The Prosperos Quest

[DotCom]

Aerie smiled at Ethel as the other's shouted their displeasure at the overly concerned fae's attempts.

"That," she said, pointing at the whining criminal, "is what you get for trying to help people. Ethel, was it? That's cute." Aerie gestured at the whole of the other girl's person. "You're cute all over, and you seem well-liked. Go on back to the others now, and perhaps stay away from the swear-y one. And the cat. She's mine."

Turning from Ethel, she looked over and waved at Medicine, or whatever his name was. "You are all going to feel incredibly stupid when I come back laden with riches."

In actuality, Aerie had no plans for scouting or treasure hunting or dying in the snow, even. But any of the aforementioned was better than staying hunched in the cave, just waiting to freeze. No, if death met Aerie, it would be at death's expense. She was prepared to meet that shit head on.

Sort of.

 

[DrPepper]

The snake didn't look grateful, but he was. He retreated and coiled up next to Kal, listening to and scanning the area for things he could tell Kal after his conversation.

Ignoring the Avian completely, Kal didn't mind that Sarrthas was covering for him. In fact, he was thankful. Kal had covered for his serpent plenty of times and it was nice to see the favor reciprocated. The forest kin wasn't normally this agitated and the serpent wasn't normally this polite. Kal also never had a problem with Sarrthas talking to others, though he only did so rarely. Kal sent a half smile to his serpent for trying his best to protect him, even if it meant Sarrthas was only doing it to protect himself. With a sigh and his head hung low, Kal spoke to the Mage as he gulped water.

"I apologize for my rude manners." He looked up to look at Medwick's face. "I would be grateful if you, or someone, would mend this wounded arm. I don't think it's broken, just badly bruised." He rubbed his injured shoulder and sighed. "I know my reputation precedes me, but I can assure you that I'm a man of my word..." Kal looked toward the ground again. "Actually I can't assure you of that because I've not been a man of my word. You will just have to take my word on this matter that I will not evade my duty, as I desire this pardon immensely." He fixed his eye on Medwicks face, and spoke with a stern voice. "But you do not 'own' me or my arm. I am a free man and I am here to reap the benefits of my service, not to be a slave to you or the president." The forest kin looked at the fire now and extended his good arm. "I will do everything I can to insure the safety of the party and preserve the lives of this company, but I must tell you, I am no hero." The convict left it at that. He hoped that his honesty would gain at least a smidgen of trust from Medwick, at least enough to know that he wouldn't attempt to flee in the night.

He looked over to Shardis and frowned. "And I honestly do hope she comes to soon."

 

[lynzy]

The night drew on and the wind howled outside the crevice like a banshee on a mission from hell. Everyone was exhausted to the point of not really caring any more about the noise. Tuning out the noise and focusing on what little bit of warmth that could be had from the small fire seemed to be the primary concern. Sleep just caught them unawares and so the night would have passed them by if...

~​

If,now there is a word... the word if can turn things upside down in a heart beat. IF he had known how to swim he could have saved her...or IF they could dance they would have made a lot of money that night. So many things can hing on that little two letter word.

...if when the branch had been pulled from her back the wound had been checked for more debris.
...if there had been no storm to make them run for their lives.
...if someone had tied heavy weight felleon down just in case...

~​

​

It was coming! *run run run* She had to...get..there...first. She...had...to...save...him. *run run run* "GALAIN RUN!!" Shardis yelled the warning. ​

​

She didn't find it odd that the whatever-it-was never really got closer or that she didn't really know what it was that was chasing them or that she couldn't see Galain's face or that he had no limp and was a teen and she was younger too. It all seemed normal. She stumbled and fell and there was a sharp pain in her back, why was there rugs on her? She threw them away from her with a vengeance and growled her displeasure and then whatever-it-was attacked and grabbed her, she broke it's hold and spun about thrashing.​

~​

​

"Grab her legs!! Hold that arm down, Watch it, try not to hurt her back! That's it get her other arm..." Medwick cursed under his breath as most everyone in the now dark crevice did as well.​

​

Shardis had acquired a fever during the quiet hours. No one really noticed a difference since she had been mumbling now and then all along since they had found her in the avalanche. The wound had begun to fester and had given her, so far, a mild case of Sepsis. She had entered a more intense form of delirium and had begun to thrash about and in so doing had knocked the coals from the fire and they had flown in a wide arc everywhere. In a sweeping blaze of glory everyone had been pelted with them and was left bouncing and juggling them out of laps and hair. ​

​

Then she had attempted to get up and go for the entrance, someone had managed to grab an ankle and keep her from going too far until others could get her under control. After a few moments she settled down into a new dream spawned by the delirium and lay face down, limp once again, this time directly on the ice floor of the crevice with people sitting on different parts of her anatomy breathing hard in the cold dark. ​

 

[Asmodeus]

Lair of the Gargodels​

​

Even if Shardis had slipped into a coma, that night in the crevasse of the Norsigal Steps would not have been a quiet one. The storm raged with a fury unseen in living memory, and till the witching hours made music with snapping trees and falling ice shelves. They took shifts to keep the fire fed, and to watch for tumbling icicles. And, of course, they woke as one whenever Shardis flailed in fevered dreams.

By the time the sun rose, there was weariness in their bones. The sleepless lassitude of anxiety.

"I was never a nation-builder, Medwick. I can lead men and organize rations. But in time I would be no different from the tyrants of Kausteira and Zmaragdos. What keeps me... what keeps the nation bright... is men like you. We suffered the cataclysm, lost our gods, and saw our land entrenched in ice. But through it all the sages endured - the philosophers and scholars, librarians and mages. They held onto their knowledge, even as their bodies froze. Pegulis is the pursuit of wisdom in its purest form, Medwick. And that is why I know... only WE can be trusted with the weapons of the Prosperos Sea."

Medwick woke with the President's words in his memory. The instant he moved his knee became agony, lancing up and down the length of the limb. For two minutes he sat and cradled it, then looked around at the others. They too were stirring, and between them the fire was a bed of ash and tree-parts. The last wisps of smoke floated up between the walls of the crevasse and met a clear grey sky. The storm had passed and left behind an altered landscape.

He warmed himself with muttering as he rubbed his leg. "It's impossible. The storm should have been north-easterly. It shouldn't have come from the ocean. It shouldn't have been that big."

Then he clambered from his bedroll to fetch his dried-out coat, which he secured with his red marker sash. His falchion blade was frozen inside its scabbard, and most of his rations were damp. The threat of the storm had passed but only replaced itself with the threat of starvation. They would need to hunt and kill something soon.

* * * * * *​

Aerie woke with a splitting headache and a sprained ankle.

Or so she thought.

Her first clue that she was upside down was when she saw the icicles sticking upwards. This revelation in itself seemed to morph her pain into new forms. The throbbing in her head was from too much blood collecting there. And the ankle twinge... that was a sharpened stick that had pierced her travelling pants and grazed her leg and foot. She was hooked on it, held up only by the fabric of her clothes.

