Coyote: The Packmind/Chapter 1
Cilan rests her back against the wall near the entry way into the building, one foot resting on the wall, while the other is pushed outwards at an angle, in one hand is a flask that she occasionally nurses back, and in the other is a seemingly well maintained handgun.
The air is peaceful and quiet until the sound of a tractor trailer blaring on it's horn interrupts the courtyard of Zephyr. A big semi with a tank hitched is barreling down the road straight toward the main entrance way of Zephyr Tower. It starts to break, but it's going too fast and slams into the glass entrance way, a few of the steel columns taking the brunt of the impact and spraying glass into the lobby.
Kale emerges from the buildings entrance, just coming off duty from the triage. Shi heads out to meet Cilan and walks up beside her.
Sparhawk has been doing research! So the loud crash is muffled by busily trying to breathe underwater.
Loki dozes quietly, a book on his face. He jumps up at the crash, and the sudden blizzard of glass. He grasps for his book, finally managing to catch it. He glances around the room, casting a lazy glance at the carnage wreaked upon the building before taking a sip from his mug, frowning at the general lack of coffee. He pads over to the coffee machine, giving a lazy wave to Cilan and Kale.
Kale shields hir face and then looks to see that Cilan is alright.
Cilan grins as she notices Kale walk next her, prompting the small lizard woman to nuzzle hir contentedly, her attention completely on hir, until of course a loud crash is heard, prompting her to jump in surprise, her eyes going wide in surprise.
The cab itself is crushed, and the driver's door broken open,the truck driver falling out of the cab, onto the ground, he's covered in blood, and something looks -really- off about him.
RosaSoul lets out a yelp dropping her food and darts to the side less she get smashed by the runaway semi "what the hell!?" and then grumbles over her lost food, so hard to come by these days, then again, she does suppose that right now it is the least of her worries "anyone hurt?"
Kale springs into action and grabs hir medkit and head over to the driver motioning for Cilan to follow. "Sir can you speak? Are you alright?" Kale asks calmly despite the look of tremendous worry on hir face. The truck driver is on the ground and cries out in agony, his hands and feet are twisted into paws, and he doesn't look as if he can stand, bleeding from multiple locations. His face is partially muzzled.
Kale takes a closer look at the driver to asses his injuries as shi pulls out various medical supplies to treat the man.
Taggart is approaching the Zephyr lobby from the south, head down and fists stuffed into the pockets of his cargoes. Collar of his pea-coat is flipped up and hat is low on his brow, as if fighting off a cold chill, though it -is- California and decently warm. The loud crashing of the truck pulls his attention up, emerald gaze taking in the sight of the wreckage before he gives a soft sigh and shakes his head. He picks up the pace, but only slightly so, moving into a light jog to close the distance.
Cilan nods affirmatively at Kale as she runs over to hir, and the driver, her own medkit being pulled out as she follows the dragoness' instructions to the tee, hypos, and bandages scattered around her.
Crys is startled, but recognizes the voice of the cries, and the truck. She leaps to look inside the passenger cab to try to find someone.
The driver is young, and while part of him was human, he looks to be shifting into some kind of canine like thing, the fur markings a mixture of blondes, browns, reds and blacks.
To note, his paws look decidedly non-anthro.
Loki fills his mug, mumbling about much more noise than usual is in the room. He turns around, taking another sip of coffee. His eyes grow wide as he drops his mug, the clatter drowned out by the commotion as the situation finally dawns on him. He bounds over towards the truck, leaping upon the hood of the truck, gazing in. HE tries his best to identify the mutations of the driver.
RosaSoul moves over and kneels near him but out of the way for now, she didn't have any medi-packs on her so she wouldn't be much help in this particular case, and just waits for some way she could help, for the time being at least, she decides to check inside the tower, pulling away rubble to make sure no one inside had gotten crushed "if he managed to speak, ask what his name is"
Cilan grabs one of the hypo's and sticks it to the man's neck, the medicine seeming to dull the pain as her skills with the nanites, and with medicine slowly close up what wounds the man may be suffering from, "Its gonna be alright, sir.. y-you're gonna be fine!" is called out to him in the attempt to reassure him while she works.
Crys rips open the passenger's door and calls out Sorien's name, discarding the heavy door like tissue paper. Her tails are flickering in agitation and worry.
Taggart starts to hang back as he sees the crash victim apparently tended to rather well by the small crowd. The large wolf remains quiet, watching with somber green eyes before he notices Crystala starting to tear apart the truck in search of her mate. A slightly pained expression, then stiffening and an aggravated groan before he moves closer.
Kale starts to treat the shifting mans wounds while Cilan tries to calm him down the current shifting making it very difficult."
The driver weakly manages to say "Wallace." before groaning and staring off into the distance as he's injected with more nanite. Almost in response, his hips pop further and a tail bursts through his pants.
Crys shouts out in almost a growl, "Where -is- she!"
Loki glances down at the driver. "Fascinating.... This man.. infected with coyote... a strain usually not infectious.. closest identical strain... Painted wolf." he mumbles, drawing a device out of his coat. "Perhaps a sample while its still fresh, if you two don't mind." he asks, glancing down at Cilan and Kale. "It may stabilize.. or shift in the time.. best get it now to be sure... and if its diluted."
Kale says calmly in a clear well practiced medical personnel voice "Okay Wallace you are going to be fine. Please tell us what happened."
RosaSoul blinks and spins around towards Crys "Crystala? there only seems to be one person in the truck, come to the drivers side?" the only thing Rosa had heard so far, was the drivers Crys, as far as she knew Sorien wasn't in the cab, but she had a distinct worry that she was missing something important
Kale glares at Loki "No 'samples' until we know he is stable."
Loki frowns, scowling slightly. "Yes.. stable.. he should be quite fine I would think.. and he could be infectious... Cyote has not proven to be infectious before." he states, quickly taking a sample before lowering a hand to help mend the wounded individual.
Wallace groans his eyes going blank for a minute, and he growls at Kale and Cilan around him.
Taggart slips his hand into a pocket, flipping the switch on an odd device. Immediately, a non-visible bubble around him pops into place, making anyone within a five foot radius of him feel extremely uncomfortable. In addition, anyone in that distance minds it difficult to control their nanites as the wolf moves up to the crowd gathered about Wallace.
Kale looks to Cilan panic in hir eyes "Cilan restrain the patient!"
Cilan nods affirmatively and moves to where his head is located and leans over him, gripping both his arms, keeping him on the ground should he suddenly go feral and attack.
Crys joins the group surrounding Wallace and she shouts again at the driver asking where Sorien is, but is pushed back by Cilan and Kale.
Kale continues to treat the shifting form as best shi can "Loki you are better with nanites then me see if you can bring his mind back out>"
RosaSoul waves a paw slightly "and then he goes feral, this isnt going to be fun is it?" stepping away from taggart she moves towards Crystala instead "Sorien doesn't seem to be here Crys, why do you think she is" wrapping an arm around her trying to calm her down, more interested in her than the now feral driver
Cilan successfully retains the flailing driver, and he barks at her. Once Taggart is in range he stops struggling as the field emitted by his device covers him.
Cilan lustily hisses, "Crystala, when he comes to, we can question him all we want, but right now he'd be no good if he were to pass on.. I can assure you that we will find Sorien if anything bad had happened.."
Crys says very carefully, "This is Sorien's partner, they went out on an exploratory mission to retrieve a haul of Gasoline. He was her bodyguard and the driver since she can't drive a semi." She frowns at the shifting driver.
Loki nods. "Yes.. I will try to do so.. but this field of.." he glances over his shoulder. "Taggarts... Is interfearing with anything I can do." he grumbles, glancing down to the man. "Might have to wait for some results and see what I can bring up on his brain chemistry."
Kale finds it much easier to treat the more docile being, Kale quickly finishes up all shi can do for him here.
Kale slumps back mentally, emotionally, and physically taxed.
Wallace chokes at the air, his eyes returning to him and he looks around at the people holding him down. He screams seeing his body shaped so oddly.
RosaSoul tenses and nods after a moment before turning towards Taggart "Taggart may apparently be the only one whom can help with what we need, healing him isn't going to stop the nanites from turning him feral, Taggart seems to be slowing them or disorienting the nanites from what i felt near him, let him do his part, we need the driver sane" she releases Crys after a moment then and jumps up into the remains of the cab, since Crys hadn't found Sorien in there, her focus is instead on searching for any sign if she was ever in the cab, asking as she goes "which station did they go to by chance Crys? we should check there next?"
Taggart leans over everyone and very suddenly cracks Wallace expertly in the temple.
Kale suddenly tenses up "Did you just kill my patient?!"
Cilan blinks in surprise at Taggart, apparently his method of 'sedating' patients is not something new to her.
Taggart snorts and looks up at Kale, "Why would I just kill him? Bloody knocked him out... let's take'im ta triage an' dope'im up so he dun' freak out every five seconds while he's awake."
Cilan lustily hisses, "Seriously, Taggart?!.. Erin, and now Wallace?.. What the hell is wrong with you?"
The strong odor of gasoline fills the room, perhaps the tanker truck is leaking?
Kale is too stunned at having Taggart punching out hir restrained patient to notice the smell.
Loki grimaces at Taggart's roughness, frowning as he looks up at him. "I don't think that was really necessary." he grumbles, taking out a pager. He glances towards the truck, sniffing the air. "Well.. this could get a whole lot worse..." he mumbles.
Wallace is slapped by Taggart and it shakes him out of his screaming long enough to focus. "What happened? He asks nobody in particular."
RosaSoul given her proximity to the truck, doesn't have a hard time catching a whiff of the gas "good news" she comments with a tone of dry sarcasm "they got the gas, we should move back now"
Crys is too concerned about finding out from Wallace where her mate is to care about leaking gasoline, but she does tap Taggart on the shoulder and whisper into his ear.
Taggart blinks and looks at Cilan, raising a thick eyebrow. He just shakes his head and slips his hand into his pocket, pulling out a palm sized device... looks kind of like a PDA. He hands it to Cilan, "Take that wit' ya... wit'im... down to Triage. I'm gonna clean this up."
Taggart smiles grimly and nods to Crystala's whisper, "Workin' on it, lass."
Loki stands up. "I do think this sample should be studied as well." he says, handing a vial to Cilan. "Could you make sure this makes its way to Sil? Shi may be able to help."
Taggart very suddenly turns and glares at Loki. "Shut up about yer damned sample fer a minute... and get this dying man down to triage..."
Kale motions to Cilan to help hir get Wallace downstairs.
Wallace looks around him in confusion, like he's not sure where he is or what's happening.
Cilan nods to both Loki, and Taggart, promptly grabbing both the vial, and device as she hoists the driver up with the assistance of Kale, quickly taking the man to Triage where further care can be administered.
[Triage] RosaSoul eye-twitches and moves far away from the truck, figuring she might as well head downstairs and while Wallace seemed sane asks "YO, Wallace, do you know where Sorien is?" glad in part that at least they seemed to be moving away from the leaking truck
[Lobby] Crys stays behind and begins crawling through the cab trying to find evidence of what happened. She is rather unconcerned by the increasingly strong smell of gasoline.
[Triage] Kale gets a prepared gurney for the man and washes hir hands.
[Lobby] Loki blinks at Taggart. "Well.. people are much harder to kill... he may be worse off from that smack to the head." he grumbles, glancing around the scene, trying to decide between the triage and the lobby. He huffs before turning to the triage, following after the others.
[Triage] Wallace is hefted and bumped and around and finally asks, "Why, are, my, hands, paws?" He pauses between each word, trying to make sense out of this.
[Lobby] The wolf turns as they haul Wallace away, and starts to inspect the tanker part of the truck, looking for holes and leaks while pulling off his pea-coat and shirt, tearing the shirt into a few strips with which he can plug said holes. He know it won't stop the leakage, but it may buy them time and save -some- of the precious gasoline. "Start talkin', Crystala."
[Triage] RosaSoul this turns around walking back out to the lobby and states simply "Wallace has no memory, he can be treated maybe but i doubt he will be of much help finding Sorien..." at this point she really doesn't care about him, more worried about her friends, given she doesn't exactly have many of them pointing behind the truck she comments "we could more than likely find more information as to what happened, by backtracking to where the truck came from
[Lobby] The wolf doesn't see any holes, but the gasoline smell is extremely strong around the attachment for the pump collecting gasoline. Crystala calls from inside the cab, "I have no idea Tag, Sorien told me this wouldn't be a dangerous mission, they were only going a few hours north to collect gasoline from where she scouted a few weeks ago.
