Topic: The Claiming (Open)

[RawrCandy]

Aleksei debated whether to take off his boots or to leave them on, for the splashing sounds they created were starting to annoy him, and he was afraid they would give away his location to any living thing that picked up noise well enough. The thought of being discovered and murdered within the first days of the game made his heart throb with disgust. It was clear to him that there was no other solution than death or winning, but he didn't want to shame his family further by kicking the bucket on the first day.

However, his inner rambling stilled when he heard a rustling sound nearby. The mangroves were making it difficult to see through, and he was beginning to feel rather fed up with that much green surrounding him, but he was sure he heard a voice from somewhere close.

He picked up the last few leaves that he was able to find. For now most of the beautiful plants of the rainforest were venom-flora, which he quickly wrapped in a big leaf to save his poor skin from irritation. Aleksei was not really sure they could cause any major problems unless swallowed, but one could never play with fire. He had found two or three spare leaves of an antiseptic plant and one that mixed with water would help against a possible fever. At least, that's what he thought he remembered, but he better test it out on someone else before putting his life on risk.

He stored the plants in his rucksack and moved into a crouching position.

Aleksei was suddenly glad he had dirtied his face and hair with mud, for he was sure that anyone could easily spot him with his unreasonable white hair and skin. He had found his way again! Even though his steps were completely washed off he finally figured out where the north was. Now if he just followed the right tray again without losing his steps again, he'd be out of the nasty rainforest by the evening. Just thinking about staying overnight made him shiver. He needed to find someone else, at least to ensure he had allies to survive. What happened to them afterwards, Aleksei did not care.

[Kazuo]

The man before him taking a swig of the water he’d gotten was a great reminder that he still had a parched throat. It didn’t help, too, that it appeared to him like the other was showing off when he had, in the first place, come out of his hiding place to learn of how that was done. It was honestly akin to getting something out of thin air – the water from the tree.

“The roots.”

Confusion clearly made itself known to his companion as it took over the bland expression Alann had worn not too long ago. The man wasn’t sure whether the other was answering his question or whether he was talking about something else entirely. And, he’d realized all too late, too, that his question had been vague. He was specifically asking about the hole in the tree and the water, but it appeared that his question had gone wayward. There should be no surprise there that this stranger’s reply went off, too.

It was certainly very unlike him to ask something that wasn’t specific and he idly wondered if it had something to do with the way he’d approached this matter. Or, if it was with the way his heart raced from the slight fear of the thought that anything can happen. After all, the unexpected should always be expected in this game, The Claiming.

“Stepping on the roots makes your steps softer and you’re less likely to break twigs.”

Realization finally dawned on Alann when he’d heard those words. He just wasn’t sure, though, if he were to take that as a warning or a note for future reference. If it were the first, that would have hit his pride. He’d have also been silently told that he’d been heard even long before and that he’d been aware of his presence since. If it were the latter, that should be taken as a learning experience.

But it appeared like the man really was mocking him. From the words he used next and the way he continued speaking, that was the only conclusion he can come to. Alann was just about to open his mouth to speak up, but he was far too distracted by the man tossing him his flask. In his fear of losing such a valuable item and of water, the man momentarily scrambled to catch it while in the air and let out a quiet sigh of relief when he’d gotten it. He’d only stopped, though, when he’d realized he’d lost his composure there. Clearing his throat into his hand as he straightened up, the male’s eyes cast back up to the man not too far from him gently putting that knife of his on the ground.

Somehow, that simple action caused an internal turmoil within. Was he setting him up? Did he have anyone with him? Was this some sort of peaceful arrangement where they talk terms like they do in business? Alann couldn’t help but find his gaze tearing away from the Dominant before him to look about the place. When he didn’t hear anything else but the sounds of the small critters and their breath, the male turned his attention back to the man before him.

“I’m afraid I’m not wearing any belt,” he answered. Oh, he wasn't teasing him. He was simply making his point. Alann reached behind him to take the handle of his knife. Slowly, he stepped forward and put his blade on the ground. As he did this, he didn’t tear his gaze away from Ray’s, afraid that one wrong move may cause him his life. “And, thank you.” Raising the flask a little, he parted his lips and brought it to his mouth. Just a little swig. That was enough.

