"My back huuurts," Skritch complained, putting his hands on his rump and puffing his chest out until his spine made a number of satisfying crunches. "We haven't even walked that far yet," Shenzi pointed out with an awkward shrug.

The sand was warm and made satisfying crunches underneath her toes. "Do you remember when we lived in the ocean?" Sharkbait gave an awkward chuckle, one that was filled with post-irony but also a bit of humble nostalgia. "Yeah… I wish we were back there, sometimes."

The Sea-Cucumber colony had crash-landed their submarine into Mireh some time back, and since then, they'd been fighting to get the equipment to repair it. Though they'd set up a temporary base in L'Hatzif, they found themselves regularly traveling across the landscape to search for work and prey. This time, though, they were strictly on formal business. Skritch had news to be delivered to the tribe of thieves at the Lake Of Visions–personally.

But traversing hundreds of miles was no easy feat, and tonight was the third in a row that they made camp. "Dehydrated kelp and beans… Again," Sharkbait gave a weary smile, all the while pinching his nose. "At least we have fire," Shenzi grumbled, feeling like he was being especially ungrateful considering she had been the one to gather all of the wood… In the desert. Yeah, figure that one.

Still, it got dreadfully cold, and Skritch began regretting his thin form. "We'll leave at first light again, tomorrow," he shivered, wishing he had a blanket–but all the same, it would've been an uncomfortable load to carry during the hot days. Maybe that black eye-liner that the natives wore and their long but thin clothes were the best wear for the weather?

Thinking on their toes, the Sea-Cucumbers had to employ some wise tactics to help them make pace across the desert. Sharkbait and Shenzi shook down their Captain Skritch at a trader's stand enough to agree to rent them a mount–but only enough for him to cheap out and pick a single Izumi. All three clung to the massive, kangaroid-styled beast at it traversed the desert in massive hops.

"Get your butt out of my face!" Shenzi complained, trying her best to both hold on and complain. "Get your face out of my butt!" Skritch stuck his tongue out with a scowl. "You're both crushing ME!" Sharkbait answered last, the unfortunate of the trio hanging onto the izumi's tail.

As they approached, numerous caravans of covered wagons sat outside, some dangling with trinkets and wares for sale. Sharkbait's eyes widened with excitement over a rare cactus, one that he rushed to pick–then withdrew his paws with a yelp over the sharp thorns. Tall steppes rose around the edge of the lake, forming a half-moon around the bay. Their colors were striped, indicating past periods of history complete with their own clay deposits and small fossils.

While Skritch, Shenzi, and Sharkbait (the three s's!) were just arriving, other Xiunari lived here or traveled through frequently. "FINALLY!" Skritch gasped in exasperation. He ran to the water and started gulping it down. Shenzi and Sharkbait shot each other odd looks over their Captain's behavior as they approached and each filled up their own canteens. "You know, we drank water half an hour ago at another oasis," Shenzi snarked.

Nevertheless, they weren't just here to fill their gullets–though in the first hours they did that too, trying exotic fruits aplenty and bold spices! Up until the aerial tark'ee running the fruit stand asked them to pay up, and Skritch and Shenzi made a swift run for it. "S-Sorry!" Sharkbait waved a hand awkwardly, then bolted off with them.

Their captain, the white-furred monk, darted up the side of one of the ochre cliffs, right up to the top. "Listen, people of the Lake Of Visions!" He declared, "We have traveled far and long to deliver this most imminent news." Although more than half were annoyed, Shenzi judged based on the expressions, the citizens of Issiq nonetheless stopped what they were doing to listen. A timid Sharkbait joined her, his tail clutched between his legs.

"There are great quakes under the sea, one that stranded us. An earthquake is coming, and with it, flood waves." A tsabhua below laughed, and others nearby readily joined him, vasking in the ridiculous of the thought of water so much as landing in the desert, let alone covering it. Shenzi prickled, snarling.

"What he says is the truth!" Sharkbait declared, flinching. "I–the shaman–Have seen it. This land will become covered by the waves!" The laughing turned from sparse into fits–not one of them took the three outsiders seriously. "Aye," snarked Ar'vee, a fluffy brown tark'ee, "I'll believe it when I see it!"

Total Wordcount: 800
1 to 200
"My back huuurts," Skritch complained, putting his hands on his rump and puffing his chest out until his spine made a number of satisfying crunches. "We haven't even walked that far yet," Shenzi pointed out with an awkward shrug. The sand was warm and made satisfying crunches underneath her toes. "Do you remember when we lived in the ocean?" Sharkbait gave an awkward chuckle, one that was filled with post-irony but also a bit of humble nostalgia. "Yeah… I wish we were back there, sometimes." The Sea-Cucumber colony had crash-landed their submarine into Mireh some time back, and since then, they'd been fighting to get the equipment to repair it. Though they'd set up a temporary base in L'Hatzif, they found themselves regularly traveling across the landscape to search for work and prey. This time, though, they were strictly on formal business. Skritch had news to be delivered to the tribe of thieves at the Lake Of Visions personally. But traversing hundreds of miles was no easy feat, and tonight was the third in a row that they made camp. "Dehydrated kelp and beans… Again," Sharkbait gave a weary smile, all the while pinching his nose. "At least we have
Mention Counter
Skritch: 2 mentions
Sharkbait: 2 mentions
Shenzi: 1 mentions

