Blah blah (insert lengthy explanation for why I haven't written) I've moved in the process but whatever. Thanks for your reviews and input. And on with the show!
Episode 8
By: Catty Engles
(Chetora argues over who is to move to the other team's camp for the following nights while the newly Tinchatka acquired speedboat's motor whines in the distance. Finally the choice is narrowed down to three.)
Fwirl: So you three are volunteering to move to Tinchatka? (Martin, Cregga, and Deyna nod)
Song: (glancing at Triss who looks as relieved as Song feels) Well I won't argue against that, I wouldn't give much for my chances in a den of vipers like those vermin.
Dandin: (slowly shakes his head in admiration) Yeah, so how are we going to decide? There can only be one. Rock, paper, scissors?
Deyna: No, I'll do it for you. I'm going. (Martin and Cregga make outraged noises) Martin, you are strong and brave and I don't doubt your ability to hold your own even though anyone might underestimate you because you're a mouse, but this team needs you. If you haven't noticed, you've become somewhat of a surrogate leader.
Martin: (holds Deyna's eyes for a long moment and then nods his head, acquiescing to the otter's wisdom) I will stay.
Deyna: (turns his gaze to Cregga who feels his eyes on her and turns towards him listening even if she can't see him) Cregga, my friend, I can't let you go because, to put it bluntly, you are aging. Cregga Rose-Eyes, I would let take on these villains in a heartbeat, but now without your sight, I fear for you. (Cregga inclines her head, unknowingly just as Martin had) I will go, because I was once the Taggerung. I will-
Gonff: (angry and fuming) Why should any of us have to go! Those vermin would kill as soon as look at us! I don't care if it's only a game, sending a friend into an enemy's camp is not-
Deyna: (interrupting) You've just got to trust my thinking right now, Gonff.
Gonff: When I think you're mad! (Martin grips Gonff's shoulder as Deyna steps forward to inform Catty of their decision) This isn't right. (Martin is quiet, he knows his friend is in no state to listen to reason)
Dandin: (Trying to do just what Martin had wisely avoided) He'll be okay, he's tough, even if the vermin try to kill him, that's against the rules and then-
Gonff: (furious) What do vermin care about rules! You just don't understand what they might do to him! (Dandin quails under Gonff's outrage)
Catty: (returns from sending Deyna off with some set crew who would direct him to the vermin camp) Tribal council, Chetora, pack it up.
(The camp sulks off to Tribal Council, Gonff still fuming but now he has an object to turn his emotions against: Dandin. The Tribe feels the waves of tension coming off Gonff and Dandin, and automatically side with the stronger of the two- in most cases it was Gonff. Without much competition or arguments at camp, this showdown, so close to voting time is fatal for Dandin.)
Catty: (After all the votes have been cast) Once the votes are read, the decision is final. The beast voted off will be asked to leave the tribal area immediately. I'll read the votes. (Dramatically she pulls the first vote out of the voting gourd) First vote: Dandin.
Dandin: (lowers his head as the next three votes read off are his name as well.)
Catty: Sixth beast voted off of Survivor Beasts: Dandin.
Dandin: (grabs his torch and trudges up to Catty. He looks over his shoulder at his teammates and does his best to smile) Good luck you guys.
Catty: (remains impassive as she extinguishes his torch.)
(Dandin leaves the voting area for his after-show comments which go something like "Oh, I'm sorry Gonff, I didn't mean anything. I had a good time while it lasted. I hope someone from Chetora wins…")
Catty: You can move on to your next destination now, best of luck to all of you. (the sky is darkening as Song navigates them to the next beaching point where they gloomily set up camp and wonder about themselves and say a small prayer from Deyna)
Tinchatka---
(There has been somewhat of a party atmosphere as the tribe arrives at the next beach earlier than even they expected with Tsarmina steering their new speedboat. They haphazardly pull her ashore and make a fire then set about arguing over names for their new boat. Old seafarers aim to have their ships names reinstated, some are pure nonsense "Death to Woodlanders and all Things Good and Wholesome" seems to have a good backing, but the shorter and more concise Deathwake is decided upon. The partying continues until another, smaller and less flashy speedboat stops thirty feet from shore. A sleek shape can be glimpsed diving soundlessly into the water and then the speedboat hurries away.)