Taking more than a gulp before he’d pulled the flask away, Alann let out a breath of satisfaction before he’d finally tore his gaze away from him. Instead, his eyes settled on the water still dripping down the twig.

“Do teach me how you’ve done that.” If he does learn that, it was going to be of great advantage to him. This way, he wouldn’t have to worry about water and about how to get them.

[~Kira~]

"!!" Raj had moved too fast for him to react, due to not having expected to see someone up here. Makoto stared down at the dirty blond who had pinned him up against the cave wall and his green eyes flickered down to the knife at his throat. He wasn't dead yet, so he still had a chance. Before taking a person's life, most tended to either draw the knife back a little to gain momentum for a killing blow or shifted their grip on the weapon being used. Those split seconds were enough time for him to use his martial arts to turn the tables.

He blinked when Raj suddenly spoke to him out of nowhere. "Makoto." Why did he want to know his name? What purpose did he have for such knowledge? "Am I what?" Makoto asked, getting a bit aggravated with Raj for taking so long to get out his words. Due to living out on the streets all his life, he was accustomed to things being done quickly and didn't have much patience since he had never been given any by others. Despite the fact that he was talking, Makoto still remained ready to use his martial arts in case Raj decided to kill him here.

The worst thing that could happen would be for him to lower his guard and let this man kill him because of his carelessness. That wasn't going to happen. No matter how scared Raj tried to look, he wasn't sure if it was an act or real since he didn't know the other male.

Makoto wasn't going to trust a stranger, not until he knew if he was trustworthy or not. He narrowed his eyes as he watched Raj drop the knife but still try to keep him pinned to the wall. Now that the danger was gone, he could easily escape Raj's hold with minimal damage. But there wasn't a point in doing so since it didn't seem as if Raj wanted to kill him. And he didn't want to kill Raj right now, he wasn't in the mood. So what harm would there be in letting Raj think he still had control over him and see what the man had in mind for them?

Makoto blinked when he saw the man hold up the branding iron and narrowed his eyes as he thought about the offer for a few seconds. Eh, what the hell, Raj had good reflexes to take him by surprise earlier. He might be able to make some use of them and others might underestimate them too. "Sure." Makoto replied and waited for Raj to respond to his words. He had a high pain tolerance, so figured the branding wouldn't hurt nearly as much as it would others. But could Raj handle such a thing? Then again, maybe he should cry out.

If he did, Makoto would be able to hear the sound of his voice in pain which would be delicious.

[Blackchain]

The man was becoming impatient. Good... then the next few sentences he would pay attention to...

"Trades work two ways, my friend, but courtesy requires us to know each other before a trade. You don't know me, but..."

Taking a step back he looked at the man, foot to head.

"Now then. Tell me how close I am: you are from the Metropolis, likely in a business profession; you are a Dominant, but have taken off your belt to hide that fact; you are unused to the heat, and so need a reliable source of water desperately. You are a cautious man, but possess considerable courage. Am I correct?"

He of course needed no response; everything he said was only a fact.

"You aren't wearing a belt; the only ones who would benefit from this would be a Dominant. Submissives need to be known to be collected, which is their only way out alive. Your body's reaction to the environs would suggest an indoor occupation, the need for water is everyone's problem, and you were not afraid to try a reckless move like talking to me, so you obviously understand the danger and are a well educated man for attempting negotiation. You were grasping your knife behind your back a moment ago, but you also let go of it before you came toward me, indicating both caution and a desire to avoid violence for information There's only one problem: as far as I can tell, I'm the one with a bargaining chip, and trades require something from both sides..."

Ray's body was beginning to flutter on the inside at this point; his choices were limited, and the man could still kill him if he had a spare knife...

With a slow breath to soothe his nerves he concluded, "But naturally, since you and I are both Dominants, we both know what will come of me if I give away how to tap trees..." He made a small neck-slicing gesture. "And at the same time, if I die, the secret goes with me. So I want to know: if I tell you, what can you offer in return that can help me to survive?"