Her wings hung limply. She could not pull herself up due to yesterday's back injury. So instead she simply dangled and looked around to see other spikes - more than a dozen lengths of wood sharpened to points and mounted in the ground.

Memories returned. She could make out the bridge overhead. She had been crossing the valley between this slope of the mountain and the next, where the crevasse opened out, and a bridge of ice offered the perfect crossing point. But as she reached the apex the trap had been sprung. Snow, densely packed where the ice had melted, had given way to the Avian's weight, and she had plummeted to the valley floor below.

Luckily... whoever had built the trap... had clearly had bigger prey in mind. The wooden spikes were the size of tree branches, crudely carved, and the small Avian now dangled perfectly against one of them.

Had she fallen a foot to the left or right, she would now be impaled.

Instead, she was alive and well and awake in time to see the five trap-makers return to claim their prize.

At the top of the bridge, shuffling and snorting, came a pack of Gargodel Ice Trolls as hungry as the party she had just abandoned.

 

[DotCom]

Aerie was pissed.

Her wings had thawed just enough for her to feel how sore (and useless) the frostbite had left them. Her right leg hurt like a motherfucker, but fortunately, that pain was dulled by the throb of the worst headache she'd ever had. Thank God for small favors.

She didn't know where Pyre was, and there was something probably trying to eat her, or lots of somethings, but easily the most annoying thing was that those bastards back at that God-forsaken camp were right. And if they found her like this, she'd never hear the end of it.

The things advancing her way had clearly already seen her, so taunting them couldn't hurt. Much.

"If you're going to eat me," she grumbled, "do it before the cat and her human friend get here."

"Be. Quiet."

"Pyre?" Despite her bravado, Aerie was surprised and intensely relieved to know her aenigma was nearby and apparently unharmed. She'd have known if he was dead -- obviously -- but not seeing him upon her waking had been jarring.

Pyre, though, was not in the mood for talking. Apparently, he was trying to distract the lumbering beast heading her way. He was doing a job that was only just passing.

Aerie began to realize she might die, in possibly the most embarrassing condition an Avian could be found in.

"Can you fly?" Pyre said, his voice cold and hard. He flew at the closest of the Ice Thing, shrieking loudly. If he was a more corporeal phoenix, it might have been helpful. The troll merely batted at her aenigma.

Aerie tried to move her wings. They wriggled uselessly and pain lanced through her back. "No. How much time do I have?"

"Until you are killed, or until your friends find you?"

Aerie wasn't sure which was worse. No...it was the second. "Distract them," she said. "I can cut myself free. The others can deal with the ugly ones."

Pyre didn't answer, and Aerie swore. She was reckless and proud and hot-headed and stupid, but she loved her aenigma, and she was not about to watch him swatted at like a fly.

"Whoever made this goddamned breeches, I'm going to find and gut," she muttered to herself as she gathered what strength she could. The dagger at her hip was easy enough to reach. The bloody hem of her pants, soaked through and starting to freeze, was a different story. With a grunt, she folded in half and hacked desperately at the fabric holding her prisoner.

But she was tired and hungry and cold and dizzy, and her muscles gave out before she could finish, leaving her to flop back down and dangle like a dead thing, her wings drooping to the ground.

The trolls were getting closer, and Pyre was beginning to panic.

"Aerie, focus," he barked. "This is no time for weakness."

"Thank you for the encouragement," she muttered, but now her hands were shaking and her palms were sweating despite the cold. She jerked up again, feeling the muscles in her gut protest as she sheered through another two inches of fabric. The trolls had reached the closest of the stakes and were throwing them aside. They were large creatures. They wouldn't even enjoy eating her; it'd be like snacking on a pile of used toothpicks.

She fell back again, and could smells the trolls now. Pyre screeched his fear and displeasure. Aerie jumped...and dropped the dagger.

"Pyre!" she shouted finally in desperation. "Run -- fly! You have to -- "

With a horrendous tearing sound, the last inch of the fabric gave way. Aerie tried in vain to turn herself before she hit the ground. Her weight came down on her shoulders, but she didn't feel anything. The trolls were close. She couldn't fly. And the walls of the crevasse were fucking useless.

She seized her dagger and turned to face her predators. Pyre hovered in front of her, his feathers ruffled with phantom fire and anger.

"Pyre," she said carefully, "you can go get the others now. But don't make me sound desperate. Make it sound like I'm warning them. That oughtta buy me some kindness points with the fae."

 

[Sakura]

тнe ғαe

єтнєℓ ℓуѕαη∂єя
[DASH=#F5C4D4]
Everyone on this journey was some form of stubborn. Ethel could see the tensions bubbling at the surface. They each wanted their own opinion, their own path, but this was a journey. Here we need teamwork.

"How can you stand to be in here? There's no room to fly. I can't even spread my wings. The cold's frozen them through, what more can it do to me? Do you know what's in here? A dying cat, the little bitch who caused all this, and her troublesome human. An insane woman and a criminal, and all this encased in ice, you and I unable to fly, never mind flap a bloody wing, and you're telling me it's dangerous out there? I think I'll take my chances, friend."

Ethel listened to the avian; while she could understand her discomfort from an injured wing, she couldn't comprehend the rest of the girl's complaints. You could not choose companions in the middle of a blizzard. That's stupid, she wanted to tell the girl, you would rather risk your life than risk your pride? But she said nothing. When situations enhanced the level of danger, Ethel was often speechless. The question of flight perplexed her. Ethel was no avian and as a fae, she had grown up in the care of humans in Pegulis. She had not been taught to put her wings above all.

All the while, the phoenix eyed Kevynor, who hovered around his lopo's shoulders. Pyre, Ethel reminded herself of it's name. It was quite a beautiful creature for an aenigma, no doubt Kevynor was feeling shy in it's strong gaze. Like it's lopos, Ethel noted, Pyre is fierce.

Before Ethel could say anything to the avian, someone from the group cried out in offense. Though his sentiments were more or less the same as her's, Ethel couldn't say she liked the way the man spoke. "For the love of the Gods let her freeze if she wants! What good is she to us if she's so stupid as to want to be outside in this frozen hell?"

She sighed, looking over her shoulder at the man. He was cradling an injured arm. The thief, here on special considerations. His aenigma is a snake that speaks to other men, strange... Medwick replied to him with the eloquence of a leader and Ethel felt inspired by the small speech. Soon after, he called upon her and she straightened, turning to look at him directly.

"Ethel! Come back to the fire. You must restore your mana. Let the Avian leave the shelter and die if she wishes. We've had our fill of foolishness today."

It was the last call. Ethel would not disobey Medwick even if it meant leaving another to danger. After all, the others were right. The decision was the avian's.

"That is what you get for trying to help people. Ethel, was it? That's cute. You're cute all over, and you seem well-liked. Go on back to the others now, and perhaps stay away from the swear-y one. And the cat. She's mine. You are all going to feel incredibly stupid when I come back laden with riches."

