The Prosperos Quest

[Hounds]

Tegol was the last to exit the camp site but as he made his way to the crevices opening a sixth troll had ambushed him and forced him back into the narrow space, Tegol tried to draw his sword but the hilt caught on the rock wall. Before he could adjust the troll was one him, its four arms swung wildly as it tried to slash and cut Tegol with it's claws. As it pushed Tegol found it harder and harder to dodge the beasts attacks. It was driving him into a corner and if he'd didn't act soon he'd nothing more than a sitting duck, In a last ditch effort Tegol dived for the gap between the trolls legs hoping to slide out the other side. As he did one of the troll hand side swiped him and he was tossed into a wall of rock and ice.

The troll wasting no time pounced on the injured Nocturne two of it had had him pinned the lower two were used to keep it's balance, Tegol thrashed trying to break the beasts grip but to no avail. The troll opened its gruesome jaw its breath smelled of rotten meat and some other putrid smell. It bit down connecting with his chest plate the beast reeled one of its' teeth had broken against the armor. But it refused to let go of its prize and pulled Tegol up with it slamming him against the other side of the crevice, once it had recovered it went for the kill a second time however it aimed for his instead intent on finishing him off. With no other option Tegol let out a quick incantation the amulet under his armor roared to life and a bolt fire shot from underneath his armor spread through the openings around his neck arms and waist, taken by surprise the troll released him and stumbled back. Tegol was in immense pain the fire had scotched his chest, both arms, his waist and part of his face. If he got out of this he'd heal it later for now he still need to settle matter with the troll luckily he now found himself on the opposite side of the crevice the mouth just behind him. This he had plenty of room to draw his sword.

With sword in hand Tegol charged the beast before it could regain it's composure he plunged the sword into the beast chest, or at least that's where he thought he had; the area around his right eye had been burned in his attempt at freedom, with his aim off the sword had connect just to the left of the trolls heart still deadly but not quick enough to finish it before it could retaliate. It let out an ear piercing cry before it flung one of its hands at Tegol knocking him towards the exit. The troll began to advance sword still embedded in its chest, each step became more labored than the last for it every breath harder, the beast could tell it was dying but rather than try to save itself it seemed hell bent on dragging Tegol down with it. Tegol still in pain from his burns was barely able to stand before the troll was in front of him, its massive claw positioned over its head ready to deliver a death blow of it's own. But just as the beast prepared to strike it instead fell forward almost pinning him to the ground. Tegol had used the last of his strength to throw himself just out of the trolls path the body fell just outside the crevice's opening one of its hands slumped just over the edge of the cliff side where the other were.

 

[Sakura]

тнe ғαe

єтнєℓ ℓуѕαη∂єя
[DASH=#F5C4D4]
She felt a tad bit embarrassed to have not seen that troll coming and to have put herself and Caoihime in such a precarious position. It had seemed like a good vantage point just until the troll came raging towards them. Luckily, some gods must have been in her favor. The swift Medwick attacked the troll in a flurry of snow and scythes. Ethel tried to stay out of the way, knowing her uselessness in battle. Medwick, however, was thrown into the wall to her left and she scrambled after him to see if he was okay.

"Medwick! Are you-"

There was a tumble of snow and ice falling from above them, showering the cold flakes upon them. It wasn't quite as gentle as it sounded. The snow was cold and the tiny frozen bits scratched against her cheeks. Still, she was thankful for his rescue.

She brushed snow off her head and clothes, looking to Medwick. "Thank you!" She smiled. Then she turned to watch as the others took care of the trolls. A sense of relief bubbled up inside her as well as a tiny bit of irritation.

The lot of them are so risky! If they just stopped to think they might be less injured!

Ethel sighed. From Aerie to Shardis to Tegol. There was almost a long line she was to attend to. All because some of them were suffering from happy feet.

Oh. They would surely hear it from her at their next camp.
[/DASH]

 

[lynzy]

Taking in all that had happened above them and then down on her and Kal's level, Shardis clapped the boy on the back with a hand that felt like it was made of iron as she let out a short but loud bark of laughter. "Good job young pup, good job!" She frowned as he stumbled from the attention and shook her head. "For such a week looking lad you show amazing promise."

"Well come along boy, don't doddle about, we made enough racket to wake the dead. I am sure we will meet their brothers ere long and this doesn't look to be the best place to defend." Her ears lade back at the thought of how open an area it was.

