*Darkleer hasn't been bothered by caves in quite some time. In fact, he's gotten used to living in one ever since his banishment. But this is not his cave
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[Karkat saw the caves on the map and immediately thinks they may be the safest place to hide out. Especially with Gamzee with him, he wants to find somewhere they can rest and plan their next move.
They've traveled north enough that he can smell the ocean air near enough, which means they're getting close to their destination. But he also thinks he hears something; perhaps nothing at all, but perhaps the sound of someone nearby.
They're in a safe place right now, behind a grove of trees, but if they're going to continue they'll have to move more out into the open. He turns to Gamzee and whispers to him.]
Stay here and don't move. I'm going to check the way ahead; I'll come back for you once it's safe.
[He nods at Karkat, settling against one of the trees. He doesn't say it out loud, but he's grateful for the brief reprieve - a three mile walk isn't normally anything difficult at all for him, but the movement is making the symptoms of his withdrawal hit harder than usual and the pounding in his head shows no signs of ebbing.]
*And as soon as the trap closes and that scream rings out, there's the sound of rustling in the brushes beside the path - and a massive adult troll steps into view, putting one fist in his palm and giving his knuckles a thundering crack. He seems pleased.* Well.
I wasn't expecting that to work so effectively so soon. Do you think I should be grateful? I--
*And then, whatever else he was going to say dies on his lips as he catches a glimpse of bright red on the trap's jaws, barely a splash but still visible.
[Karkat meant to shoot as soon as the enemy who trapped him came into sight, but he pauses. This adult troll looks so much like Equius, like what Equius might have grown to look like if he hadn't died. And no one could say Equius' death was anyone's fault but Karkat, if he hadn't sent him after Gamzee, if he had done his job as a moirail sooner...he's too shocked to react.
And then he sees the troll looking down at the trap and his own gaze slides there too. He'd spent so long just around his friends, the eleven trolls who respected him as a leader despite his obvious low blood caste. For all of the terror he's been through recently, it seems he's almost forgotten what it means to know he deserves to die for an accident of his birth rather than his actions, to know that almost everyone else will see things the same way
( ... )
*Darkleer flinches the tiniest bit at the sharp crack of gunfire, but otherwise stands his ground... he's too busy staring at that bright red blood. Hideous. Mutant.* Your filthy blood.
It's just like his. *He'll never forget that blood. Never forget that man; the day all of his fortune ended. Just the sight of it fills him with a sort of unimaginable anger.
So he reaches out to one of the trees along the path, grabbing a branch - and casually rips the limb off so languidly it's like he's snapping a twig. He hefts it like a club.*
Drop your riflekind weapon and stand. I will graciously grant even a mutant blood like yourself the chance to die on your feet.
[Karkat had told him to stay hidden no matter what, and he really does try, even when he hears the guy screaming. But then he hears gunfire and he's on his feet and running in that direction, orders be damned. It doesn't take him long to stumble in on the scene. He ignores the larger troll completely and doesn't even seem to notice he's there, eyes focusing instantly on Karkat's state.]
Oh fuck!
[He shudders for a moment as the sight and smell of all that bright red blood makes something in his head scream, but manages to brush it off and rush towards Karkat, crouching to take a better look at the trap ensnaring his leg. It's only then that he bothers to spare the third troll here a glance, doing a brief double-take when he sees who it is.]
Equius? Were you always that huge? [He forgets the question as soon as he asks it, his mind clearly on more important things.] Come help a brother out, yeah? I ain't too sure how to get this motherfuckin' thing open.
*Darkleer is about to commend the mutantblood on his courage in the face of inevitable death when a third troll bursts onto the scene - and in an instant he's turning, raising the tree branch to confront this new threat, and...
Those familiar-looking (if slightly smaller) horns. That (admittedly less terrifying) face paint. Even though this troll is too young to be showing his blood in his eyes, Darkleer can recognize a highblood when he sees one. Immediately, he sets the club down, dropping to one knee before the boy - young or no, a highblood is a highblood, but his blood boils at the thought of one so noble in so perverse a game.*
Highblood.
*He'd said something about opening the trap, hadn't he? Darkleer moves to do just that, heading towards the other boy. The sight of that disgusting blood so close only makes him feel nauseous.* Of course. It is only proper that the culling of one so flawed should come at the hands of one so noble
( ... )
[His heart sinks completely when he sees Gamzee approaching, despite the way his vision is blurring from pain. They just can't fight this troll and he didn't want Gamzee to die too.]
