008 | Video | Day 107

[tryingitall]

[Balthazar appears on the screen with lines of static rippling across his upper chest. He looks in good enough health and spirits, at least, but serious.] Hello, Kore. I'll be quick to the point since the communicators are squirrelly these days.

One: I assume we're all avoiding the ocean inasmuch as possible. Are people still fishing, and if so, where? If not, how is that affecting food stores? Anyone in need?

[The image distorts and gets swallowed up in white noise for a moment, a few words cut off.] ---ouple pounds of purslane and dandelion greens and picked another crop of radishes; I'm happy to make trades. I've also caught something that looks like a rabbit with tusks. It's up for grabs, because the hell if I'm going to skin and gut it myself.

Two: Given the way conditions are deteriorating, I'm wondering if we ought to initiate some sort of buddy system. Pairs, trios, small groups to look out for one another?

Comments

[servingmichael]

Yes, it likely would be. The question is, would they listen to us?

[ ...Humans have a track record he doesn't trust. ]

[tryingitall]

...Some of them might. [He fails to sound confident in his assessment, but he's still willing to try.]

[servingmichael]

And most won't, unless we want to hammer home how we know.

[ Which, if his tone was anything to go by, he wasn't interested in doing. ]

[tryingitall]

I think the various shape-shifters will understand. The others...well, we can try to reason with Dean, I suppose, but you're right.

[Sounds like a lot of trouble for potentially no results.]

[servingmichael]

They likely would yes. With or without instruction.

[ And that would be his point. ]

We'll just have to watch them.

[tryingitall]

Fair enough. I plan to stick with gardening, anyway. [There's something about killing and gutting animals that doesn't sit well with him, although he understands the necessity perfectly well.]

[servingmichael]

I think that's a good plan.

[ Raphael understood. Balthazar hadn't seen it, back when dreams where shared, but he'd once been horrified at predation. And while he'd grown used to it, he still disliked it. ]