In wait for an answer, he stood before the drip stick and let the water pool into his hand. After a few moments he lifted his hands to his face, splashing water across his face and pushing his long blond hair back, wetting it. His hair would probably get in the way, but if he got out of here alive, he would not want to alter a thing about himself. He wanted his mother to see him how he was when he entered.

With a relaxed face, he leaned against the tree which dripped tears onto the auburn leaves.

Your move.

[Hex]

Focus, when Abel had that his mind was proficient smooth running machine. When he didn't, well then he ended up staring into nothingness like a drooling nitwit. Unfortunately for him, keeping track of his surroundings brought out the latter. His intense stare had quickly deteriorated into the empty gawk of a daydreamer. If he had been staring in Zaire's direction it was only because the mangroves were the last place he had been looking before his mind skipped gaily off on its own.

And what was it his mind decided to focus on during this life and death game of survival? Lemon sharks, yes, Abel was fantasizing about lemon sharks. It had all started innocently enough. While boring his eyes into the shallows of the mangroves he had been reminded of the fact that the twisted roots were a favorite nursery place for lemon shark pups to hide and grow. From there, his mind had spiraled into several feature length documentaries about the lifecycle of the lemon shark. By the time he had noticed Zaire creeping out of the shadows, the other male was already bending to fill his flask.

Abel's eyes lazily circled Zaire as if they hadn't entirely decided if the other male was actually there. Even as the full force of the realization hit him, Abel's face remained blank. It wasn't a good poker face on his part but a symptom of having a flat affect.

Inwardly Abel was cursing his gnat like attention span.
 
As he struggled to quickly gain a feel for the male thrust in front of his doddering musings of lemon sharks, the point that first drew his stare was that the other wasn't wearing one of the garish colored belts. His eyes traced the other's hips as he began to assess why. This early in the game, there were only a couple reasons someone wouldn't be wearing a belt. The most blatant being they were a complete idiot and had either lost their belt, or removed it for an equally senseless reason. The other logical motive would be for a strategic aim. Since the man before him didn't look like a complete blithering idiot, Abel for the moment was willing to entertain that it was a matter of strategy.
 
From the outset, dominants would clearly have the most to gain from trying to hide what group they belonged to, but that was so blatant one could hardly call it strategic. Abel was lining up several other more intelligent reasons when Zaire's low voice broke across the barren shoreline.

Get himself killed? It was almost laughable. Anything he did was likely to kill him at this point. The government had dropped him in this cesspool of game for that exact purpose, to die.

Still, as brusque as the words might be, the other male was verbally extending the proverbial olive branch. Opening lines of communication was the first step in building a potential alliance.

"Wandering around alone will get you killed too," Abel's reply was equally blunt. He reasoned if the male was worth working with than the other would catch his obvious offer to work together. This early in the game it wasn't as if he were looking to get matching cock piercings and become the other's BFF or something.

Abel remind silent and unmoving as he waited for some measure of a reply.

[Cata]

Spoiler for Hidden:

Name: Areden Raine
Age: 21
Sexuality: Switch
Abilities: Martial arts, throwing knives
Wanted a life as a simple General male but was dubbed a submissive since his brother outshone him as a clearly dominant male. Areden wanted a simple life with his meditations but this was viewed as having no ambition.

So. The time had come for him to enter the damned arena. The same place his own brother lost his life. His parents pride and joy..And he died in the end of The Claiming. This was one of the reason he hated his rank. He never wanted to be in this sick game of the government. He had tried when he was younger to be as normal as he could. But in the eyes of the government. He had somehow been a submissive. He had raged when it had been decided, his elder brother just shaking his head at his rebellious, angered fit. It was a full day of him taking it out on a set of training dummies. But he had calmed and turned his sights to the future.

