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 Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:05 am
Eurig had never run so hard in his life. He wasn't prepared for the chase; none of them were, and yet a small group of shifters barreled through Jauhar's jungle by his side.
This trip was supposed to be short, something a teenager could easily accomplish, and yet here they were. Eurig had taken on an job to help one of his mother's investors get to the Oban border. From there his associates would take over, but for a while it was up to Eurig to make sure he navigated the dense undergrowth without incident. Of course there were a number of shifter guards; Eurig may have been a muscular youth, but he was still young, green, and undertrained.
They made it to the southern tip of Jauhar before the howling began. A pack of radaku were on their trail, and while Eurig had never seen any that were wild he'd seen them in practice bouts enough to know how vicious they could be. And that was just one single radaku! They tried lighting torches, and making noise, anything to make scare them off, but eventually the pack got them.
As soon as they leapt out and took out one of the guards the rest had scattered. So much for hired help! Eurig dodged them as best he could, trying to help his mom's investor for the most part, but the man was stubborn. He just wouldn't abandon his goods for his own safety, and eventually the pack had gotten to him. As soon as one clamped down on his neck Eurig knew that was his que to run.
At the time they'd been distracted. It gave the remaining guard enough time to scatter, going off on their own into the jungle, leaving Eurig running for his life. He leapt over exposed roots, slid around vines and when one was close enough to feel it's breath on his neck he stopped just long enough to slug the b*****d.
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:19 am
Oh Essd have mercy. Tytus found himself racing through the jungles of Jahaur. The lancer had been on his way back towards Oba from Neued when he started to see the bodies. Some sort of tragedy had occurred here and while he originally planned on giving the men a proper burial the fresh blood had him worried. What if the beasts were not done hunting? Clenching his jaw, Tytus settled for closing the unseeing eyes and moving the body from the path so that it would not be trampled on or give another passerby a scare. He could come back later to bury them but for now he saw the fresh tracks and the earthling blood that led them away from this massacre.
There were several who were alive and still in need of help. Tytus chose a path at random and found himself pushing himself to run faster and faster until the sight of a teenager came into view. Good shot. He found himself noticing in the split moment that he had to react before reaching out with a lance to slice at one of the radaku who had tried to follow up on it's pack mates attack against the leaf earthling. I can't really charm my way out of this situation. He quipped quietly to himself before sweeping his lance to ward off any of the other beasts, "You okay there?" Tytus called out as he slowly made his way towards the boy, backing up so that he could stare down the wild radaku. If they were thirsty for blood then he would definitely give them some blood alright but it would not be anymore earthling blood!
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:30 am
When he heard the radaku cry out Eurig braced for impact only to realize that it was the one in pain, not him. The teen turned to see an armed Oban joining the fight and while normally he'd be wary of armed strangers Eurig couldn't find it in him to care. He was scared; bright eyes blown wide with fear and a tremor working its way through his muscles. Today was the first day in his life that he'd seen this level of carnage, and while he'd certainly seen his mother get violent before he'd never seen her kill a man.
Plus you could reason with Ujana up to a point; there was no reasoning with wild beasts.
He was scratched and bruised, but thankfully Eurig had managed to avoid any bigger damage. Still, that didn't mean he felt lucky. Especially when the remaining members of the pack backed up just enough to start circling them.
"No," He stated bluntly. "I don't know how many of us are left. The rest ran off when the attack started and I-" Eurig sucked in a breath as another radaku moved in to charge.
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2020 10:56 am
"Gotcha." Tytus glanced over his shoulder briefly to study the younger earthling. The boy was obviously not accustomed to these sort of scenarios and Tytus could not blame him. The world was mostly peaceful now but it seemed that some of the creatures in it had not yet caught the memo. "Unfortunately I think we'll just have to focus on getting you out of here. Do you mind getting closer in a few moments?" He asked, the faintest of grins crossing his lips before he darted forward to push off the next radaku and returned to the boy's side once more. It was not the Oban's first time seeing such a mess nor would it surely be his last. It was definitely a perk of his occupation as a soldier and nothing would beat the battle that he had witnessed several years ago. The radaku looked like playthings in comparison.
Sweat decorated the man's brow from the effort but he was holding strong as he used the longer weapon to keep the beasts at bay. One false slip and he knew that it could be either of their throats so he did his best to make certain that none of the radaku found an opening from behind. "One second..." Tytus let out a long and sharp whistle that echoed through the area. A moment later a golden blur came crashing through, sharp talons ripping into one of the radaku. "Good boy." Tytus clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he watched the Xaraan racing towards them. It was tricky though and he had to dart forward to keep the attention of other radaku and keep the creature from getting overwhelmed. Thankfully unlike other Xaraan this mount was well trained and had leather and armor pieces to protect it even more as it kicked its talons forward and snapped back at them with its beak.
"Hope you're okay riding double!" Called out Tytus as the Xaraan fought its way closer, "We'll have to try and run before more friends join us!"
