Cabin in the Woods II

*Monu, Mimiru, & Azuma are now stomping blindly through the forest. All they can hear is leaves crunching around them. Occasionally, they are forced to change direction when they see the blurry outline of a trunk or clump of bushes looming out towards them.*
====================================
*After a few minutes of walking, Thiera's lamp illuminates the water of a pond, which pretty much just pops up out of the trees, there's only a few feet of land separating it from the tree line. It must be fairly large, because they can't see the whole thing. There isn't much light besides the lantern, because there's only a crescent moon overhead. Vanessa is standing on the opposite bank.*
====================================
*Stefan next feels a powerful blow to his stomach, another to his ribs. After a few seconds' pause, he is again struck about the stomach, ribs, leg, and face. Everywhere he's hit begins to sear with another burn. He is then thrown across the room. After he hits the wall, he's smashed up against it again, & feels something like a heated knife being stabbed into his abdomen & twisted around. He falls to the floor, feeling battered & burned. An eerie blue light comes over the cabin, & he can see out of one eye--the other is blind--that the Shadow Man is standing at the far end, looking down at one of the fallen paintings.*
=========================================
"Which then leak gooey yellow sunshine ooze over everything to tell you that your day will be full of warmth & sweet goodness."

*Tirea waves*

<Vanessa! You're alright!>

Eve:<And we also found our water supply.>
---
*Monu stares into the darkness*

<I suppose they went to that pond.>

"H-h-hey..." Stefan began wheezing out. He figured that he was about to die. "Wh... Why are yo-- hngh... here?"

*There's a bright flash. Illuminated by the pale light, he can see Azuma feeling around the wall where the Shadow Man is, apparently oblivious to its presence. It looks over at Azuma.*
===================================
N"Too bad we didn't bring anything to store it in."

T"Maybe we should risk a drink anyway? I mean, who knows the next time we'll be able to get back to here, or the cabin?"

Cameron:<Is it safe?>

Eve:<Like we have a choice.>

Stefan's eyes widened and he tried to form some kind of reaction, but it died away in his throat. He stared with his one good eye.

Hector and Eduj both fell to their knees.
"I don't know if I could drink anything," Hector rasped. "I still feel like shit. I might throw up. That thing messed us up."
Eduj waited for one of the others to try it.

Sab smiled, "I never thought of it that way. That is so cute."

Taiyo stares off into the forest.

Taiyo: "They'll find us, right?"

===================================

Azuma: "And that's where? More importantly is the med student there? I'd like to be put back together."

Mimiru: "Should've known they'd leave us for dead."

*Vanessa is facing away from them, if I haven't mentioned this earlier. Nero scoops some water up in his hand & takes a drink.*

N"Yeeaughch."

E"I'm sure they will. Just set me down against a tree, I'll be fine."
================================
*As Azuma, Mimiru, & Monu stumble through the forest, they come to the clearing near where the bush crashed. In the faint light, they feel like they can see something being dragged into the bushes. They definitely hear it.*
================================
*When Azuma is about to run into the Shadow Man, there's another flash. This time, Vanessa is sleeping on the couch. All of the furniture seems to have been repaired. The Shadow Man turns & begins gliding back towards Stefan. Another flash. Azuma is in front of Stefan, facing the Shadow Man & drawing his knife.*
================================
"Thanks, I was hoping it would be."

*They sit down with their food.*

Taiyo helps Euryale lean against a tree.

===================================

Azuma: "Anyone want to try and get to the road? Shouldn't be too far from here."

Sab gets a glass of milk, and begins to break apart the Poptarts she toasted, and dunks them into the milk before biting into them.

