>>6278997
You can’t see it, but it’s snowing.
https://youtu.be/cpGgQHAublY
Flakes fall like feathers, blanketing the forest floor and settling in your messy hair as you let your CHINCHILL PUMP-ACTION linger above your head–its smoking barrel making the powdery precipitation hiss on contact.

You missed the cold.

“P-p-please….” Whines the six-eyed sneak from where you kicked him to the ground, “I… I didn’t mean nothin’...”

His heart, or whatever’s pumping in this thing’s chest, is jackhammering as you stare him down–hard enough for you to feel it in your teeth.

Poor little gun thief, you think to yourself as he clutches the kiss you gave him with your knife, you must have scared him half to death.

He won’t be a problem, you reason, but his friends might. Still stunned from the shotgun’s discharge, the would-be thief’s pals watch your every movement like a pack of coyotes. Wary, but not sure whether to bolt or bite yet.

Four freaks. Eight eyes between them: puce on the little shifty one, orange on tall and tusks, red hidden behind a pair of gaudy glasses…

… and periwinkle on the only one who isn’t sweating bullets.

“You’re not from around here, are y-”

You shut him up with another gunshot–this one going into the powder next to him. Stupid, especially if you ended up hitting a rock, but it does the job: the shotgun’s report sends them all ducking for cover like roaches. The subtle shift in the leader’s stare tells you everything you need to know:

He’s not used to not being in charge.

You idly load a few more shells.

First time for everything.

What do?
>Eliminate them. The locals have been nothing but trouble.
>Interrogate them. ‘Knowledge is power’~
>Leave while you can. You’ll lose them in the hills.
>Answer Periwinkle’s question. You can be nice.
>Stay silent. Let them stew a bit.
>Write-In!