Quickly ascending the way she had come down, stopping only to make sure Kal kept his footing in the looser spots while following her up, she caught sight of the others over the rim. Shar looked around for Medwick and quickly lost her good humor and smile as she caught sight of his crow standing on the shelf next to the healer. It flapped it's wings in an uncharacteristically strange way while cawing loudly. As she approached, Shar noticed it was rather more transparent than usual in appearance and you could almost see through it. This could only mean one thing and she fell to her knees beside her spirit brother. The felleon looked down at the tiny girl with the pretty wings and asked, "will he be alright?" Shardis began to fidget while she waited for the answer.

 

[E.T.]

Caoihme tried her very best not to snap at Aerie as the avian hovered nearby slowly and carefully debating what to do as Caoihme clung with a death grip to the side of the cliff. Her mouth was set in a grim line as she buried her face into the snow dusted ice before her, trying her very best to keep herself as calm as possible. Just as she was looking back at Aerie fully ready to make a harsh remark she nearly lost her grip as the final troll picked up one of the stakes and flung it in their direction, imbedding it into the cliff a foot from where she was. After the initial wave of panic passed she tried unsuccessfully to swing her leg up on top of the stake. Hearing the bird girl talk again she was only half listening, her mind ready to filter out any filler or other pointless sentences, as the rest of her brain was debating if she could take the risk of switching her hand positions so as to boost herself up and hopefully be able to get a foot over the log. However when she heard what the avian was saying she looked over at her with wide eyes and was about to give another small nod when she heard someone else approaching from the bridge. Looking up she was very glad to see Kana also ready to help.

"At, three I jump." Caoihme said slowly and carefully knowing that if they really screwed this up that she would be dragging one of them down with her if she fell. "One, two, three..." When she hit three she suddenly pulled up with her hands, while kicking her legs up much like a swimmer getting out of the water. Then once she was with in reach she grabbed the shaft of Kana's spear, and then feeling the fabric of her coat tighten under her armpits as Aerie grabbed her she kicked her legs out to either side, planting one on the wood spike and pressing the other one into the side of the cliff to balance herself. Once she found her footing things went very smoothly. The stake had imbedded itself high enough up that after gaining her balance she was able to give a small leap and get most of her torso over the edge of the cliff. Pushing herself up Caoihme quickly got her lower half up and over the edge before turning around and sitting down with a thump. Peaking over the edge she then looked at Aerie and Kana murmured something that sounded like a thank you before flopping onto her back in the snow. For a few moments she just lay there using the time to get her heart rate under control. Then she let out a low whine, not like the panicked and scared ones she had been uttering earlier, no this one was more like a sigh. Finally she opened her eyes and looked around, even sneaking a second look over the edge to see what had happened to the rest of the group.

 

[DotCom]

Not that she would ever admit it, but Aerie was absurdly happy that SpearGirl had happened over when she did. Sure, the trolls were more or less no longer a problem, and it was a pretty good thing that she was alive. But she had been dangling upside down all night, and her flight ability was haphazard at best. She'd have barely been able to lift DogGirl on a good day, let alone fly her to safety. Hovering a few seconds shouldn't have been too much of a challenge, but having to find out the hard way would, to put it plainly, kill them.

"Oh, good," Aerie said, almost brightly. "We've got a party going. Because those never cause trouble." She nodded at SpearGirl, and then DogGirl, who sort of grunted out that she was going to count to three. Aerie stretched and braced herself the best she could.

Not enough, as it turned out. If DogGirl had been StBernardGirl, or if SpearGirl had never showed up, she and her rescuee would have been red smears on the ground with the dead troll. As it were, they managed, albeit with a feeling like Aerie was going to lose a wing in the process.

But she didn't, and the three girls, grunting, returned DogGirl to safety before all three collapsed in a panting heap. It was a moment before Aerie could sit up and offer a handshake to the other two.

"Well done. Go team. We're number one. And so on and so forth."

 

[DrPepper]

Lurching forward at Shardis' "appreciative" gesture, Kal laughed awkwardly and heaved a thanks, the air clouding heavily in front of him as air was forced from his lungs. The fight was over in a flash thanks to everyone's help. Following Shar's lead, Kal ascended towards Medwick and the fae healer, both very important assets to the team.

Kal had made it to the top only slightly after Shardis. Upon seeing the felleon kneeling next to her close friend, and the leader of this expedition, a question of concern escaped his lips. "Oh Gods...is he okay?" The convict was more worried about the report Medwick would have to give at the end of the expedition; the report that would give Kal his freedom in the north. "Can I help?" the freezing forest kin asked through chattering teeth. Before there could be an answer, the avian squawked on in a sarcastic manner, at least that's how Kal understood it.

