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 Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 3:18 pm
 Grumbling to himself, the demon did something that he didn't do very often: took to the skies. As much as he hated to admit it, he'd have an easier time spotting her from up here. It wasn't as if he had issues with flying itself; it was that he felt so disconnected up here above it all. Down on the ground, he was surrounded by the sights, sounds, and smells of everything around him, clues of what was going on in the area, waiting for those with the sense to pick them up. Up here...he had sight, but that was pretty much it. Though, the trees had already begun thinning, and other factors in the area threatened to overwhelm his other senses as it was. He'd have an easier time spotting her in the swamp from above.
Besides, it wasn't as if she could fly well enough to make up the kind of ground he could up here. Not yet.
He'd returned home from hunting to learn that Nyra had left on her own hunting excursion. Annoying, since he'd said he'd take care of dinner for tonight, and now she'd gone off wandering like a foolish child. He could have just let her miss out on dinner then, and he should have, maybe teach her a lesson about staying home when she was told. On the other hand, he had to admit, she seemed more and more driven to practice her own skills to contribute to the food stores and he admired that initiative. Least she wasn't lazy. That did nothing for his annoyance when he learned she'd been gone for a couple of hours already. Even if it was only a simple squirrel, she should have found something and returned by that time. Unless she found something bigger and was trying to figure out how to get it home. Sure, maybe that was it, he told himself.
He wasn't worried or anything.
At least, not until he'd started tracking her scent and it'd turned directly south.
Hadn't he told her, if she was going to go off on her own, to stay in the forest? Damn brat, couldn't follow simple instructions. What the hell was there to hunt and eat out on the marshy swamp lands anyway? Leaving Vika to prepare dinner, he'd set out to retrieve the wayward bird. Preferably before she got herself in trouble.
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Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 3:20 pm
 An ear-splitting screech tore through the air over the marsh. Its source, a feathered teenager, tried to scramble higher into the dead tree already struggling with her weight. She turned with a hiss, kicking out violently at the creature below that had just latched onto one of her long tail feathers and pulled. Her talons left bloody gashes in its face, but finished the job of pulling out the targeted feather. She screeched again in pained fury as the creature dropped back to the ground with its prize. Though blood welled from the wound and dripped to the muck-covered ground, the creature seemed more angered by the injury than dissuaded. It seemed something like a wolverine or badger, short and stocky, with enormous claws and matted fur; its temperament more like a Tasmanian devil.
Of course, the feathered Pae had no knowledge of these things. All she knew was that the angry fuzzball dared to attack her. Hissing again, she peered down from her branch with a sneer. "Nasty fuzzy! Get back to dark forest and leave Nyra be!" Her claws were dug into the branch below, the dead wood splintering at her grip. Stupid beast. Ruining her hunt. "Probably taste nasty too," she muttered, thinking even if she could kill the thing, it wouldn't be fit to eat. It smelled horrible.
Drawing her talons up to the same branch, she perched there with talons and claws dug into the branch, flaring her wings behind her and puffing up her remaining down feathers. Her attempt at intimidation didn't seem to work, as the beast below spat out her tail feather and snarled, resuming its attempts to claw its way up the tree trunk with paws the size of Nyra's face.
She was angry and insulted by the beast, but she wasn't stupid. She didn't want to face that thing on the ground. She'd stay right up here in the tree, thanks. A splintering crack from the branch she sat on seemed to voice its objection to her intended plan.
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Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2013 10:22 pm
Even without his enhanced hearing, Kane still would have heard the screech that ripped through the air. He was at enough distance that he didn't see her yet...but he shifted direction towards the sound, tucking his wings to pick up speed...*** Nyra backed out on the branch, hissing at the creature as it threatened to climb out after her. "No! Bad! This Nyra's branch!" she sneered, taking a quick, ineffectual swipe at the beast with her claws. The branch protested with a cracking noise again, and she hissed in response. "Bad branch! Stoppit!" The snarling creature stepped onto the branch, causing it to crack further, beginning to splinter...a jarring drop, then...
Nyra hit the ground and rolled, quickly covered in muck. Slipping and sliding, she scrambled to her feet...in time to have her leg pulled out from under her, sending her face down in the mud again. The pain was intense, but her answering screech was filled with anger and outrage. The creature had followed her out of the tree, prepared for the fall, it had latched onto her leg with its powerful jaws and was currently dragging her backwards, the dark forest in the distance behind it.
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Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 8:10 pm
Grugg was pleased. He'd found a present for Master. Master liked presents. Well, sometimes. He gave his head a shake, worrying the bird thing's leg as he continued dragging her backward, dodging the other talon aimed for his face again. The action earned him another screechy noise in response. The taste of blood in his mouth was intoxicating, driving him towards euphoric madness...but no, Master. Master would not be pleased if he ate his present.
But maybe, Master wouldn't want the present. Maybe, he'd be kind to his pet and let him eat it instead. Oh, what a happy day that would be!
The bird-like Pae'il was not pleased with this turn of events, to say the least. She was muddy, tired, hungry...oh yeah, and this damned stinky fuzzball was trying to eat her leg! Lashing out with her free talons again, she caught the creature a glancing blow. Every time she'd try to kick or scratch him with her claws, he'd shake her leg viciously before resuming dragging her. The pain was distracting...and she didn't like to admit it, but she might be starting to grow just a bit concerned about this situation.
