Fantasy Beast Souls of Taman - accepting

[Purize]

Name: Kioko
Form: Human
Place: Forest near Hilltop
​

Kioko turned, jumping at the noise, but it was too late... the thing was already behind her with ghastly pincers opened wide and dripping in venom. She was almost too shock to move or even make a sound until another figure fell from the sky and straddled the beast. She screamed at the sudden impact and it snapped her out of her brief stupor. She jumped back from the creature, and it's timely attacker, and flicked her wrists by her belt, whisking her out her chakram.

The man stabbed at the writhing spider until it fell to the ground and went still. Then the woods fell silent once more. Kioko stood, every muscle still tensed, and watched as he simply hopped off of the spider and smiled.
"You have interesting hair color, yeah?"

Kioko blinked at him and slid her chakram back onto her belt. "Yes... I suppose it is. Pleased to make your acquaintance as well." She said, fighting to keep a smile off her face. "Thank you..." she motioned to the beast. "For that."
Curious, she walked towards the dead monster, crouching before it and tilting her head to investigate it's fangs. "They're awfully scary at this size, aren't they? Hellish bastards...."

She plucked a glass vile out of her satchel and placed it under one of the still-dripping fangs of the monster. It filled slowly with oozing green liquid and she capped it with a cork before placing it back into her bag. She squinted, looking at the cuts gouged into it. The black ichor splattered the ground around it and corroded it. The grass and the surrounding shrubs were shriveled and dying. Just looking at it made her blood run cold. There was no doubt that this was the same substance she had found in her home next to her sister's note.

She stood up abruptly and stepped away from the thing, now focusing her attention on the man who'd done a good job of killing it.

Larke

 

[Larke]

Luruke :: Human :: Forest by tavern ruins

The woman stooped to collect the spider's venom in a little glass jar. He'd never seen one of that size, nor one so fine. In fact, everything about her was strange. He'd seen many different sights and people since entering the city, but the variety in which people could come in still amazed him. Back in his tribe, they carried only what they needed, using every bit of it until it was gone. None were born with any hair but hair the color of rich, dark soil. Here, there were some that were bedecked in jewels, with flowing silks, buildings patterned with intricate carvings. Vendors at every corner pushed along carts heavy with roast, shouting their prices. The excess was as baffling as it was astounding. In lieu of that, this woman carried a jar so small, he couldn't imagine it being of any use, yet she capped it anyway, storing it safely. He was just thinking about how strange a sight it was for someone to have a red color in their hair when suddenly, she locked eyes with him. He startled out of his wanderings, and then came back to where they were.

"Are you by any chance collecting venom for the healer-dog ( SilverFlight )? He might need a bigger jar than that, though I don't know anything about medicine." There was but a single healer in the tribe, and she was so old that her mumblings were nearly unintelligible. She had a young girl as an apprentice who suffered to make anything out.

"We should hurry back, there are many poisoned and in pain. Though," Luruke eyed her, cocking his head to the side. "Weren't you headed the wrong way?"


Purize

 

[Raku]

Mikal Kae
Location - Hilltop
Form - Human
Speech - Common/Native

Mikal listened as Elena asked him to do something. She wanted him to watch over the young one who hadn't woke yet. She said that a medic had come over and told Elena that if the boy didn't wake that she needed to find him immediately. Mikal would obviously have no problem with watching over the boy while she searched for the medic. It was one of his purposes as a member of the Order to preserve the well being of the innocent. What Elena had to say next however made Mikal raise an eyebrow in confusion. He had no doubt to what she was hinting towards with that tone. What sort of man did she take him for? He didn't need any repayment for simply looking over the child, especially the sort that she was implying. Nonetheless, he gave no comment and listened to her instructions. Upon handing him some dried leaves, Elena told him that he needed to feed them to the boy if he woke. Mikal simply nodded in approval as she went to look for the medic.

Once she had left, Mikal went to sit besides the young boy. He held the leaves in his palm and examined them. How could these heal the boy? Mikal was never one for medicine, it wasn't part of his training, so he wouldn't question the knowledge of a medic. He then looked at the sleeping boy with a sulky expression across his face. He was once again reminded that such young ones were involved in this tragedy. He could only hope the child's parents survived and were looking for him, because that was the last burden Mikal wanted to bear. Either taken this one in as his own or leaving him as an orphan, both were something Mikal wouldn't happen.
​

Baconhands

 

[Brendanfp]

Björn||Anthro||Hilltop Camp
​

Night had fallen fast upon the camp. No more than an hour ago the sky was painted with hues of red, orange and pink, but all color had faded leaving only a matt black canvas with no stars to be looked upon. It would be a cold moonless night. The sky was dark and low, smoke particles danced in on the inbound breeze, layering the tongue with a woody fragrance.

Shikoba... Björn never failed to remember the name of an adept warrior.

Björn watched with much satisfaction as Shikoba made his way to assembly with the bow-wielding lemur and the reptilian tribesman.

Meanwhile, all around Björn, his men were hard at work. A sizeable campfire had finally been stoked and quickly became the heart of the camp. The light cast by the flames danced across the dark trunks of the trees, twisting and curling in obscure shapes and providing a small radius of light. However, the heat of the campfire struggled to penetrate the wintry air.

The diligent bear troops had also pitched up two large tents per his orders. The first tent formed from azure fabric would serve as a temporary hospice where the healer-dog and his volunteers could care for the wounded and be shielded from the elements. As for the second tent stitched of crimson cloth, it would serve as the headquarters of the camp. Somewhere where Björn could think up a plan of action, but he knew he couldn't do it alone.

Björn cleared his throat and then let out a powerful roar to silence the clamor of the camp.

"Attention! All able-bodied warriors, I seek a counsel with you all in the crimson tent!"


SilverFlight Baconhands Raku @Fluffyflyinggrape
(Anyone going out to get the herbs or not on the hilltop, feel free to ignore my call.)

 

[Dominaiscna]

Name : Zhihan
Form : Human
Place : Outside
"That is a beautiful name and title, Ayize," the crane maiden said softly, dipping her head forward as a sign of respect, "I am known as Zhihan." From then on, she silently followed his lead, lifting her head ever so slightly to watch the departure of the group in search of herbs. Indeed with such a lively bunch, things would be quite interesting. Soon a young lady stopped to offer help and the crane recognized her as a descendant of the snow leopard clan. Seeing one so far from home was a surprise, but perhaps the call for unity among the animals of their land brought the leopards out of their territory too.

