In the game of cat and mouse (or otter and rabbit) it's usually important to know who is the cat and who is the mouse. After the events of the previous night, the roles are still up for grabs in the case of Aviri Chalk and Linyala Oggton. The big question is whether or not the Otter Scout had actually reported her findings to Emmett - or is too embarrassed about being spotted and wants to redeem herself first by finding out more.
Trilup hangs out near Jack's cabin, trying to disguise herself by wearing a pointy green felt hat, probably left over from the Frog Festival. She also has on a waterproof poncho, and carries a bucket.
Aviri walks through the morning town with more confidence than he would have ever imagined he could have had, though he still appears terrified by everything around him. Still, his gait isn't slow as he heads for Jack's house.
Having made a stellar report earlier the previous day, Linyala didn't bother Emmett with her later failure and didn't return to the swamp. Instead, opting to keep watch around the edge of town and ended up sleeping on the roof of one of the outlying buildings. She vaults to the ground and runs back toward the swamp where she overheard her marks plans to meet.
"Aviri!" Trilup whispers rather loudly, and even lifts her felt cap off so the Lapi will recognize her. "It's me, Trilup! I'm in disguise. Where's your disguise? Did.. did I not suggest disguises?"
Aviri looks a mite surprized at Trillup, though more in the what's-with-the-hat and less the great-disguise kind of way. "Disguises?" he asks. "When ... wouldn't anybody that cared already know where Jack is?"
"Oh.. well.. but they wouldn't know we were meeting him!" Trilup claims. She puts her hat back on and hefts her bucket. "Well.. uh.. let's go see him then?"
The otter spy heads straight for the water and dives in, moving quickly towards the docks by the cabins. She waits and watches the streets for signs of Trilup and Aviri.
The Lapi nods to Trillup and allows her to lead the way.
It's not far to the dock. It's a small one, with a single Wingnut-built paddle-boat tied to it. There's also a checkered blanket, a basket and an otter wearing pants and.. drinking tea from a cup and saucer. He waves the two cohorts over. "I've got donuts. Took forever to explain to the cook how to make them," Jack calls.
Aviri slows his approach. "Tea?" he asks. "Where'd you get tea?" He looks around the dock as if expecting to find a fire and teapot hidden somewhere.
Linyala ducks under the dock to avoid notice and examines the paddle boat to see if there's a place that would be easy tto cling to that would let her hear the happenings above while it's underway.
There is, in fact.. a little ceramic camp stove with a teapot on it. "It's from far-off Jadai," Jack claims. "Green and bitter!"
Aviri tilts his head. "Huh," he says. "Any progress in the map?"
"Well, yes," Jack claims. "Did you doubt me? I have found some references to ruins near the Barrow, which would have been submerged in the flood. I'm very confident they're near the Black Tree, and the most likely lair of Old Swampy. Pass me a donut?"
"It's full of hoops," Trilup notes as she digs into the basket. "Fat hoops."
Aviri shudders at the mention of the Black Tree. When he regains his composure he says, "The hoops are donuts," but leaves the actual handing it over to the eager otter. "References of ruins means confidence?"
"No, they just justify confidence in me!" Jack claims, and sips his tea. It's odd to see someone with webbed fingers hold their pinky out while sipping. "And even if it isn't the lair of the beast.. it's still a lost sunken ruin from before the Necromancer War. Probably."
"How do you know it's still there?" Aviri asks. "It's all swamp. Things grow well in swamps. Lots of rot. Trees are powerful."
"Ruins don't normally move," Jack points out. "With a few exceptions that don't apply in this case. And of course they're overgrown - they must have been even when the town was out there."
Aivir glances at Jack and mumbles, "Wasn't saying they'd move." He looks off into the swamp in a few jerky motions.
"I've sketched out a map and directions," Jack notes. "There are a few landmarks to look for, which may be underwater but I'm sure that won't be a problem." He then dunks his donut in green tea and takes a bite, making a disappointed face.
Aviri gives Jack another look. "Donuts are sweet?" he asks.
"Yes, they are," the older otter notes, then turns his head spits out an almond, which plinks into the water near where Lin is eavesdropping. "I probably should have mentioned that nuts are not really part of the recipe. At least, not almonds."