Ethel smiled uneasily, mostly worried and a little amused. It wasn't the first time someone called her cute, but it was the first time a complete stranger felt that way towards her. She nodded to the girl as she told her to stay away from Shardis. Before Ethel could tell her to be safe, the avian left the cave, her words echoing behind her. She returned to the fire, glancing warily at Shardis' sleeping form. The fire was warm, the flames danced in the light of the cave. The color returned to Ethel's eyes, deep hues of brown and her wings began to regain their swirls of color. Kevynor made a place for himself close to Shardis, where the warmth of her fur and the fire made him feel comfortable. He watched Ethel, finally satisfied and worry-free. He made it a point that he would tell Ethel that her scholar idol Medwick was a smart man, handling a group of rag-tag individuals like this.

With her energy reserves refilled, Ethel moved to Caoihime, gently taking her hand and putting her own over it. When she blinked, her eyes were white a soft glow hovered over the woman's hand. It healed the inner reaches of the injury, beneath the rearranged skin scaffolds. Medwick's magic was astonishing. It was the first time Ethel saw someone perform such intricacies in skin with shield magic.

Next was the thief. His arm was broken, he said. When Ethel touched it, she could see the dislocation at the shoulder and the small fractures in the elbow. It was a terrible blow, one that would normally take over a month to heal. She worked through repairing the bone first, filling the cracks and resetting the shoulder. Her magic curled through his veins, speeding up the healing process of the body itself and numbing the pain. It would take about an hour or so and there would be some soreness left in his arm, but the bone itself was healed. Ethel believed in helping people heal. If she took away just about all the pain, she worried they would feel invincible when they were not. As she worked, Kal was speaking to Medwick. Ethel was still listening, but only bits and pieces came through her concentration.

"Actually I can't assure you of that because I've not been a man of my word.... you do not 'own' me or my arm.....I will do everything I can to insure the safety of the party... must tell you, I am no hero."

Before an argument could ensue, Shardis lapsed into a feverish outburst, knocking coal over the expanse of the cave and thrashing about. The others helped to restrain her as Ethel attempted to find the reason for the fever. She unwrapped the wound to see the infection and bit her her lip. This was bad. It was possible that Shardis was going into septic shock. From the swelling around the wound, the thrashing about, and the fever, Ethel could assume as much. She leaned forward to take the cat's paw, checking her pulse. A tell-tale sign of a worsening septic infection was low blood pressure.

Ethel would have to reverse the infection, speed up the body's defenses and heal the majority of the wound to allow Shardis a form of recovery. Ethel was not a doctor, she was a healer. But this was a major wound that would take more than 30 minutes to heal. Without another thought, Ethel unwrapped the injury. She put the wraps of cloth around the area on the ground next to the wound. When she allowed it to bleed for a few seconds, she let the cloth soak up the blood and began to close the wound. Shardis. I am sorry for the pain. It'll be over soon. When Ethel was finished, Shardis would have a gallant scar and tenderness in the area, but the wound, the infection, and the threatening fever would become all but a memory.

Afterwards, she laid by the fire, watching the flames and lulling herself to sleep. She dreamed of avians, of beautiful white wings and a country of faes. It was an odd dream, one that was quickly cut off with the sounds of morning. Ethel opened her tired eyes to see Medwick gathering his possessions.

She rose from the ground to prepare herself to leave as well, reaching out for her sleeping aenigma, Kevynor.

"Ha, you were sleeping." She told him, gently brushing her fingertips against his silken feathers.

He awoke quickly, fluttering his wings. "Good morning!" he laughed.

Ethel smiled at him brightly, "Yes, good morning."

"How is Shardis?"

The two of them looked towards the sleeping feline. "She should be better, but sore. It was a large injury, for the first day of a journey."

"It's a relief the fever is gone."

Ethel laughed. When Shardis had been thrashing about the night before, Kevynor was shuddering in the cover, afraid of the cat's large paws.

"You had been scared!"

"Anyone would have!"

"No, just you, Kevynor," Ethel smiled and reached for her jacket and pack, wearing the two simultaneously. She braided her long brown hair now that it was dry and tucked into it her hood. She reached for her aenigma. Kevynor flew up, landing quickly in her palm.

"The weather seems to have improved..." She commented.

He was preening his feathers, preparing for the cold outside. At her words, he looked up, past Medwick to the mouth of the cave. "It looks better."

Ethel laughed.
[/DASH]

 

[lynzy]

After a looong stretch and a huuge yawn Shardis sat up and shook her self awake. It seemed like she had slept a century. Her back itched horribly so she started to rub it against the ice wall... Ice wall? Wha... where? She blinked the sleep away and came more to her senses as she took in the surroundings and the company she was with. "What's going on Galain? Where are we? and who are they?" She shook her shoulders, her back was really bothering her, she must have pulled a muscle when she...when she... &%$*# why couldn't she remember anything? Frowning she looked up to Medwick for answers.

 

[Asmodeus]

WHOOOSH!

One might have sworn the air displaced as Medwick's hand shot out to seize Shardis's large, furry ear. With a twist he brought the scratching Feleon down to his level. And as he pulled her from the ice wall he was shouting in the same snagged ear.

"What's going on, is that you're aggravating the massive internal injury you suffered last night! And if that were not enough, you are also aggravating my blood pressure with your incessant buffoonery!"

With his other hand he pointed in her face. One might have thought the scene a typical father-daughter exchange, were it not that Shardis was a foot taller and wider than the human. Medwick's words were a torrent.

"Your parents were the finest archaeologists I ever apprenticed to, and it chills me more than twenty ice storms that you have not inherited one drop of their grace or foresight!"

He twisted the ear again.

"But one day into the expedition and you are FLAILING at Avians on a mountain ledge! And not to mention the Ice Bear you brought down on us last week! For the common good of all Pegulis we should stake you to the ground right here and leave you to die!"

Behind the wrestling duo, Medwick's crow landed softly on the ice axe imbedded in the wall last night. It preened its feathers and blinked now and then at is master's tirade. Only when the mage stopped for air did the crow mutter something with marked disinterest.

"The Avian's being eaten by trolls."

* * * * * *​

Two Gargodel Trolls had remained on the ice bridge and were keeping watch as the other three descended. With their six limbs they moved like insects down the cliff. And at the bottom they had met most strange distraction as Aerie's aenigma darted at them. The companions of the civilized races were always fascinating to the wild creatures - little wisps of their tasty masters, like aroma before the food. Two of the trolls had abandoned the hunt entirely to swat at Pyre while the last set to uprooting the other spikes around Aerie.