As they walked, a quiet descended upon them. At first she found it rather peaceful. However, as the silence drew on, it was getting increasingly harder to distract herself from her thoughts. With nothing to think of, there was one thing that impatiently tried to fill the empty void and push its way into the forefront her mind... and that was of Taili. Again, a dark haze seemed to cloud around her head and Zhihan felt herself sinking lower and lower until a voice brought her back.

It was Ayize and she looked up to realize that they had come to a stop at a small hill. There, the man picked up a sack of something, retrieving a mortar and pestle which he handed to her. Zhihan nodded and held up the bowl for him as he dropped in a few herbs, eyes subtly flickering from the plants to him in a watchful manner. He was trying to distract her from what she was going through, that she could tell, and this brought a faint smile to her lips. However, the crane also felt a twinge of embarrassment at being looked after almost like a child. It made her feel rather weak, but she reminded herself that the pain she felt went to show that she was human. It was nothing to be ashamed of... that she told herself again and again.

"Truly the honour is all mine to have met someone as accomplished as yourself, Life Catcher. and no need for such formalities and honorifics. On the battlefield, we are equals and comrades in arms."
​

SilverFlight @Fluffyflyinggrape

​

 

[Onikmey]

Name: Xaman'Ek
Form: Human
Place: Edge of Medical Camp to Forest
​

Xaman'Ek remained expressionless throughout the exchange, counting breaths of wasted time. "We are looking for the root of a plant that thrives in shade by rivers. It's shorter than we are tall and bears serrated, four point leaves. They are near the path between here and Xiong-Shi. Not far but we must hurry. My name is Xaman'Ek," he said, the name coming out as one continuous vibrating hiss, "and this is Anu- one of the fastest and strongest of her tribe. You are Shikoba? I will ensure you gather the correct roots. Fly swiftly, show me the plants that you gather so we do not poison by mistake. Return with speed." With that the serpent set off toward the city and into the surrounding forest.

Anu rolled her eyes as he left. She was short. Not excessively so but below average in height with a wiry build. Her hair had been cut close, sticking up haphazardly in places. Dark warpaint was smeared across her eyes and mouth as a stark contrast to her white fur cloak. Her armor was light and flexible, painted with exotic flowers that would be surely have been fantasy for anyone who lived outside Cuahuteh. She smiled back at the hawk, but the grin quickly fell as she glanced about the camp. "It's nice to meet you Shikoba. I am Anu. I'm sorry about the snake, he can be.... something." She sighed and turned to the forest. "We best get moving. It's bad luck to wait on the dying."

*****

An hour later Xaman'Ek sat by the water sorting the herbs into piles that were usable and piles that were not for Shikoba's return flight. An earthy smell emanated from the exposed roots that Anu was cutting into. The two had decided to stay here, gathering roots so that Shikoba could rapidly ferry them to the medical camp. The snake almost flinched as mosquitoes bit into his chemical burns. The acid was washed off long ago, but it brought a serious concern to the serpent. If this multi-national army was going to fight creatures with such corrosive blood, they were going to need a near constant flow of supplies. The massive industry of Xiong-Shi, with their expert craftsman and extensive forging district, would be essential to the success or death of these warriors. Xaman'Ek thought of the lack of warning before the attack tonight, and the amount of land that the spiders would have crossed to get so close to the city. There were no scouts bearing news of imminent destruction. There were precious few Xiong-Shi warriors beyond a few volunteer forces present. There were no fabled sky-fires of the Xiong-Shi as warning. It seemed that, for the moment, they were to fight without the Panda Emperor's support.

 

[BugDozer73]

Shikoba: In the forrest: Anthro> fully stepped


As the snake and Lemur gathered the roots and herbs, Shikoba looked around the forrest. Under the moonlight, the leaves were outlined in silver, and left trails as they blew in the summer breeze. Beyond the trees the two worked by ran a river than snaked its way through the glade, shining like the leaves.

Before he had followed the pair into the dark foliage, he had grabbed a torch, lest they run into more of the hideous creatures. In the last fight, a few sparks were as efficient as an army of blades: It was important to pack accordingly.
Shikoba waited sitting alone on a tree branch, keeping his eyes over the trunks raising powerfully from the grass and earth, hiding whatever cared to stalk them behind their looming shadows. Around their tiny "camp" the light from the torch glowed faintly, only helping by accentuating the flowing silver that washed over the clearing.

After a good 20 minutes of gathering, sorting and uneasy glances in the direction of any movement, Shikoba dropped from his perch and gathered up the "safe" herbs pile, tucking it away in one of his worn leather pouches. Quickly he nodded to the others and took off running in the direction of the camp: A few steps turned into sweeping wing beats as he stepped into a hawk, soaring into the maze of trees.

Shikoba flapped hard, between branches as he flew, trying to move quickly: Despite working with his enemy, he felt a tinge of pride for being entrusted with the health of the entire troop. His speed could mean the difference between life and death for someone. With that thought in his mind, he pushed even harder, tearing past a branch. As he flew, he began to notice a shadow matching him, just out of the corner of his eye. His eyes darted to the side to catch a glimpse of what it was, and the trees cleared for a moment, revealing a shadow flying through the trees, like Shikoba. His eyes widened slightly as they observed the familiar curves and plumage. The shape took off in front of Shikoba, leaving the fastest hawk in the dust. Shikoba clenched his beak and picked up his pace, flapping frantically to keep her tail feathers in view.

She twirled, slipping gracefully through an opening in a tree, followed closely by Shikoba. As she rocketed past, two precise strikes delivered at trunks leaning over the clearing brought them crashing down above shikoba, who tucked in his wings and rolled through a small gap between the rapidly descending wooden splinters. He refused to lose, and shot off again in a tight turn. They came face to face as they continued their dance through the wood, each one forcing themselves to go faster than they had ever gone before. They flew so fast that the world around them slipped into a blur, and a faint arid breeze began to drift over him. Each beat lasting an eternal moment, brought them closer to the finish line. Feathers accentuated the falling leaves, left behind by the panic. Neck and neck they thundered towards the end, slipping through the world as if the moon itself were blind, until at the final moment, she extended her wings, stopping right before the clearing, allowing Shikoba to streak past her and into the clearing.

His flight was halted almost immediately: A thick, sticky net in the clearing caught on his feathers, tearing and wrapping and tangling, until Shikoba found himself completely immobilized, trapped in the web. He stepped back into his anthro form to try and cut loose, but to no avail. He struggled frantically against the bindings, but he couldn't tear them: His Mercethium talon gauntlets tied up in much the same fashion. His eyes darted around the clearing, looking for someone, or something to get out, and found nothing, panic beginning to well up in his throat. "Ta-TASE! HELP!" Shikoba kept writhing around, which only left him more entangled. She didn't answer.