"I holf fwee in ma mouf!" Trilup announces, with three donuts stuffed into her mouth.
"Ah," Aviri says, unsure whether to give questionable glances to Jack or Trillup once the latter announced her sudden revelation. "Think I'll pass, for now."
Linyala watches the nut bob past then returns her focus to the trio on the dock, wondering what's so special about doghnuts.
"Dough ... nuts," Aviri says. "Nuts aren't supposed to be in them?"
"No, they aren't," Jack says. "Except when they are. I'm sure at some point nuts were integral.. but not almonds. Nuts with nut in their name. Walnuts. Peanuts. And so forth. That's logical."
"Almudnut," Aviri tries before shaking his head as if to clear it of the sound. "Sweet bread, bitter tea..."
"Are you going to take the map or not?" Jack asks. "Once you've located the place, I can help with the.. uh.. exploration and cataloging."
Aviri can't help but look shocked at the otter's words. "When ... I find it?"
"Or me! Right?" Trilup says, after making her mouthful of donuts magically disappear.
"Well.. ah, Tril, you're a good kid, but.. it's a wonder can you submerge without your head trying to float," Jack says, somewhat diplomatically. "Aviri is an actual.. adventurer.. sort of. By which I mean he can keep notes and be observant and not just run off with any fabulous treasure."
"I thought you were going to handle everything near that ... tree," Aviri says.
"As for me.. I have some other leads to follow here on dry land," the oddly water-averse Akwavi claims. "While I'm certain there's a good chance those ruins are there and the resting place of the Chalice, I also accept the possibility that they aren't, and that until I know for sure that they are.. my time and talents are best used elsewhere."
"I think he means that he has a date," Trilup whispers aside to Aviri.
Aviri tilts his head. "So ... you want me to go into the swamp, find the ruins, and confirm the presence of the cup. Or deny it. And then come back. Without said cup?"
Linyala is getting restless under the dock, the sitting and waiting part of spying really can wear sometimes. She starts scratching a picture of a fish into the rotting wood of a support pylon.
"Well, just find the ruins," Jack says. "Old places like that are dangerous."
Aviri nods slowly. "Yes, dangerous. So send someone else.... You say it's under water?"
"Just find it, don't go into it," Jack points out. "And.. it is likely underwater. But there could be a mound over it that breaks the surface, so be on the lookout for a small island where it should be."
"And you'll give me some indication as to 'where it should be'?" Aviri's eyes flicker about the swamp again.
"I did mention the map and directions.." Jack points out, and holds up a folded piece of paper.
"Oh ... right," Aviri says, remembering. "Yeah, I'll ... take the map."
"I'll keep Emmett busy," Jack promises, handing over the paper.
Lin perks up, eager to find out what Jack is planing. Emmett shouldn't be too disapointed with her if she can bring back information that would foil this oddly upperclass otter.
The Lapi accepts the paper and opens it up to make sure he understands. "There's some tension between him and you," he notes.
"Ah, he just feels a little threatened," Jack says, and grins. "Can't compete with a real man! He's just a kid."
"Aren't you courting his sister though?" Trilup asks.
Aviri nods at the paper and folds it into his satchel. "Had an interesting encounter with Linyala," he says.
"That is an unsubstantiated rumor," Jack tells Trilup, then perks at this new information. "Linyala.. Linyala.. sounds like a Gigi name. One of the Oggtons?"
"Otter," Aviri says. "Young. Sneaky. Fell out of a tree. Well, was chased out of a tree."
"A tree climber?" Jack asks. "How old is she? Cute?"
"Didn't have the occasion to ask," Aviri says. "She ran off before I could bring her here."
"Ah... one of my admirers then, probably," Jack says and winks, before taking another bite of his donut. "Town's full o' them!"
The otter in question hunkers down against the pylon so only her nose and an ear protrude above the water.
"Yeah, 'admirier'," Aviri says. "Been looking out for her. Haven't seen her." He chuckles. "Probably under the dock or in a tree or something."
"Oh? She's been following you then?" Jack asks, eyebrows raised.
"She's a spy for Emmett," Trilup declares, a bit grumpily.