"Dirty beast will let Nyra go!" she demanded furiously, taking special care to aim this time for the creature's eye with her kick. The pain was worth it when she made contact. "Ha!"
"NYRA! GO!"
The raspy voice, low-pitched and gravelly, transitioned from words to an animalistic growl as a blue blur hit the creature from above. The half-shifted demon-tiger snarled and dug his claws into the beast's back, roaring in fury.
Kane's ambush was enough of a surprise to cause the creature's hold to loosen, if only for a moment. It was enough. Ignoring the pain, aided by adrenaline, Nyra wrenched her leg free from the creature's jaws and scrambled madly backwards. She was bleeding and she knew Kane wanted her to run while he dealt with the monster. He was giving her a chance to get away.
Nyra was furious. She didn't want to run away.
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Posted: Thu Aug 01, 2013 10:19 pm
By the time Nyra was clear, Kane had fully shifted to his tiger form. Even with Kane's added bulk, the creature was proving to be an even match now that he'd turned his attention from the bird to the cat. The creature shook and bucked, and as Kane's claws started to lose grip, he released his hold and leapt free. The tiger and the dark beast circled one another, snarling and baring fangs, daring the other to make the first move. Kane, sensing an opening, took it, charging forward and leaping with paws outstretched, slamming his full weight into the creature's shoulder. The pair went rolling, a tangled ball of muddy fur, fangs, and claws. A searing pain from his flank caused Kane roar in anger, twisting and rolling viciously. His action prompted a similar roar from the dark creature, but there was too much motion and mud to check the true damage.
As a tiger, Kane was used to having the advantage in both speed and power. He still had speed, as the mud was hindering them both equally, but as for power...he might have met his match. Catching a lucky blow to the side of the head, he thought in a momentarily dazed state, perhaps more than a match. His thoughts were scrambled, the tiger's attempts to shake his head to clear it only making things worse. He snarled, but intimidation wouldn't buy him a moment here. The other was in a frenzied bloodlust. Taking a note from Kane's book, the creature hit the tiger in the side at full force, and Kane felt the air forced from his lungs as he hit the ground beneath the other. Momentarily dazed by the crushing force, Kane's reaction was sluggish, at least for him, and before he could break free, one of those heavy, massive paws was braced against his throat.
The creature pushed down, turning the tiger's snarl into a sick, strangling noise, then silence as lack of air prevented even that. The beast's weight was enough to keep even the big cat pinned down. Kane kicked and thrashed, throwing slippery mud in all directions, but oxygen deprivation was quickly weakening his struggles.
No! Not like this! I haven't survived this long to be taken down by some mangy furball!
Kane fought through the haze that clouded his mind, instinctively aware of the danger that if the beast didn't suffocate him, the mud of the swamp might. His struggles were keeping his muzzle above the muck, but he wasn't making much headway against the beast at his throat. The haze was closing in. Movements growing more sluggish, it was as if his mind was struggling more as his body responded less. The wolverine beast roared in victory, opening his jaws and descending...
"SKREEEEEEEEEEEEE!"
The beast raised its head with an angry roar in reply, keeping its massive paw on Kane's throat as it tried to shake the new burden off its back. Nyra clung to the beast's back tightly, clasping her claws around its shaggy neck. Undeterred by all the fur, her quick fingers squirmed through the matted fur, claws seeking out the vulnerable flesh beneath. When he tried to shake her, she simply clung tighter, using her uninjured leg to slash at whatever part of its back she could reach. It wasn't the most refined fighting technique by far, but it was fury-filled and vicious.
She didn't need to take the beast down by herself, even if she really, really wanted to. The tiger just needed a distraction. As soon as the wolverine roared, lifting its paw and turning to swat at Nyra, Kane gasped as air flooded back into his deprived lungs. He coughed, his throat feeling ragged for the first couple breaths, but it was enough to kick both his brain and body back into cooperation again with a little help from the adrenaline coursing through his blood. The beast was reared up over him, and fixing his glare on the exposed abdomen, Kane lashed out with a vicious clawed kick with his hind legs. He was rewarded with an agonized roar and a warm wetness that wasn't mud seeping from where his claws had made contact.
The creature staggered back, managing to shake the bird off in the process with a snarl. He was injured, bleeding profusely, yet he was still standing. He glared at the cat, climbing back to his paws to face off again, then to the annoying bird, also back on her feet nearby and flexing her claws and wings. One he could handle, but two at once were proving challenging. Maybe...Master would get a present another day. When he could be sure of delivering it without being savaged in the process.
Maybe.
Keeping eye contact with the both of them, he started backing away slowly, back towards the dark forest, towards safety in the darkness...
Fury flashing in her icy blue eyes, Nyra made to dart after the creature. "Oh, no it doesn't!" she started to say...then stopped short with an indignant squawk.
Kane lifted a heavy paw from her tail feathers, answering her glare with his own. They were both injured already and in no shape to be pursuing that thing into Dragnid. If something that strong were out here alone on the swamp, who knew what could be waiting inside the forest itself. He was angry as well, but finishing the accused beast off wasn't worth possibly getting themselves killed in the process.
