Moonlit Adventures

Amber shrugs, "Do you have anything that isn't bitter leaves?"

Both Shielded Heart and Gilded Dream seem taken back by Star Flash's reaction, suddenly very aware that they've been split from the rest of their squad. "This... This seems very bad..." Gilded replies. "We... We better get going! Don't want to get caught by th-I mean... Don't want it to catch anypony..." Shielded replies sheepishly, glancing this way and that. "We'll just be off now!" She replies before the both of them take off into the woods, luckily not in the direction of the paintings.

---

Amber and Kyo make it back to the temporary camp the gallery has set up. The paintings still seem pretty active, but still noticeably on edge. Luckily it seems they haven't been found yet, but Kyo gets the feeling that unless they're warned they're in danger of just that. Amber, meanwhile, notices a bit of food near a campfire they've set up, mostly various berries and crops.

Amber tries to very stealthily snag some food with a tentacle. She's not entirely sure why she's being sneaky about it. Though perhaps because it would be amusing to befuddle people who expected the missing food to be there.

Stealth:

Amber manages to take some food without anyone really noticing, the paintings are more focused on keeping watch of what's outside of the camp rather than in it.

Masque continues to stand there holding the trembling star-pony, and waits for her to be the one to break the hug. She gently shushes the child, and says, "Hey hey, it's alright. I'm here. Nothing's going to get you."

After a few moments Star Flash moves its hooves away from its eyes and blinks, looking around quietly. "Star Flash no is be eated by Black Star?" It asks shyly before floating a short distance away and looking around, tilting its head in confusion. "Where is be silly ponies go?"

Somewhat amused and surprised by the child-like nature of the star pony, Masque smiles gently. "They went to find their friends, to warn them about the Black Star. We should do likewise."
Masque continues to smile at the star child as she shifts back into painting form. "I appreciate you not arguing my association with you. I apologize that I could not show my previous form, but those 'silly ponies,'" Masque emphasizes with air quotes, "...would have attacked us if I had appeared as this."

meta:

Kyo looks around for the leader of the gallery...

Kyo easily finds the leader, he's tacking stock of everything and talking to multiple paintings. He seems to just be making sure everything's alright, nothing's missing, and nobody's seen any ponies.

You can practically see the question marks orbiting around the little Star Pony's head at all the big words. "Star Flash is no be sure what all you say... but Star Flash no be angry so Colorful One no be sorry." It floats a little behind Masque, slowly twiling in the air until it ends up upside down. "Star Flash is be want tell friends about new silly friends. Why is be silly ponies no like Colorful One if be see?"

Masque gives a half-smile and waves a sleeve in the direction of the improvised gallery, somewhat worried by the naievete of the star creature. "Then let us go to them."
Moving back towards the others, Masque continues, "The silly ponies are not as trusting as you are. They see things that are not themselves as...Black Stars. Black Stars that they meet with pointy objects and anger and fear. If I had appeared as Colorful One, or you had shown your light, they would have turned those pointy objects on us, thinking that we were the Black Star."

Amber overhears the later part as the pair approaches and says, "That's ridiculous. The black star is still up there." she points a tentacle up above them. "I passed her on my way down. Besides none of us are all like-" at which point she imitates the black star, very poorly, by miming roaring threateningly and such. Cuz space. No sound. It ends up looking somewhat ridiculous, assuming you know what a black star is supposed to look like, as Amber's body structure is completely wrong for it. Actually, it probably looks ridiculous even if you don't.

Drago765 wrote:Kyo easily finds the leader, he's tacking stock of everything and talking to multiple paintings. He seems to just be making sure everything's alright, nothing's missing, and nobody's seen any ponies.

Kyo moves towards the leader and whispers "Kaoru, I've got good news and bad news."

Star Flash tilts its head, a childish expression of confusion. "But...Star Flash and Colorful One and Amber One is no be like Black Star. Black Star is be dark and scary and hungry and absorb all, no is be care what be." The little Star Pony blinks, tilting its head at amber's display before its eyes widen as what Amber said. The little star pony pretty much flattens itself against the ground looking up as if expecting the Black Star to just be floating there and begins crawling backwards. Shortly it bumps its rear into a tree and shrieks, or it would if it had a voice, but thankfully forgetting to use its telepathy it just mimes what must surely be a piercing scream and darts at full speed... Directly into another tree, with a loud "KONK" sound, which shakes violently at the impact scattering leaves everywhere.

Masque rushes over to the fallen creature, quickly checking to see if they seemed injured.
"Hey, no no, it's okay. No Black Stars around here, promise." He offers a light smile before continuing with a light chuckle. "You okay? You hit that tree pretty hard."

Heal?:

Amber slaps her hooves over her ears in response to the shriek only she (and maybe some far away celestial object ponies) can hear and winces and says, "Yeesh, that's really loud up close!"

The elder turns to Kyo, turning into a worried blue color. "What is it, Kyo?"

Star Flash blinks, looking none the worse for wear from its collision. "Black Star no is be here? You is be sure?" It asks quietly before tilting its head, or trying. Looking up when its head refuses to move to notice its horn slightly imbedded in the bark. placing all four hooves against the trunk for a moment as it pulls itself out and floats backwards through the air from the momentum. "Star Flash is be okay!" It says with an enthusiastic nod.

Masque backs up slightly from the now free floating pony and gains some swirls of light yellow. "Good, I am pleased you are unharmed. Let us return to the others, hopefully they are already preparing to move towards the cave or other location away from the 'silly ponies.' "
As they move, he looks toward Amber and says, "Amber...that is what you are called, yes? What did you mean when you said 'that's really loud up close'?"

Drago765 wrote:The elder turns to Kyo, turning into a worried blue color. "What is it, Kyo?"

"Well, the bad news is that we spotted some ponies nearby," Kyo continues to whisper, "The good news is that Masque says there are some caves nearby we can hide in."

Amber notices Masque come up and say something to her, but she can't hear it as her ears are still ringing and replies, "What?" as she inserts a tentacle into each ear, trying to rub away the ringing.

Masquerade looks at her confusedly, the swirls of yellow changing back into the multitude of purple. Resisting the urge to ask louder, he simply waves an arm to signify it's not important before moving towards the camp, glancing over at Amber periodically to make sure she's following.

the little Star Pony regards Amber curiously. "Amber one is be okay?"

Amber notices Star Flash say something to her and says, "What?" this time not being able to hear because her tentacles are in her ears. Somehow. Even though Star Flash speaks telepathically.

The elder turns a scared yellow color for a moment upon hearing about the sighting of ponies, before shaking his head and returning to a blue. "It seems we need to move as soon as possible then... I'll tell everyone to get ready to move." He remarks, and then asks "Can Masque lead us to this cave?"