[Triage] Calmly says to the man as shi drys hir hands. "You have been infected with nanites sir they have changed your hands. Do you remember what happened?"
[Triage] Cilan assists Kale in placing the man on the gurney, next looking him in the eyes as she answers his question, "Its the nanites inside of us, sir.. they just.. made us different, but, in no way any less human!" her own proof showing that she's a complete lizard covered in albino white scales.
[Triage] Pads into the Triage, glancing around. "Well... you two need any help here?" he offers, glancing around, looking down at the man. "Cilan.. if you wouldn't mind.. I would like that sample back if your going to help here... otherwise... if you have no medical experience, would you kindly deliver it for me?". He sighs, looking at the man. "So.. can you remember anything at all Wallace?.. was it?"
[Triage] Wallace looks distant for a moment and then realizes what happened. "That fucker -bit my hand-, he almost growls. He collects himself enough to say, we... we got attacked by a big pack of coyotes. They were acting -very weird, and I wasn't able to get Miss Sorien out."
[Triage] Kale starts taking the standard samples required by the triage. "Where did you get attacked?"
[Triage] "At the a Valero gas station about an hour and a half north of the city. I was assigned to guard and drive for Miss Sorien. I guess this means I failed, doesn't it?" He looks a little bit sad at that thought.
[Lobby] Crys shouts from inside the truck. She throws out a lumpy chunk of furry flesh that was stuck to something, it flinging from the cab onto the ground. "This is gross." But she continues anyway, trying to find something that shows exactly where her mate had been.
[Triage] Cilan looks over to Loki and passes him the vial, obviously caring more about the man's life than she is the sample. Speaking next into her com in an attempt at speaking to those tending to the truck outside, "Wallace told us where Sorien is, Valero gas station, hour and a half north of the city."
[Triage] Kale finishes taking the samples "Maybe sir, maybe not. Did you see Sorien get bitten?" Kale whispers to Loki "Do you think his mind will make it?" Kale heads over to the locked cabinet and pulls out a precious vial of the vaccine they give all zephyr employees to protect their minds.
[Lobby] Taggart growls gently and does his best to wrap the cloth around the leak, at least trying to keep the coupling from gushing everywhere. "How far nort', Crystala. It ain't safe up there. It ain't bloody safe anywhere. Wut tha HELL she doin' goin' off wit' only one ot'er person?" The muscular man growls and grumbles to himself, moving up to the truck cab to start looking for a toolkit that he could use to possibly fix or patch the leak properly.
[Lobby] RosaSoul prods the lump of flesh with just one toe and makes a face "that is very gross indeed... but wouldn't it be better to go to where they where? she wasn't in the truck was she? we could likely learn more at the gas station, signs of the fight, a clue which way they went if they took Sorien with?"
[Lobby] The radio in Crys' pocket hums with Cilan's voice. She calls out "It appears Wallace remembers, about an hour and a half north apparently.
[Triage] Loki remains rather grim as he receives the sample, He nods to Kale "Yes.. his mind could well make it.... But it relies on a combination of his will, the vaccine, and getting a good deal of information on these nanites... It may also help us combat whatever is out there." he states, handing the vial to a technician and instructing him to deliver it to Sil.
[Lobby] Loki grimaces. "These nanites.. seem to be actively ignoring the vaccine... This could be bad."
[Lobby] Crys calls out of the cab one last time, "I'm going to find a ride, I would suggest telling someone at Zephyr to get this thing dealt with this leaking truck." She says to Rosa, "I'm going to find her. I hope I can figure out how to drive though." She frowns.
[Lobby] (RosaSoul) "Crys dear, I can drive, I'm sure some of these fellows can to" she does neglect to mention she never actually got her license before hell broke out, and would kick the tank of the truck "We can siphon this sucker for the gas to, anyone got a hose?"
[Lobby] Taggart pulls a walkie from his back pocket, speaking gruffly into it and the Zephyr security team, requesting assistance with the cleanup and to block off the area for safety reasons. "Ya dun't 'zactly'ave a motor vehicle, Crys..."
[Lobby] Crys shoulders past Rosa almost rudely, she appears to be heading off toward the main parking area for Zephyr.
[Triage] Wallace passes out after a while sleeping off his injuries while still in the field.
[Triage] Kale places the gurney's restraints on the passed out Wallace and puts him in an isolation room "BEtter safe then sorry." Kale sighs sadly.
[Triage] Kale starts to fill out the necessary paperwork.
[Lobby] RosaSoul sidesteps not exactly intending to get in the way, mainly because she agrees with this current plan, but also cause cry could kick her ass if she tried "I'm coming with cry, you two are friends, I'll do whatever i can to help" turning as she speaks and chases after her less she leave without hir
[Triage] Kale heads back upstairs to see if anyone else needs help.
[Triage] Cilan sets the small device Taggart had given her by Wallace's gurney, before heading back up the stairs, heading to the main group.
[Lobby] Apostasy comes in through the doors, just returned from a hunt. "What the hell happened here? Why is there a truck sticking out of the side of the building? What's going on?"
[Lobby] The large wolf can only sigh as Crystala stomps off toward the garage, shaking his head and moving after her.
[Triage] glances up, and heads to the Lobby, hurrying after the others. "I miss anything?" he asks, glancing around. "Also.. bad news. The infection seems to bypass the inoculation. Be careful."
[Lobby] Walks up stairs , "Love calm down!" Kale hisses "Small accident, injured man is safely downstairs, and Sorien is missing. Problem is all current recovery teams are busy."
[Parking Lot] Crys is busy looking for a specific vehicle, searching among the abandoned and parked vehicles that employees own. She finally spots something and heads over to a small beat up car. She opens one of the doors with keys from her hip pouch and searches through the car for something before pulling out a siphon rig.
[Lobby] Kale glimpses Crys leaving and follows motioning to Cilan and Apostasy as shi does so. "Come on before Crys get hurt."
[Lobby] RosaSoul claps her paws together "that's one problem solved, how many of these are still running? need to conserve gas but it might be a good idea to bring as many as we can with as possible, to few and we will only make things worse by going"
[Lobby] Apostasy double-takes. "Sorien is missing? The hell with a recovery team. We can do this." shi states firmly, following hir after Crys.
[Lobby] Cilan nods affirmatively as she follows after Kale, "Alright, but lets see if we can find a flatbed truck to follow her with.." is called out as the dragoness makes hir way into the garage.
[Parking Lot] Crys sighs, "I doubt Sor's car will make it that far and I can barely drive, and my weight would probably crush the tires. We'll need to find something else." She says to Rosa. "I came to get this." Referring to the siphoning kit in her hands.
Sparhawk runs around like crazy in Zephyr's basement, recoiling from Triage like some people recoil from skunk blasts. A long robot with smooth curves makes loud stomping noises that stop upon seeing the feral truck crashed into the lobby. "So, what the crap?"
[Parking Lot] Emerges into the parking lot and looks for the others, spotting Crystala Kale approaches slowly waiting for Apostasy and Cilan to catch up.
[Lobby] Loki pads over to Crystala, glancing at the car. "Sorien missing? Well.. if you need another hand.. I don't think I can sit Idly by while a friend is in danger." he nods. "I don't think that will be enough."
[Parking Lot] RosaSoul nods there's a truck south of here, its been humped by gryphons before so a little messy, or a bus, those are designed for the weight, and i have already said i can drive, there may be others able as well" first though we should get the gas before it all leaks onto the ground and becomes useless"
[Parking Lot] Crys pulls out her radio and her voice hums over it, a bit staticy but level headed. "I don't know how many of you will be coming, but I am going to requisition a bus, it'll be the thing largest enough to carry my weight. I need at least one person to drive and will accept anyone willing to help me get my mate back, no questions asked." Her voice is cold, anger seething in it under the surface.
[Parking Lot] Apostasy follows Kale out into the parking garage. "So what are we after out... oh, nevermind" shi starts to say, trailing off as shi sees the siphoning kit Crys has gotten. Shi nods firmly when Crys asks for help. "I'm in. I can't drive, not like this, but I'm with you all the way."
[Parking Lot] RosaSoul waves a paw "so im a two inch tall fairy, i still think i can drive!"
[Parking Lot] Looks at Cilan and Apostasy and says softly "I will help."
[Parking Lot] Cilan follows into the parking lot after Kale as the three dash over to the bus, "I.. uh.. have my regular license, but I dont think a bus counts with the class 5 license.."
[Parking Lot] Kale looks at Cilan and Apostasy and says softly "I will help."
[Parking Lot] Loki leaps on top of the bus, perching above it. "I'm coming too. I may end up flying though. An Aerial view may be useful." he says with a nod.
[Parking Lot]"Well sis, since nobody else appears to have any license... barring the two-inch tall fairy... it looks like you might be learning on the job." Apostasy says, looking at Cilan with a grin.
[Parking Lot] Sparhawk hums the Transformers theme as shi clomps out to the parking lot, peering around for the alleged bus. "So, apparently heroes are needed. That is my job description. Must be a heck of a thing if Taggart is up here and the Anathema is in the basement. Any actual drivers yet?"
[Parking Lot] RosaSoul huffs "i can push the gas with my cock and turn the wheel by walking to the side, like a hamster wheel, its not my fault i cant control my shape"
[Parking Lot] Cilan nearly pales as she gulps at the aspect of driving something that requires the class 2 license.
[Parking Lot] Sparhawk eyes the tiny fairy. "If you can't control your form, I can. Is there something human-shaped you are familiar with?"
[Parking Lot] Apostasy pats Cilan on the shoulder. "You got this, sis. No problem." Shi grins at Rosa. "I don't think 12 inches is gonna reach from the steering wheel of a bus to the gas pedal, short stuff."
[Parking Lot] RosaSoul blinks and nods after a moment "Shadow vixen actually, i spent quite a while in that form i came to like it, just couldn't train on them any more"
[Parking Lot] Sparhawk shrinks dramatically to a small dark foxtaur, then scrounges up makeshift wire and magnets from a bag. Shi blows into it, and the fairy reaches toward the ground as (nearly) everything goes vulpine.
[Parking Lot] RosaSoul shakes out her fur and stands up, after a moment she glances down at her tattered miniature cloths, pretty much naked now "well that was to be expected, but hey, I can drive now after all, I assume this might be safer outside of the bubble?"
Crystala forces the keys from a zephyr employee to one of the companies buses. The team siphon out gasoline from the tanker including extra supplies if they should need to travel far further. Most of the group is able to fit into the bus with the exception of the largest, whom either fly above or are riding on top of the bus. The buses frame creaks in the load but it manages to drive.
[Sky] Apostasy grins. "Looks like I've got over-watch for a while." Shi takes off, and starts circling over the bus, keeping an eye out for anything that might be a threat.
[Sky] Kale rides on top of the back of the bus.
[Bus] RosaSoul slips into the bus and looks around "so did we decide who was going to drive?"
[Sky] Sparhawk leaps into the air following the foxhacking, heading east at all speed. Shi returns, in fifteen minutes, a golden ribbon of dragon appearing in the southern parking lot. If the party has left by then there will be a chase, probably of the other flying dragon.
[Sky] Kale sitting on top of the bus watches Apostasy fly around and prays briefly for Apostasy's safety before flying up to join hir.
[Sky] Apostasy wobbles a little bit as shi feels a surge rush through hir body, and then turns, spotting Kale. Shi grins. "Thanks love!"
[Bus] RosaSoul takes a seat wherever required and begins singing "its five o'clock somewhere" to pass the time
[Sky] Loki's coat bursts into a shimmering cloud of nanites as he snaps his wings and takes to the air, the cloud following him on his way up as he gains a fairly decent amount of altitude before re-absorbing into his body.
[Sky] Kale flies behind and above Apostasy before saying "Lets just get Sorien back safely. We still have to visit their place after all."
[Bus] Cilan suddenly feels.. different, an uncomfortable look pressing at her features as the bus continues on, her breathing becoming weathered as she looks on, watching the road in silence.
[Sky] Sparhawk soars around overhead with Apostasy, one of many dragons flying cover. It should be reasonably easy to keep pace given the condition of roads. Over at least Crystala's radio comes Spar's voice, "Anyone else got communications devices?"
The group passes out of the city, the bubble gradually weakening as they leave. It feels like a lost limb for those not in tune with the nanites, for the adepts the feeling is even worse. The journey northward is relatively quiet, beyond having to navigate abandoned vehicles on the highway starting about a half an hour north of the city.
