Log: Dogfight
Nik tries to visit Arianne in shadow, only to run into some unfriendly natives. Ari finds him, and ends up trumping an old friend who isn't so friendly anymore.
The woods of Winter can be a dark, terrifying place. In the snow and the cold a new scent lingers on the air. Something bloody and familiar. Following the scent leads to a horrifying sight. Face down in the side of a snow bank stained with blood is the familiar figure of Niklas. He's not moving. One might assume the blood is his from the tears, gashes and smears in his clothing. Three hounds pace around him, snarling at each other with thick strands of saliva hanging from their distorted mouths. Incidentally, one of those hounds lays dead not far off, broken and twisted.
It seems that Arianne has just been out for a walk when she catches the scent of blood. Her head tilting she heads in that direction, frowning when she sees the hounds, and the body. She's already starting towards then, to shoo the hounds away when she recognizes that body and her eyes widen. Just a second later her teeth are bared and she's growling, drawing both knives from their sheaths. "You dare touch him?" she snarls, stalking forward with dangerous purpose.
Like the predators they are the demon hounds begin circling around Arianne slowly. The snarl and growl at her, lowering their shoulders as their hackles rise. One feints a lunge at her ankle, snapping his jaws at her. Another, the one behind her, launches into the air as his comrade feints, his teeth aiming for the back of Arianne's neck.
Arianne seems able to dodge one, but not both of the hounds, so she ducks down, even as teeth close over her ankle. She growls and twists towards the hound, stabbing at it with a knife from either side, her body as close to the ground as possible.
The demon hound at Ari's front gets a good, solid grip on that ankle. Its jaw is powerful, it's teeth meeting her bone and threatening to break it... for just a moment. When her Knife sinks into it's skull with a loud cracking sound it suddenly thrashes back, ripping off a portion of flesh but leaving the bone intact. The one jumping at her back changes his tactic when she goes low. Clawed feet meet her back as it hunkers down only to launch into the air, shredding her clothes, and likely some flesh, as it does.
Arianne hisses when the hound at her ankle rips away, yanking the blades free of its body. The claws on her back make her arch, and snarl, slashing blindly towards the creature, even as she's glancing towards the third hound, to see what it's up to.
That third hound, the largest of the three and most obviously the Alpha, paces at the side in observation. It snarls and drools. While the one Arianne stabs thrashes and howls in pain the one jumping over her is caught by one of her wild upward stabs. Her blade sinks into the underbelly and causes it to howl as it's foul smelling blood and guts rain down over Arianne.
Arianne drops both her knives and shifts, the growl that sounds in her human throat continuing as she goes all furry. She turns on the most recently wounded hound, snarling and snapping at it as she throws her weight towards the beast. For now it seems the alpha doesn't concern her. Drooling isn't deadly, after all.
The Alpha of the group continues to pace, the fire in his eyes glowing brighter and brighter. The thrashing of Arianne's first victim ceases and it lays there, spent and dead. It's not difficult for Arianne to dispatch the second either after tackling it and ripping free it's throat. When his buddies are dispatched the Alpha ceases pacing and growls at Arianne. Clearly it's a challenge.
Arianne turns to face the Alpha, her front paws resting on the body of one of its hounds. Teeth are bared as she snarls at it. Though she doesn't speak, even though she's able, it's clear that she's accepting the challenge. Even before muscles bunch and she takes just a few steps to gain speed and momentum before she springs towards the hound.
This Alpha, it seems, is no slouch and intends to give Arianne one hell of a fight. He's bigger than her, by at least twice. He rears up onto his hind legs and bats a meaty paw at her with a vicious growl as she flies toward him.
Arianne can't avoid the hit as she's in motion, and it sends her off balance. Probably hurts like hell too. Once she's on the ground though, dazed or not, she's snapping at the hound. Unlike the others she's not going for a straight kill, probably couldn't manage it anyway, but is trying to hurt before she kills. Poor Niklas. Laying all bleeding in the snow. Ignored.
It doesn't appear that Niklas feels ignored... or anything else for that matter. The blood stain around him does continue to grow, however. The Alpha almost seems to enjoy snarling and snapping at Arianne. After a moment it ends up in a furred wrestling match. Teeth and claws snap and swipe as the two roll around snarling and growling.
