Derek was honestly excited about participating in a survival challenge. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to or not since he wasn't technologically a student here, but he was reassured that he would be perfect. There was an announcement over the intercom that the survival challenge partnership list was officially posted on the activities board. 

The mutant immediately closed down his laptop and got up from his chair. He made his way out of his bedroom and down the hall, and then the stairs to the living room. He waited in the short line that had formed at the activities before he finally found himself face to face with the list. With a hopeful grin, his eyes trailed down the list:

Derek Menes - Manticore

Manticore? Derek thought he heard about Manticore, but hadn't met him personally. To Derek, it was a chance to meet new people so he was all for it. He was about to leave when he saw the little note added beside his name. Derek, come see the counselor. Derek knitted his eyebrows briefly before going to follow the instructions.

When he did meet up with the counselor, he was given anti-venom and a rundown of Manticore. She explained that the quills were very poisons and that it was only as a precaution. Derek took the anti-venom and headed out to where everyone would be meeting for the challenge.

Leon was not looking forward to this.

Before he had become what he was, he would have probably leaped at the chance for a survival challenge out in the woods. Given his own choice he would have locked himself in his room and pretended it didn't exist. However, he had been... volunteered. He was here to learn how to deal with his condition, not to hide in his room for the rest of his life, something the staff had made sure to remind him when they told him he would be participating in this. He had objected of course, but they had insisted that he had to make the effort if he wanted to remain here.

So Leon was there. not with the group of students of course, he was seated under a tree a good distance from the group, trying to make himself unnoticeable, a difficult task for someone covered in red fur. He was covered up by his jacket and this tail wrapped to keep the quills away from anyone, but even so he was dangerous to be around as they easily pierced through if he got too worked up, something he was trying hard not to be right now. He would just wait here for the guy he was paired with, and try to keep his distance until this ordeal was over.

After the information session was given, backpacks passed out, and a quick run down of how the survival challenge was gonna go, Derek was more than happy to start. He was even more happy to meet Manticore, er, Leon. He went ahead and grabbed Leon's and looked around until his eyes feel on the red furred mutant that was by a tree. With a hopeful smile, Derek walked over to him.

The closer he got, the larger Leon looked. This made him a bit nervous, but he'd get over that when Derek gets to know him.

"Hey," Derek greeted with a smile. "I didn't see you by the group so I grabbed your bag for you." He handed it to Leon. "Uh, so it's simple. We set up camp for a night while doing with obstacles and that's about it. I'm Derek by the way."

Leon listened as instructions were told. He could hear it just fine from his spot, part of his mutation. Basically a camping trip. Greaaaat...

He wished he was normal so he could enjoy this, but really this was just begging for tragedy when someone inevitably got too close to him. Maybe he should have had his quills pulled again before coming, though it would have made little difference since they grew back so quickly. By the time they got there they would have grown back.

Then someone approached him. He supposed it was his 'partner'. He pulled himself back a little reflexively as, what was his name, Derek? As Derek got near. Anyone who had been around him knew he was borderline phobic of any physical contact due to his poison., so he didn't offer a hand or anything as Derek greeted him with the usual 'cheeriness' that everyone here seemed to have towards him in spite of the obvious danger that should have been triggering some form self preservation. By now he should have expected it, but he still hoped someone would show some common sense when it came to something so obviously dangerous.

"Um.... thanks," said Leon, carefully taking his pack from Derek, avoiding any physical contact as he took it by the opposite strap. "Leon," he responded to the introduction. Leon wasn't social. He was probably a bit better after a lot of prodding from various people trying to get him out into the open, but it still left much to be desired.

"You're welcome." Derek put his own backpack on and lightly gripped the straps. He could tell that Leon was very hesitant which Derek could understand. He had quills that could put Derek in the hospital or worse. He didn't want to get stabbed by one of those so he kept his distance.

"So, uh," Derek took off his backpack and squatted down in front of Leon. "I think the map is in your bag. They split up the supplies so that no one had everything..." Derek moved things around until he came to the conclusion that he didn't have the map. "Yeah, it might be in your bag."

