, It'll take a while to clean this.
The dwarf finally agreed and wandered back to the mine, leaving the scientist to check the damage.
------------
The spaceman frowned. His head was a strange place, and at the moment it was difficult to find his way around. Most doors were locked or it hurt to attempt to go through them. So he sat in his own mind, running his hand through his own hair, looking around at the increasing darkness that followed down the corridors closing in on the little room with all the doors.
He'd seen this so many times. But each time a different type of dark. One time it was small black bats, making their way slowly down the corridors and crawling over the walls. Another was like shiney black spiders webs, sprawling towards the room. This time it was an oily, tarry substance, glooping, slowly growing and bubbling toward him.
He could feel the black mass digging deeper into him, pulling away from the open wound so the scientist couldn't see it. Clever.
He found himself chuckling slightly, when a loud, ear piercing screeching began verberating through the corridors.
He stopped laughing, and slowly looked up. Opening his eyes and sending the doors slamming shut.