~Ghost~
Location - Breez -> Gus's farm (Stoneview South)
Walking to Stone view was no option for Nissa if she was to go ahead of the group. As she had left, Logan had informed her of their intentions to use the creepy white Providence van and with that information she knew she would need to scout quickly and promptly. Options in such a setting were obviously limited though after eliminating the use of the rail due to its restrictions on viewing scope, Nissa settled on visiting someone she knew who could help her out with an appropriate method of transport.
The man was edging into his seventies, though his mind was still as sharp as a tack which was good considering 'harry' lived on the outskirts of Breez where there was limited protection from beasts. It never ceased to surprise Nissa however how accurately Harry clued into the presence of someone on his property or the accuracy as he fired a warning shot from his rusty old shotgun considering the man was completely blind. She ducked when the shot ricocheted off a nearby log, instinctually throwing her hands up in the air whilst Whistler let off a bark from behind the trees.
"Jesus christ Harry it's me!" Nissa shouted from the edge of his yard, nothing more than a few trees and pieces of scrap metal and debris to hide behind. Silence fell for a weary moment until the distinctive creek of the wooden shack door echoed and an old man stepped out into the doorframe.
"And how d'ya reckon an old crust like me would know that twinkle toes?" Harry's hoarse voice responded, raspy with humour laced into his tone. Nissa frowned as she stood up and lowered her hands, watching as the leathery skinned man lowered his weapon with a broad smile. Harry was one of very few who could get away with calling her something like twinkle toes. He reminded her of Gus had he been alive long enough and he as sure as hell was just as helpful as her mentor.
***
'The hooch will be fine as long as you don't run 'er past a quarter tank, should get you there well before nightfall." Harry instructed Nissa from where he was crouched beside the rickety looking cluster of scrap which had been meticulously constructed into a motorbike reminiscent of a landfill statue one would once have hailed as a masterpiece in an art museum. Harry had an incredible talent for making something out of nothing and had on numerous occasions provided Nissa with equipment that had gotten her out of a bind. In return she had often brought him items from town to save him the journey and repaired the rather small amount of things he couldn't do himself for one reason or another.
'Mm yeah, there we go." Harry mumbled aloud as he groaned to a stand and roughly pat her on the shoulder blade. "Give 'er a start youngin and for god's sake bring her back in the same condition." he added while Nissa stepped over and took a moment to check the extra tank on the back. Behind them Whistler sat patiently waiting, the dog's ears twitching as he listened around them contently.
"Thanks Harry… I'll need to owe you on this one, seems I wasn't meant to be having a quiet day at home like i thought." Nissa commented to Harry who didn't seem to care too much about the circumstances.
"Bring me a roast dinner and we will call it even" Harry quipped in response which earned a smile from Nissa as she swung her leg over the bike, fiddling with the choke before lifting her foot up and kick starting the bike. Whistler had stood as Nissa got herself sorted and soon enough she patted the tank in front of her. Whistler had been patient until that point, the dog bounding over and jumping up onto the bike in front of her. It wasn't the best form of transport for the both of them but nevertheless it did the trick.
***
The ride wasn't smooth at all, with a decent sized dog who had decided he didn't want to sit still and the wind picking up, Nissa's wrists had started to cramp a couple of hours in. For the most part the trail to Stoneview was clear of debris, still relatively well travelled upon and absent of anything too dangerous. She kept a keen eye on the off beaten tracks for any sign of trouble, though sure enough everything seemed quiet, perhaps too quiet…
Another hour of riding and the occasional stop to check out something looking somewhat suspicious, a few familiar landmarks came into view, the old petrol station foundations and the remnants of a small general store that had once served as a pull in point for travellers passing into and out of Stoneview. She could remember them full of life, grumpy truckies and the loud voices of children playing in the playground out the back of the store. Something unexpected however was the sudden rumble across the ground, Whistler's ears flattened as he began to let off a growl. It was short lived as Nissa's eyes widened, The trees on the far side of the road whipped apart as a large Tatzelwurm sprang outwards and directly crossing their path. Nissa hit the brakes hard as the back wheel of the bike lifted, the front grinding into the dirt track as the Tatzelwurm landed on the road, turning its head sideways as Nissa, Whistler and the bike hit the side of the beast with force. Nissa and Whistler immediately left the bike over the bars, colliding into the solid scaley side of the Tatzelwurm as it let out a loud shriek. The beast rolled sideways from the collision, it's tail whipping upwards and with it, flicking both Nissa and Whistler metres across the road into the bushes with a merciless thud.
***
Silence graced her ears when Nissa finally came too, groaning as a sharp pain ran through her side. Her face was covered in a cold sticky substance and when she reached up to run her fingers across her cheek she screwed her face into a scowl. It was snot. Tatzel snot.
"Ugh….gross…" Nissa murmured as she slowly sat upright, her chest aching as she sucked in a breath. Whistler was beside her and though he seemed to be fine the first concern Nissa had was to check and make sure that he was fine.
"Hey….hey boy, c'mere," Nissa called to him, Whistler whining softly as he slowly stood, padding over her legs as he licked at her cheek. She felt sick, her vision blurred from having hit the ground so hard. How the hell they hadn't been further attacked by the Tatzelwurm was beyond her.
"You all good?" Nissa asked her dog, finding him in one piece but fairly certain he would also be tender from such a hit. The two took a few minutes to gather themselves before Nissa made it back out to the road, letting out a gruff moan when she spotted the remains of the bike, Harry's words echoing in her mind. So much for one piece.
The beast was definitely gone, but with what she suspected to be a cracked rib or two and one heck of a headache, Nissa knew it wasn't safe to remain out in the open should something else be lurking. The injury wasn't going to help her out in any way either and so after sifting through the broken bike parts and finding a decent sized branch to use, Nissa and Whistler headed further into the Stoneview district in search of cover, a destination that Nissa remembered rather clearly despite the time that had lapsed.
***
Whistler's ears pricked and tail wagged as the dog clambered over a small mound of dirt, ducking under a half rotten fence which was overgrown with weeds, Nissa slowly moving behind him. She was too exhausted when she finally found the edge of the farm to cry over the fact that she was back here, more angry at the state of the old workshops and barns which sat on the south end of the main house. She needed to find something to dull the pain in her head and side, not to mention something to wrap around her chest to support her ribs. With the dog in front of her she had relaxed somewhat in her advance, sure that once she was inside one of the structures, another run in with a tatzelwurm or worse would be far less of a risk.