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"It's suicide, and you know it!" Thistle sputtered as he lounged in the tree above Tloc's head. Spring was here and he could finally leave the desert. Granted, he was very careful with all the moisture in the air as it gummed up his wings. The fluttercorn stallion was not pleased...

Tlocatl shifted his shoulders to allow his wings a different position. For once, it was bright out and while he still wasn't used to being a "Day-walker", he needed to be available for the others that were going to be helping out. The kalona was not foolish enough to think he could rescue newborns from a raging Skinwalker all by himself. He needed recruits, and with a quick explanation had gotten -albeit grudgedably- Thistle to come to his cause.

Thistle's newly grown son, Bramble, wanted to come as well, but both stallions had refused his help. Tlocatl had his reasonings, and one of them being he thought the sensitive unicorn would not be able to keep up. There would be blood and Bramble was just as pure as his white coat - not to mention completely unable to hide from a blind man.

"You do not need to point out the obvious, Thistle," he hissed. Although the fluttercorn had the upper-hand now - literally as Tlocatl was in no position to taunt him right now - he didn't hold their past discretions against the kalona. Not that Tlocatl was going to just let that stay this way... no, he had no intention of that. But he would use Thistle's kindness for his own purposes if he must, and right now he had to get his children away from Wyrsa.

Thistle rustled his fur, "Ya don't have to be snappy..." He didn't like his role. Thistle was the bait and that didn't sit too well in his stomach. Tlocatl would have been better bait, but he couldn't fly away to safety. He just hoped it wouldn't rain.... that would damper the whole mission.

Tlocatl didn't bother to apologize. "I saw Wyrsa last night." At Thistle's look, the kalona growled, "I kept my distance! Even if she scented me she didn't give the impression that she cared. Anways, it'll be any day now.... maybe even tonight." The stallion sighed and looked at the sun. It was late afternoon, too soon it would be night time again.

There was a noise, and the two stallions turned their heads to it. A skulled helm peered out and Akteon followed. Thistle had hunted him down again and asked for his help. Of course, the Huntsman could not resist the challenge. His dark eyes sparkled with lightly-veiled excitement. He didn't say anything, just nodded to Thistle and gave Tlocatl a look. The unicorn had never met the firey kalona, but he wasn't comfortable around the demon either. It was all completely against his nature...but a Skinwalker was far worse. He had told Paul about the adventure too, and hoped his friend would join him. Of course, he was not the stallion's keeper so didn't know if he would actually show.

Tlocatl relaxed and ignored Akteon, for the most part. "So, we have everything figured out?"

Thistle snorted, "Yeah, run in, grab the kids, then run away like the devils are after us!"

Akteon sniffed, "Oh, there will be one after us... Greatfully, she cannot go after ALL of us."

Akteon turned towards Paul's voice and smiled broadly. "Ahh, ya made it Paul! I was wondering if you'd find it. This horrid desert, not much to see."

Tlocatl growled under his breath, doing his best not to jump over and tear up the skull-helmed unicorn. Oh, why couldn't there have been anyone useful in this group? Instead, there was just a fluttercorn (useless), a regular (not as useless), a unicorn (the most useless), and him (not quite as bad, but broken). There was almost no hope of them pulling this off, was there?

The kalona mentally shook himself. Oh, he was probably going to have another scar after this... Skinwalkers.

Thistle looked up, "Ah, the desert isn't all that bad, though I miss the flowers. Summer could not come nearly soon enough." He gave Paul a toothy grin, "Hello again. I see that little flutter mare hasn't quite full you dry yet. Good, good, It'll be nice to have you around to help."

Tlocatl hadn't heard that story before, surprising given how much time he'd spent around Thistle lately. "Not that I am sure how useful a flutter is in this plan...."

Thistle shuddered and didn't bother to deign the kalona with a look, "I'm the bait, remember? Didn't we just go over this?"

Kalona arched a brow at Thistle and nodded his head, "Well, you're the one that likes to tell stories!"

Thistle grumbled something under his breath, but looked at Paul while Akteon made himself more comfortable. "I guess it's a rather simple plan.... I bait the Skinwalker from the baskets while you two take them to safety." The fluttercorn shifted his shoulders, he was very uncomfortable with this plan. "I've met her, though she wasn't quite Cursed when I saw her, and she didn't like me. So, we are hoping that she'll go for it. If not...." he looked to Tlocatl, "We have Plan B."

Akteon scratched his helm against a shrub. His skin itched underneath, "Well, it's a plan. Probably run like the wind once we have the baskets." He turned to Paul from between his legs, a little uncomfortable and humorous. "Think you can keep up, Ol' Boy?"

Akteon dramatically stumbled as if he was about to fall over. "Skull-brain? Is that all you think of me?" He sniffled but then became serious over his friend's very genuine concern. "No we don't, and that's probably why we run. But we cannot just leave them, unprotected, in her less-than-capable hooves." The unicorn gasped sharply in concern as he whispered, "They'd be dead before the sun rose, Paul".