[Sky] Apostasy looks back to Kale and flashes a grin and a thumbs up before pulling out hir comm-unit and speaking into it. "I've got my Zephyr comm-unit, seems to be picking up your signal fine."
[Bus] Crystala's tails flick in agitation as she watches the scenery around. She looks very worried about her mate, and while she doesn't snap, it's easy to tell how furious she is at the world, or whatever has done this. She doesn't seem to be phased by the loss of the nanites, and anyone that knows her well enough would know she isn't even remotely in tune with them, or affected by them at all in fact.
[Bus] RosaSoul cuts off her terrible singing and places a paw over her chest coughing sharply and looking pained for a moment before commenting in a strained tone "what the hell was that..." never having been out of the bubble beore, and does not have a com device of any sort, nor any idea what 'the room' is
[Sky] Kale looks to the other fliers "Ugh what was that feeling just now? I feel like... like something inside me just flickered off."
[Bus] Cilan suddenly feels.. different, an uncomfortable look pressing at her features as the bus continues on, her breathing becoming weathered as she looks on, watching the road in silence, the lizard almost seeming like she'd break out in a cold sweat within moments.
[Bus] Taggart stands up from the back of the bus and makes his way to the front, suddenly, and heavily sitting down next to Crystala. The wolf remains quiet, emerald eyes thoughtful and not really focused upon anything in particular. The hulking mass of muscle also doesn't seem to mind the lack of nanites, though he is more in-tune than most might believe. He almost breathes easier.
Around the coastline can be seen off to the west on occasion, and to the east fields and empty towns they pass. There's the occasional wildlife, and the bus has to avoid a heard of anthro deer at one point but passes onward north.
[Sky] Apostasy's flight becomes unstable for a while as the group passes out of the bubble. "Ugh... son of a..." Shi breathes heavily, trying to adjust to the strange sensation of dullness.
[Sky] Sparhawk flaps rather a lot more after leaving Fairhaven city limits, but doesn't appear bothered and sounds just as warm over the radio. "So out here, most things are less explosive than we are used to. Also we will heal less well, so regard even regular claws as dangerous. If you need assistance, make sure to call because we all may find things unfamiliar."
[Sky] Apostasy pulls hir comm-unit up to hir lips as Spar talks. "Copy that Spar. I presume my bullets should still work fine, though?"
[Bus] RosaSoul given that she doesn't have a com unit, is unaware of these warnings, this could come back to bite rosa in the ass, potentially literally
The bus arrives without being accosted and pulls to a stop just south of the Valero station.
[Sky] Shivers in flight, bothered by the emptiness he feels as he leaves the bubble. "It.. kind of feels like dying in a sense." he mutters to the others, not noticing his pants meld back into his flesh, leaving him quite bare.
[Bus] When the bus comes to a stop Crystala leaps out, and slides open the bus doors manually, popping them off the hinge in impatience. She runs ahead, trying to use her sense of smell to detect her mate.
[Bus] Taggart very suddenly turns and looks at Crystala, seriously, before they depart the bus. "Crys... you dun' lose yer'ead out'ere, ya'nderstand? I know this is rough... trust me, do I know... an' I know it sounds odd comin' from me wit'wut I been doin' ta meself. But there's a big diff'rence batween what I been doin' an..." He growls gently as Crystala suddenly bounds over him and out.
[Bus] RosaSoul does her best to follow after Crys "hold on, we should go together really, whatever attacked overwhelmed sorien and the guard, It would be a really bad idea to go off alone, if you get attacked alone the situation can only get worse, because then we will be trying to save two people, with less help"
[Gas Station] Apostasy lands rather less than gracefully as shi's still trying to adjust to the disconnect within hir after leaving the bubble. Shi looks around carefully, keeping watch for anything dangerous, or any clues as to Sorien's whereabouts.
[Gas Station] Kale banks and glides downwards landing near Apostasy.
Anyone exiting the bus or entering anywhere near the gas station is going to almost vomit from the stench of gasoline. In the two hours since the truck left the pump emptied the tank it was siphoning all over the ground.
[Gas Station] The wolf pulls himself up and heads outside, picking up his pace to catch up with Crystala, soft growl in his throat. "Crystala! You bloody git! Git back'ere 'afore I do sumtin' not nice!"
[Gas Station] RosaSoul promptly stumbles and claps a paw between her legs "OF ALL THE TIMES?!!!" given that she JUST went into heat
[Gas Station] Crys almost collapses as she takes in the scents, the smell is overpowering and it hit her in a way she wasn't expecting.
[Gas Station] Shi rummages around hir medkit coughing "Ugh that smell!" Kale shoves a bunch of cotton balls into hir nostrils, then offers some to Apostasy.
[Gas Station] Cilan slowly makes her way out of the bus and into the gas station, pulling her handguns out their respective holsters as she takes up the tail end of the gathered group, the look of uncomfortableness still evident on her face as she moves.
[Sky] Sparhawk soars around overhead in hir habitual post of watching-from-above, enjoying the thermal plume much more than the people enjoying the aromatic hydrocarbons hundred feet down.
[Gas Station] Apostasy snorts at the overwhelming stench of gasoline. Shi clamps hir jaw shut, muttering "This would be a -very- bad time for someone to see if they can still breathe fire."
[Gas Station] Taggart wrinkles his nose at the smell, though, he's a bit more used to it than most. He -does- make it himself, after all. Coming up behind Crystala, the wolf offers a hand as she reels from the stench, leaning in to whisper harshly.
[Gas Station] RosaSoul coughs and trys to ignore the start of that blasted heat cycle, approaching crys slowly and rests a paw on her shoulder "rushing off will make this harder, you want to save your mate? let us help, we need to stick together Crys" and while she speaks, she takes out a cloths pin for her nose
The field just south of the Gas station is the obvious scene of something nasty, the field is dug up and tire tracks have run holes into the ground when it was escaping.
[Gas Station] Crys takes Taggart's hand when she finally recovers enough to notice and accent's Taggart's offer. She listens to his whisper but seems preoccupied.
[Gas Station] Pulls on Apostasy's arm and motions to the field. "We should check that out."
[Gas Station] Loki lands atop the bus, sliding across the roof before stabilizing himself in an odd sort of crouching perch. He glances at the others. "So what are we looking for here?" he wonders, his ears swiveling as he listens for potential disturbances, his eyes scanning the horizon. He shifts uncomfortably a bit, as he finally realizes his general lack of garb. "Well.. this is embarrassing... and a little uncomfortable."
[Gas Station] RosaSoul sticks clothespin on Crys' nose to get her attention
[Gas Station] Kale Pulls on Apostasy's arm and motions to the field. "We should check that out."
[Gas Station] Apostasy looks in the direction Kale gestures. "Definitely. Hey, people! We should probably check out that field!" is called out to the group as shi head towards it.
[Gas Station] Taggart straightens up, shaking his head. "You ain't gunna listen, then yer only gunna do more harm." The wolf sighs gently and glances around the station, letting up on Crystala's hand to move to the gas pump, turning it off so that it didn't -add- to the already incredibly dangerous situation.
Off in the distance the trees rustle. The wind is calm so this stands out. The field itself is open, and from a distance some dark red stains can be seen on the concrete, although the gasoline has stripped most of the area.
[Gas Station] Crys winces in pain when Rosa sticks something on her nose, and she swats it off, rubbing her snout. "I don't have time for this!" She growls, she begins trying to look through the field, at the tire tracks.
[Gas Station] RosaSoul doesn't wait for Crys reaction to the cloths pin on her nose and points towards the rustling trees "a clue?" while attempting to grab one of Crys' tails before she goes to run off again "Crys, how much time do you think we would lose if say... someone ran off and got attacked, captured, and had to be saved before we could go after Sorien?" at which point she turns and looks over the gas pump
[Field] Kale looks over the field and examines the blood, blanching at the sight.
Sparhawk's voice comes over the radio, "Something that lives moves in the trees. Be wary, we do not know who it is." The sound of wing-flapping is audible over the field, which is less warm and Spar has to work harder.
Most of the blood Kale sees has seeped into the ground, but she notices one particular area that is stained heavily. She bumps into a shoulder pouch laying among it.
[Bus] Keeps his perch on the bus, scanning around the field. He glances over to Kale, and over to the station, ready to assist wherever trouble springs from first, or if he is needed.
[Field] Kale shakily picks up the shoulder pouch and shouts "I Found something!"
[Pumps] RosaSoul prods one of the buttons curiously "how did they get these to work after so long anyways? it much have been years since these where last used..." she turns away again though and watches kale for now, keeping an eye out for anything of potential importance
[Field] Kale slowly opens the pouch and looks inside
[Field] Crys looks up from inspecting the route of the truck up to spot Kale holding up Sorien's bag.
[Field] Apostasy keeps a careful eye on the treeline as Kale inspects the area, looking carefully for a sign of the creature Sparhawk mentioned. When Kale yells, shi looks over hir shoulder. "That's Sorien's bag!"
Rosa sees that there's a hose sticking out of the area where the underground tanks where being drained into the tanker truck. The hose and pump lay still, having exhausted the supply from the tank.
In the bag there is a standard Zephyr radio, a wallet with freecreds and Sorien's identity card, various brushes and combs, various bric-a-brac and weirdly enough a set of polyhedral dice. On the strap is her name-tag.
[Pumps] RosaSoul makes note of this and kicks the gas pump "well that answers that doesn't it..." walking over to the hose/pump "Hey..." she turns, moving over to the group and murmurs "I bet i know what attracted them, that pump must be very loud"
[Bus] Taggart moves away from either scene, returning to the bus, whereupon he leans against the front and crosses his muscular arms over his chest, watching the various peoples running about doing various things. He doesn't seem to be in a particularly good mood, nor does it look like it would be wise to bother him.
[Pumps] Close enough to the forested area on the other side of the road, anyone near the pumps can see a lone coyote standing in the bushes observing the group.
[Field] Apostasy returns hir attention to the treeline, but calls out "Anything that might give us a clue in there?"
[Field] Kale looks grim and shouts "Yea confirm its Sorien's all right!" Kale slings the bag over hir shoulder for now and looks for any other signs in the nearby field for what may have happened.
[Field] Kale shakes hir head "No not that I can see love."
[Field] Crys moves forward, whispers something to kale and holds the pack for a moment, sticking her muzzle into her mate's pack and breathing deeply.
[Field] Cilan makes her way out of the bus and over to Kale and Apostasy, once there she asks, "Erm.. anything.. anything I can help with?"
[Field] RosaSoul pauses and turns after a moment narrowing her eyes "We are being watched, I can hear someone else around"
[Field] A crease forms on Crys' face. "It smells of -their- stink." She says referencing the coyotes scent she's been smelling a lot recently.
[Field] Kale smiles softly at Cilan "You are a much better tracker then me Cil, any signs of where Sorien went?"
[Bus] Loki stands up, peering at the coyote. He takes out his pager, and sends a hushed message to those in the vicinity. "there's what looks to be a coyote watching us... Just watching.. I would advice against sudden moves, but be prepared."
Sorien's medkit is also with the shoulder-bag
Cilan nods affirmatively, her look still showing disorientation, obviously having been hit quite hard without the feeling she had grown comfortable with.
[Field] Apostasy moves over to Kale, Cilan and Crys. Shi sniffs the air. "You're right. There was a lot of coyotes here." Shi grins as Loki's voice comes over the radio. "And it looks like there's one still here."
[Sky] Sparhawk continues soaring, observing a straggler or scout or diplomat. "Be a good time to have a Promethean with diplomatic skills," follows Loki's warning on the radio.
The tracks around the field start to tell a story to those who are looking. The tractor trailer drove in a hurry over the ground, and there are some impact marks where creatures fell off of it. The area around Sorien's pack appears to have foot prints recognizable from the coyotes, but it doesn't seem to have an exit path. Either she was carried, or ended up like Wallace.
The impact marks around her pack show that there was a pretty large carnage and fight going on before Sorien surrendered. Many coyotes limping off from the scene, and blood stain remnants.
[Field] RosaSoul glances towards the watching coyote nearby and murmurs "I wonder, why is it just watching and nothing else?" before turning, and whether or not she is followed, starts approaching it, slowly, to see how it reacts, and keeping her paws out so as not to look threatening
[Field] Apostasy looks slowly at the scene. "Well, Sorien sure as hell didn't go quietly. Good for her. Now we need to figure out which tracks to follow."
[Field] Kale follows behind Rosa cautiously.
The Coyote still stares at the approaching figures, quietly, until they reach within 10 yards. It quirks it's head, looking up at those coming close.
[Field] Kale folds hir wings and bends down trying to look as friendly and and non combative as possible for a dragon.