A near silent hiss from the trees stilled night: all the sounds fleeing back into its comforting embrace. Dead sets of eyes glinted beyond the dark tree line, watching Shikoba with an insatiable hunger. Shikoba let out a shrill Hawk cry, his distress call echoing over the the trees.

 

[Purize]

Name: Kioko
Form: Human > Animal > Human
Place: Forest near Hilltop​

Upon closer inspection, Kioko could see the man was part of some avian tribe ( Larke ), however, she could tell which one specifically. At his inquiry, she rose an eyebrow in confusion. "Healer-dog? I'm afraid I don't know who you're talking about. I was just gathering my own supplies." A faint look of concern passed over her face. "Poisoned? Have others been afflicted by the darkness...?"

Kioko spared another glance to the crumpled spider on the forest floor beside them. The things had venom. She had yet to test how potent it was and learn its effects, so she didn't have the knowledge to counteract it. She surprised herself by feeling the need to help. Though her medical knowledge was extensive, she'd really only ever used her skills on herself and focused on poison and antidote making. She opened her mouth to ask the man more about what he knew when a shrill screech interrupted her thoughts.

The noise pierced through the silent woodland night and made her ears ring. It was a distress call. She looked at the man across from her, and without any further commentary, she shifted into her fully-stepped form and scaled the nearest tree. With skilled agility and much practice, she ran across tree limbs and launched from one branch to another, making her way almost effortlessly through the forest towards the sound of the cry.

Her heart-beat was racing by the time she reached a small clearing. A massive cobweb covered a majority of the glade. It was spotted with several dark, misshapen figures that looked eerily like human and animal figures wrapped in silken cocoons. Kioko's orange and white fur fluffed out in horror as she also saw the clearing crawling with the giant eight-legged beasts. In the middle of the web was another avian wearing his soul ( BugDozer73 ), thrashing helplessly in the midst of sticky fibers. He cried out for help as the creatures drew near and Kioko felt her blood run cold.

She tried to maintain her stealthy cover as she changed back into her human form. She edged closer to the clearing, searching for the best vantage point to rescue the poor bird. There were maybe seven spiders in total scuttling about the clearing. Only a handful seemed interested in their newest catch. Kioko let out a quiet, shaky breath. "Here goes nothing."

She sprinted off the edge of the tree limb she had been crouched on and aimed her landing on top of a spider below (A move greatly inspired by watching the vulture land a killing blow earlier.) She drove her katana into the spider, making a deep cut into it's back. Black blood spurt onto her hands and forearms and burned on contact. Screaming in anger and agony she sliced again and vaulted off of the spider, leaving it twitching on the ground. By this point, Kioko's presence was no longer a surprise and the other six demons began skittering towards her. She ran toward the hawk and began cutting away that the thickest parts of the structure, hoping that his weight and violent movement would eventually free the rest of him. Before she could do too much damage, another spider was on her, pincers snapping and hissing. She spun to face it, carving through two of it's closest legs. It screamed, teetering for a moment, before striking forward again. With a sweeping motion, Kioko slashed at the thing, cutting two large gashes into its face, but none of her cuts were going as deep as she'd like them too. The rest of the hoard were approaching from all sides and she knew she had to hurry and free the man before they both ended up dying. Drawing in all of her strength, she kicked the spider, hitting it's fresh wounds, and making it shamble backward a few paces. She slid her chakram from her belt and threw it, sending it slicing through several spindly legs of the spiders around her. Like a boomerang, it came right back, thudding back into her open palm.

She turned, her red hair whipping around her face as she cut furiously into the webbing with her sword. He began to loosen and the structure started to weaken. She was almost done when a blow knocked her down from behind. She tried to scramble upright, but searing pain shot up her leg. She kicked out, her good leg colliding with yet another spider face. She was cornered now, back against the sticky mesh of the web, and faced with half a dozen arachnids.

Larke BugDozer73

 

[SilverFlight]

Ayize chuckled at Zihain's ( Dominaiscna ) dismissal of formalities.
"Let us see what I can accomplish," he said softly. "These wounds are like none I have ever seen..."
The water was boiled and soon Ayi was pouring ladles of tea into small wooden cups, handing them out to soldiers still on their feet to distribute amongst the wounded. The process was long and Ayi felt sleep begin to pull at him. That was quickly remedied however as Bjorn ( Brendanfp ) bellowed for the fit warriors to join his council. Ayize delegated the rest of the tasks quickly among the others and gestured to the crane maid.
"I think we may both want to hear what Bjorn has to say."

The red tent was spacious, it's center taken up by a table upon which lay the maps bestowed upon them by the Imperial army captain ordered to provide what information they needed. On it Ayi saw their route clearly marked: They were to follow the main road, diverting to the mountains in the middle of the second day. The mountain roads would be slow going, rocky and cold and the weather less predictable. The end of the trail would lead them to a mountain village, goatherds mainly, and one plagued by regular visits from the abominations, though the reports had never told of the slaughter on the scale of what Ayi and the others had just experienced. It was almost as if...the creatures were using the small settlement as a resource...

Ayi tried to dismiss the thought as he watched a few more souls filter in. Watching closely for the Serpent, vulture and hawk ( Onikmey Larke BugDozer73 ) he had seen earlier, he had little doubt they would also want to hear what the bear lord had to say.
"Perhaps we should begin with sharing the little knowledge we cleaned off of that first encounter." He began in a gentle voice.
"Their skins are tough, only specific points on their bodies will allow a blade to pass through with any ease at all. Their blood is corrosive, and water does not seem to quell it's effect...It eats through cloth, leather, metal and flesh. In my endeavours this evening I have found oils to be partially successful. Their venom does not seem to possess the same corrosive trait, however it is highly potent. Those that have received a bite are in a very dire condition."
He paused to consider the room carefully. "If this is relevant I do not yet know, but the creatures we saw today...were all female. If they are anything like the creatures they resemble, then the males are likely smaller." There were some visible expressions of relief as he said this, but Ayi did not seem pleased.
"They are also...likely more agile, harder to see coming, and it is unlikely that their bite is any less toxic."

Dominaiscna Brendanfp BugDozer73 @Fluffyflyinggrape Onikmey Purize Raku Larke

 

[Onikmey]

Name: Xaman'Ek
Form: Human
Location: Forest​

"Grab what you have and light a torch. It's time to go."

