A wide ravine where a shallow, gentle river flows. Years of drought and silt deposits have built this area into a fertile delta. The river remains low and dry most of the year, staining its waters brown and creating muddy shores.
When Caedwyn spoke, the beast had paused. Perhaps he had only been startled by Caedwyn attacking and could now be calmed? Caedwyn took a cautious step forward. But he was wrong. The deer grunted angrily, throwing his head up and down and stamping his feet as he readied for another charge. Damnit. Caedwyn cursed internally. How were they supposed to capture the buck? Killing a deer was one thing, but capturing it and unharmed on top of that? It felt like a fools errand. He supposed if anything, Enya had bonded with a strong creature. It seemed fitting, he decided. At least the beast could hold his own and a little smirk came to Caedwyn's maw as these thoughts crossed his mind. Of course Enya would choose the hardest beast to tame. Anything else would be unworthy of her attention.
Quickly, the deer came charging forward but this time Caedwyn was ready. He wasn't going to get knocked aside again just yet. He jumped to the side, his eyes tracking the deer's movements. From this new angle, he could see Enya to the other side of the deer and all around her the plants began to wither and shrivel like dried up paper. Water quickly formed around her and he watched as a vine-like tendril of water whipped out at the bucks feet, tripping him.
Yes. That could work. He jumped forward, ready to seize the opportunity Enya had presented to him, but just as quickly as the deer stumbled, his legs kicked out and he scrambled back to his feet. Caedwyn skidded across the earth, his claws digging into the dirt to control his movements as he changed tactics mid-approach. Instead of coming straight on, he jumped to the side and quickly darted around the beast. Hopefully Buck would be preoccupied with getting to his feet to counter Caedwyn's moves and Caedwyn might have an opening... but only if he was quick enough. He jumped forward again, leaping up toward the deer's head. His jaws opened and he aimed for the base of Buck's antlers. If he aimed right, he would be able to grab onto it. Snapping his jaws down, Caedwyn latched onto the antler. He flung his body weight forward like a pendulum, using his weight to try to pull Buck down with him, to slam Buck forward to the ground. If they could get control of him, maybe they could calm him or restrain him further!
---
Health: 8/8
Success: Caedwyn grabs his antler and slams him to the ground. -1HP
Fail: Caedwyn grabs his antler but Buck can twist away unhurt / throw Caedwyn off if he chooses.
Her rope-like vine had worked successfully and Buck had tripped in his charge, falling and stumbling down to the ground with a loud crash. The sounds of battle were drawing in the attention of the area with birds and vermin pausing to turn and watch the fight. Instead of letting the water drop, Enya focused on her element, reforming it into a large floating ball of water. She panted through the effort and kept her concentration on her Will, not wanting to let the water escape and be unable to use it again. She had already made a mark on the area and didn't want to make it worse.
While she concentrated, she stared at Buck, watching him carefully to try and predict his next attack. It didn't come - not yet. Caedwyn was too quick to let it happen. As soon as Buck was able to get back onto his hooves, Caedwyn was after him, using his size and strength against Buck's unsteady footing to bring him back down to the ground. The stag grunted as the wind was knocked out of him, and Enya followed suite, feeling her head rocked and her concentration on her Will lost. The ball of water splashed down onto the ground, soaking back into the dry, thirsty soil. Enya shook her head to rid herself of the headache that had spiked and left and turned to refocus on Buck and Caedwyn as the two now tangled and squabbled against the soil.
Regaining her mind, Enya shook off the pain and pressed forward. Caedwyn held Buck by his antler nubs, his head held at an angle. Buck's legs kicked as his body thrashed, trying to shake himself free of the wolf's grasp. Caedwyn was a heavy wolf. It would require a good heave to pull himself free at the current angle. Now was her chance. Now was her time to calm the beast down. If it wouldn't obey her commands, heed her words, then she would treat Buck like the prey he was, remind him that wolves were to be feared, and not hunted.
The viper suddenly dove forward and parted her jaws, reaching down towards the stag's neck. She had told Caedwyn not to harm him, and yet there she was, diving for his throat - the tender underside so conveniently exposed to her. She could play his game. If he wouldn't obey, she would make him obey. She wasn't afraid of pain. Enya wasn't afraid of dying. She'd died before. Maybe dying again was the answer. "Don't let go, no matter what happens, ok? Trust me." she quickly told Caedwyn through a pleading tone before she finished her dive. If she missed, or if Buck was able to climb back to his feet, it could mean disaster.