[Bus] Loki whispers into the comm-unit "I would advise caution when dealing with this... potential feral. Don't do anything rash." he advises, peering at the treeline as well, trying to observe any potential lurkers.
RosaSoul is continually reminded of her heat, and wonders for a moment if this was a really bad idea, but comes as close as the coyote allows before she speaks "can you talk? or understand me at all? i certainly hope so..."
[Field] Apostasy returns to watching the treeline, though shi glances over to Rosa and hir mate frequently to keep tabs on them.
[Field] Kale slowly and clearly speaks "We come meaning no harm nor do we wish to infringe on your territory."
[Field] Crys eyes those approaching the coyote with caution.
The Coyote leaps forward toward Kale, with no warning, going for her throat.
[Field] Cilan quickly fires off a round from her handgun, aiming towards the attacking coyote
Kale falls flat on hir back panic clear on hir face!
[Field] Kale tries to cover hirself protectively
[Bus] Loki perks up as the shot is fired. He takes to the air, circling above the group, scanning the trees as he passes by.
[Field] Apostasy whirls round at the sound of the gunshot, bracing hirself to fire, the motor on Glaurung spinning up.
Cilan's bullet hit's the coyote just above the eye, taking the top of it's skull off. The coyote falls to the ground next to kale, twitching, before it could bite her.
RosaSoul flinches and takes a step back surprised before she could even respond to the attack "well... that was impressive, and I guess that means we wont be getting any information from it"
[Field] Apostasy quickly moves up to Kale and Rosa. Shi helps Kale back to hir feet. "Are you alright love? That thing didn't harm you, did it?"
Sparhawk is not faster than bullet! The start of hir dive flattens quickly, sending the dragon and its shadow over the forest at only 60 feet up, close enough to get assaulted by a territorial squirrel in the top branches.
Next to Kale the twitching body begins to melt, the flesh turning to crimson blood and it melts into the ground in a puddle next to her.
[Field] Kale opens hir eyes and breathes a sigh of relief. Kale stands up and turns hir back to where the coyote was and smiles at Cilan with a look full of thanks and love.
[Field] Kale stares at the body... "That is not normal... even for ferals."
RosaSoul kicks dirt on the dissolving body "normal is debatable, just think of it as a goo-yote" and turns to stalk away from it back towards Kale, nodding her thanks to Cil, though clearly irritated that it had attacked and they where unable to ask anything of it "I want a gun" she adds with a huff
[Field] Blows away the faint trail of smoke emanating from her handgun before holstering it once more, once she does that she moves back to Kale and nods, "Of course, love.. Id rather die than let -anything- attack you.." a look of concern evident on her eyes now, "Now then, are you alright?"
Kale smiles at Apostasy "I am fine love. It didn't touch me."
[Field] Apostasy smiles. "Glad to hear it." Shi starts to scan for any more coyotes, determined to prevent any from getting that close again if shi can prevent it.
Cilan moves to the patch where the coyote had once laid, a look of curiosity crossing her features as she attempts to remember something.
Sparhawk swoops back, encountering no rabid squirrels in this chunk of America, landing with a series of thumps in the field. The puddle gets some attention. "That was either a heck of a gun, or these critters are stranger than they first appear."
[Field] Kale rubs at hir leg before looking up at Sparhawk.
RosaSoul comments "I have a sword, I want a gun now, Where can i get a blueprint for a gun"
[Woods] Crys enters the treeline where the Coyote was and sniffs the ground. The coyote scent is strong, they frequently have been marking their territory. She says, "I wonder if these were the same ones that attacked me when I was out bio-mapping the forests. It's hard to tell since they all have the same -stink-.
[Field] Apostasy chuckles as shi hears Rosa. "Talk with a dragon called Shido and he might make you one. Or somehow get into Chandler Hospital and buy one of those crazies."
RosaSoul [woods] follows crys just in case and comments "It would be hard to tell, but considering you and Sorien are both far stronger than i am a least, I would be more worried about the fact they overpowered Sorien at all... perhaps we are missing some important detail"
[Woods] Crys' ears twitch, the smell is strong. "There are more of them, be on your guard." She shouts.
[Field] Apostasy notices Kale rubbing hir leg. "Something the matter, love?" Shi looks more closely, and looks worried. "Is that.... did that thing scratch you?"
[Field] Loki continues to circle around the fields, frowning at the lack of a body. He lands next to Cilan, Kale and the others, about to ask a question before he turns his attention to the woods at Crystala's shout. He crouches down in preparation for taking to the air again, his wings spread wide.
[Field] Kale ignores Apostasy "It is nothing love... we shouldn't leave the group." Kale follows after Crys.
[Field] Sparhawk sniffs at the puddle a little, but gets dragged away by Crystala running on ahead. "Subduing at least one for study would be grand, o adventurers! For one thing, goo-people should not survive out here unaided."
[Woods] RosaSoul perks her long ears and lowers down close to the ground, making herself a smaller target and ensuring she could move quickly if she needed to, none to keep on the thought of more of those things approaching "Gather together, It would not do well if we where cut off from each other"
A howling call can be heard in the distance to the north. It's long and mournful but a different pitch than a wolves'
[Woods] RosaSoul says “I don't think they will be happy we killed one of their pack..."
[Field] Apostasy frowns, but follows after, and stands next to Crys. "I'm not the only one who heard that howl, right? Should we wait and see what happens here, move towards it, or move back into clear ground? Your call Crys."
[Woods] Cilan makes her way into the woods, one hand is used to pull a handgun out of one holster, and a trench-knife out of the other, the lizard preparing for both ranged, and melee combat depending on the situation.
[Woods] RosaSoul draws her one and only weapon... a chain sword, this girl has not been keeping up on the equipment of today
[Woods] Crys looks very dark and says, "I'm not much one to wait, I will tear them apart til they give my mate back to me."
[Woods] Apostasy chuckles. "So lets take the fight to them, then, shall we?"
[Woods] Kale shakes a little and hides behind Apostasy "Careful love I saw no emotion of any sort in the last one's eyes."
Sparhawk fishes out a laser pistol that looks tiny in hir forepaw. "Set lasers on atomize!" Shi trots toward the woods line to join the war-party but makes sure not to get anywhere within Apostasy's front facing.
RosaSoul readies her long raking claws and growls softly still waiting for whatever was coming next "should we continue? Crys?"
[Woods] Apostasy fiddles a little with a switch on the side of hir gatling cannon. "Burst limiter set down to 5 round bursts. Gotta conserve ammo, after all."
[Field] Loki springs into the air, Circling around the field, attempting to spot any coyotes that may lurk within the grass.
RosaSoul huffs and starts creeping forward, she wasn't so much taking the lead, as just getting tired of waiting, impatient as always
Crys suddenly slams her hand to her eyes and groans. "Don't... don't kill them! One of these could be Sorien! Cilan, you could have killed Sori!" She shouts out.
Sparhawk points at Apostasy with the explosive bullet gun. "If you could kindly stay on the left flank with me while less ranged people advance in the middle, your firing line will be more likely to be empty of people I have to fix. And...that, yes." Shi starts moving toward the howls on the far left side of the group.
Cilan muses to herself as she continues through the woods, her voice easily heard by those close by, easily noted that it sounds disturbed, ".. Could.. could it be.. Oregon again?.. no.. it.. it cant be.."
"I'm all for taking the fight to them. Be nice to have some support on that." Apostasy says flatly, as shi starts advancing. Shi stops as Crys speaks. "Well. That changes things. Glaurung is kind of an all-or-nothing weapon... doesn't really do non-lethal."
Kale rubs at hir leg again as shi stays between Apostasy and Cilan. "What happened in Oregon?"
RosaSoul jumps in surprise at the shout and turns "Crys! relax... Do you think Sorien would have been so quick to try and kill Kale? It wasn't her"
Crys snaps at Rosa "How would you know what this infection does to the mind? Did you see the way Wallace was acting, for all we know she could be one of them now!"
RosaSoul nods after a moment before she replies in a softer tone "You're right, but would it be Sorien if her mind is gone?, i think we all agree to try not to kill them for your sake, but what choice was there? it would have ripped out her throat if it had not been shot, Sorien will be ok, we will find her, promise" smiling slightly and really, really hopes that she isn't lying
Apostasy moves over to the flank as indicated by Sparhawk, but keeps an eye on Crys. "If we're going non-lethal on this, life just got -much- harder."
Loki circles around the field, spotting nothing of particular interest. He darts back into the woods, taking to the treetops, trying to move from branch to branch stealthily, and gain a better vantage point. He smiles as he overhears Apostasy. Non Lethal combat is his specialty.
Sparhawk lightens the woods in hir passing, commenting occasionally on some passing bird, or a mulberry tree that has somehow overshadowed the local oaks. This does not distract completely from staring everwhichway.
Kale turns to Crystala "We have to believe that Sorien is okay, Even if Sorien became infected who is to say she couldn't resist the effects." Kale rubs at hir leg again idly.
Cilan shakes her head, clearing her mind as shes spoken to, turning to Kale she answers, "Just that coyote had shown signs of another race of dangerous wolves we had found in Oregon.. it had shown characteristics, especially in its death, how it decayed like that..the flesh is hard to kill.. it'd always get re-absorbed into the stronger creatures, it.. it was almost like they had a hive-mind.. and hive-body too.."
RosaSoul frowns darkly at Cilan's words "that is not good, If that's so then they will get stronger any time we killed one anyways, sounds like Non-lethal might actually be a REALLY good idea, since it would keep them weak"
Crys stiffens hearing Cilan talk about the infection. "If that thing -absorbed- Sorien into itself I... I have no idea what to do."
While everyone is talking the woods shuffling grows louder, their conversation has attracted attention, and their time idling given a chance for the pack to spread out around them.
RosaSoul murmurs "Crys... Don't think of that, we can deal with it when the time comes, right now, we are searching for Sorien, and that's all" she rolls her eyes at the realization they where not surrounded "well... say your prayers, this is about to get interesting"
Loki smiles in his perch in the trees. "Fascinating... these things will prove quite entertaining to study... hive mind... perhaps a true one..."
"Crys, it's crunch time. Are we staying non-lethal, or not? Need an answer -real- fast here." Apostasy says, twisting at the waist to cover a larger section of the woods with hir firing arc.
RosaSoul comments to Apo "non, if we kill them there's a chance they get stronger instead, and then we really will be overwhelmed, disable them any way you can, don't kill"
Kale whimpers and looks around rapidly. "This isn't good."
Crys grimaces, not sure what to do. She's pissed as hell at these things for taking her mate, but she is really worried about hurting her mate in the process of getting her back. She screams out, "I don't know." And charges toward a coyote just emerging from the bushes in front of her.
Sparhawk curls up a bit, forepaws hanging in an imitation of taurishness. "Nonlethal. Need to rescue, might be infected. Also, killing one makes the rest more awesome, and that is no good."
Coyotes all around begin to pop into view. Four of them charging straight for Cilan, one with a spark of intelligence and ANGER in it's eyes.
Having been prepared for this, Cilan lashes at her attacker with a quick swipe of the trench knife.
Kale seeing the coyotes head for Cilan takes a deep breathe and rushes over and help roaring as best shi can "Stay away from her you bastards!"
The slender, smaller intelligent looking female, stops right as the others charge for Cilan, letting them take the knife. Cilan slashes into two of them but the third lands it's mouth down on Cilan's wrist.
Apostasy grimaces. "Fuck!" Shi drops Glaurung to the ground, and crouches into a fighting stance, claws at the ready, hir tail lashing about. Shi drops any that come close with quick slashes of hir claws, trying hir utmost to incapacitate without killing.
Kale grimaces as shi isn't fast enough to reach Cilan to stop the attack.
RosaSoul launches forward raising an arm and twisting aiming to slam the entire aim into said coyotes head, intent on knocking it to the side and away from the others intending to keep at least one of the number away from the rest, she knows she isn't the strongest and thus intends to at least try and take them on one at a time
Sparhawk drops a gleaming mirror shield between Cilan's hand and the teeth, recoiling the damage onto the coyote's own person. Then shi turns to face the incoming mob, the mirror used up for this phase of fight, and probably not lingering long enough for another attacker to be foolish.
Crys leaps onto two coyote, taking her arms around two necks, and begins to squeeze, holding her arms around both necks.
Loki drops out of a tree, attempting to leap upon the one actually showing sentience. He bristles with bio-electricity, crackling lightly as he descends on the ground. A faint prickling can be felt in the air near him, but it otherwise seems harmless.
