Little Squirrel in the Big City

Rosque 04/16/2019
Hazel heads out through the murky forest, the rain washing down the canopy to soak her through to her very bones. She'd prepared. She'd prepared very well for this trip, but the weather, as always was a crapshoot. Her paws step onto soggy ground, though at least still in the woods, the canopy manages to keep much of it off her. Still, she's wet. No two ways about it.
(perception)
Strixursus 04/16/2019
[Rolled 24 (18+6)]
Rosque 04/16/2019
Hazel spots... whoa. It's a grippli--taller than her, but unmistakably a frog, and just the splitting image of Leafskip... until Hazel realizes that, on account of not wearing clothes, she is certainly a she. The water runs down her back--and she looks pretty comfortable in the wet weather.

Her tongue flicks out, nabbing something on the road as she tugs it into her mouth, swallowing casually a moment later.
Strixursus 04/16/2019
Hazel at first gasps, ears perking and tail jittering in excitement, about to call out...  Before realizing, no, this is definitely not Leafskip.  However, given the similarity, maybe she's from his village?  Stopping in her tracks, the squirrel pauses, clearing her throat a bit, before calling out in Grippli.  <Hello there!  Are you from the TreeSong village?>
Rosque 04/16/2019
The grippli blinks.. and turns around, looking her over. She smiles. Suddenly, Hazel recognizes her--that's Leafskip's older sister! "Oh, hey! Yeah, just taking a walk, you know?" She says, glancing up at the canopy ceiling. "Pretty wet outside, isn't it?" She flicks her tongue out, and nabs what Hazel now realizes are some very small-sized anthro tiger micros that are running along the ground.
Strixursus 04/16/2019
The squirrelkin immediately perks up to wave at the grippli.  "Rainsong, hi!
 And yeah, it is..."  Hazel paused to flick her ears a bit, sending droplets flinging off her eartufts.  "Yeah, but the shaman said the rain could last a week.  I didn't want to wait any longer to set off!"  She does frown a little bit as she sees just what it was that the grippli had been snacking on.  "Awww, come on Rainy, don't the tiny folk have it hard enough without us picking on them too?"  Stooping down, the squirrel waved to the little tigers, giving a soft whistle to get their attention.
Rosque 04/16/2019
The tigers squint up at Hazel, but this turns out to be sub-ideal because the rain splashes and hits them in the face occasionally, and they keep hurrying along. The grippli shrugs. "What? I'm hungry! Besides, at least it's warmer in here than out there." She says, patting her belly. "I'm doing them a favor! Anyway, you're really leaving?" That tongue flicks out again.
Strixursus 04/16/2019
Humming, a little disappointed she didn't get the chance to talk to them, but she stood up again, looking back to Rainsong.  "Yeah, I am!  It's been, what, almost a year since Leaf headed for the biggers' city?  I wanna see if I can't find him, and see the world for myself too!"

Grinning, she raised her hand and made a fist, before pounding it into the opposite palm.  "I'm pretty sure I can handle any threats I run into on the way, or while I'm there!  And who knows, maybe I'll end up with a caravan as a guard!  Would sure beat sitting in one post for hours on end; I'd get to see the world!"  She threw her arms into a jubilant spread with the last word, not quite a shout for joy, but close~  She then cleared her throat a bit, looking a tad sheepish.