"Shut your sarcastic trap, fowl! It's your damn fault we even ended up in this mess!" Barking at the avian as he knelt beside Shardis, Medwick, and Ethel, Kal turned his eye back toward Ethel, hoping that she would give good news about Medwick. All the while the deathly chill crept further and further into the thin forest kin's core. His clothes were wet and stiff, his adrenaline was wearing off, and a dull pain started to settle into his shoulder.

 

[Asmodeus]

"Of course I'm alright!"

A clump of snow smushed Shar's face as Medwick pushed her from his personal space. Then he sat up and shed a coat of powdery white that mostly fell in Ethel's lap. "Wash your chin and go help Tegol up." He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the belated Nocturne who had fallen foul of a sixth troll in the crevasse.

Gripping Kal's shoulder as he cursed the Avian, the mage pulled himself to his feet and assessed the scene. Caoihme had just been hauled from the edge of the bridge and Aerie and Kana were beside her. Everyone was in order, if that was the word for it. Medwick joined them and scooped his half-frozen sword from where it had fallen.

"Alright, alright. Let's save the recriminations until we've gotten food and shelter. Blaming the Avian for our every misfortune is a luxury that can wait."

He peered into the valley below, through the fog of snow-dust still whirling from the fight. There were at least a dozen wooden pikes still set in the ground. The troll trap had been crude but effective. Among the skeletons that hung upon the spikes Medwick could make out the still fleshy remains of a couple of mountain goats and a single Doeki yak. They had been there maybe a day or so. The outer meat would be vermin-ridden by now, but there might still be some choice cuts around the bone.

Better than eating the Avian... he supposed...

His back stung with the impact of being hurled into a wall. He knew he would have to keep moving, lest the muscles settle to a painful wallow. Turning to regard the party, Medwick kept his voice crisp like the air. "Now then, we need to work together. I know that's a strange, alien concept to you all, but indulge me. Shar, since our winged sisters are under the weather, we'll need you to jump across that breach." He pointed with his sword at the gap between the two spurs of the ice bridge. "We'll pass some wood pikes to you and fashion a bridge to get us all across. Tegol, Kana - you're our pike fetchers."

When the last troll began hurling spikes, many of them had landed on the ledges or embedded in the valley walls. It wouldn't be too taxing to retrieve them, and Tegol and Kana possessed to muscle needed.

"Kal, however you scaled that cliff before, you're going to show me and Caoihme. We'll take a rope down and clean out those traps. Look for the least frozen meat. I'm sure it's not the first time you two have scavenged."

He turned to the final untasked duo. "Good Angel and Bad Angel," He pointed to Ethel then Aerie. "Gather the rest of our equipment. We may have to throw it across the gap. And keep an eye on the valley and crevasse. There's fresh blood here, and more predators will be coming."

After minimal retorts, the group got to work. Gathering the pikes was easy enough, but they proved insufficient to bridge the gap by their length alone, so Kana and Tegol set to lashing them together to form a haphazard lattice. It was enough to bear weight for a moment, so each member crossed the bridge with a hop and leap to be caught by Shardis. Meanwhile, down below, Kal and Caoihme showed equal ingenuity in dismembering and bagging the few good carcasses from the trap. With their loot of meat they ascended again and followed the Avians across the pike bridge.

An hour had passed.

Medwick was the last to follow and gathered the remaining bags as he went. He stepped over a troll's body while crossing to the rope. "Too bad the Gargodels are full of toxin. We would have feasted like kings."

No one heard this. The others were too busy crossing the breach to look back at Medwick. And thus... no one saw the movement behind him. And even if they had been looking his way they might not have seen it... so slight and subtle it was. For though they had taken the animals from the traps, and many more had crumpled during the fight, a few skeletons still hung on the remaining pikes.

And one among them... the skull of an oxen... turned slightly on its wood skewer to peer at Medwick's back.

 

[Asmodeus]

The Untoward Tower​

When the snowstorm struck from the ocean, it was with the force of sentient anger, and with the effect of whitewash hurled upon a canvas. All that had been painted on the Norsigul Mountains was now rewritten, as if a great artist had been dissatisfied and started over. Medwick and Shardis had run many dig sites in these ranges, but they have never gone this high, and had never dealt with such an editing of nature as this. Paths that once had been were now gone. Cliffs had become slopes from the pure deluge of snow. Crevasses had opened or else iced over to make one mountain part of another. Every step the party took was unsure and strenuous.

