They marched onwards.

Swarm half listening to the conversations around her with the rest of her attention firmly forward. They were getting closer. She could feel it. The terrain changed as they walked, becoming less swampy. The earth hardened and grassy flatlands stretched out before them with the darker stain of hills in the distance.

It was finally time for Brother and Sister to part ways with her and they did so without any outward fuss but Swarm felt their distress keenly. She shivered, closing her eyes briefly in silent farewell as the two giant wasps simply stopped in midair and hovered as the group continued on without them.

This was where she knew the Ache would take hold and drive the denizens of the Swamp back into her grasp. This was the last chance for anyone to turn around. They continued on without a fuss, untouched by the Ache in Swarm’s sheltering presence.

“You must not wander,” she warned the group, lifting her voice to be heard. “Here the Ache takes hold.”

[We have officially left the swamp! Anyone can still join the ORP, just presume you've been there all along!]

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft]It was hard to tell if King was affected by Swarm's abilities at all or if he was just very good at doing his own thing, he kept to the back of the group, just inside the protection from the Ache, as if he knew where it terminated. He had little regard for leaders or faithfulness to groups. He did however nod to Stalker. "Probably safer." he said. Stalker was handsome and clever but he was not really built for any sort of combat at all. King was an Acha but hardly a fragile one or one without thick protective fur, his fur was double coated and though he'd shed a good chunk of it for summer, it was still enough to handle some trip to the mountains, which seemed where they were headed ultimately.

"I can speak to you well enough from here anyway." he said, in Stalker's direction.

Though he was polite to his closest confidant, he was still simmeringly angry below the surface at everything. It was easier to leave than to pursue his desire to seek some revenge or other upon Cockscomb who had done nothing ill but pursue his nature.

He dealt with the anger unusually with a song, his strong confident voice carrying well on the air. You didn't get to lead a band of singers and storytellers without the ability to carry a tune.

"Oh, A merry band of kin went out.
Out of the swamp's embrace.
She could not pull them home again.
Back to that forsaken place.

And they went
Into the deepest unknown
And they go
Free of her embrace
Now they go
Into a new forsaken place.

They followed a strip-ed mare
Into the mountains they go.
What could sent them hence to there?
Few of their party could know.

But they go
Into the deepest unknown
And they go
Free of her embrace
Now they go
Into a new forsaken place.

And they go."

--
[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright]
Rep wrinkled his nose at the song. "Fucking Achas." he said, just when he thought things couldn't be any more weird some exceedingly weird Acha had to start singing in a haunting sort of way. "There's some real weirdos in this group." he griped, moving a little closer to Stay. At this point he had numbly resigned himself to the strange power of the kin who led them.

"I feel better as a team though." he said, because he did. He didn't want to trust people, but something in how he was wired meant that with Stay, he did anyway, even if it was potentially some bad idea.

"I don't have a good feeling about this trip." he said. "I have a good feeling about you though."

"Ohhh! Hush, hushie-shush, that's a cute soft name too!" The firey acha bounced in place for a moment, grinning warmly (but toothily) at her. "It's nice to meet you!"

Only a moment later he was off again, bouncing from kin to kin in the crowd, freely moving from front to back and back again. At Swarm's announcement, he leapt with a start and shouted, "THE ACHE?! But I don't feel - are we leaving the swamp?" For the first time, he actually took a look at his surroundings as the group traveled and realized where they were going. "We're leaving!! Oh, wow, I didn't think I'd ever leave the swamp again after I got here. Wow! I get to see whole 'nother part of the world! That's so exciting!!"

His boundless energy brought him within range of two kiokote, seemingly alone in the crowd.

"Hey!" he opened loudly, "Did you hear that?? We're leaving the swamp! Isn't that cool??"

@Owlsomniac  (Unquenched has left Hush alone... for now)
@HannahBug @zeflamigo

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft]
"You’re energetic." Trailblazer laughed quietly, just a hum at the back of her throat. What a curious acha. He was rather frightening in appearance, but he had excitement of a little dog. She had the feeling that he would be difficult to tire, but in a way, she was the same.

"It is indeed ‘very cool’. I myself am buzzing with energy." She responded flatly, with no shift in tone, walking very steadily. Whatever energy Trailblazer had, it was entirely internal. With a small smile, she looked at Cloy and back at Unquenched.

"What do you imagine we might see?" She asked the both of them.

@Corn
@HannahBug

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft]The Ache.

A delicious shiver ran up his spine from the words. He had felt it, of course, the changing ground under his hooves. He had known it from the smell and taste of the air; the point in their trek that the buzzing of the mare's companions had fallen back. But to hear her say it made it irrefutable - made it real.

They had left the Swamp. And if they left her, they would (probably) die.

His heart leapt from the excitement, and he could have leapt, himself. But he did not, and merely hummed a little, under his breath, stepping back and forth to let what sounded like a very excitable Acha pass to and fro.

