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PSL: fullcowl
Original starter
(continuing from this)
[Even though he still has a long way to go to restore his strength, Law manages to last out the rest of the night without dropping off again. It helps that once or twice something a little too large passed a little too close to their hollowed-out tree, but whatever it was either didn't like fire or wasn't into humans and kept going on past. His haki alerted him in time, but he sat tense until it passed rather than wake Deku. Kid needs his rest, after all.
The gap in the tree must face east, because Law eventually can see a gray line in the distance as light starts to come up behind the hills, and then the approaching dawn getting brighter and brighter. The fire fizzles out about then, and he stretches out a heel to scratch some dirt over it lest the smoke attract attention. With dawn coming, he won't be able to sleep anyway, so he just lets Izuku sleep for as long as he needs. Besides, he's nice and warm.]
(continuing from this)
[Even though he still has a long way to go to restore his strength, Law manages to last out the rest of the night without dropping off again. It helps that once or twice something a little too large passed a little too close to their hollowed-out tree, but whatever it was either didn't like fire or wasn't into humans and kept going on past. His haki alerted him in time, but he sat tense until it passed rather than wake Deku. Kid needs his rest, after all.
The gap in the tree must face east, because Law eventually can see a gray line in the distance as light starts to come up behind the hills, and then the approaching dawn getting brighter and brighter. The fire fizzles out about then, and he stretches out a heel to scratch some dirt over it lest the smoke attract attention. With dawn coming, he won't be able to sleep anyway, so he just lets Izuku sleep for as long as he needs. Besides, he's nice and warm.]
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So it's here?
Any other information?
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[Law turns to him and gives him a serious look down]
So, Deku. Do we risk it? At this point I can no longer make my Room big enough to get us back to the mouth of the cave, if we get attacked. We don't know if it will attack, or not, but knowing now that something does live down here, it means we also risk it finding us in the middle of the night while we're asleep.
[he knows his own opinion, but getting out of this together means he wants Deku's, also]
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We should deal with it now.
[Leaving it for when they're asleep or drowsy sounds like a way that could get them killed.
And he's pretty sure that he can pick Law up and run if it really came down to that.]
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I agree. Tread lightly, though. Haki can only tell me that something's there, not what it looks like or how it's going to react to us. Right now I can't even gauge its strength, so either it's too far away or it can mask itself somehow. Quietly, and carefully.
[he subconsciously puts himself half a step in front of Deku as he continues on, lowering the torch this time to guard the light. If he's not careful, the light itself could alert this thing to their presence well before sound or scent or anything else.]
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Let me know when you can tell more, alright?
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[it takes a bit for them to descend deep enough into the cave to get in range, but even then, Law frowns darkly at what he can sense. It's muted, unclear. What is it? Not nearly as vibrant as most of the animals they've hunted]
It might be dormant, or asleep. Something. I'm not sure.
[either way, this is looking more and more like something they just need to get before it gets them, and not dinner. Dinner may be bread after all.]
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So it's not moving yet...
[That doesn't mean too much. It might startle awake once they get closer to it.]
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[if ever there was a moment in their journey where he really really missed Kikoku, it would be right now. The nodachi could be the difference between a messy conflict and a quick resolution. But Law doesn't have it, and can't let that stop him from ensuring their safety.
There's a corner of the cave wall ahead, reflecting the torchlight in a way to suggest that it's wet, maybe from water seeping underground. But then, the light falls on something less rock-like and more squishy just beyond, making Law hesitate and shrink back. If it's asleep, better to leave it that way until they know what it is.]
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...It's kind of hard to tell if the animal? Monster? Creature? Is asleep or not.
He thinks he hears it breathing, but he doesn't want to say that, not when he doesn't know if the thing has very sensitive hearing.
He looks up at Law. What's the plan?]
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And then, his eyes go wide.
Is it a lizard? A dragon? A slug? A snake? It's somewhere in between all of those, with slimy, scaly skin pulsing faintly in the dim light as it breathes. How it's wrapped around itself hides any eyes or teeth, but what is clear is the pale white coloring, typical of albino creatures who spend their entire lives in the darkness. Given that, it may not be able to see them, but that means its other senses would compensate...
Law draws back and hastily whispers his observations to Deku, though he does give him a little tug to bring him over to see for himself]
We're in luck. It's not moving, possibly hibernating.
[of course, the longer they hang out there hissing at each other and waving a torch, the less likely it's going to stay dormant.]
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The longer they stay here talking about it, the more likely it's going to wake up and decide that they don't need to exist.]
Fight it or leave it?
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It hasn't threatened us yet. I don't even know if it can. It would be pointless to waste energy on something harmless.
[on the other hand...] Things that live their lives in caves, never seeing the sun...could never grow this big feeding only on insects or fish.
[the stupid thing to do would be to prod it awake to see if it's dangerous, but then again, that may be the fastest way to solve this internal debate]
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[Izuku's not stupid enough to prod the thing awake- but the need to make a decision.]
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[no, this speculation isn't going to get them anywhere. Fortunately, the sluggy-snakey thing makes that decision for them, going into a slow roll that gradually brings its face-end around toward them. Buggy, sightless eyes, a collection of feelers around its, er, mouth? Even Law can't help but make a sort of "ugh, gross" noise under his breath]
Shit. Curiosity does kill the cat, doesn't it?
[he hesitated too long, now they have to deal with it.]
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[That doesn't look like a friendly face. Also, gross.
He'll turn on One for All and hold onto Law's arm, ready to make a quick exit if the slug-snake thing decides that they're its next meal.]
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The torchlight is enough to keep it at bay temporarily, as it flinches its blind cave eyes away from the light, but the feelers become considerably more animated. It knows there's something there. Law points, then, to the cave floor beneath it: something dripping from the mouth falls on a patch of lichen, which hisses and curls and dissolves.]
Look. Acid, poison...something. That's why there were no bones. [he turns slightly, pushing against Izuku's shoulder] Let's move, maybe it's too slow to follow.
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[He'll start tugging him along, not hard, but he doesn't want to stay here to figure out what the weird monster wants to do to them.
He does keep glancing over his shoulder, watching the thing move.]
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The creature wobbles slowly, feeling around with its weird whiskery bits, and then rather suddenly rushes at them. Sliding on the rock floor on its corrosive slime, it's fast. Law makes a startled noise and then Shambles them a short way up the cave tunnel to give them a head start.]
RUN!
[if he had a sword, he'd stop and fight, but this is not the time. Do the thing, Deku!]