The female coyote intent on seeing Cilan down, does not notice Rosa until it gets kicked in the stomach and yelps flying away. The two that Cilan knifed lay bleeding, their necks leaking lifeblood. The third's teeth shatter against the force of Spar's mirrored effect.
Kale reaches Cilan and checks her over eyes glistening "Are you alright?"
Loki's flesh begins to electrocute the coyote below him, and it howls out in pain. A bigger Coyote tackles him from behind, looking very pissed.
More coyotes charge out of the woods, a few going for Apo one of the larger targets, and a few others again for Cilan.
Cilan recoils as she notices the coyote's blocked attack, noting the flash coming from Loki, her other hand, the one holding the handgun points towards his attacker, promptly squeezing off a few shots, the adrenaline pumping too hard to for her to notice Kale's question.
RosaSoul grins and is actually suddenly pleased that she doesn't seem to appear as a threat to the damn coyotes, aiming a hard kick at the downed females skull in the hopes of knocking it out this time to ensure it stays down, her long ears perking then and swiveling trying to detect how many are around them, and where the nearest group of them where, uncoiling her long tail to sweep it across the bushes in an attempt to strike a few at once (scythe sweep) :3
Apostasy stays in motion, never standing till for long, claws lashing out at hir attackers, using hir tail as a lash and a bludgeon as required to keep them back. Shi does hir best to prevent any from getting past hir to the rest of the group.
Sparhawk tries to coordinate fisticuffs with Apostasy, weaving nimbly to expose the backsides of coyotes attacking hir flanks as well as pounding the back of anything that favors the flailing dragoness.
Kale protects Cilan's back, striking with claw and tail at any coyote that tries to attack Cilan's rear with an intense ferocity.
The largest of the coyotes takes two bullets to the flank, but continues it's motion toward Loki, landing on top of him and begins to go for his throat. One of the coyotes attacking Apo makes it past hir defenses and goes for hir ankle in an attempt to trip them, but Spar manages to smack it off before it can. The coyotes Crys is choking begin to slow, but another jumps on top of her, going for her throat as well.
The four coordinate around trying to flank Cilan and Kale from multiple angles.
Loki attempts to maintain his grip on the smaller coyote, grimacing as he is tackled. He releases a larger burst of electricity, attempting to stun the attacker, and the one he has grabbed. He aims for the smaller one's head, attempting to mess with its thoughts. He does his best to kick the larger in the gut and send it over.
Apostasy nods a quick thanks to Spar as shi fights, kicking out at a leaping coyote and catching it in the gut. "This would be SO much easier if I could us my goddamned GUN!"
RosaSoul lets out an almost wild laugh as she kicks forward again, towards the next group, this time bringing both arms out and attempting to hook as many as she can and slam them into each other with all her might, the wild swing hopefully knocking a few more of them out "Anyone happen to have a count on how many there are? lets try not to get killed"
Kale desperately tries to protect hirself and Cilan, but hir lack of combat training really shows. Kale tries to make up for it in sheer desperation and ferocity.
Cilan attempts to use Kale's attacks to both of their advantage, her handgun continuing to squeeze off rounds, an arm held out to nudge Kale to move in certain directions, the two almost becoming an army of two, one incapacitating, the other finishing.
Sensing weakness the four coyotes around Cilan and Kale feint going for Cilan and then all go for Kale. One going for her throat, two for her legs and the other just tries to tackle into both Cilan and Kale. Rosa watches as more emerge from the wood cover looking directly at them, three sets of golden eyes making vicious snarls. The one on Crys bites down into her neck and she cries out in pain. Loki manages to throw the 'yote off on top of him while trying to knock the coyote out below him. Spar and Apo become the center of focus as another dozen Coyotes emerge from cover, going specifically for the two of them.
RosaSoul turns hearing Crys cry out and immediately abandons her own fight to go after the one on her, grabbing it by the scruff, her long claws digging into the skin and twists trying to cause as much agony to the beast as she can to force it to let go of her neck, before throwing it hard at a try, hoping that would break its back, quickly kneeling by Crystala and should she be bleeding, presses a paw against the wound applying pressure to slow it "which of you had the medipack and knows how to use it? help her, I'll keep them off you while you do" looking worried now
"Is there no end to these things?!" Apostasy yells as the pair of dragons is rushed by even more coyotes. Shi's too focused on the fight at hand to really be aware of what anyone else besides Sparhawk is doing, and so has no idea of the danger hir mate is in.
Kale roars in surprise and anger and thrashes violently. "GRaaaawr!"
Sparhawk laughs joyously as shi fights, more careful to leave non-fatal wounds than incapacitate. "Our cause is just! Our vengeance is proportionate! Right makes Might!" Being draped in multiple layers of armor and being annoyingly nimble for such a large target might cause some foolhardiness in defense.
Cilan does everything in her power to protect Kale, if it means she'd get bitten, she'd live with it, mutation, and mind change without a second thought, pushing herself to squeeze off round, once the need to reload is opened, she switches to attacking with the trench knife, her arm still held out to nudge Kale in certain directions, using tactical maneuvers to keep hir behind the lizard girl body shield.
Loki continues to clutch the coyote, creating a much strong burst of electricity as he takes to the air, and attempting perching in a tree. He tries to observe any effects the electricity may have upon the intelligent looking coyote.
The three that were going for move for Cilan and Kale. Cilan's first shot hits the one trying to tackle her and she brains it, but it's weight still impacts her throwing her off balance. Spar and Apo each manages to take out part of the dozen going for them, but they are quickly flanked by the remaining four that got past their defenses. Loki watches as the intelligent coyote stops breathing and begins to melt into the ground, dead like the others. The coyote recovers and heads for Rosa and Crys. Cilan manages to take out two of the coyotes going for Kale after recovering from being knocked down but a third puts it's mouth into her leg biting in and begins to drag her into the wood.
Crys pushes herself off the ground, her neck bleeding and anger glaring in her eyes, her entire eyes have turned a dark pool of black, and her Khanda are in her hands. She screams in furious rage and charges at the wolf with her blade out in front of her, "Give me her BACK" coming out as little more than a growl.
Apostasy growls and leaps up, powering the jump with hir wings, evading the coyotes that have gotten under hir guard. Shi lands a few feet away, coming down feet first on the back of another coyote, and snarls at the ones shi just evaded. "Come get some!"
RosaSoul just grabs a rock off the ground and with a sharp twist throws it much like a baseball at the nearest coyotes skull, waiting for that sickening crack, "this is getting to be QUITE enough" at this point she to is getting to be irritated, angry, and with another glance to make sure Crystala was alright despite her bite she goes back to her own fight, kicking sharply at another in an attempt to connect her foot with one of their chins
Kale's eyes narrow and shi pounces at the coyote grabbing Cilan and tears into it with incredible violence. Kale roars "You bastards I said stay away!" Tears run down Kale's eyes as shi fights.
Loki frowns as the coyote melts into the ground. He glances around, trying to spot another 'intelligent' coyote like the first, ready to throw any feral that may pass by him. He glances over his shoulder in the melee, trying to glean the exact state of the others.
Having been grabbed and pulled, Cilan reaches in a vain attempt to pull the third firearm from around her shoulder, this being the Tac-50, if the movement is available, she points it to her attacker and pulls the trigger, caring little about the recoil the rifle would have with only a single arm holding it.
Sparhawk growls, "Shit, moral emergency." There is a another rush of wings as the as-fast-as-transhumanly-possible dragon charges at Crystala's target, intending to trample it underneath in ways less deadly than the sharpest of swords. Given time shi will return to Apo's new post, barreling back into the least wary one of the mob.
Kale manages to unseat the one dragging Cilan, knocking it to the ground but four of the six surrounding jump on top of her. Rosa's rock takes out one of the remaining two, and the last turns toward Spar and Crys. Spar manages to push the big one out of the path of Crys' blade. Two emerge from the wood behind Rosa, and the four attacking Apostasy and Spar turn toward where Apo leaped, and charge hir.
RosaSoul hears the two coming out behind her and just smirks flicking her tail low to sweep their feet out from under them before they even get a chance, and spins around to strike them each across the sides of their skulls to take care of those two, suddenly very pleased she had decided to master the long ears
Apostasy roars in fury as shi sees Kale pounced by four from hir new position, and bull-rushes through the four charging hir, charging towards Kale and clearing the coyotes off hir with great sweeps of hir claws. "STAY! AWAY! FROM MY! MATE!"
Cilan rises from her attacker with the assistance of Kale, and finally gives into her innate mutant powers, slapping the attackers on top of Kale away with a firm lash with her long lizard tail.
Sparhawk pauses a long enough moment to meet the black rage of Crystala's eyes and say, "Death is the enemy. Remember who you are fighting." Then shi is off again, trusting Crystala to do things that are both right and effective, pouncing upon the four scattered in Apostasy's wake and administering an immobilizing mass of silk to any yote who is so wary as to be adjacent to hir hindquarters.
Loki leaps down into the fray, one again crackling with electricity, a little more intense than usual, but not enough to cause pain to the normals. He heads towards Apostasy and the others, where the fighting is the thickest. He unleashes a rather large burst of energy, attempting to mess with their nanites as much as possible without being lethal.
Kale in a fit of rage gives in to hir feral instincts and rends and tears any coyote shi can get hir hands onto.
One of the four that was attacking Apo catches hir off-guard as she leaps to save Kale. Shi manages to grab hold of two of them on top of kale and snaps their necks, but she looks down at her bloodied hip in pain. Cilan knocks the rest off with her tail. One of Rosa's slams into a tree and the loud resounding crack is followed by the usual death signs. Loki manages to snag two of the ones attacking Apostasy with his lightning, pushing each quickly unconscious with a singe on their fur. Spar snags two of the remaining coyote's with some silk webbing.
Taggart slowly enters the edge of the forested area, his pace stoic and steady. His face is somber, almost sad, and the large wolf raises his head and lets out a howl of challenge. It rings out through the trees, echoing across the wind before he drops his head and pulls off his hat and pea-coat, cracking knuckles and rolling his shoulders.
RosaSoul turns on the spot since only one seems to have gone down and aims her bare fist for the remaining coyotes skull intending to make it fall back against the tree to, she did not intend to kill any of course, but the tree could be effective in finishing the job of knocking it unconscious "hey guys here's a thought, if Sorien was one o the intelligent ones, would she attack us? I think we can safely assume we can slaughter the smart ones whom attack right?" grasping a rock and turning towards that remaining intelligent one "OR we can tie it up while its out and learn from it"
Apostasy stays in a low fighting stance by Kale, snarling almost ferally, looking around for any coyotes still capable of posing a threat, tail lashing about and claws twitching. Shi barely seems to notice the bloody wound on hir hip.
Loki glances over to Crystala looming over another similar looking coyote. He rushes out towards her, unleashing another burst of electricity in an attempt to knock out the others, landing beside Crystala. He appears ready to intervene should she try anything lethal to the apparent 'commander' of the coyotes.
Kale sniffles, Tears still in hir eyes looks over Cilan and Apostasy "No...noooo , why couldn't I don anything to protect you two..." Kale automatically goes for hir medkit and inspects their wounds.
Crys growls in fury at Sparhawk taking her kill, but her friend's words snap her out for a moment, and puts one of her swords back. She looks around for a moment, and then feels really light headed, before passing out. Blood has been streaming down her back and apparently adrenaline was keeping her up.
Cilan lets out a tired, and obviously weak chuckle as she falls to her ass, "D-dont.. dont worry about it.. love.. now.. before I change and become a threat to you.. leave me in peace with my flask.." resting her back against one of the trees she reaches over to the said flask and takes a large gulp from it, passing it next to Apostasy.
Sparhawk growls again, "That was too far the other way." Shi curls up a moment, examines one of the two active coyotes around hir to verify it is a male, then lashes out with a vicious kick upon those parts of males that hang helpless. Then shi turns to dash at Crystala's smartyote, leaving the regular one behind hir with a long scaly tail making a loop.
Not sure if it's Taggart's frightening howl, or if for some reason the coyotes are simply going to wait for something to happen, no more emerge, in fact some can be heard running off. The only remaining conscious coyote is the big male, which Loki and Spar are dealing with.
Kale glares at Cilan " NO Cilan we promised that we would stay with each other always. I will restrain you if I must but I am not leaving you here."
Apostasy pulls Kale into a tight embrace, and then holds hir out at arm's length, looking hir over carefully. "Thank the gods, you're unharmed." Shi pulls Kale back into the embrace and nuzzles hir. "I promised you I'd -always- come back to you. That hasn't changed." Shi looks over at Cilan. "As for you, sis.. you think I'm going to let you give in that easily? Back on your feet, soldier! You're not done yet!"