But when she fell, and when she bade Pyre to flee, it left her a prime morsel for the trollish trio. They came at her with renewed intent. Barging and swiping through the field of stakes and skeletons, they were upon her in seconds. One grabbed her leg, hoisted her up, and opened its jaws around her skull. The teeth slammed shut with a crunch. And the troll roared. Its companion had grabbed Aerie's arm and yanked her away at the last moment. The second beast pulled at her, got one of her hands and thrust it in his mouth. He bit down, severing bone and spraying blood. Then he howled in pain. He had bitten his own finger off. The third troll had grabbed Aerie's wing and pulled her in the other direction.

A moment passed and the trolls realised that they each had a hand on the Avian. They began tugging with all their might and released a choral, salivating roar that echoed through the crevasses.

 

[DotCom]

Things had gone from bad to worse, and not just because she was about to die.

Aerie was not 'okay with death, per se. She'd never given it much thought. But it was well known in Avian cultures that a disowned Avian is an Avian without family, friends, and therefore, without protection. In the years since she'd left her home, she'd assumed, as she was sure much of her tribe had, that she'd die the instant she came across, for example, a fidgety Felleon. Then again, most Avians could just fly away from imminent danger, so death never really weighed to heavily on their minds.

But if she was going to die, and it seemed she was, because these dirty trolls clearly did not care she was much too small and semi-frozen for them to share, she'd rather do it heroically. If not on her own terms, than in a way that would make for legend. Her body and soul would be gone, but her memory would live on. The Avian who faced down the snow trolls, and didn't quite live to tell about it, but at least looked really cool while dying.

But, alas, it was not to be. After yesterday's accident, she couldn't fly more than a few feet off the ground at a time. She was hopelessly clumsy on the ground, and even more so now that one leg was torn open. The only weapon she carried on her was an admittedly sharp dagger, but it was roughly the same size as the trolls' vicious canines.

And more frustrating than all that? The beasts weren't even going to eat her. Or not soon enough, it seemed. First, they were going to toss her around like a rag doll between selfish, fussy children, her dangling in a not at all noble or dignified way, able only to get in a quick slash with wing or knife here and there.

She was faster than they, but a night dangling upside down had seriously impaired her senses, and also, they had eighteen arms to her lowly two. The most she could do was stab uselessly at fingers and sort of hope when they dropped her, yowling, she could fly long enough to avoid hitting the ground.

And one of the ugly things had snagged her wing, and none too gently. That was rude, on top of plain fucking inconvenient.

If Aerie wasn't about to be eaten, she might have been offended.

As it were, she was just a little concerned. Her own stupidity was no reason for her aenigma to drop from the skies.

"That damn bloody cat," she grunted, quite unnerved by the feeling of her limbs stretching and dislocating. Hopefully, the Felleon was not the one to find her, all quartered and dead.

 

[lynzy]

She scratched the back of her head and backed up half a step for balance's sake. Her ears flattened and pointed at a right angle in confusion as she 'listened' to the ranting man in front of her while his finger came close to going up her nose. With the way he was shaking it, it wouldn't feel good, she thought to herself, as she went cross-eyed staring at it. It was mesmerizing... up and down with what he was saying and then to the left...now right....back to up and down. She blinked and looked up at the crow as it came in for a landing. That was odd, Carvel wasn't one for so much company.

"The Avian's being eaten by trolls." Shar's eyes widened a bit at the words, now there was something that was worth listening to. Shardis wasn't really caring about the avian, it was the word 'trolls' that got her. If they were near then they were a threat to the group. More importantly, to Galain. The felleon growled low and deep in her throat as the hair on her back went up. She sniffed the slight breeze and sure enough, the sent of them was in the air, not heavy and noticeable at first. Being one not to plan things, Shardis roared a challenge that shook the walls around her as she flexed her paw-like hands and the three inch long claws came out ready to do some damage.

Barging past the now protesting Medwick, she gathered speed like a steam engine, heading straight for the trolls. The others looked at each other but no one wanted to try to stop her as Shardis went to all fours and began running. By the time she reached the bridge she was tearing up the ice and shards were flying all around her. Sliding to a halt, she roared another challenge, bared her fangs and took in the situation before her.

Two on top of bridge fussing with aenigmaes, for now Garth had gotten into the mix and was spitting ethereal fire at them and the trolls were too stupid to realize it wasn't real.


Three at the base of the pit where the spiked trap was, arguing over the avian, Shar frowned, It's the one I attacked, in that moment some of her memory returned. Although, at this moment it was not looking so good for the creature. Torn clothing, blood... possible injuries, armed with only a knife and not a very big one ether.

It was obvious which set of trolls to attack first. Especially since their reaction to her roar. The two on the bridge stopped what they were doing and backed away in surprise. While the ones below were too busy with arguing about their prize to care.

Shardis picked her path down the steep wall, grabbing here, leaping there, all the time her long fluffy tail swinging wildly to keep her balance. As she closed the last few yards she saw that each had a hand on the avian and they all roared as one and Shardis joined the choir as she leaped on the back of the nearest troll, the one that had the avian's wing.

The Gargodel Troll screamed and let loose it's hold on the wing as they tumbled around the pit breaking some of the remaining stakes that were in the ground. Catching the troll by surprise won her the quick victory as she sank her fangs into his neck and ripped his throat out in one swift motion.

The fight is ON! She thought to herself as she She stood up and spread her arms and roared her defiance at the remaining two trolls. With the avian now safely behind, the felleon dared them to come at her!

 

[E.T.]

Caoihme had much to think about that night. As she repaired her split glove, with a thick sinew thread, she occationally paused and would glance at her open palm curious as to how they had made it heal so fast. She had words to put to the phenomenon, magic, mana, energy but she simply put it into the category the wolves used the word middle for. In the wolf language there are several different meanings for the word middle, there was physical location; like being stuck between two other people, there was middle ground; that space between the tops of the trees and the where the clouds usually floated, and then there was the strange middle. Perhaps strange was not the best word but, to the wolves everything in this category exsisted with little understanding. The most common example was the wind, there was little doubt that it was there, on cold nights you could feel its bite and durning the day if you stood amount the pines you could hear it calling. However it did not respond to threats or cries, it had no physical flesh that could bite or maim, it had no scen of its own sides what it stole from others, and if you walked into it you would never find the source. Fire was in this category, a close kin to the wind, it was different in that it had a form of some kind, and it had a smell of its own, however it could bite but not be bitten, have a form but be able to share that space with other objects, and it does not respond to any kind of call or threat. Here is where Caoihme put magic, she knew it was a force, that it exsisted but, it had no form or smell, and she did not see how it worked.