I told you not to--
[But then the adult kneels, and he realizes just how lucky they've just been. He touches a hand lightly to the back of Gamzee's head, a signal that he needs to deal with this. He doesn't want to speak because that might lose them this opportunity. Hopefully Gamzee's blood color alone will be enough to win this dangerous troll's continued deference, but it's possible if he sees that this highblood responds to orders from one so flawed, things will change.]
[He gives the large troll a blank look, but Gamzee's used enough by now to Equius being incomprehensible that he doesn't question the remarks about culling, assuming it's a metaphor or roleplaying or whatever it is that the blueblood is so interested in.]
Uhh...I dunno about the rest of it, but as long as you're all what real sorry, it's cool. I hope you got bandages or something though, this wound looks pretty motherfuckin' nasty.
*And the blueblood has opened the trap - literally just wrenching it open with brute force - before he hears the highblood's words and just... blinks at him in confusion.*
You wish me to... bandage his wound? I don't understand. Perhaps you mean to kill him later, since he is no longer a threat to you or your rightful rule of our kind?
[He's trying to stay strong, but when the trap is wrenched open, he lets out a choking gasp of pain, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood to prevent himself from screaming again. Now that he's no longer being supported by the trap, he stumbles to the ground, the blood that was partially being staunched by the trap flowing freely. His pant leg is covering the wound so it's hard to tell just how bad it is, but the amount of blood implies a deep cut to the flesh and muscle.
Angry with himself, he quickly covers his face with his hands, wiping away tears while trying to look as though he's only doing it in exasperation.
He needs to fix this now, but he needs to do it very carefully.]
Gamzee, this isn't Equius. This is someone else who would like to kill me, but he wants to listen to what you want to do because you're a highblood.
I think you should make sure he understands what you want him to do right now, whether it's kill me or whether it's something different.
[He wraps an arm around Karkat's waist when the other troll drops, trying to support him. There's a strange buzzing in his ears at the sight of a troll weak and vulnerable at his feet, and he shakes his head slightly to try to clear it.]
Nobody's killing anyone.
[Yet whispers through his thoughts and leaves as quickly as it came. He still doesn't really understand what's going on or what he's supposed to do, but he knows enough to know that they need to get somewhere safe, Karkat's condition being what it is. He glances up at not-Equius.]
Bandages, yeah. And can you all what lend me a claw here and carry him to those caves nearby? It'll be easier than making him walk.
[His tone and expression is as friendly as ever, but there's a slight edge to it that suggests that disobedience is not an option here.]
I... Highblood, I must protest. That is to say, that I do not mean to question your orders for any reason whatsoever, but there can be no doubt that this one possesses some connection to the Signless and his rebellion against all that your magnificent self stands for.
And you mean to allow him to live? I-- I do not understand.
*And quickly* But that is not my place to understand your orders, Highblood. If you wish to spare his life, then I will do as you command. Even if he is a mutant blood whose existence expectorates in the face of our culture.
I do not possess bandages, but it will not be a dilemma to procure replacements for one of my prodigious strength. *And he slowly takes off the jacket that comes with the uniform and
( ... )
[He doesn't want this at all, to have this troll who can't even stop himself from displaying his revulsion at the sight of Karkat's blood to touch him, let alone bandage his leg and then carry him off like a helpless grub.
But he doesn't really have a choice. He can't even speak up for himself because Darkleer won't care what he has to say, and Gamzee is right, he doesn't know if he can walk right now. If he backtalks, he might jeopardize everything. So instead he just leans back against his friend, glad at least for him and knowing that as soon as his self disgust at this situation passes he'll be grateful to Gamzee for keeping him alive. He doesn't know what he's really thinking right now, and it's a good thing. Even if he can keep Gamzee calm, knowing his moirail is also looking at him like some weak thing deserving to be culled would be too much right now.]
They've traveled north enough that he can smell the ocean air near enough, which means they're getting close to their destination. But he also thinks he hears something; perhaps nothing at all, but perhaps the sound of someone nearby.
They're in a safe place right now, behind a grove of trees, but if they're going to continue they'll have to move more out into the open. He turns to Gamzee and whispers to him.]
Stay here and don't move. I'm going to check the way ahead; I'll come back for you once it's safe.
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Be careful, bro.
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[He creeps ahead out into the open, keeping his gun trained ahead of him, ready for any sign of disturbance around him ( ... )
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I wasn't expecting that to work so effectively so soon. Do you think I should be grateful? I--
*And then, whatever else he was going to say dies on his lips as he catches a glimpse of bright red on the trap's jaws, barely a splash but still visible.