Ever since then he had been training, never exposing himself. Never letting anyone close enough to know. His parents were too busy fawning on his elder brother. But then...His time for The Claiming came. He made it so far..Only for his submissive to stab him in the back, having aligned secretly with a dominant who was rich and offered a better life than his brother would offer. They were a simple family, but lived very comfortably. His mother was the local apothecary while his father ran their family's dojo. It was meant for dominants, but after his brother died his father started some submissive classes. He suspected it was to try and get him to talk with them. To have them forgive how they placed him in the shadows.

The blindfold was gone and he peered around with pale grey orbs that looked almost silver. He frowned as he slowly moved from his drop off point, moving to a tree. He looked up, hopping up and grasping the lowest branch, the tree snarled in its upward growth thanks to the other trees around it. He hauled himself up, crouching on the branch. He then moved up a bit more before seating himself, his eyes scanning the terrain from his vantage point. He brought his pack forward and checked what he had been given. He clucked his tongue in disdain at the lack of water. So. That was one of the first things on his list before shelter. Food he could go without for at least a good day. And he could ration out what he had into two days. But water. He would feel the effects of dehydration far too quickly.

He slung his pack back on and moved up into the branches, mindful to pull on each and test the strength of it before hauling himself further up. He paused half way up, quiet now as he looked for others. No one was close, but he knew he would run into someone soon. With a sigh he pulled himself up more and finally managed to get a peek out of the canopy. He looked around and spotted a more mountainous terrain in the north. Mountains meant possible ice caps which meant fresher water. But that also meant predators would have a better food source. Possibly mountain lions.

He was satisfied and made his descent, mindful to look around as he did. It took him a good moment to get back down, hopping down to the ground from the lowest branch he could get to. He remained next to the tree, cautious. He was reminded of his brother. Had he known this paranoia?

A shift close by made him put his knife in his hand. He tested the weight. It would not do as well as a throwing knife unless he balanced it more. He shifted his weight, stepping onto the roots of the trees, using the moss covered area to quiet his movements as he peeked around the tree. He saw the green belt and the panic settling on the male he was peering at. Areden almost felt bad. But...He couldn't. He refused to die like his brother, Brenden. If he died..His parents had no one else. Even if they never paid him any mind once his rank was given...He still couldn't leave them with no one to carry on their name.

He wanted to sigh but kept it in as he picked up a moss covered stone form the ground and threw it away from himself, watching the red haired male squeak and look over to the noise. He moved like a feline as he came closer. And as the male turned, he met cold silver eyes and was gurgling on his next breath. Hands lifted as blood spilled from his throat, falling to his knees and then he fell dead before Areden. He tucked his knife away and took the pack off the male, taking his belt as well from his form. He quickly filled his own pack and continued to move, knowing he probably made too much noise in his killing.

[Gaslight]

"Wandering around with people I shouldn't trust is what will get me killed," Zaire simply murmured in reply. Yes, this game was the perfect mind-fuck - team up with people. Use them to give you what you need. Build relationships with them that will sooner or later come tumbling down around you because your 'friends' are also the obstacles standing between you and life.

And the biggest mistake anyone could make in this rarefied, ruthless world that they'd been thrust into was to trust.

The brunette was stoic as he continued to fill his flask, capping it once it was brimming with the filthy water. He'd managed to spy movement below the surface of the water, meaning that there could be fish or at least something else edible, but right now he had nothing with which to hunt them and his earlier point had been a valid one. Staying out here too long was practically inviting something sinister and he didn't know about blondie over there, but he wasn't about to take the chance that someone more dangerous might come along and snipe him off like a sitting duck.

Which was when his gaze shot up and cast a quick look around him. He needed a place to boil this water in peace and gather himself, but the land to his left seemed dauntingly open and unprotected. He couldn't judge what the terrain was like to his right, but directly across from him seemed to be an area of heavy forest and that looked the most promising for what he needed at the moment. It would be easy to get lost in there. Rustling in the undergrowth would provide warning that someone was approaching.

