sixthiterationlogs | if the sky can crack [OTA mingle]

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if the sky can crack [OTA mingle]

Hail had been falling for two days now, peppering the ground and shredding the grass but rather than melt away like a late spring storm it had only intensified, growing in diameter and moving from a mild annoyance to damned near deadly. As the storm raged, ice flew up through updrafts and was forced back to earth in the downdraft, accumulating layer after layer of murky debris until it went hurtling toward the earth with wicked accuracy.

Shingles were ripped from roofs, the wind howled and lightning cracked. The hail had driven both humans and animals into the safety of the indoors, to the dark corners of buildings that might withstand the assault. With only candlelight and the hushed voices of villagers to stave off fear and boredom, the storm raged like a sentient being heedless of those who might be caught in the path.

After the storm, a calm came over the land and weak sunlight glinted off smoke-tinged ice. Steam rose from the melt and humidity was thick in the air; petrichor hung heavy, a soothing scent after a savage display of natural fury.

[OOC: Your hail mingle post. Feel free to have characters on the run, gathering animals or inside the Town Hall waiting out the storm.]

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Riza hesitates. She doesn't want to drag someone else into this. But, Peggy seems rather focused already and Riza, being that type of individual as well, recognizes that it would be a losing battle. She turns and follows her into the inn to get some proper supplies -- or at least work with what they have access to. At least Peggy isn't trying to talk her out of this.

"I think I saw the direction he was going in...there's a spot where we do a lot of our training and I am hoping he might head there if he was scared," she says, focusing on the task at hand instead of worrying. She's good at that: prioritizing. Worrying isn't going to do anything, action will. She pauses and then adds, "Thank you."

Peggy hands Riza the first things she finds in the communal area, taking specific interest in furred hats, gloves, and anything else that might protect them. She dons one of the cloaks and hands one to Riza, all the while listening to her deduction. "We'll start there," she agrees. "Don't thank me until we've found him. I know we will," she says, filled with the knowledge that between the both of them, they'll succeed.

It still doesn't mean that the hail won't be a trek to get through. "Let's stick together as much as we can, the last thing w need is a severe injury," she says, bracing a hand on the door as she prepares herself for opening it.

Riza begins putting the garments on, some are not quite the proper fit, but it isn't like they have much choice. Still, she's a little familiar with such garments, having practiced with the Northern troops in their home territory before. It had been awhile, but she was aware enough of the dangers going out into a hailstorm would entail.

"I know. I've had experience with inclement weather before. We need to move now before it gets worse," Riza adjusted the hat she'd claimed and headed for the door.

Peggy doesn't want to think of worse, quite honestly. Bastogne and those winters had been bad enough, not something she wants to go back to, but at least they have a purpose here. She tugs on the mittens and already is on her way out the door, ready for Riza to lead. "Where would he go, if he had to run on instinct?" she asks, knowing that they can't track him like he's a person, but everyone has their instinctual reactions that they follow.

Dogs are no different from humans in that, so Peggy knows that they'll have a good shot of at least knowing where to start.

Normally her answer might be here, the inn, but she hadn't seen him around. Unless he had found a way under the building. "We should probably check to make sure there isn't a way he could get under the inn...but other than that I have another idea of where he could have gone."

The inn was his home, most animals would return where they felt safest. She opens the door, wincing at the blast of wind and as large balls of hail pelt the roof. She can do this, she had to do this.

Riza steps out and calls, "Arado! Here boy!" She waits, but there is no response, so she turns her attention to the inn itself, scanning the bottom of the building for any openings a dog could have squeezed through. Staying near the building helps, as the roof deflects most of the hail, but she still takes a few hits--making her grateful for the additional cushion of her clothing.

"Does he like food? Have a weakness for something in particular?" Peggy asks, wondering if they should have brought something out with them in order to lure the dog back to them. She finds that she has to squint through the hail in order to see through it, trying to find some sort of way through. "Arado!" she calls out sharply, whistling to try and get him to come.

