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[Louis -> Zeke]

"s**t"

That was all Louis could say, both literally and figuratively. He had hoped to enjoy his day off away from his work, and chat over some food. Not this, whatever this was. As he made his way towards the picnic table, he could hear Zeke shout out, though barely.

"ANYA!"

Of course, how could he have forgotten. He stopped and turn towards Zeke, running as fast as he could, at least, as fast as the birds allowed. The birds were relentless, his skin was covered in welts and scratches, he was starting to bleed in some places. What the hell was causing the birds to go this bat s**t crazy? He quickly shook that thought out of his head and carried on.

"I'M NOT LEAVING YOU ALONE" he shouted as loud as he could.

((Iorek -- Picnic Area -- LuLu, Eden))

One moment he was trying to tell a joke and the next they were under attack. Iorek had heard the birds just before they descended on the party but just assumed it was a big flock migrating. Unfortunately the feathered creatures did not seem to be following nature's protocol.

Just as he turned his attention on the flock they descended on the party. The bundles of feather were screeching, swooping, chirping, scratching, grabbing and just being a terrible pest to all those in the area. It was just like those movies! The really good and the really bad one....and Iorek couldn't remember either title right now as he braced for impact.

"I've got you!" Iorek shouted to his comrades. But before he could even do any protecting, those he was ready to shield for were heading off in opposite directions.

"Oh...uh...R-Right!" Reks called after them. Take cover or help the freis? Obviously he was going to lend a hand.

When he turned back to face the birds, a large hawk was there to meet him with an assault to his face. "AUGH! WHAT THE ********> Iorek didn't even have time to correct himself of the swear because the predator bird was trying to rip and peck his face off.

Iorek tried to dodge and fall back but it just kept coming at him. Before he knew it his fist was balled and like a reflex he punched the bird straight to the ground.

"Oh s**t! S-Sorry, I uh..." But there was no time to apologize to the fallen hawk because his cronies were on him and delivering even more pecks, scratches, and pulls to his hair.

He was being swarmed. Even as he tried to make his way towards the others the birds would not let up. Reks could barely focus as they screeched and squawked in his ears.

"Stop! Will you just...chill...out?!" He shouted relentlessly at the birds as he tried to bat them away this time with an open palm and a lot less strength. But no matter how much pleading he did nor how gentle he was they could not relent.

The longer he tried to fend them off the more Iorek could feel that terrible burning building up inside of him. Anger. And no deep breaths and good thoughts were going to keep it in check if this kept up.

Soon he was almost upon where LuLu and the freis had been. But all he could see was LuLu. Hopefully the youngsters had taken shelter under the tables and he just couldn't see them.

Right as he was about to shout her name a loud shrill directly into his ear knocked him for a whirl.

"WILL YOU KNOCK IT OFF?!" The gargoyle roared. He had enough! A surge of rage rushed through him and before thinking...he acted. The terrible screeching abruptly stopped just when there was a sickening crunch.

Immediately the red that had painted over Iorek's vision lifted as he looked to his clenched fist. There was a ringing in his ear as he opened his hand to reveal a little bundle of songbird and feathers.

"S-s**t..." Iorek wheezed as all the air rushed out of him. "I-I'm sorry...I..I..." Slowly but gently, even as other birds whirled around him, Reks set the body down.

He stared at it in shock. Maybe it was still ok? Maybe he just hurt a wing? Iorek was far too afraid to nudge it to see. After this he'd come back to check. It really didn't sound that bad...Could just have knocked the wind out of it? Maybe? Hopefully?

Reks gulped back his panic and tears. He couldn't be worried about this now. Others needed him. It would be okay. The raevan turned away before he could see anymore of the damage he had caused.

The bird was probably still alive. It had to be. He hurt it but...it would wake up.

He couldn't admit to himself that it might be dead.

As quickly as he could he made up the distance between him and LuLu. Once at her side Iorek was ready to help. "YOU OKAY?" He shouted above the birds. Obviously LuLu was a strong raevan and could handle herself, but she couldn't watch over all these people and freis on her own. Quickly looking around Iorek tried to see if anyone else was still uncovered. "I'M HERE TO HELP!" Iorek swatted away a bird that was trying to make off with a clump of LuLu's hair that was still attached to her head.

He had to focus on the present. The birds were a nuisance and needed to be stopped. He just...couldn't squeeze them. No matter how annoying and awful they were acting, Iorek needed to keep his temper in check. He wasn't a monster.