Rising, Zaire stashed his now laden flask into his backpack and began the long trudge around the circumference of the lake. The man couldn't say how good of an ally this blondie would be, but for the moment Zaire could see definite uses for him. Maybe he could tag along and act as a distraction if someone threatening came upon them. Maybe not. His normal sensibilities that usually pushed him to champion the underdogs would have reviled against this notion... once. But this environment broke every rule and Zaire was nothing if not a pragmatist. He would not die for his convictions, because he too was flawed and he sensed that this game was going to bring out the less forgiving sides of his own humanity.

However, before attempting to approach the forest he approached blondie instead. Staying a safe distance away from the man, but close enough for him to be heard without needing to raise his voice much, he said, "I'm leaving. If you want to take your chances out here alone then be my guest. If not, then follow me."

[RawrCandy]

Actually, if he was alone in a rainforest, surrounded by medicinal plants, would that mean he could find some fruit lying around? Aleksei was starting to get hungry and he would do anything to get something to fill his stomach with, but that meant getting away from the mangroves and losing his direction again. The humidity was starting to get to his head and he felt dizzy. He was lucky there were no big predators, for he was sure that if confronted by a deadly creature he would find no energy to continue.

The albino was confused, the clock was ticking, and this was a race against death. His top priority should be finding a dominant male that would claim him. Even if he was unable to submit himself to anyone, he would play along. It was either degrading himself or dying, and it was not like he had any dignity left.

"At the rate I'm going, it's going to be nightfall anytime soon." He sighed, walking in a rainforest was no kid's game. He had to take his decision soon, and it was now or never. Aleksei looked behind him. Getting out of the jungle at night would be even more difficult and he doubted he had the time or the energy to build a shelter for the night. Falling asleep would mean immediate death by the hands of a naughty scorpion or a disease-ridden mosquito. Oh, maybe a snake would decide it wanted a midnight Aleksei-snack. He shivered at the thought of being swallowed alive.

No.

Humans needed water to survive, they would die in a few days with no water, but they could go on without food for a longer time, and even if eating a banana or a mango was a satisfying thought, the empty flask in his rucksack was a more urgent matter. He needed to get to the centre of the arena or another place where he would be able to refill his flask. Hey, maybe if he met another participant he could steal their flask after killing them. Oh... if only he had a bow he could use the poison to strike them. Aleksei was a weakling: he had no force and would probably lose on a one-on-one, but he was good with the bow. No direct contact. Plus he was good at sneaking.

But time was the issue at hand, if he stopped to carve a bow he would probably die either way. He cut one of the lianas and stored it. It would serve as the string for a future bow, he thought. Then he turned around, leaving the rainforest behind and rushing his way out of the mangroves. If he found another participant he would have to resort to his knife to get their instruments.

Was that light in front of him? Did he reach the centre of the arena? That was surprisingly easy. It would still get a while until he was completely out, so he had to watch out for snakes and other living creatures. Would he be able to do it? Aleksei was worried, the centre of the arena meant being uncovered. At least around the mangroves he had shelter against the human eye, but if he actually met a bonded pair it would mean his end.

[Sexi-Kitten]

Makoto. Raj made a mental note to remember that name. If the submissive does agree to his claim. Then they will be spending a lot of time together. Hopefully until the very end. Raj hoped he would agree so that it would be one less person to have to kill. If Makoto refuses the  Raj would have no choice but to slit his throat and be done with him. The last thing he needs is a Submissive walking around freely and giving away his position.

Finally Makoto answered.

An agreement! Raj felt himself relax a little before stepping away from Makoto. Picking up his knife again he placed it on his belt and sat down with his pack wide open. He thought about what he could use to make a fire. Strips of cloth wouldn't be the best so they might have to wait before they can officially brand each other. Leaves and wood are no where to be found in this area so there was no hope to brand around here.

Where could they go? The heart of the arena was probably the best place to head towards. He was already on his way there. From there they can decide. All the other parts of the land held some kind of plant or tree that they could start a fire with. Of all the zones why did he have to be place in this one? Well, he couldn't complain too much. Raj did get water so everyone's first chore was already taken care of for him. What about Makoto?

