Lt. Dan Got New Legs!

[DrifterUK]

''That's not what I meant. We need to pick our routes carefully to avoid being stranded, and hopefully it won't happen, but we need to avoid conflict. One of us gets injured out here, and it's basicallly a death sentence in this weather.''

[Seloine]

Morgaine raised an eyebrow.

"I know the way through these mountains," she said. "I've made this trip many times - and alone. I don't like travelling this late in the season, but I've travelled it later too and learned my lessons. If I'd gotten injured, I wouldn't be here now, I won't lead you wrong."

[DrifterUK]

''I can always scout ahead, just in case. I can move faster on foot, and much quieter, than horses can in this terrain.'' Kara piped up with. ''Just to be sure.''

[Seloine]

Morgaine nodded.

"That's a good idea," she said. "But we'll tackle that in the morning. For now, we need to sort out our camp for the night, I'll take the second two watches, as usual. Wolfgang, how long before we can eat?"

"It'll take the fire a little while to get up to temperature, but maybe forty five minutes if somebody peels and chops some carrots for me," Wolfgang said. Colton obliged.

The evening passed with little event other than the stew Wolfgang made being not quite as flavourful as it had been previously, due to a slight seasoning shortage. The first watch passed too, and while the wind howled, the shallow recess in the cliff offered decent protection from it and with cloaks and fire, it wasn't unbearably cold.

Morgaine woke for her second watch, leaning on her scythe and standing slightly at an angle, favouring one leg. She stood furthest from the core of the camp and didn't move when the second ticked over to third.

After a short while, however, she nodded slightly, leaning all the more on her scythe, and so didn't notice the creature that skulked round the edge of the camp and drew quite close to it, just beyond the light of the campfire. It started to growl softly, jaws open and mouth slavering, the ropes of drool hanging in thick loops from its teeth.

[DrifterUK]

''Aeried... stop snoring...'' Simone muttered in her sleep, before rolling over and vaguely and inneffectully swiping at the sleeping lieutenant, who just made a disgruntled noise in return.

Dorian was assisting Wolfgang with preparing breakfast, having found he could freshen vegetables a little with his magic, but stopped, something causing him to feel uneasy.

[Seloine]

Wolfgang frowned slightly, glancing at Dorian and then looking around uneasily. He knew better than to dismiss his inklings.

"What is it?" he murmured, putting down his knife and reaching for his crossbow. The hairs on the back of his neck were starting to stand on end.

The growl deepened slightly, growing louder, but the beast still didn't step into the light. It did, however, hunker down, preparing to spring.

[DrifterUK]

''We're not alone...'' Dorian said quietly, without moving. ''Morgaine... see anything?''

[Seloine]

Morgaine didn't reply, seeing as she was asleep on her feet.

The beast, however, did reply. It launched forward with a vicious snarl and as it sprang into the light, it revealed itself to be initially wolf-like to the eye. Its teeth, however, were much too big, its eyes too large, too human, and its muscles were all wrong. It lacked the sleekness of the skinwalker, but it was much bulkier and its forepaws very much like hands with huge curving claws.

"********!" Wolfgang dived out of the way as the beast crashed through the campfire, scattering it and killing much of the light, jaws barely missing the man's shoulder as they slammed shut. Snarling its fury, it rounded on Dorian and lunged again, claws and jaws outstretched.

Morgaine was roused by Wolfgang's swear, however, and jolted awake. The jolt, however, caused her to slip in the snow and she fell with a burst of her own colourful swearing.

[DrifterUK]

''Maker, it's like some sort of Darkspawn Hamster!'' Dorian said, quickly dodging the wolf, albeit so narrowly that some of his cloak tore off in the beasts jaws.

Simone still didn't wake, though muttered more things about Hallowmire needing to shut up. Kara however had got to her feet quickly, and had drawn her swords, postioning herself in between the wolf and those still sleeping or coming round.

[Seloine]

Wolfgang, despite the seriousness of the situation, did a double take at Dorian's choice of cussing. He fired at the beast, but his bolt went wide and instead struck one of the tents. Roused by the noise, and then thoroughly startled by the bolt that had just punched through the side of his tent, Colton skittered sharply towards the front, sticking his head out just in time to see the wolf barge into Kara with its shoulder, its size and speed giving it frightening momentum as it bowled forward.

Colton, unfortunately, froze in place, barely even making a sound as it crashed into him, all teeth and claws, before rebounding and turning back towards the elf, vast fangs stained red.

[DrifterUK]

Kara fell back on to the snow with a yelp of pain, her cloak and arm torn, blood staining the snow under her shoulder. Simone finally came round when Hallowmire kicked her, himself having awoken at the start of the commotion, but not having had the speed to get up and register what was happening immediately, but he now hauled himself to his feet, and without hesitation, full on tackled it from the side, aiming the brunt of the hit with his shoulder into it's ribs.

Dorian scrambled for his staff in the dark, struggling to find it, but when he heard Kara's yelp, he gave up and span round, uttering an incantation under his breath, and causing a dim glow to spring forth from his hands, better illuminating the area.

[Seloine]

Morgaine, having finally managed to find purchase in the snow with her hooves again, came scrambling over - slipping and slithering rather hazardously - with her scythe gripped tightly in her hands. She went to swing at the wolf, but then pulled back as Hallowmire hit it squarely in the side, sending it flying with a loud yelp, its claws raking the snow as it twisted and tried to snap at him.

"Stay away from its head!" she barked, as Wolfgang rushed to Kara's side with the aid of Dorian's light, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her away gently but quickly. Kemp was barking up a storm, but he didn't see to want to go near the wolf. "Don't let it bite you, no matter what you do!"

[DrifterUK]

Simone pulled herself to her feet, staring blankly at the mess that was happening before registering that the wolf shouldn't be there.
Hallowmire pushed himself backwards away from it's jaws as it snapped, but took an opportune kick at it's legs when he was able.

[Seloine]

The wolf snapped and snarled, hauling itself up onto all fours again, but before it could lunge at Hallowmire, Shana had made it up onto her knees and grabbed her bow, firing just a little wildly. The arrow didn't hit squarely, but it landed in the wolf's shoulder and it yelped loudly, shying away before snarling furiously at the others, jaws snapping together with ugly sounds, flicking blood from its muzzle. Morgaine drew her sword.

"Hallowmire!" she shouted, throwing the blade in his direction, hilt first. "******** kill it!"

Shana was taking aim again, steadier this time, aiming for the wolf's throat.

[DrifterUK]

Hallowmire caught the sword,but before he could swing it, Simone's zweihander flashed through the air, connecting the wolf's muzzle.