Taggart waits for a moment, but sensitive ears catch the fleeing off the other forms in the trees around him. The large wolf just nods a bit and picks up his coat and hat, pulling them back on as he moves further in the direction of the screams and fighting.
Kale begins to use hir medical skills to disinfect and wrap Cilan and Apo's wounds, Kale puts on a stern face and holds back further tears. "You two are going to recover or I will never forgive you."
Loki gives a worried glance to Crystala, staring at the wound on her neck. He stares at Crystala, frowning. Even if he could attempt to control nanites out here, he wouldn't be able to help her, and he lacks any sort of medical equipment. He glances downwards to the male, holding it to the ground, studying it intently.
Sparhawk herds the last hapless canine for a tasering courtesy of Loki, paying more attention to watching Crystala lay flat on the dirt. By the time shi's done with that the bite wound has been identified and the old medkit begun to be dug out of the bottom of the bag where it was stuffed months ago, gauze and antiseptics and regular old medical supplies. "I may have to start charging for my services, if it keeps being this frequent!"
Cilan lets out another chuckle, replying to both Kale and Apostasy with, "Fine, fine.. but.. if I go all bitey, Ill leave whatever happens next up to both of you.." finished she rises to her feet, and gives the two of them a peck on the cheek.
(Cilan and Apostasy both feel -really- sickeningly dizzy, as a wave of nausea overcomes them.)
Grins at Kale and snaps off a salute. "Ma'am yes ma'am!" And then staggers, a hand going to hir head as a wave of nausea washes over hir. "Ugh... that's not a good thing..."
Cilan drops again, this time to a single knee as she clenches at her stomach with one hand and her head with the other, shaking her head and blinking rapidly as she notes, "Ugh.. I think that whiskey isnt sitting too well with me.. damn.."
The large, male wolf steps slowly into the clearing where everyone is gathered, catching Cilan's comment. "That's cuz yer drinkin' tha wrong sort." He seems as stoic and unfriendly as before, emerald eyes moving slowly around the group to take count of injury and such. Gaze landing upon the ripped and torn Crystala, Taggart can only shake his head, moving over to the group of her, Loki, Sparhawk, and the coyote.
Kale hides hir concern behind a well practiced nurses smile "Its going to be alright, both of you lay down and just focus on your breathing. In and out, just keep focusing on that. The nausea and dizziness should pass. Tell me if you feel anything else."
Loki gives a worried glance as he hears the chatter between Cilan and co. His gaze drops down to the coyote. He hesitates for a moment. He glances up to Taggart as he heads over and gives a small nod. "Hey. This one seems smarter than the others. I would think restraining this one and attempting to communicate could be useful."
Sparhawk medicinizes upon the bleeding neck wound to make Crystala less leaky. "We are, of course, going to pursue them because they will be keeping whatever they want us to not have in their lair. And it will be even more their turf than these woods. In other news, I need to get a portable microwave."
Kale stands up and looks at the others " We need to get to a better position, I say we move back to the bus. We our sitting ducks in the woods. Plus the Gas might mask our scent."
Apostasy slowly sinks to the ground, shaking hir head and trying to clear it. Shi murmurs "We need to... clear out of here.... regroup.... at the bus. Don't forget to take.... Glaurung...." as shi lies back, eyes closing as shi tries to fight back the nausea.
Kale leans down "Quiet loves you need your rest. I will make sure everything is all right." Kale says with total determination
Loki glances down at the coyote. "Anybody want to give me a hand dragging this one back with us?" he asks, looking up to the others.
Taggart pointedly seems to ignore the small scene of Kale, Apostasy, and Cilan, wincing slightly as he looks at the coyote. He promptly leans over and swings his fist to the things temple... his usual method of restraint. He peers at the thing to make sure it's properly unconscious and nods, moving over to pick up Crystala from in front of Sparhawk, not really waiting for the okay or not. After this, he turns about and starts walking back to the bus.
Sparhawk shuffles around and eyes Taggart. "I need your help. If you would be so kind as to carry our super-dense leader, I will transport the pair of people who are suffering progressive infection." And then Taggart does it anyway, yay!
Loki sighs at the wolf's brutality, and hoists the coyote on to his back, carrying it to the others. "Hey.. Cilan.. Apo.. Kale.. you three alright? Seemed like you guys had quite the scuffle there."
Kale looks up at Sparhawk and gestures to Apostasy "Help hir to the bus, but be gentle." Kale hoists up Cilan carefully and cradles her in hir arms.
Sparhawk can drape one whole entire Apostasy down hir back, holding hir up with wings that get a few red marks on their gleaming surface. "You got Cilan there? I think we are prepared to decamp."
Kale points to Apo's gun "Pick that up as well Apo will need it."
Kale Kale begins to carry Cilan to the bus
Cilan offers little resistance to being hoisted up into Kale's arms, occasionally letting loose a groan as her nausea and dizziness hit her.
Sparhawk regards the gun with distaste, but straddles it and picks it up between two pair of midlegs. This gives Apo a much more lumpy transit than if all four pair were on the ground, and hir spine is bent up in the middle.
Kale reaches the bus and lays Cilan gently down nearby and reinspects the wounds shi wrapped.
Loki glances to the others. "So.. where the heck should we put this thing?" he asks, gesturing to the coyote he is carrying.
Taggart moves up into the bus and sets Crystala onto one of the long benches inside before coming back outside. "Stick it underneat'... luggage space."
Kale rummages through hir supplies in desperation looking for anything to stop the infection even though shi knows nothing like that is in hir kit.
Loki gives a nod to Taggart. "Sure, that should work for now... May have to end up moving him sometime though." he mumbles, shoving the coyote in the compartment and closing it.
Sparhawk tote tote carry, kneeling near the bus for someone to take the dragon off te dragon's back. "Presumably someone knows where this giant gun goes, yes?"
Kale says quietly "Set it near me Sparhawk."
Loki glances at the lethal weapon Sparhawk is carrying. "Well, I would say it should preferably be smelted down into something less lethal.. preferably something not intended for killing at all, but its Apo's so.. well, next to her I would think.
Cilan lustily hisses, "Ungh.. t-try.. to find something.. to bind us with.. if we change.. I want to make sure we don't hurt anyone in these.. tight quarters.."
Taggart glances about with emerald gaze, making sure the area looks secure enough before heading back up into the bus to sit across the aisle. His gaze flits to her on occasion, making sure she isn't bleeding out, then turns and looks outside, unfocused and staring at nothing.
Sparhawk notes the yote being stuffed into cargo, and examines Cilan and Apostasy. "Can do. Make sure you are in a comfortable position, though." There will be heavy silk applied once they indicate preparedness, or unconsciousness.
Crys groans, her eyes fluttering open. She looks around at the bus, wondering how she got there.
Kale props up Cilan and Apo's heads and makes them as comfortable as possible.
Loki clambers into the bus, making his way over to Apostasy and Cilan. He peers over the edge of the seat, staring intently. "You two ok? Feel anything abnormal? Odd? You don't look so well." he says, rapidly firing off questions, looking quite concerned.
Apostasy seductively says, "Nnngh... ready... to be silked.... whenever you are... Spar."
Kale smiles at Cilan "Sorry I don't have your Triage bed for you."
Taggart glances to the side as he hears Crystala groan, then looks back outside. His voice is fairly monotone, if a bit accusing. "I'm bettin' ya went and did sumtin' stupid."
The wounds on Apo and Cilan have mostly closed up. Which is unusual in itself due to the lack of nanite driven accelerated healing out beyond the bubble.
Kale grimaces after checking the wounds and whispers "No don't heal like that i-if they are healing then... no their fine.... its fine the nanites just must be working better then I thought."
Crys' ears perk at Taggart's voice and she says, "Wuh?" slurring a bit in her speech.
Apostasy curls hir tail around Kale's waist. Shi murmurs "Don't worry... love.... I promised I'd always come back...."
Taggart remains quiet and staring outside at the trees.
Kale fights back tears and nods "You did... you both did. I am holding both of you to that promise."
Apostasy smiles. "I won't... be breaking it.... any time... soon. Come hell or... high water..."
Cilan lets loose a small, weak chuckle as she tries to lighten the mood with a bad joke, "Heh.. love.. dont you know.. even death itself couldnt tear me away from you.. trust me.. it tried, only left with a gunshot wound to the skull.."
Taggart twitches slightly at Apostasy's, Cilan's and Kale's words, standing and moving outside. The bus tilts slightly to one side as the large wolf climbs the side of it and thunks about on the roof before it passes.
Kale can't help but giggle at Cilan's bad joke
Crys finally becomes fully conscious, and looks around a little more coherently. She doesn't look as dizzy as Apostasy or Cilan, and she notes Taggart's leaving and tries to say something before he leaves but fails. She tries standing up, and manages to get her balance but has to use Sparhawk as support.
Loki nods, staring grimly at Cilan and Kale. He remains silent, his questions ignored. He slumps against the edge of the bus, closing his eyes in thought. He frowns, his tail twitching.
Kale breaks into a smile and deeply kisses both of them "Rest now you two you will need your strength when we attack."
Cilan leans her head back, her eyes slowly closing as she takes Kale's advice and rests.
Apostasy smiles back at Kale. "I just... wanna try one thing... after Spar restrains me..." Shi looks at Sparhawk. "Spar.... silk me up.... please..."
Crys begins to stagger her way out to the front of the bus to try to get to Taggart. She's a bit wobbly, but about as much to be expected from losing the amount of blood she did.
Taggart is on the roof of the bus.
Spar moves to restrain apostasy, wrapping hir up with sticky, strong silk strands. Taking special care not to prevent hir breathing, but enough to try to prevent escape should body mass change.
Loki glances up at Kale. "I'll keep an eye on em... I may not know you as well as I know the two.. but.. well, I consider em both friends... well, maybe Cilan more of a friend, and Apostasy as an abusive older sister.. but hey..." he says, trying to lighten the mood a little, and flashing a cheesey smile and 'thumbs up'.
Apostasy smiles hir thanks to Sparhawk. "Wonder if... I can.... get in tune... with the nanites... gonna... try." Shi closes hir eyes, hir breathing slowing as shi focuses on the new infection.
Crys pulls herself out of the bus, looking up for where he went. She doesn't seem to be able to pull herself up but says, "No, no I wasn't stupid. At least thanks to Spar. I tried to stop the coyotes without killing, but one got to me when I was distracted." She calls up.
Kale nods to Loki "Thanks but for now I would like to sit here and watch over them if you don't mind."
Loki nods to Kale. "Well.. I'm just not sure what else I can do.. Kinda.. lost everything as we left the field." he says, gesturing to his bare form. "Gotta make a note not to rely on nanites so much... still.. this should prove an interesting thing to learn from should I make it out of here alive." he sighs, looking a tad stressed at not being able to help more.
Apostasy gasps and looks at hir hand, wriggling the fingers, hir eyes looking strangely unfocused. Shi lets out a long, loud scream.
Kale inspects Apostasy "Whats wrong!?" Kale hisses in panic trying to follow Apostasy's gaze.
The gruff wolf's voice. "Go rest, Crystala."
Bones can be heard popping, as Apostasy's mass shrinks, hir hips and groin adjusting to quadruped stance, and hir long dragon tail, falls off.
Kale pounds on the ground and shouts "Love talk to me damn it, I don't care about your body, if your mind is okay."
Sparhawk inspects Apostasy as much as shi can, without the benefit of extra-tiny senses; neither the local field nor a nanite infection itself should spread like this, and Spar's not set to interfere meaningfully.
Cilan is abruptly awoken by the loud scream, another surge of adrenaline attacking the lizard as she reflexively uses what little she can do from her lying position on the bench, that being her own nanite abilities!
Apostasy shudders and shakes as the changes rip through hir body, shaking hir head in denial as shi looks at hirself, eyes still strangely unfocused, still screaming.
Loki stares at Apostasy, giving her a worried glance. He waits, and observes what may happen.
Kale leans down to Apostasy Ear "Concentrate love, remember when you asked me to be your mate. Remember all the fun we had that night." Kale switches tactics "Precious I order you stay with me. Don't lose yourself to this!"
A soft, resigned sigh between the screams of change from the roof of the bus.
More bones crack and apostasy's feet shift into digit-grade coyote paws, fur sprouting where once there were scales.
Crys staggers back into the bus to see what's going on.