Zipping up the bag Raj stood and adjusted it on his back. Since he didn't trust the other man fully he lightly pushed him forward to get him to walk. He never said anything. Last attempt at talking turned into a mess so he could only hope that Makoto would understand. Walking past the dark haired man, not once taking his eyes off him, he moved out of the cave. He nudged his head and hoped that Makoto would just follow his unspoken orders.

Taking out his flask he showed it to Makoto. "L-let's g-g..." he sighed in frustration. Talking was just something he couldn't do. Asking if this man had water or even telling him to start walking was impossible. Such a simple action and yet Raj couldn't get the words out due to his nerves.

Grabbing Makoto's arm he pulled him out and pointed towards where the waterfall could be just seen over a tall rock. He then turned him to look at where he believed to be the direction to the heart of the arena. If Makoto already has water then they can move on. If not then they will have to backtrack amd that would be a huge waste of time.

[~Kira~]

Makoto made no move towards the other male when Raj released him and watched as his new partner started to rummage through his pack. The martial artist wondered what Raj was looking for and glanced around the cave. One thing was for sure, they wouldn't make any progress if they remained here. He picked up his own pack from where it had fallen earlier and slung it over his shoulder. Even though it was twice the weight of a normal pack due to the contents, it didn't bother him much.

Mostly because he was used to training under harsh conditions and with handicaps. He watched as Raj made his way over to him and then lightly pushed him forward. "You don't talk much, do you?" Makoto remarked as he turned around to head out of the cave. He paused for a moment when they emerged and let his eyes flicker out over the vast expanse of land that stretched out before them. No one was nearby, at least not in vision range. What a shame. He would have liked to kill again.

The rush it gave him made him feel powerful. Makoto raised a brow when Raj grabbed his arm and pointed towards the waterfall and then down in another direction. "...you know, I won't bite you. Now that we're partners I have no reason to kill you. So why don't you talk a bit more?" He said, not wanting to spend the entire journey with a silent dominant. Then again, being silent was useful at times but right now they weren't on a hunt and he wanted to know more about his new partner.

If only to figure out how to mess with him later on after this ordeal was over.

[Kazuo]

Close. This stranger was pretty close in assuming the kind of person he was and the environment he grew up in.

Alann made sure not to show his surprise too blatantly like he'd done a while ago. That was rather embarrassing, and he'd prefer not to do it a second time. As he listened to the man take on an intelligent guess about him and his background, he remained silent - contemplative - as if he were trying to gauge what this man had on him telling him all those... things. Was he going to blackmail him? How was he able to tell a lot of things from just one glance? Was he going to use his position against him?

The latter shouldn't be possible. This man knew nothing about him.

From the look of things, he has the upperhand here, he thought to himself as he watched the man lean against tree. Alann didn't see the sense in the way he used that water from the drip stick to push his hair back. It would've made more sense, though, if the stranger had drank that water that pooled into his hand not too long ago. But then again, to each their own.

The first thing the business man did was smile and then the next thing he did, surprisingly, was take the first step. He didn't close the distance between them. No, not yet. That wasn't the time for it. Instead, he'd done another thing that pretty much equaled a person holding out some sort of contract: Alann held the flask out to Ray.

"A partnership," he started as he raised his free hand up in a silent gesture of 'peace'. Alann's gaze never wavered as he met Ray's eyes. Now that he was paying more attention to the man before him, he could see that he was educated. If not, then, he probably got this good eye of his through work. After all, where else would be the best place to hone such a skill?

"Until there's just the two of us standing."

Was he going to take it, or was he going to turn his offer down? Alann didn't know. He was taking a risk here; however, he'd like to say that this would be a productive risk should he get a positive response from his current companion.

[Blackchain]

"A partnership."

Just the answer he was waiting for. Ray's nerves fell to a relaxed state and his subtle creeping fear that the man would bolt for the knife was eliminated. This man was no fool; he has an evident aura of a man who walks on the side of caution. He would need to watch this man carefully, or Ray's last days might be spent bleeding to death in the lonely woods, left for dead.