The paltry meal of goat and yak had fueled them for a few hours, but now, with their labour, that fuel was burning off.

By midday they had come to an area of unnavigable passes and had been left no choice but to go up and over, near to the peak. Temperatures had plunged, but their exertions kept them warm. The snow had settled at least, and what vegetation remained exposed was easy to extract and burn whenever they rested.

And though no one would say it out loud, it was clear to all that the rendezvous with the rest of the convoy would not be today, as Medwick planned.

When at last they passed between two peaks (which may have been a valley in one mountain, or a frozen bridge between two), the sun was low enough to be blocked on one side. In the shadow the ice was harder, which eased their struggle but made them acutely aware of the killing cold in which they moved. The hope of shelter - a warm fire, a roof, a hot bath - was the thing that drove them on.

And by late afternoon, as if a mirage had answered their delusions, a solid outline came clear amidst the slick and jagged snowscape.

They huddled by a ridge of frozen snow, and peered over it at the tower in the distance. Medwick's brow was furrowed. No one in Pegulis lived up here, let alone one who could build with masonry. The Avians were not stone-crafters, and Trolls and Orcs were nowhere near this sophisticated. This eight-storey tower made no sense. It should not have been there.

The mage racked his brains, tracing in his memory the maps he had lost in the snowdrift. He could not, for all his effort, remember any record of structures being built on the Norsigul Steps.

But even in all its mystery, the building was uniquely inviting in this time of need.

"Any of you fancy sneaking up there?" he said with a nod to the tower.

 

[DotCom]

Aerie was striding (or stumbling) forward before Bossy Human had finished his sentence.

"I'll go," she said, without so much as a backward glance. "For the love of all that is good in the world, I will go. I can fly. Mostly." It was roughly true. She wouldn't be winning awards for speed or grace anytime soon, but the time in the covered crevasse had seeped into her bones and was making her more than a little stir crazy. Everyone, she was sure, was silently irritated with her politely warning them of the danger of the trolls by providing her own fragile body as bait. Honestly, it was an impressive sacrifice, and she couldn't understand why she ought to be punished for it. Or at least Snake Man was.

She was also running out of snarky nicknames for people, and could use a little space to clear her head.

Mostly, though, the tight walls and slow travel time hadn't given her so much as an instant since the storm to stretch her wings, and she was quite certain that unless she used them, they were going to fall off. She'd been practicing as they went, drawing stares and ire as she buffeted everyone ahead of her with an otherwise impressive wingspan, kicking up snow as she did. Each wingbeat sent a trail of pain down her spine, but it was doable. Trudging through the snow on clumsy feet and a sore leg was by far the worse fate, anyway.

She stepped forward and squinted up the side of the building, expertly hiding (she hoped) the brief trill of fear that colored her face. It looked...taller up close. The height she did not mind, but she wasn't sure her damaged wings would be up to the task. And how unfortunate would it be to get halfway up, cramp, and then fall to her death?

These know-nothing lay-abouts would almost certainly be devoured by the next traveling party of ogres or beasts she wouldn't be able to warn them about.

She turned to Bossy Human. "Presumably, you'll want me to build a bridge or throw down some rope?" she said. He hadn't commanded anyone to do anything in almost thirty seconds. She thought he might be getting bored. "I only ask so that I can tell you no."

This was partly because she wanted to say no to him, but mostly because she didn't want to risk weighing herself down any more than she had to. The struggle with Spear Girl and DogGirl had nearly proven that one for her.

"Besides, it'll be easier for the various cripples if I just pop open the front door. Pyre?" Pyre, still sullen from the morning's fight, settled on her shoulder, and ethereal wisp of light and flame.

"If there are objections," she said grandly, stretching her wings to their full length, "speak now, or forever hold your peace. Or hold your peace for a few minutes. Or not at all. I won't be able to hear you shouting for long."

 

[lynzy]

While Aerie gave her speech and others moved about or sat and listened. Medwick was more or less facing the tower and giving it his 'judgement stare', as she liked to call it, Shar was working on her fur.

She had rolled about in some of the newer snow and managed to look like a kid making snow figures with all the squirming it took to get some 'parts' of her anatomy cleaned of the mud and blood that had dried. She then sat up and rubbed some blood out of her arm fur with hand fulls of the fluffy new stuff.