After she had finished sewing her glove up she busied herself with getting ready for sleep. First she pulled the roots off of their sticks and wrapped them tightly in a thick wrapping of water reeds, sticking the package into the bottom of her pack. Then she pulled out her sleeping bag. She had to be careful as the egg was still lying at the bottom of the bag. After that she went about checking her coat and, satisfied that it was dry enough she stuffed it into her sleeping bag her gloves shortly joining her coat. Her boots she just left close to the fire so that they would not freeze during the night. Then she herself wriggled into the sack. It took her a bit to get comfy, adjusting her coat, and bringing the egg up so that it was secured in her arms. Bringing the egg close to her chest she lay on her side so that the egg was tucked under one shoulder with one arm wrapped around it.
For awhile she just lay like that staring into the fire, her chin resting on one crooked with the other arm protectively circling the egg. She was just beginning to drift off when Shardis started thrashing about wildly causing everyone within reach to jump on her trying to hold her down. While she had been one of the first to react to the situation she was also one of the last to reach Shadis's flailing body. Only after making sure that she didn't disturb the egg and that it would not be exposed to the chilling cold did she slither out of her bedroll and forcibly tackle Shardis's legs, wrapping powerful arms around them and using her weight to keep them from moving very far. Again as Ethel used healing magic to close the wound Caoihme could not help but wonder at the power of magic, she had seen it now both used in battle and to heal what should have killed. She almost thought she would have to find a better fitting category for this new force but, for now she would content herself with keeping it grouped with fire wind and the ocean.

Thankfully after the healing Shardis lapsed into sleep allowing for Caoihme to settle back down herself, tightly nestled between Ethel and Medwick. For someone who liked to keep a good distance around herself during the day she had quite the habit of sneaking close to people in the night until there was only a hairs breath between her and the person next to her. She also tended to wake up during the night, a habit developed from the constant night hunts she went on, but, at this point she would just wake up, move around a little bit, and then settle back down into a light sleep. When the morning dawned Caoihme greeted with a very large yawn that was copied by Galra who had spent the night curled on top of the bed roll. A few others were up and Caoihme joined them in getting ready for the day. She was just putting away her sleeping bag with the egg tucked back where it had been yesterday when Shardis woke up. For a bit she just watched the Felleon interested that she was up and about but, easily accepting it as an effect of magic. But, just as she was pulling on her heavy coat and slipping on her gloves she heard Medwick start yelling. It surprised and startled her enough that she adopted and submissive pose, head tilted to the side, body crouched over her pack, eyes looking down and slightly off to the side. It took her a few moments of nervous posturing to realize that Medwick's anger was not being directed at her or anyone else besides Shardis. Recovering herself she went about securing her jacket and making sure her gloves were tied on correctly, only occationally casting nervous glances in the direction of the shouting.

She was then surprised again when the crow landed and told them about the trolls trying to eat the avian that had walked out the night before. Up until this moment she had not heard the word trolls used, so she was unable to put the word into any sort of context. All she knew was that the trolls had to be on the larger side, or else they would probably not be trying to eat Aerie. She was about to ask something about the trolls when Shardis ran out, obviously intent on engaging the attackers. This did not seem like a very good plan to Caoihme, sure she had grown up with wolves but, even they liked to have a plan, they would circle, stalk, and carefully single out targets not just wildly rush about attacking anything that moved. But, she had a feeling that Shardis would most likely need a bit of help so after a glance around at the rest of the group she loped out after her. Not even bothering to match the lunging sprint that Shardis had adopted she chose something a bit slower methodical, and less likely to waste her energy and announce her presence to every living thing in the area. Just as she reached the edge of the canon Shardis was running down into the lower valley attacking the trolls that were bickering over their prize. Sinking low into the snow Caoihme snuck behind a little hillock of snow so as to quickly gather her thoughts.

Having now seen them she did recognize these great lumbering creatures. Her pack had actually hunted along side a small group once, they had played the part of shepherds and in exchange had gotten the trolls's leftovers. Now that Shardis had gone charging down they had lost much of their element of surprise, which was not a good thing when dealing with things that were many times bigger and stronger than themselves. So Caoihme opted for calling in some help, and then hoping her speed would keep her safe until the rest arrived. First she found a small niche nearby to store her bag, she might be able to take a hit or two but, she was not about to risk the egg. And then she threw back her head and howled. Aside from a few small tone differences it was a true wolf song. This particular one was a song of calling. Hoping that the rest of the group got the message she dodged out from her hiding spot and focused on the two troll on the bridge. Cautiously she approached, muscles tense as coiled steel she let out a snarled threat hopeing to draw the two s attention away from Shardis and onto herself. She a few moments she waited, there was not much she could do at this point but wait and hope that she would make it through this in one piece.

 

[Sakura]

тнe ғαe

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[DASH=#F5C4D4]
Things were getting hectic once more. Shardis roared out of the crevice into the lands outside in search of the trolls who were attacking the avian. Her sudden love for the avian perplexed the fae. She looked to Kevynor, who nodded, and the two of them raced after the feline, skirting through the snow. Ethel couldn't hope to catch up to Shardis and although she felt Caoihime's cautious approach was best, she was worried about the avian. Aerie's wings were not only frozen, but she was injured. Ethel didn't think anyone with a back injury would last very long against...

"Trolls." Ethel voiced the last bit of her thoughts aloud. Seven minutes of running as she reached the ends of the bridge. Several, several feet ahead of her, she could see the valley. Shardis was raging through it, attacking a troll to free the avian. Ethel could see more trolls hovering about at the other end of the bridge. She could feel the crisp winter air, the crunch of snow beneath her soles. And she could also feel the fear trickling up her neck.

"Trolls." Kevynor repeated, taking shelter on her shoulder, between the loosened waves of her braids. He was equally astonished.

In storybooks and factual encyclopedias, Ethel had read about trolls, but never imagined to see them in person. They were a gangly species, giant, with several arms and disgusting features. She felt both revolted and scared. The way they were tossing the avian around made her feel sick. And yet, bubbling with the same fear were desperate emotions to help.

She moved carefully, approaching the edge of the bridge, enough to give her a vantage point without taking the attention of the trolls across it. Although the bridge was broken, she didn't trust that they wouldn't find some way to cross. She pulled her bow from her back and strung an arrow, aiming carefully towards the trolls. There was no way that she could get into the valley. Flying was an option, of course, but she couldn't risk being captured as well. That would double the work for Shardis and potentially put the rest of the group in danger as well. Ethel was glad there were only three trolls to deal with. If the rest of the pack decided they were hungry, well.. She didn't want to dwell on that thought.



"Kevynor, there's something I must ask of you."

"Anything!"

"Ask the avian if she can fly up to the side of the bridge close to the cave where we slept. I will look after her."

"But that means I have to.."

"Kevynor." Her voice was stern. He knew he couldn't argue with her. This was a matter of life.

The hummingbird lowered it's head obediently and flew down into the ice valley, whizzing around the avian's head. "Fly up to the bridge, can you? Ethel will look after you."

It's too dangerous to stay in the valley. Though Shardis is fierce, the girl is injured. Ethel could see it was fairly easy for the trolls to leap down from the bridge to the valley, but it would prove to be difficult for anyone unable to fly. If there was one thing she was beginning to understand, it was that this group was always going to get into some trouble. And she would have to watch herself as she was going to have to heal them after reckless pursuits.