Aviri turns to Trilup. "You okay?"
"I found you first," Trilup says, and pokes Aviri in the chest. "This is our treasure hunt!"
"I'll need someone to drive the boat," Aviri says to Trilup quietly. "And to scout for the ruins for me."
"I know that!" Trilup says. "I'm the bravest otter ever, after all! When do you want to leave? I've got my bucket already."
Aviri seems to notice the bucket only now. "Why the bucket?"
"It has my lunch in it," Trilup claims, and tilts it enough to show the shelled mollusks in the water. "The world is my mollusk, as they say!"
Aviri nods at the bucket and fiddles in his satchel to feel for the map. "Okay, if you're ready, we could go now."
"I've got me skiff nearby," Trilup notes, and grabs another donut before heading off, which she puts under her cap for safekeeping. "If we aren't back by tonight, it probably means we got eaten, Mr. Jack!"
Aviri gives a half-smile to Jack and follows after.
Linyala detaches herself from the pylon and, patting her knife to reafirm its presence, trails after the departing adventurers.
When far enough away from Jack, Aviri says, "You're still planning on just taking the treasure?"
"Well.. given the chance," Trilup confides as she pushes some dead bushes aside to reveal her skiff. "If we find the place, and a safe way in.."
Aviri helps her put the boat into the water. "A safe way into dangerous ruins?"
"Well, if Swampy found a way, there must be one we can use too," Trilup notes, as she starts poling them away from shore. "Now, tell me all about your run-in with Lin! Did you tell her anything?"
Again, Lin follows within earshot but takes pains to avoid any clear line of sight. She paces herself so as to be able to follow them for hours if need be.
"Tried not to," says Aviri. "She fell out of a tree while I was remarking on some moss. Seemed a bit flustered. Embarrased." He pauses. "Said she loved me. Loudly, which got the attention of a shepherd who told her to be quiet."
"Well, I'd be embarrassed too if I came across someone remarking on some moss," Trilup says, and gives Aviri an odd look. "I know that sort of thing is normal for guys, but you don't have to be that open about it.."
"What? It--the moss, not Linyala--wasn't supposed to be there. Well, Linyala wasn't either, but the moss in particular. Mountain moss. Belongs on rocks. Up high. Not on a tree. Down low. Forgot my pen, so had to commit it to memory. Write it down later. She fell when I was about to finish." Aviri looks around again, as if waiting for something.
"Oh.. you were looking at moss.." Trilup says as she finally understands. Or thinks she does, since that still sounds bizarre. "Is it med-eee-sin-all moss then?"
"Med-eee-sin-all?" Aviri asks, sounding the word out. "No. Well, not so far as I know. Haven't tested that yet. Just odd to find it so low. On a tree."
Lin decides that the Lapi is thoroughly crazy and should only be approached in the future with a greater degree of caution. She swims ahead and rests breifly behind a rotting trunk.
"So.. you think there might be a giant gopher eating the tree roots and making them sink so the high-up moss now looks low-down?" Trilup asks, as she takes them deeper into the swamp.
Aviri slumps down as if giving up on something. "Anyway, she just tried to explain why she'd been in the tree. Spying, as you'd expect. Then she ran off.
"Did she move the moss to lure you into a trap?" Trilup asks next. "I mean.. that isn't covered in Otter Scouts. I never knew Lapi were fascinated by moss!"
"No, the moss was there what would amount to naturally," Aviri says. "And don't go trying that on other Lapi. We're not all botanists."
"So.. I shouldn't let them look at my.. botan?" Trilup asks, trying to decipher things. They've gone past the flotilla now, and towards the 'do not go here, we mean it, your dad will smack you' zone. "Does the map say where to go from here?"
Aviri points deeper into the swamp. "Back to the Black Tree."
Aviri's hand reaches into his pocket where he discreetly fiddles with something while he stares into the swamp, a look of terror creeping onto his face.
"Okay, and then what?" Trilup asks, looking around nervously. "Do.. do you see any humps? Moving ones? And you've got your magic whatsit of protection, right?"
Lin drifts closer, posing as a log, aiming to get clear directions to a point further along their path.
