Difference between revisions of "Crouching Tigers, Hidden Wolf Beast - RPLOG"
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| + | NOTE: Scene was interrupted due to a MUCK crash; it will be resumed night of 10/10/2014. Some cleaning still needs to be done. | ||
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<div></div><br> <br>The Agents invited have been directed to report to the guard tower at the southern gate of Clairmont. One of the cty's liasons is waiting there, a golden-scaled dragon. He waits patiently, arms crossed, tail slowly twitching; when everyone arrives, he looks the group over, sighs, and then nods. "So this is it, huh?" he asks. He waits for pleasantries to be exchanged, then cuts to the chase. "A pack of ferals have been harassing our hunters. Worse than that, two of them have disappeared, and a third was hurt bad enough that it took him a full day of intensive medical care back at our hospital to recover. He said that they were a pack of mixed tigers and a few bears - you may be familiar with them, Edel." Joe gives her a quick smile. "They're too strong for most of our hunters, and they're smart enough they've been skirting the edge of the bubble - if too big of a group comes for them, they draw back, knowing we don't want to risk the casualties we'd get chasing after them. Your jobs is simple. This is a hit. Go out there and make them wish they were anywhere else." The dragon pauses, looking over the Agents. "Any questions? When you're ready, you'll be led to the last area where we had contact."<br> <br>Edel slips along towards the meeting point, the snowleopard thumbing the hilt of her sword as she comes to a stop near Joe, listening to the debrief. "Ahhh. Them again... That's fine by me. I did have some unfinished business with their 'leader' last time... Very well," she says, dipping into a little bow. "Consider it done."<br> <br>It is rare that Jade gets to indulge in her instincts-- the grafted skills lingering from transformation-- especially in good cause. But with Tad left at home (with firm admonishment), arrowheads selected, sharpened, an all in readiness... She traces the earth with her fingertips, smiling quietly. "And for a noble cause," she remarks, shaking her head. "It would be a pleasure to help."<br> <br>Thelergramor grins, the fox liking the simplicity of this assignment. "So, go out, fuck 'em up, come home? Easy. Or should be. Edge of bubble doesn't sound like a problem. If they go out of it, I can stay back and snipe 'em. Maybe. Bit harder to aim with it like this..." The fox gestures with his head towards the firearms mounted on his back. Of which there are two. And a crossbow. "But then they wouldn't be getting back up after they're hit, so... Problem solved." Nods to Edel and any others. "Edel, hello. Other people." Turns back to the one known as Joe.<br> <br>The fact of a group of ferals on her front doorstep harming any agents, hunters and scavengers quickly reaches her ears and Sara emerges from the nearby New Ireland compound, her 'retirement' having come to a complete and utter stop. After a short walk to the gate the group had been standing by Sara stops infront of the golden dragon and offers him a nod before pulling a cigarette from an inner jacket pocket, lighting it and asking, "By pack, how many do you mean?"<br> <br>The dragon shrugs, looking over at Edel. "Edel ran into them the last time she took a job for us. If I recall there were... two large bears of some sort, almost a dozen tigers and tigresses by now, and their boss, who we've heard is "the largest damned fucking sabertooth<br> <br>" that our hunter had seen." Joe falls silent for a moment. "Any other questions?" he asks, as he waves the waiting scout over - a familiar looking (to Edel) female husky. "This is Claire. She'll take you into the woods."<br> <br>Jade nods as she keeps an ear canted to the conversation, listening. "How could the tigers be wandering this far?" she murmurs thoughtfully, stretching into a slow rise. She bows to Claire, nodding welcome as she remove the bow from her back. "I am prepared when you are. Let us waste no time."<br> <br>Edel pauses for a moment as she hears the husky's name. She tilts her head and peers for a moment. "What an odd coincidence," she murmurs before smiling and nodding at Claire. "Hello again! Glad we got you out of there. But yes, we will put an end to this," she says, looking back over her companions and checking the string on her bow.<br> <br>Thelergramor nods, tail swaying behind him. Eyes the husky a bit, in a totally innocent fashion. <nope> "Alright, Claire, ready whenever the others are. These poor bastards don't stand a chance." Cocky, uninformed. "What's a big striped pussy gonna do, right? Er, sabretooths have stripes, yeah?" Shrugs, in that vulpine not-really-a-shrug way.<br> <br>With her question answered, Sara nods inwardly and takes a long drag from her smoke and breathes it away from the group, "Mm.. that'll do for me, thanks Joe." she finishes with a brief, though friendly pat on his shoulder before turning away from the other dragon and looking to the husky scout. "Good to see you, Miss Claire." she greets innocently enough before turning to the gates and waiting for the group to press onwards.