No doubt it sounds like nothing more than a dog fight to anyone who may be near. Arianne is certainly acting like an enraged wolf, anyway. Even when blood is drawn by the Alpha she continues to snarl and bite at her opponent. But adrenaline only goes so far, and before too long she's starting to go for the throat.
To any creature the throat is well protected. The Alpha, despite being bigger and somewhat smarter, continues to guard his throat like lesser creatures. It takes time but eventually Arianne's teeth sink into that soft flesh. The Alpha falls still, whimpering as if begging for mercy and forfeiting to the greater beast.
Unfortunately for the Alpha, Arianne has no mercy in her today. Or perhaps she's simply caught in blood lust and isn't even thinking about such things. When she has the throat firmly in her jaws, teeth clamp down before jerks her head back with a low growl.
Blood sprays as the Alpha's cry is gurgled away. It takes only a moment for it's thrashing to cease and it's body to fall still and completely dead. In the distance the sound of hooves beating against the earth can be heard... and they're coming fast.
Arianne lifts her head and gives a howl of triumph. At the sound of the hooves her head turns in that direction and she snarls. She shifts back to her non-furred form, scooping her knives up and moving to Niklas. She ignores her own injuries, doesn't even check Niklas'. After all, he's Weir. He'll be back at some point even if he's dead. Instead she just wraps an arm around him and fumbles with trumps, growling softly before focusing on one of them.
You concentrate on Emrys's Trump...
The contact with Emrys comes like an icy wind.
The image of Emrys is seated on a patio somewhere, looking sleepy and still drinking his first cup of coffee. "What?"
To the image of Emrys, Arianne is in wintry woods, bleeding, ruffled, and holding a pretty dead looking Niklas. She glances off to the side, then back to Emrys. "If you don't want your son-in-law being eaten, I would suggest pulling us through. Now," she says, a growl in her voice. Who knows if it's directed at him or not.
The image of Emrys brings his sword out with one hand. "Watch your tone."
RPG: Emrys offers to pull you through. Use '!accept' to go.
Niklas looks as if he's been through the wringer. His clothes are torn, dirty and stained with blood. In some places it looks as he's been chewed on by some carnivore, hunks of meat missing. In others it looks as if something with a sharp blade was toying with him, the cuts clean but vicious. He's not moving or breathing.
Arianne is bleeding in several places, though Niklas looks much worse. She releases Emrys' hand as soon as they're through, setting Niklas down and looking over him for a moment. "Just got done fighting. Can't help it. Hunt was coming. Would've eaten him before he revived." Yep, still a bit of a growl, but it's impersonal. Residual adrenaline or something, probably.
Emrys steps back when Arianne and her burden are on the patio. "You can set him down there," he says.
Arianne nods and does so, before she sits down next to Niklas, closing her eyes for a moment. "Don't think silver was used. Don't think he's been dead long though."
"Thank you," Emrys says, a bit tersely.
Arianne glances over to him, a brow arching. "Doesn't sound like you're too pleased," she says flatly. "But I couldn't just leave him there to be eaten."
"How'd it happen?" Emrys asks, ignoring Arianne's statement.
Arianne shrugs a little. "I smelled blood, went to check it out. Found Nik dead, a hound dead, three hounds circling him, preparing to feast. Killed the hounds, heard the horses returning, so I trumped you to get him somewhere safe."
Emrys sits down, not near the table where Nik is laid out. He brings his coffee with him, sheaths his sword. "Thank you."
Arianne opens her mouth, reconsiders, and finally just nods slightly. "You're welcome."
Emrys says, "This was in Arcadia?"
Arianne nods. "I assume he was coming to visit me and ran into the Hunt. Can't think of why else he'd be outside of Summer."
Emrys hnhs. "I'll see that his body is taken to Niamh. Thank you," he repeats that latter, a bit more sincere than the first time.
Arianne glances towards said body, then back to Emrys, nodding. "I guess I'll get out of here then," she says after a long moment, rising to her feet, favoring her right leg, which has a chunk torn out of it.
"I can arrange a room for you," Emrys offers, "if you wish to stay until you're healed."
Arianne gives him an odd look, then glances around. "We're in Arden, right?"
Emrys nods. "Yes. Western edge of it."
Arianne nods slightly. "I remember this place...Vaguely." She glances down and considers for a long moment. "Guess it wouldn't hurt for me to stay for a little while. Walking back to Amber doesn't sound like much fun right now..."