The Lapi seems shaken out of his reverie and he continues scanning the swamp for the island landmarks. "Just keep going toward the tree. And, if I recall correctly, you've a better eye for Swampy."
"Right.." Trilup says, keeping watch.
Meanwhile, something brushes against the floating form of Lin. Specifically, her tail.
The swiming otter clenches her teeth and turns as slowly as quickly as she can without splashing to investigate. She's not going to be exposed by the same thing twice and if it's a creen then she hopes it likes swiming.
There's nothing in the water that she can see. Except for a bulbous eye floating some ways behind her. Then another one pops up next to it, looking all.. froggy.
Linyala has no inclination to stick around and have her spying further molested by this overgrown frog. She ducks her head under the surface and speeds away towards the relative safety of a raised root that's out of sight of the boat.
"Did you hear a splash?" Trilup asks, since Aviri has ears roughly ten times bigger than her own.
"Yeah, over that direction," Aviri says, pointing while his eyes flicker about, searching ahead. "Think it's Swampy?"
"N-no," Trilup says, and speeds up her poling. "Probably just a froghemoth. I mean.. nobody ever found where the Frog Prince lives out here.."
Aviri's ears twitch. "Frog Prince? No, won't ask. Turn right a bit."
The skiff veers right. "So, we aren't going to the Black Tree right? Just near it? We don't have to land or anything?"
Again the Lapi shudders. "No, not landing on the island itself. Just around it."
The eyeballs follow Lin as she perches on the root.
Linyala glares back at the eyes and waits for a few seconds to determine any hostile intent, she loosens her knife in its sheath uneasily.
The eyes float and watch. And then another pair pops up next to the first. Then a third pair..
Aviri suddenly says, "Hold up here! I think we're close."
Linyala slams her knife back into its sheath and slips back into the water, swiming as fast as she can in the general direction the boat is moving.
"What, where?" Trilup asks, looking around as she back-poles to stop them.
Aviri pulls out the map again and compares it to the swamp itself. "Keep going a bit farther," he says. "But we're close."
"What should I be looking for?" the Akwavi asks as she slowly poles them along.
Lin surfaces and looks around to make sure she hasn't lost the boat and to see if she's being followed by the frogs.
The skiff is not too far off, heading in a slightly different direction than the last time Lin looked. There's also some ominous croaking back from the way she came.
"You're supposed to be looking for Swampy," Aviri says a bit shortly. "If he lives around the Tree, that's just ahead." He points. "Can you turn ... right some more?"
"Turning more.." Trilup says, looking around warily.
Linyala dives to the bottom to fish a rock out of the muck and sediment then, surfacing, throws it hard towards the frogs as a warning to the two adventurers. Some spy she would be if her marks got eaten or worse. She moves quickly to correct her course.
The splash and commotion is pretty noticeable! Trilup barks and spins around, nearly rocking the skiff over.
"That's good," Aviri says when they've turned enough. "This island up here. La--" he stops, his head whipping about to follow the splash. "That was ... other," he manages to say
"That was a big splash," Trilup notes. "Something falling, not flopping. Watch the trees."
"Yes," Aviri agrees. "I'll keep a watch. Can you pull up to that island, while nothing's currently eating us?"
A minute later, the skiff bumps up against the island.
Lin nods in satisfaction, having allerted them to something, if not an imediate danger. She slides up on the bank a ways from the skiff and lays still.
The bump startles Aviri a bit but when he realized they have landed and aren't getting attacked steps gently off onto the muddy ground. "Right," he says, looking around it. Satisfied with ... something, he walks across it, quickly reaching the opposite shore where he promptly begins darting to and fro across it, holding his arm straight out in front of him.
"What.. what are you doing?" Trilup asks nervously, as her partner seems to be going crazy.
Aviri returns quickly, a bright smile on his face. "Good news!" he announces. "This is not the island! So that's one down ... a few million to go!" He chuckles at the idea of checking each one individually. "I did find the proper landmark ... swampmark? Anyway, just a bit farther along. Has Swampy attacked, yet?"
"No, not yet," Trilup says. "It's still daytime.. maybe he only comes out at night?"