<br> <br>The briefing done, Claire leads the four Agents to a converted electric jeep, giving Edel and Sara both friendly smiles. "Hey Sara. Good to see you in the field again. And thanks for the save, Edel. Don't worry, I'm not going to do any stupid 'I can scout it alone' stuff this time." The husky's ears fold for a moment, and then with a quiet hum the jeep takes off. A short distance out of town she cuts off the road and follows a small trail through a wild field, and up to a forest; the trail thins, but remains passable for about fifteen minutes before Claire stops and turns the jeep around, then pulls the key. "Alright. We go on foot from here. The hunter said he found a cave they came out from before he got jumped, about two miles deeper in." She pauses, then raises a finger in front of her lips in a motion signaling for stealth, then turns and leads the way deeper into the forest.<br> <br>Jade falls into place as a shadow, a silent whisper of dark and light. Arrow nocked to bow-- she trails behind Claire, eyes bright as she searches the forest with sight and feel and scent. Hunting more than scouting, each in equal measure as she moves. Quiet as she reslishes the shadows of the forest; reverent as she stalks after in silent grace.<br> <br>Edel shakes her head and smiles. "I trust you. I was just amused because I happen to have a husky daughter named Claire! I thought it was unusual, that's all." She tucks her hands in the coat of the white jacket she was wearing over her bodysuit, striking up a little merry hum as she sets off on the walk!<br> <br>"A cave? Should've brought my shotgun..." Thelergramor whispered low and to himself, staying low and as quiet as possible. Remains at the back of the group. Flicks his head, dropping the binoculars perched atop it down to his eyes. Glances over the area ahead of them. Likely can't see dick through the trees. Then sniffs at the air, trying to find scent of bear or tiger.<br> <br>Already ready, Sara makes her way to the jeep and climbs in along with the other hunters, "Yeah, s'good to be back, Claire. Was also good to actually be able to be with family, but.. well.. always nice to go out and be the hero once in a while.." she admits with a soft chuckle. "Though a cave, huh? We got any flashlights?" As she speaks, Sara pulls out two handguns from their hidden shoulder holsters and dutifully checks them over, for as long as those two miles last.<br> <br>On foot in the forest, Claire demonstrates that she is a fairly decent scout; the group makes good time through the underbrush, and eventually it thins out as the trees grow thicker and taller. There are a few times where Claire pauses to sniff, listen, or peer around, and at her latest stop it dawns on the group: the normal sounds of the forest have faded. There are no birds singing, no insects buzzing, and no squirrels, rabbits, or other creatures scurrying through the underbrush. Clearly, something is up... "We're getting close," Claire whispers. "Very close."<br> <br>Edel closes her eyes and sniffs at the air. "Mmmh. Yes, I would agree," she says, laying one hand on the hilt of her sword, the other gripping the scabbard near the top. She gives a little nod towards Sara, but otherwise gives no other indication that something might be up. It's time to wait.<br> <br>Jade's body quivers with a silent, electric pulse. Nostrils quiver as she scent the surroundings, nodding in unspoken agreement. Wordless, she moves to the right; stalking within the underbrush, moving to give the others clear shots, should it come... And to cover the husky scout herself, should danger present. And agreeing quietly with the others-- shotguns would be welcome.<br> <br>Thelergramor flicks his head upward, setting the binoculars back atop his head before following the others. Does as Claire did; sniffing occasionally. Fights the urge to mark the trees. Should all be his territory. Isn't nearly as concerned as he should be by the silent forest. Sniffs around again, readying the remote trigger for his weapons. Stays near the back. Most likely to get picked off that way, but, sniper needs more range.<br> <br>Her weapons readied, Sara looks up and into the tree line, just in time to catch two tigresses blending into the foliage. The dragoness however doesn't seem to make the fact widely known as her gaze passes by them before too long and she instead looks to the new motion; Edel, and Jades nodding, both of whom recieving a nod of her own. "So.." Sara begins, ".. anyone catch the game last night?" she asks, turning her back to the stalking tigresses and giving her fellow hunters indistinct gestures to show the two tigresses, all the while, her hands gripping the handguns tightly, and readying herself for the attack.<br> <br>Claire turns to face the Agents and starts to speak; predictably, with the party's attention turned inward and the defenders apparantly unaware, the tigers on sentry duty choose to spring their ambush. One tigress launches herself at Edel in a sudden blur, her camoflauge dropping as she springs up from the forest floor; a second has decided that Thelergramor looks like the easiest prey to take down and has dropped from the trees towards him, and the third goes for Claire's unprotected back. Unprotected does not mean unwatched, though, as Sara calls out a warning and launches herself between Claire and the springing tiger. | <div></div><br> <br>The Agents invited have been directed to report to the guard tower at the southern gate of Clairmont. One of the cty's liasons is waiting there, a golden-scaled dragon. He waits patiently, arms crossed, tail slowly twitching; when everyone arrives, he looks the group over, sighs, and then nods. "So this is it, huh?" he asks. He waits for pleasantries to be exchanged, then cuts to the chase. "A pack of ferals have been harassing our hunters. Worse than that, two of them have disappeared, and a third was hurt bad enough that it took him a full day of intensive medical care back at our hospital to recover. He said that they were a pack of mixed tigers and a few bears - you may be familiar with them, Edel." Joe gives her a quick smile. "They're too strong for most of our hunters, and they're smart enough they've been skirting the edge of the bubble - if too big of a group comes for them, they draw back, knowing we don't want to risk the casualties we'd get chasing after them. Your jobs is simple. This is a hit. Go out there and make them wish they were anywhere else." The dragon pauses, looking over the Agents. "Any questions? When you're ready, you'll be led to the last area where we had contact."