She released three arrows, all aimed for the second of the two remaining trolls.
[/DASH]

 

[Elflady]

Kana had once more fell into a light slumber, one disturbed by any unfamiliar sounds, until the thrashing of Shardis woke her up just in time to dodge hot coal that flew everywhere as the felleon stumbled to her feet in a feverish delirium, together with the others they practically tackled the large snow leopard felleon and had to struggle to restrain her while Ethel used her replenished magic to heal the wound. Kepping her curious eyes on the fae Kana studied how the light seeped into Shardis and worked it's, well, magic, healing in an intant what would have taken weeks, if not the fever or infection would have brought death instead. Magic had always fascinated Kana, in her eagerness to learn everything about it, how it worked, what it's limits were and what could be done with it she had been immensly disappointed when all her tries continued to end in failure. She had practically given up on learning magic of any kind before she and her father had moved to Kausteria, although her fascination would not go away.

As Shardis fell down into a deep slumber, Kana moved back to her place by the wall, in the small space the fire's warmth still reached her, and tried to settle back down and get some more rest although she doubted this half sleep would actually restore some of her energy. But this night no one would get much rest it seemed, a loud argument broke the silence in make-shift camp, Medvick was yelling at Shardis and her stunt before the avalanch, the mage's aenigmae came delivering a message, sounding quite bored.

"The Avian's being eaten by trolls."

Sitting up straight suddenly fully awake, the gruff avian who'd left the camp hours earlier had apparently walked into another sort of trouble than nature herself, she vaguely remembered reading about trolls a few times but she couldn't quite recall everything, but the important parts she kew. Trolls were large, dangerous and despite what could be thought by looking at them they were capable of intelligence. Shardis rushed of in a full sprint, her size and use of four legs propelled her away towards where the avian were much faster than any of the rest and Caoihme was quickly rushing after. Kana stood up quickly, removing the cover on her spear as she followed deeper into the ravine, her own fear of the tight space pushed aside for the moment.

Guided by an howl as hauntingly beautiful as a real wolf Kana finally coming up on the broken bridge, her eyes instantly caught by the trolls, their four arms ending in sharp, vicious claws posed a serious threat, muscled build and a fanged face that could give nightmare's didn't make things better, two were still on the bridge, challenged by Caoihme and Kana made her choice seeing as she wouldn't easily get down to where Shardis was with a remaining troll. Spinning her spear as she carefully moved closer the the trolls she cast a glance at the black haired woman, her vicious growls sending chills down Kana's spine, it was both intriguing and frightening to see a human act so much like a wolf. Snapping her dark eyes back to the threat Kana held the sharp spear head against the wide chest of one troll, prepared to stab or redirect a blow with the other end of the spear. Knowing an attack straight on could fail due to the muscle and hard skin of the creatures she preferred if they left an opening for her to reach a soft spot like the throat or below the arms.

 

[DotCom]

Because luck was not a thing Aerie was blessed with, and because there had been a storm, that had led to an avalanche, that had led to a cave, that had led to these reeking, hulking beasts, it was, of course, the Felleon who was first to find the cornered Avian, sore and quite nauseous, but no worse for wear. Mostly. There had been an instant there where she'd been terrified she was about to lose a wing, but then the great white cat had come storming through, all claws and fur, and an ugly scar where the tree had attacked her.

Aerie wasn't sure whether to be more annoyed or grateful. She settled on grateful for the moment, because there were no longer large beasts yanking on her wings, but it was a reluctant gratefulness.

Soon after the Felleon, who quickly dismantled one of the trolls while her aenigma joined Pyre in distracting the others overhead, followed the human-wolf girl, who howled, for whatever reason, but distracted the trolls long enough to Aerie to stagger to her feet. Then came the tiny fae, apparently armed with more than an incessant need to help, and immediately behind her, the other human girl.

It was a regular rescue party.

Unfortunately, Aerie hated being rescued.

And, as if to add insult to injury, the fae's small aenigma suddenly zoomed in over Aerie's head to ask that she kindly removed herself to the upper ledge where the fae would "look after her".

"Look after" indeed. Aerie didn't respond to the aenigma aside from a blank stare -- even she knew better than to converse with another creature's aenigma -- before pulling out her small dagger and lurching into the air.

Flying was going to be a problem for a while, but better that she work at it now when she was trying not to be eaten.

The trolls had six arms apiece, but only two eyes, and Aerie was fast even wounded. If one of them reached out to snag her again, she'd be in trouble. Fortunately, she had a sharp, tiny stick, and a cavern full of distractions. While Shardis and the fae put their weapons to the trolls, Aerie jerked into the air and overhead, aiming to blind.

 

[DrPepper]

Kal never had a chance to thank Ethel for healing his arm, thanks to Shar's outburst. He also didn't have a chance to jump in and hold her down, as the others already had the situation under control. During the quieter moments after Ethel cleansed Shar's wounds, Kal properly thanked Ethel for her help. He rotated his arm and noted the slight pain, but it was a lot better than before. He could actually use it now.

Before too much longer, Shardis awoke from her healing slumber and seemed to be doing well. Kal couldn't help but chuckle at Medwick scolding the felleon. It was almost like Shardis was still a rambunctious cub. As soon as Kal was ready to comment on the situation, the crow landed and shared the hilarious news he had discovered.

"Eaten by trolls!? Hahaha!" Kal's laughter rang throughout the crevice. "That's what she gets!" A chuckle followed his voice as he ran with the rest of the group. He didn't care too much to save the avian, in fact it might have suited the party better had she actually died for going against the warnings of the group. No matter, when Kal arrived with everyone else, he joined in the battle by drawing both of his daggers. The bird was still alive and Kal had to at least try to preserve her life. He owed at least that much to the group.

From Kal's neck, Sarrthas looked up at the fae knocking her arrows then down at the troll she was aiming at. "I doubt three arrows would do a troll in...Kal help her out, that one!"

A grin spread across Kal's face as he dashed towards the target. He leaped over Shardis who had just finished shredding a troll's throat and held his daggers above his head. The moment of action seemed to go in slow motion. One after the other, three arrows hit their mark, staggering the troll into an open position. Only a second after the arrows hit, Kal swung his two daggers down, slashing the troll's face and burying the blades deep into the troll's chest. Holding the daggers tightly, the forest kin rode the troll to the ground as thick blood spurted and sprayed from the troll's mouth.

Once the troll hit the ground, Kal twisted his blades with all his strength to cause as much damage as he could while pulling them from between the troll's ribs. One quick slice to the troll's gullet assured Kal that the beast wouldn't get back up. It all happened so quickly, Kal's movements were fluid and precise. After slashing the throat, Kal quickly rolled on to the last remaining troll below the bridge, slashing at his ankles as he rolled past and attempting to evade any attacks that might have followed the death of the troll turned pincushion.

 

[Asmodeus]

"Wait for me!"