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Posted: Fri Aug 02, 2013 3:27 pm
The mud clung to his fur, so much so that Kane couldn't even tell how bad his injuries were and decided the easiest way to get rid of some of it would be to shift back. With a low growl, he started to change back, then paused halfway to pull something from his haunch with his teeth before resuming. He spat the object onto the ground in disgust, making a face and spitting again once he was fully Pae'il. "Damned b*****d..." he grumbled, starting the process of wiping the mud from his skin to find the injuries beneath.
Nyra turned back as the tiger shifted, her eyes drawn to the object. She quickly scooped it up, holding it out to Kane proudly. "Trophy!" Her eyes shone, the light of battle fresh and clear. "Good fight!"
Kane paused, looking at the bird's cupped hands. Within lay a long, sharp claw, darkened at one end. The beast's claw that it'd left imbedded in Kane's thigh. The demon snorted, muttering, "Must have ripped it out there at the beginning." Then he shot Nyra a look. "What the hell am I supposed to do with that?"
"Trophy!" She repeated. Okay, so they hadn't killed the creature. They'd still won, as far as she was concerned. "Great victory! Winner take trophy!"
Shaking his head in resignation, Kane commented, "You and your weird hobby. Take it if you want then, like your other bones and claws and things." He really wasn't in the mood to argue with the teen about her odd obsession with taking things from her kills to make 'trophies' of them. He was ready to read her the riot act for heading out here alone, but first, he needed to check their injuries. He had a number of small (at least, he considered them small) puncture wounds and scratches. The deep hole in his thigh; that was going to hurt. And his throat still felt raw; he figured he'd bruise for a while, but be okay after a while. Nyra's leg, what he could see at least, didn't look great. The mud and blood was mixing so that he couldn't tell just how badly she was bleeding. He had to assume there were some deep puncture wounds from the creature's teeth, possibly some tearing, depending on how hard he'd shaken her.
He noticed that after she'd dropped the claw into the little bag she kept around her neck to collect such things (small wonder it was even still there after that scuffle), the adrenaline rush seemed to be wearing off. He could feel it as well, the pain returning, the euphoria of danger and battle fading quietly. A deep weariness seemed to settle over them both. Maybe the lecture could wait until after they were safely home and cleaned up.
Something was bothering Kane though. That thing, whatever it was, wasn't a normal swamp creature. That thing had come from Dragnid. The foul taste and stench seemed to linger even now in his nose and mouth. This wasn't his first time encountering such a thing; but each time he hoped it'd be the last. Though the last couple of times had been within the forest itself; what did it mean if they were venturing outside the dark wood?
A belated worry struck him, remembering his last encounter with one of the forest's predators. What if the damn thing was venomous?
Cursing sharply, he started checking his own wounds first. He remembered what the envenomed wounds had looked like before, so if there were any signs that these looked the same... No, as far as he could tell, the wounds were clean. Well, not clean, but not poisoned at least, not like last time. Still, he had a bad feeling he couldn't shake.
"I don't like this. Come on, Nyra," he started heading north, then turned slightly east, as if heading up and around the forest. "We need to get these injuries looked at."
Nyra blinked, tried to hop after Kane, then stumbled when she tried to put weight on her leg. Wincing, she settled for limping after him instead. "Gramma?"
"No, not Gramma," Kane responded wearily, pausing and glancing back as she caught up. "Gramma's good, but this is different." He left it at that, his mind preoccupied. He glanced around for a moment, then lifted his fingers to his lips and let out a sharp, shrill whistle. A few moments later, a glowing figure darted in and whirled around the demon. "Yo, bug," he grumbled, "Nice of you to make it." Before the Mellon could respond, he interrupted with a wave of his hand. "No time. Go home and tell Vika we won't be there for dinner. Tell her we're making a stop at the Healing House." He paused, then added, "Tell her not to worry; we'll be home soon."
Rather than a sarcastic remark as usual, the Mellon seemed to regard him seriously, then nodded her head as if she understood. As she darted away, Kane frowned a bit. Maybe the thing wasn't as clueless as he thought sometimes.
The potential gravity of the situation was settling on the demon's shoulders. They needed to travel fast, but they each has injuries. Nyra couldn't fly worth a damn yet, nevermind with her feathers covered in mud. Kane could probably fly, but carrying her as well? Eh...maybe not as weary as he felt. He looked at her leg. She wouldn't be walking much either. No hope for it. He'd suck it up and deal with his own problem.
"I'm going to shift again, and you're going to ride on my back." He glared, keeping her from responding, though she shot him a questioning look. "Don't get used to it, brat. We need to move fast and you're not doing that on your own like that." She opened her mouth to argue, looking angry; Kane quickly clamped his hand over her mouth. "No, don't start. We're going. Now." Tail twitching irritably, the demon started shifting once more to his four-legged form. Odd to think how hard this used to be a few years ago. Guess he'd found more interesting challenges since then.