Apostasy's eyes close and hir jaw snaps shut as shi thrashes about, as if trying to escape something. Shi's straining to raise hir head, as if trying to keep it above something.
Cilan calls over to Apostasy as she lies on the bench, unable to do anything to help hir, "Hang on, sis.. if you die here, and now, how am I going to raze malls, and convenience stores with?"
Loki glances over to Crystala. "Looks like Apo is shifting into a coyote... possibly." he notes, before glancing back to her.
Kale continues to whisper and say various things in Apostasy's ear, Kale is clearly trying everything shi can think of.
Kale glares at Loki projecting hir frustration unfairly at him "Damn it aren't you supposed to be some sort of genius nanite researcher can't you do anything you bird brain?!"
A loud thump against the roof of the bus, sounds like a fist banging once to keep the shouting down.
Apostasy's arms twist, while the fur covers hir shoulders heading up for hir rapidly changing muzzle
Apostasy whimpers out "I... love you.... Kale... always. I'll.... find my.... way.... back... somehow..."
Loki sighs, and looks at Kale pitifully. "No tools. Cant. Dissolved upon exiting the bubble... Could if I would. I feel just as useless as you do now... The coyotes... well... if I was to give Apo a jolt, she might melt like the others. Didn't take much at all." he sighs, looking rather frustrated at his inability to do anything.
Kale sobs into Apostasy's chest
Sparhawk says mildly, "I am reasonably certain there are more than nanites at work here." Shi watches, not taking any action while the bonds hold and the obviously painful changes continue.
Kale chokes out "You will come back or I will drag you back."
Loki glances over to Sparhawk. "Really? What gives you such a hypothesis?" he mumbles.
Cilan struggles at the silk webbing keeping her down, the soldier attempting to tear her way out to move to Apostasy's side, occasionally screams of anger, pain, and hate is heard as she goes on.
Apostasy's muzzle finishes transforming, and then shi begins to cough up blood. It spilling all over her as shi writhes in the webbing. The final changes happen to hir body as it shifts fully, and then shi begins melting the way the coyotes have in the past.
Kale looks desperately at the melting pile and then turns to Cilan hearing hir screams of anguish checking to see if shi is 'changing' as well.
Sparhawk tilts hir head to regard Loki with an ear-hole. "Because your nanites cannot dance, and--what the crap." A vial is swiftly ejected from hir collector, and a chunk of currently-coyote is attempted to capture, and hir nose dents into the melty pile as shi tries to sort out an Apostasy-scent from a generalized coyote background.
Thus far, the adrenaline has caused Cilan to shake off her dizziness, and she exhibits no physical changes.
Noticing the fact that Kale had moved to her side, and the sounds coming from Apostasy, Cilan can only fear the worst before hir struggling finally comes to an end, a whispered, ".. No.." is said as she looks pleadingly to Kale, "What.. what happened?.."
Loki perks up, looking quite worried as Apostasy begins coughing up blood. He jumps up, peering over the edge of the seat. "That's not.. good at all... Very bad.." he murmurs. "Well Sparhawk.. I would REALLY love to hear your hypothesis now... I'll be damned if we can actually bring her back... As far as I know... her mind may be quite warped.." he continues, glancing at Sparhawk as he tries to sort Apostasy's nanites. "I don't think.. a mind can be replicated... she may be able to be duplicated physically though.. but.. well, I hope I'm wrong here."
Kale puts on a brave face and looks at Cilan. "Shi..... is ...gone." Kale then just stares blankly at a bus seat for a little while.
Cilan blinks, a blank stare as she realizes, a nod is made before she lets out a sigh, and again she turns her vision to Kale, a righteous vigor in her voice as she says, "Love.. I promise.. I promise that there is not a single force in heaven, hell, or anywhere the fuck else that wont make me bring hir back to us.. just hold on.. please.. hold on!" her hyped up mind doing the only thing that comes to it, she closes her eyes and begins to focus on the infection coursing through her body, attempting to follow Apostasy's path, and find hir wherever she may be.
Sparhawk watches until events stop happening, then says, "Tell you in a minute." Shi goes to check on the continued existence of the coyote in the cargo compartment, then will return to say, "Not gone. No more gone than the individual fingers of the greater coyote organism that we put holes in. My current theory is they are a single large creature, with the smarter-looking ones being human minds it has subsumed. As such, rescue is possible." Spar exudes confidence, which none of the assembled except possibly Crystala can penetrate, trusting that no one else knows what is going on any more than shi does and applying Weaponized Hope to the problem.
Loki grins, giving Sparhawk a nod. He walks over to Cilan and gives her a kick. "Hey! Don't bail on us! We need you here! The shiny dragon over here says that we can rip her out of something, before his look changes to one of horror. "Wait.. a cluster of minds... did that mean.. how many.." he says, his legs wobbling slowly. "Did I just... kill.. how many.."
Cilan's paws shift first, twisting painfully, although if she feels it she doesn't show it. Her nails turning into thick canine claws and her feet growing small and digit-grade.
Cilan opens her mouth, and clenches her eyes shut, making it seem as though she were attempting to scream, but no voice leaves her, aside from that, little can be seen as her body has been tied firmly to the bench she rested on.
Kale stares into Cil's eyes "God damn it Cil! Not you too!"
Sparhawk applies science to Cilan, squeezing her hand for texture while it changes and while it melts, sniffing noisily the entire while. At one point shi mutters, "Really, anyone with a Promethean psychologist friend can speak up any time now."
The shifting continues up her legs to her hips as she sprouts a coyote tail. Cil's thrashing though does not match her body's changes.
Cilan speaks, its voice wracked with pain as she looks firmly to Kale, "Don't.. watch.. please.. I don't want.. to see you like that.. I.. I promise Ill be back, just.. hold on.. please!" and finishing, her body is wracked with obscene pain, obviously seen by the horrible thrashing seen underneath the webbing.
A rough, gravely voice from on top of the bus. "Yer tha one bringin'er tha pain. Accept that, fer yer selfishness, gurl."
Kale puts on hir best fake smile and closes hir eyes "Okay Cilan ... but I am going to kick both yours and Apo's ass when you get back for putting me through this."
Kale doesn't even hear tag talk
Loki grumbles. "What about Zephyr? I don't think the prometheans can solve everything as they claim they can." He slumps down, putting a hand on Kale's shoulder. "Easy.. I'm sure.. we can bring em back.. Hell, I would venture into hell itself if it means I can save them.. and whoever else probably met this fate..." he mumbles, glancing over to Sparhawk. "Hey! Dragon! You think... are the memories and minds really tied to one individual? Or.. are they mutable like this?... Simply absorbing into the next... if its like that...."
Loki continues "what I mean is... If you kill a "Brain"... do they transfer knowledge to another? Or.. is that the end?"
Kale begins to mutter every little poem, charm, and prayer for safe return shi know. "O eternal one, who alone watches us, and rules the tides and storms, be compassionate to your children, preserve us from the perils that plague, that we may be a safeguard for others."
Sparhawk does not glance away from Cilan. "My study on souls is incomplete. I can neither confirm nor deny their existence. I know nanites can dissolve brains and preserve their contents though, with goo girls as the base example."
Cilan's body shift, it reaching up to her chest, her arms beginning to shift into paws.
Kale whispers "Your bed will be waiting in the triage like always Cilan."
Looking at something that isn't there, Cilan wears a small grin, letting loose a pained chuckle, "I.. suggest a new.. option.. one that involves PUTTING A FUCKING BULLET IN YOUR SKULL!"
Another gravely sigh from above.
Kale clearly realizing that Cilan's words were meant for somebody only she sees, continues to do all shi can which amounts to little more then muttering words of protection. "Oh spirits of the world, send your gaze to my loved ones with benevolence, watch over them and protect them from peril."
Sparhawk does glance at the thing that isn't there, and frowns back at the subject. "Earthquake pills. Much more effective and longer-lasting."
Cilan's body begins to finalize it's shifting, the coyote infection overtaking her face.
RosaSoul sighs sadly not entirely sure right now what was going on, taking a seat near by and rests her head in her paws, though now worried that Crystala's bite might have consequences too.
Cilan's eyes remain firmly set on whatever it is she's seeing, speaking one final time, her voice sounding like its being said with a lack of air to say it, "Ill.. hold you to that.. promise love!"
Cilan's body also passes, it's breathing and heart stopping, and it slowly begins to decompose as well. The pools of blood disappearing into the metal of the bus itself.
Kale quietly gets up and lays down in the back of the bus facing away from the others
Sparhawk says tensely, "Please confirm lack of normal nanite activity if you can, Loki. Or anyone else." Another sample gets bottled, assuming it doesn't evaporate inside the vial itself.
The blood remains in the vials.
RosaSoul murmurs softly "How is Crystala doing? She cant be fairing too well with this..."
Crys looks pained, wondering if this is what happened to her mate. She looks sick, but not dizzy like the others were. She appears to be recovering although her wound, unlike the others has not healed.
Sparhawk slumps tiredly in the middle of the bus' aisle, passing the vials of ex-adventurer back to be filed in the proper bag. "Run out of cheery, gonna pretend to nap now."
Kale mutters "We need a plan of action..."
Loki continues to slump in his spot, his eyes closed, deep in thought.
Otherworld -
Walking with distinct stride and perhaps a slight limp, the elder man is heading somewhere with intent in his motions. He's covered by Coyote furs, beads and painted bone jewelry. His graying hair is patchy, and despite his darker red skin, his eyes shine blue.
Sorien follows, trying to not be annoyed enough to do anything stupid. She inventories what she has left, which is a short list that includes a body (not hers but nice), a coyote skin (Warm, but creepy), and her skills. She's less than happy at the moment, but continues to follow the apparently-older man.
Walking barefoot over the dirt and waist high grass is harder than one would think, the elder man having not provided shoes. He remains silent and stoic, and the journey takes what could be hours, although the sense of time is very distorted from the lack of a night and day cycle.
Sorien gives an annoyed sigh, but knows better than to push matters; she wants to know what exactly the hell is going on, and pissing off her one possible information source isn't going to help matters. She continues on, wishing that she were still in her proper form.
The elderly man pauses for a moment to stop at a brook and bends forward, bringing his face down to the water. He says nothing, and splashes some of the water across his skin. He does not acknowledge Sorien, nor instruct her, but returns to his feet, and continues onward, silently.
Sorien stifles a growl, but imitates the man's action, attempting to be respectful and continuing to follow.
The elder softly chuckles, but continues onward ahead without looking back. In the distance Sorien can see a fire burning and smoke rising into the night sky. The moon itself remains the same brilliant gold mixed with a bubble of more reddish orange. There are some dark patches on the sky that might be clouds, but it's hard to tell.
Sorien decides to take the chance. "Are we going anyplace in particular, or are we walking until I start asking questions? I'm not meaning to be disrespectful..."
The man simply nods, although he doesn't say what exactly he's responding to in her question. Nearing in on the fire there are more obvious structures, wooden with stretched skins. There are a few fires in fact, and smoke coming out from the top of many of the buildings.
Sorien shakes her head, and continues to follow the man. She knows no answers are forthcoming until he gets where he wants them to be, so she shrugs the coyote hide a bit tighter around her, letting him lead on without another question.
Some figures can be seen in the area ahead, it looks like the gathering is populated, one is huddling by a big fire in the center are. There are stones breaking from the ground around parts of the area, offering perhaps a wind barrier, the structures creating large black shadows from the firelight across their surface.
The elder holds up a hand, and begins to hobble forward in his odd gait. He makes a soft call of an animal Sorien doesn't recognize, into the air and it gets returned with a sharp whistle by a figure not seen. He then turns back to look at Sorien and waves her forward.
If she could, Sori'd be laying her ears back; she's not comfortable being essentially naked (in the undefended sense) in front of a bunch of total strangers. She's not comfortable, and trusting this situation, given how she got here, is not in the cards. When the man waves her forward she hesitates, quickly scanning visually for who (and what) is around her and where before moving forward.
Sorien can barely make out figures in the twilight and firelight among the shadows with her now human eyesight, she counts what looks like at least six among the area, the one by the fire, two sitting on the stairs to one of the larger structures, and three in different areas around. One of them leans on a long tall spear, but Sorien doesn't see any other obvious weapons.
The elder says, "Don't be silly child, you are welcome here." His tones are far softer than anything he's said previously, and his voice while still raspy has a warmth she hasn't heard yet.
Sorien says, "You'll pardon my skepticism, given I just got assaulted by a swarm of coyotes. I can't and don't trust this situation. No offense intended."