Enya: 6/8
Attack: Reaches to grab and hold Buck's throat while he is on the ground
Success: Holds her grip on Buck's throat firm enough where if he struggles, it will inflict significant pain to both Buck and Enya
Failure: Goes to grab for Buck's throat but he is able to twist his nose to block her attempt.
Buck struggled back to his hooves only to be taken off of them once more as the larger wolf flung himself at Buck's head. He wasn't fast enough to dodge the oncoming attack and he felt a sharp pressure and weight against his head and neck as his antler stubs were grabbed and used against him. He crashed down hard on the ground once more, the wind knocked out of him for a second time in the fight. What was wrong with these fucking wolves? Why wouldn't they attack him and end him already? Why wouldn't they just let it happen so the bitch died with him? Buck grunted and huffed, snorting a dust cloud of soil as he heaved to regain his breath. He tried to twist his head, to heave himself back over so he could clamber back to his hooves once more, but that fucking wolf was still there, holding him immobile.
Anger coursed through Buck and he went from yanking against Caedwyn to wild flailing, desperation filling him simultaneously. His front legs kicked and he thrashed his body, attempting to rip himself free from the wolf's grasp. He had closed his eyes, panting and grunting and realizing that perhaps he had made a mistake. Perhaps he should have ran.
'No' he told himself, "This can't be it!" he grunted out loud at the wolves, renewing his thrashing that had sagged briefly. He was quickly becoming exhausted. Then he felt it. Buck felt jaws close around the underside of his neck. He thrashed and as he did so, he felt the female wolf's teeth pierce flesh, pinching him painfully. Buck's thrashing ceased and he swallowed hard, huffing and puffing as he laid defeated with his throat in the wolf's neck.
"Do it." he grunted, his eyes rolling to try and catch the female within his vision. "Do it. End this god forsaken curse" He tried to lift his head, aimed a kick to strike at his wolf, and felt the teeth prick his skin deeper. Through her grip, he felt a snarl gurgle past her, speaking words he couldn't comprehend, yet he understood. 'Enough!' The large red stag sagged, his thrashing ceasing. As much as he wanted to give up, to force his wolf to die alongside him, he couldn't do it. The fear inside him made him freeze, instincts stronger than his own personal desires.
"Just let me go" Buck groaned towards the wolves, his sound lacking energy or enthusiasm. It was almost pitiful, the sound that came from the defeated prey. He saw his wolf turn her gaze from Buck to the male and nod. He felt the grip around his neck loosen and before either of them could regret their choice - should they both loosen their grip on him - he tried to stand to flee.
Buck: 4/5
Dodge: Attempts to get to his hooves and flee
Success: Stands and gets the hell out of dodge bolting into the woods with deer bounds
Failure: Attempts to stand but is too exhausted and falls back down.
He had managed to grab onto the stub of an antler slamming the buck to the ground. He had hoped that maybe this would be enough to stun the beast, maybe even subdue it. But still the buck's legs were kicking and he was thrashing around, slamming Caedwyn around with him as Caedwyn continued to hold onto the antler in his teeth. He growled and grunted with each blow until he saw Enya appear next to him. "Don't let go, no matter what happens, ok? Trust me." His eyes widened when as he realized she was diving at the deer's neck. Was she going to kill Buck? But she had said earlier not to hurt him, and wouldn't she be hurt as well? Caedwyn felt his stomach twist uncomfortably and he remained almost frozen.
She had said to trust her.
Surely she knew how to handle her own familiar. Right? Right?
Right. He had to trust her. He clenched his teeth down even harder on the antler. He could see her mouth around the deer's neck now and in a moment, somehow the energy had drained from the buck. Was he giving up? Was this some sort of magic? or had they they simply beat him into submission? Caedwyn was mere moments from releasing his grip when suddenly the beast kicked his legs out and pushed up onto the ground, lifting Caedwyn with him. Caedwyn didn't have a chance to counter the movement or he might have tried to jerk the deer's head back down. The buck went jumping forward, slinging Caedwyn along behind him like a ragdoll. They were headed toward the woods, Caedwyn clenching his jaws tighter. Caedwyn couldn't seem to get his feet under him as the buck bounded, heading for narrow gap between two trees.
Shit. It was all happening too fast. Only a second or two had passed as Caedwyn tried to kick his legs to get his footing or maybe even trip the deer. Anything before it was too late. The gap was too small. Buck leapt between the trees, sending Caedwyn flinging off to the side - his body slamming hard into the tree.
Caedwyn braced himself, his teeth still desperately hanging onto the antler.
He had to hang on.
THUD.
His body hit the trunk with a deep thud, sending waves of pain through his body and knocking the air from him. Maybe... just maybe if he could hang on now, he might be able to keep the buck from going any further as his body caught on the tree.
