7.) [video.]

[ijustlivehere]

 

[Observe a very pleased-looking Neil in Lord-of-the-Rings-style garb, waving at the camera before clasping his hands in front of him in a way that he hopes looks dignified.
Today we commemorate the occasion of my birth, occurring on this day some twenty-and-two years ago, or thereabouts.
[He clears his throat.]
As celebration, I am of a mind to search out and take on a dire wolf pup of my own. Together, the two of us will surely be able to retrieve the prize of the day.
All those who would accompany me and offer your services to my cause, I should be glad of your company.
...Oh. And since I've no wish of my own, let the reward go to he or she whom I name bravest warrior in the party.

[ooc: OPEN ACTION, Y'ALL. In brief translation: It's Neil's birthday, and this is effectively a call to arms by a giddy idiot who basically sees this whole thing as LARPing, only more legit! And yes, Neil did indeed have that outfit sitting in his closet. Might be better if you just... don't ask.]

Comments

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Aw, come on!

[Neil reaches out to see if he can get it to come back, but before he can make any progress, two more unicorns wander onto the path and able towards Stephen, joining the others in nosing against him.]

[totallyinaband]

Okay, seriously?

[Stephen hoists his backpack and starts trekking further down the path. The unicorns follow him, trotting along happily and alternatively nuzzling him or trying to nip playfully at his sleeves.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil isn't even trying not to laugh anymore.] Oh my god, this is weirder than the dinosaur thing!

[He follows, having to look and step around unicorns to try to stay with Stephen. They are a party, after all.]

Hey, uh, is this way north?

[totallyinaband]

I don't even know anymore!

[By this time there are about eight unicorns surrounding them. A few of the stranglers have taken a cursory interest in Neil and are trotting beside him begrudgingly.]

Maybe if we go off the path we can shake them.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Off the path? Is that safe?

[But one of the unicorns nearly steps on Neil's foot right now, so the comparative safety suddenly seems like less of an issue.]

...Uh, okay, yeah. Let's try that.

[totallyinaband]

[Stephen picks a poison-ivy-free looking patch of woods and starts trekking along. The Unicorns all follow - obviously. After about ten minutes of hiking they reach a small brook surrounded by... three more unicorns. They all look up at Stephen and Neil's arrival and whinny happily.]

Okay, really?

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil has no end of amusement over this.]

Dude. What are you?

[totallyinaband]

On the upside, we found water?

[Stephen doesn't appear to find this as funny as Neil does.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Oh. Yeah. Neil stops laughing when he's reminded of what they're out here for in the first place.]

If we follow this, it'll eventually turn into a bigger river, right?

[totallyinaband]

Yeah, usually.

[Stephen eyes the nearest unicorn thoughtfully.]

You don't think these guys would let us ride them, do you?

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Somehow, Neil hadn't even thought of that. And now he is several different levels of giddy.]

Oh my god, maybe! That would be friggin' epic!

[totallyinaband]

[Stephen takes one of the nearest unicorns by its mane and leads it over to a conveniently placed stump. The unicorn seems to catch onto what's going on and prances happily. Stephen hops up onto the stump, and then with a few tries, manages to throw himself over the unicorn's back.]

Whoa. That's, uh, high up.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil considers, and then tries to grab a branch and sort of swing himself up onto the nearest unicorn, but it trots away nonchalantly before he can manage it (or fall and break his neck). Various other attempts result in much of the same-- unicorns wandering leisurely away before Neil can get close enough to make a mount of any of them.]

What?! What's wrong with me, huh? What does he have that I don't?!

[...Yes, and now he's shouting at them.]

[totallyinaband]

[Stephen trots over on his unicorn. Or, clings desperately for his life, more like.]

It's okay, guys. He's with me.

[The unicorn nearest to Neil looks up at Stephen with a distinctly irritated look. He wanders back over to Neil and crouches down, allowing him to climb on.]

Dude! I didn't think that'd actually work!

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil stares and raises an eyebrow, then climbs on the unicorn's back hesitantly. It rises to it's feet rather quickly, making Neil gasp.]

Whoa! ...Dude, this just keeps getting weirder. Why are you, like, King of the Unicorns or something?

[totallyinaband]

Apparently?

[Stephen clears his throat.]

So uh, how's it going? Um, Neil's looking for a dire wolf pup for his birthday. You guys don't happen to know where one is, do you?

[The unicorns exchange looks, and then all turn back to Stephen.]

Yeah, now I feel ridiculous.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Oh man, if that had worked, though, can you imagine?

...I guess we should just... go downstream, then, or whatever. Downstream'd be where it gets bigger, right?

[totallyinaband]

Yeah, totally. Okay, come on. The rest of you, stay behind!

[Yeah, like that's going to happen. Stephen turns his unicorn downstream, and about ten more unicorns trot after him.]

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

[Neil is about to ask how to steer this thing, but it proves needless as the unicorn he's riding, obviously, turns to follow Stephen.]

Know what? If you really lived here, I bet the sigil of your House would be a unicorn.

[There is laughter in his voice. Yep, he's back to finding this hilarious.]

[totallyinaband]

I was gonna say that that would be a pretty wimpy sigil, but there's a unicorn on the English crest, so they can't be all that bad.

As long as it's doing something badass, anyway.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Nah, I think there totally is a legit noble House with a unicorn sigil though, so it's cool. Ser Flement, or something like that. Mine would be something with sharp teeth and claws, though, like a--

[SUDDENLY DISTRACTED so the world may never know. There is a bride ahead!]

Bridge! Dude, bridge! We're close. We're totally close. They've gotta be around here somewhere.

[totallyinaband]

Great. The faster we can shake these guys and get out of here the better.

[illgrowoutofit.livejournal.com]

Okay, keep an eye out, man. It's gonna be on our side of the river, and there should be... a log or something, I think? I dunno, there's still no snow, so it might now be exact.

...You know, if there's more than one, you could probably have one, too.