Aiming a growl and a glare at the rebellious teen, he waited until she sighed resignedly and climbed atop his back before taking off at a low, loping speed to the north and east around the edge of the Forest. It would take longer, sure, but one didn't just cut through Dragnid for a shortcut.
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Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:35 pm
They made good progress; at first. Kane pushed past the pain for a while, loping along at an even pace to keep from wearing out too quickly, but still faster than any normal Pae'il could travel. The pain in his haunch had been easy to ignore at first, but an hour and a half later, it was throbbing with each fall of the connecting paw. He was growling low, the equvalent of a grumbling complaint. His temper was on edge, not aided by Nyra's continuous squirming and shifting.
Hissing to herself, Nyra shifted again, then grinned to herself belatedly at the tiger's complaint. Served him right. Taking her somewhere she didn't wanna' go. If her leg wasn't injured, she wouldn't be putting up with this. She didn't know where they were going, but she hadn't been asked, so she was sure she didn't wanna' go there, wherever it was. Besides, all this bouncing really was making her leg uncomfortable.
Beyond her irritation, however, respect for the beast she rode astride still remained. The show in the swamp had cemented the awe she felt when watching the hunter at work. If she hadn't had that lingering feeling of wonder, she'd probably have just broken free and made a run for it anyway at this point, injured or no. Still, didn't mean she couldn't get there one day too. The thought made her smile. In fact...the beast was injured too. And likely tired from all this running. If she could just get away long enough to patch herself up and make a plan, when the tiger came looking for her again, she'd be ready. Maybe she could take him.
What a victory that would be! She'd be the best hunter in all the land! And what trophies she could make from the beast...
None too soon, a very different treeline appeared in the distance, the tiger's sharp eyes picking out the details. Dark, yes, but it was drawing into the night, and this darkness seemed welcoming, not threatening. 'Finally' he thought to himself with some relief. Their journey wasn't over yet, but at least there was hope in sight. Now, within those trees, he should be able to find that Healing House again with all the tiny island Fairies and their magical healing crap. He started to growl softly and nod his head towards the treeline for Nyra to look as well, then noticed that her grip had been tightening slowly. When her claws began digging into the skin beneath his thick fur, he snarled viciously, stopping quickly and aiming an irritated glare over his shoulder at her as if to ask, 'What the hell are you doing?'
Reluctantly, Nyra relaxed her grip...slightly. Her face was the picture of innocence, eyes widening as if surprised he felt that. "Oops?" she offered with a shrug. "Was gonna' fall?" she fibbed.
The tiger's eyes narrowed, glittering dangerously in the low light. Pesky damn bird. Why the hell he kept putting up with the trouble she brought his way, he didn't know. It was a valid question though. In light of the current situation, if he hadn't come out here looking for her feathery a**, he could have been back at home, enjoying dinner, comfortable and well-fed. Instead, he was out here, running across half the isle with her on his back, both of them bleeding everywhere and likely trailing all kinds of Dragnid beasts on their asses, in the sparse hope that neither of them were poisoned and gonna' die from this stupid foolishness. Life was so much easier when he was on his own. It would be so much easier to go back to a solitary life...so easy to do too...just one, single, powerful bite...and he was pretty hungry at this point...
Snarling, the tiger shook his head, eyes closed as if to block out the thoughts from his own brain. 'NO! What the...the hell...?' He pawed at his head, belatedly realizing that the dull headache he'd attributed to hunger and exertion seemed hauntingly familiar. Without warning, he dropped his haunches to the ground (cringing at the impact) and shook to dislodge Nyra before he started shifting back. His enhanced senses were picking up the scent of the blood and sweat, his hearing her rapid heartbeat, he could almost taste...
Rushing his transformation as much as he could, Kane was soon sitting in his normal form, head clutched in his clawed hands. It wasn't much better, as most of his senses remained, but at least he didn't have the tiger's predatory mind adding its thoughts to the matter.
He was pretty sure that if he'd stayed a tiger, he knew what outcome would follow soon. At least as a Pae'il...there was some doubt remaining.
Trying not to show the shaking he felt in his limbs, he climbed to his feet, reaching up to rub his face tiredly. "We need to go. Now."
Puzzling over the look she'd gotten for her fib, Nyra brushed it off without much more thought. Her mind was already back to her earlier plan. If she could just get away and patch herself up before the tiger could. He'd surely come looking for her first before taking care of himself. He'd still be weak. Vulnerable. And if she was prepared.
Her eyes widened as she was dumped from his back, wondering at this sudden, strange behavior. But not for long. If the beast was distracted...and shifting back to Pae'il form, that meant he'd be weaker again! This was her chance! Before he could recover to come after her, she steeled herself, bolting off in the direction of the dark, tainted forest again. He'd surely not look for her in there, not for some time. The pain in her leg returned with a vengeance, causing her to grimace, but she adopted a limp in her stride and just kept going.
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Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2013 3:31 pm
The firm ground here on the plains made for easier travel than the gooey muck of the marsh. Even favoring her injured leg, Nyra figured she was making good time. The tiger beast was still distracted by...his headache or whatever he'd been whining about. Who cared? She'd take the opportunity given to her to make her escape, because she was smarter, more clever, and infinitely more--
The thought was interrupted by a leathery rustle over her shoulder. As she turned to look, a blur of blue struck her and the two tumbled to the earth in a heap. An iron grip closed over her wrist, her exultation shifting to dread.