The man raises an eyebrow but remains silent at the comment, he finally shrugs and moves on ahead, leaving her behind.
Sorien says, "I'd be more inclined to trust if I knew what was going on."
The elder has left earshot by the time Sorien manages her reply, it's clear he doesn't care what she thinks. He's gone over to the huddled figure by the fire, the brightness of it making them black silhouettes. The figure is female, and she appears to be rubbing her eyes as the elder looks down at her and he places a hand on her shoulder.
Sorien approaches the fire warily, not saying more; she thinks that she may have offended. Not that she hasn't done that before.
Eyes follow Sorien as she moves in, she makes out a large imposing male figure and a smaller female next to him sitting on the stairs, watching. The one resting on his spear is a much less imposing male, and he looks a bit haggard and exhausted, but watches Sorien with suspicion.
Sorien takes a spot by the fire, and sits; warmth is a bit higher on her list of desires at the moment. She tries to sit where she can see the others around her, and is hoping that someone says something to her.
After some time the elder finishes talking to the girl, she appears younger than the others in the community, although is definitely not a child. He approaches Sorien and sits down next to her. He sits quiet for a while staring at the sky, saying nothing to Sorien.
Sorien fights the overpowering urge to fidget or ask stupid questions.
After some time he says, "You are now of the People, child of many.", as if this means something to Sorien. He continues, "You will teach, and bring more."
Sorien says, "Um... No."
"Not a Choice." He chuckles, gruffly, his voice sharp in the twilight air. The fire in front despite it's size isn't making the usual crackling pop, and despite the time it's been burning, no wood has been fed onto it.
Sorien says,"I was assaulted, my companion hurt and you want me to join you? Sorry, bullshit." the anger she'd been fighting is definitely boiling up.
He smiles, "You are here." He indicates the space around, although he's vague as to what he's referring to. If he knows what Sorien's talking about in terms of coyotes he has not indicated.
Sorien frowns. "Try an explanation, sparky. I'm no longer real inclined to politeness. You took me from my MATE. I'll not forgive that.
The elder, raises to his feet, and places a hand on Sorien's shoulder, pressing firmly but not aggressively. He looks at her and says simply, "The People did not take from you, you gave to us." He smiles and says, "Mate will join."
Sorien shrugs the hand off. "I really don't advise you EVER touch me again. Not if you want to retain that hand." SHe glares, stands and moves away from the fire, partly dropping into a casual fighting stance. "I'm not staying. I don't know how to leave, but I'll find my way one way or another."
The elder chuckles and waves to Sorien, returning to stare into the fire. Not one even bothers to resist Sorien leaving.
Sorien glares at the people around the fire. "Anyone here willing to give answers? Or are you happy just sitting around doing not a damned thing?" If she doesn't get an answer, she snorts and heads towards the mountains.
Silence is returned.
Sorien says, "Fine. (And she heads off.)"
Sorien strikes off toward what look like mountains in the distance. Their peaks are cherry red in the dim light, as if the sun is hiding behind. Sorien walks for hours, them not appearing to get any closer. Up in the sky the moon sits lonely, the dark wisps of clouds around it moving in their own dance. She crosses endless fields of grass and the occasional creek, before she finds herself at a larger stream, and she sees a depression in the muddy dirt, clearly the place she woke up in.
Sorien bends down and looks as the ground where she'd lain, trying to see if she dropped in there, or crawled out of the stream.
Sorien can't make any sense how she appeared there, it's as if she grew -out- of the stream.
Sorien looks around, seeing the odd pattern on the ground as if she'd grown out of the stream; she dips a toe in the water, just to see if there's an effect.
Sorien notices the water in the creek appears still, it's not flowing and yet it looks nothing like stagnant water should. There are her original footprints along with the elders heading off, as well as her footprints on the opposite side where she came from.
Sorien tries stepping into the stream.
The water is cold, and wind blows her hair in front of her face, she looks off into the sky and feels incredibly alone, the emptiness of it is terrifying. There are no stars, and the only movement in it has been the dark shadow-like clouds.
Sorien grrs to herself and takes another step forward.
The water flows around her feet as she walks along the bank, the sandy water bed envelop her feet gently as she steps along it.
Sorien looks around, then tries to 'feel' her old form; she isn't sure if she's conscious or not, and is trying to determine that- She wants to reach her own body- this stream seems to be some kind of border to her, so if there's a way back it might be here. She concentrates, using the focus she'd learned in her martial arts training and tries to reach out in a nonphysical sense.
The sky shimmers a bit, and Sorien has a hard time breathing, but she keeps focused and the sky above her ripples like the surface of a pond. She hears the sound of a single drop of water hitting the surface. She has a hard time focusing and her eyes roll up into her head feeling dizzy.
Sorien grits her teeth, squatting into a more balanced posture before she mentally PUSHES to reach her own form! She thinks the dizziness may be a hint that she's on to something, given that it was how she felt when she was bitten; worst case, she WILL be herself, here!
Sorien is overwhelmed by the sudden feeling of nausea as she sees through hundreds of eyes, the images moving so fast she can't grasp onto any single one, many sounds, and images and tastes, she tastes the fresh feel of blood in her mouth. Suddenly she feels herself toppling forward as she falls into the water, and into something else. The images and senses begin to clarify. She sees in front of her mouth a neck. The sweet taste of blood on her mouth is unfathomable to describe. She can't help but savor the taste as her jaws compress on it. The images start to clarify, she can hear the sounds of screaming and fighting, and languages she doesn't understand. Below her the creature has two coyote under it's arms, and it's screaming in pain. Sorien's brain finally recognizes the image, and the scents, her mate, she's killing her mate.
Sorien rips herself free of that, forcing the BODY doing the attack away! If she can, she forces it to run, trying to resume control!
The jaw releases, but the muscles do not cooperate, she sits there stunned for a moment until RosaSoul approaches her, grabbing her by the scruff of the neck and throwing her against a tree. The agony of the impact shatters her completely and she feels her body dying. The sound of shattering and she tries to scream but feels nothing but water surrounding her. She realizes she's drowning again.
Sorien pulls her head out of the water, gasping.
She's back in her human body, the cold water of the stream is around her, and air fills her lungs again. The eerie twilight has not changed, but there is a black spot in the center of the moon. It's small, and circular, and makes the moon almost look like a contracted pupil.
Sorien looks up at the dot. "If you're someone, and you're behind this, I will fucking kill you."
There's no answer in the silence, beyond the twisting wind and the rustling of the grass.
She rests a bit, then focuses again... Slowing her breathing, she tries to reshape herself where she is, into what she sees her 'self' as now- her mostly-skunk form.
Nothing happens, she feels no connection to her old body, her weak form she sees now is the only connection she feels. She can still taste her mate's blood in her mouth though, and the pain of the coyote's death she experienced was incredibly real.
Sorien gets out of the water, picking up the coyote hide again. She goes back to the fireside, looking at the people there once again.
When Sorien returns to the encampment, the man with the spear watches her closely, he's not overly large in his frame and his dark brown hair matches his almond eyes. He waves to her as she passes, and she sees no sign of the elder she had been speaking with. The younger girl remains, in the firelight her eyes appear amber, almost yellowish orange, the light flickering off her paler than Sorien's own skin. Seeing the anger in Sorien's eyes she leaves the fire, heading for a cabin. Sorien suddenly hears a sharp laugh from the steps to the largest building, the female who had been with a male earlier was sitting there with cold anger glaring in her eyes as deeply colored as the wine dark sea. Long raven black hair runs down toward her waist. A female in the far back of the encampment is hard to make out beyond her profile.
Sorien walks to the woman who laughed. "Something funny?"
Sorien's posture is bordering hostile, but not yet indicating violence being likely.
The woman with raven hair smiles and says, "You come back for answers, when you already know the truth. So much posturing that we've done something to you, and yet your kind kill without mercy or thought." Her lip curls slightly as if she's trying to bare her flat human teeth in a threat. She snarls, "Soon there will be no reason to keep struggling, for you have already helped us bring more to The People, even as you try to fight us."
Sorien says, "Bullshit. I just saw your freak coyotes nearly kill my mate. This is a false reality, as monstrous as anything you think humanity's done. What I know is that you fuckers are doing EXACTLY what you claim is wrong with mankind: forcing your will on others."
Sorien says, "I'll get myself out, and there isn't a damned thing you can do to stop me."
"There is no out." She says waving her hands about, "This is all there is, and you made your choice. You are one of us because you chose to be." She cups her lithe chest with her arms and crosses them.
Sorien says, "Wow. I chose to be gnawed on by some mangy mutt? I ran from a PACK of mangy mutts to protect someone else to CHOOSE to be with a bunch of self-important, egotistical assholes? Somehow I thing you have that wrong. And on my FIRST try I nearly got out. You think I'm stuck here? Wanna place any bets on that? Either I'll get out, or I'll take over and get out THAT way. "
She starts to laugh, deep from her chest when Sorien mentions getting out, she laughs hard enough she falls to the ground. The irritating sound of her laugh strikes a nerve in Sorien.
Sorien doesn't hear the elder approach from behind until he places a hand on her shoulder again.
Sorien is angry enough that she reacts without thinking; the moment the hand touches her, she spins, grabs and throws the man over and down, ending the martial arts move kneeling on the man's chest, arm drawn back for a palm-strike!
The raven haired girl leaps to her feet and shoves Sorien toward the fire. The impact is surprising and throws her into the air.
Sorien catches herself, grimacing. "Oh, bitch wants a dance? FINE." She drops into stance and advances in full-mantis, ready and perhaps looking forward to the release of combat!
The girl screams and charges, carrying Sorien in the air with her as she jumps -into the fire- with Sorien in her arms.
Sorien sidesteps, and 'assists' the girl along in her charge.
The girl disappears into the fire like the surface of the ocean, sinking in with a strange ripple.
Sorien blinks, coming out of the anger a bit. "Well... That's not something you see every day..."
The elder has returned to his feet, and is looking somber at the young woman in front of him, Sorien's confusion evident on her face.
Sorien steps back, less angry now but still in defensive stance. "I'm not here cos I want to be. Not a chance," she says, keeping an eye on the fire as well as the older man. She doesn't trust that the psychotic woman won't pop back out.
Above them, the sky ripples again, and the circular black dot on the moon has grown larger. Sorien hears screaming, in a language she can't understand, but she recognizes the voice as Apostasy's.
Sorien says,"No. No, you FUCKERS!" She spins, shoving the man away and charges to wherever she thinks the screams are coming from!"
The voice is coming from everywhere around. Sorien feels dizzy and sick again, stumbling on the ground. She feels as if she's drowning as well.
Sorien focuses and shouts, "NO!" and tries to shove the false reality AWAY!
Blood begins to drip from Sorien's nose, she feels it's odd cool flow coming from her, and then it begins to float up, into the air.
Sorien doesn't understand what's happening, and just... SHOVES mentally at the images around her.
Sorien hears Apostasy's final words shuddering in the air around her. She can feel hir choking and the words cross the barrier of language, "I... love you.... Kale... always. I'll.... find my.... way.... back... somehow...", she hears. The sadness and the pain. And suddenly the feeling as explosive and overpowering as an orgasm fills Sorien, and everyone around her.
Sorien huffs a few breaths out, finally standing up once more. She opens her eyes and looks around. "I hope you know... What you just did... I am going to kill you for hurting her." There is ZERO mercy left in her eyes.
The raven haired girl's voice emanates from the sky itself "What we did? You mean what you did." And then that -laugh-, the horrible laugh.
Sorien says, "Come out, bitch. Come on out. I'm real tired of puzzles and cowards."
And the fire this time the ground quakes. Throwing Sorien off balance, the ground appears to ripply like the sky has.
Sorien turns in a circle, staggering as she does from the distortions. "BRING IT THE FUCK ON! NOBODY TOUCHES MY FRIENDS!"
Cilan's voice is recognizable but the words make no sense. The ground quaking again.
Sorien looks for the old man, who seems to be the core of all this.
The man has moved away toward the fire, he looks on dispassionately.
Cilan's pain fills the air raw, Sorien is overcome by a wave of nausea so strong it's debilitating.
Sorien heads right for him. "Explain. NOW!" The nausea staggers her, driving her to one knee before she reaches him, but she forces herself up, gasping, and continues forward, now with tears of pain in her eyes for her friends.
Sorien hears quite clearly Cilan's words, "I.. suggest a new.. option.. one that involves PUTTING A FUCKING BULLET IN YOUR SKULL!", and still overcome by nausea Sorien is not able to resist as the man grabs Sorien by the hair and throws her into the fire.
