It was time for camp. Artichokeswas exhausted and she could barely walk. This damn curse had made them so frightened that they did not want to even sleep. They knew that every time anyone took that long rest of sleep the curse could find its way into you. It was like the unconscious mind could not defend against the trauma to the soul.
Bugsy followed the guidance of Qawasha as he laid the strips of meat out to smoke over the small fire. They had the tarp the area just to get something to burn. Even with a somewhat dry place in the jungle they used magics to dry and start the fires. He watched the little plant man. The little plant man bothered Bugsy. He was not sure why. He had heard of plant people before but had never met one. He could not be sure if he was feeling biased or if he felt something about Kupalué itself.
Bugsy was enjoying the work in normal tasks. He was placing a tent pole into the ground when an elk familiar walked towards camp. He was Vulgar Artus Cimber. He was being hunted and was exhausted. Somehow hunters from Port Nyanzaru were tracking him. They thought he had some ring. Hooman was curious about the ring and asked about it. After eating Artus ran off to the north.
Hooman gathered the group over to him privately, “hey, I found something in that dead t-rex.” The undead t-rex’s had nearly ended them all. During the fight Hooman had taken flight to a still dead t-rex. It seemed to Bugsy that the curse must be hitting the un-enlightened as well as the familiars like him. Hooman now revealed that he had searched the dead one, and found what he now thought was the ring Artus spoke about.
He moved his hand about in his pouches, searching them, like he was hoping he had not lost anything. He pulled out the ring that Artus had described. Bugsy looked at its magical properties. He made sure they all knew it was magical. Artichoke looked over to Bugsy with a look that could only be described as, “really”. She spun Hoomans hand to show off something written on the band. Hooman still holding the ring read the words, “Ygga Raxyg”, and the ring lit up. He said the command again the ring went dark.
I crashing noise came from the south. A giant elephant came into the camp. She was called Suasoon. She knew Tink's family, but not him specifically. She was rude with her intent. She was hunting Artus. Bugsy did not like her in anyway. He felt like a stick balanced on a ledge in the wind. He wanted to help Artus and delay her but wanted her gone. He even debated attacking her but had no real cause. A gust pushed the stick off the ledge and Bugsy asked her to leave. She crashed off.