Cluny: What the-
Romsca: It must be the woodlander sent to help us out. (snickers meaningfully)
Klitch: Help, ha!
(they wait to see if the shape resurfaces, most of them, now sure it isn't the badger since the shape was smaller, are pondering the other options. Most would rather have one of the squirrelmaids, delicate and impressionable to terrorize until after tribal council. The vermin lick their lips staring at the water in anticipation and apprehension.)
(after the shape doesn't resurface ten minutes later the vermin start to get uneasy)
Cluny: Well so much for that, we'll just tell them it drowned before it reached shore. (The rest of them nod their heads noncommittally)
Badrang: I'm going back to tend the fire, it's probably ash by now.
Tsarmina: (turning) No, look!
(Deyna is sitting by the flames wearing an ominous but large grin across his broad features, feeding the fire kindling)
Swartt: Stripe me, I didn't hear a thing!
Tsarmina: Nor did I…
(After an uneasy confrontation where Deyna skillfully turns the vermins' questions aside about his appearance, they drop off to sleep)
Deyna: (under his breath) Good night you lousy bunch of murderers. (He mimes sleep with his back to the fire and one eye open. Deyna knew that if he made an indirect approach the vermin may let him off due to their fatigue. The plan worked like a charm, he circled around the camp surfacing maybe fifty feet downwind of them and then hurried to the treeline, foraged some dry kindling, and made his way to the fire behind all the vermins' backs while they were watching for signs of him in the water. With the knowledge of his success sharp in his mind, he let himself relax and prepare for what lay ahead of him)
Next Morning at the Appointed Place for the Challenge---
(the two tribes walk in, Chetora minus one, Tinchatka plus one. Chetora seems glad to see Deyna is alive while Deyna seems sorry when he notices that Dandin is gone, though he never had any real ties to him, it's always sad losing a teammate.)
Catty: Welcome survivors! I hope to find you well because today's challenge is an especially grueling one. (Two sets of three pulleys have a rope running through them. One side is simply a rope lying on the beach with knots tied in it, the other side, suspended above the water, has a harness attached to it.) You will select your lightest player to be hanging above water with only manpower to keep him or her sustained. Your entire tribe will be straining against the ropes until five minute intervals in which I will eliminate two of your players closest to the end of the rope. Once we are down to the last two anchor players from each team it will be a battle of only sheer muscle and willpower. You have five minutes to select your positions.
(Five minutes later)
Catty: Before we get back to the game, would you like to know what reward for today is?
Tribes: YEAH!
Catty: Okay… (pulls the cover off of a table revealing a basket and some bolts of cloth to noises of appreciation from the tribes) It looks like you guys are not doing to well in the clothes department. This contains needles, spools of thread, sewing scissors, measuring tape, and of course cloth and lots of it. Now bring me your results for the order and we'll get started.
(They obey)
Catty: Okay, the lineup is as follows. Fwirl for Chetora and Klitch for Tinchatka are going to be in the harness. (Klitch does not look at all happy about this arrangement, but he was the slightest in stature) Cregga will be Chetora's anchor and Tsarmina will be Tinchatka's. The lineup from there goes Martin, Gonff, Triss, and Song for Chetora and Badrang, Ublaz, Cluny, Swartt, Romsca, and Deyna for Tinchatka.
(It was obvious Tinchatka put Deyna at the back of their line and first to be eliminated because they couldn't count on his loyalty.)
Catty: (grinning slightly and pretending to ponder) Eight to six doesn't seem fair does it?
Chetora: (catching on and laughing delightedly) No!
Catty: (motions with a smile for Deyna to retake his place among his tribe where he is greeted wholeheartedly) Reshuffle your group and then we'll get started.
(Deyna is placed right behind Cregga and in front of Martin and Gonff.)
Catty: Take your places. (Fwirl and Klitch are raised into the air mechanically, suspended above the water, the tribes pick up the lax ropes and brace themselves for when the tension will be released) Ready? GO!
