Hunting Party

They thought her ability might be able to help, they were right.

The hunters had been watching this one for a while, a fabulous prize that would feed the village for at least two weeks if not more. Though belonging to a threatened species, this male caiman has been preying on others of its kind as well as the hunters themselves. It's a matter of self preservation as much as species survival.

Armed with poison tipped spears, the hunters and Cody took down this particular beauty in a matter of minutes with a well laid trap. It was much too full of hubris and they were much too intelligent for the prehistoric creature.

Never in her life has she been the recipient of fanfare. The welcome the hunters receive upon their return, especially with a litter carrying a 2,000 lb caiman, is something she's unused to. It makes her a bit uncomfortable. In a bid to escape their notice, she gives the children tentative smiles and then she settles down near Dr. Wallace.

Sitting with some of the elder, a few of the children around them, Dr Norman Wallace looks up from the small toddler in his lap. The little tike has a hold of one of his beaded necklaces. “'Ello. I see the hunters have returned.” He gives her a smile. “They don't normally take females on the hunt. It is an honor that they allowed you to do so.”

“Well, you know…” A familiar voice can be hear behind them. “…they just recognize a badass when they see one. Damn, Baker. You went native on me. What do I call you? Dances with Pygmies? ”

Turning she'd find Mark Scotts, standing not too far away, an amused expression painting his features and pulling his mouth to one side. He's dressed as he was when they took him away, no shirt with worn pants and boots. The difference, he's on his own two legs and the gaping bullet wound is nothing by a scar now. Of course, there is the addition of the black tattoo and a couple of beaded necklaces around his neck.

Looking back over to the hunters and the massive reptile, Cody pastes on a rather weary smile. She's been avoiding the rest of her companions, preferring to spend time with Wallace learning the chirping language for better communication with the natives. "I think I needed it… I hope catching that guy was enough of a thank you."

Then there's the familiar voice behind her and Cody's heart nearly explodes out of her chest. "MARK!!" Jumping from her seat, she races toward the explorer and practically jumps into his arms. Then she pulls back and punches him, right in the tattoo.

"Don't you ever EVER do that to me again!! You hear me? I lost all my hair I was so worried about you!" Then she smiles even wider and gives him another hug. "And Tamer of Hair will do nicely, thank you."

When she punches him in the arm, Mark flinches, “Ow! Hey, careful there. It still smarts.” His hand rubs at it, it she hugs him again. That's when he wraps arms around her in a tight hug. “Tamer of Hair, huh?” A finger plucks at one of her dreads, “Doesn't seem all that tame to me right now.” He teases, giving her a grin. “What you got living in there? I mean.. look at it, Dee's little guy would have a field day in there.”

Seems more has been healed then just his body.

Wallace is in quiet conversation with on of the Elders that settles by the fire, white brows shoot upward. “Really?” Child still in his arms, Norman climbs to his feet and approaches the pair. “Well, well.. Mark…. or should I say… Guardian.” The smile the older man gives, is a lopsided one. “Interestin' title… and marked as well.” He sounds impressed. “The Mother must have decided you were truly worthy.” A gnarled hand moves to rest on Mark's shoulder. “Try not to disappoint the spirits.”

She gives him a nose wrinkle and grimaces before hooking her arm around his and leading him back to the small circle of Wallace and elders. "He won't disappoint them, it's not in him." She says in a rather matter of fact manner. A fond look is passed to Mark as Cody pushes him down to one of the seats.

"We're all back together now, I don't know where Jo, Laurel, and Dee are right now… but Laurel was in her greater glory when she found out there were blankets and hammocks here to sleep in." Something Cody will be taking advantage of tonight. With Mark safe and sound, she likely won't be tossing and turning as much.

"Guardian… I like that… It really suits you." The blonde's voice is muted, happy. She flops down beside him, her hand never straying from his arm. A gesture that's assuredly just to comfort herself, making sure that he's really there.

An odd look is given to Wallace as the tall man is pulled over and made to sit at the fire, he looks completely amused. “You'd think I just about died or something.” Mark tries to joke lightly, folding long frame to sit at the fire. “I'm fine, Cody… alive and well.”