"A partnership," Ray spoke aloud, accepting back the flask and taking a swig. The water filled his mouth and relieved him of his dryness, flowing like a gentle stream down his sore throat. With the arrival of the man, a first taste had been the outset of Ray's Pacifistic moves, a subtle suggestion of equality and a facilitating symbol of truce. The young upperclassman seems to have taken the hint and understood each others need. As one, they could have trouble, but together their odds rose significantly.

"A fair offer of life for life. Do keep in mind; your side of the bargain comes after mine. You keep your knife away from my throat and I think we can both profit from this circumstance." He finished with a gentle smile, his eyes never dropping from his new companion's countenance. His eyes were untouchable, unreadable. His face was withholding an emotion...surprise? Ray couldn't be sure; his poker-face was up and he seemed to understand Ray's propensity for reading emotion, having just witnessed it first-hand. Good...this man was more cautious than he had first anticipated. And, of course, caution makes men like Ray live this long. A more perfect partner could not be asked for.

Inhaling harshly and releasing concerns, he gave a quick breath out and introduced himself.

"My name is Ray."

With another deep gulp he began to explain the intricacies of tapping trees. He held nothing back; this man would surely need an intellect with him for the future, so the more ingenious the concept, the more valuable Ray would seem. With a clever eye on the young Dominant's knife, he brought him closer to see the fibres of the tree close up, attempting to indicate to the man that as long as they were allies, they could trust each other at this close space. Signs of trust were important when building rapport; without trust from his ally, he could not use him.

[Sexi-Kitten]

Raj shook his head at the comment. He didn't like talking and he wasn't good at it. He had always tripped over his words and stuttered to the point nothing made sense. Makoto has already seen how badly Raj's speech could be so why was this man trying to get him to talk some more? Well, besides from the fact it was difficult to communicate this way. Raj was honestly shocked he has gotten this far.

"I--" He tried again. He can't become a Submissive while in the game. No one was watching him like hawks trying to find their next prey so what did he have to lose? "D-do... y-ou ha-... ha-have water...?" He questioned. His voice was deep like any other male, but his stutter made him seem a lot weaker than he really was. "If y-you..." he sighed in frustration. He hated the way his voice never seemed to work with him. "W-we sh-sh-should mo... move on... i-if you d-do..."

That was the longest sentence he has ever sputtered out.  Raj hoped that Makoto would just get annoyed of his way of talking and avoid making him talk again. Normally Raj would whistle to get somone's attention and motion for what he needs from them. In this type of game silence could be a saving grace. Hopefully Raj would be able to make Makoto understand.

"I- I al-always had... a-a pr...rroblem t-talking... Th-that's w-w-why I d.... don't..." His tone was shallow and barely over a whisper for two reasons. One, he didn't know if anyone else is around listening in and ready to kill them and two, he felt cowardly. He waited for Makoto to respond impatiently.  The sooner they could find supplies to make a fire and burn their branding marks on their skin the better.

[Kazuo]

"A partnership."

The sides of Alann's lips twitched, curling up just the slightest of bit, to form another small smile. This man before him seemed easy to read. The way those tense shoulders of his loosened gave him the idea that he's finally calmed down. In reply to that, Alann's own shoulders relaxed, and he only nodded once at the man's words, like he was agreeing to what he'd just said. He watched. Oh, he watched the way that throat moved when he took a swig from the same flask he'd offered not too long ago and it was a throat far too beautiful to resist. Perhaps he had a fetish for necks, or perhaps he didn't. The male didn't linger on that thought for too long since the other spoke up again to continue their conversation - or whatever this was called.

"Of course," was his only prompt reply to the man's words. That gentle smile of his was not missed, and he noticed the way it seemed to lighten up the man's face, making him seem... younger. Idly, he wondered just how old he could be. He couldn't be any older than him, could he? Then again, these days, it was hard to tell the age of a certain person. Their technology, sadly, was rising, enough to rid of the natural fauna and greeneries. Moving to pick up their discarded knives, he put his into the back of his pants, the blade, yet again, touching his skin. That familiar cold temperature seemed to calm him and he turned the other knife, which wasn't his, to hold out the handle to Ray.

