[There's something off about the air here. Maybe it's the fact that he isn't home (he has no idea about this). Maybe it's the fact that he just stumbled out of the black fog, something that makes his skin burn and prickle in ways that not even the Dead Zone has in the past. There's pain behind his eyes, searing and white-hot, and against his better judgement...

The first noise Rei hears — perhaps it's you trying to get his attention, or an animal, or a shout far in the distance — makes him jump out of his skin, visions flashing in his paranoid brain. He whips around and hauls ass back into the fog like an idiot, hitting that ghastly wall head-on. Goodbye he is Leaving. Surely this wouldn't end horribly for him.

Please don't let him walk off into the fog and get eaten.]

[Along the riverbank is a small collection of stones ranging from polished, fragmented, and completely unpolished, sitting in neat little piles per their designation in the three categories. It grows throughout the day, starting as something innocuous and growing into towering piles by mid-afternoon. The culprit?

A stout, fat owl who swoops to the bank and sets a stone clutched in his talons in the required spots. ...oh, and maybe that drenched man downriver, standing waist-deep in water and rummaging around for more. Any stone that seems like it might be worth something gets handed to the owl, who sets it in a pile and flies back, rinse and repeat.

This has, apparently, been going on for several hours. If you've been watching Rei at all, he's gradually drifted off to the west, further into the darkened canopies and deeper water... maybe he intends to go all the way to the lake at this rate, who knows.

If you get too close to the stones, that owl death-glares at you. Hey. Don't touch the rocks. Those are for a Purpose.]

[Whether you arrived at the lake after Rei, or decided to come with him on the journey, there are two very important ("very important") things happening.

The first: The man moves like the terrain literally doesn't affect him at all, quick and lithe and unheard, and if you fall behind that's your fault and you need to do better.
The second: He is completely, one hundred percent, without a doubt, ignoring everything you do.

Talking? Ignored. Breathing heavily because running after him has you tired? Ignored. Pointing something out? Ignored. Nearly walking into the lake because of that creature's singing? Igno— okay hold on. It's not like he's going to stop you from walking into the lake if you get hypnotized by the siren song, but he's at least going to say something now.]

If you want to drown, be my guest.

[......okay, so, maybe not the greatest help there.]

[hi this is wolfie... i have another science bird...... help, i am voicetesting pls gentle]