Kane recovered first, grabbing the child by the wrist with a snarl. "The ******** was that?" he blurted, growling beneath his breath. Stupid, damnable brat, darting off like that, and for Dragnid again of all places. She had been right to assume he wouldn't want to chase her in there; she was foolish to not realize that he'd just stop her before she ever got close. Nothing wrong with his wings afterall. He snapped his wings, shaking off the last of the dried muck before folding them over his shoulders again. He tugged her wrist, intent on dragging her behind him towards the less hostile line of trees in the distance if he had to. Had she lost her damned mind?
He just heard the warning hiss and started to turn as the claws of her free hand raked across his face. Parallel crimson lines torn across his cheek and nose, the tiger's response was immediate. Snarling with barely contained fury, his movements were minimal and direct, controlled and practiced despite what his temper told him to do. He spun, twisting the teen's arm behind her back and using his superior size and strength to do the same to the other, glaring down at his blood on her claws. "That was a mistake," he growled low in her ear, nearly trembling to suppress the urge to do more in answer to her attack. Instinct said to reply in kind, to show her what real claws could do, with strength and intent behind them, instead of teenage, petty spite and empty acts of rebellion.
Was that really instinct talking?
Out-weighed and out-classed, Nyra still didn't give up, not while there was still fight in her body. She squirmed and struggled, hissing and and screeching in vain attempts to free her arms, kick her captor, anything. Her injured leg was difficult to put weight on and remain steady, and it wasn't very useful in kicking either, so that wasn't going well. "Lemme go, cat!" she spat, trying again to wrench her arms free.
Yep, lost her damn mind. Kane frowned at the unusual behavior. Even if he wasn't also struggling with the foreign dark thoughts creeping into his mind, he thought he'd recognize the effects of the dark forest. He'd experienced it before.
Hopefully, it'd go away with some distance gained from Dragnid. It had before, right?
Mostly.
"Nope, not happening," he snapped sharply, dragging the teen further from the forest. She tried to drag her feet to hinder his attempts, even digging her talons into the ground, but he simply lifted her a few inches and continued on. His head was pounding now, like a drum, something primal and dark in the rhythm and the pain. She was light enough, he could lift her if he needed. Pin her under his arm and carry her like a dead weight. Knocking her out might aid that illusion, as well as shutting her up. Hmm...and if he went that far, might as well go further...unconscious was nice, but temporary. There were other more permanent solutions to the trouble-making bird...
Growling to drown out his own thoughts, Kane struggled through the pain and the quiet whispering voice at the back of his mind. It had such enticing, tempting thoughts to share. Thoughts he could not entertain. Thoughts he would not act upon. Not if the sane side of his mind had anything to say about it. Though...the battle was growing in intensity as they left the dark forest behind, rather than becoming easier. His blood was coursing through his veins with such vigor, he could feel each pulse of his heart sending his lifeblood through his system. Life, energy, blood, it was all connected...so much blood, the coppery smell of it hung heavily in his nostrils, overpowering other scents in the area, focusing his sense of smell, and related taste...
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Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 2:38 pm
 The forest had been still today, but the peaceful feeling had shifted as twilight descended. As the darkness grew, so did the tension in the air. It was as if the creatures of the forest smelled a predator, their silence their only defense to protect them from becoming its next victim. The forest demon halted her patrol near the edge of her forest, leaping up to perch on a low branch for a better vantage point. She had a bad feeling settling at the back of her mind. Though she could not see it from here, her eyes drifted towards the point on the horizon where she knew Dragnid lay. Dark things came from that place, some twisted creations of a mad mind, she thought. Some seemed to be normal animals who had gotten too close and become affected by the dark forces before attempting to return to her forest. It would not be the first time such a thing had happened.
What she found was not what she was expecting, however. She expected some corrupted woodland creature, or even one of the twisted, nameless beasts...not two Pae'il. A larger demon seemed to be dragging a smaller, feather winged Pae'il towards the forest. An angel teenager? She had the feathered wings of an angel at least, though her feet, through the caked mud, seemed to appear more like taloned feet, like a bird. Odd. Though, there was nothing that said she couldn't just be a different type of angel. Besides, Silvana didn't look like most demons herself either. Who was she to judge?
What concerned her was what was really going on between the two Pae'il. They were bloody, coated in mud, and it seemed obvious the larger demon was intent on taking the younger somewhere she didn't want to go. Eyes narrowing, Silvana slipped through the trees, bounding from branch to branch for a closer vantage point. At the edge of the forest where they seemed most likely to enter, she silently drew an arrow from her quiver, notching it to her bow. He wasn't hurting the teen at the moment, so she could afford to wait for the advantage. It looked like she was giving him a hell of a fight on her own anyway.
She held her position, bowstring relaxed until the pair crossed the invisible barrier marking the beginnings of the forest. An unsettling chill raced up her spine at the sudden awareness, and her vision locked on the pair with the intensity of a predator. They were... She'd never see this before. She knew the dark forest could affect animals, but Pae'il? This was a first.
