soulping | TAKSHAKA

TAKSHAKA

[The interior of your team cabin is far warmer than the winter outside. Each cabin is outfitted with enough beds for all present, and a table laden with food. Thick, juicy meats. Fatty broths. Congealed blood sausages. The sort of food that gets you through a harsh winter. The sort of food that makes you fat and tasty.]

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It'd be easy if it were only us, right? That's how we are.

[a sad little grin]

But Sparrow, isn't voting for ourselves also breaking that rule?

...Right. Right, I forgot that.

[ how could she have forgotten something so important? she takes a deep, shuddering breath and tries to force herself to calm down.

panic won't help anyone. worry won't help anyone. she needs to think clearly, and keep a level head. ]

Who do you think is the least suspicious team?

[makes a small pained noise, then--shakes his head a little. His eyes get kind of blank, like he's shut down something inside of him. When he speaks again, his voice is calm.]

I only spoke to members of Ometotchtli, Epona, and Ratatoskr. Both the rabbits and the rat said things that could be seen as suspicious. Liter was more resigned than I'd expect a sheep to be, and Robin made what might've been a slip of the tongue suggesting she knows the wolf's role.

...That's normal for Liter. Remember Rotten-sama's game? He expected Ometotchtli would be targeted.

[ she tries to lean against him, needing something to keep her rooted. ]

...I think Roxy would understand, if we voted for Ratatoskr.

You're right. And the other rabbit seemed really distressed.

All right. I hate to betray her, but if Ratatoskr really is a wolf, she'll be glad we figured it out quickly.

Yeah... And if not... We can apologize for suspecting them.

[and after the results are in, coming back into the cabin with a blank, serious face]

I see. It came out poorly in the end. I still think the rats are the only wolves I can tell.

But for this vote, I'd pick the goats to spite the rabbits' poor luck. That's a rotten reason, but it's all I've got.

...Blaze is at this game.

[ she says it quietly, face red and streaked with tears.

Blaze, the one who was definitely too young to die. Blaze who cried from fear after the Rotten's game.

but then she thinks of Liter, and she knows she can't allow Ometotchtli to die again. ]

The kid?

[his eyes growing slightly more blank]

The others will suffer just as much. Youth doesn't make him more or less innocent.

Maybe not, but it doesn't make it less horrible for him to be here.

It's horrible for everyone to be here.

[after a moment's thought]

I'm not entirely convinced Ometotchtli aren't wolves after all.

[ she sucks in a deep breath, like she was punched ]

I believe in them.

Sparrow, what would you have done if we'd been picked to be wolves?

I would have tried to get people to vote for us somehow.

And that would have counted as sabotage, and we'd have gone down along with another team close to us.

Hmm, but that would only be if we were obvious about it, right? Robin's clever, so I wonder if she left me small hints deliberately, hoping I would notice--

[shaking his head and sighing]

If not, the wolves might kill us tonight. I almost hope they do, selfishly, but then there's no more chance to stop any more suffering. Ah, I can't think. Let's pick Amalthea. I'll do it for you if you can't bear to.

[ she reaches to hold his hand again. ]

I'll do it with you. We're family, right? So, I won't let you do it alone.

[ even if it hurts, even if it's painful and feels like betraying herself. ]

...all right.

Ah, there's one more thing.

If the wolves are playing to win, they will probably kill us first.

...

[ she just nods. she doesn't want to die, she doesn't want Swan to die, but she doesn't want anyone else to die either. ]

We're the heroes who saved the day last time things seemed bad. People listen to us. We're the biggest threat to the wolves.

Oh.

Being heroes...carries risks, too.

Worthwhile ones, right? If people see us as a threat, it means we're effective.

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