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Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:00 pm
The way he said it made it seem as if Eurig actually had a choice. The teen nodded, fully prepared to do whatever he had to in order to get out of this. He was tough, had been trained to fight ever since he was small, but Eurig wasn't a brawler. There wasn't a single bone in his body that told him to take charge in that moment so to have someone around who knew what they were doing helped embolden him.
For a moment he was distracted by the whistle which was just enough for another radaku to charge. It snapped at his calf, but Eurig moved at the last second and brought a heavy fist to the side of it's head, knocking the creature off it's feet. It wasn't enough to bring it down, but it was stunned, which in turn kind of stunned Eurig.
Maybe he had it in him after all.
When 'help' arrived, because really what else could he call such a beast, Eurig felt like they had a chance. A slim one, but a chance. He did his best to at least keep the radaku occupied so the Xaraan could get closer. "Can it hold us?" Eurig wasn't exactly small, and the oban looked to be in a similar predicament. If they outweighed the mount then it wouldn't be able to outrun the pack no matter how hard it tried.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 11:12 am
"Yes it can hold us." Tytus replied as he shoved back another radaku. "We just need to keep the beasts from jumping onto my mount." A full grown Xaraan was sturdy enough to carry two bodies especially if one belonged to a teen. If they weren't in such a dire situation, the Oban would have had some quip or tease for the younger man.
Instead he simply waited until Rakan got closer to them. "Good boy." Tytus praised the Xaraan as it sent its sharp talons kicking towards another radaku. The pack was growing restless and they didn't have much time. Jumping into the saddle strapped on his mount and without much elegance reached to grab Eurig. Pulling him onto the back of Rakan, he didn't have time to make certain that the teen was comfortable before they had to start racing forward. "Hold on!" He called out as he reached out with his lance and struck one of the beasts across the face.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 11:30 am
[4/10]
Eurig was used to being tossed about by the stronger women in his life, but being hauled up by a man was new. It saved him from having his leg latched on too, for which he was grateful. The creature seemed to target the xaraan next, and on the Oban's orders Eurig did his best to protect it. He brought his foot down on top of it's head, hastily kicking out enough to stun the thing.
It didn't take much to convince Eurig. As soon as he was able he brought his arms around the rider's waist and held on tight. If there was even a chance that this weird feathered lizard could get them out alive then he was going to do his best to make it happen. He thought it was enough up here until the same radaku jumped up and clamped down on Eurig's calf.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 11:39 am
"s**t." The swear left the Oban's lips as he realized that the radaku were not simply going to let them dart away. The leaping creatures were getting annoyingly increasing and Rakan was doing his best to jump over them and make his way towards a more open area. If they could get away from some of the tighter areas then perhaps they could really race away. Thankful that his mount was a prized runner when it came to races and a reliable companion for fighting, Tytus focused on attacking as many of the radaku as he could.
Of course nothing was perfect.
His crimson gaze narrowed whenever he noticed one slip past his lance. "Keep holding on kiddo." He commented, his expression grim despite his attempt at playful words. Pulling his arm forward he poured his strength into slamming the bottom of his lance into the radaku. A yelp left its mouth, forcing it to let go and fall onto the ground, as the end of his weapon surely broke a rib. The brass isn't on there for decor only. Tytus thought with a grimace before he focused on the road again. "I'm guessing you have no idea of where this path leads either, right?" He called out over his shoulder as they slowly but surely started pushing forward, the radaku stalking them through the darkness of the trees as they continued running.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 11:52 am
[5/10]
Even when the radaku had no choice, but the let go of him Eurig felt little comfort. The creature didn't simply let go; rather, it's fangs rent into his flesh, dragging deep furrows before finally being thrown off the bolting xaraan. If anything the pressure kept the wind from getting to it, but now nothing was reaching Eurig except for pain. Still, he resisted the urge to look at it or let go. He grit his teeth, just how his mothers' taught him, and looked forward, only yelping when he absolutely couldn't stand it anymore.
"K-K-Keep going and then make a sharp right...." He tried to make his voice as loud as possible, but Eurig couldn't keep the tremble out of it. His leg felt like it would burn right off! "There's a bridge...Rope bridge....You can cut it down once you're on the other side."
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:20 pm
Others would have questioned why Tytus placed himself at risk to save another but whenever Eurig gave directions the Oban smiled. There was always some good that came out of helping. "Alright, got it!" He called out though the lingering image of the radaku digging into the teen's flesh made him pause. No time. He bit the inside of his cheek before trying his best to untie his sash, his actions hasty and resulting in the material tearing a bit as he finally freed it from his waist and tossed it at the teen. "Use that if you can. He instructed loudly before urging Rakan to race faster, the ground beneath them becoming a blur now that the radaku had taken a moment to recover. Tytus knew that they were still hunting them, their glowing eyes from the trees obvious despite the speed at which Rakan ran.
His knees directed the Xaraan, their race twisting them through the trees as they took a sharp right. The whipping motion was dangerous but the Xaraan managed to stay on its talons as Tytus gripped one hand on the reigns and the other hand on the teen's arms to keep him stable. Eventually they saw the bridge and Tytus had to pray to the gods that they would be fast enough as emerging from the trees only enticed the radaku to show up once more. It was almost as if they knew as they chased after the earthlings, their claws digging violently into the earth in their haste to try to catch the Xaraan as it started to speed across the bridge. The wobbling sensation would have been enough to deter most beasts but Tytus kept a firm grip on Rakan and urged him forward across the rope bridge.