With as fast a limp as he could muster, Medwick followed the sound of Caoihme's howl through the twisting crevasse. Tegol was somewhere behind him, having been the last to wake, and was either readying weapons or packing up the camp. Who knew? All that mattered was what lay ahead. The mage had wrenched his falchion from its frozen sheath and carried it in one hand. The blade got wider towards the tip and thus combined the lightness of a short sword with the momentum of an axe. It trailed a sash of crimson from its hilt, as if in prophecy of the coming bloodshed.

When the ravine opened out, Medwick beheld the valley through misting breath. Shardis had savaged one of the trolls, and Kal had brought down another. Precisely how the convict had gotten down there was anyone's guess. Between them Aerie was flitting on outstretched wings to harry the final beast which, panicking, resorted to hurling the wooden pikes, like missiles, at his three foes. The valley rung with the thud of wood striking the walls and skimming flesh.

Meanwhile, the remaining two on the bridge were entering the fray. With roars both anguish and hunger they broke into a charge. And like insects possessed of inordinate power, they launched into the air and cleared the gap of the bridge. The first crashed down into Kana, impaling its shoulder on the spear she braced. Blood sprayed, flesh tore, but the Troll kept coming. Medwick saw Kana's feet slide backwards as she struggled with the weight of the creature. And together they collided with the wall near the crevasse. Kana fought to keep hold of the spear, its shaft slick with blood, while the three remaining arms of the Troll slashed and flailed. It was carving into the ice around her as she braced.

The second troll leapt further. It arched straight towards Caoihme, whose head was still tipped back in wolf-song. And shortly beyond her Ethel was taking sniper point on a ridge. They would be easy targets. Medwick's heart surged and he threw himself between them. The troll crashed down on their side of the bridge and a spray of white enveloped the mage, troll and Caoihme. But Medwick was in the middle. His falchion swung and took a brace of fingers from the Troll's leading hand. They dropped in a crimson spray and were mourned by roaring. Medwick reversed the blade and stabbed double-handed into the mist, where he felt the falchion tip plunge through thigh-meat.

Then the air was knocked from his body. With both right arms the Troll swung, caught Medwick, and slammed him against the wall beside Ethel. Snow and ice fell on mage and healer in a freezing shower. They were sprinkled in white.

And Caoihme was left before the troll. It was limping towards her, the mage's sword skewering its leg, and blood dripping from its stumped fingers.

 

[E.T.]

Caoihme ended her song of calling with a sharp yelp as the troll crashed onto their side of the bridge. Her body seemed to be moving to slowly for what was proceeding around her. Off balance from holding her head back Caoihme found no purchase in the slick ice at her feet. And she watched with wide wild eyes as the troll reared out of the spray of snow that had been thrown up into the air with its landing. The next moment however the troll backed off half a step its leading hand spreading an arc of crimson. The roar that followed was enough to break through the panic that had iced her muscles. Crouching low she dodged to one side, she was about to spring when the troll lashed out, catching Medwich in his midriff and sending him slamming into the cliff face with a heavy thud. Now both of the trolls small dark eyes became fixed on Caoihme, tinged red with anger and pain they showed the creatures murderous intent.

With no time to think a little time to act Caoihme sprang forward. The troll was stronger, bigger, and surprisingly fast for one so large but, Caoihme was faster, more agile, and was able to read the monsters movements. With no time to really plan she chose what was instinctually ingrained into her memory, go for the weakest link, and strike hard to deliver the most damage. Narrowly ducking under one of the troll's sweeping arms she coiled her body tightly and collided with Medwick's sword. Then planting her feet firmly she pushed up as hard as she could while at the same time pulling the blade out. With a roar like a metal hammer striking rock the troll tittered backwards towards the edge of the bridge. But, as he approached the very edge he seemed to regain his balance, his weight shifting forward so that he was not leaning backwards over the sheer drop. With a snarl cutting across her face Caoihme charged forward again. The falchion blade felt klunky and awkward in her grip as she swung it up in preparation to strike, so different from her own small hunting blade. There was no time for doubts or sentiment however as she leapt up of the ground and struck at the troll. For a moment they both just balanced there nothing keeping the troll from tumbling backwards but flailing arms and a single planted foot. These were not enough. Just as his balance tipped in favor of the dead drop into the spiked valley below Caoihme pushed off using powerful hind legs to keep herself, and the sword, from taking the plunge as well.

The strike had been perfect however the dismount could have been a lot better. At the last moment a hand with stumps for fingers shot out and grasped the back of Coaihme's pant leg. Taken totally by surprise her grip had loosened on the hilt chasing the blade to spin out of her hands back onto the bridge as she was pulled over the edge.

It was hard to say what Coaihme's was most thankful for right this moment. Her long years spent climbing trees and navigating sheer cliff faces, the fact that the troll's grip was compromised by the loss of fingers and the blood slicking his palm, or that there was even a place to grap on the side of the ice bridge, we're all top contenders in her mind at this moment. As the troll and pulled her over the cliff her hands had scrambled wildly at the side of the bridge desperately searching for anything to hold onto. She had been reward with a small ledge, hardly an inch deep, breaking her fall and causing the troll to lose his grip on her pant leg. Glancing down below Capihme could seem the corpse of the troll spread eagle wih several spikes jutting up through his flesh. Looking back up Capihme was reminded just how much shit she was in. She was a little bit over four feet from the edge of the bridge. To far for her to reach up and grap the edge, to far to be reached by a single persons arm length, besides she doubted that she could support herself with only one hand on the tiny ledge. Giving an experimental kick with her feet she encountered another problem, she had reached the bottom of the bridge. With everything from the waist down hanging freely in the open air there was no place to put her feet, and no way for her to bring her foot up high enough so that she could give herself a leg up. Feeling her arms starting to shake slightly quickly followed by a rising level of panic. She called out to anyone who was on the bridge above. "Help! I stuck!" in her panic she was starting to revert to wolf, little whimpers and yelps occationally escaping her mouth. And while on a usual day she was not. The greatest at speaking the common tongue, now her grammar was deteriating rapidly.

 

[DotCom]

I bet they'll all want a damn apology, too. This is why it's best to venture out on one's own. And avoid caves. And snow. And Felleon.

Following the Great White Whale's arrival, there had been a flurry of blood and activity in which Aerie was more or less able to extricate herself from the situation. Were it not for her pride, she might have abandoned the motley party altogether, though that now seemed impossible. She'd managed to get close enough to gouge out the eyes of two of the four remaining trolls: one was half blinded, clutching it's face as the haughty forest kin flailed at it; the other had since been somewhat incapacitated by Ethel and the human mage. Aerie was feeling quite proud of the service she'd done herself and the others, when the strange human-who-spoke-like-a-wold began to cry for help.

Almost literally. For a moment, Aerie just wanted to laugh, but it was such a strange sight, the could not. The girl clung to the icy wall, already trembling with exertion. Squinting up, she saw her aenigma and one or two others still trying to distract the only remaining troll; there was no help to be given or gotten there.

She shrugged (with a wince) and flew down to hover painfully near the wolf girl.