Then like a bear, she stood next to a wall of the older ice and began rubbing her head and then, like an itch that moves when you scratch it, Shardis began working her back on it (it had started to itch something fierce). Galian turned around just in time to she her finish up on the rub down with a huge shake to remove the ice crumbs, which flew everywhere. Some of it spattered him as he frowned up at the snow leopard felleon.

Sometimes you argue, sometimes you sigh and nod...by the looks of it this was a sigh and nod thing coming up so Shar smiled a bit as she said, "Well there's no point in me volunteering for it. I am not a sneaky type of person. So, I figured I would clean up a bit while you rambled on." She knew this statement would irritate him and she was ready for his comeback if he bothered.

This was fun, this was her element, she loved the cold frosty snow. Its smell, taste and feel. The wind didn't bother her much at all ether. While others stood and chattered teeth and shivered and tried to huddle for warmth Shardis worked on her shoulder/ back area again and sighed in pleasure. If she had a full tummy she would be in heaven. That thought changed her mood as her stomach growled loudly.

It was a crying shame that they couldn't eat the trolls. They really weren't that bad of a tasting flesh. The poison didn't seem to bother her much, but she left it in Galian's hands, he knew more about this stuff. Shardis on more than one occasion had eaten or drank things she shouldn't just because she was hungry or thirsty. Then would be sick and yacking on the lawn, so to speak.

 

[Sakura]

тнe ғαe

єтнєℓ ℓуѕαη∂єя
[DASH=#F5C4D4]
She didn't wait for Medwick to respond to Aerie's long winded, rather foolish proposal. The avian was quite a character, Ethel wasn't sure if she was enjoying the amusement or fretting over what the response of the others in the group would be. The fae stepped up once Shardis declined the tastefully curious offer of exploring the tall, odd-looking tower. She was a bit confused as to what the tower was doing in the middle of a snow-swept land. It didn't make sense to have such a structure, where trolls and avalanches threatened it's structure.

Ethel took Aerie by the arm gently, trying to stop her from further taunting at the scholar. The girl was small and funny, but Ethel knew Medwick's temper would run short eventually, or Shardis' temper, if she was even paying attention to the avian's silly rambles. Standing between Aerie and Medwick, Ethel regarded the tower once more.

"Is there anything in particular we should be looking for?"

A part of her felt that the avian would poke and pull at anything that looked vaguely interesting. She also presumed the girl would talk to her once they were inside, on and on about how the entire group was a mess of rag-tag insane individuals. Ethel would probably agree with her. With the exception of Medwick, of course, whom she held in a great deal of respect.

Her eyes scanned the rest of the group, landing on Kal. It occurred to her that he might be good company to take along, he would have an eye for things that were odd to the tower, perhaps even things of value that might give them an idea of what or whom the tower belonged too. Unfortunately, he wasn't on very friendly terms with Aerie and if Ethel wanted to avoid a headache, it was probably better not to throw that suggestion of a companion into the mix.

She looked back at Medwick expectantly.
[/DASH]

 

[E.T.]

At the harsh words from Kal Caoihme turned over from the her sitting position so that she was crouched low. Her face, which had so recently been split between a mix of gratefulness and relief, was now pulled back into a dangerous snarl. While she did not have the most love for Aerie she felt that she owed the girl at least part of her life, and that was enough to inspire a bit of loyalty. But, before she could even get out a well formed threat, in the common tongue anyway, Medwick choose to interrupt. Still keeping a cold glare fixed on Kal she listened carefully what Medwick had to say. When she first heard who she was being paired with she turned away for a second to make an exaggerated grimicr before turning back to look at Kal her expression nuetral if a bit cold. The climb down was pretty uneventful, having just insulted her partner in wolf she did not totally trust his climbing directions and got into the habit of testing every new hold carefully.
The butchering of the carcasses was something she was very used to so it she made of rather well. Some of the outside layers of meat was crawling with ice fleas. The little bugs were the main cause of meat going bad out on the ice, each having a hard shell and tough jaws they were about the width of a marble with arrow like heads for burrowing through hides. As she was hacking back at the outside layers one of the insects landed on her hand and proceeded to bite her. With a small growl and a quick crunch of her teeth, Caoihme smashed the creature between her teeth. As she expected the bug had its usual bitter taste that was none to pleasent. As she worked she had to dispatch several other fleas in this manner before she got to the good parts of the meat. Here as she cut the meat into workable strips she cut herself a few small chunks and popped them into her mouth raw. The meat was a bit gamey but, to her it tasted perfectly fine and she even kind of enjoyed the feeling of chewing the raw flesh. By the time she was done she had eaten several similar chunks and still had a good haul to show for her work.