<br> <br>Edel slips along towards the meeting point, the snowleopard thumbing the hilt of her sword as she comes to a stop near Joe, listening to the debrief. "Ahhh. Them again... That's fine by me. I did have some unfinished business with their 'leader' last time... Very well," she says, dipping into a little bow. "Consider it done."<br> <br>It is rare that Jade gets to indulge in her instincts-- the grafted skills lingering from transformation-- especially in good cause. But with Tad left at home (with firm admonishment), arrowheads selected, sharpened, an all in readiness... She traces the earth with her fingertips, smiling quietly. "And for a noble cause," she remarks, shaking her head. "It would be a pleasure to help."<br> <br>Thelergramor grins, the fox liking the simplicity of this assignment. "So, go out, fuck 'em up, come home? Easy. Or should be. Edge of bubble doesn't sound like a problem. If they go out of it, I can stay back and snipe 'em. Maybe. Bit harder to aim with it like this..." The fox gestures with his head towards the firearms mounted on his back. Of which there are two. And a crossbow. "But then they wouldn't be getting back up after they're hit, so... Problem solved." Nods to Edel and any others. "Edel, hello. Other people." Turns back to the one known as Joe.<br> <br>The fact of a group of ferals on her front doorstep harming any agents, hunters and scavengers quickly reaches her ears and Sara emerges from the nearby New Ireland compound, her 'retirement' having come to a complete and utter stop. After a short walk to the gate the group had been standing by Sara stops infront of the golden dragon and offers him a nod before pulling a cigarette from an inner jacket pocket, lighting it and asking, "By pack, how many do you mean?"<br> <br>The dragon shrugs, looking over at Edel. "Edel ran into them the last time she took a job for us. If I recall there were... two large bears of some sort, almost a dozen tigers and tigresses by now, and their boss, who we've heard is "the largest damned fucking sabertooth<br> <br>" that our hunter had seen." Joe falls silent for a moment. "Any other questions?" he asks, as he waves the waiting scout over - a familiar looking (to Edel) female husky. "This is Claire. She'll take you into the woods."<br> <br>Jade nods as she keeps an ear canted to the conversation, listening. "How could the tigers be wandering this far?" she murmurs thoughtfully, stretching into a slow rise. She bows to Claire, nodding welcome as she remove the bow from her back. "I am prepared when you are. Let us waste no time."<br> <br>Edel pauses for a moment as she hears the husky's name. She tilts her head and peers for a moment. "What an odd coincidence," she murmurs before smiling and nodding at Claire. "Hello again! Glad we got you out of there. But yes, we will put an end to this," she says, looking back over her companions and checking the string on her bow.<br> <br>Thelergramor nods, tail swaying behind him. Eyes the husky a bit, in a totally innocent fashion. <nope> "Alright, Claire, ready whenever the others are. These poor bastards don't stand a chance." Cocky, uninformed. "What's a big striped pussy gonna do, right? Er, sabretooths have stripes, yeah?" Shrugs, in that vulpine not-really-a-shrug way.<br> <br>With her question answered, Sara nods inwardly and takes a long drag from her smoke and breathes it away from the group, "Mm.. that'll do for me, thanks Joe." she finishes with a brief, though friendly pat on his shoulder before turning away from the other dragon and looking to the husky scout. "Good to see you, Miss Claire." she greets innocently enough before turning to the gates and waiting for the group to press onwards.<br> <br>The briefing done, Claire leads the four Agents to a converted electric jeep, giving Edel and Sara both friendly smiles. "Hey Sara. Good to see you in the field again. And thanks for the save, Edel. Don't worry, I'm not going to do any stupid 'I can scout it alone' stuff this time." The husky's ears fold for a moment, and then with a quiet hum the jeep takes off. A short distance out of town she cuts off the road and follows a small trail through a wild field, and up to a forest; the trail thins, but remains passable for about fifteen minutes before Claire stops and turns the jeep around, then pulls the key. "Alright. We go on foot from here. The hunter said he found a cave they came out from before he got jumped, about two miles deeper in." She pauses, then raises a finger in front of her lips in a motion signaling for stealth, then turns and leads the way deeper into the forest.<br> <br>Jade falls into place as a shadow, a silent whisper of dark and light. Arrow nocked to bow-- she trails behind Claire, eyes bright as she searches the forest with sight and feel and scent. Hunting more than scouting, each in equal measure as she moves. Quiet as she reslishes the shadows of the forest; reverent as she stalks after in silent grace.