But now it was pure chaos. Reks didn't know who to assist as the birds swarmed. Iorek hurried over to a little pink raevan who still hadn't sought shelter. "H-HEY!" He smacked a few more little birds away and flared his wings to give them a little it of a block. But now that he was face-to-face with her Reks realized he probably shouldn't be shouting in this new girl's face. Still trying to be loud but not as...forceful Iorek tried to speak with her over all the noise, "Don't be afraid! Are you alright? We should find you some cover!"

((Zeke -- Between the Entrance and the Picnic Tables -> under said table
Anya -- Under a Picnic Table ))

His ears were ringing with the sound of screaming birds and beating wings and every few moments he was having to block his eyes to keep them from getting pecked or scratched out. Every time he took a step he was rebuffed by what felt like hundreds of small to medium sized bodies. Panic had fully set in now. Anya was out there but gods be good he could neither see nor get to her.

"ANYA!" A bird damn near flew into his mouth and it sent him sputtering. Louis was suddenly at his side and saying something, but what Zeke could not hear. He looked at the man, wild-eyed and panic stricken, before a crow clocked him over the right temple and sent the vet reeling and cursing.

Son of a b***h, he grabbed Louis' arm to steady himself before he yanked all three of them under the closest table. It was a piss poor shelter - a few birds went chirping and whirling through the open spots for a sitter's legs - but it was better than being out in the brunt of it. At least here he could see...but what he saw was unbelievable.

"Jesus Christ," he looked back at Louis, his mouth agape despite the instance that happened a moment ago. Words that everyone else were sure to be speaking right about now came to mind, but they were pointless for him to say. Louis would not know; how could he? And more importantly than the 'why' was the fact Anya was out there somewhere and he could not see nor reach her.

"Do you see a Frei out there?!?" He roared the question as loud as he could muster, each word shaking as it left him. "A girl! With purple hair and big wings and a pink dress!"

---

Anya was aware of the static. Even through the chirping, squawking, screeching, and too-loud beating of many, many wings, she could hear radio static buzzing just beneath, tinny and constant. She turned and spun on the spot as though searching for a source and in the process became more disoriented and lost. Birds were all around her, on her, in her hair and getting tangled in her dress. They tore at her skin and tried to peck her eyes, all while the sound of static continued to buzz a dizzying note in her ears.

"SOMEONE HELP ME--AUGH!" She sent another bird colliding with the ground with a swipe of one of her long wings which made enough of an opening for her to be grabbed onto from behind and pulled beneath a table. When she opened her eyes and looked around she saw Lazarus next to her and she gaped at the wingless Valsaros as if seeing him for the very first time.

"What's going on?!" Xiu was under the table next to them and he stood out like a big white thumb amid all the dark-colored birds flying about. Given the situation, Anastacia did not register his presence too much at the moment. What's more, the Widow was still not aware of the blood setting into her face and disheveled hair nor the red stuff that was still glistening wetly off a few of the legs of her crown and both cruel hooks of her wings. She gripped the older Raevan's arm with both of her hands and her nails dug in hard. "Why is this happening, Laz?!"

(( Ian -- Picnic area -> Under a table ))

It had happened in what felt like an instant. One moment Ian was smiling and laughing with the others nearby, and the next it was complete chaos. The dull hum of birds squawking and wings flapping had grown to an overwhelming uproar, a hurricane of feathers and beaks and claws that sent everyone screaming and running for cover. Ian yelped and quickly dove for shelter beneath one of the nearby tables, sporting a few scratches and a particularly deep cut on his forehead. He held a hand to it and watched the chaos ensue, eyes raking the surrounding area for any sign of Eden. He could barely see past all the flying bird bodies, a cloud of black that choked out everything else. "Eden!! Eden, where are you?!"

The birds were practically using themselves as suicide pilots, diving into the windows and trees at the expense of their own lives. More and more fell to the ground with sickening crunches, and he could hear them flopping on the table above his head as well. This wasn't right. Something about this made his blood run cold and his stomach dip low. Birds didn't do this. Somewhere among the chaos he managed to see Eden being ushered to safety by a large, gargoyle-like raevan; it brought him some sense of relief, however small.