"But, yeah, I'm really leaving...  If you could do me one favor before I leave, Rainy?"  She canted her head, hazel-green eyes flicking down to the grippli's belly in a deliberate manner.  "Could you at least see the tiny folk get where they're going once you're done with them?"
[Woops, early enter one moment, adding to it.]
[Hazel's got a soft spot for tinies. x3]
Rosque 04/16/2019
"Oh, heck no, you're not leaving without a hug!"
That tongue flicks forwards. Hazel could dodge it if she wished, though!
Strixursus 04/16/2019
The squirrel let out a little yip of surprise, but didn't try to dodge the tongue~.  After all, she's known Rainy almost as long as she's known her brother!
Rosque 04/16/2019
Splak The tongue hits her in the chest...
...and Hazel is pulled in close, getting a lovely view of that cerulean maw gaping wide above her before those arms wrap around her... and, oh, that tongue does, too. The wetness of her fur is compounded with the wetness of the tongue, but the warmth sure helps, and the squirrel feels herself being squeezed up nice and tight by those coiled wraps of tongue before those arms squeeze about her as well to complete the picture. "Mmmfh~! You've grown so big! I can't believe I still remember when you were all teeny tiny, asking questions about the carts and traveling and all~
Strixursus 04/16/2019
Hffing softly at the gaping maw, a little shiver running down her spine as her ears pink up slightly in side, but just worms her arms free enough in order to hug back.  "Heh...  Yeah...  Time does change things, huh?  I promise once I'll come back and visit, bring you something pretty that the biggers made, alright?"
Rosque 04/16/2019
Hazel is kissed--right on the cheek, a little on the muzzle, and the frog nuzzles in against her face. "You better~ I get to see that stuff all the time, but I wanna see what you find interesting enough to bring back~" says the traderfrog. Hazel knows absolutely that if she just asked, she wouldn't be coming out again for a while~! It's a nice thought presumably, though the frog seems fine with leaving her to her journey~
Strixursus 04/16/2019
Giggling, the squirrelkin nuzzles right back, giving Rainsong a peck on the cheek.  "Hee.  Well I'm sure I'll find something!"  That unspoken offer was tempting, but...  Perhaps with a little bit of hesitance, Hazel drew back from the hug, planting a kiss on the grippli's nose.  "I should probably get going, it's a half-day's travel, from what Leaf told me, if I wanna get there before dark."
Rosque 04/16/2019
The frog kisses back, and even dips Hazel's head a little as she does so. That tongue brushes against her lips, until finally, she leans back, lifting Hazel up in the air with her tongue before gently setting her down on the forest floor again. "Okaaay, see you when you get back you loveable scamp~"
Strixursus 04/16/2019
Ears flushing pink inside as their lips meet, a little shiver coursing down the length of her spine, making her tail quiver and curl a bit behind her.  She gave another tiny yip as she's once more lassoed and lowered down, before grinning up at Rainsong and waving.  "See you then, Rainy!"

Turning, the squirrel set off on the road out of the forest, soon looking out over the rolling plains as she started heading towards the big city...
Rosque 04/16/2019
(1d100)
Strixursus 04/16/2019
[44]
Rosque Last Wednesday at 12:06 AM
Hazel heads further into the forest, moving towards the exit and making decent pace. It's a long trip, but eventually, the trees are starting to thin. Rolling hills doused dark with rain dry under the pockets of clear sky shining through the dim clouds, revealing... acres of wilderness, not obscured by trees. She can see the landscape ahead of her, full of possibilities, thrills, and excitement, the worn road steadily getting more and more maintained the further inland she walks.
Strixursus Last Wednesday at 12:24 AM
Hazel keeps on keeping on; perhaps not entirely used to hiking overland like this, but certainly enjoying it!  She pauses to rest for a spell after a few hours of walking, gazing about at just how... Open, everything was; she'd seen clearings and meadows interspersed in the forest, sure, but nothing quite like this expanse of treeless lands.  Using the trailing edge of her cloak to protect from the worst of the damp, the squirrelkin sat herself on a tussock of grass, pulling out her ration for the day.  Some pemmican,  dried berries, and toasted acorns; smiling a bit as she remembered her mother insisting she pack over a week's worth of food, despite it being less than a day away, Hazel started to nibble as she looked off into the distance.
Rosque Last Wednesday at 1:20 AM
(One more 1d100)
Strixursus Last Wednesday at 1:20 AM
[Oh boy.  100]
RosqueLast Wednesday at 1:25 AM
(...)
Rosque Last Wednesday at 1:55 AM
(Ahh screw it = w=)
(Roll reflex.)
Strixursus Last Wednesday at 1:56 AM
[I rolled 24 (18+6)]
Rosque Last Wednesday at 2:05 AM
As Hazel watches, a shape starts to appear in the clouds.
Big. Dark. Brilliant turquoise--so bright in color that it seems to almost be white instead.
It's a colossal dragon, soaring across the sky.
Twin sets of wings spread out wide along its sides, carving gouges into the clouds as it bursts through them--each wing forming an almost perfect slice to cut the rainclouds apart.
...and then, a second flash. A blinding streak of light smashes into the dragon and in just an instant everything nearly goes white. Hazel finds herself sitting on the ground.
Next to her is a very, very bright, hotly glowing piece of... rock? Metal? It's so hard to tell, but it's red hot.
And in front of her... is the nose of an enormous dragon, who looks like it's just been stunned from being struck by a celestial body.
Strixursus Last Wednesday at 2:21 AM
[Gimme a sec to type? ;w;]
Ears dropping back as she stares up at this, heart in her throat.  A dragon?  A dragon?!  And she's out in the open, there's no cover to-  Then, the flash, blinding, has her cover her eyes and dive to the side for what little cover the tussock could provide.