<br> <br>Edel shakes her head and smiles. "I trust you. I was just amused because I happen to have a husky daughter named Claire! I thought it was unusual, that's all." She tucks her hands in the coat of the white jacket she was wearing over her bodysuit, striking up a little merry hum as she sets off on the walk!<br> <br>"A cave? Should've brought my shotgun..." Thelergramor whispered low and to himself, staying low and as quiet as possible. Remains at the back of the group. Flicks his head, dropping the binoculars perched atop it down to his eyes. Glances over the area ahead of them. Likely can't see dick through the trees. Then sniffs at the air, trying to find scent of bear or tiger.<br> <br>Already ready, Sara makes her way to the jeep and climbs in along with the other hunters, "Yeah, s'good to be back, Claire. Was also good to actually be able to be with family, but.. well.. always nice to go out and be the hero once in a while.." she admits with a soft chuckle. "Though a cave, huh? We got any flashlights?" As she speaks, Sara pulls out two handguns from their hidden shoulder holsters and dutifully checks them over, for as long as those two miles last.<br> <br>On foot in the forest, Claire demonstrates that she is a fairly decent scout; the group makes good time through the underbrush, and eventually it thins out as the trees grow thicker and taller. There are a few times where Claire pauses to sniff, listen, or peer around, and at her latest stop it dawns on the group: the normal sounds of the forest have faded. There are no birds singing, no insects buzzing, and no squirrels, rabbits, or other creatures scurrying through the underbrush. Clearly, something is up... "We're getting close," Claire whispers. "Very close."<br> <br>Edel closes her eyes and sniffs at the air. "Mmmh. Yes, I would agree," she says, laying one hand on the hilt of her sword, the other gripping the scabbard near the top. She gives a little nod towards Sara, but otherwise gives no other indication that something might be up. It's time to wait.<br> <br>Jade's body quivers with a silent, electric pulse. Nostrils quiver as she scent the surroundings, nodding in unspoken agreement. Wordless, she moves to the right; stalking within the underbrush, moving to give the others clear shots, should it come... And to cover the husky scout herself, should danger present. And agreeing quietly with the others-- shotguns would be welcome.<br> <br>Thelergramor flicks his head upward, setting the binoculars back atop his head before following the others. Does as Claire did; sniffing occasionally. Fights the urge to mark the trees. Should all be his territory. Isn't nearly as concerned as he should be by the silent forest. Sniffs around again, readying the remote trigger for his weapons. Stays near the back. Most likely to get picked off that way, but, sniper needs more range.<br> <br>Her weapons readied, Sara looks up and into the tree line, just in time to catch two tigresses blending into the foliage. The dragoness however doesn't seem to make the fact widely known as her gaze passes by them before too long and she instead looks to the new motion; Edel, and Jades nodding, both of whom recieving a nod of her own. "So.." Sara begins, ".. anyone catch the game last night?" she asks, turning her back to the stalking tigresses and giving her fellow hunters indistinct gestures to show the two tigresses, all the while, her hands gripping the handguns tightly, and readying herself for the attack.<br> <br>Claire turns to face the Agents and starts to speak; predictably, with the party's attention turned inward and the defenders apparantly unaware, the tigers on sentry duty choose to spring their ambush. One tigress launches herself at Edel in a sudden blur, her camoflauge dropping as she springs up from the forest floor; a second has decided that Thelergramor looks like the easiest prey to take down and has dropped from the trees towards him, and the third goes for Claire's unprotected back. Unprotected does not mean unwatched, though, as Sara calls out a warning and launches herself between Claire and the springing tiger. | ||
Revision as of 21:41, 10 October 2014
Participants
Date
10/10/2014
Log
NOTE: Scene was interrupted due to a MUCK crash; it will be resumed night of 10/10/2014. Some cleaning still needs to be done.
The Agents invited have been directed to report to the guard tower at the southern gate of Clairmont. One of the cty's liasons is waiting there, a golden-scaled dragon. He waits patiently, arms crossed, tail slowly twitching; when everyone arrives, he looks the group over, sighs, and then nods. "So this is it, huh?" he asks. He waits for pleasantries to be exchanged, then cuts to the chase. "A pack of ferals have been harassing our hunters. Worse than that, two of them have disappeared, and a third was hurt bad enough that it took him a full day of intensive medical care back at our hospital to recover. He said that they were a pack of mixed tigers and a few bears - you may be familiar with them, Edel." Joe gives her a quick smile. "They're too strong for most of our hunters, and they're smart enough they've been skirting the edge of the bubble - if too big of a group comes for them, they draw back, knowing we don't want to risk the casualties we'd get chasing after them. Your jobs is simple. This is a hit. Go out there and make them wish they were anywhere else." The dragon pauses, looking over the Agents. "Any questions? When you're ready, you'll be led to the last area where we had contact."