Xaman'Ek snatched up the roots he had sorted, tying them in bundles around his waist. Anu's hair stood on end as her eyes darted from left to right. The bloodcurdling screech of moments before lingered on the nerves.

"Shikoba-"

"-is already dead." he said, cutting her off. "And if not is still beyond your reach. More will die if there is not medicine in camp soon." There was a click as sparks flew from the stone in Xaman'Ek's hands. A rush of flame illuminated his unblinking eyes. Anu focused on him as her lips drew into a sneer.

"There is no need for you to lecture me on the frailty of life, priest." She spat. "I know it well. I simply wanted to honor the man." Taking a torch she stormed off in the direction of camp. After a moment's hesitation Xaman'Ek followed. In minutes the forest was quiet again. The constant buzzing of insects and the dancing of branches in wind were the only voices between the two. There would be mourning tonight. The warriors of Cuahuteh would expect it. Blood sacrifice was not needed, but there would be many offerings of ash and grain to Shetmal the Vulture King. The River Tule would flood as the spirits swam to the City of Death in the world beneath. It was in the stillness of the forest that Xaman'Ek silently prayed for Shikoba's passing.

From stars above to stars below,
From our first breath to final throes,
May Shetmal and Iggalou
Guide our friend to the world below.

 

[Larke]

Luruke :: Human >> animal :: Forest by tavern ruins

In the midst of their conversation, they were suddenly interrupted by a piercing screech. Luruke started, and a vivid image flashed through his mind...

Ammi, get down from there!
I can do it Khobo, let me show you! I learned the final stepping!
No Ammi, you need more time-AMMI!

She dropped the 40 feet like a stone, and Luruke's stomach dropped with her. She broke both legs and screamed so loud, she could only speak in a rasp for a week after.

He snapped out of his reverie as the woman dashed transformed, twigs snapping, into the upper canopy of the forest trees. A blur of red, and she was gone. Luruke shook his head. Whoever had cried out would not be waiting on his reminiscings. However, as Luruke got a running start, shifting to take wing, he was filled with a sense of foreboding.

The person who had cried out was either in a great deal of pain, or fear, or both. But, what could cause it? In a moment's thought, the answer was obvious. A lone spider attempted to attack Red ( Purize ), and if there was one roaming so near the tavern, then it could be guessed that there were more who had not fled far from the fire.

He banked up, high above the trees, deciding to follow her. He climbed until he could spot a little red blur. She was like an arrow, streaking through the trees as quickly as he normally flew. He had to work hard to keep up, especially since she'd had a head start. It wasn't long though before he could see where she was headed. From his vantage point, he saw a person... dangling between the trees. He paused to hover in the air, letting the wind fill his wings as he focused upon the small figure in the distance, vision sharpening like one adjusting a telescope.

A man was dangling, tangled in what appeared to be a mesh of semitransluscent white rope. Like a thick white web.

On the instant that Luruke understood what he saw, several things occurred.

One, Red reached the site, and jumped on the back of a hulking black mass, hacking at it in a spray of acid blood.

Two, where they had before been still, it suddenly seemed as if spiders filled the forest, darkness taking shape with motion as they converged upon her.

Three, in the seconds that passed as he thought, in a fierce skirmish, Red was quickly wounded, yet despite it she scrambled over to free the man. She was surrounded on all sides, now making it two that needed saving. Seemed that Red hadn't planned very well beforehand.

Yet even as he processed the situation; the ridiculous odds, the fact that there was no one else around to help for miles, even so, he dove in without hesitation or much of a plan. There wasn't much reason to spend time analysing it all if he completely disregarded what he'd just learned, he mused, but there was no time to think. Either way, this would not be easy, and if he failed, there wouldn't be anyone afterwards to save him. Ah, well.

All he had to do, then, was stay alive.

He dropped straight down before sharply
leveling out, cutting to curve around the perimeter of the scene. He let out a harsh cry, and an uncountable number of gleaming eyes snapped towards his direction. Perfect. Now the hard part.

He shouted, "Cut him out, Red! Cut him loose!"

Then, in a sudden burst of leaves and feathers, he proceeded to dive-bomb every spider in sight, scratching out their eyes with his talons, hopefully angering them enough to draw them away from the man and Red.

 

[Brendanfp]

Björn||Anthro>Human||Crimson Tent
​

The crimson tent was rather dim and lit by small stubs of candles atop on an old oak table. Each scarlet flame radiated a subtle heat. Björn stood positioned at the head of the oak table. The myriad combatants he summoned to make his acquaintance formed a tight circle around him. Björn had stepped into his human form upon entering the room not wanting to intimidate his allies.

Just as Björn finished marking points of interest on his regional map, the soft-spoken healer began retelling the events of the night and what he had ascertained from the ambush. Björn gave his total attention to the healer as the dog revealed his concern about the possibility of a smaller nimbler threat, which could pose even more threat to the inhabitants of the camp. Björn furrowed his brow at the news, however, he was thankful for dogs vigilance. From an early age, Björn realized that no matter how much he studied he could never know everything; the knowledge and experience of his comrades were invaluable.

"Well said dog, if the threat of these male arachnids is as you say, then we need to remain on high alert throughout the night. My soldiers and any volunteers will work and shift to maintain the perimeter set in place."

"And then what! Wait till your bear grunts are taken out one by one by those eight-legged demons? We need a plan old man, a real plan."

The raspy voice had come from the snout of a rugged mercenary wearing his crocodile soul. Björn made eye contact with the reptile only to be met back with a yellow-eyed glare and a snaggle-toothed smirk. In the back of Björn's mind, he wondered where the croc had been during the assault on the city.

"Trust me, comrade I do not plan on remaining atop this hill longer than possible, however, the high ground does lend us some advantages against a future attack by the spider hoard. That being said until we sort out our plan of action we should remain here for safety."

 

[BugDozer73]

Shikoba: In the webbed glade: Human> Anthro


A blur of red had leapt from the trees, mounting a spider and slashing away. The sudden attack shocked both Shikoba and the spiders, causing their attentions to shift almost simultaneously. In the confusion, The woman made her way to his side and with no words spoken began slashing away at his silken restraints. She could not cut him free completely, being pushed back by the advancing spiders, but she was able to loosen the binds around Shikoba's right arm enough that he was able to tear it away from the few remanning strands, and in a flurry he ripped through his other bindings. Quickly shikoba fell to the earth, struggling to tear off the last few strands that clung to him.