*Monu shrugs*

<We could, and then we could bring back help for everyone else. Something tells me we won't make it though.>
---
*Cameron takes a small drink, while Eve and Tirea watch*

*Aroma stares.*

"I've never known anyone to eat Pop-Tarts like that."
==============================
*Cameron feels something small & wriggly swim down his throat. Euryale keeps an eye out in the direction it came from.*

E"So what's the plan now? We can't stay out here, but we can't go back. We have no idea where that thing or any of the others are."
==============================
*Azuma, Mimiru, & Monu are alone, but for the strange noises coming from the bushes. Sounds like rustling. And slurping.*

Eve:<Head for the road?>

*Cameron starts coughing*

Tirea:<Cameron?!>

Cameron:<Something...in my throat...>
---
*Monu stares in the direction of the noises*

<Hear that?>

"Its really good," Sab said, "Want some?"

Taiyo: "Maybe the others are heading for the road too."

===================================

Azuma: "Afraid I'm too concerned with my bleeding all over the place to worry about all the unnatural noises that go on here. Try for the road. It's honestly our only viable option."

T"It's probably mosquito larvae. Or maybe a worm. I'm not sure if leeches live out here, I left my book back at the cabin."

R"I don't think you're really helping."

E"Maybe. Where did you guys say you found the road, again?"

N"It's pretty much the exact opposite direction of where we are now. Since we last saw the Shadow at the cabin, they might actually have a chance, if they don't spend half an hour standing around like yuhtzes. Again. Of course, that's if they even got out of it alive."

R"Also probably not really helping."
==================================
*Nothing has changed, since no one fucking moved. They're still in the clearing, it's still dark, & there are still gross noises coming out of the bush. There is a road on the cliff in front of them, but if their memory serves, it's pretty much unscalable. Also if memory serves, to their general left is the way to France, & to their general right, the way back to Germany. The noises are probably coming from the bush at the very far right of the cliff.*
==================================
"No, that's quite all right, thanks. Do you want some of mine?"

"No, eggs and poptarts would taste weird," Sab said.

Taiyo: "Shouldn't we get going then?"

===================================

Azuma: "We're going to France. Come a long."

Azuma attempts to lead Mimiru to the left, hanging on to her, niot being in the best shape for moving.

Astarte leaned against a tree and closed her eyes. Hector stared at Vanessa for a few moments, wondering how she ended up on the far side and why she was looking into the trees.

Stefan continued to stare, and started to make weak attempts at pulling himself away.

*The Shadow Man keeps moving towards him without any concern. As it continues towards him, it suddenly becomes very hot. Shadows slink out of where the figure meets the floor, enclosing in a semicircle around Stefan. As they flicker like a wall of black flames, he swears he can hear crackling & faint, anguished schemes. It stands over him & seems to be "looking" down. It tilts its head.*
=====================================
N"I really doubt we'll make it all the way to the road. For starters, we'll have to pass the cabin in order to find the damn thing."

*Vanessa apparently decides to walk off into the forest.*
======================================
*They walk back into the forest, staying by the cliff face by hanging on to it, as they're unable to see anything. When they've spent several minutes walking, they find the edge, which is a steep hill, still forested.*
======================================
"Suit yourself."

Taiyo: "There isn't a way around the cabin?"

===================================

Azuma: "Well, shit. Think there's a safer way down?"

They decide to follow the cliffside.

"C-come on..." Stefan raised a hand in a useless defensive gesture.

"Vanessa is walking off," Hector pointed out.

*The Shadow Man swats his hand away & his arm & elbow joints both pop. It then grabs Stefan by the throat & lifts him into the air. Stefan can feel the flesh of his throat burning away as he stares into the monster's lifeless face.*
===================================
N"[i]We don't know where anything is[/]. All there is around us for miles is trees & darkness. Unless we go back to the cabin & find the path, we'll just be stumbling around the woods, blind."
===================================
*I have no idea what the Hell they're doing, but because the cliff was mentioned, I can only assume they are trying to go rock climbing. They make it up a few feet & then fall, a few feet, because it goes UP.*

They're following the edge of the cliff which has nothing to do with climbing in any direction.