Linyala keeps an eye out for aproaching frogs and wilts at the prospect of swiming to 'milions' of islands, she doesn't know how many that means but it sure sounds like a lot.
"Not much longer," Aviri assures Trilup. "Try that island up there, that little one. See it?" He points.
"I see it!" Trilup says, and pushes off once Aviri is back aboard. Then it's over to the next island. "What were you doing with the running around and all?"
"Looking for lines," Aviri says. "I think I've found it." He checks the paper again. "Yes, I very much think I've found it."
"Lines?" Trilup asks as the beach on the next island.
Lin swims after them and hides underwater, waiting for them to leave the skiff.
"Yes," Aviri says as he hops out. "Lines." He quickly mounts the summit of the island and looks one direction, then turns around, moves a bit, and does it all again.
"In the air?" Trilup asks, unsure of what Aviri is really doing. "Or like.. in the ground?"
"In the swamp," Aviri replies, trotting back to the vessel. "We're here. Mostly. Er, yeah. If you want to help look, you can." He pauses. "Though, I'm not sure exactly what we're looking for. Ruins, I guess. If you see anything ... ruin-y ..." he trails off and just stares into the swamp a moment. "Er, yeah. I'll start, at least," he says and moves away from the skiff, searching the island intently.
Trilup pulls the flat-bottomed craft halfway up onto the beach, then starts searching as well.. which mostly involves moving a few steps, and then jumping up and down to see if the grown moves.
Once she's sure everyone is well and clear of the skiff, Lin creeps up and examines the contents.
There's a poncho, a felt hat, the pole.. and the bucket of fresh-water pseudo-clams, along with whatever Aviri might have left.
On the island, something catches Aviri's eye: moss! The sort that likes to grow on stone, and which is growing in a conspicuously square shape.
Aviri crouches down next to the moss and probable stone. Like with the moss in the forest, he stares at it for a bit before finally reaching into his satchel for his book. Which he left in his room. He does, however, come up with a pen and bottle of ink. He sighs and, with a visible force of will, distrubs the moss, poking and prodding it, trying to feel the object beneath it.
Lin frowns at the lack of pilferable maps or relics and contents herself with a shellfish from the bucket. She turns away, pushing water pu over her paw prints and swims out a ways.
Clink. There's something stony under the layer of moss. A few more patches can be seen between the roots of a dead-looking tree as well. "Did you find something?" Trilup asks, stomp-jumping her way over.
Aviri opens his mouth to reply, but stops himself. He moves over to the other patches and, closing his eyes, tears away at a section of the moss. "Stone," he answers. "Is Swampy attacking?"
"No," Trilup says, and keeps jumping up and down.
Lin drifts around the side of the island and finds a lump to sit on and listen.
Aviri picks up one of the stones and takes it into the light for examining. "Might want to take this with us," he says. "Find anything?"
"Nothing is shifting under my feet," Trilup reports, and then throws herself against the tree - which does shift a bit.
The Lapi peers questioningly at the tree. "Well, that's ... other," he says.
"I think it's dead!" Trilup says, and tries to climb higher for more leverage.
"Be careful up there," Aviri says. "Also, make sure to keep an eye out for danger." Aviri puts the rock in his satchel and pokes around in the roots some more, searching for more possible clues.
The rocking of the tree loosens up the stone some more. And then the whole thing begins to tip over, pulling up the ground in front of Aviri.
Lin starts at the noise of the tiping tree. She scampers around to a better vantage point.
Aviri leaps out of the way, watching in horror/fascination. His ears even lift a bit, as if to hear all the sounds of a tree tearing its way out of the ground.
"Aaaaagh!" Trilup wails as she rides the tree down to the ground. The roots tear up huge chunks of dirt and stone, so that when the tree finally stops, there's a hole with stone has collapsed down into an open space. "I'm alright!" the young Akwavi calls out.
Aviri looks into the new hole. "I ... think that's good evidence," he says, pulling the rock out of his satchel and tossing it to the ground. "You okay, Trilup?
Linyala slinks off, making note of some landmarks around the island so she can find her way back later, this will make for an interesting report to Emmett.
"I'm fine!" Trilup claims. "Just.. go to the boat, get the oar, and lever up this branch I'm stuck under.."