The vulture that no doubt was with the woman dove in and slashed wildly at the spiders eyes, drawing angry hisses and the majorities of their attentions. The woman however still stood between two spiders, hissing and circling her wounded form. The spider behind her raised his front to legs and bared his fangs wide, spitting froth and acid from his vile orifice.

In a blur, Shikoba dashed forward, dawning his anthro form and opening his fingers and brandishing his razor talons. In a quick dash and slice, Shikoba appeared in front of the spider, his two from arms crashing to the ground, slashed off at the joint. The beast screamed in pain, and Shikoba followed up the strike with a long arc of his arm sending several feather blades deep into the spiders eyes, blinding it and sending it careening back in pain and anger. Shikoba jumped back as the spider jumped forward, blindly swinging at where he was earlier. He retreated until he was back to back with the woman. While still facing the spider, shikoba shouted over his shoulder. "Thanks for the save back there: I think I owe you my life. Ill take this one if you keep the other one at bay." Shikoba let several more blades slip into his hands, between his fingers as he tensed for the blind spiders next attack.

 

[Purize]

Name: Kioko
Form: Human
Place: Forest near Hilltop​

The bearded vulture ( Larke ) from before burst into the clearing and began distracting the majority of the spiders. Silently, Kioko sent him her appreciation. The web behind Kioko shifted and soon the hawk-man ( BugDozer73 ) freed himself, leaping immediately into action. As he gave her his thanks, Kioko nodded. "No problem, feathers. You certainly got yourself into a sticky situation, didn't you."

Even as she spoke, she kept her eyes on the foe before her. It was the one she'd slashed the face of earlier... and it did not look very happy. It struck forward, and she dodged, narrowly missing it's pincered jaws by inches. She twirled and caught the spider with a backhanded strike. The blade of her weapon only scratching the dust off it's hard surface. Frustrated, She slashed out again, and this time she aimed for its soft spots. The legs, the eyes, the mouth... there wasn't much surface area to damage. The spider jerked forward and in retaliation, Kioko jammed her chakram into it's front, sending black liquid spraying across the ground. The thing finally slowed down and fell twitching to the grass soaked in ichor.

Kioko quickly glanced around her, surveying the area, and at the other end of the clearing she saw several more spiders clamoring over fallen logs, trampling the undergrowth in their path... and they were moving fast. She knew there was no way they would be able to take on that many by themselves.

"Uhh... Guys? I think we should get out of here while we still have the chance! There are more on the way!"

BugDozer73 Larke

 

[Larke]

Luruke :: Animal form :: Forest

Every nerve was going on overdrive as Luruke spun and dove to avoid the attacks from both the spiders and the whip-thin branches that obscured his flight path. As many spiders as he managed to antagonize and lure away, there were more that he had to redirect. He felt like a sheepherder with no dogs. None of them strayed very far from their web, and he had to keep a steady - yet careful onslaught to keep them occupied. The ones he blinded waited until they felt another attack before striking wildly in the direction that they had felt him come from. Many times, the spiders' legs and fangs had come so close to him that they raked through his feathers, his reflexes tested as every twitch meant the difference between a graze and a gash. He was unpleasantly surprised to find that they could leap with terrifying height and accuracy. Luruke's talons and feet burned from the blood, and he tried not to strike too deep. It was a dance on eggshells, but even more terrifying was the spiders' cunning.

He'd never before attempted to fight an enemy that he couldn't kill, and so the struggle to balance between attack and flight brought him closer to the spiders in a way that he would never have imagined. Each strike, he aimed for the eyes, and the eyes only. It was the only way that he could hurt them enough for them to want to follow him, and for him to be able to safely escape their next attack. Each strike, he aimed... And each strike, he saw something in them. Something furious and cold. His suspicions were soon confirmed. The longer he distracted them, the more he blinded, but the ones remaining were increasingly more difficult to attack.

At first, he didn't believe it, but they adapted. They followed his movements, learning his evasive maneuvers, weaving below as they tracked him out of their remaining eyes. Luruke's heart beat hard as he realized. They know what I'm doing, and they're trying to see my next move. He was quickly tiring, never having been one for defense, but the spiders were learning, and he was not. Their movements were as foreign and erratic as before, but to them, his were becoming clearer and easier to read. The feeling of facing an enemy stronger than yourself is disheartening. But the feeling of facing one with more injuries, but far cleverer than yourself is insurmountable, and that fact was growing clearer with every passing moment.

A sudden voice broke him out of his state. It was Red, calling for everyone to move out. Relief flooded his chest. She must have saved the man, and she was well enough to call out so loudly. They could-

A hairy leg struck his wing, unbalancing him. The attacking spider had waited, then struck, hitting half a beat faster than he had anticipated. It was enough. Luruke tipped sideways and fell into a seething pit of enraged spiders, ready to tear him to pieces... and then he hit a branch. It took a moment to process that he was still alive, but soon that wouldn't be the case, as he was sliding off of the narrow surface. Frantically, he scrabbled onto the branch and hopped for liftoff, the wood where he had been a second ago splintering as the same spider crushed it with its pincers. Luruke felt a sliver of wood explode into his foot, lodging itself in. He didn't look back.

"LET'S GO, RED. YOU TOO, LET'S MOVE OUT!"



Purize BugDozer73

 

[BugDozer73]

Shikoba: In the glade >in the sky: Anthro

The spider swung its 6 remaining limbs around wildly, splintering tree trunks and sending shivers through the earth with each bludgeon. Despite it being blinded, it was increasingly difficult for Shikoba to keep up with the onslaught and find an opening at the wounded monstrosity. He rolled to the side, right under a leg sweep that whispered inches above his form. Shikoba rose to his feet and narrowly avoided a follow up with another leg, returning a shower of silver feather blades that thunked into the spiders shell: The creature was completely unfazed, and rushed forward with glinting silver feathers glittering over its body. Somehow to spider was able to tell where he was even without seeing him. It hissed and scuttled forward, pressing Shikoba back further and further. Several more swings from its limbs kept him on his toes, as he twisted and stepped to avoid the long sweeps. One strike from that giant beast might take him down. The spider reared back and hissed, and Shikoba spread out his wings as far as they would go, causing the spider to scuttle back slightly, withdrawing into itself defensively under the giant breadth of his wingspan.

While it retreated hesitantly, Shikoba flapped his wings down sending himself hurtling down on the spider, silver talons raking against the armor. Shikoba began to flow whimsically, slashing and clawing at the beast, his claws sparking off the armor, leaving moderate gashes in its sides. Its frothy fangs snapped out at him, closing on the air where his head had been only moments earlier: Shikoba grasped one of its legs and used his wing beats to give him the lift to hurl the spider over his head, landing several feet away on its back with its hideous hairy tendrils flailing spastically in the air. Shikoba leapt onto its belly and began tearing away at the beast, the armor on its underside considerably less dense. With a few slashes, Shikoba had shredded the entire underbelly and instead of a pool of corrosive acid, he found vulnerable organs- they were easily torn asunder by his talons.

