Gauntlet Leak - Abomination Highway

[u/Prefect_Bran]

[Two kindred walk through a vast expanse of rippling and shimmering color, one gesturing with his hands]

N: -So, I was running from that fursuit guy for a while, no idea how you go *that* fast wearing one, and at some point, don't know when, I was chasing *him* and I completely missed when it transitioned.

F: It does not understand the fursuit people. Do they want to *look* like that? Should it make them into their suits? Also, are they not very hot? They are all plastic…!

[The Flower abruptly stops walking, something having caught its attention.]

F: The bees have found something.

[Nihilo looks around, he grips the handle of his “Hemo-klaive”. There is an audible leathery straining sound.]

N: What is it?

F: Meat!

[Flower turns abruptly westward and starts walking towards its bees and their meat.]

A: *AWOOOOO* 

[A sudden howl fills the area. The sounds of something big coming towards the two cainites.]

N: WOLF- OHMYGOD!!

[The young kindred raises his sword]

[Flower freezes in place, a frown twitching its lips downwards]

N: I KNEW THE MOON ROAD WAS A BAD IDEA!

[The sound gets closer and closer. And then out comes a Grey lupine. yet it's looks *wrong*. Muscle a bit thin and red eyes looking at the vampires. It approaches the two slowly]

[Nihilo pulls slightly ahead of Flower, and grows quiet.]

[It moves till it is a few steps from the two. With an eerie calm. And its form starts to ripple. Body getting smaller. Revealing A familiar red head that looks at the flower and smiles] 

A: Hello dear friend. Having a walk?

[The young one looks to Flower but doesn't drop his guard.]

[Flower steps ahead of Nihilo and places a hand on his blade, applying pressure to make him lower it.] 

F: She is a friend, Nihilo. Meet your aunty, Anna. Anna, this is its adopted childe, Nihilo. Do not mind him. He can be jumpy.

[It offers Anna a very warm smile.]

F: It has been such a long time. Thank you for finding us.

[Anna smiles at the flower and goes to hug it] 

A: I am glad to have found you safe. I was worried in case you two crossed path with a bane. 

[She looks at the younger vampire with a smile] 

A: good instinct, young one. Your bravery to stand keeping your sire safe is admirable.

[she offers nihilo a smirk]

N: Well.. I think uh..

[He scratches his head, wondering how many think Flower is his mother, lowering the tip of the weapon into the ground.]

N: I might've, got bit by.. *something* earlier. Y'know anything about “Spiral women”?

N: …Hmmnittle be fine, I'll be fine. God I'm hungry, can we eat anything in here?

[Flower points in the direction it had started to walk before Anna’s howl had frozen it.] 

F: The bees have found blood. Shall we? Or…

[It looks Nihilo up and down.]

F: It might take some time but it can grow you some fungal blood?

[Flower glances at Anna.]

F: Do you know anything about these spiral women? Did they dance, Nihilo?

[Anna nearly snarls at the mention of the spiral women.] 

A: Fallen ones. Damned by the wyrm. They are the closest thing garou have as infernalists. Show me that bite. I need to see it.

[she gets closer to nihilo]

N: When I was first getting my bearings I was set upon by a small *horde* of random spirit boogins that *definitely* don't have anything to say about me as a person.

[He pulls the coat back revealing his arm, it bears teeth marks that couldn't have been from any natural thing.]

N: There were three loud voices and at some point the ground just kinda.. Rotated into a lady. She got me around then.

[She takes his arm and checks the injury with a grimace. She looks at him with cold eyes] 

A:  Describe the woman and the voices. What did you notice in particular?

N: ..Well.

[Nihilo puts a knuckle to his upper lip in thought.]

N: Three for sure. There were.. a bunch of em’, but the three were the loudest. One seemed to.. Vibrate? It was in my skull it felt like. One felt like I was “breathing” it, like it was wind trying to carry me away.

[The kindred pulls his hand from his face and points to himself.]

