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That did not bode well for them at all especially since it flew by overhead unhindered by the tree limbs. One way or another they’d have to lure it down, but his blaster had ten seconds between each shot and her blade could not reach it from here.

“I don’t like having to ask you this, but how comfortable are you running back the way we came?” The snow will be more compact in that direction making it easier to run if she could avoid slipping on the slush. “Splitting up isn’t ideal, but if we can get it to come to our level, we might have a chance against it.” There's a chance it might give chase after her, or see him as an easier prey if he remained unmoving, but that was a necessary gamble it seemed.

Cypher gave a curt nod. “If you hear me shout your name, then dodge. Left or right, it doesn’t matter. Duck behind something if you can.” As long as she didn’t pause to look back or be an opportunist to take a swing at it in close range then she’d be fine. “I don’t want you in the line of fire in case I miss.”

With all the training he had been doing at the self-made shooting range he had been building, Cypher hoped that his understanding of the atmosphere of this world, and how gravity affected his blaster shots, that it would only take one well-aimed shot to make the creature find prey elsewhere.

He wasn’t quite sure what he’d say if it’d come towards him, but one thing for certain, he didn’t want her to turn back if she was safe enough away and could make it home. Her safety was his top concern.

The weight of the owl-beast slammed into him with impressive strength. As it was, Cypher stood at a height that had him looking over most normal humans heads when in a crowd of people, and somehow this creature still managed to knock him flat on his back. Although its height was shorter than he was, the creatures’ wingspan was impressive enough to cause a flurry of snowflakes around them.

A shot from his blaster went off and the owl let out a loud piercing screech as it folded one wing close to its body. A minor victory that he had no time to celebrate as the enraged beast raked sharp talons across his chest; on its second slash it ripped fabric and skin before Cypher was able to bring his knees up and kick out to get the damned thing off him.

It lifted itself up off the ground, but only slightly. Still, it was enough for Cy to catch a glimpse of Nessaela watching him from a distance. Her form was quickly obscured by the downward flap of the white-feathered wings and when they lifted again he saw a brief flash of metal as light from a moonbeam gleamed off the polished surface.

Cypher rolled to the side just as it landed, the point aimed at him, in the snow pile where he’d just been laying. A second sooner it would have hit the owl-beast in the back but as it was, he was glad that he had managed to dodge it before getting hit instead. Her aim was most definitely true, but the timing was only due to the lack of understanding of how this creature moved. In no way could he fault her for missing.

Still, he seized the opportunity to roll back over and dig frantically for her dagger to use until his blaster had enough time to recharge.

Above him, the creature screeched and as it descended upon him, Cypher’s fingers curled around the cold metal, and without hesitation, he swung at the feathered form with Nessaela’s weapon. It recoiled and pulled its taloned feet away before he could land a hit.

Wize large-yellow eyes regarded him for a moment, narrowed angrily, and with another swing of his arm as Cypher struggled to his feet, the large creature flapped its wings harder as it ascended back into the treeline. The soft ‘whooping’ sound of its wings was heard as a few piles of snow were knocked off tree branches.

Cypher was breathing heavily while one arm clutched the wound on his chest. He didn’t trust that the thing was gone for good and expected it to circle back once their guard was down.

Hold still? Cypher looked down at Nessaela with a genuinely perplexed expression. A large creature had just attacked them, now was definitely not the time to stand around idly. There was a part of him that considered scooping up his comrade and fleeing the area, but the tone in her voice, her insistence, had him obeying without complaint.

Source stone in hand, he watched as she seemed to focus on its energy. “What are you-” Cypher began to ask but stopped his question abruptly when he felt a peculiar sensation. Adrenaline still ran high and for the moment he felt no pain, but he did feel something else entirely. Words could not describe it but what he saw when he looked down was astonishing.

Flesh knitting back together, mostly anyway.

The more shallow cuts across his chest closed completely but the deeper ones were at least less severe. His uniform was most definitely ruined and would give anyone back at the house reason to be concerned. “I did not know the Source Stone could do that…”

It took a moment for Cypher to register what she was wordlessly asking for but once he realized why she held her hand out to him, he handed over her dagger. Rather than reprimand, or scold her, for missing the target and nearly hitting him; he instead placed a hand on her shoulder and offered his best attempt at comforting words. “Practice will come in time. You did well.”

He should have also added a thank you for coming back but the words remained unsaid.

“We shouldn’t tarry any longer. Let's go back for now. I’ll take you to the ice rink when it is lighter out and there are more people around.” Hopefully, that would serve as a deterrent for the creature that attacked them.