-----

(( Eden -- Under another table -> Iorek, Aadhira, Vesna ))

Eden, meanwhile, had been frozen in place until the first bird hit her. She cried out and shielded her face, swatting it away as her wings tucked in and she hovered lower to the ground. Everyone around her was running for cover, shrieking, and she could only stay still in fear. It wasn't until someone touched her, large hands and a loud voice in her ear, that the nymph peeked from between her fingers. Her eyes were stretched wide and rimmed with tears but she nodded, clinging to the other Raevan's thick arm. She glanced around and pointed to a nearby table that still had room under it, next to Aadhira and Vesna. "There!" She did her best to tug the heavier Frei with her as she headed for cover, scooting over as far as she could to make sure there was room. She wiped at her eyes and looked around frantically, chewing on her lip until it swelled. "What is going on..?" Her voice was quiet and full of both fear and amazement. She saw Ian somewhere across the lawn under another table, and felt relieved that he was okay. "Look, they're... They're dying! Why are they doing this?!" She winced as another bird collided heavily with one of the windows on the building, falling to the ground in a pile of motionless feathers.

((LuLu --> Picnic area > Hide yo kids, hide yo wife under a table // Yuri, Yves ))

The crunch of feathers and bone as Iorek approached was lost in the cacophonous din around them. She noticed his arrival only when the presence of a particularly nasty finch was suddenly gone from her hair.

LuLu barely had time to acknowledge the gargoyle as he moved past her to snatch up the delicate nymph girl. She briefly locked eyes with him as he led Eden away. The sigel gave a firm nod indicating she had the situation under control... or as much control as she could manage.

The rabbit was relieved to see that most of the frei had either heeded her cry or a senior raevan had come to lead them to safety. However, a pair of stragglers remained. LuLu barked at the two in her pitched voice, "Get down! Take cover!"

Not trusting that her voice would actually carry in the disaster, the sigel yanked them both down by their shirt collars until their heads were out of the "landing zone". Her stature was not large enough to provide an adequate shield, but she could at least direct them all the the nearest table to take cover under.

LuLu guided them to one of the unoccupied tables and let them take shelter first before following in behind them. Once out of the onslaught, the girl's tone calmed. She asked concerned, "Everyone alright?" She started to scan her own body for wounds and was happy to see only a few scratches.

((Nell -> Cafeteria, under a table | Henry, Fisher, Claire?))

"I...I didn't... I don't..." She seemed to be a bit too surprised and confused to put together too much of a coherent thought, and looked around at the fluttering shadows the birds left along the tablecloth. Unfortunately the space wasn't very large, and in quick succession she ended up banging her head, knee, and elbows on various parts of the table as she tried to move around.

"Augh, ow, I don't know! Are you both okay?" Various bruises and cuts and scrapes were slowly starting to make themselves known across her body, and she had the feeling that her dress wouldn't be salvageable after this. A moment of some more careful planning let her peer out from under the tablecloth without further injuring herself, only to see birds, birds,and more birds, with the slightest suggestion of vague shapes running around beyond them.

"Do you think we should go look for people....?" She would. She didn't sound too enthusiastic about it, but she would if necessary.

((Cesc--> Henry, Claire))

The birds were ceaseless and never ending, and Cesc could feel bird after bird crashing into both his wings and shield as he tried to look around. He could see, through the fray, people diving under tables and taking shelter--but what was being done about the birds? Were they being chased, hounded, driven? Was there an ending to them?

"Claire!" He yelled over the noise. "Are you afraid of heights?"

Cesc gathered his voice and yelled again: "I think we should go up--I can shield you if you can be my eyes and see if you can't tell what's going on!"

Just as he finished, Henry came forward out of the cloud of fowl, pulling them toward a shelter. Cesc did his best to shield them with his larger wings, grimacing as birds tried their hardest to go through them. He let Henry pull them to the table, and then hesitated.

"It's okay, take the shelter!" He called, not wanting to pressure her.

((Iorek - Picnic Area- Under Picnic table with Aadhira, Eden, and Vesna))

"Huh?" Suddenly Reks was squeezing under the table with a little group of young freis. One moment he was fighting off birds and the next he was awkwardly face to face with some new freis. Whoever the pink frei was she moved pretty quick to get them from point A to point B while he shielded them along the way.

The gargoyle followed the rosy raevan's concerned gaze and winced as he watched some of the birds fall to the ground, lifeless and limp. "Don't look. Somethings going on but we need to stay low and stay together."

Not wanting to watch the chaos evolving around them, Iorek glanced back at the new faces. Poor things looked pretty freaked but if he had a mirror Reks was sure he was wearing the exact same look. "So...hey there...um...I'm Iorek and I'll do my best to keep you all safe, okay? Under here we should be good until it calms down." And it should cease at some point, right? The birds would tire and fly away....or die...but hopefully they would just become exhausted and go to sleep. Until this mess was settled, Reks was set on it being his duty as an older raevan and guardian to try and watch out for the younglings.