Many hours of trekking and climbing later Caoihme lay curled against the ridge wall with the rest of the group. She lay so that one of her hips was propped in the air with the other one in the snow, and so that her head was resting on on her folded arms. Her bag was tucked in against her stomach, one knee securely holding it in place with Galra curled up on top. Her eyes were closed in a pretense of sleep all of her other senses keeping watch and keeping track of all that was going on around her. When Medwick asked who would be interested in sneaking into the tower her eyes snapped open and she cast a worried glance at the tower. Something about the tower made her very anxious. For the most part she equated the feeling to her old worries of crossing into a strangers territory, something that could get you in big trouble in a wolf's world. But, it could also be that the tower seemed so put of place out here. A stark pillar slicing through the whitewashed landscape.
"I will keep a watch." She said in a low voice lowering her head back down onto her arms. Her face calm but, her eyes flickered nervously from members of the group to the tower giving away her reservations.

 

[Asmodeus]

Medwick grunted the barest acknowledgment to Caoihme, then went back to the bemused expression Ethel had instilled in him.

"I'm not a soothsayer, dear. I don't know what you should be looking for." He pointed up and over the snow trench, his finger like a periscope indicating the tower. "But unless that's an icicle that's achieved sentience and aesthetic repose, I'd wager there's someone living there. And in my experience towers are built for spying or for garrisoning large groups of men with bad manners. Neither will take kindly to us, especially if Aerie and Shardis try to negotiate."

As usual, the rebuttal was delivered dextrously, but with the mage's teeth chattering it sounded more like an intricate acapella rendition. Caoihme might have howled were there a full moon. But the inference, if not the detail, was clear. They couldn't stay here debating it. Another night would kill them on these slopes, and the mysterious tower offered the only shelter... the only lifeline.

"Now..." Medwick grunted as he sat with his back against the snow ridge. "You all may have noticed me clutching my kneecap from time to time. This is not amateur dramatics. There is a quarter-mile of open ground between us and the tower and if archers decide to start shooting you won't want me with you - alive OR injured. We need someone to get there quickly and establish just what the hell we're dealing with."

He looked across at Tegol, who in most respects was the next-in-line when it came to military tasks. But even in this was gross assumption. The tower might have been empty, or home to some hermit who would gladly take them in were a little charm and diplomacy offered. Or maybe the tower was ancient and inhabited by scavenger creatures... trolls or ice worms or raven-claws or shadow-avians... or...

Medwick screwed his eyes shut. There were too many variables. Maybe his brain was beginning to freeze.

"Time is of the essence, fellows," was his only conclusion as he sat there with Caoihme.

 

[DotCom]

For once, Aerie agreed. She had been excommunicated from her own tribe for the very notions she was about to push forth.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," she said (perhaps somewhat anachronistically), throwing up her hands in exasperation. "If you people plan to stand here and chip away at every bloody details, whenever whatever rescue party comes about, the find us all a varied assortment of half-eaten trollcicles. It's as you said, Loud Human -- we don't have time to sit about and hem and haw. The Fae and I have volunteered, what else is there but to go for it?"

She squinted about at her admittedly motley travel companions. "If your concern is for...perceived hostility, than sending her and is your best best. Besides, she sniffed at the cat he'd mentioned, who was just now rolling around in the snow...like an animal, and then at the Angry Criminal, who Aerie was sure had had quite enough of her (which, while amusing, could be tiresome as well), "considering our...teamwork thus far, or lack thereof, we seem to have reached the best possible outcome. Especially since...y'know...no one else can fly. Good Angel and I will reach the tower fastest."

Also, she was itching to fly, even if it was into danger, even with the chipper Ethel. Anymore standing around, and she was like to take a blade to someone's eye. Not to do any permanent damage, of course. Just to make a point.

Heh. Blade. Point.

Aerie grinned at her own pun.

 

[lynzy]

Finally! Standing up, she felt clean, dusting off the bits of snow and ice, the snow leopard felleon turned and faced the big mouthed avian and snorted.

"I could out run your best flight on a good day, anytime. But I wont leave Galain because of his leg. Some one will have to move him quickly to a safe spot if things go wrong. That is my job, always has been. I admit it was my efforts to save his life from an unknown possible enemy that got us into this fix. But there is no way I will let my spirit brother die from it, and if he wishes you all to live, then I will protect you too."