Edel slips along towards the meeting point, the snowleopard thumbing the hilt of her sword as she comes to a stop near Joe, listening to the debrief. "Ahhh. Them again... That's fine by me. I did have some unfinished business with their 'leader' last time... Very well," she says, dipping into a little bow. "Consider it done."
It is rare that Jade gets to indulge in her instincts-- the grafted skills lingering from transformation-- especially in good cause. But with Tad left at home (with firm admonishment), arrowheads selected, sharpened, an all in readiness... She traces the earth with her fingertips, smiling quietly. "And for a noble cause," she remarks, shaking her head. "It would be a pleasure to help."
Thelergramor grins, the fox liking the simplicity of this assignment. "So, go out, fuck 'em up, come home? Easy. Or should be. Edge of bubble doesn't sound like a problem. If they go out of it, I can stay back and snipe 'em. Maybe. Bit harder to aim with it like this..." The fox gestures with his head towards the firearms mounted on his back. Of which there are two. And a crossbow. "But then they wouldn't be getting back up after they're hit, so... Problem solved." Nods to Edel and any others. "Edel, hello. Other people." Turns back to the one known as Joe.
The fact of a group of ferals on her front doorstep harming any agents, hunters and scavengers quickly reaches her ears and Sara emerges from the nearby New Ireland compound, her 'retirement' having come to a complete and utter stop. After a short walk to the gate the group had been standing by Sara stops infront of the golden dragon and offers him a nod before pulling a cigarette from an inner jacket pocket, lighting it and asking, "By pack, how many do you mean?"
The dragon shrugs, looking over at Edel. "Edel ran into them the last time she took a job for us. If I recall there were... two large bears of some sort, almost a dozen tigers and tigresses by now, and their boss, who we've heard is "the largest damned fucking sabertooth
" that our hunter had seen." Joe falls silent for a moment. "Any other questions?" he asks, as he waves the waiting scout over - a familiar looking (to Edel) female husky. "This is Claire. She'll take you into the woods."
Jade nods as she keeps an ear canted to the conversation, listening. "How could the tigers be wandering this far?" she murmurs thoughtfully, stretching into a slow rise. She bows to Claire, nodding welcome as she remove the bow from her back. "I am prepared when you are. Let us waste no time."
Edel pauses for a moment as she hears the husky's name. She tilts her head and peers for a moment. "What an odd coincidence," she murmurs before smiling and nodding at Claire. "Hello again! Glad we got you out of there. But yes, we will put an end to this," she says, looking back over her companions and checking the string on her bow.
Thelergramor nods, tail swaying behind him. Eyes the husky a bit, in a totally innocent fashion. <nope> "Alright, Claire, ready whenever the others are. These poor bastards don't stand a chance." Cocky, uninformed. "What's a big striped pussy gonna do, right? Er, sabretooths have stripes, yeah?" Shrugs, in that vulpine not-really-a-shrug way.
With her question answered, Sara nods inwardly and takes a long drag from her smoke and breathes it away from the group, "Mm.. that'll do for me, thanks Joe." she finishes with a brief, though friendly pat on his shoulder before turning away from the other dragon and looking to the husky scout. "Good to see you, Miss Claire." she greets innocently enough before turning to the gates and waiting for the group to press onwards.
The briefing done, Claire leads the four Agents to a converted electric jeep, giving Edel and Sara both friendly smiles. "Hey Sara. Good to see you in the field again. And thanks for the save, Edel. Don't worry, I'm not going to do any stupid 'I can scout it alone' stuff this time." The husky's ears fold for a moment, and then with a quiet hum the jeep takes off. A short distance out of town she cuts off the road and follows a small trail through a wild field, and up to a forest; the trail thins, but remains passable for about fifteen minutes before Claire stops and turns the jeep around, then pulls the key. "Alright. We go on foot from here. The hunter said he found a cave they came out from before he got jumped, about two miles deeper in." She pauses, then raises a finger in front of her lips in a motion signaling for stealth, then turns and leads the way deeper into the forest.
Jade falls into place as a shadow, a silent whisper of dark and light. Arrow nocked to bow-- she trails behind Claire, eyes bright as she searches the forest with sight and feel and scent. Hunting more than scouting, each in equal measure as she moves. Quiet as she reslishes the shadows of the forest; reverent as she stalks after in silent grace.
Edel shakes her head and smiles. "I trust you. I was just amused because I happen to have a husky daughter named Claire! I thought it was unusual, that's all." She tucks her hands in the coat of the white jacket she was wearing over her bodysuit, striking up a little merry hum as she sets off on the walk!
"A cave? Should've brought my shotgun..." Thelergramor whispered low and to himself, staying low and as quiet as possible. Remains at the back of the group. Flicks his head, dropping the binoculars perched atop it down to his eyes. Glances over the area ahead of them. Likely can't see dick through the trees. Then sniffs at the air, trying to find scent of bear or tiger.
