Crouching Tigers, Hidden Wolf Beast - RPLOG
Participants
Date
10/10/2014
Log
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.