Niklas continues to be dead.
Emrys rises. "I'll see that you have a room, then."
"Don't worry about it yet," Arianne says, sitting back down with a soft sigh.
It's sudden and violent the way Niklas returns to life. His back arches to thrust his chest up as he hisses in a breath only to cough it back out with a spray of blood that's beginning to coagulate. Disorientation causes him to roll and thud to the floor, a hand desperately seeking a knife upon his belt which isn't there.
Emrys shrugs. But whatever he was going to say is put on hold. He looks to Niklas, watching patiently.
Arianne looks back towards Niklas as well, and she moves over towards him. "Nik, calm down. They're dead, you're safe. Recognize my scent," she says, daring to hold a hand towards him so he can better catch her familiar scent.
Niklas thrashes away from Arianne as best he can with his broken body. He ends up on his back scooting away from her, his eyes glazed over and distant. It takes a moment before he breaths again and begins to calm. "Tobenheim," he says, his voice just as distant as his eyes and his voice coarse.
Emrys grunts. "I'll arrange two rooms." He turns to head in from the patio.
Arianne draws her arm back and shrugs. "No idea what this place is called. Just know you're safe." She glances towards the retreating Emrys. "I think," she whispers once the man is a decent distance away.
Niklas lays back on the floor and says. "Six men on horses. Glowing eyes. Horses and men. Six dogs with glowing eyes. Too many."
Arianne frowns in the direction Emrys went, then she looks back to Niklas, moving closer, to stroke a hand over his hair, like comforting a dog with petting. "I know. It was the Hunt. You killed a hound though. I got you out. You're safe now."
Niklas grunts. "Don't like being prey."
"Can't blame you there," Arianne murmurs. "The hounds that were left are all dead now though."
"What the hell were they hunting in Winter that they'd need all /that/?" Niklas asks, eyes closing again.
Arianne smiles faintly. "It's the Wild Hunt, Nik. They're what even the Unseelie fear. They don't have a specific prey now though, or they wouldn't have stopped to deal with you."
Niklas begins moving as if testing his own body. "Too many of them. I think I killed two of the dogs and one of the men with the swords but... too many."
Arianne nods and keeps petting. "The men were starting to come back. That's...why I trumped Emrys. Needed to get you out of there."
Niklas is silent for a few moments, just breathing. "Niamh."
Arianne shakes her head. "Don't have her trump right now. Sorry."
Niklas reaches for Arianne's hand and guides it to the waist band of his pants. His movements are clumsy still as he tries to drag it over to his pocket. "Mine."
Arianne sighs softly, and digs in his pocket. "I'll try her," she says, though she doesn't sound entirely happy. She finds the trump and pulls it out, focusing on it for a minute. "Sorry Nik, she's not answering."
"Still asleep," he murmurs. He reaches up to take hold of Arianne's shoulder and begin sitting up. "Help me up."
Arianne shifts around so she can brace herself while trying to tug him upright. "You were lucky, Niklas. Very lucky," she murmurs.
Niklas gets as far as sitting up then pauses with a wince. "Guess I owe you a big one for this, huh?"
Arianne shrugs a little, watching him carefully. "You would've done the same for me."
Niklas draws in a deep breath and then lays back again only to shift with a whimper. Once four legged and furry he breaths a sigh of relief. "I would have, yeah... but I still owe you."
Arianne shrugs again and starts to pet him lightly. "Don't worry about it."
Niklas grunts in the negative. "I will."
Arianne rolls her eyes. "Do you have to be so stubborn? Especially after having just died?"
"Yes," Niklas says, perhaps even with a bit of humor.
Arianne tweaks his ear lightly. "You should just relax. Remember, stubborn woman here."
"I know," Niklas says as his ear twitches. "Still owe you."
Arianne wrinkles her nose, but she doesn't argue. Can't tire out the man who's been almost dead for a while. "Were you coming to visit me or something?"
Niklas rumbles lightly as he rolls over, resting the top of his head against Arianne's hip. "Yeah," is his simple answer.
Arianne keeps petting lightly. "Sorry you got attacked instead of having a nice visit."
Niklas gruffs, "Not your fault."
"Maybe not, but it is my kingdom, so my responsibility," Arianne says, shrugging.