Shikoba felt his heart soar. Suddenly there was a way to break past the armor. "GUYS! AIM FOR THE-" Shikoba's voice was cut off by another dark tendril slamming into his side, sending him hurtling off the corpse and painfully into the earth. He had been so consumed with slaying the one spider that he had not noticed the dozens more of them beginning to flood into the area, crawling feverishly over each other like a violent tide of teeth and shadow. Even the tree branches seemed to writhe in the night, covered with the things.

Shikoba rose to his feet quickly, wincing and clutching his side. It was bruised at least, maybe even broken. No glory would come to the consumed: it was time to fall back. Shikoba dashed over to the woman and yelled a hasty "HOLD ON TIGHT" as he wrapped his arms around her torso and took off straight up, into the night. The ground beneath them was swallowed up by darkness, crying out in rage at the loss of their meal. Some of them had already begun to devour the corpses of their fallen kin. Shikoba pressed on, towards the distant light at the edge of the woods, trying to ignore the pain in his side. Instead he held tightly to the woman and beat his wings as fast as he could, barreling through the sky towards sanctuary. With each pained wingbeat, his vision began to swim, black dots dancing over the approaching camp.

 

[Raku]

Mikal Kae
Location - Hilltop Camp ==> Crimson Tent
Form - Human
Speech - Common/Native

As he watched over the young raccoon Mikal heard a booming voice, clearly one of the polar bear commanders, calling for all warriors to go to the crimson tent. He was inclined to attend this meeting, but he had to watch over the young one. He couldn't just leave him, it would be against his own moral code and that of the Order. Mikal looked to the tent then back to the raccoon. He needed to go, but he needed to watch over him. He spent a moment thinking of his options, and eventually decided to bring the boy with him. Carefully, Mikal picked up the kid, one arm supporting his neck and the other supporting his legs, and began walking to the crimson tent. It felt odd. As he looked at the boy's face, it almost seemed as if he was in peace, as if he was just sleeping like nothing had happened. How it felt odd for Mikal was that he was just introduce to the kid, and he already felt himself warming up to him. It was subtle though, for his focus was elsewhere.

As he arrived at the tent with the boy in his arms, he saw that the meeting had already started. Those present were a familiar man, the polar bear commander who had stepped into human form, and a few other mercs and men of the commander. They all looked like capable fighters and respectable allies. Mikal hoped they would not be too upset about his tardiness. He adjusted the raccoon boy in his arms and nodded to the warriors in the tent. "I apologize for being late. I have to watch over this young one till he wakes" he said. If anyone knew of the Vulpine Order in the tent, they would recognize the mark in Mikal's shoulder as the symbol of the Order.
​

SilverFlight Brendanfp

 

[Baconhands]

Name: Elena
Form: Human
Location: Camp -> Crimson tent
​

Elena was rather pleased with herself; she'd managed to move on from Mikal quite easily and it seemed that he had taken to his role as quickly as she had left him - she'd been somewhat surprised by the fact that he hadn't tried to protest his new responsibilities. Not that the fox would have cared if he had, she would have left anyway. Her solemn expression came back to her as she explored the encampment; she was searching for the medic that had advised her earlier. His active rhetoric would make him very important to the military group and getting to know him well would ultimately prove profitable to her, she could get a good standing through association. It was a gamble, but one she would be more than happy to make.
She recognized his voice after a few minutes, in a crimson tent. Initially it sounded like mumbling but as she got closer, and upon hearing him talking about something biological, her suspicions were confirmed about his location. She quietly stepped into the tent, trying to avoid any unnecessary attention. It was then, with great misfortune, that Mikal entered, with the boy she had abandoned him with in his arms. Elena lost her composure for a few moments, and she found herself glaring at him for that brief amount of time. She recomposed herself and tried to move quickly, albeit nonchalantly to the other side of the tent.
(Many apologies for the short post after such a long time, but I needed a post up to show I wasn't dead)
Raku @crimsontentpeople

 

[Brendanfp]

Björn||Human||Crimson Tent
​

"I say we fall back to the Imperial Palace," remarked a sheep woman, bearing her short spear and ornate shield.

"As long as we stay atop this hill, I fear we will receive little aid from the Emperor," she continued.

Björn met the woman gaze, acknowledging her proposal. However, from a veteran's perspective, her proposal amounted to suicide.

"While your fears are valid, there are just too many unknowns to leave our stronghold. What will we do with the warriors here who are too weak to make the treck back to the Palace, and what of the arachnid hoard? If those monsters were to ambush us as we made our escape we would surely be crushed."

The woman sheepishly looked away as she realized the flaw in her reasoning, and from the tent, entrance entered a young man ( Raku ) carrying a child. Björn's eyes widened as he recognized the brand of the man's shoulder. The head of a fox, the Vulpine Order, this was a rare sight indeed.

"I apologize for being late. I have to watch over this young one till he wakes."

"Non-sense," Björn replied as he glimpsed a smaller woman ( Baconhands ) quickly enter the tent, pause for a second, glare at the newcomer, and then move to the opposite side of the tent, "everyone is welcomed to join our discussion, especially a member of the Vulpin Order. We were just discussing our next course of action. Any thoughts ?"

 

[Purize]

Name: Kioko and Shikoba
Form: Human and Anthro > Human
Place: Forest near Hilltop > Hilltop Camp
​

Shikoba flew through the night, making his way towards the camp. The pain in his side became a throbbing warmth, tugging him down to the earth with each flap. When he finally crossed the tree line, over the patrolling warriors and came to a crashing hault in the earth, landing on his back while clutching the red headed girl, it seemed like a miracle. In the safe embrace of the camp, Shikoba released his grip on the girl and laid on the ground panting. after taking a moment to catch his breath, he rolled over lazily and shot a half smile at the panda, fueled by relief. "Well that wasn't very fun." He laughed for a moment at his own joke, then clutched his side as each sharp exhale sent waves of pain through him.