Already ready, Sara makes her way to the jeep and climbs in along with the other hunters, "Yeah, s'good to be back, Claire. Was also good to actually be able to be with family, but.. well.. always nice to go out and be the hero once in a while.." she admits with a soft chuckle. "Though a cave, huh? We got any flashlights?" As she speaks, Sara pulls out two handguns from their hidden shoulder holsters and dutifully checks them over, for as long as those two miles last.
On foot in the forest, Claire demonstrates that she is a fairly decent scout; the group makes good time through the underbrush, and eventually it thins out as the trees grow thicker and taller. There are a few times where Claire pauses to sniff, listen, or peer around, and at her latest stop it dawns on the group: the normal sounds of the forest have faded. There are no birds singing, no insects buzzing, and no squirrels, rabbits, or other creatures scurrying through the underbrush. Clearly, something is up... "We're getting close," Claire whispers. "Very close."
Edel closes her eyes and sniffs at the air. "Mmmh. Yes, I would agree," she says, laying one hand on the hilt of her sword, the other gripping the scabbard near the top. She gives a little nod towards Sara, but otherwise gives no other indication that something might be up. It's time to wait.
Jade's body quivers with a silent, electric pulse. Nostrils quiver as she scent the surroundings, nodding in unspoken agreement. Wordless, she moves to the right; stalking within the underbrush, moving to give the others clear shots, should it come... And to cover the husky scout herself, should danger present. And agreeing quietly with the others-- shotguns would be welcome.
Thelergramor flicks his head upward, setting the binoculars back atop his head before following the others. Does as Claire did; sniffing occasionally. Fights the urge to mark the trees. Should all be his territory. Isn't nearly as concerned as he should be by the silent forest. Sniffs around again, readying the remote trigger for his weapons. Stays near the back. Most likely to get picked off that way, but, sniper needs more range.
Her weapons readied, Sara looks up and into the tree line, just in time to catch two tigresses blending into the foliage. The dragoness however doesn't seem to make the fact widely known as her gaze passes by them before too long and she instead looks to the new motion; Edel, and Jades nodding, both of whom recieving a nod of her own. "So.." Sara begins, ".. anyone catch the game last night?" she asks, turning her back to the stalking tigresses and giving her fellow hunters indistinct gestures to show the two tigresses, all the while, her hands gripping the handguns tightly, and readying herself for the attack.
Claire turns to face the Agents and starts to speak; predictably, with the party's attention turned inward and the defenders apparantly unaware, the tigers on sentry duty choose to spring their ambush. One tigress launches herself at Edel in a sudden blur, her camoflauge dropping as she springs up from the forest floor; a second has decided that Thelergramor looks like the easiest prey to take down and has dropped from the trees towards him, and the third goes for Claire's unprotected back. Unprotected does not mean unwatched, though, as Sara calls out a warning and launches herself between Claire and the springing tiger.
Edel's quick reflexes allow her to painfully catch her attacker with a countering sweep of her sword, while Thel is nimble enough to avoid his assailant - and the hail of bullets from Sara's rapid shots. Sara, unfortunately, takes the brunt of a tiger's charge, claws sinking in to latch into her shoulders as the tigress tries to drag her to the ground.
Edel was waiting for that, and the other feline fell right into it! As soon as it makes its pounce and is airborne, and thus unable to avoid, she counters. Her blade is drawn from its scabbard and, in one electrically charged sweep, carries through with the motion, blade finding flesh, blood, and bone alike. She doesn't let up there, though. She presses the assault, stepping forward and bringing the blade back down in a diagonal two-handed arc.
Jade's eye flicks. One, upon the dragoness. Another, taken by Edel. The third--%T
%T
From thought to action-- instinctive as she releases her shaft towards the tigress chasing after Thelergramor. "Not today," she says softly, arrow released even as a smooth motion draws the second from its quiver, nocked and ready to release.%T
%T
Harmony in motion, quick shafts spearing the air. Bliss.
Thelergramor growls at his attacker, evading their clumsy assault easily. "REally wwant em to shoot you then?" Then levels his Auto-Hammer at her. Presses the button on the remote trigger in his paw; unleashing a torrent of carpentry nails towards the tigress.
"Ambush!" Sara shouts as she rushes to Claires side, just in time to push her out of harms way. With her pistols already handy, the dragoness breathes a shrill whistle, motions to Thel, and raises the weapons just in time to fire of a few rounds into both the tigress now attacking her, and the other attacking the clearly capable fox. "Graaah!" she shouts as the wounded tigress bowls into her and proceeds to try to bite, and claw at her. "Get.. offa me!" she shouts. Meanwhile, with one arm, she tries to fend off the tigress, and with the other, she reaches for a knife at her side and begins jamming it into her attacker as fast as her hands would be able.