With that she handed the bracelet over to Medwick and stalked off to climb up and sit on a large mound of ice and watch the tower while steam rolled off her warm body. Shardis felt justified in her indignation and anger towards the puny flyer.


True, they were all loud mouth freaks but she never held that against the creatures before. Every type of the God's creatures had a flaw or flaws to them, it was natural, the way the Gods intended it...or the perfect ones would try to take over the thrones from the Gods themselves. So she didn't hold this flaw of having big mouths and rude dispositions against the avians, nooo.....but this particular flyer was pushing the envelope with her good humor.

As Shardis scratched her shoulder unknowingly while deep in angry meditation she watched for signs of life from the tower. No smoke, not even heat vapors, which usually could be seen if one knew how to look for it. No sounds ether. The place had to be deserted, but Shar watched on. Anything to avoid the nasty flyer.

 

[Elflady]

Heaving with all her might Kana helped Caiohme up, if not for Aerie's help she doubted she would have been able to do it on her own even with Caoihme doing her best to help. But then they were all a safe bit away from the edge, no one having fallen to a crushing death, panting Kana stroke back strands of dark hair and enjoyed doing nothing for a few moments. When the adrenaline slowly drained out of her Kana noticed it was just a bit cold lying in the snow, dusting herself off so powder snow flew she stood up and relief settled in that everyone was alright. A few wounds, including her own, but it was nowhere near as bad as it could have been, and thankfully Ethel was around to heal them.

As Medvick took command once more, giving out orders for how to proceed, Kana went along with Tegol and began collecting wooden spikes that had ended up within reach. His words that trolls had toxin in their bodies were a bit of a relief to her at least, sure that would have given them meat for a long time but try as she might troll meat didn't really tempt her appetite.

The heavy work kept her warm, lugging back the spikes that the trolls had thrown up earlier and with a bit of imrovising the unstable bridge was finished. During a few heart pounding moment she had her weight supported only by the bridge until she was on the other side, the rest followed and they could leave the cramped space, not a moment to soon.

Later on she missed the walls that earlier made her feel panicked, their protection from the icy winds was worth more than the free air now. The meal of meat from the troll traps had been like a gift from above, starting the journey anew with a full stomach helped against the cold. The walking became mechanical after awhile, one foot after the other through the snow while trying to ignore the cold, wondering when they would ever reunite with the rest of the caravan.

The tower blended well with the surrounding whiteness, but it was easily seen not even a half a mile away, it promised walls and a roof against the weather for the night but it could also mean hostility. The tower looked ancient but that didn't mean it was abandoned, there was no smoke or other sig of life but the sight sent a shiver down Kana's spine, maybe it was only the wind.

For once she was glad that was not born with wings, she had often wished to have the ability to fly and see the world from another angle but now her winglessness meant she didn't have to enter the tower for now, she had no interest in venturing in there alone. Digging her spear into the ground she leand her weight against it, Raues curled up inside her hood, his head poking out by her cheek, both watching the tower and the surroundings for any movements.

 

[DrPepper]

After displaying the excellent climbing skills that allowed him to scale a living dragon, Kal kept his mouth shut for a long while. He paid little heed to the wolf girl who kept glaring at him. Kal hadn't said anything to her, nor did he have a problem with her, but it was evident that she had some qualm with him. No matter, Kal didn't want to stir anything up with the fierce woman, so he just let her stare as they continued through the cold.

Everything blended together in this vast sea of white, Kal's poor vision further muddling the image of his surroundings. No further than ten feet out was clearly visible, and the more distant terrain became almost indiscernible. When they stopped before the tower, Kal could make out the spire, but it simply looked like a land formation. It wasn't until everyone started talking that Sarrthas whispered in Kal's ear.

"The human leader is talking about the tower in front of us. Our efforts may prove lucrative should we choose to investigate." Kal nodded at the serpent's words and squinted at the tower. "You probably can't tell tell, but it appears that someone or something has lived here, and may still be here."

"Of course I can't tell...that's your job..." Kal scoffed through chattering teeth. When everything was such a similar color, the scenery all seemed to blend together. To Kal, the world was white and the thin outline of certain terrain features could hardlybe noticed. "So he wants a scout?" The words were low and mumbled as Kal thought out loud.

"I'll go." Kal spoke up above the chatter of the group. "As you all know, I am a thief. Covert is my middle name." A small sense of pride in his shady abilities caused a chattering grin to spread across his face. "Besides, that bird would probably get herself captured by whomever or whatever dwells in the structure if she went alone." The convict was confident in his ability to flee. He didn't think he'd get captured if anyone noticed him sneaking about, but he wasn't above leading danger back to the party if it came to that. A good tactical retreat into the jaws of his comrades could save his skin.