(The mechanical hold on Fwirl and Klitch is cut and they plummet a few feet before being painfully stopped by their teammates taking up the slack. Fwirl and Klitch try their best not to move though the harness is cutting into their skin-not a comfortable position at all. The first five minutes is relatively quiet, murmurs of encouragement pass up and down the line from Chetora just as easily as threats of disembowelment do for Tinchatka. Chetora tries their best to ignore all the huge animals with dense muscle mass they are up against.)
Catty: All right. Five minutes is up, Song, Triss, Swartt, and Romsca please step away from your lines. (With final murmurs they comply, standing behind a line a few feet away from the action) Good luck survivors I'll check back on you in five minutes.
(The remaining members readjust their lines, taking the strain more heavily in Tinchatka's case because both of the beasts eliminated were moderately large and held their fair share of the weight compared to two tiny squirrelmaids. Fwirl and Klitch begin to look increasingly miserable)
Catty: Five more minutes have gone by. Ublaz, Cluny, Martin, and Gonff move away from the lines. (they carefully step away leaving only two beasts remaining on each line) Fwirl, Klitch! (they both gingerly turn their heads) How are you feeling up there?
Klitch: Like a rat is scratching my bum with a prickly plant none too gently. (He had obviously been thinking of this simile for a while and looked pleased that he could try it out)
Catty: (nods with a mock sincere expression on her face, trying to mask a derogative smile) And Fwirl, how are you?
Fwirl: (grins, putting on a brave face though wincing when she tries to rearrange herself to better see Catty) Never better!
(Catty retreats for the final five minutes and then reappears informing the last two creatures other than the anchors themselves that they must step away from the line. Deyna and Badrang do so reluctantly casting contemptible glances at each other. No love seems to be lost between the vermin crowd and Deyna even in spite of the night he spent with them.)
Catty: (narrating) Cregga and Tsarmina are the last survivors to hold up their fellow teammates. This final showdown has no time limit so this could take minutes or hours.
(It lasts one hour almost exactly. Both Cregga and Tsarmina dig in and battle it out, Tsarmina regularly shifting positions to try and work all her muscles while Cregga steadfastly stays put. This strategy does Tsarmina in when she slips in the sand trying to get a better hold on the rope, she scoots about five feet away from her original position and then digs her heels in to stop her motion. Klitch squeaks as he falls the five feet and is stopped abruptly. He was dozing.)
Cregga: (to Fwirl) What's happening?
Fwirl: Tsarmina lost control of the rope and is a few feet farther down the beach. (Cregga nods and shrugs her huge shoulders to keep them loose, knowing that this could be something or nothing)
(It turns out to be something when Tsarmina, turning and trying to regain her initial position from the harder angle, is overcome by the pull and topples over. With a yelp of dismay, Klitch falls into the water. Chetora bursts into applause)
Fwirl: It's over Cregga! You can let me go!
Cregga: (with a little derisive smile) So soon? (she lets go. Fwirl whoops triumphantly before going under. Klitch and Fwirl make it back to shore at about the same time)
Catty: Winner: Chetora! (more hugging, laughter, back patting etc.) Tinchatka, I will be seeing you at Tribal Council tonight. Chetora, you can go on back to camp and then move on to the next destination. Take your reward with you. Get your rest, you'll need it.
Chetora: (still celebrating heads back to camp with the cloth and basket)
Catty: Tinchatka, follow me.
Today you will be voting for one of the "vermin." Your contestants are: Badrang, Tsarmina, Cluny, Klitch, Romsca, Swartt, and Ublaz. Hmm, doesn't the show usually have a merge when the tribes get down to five each or close to that? Hmmmm…
Oh yeah, some of you didn't really understand what I was asking for in the voting last time, so I improvised, but whatever, here are the final tallies:
For moving to Tinchatka:
Martin: 2
Deyna: 5
Fwirl: 1
Song: 2
Dandin: 2
Cregga: 4
For voting off:
Deyna: 1
Fwirl: 1
Song: 1
Dandin: 6
Triss: 1
Cregga: 1
Kind of spread out, but I'm glad there was a consensus with Dandin getting voted off. I hate when it's close, and you guys were right, he was getting kind of boring. Haha, remember to vote, toodles!