Leon looked at the bag, finding the zipper. Small objects were harder to manipulate with his big paws, but he manageed, and began ruffling through the contents of the bag. Canteen, rations, compass, rope... There, a folded map. He pulled it out, carefully so he didint rip it apart. "Here," he said, handing it over. He didn't trust himself not to rip it apart, between his strength and claws it was almost garenteed. He wasn't sure what he could do that he wouldn't ruin somehow. He guessed he was just along for the ride as a reluctant fifth wheel. Derek was unlucky to have been stuck with him as a partner. Someone who was a liability, a danger... A monster. The best he could do is just get out of Derek's way before he got him hurt.

"I'm poisonous, so you need to stay away from me." He said, getting the warning out early in case he didn't know. He got to his feet, ready to follow Derek, he didn't want to be walking in front of anyone, if someone walked into him, it was almost a death sentence

Derek took the map from Leon. "Thanks," He unfolded it and looked for the red dot that would signify where they were supposed to set up camp. The African American mutant looked up from the map and glanced around before making an executive decision to head slightly to the right. "That way." He pointed before turning his head to look at Leon.

He was about to start walking when Leon spoke again. "I know. I know you're poisonous. When I realized that I was partnered with you, the counselor told me about your quills and told me to stay away from them. She, even gave me anti-venom just in case." Derek studied Leon's physique before smiling kindly at him. "Look. I understand that you don't want to," Derek stopped speaking when he stood up. "Damn you're tall, but uh, anyway. I know that you're not-- I don't think you're a bad guy. Intimidating, but not scary. We're partners for a the next twenty four hours so, y'know, relax. I'll stay away from your quills as best I can." He nodded and started walking. "...So, where are you from?"

Leon started following Derek at a short distance, keeping at least three paces behind as Derek began talking again. So he had been warned before had of his quills. At least the school were taking the precautions that they should when sending a student to their potential deaths. He knew it was necessary, but it still made him feel bad at some level, as the school knew he couldn't be trusted. Ultimately he would agree with their decision, but it still hurt.

"It doesn't matter if I'm a 'bad guy'" responded Leon to Derek's attempt to convince him that he wasn't a monster, "I'm dangerous to be around, nothing's going to change that." It was a fate he was more or less resigned to. Relaxing wasn't an option, he had to make sure he didn't shed any quills for people to step on, and be on the look out for other 'campers' who may inadvertently run into him while trekking the woods. The woods were not a safe place with him in it.

"A small town," said Leon when asked about his past, "I don't really want to talk about it." He didn't want to revisit the old memories of a home he had lost, people he had hurt and almost killed. If there was a worse conversational companion then him he didn't know, he just knew that Derek wouldn't find him bearing his feelings anytime soon.

"Okay, that's fair." Derek knew that mutants, especially those who looked a little strange or different. He didn't want to bring any more pain to Leon than that was already there. To pass the time, Derek decided to talk about himself. Maybe Leon will feel more comfortable.

"I'm from the capital in North Carolina. It's a, uh, pretty good state, I guess." Derek started, "I had a pretty good childhood. No major problems until I started to show my mutant powers among other things," making his way through the trees, he felt at home. It was weird to him, "that's when left got complicated. Now, I'm sure it was totally different from your experience as a mutant who resembles one of the most fearsome beasts in Greek mythology." Derek looked over at Leon and sighed.

"I'll shut up now."

"Actually the Manticore is Persian in origin." said Leon absently. He didn't have much to do with his time, so had started reading books. He wasn't exactly a study math type so he tried finding something interesting. The nickname the staff had given him because of his appearance had lead him to find out exactly what a Manticore was. Lion with the face of a man, rows of teeth, a scorpions tail, which left no trace of it's victims, presumably eating them bones, clothes and all. Yeah, a perfect name for a monster like him.

The banter didn't bother Leon, it was probably better then complete silence, at least he knew he wasn't making Derek any more uncomfortable then he could be walking with a monster a few feet behind him. Despite himself he was curious now that Derek had mentioned it. "What do you do?" he asked, though the tone implied that answering was not compulsory. He usually regretted asking what other mutants could do, mostly due to the fact that he envied the lucky ones who got to look normal or turn off their powers whenever they wanted. Still, it was interesting to some degree.