Kioko gasped as they fell to the ground, the abruptness of it jarring her body. She blinked before opening her eyes blearily. She was used to the effects of poison... she was always testing her own concoctions on herself in small doses, but the spider bite on her ankle was no such small dose. The world swayed when she sat up and looked at the hawk beside her. They had both saved one another. She chuckled at his remark and managed a pained smile. "Nope, not at all, but it was a great adrenaline rush." She noticed that he wasn't in much better shape than she was. "Hey, take it easy there, feathers. Lay back and let me take a look at that." Pain shot up her leg as she moved to crouch over him and her hands and arms burned from the contact with the black blood, but she ignored it as she looked him over. He had a small frame and it was hard to see through the chaos of ruffled feathers while he wore his spirit. "You may have to change into your human form so I can see it better..." She looked up at him expectantly.

Shikoba looked up at the girl for a moment, before letting himself slip out of his soul, into his human form. Tenderly he removed his hand to allow the little panda access to his wounds. Before she could start working on him though, he remembered his task. "Wait" He said, grabbing his pouch. He reached in and withdrew the crumpled herbs and roots, showing them to the girl. "I have to get these to the healers. Its a cure for the spider venom I think." Shikoba tried to sit up but cried out in pain. "Your going to have to help me walk." He said with a bit of embarrassment.

Kioko looked over the bag curiously but shook her head firmly. "No, this may be serious, let me try to help you first. The medicine can wait a bit." She shifted, bending over him and assessing the damage to his side. His skin was purpling into a nasty bruise. "Tell me when it hurts." She probed with light fingertips along the edges of the bruise, applying pressure in certain areas around the ribcage. As she pressed her fingers lightly against Shikoba's side, he cried out in pain, a tear escaping his right eye.

She frowned and sat up again. "Okay... good news is that I don't think it's broken, just severely bruised. It'll hurt like hell, but it's better than a fracture." She looked away sheepishly. "However, I'm a better herbalist than I am a medic, so you may want to have someone more skilled check it out." She fished through her satchel and drew out some seeds, placing them in his palm. "Here, chew on these to ease the pain." She also took out a small, squat vile containing a green poultice. With a grimace, she drank half of the contents, hoping to cure some of her own ailments. She had never faced giant spiders before, and didn't know the extent of the damage their venom could do, but hopefully this antidote would help some of the symptoms. So far, she only experienced the basic pain and dizziness. She stood up carefully and reached a hand out to the injured man.... then she realized she was in the middle of some sort of encampment filled with armored men and women. "Ummm.... where are we?" She asked.

Shikoba sat up, putting the seeds in his mouth and looked around the camp. Leaning on Kioko as he stood, he spoke, "We are in the base camp of the Emperor's fighting force. As far as I know, we're assembled to fight those things we just escaped." He pointed to a tent surrounded by the majority of the warriors and said, "Come on, we need to go that way."

Kioko looked around with renewed fascination as she helped guide the avian to the crimson tent. The base camp of the Emperor's fighting force, she thought to herself. The memory of her sister's note floated into her mind. She had said she was going to come back to Xiong-Shi to help fight the darkness... Ren... might be here. Maybe she was still alive. The thought of possibly seeing her twin sister walking about this camp made her heart clench in her chest. Conflicted anxious and wary feelings warred within her and she decided to put it out of her mind until she could learn more about the camp and their crusade against the darkness.

Kioko and the bird passed a few wounded men on the way to the tent and a new realization hit her. The vulture from earlier was trying to tell her about the camp with poisoned warriors and at the time she hadn't understood.( Larke ) Her eyes snapped to the sky, searching the tree line. Where had that man gone? He had helped distract the spiders while she freed the hawk... and she hoped silently for his safety before her view of the starry night was interrupted by walking into the opening of the tent.

Larke BugDozer73 @Crimsontentpeople

 

[Larke]

Luruke :: Animal form :: Above the forest

To his relief, as he took off, he noticed that Red and that man did the same ahead of him, the man carrying her out of danger as they headed towards the camp. The hawk seemed injured, listing to the right as he flew. Hopefully he would be alright, but Luruke wasn't too worried. They were safe now, unless spiders could fly. Even as he thought it though, he felt a twinge of doubt. They couldn't, of course not... It was an irrational fear, smart as they were. Ridiculous.

The experience had left him unexpectedly shaken. He had flown with frenzied speed away at first, but as the spiders receded behind him, unable to match it, he slowed to a glide, and the two others receded before him. Vultures were not made for speed, and the cold night air eased the burning in his feet.

When he reached camp, Red and the hawk were nowhere to be seen. In fact, few were around in comparison to earlier. He scanned the premise, and soon discovered why. A massive tent had been erected, large enough to contain the rest of the encampment. He cocked his head. What was it for?

He stepped to human form, rising many times his avian size. The added weight on his feet made him wince, realizing that the burn wouldn't take care of itself. As he drew his foot up to examine the sole, something caught his eye. When he turned his head to look, he realized to his horror that his swords were... warped. They were stained and blackened, but above all, crumpled. It was as if someone had taken the blade and twisted it barehanded, leaving the indents of their fingers. The metal was pockmarked with areas of thinner metal, even porous holes that patched across the surface. His head whipped around to the other, and it was the same. Not wanting to believe it, he slowly drew his longsword. It too was blackened, burnt by the acid blood. How had he not noticed? He had been too preoccupied. He stared at his longsword for a while, melancholy memories passing by. His mother's sword. It wasn't as bad as his two shortswords, he could still salvage the metal...

But he knew that it was unusable. His only real weapons remaining to him were his fists and his two daggers that hung at his belt. Emotions roiled through him, but he pushed them aside and slid his weapons back into place. His feet burned worse than before. Where was that healer dog? He scanned the encampment once more, but like most others, they were missing. He must be in the tent, then.

Walking gingerly over to where the light flowed out of the opening of the tent, he pushed the flap aside. The muted discussion he could hear outside was suddenly clear, as the warriors within fought over one another to have their ideas heard. Inside it was warm with the heat of argument, and ripe with the smells of blood, sweat, and dissonance. There were too many voices to make out what they were saying, but he assumed they were discussing plans. As he was not much one for plans, he turned away, and spotted the other two by the tent wall. The hawk looked a bit pale, and the girl swayed ever so slightly, to his concern. Soon after, he noticed the healer-dog. Weaving through the crowd, he managed to find a place beside him, with a bit of elbowing.

He shouted, "Healer dog. I've returned with a girl who knows about poisons, but she was poisoned herself. We rescued a man from a nest of spiders, not too far away, and were injured in the process. Can you lend me your assistance?"