"I'd gladly take company," he said looking at Ethyl. "But I don't think we should send too many. We need stealth...silence is key." His eye darted over to the avian. "I'm not against you coming along, I just ask that you try to keep that loud mouth of yours tightly sealed." If he weren't so cold, he would have pulled out a dagger and looked it over while making some sort of threat to cut the avian's tongue out should she get him caught. The harsh conditions and urgent matter were bringing out the worst in Kal. He was kind to those he valued as assets, but a snake has to spit every so often. The avian has been nothing but a nuisance to him so he spits his poison in her direction.

"So, what's the plan? Are we agreed?" He asked in general.

 

[DotCom]

Aerie listened to the pointy-eared petulant and the fulsome feline finish their long-winded speeches, arms akimbo, eyebrow arched expectantly.

When at last all their comrades had frozen half to death at the end of the century it must have taken between the two of them to share their opinions, the straightened and began to applaud slowly. Her fingertips were just shy of frozen, so this hurt, but the sarcasm was worth it.

"Are you both quite done?" she said, looking first at the Felleon, and then at the woodland creature of sorts. "Because while I find the irony of taking half the bloody day to tell me to be quiet highly amusing, I also find you both sort of annoying." She took a moment to smile and wink at the thief. "That said, given your obvious distaste for me, I can only imagine there's one reason you'd volunteer to come along. I must say, I've never considered mating outside of my own people, but you're right, the ominous tower over yonder should provide an exciting, if not arousing, backdrop for our misdeeds, kind sir."

Feeling appropriately vindicated, Aerie pushed off on her toes to circle experimentally, making lazy circles not ten feet over their heads, and kicking up a good amount of loose powder as she did. In this, at least, she tried to stay away from Kana, Caoihme, and Ethel. The three women were...unique in their own ways, but nowhere near as petulant as the others, so they had that going for them.

"Well, I'm off, anyway. I don't plan on waiting for him to stumble through the snow, or her to...roll around in it. Those who wish to accompany may do so, but just standing here is just about the worst thing I could be doing."

She grinned at the thief again, then shrugged. "Well. Second worst."

 

[lynzy]

She didn't know what hit her.

Shardis came off the snowy bolder with such speed that only the boy's snake saw it and if the creature had had eyebrows they would have lifted in shock. Her paw-like hand clapped around the avian's neck and slammed the winged girl into the ice wall behind her so hard it knocked the air out of her lunges in one great whoosh. Even so, if the felleon had meant to do more she could have easily. This was just a slight loss of temper warning. A mere moment lost to anger, any more than that would have killed Aerie. It was a true testament to Shardis' self control.

In a split second Shardis had the avian pinned to the wall by the neck with just her hand and Shar's snarling face was inches from Aerie's. "PUT HER DOWN!!! NOW, SHARDIS, NOW! please..." It was Medwick from only a foot or so away with his hand on her shoulder, the last word said quietly but full of meaning.

He was not one to beg or even ask a thing from her normaly, but he knew how badly Shar was being tested by his silent request that all be kept alive. Even if they didn't deserve it, in the felleon's opinion. Also she was starving to death, leaving the others to eat while she only nibbled here or there. She couldn't bring herself to eat the rotting meat that they had. The cat woman snapped her mouth shut and whoofed the air out of her lungs with such force it blew the hair back from Aerie's face.

She let go and stepped back, then walked away and began pacing a few yards off. The whole party did their best to give her the room she needed to work off her anger in a... better way.

 

[Hounds]

"I'll go with Kal I've done this kind of thing a few times in the past so it shouldn't be too difficult for me. Aerie you should stay here with the others; we can't be sure there's no one in there. If we get in a fight you won't be able to simply fly in such closed space, it'd be better if the two with more close quarters experience go on ahead. I would appreciate it if you kept look out from the top of the tower though. Make sure the others don't get taken off guard, you see anything let the others know. Then come back and get us ok?" Tegol didn't like this the group was already starting to fall apart this early into their journey, if they couldn't learn to work together than they'd never make it to their destination. If Aerie and Shardis could just cooperate things would be infinitely easier on everyone only down side was neither was willing to compromise. "It's an important job and only something you or Ethel can do since you're the only two who can fly." He looked around the group "Are there any problems with this?" he asked curtly.