Bogged Down

[all_knowing_frog]

The whirling flames manage to clear the smoke, the draw from the bird woman disappearing but still she feels dirty.

The black smoke has backed off, but is now slowly circling the two of them, as if waiting. The path for Nova remains the same.

[Blaze]

Nova ceases spinning her axe, looking a bit winded and gives Utsuko a concerned look.

"Are you okay Miss?..."

[Jello Shot Mischa]

(( *eeks and flails!* ))

With the smoke having backed off, Utsuko watches it warily as it circles around them. "I"m... I'm okay..." she manages to stammer to Nova. "I really don't like this place... I wonder what happened here?"

[all_knowing_frog]

At the moment the only place that seems to have any clues as to what happened is the hill. Perhaps a closer look at the destroyed building would reveal something?

[Blaze]

Nova squirms, obviously not used to talking to strangers, cheeks pink.

"I-I dunno... but someone in that house might be hurt... we gotta go there!"

Without waiting for an answer, she starts sprinting towards the house, holding her breath and projecting strong flames form her feet to dry the mud underfoot.

[Jello Shot Mischa]

Utsuko follows after Nova, flying a bit lower to stay close to the fire-wreathed girl, hoping the smoke leaves the two of them alone for the moment.

[all_knowing_frog]

Nothing hinders the two's progress towards the hill, the mud still parted to allow Nova's passage and the smoke continues to keep its distance. The building, not much more then a hut, seems to have been blasted from the door, the destruction emanating from it. Little is left beyond the foundations and bits of the walls, but the pieces that used to be the house can be seen strewn out from the ruins.

If one was to stand at the site the door use to be and look forwards they'd notice a section of trees and branches that have been broken. However the observant may also notices a few foot prints leading off in a different direction before disappearing at the mud, presumably because it's to liquid like to hold a shape that it isn't intending to.

[Jello Shot Mischa]

Utsuko hmms as she examines the wreckage, pulling out a notepad to start jotting notes in. "Mmm... I wonder who lived here...?" she muses out loud. "It doesn't look like a very pleasant place..." Taking her camera, she starts looking about to study the various points of view, and notices the damaged trees in the direction the doorway faces. "Hmm... I wonder if the attack came from that direction?"

[Blaze]

Nova picks her way through the wreckage morosely, looking for any signs of someone being hurt. She stumbles across the separate set of footprints and follows after them.

"Darn... they must have run through the mud..."

[all_knowing_frog]

a bubble begins to rapidly form in the mud, right in front of where Nova is standing, something seems off about it though; it seems to have a strange tint about it.

Utsuko would, presumably, realize the blast couldn't have come from the hole in the forest, because the house debris was scattered in its direction.

[Blaze]

Nova yelps and staggers away from the bubble, noticing the tint right away and deciding that it was bad news. Her whole body flares up in preperation for the fight-or flight-that would follow.

[all_knowing_frog]

The bubble bursts, releasing a cloud of red smoke. The colored could reaches perhaps 5 ft. from the mud before it rapidly turns a sooty black and disperses into the surrounds.

[Blaze]

Nova yelps and falls backwards onto her butt, scrabbling away from the cloud.

"W-What?... Swamp gas?"