Derek nodded his head. "Persian. Right." He sighed and looked at Leon, then back ahead. He had a point about the origin of the Manticore. Derek always thought that it was Greek, but apparently it was Persian. He'd have to keep that in mind when running into Leon again.

"What can I do?" Derek repeated, looking over his shoulder at Leon before stopping. "I can talk and influence the behavior of animals. Simple. Nothing flashy." He shrugged his shoulders before he started walking again. "Aside from your handsome exterior, what else can you do?"

Leon gave an uncomfortable sounding sigh as Derek noted his 'handsome' appearance. He knew how monstrous he looked, so the comment felt like it was mocking him. Though he supposed in the end he deserved it. He wasn't human anymore, he didn't deserve any luxuries that had been handed to him in the past few months. Derek was lucky that his mutation was something so minor, something that could allow him to easily pass as normal. Why was it that some mutants were so unaffected while his life was destroyed by it? He didn't have any answers,

"I'm strong I guess, and poisonous," he said, though he wasn't really sure about what he could do, having never really explored his abilities to their fullest as he was too preoccupied with keeping his quills under wraps. All he really knew about was what was visually apparent or what he experienced on a daily basis, so he was in the most part in the dark. He supposed he would learn a little more on this trip, but he wasn't planning on making it a priority.

Derek moistened his lips. "That's good. That strong must come in handy." He rubbed the back of his neck. Pausing, Derek looked at Leon. Something didn't seem right.

Without warning, a metal pole appeared from the ground. There was a red light blinking on front of it. Derek narrowed his eyes at it. "What the...?" He was cut off by the light switching to green and three disks flying out in their direction. "Leon watch out!"

Derek immediately ducked down. Dammit. Derek cursed himself for not having offensive powers. This was all Leon.

Unfortunately for Leon, despite being for all accounts some sort of cat creature, he was lacking in any sort of evasive maneuvers, having avoided any type of conflict when possible. He had also been looking out for other campers, not booby traps. He saw Derek duck down, and heard him, but had not caught the source of the supposed danger. As such by the time he realized there was something hard was coming his way, it was too late for him to even begin thinking of reacting.

The first disk smacked him in the face, the other two hitting his neck and chest, knocking the large mutant backwards and off balance, falling down on this back with loud thump. The pain Leon was feeling in his face and upper body was suddenly accompanied by a large number of piercing needles sticking into his back. Because he bound his quills down under his cloths, they had a habit of breaking off and sticking into him, and the impact had broken off a number of them and drove them into his flesh. The combination of pain caused him to bellow out, a roaring cry like a lion.

He quickly rolled over,relieving the pressure on the quills sticking in his back, still pawing at his face where the disk had impacted. He felt liquid, and smelt copper, his nose was bleeding, though the blood was barely visible against the crimson of his fur. As his roar died down, he let out a string of pain induced explicatives.

"STAY AWAY!" he yelled at Derek as he all but tore off his jacket, a number of red quills falling out, and the inside of the jacket stained with spots of blood. Leon then began grabbing at the quills sticking into his back, pulling them out one by one, growling loudly as the barbed spines where pulled loose. He was in too much pain to be careful about where he put them, focusing on getting them out. His spine was flexible enough to where he could twist to reach most of them, but even so, some were lodged towards the the center of his back, the hardest place to reach.

Derek was okay for the most part. He got out of the way, but ended up having a pinecone underneath his hand. He was about to complain when he heard a loud roar from behind him that was quickly announced by a hard thud. His head quickly snapped over his shoulder to see his fellow mutant in pain.

He was about to get up and held him when Leon told him to stay back. "You're in pain! Let me help you!" The machine had shut off by itself and sank back down into the ground. Well, that was one portion of the challenge they failed.

Once the immediate threat was gone, Derek stood up with caution and looked at Leon. He saw him try and get the spines out with his hands, but were messing some. "L-Leon," He slowly approached with his hands raised. "Let me help you get the rest out. I promise to be extremely careful." He continued to take very small steps toward him before pausing when he was a foot away. "Please, let me help."