As the light fades, she stands, shoving the little pouch of travel ration back into her beltpouch, shuddering to see the heat wavering over the red-hot, thing, and the positively titanic dragon laying before her, unable to completely choke back the frightened squeak as it starts to rouse, huddling down behind the long grass at the roadside...
Rosque Last Wednesday at 2:25 AM
The dragon groans, and slowly lifts its head up, glaring and snuffling. Warm, organic breath washes over Hazel as the dragon gradually gets to its claws, scales falling off onto the ground, only to be buried by a casual push of claw as he finds purchase again, only to glare at the meteorite.
(Stealth)
Strixursus Last Wednesday at 2:26 AM
[Rolled an 18 (15+3)]
Rosque Last Wednesday at 2:27 AM
The dragon looks around, eyes sweeping the landscape, glaring.
For a moment, it looks as if it didn't even see Hazel, but then it instantly becomes clear that she wasn't quite hidden enough for that as the dragon huffs heatedly, and reaches down with a claw to try to grip her. It mutters under its breath-angrily, almost, but of course a dragon's low volume is still exceptionally hearable. "Uoinota mrith nomeno. Si mi sva gekip ti jaseveir ios vi toy. Ithquent, batobot jahus ti creolnali creolna else jalla tepoha ocuirtor... Si mi gethrisjir ekess sone vur lehhav mrith nomeno toy halkvri si kiwieg desta tenamalo."
(33. beats your CMD.) The claws close around Hazel's body and hold her in place. And.. then she is picked up.
Strixursus Last Wednesday at 2:41 AM
Heart leaping into a closing throat, the squirrelkin readies to try and spring away, but the dragon's claw is around her before she has the chance.  Wriggling within their grasp, she tries to see if she can gain purchase, anything, to try and escape.  "I-I'm not doing anything, I swear!  I-I was just on my way to the city, I'm not a threat! I-I promise, I won't even say anything about seeing you!"

[Hmm.  Would Knowledge: Dungeoneering be able to tell her what kind of dragon this is?]
Rosque Last Wednesday at 2:41 AM
(Nature actually, or arcana)
Strixursus Last Wednesday at 2:42 AM
[Oh well, have to roll with a +2 instead of +7]
[Uh, welp.  Unnatural 20]
Rosque Last Wednesday at 2:43 AM
It's hard to tell for sure, but... she guesses that he might be a cloud dragon??
Strixursus Last Wednesday at 2:53 AM
Gulping hard, she wriggles a bit more.  "Please, Sir Cloud Dragon, I swear, I didn't see anything, just a really bright flash, then you were here!"
Rosque Last Thursday at 10:28 PM
The dragon says something--a heavy voice bellowing words that Hazel doesn't understand as those wings begin to beat, and the dragon starts to rise into the air.
Strixursus Last Thursday at 11:17 PM
Eyes going wide, she tries to fight her way free at first, but the squirrel quickly realizes that it's in vain, and even if she did get free, it's rapidly getting to the point that a fall could be dangerous, if not lethal...  So, she stopped, swallowing heavily, looking up at the dragon.  She didn't think she'd be heard with the wind whipping past...  So she had nothing to do but to hope, whatever the dragon's intentions, they weren't hostile
Rosque Last Friday at 12:05 AM
The dragon is clearly not having a very good time. He takes off masterfully, but it's exceedingly clear once he's in the air that he's not doing too well. He wavers and almost falls down again, but manages to trundle on upwards into the sky.