Response immediate, she dropped from the canopy behind the pair, drawing her bow taut and staring down the arrow at the blue demon's back. "Halt! Release the girl and explain your presence here, strange ones!" Her voice was calm, but sharp, and the way she held her weapon trained on the pair demonstrated both familiarity and willingness to use it if she felt necessary.
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Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 2:48 pm
The tiger-demon snarled, only half-turning to bare his fangs at the aggressor, keeping his prey hidden behind him. "Mine!" he snapped at the female, flaring his wings and bristling in a show of intimidation, spaded tail lashing in irritation.
You damned fool. You got this far...don't abandon your brain now!
He hissed at the voice in the back of his head, full of logic and reason. Stupid voice. It needed to shut up. It wanted to complicate things. Life was simple. Hunt, kill, eat. Fight for dominance if necessary. This was his prey, not the green demon's. That was a demon, wasn't it?
Either way, she was holding a weapon trained on him; he still had enough presence of mind to realize that even as fast as he was, she could hit him from a distance, while he'd need to close in on her before he could strike. So, he only held his ground and snarled, eyeing her warily.
Yes, intimidate the woman with the bow. Smart. 'Cause she looks so intimidated right now.
He hissed at the voice, at the same time taking a spare kick from Nyra, who had taken the halt as an opportunity to lash out once more, ineffective as it was.
Or was it?
Kane shook his head, growling, seeming to hesitate. The feral light in his eyes faded, if for a moment, giving way to intelligence. He only had a short time before he lost this moment of clarity again, he could feel it. Maybe a few words only.
"Dragnid," he snapped out, seeming to take effort to force the word from his lips beneath a snarl. "Attacked." He nodded pointedly at the blood dripping from their forms. "Need Healing Hou--" He cringed suddenly, nearly doubling over as his head practically exploded with pain. Baser instincts took over again; pain, hunger, anger...
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Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 2:50 pm
Silvana's eyes darted between the two, the growling demon, then the hissing teenager. Had she not sensed the darkness in them, the inherent 'wrongness' of it, she'd have made all the wrong assumptions. However, between the demons's forced words and the evidence before her, she was inclined to believe that this was not the natural behavior of the given individuals.
She'd known the forest to have powerful effects on animals, but if it could effect Pae'il as well, then...perhaps she had more to worry about than she'd previously thought. Her vigil to the south just got a lot more difficult. She hesitated to lower her bow, doing so only a fraction given their current stand-off. Those from the darkness could be both violent and unpredictable.
"You've been taken by the corruption," she stated matter-of-factually. Though it didn't seem particularly smart, she needed to get closer if she was going to do anything other than shoot the pair. Maybe it would put them out of their misery, but unlike rabid animals, there were still other options to be tried first.
If it will even have any effect she thought to herself. She'd never attempted this on another Pae'il.
Moving slowly, she lowered her bow, only to draw a knife from a sheath at her hip, only then relaxing the bowstring and returning the arrow to the quiver. The bow went over her shoulder and the knife held out in a relaxed, but ready stance to defend herself if needed. "No smart moves, now," she warned, taking a few cautious steps forward. She didn't want to get within striking range...but she needed to if this was going to work. One of the hazards of her ability. She didn't need to touch the affected creature, but she had to get darn close to it.
The demon was obviously the stronger of the pair, and seemingly, more in control of his wits. That wasn't exactly completely reassuring to Silvana...hence the blade. But if this worked, it'd be easier if he were in his right mind first, then she could concentrate on the girl. Moving and speaking as if to a wild animal, she kept her tone soft, her movements slow and wary, even as she reached out towards the other, focusing her senses. "Calm...this will only take a minute," she crooned, keeping an eye out for any sudden movements. Her proximity brought forth a growl, but something about it sounded...reluctant. She'd take that as encouraging, focusing her senses on the source of the corruption. Beneath cracked, caked muck, she felt a concentration of the dark poison centered within a wound on the demon's thigh. If not for her extra abilities, she'd never have found it; there was too much mud and blood covering them both.
That was why she'd waited until they'd entered the forest; this was her domain, her advantages lay here.
"Spirits of Earth, lend me your aid," she murmured softly, hand hovering over the injured demon's leg. A soft green glow began to emanate from her hand, but a swift motion out of the corner of her vision prompted an immediate reflex to leap backward, lifting the knife defensively. The striped demon's clawed hand froze in mid-air, seeming to hesitate...then lowered to reaffirm his hold on the struggling teenager's wrists with a growl. Silvana's eyes narrowed at the action and response. "...just a bit longer and the fight will become easier," she said in a soothing voice, warily closing in again. She kept the knife raised defensively this time though.
She was reminded of a time when she'd treated an injured wolf that had returned to her forest, laced with the corruption. Such a vicious, beautiful, deadly predator, and yet...she'd also sensed fear, the fear of prey backed into a trap, when trying to cleanse it of the darkness. Her hand glowed, this time the soft green light spreading from her hand to envelop the jagged wound.