None of the three saw the approach of the angeni, they simply didn't look up. But when a voice sounded behind Tlocatl, he turned in a hurry, his eyes wide. Flames flared and his tattered left wing was up defensively. When he saw what it was, the kalona visibly calmed. He didn't trust himself, though.... Angeni were not the kind that he chose to spend his time with, so as not to offend this firey one he simply kept his scarred muzzle shut.

Thistle took a step back - wow, that was a lot of fire. He gulped but nodded. "Actually, you aid would be wonderous, Sir. To have one of your stature would most definately be of great assistance."

Akteon, though, eyed Tlocatl, "Jumpy are we?"

The kalona growled and sent the unicorn a vicious glare, "Better believe it." Tloc dared Akteon with that look to think any less of him because of it, too.

Tlocatl shifted from foot to foot. He was getting anxious, and the wretching feeling in his stomach was really not helping. All he wanted to do was to be on their way, so he finally just sighed, spread that torn left -unbound- wing and then let it settle again.

"I think it's time we started to the Forest. I..." the kalona took a deep breath, "well, at least know where she was recently..." and he loped off towards the forest. He thought of how he 'knew'... it wasn't too hard, find the death and destruction. Not much survived the passing of a Skinwalker.

Tlocatl muttered something are wet weather, but followed. Though, the small flutter flapped madly to catch up - to no avail. He was not up to calling ahead, so he just let himself get further behind.

That was, of course until Akteon literally plucked the butterfly-sized soquili out of the air.

With relief, Thistle settled in those antlers and just held on for the ride.

The had set long ago, and the moon was high in the sky before they even got close. Tlocatl slowed and looked to the others. The pace had worked them up, but he had taken breaks frequently. It would not do to get sweaty and have the smell warn the Skinwalker of their arrival. They had also discussed the Rescue.... bait, grab, and then run.

Tlocatl hoped that everyone knew their role. He knew his: stay out of the way. They also didn't want to risk Wyrsa catching his scent. She knew his blood quite well, and no one was fully sure what the Skinwalker's limits were. So instead... he watched from a distance, and held his breath. His eyes twitched from Wyrsa to the baskets and back-and-forth.

As Akteon got into place, Thistle took back to the sky. He positioned himself at the other end of the clearing, which was still way too close for comfort. He knew this mare, or at least met her once...and her being a Skinwalker now made him more than nervous. But he was one of the safer - except for Moltres the firey angeni, Thistle was the only other one with wings and the capability to get away to the skies. That gave the little flutter some confidence, but not much. He was in a tree, somewhat high up. High enough that a skinwalker couldn't jump up and grab him but not too high that he was unnoticeable.

Akteon however got into place. His antlers, usually a hinderance, helped him to blend in, as the helm just looked like more branches. He had to be careful, one wrong move and he'd make a racket of noise. The unicorn crept forward. He was used to quiet walking, making no noise. It was a common roll as a "Protector". His nostrils flared, and he kept his attention on the Skinwalker ahead and the wind. The wind was coming from across the small clearing, and his sharp eyes could just pick up Thistle on the other side.

But the baskets were the goal, and Akteon continued to creep towards them.

Akteon was mostly right upon the clearing. The wind wasn't bring their scent to the Skinwalker but it because of that breeze they could smell her. His nose wrinkled and he resisted the urge to sneeze. But his head nudged at the first basket without any incidents. The one with the orange band came easily, as it was just a little further away. With the assistance of that cumbersom helm, Akteon was able to gather up the basket and pass it to Paul without any issues.

But the other, the one with the red, was close. So close that it had obviously gotten hit more than once as the dents in the weaving spoke of. Unfortunately, he had to move more into the clearing and try to maneuver around the sleeping Skinwalker.

The unicorn held his breath and was finally able to pull the basket away. Collecting the poor basket, he crept back to the forest and prayed that the Skinwalker would not wake up.

Akteon was not far enough away when the Skinwalker woke. He couldn't see her, but you could FEEl the Evil becoming aware. He continued to scurry away as fast and quietly as he possibly could.

Thistle saw the problem..... and though he wanted to just fly far far away, he had to do something before Wyrsa found Akteon, who was moving too slowly (though he was out of range at the moment). So... the flutter when to plan X-marks the spot, of probably his grave.

"Awwww," Thistle purred from his spot in the tree. He was impressed his voice wasn't shaking in fear. "Did something wake the bid-bad-Wolf? I hope not, you were sleeping so well."

Tlocatl heard Thistle speak, and knew something had gone wrong. His muscles twitched; he wanted to run away, he wanted to check on his baskets, he wanted to fly, he wanted his Wyrsa back. But, he couldn't do anything of those things. All he could do was stand there and wait.