"I
think Cutter sort of.... crossed over, when he orchestrated that bloc to
get rid of Nightfall," Skywise reports. "Now he's in hyper-angst mode and
spends every free minute punching his gut and snarling at rocks and babbling
about the Now of Wolf-Thought. I think everything's climbing towards a
flashpoint. And I can honestly say I don't know who's going to come out
alive at the end."
Ember: Cutter thinks I just lost my strongest ally. But the truth is... Nightfall could have easily turned on me too. I don't hold it against her - I just know I can't count on her when my father and I go up against each other. I'm sorry she's gone, but I'm not worried about the future.Come the morning of Day 37, Rayek voices worries about the future to the camera. "I didn't want Nightfall to go, but I know how to play the game. The question now is, do I know how to play the game better than Cutter and Scouter? No one is really talking to each other right now - the tension is that thick. We're just... running on instinct until we get word on the next challenge."
It doesn't take long before word does reach them. The latest tree-mail suggests that the elves have a chance to see friends and loved ones. "Maybe we'll get to see videos of our families," Ember says. "I know Teir said something about that at the beginning of the game - that if we were lucky we might get special messages from friends and family." The other elves are equally excited at the prospect of reading letter from home, or perhaps even seeing their family members in person.
"Ready for a different kind of challenge?" Teir asks when the elves assemble at stations along a long, narrow table. Eight covered dishes sit in front of them. "Well, I promised you a surprise involving your loved ones. Want to see it?"
The elves cheer. "All right," Teir says. "Come on out, everyone."
A line of elves appear from behind the line of trees. "Suntop," Ember cries out as her twin brother appears. "Tyleet!" Scouter exclaims when Tyleet, more pregnant than ever, follows Suntop onto the plain. "Windkin!" Dewshine claps her hands. "Mother!" Venka gasps when Kahvi appears. "Ekuar!" Rayek cries. "Shenshen!" Pike laughs.
Cutter: The spirits of Bearclaw and Joyleaf. I can see them. Wonderous....
Skywise: Oh... goody (moans)... it's the two floozies from the Sun Village."For the winner of today's challenge, you get to spend 24 hours with your loved one, who will become an honourary member of New Blood for one day. For the losers, sorry - this is as close as you're getting to them. Want to know what you have to do? Today's challenge is a chance to sample some of the fine cusine of the this island. That's right - it's an eating contest. Everyone open up your dishes." The elves all lift the lids on this plates to reveal fat, wriggling grubs. "That's right - those are authentic live Beacon grubs. Great source of protein. Got to get them all down and show me an empty mouth to move on to the next level," Teir says. "Survivors ready - go!"
Seven elves delve into their grubs, but Skywise steps back. "Nope. They're not worth it." He waves to the Sunshine Duo, then goes to sit next to Teir. Dewshine coughs on her grubs, but manages to get them down, as do the others. The friends and family members cheer as humans arrive to take away the empty plates and bring in new covered dishes. "Round Two," Teir announces. The elves lift off the lids to reveal lifeless, colourless slugs. Dewshine takes one bite and turns green. She screws up her face and vomits. "Dewshine - you're out," Teir says. "Come on over here and take a swig of Listerine."
"Love ya, Mom!" Windkin calls encouragingly as Dewshine takes her place next to Skywise. The other elves choke down their slugs - all except Rayek, who coughs his up at the very last bite. Grudgingly he waves goodbye to Ekuar and goes to wash his mouth out with Listerine. Round Three begins: a large, shiny-shelled beetle. Cutter begin coughing, and vomits up his beetle. Venka turns five different shades of green, but keeps her beetle down. "Round Four," Teir says. "Four elves left - but only the two who can get the next item down first will advance to Round Five."
Round Four is a long, greasy worm in a small puddle of seawater. Pike takes three bites before he coughs up his worm. Venka's frequent retches slow her down. Ember and Scouter finish first, and move on to Round Five. Teir brings out the last plates himself. He lifts the lids to reveal boiled tarantulas. "First one to finish," Teir says. "Survivors ready..."
Tyleet: I believe in you, beloved.Ember and Scouter tuck into their tarantulas. Scouter finishes his first, but when Teir asks to see if he swallowed it all, Scouter turns white-faced, then turns and vomits. Ember finishes her tarantula moments later. "Ember wins!" Teir declares. Scouter collapses on the ground in rage, while Ember snatches up her dixie cup of Listerine, washes her mouth out, and spits out the mouthwash as she runs across the sand to embrace her twin.Suntop: Come on, Ember. You can do it!
Tyleet: It was so sweet seeing them together. It almost makes me glad that Ember won."It was just wonderful to see Suntop again," Ember says. "I took him right back to camp and showed absolutely him everything. We went for a water run. We checked the traps. We could just talk and send to each other, and I could forget that I'm part of this cutthroat game. I could tell him absolutely anything, and not have to worry that it would come back to bit me. He told me everything that's going on in Sorrow's End."Scouter: I will have my revenge.
Suntop: I could tell that Ember really needed a friendly face.The tribe stays up late as they share their stories with Suntop. Come morning they wake up to find a new tree-mail. The next immunity challenge starts at noon. The elves gather on the edge of the scrub forest at noon to find Teir waiting for them. "So, Suntop, how did you enjoy your night with New Blood?" he asks, to which Suntop shrugs. "It was a lot of fun, but I'm just glad I've been spending the past month and a half in Sorrow's End and not here." Teir laughs, then proceeds to explain the challenge. It's a race/scavenger hunt. The elves have to follow a series of clues to collect five different keys scattered throughout the scrub and jungle. The first person back with all five keys wins immunity. "But there's a twist," Teir says, not unexpectedly. "I have a little surprise for you."Cutter: Did Suntop say hi to me? No!
