Nighthowler 2, Ep. 4
#4 of CYOA: Nighthowler 2
The fourth episode of our Zootopia themed community CYOA sees Nighthowler, Judy Hopp's vigilante alter-ego, hopelessly lost in the dark damp depths of the Rainforest District. With no trail to follow and hazards around every turn, just how is she going to get back on track?
"Seriously?"
Nighthowler scowls at her map, barely able to make heads or tails of it. Rainwater had streaked the crude hand-drawn markings, blending lines and letters into illegible smudges. She was starting to think the weasel that sold it to her might've been lying_about it's authenticity. Not that a map would be much use when she didn't know _where she even was. The trail had all but vanished, leading her deep into desolate rain-drenched jungle. Sighing, she rolls the soggy paper back up and tucks it into her belt.
The damp and cold is beginning to penetrate her suit, bringing a shiver to her body below. Her stiffened nipples poke proudly against the tight leather. It would be_really nice_ to be somewhere warm and dry right now. This was where most people would call the emergency services, plead for rescue. Nighthowler couldn't do that. She was supposed to be a_hero._
It was time to focus, put some of her ZPD training to good use. Her sleek leather catsuit brushes quietly against damp foliage as she presses forwards, carefully pushing aside ferns as tall as she was. If Nighthowler couldn't _see_where to go, maybe she'd have to _hear_instead?
The rainforest is awash with sound. From the rattling sprinklers high above that keep the district in a semi-permanent downpour, to the calling of distant birds and the constant chirping of exotic insects, there's never a moment of silence. Straining her ears over the rain, trying to filter out the unimportant, Nighthowler _listens_for a lead.
[1] Water! Running water! Nighthowler catches the sound of a river or stream in the distance that wasn't marked on her map. The ground trail is an absolute lost cause, so maybe it'd be a good idea to follow that river rather than just trekking deeper and deeper into unknown jungle. Besides, if anyone else is out here, they'd probably stick close to the water too! The first step to getting back on track and out of this precarious situation.
[2] Nighthowler isn't alone. Someone or s_omething_is moving in the jungle around her, rustling the undergrowth. A sweep of her torch reveals nothing in the fog and gloom, but she can hear_it, sliding, _slithering._This deep in the rainforest district hides some of Zootopia's most_exotic inhabitants, and Nighthowler has just stumbled across one - a large _snake,_big enough to wrap her up and cause some real trouble if she's not careful!
[3] It isn't a sound that catches Nighthowler's attention, but a scent._A sweet and alluring aroma drifts in the cold fog, motes of pink pollen tumbling in the breeze. She's never smelt a flower like it. Subconsciously, Nighthowler begins to stray towards it. Every breath makes her feel a little warmer, a little _hotter_in her suit. Was the leather always that tight and restrictive,_hugging her thighs,squeezing her breasts? No, she's just becoming more sensitive as her libido rises. Nighthowler's walking right into a cloud of aphrodisiac pollen, released by some strange jungle plants!
[4] Ouch! Nighthowler picked the wrong moment to use her ears instead of her eyes; the trail had taken her to the edge of a slope, obscured by the dark! Before she knows it, the soft, rain-soaked soil gives way from beneath her and she _falls!_She gropes frantically for something to stop her fall, but everything she grabs is far too wet and slippery. Branches and roots tug at her clothes, ripping the leather catsuit in several places, leaving it slightly damaged. Luckily, the incline is shallow and she tumbles to a halt on soft ground, _deep_in the furthest depths of Zootopia's jungles. Getting out of this one won't be easy, and who knows what might be found so far from civilised society...
This was a close one! I had to wait a little longer to clear up the tie between 1 and 3 (and because I was a little busier than I expected). Poor Judy, It seemed more people wanted to see her lost in the jungle than have smooth sailing~
But, fear not. I figure this could do with a bit more explaining to help assuage concerns about "winning" or "losing". This series is more about the open-ended_adventure_ and no path is the "correct" one, rather they just have different events and obstacles along the way and some branches will converge or loop. I'll try make clear anything that is going to lead to a guaranteed "bad end" for the bunny, so you can either avoid it or _indulge_in it. And, this time, rather than resetting back to a fresh start, we'll have a vote on returning to a previous point, to easier explore some of these other missed options without having to get here again.
A big thanks to everyone that's been reading and playing, and for those that don't want to leave a comment, here's a poll!