"And mine is Alann."

Alann listened intently on the crash course of tapping trees. It was seemingly easy to do, but rather hard once he'd tried it out. He asked a couple of questions, perhaps even gave suggestions on ways to have an easier time to cut open the bark, as he demonstrated. Indeed, it was far easier to use the sharp edge of the knife on the tree and use a rock against one end of the handle of the knife. In a mere matter of minutes, Alann was able to re-construct what Ray had taught him. "This is amazing," he started as he took his knife to put it back where he'd put it a while ago, "I'll be right back. Just let me get my bag."

He did stop, however, when he was a couple of steps away from the said tree with another dipping stick stuck into its bark. Alann took his knife, set it by the roots, and turned to look back at Ray. He raised his index finger as if he was silently telling him to give him a minute before he was gone. Once he was back, the dominant was wearing his belt again with his bag hoisted in one shoulder. Setting this down by the knife, he rummaged through his items, pulled out his own flask, and went back to the said bark where he'd demonstrated Ray's teachings. They had to fill their flasks before they ventured on, right? That, and he'd really want to drink properly. Somehow, his throat was parched and that, to him, was a bad sign.

Was it that even here, the air from the Metropolitan was able to seep through the fake dome skies?

[Blackchain]

The young man learned quickly; he might be even more useful than Ray had anticipated. With a heave, he lifted his bag and knife, swinging the former over his shoulder and smashing the latter down on his own drip stick, damaging the bark and destroying the drip stick. A light tap would have had the same effect, but this way it looked more natural.

"We need to cover our tracks. It's likely you and I are the only ones who know this method, so destroy your tap in as natural a way as possible. It would be much better for the enemy to believe it was a bear scratch rather than a source of water." Ray's explanation was simple and direct. With a few steps he walked to a nearby brush.

There were small, red berries hanging from each branch. Ray lifted a berry to his nose, suspiciously. It smelled faintly of something...almonds? Peaches? Whatever it was, it smelled appetizing. As he held the fruit he signaled his companion to come over to take a look. While he examined it, the berry became more and more suspect. There is no way they would give him both a supply of water AND a supply of food at the same place. If they did, the game would have no purpose and would be solely based on luck. Knowing the government, they would more likely lead each member of the game to pitfalls and death to make it easier for the survivors. But food was scarce in this game...would the risk be worth the reward?

No. He was not willing to make such a determination and risk losing his life, or that of his new companion. Losing an ally after such lengths to gain one was pointless.

"We need food, but we will NOT be eating these. There's a high likelihood that these berries are poisonous. I'd rather avoid the opportunity than risk my life for a bite of this."

Even as he spoke this he felt an itch on his arm. His forearm had touched the berry bush and was developing a small irritation. Now there was no doubt. "Look at my arm: an apple has never done that. We need to eat, but no plants. We'll need a fire to cook it, but one thing at a time. No animals that look sick or are weak either; they may have eaten the berries."

You did not need to be an expert in nature to know the forest was teeming with life, albeit small animal mostly. Squirrels, Badgars, Mice and Rabbits were most likely. Not much meat and very hard to catch...although the bigger game could be a potential problem with their limited armoury. It was a toss up; it was either chase their food or fight their food.

"In absence of a better plan, I suggest either looking for Rabbits or other small animals, or hunting a larger deer or wolf. There are risks to both; for the smaller creatures, we might not get enough meat, and the larger ones may put up quite a fight. Either way, it could get rough. Which idea do you hate the least?"

As Ray awaited an answer, he breathed in the forest. Smelling wisps of greenery and foliage made him feel strangely relaxed. Ray would take what little pleasures he could get here. After a few short, silent moments a darker thought came to him.

"Then again, there is always the alternative..." He started, slightly disturbed by the concept.

He turned back to his companion. "Look for someone else that has food and take what they have. Of course...it wouldn't be clean..."

Raw murder did not appeal to Ray. Outsmarting had always been more fun, even if someone died.