Ashgate #2 - Unknown Awakening.

I check on my PD to see our current location, and check the distance from the pickup point,

 

You poked and prodded your PD. The pickup point was a couple of miles from your current destination - it would be easy enough to get there. Still, it would be best to hunker down in the middle of all this rain, and you hadn't expected to be bringing a child with you either. It was slowing you down. You considered ditching Umbra for a brief moment before dismissing the idea entirely.

It would probably be best to wait until morning before proceeding.

Should you leave a message to the crew from your PD?
___________________________________________________
Inventory: Combat Knife, Emergency Rations, Personal Medkit, PD.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink.
Companions: Tyria

Umbra is under your custody.

 

I write a message to the crew, trying to avoid talking about the girl too much

 

It would probably be best to be as vague as possible right now. You give a full update on the situation, but purposely avoid talking about Umbra too much. You send the message.

What will you do now?
___________________________________________________
Inventory: Combat Knife, Emergency Rations, Personal Medkit, PD.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink.
Companions: Tyria

Umbra is under your custody.

 

I go to close my eyes just for a moment

 

The night had turned into more of a mess then you anticipated. You ended up killing The Witch in order to try and save the children, only to mistakenly give the only remaining survivor the power of the now dead Unknown. You wondered how exactly you were going to explain this. You exhaled sharply through your nose. Tyria laughed slightly.

"Oh yes, what a mess you've gotten yourself into Caretaker~!" she teased. You look up at her to shoot back another witticism at her, only to be shoved to the side by Umbra, who practically dived at Tyria. The women quickly turned herself back into a bird and flew above the rampaging girls head. "W-what is she doing?! Stop this at once young lady!" she scolded. Umbra didn't stop.

"I suppose I should have mentioned something earlier." You say smoothly. "You really shouldn't look at the girl. She's cursed." You watch in amusement as Umbra jumps up and down, trying to grab Tyria by the tail feathers.

"Oh, and of course you found a way around it. You know it's that kind of secrecy that really rubs the higher ups wrong."

You look over at Umbra, who had started sobbing again. It was a weird contrast for sure. A murderous Unknown crying whilst they rampage? You scoffed.

Will you put a stop to this for Umbra's sake, or use the girl to keep Tyria at a distance?
___________________________________________________
Inventory: Combat Knife, Emergency Rations, Personal Medkit, PD.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink.
Companions: Tyria

Umbra is under your custody.

 

I move to wrap an arm around Umbra holding her close

 

As much as you dislike Tyria, you couldn't bring yourself to use Umbra to keep her away from you. You closed the distance between yourself and the child, wrapping your arms around her and nuzzling her neck. Obscuring your mouth from sight, you whisper into her ear to stop and calm down. Umbra does so immediately. As you let go of the girl, Tyria returned to her normal form, and raised an eyebrow at you.

"This is going to make for an interesting report..." she said, staring daggers at you. You shrug back in reply and sit back down by the fire. Umbra wiped her tears and sat next to you. She poked and prodded at the food you gave her earlier. She didn't seem to sure any more. You ask her what's wrong.

"I-it doesn't taste so good anymore..." she muttered quietly. "It tastes different.."

You take the tin from her and taste it for yourself. It seemed normal enough. It probably had something to do with being an Unknown. After confirming with Umbra, you eat it instead and hand the girl some water instead. Afterwards, it was time to rest.

Will you take the first shift watching over the camp, or will you let Tyria do it?
___________________________________________________
Inventory: Combat Knife, Personal Medkit, PD.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink.
Companions: Tyria

Umbra is under your custody.

 

I'll watch first, I don't exactly trust Tyria around Umbra yet

 

Despite her protests, Tyria settles in under the canopy. Umbra seems reluctant, but eventually curls up next to the fire under a blanket of Tyria's feathers and falls asleep. You engage in idle chatter with Tyria until she finally dozes off as well, and then you are finally left with peace and quiet.

It hadn't been long since you started working at Ashgate. You were invited to join the corporation very early on, and accepted without even really giving it much thought. You wondered if it would have been better for you to stay in the armed forces over this. At least out there - the only things you were fighting on the battlefield was human - as far as you knew. You wondered if k̷͘͜á̷̶҉͡t̷͟͠h̵̶̸͜e҉̶̶͜ŗ̕i̴͘n͜҉̶ȩ̶̛ would have approved of your current job. At least your hours were flexible in between actual retrieval missions. You got to see her and your daughter m̷͡a̷̵͞͠r̶͡i҉̨́̀ą̛͟͏͟n̢̢̕͜͡ņ̧͘͠҉e҉̧̕ fairly often now. You looked over at Umbra - she seemed like the same age as your own daughter, and you couldn't help but let your fatherly instincts kick in a little.

But still. Umbra was an Unknown.

Disgusting.

Abhorrent.

Unnatural.

You grasped those feelings and forcibly reminded yourself over and over and over and over and over and over. Don't get attached. Seconds passed. Don't feel sorry for her. Minutes passed. Don't treat her as anything other then a beast to be captured. Hours passed.

Before you knew it, it was time for Tyria to take over. You prodded the haughty Unknown with a stick until she turned over and woke up. After mumbling for you to quit poking her, she rose from her spot on the floor and stretched out. You switched places.

It's time to sleep. Will you sleep in until it's time to pack up camp, or will you wake up closer to dawn?
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Inventory: Combat Knife, Personal Medkit, PD.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink.
Companions: Tyria

Umbra is under your custody.

 

As i drift off i make the conscious decision to wake up dawn to givd myself time to be alert

 

You drifted off to sleep...

In the next moment, you wake up. Your eyes are heavy and you feel groggy. As you pry your eyes open, you can see Tyria dragging a bound and gagged Umbra behind her as she saunters off into the forest. You roll over, breaking free of the fatigue as fast as you can - but Tyria caught sight of you stirring and ran off further into the forest.

What the hell could she be planning?

What will you do now?

___________________________________________________
Inventory: Combat Knife, Personal Medkit, PD.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink.
Companions: None

Umbra has been stolen.

 

I roll to get up and sprint after Tyria trying to keep track of her as she flees

 

I make sure my weapons are all ready as I follow.

 

As you get up onto you feet, you quickly check your person for your belongings.

"Shit." you groan, "She took my ******* knife."

You checked over your runes as well, as saw that the Blink one was partially damaged. You wouldn't be able to use it to it's full potential in this state, but it would still be usable. You quickly take off in the direction Tyria ran in.

What will you do now?

___________________________________________________
Inventory: Personal Medkit, PD.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink (Limited).
Companions: None

Umbra has been stolen.