For the unfortunate position of being gripped in those powerful claws, it's... still breathtaking. No matter where she's going, she's heading higher into the sky. Brisk rain washes over her fur, and in moments, she's brought up to survey the whole of the cloud cover. Deep grey skies beneath her spotted with crevices of deep rain-soaked green.
Strixursus Last Friday at 12:44 AM
Shuddering again as she looked down, seeing the rainclouds below, and in the breaks, the ground even further down...  It was starting to make her dizzy, almost faint, so instead she looked upwards at the dragon again,  watching it carefully...  Why did he grab her?  Where was he taking her?  If he'd just intended to eat her, well, there wasn't much she could have done to stop him there, and she'd have been gone in an instant, so why grab her and fly off..?
Rosque Last Saturday at 2:08 PM
(Hmmm, sense motive)
Strixursus Last Saturday at 2:45 PM
[WELP]
[Nat20 for 25]
Rosque Today at 12:33 AM
...It's rather hard to tell, considering the creature is an entirely different species--a dragon no less--but Hazel seems to be able to guess by the look on his face and the sound of that rumbling. It's... significantly magnified, but he's... embarrassed and huffy. And clearly still a bit dazed.
Rosque Today at 12:50 AM
It is becoming pretty clear that he has plans for Hazel... no matter what his disposition, it's probably going to end in the squirrel... well... needing to reform.
Strixursus Today at 12:57 AM
The little squirrel blinks dumbfoundedly, rather, surprised by this realization.  Dimly amused by it, but far too intimidated to express this, Hazel looks down from her captor's face, to try and crane her head in order to see if there was, maybe some possible destination he seemed to be heading for.  If she had to hazard a guess...  Well, summing up the situation; he'd taken a blow to the head, captured her, the only witness, and given his mood...  He was probably headed towards wherever he laired.  Brow furrowing, Hazel tried to recall if she'd heard what sort of lairs his sort liked...  Might give her an idea of, well, how long she had until he, started with her
[Also, amusingly...  If she can survive one round of his digestion, she could end up uh.  Making her way through safely >>;]
[ImayhaveputIntestinalTraveleronhersheet]
Rosque Today at 12:59 AM
(interesting~)
Strixursus Today at 1:00 AM
[Intestinal Traveller:
        Allows prey to push themselves into the intestines to escape
        a belly. It takes as many turns as this chart:
        small - 1 turn, medium - 2 turns, large - 3 turns.]
[I'm assuming that's prey size >>]
Rosque Today at 1:15 AM
A cloud dragon? Legendary creature of the skies... impossible to tell. But Hazel doesn't have to wait for that long. The clouds seem to shift, swirling around them, and suddenly the dragon is flying towards a large keep, seemingly made entirely of clouds. Those wings slowly angle, and he glides down onto a landing pad, pressing Hazel down underneath his claw without, seemingly, any care.

Oof. Pressed down underneath the dragon, the squirrel can't move, but... she's being pushed underneath warm scales against perfect pristine pearl-colored clouds. They feel... so soft. It's like she's being grappled by the softest pillow in the world.
Strixursus Today at 2:06 AM
Marveling at the cloud-keep as it comes into view, Hazel isn't really paying too much attention to the dragon as he comes in to land...  At least, until the clouds rush up to meet her, making her yelp out, struggling...  Until she's pinned under that scaled paw, but not crushed, as the clouds deform beneath her, leaving her pressed between the vaguely musty underside of that pad, with the cloud pressing all around her, keeping her from even wiggling...

...And for some reason, she couldn't help but feel a shudder run through her, her ears and muzzle starting to heat up...