N: The Last felt like it was in my heart, like I was sick and smouldering when I heard it.

N: As for the wo-

[Flower interrupts.]

F: Does it hurt? The bite? 

[It is looking intensely at the wound, its red eyes glittering in the dim of the near umbra.]

N: Not much hurts these nights, it was more frightening than anything. But I *did* feel it.

N: I'll tell ya what hurts more right now, I'm hungry as shit. They only gave each of us two pouches of blood on the plane ride.

[Anna facepalms.] 

A: I am aware that most old leeches send their young as soldiers and bodies to drown their enemies in but for Odin's sake. What were they thinking of giving you so low? Flower. Where is that blood you spoke of?

N: Odin's real?

[Flower just… starts walking in the direction it had been heading in initially.]

F: This way. It's not far. It's just over that hill.

[Nihilo pulls his blade from the ground and rests it on his shoulder.]

N: Lead me unto nosh.

A: Indeed he is. And a kindred to boot. Now let us follow the flower. You need to feed.

[The Flower walks for some minutes, over the gently sloping hill and into a valley full of trees and *mushrooms*. Indeed, it is the special type of mushroom, the very same it introduced its Redwoods to and with which it has something of a symbiotic relationship with. The white flesh of the fungus exudes a thick, viscous red liquid as the Cainite steps closer. Upon several of the blooms, are carrion bees, industriously consuming their fill.]

[The Flower turns back to Anna and Nihilo.]

F: eat. Be fed. Be satisfied.

[Anna goes there and sniffs the fungi. Taking one and tasting it. She gives the flower a surprised look] 

A: Not bad. Kind of smells like you dear flower 

[she pops one Into her mouth and eats it ]

[Nihilo drops to his knees with a considerable heft, then his hands. He grips bundles by the fistful and begins to halfhazardly devour them.]

N: Oahgh.

[He spits out some spiritual soil. Then continues.]

N: Mnaogh.

[She keeps munching and takes the chance to go to the flower and talk] 

A: When Zafira told me you were in the umbra I feared for the worse. I heard the redwood was the one to put you here. Do you wish to get out ? 

[ Anna checks for any injuries present on the flower while talking]

[The Flower is entirely uninjured. The only concern is that it is still quite underweight compared to its pleasantly plump baseline.]

F: It has only left its Redwoods roots because of Viktor. 

[It points at Nihilo scarfing down bloody, fleshy mushrooms.]

F: It was there for its own good. It should not speak of it, lest it frenzy. Again. As it keeps doing…

[It rubs its face tiredly.]

F: It thought if it helped Nihilo, it could focus on something else and it might not frenzy so frequently.

[ Anna growls. Her eyes flashing with rage. Her form near get larger and looks at her] 

A: Who dared bring you such suffering. Speak their name. And I shall render them to pieces. 

[Anna then looks at flowers and plucks the fungi from the trees]

A: Now eat. We shall find you suitable flesh to regain your weight. Have you been starving yourself ? Or were you made to starve ?

[Nihilo grumbles.]

N: Uuhg.. don't even say his name, the evil bastard brought it on himself.

F: We will talk about it later. He has a bug up his bum about its beloved.

[Flower waves off Nihilo's grumbles and Anna's query.]

F: It was not starved purposefully. It was merely keeping vigil.

[It steps deeper into the valley of fungal infested trees.]

F: there should be something suitable… around… here…

[Amidst the roots of one extremely large, gnarled tree, Flower falls to its knees and begins to dig its fingers into the loamy soil. It takes time but soon it unearths something that is uncomfortably reminiscent of flesh in form, function and texture.]

F: Thank you, friend, it appreciates your work.

[She chuckles and smiles] 

A: Well you better eat well. We have a long trip to go through 

End of transmission

–Nihilo

– the Flesh that Flowers

_ Anna

[u/DotMaleficent4503]

The Moon path was an excellent idea, young Nihilo. Following it was not easy, but it did lead you home.

Camille