"Maybe he sought shelter?" she calls to Riza, wondering how far a dog might get before the pain of the hail grew too overwhelming.

Riza is already ahead of her. She reaches into a pocket and produces a small bag, "It's jerky." She shakes the bag a few times, pulling a few pieces out in the hopes that he'll catch the scent. Riza strains her ears to listen over the sound of the pounding hail. It's difficult and she calls out for Arado again, this time with the promise of treats.

Against all odds, a sharp bark cuts through and Riza's gaze immediately goes to her left, "That way!"

Peggy's smile is rather proud and impressed. If there's anything that's going to get a dog to come out of hiding, it's going to be that, which means that they've already got a better chance of this than before. She allows Riza to take the lead, hearing the sound in the distance as well. The hail obscures some of the sound, but it's easy enough to follow, especially since there's no surplus of rock to bounce the sound off.

"It's getting closer," she tells Riza as they keep charging forward. "Maybe he can smell you and the treats?" It would be a lovely thing if Arado could meet them halfway, after all.

Riza nods, feeling better already now that they have a clue. She can't believe how short a time it took for her to become so attached to this dog. He hasn't replaced Black Hayate, of course, but it still pains her to know he could be in trouble.

"Arado," she calls again, hoping to encourage his appearance, "Come here, boy."

It's easy to ignore the hail with her attention focused on other things. She'll deal with the scrapes and bruises later. There's another bark and scrambling out from underneath some bushes is a familiar canine who comes running towards the two women.

Peggy's not sure that she could ever really have a pet, not with the constant stress and strain it seems to give. Still, it's moments like these (as are moments when she witnesses other women with their children) that she wonders if it's all worth it, to experience a little bit of joy. "Careful," she says warmly, "he looks fit to barrel you over," she says as the dog makes its last bounding leaps towards them, stepping just to the side to avoid the one being suddenly mauled and pressed to a slippery ground.

"Do you have a lead for him?" she asks. "It might be best to control him a touch with the weather being what it is."

Arado manages not to barrel the two women over--but it's a close call. He's still shaken and Riza can tell he might have his own scrapes to deal with. They can't deal with them out here though and Riza reaches into one of the coat's pockets and pulls out a piece of rope she'd been using as a lead. It wasn't exactly the best, but it was all she had to work with. She whispers comforting words to him, barely audible over the storm around them. She slips the lead around him and he presses himself against her body. She runs her hand through his fur, reassuring him that they'll be back inside soon.

"Let's get inside before he decides to bolt again," she says as she straightens up.

Peggy steps out of the way, because she's not the type of woman to truly find herself bowled over at the affection of things like young animals, children, or others. She's not heartless, by any means, but she also isn't so cold as to not feel a flicker of genuine warmth to see Riza reunited with her dog. "I'm glad to see he's okay," she says, trying to guide the both of them towards some shelter.

"Come on, I can help to give some shelter," she says, trying to work to stand behind Arado so the hail won't strike him. "Hurry! Before it gets worse!"

Riza nods and starts moving. Arado is eager to get out of the storm just as much as the two women are eager to get him out of the storm. A few minutes later and they are back in the inn...and a second after that Arado is shaking off and spraying water and ice everywhere.

"Arado," Riza scolds, but it's only half hearted after all this trouble. She turns to Peggy, a sincere smile on her face, "Thank you."

Peggy tips her head to one side to look at woman and dog, giving her a warm smile in return. "It really was nothing at all," she guarantees, shivering a touch herself. "Take care of him and don't let him get away again. It might not be so easy a find, next time." She glances back out to the hail, steadying herself mentally for what comes next.

"I should get back out there, make sure everyone is inside safely. You'll both be fine, won't you?" she asks, wanting to make sure before she simply takes off.

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if the sky can crack [OTA mingle]

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