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright] She puffed upon the mare's solemn announcement, pleased to have lived through not one, but two special Ache-lacking sessions of leaving the Swamp! Yes, Beauty Past Compare certainly could find an unwarranted pride in having followed two Legendaries to strange lands, currently flanked by strong kin for her (and others') protection.

A song! Ah, Beauty knew of song as well. She tilted her head back and forth upon hearing a song from behind, her soft body jiggling with each step.  When he was done, she would resume.

And because she was unbearable, she resumed.

"OhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh,"
her voice undulated, hitting a high note in the middle, why not!

"I've been to the swamp and to the desert, oh, anywhere I was led,
The greatest highs, the lowest lows, the heat went to my head,
But I ran out of places and friendly faces, and now the snow I'll see -
I've been to paradise, but I've never been to meeeeeee"

Fish’s eyes brightened. “Food will be... well, it’s never really easy up there, but oh, the berries of spring and summer are so worth it. So many kinds! Little pink cloudberries, lingonberries, salmonberries- which, incidentally, do not taste like salmon- huckleberries, bilberries, blueberries... it’s enough to burst your guts if you’re not careful. The migrating trout come back up to spawn, and the alders and birches have such sweet, tender leaves. The water, though... I can still taste it. There’s nothing like a drink of icy, crisp mountain water. The stuff we get in the swamp just isn’t the same.” She smiled and nudged Eats Flowers. “And, if you want to eat some flowers, the glacier lilies will have bloomed by now. Little yellow things, like buttercups but tastier. Eidelweiss will have bloomed, too, but they’re not as good for eating. I wonder if we’ll be able to carry things away with us. I’d love to uproot a couple of cloudberry bushes and see if I can get them to grow back in the swamp.”

She winced as yet another Acha started singing. She appreciated them, usually, but didn’t they know any marching tunes? “Oi!” she shouted to whomever was caterwauling up ahead. “Sing Free Bird!” Surely they’d know that one, right?

@Prolixity @Mima

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft] Aphid was gone before Cloy had a chance to acknowledge her leaving. She glanced over her shoulder, but elected that the other doe probably won't mind the fact that she wasn't willing to raise her voice in the crowd. She quickly had other things to worry about anyway. She was aware there was an excitable, chattery kin somewhere in the group, but hadn't bothered to pinpoint them, as they'd sounded somewhat far-off. As it happened, she didn't have to worry about that mystery going unsolved. An Acha was suddenly nearby, asking questions faster than she cared to answer. Thankfully, Trailblazer didn't seem to mind the interaction and served as a nice barrier between she and him. Still, she tried to maintain her posture and not shrink behind the other Kiokote

"If this is anything like the dreams that have been pestering me, there will be a puzzle somewhere out there." She replied, voice even as ever despite herself "I hope someone here is good at them. I'm not sure I've ever solved a puzzle..."

@zeflamigo @Corn

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... ncert3.png[/imgleft]Watch was flying on cloud nine, as it were, his wings outstretched as he flew slowly, keeping pace with the back end of the group. From his place in the skies, he watched as the border grew closer and closer as the swamp slowly dried out, yielding to flat grasslands. Below him, he could feel the excitement and terror and it reverberated within him. At last. He was leaving, exploring a place no kimeti had been. Once more, his beak opened and that boisterous cackle called out into the skies.

'Look out mountains, here we come!'

The great crane bobbed his head to marching beats of the hooves below and, for a moment, almost wished he had chosen the Songbird as his new form. As the Swamp-kissed Acha began his song, Watch felt a shiver run through him. He had heard rumors of the King of Shadows, the Winter's Voice of the Fairy Tribe. Ooh, this was going to be an exciting story, he was sure of it! He banked, humming along with Shadow's song as best as his beak would allow. With a flutter of wings, feathers became fur and he landed hooves on the ground, joining the others in their march.

As Shadow finished, the shy-blue stag moved up next to the violet Acha and gave him a respectful nod before speaking, "Wonderful, a perfect start to this grand tale," His ears pricked forward as another voice caught the wind, "Oh?" He smiled wide. He had worried some that this journey would be as smothering and dull as his dreams had been. Humming along with the soft brown Acha doe, he let his eyes close. As her song drew to a close, he heard a voice boom, 'Oi! Sing Free Bird!' and laughed. It was a good laugh that sounded like rapids over great stones of a river far away.

His hooves beat and he lifted his head, a bittersweet melody falling from his lips, slow and reminiscent. As his song too came to a close, he felt a pang of deep sadness in his heart. He missed his lady Rain, ached for her. He pulled forward a smile, promising himself that he would visit home as soon as they returned.
@Baneful @Maxx @Scaramouche Fandango

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgleft] Of course Beauty Past Compare knew that one - though she was interrupted before starting, she bided her time.

Beauty deigned to continue on to the really good parts.

"Ohhhh Swamp I can't cha-ahang-a-hange-ahange
Won't you flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh freeeeee biiiird yeahhhhhhhh"

Then she started in a wordless caterwaul of tongueless ululations that screeched upwards and rapidly, slowing, then speeding up, with greatest ferocity to its almost interminable ending until she was finally out of breath a grand five minutes later.