Sara's earlier whistle is later answered by a violent shriek as a red-tailed hawk bursts through the uppergrowth and attacks Thelergramor's already heavilly wounded attacker with its razor sharp claws.
The fight degrades into a scuffle as Edel and the first tigress circle. Edel's blade scores shallow, glancing hits against her opponent, while the tigress attempts to dart in and out to sink its claws into the leopardess but only manages to graze her leg. The second tigress gathers itself for a second lunge, only to be distracted by the swooping hawk and a quick arrow; when it turns back towards Thel, it catches a face full of magnetically propelled nails. She screams, a blood-curdling shriek of pain and anger, and falls to the ground pawing at the lengths of metal sunk into her. The third tigress fares better, her claws tearing through Sara's vest like it was paper. Fortunately the dragoness' scales are tougher, and although she is still painfull raked with a spray of blood, the tiger fails to eviscerate her. It also gets a mouthful of trench knife when it tries to clamp its teeth down on Sara's neck, as the commando's rapid assault perforates her hide. Sara clips a vein and a spray of blood rewards her efforts, but the tigress is only pushed to redouble her assault.
Edel gives an agitated little growl as she tiger manages to graze her leg, the armour soaking most of the blow, but it still hurt! And now the pants she was wearing over it were torn. With a hiss, she brings her hand up, not for another sword bow, but to strike out with a lance of arcing electricity.
Thelergramor growls at the now downed tigress once more. "Sorry, sweety, but you've just been nailed." Then turns towards the one attacking Sara. Doesn't want to risk a shot that close to an ally... So, the fox charges at them. Lashing out with his teeth to latch onto one of the still-capable-of-attacking-limbs.
Jade's eye hovers with practiced patience. No need to charge in; the bow removes that need, as she freezes for a heartbeats' stillness. One falls, the others remain. One circling--- The huntress releases her shaft with a practiced ease, a whisk of sharp metal sailing through the air. Taking advantage of Edel's maneuvering, circling the back of the feral tigress straight into her arrow.
With little sound aside from the sudden rush of a large form and the scrabbling, scratching noises of leaves and dirt being overturned, (which is impressive considering the size of the source), a large wolf beast comes barreling out from behind a few trees, launching himself at the tigress Edel had just lanced with electricity. He seems to have little regard for his own safety, more than willing to take some of that electrical current himself as he tries to grapple large, muscular arms up and around the tigress' much smaller body in an attempt to bear-hug her to unconsciousness.
With a final shriek as the tigress's claws strike true, and being completely unaware of Thelergramor's charge, and figuring Nimbus had still been busy with the previous tigress, Sara's eyes glint gold for all of a moment before her draconic maw opens wide and she blasts a hellish wave of flames.
With perfect timing, Edel hops back from the first tigress as it pulls back from a lunge, widening the space between them; she raises a hand and sends bolts of nano-powered lightning into the feral. It howls, but caught off guard as it is it fails to dodge Jade's arrow, or the sudden appearance of the wolf beast that falls on it. Sara's opponent fares worse, as it starts kicking the dragoness again - although it tears a scale free, it's face and shoulders are quickly enveloped in fire, while Thel catches one of its feet in his teeth and savagely tears. The tigress goes limp, the nanites rendering her comatose as they kick into overdrive to try and repair the damage. The second tigress wails as she picks nails out of her face and rolls around on the forest floor.
Edel lowers her hand and peers at Taggart. "Well, well. I'm surprised to see you out here. Pleasantly so. It'll be nice to fight alongside you," she says with a curt nod as she swings her blade to the side, trying to flick the majority of the blood from it before wiping the rest off in the crook of her elbow. It stained something awful on the white fabric of her jacket, but it was bound to end up ruined by now, anyway.
Thelergramor spits blood from his maw, licking his lips afterward. "You're welcome." A cocky grin on his vulpine visage as he looks down to the burnt once. "Hope she tastes better cooked..." He shakes his head, somehow not the least bit surprised to see Taggart for some reason. "Hey, Taggart." Before turning back to the tigress he already shot. Plods on over to her. "Don't get up. Would be unpleasant." Doesn't exactly give her a choice in the matter before breathing a shadowy morass at the wounded tigress.
Jade's aim hovers over the wolfbeast for an instant. 'Another feral?' is the thought, but she lets her draw ease as the others make noises of recognition. She closes her eyes as adrenaline's rush hammers through her veins, exhaling with a shiver of release. Leaving the wounded to the tender mercies of her companions, she glances swiftly about. "CAve, cave, where is the cave...." she murmurs, twisting to survey the area once more. And spare a glance towards the Ddraigh. *Something * familiar there.... The swiftness.