---
Special Roll:
As Caedwyn hits the tree, he tries to grab on tighter to the antler to keep from falling off.
Success: Holds on. He's caught on the tree so Buck won't be able to progress further (until next turn)
Fail: Caedwyn goes flying off after smacking the tree landing somewhere in the bushes.
Her dive towards the stag's throat proved true and she felt her teeth sinch around it's throat, pinching skin. The stag thrashed it's legs and she held on firm, tasting the flavor of blood as her teeth dug in deeper. Simultaneously, her own neck pricked with blood, as if she was grasping her own neck by grabbing onto his. The pain smarted and she winced and growled through it, her chorus of growls matching that of the stag's as he grunted and heaved. He continued to grunt and grunt and both she and Caedwyn held on tight to their grips. Eventually, the stag ceased in it's fighting and Enya could tell that it had, at last, had a change of heart. And yet, when she reached for their bond, the string was feint and slipped right through her toes. She could see it, feel it, but couldn't quite grasp it no matter how hard she tried.
When the stag had settled and ceased his thrashing, Enya held him still for a moment before deciding that it was time to let the beast go. There was nothing she could do with it now as it laid rested between her jaws. She couldn't kill it. She couldn't command it, either. They couldn't hold him here forever, and she saw no feasible way for them to restrain the beast without it escaping. She had to let him go.
'Please read my mind' she prayed to herself as her snarling at the deer turned, briefly, in Caedwyn's direction. 'Let him go' she thought to Caedwyn, trying her best to impress upon him her meaning through her gaze. A hardly visible nod of her head shook the stag's neck, and then just like that, she let go.
Buck rushed back to his feet in a flash. Enya backed away from the stag as he kicked his legs to turn and flee, eyes wide and wild with fright. Enya's own eyes grew wide as she saw Caedwyn dangling from her stag's antler nubs. "He didn't let go!" she screamed without realization. Just as quickly as Buck had dashed away, Enya followed. Her neck ached from her own injuries, and her back pained her as her wounds reopened from her failed healing spell. It didn't matter. She had to help Caedwyn before he ended up hurt from her own stupid fucking familiar.
She wasn't fast enough. Buck leapt through a tree and Caedwyn's body was slammed against it. She heard him exclaim from the impact, watched as he fell off to the side. Two more bounds and Buck was gone, disappearing into the forest. She didn't care about him. She cared about the wolf who had been thrown to the side. "Caedwyn!" she called, rushing into the bushes to find him. "Oh you fool. I gave you the nod. Didn't you see it?" She chastised him even as she reached her muzzle down to nose him and see if he was ok. "Where does it hurt?" Evident concern was written across all of her features as she tenderly inspected Caedwyn, reaching down to comfort him and, if need be, attempt to heal him. She prayed the impact was simply enough to knock the wind out of him, and not so hard that he ended up with broken ribs or a broken leg, or worse.
"Caedwyn! Oh you fool." Enya's voice was shouting from somewhere. Meanwhile he felt like he couldn't breathe and felt like the tree had squashed his lungs. The branches of shrubs that normally were of no bother felt like sharp thorns that scratched at his skin and pulled at his fur. With a pained expression and an unpleasant grunt, he rolled over to his side. He could feel Enya nosing around, presumably attempting to aid him, though he wasn't sure how to explain what sort of help he needed. "Where does it hurt?"
"Everywhere." He grunted again. But it wasn't a whimpering, pitiful voice that he answered with. It just was. He had managed to roll over and get his legs under him, though he remained on the ground in a laying position, with only his head lifted. "Tree came out of nowhere." He jested, looking at the tree and then back over at her before a thoughtful expression had come to his face. She said she'd given him a nod? He swore she had said 'dont let go' before all this. Wasn't he supposed to be hanging on? Well, he supposed it mattered little now. "I'm fine, really," he reassured, lifting his nose up to return the gesture to rub again her fur should she allow him. "But what about the stag? Were you able to bring it down?" his head turned quickly toward the trees where the deer had been running. He didn't see the deer, nor hear it. Even before she answered, he felt he knew the answer. It must have gotten away.
His head turned back to Enya, a look of disappointment on his face. "I'm sorry, I - " he had started to apologize for letting the stag escape when his eyes noted the blood on the back of Enya's neck. "Your wounds!" he interjected, cutting off his own words. He pushed himself up, wincing a bit as he stood and started to inspect her back. "Are you alright? We should get these treated. Do you have any healing magic left? Or should I look for some herbs?"