Purize BugDozer73 Brendanfp SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Ayize - War tent - Human

Ayi nodded in approval as Bjorn ( Brendanfp ) explained their predicament with sound accuracy. They could not leave their advantage behind and risk losing the injured. Even without wounded, scouts had been sent out, and the herb collectors Ayi was still waiting for with growing anticipation.
His attention was drawn by a fox entering the tent ( Raku ). Ayi recognized the mark on his shoulder and nodded with respect.
"There is no apology for tending those who need care." The healer said gently, in agreeance with their ursine leader. He noted the second fox slip in behind him and acknowledged her too ( Baconhands ).

"My thoughts are we stay her and defend at least until dawn. By morning the creatures will no longer have the cover of darkness, and we can create a caravan back to the Imperial city for the wounded. As for those fit enough to continue..." Here he looked around the room gravely, "I propose we press on. The emperor cannot give us anymore help than he already has. He made this point clear when he were given the task. Though our wounded will find hospitality in the city, we are on our own, and if these attacks are this bad in such a remote place...I suspect attacks on villages will likely be even more fierce. Time...is of the essence."

It was just at that moment that a young warrior ( Purize ) stumbled in with the hawk ( BugDozer73 ) Ayize had seen earlier. Both were injured and the vulture tribesman called out to him ( Larke ). He was moving in an instant.
"What happened?" He demanded quickly, checking them over as he asked and hissing in displeasure as he found the bite wound on the girl's ankle.
"Where is the serpent tribesman? ( Onikmey ) Do you have the herbs I need?"
He grabbed a nearby soldier and bid him collect his healing bag and fetch hot water and cloth.
He then examined Shikoba's side ( BugDozer73 ), pressing it gently with two fingers in a specific spot. He clucked in irritation. "You've been flying with this injury?"
As he waited a moment for his supplied he turned to Bjorn with a grave expression ( Brendanfp ).
"Double the guard and light fires on the camp periphery. They need to have torches with them. Every sentry. We cannot afford to be careless."
Once his supplies had arrived he mixed the few herbs he had left and made a hot compress for the girl's ankle ( Purize ). "It is hot. Keep it on. It draws the poison out, it will lessen the effect until I get the root I need to counter it."

A bull tribesman looked on with hope, "Can you cure the poison then healer?"
Ayi glanced up from his work for only a moment. "I can stop a person from dying from it right away...but this poison is very strange to me. I am not sure I understand all it can do..."

((Time skip next time I post, to tomorrow morning, is that okay for everyone?))

 

[Raku]

Mikal Kae
Location - Crimson Tent
Form - Human
Speech - Common/Native

As he looked around the tent once more, Mikal got a better look at the woman inside. It was Elena, but something about her glare and quick movement to the other side of the tent said that she wasn't too pleased to see him. Besides this, he was actually welcomed rather warmly. First off, the bear commander had acknowledged Mikal's branding on his shoulder. A smile grew on his face as he nodded to the commander. Secondly, one of the tribesman also let him know that it was no issue. Mikal returned a nod as well. With the formalities finished, the group continued in planning. The tribesman suggested they wait till the morning to advance. Mikal had to agree. It was difficult fight those monster as is, and the cover of night made it even harder. Once they had them in the light however, where they can be seen, the spiders won't be as dangerous. They'd still be a considerable threat either way, but the group would need any edge they could get.

Directly after the man finished his plan, a few more joined them in the tent, but for a different reason than the rest of them. One of the newcomers was injured. The tribesman who had just spoke rushed to assist. Mikal assumed that this had to be the healer Elena was in search of. Speaking of Elena, now Mikal was wondering why she was so displeased with his presence. He hadn't done anything wrong. He was still with the child, so why was she so upset with him? Mikal would ask why, but with the situation at hand, he was more focused on that. It was going to be an even longer night than he thought.​

 

[Brendanfp]

Björn||Human||Crimson Tent
​

Björn was utterly dumbfounded. The not only was the dog ( SilverFlight ) a skilled healer; he was also an adept strategist. The plan was sound and logical. If they were to make a tactful assault on the arachnids, the group could crush the bastards in one fell swoop. A wild smile possessed Björn's face.

"Dog, I like the way you think. We could surely..."

Björn was cut off by the frantic entrance of Shikoba ( BugDozer73 ) and a woman ( Purize ) around his age, however, unlike most warriors in the crimson tent, they bore grave wounds. Björn mind instantly switched gears from crushing the spider hoard to aiding the injured scouts, but before he could utter a word the healer once again sprung into action. Björn decided that he would leave the healing to the dog, in the meantime preparations needed to be made for the coming dawn.

"I agree with the healer. The only way to ensure that this new threat is properly put down is to crush them under our boot like the insects they are. When dawn breaks we will split off into two groups. The volunteers and civilians will make their way back to the Imperial City accompanied by a hand full of my soldiers. Meanwhile, the rest of us will stay here and prepare to march on those demons." Björn watched as several heads around the room nodded in agreeance.

"Now that we know our plan of action, let's give the healer some space to work. We will sleep in shifts till dawn. I'll make sure the camp is ready to move at the first sign of daylight. Let's go people! Meeting dismissed."

Björn looked down to the dog still aiding Shikoba ( BugDozer73 ). This situation was grave indeed. The healer looked up to Björn and met his gaze.

"Double the guard and light fires on the camp periphery. They need to have torches with them. Every sentry. We cannot afford to be careless,"

Björn wished there were more men akin to the healer ( SilverFlight ). Aware of his surroundings, quick to judgment, and keen on details this man would certainly be a huge advantage in the raid against this new enemy.

"I'll alert my men. Don't fret lad. I'll not sleep a wink tonight. And if you spot the other two scouts send em' my way."

Björn made is way out of the tent and into the harsh cold night, along with several other warriors.

 

[BugDozer73]

Shikoba flinched when the man touched his side, but kept quiet, not allowing any audible pain to grace anthers ear. Instead, he took a step away from the panda's support with a smile, thanking her, and withdrew the herbs and roots from his pouch, extending them to the dog ( SilverFlight )

"The snake sent me back with these. I got a little tied up along the way, but here you go. He seems to think these will counteract the venom." He quickly turned them over to him, with a nod. He wondered about the snake, and wether or not he had made it out of the woods. Not that it would really matter. People died everyday. But he did feel a little tinge of regret, leaving someone alone in the spiders range. He considered going back for a moment before pushing the thought out of his head. But the memory of the spiders brought another thought ti his mind.

"Excuse me..." He paused, trying to get the dogs attention. "When we got caught up with the spiders, I figured something out. On the belly of their upper body, the armor is a lot weaker. Also, there was no blood on the bottom side of their bodies. It seems to be their weak spots.."