Suntop: Did Cutter ask me how I'd been doing? Noo! And he wonders why we're not close.
Suddenly all the family members from the day before rush out into the clearing. The elves cry out in delight and run to embrace their visitors. Pike swings Shenshen around in the air, while Venka and Kahvi spend a quiet moment of reunion. Rayek hugs Ekuar, Windkin picks up Dewshine, and Scouter embraces Tyleet while Cutter revels in communion with the spirits of his parents and Skywise tries to fend off the advances of the Sunshine Duo.
"The twist is - your family members will be running the race, instead of you," Teir smiles, and all the elves gasp. Slowly the guest stars leave their loved ones to take up starting positions. "Survivors ready," Teir says. "Go!"
Bearclaw and Joyleaf float off into the forest, while Windkin glides and the others run. Ekuar stumbles, and falls behind, while the Sunshine Duo struggle to run in their impractical sandals. The survivors can do nothing but wait.
Windkin reaches the first station and reads the clue, before he disappears deeper into the forest. The spirits arrive at the station next, followed by Shenshen, Maleen (aka the Ponytail) and Ruffel (aka Lucky Ruffles). Maleen body-checks Shenshen to slow her down, and the Sunshine Duo race ahead. Back at the starting line, the eight elves languish about, sampling the chips 'n' dip Teir brought them.
At Station Three, Kahvi wrestles with Windkin for the chance to read the clue first. At Station Four, Bearclaw and Joyleaf argue over what the clue means. At Station Five, Rufeel realizes that she dropped a key back in the jungle, and she and Maleen backtrack furiously. At Station Six, Windkin is leading the pack, with Kahvi close on his heels.
"Here comes Windkin!" Dewshine cries. Kahvi is racing behind him, struggling to catch up. Teir gets into position to judge the winner. Windkin and Kahvi are neck-and-neck. Windkin flies across the finish line, while Kahvi springs into the air, trying to get her arms over the line before him.
Teir: Winner - Windkin!Kahvi: Rotten fish guts!
Teir
counts Windkin's keys and finds that he has all five. Immunity is awarded
to Dewshine, and Teir sends to the others to tell them that the race is
over. The guest stars assemble back in the clearing, and Teir gives them
five minutes to say goodbye to their loved ones. Then the elves are sent
back to camp, with the spectre of tribal council over their heads once
more.
On Day 39, the elves wake up to a tropical rainstorm. By noon the skies clear, and the elves resume their duties. Rayek and Venka disappear into the forest after Scouter and Dewshine, while Cutter takes Skywise with him on a water run. "I've talked to Rayek and Venka and we're agreed that Pike is going out tonight," Scouter says. "I'd like to take down Ember, but it's probably better to winnow down her allies first. I'll take to Cutter and Skywise when they get back, and I'm pretty sure I can get them on board. Maybe not Skywise - but then his turn will come soon enough."
By three in the afternoon, Ember and Venka are caught on camera, whispering to each other. The microphone just catches Ember whispering "tonight." An hour later, Venka tells Scouter that she thinks Ember and Pike are going to vote against Scouter, but that she can't guess at Skywise's loyalties.
Cutter: I told Skywise that if he is truly my brother, he'll vote Pike out tonight. He got a little bitchy and told me that I don't need to guilt-trip him - that he will do what's right for the tribe. An eight of days ago I would have trusted him. Now... I just don't know.At sundown the tribe assembles at council. "I'll bring in the first member of our jury. Remember, you are not to speak to the jury, or try to communicate in any way. Nightfall, come on out." Nightfall steps out, now dressed in clean leather pants and a Hard Rock Cafe T-shirt, her hair freshly washed and bound with a new bandana.
Teir questions Ember about possible insecurities now that Nightfall is gone, then asks Pike if he feels his time is up. He asks Scouter about the possibility of a voting block, which Scouter denies. After seeing he won't get any answers from the tribe, he nods and tells them to go vote.
Scouter: (on voting for Pike) You're really out of your element. You should have gone a lot time ago.Teir returns with the votes. Pike rocks unsteadily on his seat, while Ember keeps her eyes on the ground. "I'll read the votes," Teir says. "First vote: Scouter."Cutter: (on voting for Pike) No hard feelings. You're just the omega, after all.
Scouter scowls.
"Second vote, Pike. Pike, Scouter. Pike. That's three votes Pike, two votes Scouter." He continues to read. "Scouter, Scouter. Four votes Scouter, three votes Pike. And the second member of the jury.... Scouter."
Scouter stares into space, his eyes burning with rage. Rayek and Ember exchange smug nods. "Seems there was a voting bloc at work after all, Scouter," Teir smiles. "I'll need you to bring me your torch."
Scouter turns and glares at Rayek and Venka as he gathers his belongs. Father and daughter smile back sweetly. Dewshine now stares at the ground, while Pike and Skywise pat each other on the shoulder. Cutter looks from tribemate to tribemate while Scouter grudgingly brings Teir his torch.
"Scouter, the tribe has spoken. It's time for you to leave."
| SCOUTER'S LAST WORDS |
| Well, the devil just got beaten at his own game - this will teach me to trust Blackhair. I.... I'm still in shock - who thought that little brat could organize a coup like that? I just hope Ember watches her back - Rayek will stab her just like he stabbed me. So... I'm out, but I'm not showing throat, and I plan to put my spot on the jury to good use. Good luck, Dewshine, and Cutter. You're basically the walking dead. |