Just like him.*
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And then he sees the troll looking down at the trap and his own gaze slides there too. He'd spent so long just around his friends, the eleven trolls who respected him as a leader despite his obvious low blood caste. For all of the terror he's been through recently, it seems he's almost forgotten what it means to know he deserves to die for an accident of his birth rather than his actions, to know that almost everyone else will see things the same way ( ... )
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It's just like his. *He'll never forget that blood. Never forget that man; the day all of his fortune ended. Just the sight of it fills him with a sort of unimaginable anger.
So he reaches out to one of the trees along the path, grabbing a branch - and casually rips the limb off so languidly it's like he's snapping a twig. He hefts it like a club.*
Drop your riflekind weapon and stand. I will graciously grant even a mutant blood like yourself the chance to die on your feet.
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Oh fuck!
[He shudders for a moment as the sight and smell of all that bright red blood makes something in his head scream, but manages to brush it off and rush towards Karkat, crouching to take a better look at the trap ensnaring his leg. It's only then that he bothers to spare the third troll here a glance, doing a brief double-take when he sees who it is.]
Equius? Were you always that huge? [He forgets the question as soon as he asks it, his mind clearly on more important things.] Come help a brother out, yeah? I ain't too sure how to get this motherfuckin' thing open.
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Those familiar-looking (if slightly smaller) horns. That (admittedly less terrifying) face paint. Even though this troll is too young to be showing his blood in his eyes, Darkleer can recognize a highblood when he sees one. Immediately, he sets the club down, dropping to one knee before the boy - young or no, a highblood is a highblood, but his blood boils at the thought of one so noble in so perverse a game.*
Highblood.
*He'd said something about opening the trap, hadn't he? Darkleer moves to do just that, heading towards the other boy. The sight of that disgusting blood so close only makes him feel nauseous.* Of course. It is only proper that the culling of one so flawed should come at the hands of one so noble ( ... )
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I told you not to--
[But then the adult kneels, and he realizes just how lucky they've just been. He touches a hand lightly to the back of Gamzee's head, a signal that he needs to deal with this. He doesn't want to speak because that might lose them this opportunity. Hopefully Gamzee's blood color alone will be enough to win this dangerous troll's continued deference, but it's possible if he sees that this highblood responds to orders from one so flawed, things will change.]
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Uhh...I dunno about the rest of it, but as long as you're all what real sorry, it's cool. I hope you got bandages or something though, this wound looks pretty motherfuckin' nasty.
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You wish me to... bandage his wound? I don't understand. Perhaps you mean to kill him later, since he is no longer a threat to you or your rightful rule of our kind?
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Angry with himself, he quickly covers his face with his hands, wiping away tears while trying to look as though he's only doing it in exasperation.
He needs to fix this now, but he needs to do it very carefully.]
Gamzee, this isn't Equius. This is someone else who would like to kill me, but he wants to listen to what you want to do because you're a highblood.
I think you should make sure he understands what you want him to do right now, whether it's kill me or whether it's something different.
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Nobody's killing anyone.
[Yet whispers through his thoughts and leaves as quickly as it came. He still doesn't really understand what's going on or what he's supposed to do, but he knows enough to know that they need to get somewhere safe, Karkat's condition being what it is. He glances up at not-Equius.]
Bandages, yeah. And can you all what lend me a claw here and carry him to those caves nearby? It'll be easier than making him walk.
[His tone and expression is as friendly as ever, but there's a slight edge to it that suggests that disobedience is not an option here.]
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And you mean to allow him to live? I-- I do not understand.
*And quickly* But that is not my place to understand your orders, Highblood. If you wish to spare his life, then I will do as you command. Even if he is a mutant blood whose existence expectorates in the face of our culture.
I do not possess bandages, but it will not be a dilemma to procure replacements for one of my prodigious strength. *And he slowly takes off the jacket that comes with the uniform and ( ... )
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But he doesn't really have a choice. He can't even speak up for himself because Darkleer won't care what he has to say, and Gamzee is right, he doesn't know if he can walk right now. If he backtalks, he might jeopardize everything. So instead he just leans back against his friend, glad at least for him and knowing that as soon as his self disgust at this situation passes he'll be grateful to Gamzee for keeping him alive. He doesn't know what he's really thinking right now, and it's a good thing. Even if he can keep Gamzee calm, knowing his moirail is also looking at him like some weak thing deserving to be culled would be too much right now.]
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