Taggart simply grunts to Edel's greeting, most of his attention upon the tigress wrapped up in his grasp and struggling to get free. He wrestles and tugs her about with his tree-trunks for arms before taking an opening when she lifts up her head to squirm. His large jaws suddenly open up and lunge upward, trying to latch about the front of her throat in a crushing grip native to his particular species while his arms continue to press down upon her body from the sides. Crunching unpleasantness is bound to happen in more than one part of her body.
After charring the tigress nice and crispy-like, Sara breathes a heavy sigh and pushes the comatose creature off of herself apparently only to look down to the damage the creature had done, wince, and fall back, her crimson gaze spent looking to the canopy above her. This silent wait lasts until finally, her equilibrium had been recovered and she rises to a seating possition. "Gods damn.." she grumbles, "Is everybody alright? C-Claire? You still here?" Further moving leaves her wincing again, and looking over the wounds she had recieved, so instead she simply calculates the damage, smokes? Destroyed. Jacket? Torn. Vest? Useless. Damn.
The burnt tigress lays still, the nailed one whimpers as she is overtaken by frigid shadows, and the third... well, wet crunch signals the end of her resistance. Claire finally raises herself to her feet, eyes wide. "Wow. That escalated quickly," she comments, before her tail starts to wag, although there is some hesitation there. "Uhm. Right! The cave! It's this way," she says, and motions for the Agents to follow. "I'm glad we decided to tap the reserve, damn you guys are beasts." Only a little ways further in and the party finds the 'cave' Joe had mentioned - a clearing in the forest created by a sinkhole, approximately twentyish feet wide and fifteen feet deep. One of the massive forest trees tilts over it at an angle, some of its roots snapped, others exposed, unable to support its massive weight. Down at the bottom of the hole, a sloping tunnel can be seen.
Edel winces a little. Though she was used to that sort of thing and worse, the sound still gives her a little flinch. Never a pleasant business. "Well. That certainly looks like an interesting cave system! Not what I was expecting, to be honest." She fans her wings a little, as if stretching them in preparation. "How shall we get down? Just jump?"
"You're welcome.." Sara grumbles as she rises to her feet, not without a little stumbling, as she tries to find her balance once more and is left following behind, "We're not going to bind 'em?" the ex-soldier asks as she makes her way away from the fallen foes. "Huh.. guess not." she concludes before her gaze falls on Taggart's bestial form. "Good to see you, boss.." she greets, her calmness returning, and the wounds no longer seeming to be that big a problem. As the group reaches the sinkhole, Sara looks down into the depths and asks, "How do we want to do this? Anyone got any rope?"
Thelergramor looks down into the hole, any kind of darkness shouldn't matter to his vision. Flicks his binoculars back down, peers in, and flicks them back up. Glances at Claire. "You're fine, yeah?" Then the rest. "Anyone hurt and need, uh, help?" Assumes noone is hurt enough for his help, felt like asking. "If you want to jump Edel, I'm right behind you." Looks over to Sara. "NAh, stopped carrying rope after I didn't have hands to tie it with. Shortsighted, I guess..." Sniffs at the air, listens for movement, then shrugs again.
Jade makes her way to the cave smoothly, cautiously; her arrow remains nocked as she stares into the sinkhole, eyes barely adjusting to the gloom within the cave. "We do have our moments," the tigress says cooly, though with a hint of mischief. The quick tail whips behind her, and she eases the draw of her weapon, replacing the arrow back into its quiver. "It might be best for you to remain here," she says, glancing over at Claire. "I do not mean to be unkind, but it may be safer for you at the entrance. To anchor a line everyone without wings can use... And to have another set of eyes on our prisoner." She glances at the remaining tigress pointedly, standing as she retrieves a thick, heavy cylinder from her belt. A flick of a hidden switch sets it humming; the shock baton crackles as she tests the discharge burn, nodding to herself with a quiet satisfaction. "I do," she adds, smiling with relish. Unfurling her pack from her back, her movements are quick as she begins setting out a few oddments of exploration: a slender zip line, a few flares, a tin of sardines...
Taggart lets loose with his jaws and arms, the tigress falling heavily out of his grip to the ground. His hand lifts and wipes off his muzzle with the back of it, looking around at the small group with his bright green eyes. He gives a small smirk to Sara and nods, tipping an imaginary hat before he silently falls into step behind the rest of them, some sort of hulking and protective juggernaut watching over the group as they approach the sinkhole. Seems he also has a length of thick rope bound around his body, one clawed hand taking it up and off of his shoulder before it thumps down into a pile nearer to the hole.
Leaving behind the scent of blood and charred feral, a new scent is barely traceable from the edge of the pit - well, the smell of tigresses is heavy and unmistakable, especially after that fight, but under it is the scent of other ferals, the stink of animal rut, and the damp mildew smell of old mud and fungus. Claire shrugs as she peers down towards the hole. "I've got a flashlight. I was planning on staying here... but I think I'm better off following you guys. I don't want to run into another one of those tigers if they're off hunting, you know? Although if you really, really want me to stay behind I can..."
