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YZZAYT'S ABYSS - OUTSIDE THE MAW - EVENING
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Emmeline has just brought up her last load for the day and is taking a few moments to sit down next to the water barrel before heading back down. It'll be dinner time when she gets back down, or whatever meager provisions pass for dinner here. Just enough food to keep one from starving to death. Her body continues to show signs of these meagre meals, most of her visible fat worked off now, the muscles of her breed even more pronounced.
Lianne Sparr is a half minute or so behind Emmeline, pulling her load up outside the entrance of the cave. She huffs and pants, her physique wearing down, her athleticism not able to keep up as the days continue from the gruelling work. Her normally breathtaking red dress has even further degraded and tattered. While it was barely considered clothing before, it certainly isn't now. A humiliating sight.
Emmeline luckily hasn't been here quite long enough to wear down much, but she's seen the toll the work is taking on those less strong than herself, even fit folk like Lianne that have just been here a couple of weeks longer than she has. Her own sundress has fared a bit better, with Emmeline having 'altered' it to be more practical as soon as she realized that new clothing wouldn't be forthcoming. She nods to Lianne, their meeting here being a fairly regular occurence, though they don't often talk. "Evening," Emmeline offers for a change.
Lianne Sparr ditches her cart readily with the rest, catching her breath back as she walks over to the water. She doesn't speak yet to Emmeline, only looking at her with an expression of pain, anger and resolve. She gets herself a large amount to drink, before huffing and letting herself flop down to sit next to Emmeline, back against the barrel. She plans to use every nanosecond of time afforded to her by Dyvrisse. Finally, with a deep breath and sigh, she replies, the exhaustion clear in her tone, "Evening, Emmeline."
Emmeline understands the feeling without explanation. She looks over to the ray and frowns. "You look about ready to not wake up tomorrow morning." Her voice is low, quiet enough to not be easily overheard by the nearby guards. "Things are getting bad. I'm worried. What if... what if no one is coming for us?"
Narrator: A few of the Saurs on the stone and wood palisade walls surrounding them look down at both Emmeline and Lianne, sneering a bit. When Dyvrisse walks within their line of sight however, they stop, only to start again when Dyvrisse leaves.
Lianne Sparr: "Mm. Don't worry about me, dear." Lianne replies, though as if on cue, she begins to cough a little bit, raising a webbed hand to her face while it persists. She withdraws her hand a few inches, only to stare at it in thought. Emmeline does have a point, "My mind may be strong. . .But it seems my body is not. Even still." Lianne speaks to her less-than-pristine hand. She lowers it, then turns her head to Emmeline. "You need to keep that light alive. Don't let it flicker with such thoughts."
Emmeline shakes her head. "I know, I know... I stay strong for the folks down below... but... it's hard." She pulls her knees up to her chest and sighs. "And now they're working us harder than ever..."
Lianne Sparr nods at Emmeline. "Mm. Those that are weak will not take the chance for escape when it happens." She affirms. "Still, if you are feeling as if there is no better option. . .You and I could attempt it alone."
Emmeline frowns. "But then... who will look out for them? We'd be leaving them to just... rot here." She grinds her teeth for a moment before standing up and stretching out her back and shoulders. "Besides, this ramp up must mean something, right?"
Lianne Sparr: "...You'd rather die with them, Emmeline?" Lianne questions. "Your greatest chance of escape lies with picking only those that can aid you. Some will only hold you back, and some will not have the willpower to leave or fight. What will you do with them?" Lianne questions, letting the question hang.
Emmeline looks down, not wanting to have to consider the answer to those questions. "I... don't know. I'm not a fighter, or a tactician..."
Lianne Sparr: "And yet, you're one of the most physically capable individuals here. And you know that." Lianne lets the silence reign again for a few moments. "You and I are among the few who have access to the surface. That makes our escape much more likely. And I've been watching these 'Saurs' carefully. There's a gap we can exploit."
Emmeline cocks her head. "Oh?" She looks around, suddenly very concerned that they're being listened to.
Lianne Sparr: "Don't look nervous." Lianne instructs, keeping her demeanour the same as it was. Tired, angry, focused. She continues, "This offer is for you, and you alone."
Emmeline does her best to resume her usual tired, placid demeanour of late. "Ok... I'm listening..."
Lianne Sparr: "Understand that your own chance of escape will be impacted if you tell anyone else about it. The more we have, the riskier it becomes. Am I clear?" Lianne questions sternly. She'd rather not have to tell Emmeline anything and risk it, but she has a feeling that keeping Emmeline on a need to know basis only won't work.
Emmeline just nods to Lianne as she helps herself to another cup of water. Her bovine ears swivel a bit as she pays closer attention to the movement of the guards around them.
Lianne Sparr nods back. "You're most likely right, about them working us harder indicating something more." Lianne pauses, "Since then, I haven't seen a single member of their flying warriors. They would be our greatest threat of recapture."
Emmeline just listens, giving little nods to indicate that she's paying attention still.
Lianne Sparr: "While we'd normally be closely watched, the guards tend to watch us a lot less closely when the big one is around. So you'd mostly only have to deal with keeping her occupied around up here. . .While I position the explosives we help haul up into key locations."
Emmeline starts a bit at the mention of explosives, but after a moment of hesitation, she nods again. "All right... and then?"
Lianne Sparr: "Boom." Lianne replies. "Big explosion as a distraction, to hide a smaller one that gets us out of the walls. And then we prey that we make enough distance before they realise."
Emmeline squints and looks out toward the horizon. "Go where? We're southwest of town, but I have no idea how far..."
Lianne Sparr: This is where Lianne has the advantage. Being aquatic, all she'll need to do is reach the ocean. But Emmeline doesn't need to know that. "Mm. It's likely that we might die before reaching Respite. But even the harsh wilderness is still a better mistress than these mines, wouldn't you agree?"
Emmeline frowns but nods. "All right..." She straighten up on her hooves as a pair of guards return with emptied wheelbarrows. "Time to get back down, it seems."
Lianne Sparr nods back at Emmeline, similarly standing up herself, somewhat shakily.