Around in the Wilderness

[Carthrat]

The Ulster Way; weighing in at 560 miles, it's the longest hiking path in Northen Ireland. Full of scenic beauty and natural wonders, it's also one of the lovliest- that is, it certainly would be if it wasn't for the clouds overhead, threatening rain.

The forest that much of the path is located in is starting to thin out, revealing a hilly countryside. From his position, Cosgrove can see the main road (the one that cars drive on) a couple of kilometres away, cutting across the countryside and heading towards one of them cities he doesn't tend to frequent.

It's getting a bit chilly as afternoon starts to make the change into evening, and there's plenty of flat space around, were Cosgrove to camp.

On the other hand, he *thinks* he can make out a few houses down one side of the road; it looks to be about an hours hike away. A warm bed *does* have some appeal.

[Dracos]

Cosgrove hiked along, dressed as hardily as the weather would demand in a few weeks, pausing a moment to consider the area.  Sure those houses would be nice...  but then he wasn't feeling too much like chit-chat at the moment.  Darn chatty people.  Be nice to have a warm meal though.  No, got to keep the eye on the change anyhow.

Cosgrove considered, trying to recall what he knew of the area and if there was any reasonably nice spots in the woods within walkin' distance for the night.

Dracos

[Carthrat]

Cosgrove recalls that the Ulster way is full of handy campsites, being one of the more popular hiking trails. If he remembers correctly, there's a clearing not five minutes from where he is at the moment.

An ominous rumble can be heard from the sky..

[Dracos]

Cosgrove makes his way towards the clearing, hoping to set up some manner of cover before the storm hits.

Dracos

[Carthrat]

The clearing (really just a flat plane of dirt surrounded by trees.. kinda eerie, at night, because all the trees are really big) has a well-used look about it, and Cosgrove manages to get his shelter up just before the first drops of rain come splattering down.

[Dracos]

Cosgrove grumbles, pulling out something to gnaw on from his pack and making ready to settle in for the night.

Dracos

[Carthrat]

The storm starts coming down thick and fast, leaving Cosgrove feeling like a small bug trapped in a drain. Luckily, years of camping experience have taught him how to set up a waterproof tent, so he's at least snug inside.

It's hard to sleep with the noise the constant downpour makes, though- especially seeing as Cosgrove discovers that all he has to eat are a few pieces of fruit and a box of cereal (with no milk).

[Dracos]

Cosgrove is a man of stern stuff, so has while he grumbles and makes note to pick up something at the next small town, he doesn't care too much for the rain, snorin' away as he waits for it to subside.

Dracos

[Carthrat]

*Whump!*

A loud and sudden impact (punctuated by a nearby lightning bolt that sounded awfully close) woke Cosgrove up from his slumber, the rain still going strong outside. Despite the wetness of the surrounding area, a slightly smokey smell wafts through the slips of his tent.

[Dracos]

Cosgrove grumbled, pulling himself to his feet and considering, sniffing a bit.

He grumbles a second more before sticking his head out in the accursed rain and seeing if he's going to have to flee from a starting forest fire somehow in the mild of a thunderstorm.

It'd just totally make his day too.

Dracos

[Carthrat]

Cosgrove head is poked outside and is instantly drenched.

More importantly, however, is the vast amount of steam that's obscuring his vision, with just a tingle of smoke intermixed. A fire doesn't seem overly likely, especially with this rain, but whereelse could steam come from? It seems to be from around the side of the tent.

[Dracos]

Cosgrove grumbled, pulling back in and grabbing a much abused raincoat out of his bag, flipping it over for some cover and heading out for a better look at what is going on, a curse on his lips for the son of a goat herderer who managed to get 'im out of his tent.

Dracos

[Carthrat]

After blundering through the fog and rain for a short bit, Cosgrove discovers...

...a large, metallic-egg shaped object that has a bright streak of white smoke reaching up into the sky.

Like a shooting star that hit the earth.

It's hard to make out much in the smoke, steam, and rain, but there are whirring and electrical-sounding noises coming from the pod.

[Dracos]

"What the hell?" Cosgrove did what any sane person would do faced with strange unknown whirling machinery.

He moved away from it, checking if he could quickly undo his tent and get it away from it too.

Once a few steps back, he keeps an eye on it for a moment, trying to discern more about what the heck it's doing, cursing the rain all the while.

Dracos

[Carthrat]

It's also hissing as said rain impacts it. Evidently, it's quite hot.

The pod also begins to move. It's still hard to see now that Cosgrove has moved back from it, but it looks as if it's splitting apart from itself. or some such.