"Thank you, thank you!

"I'll be here all trip!"

It wasn't clear whether that was a promise, or a threat.

(is that la la land @Scaramouche Fandango )

Shelter listened along to the singing, as different voices rose and fell offering their own offerings and considered his own. He started soft and unsure, voice rising slow.
"There is something I must do, ooh child, child mine,
We leave when the wind blows through, it brings the scent of tides.
Oh child, child mine, I don't know when my work will be through.
My feet are restless, can't you hear them drum on the calling stones.
They send a message to you, when my voice can not be found.
We are called beyond the swamp, motherfather watch.
Watch over us.

The wind rolls over heads of grass and grain, sending up pollen motes.
I can tasted it on my tongue. It tastes of earth and sun.
Oh child, of child of mine, I will bring you back dreams.
Of stories of all things that you might never see,
I'll be back to you, when I can, but I'm following a call.
Motherfather is around us all and we walk on wards."

He paused, considering the verse and let it trail off... not not done yet. It was still in the works but as a start it was rather comforting. He sighed. "Well... it is a start, though I don't know where it will end." He admitted, stepping beyond the boundaries of the swamp and out into the plains.

[imgleft]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgleft]

Oh my stars.

The - he was pretty sure - Acha doe was doing amazing things with her voice he'd never thought possible - he'd never come quite so close to seeing sound before. He'd probably never come quite so close to actually seeing before, either. It struck an incessant ringing in his skull that was starting to mess up his sense of balance, and indeed, very self - he had to discreetly shuffle away from her, inch by tactful inch, until his bearings returned.

Ah, the soft song of the buck was much less...dangerous.

Fish sniffed deeply, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. The screeching in Free Bird was one of the most important parts of the song. Usually, when she’d heard it performed, one or more owlcats was taunted with food to produce that particular noise. Somehow the Acha had managed to do that with only her voice! Truly an artist, that one.

And then a third voice, a familiar one. “Sheltered!” she boomed. She reared up on her hind legs, surveying the line of kin for her friend. She hadn’t seen him in absolute ages.

"Ooooh! I've heard about the whole obelisks thing, folks have been having dreams about them lately right? I haven't, personally, but the whole thing sounds so mysterious!!" He hopped as he walked alongside Trailblazer and Cloy, nattering on as usual. "I bet we're gonna find all kinds of cool things, like, like -! Like totoma in their natural habitat! And new plants and animals! And like a MOUNTAIN?? Maybe TWO mountains. And and, I dunno what else?? But I bet it'll be exciting!"

Just then, someone else caught his attention, and he was off like a shot once more. This time, he launched himself almost bodily into two totoma carrying on a quiet conversation at the rear of the group, either not noticing or not caring about their desire for relative privacy.

"Hey!! Hi, my name is Unquenched! You guys look like, super strong, are you from the mountains? What's it like there? Are there any really cool and fun surprises?"


@zeflamigo @HannahBug Unquenched moves on, for now!
@Baneful @Toshiful here comes trouble

[imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... uncert.png[/imgright] Beauty Past Compare was in her element, with all the singing. Very acha-esque. She almost felt a little better from her whole angry journey and her swollen hooves.

As a giving diva, she looked around and considered her audience. So many totomas who have yet to hear a song of their people. She would dedicate her next song to them.

"This is a song I have heard from reliable sources as a classic Totoma story," she clears her throat, "with a simple tune you can sing along to, in the refrain. Please sing along, if you like."

The reliable source was a totoma she met in the middle of the Swamp, who regaled her with the story of his people.

"A song, for this expedition to your homeland, and to you."

"I once met a Toto, flank covered with grey
A long scraggly beard and with breath like the plague
He sighed and he grumbled with purpose aloud
I said "what’s the matter," with worry and doubt -"

"This is where you sing along," she hinted.

"He said
"Stomp that ██ flat,
Stomp that ██ flat,
You won’t find a use for a ███ like that
Stomp that ██ flat
Stomp that ██ flat,
A buck like a Toto will see to all that."

"But sir," I did cry, sand dog to my side,
"My pet is so precious, a delicate size,
Would you really just stomp my poor treasure to death?"
He took but one look, "I’ll eat it instead.""

"One more time," she cried, in a singsong voice.

"He said
"Stomp that ██ flat,
Stomp that ██ flat,
You won’t find a use for a ███ like that
Stomp that ██ flat
Stomp that ██ flat,
A buck like a Toto will see to all that."

When I passed with my boy, he scoffed at his smile
His sweet blessed heart, his fine arched brow,
"A buck like that boy won’t roll with the hits,
He’ll run to his ma when you’re stuck in the ██""

"You know how this goooes," her singsong voice ever louder.

"He said
"Stomp that ██ flat,
Stomp that ██ flat,
You won’t find a use for a ███ like that
Stomp that ██ flat
Stomp that ██ flat,
A buck like a Toto will see to all that.""

And the masterpiece was done. There might have been a few more verses, but she was graciously not hogging the spotlight.