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Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 4:47 pm
Screaming within his skull, pain and noise, he clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes shut against it. Stop her! Kill her! Destroy her! Do it now! He growled, shaking his head and trying to ignore the voice echoing through his brain, trying to drive him to violence. He managed not to strike at the other demon as she neared again...but just only; he was shaking from the effort. A moment later, he felt a soothing warmth envelop the wound on his thigh and the voice began screeching, arguments giving way to senseless noise. He thought his head would split open at this rate.
Then, it was as if someone had placed their hands over his ears, muffling the noise. Just when he thought he couldn't take any more, sweet relief was granted. The voice was muted, growing quieter and quieter, the violent urges fading with it. His muscles ceased trembling with tension, allowing him to relax as fury and adrenaline gave way to pain and weariness. He felt like collapsing...but he couldn't. Not with a hissing, spitting teenager still in hold.
He was exhausted enough to consider something he never would under normal circumstances. His shoulders slouching, he dared a glance to the female demon beside him, meeting eyes with her before he turned his back to Nyra, still struggling if weakly. "...thanks. Still hurts like hell, but feels a lot better..." He assumed she'd understand what he meant. "She still needs help though," he nodded towards the black and white, mud-splattered teen. He didn't know what the green woman had done, but if it worked for him, it had to work for Nyra too. Hopefully the stranger was up to it still. He wasn't sure how much longer he could deal with her at this rate.
Definitely more draining than working with animals, Silvana decided, her hand shaking as she pulled back from the blue and silver demon, feeling fortunate he'd not noticed. Her suspicions were validated though with his expression of gratitude. He seemed more at ease now, if exhausted, given his posture. Likely in more pain than he would admit as well, as her ability had no affect on those sorts of wounds. Silvana stood, backing away just for a moment to stretch and shake out her shoulders and hands, hoping to get the shaking to stop. There was still work to do.
"Of course. Hold her still just a bit longer," she murmured, attempting to near the teenager, who was hissing and turning her aggression towards her now, kicking at her with sharp talons. Waiting just out of reach, hands at the ready, she waited until the teen lashed out with her injured leg, then grabbed her swiftly around her ankle. It gave her a good look at the odd talon feet of the teen, and she studied them, ignoring the indignant screeching of the captive. "There it is," Silvana murmured, one hand hovering over the wound. Bad one. She could only remove the corruption though; the healers would have to do the rest later.
She had her skill-set and they had theirs.
Her hand began glowing once more as she called on the earth spirits' aid. Silvana was growing weary as well from the effort, but she kept on, continuing long after the child's screeching quieted, her struggles lessening.
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Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 4:48 pm
Squeaking involuntarily, Nyra winced as the pain returned full force, dropping her to her knee as she no longer had the strength to stay standing on her remaining leg. Both demons were forced to follow her down, neither able to hold her up while maintaining their current tasks. She was suddenly too tired to care about appearing dignified and sprawled in a heap on the ground, Kane behind her, and the green demon in front of her, doing something to her leg. It made the pain come back; she didn't like it. But, it had made the anger go away. She'd been angry at everyone...everything...she couldn't remember why. Just, that she needed to take out her fury on anything in her path. She remembered wanting to hurt Kane. Why?
Leaning back, she found that Kane had knelt behind her, still holding her wrists. She stared at him upside-down like that for a while in puzzlement until he met her stare. She fixated on the blood on his cheek, clotting now, but having dripped from several long slashes. Where? Then she remembered...her claws.
"...Kane?"
The tiger demon returned the look, their eyes both naturally quite piercing, but now dulled with fatigue. Did it work? She wasn't fighting him anymore; she seemed pretty passive. But, could he be sure? Still, it wasn't as hard to hold her now, with her laying back against his knees. "Yeah?" he answered wearily.
She frowned, still staring at his cheek, though her eyes had become somewhat unfocused. "Nyra...sorry..." With that, darkness crept into her vision and she fell back, limp, but finally finding relief from the pain.
Kane's eyes widened just a fraction, betraying his momentary concern before he could work a hand free to place against her neck. Silent relief flooded his system as he felt the heartbeat there, pumping blood steadily through her veins, even if it seemed a bit weak. Maybe that was just his imagination. Finally, he allowed himself to release her wrists, shifting her slightly to free her arms to rest at her sides, then allowing her to lay back on his knees as the other demon finished her work.
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Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 4:50 pm
Silvana was about to pull away, the light fading from her hand when she hesitated. Something wasn't right...she'd cleansed the wound of corruption, but...there was still some remaining. Somewhere else. The child was clean, as was the other demon. So...where? Frowning, she held her hand out, focusing on where she sensed the darkness. The child...no...not her, but the pouch around her neck. "What is this?" she asked, not waiting for permission before taking the satchel. She pulled the drawstring and dumped the contents into her hand, then hissed and dropped them to the earth as if burned.
"What in the name of the earth are you doing with that?" she demanded, staring at the enormous claw on the ground.
Kane raised an eyebrow at the reaction to the claw. Really? Was it that surprising? He shrugged, "The kid's got this thing about taking 'trophies' from her fights. Apparently, she said that one was mine. Pulled it out of my leg after the fight with that thing from the forest," he explained, curious what she was getting at.