He turns his head, lifting his arm to looks at the tattoo wrapped around it, “It was an odd… “ The arm drops as Mark ends up in a loss of words. “It was odd. It was like a freaky drug trip… twilight zone kinda thing.” Looking back at Cody he gives her a crooked smile. “It was like college all over again.”

Wallace chuckles as his settles down again, his joints popping. “It really is…” When Mark looks over at him, Wallace grins and turns his shoulder to younger man and brushes the sleeve up on his arm showing a tattoo on his own arm, though it looked much different. “I took my own journey to be judged.”

"Yeah well…" Cody concedes, just enough to let her arm drop from his though she's still sitting close enough to reach out and grab him if she needs to. Her head tilts lightly to the side as she examines the tattoo, her eyebrows raising quite high on her forehead. "Wow… that's some impressive ink. You should show it to Jo, she's always had an eye for that sort of thing."

The tattoo on Wallace's arm is met with the same expression and a huff of air that she lets out. "Huh, I just got painted and feathered but I helped catch the monster from Lake Placid, so I'm satisfied." Nodding over to the giant alligator, she nudges Mark and points with her left index finger. "Not even a bullet. If you get invited to hunt with them, you should take it. It was the second best part of the trip so far."

“Lemme guess… first part was the lobster dinner first night?” Mark asks, flashing her a grin, both brows lifting high on his head. His smile falls away a little as he considers Cody, his gaze turning away as he looks at the fire. “I need to talk to everyone, time to get them out of here and home.” He picks up a bit of thin rope left on the ground and starts fiddling with it. “Up to you if you go with them.”

Wallace is silent as he listens to two younger people talk, turning his attention towards the Elders, he starts talking to them softly.

“I want you safe… but somehow knowing you…” Mark glances back her way, head turned to look at her out of the corner of his eye. “Only way to do that would be to knock you out and tie you up.”

"I take it by your choice of words, you're not going home." The words are said softly, Cody's blue eyes gaze into his for a long moment before she shakes her head. "If you're not leaving, then I'm not. I'm glued to your side, Guardian, I'm not letting you get hurt again. I can't do that job if I get sent home."

Then she smiles again and makes two fists with her hands. She doesn't raise them up or even make any threatening gesture, the fact that she's doing it is enough. "I'd really like to see you try to knock me out, I think I could take you. Your arm is still hurting, mine is healing pretty well." She raises it to show him the new war wound on her arm.

A combination of good food, clean water, and some strange poultices rubbed over her stitches have left it almost in a good enough state to remove the hair that binds the skin together.

Sheepishly, Mark smiles at her, hand rubbing at the back of his neck scratching at the hair that's been getting longer. “I… I can't.” His gaze wandering the village watching the native people. “They need me here for a little bit longer. I doubt those gunmen are just going to sit back.”

“He's right.” Wallace pipes up from his place, looking back to them. “We have hunters tracking them from a safe distance. They are going to be looking for this place… and him.” A nod goes to Mark who is nodding slowly. “The elders said they can give those that want to leave an escort to a village with outside communications. They should be able to help get you all home.”

The eldest son of Lane, glances at Cody. “I'm sending Jamie either way. She's gonna need therapy as it is. Poor kid.” Brows drop into a a slight frown and Mark sighs. “Maybe we can get the others to go as well. When things are done here, then I'll worry about home.”

"Well if you're not going… I guess you know where I'm going to be, don't you?" Cody smiles as she looks out toward the jungle. Her bright expression wavers and she looks down at her bare feet, dirty from traipsing around like one of the villagers. "When they go, I don't want you to be with the escort. You're safer here. I'll go with them."

Her blue eyes train on the blonde water spirit and she follows the girl's movements for a while before looking back to Mark and nodding. "I hope her guardian was found somewhere, I really do. Either that or she has someone to go back to, otherwise we're in a little bit of a pickle, aren't we?"

“Good.” Mark states firmly. “More we have on our side, the better our chances. I'm not convincing anyone to stay. It'll be risky and dangerous. She'll be better off anywhere but here.”

Leaning towards her, Mark flashes her a bright grin and holds his fist out to her. “Glad you have on on Team Mark?” Yes, he made a lame Twlight joke… in the middle of the damn rainforest.

Give the man a break, he's been mostly dead for nearly a weak.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License