If they could make this then he could easily cut down the bridge!
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:28 pm
Trying to tie off his wound while mounted was incredibly difficult. Were it not for the adrenaline spiking through him Eurig's blood loss might have claimed the teen. He wound the material around the serrations as best he could, making sure to keep it tight, despite the discomfort. His grandfather had been the one to drill that into his head. Make it tight; stop the blood flow.
Several times he'd had to scramble for a better hold on the man as his beast hit faster curves. Those eyes...they just didn't leave and Eurig knew it was only a matter of time before the pack sprang for their next attack. All at once that ominous glow disappeared, only for the pack to emerge. Eurig could have choked on his heart. When would they give up?!
He looked over his shoulder to see some of the radaku struggling against the bouncing bridge. One tried to push past it's pack mates, only to be sent over the edge with a loud cry. That in itself was enough to deter most, but the largest radaku kept barreling forward. Unlike the others it kept low, riding out each wave like it was running on water and at times it felt like it was close enough to attack at any moment! "It's closing in!"
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:38 pm
They were so close! Tytus let out a few choice words whenever the teen's voice called out. Still, one was better than a whole pack. The Oban grit his teeth as he urged Rakan to race even faster, the bouncing of the bridge knotting his stomach. They were close but he didn't know if the radaku would allow them those final feet for safe passage. His hand that was on the teen's arm tightened before his other hand thrust the reigns into the boy's hand. "Hold on and keep going." He commanded before slipping away from the Xaraan and the boy both.
Landing with his feet unsteady on the wobbly bridge, Tytus turned to face the approaching radaku and pack. They couldn't completely swarm him with the tight area provided by the bridge so he was just banking on taking those final few steps backwards to give his new companion time. "A dagger in the side satchel! Get the ropes!" He yelled as his weapon flashed forward to push the radaku back again. One step backwards at a time. His actions were definitely risky but it wasn't his first rendezvous with potential death. His muscles tightened as he braced himself for the larger radaku which was jumping towards him now. "I'll just keep shoving you back buddy. So give it up already! " He hissed, his voice straining against the effort as he lashed out with his lance to block the creature's claws.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:45 pm
[7/10]
"Wha-?!" Eurig barely had a second to react before the reigns were in his hand. Thankfully the xaraan seemed used to things, and kept going without much prompting. He sat as straight as he could and tightened his hold, digging his knees in to spurn the beast the rest of the way across the bridge. "Come on boy, don't let me down." When he made it to the other side Eurig only stopped when he was sure there was enough room to turn the xaraan around. The stop itself was hurried and sloppy, thanks to his involvement, but at least he was prepared to go back if the Oban needed him.
"Dagger....ropes....Got it!" Eurig dug quickly through the packs and brought out the supplies, eyes darting up every few seconds to see the fighting unfold. "What now?" There had to be something else he could do to help! Even if he cut the ropes now there wouldn't be enough time for him to get off the bridge, but if they waited too long then the rest of the pack would catch up.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:56 pm
"Just cut them!" Called out Tytus as he continued backwards. He saw the approaching pack and knew that things would have to move soon. His crimson gaze skirted about the bridge, his fingers tightening around his lance in resolve. He just had to hope to the gods that his luck would pull him through. "Don't worry about me! I've got this!" He flashed a confident smile towards the teen before attacking the radaku again. A grimace flashed across his features but he made certain to keep his stance sturdy despite the blood that was willing from the claw marks that cut through the upper area of his tunic.
More injuries were slowly appearing as the bridge gave him little room for dodging. But Tytus kept taking the hits while slowly backing up and giving the radaku more injuries in return. He was bracing himself for the shift of when the bridge when eventually give way beneath their feet and he just hoped that his climbing experience would finally come in handy.
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Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2020 1:06 pm
[8/10]
"Are you crazy? You're going to fall!" For a moment all Eurig could do was watching, but it didn't last long. All of this man's plans had worked out for them so far so he had no reason to trust him. Still...Eurig swung his leg over the saddle and hopped to his feet. The impact almost sent him to his knees, but he inhaled and pushed through it. If he inherited nothing else from his brute of a mother it was her dogged determination. His fingers worked nimbly to tie one end of the rope to the xaraan's saddle, before limping forward to the bridge posts. Eurig kept his eyes on the job ahead instead of the oban and his fight. He knew if he looked then his resolve might waver and neither of them could afford that.
It didn't take long to cut through the rope. For all of it's tension the bridge was on the older side, leaving it vulnerable to outside attack. Before the first side dropped he gave the rope handle a good shake, hoping it would serve as a good enough warning, before making that cut. Eurig gritted his teeth and limped a little faster to the other side, forgoing the shake this time in favor of a quick shake. Almost as soon as he'd done it the teen dropped the dagger, grabbed the rest of the rope and tossed it over the side, bracing himself to hold onto it as well.
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