201 to 400
fire," Shenzi grumbled, feeling like he was being especially ungrateful considering she had been the one to gather all of the wood… In the desert. Yeah, figure that one. Still, it got dreadfully cold, and Skritch began regretting his thin form. "We'll leave at first light again, tomorrow," he shivered, wishing he had a blanket but all the same, it would've been an uncomfortable load to carry during the hot days. Maybe that black eye-liner that the natives wore and their long but thin clothes were the best wear for the weather? Thinking on their toes, the Sea-Cucumbers had to employ some wise tactics to help them make pace across the desert. Sharkbait and Shenzi shook down their Captain Skritch at a trader's stand enough to agree to rent them a mount but only enough for him to cheap out and pick a single Izumi. All three clung to the massive, kangaroid-styled beast at it traversed the desert in massive hops. "Get your butt out of my face!" Shenzi complained, trying her best to both hold on and complain. "Get your face out of my butt!" Skritch stuck his tongue out with a scowl. "You're both crushing ME!" Sharkbait answered
Mention Counter
Skritch: 3 mentions
Sharkbait: 2 mentions
Shenzi: 3 mentions

401 to 600
last, the unfortunate of the trio hanging onto the izumi's tail. As they approached, numerous caravans of covered wagons sat outside, some dangling with trinkets and wares for sale. Sharkbait's eyes widened with excitement over a rare cactus, one that he rushed to pick then withdrew his paws with a yelp over the sharp thorns. Tall steppes rose around the edge of the lake, forming a half-moon around the bay. Their colors were striped, indicating past periods of history complete with their own clay deposits and small fossils. While Skritch, Shenzi, and Sharkbait (the three s's!) were just arriving, other Xiunari lived here or traveled through frequently. "FINALLY!" Skritch gasped in exasperation. He ran to the water and started gulping it down. Shenzi and Sharkbait shot each other odd looks over their Captain's behavior as they approached and each filled up their own canteens. "You know, we drank water half an hour ago at another oasis," Shenzi snarked. Nevertheless, they weren't just here to fill their gullets though in the first hours they did that too, trying exotic fruits aplenty and bold spices! Up until the aerial tark'ee running the fruit stand asked them to pay up, and Skritch and
Mention Counter
Skritch: 3 mentions
Sharkbait: 3 mentions
Shenzi: 3 mentions

601 to 800
Shenzi made a swift run for it. "S-Sorry!" Sharkbait waved a hand awkwardly, then bolted off with them. Their captain, the white-furred monk, darted up the side of one of the ochre cliffs, right up to the top. "Listen, people of the Lake Of Visions!" He declared, "We have traveled far and long to deliver this most imminent news." Although more than half were annoyed, Shenzi judged based on the expressions, the citizens of Issiq nonetheless stopped what they were doing to listen. A timid Sharkbait joined her, his tail clutched between his legs. "There are great quakes under the sea, one that stranded us. An earthquake is coming, and with it, flood waves." A tsabhua below laughed, and others nearby readily joined him, vasking in the ridiculous of the thought of water so much as landing in the desert, let alone covering it. Shenzi prickled, snarling. "What he says is the truth!" Sharkbait declared, flinching. "I the shaman Have seen it. This land will become covered by the waves!" The laughing turned from sparse into fits not one of them took the three outsiders seriously. "Aye," snarked Ar'vee, a fluffy brown tark'ee, "I'll believe it when I see it!"
Mention Counter
Skritch: 1 mentions
Sharkbait: 3 mentions
Shenzi: 3 mentions
Skritch is in 4 chunks
Sharkbait is in 4 chunks
Shenzi is in 4 chunks
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Desert Striders

In The Six Crucibles ・ By Sea-Cucumbers ・ 0 Favourites ・ 0 Comments

Prompt Used: Travel a long distance through the wilderness to bring important news to a tribe or colony.

Focus Colonist/s: Skritch 0468, Sharkbait 2231, Shenzi 2279 

Relevant Research: Research Plus

Experience Breakdown: 

Skritch
800 Words: 8
Environment: +2
Total: 10

Shenzi and Sharkbait
800 Words: 8
Environment: +2
Prime Friend (Skritch): +1
Total: 11

Research Points Breakdown: 
Base RP: 11 + 11 + 10 = 32
Research Plus: +32 RP
Benefit of Age (Skritch) +10
Total: 74 RP


Submitted By Sea-Cucumbers for Crucible of Charisma ・ Location: Lake of Visions (Issiq)
Submitted 3 weeks ago ・ Last Updated 3 weeks ago
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[thumb=1978]

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[Desert Striders by Sea-Cucumbers (Literature)](https://www.xiun.us/gallery/view/1978)
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