Adopting a sneer of her own, glaring at the claw as if it were to blame...perhaps that wasn't so far off the mark. "Just as the creatures who have been corrupted can spread the darkness, so can pieces of those creatures," she explained. Calming a bit, she shot the other demon a look. "It can be purified just like a living thing, but...until it is, it is just as dangerous as the creatures themselves can be, especially for the unaware." She meant no personal attack by the comment, though it may have sounded as harsh. She sighed, gathering enough strength for one more cleansing. When she was done, she returned the claw, now benign, to the pouch around the girl's neck.
Kane felt a bit foolish for not putting it together himself first, but..what she said made some sort of sense. If the forest could transfer corruption to the animals and the animals to Pae, then, this dark force could be an even bigger threat than it already seemed.
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Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 3:11 pm
Eyes fixed on the other demon who had gone very quiet, Silvana took a guess at what might be going through his mind. "Not many understand the corruption or how it works. I've learned a little in my watch here. There is still plenty more that I don't know either."
Kane's eyes were turned down at the sleeping teen, noting that her rest didn't seem undisturbed, given how she'd twitch and frown, shifting from time to time. They weren't out of the woods yet...so to speak. "I should have known better. Not the first time I've tangled with something from Dragnid. Nor the last, I guess, the way things keep going," he growled, starting to shift Nyra so that he could stand.
Silvana lifted an eyebrow in interest at this. "I'll admit I'm curious, but this is not the time. Later perhaps, if you wouldn't mind?" The male shrugged at her noncommittally, but she figured it might be the best she'd get for now. She'd take it. Thinking back to what the young one had said upon waking, she took a guess. "Kane, then?" she asked the other, standing then offering him a hand up. "And this is Nyra, I take it?"
Kane paused, half risen, but hesitant. A slight tremble in his over-used muscles made the quick decision for him, and rather than struggle obviously, he clasped her arm and pulled himself up quickly. From that grasp, he noted she was stronger than she looked. Hand and arm strength at least. Made sense, given the bow, he supposed, thinking little more of it. "Yeah," he acknowledged their names, eying the female as he gathered Nyra's limp form in his arms. He didn't need help now that he was standing again, not for this. "And you are?"
"Silvana." She kept her answer simple, no further explanation needed. That seemed to be enough for the other demon as well, since he nodded simply and turned away.
Kane checked again subconsciously. No, breathing slow and even, if shallow. Pulse steady. She was still okay for now, but she needed help. The throbbing pain in his thigh was pushed aside until later. He needed to push through something even more painful so they could get moving. "I...I don't know what might've happened without your help," he forced out, the unfamiliar sentiments awkward. "Thanks." He closed his eyes and sighed, taking the first of what he knew to be many more steps. "I can handle it from here."
Silvana stood calmly, watching the pair. Before the other demon could take more than a few steps, she spoke up. "The girl needs help as soon as possible. And you're not exactly in the best shape either. I might be tired, but there's still something else I can do to help." Granted, she'd never attempted this so soon after a cleansing, let alone one as exhausting as that...nor had she tried doing this for other Pae'il. First time for everything, right?
Kane hesitated, looking back. He didn't like the implications about his own health, but he also wasn't an idiot. He knew it was true. They'd been through too much today for pride to remain at the front line when considering survival. Hell, he'd already thanked someone for help. Why not toss all pride off a cliff?
Glancing around the area, Silvana found a fallen limb from a tree. It was a scrawny thing, almost more of a stick than a limb, but it would do for her purpose. Taking it in her hand, she mumbled a quick prayer to the spirits, focusing her remaining energy into the branch before lifting it and drawing a circle in the air before her. When the circle was complete, there was a brief flash of green light, then fading to a soft glow that surrounded what appeared to be a opening in the air itself. On the other side...trees, just like the ones around them already...but not the same trees, that was for sure. Silvana smiled tiredly, gesturing to the portal. "The Healing House should be just on the other side. A much shorter walk than going the long way."
The tiger demon stopped short of letting his jaw drop open. Alright, her earlier trick had been pretty impressive as far as powers went, he thought. But this...this wasn't even related, was it? If she hadn't basically just saved both of them, he'd have been more suspicious. But why save them just to trap them. He stepped back towards her, eyeing the portal with awe, then looking back at Silvana, murmuring curiously, "What are you?" He didn't really expect an answer...and he wouldn't get one now.
"More on that later, if you tell me what you know about the forest," she shot back with a smile. "Come on, let's get you both healthy first. I'll go through and hold the doorway open, just follow me." With that, she stepped through the portal, holding back one arm to keep the opening from closing behind her. Through the portal, she beckoned to the pair. "Alright, come on through. Quickly now," she added, unsure how long she could keep the gateway open. It had never closed before as long as she kept part of herself on both sides, but as she'd thought before: first time for everything.
Watching her go through first was enough for Kane. He was quick to follow after, not taking her hand, but simply taking a short jump over the lower edge of the gateway and landing lightly on the other side. Ahead of them, the Healing Houses were just losing the last light of dusk. The doorway practically snapped closed behind them as the female removed her hand from the opening.
"What do you know?" Silvana murmured, looking at her hand. "Guess I can bring others through the portal."
Kane's ear twitched. "What was that?"
"Nothing." A smile. "Healing House, just ahead. Not far now."
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