video | side B

[outstandingbalance]

[Low image quality and poor light combine to leave Natasha almost unrecognizable. It's mostly the red in her hair and the sound of her voice when she speaks that identify her, for those who know her.]

In light of our current situation, I'm hoping to get a rough idea what we have to work with.

Specifically, two priorities.

First, anyone who wants to let us know how much food they have on hand and whether or not they'd be willing to share. We might have to tighten our belts a little here, but we can at least try to make what we have last as long as possible and get to as many people as possible.

[A pause, filled with fuzzy static. Then:]

Second, who has access to guns and how much ammo they have on hand.

I've got about a clip and a half left.

Comments

video

[leashed]

[He's having the same kind of network issues, with his static-filled voice and blurry face. Still, what can be recognized is an immaculate posture and a polite, if somewhat clipped, tone.]

I have a beretta M9. I entered the city earlier this month with three clips, from which I've used five bullets. If ammo is scarce, I can hunt and fight without my weapon.

video

[outstandingbalance]

The good news is, no shortage of low tech weapons so we should be able to hold off on bullets until we really need them.

[Natasha isn't bothered by a little brusqueness. Her own response is imminently professional.]

What kind of hunting skills do you have?

video

[leashed]

Yes, conservation should be a priority.

[He agrees. At the question, there's a little hesitation, but now really isn't the time for formality.]

I'm a werewolf. I can shift at will and hunt down what we need. I'm capable of tracking and can carry large corpses myself, and I know how to skin and properly cook potential kills... though with these monsters, there'll be some guesswork involved.

video

[outstandingbalance]

[The small signs of surprise might still carry through the video feed, but it would take a stroke of profound luck for the static and the graininess and the lighting to come together at just the right time to catch the twitch at the corner of her mouth, the way one brow rises and her eyes tighten.]

All right. [Is it any weirder than anything else here? Or back home, for that matter. Calling a werewolf unexpected after the Hulk seems a little disingenuous.] If you can control something like that, could be real useful.

[wormintheglass]

I have a certain amount stored here. I can do without food considerably longer than a human. I should leave the canned meat, though, it caused a wendigo epidemic last time people tried to eat it.

[outstandingbalance]

Luckily, meat is about the one thing we an count on having access to that isn't canned.

When you say you can go without food longer than a human, how long are we talking?

[wormintheglass]

Probably less time than we'll need. I've never put it to the test. Let's just assume I won't need rations for the foreseeable future.

I can probably subsist on some of the less edible monsters, if it comes to that.

[outstandingbalance]

[A snort at that, dry with gallows humor.]

If we start running out of edible monsters, we'll have been on our own long enough to have a lot worse problems.

Voice

[solvethepuzzle]

I suppose the fact that my food requirements are low is fortunate. [No, Near, you just don't eat enough because you suck at self-care.] If absolutely necessary, I'm willing to share what I have. [Because he's a feeble thing that needs others alive to protect him. What a kind, unselfish soul.] Though it's not particularly much.

Voice

[outstandingbalance]

We're looking into hunting for meat. Depending on how successful that is, we might only need to ask people to pitch in what they've saved to supplement that.

[Then, because his response is vague:]

How low are we talking?

video;

[survivorsguilt]

I don't have any food, and I'm almost outta ammo.

[She does a quick count.]

Seven rounds. I can fight without it, though, and I'm used to rationing.

video;

[outstandingbalance]

That's something, at least, considering we're all going to be getting used to rations here real soon.

[Natasha almost manages a little humor in her response. Facing monsters and a severe shortage of resources isn't enough to entirely kill her sense of humor.]

Save the bullets while you can.

Think you'd be able to hunt with other weapons?

video;

[survivorsguilt]

[Ellie nods firmly, pleased to find Natasha isn't talking down to her.]

Yeah, for sure. I've got a bunch on me already, so I don't need to raid the armory or anything.

[A shadow of worry crosses her face.]

Hey, there's at least a couple of kids on this side, and I don't know if they can all take care of themselves. Maybe we should make sure they stay with someone capable.

video;

[outstandingbalance]

[Oh, Natasha knows better than to judge someone as incapable because they're a young woman.]

We should definitely do that. In general, we're going to have to figure out how to make sure people who need protection, have it. Especially if they're young, or hurt, or otherwise not physically prepared to protect themselves.

That said... probably just about everyone could use someone to watch their back.

video

[skelebro]

Don't got a lotta food, but, uh, I technically don't need to eat it. You can have whatever I got.

[Which is probably like...two or three hot dogs.]

video

[outstandingbalance]

That makes two people we won't have to worry about keeping fed. That counts for something.

video

[skelebro]

Fewer mouths to feed.

[Or something like that. It's...probably a given that a skeleton wouldn't need to eat, but you never know.]

Mostly just keepin' an eye out for anything mechanical. Anything anyone's got to donate to the cause, you can drop 'em off at the lab.

video

[outstandingbalance]

Anything at all, or is there something you're hoping for in particular? I don't know that I have much that fits that description... unless you think you can use a taser.

[She'd rather not give those up though, especially considering she might need them.]

video.

[dedikated]

( Thanks to the low light and static, the video feed is giving off some kind of low budget horror realness here. But, amongst a few flickering candles, Kate looks composed, determined.

And thankfully the bad connection is hiding most of the exhaustion ringing her eyes. )

Couple of days worth of food in the clinic.

Haven't restocked on bullets in months. Plenty of throwing knives and a bow and arrows.

video

[outstandingbalance]

And you're staying at the clinic?

[Made sense if she were. It's a known landmark, and one where people were likely to head if they got in trouble.]

You have enough protection there?

video

[dedikated]

Aye.

( But not just that, Kate doesn't want to think about rebuilding it should the monsters get their way. )

More's better.

( So, not really. The guard will help, she's sure, but they're busy with the rest of the city. )

video

[outstandingbalance]

[Natasha's lips twitch toward a faint smile. Not an especially happy one. She can read that answer.]

Hopefully you can find more. I wouldn't want to lose the clinic.

[One problem at a time, but Natasha is already working that one in the back of her mind.]

You looking?

audio

[murderpotato]

I ain't got any food or ammo, my fuckin' house is on the wrong side of the fuckin' city.

[THANKS, FEAR.]

But I don't need a gun to hunt, either.

audio

[outstandingbalance]

Interested in joining a hunting party, or are you more of the lone wolf type?

audio

[murderpotato]

I don't play real fuckin' well with others.

And no fuckin' offense, but if the rest of you are gonna be shootin', I don't really want to be down range if you get me.

[Getting shot is not on his to-do list for today.]