"Well, you're not stuck," she said casually, examining the situation. Strategic planning had never been her strong suit. "You could just let go. But I wouldn't recommend it if you've a love for your legs."

Of course, the immediate solution would be to pull the girl up, but it would have been a stretch even if Aerie hadn't injured her back and wings the previous night. As it were, she was barely able to support herself in the air, though the brief flight through the briefer battle had certainly rejuvenated her mood, if nothing else.

She could grab ahold of the girl and lower them both with some haste to the floor below, but then how would the wingless creature find her way back to the top? The cat was still down there, and seemed well enough to climb, but after having been nearly murdered by a tree, Aerie seriously doubted the Felleon's ability to scale the wall back up to the bridge.

Just then, the spear-hurling troll turned there way and flung one of the wooden posts Aerie had spent her night among into the wall. It whizzed by her, just missing a wing, and struck the wall not a foot from where wolf-girl hung, where it stuck, quivering. Aerie stared at it, rather stunned for a moment, then shrugged again.

"Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Excuse me, Madame Dog?" she tried politely (and with perhaps an inflated air of gravitas). "I recognize you and I are not the closest of acquaintances. Or acquaintances at all. Unfortunately, if our angry friend here keeps hurling spikes, we'll be the worst kind of new friends. If you take my hand, I can support us long enough to get to this newly formed rung. It ought to hold your weight long enough for us to find more able help. Failing that, I'll blind the thing and make you a few footholds with m'trusty knife here. What say you?"

 

[Elflady]

When the troll lunged forward Kana hadn't the time to react, she had waited for an attack but the surprising speed of this large creature had taken her off guard, sliding backwards Kana struggled in vain to stop, digging her feet into the ice but the force of the impact and size of the troll kept pushing her backwards. Suddenly she was slammed into the ice wall, her breath knocked from her lungs, her elbow threatening to give way under the pressure, forcing herself to ignore it for just a bit more she fiercely refused to let go of her spear. With furious swipes vicious claws tore deep marks in the thick ice around her, shards flying everywhere as Kana tried to make herself small while she fought to gain a foothold, a searing pain shot through her as one claw grazed her jaw and continued it's downward motion to tear down over her upper arm, only her thick coat prevented any serious damage.

Seeing his lopos attacked Raeus dove towards the troll with a furious shriek, flapping his wings harmlessly around the troll's head to distract it, gaining some height he dove once more, even his small stature couldn't quite erase the impressive mix of eagle and lion as he tried his best to give his lopos some time. Feeling the troll shift it's attention to the new annoyance Kana took the moment to gain her posture again, in one quick motion she used the spear as a hand hold, pressed her back against the wall and slammed her feet into the troll's chest just as it moved to swipe at Raeus. The troll toppled backwards a few steps and Kana pulled with all her might to remove the spear from it's shoulder, with a sickening sound flesh and muscle gave way and Kana stumbled back to avoid falling.

Gripping the spear harder, the wood slippery with blood, Kana didn't give either the troll or herself to think for long, throwing herself forward she rammed her sharp spear into the troll's leg, twisting it as the beast fell she managed to rip it out before it would be ripped from her hands. Bracing herself Kana sank her spear into the creature's throat between the large muscles, for a few seconds the troll kept breathing, bubbles forming and breaking where the spear pierced it's air pipe before it fell limp.

Looking up Kana noticed that both the other troll and Caoihme were nowhere to be seen, the troll she was just glad to be rid off but where would the young woman disappear to? Raeus swooped down close her, his wing brushing her cheek,"the wolf girl is in trouble. She'll fall soon." Kana followed Raeus as a guided her to where Caoihme clung for her life, she was too far down to reach with an arm and way to high up to drop safely, using her spear she hacked grooves in the ice to use as foot holds before turning her attention back to Caoihme. "Hey, do you think you can get a good grip on my spear? I can pull you up." She called down to the girl, seeing the fear clearly in her face. "Could you help lifting if I pull?" Kana said directing her words to the avian hovering in the air by Caoihme.

 

[lynzy]

(This is a collaberated post by DrPepper and lynzy, enjoy! lol)



Glancing over his shoulder, Kal nodded at Shardis with a sinister grin spread across his face. "Shall we!?" He growled, turning back to the last troll standing. The muscles in his legs tensed and released, slingshoting the forest kin head on towards the beast. Leaning in to a heel first slide, the wild fighting convict planted his foot squarely into the troll's shin, knocking it slightly off balance and drawing the full attention of the beast away from Shardis.

Shar crouched down and shifted her weight back and forth from one foot to the other in anticipation. Licking her lips she tasted the blood of the other troll she had killed. It had a bitter taste to it but was better than the field rations she had been eating up until the avalanche had taken her pack. The felleon was left with no food, sword or even her brush, she really missed her brush!

Blinking, she wiped her mind of all loose thoughts as she sprung like a coiled snake. Shardis hit the troll in his back just below it's second set of arm's shoulder blades. She grappled with that set of arms while biting into it's back.

Rolling to his feet, Kal smiled a toothy grin as the troll flailed wildly, trying to get the ferocious felleon off of its back. All of its arms were reaching around in all sorts of awkward positions. It was attempting to claw Shardis' face with one set of arms, and the others were simply trying to push her off. Swaying madly in a frenzy of anger and surprise, the troll decided to try and bash Shardis off of its back by slamming into a nearby stone.

Kal was quick to react when he saw the beast running backwards towards the large rock. Breaking into a full sprint, Kal chased the frenzied troll until its body collided with the stone wall. Kal's dagger met the beast's stomach as it rebounded off of the wall, and in a flash he had retreated out of reach. He took but a second to see how Shardis had made out during the troll's efforts.

"Whoof!" She hit the bolder hard where, evidently, she had been injured by a tree, as Medwick had told her. Pain shot through her like a fire on a thatch roof. It took everything she had to keep her hold on the lower arms. However, she did have to bite the creature again so she clamped down on the other lower shoulder blade instead. This was followed by a howl of pain and more of the monster trying to grab her while she shifted this way and that to avoid those arms as before. Then another voice of pain came as the thief sliced open its gut letting the entrals fall to the floor. Shar couldn't see what had happened but wasn't about to let go yet as the troll slipped on its own innards and fell to the ground on its knees.

Shardis seemed like the blow took a little out of her, but she was still holding on. Kal decided to end this. Making one more move against the failing troll, Kal relieved Shardis' duty with one clean cut. Deflecting and sliding past the trolls wild arms with ease, Kal forced one last thrust into the kneeling troll's gullet. It was like a freshly tapped keg of dark red wine as blood poured out of the opening left by the knife. Once Shardis released the corpse, it would fall into a puddle of it's own diluted blood.

"Good fight!" Kal extended a friendly hand to Shardis before looking around the area to see how the rest of the party was doing.

Shar took the offered hand and used it to help herself to her feet with a slight groan and also looked around the cavern taking in the seen.